Difference between revisions of "The Story of Yeling Mah"

Revision as of 01:45, 7 December 2021

Hinokami, Suijin, Fujin, Hachi, Susanoo, Shakujin

Six gods that embodied the essence of The Great Akuma, an ancient spectral entity who was created by those who suffered long ago. Who prayed for fairness in the world. For a time, The Great Akuma brought humanity to its knees. Hierarchy and social class was shattered, and man was equal. No man was greater than another. Humanity saw one another as comrades.

But when the Great Akuma was killed by the Spirit of Hope, Vala, humanity returned to its original, corrupt state.

Famine.

Poverty.

Homelessness.

Those who were ill, physically and mentally, not given the same love as others.

When the Great Akuma was destroyed, so was the fairness in this world.

The Contingency Initiative aims to restore the Great Akuma. To return the world to that where man united as one force. A truly ideal world.

They call me a terrorist. A murderer. A monster.

I am everything you say I am

From the very start, I was never meant for this world of peace

And just as this world took from me

So shall I take from you

As the Hinokami, I will use my flames

To burn this world to ash

And grow a fair one anew

I am Tidalflame

Mom's hands crumbled to dust in mine.

I was sprawled on the floor, staring at the ashes of my parents and sister, who had been burnt to a crisp. Blue flames all around me. Despite the scorching heat of the hellfire I was surrounded by, my tears glistened across my face.

"Mama... baba..." I whimpered, the scary lines that had scratched themselves into my left arm were pulsating blue. The same colour as the fire that had killed my family.

Rise. Yeling Mah.

The voice in my head boomed with superiority, forcing me to stand to my feet.

"You never said my family would be killed like this! You never said that! You liar! Liar! Give them back! Please give them back!"

I screamed, trying to claw at my forearm, blood trickling all over the ground.

Your family for the Hinokami. That was the exchange. That was the pact. An eye for an eye. A leg for a leg. For your family, the price to pay, I have granted you, with the power of Hinokami. The flames of the Great Akuma.

I stumbled out of the house, which was burning down as well.

"You killed them! You did!"

I gazed at the distance, then at my arm.

"I killed them..." I sobbed, falling to my knees.

For days I stumbled across the streets of New Ulysses. No one paid me attention. Most of them avoided me. At some point, I collapsed from hunger and exhaustion.

And that was when a man stood before me. In a black trench coat, shadows concealing his face.

"Little one, I sense loneliness from you."

I didn't answer, as the man knelt in front of me, pointing at my arm.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" I screeched, shuffling back and concealing my hand away from the man.

"I kill everybody I see. I killed the only people I had left. I kill kill kill kill kill!" I sobbed, my body shaking in a trance.

"You are a Dogma holder." The man said.

I stared at him from within the bangs of my hair.

The man smiled as he folded up his sleeve, revealing lines that looked all too similar to mine. But his were... even more intricate. Like it was a combination of multiple patterns.

"Hinokami. Is it wrong to want to kill? You wanted to kill even before you received the Akuma's Flames. You wanted everybody to die. Am I wrong?"

"Wha... what?"

The man held out his hand.

"Now. Your family, all that you held on to some semblance of value to this world, has been burnt to ash. By this world. You have nothing holding you back."

"Nothing holding me back..." I recited.

"Do you want to destroy the world?"

My heart began beating faster, until I could feel and hear my own pulse.

"Yes, sir. I want to destroy the world. But it isn't right. This world's laws make it not right. I cannot hurt..."

The man smiled.

"Then join me, Taras Pax. Join the Contingency Initiative. I will let you use your powers however you want. Unbounded by this world's rules. For we shall create another. One for people who deserve it. One for people like you to deserve to be happy. And those who this world has favoured, those who don't deserve the riches they flaunt so carelessly before your face. Those people. I will give you the opportunity."

"What opportunity..." I asked, knowing full well what the answer was.

Taras smiled sinisterly.

"The opportunity to eliminate them from the world. Yeling Mah. Join me, and you will become one to engulf this world in flames. Like a tsunami. Like an unstoppable torrent of vengeance. Like a tide."

I shook his hand.

Like a Tidalflame.

Elimination Op Code: CAMPUS

"Hey, why don't you leave your problems to yourself?"

Danny shouted at me.

"Are you saying my mental health doesn't matter?!"

"Everybody is suffering here. It's school. You're not the only one with problems. So stop acting like you're special. I don't care if you feel like you're dying. That's your own business. Now go and help out with this project."

My problems didn't matter.

That was what I was forced to believe.

Here.

I glared at the campus from the top of the highest building, my Contingency Initiative Darkwear cloak fluttering in the wind. The mask that covered half of my ruined face concealing the hatred I had for these people.

Did you like downplaying my situation?

All of you?

Did you enjoy it when you told me my suicidal thoughts meant nothing?

Did you enjoy telling me my physical health didn't matter?

Did you enjoy attacking me every time I messed up because I didn't get enough sleep. From overwork. From the endless thought of being ostracized?

"Student card, please." The man held out his hand with empty eyes.

I handed it to him, as he took it and inspected the sheet.

Squad Leader Matt had me arranged to take an exam at the scheduled time for this class. It was all part of the plan to get me to fit in and conceal myself, until my mission began.

When this mission was offered to our team at Squad Four, I was immediately the first one to accept.

After all, I held a huge grudge against this academic institution.

Correction.

I held a huge grudge against the people there.

No one showed me any sympathy that day, when I accidentally killed my entire family from my Dogma power. From when I initiated a Dogma Exchange for my first Level. My whole family died. My whole house was gone.

But the people at my institution didn't care.

The people in my class didn't care.

They didn't care at all.

No chocolates were sent to me.

I spent my days wandering the streets, then I would show up to class, in rags. And I would be avoided by everyone.

I was just expected to just show up to class and act like everything was okay. I was expected to show up to team meetings for my project classes.

And bottle it all up inside.

Because everybody was struggling.

My problems didn't matter.

I began writing as a couple of students kept giving me looks.

My wig covered half of my face. The face that was ruined from my Level 2 Dogma Bargain.

By the time I wrote the exam, which of course was a bunch of bullshit because I had no idea what this stuff was, I made my way to the front of the class to hand in my paper.

"Finished." I said.

The professor took the paper. I recognized him instantly. That scumbag.

"S- Sir?" The professor asked.

"Is something the matter?"

"No." I replied.

"You are smiling... very unsettlingly."

I was.

I was smiling sinisterly. The biggest smile ever. Because I was the last person to show up to the exam. And I used Hinokami to weld the doors shut.

These people in this exam hall were all my classmates from when I was still in college. These were all people who should have recognized me as the guy who had lost his entire family.

But I was forgotten.

And now, they would remember.

"I am just very grateful to you, prof." I said, my voice low.

"Excuse me?"

I took his hand, and shook it.

"Thank you, prof. For those two hours which you spent rereading pointless slides that had nothing to do with the exam. For throwing me endless assignments without any regard of our workload. For not responding to our emails. You know, it's strange."

I turned to everybody in the exam hall, who were all staring at me.

"Hey!" I shouted, waving my hand.

"Who here finds this exam easy?"

Everybody was silent. No one dared say a word. Until one person slowly raised his hand.

My smile widened even more. Not from humor. But from pure rage.

It was Danny.

The people around Danny looked at him, then more and more people slowly raised their hand.

Of course they found it easy.

They were all so smart.

And I was just far too stupid to be here.

That was how it always was.

I turned to the professor.

"Yes. It's so easy to everybody here. Isn't that great. Well, come to think of it. It was never easy for me. After all, how could it? Since I watched my whole family burn down along with my house."

The professor's eyes widened.

"You... you are the boy who's family-"

I tightened my grip my hand began to glow blue, the tattoos on my left arm illuminated with a devilish blue light.

The professor yelled in agony as everybody screamed, rushing towards the exit, which was welded shut.

I brought my face closer to the man.

"Hey. Don't feel so bad. I know you didn't mean it. You probably put your family first right? It takes too much time to make my lectures better. So you decided, hey. These students are smart enough. Fuck the ones who actually have to work hard and study to do well. I just won't give them anything. So they can fail this class and retake it for the fifth time in the row! Their financial situation doesn't matter. Their sleep doesn't matter. It's none of my business!"

The professor screamed as he became engulfed in the Akuma's flames, his body crumbling to dust before me as I turned to everybody, who was banging at the doors.

"My name, is Yeling Mah. I'm sure you've all seen me at least once. Well, most of you probably forgot about me. But that's okay. You will remember."

I held out my hand, as blue flame began to aggregate.

"Yeling! Don't. Don't do this, please." Danny begged as he fell to his knees, prostrating himself before me.

"Hey Danny." I muttered.

"Y- Yeah?"

"Do you remember when I used to tell you about my problems? About how I felt like killing myself back then. And my inferiority complex?"

Danny nodded violently.

"Y- Yes. Of course I do. I reassured you that it was okay. We were friends, right? You wouldn't do this to me. Or our friends here. We're going to graduate together. Right?"

"Yeah." I murmured, as Danny continued nodding, his breathing hysterical.

"I remember. Of course I do, Danny."

The flames became more violent as Danny looked at me frantically.

"Wha- Why? Why are you doing-"

"I remember you telling me my problems didn't matter. I remember you constantly bringing up the fact that I couldn't show up to class. I remember it all. I remember you ostracizing me away from everybody else with Duncan. Oh Duncan. Blessed with so many smarts. Man. A girlfriend too! Amazing!"

I threw my head back and laughed.

"Duncan actually thought about destroying this world too. But why? Why, tell me."

Danny blinked.

"B- Because he didn't like this. He was always pessimistic. He loved-"

"No." I snarled, causing Danny to cower.

"Duncan didn't deserve to have the same wishes as me. The audacity of that guy. COME OUT." I roared, as a shorter man stumbled from the crowd, reluctantly.

"H- Hey... Yeling..."

I tilted my head, as the wig melted off, causing my old classmates to scream even more as they stared at the scarred tissue on the right side of my face, the look of horror and fear consuming their eyes.

"Answer me. Duncan. Do you want to see the world burn?"

"I... You..."

I smiled.

"Look at my face. My scarred and destroyed face. And answer me, Duncan."

"I do?"

I aimed my hand, as Duncan became consumed with flame, releasing a massive fresh wave of screams as I heard banging. The people were trying to free my classmates from the outside of the exam hall.

I glared at Danny.

"I killed your best friend. How does that make you feel?"

Danny began heaving as I fired two massive torrents of flame at the horde of scum before me.

Level 1 Hinokami: 5% Double Inverse Tsunami Release

The screams cut off abruptly, as the bodies were replaced with char and ash. I went up to Danny, who had indirectly suffered burns from the sheer temperatures of my blasts, and dragged him up the steps.

"Y... Ye..."

A voice croaked as I turned around. I knelt down.

"Oh my god. Is that you, Sherry?" I cackled at the balding, decaying charred body of the girl who had made my love life as miserable as possible.

"I'm.... so sorry..."

"Aw, Sherry. I'm sorry too." I replied, sarcastically.

"I'm sorry I didn't humor you back. When you pretended to be nice to me and then ghost me. When you and your girlfriends all ganged up to make me look like a total freak in class. I'm so sorry. I'll put you out of your misery."

I took our my Contingency Initiative Combat Mask, which was designed for me, as I plucked at her skull, causing her to begin falling apart.

I put the mask on.

"Have fun in the afterlife. Bitch."

I dragged Danny, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and put on my cloak, approaching the doors, where numerous people were trying to break through. They all stopped upon seeing me, jumping back.

Level 2 Intangibility: Hellfire Embrace.

My body instantly turned into a wisp of flame, causing Danny to disintegrate, his screams passing through my ears, which no longer perceived sound.

I walked through the doors, and regained shape, my hands bursting into flame, as a fresh wave of screams erupted.

I smiled maniacally.

"My name is Tidalflame. I serve Squad Four of the Contingency Initiative. And I'm here to begin work."

Level 1 Hinokami: 100% Inverse Tsunami Release

"Contingency Initiative's Tidalflame destroys entire campus. Thousands dead. No survivors reported in the vicinity."

Whitney read the news highlight, with a sick grin on her face.

"I like it. Mmm... that gets me going. Say, don't you think, Matty?"

Squad Leader Matt glanced up from his paperwork, which he was filling out at an impressive pace. For someone who claimed he hated doing admin tasks, he was damn good at it.

"I don't give a shit if that mission gave Yeling a hard-on. As long as the mission is completed, then that's all that matters to me."

Classic Matt.

Matt was the leader of our Squad. As part of the Contingency Initiative. We were assigned as Squad Four, under his command.

Well, "command" wasn't really the right term. He really didn't give a shit about us at all, letting us do whatever we wanted.

As long as we go the job done, that was what mattered in his eyes.

From what the rumors said about Matt, he apparently never wanted to be a Squad Leader. But Taras threw him the role after he had Lewis recruited.

Squad Four. An elimination squad of the Contingency Initiative. One of six squads.

Our mission? Was to advance the resurrection of The Great Akuma. An ancient demon that had terrorized the world a long time ago for the purpose of remaking it in the image of one where each person who deserved life, and those who had too much wealth and riches to be wiped from the world.

But of course, that was a lot easier said than done. Because when The Great Akuma terrorized the world, another force stepped in to stop him. Vala, the Spirit of Hope, who reasoned that to kill humanity was wrong. The world was the way it was for a reason, or some bullshit like that. The two spectral beings battled, along with their followers, leading to the events of The First Great War.

Just as we were trying to resurrect The Great Akuma, there were those who were trying to resurrect Vala.

Our greatest adversary.

The Realmwatch Collective.

My mission was to destroy the entire campus, to eliminate any potential meta humans that could be scouted by Realmwatch.

After all, according to one operative in Squad Two, who was a mentalist, she had predicted that the candidates of meta human ability would definitely turn down CI's offer, and accept Realmwatch's.

Of course they would.

This campus was full of fake, toxic, scum.

And it was my pleasure to eliminate them off the face of the planet. After all, this mission was important to me.

It was personal.

Suddenly, I paused.

But...

Was it really right? To kill them all like that.

I knew it was too late. What was done was done.

But if I was suffering in this campus... so long ago... I couldn't have been alone.

I had wiped them out along with-

"It never would have worked out for them." Matt said, as he filed the last of the paperwork.

I was shunted back into reality, to see Matt critically regarding me with that one eye of his that was not in an eyepatch.

"Squad Leader...?"

"That face. It reeks of hesitation." Matt stood up as I began to sweat.

"Everybody there deserved to die. You said it yourself. So why are you having second thoughts?"

"I... the ones who were suffering..."

"Deserved to die. Don't you remember what your old friend Danny said? He was also suffering. But everybody was. He just chose to stuff it all down and act like it was natural. If someone feeds into that, they don't deserve a place in New Ulysses once The Great Akuma reawakens."

Matt stopped at the door, as red lines appeared across the right side of his face, his missing arm forming a shadow tendril which wrapped around my throat.

"Just so you know, I don't tolerate weakness in my squad. You either serve the CI with all you got. Or you don't. And if you don't, you're no use to me. I will kill you."

"Yes sir." I replied, quickly, as Matt removed the tendril.

"Good. See you after lunch for briefing."

Elimination Op Code: ANTI-CAPITAL

Whitney was all over Matt as Matt tried to concentrate on getting his paper work done.

"Matty.... want to come try out this new restaurant with me that opened up down the block?"

"No."

"Aww, don't be such a buzzkill. Come get a drink with me." Whitney purred into his ear, as Matt's eye twitched in annoyance.

"We both know our definition of drinks are completely different."

"We can still enjoy them together. While I feast on everybody's souls."

"Dammit Whitney! I'm trying to work! Get the hell off of me!" Matt growled, throwing Whitney off as she yelped in surprise.

Lewis rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Thot." He grumbled.

Whitney shot to her feet and went up to Lewis.

"Well excuuuuse me, Mister Incel, but not everyone shares your distorted views on women."

"I'm not an incel. I just happen to think that women fall in love with the wrong type of guy. Then complain about it. The whole idea of it is stupid. If you're gonna like someone toxic, expect it to be toxic."

"Sounds like someone's never kissed a girl before."

"The hell are you trying to say you thot?! Want me to burn you up?!" Lewis shouted, his eyes glowing a deadly purple.

"Oh my god! Shut the hell up!" Matt roared, as the two of them sat down in their chairs.

Matt got up from his chair and put the papers away.

"Where the hell are the rest of you idiots."

Lewis shrugged his shoulders.

"Maika said she was going to the new store. Flint went off to the casino to blow his paycheque. And the others all went out to go help the other Squads on their missions. It's just us three."

Matt put his hand behind his neck as he took a deep breath.

"Doesn't matter. You, Whitney, and Yeling will be enough for this mission."

Matt placed a piece of paper on the table, as we huddled in front of it.

"This is the CAPITAL headquarters. I'm sure you recognize it, Lew."

Lewis' eyes went wide with rage.

"Yeah. I do."

Matt nodded.

"The mission will be an elimination mission. The target is the board of directors, who have scheduled a meeting at the top floor at exactly 9:00pm. Doesn't matter how you kill them. Just get the job done, and bring back a proof of kill for me to file."

Whitney licked her lips.

"Can I suck them dry?"

Matt gave Whitney an exasperated look. "Do I even want to know what you mean by that?"

"I don't mind telling you, Matt."

Matt got up from his table.

"Do whatever the hell you want."

"What if I... torture them, then kill them."

"I just said do whatever you wan-"

"Or I kill half of them instantly... then... wait no. That would make it too easy... unless..."

"Dammit Whitney! Just kill them!" Matt shouted, as he left the planning room, muttering something about useless subordinates and being a parent.

Matt was feeling real nice today and decided to drive us to the location.

All the while, Whitney spent the whole ride trying to guess what Matt's type for women.

Spoiler alert. All her guesses were her.

I glanced at Lewis, who noticed.

"What? Is it that surprising that I'm outside for once?"

"No." I said quickly.

"Just didn't expect you to react the way you did is all."

Lewis gripped the car door handle until his knuckles turned white.

"The CAPITAL is home to the biggest corporate giants in New Ulysses. In other words, the greediest of the bunch. It's no surprise that this world is messed up beyond repair. Everybody knows it. Almost every joke out there on the media points out how stupid this system is. And I'm sure these billionaires know how scummy they are. But they do it anyway."

Lewis' eyes glowed purple.

"All this attention. All the messages in the media. It should be so obvious by now that they should change. But they don't. This shit is still here. They're aware. Yet they still screw over the poor. They still turn down the people who need money. That's why I want them dead. Which is why I'm gonna have to ask you to keep your flames down for this mission. I want the chance to incinerate them with my eye beams myself."

We arrived at the location, as we parked outside in the darkness.

Matt rolled down the window as we made our way outside, in our robes and masks.

"Remember you three. Doesn't matter how you do it. Kill all the board members. Don't let a single one escape."

Whitney smiled at Matt.

"Aww Matty, you're so concerned about me. That's so sweet."

Matt made a face that was between a look of disgust and a look of annoyance, before rolling the windows up and driving off.

"How are we gonna do this?" I asked.

Lewis put his hand under his chin.

"I'm thinking we find a way to do it stealthily. If they manage to escape, it's a mission fail. So we'll-"

THUMP

Lewis and I stared at the entrance, as we watched Whitney pin the two guards to the floor, their life force leaving their body and entering her mouth as she sucked the life out of them.

"What?" Whitney asked putting a hand to her hip.

We decided to massacre everybody we saw.

Whitney skipped around the office as Lewis and I took cover.

"That idiot!" Lewis growled, as we heard the sounds of gunshots and Whitney giggling, leaping around, killing guards left and right as yelling filled the air.

I summoned flame, but Lewis put his hand on my wrist.

"I'll handle this. Your flames are too destructive, it'll get us too."

Lewis stood up as he concentrated, firing a bright beam of purple light, incinerating a guard into ashes.

"Those robes. Their those CI terrorists! Call Realmwatch!" One of the guards shouted at the other, before being incinerated by Lewis's eye blasts.

I watched as Whitney continued sucking up the guards, while Lewis fired beams left and right, reducing them to smithereens.

Suddenly, I noticed one guard in the corner. He was hiding, with a phone to his ear, speaking to it in a frantic voice.

He was calling reinforcements.

"Lewis! We got one over there!"

Lewis turned around.

"God dammit!" He growled, as one guard emerged from his cover, taking aim, but Whitney leapt on top of him, dodging his bullets as she opened her mouth, revealing several fangs.

"Bon appetite!" Whitney cackled, as she dug her teeth into his neck, causing the guard to scream in agony.

Lewis fired another optic beam, as the guard hid back behind cover, but I watched as the beam changed directions midway, like a zig zag, across the numerous barricades. Lewis' precision was ridiculous.

But it wasn't enough as everything went into slow motion.

I caught the guard make eye contact with me, as he lowered the phone. We were too late.

The beam made contact with the guard as he disintegrated before me.

"Tsk. I was too slow." Lewis muttered, as Whitney joined us.

"It's okay, Lewey. You did great. Besides, I'm dying to sink my teeth into some Realmwatch boys." Whitney licked her lips.

"What now? The rich boys probably already know we're here. The whole building's on lockdown." I said.

Lewis clenched his fists.

"I know. But I'm not gonna stop until every one of those corporate giants are dead."

Lewis' eyes illuminated with purple once more as a different light emitted from his pupils, almost like a scanner.

Lewis looked upwards, as he narrowed his eyes and inspected the building layout. In terms of reliability, out of everybody in Squad Four, Lewis was the best. Because of his vision evo, he was given the codename Pinpoint. As for Whitney, she was given the codename Wendigo, partly because she had First Nations background, as well as the fact that... well... her evo basically consisted of her eating people and sucking their life force.

Lewis closed his eyes, shutting off the purple light.

