Cross woke to a pounding on the door of one of the ten class twelve containment cells in the police station.

Which was something that had always confused him spell crafters were ranked from ten to one. Ten being someone who only knows one or two week spells. To one being able to slaughter armies with just a wave of a hand and then there are the zeros. Zero is a title given to both the strongest member of a race and the strongest person in a city, to be frank being a zero does not put you on the same rank as a one. Zero just means you are next in line to be a one but the gap between a zero and a one is still sizable. Now for the confusing part threats, levels, and everything else was assigned going up words not down like spell crafter ranks. Cross’s threat rank was one thousand and seventy four naked as his headphones boosted his sound powers and his suit was heavily enchanted. They both had been confiscated by the police, Cross was now in a police sweatshirt and sweatpants and magic suppressing cuffs. Not that they were needed or really effective as the cell he was in was emitting an intense anti aether field that was cranked up way too high. It was turned up to the point that the interior of the cell was four atmospheres higher than what was standard in the inner city safe zone. This was due to the anti aether field admitters that were turned up to an intensity that they were creating a gravity like effect pressurizing the room and making everything a lot heavier, not that it really effected Cross. Cross had covered his entire body in sealing spells that had three effects the first and most obvious was it sealed away some of his mana and powers. The second was it acted like an anti curs and enchantment armor it wasn’t impossible to do either to him, but it made it extremely hard to do so. Third sins mutations become more prevalent as a sin gets stronger. So, the seals helped him to keep his human appearance, and one small bonus his powers could only be suppressed by something stronger than the collective powers of the sealing spell. So, the cuffs and cell had no effect as he was under a lot greater magic restraint literally every moment of every day for nearly ten years now. Even without this effect, Cross’s natural adaptability had allowed him to build up a resistance to inhibitors that would have allowed him to use magic in a cell like the one he was in now, but he couldn’t gather aether. So, using magic wasn’t the best idea as it would be costly and without aether from the air his body had been draining his mana reserves to sustain himself using magic would probably put him in withdrawal which even in its early stages aether withdrawal was incredibly painful as well as disturbing so Cross chose not the resist for now and maintain his reserves.

“Hay hurry up and get up already you little shit, I ant got all day.” An old overweigh coffee stained detective shouted.

“We got questions for you before you talk to the guardians and they interrogate you. Maybe then we will finally be rid of you.” The detective barked at Cross.

Cross got up and walked to the door as the detective opened it.

“I know you probably get some kind of sick kick out of having people walk into the containment field. I wasn’t stupid enough to do so when I was ten and I’m not stupid enough to do so now.” Cross said stopping in front of the door.

The detective gave Cross a disgusted and annoyed look before shutting off the admitters and the containment field before Cross stepped out. Inhaling taking his first breath of the aether rich air in hours. Feeling it starts to replenish his heavily drained reserves.

“Get moving.” The detective said trying to shove Cross forward before he grabbed Cross's arm trying to drag him along. This didn’t work as Cross literally weighed close to a tun without the enchantment on his clothes to help him deal with the weight issue. Cross started to walk as the detective struggled to try to pull Cross along. Eventually, the detective gave up after a hand full of officers had made some rude jokes as Cross walked into the interrogation room.

“Is this really necessary you already have my statement so why am I still hear?” Cross said sounding more board than argumentative.

“Shut up don’t speak unless it’s to answer the questions. You are in enough trouble already we don’t want to have to add impeding an investigation to your record, do we?” The detective asked as his partner came in with Cross’s file.

“Your file is strangely lacking with information on you. Most of what is in it is about your past forty three arrests, no convictions though? ….. You are either an extremely unlucky guy to have been brought in so many times. On the other hand, you could say that you’re an insanely lucky guy to have gotten away with so many crimes without getting caught. Well up tell now that it’s a real shame that luck runs out, isn’t it. Now why did you and your accomplices want that magical artifact so badly?” One of the detectives asked Cross.

“Ok first off, the reason why I was arrested so many times is simple. I’m a sin most people assume if a crime happens that the sin did it but as I haven’t committed any crimes. I was inevitably let go as to why the gunman wanted the artifact. I haven’t the foggiest idea why other than it was clearly extremely valuable to someone.” Cross said simply with a shrug.

“Listen you wise ass punk. We got detectives over at the hospital interviewing your accomplice. Do you really think that your partner will cover for you after you tried to kill him?” The detective asked coldly as Cross started to laugh.

“Clearly you have no clue what’s going on here because if you did, you’d be in a lot worse shape. I know for a fact that a guardian will back my story. It wouldn’t surprise me if the gunman at least says that I wasn’t part of whatever it was he was doing. So, unless you have some proof otherwise. I’m guessing my time is about up. You can’t hold me much longer and though you tried to make it so I couldn’t check the time. As you made sure to take down all the clocks, but you didn’t think to remove your watch. You have three hours left assuming its pm not am of cores.” Cross said as one of the detectives put his hand on his wrist which he had tried to cover with his sleeve.

“These strange eyes do more then put people on edge you know.” Cross said simply. though all they could do was give him enhanced lowlight vision and magnify what he saw. Like the zoom on a camera. Unfortunately, this completely screwed up his close range vision. Thankfully one of the detectives was leaning against the wall just outside of where his vision blurred. Cross really wanted his glasses, but they were still in his pocket. But he didn’t ask to get them, every time he wore them and got arrested, they either came back scratched or broke. Not that he couldn’t fix it. It just ticked him off when people broke his things. More so when they broke them on purpose. He had devoted most of his life to learning how to fix things so to needlessly break something. He just couldn’t understand why they did it. Even if he understood why they wanted to but anyone who could do something as simple as ask him what he did for a living would have known it was pointless.

“Name James Cross Age twenty seven no mother or father on record. So, I’m guessing ether someone else named you that or you named yourself that?” One of the detectives said reading Cross file. “Cross a bit of an ironic name isn’t it I mean you being a sin and all?” the other detective that was leaning against the wall asked. After a minute Cross sighed composing himself as he again answered the commonly asked question.

“James came from my scrapper's tag j3mr33srt. I used it as my name for a bit, but people started calling me J3’s and that got turned to James. As for Cross, it came from my adoptive family yes it wasn’t a legal adoption, but I digress. When I needed to give a name when coming to the inner city. I picked the two as my official name. The irony was lost on me then and is a minor annoyance now but. I haven’t felt the need to change it yet.”

“7.8 feet tall 1.73 tons you really should go on a diet. Dynamic multi level armor mixed with dense alloy skeleton. Black armor and hair purple gym like slitted eyes…. Hu says here your close rage vision is about shot but you can perform a telescopic zoom up to 57.3 kilometers. Impressive you can match military grade digital binoculars and it says here you have a healing factor. Which explains how you regrew the skin on your face and arms, but I got to ask what’s with the scales you left in your cell we are having them analyzed by the way.” He said putting a small plastic bag with a charred black scale part of the scale had turned to ash revealing a small metal plate within the scale.

“You won’t find anything it’s just part of my armor. I’m not even sure you can get a good DNA sample from it. If it fell off, then it must be badly charred. Speaking of which, I’d like to go home and treat My burns.” Cross said trying not to scratch his arms because both itched and stung like a bad sunburn.

The detective just ignored his request and continued. “Other defining markers listed here are pointed ears. That’s a pretty common marking of a user or magic born. You also have a small three jointed tail that’s not easily noticed. Neither are the two small horns just above the temples. I’m guessing you’ve hidden with your hair. lastly are the teeth. According to this they are large sharp able to bight through most common metals. Nasty, we need to check if those things need to be registered or anything. Hmmm you know you hide the signs that you’re a Sin very well. Though you do know it’s illegal to hide your race on any official documents. Or when applying for a job especially a government position like yours.”

“I’m going to stop you there. My boss knows and the only I.D. I have, with my markings hidden is my work I.D. Card. As that’s not an official I.D. and we are allowed to wear cosmetics in the photo, that is all. I’m even on the registry voluntarily I’ve never falsified documents and if you don't believe me you can call my boss. Look this isn’t the first time I’ve done this. I’ve been through this whole song and dance before and it always ends the same. With you holding me as long as you can. Then dragging me to an interrogation room to try to get me to incriminate myself. Now can I go, or do you have more pointless questions for me?” Cross asked. The fat cop’s face turned red with anger as the other just looked annoyed.

“Why you arrogant little.” The fat cop shouted. Only to be interrupted by the door swinging open. With the guardian special intelligence officer storming in.

