Khalifa never called them sigils. He felt weird whenever he did that. Because those things weren't normal, they were a stigma he wanted to do about with.But he couldn't because he was one of those stigmas. His was the power of observation, and he found it useless. It didn't change anything, neither did it make things better. He was right where he started, unable to do anything.The very idea of sigils started making his stomach turn when he was a child. And the day that made him decide to be a bystander."When you grow up, Khalifa, do not forget the world is unkind. Help, but only when it benefits you," Khalifa's father held a bewildered Khalifa by his shoulder, and Khalifa listened, even though he didn't like the subject of discussion."Musa, stop traumatizing our son. Tell him good things, as other parents do," his mother chided his father, who had the grace to look abashed."But why, dad? Why should I not help?" He asked, a six-year-old child learning the rudiments of the world."
"My name? This is a weird place to ask me out; you know that, right?" He listened to her voice, even if he knew she was in unbearable pain. He didn't try pulling her out; he could see that her legs had been crushed."This isn't weird. What's weird is that buffoon making its way over here. It's slow," Khalifa laughed out loud, but it was the most bitter laugh that'd ever escaped his lips. It was laughter trapped in despair."Yes, very slow. Can you describe it for me? When you do, I'll give you my name then." He felt things he couldn't name, but the strange girl experiencing the last of her life pushed him forward, making him see a world he'd always ignored."Okay. A red Defender throws darts of ice at the beast, and its roar is enough to rattle the heavens. A girl with platform powers is stepping on platforms in the air, firing shots through a plasma gun. But the beast is impervious to plasma, a weird phenomenon. It's unsteady; a blue Defender launched a pincer attack from behind, hit
You've failed only because you never understood victory. Why do you want to win so bad?"Sometimes, Gilgamesh was someone Dante couldn't decipher. He'd gotten to know the guy, and there was always something to be learned if he was calm enough.Even though Gilgamesh was meant to be the idiot of The Renegades, he couldn't be boxed in, and the last time Dante fought with Gilgamesh, he had his ass handed to him on a platter. "You can only talk like that because you're strong. I'm not as strong as you yet," Dante grumbled, his arm throbbing. Even though he technically didn't have human arms anymore, the prosthetics were connected to his nerve endings, and well… they felt like normal arms. Just more powerful.Way more powerful.[NOTICE: YOUR MORALE DECREASES BY 1][DANTE STORMBORN: PASSABLY HUMAN][STRENGTH: 55][AGILITY: 28][DEXTERITY: 20][INTELLIGENCE: 15]The humanoid Hologram, S, was cheekier than usual. And that was weird since it was acting more humanoid by the day.My intelligence
Dante's fists couldn't reach. Even though S warned him about exerting himself, he never listened. And his fists still didn't reach. He felt exhaustion creep in on him, and Gilgamesh wasn't slightly fazed."This isn't a joke, and you need to stop thinking you'd suddenly power up like those books you read. Nothing is that convenient here. Have you ever taken a good look at Crystal? At her fingers?"Dante wondered what Gilgamesh meant. He knew Crystal was an okay person; he just didn't understand what she had to do with anything."Why should I look at her fingers?" He asked, momentarily stalled."You don't see what's before you, even with binoculars. When Crystal came here for the first time, she was alone in the world. No food, no means to procure some. She fought tooth and nail to survive an enemy she couldn't see, one that takes from you without giving anything back."Gilgamesh had a look in his eyes that Dante knew he had to stay his hand. "She toiled as a child. Nobody was there to
"Terry hates you," Valerie spoke in a singsong voice, ignoring the glaring looks of disdain sent their way."Get used to it, it's part of the trade," Zero deadpanned, stabbing his fork into the tough piece of meat he had rolling around his plate."If looks could kill, you'd be six feet under by now. With the way they're staring, you'd think we killed their favourite pet," Valerie was having a field day with the new development, and Zero lost his chance to tell her he was asexual. Although, who could blame him? The kiss was something. But he didn't want to repeat it. It served no purpose."You get used to things like this," Zero paid it no heed, he was just being hassled by the number 1000-1500. They weren't even enough as a warmup. "You've made an enemy of virtually everyone. From a legend to a villain. How does it feel?" Valerie was giddy, for reasons Zero did not understand. But he tucked the information away in the recesses of his mind. There were more important things to watch o
Zero didn't like calling people assholes, but Terry was downright insufferable. If only he listened, but no. There were many things wrong with the Enforcers, but Terry was one of those things that irked Zero to no end. Which is why he decided to talk to Terry. He came out of his room and saw the military base looking deserted and lifeless. It was early in the day, at least 2 A.M, and he never really bothered to check. He made his way soundlessly down the hallway and took a right turn, where he climbed a flight of stairs. He was downstairs, whereas Terry was on the upper floor. Third floor, if he remembered correctly. The stupid place's elevators weren't even working.But Zero wasn't deterred, he had always lived in uncommon odds. And a flight of stairs were the least of his worries if he was being honest. He made his way to the landing, spotting Terry's room. The numbers didn't lie, it was 1,990-1200. He heaved a breath of annoyance. Terry was being a child, and Zero needed to sho
The room smelt damp, and Fred felt like his mouth had turned sandpaper, so dry from thirst, it felt like he hadn't had a drink in days.He tried to speak, but the words didn't come.Pathetic.He couldn't move, his arms shackled to something. It felt ice cold on his wrist, and he could feel the cold seeping into his skin like a virus, shutting down his body system."That is to keep you from having any ideas," Alistair was framed in the bars of the cell, his pearly white teeth shining in the dim light of the cell."Don't bother to talk, you'd just progressively get weaker. I wouldn't mind that in the least. But, I wouldn't want you passing out on me." Fred could make out a figure close to Alistair, a figure dripping with blood. "This is your pet, eh, boy? Doesn't look like much," Fred could vaguely make out the shape of Saphrana, and he tugged at his chains but they didn't budge in the slightest."I wouldn't do that if I were you. Those are mana-restrictive chains. The more you fight,
Cincinnati was hungry. And doing her best to look out for Dante too. At first, she didn't see anything worth mentioning in him, his broodiness was starting to irk her. But she got to know him more and she could see that he was just someone who needed love.A lot of it.He didn't know because he acted self-sufficient, but she could see through the bullshit. He reminded her of Mark, the way he put on a brave front even when he knew nothing about what he was doing. She found it endearing, and maybe a little bit sad.That was the problem with people like Dante, they didn't know when to ask for help and when to be independent. She could see that he wasn't comfortable in his skin, and she didn't blame him, she once wasn't comfortable here. But things had changed, and now she was someone who could face the inevitability of a future and smile through it all.What Dante didn't know though, was that the world that'd been revealed to him was little compared to the truth. Gilgamesh wasn't the sec