"Helicopters are on their way. Right now, they have a ton of guards protecting them, hoping to buy time before an evacuation vehicle arrives. Meaning it's a race against the clock."

I glanced at the elevator doors.

"The elevator doesn't work. Stairs are probably guarded."

Lewis grunted in frustration, as he put his hands to his head.

Out of all of us, Lewis was the smartest. I didn't know if it was because he was in his room all the time, never going to missions, playing video games and coding. If he couldn't come up with a strategy, there was nothing we could do. Since I was stupid. And Whitney was... batshit insane.

"I won't let them get away. Not again." Lewis muttered.

"Not again...?"

I decided not to pry.

"I might be able to propel us upwards with my evo. To the top. But I don't know if the temperature is too much for you guys."

Lewis examined the tattoos on my left arm.

"No. It'll probably fry us. How much do you need to go to get propulsion?"

"Minimum 3%. But at 3% it was still enough to set people in the vicinity on fire."

Lewis assessed the surroundings with his vision evo.

"So we need something that can insulate the heat. At least long enough for us to get to the top. There we go."

Lewis went up to a piece of wall, and burnt it with a eye beam.

"What.. are you doing?" Whitney asked, as Lewis tied the pieces of rubber to my forearms.

"This material is used to withstand fire evo attacks. CAPITAL has been around even before the Pax Incident. When the Pax Incident gave a bunch of people meta powers, people tried to use it to loot and rob. So CAPITAL, being the greedy fucks, decided to cut down the salaries of its workers to invest in protective equipment against these attacks. This rubber is one example of it."

Whitney tilted her head in curiosity.

"But it's against regular fire evo attacks. Yelly's evo is godly fire from the Hinokami."

Lewis gritted his teeth.

"The molecular structure should provide some degree of protection. I'd give it a few seconds."

I was nodding my head, until it hit me.

"Wait. That means you guys are going to-"

"Yup." Lewis said.

"Absolutely not! I'm not going to let you guys cling onto me like that!"

WOOSH

Hinokami's flames completely filled the parking lot as everything incinerated, despite being at 3% output.

I shot to the air, with Lewis and Whitney clinging onto my back. It felt like my shoulders were about to fall off.

"This is awesome!" Whitney shouted in the air.

"You idiot! Keep your hands on Yeling unless you wanna fall off twenty stories in the air!"

I looked stupid. The rubber sleeves covered not only my hands, but extended to my feet. But we were making our way to the top.

"Keep it up, TF." Lewis shouted at me, as I watched the sleeves begin to crumble, breaking apart from the sheer temperature of Hinokami.

We were almost there.

"Alright! That's enough. Hover, TF! Hover!"

I lowered the output to 1%, as Lewis glared at the numerous millionaires who were staring at us in horror. The guards all took aim and were about to fire, but Lewis roared in rage.

"You're finished. This is for my Mom, you money greedy fucks!!!"

Super Move: Wide Optic Blast

A massive wave of energy exited Lewis' eyes as a wide beam of light incinerated all the bullets, killing the guards in the process and melting the windows. I propelled us through to the top floor as we crashed onto the floor.

Lewis rolled as a few of the giants tried to rush to the door, but Lewis widened his eyes, firing a massive beam of light which broke apart into three branches, each branch catching the three millionaires as they screamed in agony.

"I ain't gonna make this fast." Lewis snarled, as the beams continued exiting his eyes. Lewis got to his feet.

"You're going to suffer slowly. Watch as your body melts before your eyes. That pain you're feeling. That's the same feeling all the people who worked under you. All the people who worked under your so called work-life synergy felt. All the people who died from overwork. While you didn't give a flying fuck about their lives. Sending those copy and paste apology letters and continue killing your workers so you could earn more and more."

The other millionaires began to cower, but one guard stood before them.

"I will protect you from these terrorists." He muttered, as he drew his gun, but I stood between him and Lewis.

The tattoos on my left arm began to glow blue as my body caught fire.

"No you won't." I hissed.

The guard gritted his teeth.

"Tidalflame. Do you enjoy watching another human suffer until they die?"

"Of course. It's... liberating." I said, as I spread my hand, causing a wall of blue flame to surround the group, causing them to all howl in pain from the temperature.

I was at less than 1% of Hinokami's power. I couldn't kill them. Lewis had to do it.

This was Lewis' elimination contract.

"Y- You won't get what you want." One of the millionaires managed to spit at Lewis' face.

"I'm going to die knowing I was successful. I've already won." The man said, his voice nearing death.

Lewis' face was full of rage, but Whitney went up to the man.

"Sure you did. But you're going to die knowing you had no balls."

The man managed a weak smirk.

"Who needs a man's honour when I had the world in my hands..."

Whitney smiled maniacally.

"I wasn't talking about those kinds of balls."

Whitney stomped her foot right on his crotch as the man's eyes went wide, screaming in pain.

"AAAH! You twisted.... BITCH!" He screamed, as Lewis stopped the beam. The other two had disintegrated into dust, as the last guy was clutching his midsection, slowly dying.

Whitney raised a fist.

Lewis fist bumped her.

"Thanks. Wendigo."

Whitney smiled.

"Always. Pinny."

Lewis then turned to the group of millionaires.

"Thanks, TF. I'll take it from here."

I snapped my fingers, as the flames died down. The guard collapsed, as did the rest of the millionaires.

Lewis regarded the guard.

"I don't care about you."

I took his signal and grabbed the man.

"Game over for you, bud."

The guard regarded me.

"You are... still young. A kid like you shouldn't be killing..."

"What do you know about me? Huh? Don't even try to pretend you know what it's like."

"No." The guard coughed.

"But... you're young. Your life isn't finished yet. There's still so much your life has to unfold. But you gave up early. A guy your age... should find a girl to love you. To... to find a career you like... to..."

My eyes widened.

"No. I'm going to kill you here. Of all the people I hate in this world, I hate YOUR KIND the most. Your kind. Someone who already has it. Probably a wife and kids. A career. Somewhere to fit in. Somewhere to go home to. You of all people should not be lecturing me about how to live my life. There is no future for those of the Dogma. I know I will never live a life as a main character. I am always forever going to be a side in this stupid world's plot. Which is why I will destroy this world. Starting with the garbage who pollute it. Starting with you, and these millionaires over there. And I'm not going to stop. I will not stop, until everything has burnt to the ground."

Level 2 Intangibility: Hellfire Embrace

My body combusted into fire as I became intangible, the sheer body heat setting the guard on fire, but he didn't flinch, as he eyed me with that disgusting sympathy.

"It will. You will see. And you will remember what I say."

I let go as I regained form, watching the body of the guard crumble to ash.

I watched as Lewis fired another branched eye beam, melting the millionaires before him. The corporate giants, until only one remained alive.

"You are all just terrorists. You will all be stopped." The giant glared at us, barely clinging onto life.

Lewis clenched his fists.

"Do you even remember her name?" Lewis muttered.

"What?"

"Her name. The employee that you took advantage of. She was a single mother. She had to raise me along with my sisters. But you refused to give her a raise no matter how much she would dedicate her life to the job. To the point where we had no choice but to sell off my siblings to pay off the rent."

The giant managed a small smirk.

"That was her fault. Why do I care? It's none of my business."

Lewis' eyes widened.

"The fuck did you just say?"

The man lifted his burnt hand, which was completely charcoal black, as he flipped Pinpoint off.

"I know that woman. She didn't even deserve to be in my company in the first place. I don't need people to come up with sob stories when they don't make me money. Natalie Greer was just a waste of wages considering all the mistakes she made for my company."

"She couldn't afford to eat! She couldn't afford to sleep! No other places would take her in because of her bleeding condition YOU guys gave her. If you had just given her a raise, if you had just paid her more than minimum wage, she would-"

"If an employee doesn't serve my company, she is useless. That's the harsh reality of it, Pinpoint of the Contingency Initiative. If your mom had whored out, she would be more worth."

"Hey!" I growled, but Lewis held out his hand, stopping me.

"Nah. Fuck this. You're going to die. I'm going to cut off all your limbs with my beams. Then you will die from infection. That is how you will die. A limbless, thing. My mom lost three fingers because of the poor working conditions you put her through. You're gonna lose four limbs."

"No, you won't."

A voice appeared behind us.

"Wha-"

A massive blur intercepted Whitney and I as I felt a sharp blow on my stomach, slamming me back into the wall as Whitney flew out of the window.

"Whitney!" I yelled, but Whitney caught on to the ledge and flipped up.

"Well, what is this?!" Whitney cackled, as Lewis turned around.

"No... not now!" Lewis growled.

"You old geezer!" I roared, as I powered up my flames, and fired a lance of fire at the man, who dodged with incredible agility, and before I could react, he had instantly closed the distance.

I yelped as I activated my Intangibility, before the man could launch a devastating uppercut which would have knocked me out unconscious.

Whitney leapt into the air, but the man back kicked her into the roof, as Whitney's body smashed into the ceiling.

Lewis turned around.

"DAMMIT!"

Lewis fired a beam at the man, who acrobatically darted around. Lewis gritted his teeth as the beam changed trajectory, zig zagging all around the room, but the beam not managing to catch up to the man due to the sheer direction changes he was making. The man landed a punch at Lewis' stomach, as Pinpoint collapsed.

I regained my form as I shot forward.

Level 1 Hinokami: Devil's Comet

I tried to launch a fiery punch at the man, but he dodged.

"If even Pinpoint's beams couldn't catch me, what makes you think your slow attack could connect? Mirage has been slacking with training you lackeys. If at all."

I whipped around, aiming my palm. I was probably going to incinerate the ceiling, but fuck it.

Level 1 Hinokami: 8% Inverse Tsunami Release

The man dodged again, as the torrent created a massive hole through the top of the building.

"What the-"

A blow landed across my legs as I was sent sideways, then several blows landed on my chest, arms, shoulders, and legs as I smashed into the wall, cracking it, and hitting the ground. My whole body went numb.

The man regarded all three of us. He had defeated us so easily. That skill. That agility.

His white eyes illuminated the darkness of the building in lockdown.

Vala's Eyes. The Spirit of Hope's eyes. A parallel to the Akuma's Flames.

I knew him right away.

He was the mentor to a Realmwatch squad. And not any squad.

The strongest brigade in the Realmwatch Collective.

I was standing before Logan Woodley. Codename Metron of the Stormwatch Brigade.

"I am here to rescue you, Mister Sand. You are safe now with the Realmwatch Collective." Metron said, as he picked up the man. I heard a helicopter outside, as the man loaded him on board.

Several people were inside. All wearing the same uniform as the man. Black with silver trim. A lightning bolt along the side.

"Tough luck, Contingency Initiative." A boy gave us the stink eye.

Lewis tried to reach out his hand. His eyes were bloodshot from overusing his evo.

"Sand... you... I'm going to kill you... don't... don't go..."

Sand smiled sinisterly from behind the helicopter window, while a woman was healing his wounds, undoing all the damage Lewis had done to him, as he mouthed the words

"Sure you will."

I tried to aim my hand, but my arm wouldn't move.

"You... asshole!" I growled, as Lewis did the same thing, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Mom... mom... I'm so sorry... I... I'm so sorry..." Lewis began to sob, when suddenly, Sand's disappeared.

"What?" I gasped, as Sand appeared in front of me.

"What the?!" Voices appeared from within the helicopter. The silhouette of a man in the helicopter dissipated into black mist.

Only one man had this ability.

Switch Teleportation.

"Well guys. You failed your mission. Nice try. But I figured you idiots wouldn't be able to pull it off." A familiar voice said, as a man walked up to Sand. A mask that covered one of his eyes where an eyepatch would normally cover it. A dark CI robe.

Sand backed away, his eyes wide.

"You-"

The people in the helicopter also stared at the man, dumbfounded.

"Dammit!" Metron growled, as he opened the helicopter door to rush forward, but the man smiled, as he let Metron charge, then before anyone could react, the two switched places.

Metron grimaced.

"Switch teleport... I see right through-"

"No. You don't, old man." The man replied, as another red flash from his eye swapped their places once again, Metron, this time, disoriented from two switch teleports, hurtling at the man with the same momentum that he had before.

The man held out two fingers and formed another clone, who clutched Metron's arm, using his momentum to redirect his motion in a circular motion. Hurtling the older fighter into the air.

The man generated another clone in the air behind Metron, who clutched the old man, and hurling him the same way, sending him to the ground as the man brought his foot back.

Level 3 Senkaku: Slingshot Backbreaker

A fist sprouted from Logan's back as he coughed in pain, the man smiling maniacally as he launched Metron away.

Metron slid across the ground, clutching his back and groaning in agony.

"METRON!" The people in the helicopter shouted, but the man glanced at the vehicle with no emotion.

"Thanks for taking care of my squad, old man. But this mission was just for Pinpoint. And as Squad Leader, I can't let you go about messing it up for my subordinates."

A black arm manifested, as the tendrils clutched onto the helicopter rotor, jamming it as the entire vehicle veered off course, slashing against the side of the building.

The man turned to us.

"What do you have to say for yourselves?"

I was dumbfounded, as Lewis gritted his teeth, closing his eyes.

"We... failed... we're sorry. Squad Leader Mirage."

Matt regarded Lewis.

"Don't be sorry. Be better. Finish the job."

Lewis got to his feet, as he approached Sand and pinned him against the ground, as he began to beg for mercy.

"This is for my mom. Natalie Greer. Who you took in, giving her the worst possible working conditions at less than minimum wage. Who sexually harassed her and ruined her reputation, to the point where she had no other place to go. Who gave her inhumanely demanding tasks, to the point where she died from overwork and emotional exhaustion. This is for all the people who you ruined. Because of your corporate entertainment. It's too late for you, Sand. You were scum. And I admit, that I am not much better. But now you're gonna die knowing you got yourself killed by something you made. So cherish it."

Lewis' eyes glowed purple as two beams of light went right through Sand's skull, as Sand screamed in agony, trying his best to resist, but his body went slack.

"You monsters!" Metron yelled.

"Don't!" The boy shouted at Metron from within the helicopter, which was now retreating.

"Patcher is still injured. We can't heal you! The mission is over. Come back to us!"

Metron glared at Matt.

"Have you no shame... taking advantage of this boy's trauma?"

"Taking advantage?" Mirage asked, as he pointed at Metron.

"I'm giving him a chance to get vengeance. Something YOU will never understand, old man. Something nobody in Realmwatch will ever understand. And he won't be the last. The next time I see you Stormwatch bitches again, I will single handedly destroy you all."

We watched as Stormwatch retreated, as Whitney managed to regain consciousness an hour later, digging herself out of the debris and comforting Lewis, who sobbed and cried.

"It's okay now, Lewey. Your mom's avenged. You did it." Whitney stroked his head as Lewis buried his head in her neck, for once, not complaining that Whitney was touching him.

Sabotage Op Code: DIARY

Lewis holed himself up back in his room.

"What the hell? After everything we went to today, you're going back to being a NEET?" I banged on Lewis' door.

"Go away! There's a championship game going on. I'm not gonna miss it."

"We have a new mission!"

"I'll look at it later!"

How does that make any sense?

I went down the stairs of our Squad residence.

"Well, it looks like Lewis is back to not leaving his room again." I told Matt, who was doing more paperwork.

"So it's just you in briefing."

"Yes..." I muttered.

Matt picked up his pen and for a second I thought he was going to throw it against a wall.

"So the one guy in my squad who actually consistently shows up to briefings, is the guy who has the most second thoughts."

"What are you talking about? I killed those guys! It was easy. I didn't flinch at all."

Matt rested his hand on the table.

"You're a holder of the Dogma, Yeling. It's not that I'm saying it's wrong to feel this way. But what's wrong is to feel this way, and at the same time, force yourself into doing what the Contingency Initiative requires you to do. You can't do these two things at the same time because at some point, you're going to break."

I gazed at the table.

I hated this world. That was why I was here.

That hate.

I needed to use that hate. No more second thoughts. Those died when I torched my house down that day. Those second thoughts should have died a long time ago.

"Yeling."

I was a killer. I am. A terrorist. A murderer. A destroyer.

I am all of these things.

"Hey. Yeling."

Leave your humanity behind. That is what I was born to do. I was chosen by the Dogma because I was born unlucky. I was worthless in this world, which was why I was perfect for the new world.

WHACK.

I fell on my ass as I heard the clatter of a pen on the ground.

"Ow! The hell, Matt?!"

Matt gave me an annoyed look.

"You done with your weird ass fantasies?"

"Oh. Sorry." I muttered.

"This mission is a sabotage. So ordinarily I would get Lewis to do it. But since Lewis is useless, I'm going to have to get you to do it. Maika will be assisting you since your ability to maintain stealth is practically non existent."

"What about Whitney? You would think her powers would be-"

I stopped myself, remembering how Lewis and I were plotting to do a stealth takedown of the board members, while Whitney went behind our backs and decided to kill everybody in cold blood out of impulse.

There was no way Whitney could do stealth.

If we were talking stealth, technically, Matt would have been the perfect fit for the job. His third level of the Dogma was Senkaku. Shadows. He could just shadow travel and do the sabotage, and shadow travel back. His whole fighting style was about deception and sabotage.

Come to think of it, Matt was a perfect fit for any job. After all, out of all the people in the Contingency Initiative, Taras Pax saw him as his best soldier. I remembered when Taras placed me in his squad, he spoke highly of Matt.

This is Matthew Lam. The Mirage. Of all my operatives, Mirage is the best. For he wins a battle, not just from sheer strength, but from intelligence. From strategy. He can defeat his enemies from both power and wits. He is the most complete operative in this organization. Learn from him, Tidalflame, and you will see yourself grow in ways unimaginable.

But then I glanced at the huge stack of papers that he had to fill out from our last mission.

Someone had to do it.

And none of us really wanted to do it.

Matt finished another sheet as he stacked it on another pile neatly.

But... how could a crazy pyrokinetic like me go and do something this stealthy? I really didn't want to fail another mission and let Matt down.

"I'm coming with you as well."

I looked at Matt. Huh? Did I hear him right?

"What is that stupid face you're giving me? Did you really think I was going to let some screw loose arsonist do something so precise all on his own? We need you to destroy the target. But I will coordinate the plan. Now that it's confirmed that Stormwatch is involved, I'm itching to break their limbs."

"I... okay." I said, as Matt finished his paperwork and got up.

"Where the hell is Maika." He muttered, as the doors flung open, revealing a tall woman with swept dyed blue hair and punk clothes.

"I'm HOOOMMEEE" Maika sung, as she took something out of her purse, then flung it at Matt.

Matt stood in the centre of the living room, covered in confetti as Maika danced around him.

"That party was so lit. I smoked so much that my eyes were like, popping out of my skull. You should try it out, Yeling. You're one step away from becoming a shut-in like Lewis."

"Uh... I'll have to pass." I said. Mama would have been disappointed if she found out her son was doing drugs.

Maika went up to me as I began to sweat.

"What a good boy. Your mom must be so proud of you."

"She's dead, Maika. You know this."

Maika's eyes widened.

"OH shit. My bad. Sorry. So what was the mission again Squad Leader?"

Matt gave Maika a murderous grin, as a piece of confetti fell off the top of his head and landed on his shirt.

Uh oh.

"This sabotage mission will involve us destroying an artifact that the RWC has been using against us for a long time." Matt explained, as he flipped through the pages.

Maika nodded obediently, as the numerous dark tendrils of Senkaku borderline strangled her, hanging her upside down.

"Is it a weapon?" I asked.

"Not exactly."

Matt showed me the photo. The artifact was housed in a massive glass and steel case, with numerous security all around it. The image itself was confidential, marked by the confidential text at the bottom, exclusive only to those of the RWC.

"A... book."

Matt nodded.

"This book is more than just a book. It is a diary."

"A... diary?"

Matt held the photo out to Maika to see.

"Hey! I can't see the photo upside down!" Maika protested.

"I don't care." Matt replied.

I read the project file.

"I don't... wait."

Matt noticed my surprised expression.

"Yes. This diary belongs to a Realmwatch Operative who died in action. This operative possessed an extremely unique evo. One that could enable him to see into the future. Even though he died, he left behind a ton of cryptic diary entries of the future in the form of dreams. Even in death, Realmwatch has been using his diary to plot against our moves. This was how Realmwatch was able to get to Lewis, Whitney and your location so quickly. It was almost like they knew what we were going to do before we did it. As long as this diary exists, The Realmwatch Collective will be at an advantage against the Contingency Initiative. Which is why we have been tasked to destroy it."

I put a hand on my chin.

"Can't I just blast the whole building housing the artifact down with an ITR?"

Matt scowled.

"Not everything can be solved with torching the shit out of the place, Yeling. We need to make sure the diary is destroyed. 100%."

Matt pointed at Maika, as he dropped her to the floor.

"Which is why Refractor here is coming with us. With Maika's stealth powers to create illusions, we can infiltrate the building and have the whole thing destroyed."

We hid behind the bushes, some distance from the facility. The whole thing looked like a maximum security prison. Which kinda made sense. Since it housed one of RWC's biggest trump cards against us.

"You're up, Refractor." Matt whispered at Maika, who brought her hands up, as white sparkles emitted from her palms and engulfed us, creating an illusion of invisibility.

From the top of the building, a man gazed down at us.

Matt's Senkaku Clone.

Level 3 Senkaku: Multi-Switch Teleport

Matt's eye glowed red as my surroundings elongated, regaining shape as I stumbled. We were now on the roof of the facility, instantly.

"Keep the illusion up."

Matt commanded Maika, as I knelt in front of the transparent casing, putting my hands on it as it began to heat up, melting the roof and creating a hole.

But to the security cameras, the casing was intact. In fact, according to the world outside just the three of us, it was as if no one was ever here.

That was power of Maika Nagumo.

The Refractor. The master of illusion.