“What in the nine rings are you doing? I asked you to bring him to a room where we could talk in private. Not interrogate him like a common crook. If he was any other race, you would be praising him as a hero for what he did. Now get out, oh and I will be writing you up in my report now get!” He orders the shocked and angered cops.

The moment the door clicked shut behind them Cross burst out laughing. Showing his sharp teeth with a smile. Not bothering to hide them for once. “Thank you those two where really getting on my nerves. The thin one was at least decent enough to only seem curious. The other well he tried to get me to walk into the containment field of the cell they threw me into. Thankfully he was not the first to try that and I doubt he will be the last.”

This got an angered response out of the guardian officer. “He shouldn’t have done that. I’ll see to it that he gets some form of reprimand.”

“Don’t bother it will just make you the villain in all this. The sin is the crook that’s just the way things are. Nothing you or I say or do hear will change that for them.” Cross said with a board shrug.

“What, you can’t be ok with this. Where’s that fire you showed back with the hostages!” He was going to continue. Before noticing the large sharp toothed smile on Cross’s face.

“Put it simply I enjoy pissing them off before they are forced to let me go. It might be a little petty, but I know the law. I know the rules and I know how to play the game of politics and I like to think I’m rather good at it. If I do say so myself. I mean I have made it this far, haven’t I?” Cross said with a small chuckle.

The guardian officer looked shocked for a moment before saying. “You are just full of surprises aren’t you. Huh well villain it may make me, but I hate it when others abuse their power. It’s the main reason I took this job. So, I’m going to do a little poking around just to see what I can do.”

“Well, if you insist. Just make sure the blame falls on you and you alone. I don’t want to be that guy, but politics is a dangers game. I prefer to keep my head down when it comes to the big players. Plus, I don’t need to give the police another reason to drag me back here. So please just be careful for both our sakes.” Cross warned.

The guardian officer nodded and said. “I will and if you ever need a guardian in your corner. I’m on your side.” He then set his card on the table before getting up.

“You’re free to go. You can go get your stuff It’s weighting for you at booking. Oh, and I trust you can free yourself from those restraints.” He said before walking off leaving the door open and unlocked.

Cross just sighed and with a simple spell, the restraints fell apart before reassembling themselves. This was a simplified version of advanced restoration magic. The advanced version of the spell was based on alchemy. The spell disassembled an object on a molecular level and then reassembled it. Adding in more of the bass elements. The spell could then do stuff like fixing missing chips in pottery or glass. It could even undo the effect of time. Like turning a piece of rusted metal back into a pristine state. However, the lesser version Cross had used. Turned any assembled object into its base components and to reassemble. He simply reversed the casting of the spell. Unlike reversing a spell that canceled or nullified a spell. Reverse casting could be used to cause the opposite effect of the base spell. With some mixed results. As Cross walked out of the interrogation room. The detectives glared him down. However, that was all they could do as the guardian officer was still in earshot. Cross quickly retrieved his clothes and changed back to his normal outfit. After checking the time and his messages. He sent a quick message to his boss. Telling him that he’d be back at work the next day.

“Reequip.” Cross said under his breath. His shoes vanished and were replaced with a pair of motorized skates.

A sin couldn’t get a driver’s license and Cross didn’t enjoy public transport. It was too loud, crowded, and smelly. The skates weren’t fast, but they were faster than walking. Even though they were powered by the user mana. It was so little strain on him that even in his weakened state. He could easily ride around at their top speed of twenty five mph. He knew a few people who could modify them to make them go faster. He could probably even modify them himself. However, he’d rather not risk giving the cops anything to use against him. Even if it is something as minor as a speeding ticket or something foolish like illegal modification of a low speed vehicle. Cross let his mind drift aimlessly as he took the scenic route home through the park stopping only to buy a sandwich at a hover cart.

A hover carts vendor was a small mobile shop that hovered a few inches off the ground. With a top speed of about ten mph and barely enough room to stand in. Though some were larger than others. It more or less depends on the size of the goods and how valuable they were. So as an example, a clothes cart would need to be larger than a sandwich cart.

Cross skated over to his favorite spot. A small bench where he could watch the fountain. He sat and watched the fountain as he ate his sandwich before heading home.

Cross lived in a small cheap two room apartment. As not many places this far into the city would even consider a sin. Even with credentials like Cross’s. So, Cross made do. He used the apartment as little more than a place to sleep and hide his bag of holding. Cross washed up and treated his wounds before changing into his casual wear. Before heading off to run some errands on his impromptu day off.

The next day Cross wasn’t looking forward to going into work. He wasn’t sure if his secret was out or not. If not, well he wasn’t going to tell them, but he wasn’t going to lie either. Whatever happened next, he knew it wouldn’t end well. As Cross walked in, he was pleased to see his repairs were holding up. Though the city was still inspecting the building for any errors. As no matter how good a quick fix was it never was as good or as clean as doing the job the right way. However, Cross had been experimenting with mixing aspects of reinforcement and restoration magic. In an attempt to recreate his own ability to strengthen objects when repairing them. Cross had hoped one day he'd be able to use a spell like this to make a quick fix as good if not better than if he repaired it properly.

Cross wondered just how well his handy work was holding up. When his boss the center manager spotted him and hurried over to greet and ask him. “Cross I’m glad to see you I hope they didn’t harass you too much.”

“Don’t worry Sergei. Believe it or not, I think I made a new friend with the guardian officer who snuck in here. He even pulled a few strings and got them to let me loose a few hours early. He turned out to be a nice guy. Though it was clear he’s had some less pleasant run in with sins before. So, he wasn’t to trust to begin with, but he was open enough to at least hear me out.” Cross said with a smile.

“It’s good to see that there are more open minds out there these days. People are finally starting to understand. That not every sin is bad just like not every commandment is good.” Sergei said as he subconsciously rubbed a Cross shaped brand on his left hand.

He had gotten this wound from a deranged commandment. The commandment in question had applied for the same position that Cross currently occupied. He had figured out that Cross was a sin. He had then demanded Cross’s termination and that he’d be. In the commandment own words, be put in his place. Sergei had him thrown out and shredded his resume. Only to be attacked by him the following night. However, thanks to Cross’s enhanced hearing and quick thinking. Cross was able to get Sergei to safety but not before he had branded Sergei in three places. However, Sergei still had nightmares about how he had attacked Cross. As Cross was unable to fight back. As any sin harming a commandment even in self defense would end with the harshest punishment possible. Cross could do little more than act as a living shield. Sergei could only watch as the commandments holy magic violently lashed out against the dark magic inside Cross. Cross’s natural armor was barely effective against the raw destructive power of holy magic. It did little to protect him from the violent reaction of mixing holy and dark magic. The mixing of light and dark magic was comparable to mixing matter and antimatter. Needless to say, it ended badly for Cross. Who was later arrested along with the crazed commandment.

“Yes, it is it gives me hope for the future.” Cross said pulling Sergei out of his thoughts.

“So how bad was the damage anyway? I know I used a quick fix to clean up the worst of it but I’m not sure how well it would hold up in the long run?” Cross asked.

“From what I’ve seen and heard it’s in great shape. I’m guessing it’s one of your pet projects, right? Why you aren’t in one of the council's research programs boggles the mind.” He said before sighing in annoyance.

“Well, I suppose their loss is my gain. That said, I swear if they cut our budget any thinner, I’m organizing a strike. I would have already done that already. If you didn’t do the work of twelve that is.” He said hand out in expectation. Cross dropped a cherry sucker in his hand the director used it to stir his coffee.

“So, any clue if I blew my secret or not?” Cross asked with a resigned sigh.

“Sort of, there is a lot of debate going around. But most seem to know you use dark magic now at least. Which is scary enough for most. Except most of the people who work here know you well enough to know you are a good guy and know at least part of your story. So, they aren’t jumping to any conclusion just yet.” Sergei said solemnly.

“Well, I guess it was going to get out eventually. I’ll probably have to explain this before it gets out of hand.” Cross sighed resignedly.

“If it helps Cross, I’m sorry.” Sergei said, placing a hand on his shoulder in support.

“Thanks Sergei.” Cross said with a small smile before leaving and heading to the lab. As Cross walked into the lab everyone went silent. As Cross took a deep stetting breath.

“Ok let’s get this over with. So, ask your question so we can get to work. Now before we begin, I want to make one thing very clear. I never lied about who I am. I just tried to avoid the more let’s say painful subjects. Now who would like to go first?” Cross offered resignedly. As a wide built brick of a man stomped forward.

