"Would you like to microwave it or bag it?" I ask the aloof customer who stood in front of me. He stared at me in wonder, as if he couldn't comprehend the meaning behind my words. "Would you like to bag it or microwave it?" I repeated myself, as he continued to stare at me. "Kue?" he replied in words beyond my comprehension. "Pfft" Elly spat out, laughing at my inability to differentiate between a local and a foreigner. It was in another language, one I couldn't understand, but it's meaning was clear, he was asking and telling me he didn't understand my words and had to be transmitted in a way other than speech. Moving my hands in an exaggerated manner, I pretended to move the packed meal sets into the plastic bag and pointed to the microwave instead. He pointed at the bag, nodded his head and left.
"Ahem" I pretended to cough, as Elly straightened up. The news was going crazy, the right eye of Falorn, a legendary jewel with unknown origins, in both meaning and material went missing from the Time's Museum last night. It was a massive jewel, weighing fifty kilograms of its own unique makeup, and it was gone, stolen away in the blink of an eye. On the same exact night, Kifton, a celebrity was reported to have every single item in his mansion stolen away, what was unprecedented was that the house was lit on fire after the thieves left, hinting that it may be more than just theft, but also an attempt on his life. Thefts weren't uncommon, but what was, is that the teleport detectors never went off. I'm not sure about the first one, but the second one, on the other hand, was a different story on its own.
It was just last night.
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"Alright, as this is your first mission, 'Louis' over there will run you through on the first mission. One of the unknown members stood up straight, as he headed for me. "Welcome to the club" he greeted me, without a need for introducing himself, Louis brought took out a strange box from his coat pocket. He had curly hair in a mess of its own. Their brown shade complemented the smiling baby-face he had. Once again, I found him to be of a certain standard in terms of appearance. Could it be? Am I of their standards as well?
Not happening, unless I pulled a mirage over my entire face, I'd guess I'm about as good as a normal person can get. Of course, my natural look would probably be part of the upper echelon of normal society if I were to say so myself. I mean, who would call himself ugly? I prefer to imagine myself as above-average.
Ignoring my inner monologue, Louis threw the blue box with a strange sci-fi design over it into the air, where it floated and began to shine against the wall, exactly how a projector would. A picture of a rather popular actor, 'Kifton' showed against the wall. "This is our target this time, I'm pretty sure he doesn't need to be introduced" Louis began to speak, as the projector changed images based on the movements of his hands. "Our friend Kifton here has been enjoying his time on some of the finest wine in the world, of which, coincidentally coincides with what went missing in the 'Jurnian Wine Cellar' just a few days back. That's not all, with wine comes women. And also the reason behind his quick rise to stardom in the industry. There are pictures, not so nice in nature, of him and the director and owner of the major film industry,'CVI''s daughters and well... wives. Obviously, such things are to be expected in every industry out there, but here's the catch. The women continue to visit him, but after his rise to fame, they spend their time at home, shivering and begging for something while occasionally having strange outbursts... I've personally extracted the blood of one of these women and discovered the Smiling Angel in her blood. With these results, our client who doesn't wish to be named wants him dead. But we don't deal in that, the cleanup is worth more than the cost. So there's another proposal. We would steal every single piece of material evidence he might have and expose him. The husbands and fathers of the respective victims can't exactly safeguard their reputation, or their loved ones if it was a simple case of cheating. The industry would lose all respect for them to fall for blackmail now that it has already reached this stage. Kifton as well, if this was to be exposed, his career would end. So they need to dramatize how they were helpless as their loved ones were poisoned, held against their will and raped with the potential of their videos being posted online. Gaining sympathy and attention from the mass media." Louis ended the presentation dramatically. "He has a maid and a guard serving him in the mansion, so please, do be careful" Louis finished off.
It was rather standard. A simple request. Though I'm not sure why someone as rich as him would stoop down to steal premium wine, the job was simple. Sneak in, get the evidence and get out.