We lowered ourselves into a hallway, as we made our way to the location of the artifact, when suddenly, Matt stopped.

"What gives?" Maika said, as Matt put a finger to his lips.

I peeked, and caught side of someone standing in the hallway.

He looked about 17. And had tattoos on his arms which looked a lot like mine, and Matt's.

"He's a Dogma holder!" I whispered, making eye contact with Matt.

"Why's a Dogma holder helping the Realmwatch Collective? He should be on our side!"

Matt eyed the boy with no sympathy.

"Ignorant fool." He muttered, as he stood up.

"Yeling, take care of him. Maika and I will deal with the artifact."

"But... that would alert us."

"Doesn't matter. Look at his tattoos."

"What about them?"

Matt pointed.

"There's two. One of them arcs his arms. There is a smaller one, around his temples. The kid's got a Dogma Level that influences his vision. I'm guessing he's unlocked Hachi, the power of sight. If we tried to sneak past, there's no way we won't be found out. We're already close to the target anyway. The kid's probably stupid enough to go on a bravado hero trip as he tries to face the Tidalflame. Draw his attention away."

"Alright." I said, as I got to my feet, turning to Maika and Matt.

"Good luck."

Matt smirked.

"Worry about yourself first. Idiot."

I slowly emerged from the shadows, as the kid called out to me.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

I stepped into the light of the room.

"Hi." I replied, as the kid's face contorted in surprise.

"You! Tidalflame. Now why would CI send their most destructive operative to perform such a stealthy robbery. Sounds stupid of them. Maybe they're slacking."

I slid my arm out from within my robes, revealing the numerous tattoos on it.

"Oooh. Dogma of Equivalent Exchange. Scarryyyy." The boy said, as he showed off his arms.

"I have it too. You ain't nothing special."

My hands burst into flame.

"Yeah. Except I'm much better with mine."

I fired two streams of flame at the boy, who's tattoos glowed red.

Level 1 Amplification: Full Frontal Tackle

The boy darted forward with surprising speed, as I went Intangible, shooting into the air and regaining my form as I fired another stream. But the boy spun at me.

"I have amplification, you idiot. All of my senses are amplified."

The kid launched a back kick which caught me in the shoulder as I slammed into the wall. But I dissolved into flames as I hit the ground, snaking to the kid, and rematerializing behind him.

Level 1 Hinokami: 10% Inverse Tsunami Re-

I was cut off, as the kid went low and tackled me head on. The two of us hitting the ground.

I went Intangible again, and tried to catch him in his blind spots, but it was like he had none.

"Buddy, you won't ever be able to catch me like that. I have no blind spots. I have 360 degree vision. Hachi, baby."

"You damn cringe lord." I growled, as I fired bolt after bolt of fire at the kid, but he was moving around so much, dodging. The sheer temperatures of my flames were not enough to faze him. His uniform must have been designed to withstand the collateral of Hinokami's flames.

I landed on the ground, but not before the kid closed the distance and launched an axe kick, which split my mask wide open, causing me to fall back.

"Damn!" The kid said, as I fell flat on my ass, my entire face exposed.

"That's one grisly face you have. The hell happened? Burnt your right side while you were out there doing your mass terrorist killings?"

I clenched my teeth.

How dare you make fun of my face.

This was what happened to me when I made my deal with the Dogma.

To unlock Intangibility.

The deal was to prove that I was loyal to the Contingency Initiative.

To not betray them.

I knew I was self conscious about my appearance, even before I knew about the Dogma of Equivalent Exchange. So when I was greeted with this deal to unlock Level 2, it was one of the hardest decisions to ever make.

I was so scared to talk to girls, because I was always self conscious about my appearance.

So to prove that I was loyal, the deal was just that.

You will be loyal to me. Yeling Mah. For in exchange of the gift of invincibility, I shall take from you. Half of your face. No man shall see you for who you are, and no woman will ever wish to kiss upon your ruined flesh. That will be your fate.

When I initiated the bargain, half of my face caught on fire. The fire wouldn't go away. No matter how much water I would douse myself with, no matter how hard I would aim the fire extinguisher at my face, no matter what I did, the fire kept burning my skin. Melting the skin and flesh, as the pain was unbearable.

I screamed and screamed in agony, and by the time the flames died out, I was never the same again.

When I staggered to the mirror that day, exhausted from the pain, I saw my reflection. And it was as if all the energy left in my body manifested itself in a blood curdling scream.

What the hell was that thing in the mirror.

Was that me?

I ran my hand over the right side of my face. The hair was completely gone. Bald. The skin... wasn't even skin. Darkened, tissue replaced everything. Tissue that was full of wrinkles, cracks, and my right eye, was permanently bloodshot. It didn't matter how much lotion I put on my skin. No matter how much eye drops I would apply to my right side.

It was just that. As if my entire right side of my head was dipped into a pool of acid and blanched out.

I spent the whole day and night curled up in the bathroom corner, crying my heart out.

There was no one I could turn to.

What kind of woman would want this.. thing?

They could say appearances don't matter all they want. But let's be honest. No girl would want to touch me. Much less kiss me.

It was only until I had finally made the realization, that I stopped crying, wiped my tears, and stood up in front of the mirror.

My life was dedicated to the Contingency Initiative. This was my life.

I will never be loyal to another. I will not betray these people for others. Because these were the only people who would accept me.

I closed my eyes, as the kid continued bashing me left and right with his amplified punches.

I caught his wrists, as my eyes glowed a murderous blue.

"What are you-"

"Yes..." I muttered, as my tattoos began to glow.

"I sure am ugly, aren't I, kid. Take a good look at my face."

The kid tried to struggle, but I wouldn't let go.

"Let go, you creep!"

"It's ugly. Isn't it. What a sight for sore eyes, right? This. This is what makes me different from you. This is what makes us different from you. Sure, we are both Dogma holders. But I've truly, truly sacrificed more. And with a greater sacrifice, does one become entitled to more."

Level 1 Hinokami and Intangibility: Super Hellfire Embrace

My body exploded into flame as the kid yelled in agony.

"You are NOTHING, kid. How DARE you put on that stupid, ANNOYING smile, knowing full well that you were cursed by the world. The Dogma only ever chooses those who were cheated on by this world. Yet how can you smile so carefree. How can you serve the Realmwatch Collective. HOW CAN YOU BETRAY THE GREAT AKUMA WHO GAVE YOU POWER."

I stomped on the ground, my body now a giant blue flaming avatar, melting everything in its vicinity. The lights sparked and the walls began to glow a bright blue and orange, as it liquified. The boy scurried away.

"Shit!" He gasped, as he stumbled back and tried to run, but I held out my hand.

"You're not getting away."

Level 1 Hinokami: 20% Inverse Tsunami Release

I blasted the kid with flame as he yelled in pain, his charred body flying away and smashing into the other side of the room. But I continued the stream of hellfire.

I breathed heavily as I exited my form, watching as the flames subsided... to reveal nobody there.

"What?" I said, frantically, as I looked around.

"Lucas! Oh god. I'm here. I'm here. I won't let you die." A woman's voice said, as I saw a green glow from the corner.

"Oh god. Patchy patch. Sorry for making you worry. I... I thought I could take him."

Patcher helped Lucas to his feet as she gave me a death stare.

"Get out of here. Tidalflame is too much for you."

"I'll notify Guardian as soon as I can."

"Do so. But also check the area for any other intruders. I doubt Tidalflame is here alone. The rest of Squad Four are probably in this building as well."

My mind flashed to Lewis playing CoD in his room. Whitney probably hooking up with random guys. Flint gambling his life savings away. And everybody else who were probably doing something completely unrelated to the mission while Matt probably didn't even care.

Yeah right.

Patcher's face was a look of pure anger. I had never seen her look so mad before. From the couple of times I've seen her and the Stormwatch Brigade, she always seemed so friendly and level headed.

But this look was like I had just set her grandmother's wheelchair on fire or something.

"You people... you kill and kill and kill. Almost like it's a hobby. Do you have no semblance of sanity left?"

My hands went ablaze, lighting the whole place with a blue glow.

"It left when this world took away my right to be happy. But what would you know. You're just another happy naive bitch serving a naive company living a happy life that you don't deserve. Trying to stop the real work from happening."

"Happy? How can you even just make that assumption?"

I aimed my hand at the Stormwatch Operative.

"I don't need to. I KNOW it."

Level 1 Hinokami: 40% Inverse Tsunami Release

I watched as Patcher's body became flooded with the flames of the Great Akuma. But suddenly, a green glow outshone my fire, as Patcher walked right through it, grabbing my face and slamming me to the ground.

"Tch." I growled, as I went Intangible, strafing to the other side and firing another lance of flame at her, but again, it was like she was invincible.

Her healing ability was out healing my flames.

Patcher continued pressuring me as I tried to evade and shoot. None of my flames were working.

"Just because you're in a bad spot, doesn't mean everybody else isn't. Everyone's problems are valid to them. To their eyes. No hardship is absolute. It's relative."

Patcher socked me in the jaw before I could go Intangible, then I felt a sharp pain as a bat hit me across the head.

Patcher tried to swing again, but I blasted the weapon into smithereens as Patcher winced in pain, her hand completely in ashes, but the same green glow instantly restored it.

I launched as punch at her, as I sent her flying, but Patcher regenerated as well, picking up a shard of the wall and hurling it at me, cutting my face.

Patcher pressured me once more.

"You not only killed these people, but you're trying to desecrate the one thing he had left behind for us. The last thing we had left to remember him by. How could you do this?!"

She screamed, as I found myself overwhelmed by Patcher's attacks. I was running out of stamina to use Intangibility, and Hinokami wasn't working on her.

Patcher pinned me to the ground, as she held out her hand, the bat that had previously disintegrated fully restored as she lifted it into the air.

"Leave. Vision's diary. Alone. Leave this memorial. Leave this place." She whispered fiercely, tears streaming down her face, as her hands shook in rage.

"I can't do that." I said, as I blasted her away with another torrent of flame, getting to my feet as my other hand burst into flame, launching a second stream at her body.

Level 1 Hinokami: 75% Double Inverse Tsunami Release

Patcher tried to heal, but my flames were starting to overwhelm her, as she fell back to one knee.

"As long as that diary is still here, you guys are at an advantage. And as long as you are at an advantage, you will use it against us. Like hell I'm gonna let that happen. I'm just out of room to care about anyone else."

From within the tears, Patcher sobbed.

"I won't fail him again. I won't fail Vision again. If I had just been there for him... we wouldn't have... lost such a precious friend..."

"Leave Rui alone!" A man's voice shouted at me, as I stumbled back in surprise, a blue supersonic flash appeared before me, cutting the flames off.

"Joe!" Patcher gasped, as Stormwatch's strongest member faced me off.

"I'm here now, Rui. I'm here. I won't let this Contingency prick hurt my Squad members. I won't let this guy disrespect Vision's legacy like this."

I scowled.

"Joseph Greziak. The Guardian. Squad Leader of the Stormwatch Brigade."

Joe clenched his fists.

"If your mission was to piss me off, I'd say mission success, Tidalflame. The nerve. The fact that you would do something is beyond low. The level of disrespect you have to the dead is unthinkable. Only Taras Pax would recruit scum like you."

I fired a bolt of flame at Guardian, but Joe instantly closed in and kicked me in the side, sending me back before I could even register his movements.

This guy was beyond fast.

It was inconceivable.

The strongest of the strongest Brigade in the Realmwatch Collective. He was no joke.

There was no way I could stand a chance against someone like that. Or any first generation member of Stormwatch. But I had to do it.

I summoned more power, as I laughed maniacally.

"Yeah. Absolutely. You mad, Guardian? Then come at me, you FOOLS."

Level 1 Hinokami and Intangibility: Devil's Meteorite

I blasted forward, launching a punch, but to my disbelief, Guardian caught my fist, his body glowing blue.

The power of Vala was reinforcing his entire body!

"Go to hell, Tidalscum." Joe growled, as he launched a strike at me, but I went Intangible and flew out of the way.

Patcher got to her feet and tried to rush me from the other direction.

I had no choice.

Level 1 Hinokami: Devil's Typhoon

My body superheated as a massive torrent of blue flame escaped me like a tornado, destroying large parts of the building.

But both Patcher and Guardian stepped through, grabbing me by the shoulder, from side to side, and slammed me into the ground.

"I'm going to beat some decency into you, Tidalflame." Guardian snarled.

"Dammit." I muttered.

I was out of stamina. And these guys were going to capture me.

I was gonna...

"You would go to such extents to protect that guy's stupid diary? That's some cliche lovey dovey garbage if I've ever seen one." Matt said, as he held a book in his hands.

"Vision's diary!" Rui cried out, but Matt stopped her.

"You two sound so desperate." Matt chuckled, as he threw the book in the air, catching it, then tossing it again.

I could see the look of rage in both Rui and Joe's eyes as they watched Matt play around with Vision's book.

"You're in no position to make any demands, Stormwatch trash. I have this diary in my hands. Who knows what I'll do with it."

Joseph grabbed me by the throat.

"And you're in no position either, Mirage. I have your Squad member by the throat. You destroy my Squad Member's diary. I will destroy your Squad Member's neck."

Guardian's squad member? Was Vision, the guy who owned this diary, a part of Stormwatch? No wonder they were so mad.

Mirage regarded me, as he dropped the book to the ground, kicking it to Guardian, as Guardian let me go, hurling me to Matt.

Patcher was still glaring at us, from the bangs of her hair.

"Don't ever come here again. I don't ever want to see you Contingency Initiative people ever again."

Matt smiled.

"Oh. You will."

Guardian picked up the book, when suddenly, his hand passed through it.

"Wha- what?" Joe whispered, as Rui put her hands to her mouth, horrified.

"What is-"

Maika stepped out of the corner, wiggling her fingers, as the illusion of the diary disappeared.

Matt threw his head back and laughed crazily.

"Guardian. For a Squad Leader, you sure are STUPID. Why would I just give you the one thing that we came here to destroy? Are you insane? Why would I trade in a mission objective for some stupid squad member?"

Joe trembled, tears trickling down his cheeks as he looked at Matt.

"How could you... say these things? Aren't you a Squad Leader yourself?"

Matt gave Joe a crazed expression.

"So what? It's a meaningless title."

Rui wrapped her arms around Joe.

"Joe... just... stop. Please stop..."

Joe continued clawing the ground. Trying to pick up the diary of his deceased Squad Member that was never there.

"How could you. How could you do this Mirage. How could you."

Mirage nodded at me, as I turned around and used the rest of Hinokami's flames to melt an exit.

"Mission complete. Let's head back you two."

"But what about Stormwatch?"

Matt turned around, to see Joe and Rui glaring at him.

"They're in no condition to fight."

We walked away, but not before Joe called us out.

"Mirage."

Mirage stopped walking.

Joe got to his feet.

"The next time we meet, I'm going to defeat you. Stormwatch will stop you. No matter how many times it takes. Patcher, Metron, and I will arrest you for what you did to Vision's diary, and the countless lives you've ruined. And then we'll stop Taras from awakening the Great Akuma. For his sake. For Vision's sake."

Matt smiled.

"Go ahead and try. You will fail every time."

We left the building, as I held out my hand.

Level 1 Hinokami: 100% Inverse Tsunami Release

I fired a gargantuan explosion of blue flame as the entire facility was engulfed with Hinokami's fires. The advanced, extreme durability of the buildings defences burning down from the sheer temperatures of The Great Akuma.

Unloveable Pawn

Today was a break.

As usual, everybody in Squad Four went off to do their own thing.

"What about you, Matt?"

Matt closed the door to his room

"Work."

"Huh? Are you serious? It's the weekend. You've been working nonstop. Going to missions, then doing paperwork right after. Missions again. Paperwork. You need a rest."

I felt something at my foot as a wave of darkness erupted from under the door, until a big claw latched onto my throat.

"Are you telling your Squad Leader how to live his life?"

"No!" I responded quickly.

I took a walk outside.

The sun was bright, but it didn't matter how bright it was.

I put my hands in my pockets as my wig covered half of my face like some angsty emo teen. Which wasn't too far off from my predicament.

I walked by two girls who gave me a disgusted look.

"Ugh. How much will I pay you to talk to him."

"Oh my god, Kinsey. You're so mean."

"Incels will be incels!"

The girls laughed as they walked past me.

Maybe I should have taken Lewis' advice and just went on another rampage. But I honestly felt like taking a break today from the destruction. I had seen enough action this past week.

I sat on a bench and overlooked the ocean.

For a place that was so toxic, it did have some peaceful scenery. Would the Great Akuma preserve this part of the world when he destroys this current one?

I watched as a couple walked by me, holding hands and laughing.

My heart hurt, as I remembered what Sherry had told me.

I don't want to be that person, but you're just too negative. No one wants to be around someone like that. You should get that checked out.

Did you really think I could just turn this off?

Right now, people are lying in their hospital beds, wishing they were in your position. You shouldn't even think about being depressed. Be grateful.

Depression isn't a choice. It's an illness, Danny.

No woman will ever wish to kiss upon your ruined flesh. That will be your fate

I inspected my right hand, slowly taking off the glove, revealing the numerous tattoo lines of my first Dogma bargain.

"Tch."

I remembered being here once before. With Mama and Baba.

It was during the sun leen.

Chinese New Year.

My mother, the one person who loved me for who I was, had told me so long ago.

My precious son, Mah Yeling. If you ever feel like you need a break from this world. Come here.

I remembered asking her why.

Because when you gaze upon the sunset, you will block the bad thoughts. It really is a peaceful world. But because of all the bad thoughts, sometimes, you will forget about the good. When I was little, my mama and baba took me here, and it was so free. So peaceful. So beautiful.

A sudden wave of emotion smashed into me, synchronized with the waves of the ocean.

Mama. Baba. I miss you.

I instinctively climbed on the ledge, feeling the breeze against my face, as the bangs of my wig began to fly back.

"Don't do it!" A voice screamed, as I yelped, nearly falling off.

A girl caught my arm and pulled me back.

"Life can get bad, but you can't end it! No matter what!"

I stared at her. Black flowing medium long hair. Desperate eyes.

"Ma...?"

"What?"

I blinked. No. It can't be. My mother died in that fire. This was...

"I'm Anna. Listen, I've been in your place before. And I've been out of it. You need to remember the good in your life. You can't just end it so early."

"I wasn't trying to off myself." I explained, as Anna stepped back, embarrassed.

"Oh."

The sunset was making pretty colours in the sky, and it illuminated her hair.

My heart began to beat faster. Great. Just what I needed.

"Well, I'll see you then." I waved her goodbye, but Anna called out to me.

"Wait! You were... here to check out the view right?"

"What about it?"

Anna took out a pair of binoculars.

"Sometimes, I come here too, when life gets tough. When I look at the distance with the binoculars, you can sometimes catch the marine wildlife there."

Anna walked to the ledge and aimed the tool around.

"Look! See! Here, take a look!"

Anna spun at me, until we were very close. Instinct crept up in me.

Level 2 Intangibili-

Wait. No. This was just...

"Oh... sorry, didn't mean to startle you. But... look."

Anna handed me the binoculars as I took a look. Something was emerging from the water.

"What the hell, are those seals?"

"Yes! Oh my god, they're so cute!"

"Whoa! Check out its tail!"

We took turns checking the view, as we spent the next few minutes laughing.

After a few more minutes, we sat on the bench.

"I'm Anna, what's your name?"

"Yeling."

"Yee... ling? Are you not from around here?"

"Yeah. I kept my Chinese name when my parents immigrated here a few years ago from China."

"Oh that's cool. I have some Chinese background, but my parents immigrated here almost fifteen years ago. I practically grew up in New Ulysses. I guess you can say I'm whitewashed."

"I can tell, Anna doesn't sound Chinese at all."

Anna laughed.

"So, Yeling. What brings you here?"

"Oh, I kind of just wanted time to myself. From work and all."

"I see."

"You mentioned you come here whenever your life felt tough...?"

Anna rubbed her arm.

"Yeah. The truth is, I've been facing some discrimination at my college campus. And you know. In New Ulysses, some races aren't particularly represented well."

I knew that all too well.

When I was in high school, I was still new to the culture of New Ulysses. I was still learning English. And it was a perfect opportunity for bullying.

People made fun of my "Chinglish", and my small eyes. The boys loved to verbally abuse me, but it wasn't the boys that were the most lethal.

It was the judgemental looks from the girls, and side comments I would always get for being a foreigner.

And of course, the teachers never really did anything about it. And whenever I got into fights, I was always the one to blame.

What really angered me the most, was that in school, all the teachers would advocate racial equality. For the Arcantians. Who were Middle Eastern in background, who constantly faced racial discrimination. There would be Arcantian equality posters all over the school. The people would constantly post Arcantian violence on their social media to promote the representation and acceptance of their race, and would bash the law enforcement for racially targeting the Arcantians.

Even I would post these awareness videos on my feed (of only 1 follower, my mama).

But at the same time, there was no racial awareness for my race.

After all, the Chinese were always bullied in New Ulysses. It was a norm.

Was this a double standard? Absolutely.

Did anybody do anything about it? Absolutely not.

Anna smiled at the sunset.

"Sometimes, you just need to learn to let go. But I guess today was just especially bad. Because it was the day of my exam, and I ended up missing it because I was attacked by a couple of my bullies' boyfriends. I tried to file an appeal to have a reschedule, but they denied it, claiming that it was probably another Chinese trickery. So now I've failed the class, and I need to retake it with what little savings I have left."

My eyes widened, and Anna noticed.

"Hey. It's okay, Yeling. It's just how it is, you know? That's just how it is."

"But... your savings..."

Anna smiled. But it looked forced.

"It's okay. I'll apply for another loan. It'll be okay."

Anna looked at her phone, which looked like a thousand years old.