Cross recognized him instantly. His name was John Madigan. He specialized in the restoration of machinery. He and Cross had never truly got along. Cross was more a historian. He enjoyed restoring art and media to learn of the past. Madigan on the other hand was more pragmatic. He saw the use of restoration magic for such frivols things like art and media as wasteful. Though he respected Cross’s skill and work effort. All and all they were simply coworkers that did their best to stay out of one another’s ways. As they never really did see eye to eye. More or less tolerating each other but now his expression was one of outrage and disgust. “I’ll go first what the hell are you? No normal human could take a bullet to the head and get back up. So, just what are you?”

Cross took a deep breath before speaking up. “I am human but as for being normal that depends on your definition of what is normal. I’m a magic born a nati sunt deamonium.”

“You’re a fucking sin! Where the hell are your markings? Isn’t it illegal to hide those?” Madigan shouted angrily interrupting Cross.

“No, it’s not illegal to hide them as long as they are visible on any official I.D. However, I only hide one of mine. Most of mine are simply hard to notice like my teeth.” Cross said simply before smiling to show them his sharp teeth.

“That can’t be true does the director know about this, about you!?” Madigan yielded face turning red in anger.

“Yes, I know, and I knew when I hired him. Say what you will about Cross and sins in general. But he has more than earned his position here on his skill and character alone. AND!! I will remind you as most of you were here. That it was Cross who protected you and kept the gunman calm during the fiasco the other day. Cross is a good man and has more than earned his place hear. If any of you have a problem, you can take it up with me. But know, I’m only taking official complaints.” Sergei said then with a smirk he added. “In triplicate.” He then took a sip of his Coffey and walked off.

“Damn, I think that’s the first time I’ve seen the director put his foot down.” One of the techs said before an ear piercing Cross between a metallic chime and nails on a chalkboard rang out. Drawing everyone’s attention to Cross.

“I won’t tolerate anyone bad mouthing Mr. Sergei in my presence. He’s a good man and I’ve seen him put his foot down plenty of times. In fact, he’s the only reason half of us still have the jobs we have right now. As bad as the pay may be.” Cross sighed.

“Look do you have any other questions? If not, we need to get back to work. Please, no are we in any danger working with a Sin questions. It should be more than clear by now that though I’m dangerous I am no danger to any of you. I mean I’ve been here for years, and I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m just a guy trying to do my job.” Cross said weighting for a moment and when he got no more questions Cross turned and walked away.

As Cross walked away, he paused in front of one of the rest rooms debating with himself, before entering and removing his contact lenses. If his secret was out, he was going to embrace it. Who knows, maybe he could finally start getting the word out that a sin held a government position. Maybe he could be a good example for other sins or at least a headache to those prejudiced Sin haters. That last thought got a small smirk out of Cross as he walked to his workstation.

“Um, Mister Cross?” Agnes asked as she cautiously approached him.

“Yes?” Cross said, turning to face her. As he did Agnes gasped. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth when she noticed Cross’s eyes.

“Oh, sorry it’s just I um um sorry but……!” She stopped and took a deep breath. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting the uh. The eyes.”

“Yeah, I figured if my secret was out. I didn’t need my contacts anymore. If it bothers people, I’ll put them back in but till then I’m going to see if I can go without.” Cross said with a small shrug.

“Ok um Mister Cross. I just wanted to say, and I know I can’t truly speak for the others, but I don’t believe you tricked us. That, and I think all or at least most of us at some level understand why you did it. It’s just, and not to be mean but it will just take a little time to come to terms with you being a sin. I mean you aren’t exactly what comes to mind when people think of sins but maybe that’s a good thing. Because from what I know about you. You aren’t a big fan of prejudice so you can prove them wrong.” Agnes said with a light blush unable to look Cross straight in the eye. Partly out of shyness and partly Because looking into Cross’s unusual eyes was in a word instance. Like staring down a large predator. Cross did not have any ability to cause such a reaction. It just seemed to be a natural reaction to his purple demonic eyes.

“Thank you, Agnes, that means a lot.” Cross said unlocking the lab door and holding it open for her.

Several hours later as Cross and the other restaurateurs were working at their stations an alarm went off.

“What the, oh don’t tell me, we got another crazy with a gun?” Madigan groaned.

“No that’s the city wide alarm! This can’t be good everyone gets to your emergency stations!” Cross ordered bolting out of the lab heading to the front entrance.

“Sergei, what’s going on? Have they contacted you about the alarm yet?” Cross asked as he entered the room.

“Yes, a large dissident group from the outer city has breached the inner city walls. No clue as to what they’re up to yet, but they number in the hundreds and most of them are sins. There are three confirmed class two and twenty class three amongst their ranks. I’m going to need you guarding the gates on this one once the shields are up, we are entering full evacuation and shelter in place mode.” Sergei said nervously.

“Wait?! shelter in place?! Shouldn’t we be leading them into the bunkers?” Cross said in confusion.

“The evacuation tunnels lead into the city utilities and superstructure. Some even lead into the terraformer reactor. These dissidents have offered no demands and as of yet shown no form of objective other than to loot and destroy. The city officials want to try and keep them out. If we reach capacity, we will evacuate to the bunker reseal and continue to house any late evacuees here until it happens again. Or the threat has been neutralized.” He sighed before turning to a security panel and starting to enter his security key code as he did Agnes ran in panting.

“Sorry, wha-wha-what did I miss? Also, Mister Cross, you are really really fast.” Agnes said panting as she tried to catch her breath.

“Not really I’m only slightly faster than an unmodified human You are just really out of shape,” Cross said as the ground shook as buildings started to sink into the city’s heavily armored superstructure before armored shutters folded over the buildings that were too tall to sink all the way into the ground.

“No no no they're shuttering the city! With the tunnels sealed, people will try to evacuate and once they find the tunnels blocked, they will pour out into the streets, and with the buildings down there’s next to no cover. I’m going out there Agnes get on the emergency announcement P.A. and advise people to shelter in place. Tell help to arrive if they aren’t close enough to evacuate to the nearest emergency center. Sergei get that shield up and this place locked down!” Cross said before running out into the street as he ran, he heard the shield generator whirled to life. Making Cross realize he had left his headphones and communicator back in the lab, so he was unarmed and with no way to contact anyone he just sighed and set to work.

Five hours later Cross groaned as he hauled himself out of yet another crater. Cross had been running back and forth helping people evacuate and fighting off sin’s mutants and street punks alike. Most had been common thugs and easily taken down, especially now that he didn’t have to hold back anymore. Well, he was still holding back enough to not kill them he wasn’t a murderer after all. Unfortunately for Cross he ran into one of the level three sins. The following fight was rough, and he had at least cracked two armored plates, one on his left hip and right shoulder. It hurt but not bad enough to slow him down so the damage couldn’t be that bad, but this made him curious. Cross hadn’t gone all out in a rank testing since he was sixteen, but he had just taken out a level three sin unarmed and come out of it more or less unharmed. Well at least to the point he was still in fighting shape. At this point not even, he knew the full extent of his powers. He just put a new seal on himself every time his mutations became too prevalent. Who knew how much he had sealed away behind those one hundred twenty nine seals. He might be a level two now and, in all honesty, it wouldn’t surprise him in the least, but he wasn’t going to go in and find out. Hiding your level was a crime but willful ignorance was something different though it wasn’t much better. Cross dusted himself off and mended his clothes before picking up his shattered glasses. Cross quickly repaired them and put them back on. He groaned and stretched before heading back. He was finding more and more hostiles and fewer civilians each time he went out. By this point, he doubted he'd find anyone. If the increase of gunfire in the distance was a sign of anything the military if not the guardians were out in force. Despite that, he wanted to keep searching. However, he knew he should get inside before he was mistaken for one of the attackers. As he started back, he heard the squill of tires on the pavement.

“Oh, please just let it be some idiot joy riders.” Cross groaned before running off again unfortunately Cross wasn’t so lucky. As he darted out of the alleyway, he spotted a family in a car. With the father desperately trying to get the stalled and damaged car to start. Several sins brandishing makeshift weapons approached the car. Cross sighed before clicking his teeth using the sound to blast the closest sin. Most thought sound based attacks were just that sound. The louder the better but this isn’t always true. While it is true that louder sounds are easier to amplify. However more often than not they were more bark than bite. To get the most bang for your buck. You either need something with a high bass or high frequency. The higher the base the higher the stomping power but frequency was in Cross’s opinion way more fun. By adjusting the pitch, you had a lot more options. Like shattering glass or concrete or blowing out someone’s hearing. With enough control, you could even perfectly split an object down the middle as if sliced in half. Usefully enough Cross's teeth were made of a mithril vibranium alloy. This not only made them extremely tough and capable of ripping through even tungsten. When clicked together it created a high pitch metallic ring. It was a headache when he got punched in the mouth, but it gave him just the tool needed to create the sound for his attacks.

