Ez
----------------------------------------
From the moment he reached the top and the stairs and into the marbled pathway, Ez’s senses were bombarded with all kinds of stimuli, easily overwhelming him.
People were everywhere. On one side, there were merchants peddling their products to those passing through, and their customers making fusses as they haggled with the former. On the other, there were all kinds of activists shouting out their opinions on loudspeakers, each one with a different agenda. Nevertheless, people flocked to listen, either to second their ideologies or to debate them. It was loud.
Getting lost in this sea of strangers was not difficult to achieve. To drown in the cacophony of noises seemed like one horrid way to die yet he drudged on if only to get this day over with as soon as possible.
His already bad mood soured even more when the large speakers suddenly blared at max volume, announcing that the gates have been opened and entry is now allowed to the Bright Crest University.
At that moment, Ez wanted the ground to split open, eat him, eternally shut back into place. It was like fate wanted to see him suffer and was most likely laughing itself into abstracted oblivion at this handiwork. Ez absolutely hated everything right now.
Okay, maybe not everything. Only the things that had happened in the last couple of months that lead him to being a student at the worst possible school for him, the AEGIS numbnuts that were always on his ass, and most of all, the fucking government.
If you could trace back everything that made Ez’ brain ache, all the paths would eventually lead to them.
It was ultimately their fault that Ez has recently been turned into a cynical, struggling, and untrusting college freshman. Actually, he was already the first three. It’s the fourth one that particularly struck his ire.
He was also one of the most wanted criminals in the Los Angeles settlement, Wick (Yes, it’s a John Wick reference) in his free time.
An assassin who targets high-profile government officials of the corrupt variant all for the sake of taking down the government itself, one crook at a time.
It’s not that hard to sympathize with him, he gaslights himself.
While the world was technically a husk of its former glory ever since the war, the ones who remained at the top never stopped abusing their powers for their own gain. Furious at the realization, Ez decided to hone his abilities razor sharp so he could take care of it himself.
Anything that can cause pain is a weapon is what Ez would like to think is his signature criminal motto. That said, he also likes tinkering with explosives and adding his own magical twist to them.
Anyways, he couldn't just kill every single corrupt asshole he uncovered just like that. The media would twist the news to make it look like he was the bad guy and the public will then want to defend the system. Nobody wants that. Plus, if people found out he was a mage, the entire city would spiral into hysteria within a matter of days if not hours.
Any traces of magic from the war found by authorities, may it be artifacts or even people, are kept from the masses, lest they want a nation-wide panic. Such was the effect of the last world war that left the world crawling on its proverbial knees, most of its surface contaminated by indeterminately corrupted wastelands.
Ez needed to be smart and sneaky, so meticulously planned assassinations became his modus operandi, while using his magic as minutely as possible.
Instead of barging in, guns blazing, he takes the time scouting his targets and analyzing when would be the best moment to strike but more importantly he plans a safe exit. Finding the target never took too long though as the fucker is usually in the most guarded room, doing something shady with the powers that they were clearly misusing. After incapacitating security, Ez would savor the moment before he promptly places a well-sharpened pencil down the unsuspecting target's throat. Finally, a run to the escape route before back-up arrives.
He never killed the lackeys though, only their boss. He knew that in this world, only few had the privilege to choose a profession, and these guys were definitely not one of them few. He was also pretty sure (about 80%) that these guys hated the creeps they worked for.
To be completely honest, Ez hadn't planned on embracing the title "Villain". As it turned out, it was actually a pretty good cover. It made his motive veer away from what he really wants, which was a government breakdown. To make the media think that he was a simple troublemaker targeting rich people and not someone hellbent on flipping this country upside down and it worked.
So aside from eliminating his main targets, he randomly attacks secretly dirty businesses, double-dealers, loan sharks, and similar operations to make sure no one makes any sort of close connections.
He also finds fending off other potential city threats great for villain rep. Of course, with as much destruction as possible.
He totally saved the city when a guy commanding an army of oversized sewer rats crossed with him as he was finishing up a mission. They leveled at least 3 blocks during the fight. The media though said that it was a villain-off to see who was the "biggest and baddest".
Well...
At least he won.
With all of Ez’s ‘activities’, he had managed to rise as a priority target of a special task force who called themselves AEGIS, within the two years of him starting his operations. Whatever that acronym meant, he never bothered to learn nor did he want to.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Needless to say, they were annoying mainly because they usually show up minutes after a target has been eliminated, or even before he could approach the target. Like jackasses out to deliberately ruin someone’s perfect score.
Granted, he is killing people. It’s understandable since they are only doing their jobs.
But here’s the thing… he took pains to carefully plan out his missions, only for them to ruin it at some point. It’s a clear hate crime for assassins. Absolutely unforgiveable.
They weren't a bother when it came to the actual fighting though. Whether they really sucked or Ez was just that good, he wasn't a hundred percent sure. What really bothered him was that they were able to predict where he even was. At least they couldn't catch him. Suck it, losers.