"Ah. Well, I have to go. It was nice talking to you, Yeling. Do you, by any chance, have a phone?"

"Yeah."

We exchanged numbers, as I watched Anna leave.

It was only once Anna left, did my body suddenly felt fatigued.

My heart was on overdrive the entire time. A girl had talked to me without being scared of my aura.

Was this...

"Matt's gonna flip, by the way."

I nearly fell off my bench, as someone was in front of me.

"You- Flint!" I gasped, as a man with blonde hair regarded me from above.

"It's never going to work, Yeling. You and that girl. What you are, she will never accept it."

"How long have you been spying on me?!"

"Long enough to hear you two exchange numbers."

Flint was a member of Squad Four. His codename was Conjunction. He had the ability to form portals practically anywhere. Which enabled him to do a bunch of recon.

As for why he wasn't just thrown into a recon squad, like Squad Five, it was because Conjunction used his powers... in a really non conventional way.

He used his power of portals to kill and fight.

Which was why Matt didn't even consider Flint when he was choosing people for the mission to destroy Vision's diary.

"Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be in the casino?"

"I got kicked out. I lost so much money that I was practically urged to leave!" Flint said, proudly.

"You shouldn't be proud of that!"

Flint put a foot on the bench.

"Yeling. Do you like her?"

"Is that even a question. I get attracted to every girl I see. It's terrible."

"At least you're aware of that part of your life. But I'll be the one to tell you this since Squad Leader Matt isn't around. But you need to break contact with her. Nothing good comes out of having a relationship as a member of the CI. Trust me on this."

I looked at Flint's eyes.

Flint Monroe. The Conjunction. He was about 23 years old.

According to his biography, he had a girlfriend. But after being in the Contingency Initiative for Squad Four, several members of the Realmwatch Collective, the Lightwatch Brigade, discovered that he had a girlfriend, and used her as bait to lure him off. Going against Squad Leader Matt's orders, Flint tried to rescue his girlfriend, in exchange for his capture.

But upon showing up, Flint offered himself, pleading with Lightwatch to let his girlfriend go. But the moment Flint was chained, Lightwatch killed his girlfriend before his very eyes, claiming that this was to avenge all the other members of Realmwatch he had killed.

When me, Matt, Maika, Whitney, and Lewis broke into the warehouse, we released his shackles, and Flint went apeshit. He killed 50% of the Lightwatch's squad before we could even react, but they eventually escaped.

Flint refused every mission that came our way since then. But the only mission he would join in, would be an Elimination Op. And it had to involve Lightwatch.

"I... get it." I muttered, remembering the surge of happiness I felt. I wanted to be happy.

Flint didn't look convinced.

"Whatever man. I'm not here to tell you how to live your life. It's just gonna be a shame that Squad Four will lose Tidalflame just because he got horny for a girl and ended up getting his head ripped off by Matt."

"Wait, please don't tell Matt. I'm begging you."

Flint laughed.

"Nah. I ain't no snitch. But you figure it out. I'm just here to tell you, that if you try this route, don't expect it to be easy."

I watched as Flint snapped his fingers, creating a orange portal, as he stepped through and teleported away.

Eventually, I got up and went to a coffee shop to order some drinks. The day was about to end, as the sky turned dark. I walked down an alleyway with the cup in my hand, sipping the brew when I heard a shout in the distance.

"Come back here!"

Footsteps pattered the background as I ran to the action.

Black and green suits.

Groundwatch.

Who were they chasing? Screw it. Doesn't matter.

It was supposed to be my day off, but I wouldn't miss this opportunity to bash in some Realmwatch skulls.

Level 2 Intangibility: Devil's Comet

I shot to the sky and landed on the roof, using Hinokami to propel me from building to building to see what was going on.

I couldn't use too much of my flames, otherwise my hoodie would burn up. No matter how well the engineers at CI designed these clothes, it wasn't much to withstand the heat of Hinokami's flames.

I continued giving chase, until I caught them. They were chasing a robber, who was backed into a corner.

A girl. She looked frightened and terrified, as she clutched a bag of cash.

"What the hell..."

My eyes went wide.

Anna.

"You're under arrest for robbery." The Groundwatch operative said, but Anna shook her head frantically.

"Please sir. No one would give me a loan. I need the money. I need it-"

"That's what they all say."

"I need it! My mother is dying! I... I can't afford the operation. I'm already in debt with my college. She needs this. It's not for myself, I swear!"

I watched as the Groundwatch operative hit her in the midsection. Anna retched in pain as she fell down, her face going limp as the other operatives ganged up on her.

The more blows they landed on her body, the more violent my flames became.

"How dare you." I growled. I was about to jump in, when suddenly, everybody stopped.

The operatives stopped pounding on her, as the Groundwatch operative, the leader, I guess, looked at her defeated body, amused.

"How much can she take? How about this. I'll consider this money as payment for entertainment."

Anna clutched her side, as she gritted her teeth.

"What will it be, girlie?"

Anna got to her feet.

"What do you need me to do..." She muttered, deliriously, from all the concussive blows to the head. My vision was red with rage.

The Groundwatch Squad Leader smiled evilly, but glanced at his squad members, almost as if he was going to change his mind.

"Today has been a shitty day for us. Just earlier, some Chinese terrorist destroyed a building that housed an artifact for Stormwatch. My allies were in that building. My brothers and sisters."

Chinese terrorist? Memorial?

Was he talking about me?

The leader glared at Anna, as he approached her and slammed his fist into her face, as several teeth fell on the ground.

I was frozen in horror, as the leader continued slamming his fist into her body as Anna cried out in agony.

"You stupid girl. Ever since New Ulysses opened their borders to you aliens, it's just been an endless shitshow. If they hadn't opened the borders, this stupid Tidalflame would never have joined CI. He wouldn't have caused so much destruction to my people."

Anna began to sob, but she kept a straight face, as she tried to reach out to the briefcase of money.

The leader glanced at it.

"Don't worry. You won't need it. Do it, Steph."

The operative known as Steph aimed her finger, as I felt like doing something. But the shock of seeing Anna in this state had left me frozen.

Don't do it.

Please don't.

BANG.

Anna's eyes widened as her body went slack.

"NO!" I screamed, as I exploded into flame.

"What the hell?!" An operative shouted as he looked up, making eye contact with me, as I blasted downwards with an overhead punch, which caved in his skull and disintegrated him into ash.

"I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU." I roared.

"Those blue flames... it can't be." Steph whispered, as my wig flew back, revealing my ruined half of my face.

"TIDALFLAME." The Leader shouted, as he charged forward, but before he could do anything, I brought my hands back.

Level 1 Hinokami: Demon's Prison

I launched a fireball at the man, which engulfed him and burnt him alive.

"Squad Leader!" Two operatives shouted, but I roared, my primal instinct overtaking my body with malice. I threw my hand to the side, unleashing an ITR that devastated a nearby building, disintegrating the two operatives completely.

"This is Stephanie Crawford of the Groundwatch Brigade. Tidalflame of Contingency Initiative spotted. Requesting immediate back-"

"RAAAAAH" I screamed, launching myself at Stephanie, burning right through her with Devil's Comet, then turned off the fireball, watching as the Leader crumple to the ground.

"You Chinese bastard!" The Leader spat at me, from within his burn wounds, but I approached him, grabbing him by the collar of his Realmwatch uniform.

"I'm gonna kill you." I snarled, when suddenly, a cough appeared from the corner of my eye.

My eyes widened as I dropped the Leader, running up to Anna, who was barely staying alive.

"Anna! Anna... oh god. Please just hang in there. I'll call in someone. I'll call in help. Stay-"

"You're... Tidalflame..." Anna muttered, as she gazed at me with distant eyes. I was losing her.

"Y.... Yes. I-"

"You're... the reason I'm like this." Anna said, her eyes flooding with tears as I stared at her.

"Anna...?"

Anna tried to lift her hands, as they wrapped around my neck. Like she was trying to choke me to death.

"I hate you... Yeling. Because of all your crimes... my mother is going to die... and my kind keeps being discriminated. It's because of you."

My heart felt like it had just been twisted apart.

"Anna, I... I..."

I didn't know what to say.

I felt overwhelmed with pain.

I was told by many that I was a monster.

I was called a terrorist, and a killer. And a murderer.

And a lot of the time, it didn't bother me.

But to hear this from Anna...

Anna sobbed, as she tried to tighten her grip.

"Do what you do best, Yeling. Keep burning. Keep destroying this world and giving us a bad name. Because who cares about us, right? As long as you get your revenge..."

"No! It's not like that! I'm doing this for those who are oppressed by this world. It's because of-"

Anna's grip loosened, as she stared at me, her eyes empty.

"Anna... please don't say you hate me... please don't... please.... out of everybody in this world..." I sobbed, as I held the lifeless body of the girl I had realized I developed feelings for. The girl who learned of who I was, and hated me. But I didn't care because I loved her.

And now she was gone.

The Leader chuckled.

"You. Tidalflame. Are the most delusional out of everybody in the CI. To think you can ever find love. After everything you've done."

I got to my feet, my heart completely numb.

Why didn't I just listen to Matt?

Why didn't I just leave the moment I saw Anna. The moment I had interacted with her. I shouldn't have turned around and talked to her when she told me to wait. I should have left.

Nothing good comes out of having a relationship as a member of the CI.

I was an idiot.

I lifted my hand, as I aimed it at the last surviving member of the Groundwatch Brigade.

"What are you gonna do, Tidalflame? Are you going to kill me?" The Leader sneered.

"I've got nothing to lose."

"You're right." I muttered, as I reached into my hoodie and put on my mask, which covered the ruined right side of my face. My wig now completely disintegrated from the blue fires.

"You're nothing. Killing you doesn't even put a smile on my face. But I'll do it anyway. So no more people who deserve a happy life get hurt by scum like you. Ever again."

Level 1 Hinokami: 10% Inverse Tsunami Release

The night sky shone blue, as I walked away. My hands in my pockets as I put on my hood, my face concealed by the mask that was given to me by the Contingency Initiative.

A mask that signified who I was.

A mask that signified that no matter where I go. What I do. I will always be faithful to the Contingency Initiative. To advance The Great Akuma. And to make the world a better place.

By destroying this one.

That night, I went home, opening the door.

Matt was in the living room, as I heard Maika and Whitney fighting over something stupid. Chances were, Maika used Whitney's hairdryer again.

I could hear Lewis screaming from within his room. He was probably playing another ranked match.

Flint was nowhere to be seen, as usual.

And Matt was doing paperwork as usual.

Matt looked up from within the papers.

"You look like shit, kid."

I nodded.

"Let me guess, you tried to hit it off with another girl."

I walked dejectedly to the fridge and pulled out a big bottle of liquor, pouring myself a glass and drinking it.

"I don't need you to give me another lecture Matt. I know. I'm stupid and naive. But I can't help it. I don't like being lonely."

Matt watched as I drank another glass. And another, and another.

"Me neither."

I stopped, staring at my Squad Leader?

"What?"

Matt raised an eyebrow.

"Does it surprise you, Yeling?"

"I..."

I slowly lowered the glass, as Matt's eye glowed red, a black arm manifesting from where his original one was taken from him during his Dogma Bargain for Senkaku. The arm wrapped around the liquor and returned it to the fridge.

"Doesn't matter if you're straight. Gay. Bisexual. Pansexual. Doesn't matter. It's human nature to seek the warmth of another."

I clenched my teeth as I felt emotion welling up in me. I didn't care if I was showing weakness to Matt.

I felt so shitty.

So alone.

So... so...

"But you're not alone." Matt said.

"How?" I asked, my voice tight.

"Look around you."

I stopped as I stared at our residence.

I technically wasn't alone. I had Squad Four.

"There isn't a single member of Squad Four that isn't messed up in the head somewhere. Yet we're here. Sure, we aren't the most organized squad. But we still get it done. Why is that? It's because we all have nowhere else to be. This is why we are here. This is why we are in the Contingency Initiative."

Matt pointed at me.

"YOU matter, Yeling. So stop being a bitch. This is part of the job. This is who you are. Remember what you have. You have your comrades right here. We will make a new world, free from suffering. Don't let this world compromise you. Swallow back your weaknesses and be strong. You possess a Level 1 Hinokami Dogma. One of the six Akuma Dogmas. You are special. Don't waste it by letting the things in this world ruin your mission."

I wiped my eyes.

I did matter. But... just this once.

"Thanks, Squad Leader Matt." I said, as I went to my room, and opened my phone. To see a bunch of text messages. No one ever texts me. And I knew who this was from.

Hey Yeling! Just texting you in case you forget about me! Just wanted to let you know that while I visited that pier, I took a bunch of pictures. Just wanted to share them with you, so whenever you feel overwhelmed, and you can't make it to the pier, you have these.

Anna sent me a bunch of pictures of the seals. And other wildlife, as I scrolled through each one.

Sometimes, I come here too, when life gets tough. When I look at the distance with the binoculars, you can sometimes catch the marine wildlife there.

The tears welling up, as my sobs became more and more uncontrollable with each passing picture.

And the last one. My heart stopped, as I gasped for air.

It was a picture of Anna standing at the pier, making a peace sign, smiling.

Judging from the way the camera was positioned, it looked like she tried to take it herself. No one took it for her.

But even so, she looked happy.

In this unfair world.

Hey. It's okay, Yeling. It's just how it is, you know? That's just how it is.

"Anna..." My voice broke, as the last picture closed.

I will destroy this world, and create a new one.

So people like Anna will be happy.

Anna never deserved such a painful life. But even so, she tried to smile through it. She was one of the few people I wanted to be happy.

But because she was the way she was, she and her family were discriminated for her race.

I put the phone away and curled up on my bed, crying uncontrollably.

Weakness is not allowed in Squad Four.

I know.

I know that.

But this wasn't weakness. Just as Anna had did her best to turn the bad things in her life into something else, so will I.

This wasn't me breaking down.

This was me developing more resolve.

Resolve for my mission to revive the Great Akuma.

Along with the rest of Squad Four.

Rescue Op Code: URCA

The Contingency Initiative is a terrorist organization with the sole purpose to revive the Great Akuma.

To do this, they are comprised of six squads of operatives. And an army of foot-soldiers.

Some squads are tasked with recon. Some for defence. Some for elimination, and some for assassination.

The strongest squads are tasked with elimination, as they fight on the front.

There are only two squads responsible for elimination.

Squad One, led by Kyokou Hibiki, "The Dismantler".

And Squad Four, led by Matthew Lam, "The Mirage".

Of the two squads, Matthew came up on top. Being trained personally by Taras Pax himself, Matt's tutelage under the strongest Dogma holder in existence caused him to become one of the most feared warriors in all of New Ulysses. Contingency Initiative's Mirage. The master of deception, combat, and strategy. No one was more complete than The Mirage.

And because of this, Squad Four was the strongest squad in the entire organization.

But it wasn't always this way.

Squad Four wasn't always the strongest squad. Because as powerful as Matt was, there was one operative who was leagues above anyone in this organization.

Mission briefing was different this time.

Because all of us were present.

Lewis crossed his arms.

"Hell. No. I am NOT going to my death. Count me out."

We all shuffled nervously.

I glanced at Whitney. Who, out of all of us, was the most fearless, and the one who wanted to kill the most.

But even she was nervous and hesitant.

"Um... Matt, are you sure we can do this?"

Flint looked like he wanted out of this briefing.

"This has to be a joke, right?"

Matt turned around.

"I am dead serious. This mission will be a rescue operation. But given our target has a huge grudge against Taras, he won't go with us willingly. We need to fight."

We all said nothing, as Matt glared at all of us.

"Are you all having second thoughts?"

"No, Squad Leader Matt... but... realistically, we won't be able to win."

"I don't need to have you around when I do the mission. But Taras wants all of Squad Four to be present, to prove a point. If he wants all of you present, then that is what we will do. And once we free him, I will deal with him."

We all looked at Matt nervously.

"But..." I said, but Matt leaned closer to me, his single eye full of malice.

"But what? Yeling?"

"I don't think... you can..."

Matt was making me wanting to shrink.

"Are you saying I'm not strong enough to defeat him?"

Squad Leader Matt was the strongest person I knew. He was the most proficient fighter I had ever known. Tough enough to go head to head with Logan Metron Woodley, the mentor of Joseph The Guardian Greziak, the strongest operative in the Realmwatch Collective.

But...

This guy was on another level. There was no way all of us together could take him. Much less Squad Leader Matt all alone.

"MATTY!" Whitney cried out, rushing forward to embrace Matt.

"Please don't fight him alone! It's suicide! I won't let you!"

Matt dissipated into shadows as Whitney hit the ground, teleporting to the other side of the room.

"I will take him down." Matt snarled, as he threw the papers on the table.

"Alone if I have to. All you posers have to do is show up."

Did I strike a nerve? I must have. Matt looked like he wanted to rip off all of our heads for doubting him.

Flint got up from his seat.

"Do you really think you can take him?"

Matt glared at his subordinate.

"Is that a question?"

"No sir. You gave me a place to belong in this squad. I am forever in your service. I will accompany you for this mission."

Says the guy who skips out on missions to go gambling!

Maika raised her hand.

"I will too. This will technically be my second mission with you, without Whitney." She smiled.

Whitney suddenly shot to her feet.

"HUH?! What did you just say, you bitch?!"

Maika smirked.

"Awww, is our little Whitney Houndstooth jealous?"

Whitney stormed to Maika until the two girls were face to face.

"Like hell I am. Of you? You little Japanese skank." She snarled, as if she had suddenly become the manifestation of her surname.

I glanced at Lewis, who sighed.

"Fine. I'm coming along. Whatever. We're all fucked anyway. What's another assbeating."

No one even asked if I was going to go. They assumed I was going to come. After all, this man...

This man was Taras' trump card to defeat Realmwatch. After we had destroyed Vision's diary, that left Stormwatch, their strongest brigade, weak. Meaning he could call upon this guy. Break him out of jail.

And no other team could handle him.

It had to be us.

I remembered Anna's wishes. Her desperate clinging to happiness.

I was going to make a new world for people like her to not go through what she did.

If it meant to take down the strongest operative in the Contingency Initiative.

We arrived at the prison complex, under the guise of Maika's stealth illusion, and Flint's portals. Outside, we heard the sounds of fighting

"Heads up." Lewis said, pointing at a guard with his vision evo.

"That guy's got a vision evo too. Flint, make a portal, and Yeling will-"

SLICE.

The man fell to his knees, as blood exploded from his eyes. A dark figure emerged from behind him, as a blade sprouted from the back of the guard's head.

The figure pointed at us as we switch teleported to his location.

"Or... you can do that too... Squad Leader."

We continued sneaking to around the prison complex, as Lewis tried to pinpoint (get it?) the target's location.

"God dammit, Matt. This has got to be the craziest mission Taras has given us."

"Shut the hell up and do your job, Lewis." Matt grumbled.

Whitney made a squeaking sound.

"I can't believe I get to be so close to Matt! What a dream!"

We arrived at the cell. It was completely covered in multiple layers of security.

"Do it." Lewis nodded at me, as I fired a point blank blast of Hinokami flame at the cell, revealing a single pod in the middle of a large room. A single button was in the middle. Indicating release.

"Well guys... looks like we're in a point of no return." Flint said, as we approached the button.

"Oh. My. God." Whitney said, as we turned to her.

Whitney was inspecting the cell, her eyes wide.

"He's... he's..." I muttered.

"NAKED!" Whitney exclaimed.

Matt sighed in annoyance as Whitney started laughing hysterically.

But this guy wasn't just naked. I looked at the rest of my squad, and everybody was about as queasy as I was.

This man was the strongest operative of CI. I knew that much. But I wasn't expecting him to be... like this...

Muscles lined all over his body. He was basically like a Mister Olympia bodybuilder. He looked like he could set world record lifts if he really wanted to.

His long black hair flowed elegantly to his buttocks, which were muscular as well, just so you know, and his face, was covered in wrinkles. As if he spent his whole life focusing and analyzing his opponents to take them down.

Rumour had it, that this guy wasn't arrested by Realmwatch. Taras himself had to turn him in. Because of a clash in ideals.

He was the only operative who could give Taras trouble in a fight.

And that was saying a lot.

"Press it." Matt ordered Lewis, who froze in terror.

"I... uh..." Lewis backed away, as did the rest of us.

Matt scoffed as he pressed the button himself, releasing the man as water spilled out of the pod. The man opened his eyes, his golden irises assessing his surroundings.

Whitney stopped dancing around and stared at the towering man.

"What... is this... I have been released?"

The man asked, his voice was like a rumbling. A mountain moving.

It radiated with power and superiority.

I found myself backing away, as I looked at my hands.

They were trembling.

The only person who wasn't fazed, was Squad Leader Matt, as before I knew it, he and Whitney swapped places. Whitney stumbled as I caught her.

"That guy..." Whitney muttered, her eyes were also terrified. Which was completely not like her.

"I don't want to taste him." She whimpered.

Matt faced down the man, as the man regarded our Squad Leader.

The height difference was ridiculous. The man must have been at least 7 foot tall. And Matt himself was okay height, around 5 foot 11.

But standing before the man, Matt looked like a downright toddler as he looked up at the operative.

"I am Matthew Lam. The Mirage. Pleasure to meet you."

Matt cracked his knuckles as he slowly took off his robe, revealing his black tank top and black combat pants, revealing his athletic muscular build.

"Former Squad One Leader. Urca the Slicer"

Urca tilted his head, inspecting the fellow Squad Leader.

"Mirage... those robes..."

To my horror, Urca's face contorted into disgust.

"You serve Taras." Urca said, his voice dangerously low.

"Oh boy." Lewis said, as we all backed off.

"Hey, Matt. I think it's time to go for the diplomatic approach-"

But instead, Matt smiled, evilly.