“What the who the hell are you supposed to be?” One of the random sin thugs said as Cross punched the palm of his hand creating a shockwave.

“The names Cross. James Cross. And I’m this city’s master restorator and you’re wrecking my hard work.” Cross said his eyes glowing purple as dark energy radiated off of him seaming to suck in the light from his surroundings. Cross smiled showing off his large sharp teeth. This painted a truly demonic picture. Of a dark shadow cloaked monster with big teeth and glowing eyes. Making it all too clear that they weren’t facing a normal user or even a normal human. Unfortunately, his little show of force backfired. With other sins sensing him and rallying to what they assumed was a powerful sin going on a rampage. However, there was more than just sins out there and they too would take notice.

Deirdre Aurum a young commandment and a guardian elite of three years. She had been in the city when the sins broke through the wall but unfortunately, her gun was lost in customs. Thankfully though she had kept her sword with her. This sword was given to her by her grandfather. It held both great sentimental and monetary value. As the blade was made of a vibranium palatium mithril tungsten alloy. In short, the blade was worth a small fortune. It was then enhanced with magic by the best enchanters of the time. The blade was a masterwork in all but name and in her hand deadlier than a battalion of heavy mech platforms. However, that was more due to her skill level than the blade itself. A good example of this was the pile of five dead level three sins piled around her. She sighed as she ripped off a piece of the sin’s shirt and used the cloth to wipe her blade clean before sheathing it.

“Sin’s just why the fuck did it have to be fucking sins. Bastards just don’t know how to die.” She gasped, tensing as she felt a surge of dark energy.

(Ghost Rule (DECO*27) English Cover by Lollia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iroTL9Kw6fU )

“Shit that’s got to be one of the level twos.” Deirdre muttered under her breath. She placed a hand on her sword a faint golden glow forming around her. Before darting off at superhuman speed. When she finally arrived at the sight, she was confused, to say the least. She had found the source of the dark magic and it was a demonic shadowy office worker? Who was blowing up sins with what she could only guess was sonic blasts? The most confusing part was the shield of powerful dark magic protecting or maybe trapping a family in a car. Either way, she could sense its strength from where she was, and she doubted anything short of a tank or a personnel Mac gun could even scratch it. Her options were to either go after the sins or the nightmarish office worker. She knew she could handle the sins, but the office worker was an unknown and likely the greater threat. However, she couldn’t know if he was friend or foe. She sighed as if she misjudged her targets the family could die.

‘Dammit.’ She thought before she drew her sword. She’d behead the shadowy office worker then take out the sins and hope that she wasn’t beheading some dark magic user protecting his family or friends. She coated her blade in holey magic before shooting forward using her magic to warp the rules of reality. Freeing her from the effect of air drag and enhancing her speed. Allowing her to shoot forward at close to the speed of sound. She aimed her strike for the shadow's neck and.

“CLANG!!!” her golden blade bounced off the shadow's now shielded arm. She had done little more than put a gash in the shadow's arm and he wasn’t even bleeding.

“Nice try but I literally heard you coming a mile away now look out!!” He said before blasting a sin that had been sneaking up on her, but the surprising part was the attacker had been invisible. And as far as she could tell he hadn’t used any magic so he couldn’t have detected him by sensing a spell so how the hell had he detected him?

‘What the hell is going on here?’

“Look explanations can come later but for now just know that we share a common enemy now let’s kick these guys' butts.” Cross said before blasting another sin.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Deirdre shot forward leaving a trail of golden light in her wake. A magic circle appeared around the guard of her sword covering it in holey magic. Before she used it to slice open the gut of a sin who was charging at Crosse's back with a pipe that was arcing electricity. Only to have another sin try to return the favor by teleporting in behind her with a sword mere inches away from cutting off her head. However, right before he could do so. His head was slammed into the ground shattering the pavement by a single punch from Cross.

‘Holey shit that guy strong!’ Deirdre thought as she tried to get some room between her and Cross, but the sins weren’t letting her. Every time she’d push out the sins would force her back and often Cross would have to step in to help her. Strangely she couldn’t get a read on her newfound shadowy ally. All her instincts and training were screaming that he was a major threat, but his actions spoke otherwise. As he was continuously helping her.

‘Well, time to find out if he’s friend or foe.’ She thought as she cut the last sin down. Before spinning around ready to face him only to find him casually walking off. He dispelled his shadowy appearance as well as the shield over the car.

“Hey, what are you doing?! I won’t let you hurt those people!” Deirdre said as she tightened her grip on her sword.

“Relax I have no intention to hurt them. In fact, I’m out here doing my job in assisting in the evacuation. I’ve been out here making runs to the nearest survivor center. I was heading back to hunker down when I found them. Now if you excuse me, I’m going to go see if I can get the car running.” Cross said, waving her off flippantly before knocking on the driver's side window.

“See if you can’t pop the hood so I can take a look as it’s a bit of a walk to the shelter.” Seeing their weary gaze Cross pulled out his id. “Look I’m the city head restaurateur that makes me a city official. That means I’m one of the good guys. Now let's see what we have to work with.” He said as the father popped the hood. Unfortunately, it was bent so Cross had to pry it open and the rest of the car wasn’t in much better shape.

“Well, I got good news and bad news. The good news is I think I can get it running but how well and how long is a role of the dice. I’m going to have to use a quick fix but as said I can only guarantee, I’ll get it running. Machines aren’t exactly my specialty so we will have to see how this turns out. If you can get out, I’d recommend it. Miss commandment hear will protect you while I work.” Cross said soothingly, acting like he was leading one of his tours and something small had gone wrong. However, Cross knew this wouldn’t be that easy as he had to pry the wife’s door open for her.

Meanwhile, Deirdre was beyond baffled everything this man did confused her and clashed with everything she knew about sins. First was how calm and well reasonable he was. Hell, he was even nice. The few sins she had met before were raging foul vulgar brutes but this one was as far from the sins she knew as was possible. He just seemed so out of place here as the city crumbled and burned around him. He was a spotless pillar of, well, normality in this hellscape. On top of that, he was a city official as far as she knew no sin had held even an assistant level city position let alone an official one. Then there was how he seemed to be able to flip from beating down sins and ripping through metal with his bare hands. To gently bandaging up the wife’s leg and putting a band aid on their sun’s cheek from a first aid kit he’d seemed to have pulled out of no wear.

“This day just gets weirder and weirder.” She sighed under her breath as she did, she received yet another surprise. When Cross cast one of the most complex magic circles she had ever seen. That he cast by hand no less. The spell quickly restored the car to factory condition.

“It seems functional but not as clean as I’d like though. I still can’t get this spell to work quite right.” Cross sighed inspecting his handy work.

“Well, at least it’s running so let’s get going.” He said reequipping his skates before asking “Can you keep up Miss Commandment.”

“Yes, and it's Deirdre, not Miss commandment.” Deirdre complained.

“Whatever let’s get going.” Cross said before sprouting his claws pretending not to notice Deirdre going for her sword. It wasn’t important as Cross dug his claws into the car before knocking on the window.

“Drive on and head for the restoration center it’s an active shelter so you should be safe there.” Cross ordered getting a nod from the father who drove off dragging Cross along with them. This baffled Deirdre for a second before she darted off after them. The drive was thankfully uneventful. Unfortunately for Cross, when they tried to stop his claws tore free of the metal and before he could try and slow down, he slammed into the shield. Bouncing off with a groan before dropping to the ground spread eagle with a heavy thud that cracked the pavement.

“Jesus what in the nine rings are you made of?” Deirdre said as Cross picked himself up.

“Mostly Mithril and tungsten with a bit of Orichalcum and Adamantium.” Cross said simply and straight faced. Shocking Deirdre.

“You’re joking, right? Because I honestly can’t tell with you?” Deirdre said, eyeing Cross.

“No, I’m being quite literal. In fact, I’ve had the miss fortune of being told on several occasions that my skeleton alone would be worth a small fortune.” Cross said simply and straight faced as he looked up at her.

“Ok I’m probably going to regret asking this but why is that a bad thing.” Deirdre sighed.

“Because the people who told me that. then tried to remove it to sell it that’s why.” Cross said having to resist the erg to smile at her jaw dropped expression.

“Mister Cross!” Agnes said, rushing out to check on him.

“Urg I’m fine it will take more than a few low level sins to crack my armor.” Cross had groaned getting to his feet.

“Weight you’re an armor type? Bit small for that aren’t you?” Deirdre asked looking Cross over.