"With that being the case, I would like you to show me what you can do" Louis looked towards me. "Yes?" I asked, curious. "You see, invisibility doesn't come on its own. For me, I control light, so what you see here..." he disappeared for an instant. "is the refraction of light" he stated as he came back. "Gabe there can turn things perfectly transparent" "John, can mimic his surroundings so perfectly, he blends in" "Lily is just well, she ties up? We aren't sure how she works, but she can tie things up and her presence?" "Over there's Joi, she manipulates shadows. Not completely invisible, but perfect in the dark, she basically hides in shadows, apparently, she talks of another world down there where she can transverse other shadows, with how she is, I have my doubts about that". Louis easily summed up the powers of those in the room. None of which fits the common criteria. I guess I should show mine, just a little. Not everything, but enough to gain their trust.
"I can well, turn people and things invisible, by pulling a layer over them. Not really sure how to explain this, but it's like an alternate layer piled up against our one..." I answered them without holding back, unsure of its workings as well. "Other than that, I can do this," I said, as I created another one of myself from nothing. "Woah" the others opened their eyes, surprised. "Can you... create other people?"Louis asked, curious. "Not really" I lied, it wasn't really a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either. Creating another person without flaws like this was impossible! How would I know what scars they have hidden beneath their clothing? "ah, but I can make my illusion move" I moved the fake me and walked through Louis. He shot a small beam of light through the illusion, it didn't have any effect. "Interesting..." he attempted to touch it. "This is the same as Vivian's! She calls it unreality manipulation... if her power is strong enough, she can create illusions of dragons, monsters beyond this world. Well, I suppose it defers from each person seeing as she can't create anything small" Louis told me. "She's not here?" I asked. "She's on vacation... and she isn't suited to small places. Her powers tend to turn everything around her invisible as well" he answered. I highly doubt that they all revealed the true extent of their powers, but it's good to know.
"Well then, it's time to go" Gabe beckoned as Lily and Louis stayed behind. "They aren't coming?" I asked Gabe. "Information team, and besides, they need to work early tomorrow" Gabe explained. But I also needed to work early... and every day at that. Going through the whole process, I forgot the most important question and my sole reason for joining the guild. "What's the pay?" I asked.
"90,000 minimum. Heh heh, and this is one of the easier missions as well" John laughed a little. Saying that, they passed me a pair of gloves.
Walking through the cold winter night, we made our way to the gates of a bizarrely large mansion. I notice sensors placed above the gates around the place. They were probably infrared sensors from the look of things, detecting the heat and movement in the surrounding areas, providing a grid for it to work with. It was strange, I predicted for electromagnetic or ultrasonic sensors to be put in place instead. Wouldn't a random bird flying through trigger the sensors this way? I looked around and saw a sign, cautioning that serious harm would be inflicted if you attempted to climb above the gates. The dead bodies of birds layed around the area, with their heads and parts of their wings completely burnt.
Picking up a stone nearby, I threw it over the gate where it landed with a loud 'tssss' sound against the wet grass. That wasn't a sensor, it was clearly a weapon. Is this even legal?
"Alright, so how are we going to enter..." I silenced myself, as I watched the others openly used a blowtorch on the lock. "..." The blowtorch melted off the metal connected to the automatic gate that triggers when it receives a signal. We were all invisible under John's powers, but somehow, we can see each other. Strangely enough, there wasn't an alarm as we safely entered the house. "Looks like we are burning this house down after the mission" Gabe announced something ridiculous with a cool pose, as he looked at the cameras around. "Yup" the other two nodded their heads in unison. Was I missing out on something, or have they gone completely nuts? I imagined us to be sneaking around, finding out the evidence and leaving without a trace...
I guess that isn't going to be happening. I watched, as they kicked down the front door of the mansion. "Go, knock him out, bind him up and gag him" Gabe gave orders the complete opposite of a secret guild. As I followed the other two to his bedroom, Gabe was opening and flipping through the drawers, making as much sound as one could make. He has a guard and a maid you know...