"Yes. I am Matthew 'The Mirage' Lam. The leader of Squad Four, the current strongest Squad. I am here to take you back to the Contingency Initiative. By force if necessary."

God dammit Matt!

Urca smirked.

"So... you are the new superstar of the Contingency Initiative. It seems you think just because you are Taras' new toy, that you and I are on the same level. Surely you know your history of The Slicer. Do you truly think your puny squad can take me?"

Matt's eye glowed red.

"I don't need my squad. I'll take you down myself."

Matt dissipated into smoke, as a Senkaku clone appeared behind Urca, who spun around, launching a backhand so fast that none of us was able to perceive it.

The sheer force of the blow caused the clone to explode, but before anyone could respond, two hands emerged from the crowd, as Matt's face appeared from within the floor.

"You're coming with us. I will prove to Taras that I am not that same weak boy those many years ago. Even if it means taking down the Squad One Leader."

Matt drove Urca into the ground, as the towering opponent suck into the floor boards.

Matt then teleported above him, his arm now a black Senkaku blade, as he sliced down with all his might, but to our horror, Urca smiled, ripping his hand out of the ground and catching Matt's blade with two fingers.

Matt's eyes widened in surprise.

"You seem to be mistaken. Little Squad Leader."

Urca got to his feet, as he flicked his hand, sending Squad Leader Mirage flying dozens of yards across the room and smashing into the wall with a big

KRA-KOOM.

"Squad Leader Mirage!" We all shouted out, as Matt's body became buried with debris.

Urca calmly stepped out of the hole that was created.

"Squad One is the strongest squad of the Contingency Initiative. It always was. And it always will be. The only reason why Squad Four surpassed my Squad was because I was imprisoned. Betrayed by that traitorous scum Pax. Because he was afraid. Afraid of my power."

Urca turned to us.

"But now I have returned. And I will have Kyouko return her mantle ship to me. Squad One's honour shall be restored by my hand. I will single handedly..."

Urca stomped his foot on the ground, crushing it, as before we could all react, Urca had closed the distance and appeared before all of us.

Urca glared at us, a maniacal grin on his face, as before I could even register his movements, a massive force smashed me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me along with my comrades. We all flew outwards in a starburst direction, as Urca had landed a solid blow on each one of us in the blink of an eye.

I slid back, as a wave of nausea caused me to vomit right through my mask. Everybody else did the same thing.

"...crush you all."

Urca stood before us, his muscles gleaming in the light as his long hair fluttered in the wind.

Not even one second.

He had defeated all of us.

Maika. Lewis. Flint. Whitney. Me.

I gazed at the debris and destruction in the corner of the room.

And Matt.

Urca defeated us all.

"Now." Urca said, as he turned around, peering at the window.

"I shall reclaim my Squad. And continue where I left off- huh?"

Urca took a step, inspecting his legs.

"One of you is siphoning my energy."

I looked to the distance, to see Whitney's eyes had turned white, her mouth elongated and exposing her fangs, as life energy was entering her from Urca.

"Little Wendigo...." Urca approached Whitney, as she got to her feet.

Soul Siphon - Equal Dispersion

Instantly, I felt revitalized as did the rest of our squad.

Urca leapt into the air and smashed the ground with blinding speed, the shockwave sending us back.

"Nice try, asshole!" Whitney shouted, as Maika's illusion became undone, revealing an empty hole in the ground.

"An illusionist." Urca remarked, as I burst into flames, Lewis' eyes flashed a violent purple, and Flint's hands glowed orange.

"Light him up! Everything you have!" Lewis shouted, as he, Flint, and I all charged our attacks.

Super Move: Maximum Power Optic Blast

Refraction Quanta: Dualla Fractum

Level 1 Hinokami: 100% Inverse Tsunami Cannon

Our respective blasts caught Urca dead centre.

"It connected!" I exclaimed, but I heard a smirk.

Level 1 Fujin Stage Two: Razer Shockwave Cutter

A sudden blast of wind hit me dead centre, as I instinctively went Intangible, but Lewis and Flint were not so lucky, as I heard the sounds of blood exploding, and bodies hitting the ground.

"Guys!" I shouted, but before I could react, Urca's face glowered at mine.

"Another Dogma user? How peculiar. So you are the vessel for Hinokami."

"Screw off, freak!"

I jolted into the air and fired another blast of flame, but the flame dissipated from what looked like an aura of air around Urca.

Urca blasted to my location again as I went Intangible, but Urca smiled sinisterly.

"Just because you are Intangible doesn't mean you are safe, child."

The air around me began to compress, as my flaming wisp of a body became more and more compact.

No way.

I tried to escape, but because I was pure flame, I was dependent on the air around me! And Urca was compressing it.

He was going to crush me alive!

"H- Help... guys..." I gasped, as I reverted back into my normal form, glancing to my side, to see Lewis and Flint unconscious. Blood was all over the place as their bodies were covered in hundreds of slash marks.

Whitney and Maika tried to intervene, but before they could do anything, the air dissipated, as Urca was replaced by Squad Leader Matt, who was barely able to stand. Blood was pouring down his face as he clutched a piece of the ground, breathing hard, but his face still full of fight.

"Matt!" Whitney and Maika shouted as they ran up to him, but Matt shoved them away.

"Don't intervene." He snarled, as he turned to Urca, who blasted away all the debris with a snap of his fingers.

"You're still standing, Mirage? Amusing."

I summoned my flames again, but Mirage glared at me.

"No."

"But-"

"Stay out of my way." Matt growled, as he turned back to Urca, running forward, as two clones manifested beside him.

Level 2 Amplification and Senkaku: Triangulation

Mirage and his clones began to flicker, as Urca smiled, blasting forward and punching at one of the clones, but his fist going right through him.

"A mirage?"

Matt flew into the air, as Urca punched again, but his fist went through the second clone. Then punched at the last one, but his fist going through the last one as well.

"What the- how's that even possible?" I exclaimed, as Matt closed in, launching a punch at Urca's face in all three directions. But the punch that caught him was the one at the bottom, as the other two mirages dissipated.

"I see. You switch teleported with your own clones to give the illusion that you were all the fake one. Truly a little Loki of the Contingency Initiative."

Urca flexed his muscles as a shockwave flew out, but Matt switch teleported away at the last moment, as the rock he had replaced disintegrated into little pieces.

Matt then rushed forward again, leaping from the wall with immense strength using his Amplification Dogma, his eye wide and glowing, as he switch teleported with Urca, causing the massive man to switch places, his body moving with immense momentum as he began flying at Matt uncontrollably.

Matt held out his fingers and formed two clones as all three Matt's summoned a black blade with their arm, jabbing at Urca who was now flying at them with immense velocity.

"Eat this, you old fool." Matt snarled, but his face suddenly became full of surprise as Urca chuckled, his immense momentum crashing into all three Matt's, shattering their blades and sending Matt into the ground.

Matt coughed out blood, as his mask fell off.

"We need to do something!" I exclaimed to Whitney and Maika.

"We can't." Maika responded.

"Why not?! Matty is going to die!" Whitney cried out, but Maika shook her head.

"Cuz this is how Matt operates. Even if he dies, he's going to give his all against a stronger opponent. That's how he always was back then. And that's how he always is now. It might look like he's always the buzzkill Squad Leader who does paperwork, but in reality, he has been taking almost all of the hard missions himself, without even telling the others. Why do you think we have so much free time on our hands?"

Wait. What? So this entire time...

This entire time, we had a bunch of other missions, but Matt had been doing them alone, while the rest of us were screwing around?

I looked at Matt again, as he switch teleported away, but Urca held out his hand, suspending Matt in air as he flung our Squad Leader into the ground. Matt growled in pain, as the Squad One Leader dragged the Squad Four Leader across the walls of the room, destroying it and leaving behind a trail of carnage, until letting go and flinging Matt's body onto the ground.

Matt got to his feet, as his face was wracked with pain.

But despite his numerous injuries, he held out a finger to Urca, beckoning him to come forward.

"Truly a stubborn child, you are. I will finish this then."

Urca lowered his body and blasted forward, when suddenly, his body became suspended. As Matt melted into a pool of darkness. At Urca's feet, was a portal, which caused him to sink halfway through.

Matt materialized from the shadows of the other side of the busted up prison cell.

"Yeah. This fight is finished."

Matt closed his fist, as the portal began to tighten.

"Half of you here. Half of you probably in the other side of the world. Not even you can survive being severed in half."

Urca turned to Matt.

"Will you really try to kill Taras' trump card?"

Matt's red eye was full of rage.

"Yeah. If I kill you, it means I was the stronger operative. It means I always was. I was meant to become the greatest in the Contingency Initiative. None will doubt me. Not Squad Four. Not Taras. Not Stormwatch."

Urca chuckled, as Matt stepped back in surprise.

"Still on about Stormwatch, eh? You really can't let it go, can you, little lamb."

I glanced at Maika and Whitney, who were frozen, watching the fight.

Lewis and Flint were still down.

What was Urca and Matt talking about? Stormwatch?

Matt grimaced as he stepped forward, forcing the portal to close even more rapidly.

"Drop it."

Urca tilted his head.

"But it's true, is it not? Little Ex-Stormwatch member. Trying so hard to be a part of The Contingency Initiative. Trying so hard to prove himself. To force himself to fight Taras' right hand man. Knowing full well he would lose."

My heart dropped, as I looked at Whitney and Maika again. Their faces were white in shock as well.

"Did he just say..."

"Ex-Stormwatch?" Maika finished my sentence.

Matt was a member of the Stormwatch Brigade?

Matt yelled, as he forced the portal to close, but Urca placed his hands on his sides, and ripped the portal open, leaping right out of it.

"What the hell?!" Whitney exclaimed.

What the hell was right.

Urca's strength was ridiculous. If he could just rip himself out of a shadow portal like that.

Urca towered over Matt.

"Now.... Mirage... was it? Let us see the fruits of Taras' tutelage. Against his strongest student."

Matt yelled in rage as he tried to engage Urca, but it was like watching a little kid try to fight the playground bully, as Matt swung, but Urca went low and slammed his fist into Matt's stomach, causing him to vomit blood. Then a knee to the chin as I watched our Squad Leader fall on his back. Urca then stepped on his chest. Stomping on it as the ground crushed.

I wanted to stop him. I wanted to help Matt, but there was nothing I could do.

If I jumped in, I would just be ended early.

Urca had a way to hurt me even if I was Intangible.

I watched as Urca grabbed Matt's face.

"Pathetic performance from you. Fellow Squad Leader."

Urca flung Matt across the room as he smashed right through the walls, landing outside.

"M... Mat..." I heard coughing, as I slowly turned around, to see Flint barely hanging on to life. His eyes were half closed.

"Help... Matt..." He muttered.

I also heard choking, this time, Lewis, who was staring at the roof.

"Should have... just gone back to bed..."

"You two! Save your energy. I'll do something. I'll..." Whitney knelt in front of the two as she held out her hands.

"I need a life force... I need...."

"Say no more." Maika said, as she put her hand on hers.

"Give as much as you need."

Whitney nodded, as life force exited Maika and herself, entering Flint and Lewis.

"I'll help too-"

"No." Whitney cut me off.

"You kill that asshat for what he's done to Flint, Lewis and Matty. You burn him to a crisp."

"But... if even Squad Leader Matt can't-"

"So what?" Maika snapped, causing me to jump in surprise.

"You're a Dogma holder, Yeling. Your Level 1 Dogma is Hinokami. The God of Fire. Matt doesn't have an Akuma Dogma as his Level 1. Against Urca, who's Level 1 Dogma is Fujin, The God of Wind, you're on paper the only person who can match him blow for blow!"

I watched as Urca menacingly walked to Matt's location, out of the building.

If I didn't swallow down my fear, Matt was gonna die.

"That girl... Anna..." Flint muttered, as he grabbed my wrist.

"Do it for her."

My eyes widened.

Anna.

"Bring Urca to CI. Use Urca to crush Realmwatch. Awaken the Great Akuma. That's your mission, is it not? To make a world for people like Anna to be happy..." Flint whispered.

I got to my feet, my tattoos glowing a bright blue as I took off my robe and mask.

"Yeah."

I walked forward, my flames seemingly stronger than before with a new resolve.

"I'm gonna remake this world. If it means taking down Urca the Slicer, so be it."

Who was around to make mission changes when Matt wasn't here?

The Deputy Leader of the Squad.

"Lewis!" I said.

"Requesting change of mission."

Lewis coughed.

"Can't you see I'm frickin DYING here, Yeling?"

"Oh shit. My bad." I said, sheepishly.

Lewis sighed.

"I hate doing admin shit. I just wanted to be in my room and play League. But fine. Just this once."

Lewis weakly lifted a finger at me.

"Request approved. Rescue Op, now changed to CAPTURE. Take down that giant bastard for us, Tidalflame."

Capture Op Code: URCA

My hands exploded in flame as I jettisoned myself to the sounds of fighting. I could make out Urca and Matt.

Urca slammed his fist into Matt's stomach as my Squad Leader's eyes nearly gouged out of his head.

"Auuurghhh!!" Matt groaned, as Urca grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed Matt's face back on the ground, flinging him into the trees.

Matt smashed to the ground, his body almost lifeless, as he tried to create another clone, but Urca barged inwards, swatting the two clones aside and launching an uppercut at Matt's chin, sending him into several trees in the forest with a big BOOM.

"SQUAD LEADER MATT!" I yelled, flying at Urca with all my might.

Level 1 Hinokami and Intangibility: Devil's Meteorite

I landed a massive punch to the top of Urca's head, but to my horror, Urca shook it off and swatted me to the side as I smashed into the ground, bouncing up and smacking into a nearby tree trunk. I slid to the ground, as Urca towered over me, his fist swinging down, but before I knew it, my surroundings distorted, as I found myself in another region of the forest.

KABOOM.

Everything went still, as the terrifying reality hit me.

Matt had switched places with me, and took the full blow of Urca's overhead right.

"Squad Leader!" I yelled, as I found Matt's body, crumpled in on itself inside a mini-crater. The tree had collapsed, as Urca smiled and materialized in front of me.

I clenched my teeth.

"Leave Mirage alone, or I'll burn you up."

I set my arms ablaze, lighting up the night sky, but Urca scoffed.

"What can you do? Little Dogma holder."

"Come and find out." I growled, menacingly, as I powered up to my max.

Level 1 Hinokami: 100% Double Inverse Tsunami Release

I let loose a gargantuan torrent of flame at Urca, as the blast disintegrated the entire vegetation of the forest, but to my disbelief, Urca held out his hand.

Level 1 Fujin: Suspension

My flames concentrated into a single fireball, which began to rotate violently in Urca's hand.

Urca threw it at me as I went Intangible, but that was where I made my first of many mistakes.

The fire and air ball of destruction instantly sucked me up, as I found myself being moved around violently at ridiculous velocities.

Urca let the ball dissipate as I slammed into the ground, only to take a foot to the face as Urca kicked me through five tree trunks.

"Ack!" I spat out blood as I slid to the ground, my body not moving.

I struggled to my feet, and tried to set my arm ablaze, but Urca shook his head.

"Disappointing."

I felt a blow to my side as I stumbled.

"Keh!"

Another blow to my other side.

A blow to my face, as my head snapped back, and another blow to my cheek, slamming to the right, then another on the other side of my head, as my head slammed into the surface of the tree trunk.

It felt like my body was tearing apart, as I slowly slid onto the ground, my vision doubling.

"Is that it, Hinokami?" Urca said.

"Argh. Splurgh." Blood leaked out of the corner of my mouth. My lip was split open.

Urca lifted his fist, as he slammed down, but he... missed.

"What?" Urca said, as he tried to attack again, only to miss.

I looked to my side, to realize Maika was hiding behind the trees, her hand outstretched.

"Refractor..." I muttered.

Urca grimaced.

"How bothersome."

I struggled to my feet.

"Round... 2...." I muttered, as I summoned my flames again.

I shot into the air, as Urca glared at me. I fired a lance of flame as Urca summoned a breeze, blowing it away. But the moment he closed in, I went Intangible, passing through him.

I used my hands and propelled myself, launching a flaming side kick which Urca dodged.

Urca reeled his fist back, but before I could react, my surroundings distorted, as I felt myself switch teleport with something on the ground.

I stumbled as Urca blasted a nearby tree into cinders with his shockwave punches.

"Squad Leader Matt..." I said, as I made eye contact with a barely conscious Mirage.

"Maika and I will give you the maneuverability you currently lack against Urca. You just need to find a way to hit him with everything you have." Matt said.

I nodded.

"Yes sir."

Urca landed on the ground, as spirals of wind surrounded him.

"Come then. Hinokami. Show me your resolve."

I brought my hands back as I exploded into flames.

"YAAAARHHH!" I yelled a battlecry, as I blasted forward.

Time seemed to slow down, as I found myself switch teleporting with Urca.

I spun around like a fire wheel, which Urca swept aside with a breeze, as his hand reached for me, but I was already gone. The thing he was trying to strangle was a mere illusion by Maika.

I blasted out of the way in a large radius, circling Urca at a supersonic speed, creating massive rings of Hinokami flame as I fired fire lances at Urca at the centre.

Level 1 Fujin Stage 2: Lotus Gale

I was switch teleported out of the radius as I watched Urca unleash a massive shockwave which disintegrated all of my fire rings.

Then Urca roared, shooting to me with blinding speed before Matt could even react. Urca grabbed my face and flung me into the ground as I went Intangible, my flaming body splattering all over the dirt, leaving behind a blue fire as I regained my form, shooting blasts of flame at Urca's location and strafing.

Urca brought his hands up, as he created yet another violent wave of wind which blew out my fire bolts, then closed the distance again.

We continued exchanging blows. Urca trying to land attacks on me as I went Intangible or Maika's illusions would cause him to miss, making distance and blasting him with flame. Whenever Urca trapped me, Matt would switch teleport me.

I slid back, as Maika gave me a signal.

"Charge him full on. Trust me."

I readied myself.

Level 1 Hinokami and Intangibility: Devil's Meteorite

I blasted forward, when suddenly, hundreds of versions of me manifested.

I continued flying forward, as my surroundings felt like it was going on overdrive.

"Go, Tidalflame. Hit him with everything you got!"

Refraction Multiplier Effect: Devil's Meteor Shower

I could make out Urca using his shockwave outwards, but none of the illusions were fazed, as I managed to land a solid punch at his midsection.

Urca spat out blood as he slid back, his chest charred from my punch as I created a massive fire tornado.

I fell to the ground, as I noticed Maika lose consciousness from over exertion. She must have tried to support me with her powers while also having spent her life energy restoring Lewis and Flint.

I breathed heavily.

It was fine. I delivered a finishing blow on...

"Inconceivable." Urca said, as he grabbed me by the face.

"MMF! MMF!" I struggled, as Urca lifted me off the ground.

"Hinokami. You are a disgrace to all Level 1 Akuma Dogma Holders. You were chosen to be the Devil's Flames. Just as I was chosen to the be the Devil's Gale. Yet this absurd difference in strength is unacceptable. The Dogma must choose another. Someone more... deserving."

Deserving?

I tried to escape, but Urca's strength was absolute. I couldn't.

I could feel the pressure around my skull increasing to its breaking point as I tried to let loose a scream, but my mouth was blocked by his ridiculously large palm.

Help me.

Matt...

Maika...

Please.

I don't want to die.

"Even your Squad Leader. One who's Level 1 Dogma isn't even an Akuma Grade Dogma, was able to last longer. Even if you are a Level 1 Hinokami Dogma holder, your lack of combat intelligence. Your absolute disregard for technique. It is disgusting. In terms of fighting, you are a complete amateur. And that in itself, is an eyesore to me."

Urca slammed me into the ground as everything went black.

Power.

I need more power.

Urca was too much for me, even with Maika and Matt's help. I knew that much. Urca was on a class of his own, but it was true that we were both Level 1 Akuma Grade Dogma Holders, why was there such a big gap?

My body felt strange. As if it was mid-limbo.

I wanted to sleep.

Just close my eyes and go to sleep.

"Yeling!" A distance voice could be heard.

"Pipe down..." I muttered.

"Let me sleep."

"Yelling! Yeling get up!"

"Quiet..."

Could I not get some peace and quiet?

I opened my eyes, as I found myself at the pier.

"Mah Yeling."

I paused.

No one ever called my name like that. No one in New Ulysses.

My name was always referenced as Yeling Mah from these people. But in my home country, it was originally last name first. Then my first name.

Meaning...

I slowly turned around, to see Ma standing before me.

"Mama....?" I whispered, as before I knew it, I was running at full speed into my mother's arms.

"Ma!" I sobbed, as I felt warmth embrace me.

"It's okay, Ah Ling. It's okay now. You don't need to fight anymore. You don't need to burn anymore. Just let go and come home with us."

I saw my little sister wave at me by the harbour, along with my Baba.

"Dai goh! Welcome home!" My sister shouted.

Suddenly, I stumbled back, as Ma gave me a peculiar expression.

"Ah Ling? What's wrong?"

"You're... supposed to be dead."

"No, Ah Ling. I am free. Along with your Baba. And your sai mui. We are free. And soon, you will be too. If you take my hand."

I reached out, but stopped. I had an important mission. I couldn't remember exactly what it was, but it was important.

I remembered that I had to do it. Like some strange obligation.

But standing here, seeing my family again...

It was like everything that had happened up until now was just a nightmare.

My family was still here.

No one died that day.

I glanced at my arm. There were no tattoos on it. I ran my hand over the right side of my face, and couldn't believe it.

"It's... smooth..." I gasped.

I looked around.

"Ah Ling. Come home with us. Take my hand, Ah Ling. You have suffered enough. Don't you want to eat my cooking? Don't you want to play with your sai mui? Don't you want to play soccer with your baba?"

Each question Ma asked, it felt like my heart was going to tear apart.