“Quality over quantity. I may not look it but I’m packing adaptive hyper dense multi level armor.” Cross said rolling his shoulder.

“Holy shit! what’s your level?”

“Three as far as I know.” That comment got a suspicious glare from Deirdre.

“What’s that supposed to mean as far as you know.” She said, reaching for her sword.

“I mean that’s what I got at my last ranking, but I have my doubts. As I took down another level three with ease.” Cross said with a shrug before taking a seat to assume his role as a guard.

“Well, that’s not too surprising. Rankings are meant more towards setting a value to your skill and strength with magic than anything else. For example, I’m a level five but I took out eight level threes thanks to my skill with a sword. I’ve seen you fight you got street skills, and you seem to actually know how to fight. Not like a street punk brawler or those brain dead, trained till they don’t know how to do anything but what they're trained to do, idiots. So why the hell are you working here in a stuffy place like this?” Deirdre asked gesturing to the restoration center.

“Well simply put. I like it here. I like fixing things. I like learning about our history and it’s as simple as that I guess.” Cross said with a shrug.

“You have got to be kidding me. Do you honestly expect me to believe that?” Deirdre groaned flippantly.

“Doesn’t matter what you believe. I let my actions speak for themselves self and I think they paint a clear enough picture.” Cross said simply as the two lapsed into silence. Letting time pass, as it did Cross got his headphones and armband P.P.C. back. He and Deirdre also got a meal in the form of emergency rations.

“Well, I’m going to take a nap.” Cross yawned

“Seriously how can you sleep we are literally in a warzone.” Deirdre groaned in disbelief.

“True but things seem to be calming down at least. There’s less gunfire so hopefully, in a few hours, this will all be over with, me and my coworkers will be busier than ever. So, I'm going to try and get a nap in while I still can.” Cross said flippantly as he tried to get comfortable only to shoot up a second later.

“We got incoming and one of them is really really big. I can’t believe I let them get this close without noticing. I guess that’s what I get for chatting.” Cross said pulling his headset on and hitting shuffle on his playlist before pausing it.

“Seal the gates now! We have to hurry!” Cross barked into the radio as the gates lowering into the ground sealing the entry into the building.

“You better get ready while we still have time.” Cross said, turning to Deirdre who just sighed getting up.

“Seals two through five releases.” Cross said as his energy surged forward leaking out of him. The dark energy formed a chest plate and gauntlets that fell away dispelling into a magic circle before vanishing. As his body shifted and his mutations became more prevalent. He grew half a foot as his arms lengthened and his hands enlarged. With large, armored knuckles and his fingers becoming claws. His teeth became more prevalent as the corners of his mouth stretched till they were nearly ear to ear. His tail lengthened to a long thin black cord tipped with a purplish silver arrow. Lastly, his small nub like horns grew up and back into a single arch.

“Wow ok, now you look like a sin.” Deirdre said both trying to lighten the mood and ease her shock at his transformation.

“Don’t get used to it,” Cross grunted before coughing up some blood.

“I mmmh I haven’t released enough seals to cause mutations this advanced in several years. I honestly forgot how painful it was.” Cross said trying to soothe the pain.

“You sure you’re going to be able to fight like that?” Deirdre asked seeing the blood.

“Yeah, just got to give my healing factor a minute to do its thing and I’ll be right as rain.” Cross said as a small explosion went off in the distance.

“If you insist, I doubt I could stop you. I mean my sword just bounced right off you which makes no sense after all.” Deirdre sighed drawing her sword as golden light coated the blade.

“Soooo any clue what we are up against?”

“I hear nine of them, fewer if one or more has more than two legs. One of them is really big and I’m guessing here but by how strong their dark aura is I’m going to say ether its all the remaining class threes or a class two. Maybe more than one if the rest aren’t particularly strong.” Cross said doing his best to sense there approaching foes.

“Well, that’s just great. Looks like this is gona be fun.” She said overly sarcastically.

“You have a very strange sense of what’s fun.” Cross said with a completely straight face.

“You know I was being sarcastic right?” she sighed.

“I know but I’ve been told that my sense of sense of humor is a little too well literal.” Cross said with a chuckle.

“That said though my point still stands.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean.” Deirdre groaned, making Cross chuckle some more.

“I’ll tell you what. If we make it out of this, I’ll tell you.” Cross said as the building Infront of them collapsed.

“Oh, come on!! Do you have any idea who’s going to have to fix that later.” Cross groaned as Deirdre gave him a are you serious look.

“Come on my department is underfunded understaffed and overworked! We work miracles every other week to meet deadlines and this is just throwing our hard work into the toilet!!” Cross said showing the first bit of genuine anger Deirdre had seen him display since she had met him.

“Ok ok but this is not the time. Focus on the fight at hand or at the very least take your anger out on them not me.” Deirdre said, trying to be diplomatic.

“Fine!” Cross sighed as the group of sins finally made their way over the rubble.

“Do you think they realize it would have been faster to go around.? Cross asked sounding annoyed.

“Probably not but let’s face it if they were in any way intelligent, they wouldn’t be here doing this.” Deirdre sighed in resignation.

“True.” Cross said not taking his eyes off the approaching group reminding Deirdre of a griffin or drake the way his slitted pupils tracked his opponents. No opponents was the wrong word opponent meant you had to see the ones you were fighting against as something more than a simple target to be taken down. Or something that could fight against you relatively well, but the way Cross was watching them reminded her of a predator watching its prey. Witch was rather worrying as who the hell looked at three stories tall level two Goliathan of a sin as their prey. Fortunately, Cross’s prediction was slightly off it was most of the remaining level Threes but the thing he got wrong was the number of sins. One of the sin's lower half of his body was that of a bear almost like a centaur and another sin resembled a mutant human crab hybrid with six blade like crab legs. so, there were five sins instead of nine like Cross had originally assumed.

Okay, I’m better in one on one fights so I’ll keep the big guy busy. I assume you can handle the others but if you need a blast just call out, I have my headset now so I’m not as limited as I was before.” Cross said cracking his knuckles.

“How can a headset give you any notable power boost?” Deirdre asked, wondering how the sins hadn’t noticed them yet.

“The same way your sword helps you. Music maybe an unconventional weapon but it suits me just fine.” Cross said hitting play on his player.

(Run Around by Jasan Radford https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef7ZCP2XiAU )

As the first bars started to play Cross nodded his head along to the rhythm. His outline blurred Cross’s body started to resonate like a speaker, his music playing for all to hear. Finally catching the attention of the other sins. Right as the first lyric of the song played Cross shot forward using an extremely powerful blast of sound leaving a large crater in the pavement. Cross crashed into the giant sin with a full body tackle sending the giant stumbling back crashing into the pile of rubble as his lackeys scrambled out of the way not wanting to be crushed underfoot. The giant groaned as he looked down at Cross who was walking up his chest towards his face. As he walked, Cross finally got a good look at his opponent. The guy wasn’t too pretty to look at. He had two bore like tusks and small hole like nostrils and five eyes, well that Cross could see at least. Two in the normal location, one in the middle of his forehead and two on his neck beneath his ear with presumably if he had more on the back of his head. He had a big broad shoulder build and despite his sizable potbelly, he had large muscular arms that hung down to his knees. All and all minus the eyes and skin color and this guy could pass as a rather large troll. Well, a true troll, not a magic born one as some magic born’s could be born with mutations that resembled humanoid monsters. Though they looked next to nothing like their monster counterparts. This thought kind of disturbed Cross because if sins truly become more monstrous the stronger, they become. Where was the point, they stopped being more man than monster? Cross shook his head this wasn’t the time to get lost in his own head. He just barely noticed the massive hand coming at him in time to blast it with a sonic blast knocking it away and knocking him off the giant. He had to focus he had only gotten distracted for a few seconds, and it had almost cost him severely. Cross grunted getting to his feet as his opponent did the same cross really needed to keep him from moving around. This fight was going to be a pain as long as the big guy was mobile. Despite both of them being mostly melee fighters Cross had a much shorter range due to their difference in size. Cross raised his leg before stomping it into the ground sending out a pulse of kinetic energy into the ground knocking over most of the sins along with Deirdre.

“Hey, I’m on your side!” Deirdre shouted levitating herself to her feet.

“Sorry was trying to knock over the big guy.” Cross said as he knocked over the off balance giant with another sound blast. Though not as successful as last time but Cross wasn't going to waste this opportunity. He poured magic into the spells on his shoes that lessened his weight before stomping his foot releasing another concussive blast down word this time launching Cross into the air. Right before he shot over his opponent. He canceled the spell in its entirety regaining his full weight and dropped like a stone onto the monstrous sin smashing him into the ground with a sickening crunch. That would have had Crossed wondering if he was even still alive if it wasn't for the fact that sins became much harder to kill the higher level they were and they were already stupidly hard to kill to begin with. Deirdre on the other hand seemed to have no issue with killing her opponents as she beheaded the last of the attacking sins.