As the maid opened her door while flashing a torchlight to check things out, I saw as Gabe knocked her out from the back. The guard arrived and rushed to the unconscious maid, only to be dealt with in the same way. Through this, I went into the master bedroom with the other two, only to see him sleeping in his king-sized bed openly with his two arms and legs spread out. In his hands was a bottle of the wine he stole. Thinking that the others would knock him out the same way as Gabe, I found myself to be completely wrong. The gagged him with his blanket and smacked his head with random objects found in the room. He struggled as he was mercilessly beaten up while being held down in a ridiculous fashion that was both crude and reckless in nature.
"Fucking bastard child!" "Faint already!" "I heard you love to use this thing don't you!" the two of them smacked his head and nether regions as they attempted to make him faint. Could it be... they didn't know how to knock someone out? Signaling the two of them to hold him up, I smacked my knee on his liver and twisted my waist to deliver a fine strike to his jaw. Tying up his body after that, the two of them looked at me with newfound respect.
"You... are you an expert at this?!" "It's my first time remember?" I answered. "Oh right, good job for a newcomer!" the two of them went back to their 'senior' demeanor, as they expertly dragged his body down the stairs with each step making a 'tak' 'tak' 'tak' sound as his head bounced on the steps. Gabe made a pose as he seemed to be deep in thought, staring at a piece of paper. "Hmph... it seems that I can't find anything that looks like evidence" Gabe stated ironically. "Let's just take everything back for the others to check through" he declared. "Joi, if you would" Gabe signaled her. Watching as she threw everything into her shadow, we went to work by throwing every single painting, wardrobe and even the entire bed into her shadow that expanded and swallowed everything. Isn't this ability ridiculously powerful? Can't you just swallow up someone and get it over with? Apparently, she can hide in there as well... why are you even being a thief? I guess the pay's good. I could probably do this job for a bit and retire for the rest of my life.
Stolen novel; please report.
Dragging the bodies out onto the streets, the entire house was set on fire as the everything inside was destroyed. The gates... Gabe was climbing up to destroy the cameras with a blowtorch. The lasers installed on the top was destroyed as they exploded from the fire, waking the entire neighborhood.
After that, we deposited everything for Louis to sort out the next day...
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Well, that was that. It didn't have the mysterious aura around it, in fact, the guild felt a little silly. The way they act and conduct their business were on completely different ends of the spectrum. A small chuckle escaped my lips, as I recalled the events last night.
"What's so funny?" Elly asked me as I stood there laughing to myself. "Nothing" I answered.
The store had its regular influx of customers, where a few students dropped by once again during their break. Buying a drink and hanging out around the front of the store, as they spoke their usual nonsense about teachers and how the school should be abolished. The regular amount of customers strolled in frequently and before I knew it, the day turned into night.
The manager noted on the appearance of students and was considering to set up a sheltered table and chair, situated right outside so that students can spend their time talking and spending money. People can read the news while having a nice cup of machine-made coffee as well. Saying his piece, he announced that the store will be down for construction works the next day. So I wouldn't have to come the next day.
As my night shift ended, I found Gabe waiting for me at the back door. I was slightly surprised, as he stood there, motionlessly waiting for me to come. I noticed that his jacket was covered in snowflakes, something that wasn't possible unless you were standing out here for a long period of time. "Did you wait long?" I ask, out of courtesy. "No, I came to pick you up" he smoothly covered over, despite the evidence littered all around his body. "Ah.. right" I agreed with him with my voice.
"So, is there another mission or..." I questioned him on the way. "Not really. It's just the continuation of the event from yesterday. Apparently, he wasn't just your ordinary degenerate, we found evidence of him being connected to a certain group you might want to hear about" Gabe answered, as we made our way into the secret location. I watched, as the wooden plank closed up behind the wardrobe, admiring the way it functioned so smoothly. Come to think of it, the stairs leading down were plated with solid marble, and it was slightly glowing as well. The stairs were so well designed, marked with a resplendent 'I' in the middle. It made the room down below look like a joke in satiric comparison. While commenting on the workmanship of the stairs, I reached the fluffy mess of a place, where everything seems to scream "NO!" at each other. None of the things here complements each other. Resisting the urge to complain about it, I greeted the others who stood around, staring at the projection on the wall.