"Of course I do... of course I do. You have no idea... how long I've suffered. How long I've been thinking about you all. Every time I use my Hinokami, I am reminded that these flames were the flames that took you all away from me."

Mama smiled warmly.

"Then let go, Ah Ling. Let go of the responsibility. Let go of this world and your duty."

My duty...

That's right.

My duty was to help Squad Four. Was to help reawaken The Great Akuma, to bring fairness into the world. That was my duty.

I looked at the distance, turning around, and saw a ghostly blue apparition. It had a long horn going up one side, like a demon, and its whole body was shrouded by blue flame. Runic demonic lettering lined its horn and its left side.

"Take my hand, Ah Ling."

The apparition regarded me, as its aura was scorching my skin. It hurt to look at it. It hurt to even be near it.

Any sane man would choose the other option. Everything this apparition was... was pure destruction and pain. And suffering.

But...

If I chose to be with my mother. If I chose to be with my family.

I would abandon my teammates.

I would abandon them.

"Do not touch that thing, Yeling." The apparition said, as I stumbled back.

"Wha- What?" I asked, incredulous.

"How can you call my mother a thing?!" I snarled, as I charged forward, but the apparition's flames were too hot. It felt like I was about to melt just going near it.

"That is not your mother, Yeling Mah. Look again."

I turned around, as Mama continued smiling at me, but her eyes... her eyes...

They were pure white.

Just like her...

Just like...

"The Spirit of Hope is trying to get you to give up life. Since you house my master's essence, his Hinokami, as your Level 1 Dogma. If the Hinokami dies with you, it will delay my master's return."

"But... why is Vala doing this? Why are you here? How are you here?!"

The apparition regarded me.

"I cannot let you die. But in here, when a man is nearing death, their warmest and kindest memories surface. And where there is kindness, Vala is at her strongest. My mere presence is unpleasant in this world. Which is why Vala's illusion is more compelling than I."

I looked back at Mama and the rest of my family, having fun at the harbour.

"This is where your parents took you. This is the same place you would go whenever you felt emotionally overwhelmed." The apparition deduced.

"Yes." I replied.

"The Spirit of Hope knows this. You must give this up. You must choose me, Yeling. Remember your mission."

I closed my eyes.

"I... I..."

Every memory I had with my family resurfaced. Every warm and kind memory. In this cruel dark world, my family was the only source of light I had. And ever since I had killed them with Hinokami when I unlocked the Devil's Flames, my body had been aching. My heart had been aching for the longest time.

How could I just turn down the offer to join them again?

How could I?

To go back to that world. As the Hinokami. To keep killing and keep suffering. To go back to the darkness.

"Yeling. The Spirit of Hope knows that you want this life. You want to be with your family again. Do NOT give her what she wants!"

I clenched my teeth, my heart in tremendous agony, as I forced myself to look away from my mother.

"Remember what you came here to do. Remember!"

I opened my eyes, as I suddenly found myself in the back alley.

I saw a kid cradling a girl in his arms, her hands around his neck as she was trying her hardest to strangle her with the last bits of life she had left.

"Anna...!"

"Will you avenge Anna? Do you remember? Do you remember?"

Tidalflame.

I turned to the apparition.

"I was fighting Urca. I remember now. But... how can I beat him? He's too strong, and I..."

The apparition looked at me.

"Because you haven't sacrificed enough."

"What?"

The apparition began to grow, as Anna's body disintegrated before my very eyes, flooding the entire scene with blue flames.

"Urca the Slicer gave up many things to become who he is. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?"

"I don't understand. Are you telling me to initiate another Dogma Bargain?"

The apparition shook his head.

"You will not be able to handle another exchange. Your body is not ready for Level 3. But... because your Level 1 is Hinokami, then you are able to unlock Stage 2."

"Stage... 2..."

I suddenly remembered what Urca had said.

Level 1 Fujin Stage 2.

"What is... is Stage 2 like an evolution from Level 1?"

The apparition shattered the scenery, until I found myself in an old town. It looked like a Japanese village, with those paper slider doors and fancy paintings along the architecture.

"Urca The Slicer. His true name, was Juuzou Katsuya. A well known kendo martial artist in Japan. Famous for his unparalleled reflexes and technique."

Yeah. I knew first hand just how unparalleled it was.

"But Katsuya never lived an ideal life. For he had to learn kendo to defend his home. To defend his wife, as his wife was Chinese. And because of the conflict between Japan and China, Katsuya had to keep his marriage a secret. But one day, a young boy discovered his wife. And in a state of panic, alerted the entire village. And so, Katsuya and his wife were hunted."

I watched as Katsuya fought off numerous hitmen and samurai, his hands stained with blood as he desperately broke his limits. Over and over. Just to keep his wife safe.

"Though formidable, Katsuya was only human. And eventually, he was backed into a corner. With no way out, he cried out to the demons. He cried out to The Great Akuma, for power to kill his enemies."

I watched as green tattoos snaked up his body.

"And so, I answered his call in my master's place. To initiate a Dogma Bargain. The power to kill his enemies."

I watched as Katsuya slaughtered everybody with his newfound power. With Fujin.

"But every Dogma Bargain has a catch." I said.

"Yes. Katsuya was able to kill all of his enemies. But because he was a Japanese man himself, that meant at the time, the Chinese were his enemy. All of them."

My eyes widened as Katsuya stormed into his home, his eyes in a frenzy, as his wife welcomed him home, but her eyes turned to pure terror, as the man that was once her husband plunged his hand right through her stomach, killing her instantly.

"Katsuya killed his wife, and his unborn child. And so was his price. His wife and son, in exchange for the powers of the Wind God."

I glared at the Dogma.

"And you LET THAT HAPPEN? How could you?!"

The Dogma regarded me.

"It must be this way. For great sacrifices must be made for a Dogma of that calibre. And as Urca the Slicer continued killing, he found himself seeking more and more power. To avenge and kill those who oppressed him. And such was then, did he join the Contingency Initiative. But at the time, Taras was far superior. Being one who possessed a Dogma of all six gods to the Akuma. Urca sought power to help Taras in his mission to awaken the Great Akuma, and it was then did he unlock Stage Two. The price?"

The vision disappeared, until I was back at the pier.

"The price was to take away Urca's ability to sire a child. The one thing Urca wanted the most in the world. To raise a child in a fair world. But to be taken away the ability to have a child of his own. This was the price Urca had to pay to become this strong. What will yours be?"

I looked at my family, as they laughed together. Tears were streaming down my eyes.

"You are telling me, that I cannot reunite with my family, even in the afterlife. I will never see them again."

The Dogma nodded.

"How can you be so cruel..." I muttered.

"Because such is the way a fair world works. If you wish to defeat Juuzou Katsuya, you must forgo the same pain he has."

I needed to stop Urca.

I needed that power.

I sighed, as I embraced the Dogma, his essence entering me as tattooed lines appeared on my left arm, glowing a fierce blue as the right side of my face began to decay, corrode.

I looked at my family with a fresh sense of pain, as I lifted my hand, flames manifesting, the same way as I did that night. When I killed them the first time.

"Goodbye... Mama. Baba. Haka."

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Inverse Monsoon Release

Open your eyes, Yeling.

Wipe your tears, Yeling.

Now isn't the time to cry.

Everything dissolved, as I found myself back to reality. Urca was facing off against Whitney and Matt. Matt, on his last legs, and Whitney trying her best to dodge and siphon.

But Urca was too fast, and I watched as Whitney took loads of punishment. The only thing keeping her alive was Urca's very own life force.

But just as Urca was about to deal the final blow, everybody stopped to turn to me.

"Ye... Yeling..." Whitney muttered, her face, initially a face of exhaustion, turned into one of pure joy.

"That's what I'm talking about. That's a true Devil's Flames, right there."

Urca regarded me.

"So, Hinokami. You spoke to the Dogma. And unlocked Stage Two."

I breathed out blue flame, as my body was wreathed with blue and purple fire. The same horn that was on the apparition, now on my corroded, ruined right half of my face.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Cobalt Assimilation

I stomped on the ground, as everything around me melted from my sheer temperatures.

Urca blasted forward, zipping and zooming all around the battlefield around me, but I lifted my hand.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Devil's Hurricane

Urca widened his eyes, the hurricane of pure blue and purple flame throwing him back.

Urca tried to summon a breeze, but the air blast dispersed from the sheer temperatures.

"Hinokami..."

I peered up, at Urca. I couldn't feel anything. Everything seemed like one force. Burning. Burning away.

"I will burn everything away." I said, my voice doubled.

"Very well, Hinokami. Should you choose so, then we will see who is superior."

Level 1 Fujin Stage Two: Emerald Assimilation

Urca powered up, and yelled to the sky, as a massive torrent of wind and green lightning surrounded him, uplifting trees left and right.

"COME. MAH-SAN. SHOW ME YOUR RESOLVE."

From my days watching anime with Lewis the Weebster, I recognized it as a Japanese honorific.

Urca acknowledged me in battle.

I brought my foot back, propping myself, as I shot into the air like a blue and purple comet.

Urca smiled, shooting in and delivering punch after punch.

Level 2 Intangibility: Hellfire Embrace

"That won't work, child."

Urca summoned a glowing green sphere of energy around me.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Devil's Hurricane

The entire place shook from the chaos of our battle. I launched jet after jet of fire at Urca, who was now having trouble dodging the sheer width and magnitude of my blasts. But Urca retained his wind shield.

I zipped forward and launched a punch, which Urca dodged, obviously, and Urca landed a side kick to my face.

But I couldn't feel the pain, and Urca instantly recoiled, his feet now having a fresh burn.

"Your power has increased substantially. But you are still at a disadvantage. As long as your skill is unrefined, you will never defeat me."

Urca powered up further, launching a barrage of punches at me.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Inverse Monsoon Release

Urca was pushed back, but he closed his eyes, closing in like an arrow and managed to get another hit into my midsection.

I flew backwards, slamming into a nearby landform, melting right through it like a bullet, and smashed into the ground in a massive blue and purple explosion, leaving behind a burning crater.

Urca flew in as did I. We clashed, clutching our hands and trying to push the other person away.

We both gritted our teeth, flooding the sky with green and purple lights.

Urca's body began to spark with green electricity, as I realized some of the bolts were latching onto me, dealing damage.

"You have potential, Mah-san. Your power is equal to mine. If you train in taijutsu, you would be unstoppable. Join me and Squad One."

"After what you just did to Squad Leader Matt? Like hell I will!"

Urca frowned, as he spun around, twisting my arms, his feet planting on the ground and swung me into another horde of trees, mass burning it.

He was right.

Even at Stage Two, I had closed the gap in power.

But Urca was still levels ahead of me in skill.

I blasted forward again as we clashed. But I could feel myself losing the struggle. I was able to land more significant blows, but at the cost of Urca landing even more devastating strikes.

Level 1 Fujin Stage Two: Razer Shockwave Cutter

This power again!

I yelled in defiance.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Double Inverse Monsoon Release

The two attacks clashed, as we both yelled in the effort to get the other guy to fall.

"No matter how many bargains you make with the Dogma, you cannot defeat me. Give it up, child"

Urca went low, my eyes widening. Urca sent a kick at my stomach as I choked, slamming backwards.

"Hell no!" I roared, my feet leaving behind burning trails of melted destruction. I charged Urca, my fist held back.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Devil's Starshooter

Urca tried to block my punch. I could see it in his eyes, but for some reason, the attack connected, launching Urca away.

"What the-"

I turned around.

"Yeling! We're here to back you up!" Maika shouted at me from within the destruction.

Lewis and Flint were next to me.

"I'll support you with my beams. Maika will disorient Urca. And Flint will prove you with even more maneuverability." Lewis shouted.

"Damn you. Children." Urca growled, closing the distance again, but an orange portal formed.

"Above! Light him up, Yeling!" Flint yelled.

I brought my hand back and launched a devastating blast of flame upwards as Urca appeared point blank.

"You portal-maker. I will destroy you." Urca said, blasting to his location, but I intercepted him, launching a devastating kick at his face.

"I'm the one you're fighting, old man!" I yelled, but Urca grabbed me by the face.

"I am fighting all of you. Boy."

Urca flung me with tremendous force, my body crashing through more landforms.

"Flint!" Lewis shouted, as a portal appeared behind me, causing me to fall to the ground behind Urca.

I powered up and threw punch after punch at the towering enemy. Urca tried to retaliate, but an eye beam from Lewis caught him from behind.

"Irritating insect." Urca said, but another portal formed in front of him, revealing none other than I.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Inverse Mon-

Urca kneed me in the midsection, then sent an uppercut at my chin, throwing me into the air. I yelled, tumbling into the sky until I regained my bearings. I retaliated with numerous fireballs, which Urca tried to neutralize with his wind. Another eyebeam caught him.

"No more games." Urca snarled.

Level 1 Fujin Stage Two: God of Calamity

I stumbled back in surprise, the sky becoming darker as bolts of green lightning smashed into me from above. Then from the sides. The back and front. From all directions.

A massive sphere of spinning wind surrounded me, the electricity electrocuting me as I yelled in pain.

"Flint! Get him out of there!" Lewis shouted, but Urca turned to the squad, launching a powerful punch at their location.

But even with Maika redirecting the punch, the resulting shockwave blew them all away.

The sphere was becoming more violent. I could feel what was like millions of pins and needles cutting and piercing me from all directions. The wind was ripping me apart. My blue and purple flaming aura from Cobalt Assimilation fading away, and my horn retracting back into my right side.

I fell to the ground from hundreds of feet in the air with a big

BOOM.

"Shit... get up..." I muttered.

I couldn't move.

I was too injured.

Urca regarded me, his Emerald Assimilation also fading away, the green tattoos that lined his entire body also retreating back into his body and disappearing.

"You forced me to use Fujin consistently. Consider yourself unlike most I have faced. But I will continue my mission to take Squad One back. For my plans are beyond that of Taras Pax. My power is feared by the great Contingency Initiative Leader for a reason."

"Hey." A voice appeared from the shadows.

"Wha... What?" I gasped, as Urca turned around.

Several kunai appeared, slamming into Urca's chest as the man stumbled back.

"What the-"

Matt landed on the ground. His face was a bloody mess, but he had the most wild smile on his face.

"How the hell are you still alive?!" I shouted at Matt, who walked to Urca menacingly.

"I'm not done yet, you old man. You dare hold back against me? I saw the whole fight with Tidalflame. You really think I am insignificant enough to be looked down on?"

Urca clutched his chest, the dark projectiles dissipating, revealing several bloody wounds.

"Make no mistake. I may be drained from battling your Squad. But I am still more than enough to defeat you, Mirage."

Urca leapt into the air and tried to slam into Matt, but Matt weaved out of the way, launching a punch right into Urca's wounds, causing the older man to yell in pain.

"You dare-"

Matt spun around, evading another strike, and sending a kick into Urca's face.

Matt then locked both of his legs against Urca's head, summoning two clones behind him, each clone grabbing his arm as he twisted.

Level 3 Senkaku: Twisting Bone Breaker

Matt then sent Urca spinning, the older fighter hitting the ground. This time, too disoriented to retaliate, as Matt summoned a third clone, the three clones propping up Matt's legs.

Level 2 Amplification: Threefold Skull-shaker

Matt shot forward, landing a devastating punch across Urca's skull. I heard bones break as Urca slid backwards.

"Insolent boy!" Urca yelled, as he disappeared, appearing at Matt's side, but Matt reacted promptly, weaving and launching strike after strike at Urca's wounds. Precise attacks, the damage maximized as Matt struck at every burn wound that I had inflicted on the Squad One Leader.

"How are you able to dodge my attacks!" Urca growled, as Matt dodged another series of strikes.

"You know full well. I thought you knew me, Katsuya. Ex-Stormwatch. You know all about my Level 1 Dogma."

Level.... 1?

Matt never used Level 1, and I never understood why. Come to think of it.

What was Matt's Level 1 Dogma ability?

"You.... You swore to never use it again. When Taras recruited you. You swore."

Matt smiled, evilly.

"Well. I lied."

Katsuya launched another punch, but the tattoos around Matt's eye flickered red, as Matt immediately acted promptly, diving through the punch, his arm transforming into a blade which cut right into Urca's eyes.

"There... there is no honour in deceiving. Mirage."

Matt twisted his tendrils deeper into Urca's eyes as the older man screamed in agony.

"I have no honour. I serve Taras Pax. There is no honour in slaughter. There is no honour in murder. That's what makes us different. You are still stupid enough to uphold your sense of honour. I, on the other hand."

Matt slashed up, widening the wound as Urca fell backwards, blood spraying everywhere.

"Am willing to do whatever it takes to win. And that's why I am better than you."

Matt regarded me, as blood exploded from his body. Matt collapsed.

"Squad Leader...."

My vision went hazy. Everything went blurry, but I heard the sounds of a chopper nearby. And a man, in a black trench coat. With tattoos all over his arms. A series of six sets of tattoos each of a different colour, leaving behind a starburst of colour on his forearms. But his face was a mere shadow.

"Good work. Yeling Mah. Squad Four. I will take it from here."

"Ta... Taras..." I muttered, as I passed out.

Escort Op Code: HADES

Matt was comatose.

It was quite a shock. The news hitting us like a train.

Taras showed up to our flat himself, taking off his fedora.

"Mirage suffered tremendous amounts of internal bleeding and broken bones during his fight against Urca. He almost received significant concussions and blood loss. Doctors predict at least a week in recovery, even with Squad Five's healer, Garland, doing his best."

"Tch." Lewis grumbled, as he threw the spoon he was using to eat his Cinnamon Crunchies on the ground.

"How can Matt go around not telling us that he was doing the majority of the missions? Did he not trust us enough? And what's this about him being Ex-Stormwatch? Why keep it from us, knowing full well we wouldn't judge him for it?"

"Lew. This isn't all his fault. We're equally to blame. If we had taken initiative to do missions as well... if I had taken the initiative to do missions outside from Lightwatch Elim ops...." Flint reasoned.

Lewis slammed his fist on the table, burying his head in his hands.

"Matt was there for me. When he took me in to CI. He was there. When Mom died from overwork. When I was on the verge of starving to death. I lost my siblings, then I lost my Mom. But Matt was there for me. Sure he was a prick. Sure he wouldn't stop calling me a lazy bitch for never leaving my room. But he gave me a purpose."

Maika, Whitney, Lewis, Flint, and I were all huddled together in the living room.

Taras frowned.

"I take it my news is not received well."

"Ya think?" Lewis said.

"Lew..." I said.

"I know our circumstances are shitty, but we need to show Lord Taras respect."

Taras raised his hand, cutting me off.

"No, Tidalflame. It is quite all right. Pinpoint has every right to be upset. After all, it was Mirage himself who brought you all together. As one force. One body. And while there were many things Mirage held secret from you all, it was not out of ill will."

Whitney looked catatonic. Her face was completely pale.

"I'll kill him. I'll kill Urca. I'll make him pay for what he did to Matty." She whispered.

Lewis glanced at Whitney.

"Yandere." He muttered.

I turned to Taras.

"Lord Taras, I take it there's still something you need out of us?"

Taras nodded.

"Indeed, little Hinokami. A mission. And while there is little time to grieve, Matthew Lam is still alive. He has not died. And so, we must move forward."

Maika stared at the ground.

"What's the mission?"

Taras held out his hand.

Level 6 Hachi: Great Overseer

A demonic orange magic circle appeared in Taras' palm, revealing an orange hologram.

"With Vision's diary destroyed, Realmwatch's advantage over us was taken from them. The shock rippled amongst Stormwatch, allowing us to strike at their most vulnerable hour. However, because Urca was uncooperative, Mirage's Squad had to incapacitate him. I predicted this. And so, I sent Squad One to conduct an assault on the Stormwatch Brigade. During their assault, Squad Leader Kyokou discovered that Stormwatch had taken a hostage. Quite unlike them at all. But this hostage..."

Taras focused the hologram, revealing a young girl, no older than fifteen, clutching her arms. She looked absolutely terrified. And along her arms, were several grey tattoos.

"A Dogma Holder!" I gasped.

Everybody perked up.

"You're not telling me..."

Taras nodded.

"Indeed. This young girl, Marcela Greene, is the Level 1 Dogma Holder for Shakujin. The Earth God. Just as Yeling is the Level 1 Dogma for Hinokami. The Fire God. Because of this, Kyokou tried to capture Greene, but was unable to capture her because of Guardian's intervention. Greziak proved too much for The Dismantler, and because of this, Greene is on the run."

"You want us to capture her." Maika deduced.

"But be wary, Refractor. For we do not know for sure what Stormwatch's motives are."

Taras regarded all of us.

"With your Squad Leader incapacitated, you will need to fight without his power. He will no longer act as your safeguard when missions go awry."

And on that happy note, Taras saluted us, closing the door.

"What are we gonna do?" I asked.

Lewis rubbed his temples.

"Marcela Greene. So she's a Dogma holder. Judging from her bony frame, she's malnourished. So if she escaped, she's probably too weak to go far. I'll see if I can pinpoint her location with my evo. And Flint will TP her here-"

Lewis paused, glancing at Flint, who was giving him an annoyed look. From within the numerous bandages on his hands, Flint managed to flip off the Deputy Squad Leader.

"Ah. Right. Your hands are crushed. My bad."

"I can still use my illusions. But... probably not to a large scale." Maika rubbed the bandages around her head.

"Better question is, why the hell is Whitney unharmed after all of this?" Maika squeaked, as we all turned to Whitney, who had curled up into a ball, rocking back and forth.

"Urca will die. He will die. He will die. He will die." Whitney chanted, her eyes wide.

"Nevermind." Maika muttered.

I raised my hand.

"I can help."

Lewis raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? Mister Stage Two Arsonist? Marcela is probably scared shitless. The last thing she needs is to see some Chinese mass murderer grow a frickin horn on the side of his head and burst into flames."