“What in the nine rings of hell what was that?!” Deirdre asked as Cross climbed out of the crater he had just made.

“In short, a miniature version of a hammer strike or ballistic missile. Essentially you raise a heavy object into the air and let it drop. Simple but highly effective.” Cross said simply as he started to approach her. Only to be grabbed by the sin he had thought he had just defeated.

“OK punk I'll give it to you that last one hurt, but you should have finished me off when you had the chance.” The giant said before smashing Cross repeatedly into the pavement shattering it. Deirdre tried to help him only for the giant to use Cross as a weapon against her. Batting her away like a baseball. She only just managed to slow her flight by removing her jacket revealing her one wing before she collided with the shield. She pressed off against the shield and shot back at the giant. Only to have to dodge midair as he flung Cross at her like a baseball. Cross hit the shield before bouncing off and into a building causing it to crumble down on top of him. The shield flickered for half a second sparks flying from a few of the projectors, but it managed to hold.

“Shit!! Cross!!!” Deirdre shouted before having to dodge out of the way of the giant’s fist. Annoyingly he wasn’t as slow as his size would suggest but then again, she could actually fly. All she needed to do was turn it up a little her body began to glow with golden energy. She shot forward her blade sinking into the flesh of the giant Unfortunately due to the giant’s thick skin and size she was only able to give him a small cut.

“Damnit are we really doing the death by a thousand cuts shit right now!” She shouted in annoyance before the glow surrounding her grew even brighter. The next second a trail of golden light could be seen shooting around the giant as slash wounds appeared all over his body. She found it annoying that she couldn't actually climb the giant. As the one time she had tried, her feet began to ache from the contact of dark magic even through the rubber soles of her shoes. This guy was leaking the stuff to the point she could almost physically see it. She wondered if he was just that poorly trained in control or he was trying to form some form of protective barrier. Whatever the reason, it was starting to make her very sick. Deirdre used the last of her speed to get as far away from the giant as she could only just managing to make it to the shield bubble. Before she had to lean on her sword to keep upright bent over and preceded to throw up. The dark magic coming from her opponent had done little to protect him from her, but he had managed to poison her. At this point she couldn't keep fighting as she realized just how sick she was as her vision started to blur, but as if on cue her surprise partner tagged back in.

The building exploded with a concussive shockwave sending a mountain of rubble into the giant like a shotgun blast as Cross stumbled out. His suit was torn to shreds to the point that most of his upper body was exposed. His skin hadn't fared much better like his suit, it had been torn away only unlike the suit that instantly started to knit itself back together again it wasn't growing back anytime soon. When the suit had reformed it gave Cross the disturbing appearance of a demon in a suit and tie. The only part of it that even remotely looked human was the right half of Cross his face that had somehow survived but nevertheless, this put Crosse's second level of defense on full display for all to see. He had black with dark purple accented scales and small spines that covered his lower chin and arms this gave his demonic form a look that almost resembled a fantasy anime suit of armor with a mix of draconic and demonic elements.

Cross let out a low menacing growl as he looked between the scratched up giant and his now sickly commandment ally. With a flick a Cross his wrist, a magic circle appeared on the ground in front of Deirdre before a barely noticeable bubble surrounded her. The spell confused her at first because it seemed to block out all sound but the reason as to why would be made clear very shortly. Cross leaned his head back inhaling heavily, he seemed almost to expand like a bellows, and with his new almost draconic look she was honestly expecting him to breathe fire or something but instead of fire when he released his attack it was sound. Pure unadulterated kinetic force focused in a Direct Line of fire as giga tons of raw kinetic energy slammed into the gigantic form of the sin, as one powerful bellowing roar. Nearby buildings crumbled and anyone who was not wearing severely heavy duty hearing protection in the surrounding area was most certainly deafened. As the distortion waves from the blast were so intense, they could be physically seen making the air completely unbreathable for the few seconds that the attack raged on. However, in those few seconds Cross had done more damage than an artillery strike. Unfortunately, it still wasn't enough Cross fell to his knees coughing. He had pretty much wrecked his vocal cords with that last move if it wasn't for his healing factor, he would have probably been rendered mute. Also, he was pretty sure his lungs were not meant to expand like that. That would also explain why he was having a lot of trouble with breathing. Cross coughed and wheezed trying not to choke on his own blood. He spat a glob of blood onto the ground as he got to his feet.

A few minutes later he started to limp over to Deirdre to check to see if she was ok.

Only to fail to notice when the giant started to get back up to his feet. Cross guessed he really shouldn't be surprised. The giant had to be a level two and Cross knew the higher the level the higher the difference between them, but he had hit this guy with two artillery level moves. His second to which had destroyed over half a city block and probably deafened both him and the other sin. He guessed this is what others felt like when they claimed that he needed to just learn when to stay down. Well, Cross couldn't keep this up all day he could continue for now to throw big attacks at the guy, but he was running out of original ideas for them, and it didn't help that the big guy was strong enough to throw him around like a rag doll. At this point, it was just going to devolve into a slugfest not really something he could afford. Though he guessed if he could hold out long enough the cavalry would come but then they probably shoot him as well. Cross just sighed and decided he'd use his last big move before using his trump card. He still had more seals that he could release if he could not outlast, he would simply overwhelm with sheer strength alone. Cross really didn't like using this move his entire body began to vibrate essentially, he turned his entire body into a vibroblade. This was a surprisingly deadly move, but it wreaked absolute havoc on his joints he'd be sore for a while after. Unfortunately, before he could take a step towards his opponent a sin on a nearby building struck Cross with lightning, he would have screamed if he was capable.

Electricity was one of Cross’s biggest weaknesses. As his body contained large amounts of metals. Metals that would not only carry the current but would heat up due to induction. Thankfully the shock was a short one and his healing factor was already going to work on the damage. It would slow him down but only for a few minutes. He was just thankful that whoever hit him with that couldn't keep up a continuous burst or he would have been cooked in his own shell like a lobster. Cross shook off the shock and looked around where he had only a few seconds ago been dealing with a one on one fight he now found himself surrounded by a group of eight and if his senses weren't lying more were on the way. Cross quickly swung up his hand aiming at the one that had just shot him, letting loose a powerful Sonic blast and sending him crashing into a nearby building. He just really hoped he stayed down. Cross turned to his next opponent or opponents as she they? Had two heads, four arms, two tails, and if he wasn’t wrong four breasts, with lizard like features.

‘An odd pair.’ Cross thought but he didn’t have the luxury of time to ponder it. Cross aimed for the center of mass and let loose a sonic blast sending them/she flying into a nearby building.

As he turned to his next opponent or well next three. As three sins each armed with makeshift weapons approached him. Only for the unlucky trio to meet the same fate as his last opponent.

Cross could have kept up this pace all day, but he wasn’t so lucky. As he blasted away his ninth sin well ninth one that stayed down, he had to dodge out of the way of the giant when he slammed his foot down where Cross had just been standing. Cross gritted his teeth and raised his hand to fire off a Sonic blast but to his surprise instead of a concussive wave of sound a burst of fire shot from his hand. It did little more than startle the giant for a few seconds, but it at least bought time for Cross to get some distance from the giant.

Cross took a second to glance at his hand that wasn't a combat spell. That was an ability but that wasn't his ability he manipulated sound not generated fire. Cross raised the same hand aiming for the next sin that charged at him attempting to recreate the fire. Only for it to get blasted away with a sonic blast sending the unfortunate sin rocketing into and then through a wall.

'Whoops.' Cross thought as the building collapsed.

"Fuck this shit!" The giant grumbled as he patted out the last of the flames. He placed his hand on the ground, his ability was to fully control his mana and even project it outside his body as a type of aura. He had used this to forcefully increase his ether absorption rate and to adapt his body to have a huge mana reservoir artificially mutating himself into his giant form and increasing his rank.