On the wall, a video of the man who was brutally tortured in an attempt to make him faint was displayed. He seemed to be sneaking around in the park, in his arm, was a very large bag. I watched, as he suddenly got on his knees. "Increasing the volume here, listen..." Louis hushed the already silent room. "Oh, dear Angels! Grant me the path ! the path to the glory to be, grant me joy! grant me ecstasy! here, I lay, my flesh, my blood, my soul. I offer myself to thee, I yield!" As he said that, the entire video seemed to shake. Static covered the screen for a brief moment. In the next, a white creature, one that can only be said to be an angel floated and stood before him. "For my solicitation, for my price, I offer thee a sacrifice" as he uttered those words, the entire room was filled with disavowal, as the bag was thrown aside, revealing a young girl, whose age doesn't even seem to reach the double digits. The skin of the angel ripped apart, as a black stick, one that wasn't straight and bent at all angles, shot out and stabbed through her heart. From the angle, it looked that way. "Haaah" everyone held their breaths, as they saw a pair of devious and grotesque teeth bare itself from the 'angel'. The scene was so eerie, goosebumps covered my entire back. Just like that, the life of the girl was gone, leaving a blue colored stone where her blood splattered against the floor, as she ascended in her bloodied manner to 'heaven', with the angel. It felt surreal. "This..." as Joi was about to speak up, Louis silenced her. "There's more" he stated. A crazed priest-like person, one I couldn't help but recognize, came into the scene. "Bishop Kifton, how nice of you to visit this city" the priest-like person smiled like the nutcase he was. "Ah, bishop Brendon! A wonderful night isn't it?" Kifton spoke to Brendon as if he hadn't just mercilessly killed a child. The entire scene felt incongruous, it was as if I was watching a play on a drama in some sort of fantasy world. "It appears that you were careless," I notice as the bishop 'Brendon' looked towards the direction of the camera. After that, it was all static.
"This was a recording from the park 3 months ago before Kifton starred in his first ever blockbuster 'Kifton the incredible'. The time of this recording matches up to before the incident. Also, this..." Louis said as he passed a piece of paper to everyone. It was obviously photocopied, but the contents screamed an abhorrent danger. I see the pictures of children and young adults, all of which were either orphans or living alone. Their address was stated as well. I saw my name. I saw Elly's. There was a big happy sign written for the location of the child to be delivered. "This...so you're saying that people have been going missing the past few months, and no one did anything? Was no one even remotely suspicious?" I questioned the silent group. So many people are dying, be it whether I know them or not, it just felt wrong, and most of them were just children children. "We should tell the authorities" I hastily suggested. "Oh, my sweet child, they know. They know," he said in a derisive tone. The meaning of his words was simple but painful. "Well then, as much as I wish to stop them, we don't have the capability to do so..." Louis stated as he looked solemnly. He was right, we were just a bunch of people in it for the money. Then why bother searching it up and showing it to us? My senses told me there was more to this than it meets the eye.
"Well then, if there's no money to be made, I'm out of here" John walked out first, he was oddly quiet. "Same here, I'm leaving," Gabe said nonchalantly. "Come, Lily, let's go get supper" Joi left with Lily who was humming to herself. "Ah right, before you leave, can I have your bank number?" Louis asked.
After leaving Louis with my bank number, I walked on the streets, clutching that piece of paper in my hand. It felt wrong. I walked past a police station, I was tempted to enter with the paper in my hand but common sense dictates that it was futile. After what Louis just said, who am I to trust that the report would even be made. I imagine children, students from the countryside, aiming for a chance to make it big in life, coming all the way here. All the way, just to meet their end. The thought of such a monster caused me to shiver. There's no way I'm dumb enough to fight against people related to that thing. Why would I risk my life for a bunch of people I don't know? I felt irritated. This isn't me, I'm more decisive than this!
Walking along the street, I found myself at an abandoned factory. It was but a coincidence that the factory was the exact same one I was brought to, and the exact same one written on the paper. It was just a coincidence that I took a kitchen knife from a supermarket with gloves. Turning invisible, I entered the factory.