"Hey! That was totally uncalled for. Besides. Marcela has a Level 1 Akuma Grade Dogma. Just like me. I might be able to talk to her."

Maika put a hand on Lew's shoulder.

"That is true. We have someone on our team who's sort of in her shoes. Since she's a Level 1 Akuma Grade Dogma holder, that's another step to awakening The Great Akuma. There's no one better."

Lewis looked at me.

"Yeling, you're still injured from your fight against Urca. If Stormwatch comes for us, you have to use that Cobalt Assimilation thingy again. Otherwise we're toast. The only person who has been able to beat Stormwatch head to head was Matt. Your Stage Two is the only thing we have going right now. Otherwise, the three of us are going to get absolutely murked."

"It's fine. I think I can call upon Stage Two again. I just don't know how long. Let's try to avoid a fight if we can."

"Famous last words." Lewis grumbled, as he got up, walking to his room and put on his jacket.

"Maika, Yeling. Let's find this brat."

We walked down the street, as Lewis' eyes glowed purple, scanning for Marcela's location.

I found myself walking next to Maika. I immediately felt awkward.

It wasn't just the fact that Maika was a good head taller than me.

But there was always some rivalry between Japanese and Chinese people in New Ulysses. And might I say it, some of this rivalry was often violent.

I never kept up with my home country's politics. But even I knew about the tension between the two asian races.

Thankfully, Maika was special. In that she really didn't care. After all, she was born in New Ulysses, raised here all her life.

And I immigrated here eight years ago.

But even so, I could tell that if my parents were still alive, they would definitely not approve of the fact that I had a Japanese coworker.

"Relax, Yeling. I'm not Whitney. I'm not gonna pry into your sex life." Maika said, as I nearly choked on my coffee.

"What?!" I exclaimed.

Maika smirked.

"Your face was pale as a ghost. Chill... You know what you should do? You should try smoking weed. It really calms the mind."

It was times like these where I wished I could have swapped Maika for Whitney.

"Zip! Zip it, both of you. I see her." Lewis said.

We found Marcela huddled in the corner of an alleyway. Her knees were tucked in as she was trembling.

"I... uh... what do we do now?" I said.

Lewis gave me a confused look.

"Isn't it obvious? We knock her out and drag her to CI. Let's go!"

Before Lewis could light Marcela up, Maika stepped forward and walloped her Deputy Squad Leader over the top of the head.

"Aho! This is why you will never be Squad Leader. Look at her, her dress is practically in rags! And she looks like a rabid animal. The last thing she wants is a full frontal assault!"

Maika turned to me.

"Yeling, take care of this."

"Me?!"

"What happened to your bravado earlier, about being a fellow Akuma Grade Dogma user? Well here's your chance. She's right there. Go talk to her."

I shuffled my feet.

"Ah. Well. There's plenty of hours in the day..."

After a few more excuses, I was practically pushed into the alleyway, as I approached the girl.

"Uh." I said, but just as I predicted, Marcela gave me a cornered wild animal expression, and screamed, a massive chunk of the ground exploding and sending me backwards.

"You moron! What did you do?!" Lewis shouted at me.

"I didn't even say anything!"

"You said 'uh'. Who the hell uses 'uh' as a greeting?!"

"She's getting away!" Maika shouted at us, as she sprinted to Greene's location.

We made chase, but within seconds, Lewis and I were already out of breath.

"What is wrong with you two?! Have you both been just relying on your powers this entire time?!" Maika called to us.

"Don't attack us like that! Some of us aren't blessed with monster quads like you!" Lewis yelled back.

"Don't call my thighs monster quads!" Maika screamed.

Level 1 Hinokami... I summoned flame but Lewis stopped me.

"Don't. Save your stamina. You haven't recovered yet."

By the time we caught up to Maika, Marcela was cornered, sobbing.

"Please don't take me back. Please don't. I'm scared. Mommy.... MOMMY!"

Marcela cried, as Maika tried to calm her down with a soothing tone.

"Hey, we're not here to hurt you, Marcela. We're here to take you to somewhere better than where you were before."

Marcela slowly stopped crying, but immediately, Lewis ruined it.

"Ah, cut the bullshit, Maika. God. Grow up already, Marcela. You're fifteen. Get a grip. Calling for your mom. How sad can you be?"

Marcela stared at Lewis, when suddenly, Maika slapped him in the face.

"Do not speak to girls like that."

"Ouch!" Lewis whimpered, putting a hand to his face.

I approached Marcela.

"Are you... a Level 1 Shakujin?"

I asked.

Marcela reluctantly nodded.

"How..." She asked, her voice small.

I rolled up my sleeve, revealing my navy blue tattoos which arced up my left palm, all the way up to my neck. Borderline reaching my face.

"I am a Level 1 Hinokami. Listen. There's a lot of people out there who are trying to use you. You're safer with us. I'm proof, since I'm just like you."

Marcela looked down at the ground.

"I know people are trying to use me. He tried to use me."

Maika knelt down.

"Who?"

"Lu... Lucas."

Lewis frowned.

"Lucas?"

Maika gritted her teeth.

"Curse Mark Lucas Lam. That Dogma kid from Stormwatch. You fought him before, Yeling."

"Oh god, not that cringe lord again." I grumbled.

"Why does Lucas want to use you?" Lewis asked.

Marcela's bottom lip quivered. It was clear he was pushing her too far.

"Uh, Lew. I think we shouldn't pry too hard."

Maika took Marcela's hand.

"There there. Come. Let's take you to our place. It's okay now. You'll be safe with us."

Welp.

I guess there could have been a million other things Maika could have said, and it would have been better than what was promised, because the moment Lewis opened the door, the first thing Marcela saw was Whitney curled up in the corner, still chanting about Urca.

Flint, being injured, couldn't go outside, and was trying to use a stylus with his teeth.

The addict was playing online poker.

"ERRGGHH!! FIF ME FULLL FOUSE!!! FULL FOUSE!!!"

"Is he gambling on his iPad? With his mouth?!" I exclaimed, as Maika nervously glanced at Marcela.

"Um.... welcome to Squad Four!"

Marcela stood at the doorway. Clearly she was too scared to come in, but Maika took her hand, and led her to her room.

"Hey! Where are you taking her?" Lewis asked.

"My room. Who knows what you two perverts would do with a teenage girl in your rooms."

Lewis made a sour face.

"Like I care. Teenage girls are the worst kind of women in the entire world. Clueless, and always dating douchebags. I'm GLAD she's not in my room."

"Yeah yeah. Go back to playing video games, you INCEL." Maika shouted back from within the hallway.

That night, I had troubles falling asleep. As usual. So I went to the living room to steal Lewis' shredded cheese.

I staggered around like a zombie, and flipped on the lights, only to see Marcela curled up on the ground.

"Holy shit!" I whispered, nearly knocking over the lamp, as Marcela jumped.

"Sorry." She muttered.

"Nah. Not at all. It's fine." I said, as I sat across from her.

"You should get some sleep. It's not healthy to stay awake at night." I said, like a total hypocrite.

Marcela's eyes were empty.

"When I close my eyes, I see Lucas."

My hands tightened on the bag of cheese. If it wasn't so comedic that I had the cheese in my hand, I would have looked murderous and scared her away. Thank god I looked ridiculous.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did Lucas want?"

Marcela ran her hand over her tattoos.

"Lucas wanted me to use Shakujin. A forbidden Shakujin ability."

"Forbidden? Isn't Shakujin just Earth manipulation? Rocks and stuff?"

Marcela shook her head.

"No. Shakujin is more than manipulation of stones. Just as Hinokami is more than manipulation of flame. You know. Your fire is not like natural fire evos. And my powers are not like natural geokinetic evos."

Okay. I have to admit.

I did start to feel self conscious for a second there.

I was being lectured by a fifteen year old girl. But obviously, I was not going to let it get to me.

"So what is this forbidden ability?"

Marcela looked at me, her silver eyes seemingly glowing like moonlight. Just as my fiery blue eyes would glow in the dark sometimes.

"Do you know how humans came to be?"

"Uhhh, no. Not really."

Marcela raised her finger, as silverly light emanated from her nail.

"Organic matter. When humans die, we are buried. Our bodies decompose, and end up in the ground. The Earth."

"The Earth... wait. Don't tell me..."

Marcela's stone cold expression confirmed it.

Shakujin was more than just manipulating rocks. He was the Earth God. And if humans were part of the Earth... from which their bodies lay...

"Lucas wants me to manipulate human life. With Shakujin. He wants me to use my powers to manipulate the dead."

Marcela shuddered.

"Oy. Uh. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Marcela shook her head.

"No. I want to. Because you are just like me. We are both special. Even amongst Dogma holders. We are special. The person Lucas wants me to revive from the dead...

My heart began to beat slower and slower as I horrifyingly realized what her answer was going to be.

"Is Stormwatch's deceased operative. He wants me to bring Vision back from the dead."

Marcela yawned, and she caught me staring.

"Don't look at me like that..." She muttered.

"It's unsettling."

I got up.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to. But you should get some rest. We didn't go out of our way to buy you a futon just so you could sit in the corner all night."

I went back to my room.

Vision.

Vision had an evo to predict the future. According to our intel, it wasn't an ability he could control. The visions always came in dreams, in something cryptic. So he would write out his dreams in a book. Sometimes, these predictions would predict the next day. Sometimes it would predict many years into the future. Many months.

In a way, it was as if Realmwatch had a book of prophecy to use against us. To make the best use of it, one only needed to decipher what Vision's dreams were.

But Matt and Maika destroyed the book.

So the extent they were going to, to use Marcela's powers to bring Vision back from the dead was ridiculous.

I leaned back on my bed.

Ex-Stormwatch.

I didn't want to think too much into it. I trusted Matt. Despite his outright aloof attitude, he was our Squad Leader. He took us in. When I was brought into the Contingency Initiative, I was thrown into Matt's Squad. And while it took some time to get used to it, Matt treated me in a way that I could only describe as tough love.

Many people had tried to treat me with tough love.

Only Matt had ever done it right.

Did Stormwatch know Matt was once a part of their squad? Did they know? I couldn't tell if they hated him because of all the trouble he had caused them. Or if it was something deeper.

I paused.

Wait.

Matt's Level 1 Dogma...

No one ever knew what it was, aside from very few people. I didn't know what it was.

I remembered how Matt was able to easily predict Urca's moves. He was able to dodge it so well, it was impossible for someone to have that level of reflexes. Even Urca knew.

He knew Matt was using his Level 1 Dogma to dodge...

No...

You know full well. I thought you knew me, Katsuya. Ex-Stormwatch. You know all about my Level 1 Dogma.

Could it be that Matt wasn't actually dodging it with his reflexes?

But rather he knew what Urca was going to do...

Before he even did it?

Vision had an evo that enabled him to predict the future.

Matt was under Taras' tutelage for years.

Who knows how much potential Taras had unlocked in him. To become The Mirage that had become so infamous in the Contingency Initiative.

What if Vision's evo wasn't an evo?

What if it was a Dogma?

Ex-Stormwatch.

No. I need to let it go. I need to... but...

"Dogma." I said to my reflection.

"I know you can hear me. Tell me everything about the operative of Stormwatch that had died in action. The one called Vision."

My vision flashed, as I found myself peering into a flashback.

"What the-" I said, only no sound came from my mouth. Because I was now seeing my life through another's eyes.

Pseudo-me got out of bed. He had a scrawny frame, as I watched as he did a once-over of his room. It was filled with papers. Battleplans. Like a strategist.

I walked to the mirror and stretched.

"Another day, another mission. And another opportunity."

Scrawled on his whiteboard were the words.

DAYS UNTIL I BECOME SQUAD LEADER: 233

I made my way down the stairs.

"Up again so early, Vision?"

"Always, Logan!"

Logan Metron Woodley.

He looked younger. But there was no doubt about it. That muscular build. That seasoned veteran's body that had seen numerous fights.

Logan smiled.

"Vision."

"Yeah?"

"I know I've said this a lot, but your work ethic is beyond admirable."

Vision chuckled.

"Aw... Logan. You know me. I never go back on my word. I will become Squad Leader of Stormwatch. No matter what it takes. Even if my Dogma Bargain is just Prophecy. I will do my best. Because I want to. Joe isn't going to pull ahead of me in the long run."

Logan laughed.

"Huh?! What's so funny, old man!" Vision snapped.

"I'm being serious here."

Logan finished laughing as he put a hand on Vision's shoulder.

"No. It's just so refreshing. To have someone like you on our team. No matter how grim it gets, the day's always brighter with your optimism. I really appreciate it."

The scenery changed, as I saw myself, Vision's shoes, walking down the street.

I was... no. Vision was carrying something.

Were those... flowers?

"Purple orchids. Rui's favorite. I won't let Joe get the better present. I won't mess this up." I heard Vision say, as he made his way across the road, when suddenly, an old lady was pushed to the ground.

"What the- Contingency Initiative!" Vision exclaimed, as two operatives had pushed the granny on the ground and taken her belongings.

"Give it back, please!" The granny pleaded, but the operatives simply regarded her with little to no remorse.

"You trying to make a profit off of this? Do you even know what this is?" One of the operatives said.

"I need the money!"

"No, you need to go take your scams elsewhere."

Vision clenched his fist.

If it was true that the only power Vision had was his Prophecy, and that power wasn't even something he could control... did it mean he didn't have any powers?

But despite that, Vision's body moved on its own. Rushing forward and putting distance between the operatives and the old woman.

"Give that back to her." Vision said.

"Huh? Who the hell are you- ohhhhh my god."

The two operatives broke into a fit of laughing.

"Stormwatch's Vision. The one guy in the entire Realmwatch Brigade who basically doesn't even have any powers. Buddy, just go back to your planning room and leave the heroics to Guardian."

Vision irked.

"Hey! You two are being unreasonable. The old woman got that fair and square yeah?"

"Well, we need it too. For our mission. Like hell we'll give up our initiative for some granny's scams."

Vision firmed his stance.

"Give it back." He said.

"Huh? You being serious right now, kid?" One of the operatives said, as he summoned lightning.

Those two operatives were powered. Vision didn't seem like the type to be able to fight with hand, given his build.

Fighting them was basically suicide.

But Vision yelled, and charged forward, only to be zapped by electricity, and falling back.

"Young man! Forget about me. An old woman like me isn't worth getting killed for-"

"No!" Vision held his hand back, forcing himself as cover for the old woman.

"Any life. Young or old. Is equally precious. You won that prize fair and square. From that bingo game. Yes... it makes sense now. That dream I had. That prophecy I had with the older aging wolf, who had its prey stolen from her by her own pack, it was YOU."

Vision turned to the old woman.

"Don't ever say you're not worth. You're worth it. Twenty years into the future. Twenty years in the past. Your life is important! That's what I stand for, as a member of Stormwatch yeah? To preserve that life. I will protect you from these guys. I swear it on my life."

"Young man..." The granny said, her eyes watering.

The operatives laughed as one zapped Vision with lightning, the other rushing in and slamming his fists into Vision's body.

Vision yelled in pain, as he took the beating, blood peppering the ground. But Vision still held strong.

"Give it up, Vision. You can't take any more. Any moment now you're going to go unconscious."

"I refuse." Vision muttered, blood leaking down the side of his head, as the bouquet of flowers fell to the ground.

"I'm gonna win. And protect everyone ya know."

The lightning operative powered up.

"Then die with those ideals."

Vision gritted his teeth as he closed his eyes, when suddenly a whoosh appeared, and before I knew it, the two operatives were defeated. Standing before me, was a much more athletic looking guy. He was glowing blue with the Spirit of Hope.

"Urgh! Joe!"

Guardian turned around.

"Vision, are you okay? Why would you do something so stupid! I told you, if you ever see trouble, contact me right away. You can't fight these guys-"

"Of course! But someone had to buy time."

Guardian gritted his teeth.

"It isn't a matter of buying time, Vision. I get you wanna protect everyone. That itself is respected. But you need to look after yourself more. I mean, look, you're practically dying here."

A woman appeared next to me.

"Vis. Sit still."

I felt warmth across my body as Patcher healed Vision up.

"Hey-" Vision turned around, but paused.

Rui looked annoyed. As if Vision's act of bravado had cost her another Sunday or something. It seemed like a chore to her to have to keep healing him up.

Rui noticed Vision staring and smiled.

"It's okay, Vis. Joe's here now. We'll restrain the operatives."

Rui and Joe then tag teamed as they defeated the operatives.

And Vision was left all alone with the old woman, who had already booked it. So technically Vision was all alone.

Joe gave Rui a smile.

"Piece of cake."

Rui blushed, as Joe stretched.

"Man! That was fun. Hey. Let's check out the new restaurant once we file the paperwork. I remembered you like mochi right?"

"Yeah!"

Vision stared at the ground as the two left. All there was, was a trampled bouquet of orchids.

"Rui's present..."

Vision tried to pick it up, but a car drove over the flowers as it honked at the Stormwatch operative.

"Get the hell off the road you brat!"

The scenery shifted again.

Until it was just Vision and Patcher alone in one room.

"Hey. What's got you so down?" Rui asked, as she sat next to Vision.

"Oh! Uh!!! Um!!" Vision stammered.

Great. So even if I was in another person's body, I still had to end up being in the shoes of someone awkward.

"I guess..." Vision looked at the whiteboard.

DAYS UNTIL I BECOME SQUAD LEADER: 124

"I'm just low on motivation right now. It hasn't been great."

Rui smiled.

"I believe you can do it. If you set your mind on things. You can accomplish anything. It's one of the traits I like most about you, Vis."

I felt Vision's heart began to beat faster.

What a damn virgin!

"I... I..."

Suddenly, a red jolt of electricity arced up my body as Vision's hand twitched, knocking over his coffee, spilling it all over his pants.

Rui yelped, as Vision tried to desperately clean his shorts, but it was too late. Damage already done. Stains in place.

"Ugh." Vision muttered.

"Sorry.... I guess I'll leave you to it then." Rui waved Vision goodbye.

"Wait.. don't leave-"

The door shut. Leaving Vision alone with his coffee stained pants.

Vision gazed at the whiteboard again.

"She likes that part of me. That means... there's still hope for me to win her over. I won't lose to Joe. The day I become Squad Leader will also be the day I confess to Rui and tell her how I really feel."

Vision stood up, putting a hand over his eyes.

"This Dogma won't stop me. I will break fate and live a happy life with the girl I love. Do you hear me?"

The scene shifted once more.

But this time the setting was different. It was rainy and stormy. From Vision's eyes, everybody was downed. Joe was down. Rui was barely conscious. Logan was defeated, but still conscious.

The only one standing was Vision.

And before them, was the big boss himself.

"It is pointless. Enough with your charade, Metron. We were one and the same. Use Vala's eyes and help me make the world a better place." Taras said.

"I will never join you. Ever since you became Legion, you've been using your Dogma's for nothing but slaughter! You can't make a better place by killing. It's impossible."

"And what are you doing, Logan? Staying as a Realmwatch operative, and mentoring these fools? You have great power. But you are only tapping the surface by keeping your ideals in place. This is why you are in the place you are now. Forever weak. Forever a mere insect to I."

Taras held out his palm.

Level 2 Shakujin. Level 3 Suijin. Level 4 Fujin. Level 5 Hinokami - Sphere of Apocalypse

"I will make the world a better place. I will eliminate those of the world that are unworthy. If you, Logan, a man who I once saw as a brother so many years ago, has chosen to oppose me, it is only proof that you are unworthy. This is the fate of those with the Dogma. We will-"

"NO IT'S NOT." Vision shouted, as he stood in front of Taras.

"Vision! Don't!" Metron yelled.

Vision stood before the sphere of death, his eyes locked in place.

"Look. I have a Dogma too. But I'm doing my best. I look forward into the future. Even if I break myself. I will fight through fate. I will become Squad Leader. And I will protect everybody. I will protect Old Man Woodley. And I will defeat you!"

Taras laughed.

"And what does a mere insect like you have to offer? A prophetic line of your own demise?"

Vision gritted his teeth, when suddenly Taras stopped.

"A Dogma user. You are stubborn. But even the most stubborn in this world will give in to reality one day. When you realize that, come to me."

"As if!"

Taras smiled, as he turned around.

"You will. Even if it kills you."

Vision turned around.

"Rui? Rui!" Vision tried to run up to Patcher, but he collapsed. The sheer force of Taras' sphere had caused so much collateral damage. And it was only once the endorphins in Vision's body had run out did he realize his body had been sustaining the collateral the entire time.

Another shift.

This time, it was like we had gone into the future.

Vision's face looked gaunt.

On the whiteboard, was the words

DAYS UNTIL I BECOME SQUAD LEADER: 0

"Hey." Vision said to himself in the mirror, as he reached out, touching his own reflection.

"I guess I'm... not doing so good. Mentally I guess. Being the light of this Squad is exhausting when no one can see you as someone who can be vulnerable. But I guess I don't have an excuse. I can't fight as well as Joe can. I may be able to coordinate missions and come up with strategies, but Joe can too, being a prodigy. Smarts was all I had, but Joe has it too. Along with Vala."

Vision sighed.

"I'm not physically hurt. So I know I don't have an excuse to feel so burnt out. But I haven't been eating or sleeping. I've been doing my best to work overtime. The ceremony to announce the Squad Leader is tonight. I just wish I had someone to talk to."

Vision got up and went on patrol, seeing Rui and Joe and Logan off.

"Hey! Look after yourself, kid! Remember, the ceremony is tonight! You don't have to do patrol if you don't want to." Logan called out.

"Someone has to do it, Logan. I'll do it."

Logan didn't look happy.

"Just don't push yourself too hard, kid. I'm worried for you."

Rui and Joe were busy hitting it off to even notice that Vision was leaving.