Due to this, he didn't have a lot of experience with fighting outside of using brute force something his opponent seemed to have a high resistance to, but he still had a few tricks up his sleeve. It wouldn't be as effective as it had been on the commandment, but he just needed to slow him down. A dark aura poured out of him down his arm and across the ground to his distracted opponent. At first, he planned to drain his opponent’s mana while ejecting his own to cause some internal damage, but he couldn't get it in. Some powerful magic kept him out it was as if someone extremely powerful was suppressing the bastard’s magic. Which made absolutely no sense as he was clearly still using magic with little choice left, he encased Cross in his aura. Cross was too strong to outright contain or trap, but he could slow cross down for a few seconds and that was all he really needed. The moment Cross was restrained four sins grabbed Cross while two more started beating on him. The giant knew they wouldn't hold him long, so he would have to hurry. He cut his connection to the aura he had used to trap Cross. As soon as Cross stopped feeling the effect of the aura, he exploded with sound sending the sins on him flying.

"What the?! Oh, crud!!" Was all Cross could say before the giant literally had piledriver him into the ground, but the giant wasn’t done yet. He wasn’t going to stop till he was sure Cross was dead as he punched him over and over each punch caused the crater to grow. Though after five minutes the giant stopped, panting heavily, and examined his bloody fist.

While Cross lay in the crater half submerged in a pool of blood, yellowish shock absorbing liquid that was part of his multilayered armor, and thick purple condensed mana. Most of the blood was from the giant’s bloody fist. Not to say Cross wasn't in bad shape, his right arm was shattered, and he could see a large piece of one of his armor plates poking out of his chest and judging by how much it hurt to breathe it was likely piercing his lung. He couldn't see or feel his legs if they were even still there either way, he was definitely in no shape to continue fighting. He could do little more than lay there hoping the shield held tell help arrived, that was until the giant grabbed him picking him up.

“Damn you still with us you bastard? Yeah, yeah, I can see your eye moving you're still with us. Damn I don't know what you're made of I can rip a car in two without any effort but whatever you are made of is far sterner stuff. Well before I finish the job, I think you might enjoy a little show.” He said turning Cross to look at Deirdre two sins were holding her up while a third held a knife in front of her.

“Now normally we'd have a little fun with her but well she's a commandment that would be far too painful for even these poor bastards. So, we'll just cut her up a bit and well she ain't got much life left in her anyways. I injected her with enough dark magic to kill someone twice her size so.” However, before the giant could continue a dark low growl echoed and he felt a chill run up his arm.

As dark magic, pure dark magic bled from Cross unlike its usual dark purple color this only had the vaguest hint of it at the very edges due to just how condensed it was. If it wasn't for that sliver of purple the giant would have thought, it was shadow magic. Where dark magic was the lack of light shadow magic was its absence, in other words, it was pure dark all consuming chaos, and this magic was so condensed it could easily be mistaken for shadow magic. The giant hand ached as his own element burned him something he didn't think was possible.

“Wha what a AAAAAAHH!” The giant started to say before letting out a bellowing scream. As mere seconds before Cross had lifted his head back, his mouth opening almost impossibly wide. To reveal large sharp dark purple alloy teeth far larger and sharper than what he usually sported. Then using the only weapon, he had left a bit clean through the giant’s finger. The giant recoiled throwing Cross into another building, what little of it was left standing collapsed on top of him. As the giant tried desperately to save his hand from dark magic as black as shadow that not only ate away at his arm but to his horror, it attacked his open wound making it fester as if it was infected. If that wasn't bad enough it was spreading up his arm despite his best efforts and trying to use his aura to stop the flow. This wasn't a spell like any he had ever seen hell he wasn't even sure if it was really magic. It had seemed almost as if Cross’s malicious anger had manifested from his sheer will and desire to hurt his opponent for what he had done.

Meanwhile, where Cross had been thrown into the rubble. He had unintentionally swallowed the bit of finger that had been in his mouth. As an act of desperation Cross still barely conscious uttered. “Seals one through ten releases.”

A massive surge in dark magic flowed through his body accelerating his healing factor as his body mutated. For you see, unlike other sins Cross’s body only took in what made him stronger. Every ounce of abuse, every beatdown, every moment he had suffered over his life had been used to forge his body stronger than before, and the giant had just given him while crude a useful new tool. As his body rapidly broke down, analyzed and improved the giant’s DNA integrating his mutations into Cross’s own. Unlike last time when Cross had burst out shooting rubble like a shotgun the pile of rubble simply seemed to grow and grow until Cross emerged from it. Cross was slow to get to his feet, not used to his new form he was now a towering behemoth covered head to toe in armor plates. The body type was now closer to that of a gorilla as he was forced to walk on all fours but in exchange, he now had massive, spiked shield like arms that also clearly packed a huge amount of muscle to complement his new armor. The oddest part where the four vent like holes in the arm three smaller ones near the elbow and a larger one near the wrist. Spikes grew from his armored shoulders the entire body was covered in what looked like black insectoid plate mail. Where the plates didn't cover a draconic scale like mesh could be seen. Under his two massive arms were two small arms clearly not as powerful but meant to be more dexterous than strong. His face had become similar to that of an armored earth dragon with more angular features and a narrow shaped forehead designed for ramming. Along the new angular position of his face, he had six purple slitted eyes. His lower jaw could now split into two, he had gill like ports running down from his neck to his lower back. Lastly, the most notable feature was the arch like set of horns on the back of Cross’s head had grown into a large ring almost resembling a Halo, that glowed an ethereal purplish silver and almost seemed to leave afterimages when he shook his head.

Cross’s twin jaws opened and even without his Sonic powers. Cross roared at a decimal that was almost deafening while standing up on his hind legs to make himself look bigger in an almost bestial challenge. He was shorter than the giant only coming up to its chin but despite this everyone including the giant was gripped with fear at the monster that stood before them. A massive black flash shot forward faster than something that size should have been able to move. Cross leapt forward clearing the distance in less than a second, the ground behind him exploding from the sheer force of his jump. The giant was sent skidding backward’s into what was left of the large building they had destroyed when they first arrived. The impact cratering the rubble seemingly leaving the giant sitting on a throne of the stuff. The giant’s chest had been clearly caved in from that one punch but like all sins the giant didn't know when to die. Oh, he knew he was going to die as unlike Cross he possessed a very weak healing factor, and he was not going to come back from having his insides turned into a red paste like Cross. Instead, he used his aura to start absorbing ether from the atmosphere. Fine particles of blue condensed around him before being absorbed. If he had any chance of surviving this or at the very least continuing the fight, he was going to do it by furthering his mutations. The giant chest cavity seemed to burst open as new bone like plates took the place where his ribs had once been his guts spilled only to start growing back though not quite properly. He just continued to focus on absorbing more and more ether he was either going to evolve or build up so much ether inside him his body would detonate. Taking the center and probably several miles with him. The spell that had protected Deirdre sparked back to life trapping her and her barely conscious assailants in the soundproof bubble. The ports on crosses back opened up air flowing in blue particles of aether energy forming and being sucked in as well. Cross’s jaw unhinged opening seemingly impossibly wide as all four arms embedded themselves in the earth. At that moment it clicked in Deirdre’s head Cross looked like an artillery emplacement. He was a living Sonic cannon charging to fire meanwhile the giant was glowing a dark blue. He already had a massive maniple and since he couldn't really use magic and his ability didn't cost that much, he still had most of his own magic intact. The sheer unadulterated amounts of magic a level two sin had was fully recharged in a matter of seconds before being surpassed and then pushed to its limit. His body was becoming unstable it was looking less and less likely he would evolve and more and more likely he'd just detonate on the scale of a small nuclear warhead. In the end, it really came down to which would go off first as two literal living weapons bared their fangs at each other for a final attack. Would it be the bomb or the Canon Just as the giant reached critical mass and detonated Cross fired with sheer kinetic energy that could have leveled miles of the city and blew out the giant’s detonation like a candle with the sheer kinetic force of a building size living Sonic cannon. Cross only fired for half a second and in that half a second five miles ceased to exist leaving only a massive scar that shockingly seemed to start to heal itself.

Cross coughed and bloodshot out of the ports on his back and from his mouth. He struggled to breathe, not used to his strange new form as spikes started to grow all over his body. His large fingers became more like talents as his body continued to twist and change.

“Damn, it Cross get ahold of yourself, man!” The center's director shouted over the intercom.

“You haven't come this far to go monster on us now, have you? Or was all you said about making a better future for not only you but sins and all magic born’s for not?! Even if it was just a little! now get your arss in gear boy! we still got a hell of a lot of work to do! This city ant going to fix itself! Now stop lying around and get to it!!!!” The director shouted in anger. The normally calm and quiet man had suddenly become absolutely furious and whatever he had done seemed to have worked. As Cross lifted his head and slammed it into the ground hard enough to make a massive crater. He then proceeded to do this three more times before he shook his head and collapsed.

