She immediately turned on her phone flashlight and froze, spinning around to see if anybody was around her.

There was nobody around. Just a couple of empty cardboard boxes and trash spread around. Her phone light barely illuminated the dark alley and the only other source of light was a flickering lamp post.

Bzz. Bzz. Bzz.

“I need to get back back. This seems dangerous.” Naifsa immediately turned around and sprinted toward the alleyway entrance she had used previously. Although she wanted to know what was going on, it was not important enough to risk her life and well-being for it.

She was almost at the main street when a large robed figure suddenly appeared in front of her knocking her to the ground.

“Ggrrrrrawwrrrrrrr!!!!!” The figure growled and she suddenly got a good glance at it as her phone flashlight shakily shone on its face.

Grotesque. That was the only way she could describe it. The animal-like face and exposed upper body were covered in patches of mangy fur and large boils exploding with puss. There were bleeding cuts leaking blood and a foul-smelling liquid while its clawed hands were covered in blood.

“Ggrrrawwrrrrr!!!!!” The figure snarled once more, spittle and chunks of something flying and hitting her in the face. Smelling the foul scent of mold and decay she immediately retched, her body heaving uncontrollably as tears streamed down her eyes.

Nafisa began scrambling to get up. She had to run. She had to get away from here. Or she would die!

Once she was on her feet, she immediately ran to the opposite end, hoping and praying to whichever god existed that it wasn’t a dead end. As her breath began coming out in ragged bursts and she felt a sharp pain in her side, she vowed that she would begin working out seriously as her life depended on it if she survived.

She risked looking back, sighing in relief as she noticed there was nothing behind her. Still, she continued jogging. She would not feel safe until she was in her car and back at home.

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Then she heard it. A furious howl that chilled her soul. Suddenly, she felt her body lifting as she was slammed into the wall. The thing she had seen earlier held her above the ground by her throat, and the disgusting hand squeezed her neck, the claws digging into the sides. She could feel her airways collapsing as her vision started to blur. Her phone dropped and she began scrambling for the taser she kept in her jacket pocket.

Before she could even use it, the thing slapped it out of her hand, the claws slicing up her arm, sending a jolt of pain through her body.

Then, she heard a voice.

“So. Is this what you’ve turned into Levi?” An apathetic voice sounded out.

Step. Step. Step.

Measured footsteps sounded out in the alleyway, clearer than a bell ringing after Sunday mass.

Naifsa forced her watering eyes to focus on the person who was walking over as she scrambled to pull away the fingers digging into her throat.

As the person walked forward, she saw that it was a man holding a large black umbrella. On the hand that held the umbrella, silver rings with red gemstones glinted in the faint light

Tall and lean, he was wearing a black suit with a red tie. Pale almost translucent skin, blood-red eyes that looked apathetically at the scene, and ink-black hair that fell into his face.

When she caught his gaze, she used the last of her breath to plead for her life.

“Help me.”

“Why should I? You look like you’re on the verge of death anyway.” was the indifferent reply.

He then lowered the umbrella, and she caught sight of the ruby earrings that glinted in the dim lighting and finally recognized his face.

Vincent Angelo Grace.

Contrary to his angelic name, he was the number one villain in the city. Murder. Prostitution. Arson. Gambling. Kidnapping. Human Trafficking. Insider Trading. He was a man who was linked to multiple crimes and basically synonymous with the criminal underworld in Langley Capital City, yet he had never been convicted of anything.

Whenever he was brought to trial, his lawyers were the best, he somehow always made the evidence disappear, judges would recluse themselves, and witnesses were too afraid of his power and always recanted their statements. Additionally, he had some of the strongest superpowered individuals protecting him, and his own individual strength was unfathomable. Despite the fact that many people people both heroes and villains wanted him dead, he had survived many assassination attempts, raids, and task forces created to bring him down.

She vividly remembered the last incident 3 years ago when he had won another case in court. She remembered watching it on the news in total shock. The moment he stepped out of the courtroom, black umbrella in hand. The scene as tens of superpowered individuals and suicide bombers tried to kill him.

There was a flash of black light as he smiled coldly towards the news camera which captured the scene. He then tossed up his umbrella and proceeded to slaughter them all with no remorse. The carnage was so bad that none of the people who attacked him had a complete corpse. It was a sea of blood and the only spotless person was him. By the time his umbrella gently drifted into his hands, it was over.

He had then walked over to the only cameraman standing since the others had fled in panic.

She could still remember the chilling words he had said that day.

“Next time I will not restrain myself.”

Nothing had happened to him. Even after committing murder on national television.

That was the man in front of her, the man she was pleading with to save her.

“Please. Help me. I’ll do anything.” She pleaded again, squeezing out the last bit of air she had. In the face of death, what was pride? At this point she didn’t care if they were an angel, an alien, or even satan himself, she just didn’t want to die yet.

She then heard an amused voice inside of her head.

“Is that right? Anything?”