Despite the nuisances, his plan was working for a whole good year. He slowly worked his way up the hierarchy, taking out bad businesses every once in a while, and sometimes fought off other villains, giving them the message that this city was The Wick's territory.
Everything went smoothly until fucking AEGIS almost unmasked him when they ambushed him (just that one time, okay?!) with over 50 agents. Overkill much?
He managed to shake them off but they somehow managed to track the abandoned building Ez used as a secret base. Luckily, he always had the self-destruct button with him for this exact occasion.
"Fuck..." Ez thought as he heard a faint explosion in the distance. He took a second to mourn for his recently bought guitar.
Still pretty pissed with losing his house, Ez tried to think about his next move since AEGIS got way too close. He had to make sure that they wouldn't manage to pin him down without his mask on. He decided to brainstorm while wasted.
On his way to buy some cheap whiskey, he overheard a couple of girls talking lively on the convenience store side tables.
“You know, Chelsea. It really is a great idea to enroll in the Academy.” Ez’s ears were listening intently upon hearing ‘Academy’ which could only mean Bright Crest University, a school he knows pops out assholes who somehow get into positions of power right after graduating.
“Riiight?? I told you, Veronica, I. Am. A. Genius. That way your horrid mother can’t tell you how to live your life.” He can find solidarity in that…
Wait…
Maybe Chelsea is a genius after all. She just gave Ez a way out of his predicament.
Which is why now Ez stands in front of the gates of the most prestigious university in the country, Bright Crest College, wearing the school-sanctioned snappy black uniform. At least the uniform looked dope with its dark green trims.
The logic if his plan however is flawless (In his very valid opinion, thank you very much). No one would ever expect a devoted model student of the most beloved government-run school to be plotting against the very same. A double-agent mission.
The first thought that came to Ez' mind was the school environment's very sharp contrast to the outside world. The seemingly always spic-and-span school, all by itself, proudly flaunted its extravagance. It would've made his jaw drop if not for the fact that the world that lied a roughly 40 miles from the campus was a wasteland full of people that the school's administrators take advantage of.
Renewing his bloodlust from the most recent train of thought, Ez surveyed the surroundings past the large gate.
There were still people everywhere, although on a more manageable magnitude. Reason being only students were allowed inside, and classes were starting about a week or so from now. Students were still settling into their dorms and getting to know the layout of the school. The latter of which, Ez had already achieved during the night he sneaked into the school and had enrolled himself into the school system. With time to spare, he decided to do some preliminary scouting, though he doubts that he’d actually carry out an assassination within university grounds.
He continues to walk through the crowd and into the administration building he had previously broke into.
Normal introverted or shy people would look down into the ground, avoiding eye contact with people at all times, and normally this is what Ez would do. But in this particular mission, he’s supposed to be a model student. So, for the last time, he grits his teeth and steeled himself to a not-too-forced smile and looked as if he was a genuinely curious student entering a fresh new chapter in his life (barf).
As he went to the registrar to collect his school ID and dorm key, his hopes of the day finally ending as he can enter his room and arrange/hide his array of deadly weapons in every crevice of the room.
His heart dropped as he heard the words that left the staff's mouth as he carried his bags.
"Due to your late enrolment, your request to a single student dorm room was denied because there are none left..." Ez' stomach fell but Sir Mark, as his name tag read, was still talking.
"...-ssigned to a 5-student dorm and thus will be sharing the dorm with 4 students who were late to enrolment as well." Everything else that followed suddenly turned into a dark blur of despair.
Oh fuck no...
No no no…
Anything but that.
He decides to take a quick sit in the built-in dorm maze garden. He doesn’t even have the energy to hate it for being all so fucking fancy. The only thing in his head is that this whole ‘roommates’ thing is going to put an irreparable dent in his plans. Fuck…
After a few moments of fruitless brainstorming solutions, Ez enters the gigantic dorm complex and fantasizes about killing his roommates then blaming it on a burglary-turned-homicide situation
Eventually he reached the 6th (WHYYYY??!!!) floor where his new room was. Ez walked through the hallway as if he was headed for the chopping block.
It was quiet as everyone else should either be quietly checking into their rooms and sleeping or outside socializing. Every step he made clacked loud against the concrete, effectively amplifying the dread he was feeling.
He sees the guillotine and stops in his tracks, bags in tow.
Ez could still back out right now and continue operating outside but then he remembers the risk of being discovered. No matter how small the chance those AEGIS fucks have at unmasking him, it’s still a non-zero chance. He can’t afford to take risks. Ever.
He stood in front of the room door for what seemed like an eternity, and stared at the mocking bold letters that was the room code "CLZL". He could hear chatter inside. Shudder...
Inserting his key, he noticed the noises from the inside quieting down.
Twist...
The opening door slowly revealed the four faces Ez was going to have to live with for the foreseeable future.
He wanted to cry in despair.