Why did I even come here? I found myself at a lost at what I'm doing, as a normal person entering a university soon, I should be using my time to study. I looked around, noticing children and young adults, they were hanged on a cross, with the wrist handcuffed and legs bounded up to fit the shape. A tube was connected to them, as was a strange metallic cylinder. My guess was that it somehow restricts the power of the people. There were 12 people here. 3 children and 9 young adults. All of them appeared to be weak and frail, as they were so thin, they looked pale. Their lips were cracked and dry, as even the children seemed to have developed eye bags. How long have they been here?
"Hehehehehe my cute little children, fear no more, your time of awakening will soon come!" a crazed bishop danced around naked. His little son down there, was completely on the edge, as he waved it around. I resisted the urge to slice his dick off in that instant, and instead focused on the surroundings. There were 7...no 12 people around the area. All of which were wearing their hoodie with a winged design. They were on the second floor of the factory, looking down and grinning at the bishop, or at their own perverted fetish. I notice one of them leaving the others, as I made it up the stairs. "I'm gonna piss," he said, without a trace of elegance. Following closely behind, I watched as he unzipped his pants while facing a window in one of the rooms. "Ahhh" he let out a sigh, at that moment, all sound vanished from the room, as I hit him in the liver. Finishing him off with an uppercut to his jaw, his entire pants turned wet as the body fell on the floor.
Mimicking his appearance while maintaining the invisible knife, I headed back to the group. "What's up Hig, or what's down, heh " making a dirty joke, the guy began to speak to me. I don't know how the other guy sounded like, so I pretended to grunt and ignored him.
"Quite cold aren't we" he chuckled. I walked around, checking if there were others I haven't spotted. "It's starting! It's starting!" I heard the others exclaim as they looked down. A guy around my age was thrown before the perverted bishop, as he began to chant "Oh, dear Angels! Grant me the path ! the path to the glory to be, grant me joy! grant me e..." I stopped listening, as the others were mesmerized by the bishop's chant. Turning invisible as I stepped back, I began to push people off the ledge. Their bodies made a loud crack, as 4 people suddenly found themselves on the ground. Still, the bishop didn't stop chanting.
The others began to turn wary, as they looked around. "I yield!" the priest screamed from below as the entire factory shook. I watched as an angel appeared from nowhere. The hooded members all got on their knees. As the angel glanced around, I found that it was staring at an empty space to it's right.
"My angel! My savior! Take away my intruder!" the bishop shouted, noticing the angel's notice of something strange. I watched as the invisible foe was chased away by the angel, leaving the rest of the members vulnerable as they got into their trance. I threw them off, one by one down the ledge, as the breaking of their bones failed to wake them up. I didn't forget the man in the room, as I threw him with his piss-stained pants and all down as well. The bishop didn't even glance twice at the men and simply uttered "impudent" as he continued to pray. It wasn't long before the 'angel' came back. "The enemies are too crafty, they can run and run only!" the bishop seemed to console the angel who failed at its task. Though it could detect the others, it couldn't detect me. I cautiously erased my presence and sound from their perception while heading down the stairs. Instead of a mirage, since there were only the two of them left, I erased their sense of 'me' in all aspects of their perception. "For my solicitation, for my price, I offer thee a sacrifice" the bishop continued without caring. The angel split open. Changing the angel's perspective of the young man to the bishop instead, I watched as the bishop screamed out in horror and agony, his anguish as he stared at the 'angel' in despair before dying in mere seconds.
Releasing my mirages, I failed to realize how much my nose bled. The entire floor was stained, as a throbbing headache came upon me. But I still needed to fulfill my task. Using the knife, I began to slice off the ropes tying up the victims. Cutting off the pipes by pulling it out of their body, I watched as they looked around confused. Turning myself invisible once more, they could only see a floating knife cutting their legs free and plugging out the pipes.
I struggled my way out of the factory, as my stained jacket blocked the blood from spilling on the floor. I threw the knife at a corner and walked on the streets. Sitting down on the ground, exhausted, I see a bunch of familiar faces near me. As expected, they appeared were here.
"You pas-" "You want to get supper?" Lily asked as she stretched out her hand, cutting Gabe off.