Finneas Killian watched the news almost nonstop since the arrival of The World Spike. As a crime boss he didn't like interruptions to his business. So he watched the news while this men leaned on whoever they could to get real information, not this useless charade that passed for news nowadays. Well, not completely useless. It gave him some important information.

In their minds of the average citizen their government should be destroying The World Spike. They didn't care that it was indestructible by any method known to man. They only knew fear, fear of the unknown being that sat over them all. Fear of the realization that their government was powerless in the face of overwhelming technology. Within hours of The World Spike's arrival, protests began across the world at government buildings. Angry citizens tried to hold elected officials accountable. They maintained their protests all throughout the first day up to the final minutes before the deadline that Bob decreed.

What happened next was the largest loss of human life in human history. Animals mutated worldwide in a matter of seconds. Docile, domesticated animals comforted their owners in one moment only to tear their throats out within seconds of Bob's annoucement. Wild animals which had rarely interacted with humans now sought them out. The smallest, most insignificant creature was now a lethal threat. In large cities where people had gathered to protest, pigeons and rats converged slaughtering thousands. Trust in the government was eroded.

The weak turned anywhere they could for protection. Some people did band together to protect one another. But Finneas knew the truth. When people were pushed to their limit they would do anything to survive. His entire life was based on this simple truth. From a young age he was abused and forgotten by a system put into place to protect people like him. Over the course of his childhood the pain and fear built into a boiling anger that he took out on whoever he could. The system attempted to reform him but nothing stuck. It was only until he discovered the underworld of Raven City that he found people that cared about him. There he was useful. There he had purpose.

The day that the World Spike arrived was a great day for Finneas. The people who ridiculed and looked down on him his entire life now felt what it was like to be looked down upon. They now knew what it was like to feel powerless. Finneas laughed at them from his penthouse apartment.

Name Finneas Killian

Class Demagogue

Level 17

Experience 9200/16000

Traits

The Face of Fear

You are able to assert absolute control over those that fear you.

Misfit Hero

You attract the corrupt, the powerless, and the oppressed to you.

Mob Mentality

Your words whip people into a frenzy. They will do anything to follow your orders.

After looking at his newfound powers he called in all the major leaders in his organization. The steady pace that they had maintained over the years would be a thing of the past. They would take advantage of the chaos that gripped Raven City and swallow up large areas while the focus was maintained on the World Spike and Bob. They would bring in the newly disenfranchised who were struggling to find meaning in what was happening around them.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

As the Low IQ Gang spread throughout their territory, they quickly found that not everyone was lucky with their powers. The overwhelming majority of people had powers that were worthless with what they would face in the future. Powers that allowed office workers to file paperwork faster than anyone else did nothing against a three meter tall pidgeon. So they turned to him. Others joined because they were angry that they were left out. News channels reported some of the amazing powers that the lucky had obtained. Finneas took them all in. No longer did he have to depend on the scum of the city. The powerless had the safety and security they wanted and Finneas had an army ready for him to command. Their lack of ability became their rallying cry and their new identity.

"Boss, your sons say they're read to apologize." A henchman ducked his head Finneas' private study, holding his hat to his chest.

It took a larger than usual bribe to get his sons out of police custody after their stunt yesterday morning. When they returned home to their father they had the nerve to say they had the situation under control. He tried to do his best to raise his twin boys but they weren't the brightest. He would do nearly anything for them but at the end of the day they had to obey just like everyone else.

"I'll be out in a minute."

The man left quickly, closing the door behind him. Finneas stood up from his opulent desk and checked himself at a nearby mirror. His red hair had large streaks of silver but who's hair didn't at 58 years old. Only a faint shimmer around the edge of his body showed that his personal shield, his first level up reward, was still active. Powered by his mana, it made up his first line of defense. His armored track suit, his second level up reward, looked like any other suit but could withstand fire from most conventional weapons. He grabbed his aviator sunglasses and walked out into the massive penthouse that made up the top floor of the building that was the base of operations for Powerless.

His twin boys, who would take over after he died, were currently enduring their punishment. Brad was currently stooped over a barrel of diluted nitric acid with his arms submerged to the shoulder. Chad stood in a similar barrel.

The pair began apologizing as soon as they saw their father walk into the room. Finneas raised his hand which immediately silenced the pair.

"I trust you two have had enough time to think over what you did?"

The twins knew better than to speak so they nodded their heads which caused the acid to wash up onto their flesh. The pain had to be excruciating but neither screamed.

"You can stop now." The words nearly caused his sons to collapse into the barrels but his men were there to help them out. "Don't ever disrespect me again. You may be my sons but that only protects you for so long."

Their arms and legs of steel were now coarse and pock-marked by the acid. The shiny surface skin was eaten away to show the thick ropey muscles underneath. His A.I. assured him that they would heal but it would be a slow process. His men carried them off to one side of the room so they could wash the leftover acid from their limbs.

Finneas walked over to sit at a thick oak table that rested near the glass wall that made up the north side of the apartment. A blue glow shimmered just beyond the edge of the building. The futuristic shield, the result of his third level up reward, ran the entire length of the building. It would stop all but the most powerful weapons known to man.

"So what's the deal with the shitheel that put my boys in jail?"

"We payed a visit to school security.  They told us what they knew but they couldn't get access to school records."

The man read out what information they had so far. A kid named Benji Ferrell, along with two orphan friends and a man holding a spear, had subdued his idiot sons who were busy stealing lunch money. A lot of money went to school security to look the other way but a hero teacher stepped in. Despite his bribes the police showed up and arrested his boys.

"Is this the same kid that made himself King?"

"No idea, boss.  School records are kept in storage on government systems."

"We'll take care of that later.  So what of the teacher?"

"We sent out a patrol late last night to pick him up. His name is Daniel Kemper. Forty-four years old with no family to speak of. We've been holding him downstairs."

"Get his ass up here."

Finneas looked out over the city while his men followed his orders. A few minutes later the elevator door opened and he turned to see a middle aged man being carried in by two of his enforcers. The two large men tossed the gagged and bound man down at his feet.

"Set him up and remove his gag."

The teacher's face and shirt were covered in dried blood. His nose was clearly broken and one eye was swolen shut. The teacher cooperated after a few swift punches in the ribs and now sat on the floor.

"I'm gonna give you one chance to save your life so pay attention." The man glared up as Finneas spoke. "Tell me everything you know about Benji Ferrell."

"Fuck you." The man spit at Finneas only to impact the surface of his personal shield. The man's eyes grew wide as he watched the blood and saliva slide down to the floor.

"Boys! Get in here!"

From behind him he heard his sons helping each other to their feet before running over to stand beside the teacher.

"To show that I still love you I brought you a gift." His sons looked down at the bound man. "This here is the teacher responsible for getting you arrested. If it wasn't for him you two wouldn't be in pain right now."

He took a moment to let the words sink into his sons mind. "Wouldn't you like to get some payback?"

The expressions on his sons faces changed from pain to anger almost instantly.

"Thanks, pops." The pair said in unison.

The twins picked up man and carried him over towards the area where their father's men were cleaning their battered limbs. Finneas turned to watch as the teacher begged and pleaded with his sons. His groveling was put to a stop when Brad crushed his lower jaw between his steel fingers. The man collapsed in screaming agony holding his ruined jaw. Finneas smiled as his sons broken the man's arms and legs causing the man to faint from the pain. Finally Brad put the man in a headlock and squeezed causing the man's head to pop like a grape. Satisfied, Finneas turned back towards the man waiting to finish his report.