"I appreciate your concern, Old Man. But I... kind of wish it was Rui who said that." Vision muttered, as he went outside.

I watched as Vision walked in the darkness, patrolling in his Stormwatch suit. Grey lightning streaks down the side like the ones the current operatives use. And an icon that was specific to the operative. Guardian's was a shield. Rui's was a caduceus. And in Vision's case, it was an eye.

"I can't lose my centre. To the very end. Even before the ceremony. I'll serve Realmwatch." Vision said, when suddenly, a dark figured appeared.

"Who are you-" Vision asked, when suddenly, he stopped. The figure was holding two severed heads, on in each hand.

"What the hell?! Hey!" Vision darted forward to catch the figure, but the figure was nimble, leaping from one rooftop to another.

Vision finally reached into a dark sector of the town, finally catching up to the figure.

"You killed those people. I have to take you in."

The figure turned around, revealing a mask. I sucked in my breath.

That mask... it was unlike anything I had ever seen.

I'm a Contingency Initiative Operative. So I've seen a lot of CI masks. And I've fought a ton of Realmwatch operatives to know what their masks are like.

But this guy's mask... was unconventional. It was a design I had never seen before.

"Who are you!" Vision yelled, when suddenly, the man held out his hands, and before I knew it, Vision was surrounded.

"What-"

A blow knocked Vision off his feet, as the group closed in on the operative, beating him down with a mixture of powers and weapons. One crowbar caught Vision in the leg as I heard a bone crack. The kid yelled in agony.

"AAGHH!! Don't! Stop!"

Another strike caught Vision in the ribcage. Bones were being crushed, as blood gushed from his mouth and nose. Vision continued getting beat, as I heard a voice.

Do you want power?

Vision gritted his teeth.

"Dogma???"

You are now capable of unlocking Level 2. Should you choose it, a Dogma Bargain may be initiated.

"What- What is the... what is the price?"

Stormwatch's Vision. One who can see the future. Should you choose another exchange. I shall grant you, the power to amplify your body. For the price of your very sight. I will take from you, your eye.

Another strike caught Vision's stomach as Vision vomited blood.

"No... if I lose my eye... Rui won't... I'll be..."

Choose, boy. Choose.

Another kick landed on Vision's lip, splitting it, and a stomp to his face broke his nose.

"I... I accept."

Suddenly, red electricity burst from Vision's body, sending all the attackers back. Vision got to his feet, as his right eye began to liquidate, dissolving and falling to the ground.

"I don't want to fight. But... you leave me with no choice."

I watched as Vision slammed the first man into the ground by the face with monstrous strength. Then turned to the rest, brutally massacring them. It was like his rage was being unleashed. A level of malice I had never seen before.

Vision then turned to the man.

"YOU'RE. NEXT."

Suddenly, an explosion lit up.

Vision turned around.

"The ceremony? What... no."

The man chuckled.

"One who predicts. Cannot predict this."

Vision sprinted to the building with superhuman speed, red electricity sparking off his body as he leapt into the air.

"Guys. GUYS!" Vision yelled, as he landed on the ground, to be greeted with bodies everywhere. Contingency Initiative operatives. They had infiltrated the ceremony and began slaughtering. Civilians and operatives alike.

Vision yelled with rage as he engaged the CI operatives head on, brutally dispatching them as he continued fighting, until he reached the room for Stormwatch.

The door was locked shut, but Vision kicked it open.

There was one man. One operative, who turned around. Vision's eye widened in horror. As he stared at the massacred body of Rui Iwatani. The girl he loved. And then the bloody knife that the operative was holding.

"You... BASTARD." Vision roared with rage as electricity erupted from his body, as he charged. The managed a knife stab. Then another. Then another, but Vision ignored the pain and kept fighting, brutally punching and caving the man's skull inward.

Vision then collected Rui's body, as her breath was shallow.

"Joe... is that you?" She muttered.

Vision gritted his teeth, as the fires began to close in.

"I..."

Rui gasped.

"Vis...? What happened? We were going to announce the Squad Leader, when an explosion rocked the place. Where is everybody else?"

The smoke was filling up.

"There isn't time. Save your strength, Rui. I'll-"

"Vis... your face..."

Rui tried to reach out, but Vision stopped her.

"Don't. Please don't look at my face. Please."

"What do you mean? I won't judge you any less."

"Just... don't..." Vision stopped as he stared at his reflection. The blood on his hands and the lives he had just ended, despite his whole speal on how he was going to protect everyone.

"Don't look at me." Vision muttered, as he took another step, but fell to his knees. The red electricity finally stopping.

"I can't... ugh..." Vision muttered, as the fires got more and more violent.

"Vis... you need to leave me here. I... I'm not going to make it..." Rui muttered.

"Stop. Just... we can do it. I can do it. I'll-"

Vision got to one knee and collapsed.

"Why am I so weak... WHY AM I SO WEAK." Vision growled.

"Don't say that... Vis. You're strong. In your own way. Whenever I felt down, you were always there for me. Whenever any of us was down, you were there. When you protected Logan from Legion... I never respected you more."

Vision stared at Rui, who was rapidly losing consciousness from the blood loss.

"You- You saw..."

Rui smiled.

"Of course I did. So heroic. I..." Rui coughed, spluttering blood everywhere.

"Don't! I'll save you. I-"

"It's okay, Joe. It's okay. Don't be sad. I'll... I'll be there with you. I should have told you sooner, but... now that you're the new Squad Leader... I love you."

Rui's face went slack as Vision took a step backwards, his face wide in shock.

"No... you... I was supposed to confess to you today... I was supposed to be Squad Leader. I was... I was... RUI!!!"

Guardian smashed through the debris, his face covered in soot, as he ran up to Rui's side.

"No..."

"Joe..." Vision sobbed, as Joe put a hand on his shoulder.

"Vis... we need to get Rui out of here. That's the least we can do for her now."

The beams began to collapse in.

"Let's go. I'm out of mana. I can't use my powers. We need to escape."

Joe and Vision lugged Rui's body, as the three of them tried to make it to the entrance, but a beam fell, blocking the route.

"Dammit! What do we do?!" Joe shouted, from within the smoke.

"I'll lift the beam. You take her outside." Vision said.

"Wait. What? You can't! Who's going to bail you out of here?"

Vision shook his head.

"I've already lost. Joe. I lost Rui. I lost to you as Squad Leader. And I've lost my morals. I killed. While on patrol."

Joe stared at Vision, as the smoke cleared, revealing his one missing eye.

"Vis! Your eye, don't tell me-"

"I did... I initiated a Dogma Bargain. I ended up killing. Slaughtering. There's blood on my hands. I've lost my way. But at least.. you know." Vision smiled at his old friend, tears in his eyes.

"You're still here to be the hero."

"No! I can't! Listen to me, Vision, you need to-"

"It's fine. At least let me do this. To redeem myself."

Level 2 Amplification

Vision's arms became tattooed with red marks, as he grabbed onto the beam, his hands turning black as it began to burn and burn.

"RAAARGHH!!!" Vision yelled as he used his augmented strength to lift the whole barricade into the air, allowing Joe to escape with Rui.

Joe fought back tears, as he lugged Vision's love of his life out of the building.

Vision slowly collapsed, as the beam fell back in place. The fires burning all around him.

"Day... 0... so that's what the prophecy was." Vision muttered.

His mind flashed back to his dream.

A flower. There were four petals. But one turned black. And fell to the ground. And the other petals also began to rot, when suddenly, it stopped. Its health restoring as two more petals grew in its place.

Vision looked to the sky, as the fires closed in on the Stormwatch Operative. Tears streaming down his eye.

"Sorry. Rui. I... I guess things just didn't work out. Ya know."

Suddenly, an enormous explosion filled my vision, and everything went black.

I jolted awake.

"What the hell?!" I gasped, my body in a cold sweat.

"Yeling!" Maika swung my door open, causing me to jump.

"What the hell?! Heard of knocking?!"

"Yeling... it's Marcela."

I got out of my bed and rushed to the living room. Searching all around, only to find a broken window.

Lewis and the others also got out of their rooms.

"No way. Are you kidding me?!" Lewis growled.

Maika slammed her fist against the wall.

"That damn Curse Mark. While we were sleeping.

"They took Marcela. Stormwatch took Marcela."

Rescue Op Code: GREENE

"Lewis, where is she?" I asked.

Lewis closed his eyes, sweat running down his head.

"I'm trying! Flint. Do you have anything left in you to make a portal?"

Flint tore his bandages off, revealing his still recovering hand.

"Send me a mental image of her location with your telepathy evo. I'll portal you guys in."

Lewis continued concentrating.

"Yeling. You look pale as a ghost. Did you speak to the Dogma again?" Maika asked.

"Yeah. I asked him about Vision."

"Why?"

I watched as Lewis continued trying to search, his evo going on overdrive.

"Lucas... he wants to use Marcela's Shakujin to reanimate the dead. He wants her to revive Vision's corpse."

Maika's eyes widened.

"No way. But that's a forbidden act even for the Earth God!"

"I know! Which is why we need to find her. If she commits taboo to the level of the Dogma, there's no telling how messed up her life is going to be."

Maika clenched her fist.

"Marcela... I lost a little sister once. My uncle tried to kill both of us. And I selfishly saved my own life. If Matt hadn't come to kill my uncle that day, I would have died too. It's my turn to save her. I won't fail another."

Maika paused.

"Yeling, why did you ask the Dogma about Vision? Are you telling me that-"

"Yes. Vision's power isn't an evo that came from the Pax Incident. Vision's power is a Dogma Bargain for Prophecy. And that wasn't the only thing I learned."

I gritted my teeth.

"Vision, before his death, he unlocked a second Level Dogma. The power of Amplification. And the exchange was his right eye."

Everybody stared at me.

"No... are you... but that doesn't make sense, Yeling." Flint said.

"Flint's right. Vision is dead. There's no way he could be him."

"Do either one of you know what Matt's Level 1 Dogma even is? All we know is it isn't the Akuma Grade Dogma. And now we know Vision had a Level 2 Dogma that was amplification. Which had the exact same exchange as Matt."

Maika grabbed my collar.

"What the hell are you trying to say, Yeling? How could you even be saying this after EVERYTHING Matt has done for us? You're telling me he was Vision this whole time? You're really going to go ahead make such a wild theory?"

"Maika, we have to face facts-"

"NO. You need to get your bearings straight. There's no way Matt is Vision. Vision died in an explosion when Squad One invaded their ceremony. I can't accept that. I can't accept the fact that he's been hiding this the entire time!"

"Knock it off. Maika. Now isn't the time to turn on each other." Flint said.

"If what Yeling is saying is true, that means what Lucas is trying to do won't work. And Marcela committing taboo will be for no reason. Our priority is to take Marcela back, before things get out of hand."

"Found her! Flint, I'll beam you the location."

Flint concentrated, as his hand began to bleed profusely.

"I only have enough strength to make a one way trip. You guys need to get Marcela and find a way out. I can't even move."

Lewis nodded at Maika and I.

"We're going."

Flint looked at Maika.

"I know what it's like to lose a loved one. But what's important is to not let that negatively impact your future decisions. Find Marcela and bring her home. We can deal with Vision and Matt later."

Maika swallowed back her emotions as she glared at me.

"Let's go."

Lewis, Maika and I stepped through the portal, as it closed in on us. We found ourselves collapsing on the ground of an underground base. Runic lines and lettering were all over the ground.

"Please... please don't make me do this!" A young girl's voice resonated from darkness of the corridor.

"Lewis." I said.

"Pinpointed. Hurry!" Lewis said, as we sprinted to the location.

Lucas' voice could be heard a distance away.

"I don't care if what I'm doing is taboo. I don't care what Joe or Rui say. I'm Curse Mark. I'm fated to be an asshole in the end anyway. The least I can do is bring back their partner. After I failed to protect his diary."

"Reviving the dead is wrong. Please reconsider, Mister Lam-"

"Shut up! If you don't perform the ritual, I will hunt down the rest of you orphans. I will kill them all."

Maika made a growling sound.

"How can he even call himself an operative to the Realmwatch Collective? The nerve of this scumbag."

"This wa-"

KABOOM.

Lewis leapt back, as someone appeared from the smoke.

"Patcher!" I gasped, as Rui's bat smacked me dead in the chest, causing me to fly backwards.

"I sensed intruders. From the underground. The fact that you guys would come here again!"

"No, Rui. Listen to me. We're here to stop something from-"

Rui tilted her head, her eyes full of rage.

"YOU AGAIN. Why.... wasn't destroying Vision's Diary enough? Why are you always causing trouble for us? Why infiltrate our base again?!"

"No. You don't get it. Lucas is-"

"No. Not again. I won't let you."

Super Move: Concussive Optic Blast

A purple blast smacked Rui in the back as she slammed into the walls of the cavern.

"Go! I can hold her off. Healing factor doesn't mean anything if she can't move."

Lewis continued letting out a powerful purple beam from his eyes, as Rui tried to get to her feet, only to sink, deeper into the wall.

"When we free her, you come back to us." I said, firmly.

Lewis nodded.

"Who else is gonna be the Deputy Squad Leader if I'm gone?"

The runes began to glow a brighter silver.

"Yeling, it's starting. We need to stop her now!" Maika shouted at me, as we sprinted to the location of the ritual.

Standing in the middle of the runic circles, was Marcela, who buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Silver particles of light were exiting her body, as before her, a lump of mass was forming.

"He's... he's... he's returning!" Lucas gasped, but not before Maika threw her sword at his direction. Lucas leapt back.

"Tidalflame and Refractor. Of course you two would try to stop me."

"What the hell are you doing?!" I yelled.

"Reviving Vision from the dead? Do you really think Guardian and Patcher are okay with that?"

Lucas slammed his fist against the wall.

"It was because of YOU TWO that Guardian and Patcher are in the same state they are now. The one thing Vision left behind and you assholes desecrated it. You have no right to tell me what is right and wrong."

Maika snarled, as she created several illusions of swords all around her, slamming them into Lucas, as the kid dodged.

"Using a little girl for something like that. You have no right to call yourself a Stormwatch member!"

Lucas swatted his hand with his Amplification Dogma, the shockwave dissipating Maika's illusions, leaving behind her real katana which Maika grabbed, slashing at Lucas over and over.

"I won't let you use her. Yeling! Free Marcela!"

I ran up to the circle. I didn't want to leave Maika alone to fight Lucas, or Lewis alone to fight Rui. Both members of Stormwatch were proficient. But now wasn't the time. We had to stop the ritual.

"Marcela!" I yelled, but Marcela held out her hand.

"Stop! You can't. If you step in the ritual, it will interrupt it and both our lives will be compromised."

I froze. The mass was accumulating before her.

"Wha.... is that..."

Marcela's eyes brimmed with tears.

"Vision. The ritual's already in motion. I'm... I'm sorry, Yeling."

"No. We can still stop this. Maika... she's worried sick for you."

Marcela looked at Maika, who was swinging wildly at Lucas, creating as many illusions as she could, but Lucas was simply on a class of his own, dissipating her illusions and injuring her with several of his amplified blows.

"Maika... is worried for me...?"

"Dammit." I growled.

What do I do?

How do I end the ritual without killing Marcela?

Think Yeling think.

"DOGMA." I yelled.

"How do I end the ritual?! Tell me how!"

I cannot provide you with an answer, Hinokami vessel.

"WHY?!" I snarled.

The vessel for Shakujin has committed taboo. It is outside my boundaries, as The Great Akuma's right hand. It is not in my power to involve myself.

I looked around.

"Marcela. Please. There has to be a way to stop this. There has to..."

Tears ran down Marcela's cheek.

"Yeling, I cannot stop it. Unless I kill myself."

I glared at Lucas.

That stupid kid. How could he just drag an innocent child into this mess?

BOOM.

I felt my head slam into the ground, as a larger fighter appeared.

Guardian.

"Tidalflame... inconceivable. How the hell could you come here again?! What did I say?!"

I gritted my teeth.

"No... Guardian you got it wrong. Lucas..."

"Not another word out of you. I'm going to end this. Time and time again. You come up with something new that makes you even bigger of a scumbag than before. What is it this time? You're going to blackmail Lucas? You're going to spit on Vision's grave? What's it going to be, TF?"

Words weren't going to get through to this guy. The ritual was already in motion.

I couldn't let myself fall to Guardian. Not right now.

Level 2 Intangibility

I went Intangible, as I flew out of the way, but Guardian closed the distance with blinding speed, catching me the moment I regained my form.

"Dammit!" I growled as I summoned my flames, trying to overheat him, but Vala's shield was protecting him.

"Your flames won't work on me, Tidalflame."

I had to use that.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Cobalt Assimilation

I yelled, as a horn jutted out of the side of my head, my flames becoming fierce. Mixing in with purple, as Guardian stumbled back, clutching his hands as he yelled in pain.

"What the-"

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: Devil's Starshooter

I launched a massive punch at blinding speed at Joe's face, sending him through the wall.

I would have felt great, but the moment I did that, my entire body burst into pain as I exited my transformation, collapsing.

My wounds hadn't fully healed yet.

"Goddammit..." I growled, as I heard Marcela cry out in pain.

"Marcela!" I yelled, as I heard a big explosion.

Lewis went flying in my direction, defeated, as Rui stood before him.

"It's over, Pinpoint. I won't let you guys... what the-"

Rui's face went horrified, as she slowly put her hands to her mouth.

Lucas and Maika stopped fighting, as Guardian emerged from the mess, blood running down the side of his face, only to have the same reaction.

We all stared at the.... thing that was before Marcela.

It was brown, and barely had any form. But from the mess of goo and organic matter, were long black strands of hair. Limbs. And a mouth.

It hurts... it hurts... The thing moaned, as Rui's breathing turned ragged, sobs breaking her rhythm.

"Oh god..." She said, as Joe slowly walked forward.

"What... what have you done... Lucas..."

Lucas' face was white as a ghost.

"I thought... if I revived him from the dead, I could make it up... I could make it up for having his diary destroyed..."

Rui buried her face into Joe's chest.

"No. I can't... I can't look. I can't, Joe! I can't! No... NO!!"

Joe's lip quivered, as his face was pure utter terror.

"Is... is that you, Vis?"

The thing tried to claw on the ground.

It hurts... it hurts... stop... no more...

The thing's body began to shape itself, turning more and more humanoid as its mouth gained shape.

It burns.

Joe let loose a heartbreaking gasp.

"No... Lucas... why would we ever want this?"

We were all frozen, as Marcela passed out. The runic circles dissipating and returning back to her body as her grey tattoos reverted back to normal. Maika ran forward and scooped her up as I grabbed Lewis, who was barely conscious.

Lucas was still terrified, but he managed to turn to us.

"You were hurting. Vision... I thought if I could bring him back... it would make you happie-"

"DO I LOOK HAPPY, LUCAS?!" Joe roared, tears running down his face.

"We were able to move on, from his death. We were able to move on. Even with his diary gone, we were able to move forward, because that was what he would have wanted. Now you did this! This doesn't help at all! Lucas, I can't believe you would do something like this! To steal Marcela's freedom. We took her in because she had nowhere to go. And you USED her for this?!"

I stared at Vision.

There went my theory of Matt being Vision.

But...

To call this thing a person... I could easily see why it was taboo...

This was incredibly disturbing.

"Yeling, we need to go. We have Marcela."

"But..."

"I know. We were too late. But we can't just leave Marcela here with this mess."

Joe gritted his teeth.

"We have to kill him. We have to end his misery. We have to end Vision's misery."

Lucas looked down in shame.

"I... Squad Leader, I will-"

"NO." Joe snapped.

"You've done enough, Lucas. Head back to base with Rui. I will... I will handle this."

"Yeling! We have to go." Maika urged me, as we hobbled our way out of the base. I created an exit with Hinokami.

I could make out Guardian standing before a monsterized, reanimated Vision.

"Vis... I'm so sorry." He muttered, as he fell to his knees before his old friend.

"I couldn't be a hero. I could never be one knowing I was never able to save you."

Help me....

Vision gurgled, as Joe got up, taking a piece of stone, lifting it, ready to impale Vision.

"To have to die twice. I can't even begin to imagine what it feels like. I'm... I'm sorry..."

I watched as Joe brought the rock down, smashing Vision's head into a bloody paste.

I closed my eyes. I couldn't watch. As I heard the sounds of rock against flesh.

I hated Stormwatch.

Just as I hated Realmwatch Collective at the whole world.

But at this moment, I couldn't help but feel bad.

Joe was basically killing a brother of his. After losing him once. Now he not only had to watch him die, but he had to be the one to deal the killing blow.

We made our way out, when suddenly, Joe was sent flying out of the roof, landing on the ground before us.

His face was slack. Like all the life was sucked from him.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, as Marcela screamed.

It hurts. It burns. It hurts. It burns.

Vision stumbled, trance like, as his body had gained shape. But his whole face was disfigured and malformed. Black hair ran down his shoulders, but his naked body was covered in burn marks, and destroyed flesh. Blood was dripping all over him like the most disturbing zombie I had ever seen.

"Guys... what's happening- OH MY GOD." Lewis shouted, as he threw up on the ground.

Oh my god was right.

Lewis and I played tons of zombie games.

So much that we were no longer grossed out by zombie designs.

But seeing Vision like this.

Naked.

Burnt. And dripping with blood. His whole face twisted and unrecognizable. He didn't even have eyes.

I felt like throwing up as well.

I glanced to my side, and noticed Rui was unconscious too.

"What just..."

Lucas yelled.

"Vision!" He said as he charged in, launching a punch at Vision's head, causing it to snap back. But to our horror, Vision simply recoiled, his body limp and lifeless. The region of his skull that was caved in regenerating.

"Holy shit-" Lucas said, as Vision grabbed the second generation Stormwatch operative and squeezed.

"ACK! GAH!" Lucas began kicking with his legs, retching and choking.