The spikes seemed to recede as his plates became more blunt and rounded. His talents turned back into fingerlike claws, and he seemed to shrink though he was nowhere near returning to his normal size. He shrunk back down till he was smaller than he was when he had first emerged from the rubble. This gave him a more streamlined and tanky look as Cross just lay there panting, the sheer exhaustion from the fight finally catching up to him. He wasn’t going to pass out, but he wasn’t far off, and the weird decentralized respiratory system wasn’t helping. As he had no idea how it worked, to say he was struggling was an understatement but after several minutes he figured it out, mostly. He was still trying to get the rhythm down and closing and locking his jaw helped. Turns out he couldn’t keep his jaws shut without having them slide back into his head locking in so they couldn’t be opened without sliding it forward again. When he did, he found the twin jaws awkward to use as he tried to speak the command to restore the seal. He had no clue if the seals would do anything to his current state, but he needed to try it at least it would partly revert the change, but he couldn’t say anything.

"Cross! Are you ok?!" Agnes said, having finally got the shield’s door to open. Cross tried to reply but the best he could make were small grunts and groans that was until he locked his jaw again.

“oooorfgf cooomr hmm weegght weight, oh so that's how I do this.” Cross said talking through the ports on the back of his neck.

“Do what? What are you talking about?” Agnes said a little thrown off by his response.

“Talk, It would seem I have to talk using these weird gill port things.” Cross explained while Agnes curiously began to inspect her boss's new form.

“It feels a bit weird like trying to talk through your nose. Well regardless, seals ten through one restore.” Cross said re-engaging the seals. Visually the seals resemble chains that wrapped themselves around his body locked together by magical circles before fading away. Revealing a now in pain Cross. Who was greatly regretting not starting with a smaller number. As his body was screaming at him sin’s. bodies needed mana to maintain their mutated forms and apparently, his larger form required more to fuel it than his normal one.

“Seals one through five release.” Cross groaned as the seals released the increase of mana in his system quickly easing the pain. It wasn't enough but Cross didn't want to maintain this form, he wanted to change back as much as possible so perhaps starving it was the best way to do that.

“Cross what just happened are you OK?” Agnes asked the moment she realized he was in pain.

“Yeah, just tried to reactivate the seals too quickly. I'm trying to regain my previous form so I’m trying to change back by limiting the ether supply in my system. I tried to fully restore the seals, but my body quickly began to break down because it did not have enough energy to maintain even basic functions. So, I'm still in a fair bit of pain here but I ain't dying.” Cross groaned in mild pain.

“Anyways enough about me you really should go check on the commandment. She looks like she's in pretty rough shape.”

“All right, I’ll go check on her and make sure she's OK. Just stay here and rest. Tonight's been enough of a nightmare we don't need you in any worse shape than you already are.” Agnes said heading off to check on Deirdre with two more evacuees to help her. They quickly learned that the young commandment was not so easily swayed. As for once her low ether capacity was a blessing due to the earlier fighting and the amount of mana, she spent trying to take down the giant. She had all but depleted her ether reserves and she was actively using what she had left. While she had a fair amount of dark magic in her system, she was slowly purifying it with the spell from a small charm. There hadn't been enough holy magic in her system to kill her though it wasn't far off. Though she felt like absolute beaten shit at the moment, but she’d live.

“I told you already I'm fine I just need a minute to let the charm do its trick.” She groaned as they moved her to the door though she refused to go in. She only managed to convince them to leave her there when she explained she was the only one who would be able to inform friendly military forces that Cross wasn't one of the attackers and keep them from shooting at Cross. Though Agnes seemed extremely outraged that they would shoot at someone who had defended them and to some extent defended the entire city. Cross in her mind had more than earned the right to call himself one of the city's greatest defenders. But she also knew he was a sin and at the moment a very monstrous one as well. Even if the city hadn't been just attacked by them he would have been viewed with suspicion. It was with that thought she went inside to get some rest.

Deirdre’s eyes shot open close to two hours later. Her head ached, and as much as she wished to slip back into the realm of unconsciousness, at the moment it was a luxury she couldn’t afford. She forced herself to her feet, a task not made any easier when the ground shook from another mighty explosion.

Her grogginess’ was washed away a second later at the sight before her. As the majority of the upper city fell away along with half of the reactor cooling tower It was bolted into. Alarms in the restoration center flared though different than the emergency alarms she had heard earlier. She would later find out that they were emergency alarms for the restaurateurs. Whenever some key component or section of the main system would break down restaurateurs were called upon similar to the fire department or other services. This caused the restaurateurs to scuttle out of the building. Only to have to rush back in just before the dust wave from the following buildings rolled over the city. Cross just sat there watching it all fall, most of the reactor was nothing but machinery it could be rebuilt but the city's heart was a piece of arcane living machinery if it was damaged it could not be rebuilt. There had been several attempts to make more city hearts after the first three of the flying cities had been built Before the second collapse. After the second collapse, survivors tried to use it to power terraformers to restore the planet but despite their best efforts, they couldn't fully recreate the miracle that was a city heart. By the time the first twelve had been finished, they finally realized the consequences of their imperfect re-creations and had left half a continent a magic list lifeless void. That was still technically slowly expanding as it sucked the ether out of all living things as the surrounding area tried to regain a positive ether value. It had slowed down in recent years because of this there were only thirteen main cities The twelve available reactors were built at strategic locations and set to work. The last city was the only survivor of the original three and would move around the world heading to wherever it was most likely needed. Acting is a mobile supply and defense base for the other twelve.

Cross more felt than heard the bellowing whale of the injured city heart.

“Damn it.” The director swore looking up at what was left of the cooling tower, his heart sinking at the site.

“Even after all this we still lose the city.” Another restaurateur said.

“What I thought you restaurateur guys could fix just about anything? Between that and the Iron Crown Engineering Corps, I'm sure we can have the reactor back up and running in no time.” One of the civilians said.

“Restoration magic doesn't work on a city heart. The few times we've been able to actually do anything for one of them required us to perform several unison casts along with healing spells and then it was just minor wear and tear. If it's actually wounded or worse dies, I don't know if there's any way it could be fixed.” As if in response to his words the lights flickered before the entire city went dark, the only light coming from the shield dome which was now running on backup power.

However, darkness only rained for a few seconds before moats of blue and purple began to light up the darkened city. As magic leaked from crosses wounded body, he rose to his feet a magic circle began to flicker to life around him.

“Hey, what's he up to now?” Deirdre wondered aloud at the sight while the director just looked confused.

“I don't know I don't recognize that magic type.” The director said.

“Cross’s mostly self taught. He more or less had to reinvent the spells he knows. That's why his spells have odd aftereffects or bonuses to them. He couldn’t learn the basic spell formula because it's illegal for him to own a proper magic spell book. He could be taught by an individual, yes, but most of the time he has to figure out the spell formula on his own. This has led to him actually trying to invent certain spells for certain scenarios but this, this is just wow it's just something else.” Sergei said looking around in shock as the spell continued to grow and grow and grow.

Multiple spell circles started popping up forming into gear like patterns all the units working in unison. The spell continued to expand surging over the courtyard forming on top of the shield and surrounding buildings. Before entire sections compounded into smaller magical circles. The cycle continued every so often when the grouping of magic circles grew too big or was complete. It would be compressed into a smaller circle and the cycle would be repeated. Circles within circles within circles but even the surrounding area wasn't enough soon they started to form in midair like holograms. More and more and more and more formed. The complexity of its conversion was growing even more, making it look more and more mechanical. Almost like a machine assembling itself as gear like magic circles shifted turned and pulled together realigning to forming a massive tower of gears around Cross. But it was what came next that made Sergei blood run cold.

“Emergency override ACF Omega mega Chimera 422 niner Liliana! Access code as a martyr as a victim as a hero as a villain I have seen the paths before me and now I am choosing to forge my own!! Seals emergency full release!!!” The explosion of magic would have knocked them all on their rears if it hadn't been contained by the tower that creaked and grown as it made its ever vigilant climb higher and higher. It wasn’t long before finally, it was even with where the cooling tower once stood reigning above all others in the city with one final shift the magic circles combined as thirty two solid purple rings formed around the tower and then Cross spoke.

“Gears that grind and turn with time I call you forth in this time. Gears that grind and turn with time I make this sacrifice knowing my crime. Gears that grind in turn with time grant me one wish at this time. In this our darkest hours once more grant me power grant me strength. Gears that grind and turn with time slow and grown and hold back time gears that grind and turn with time acquiesce and undo the hands of time!!” With that final word, the tower sprung to life magic poured into the very atmosphere people rushed behind the shield lest they be ripped apart by its power. The tower groaned and creaked as Cross's body bled magic as it mutated and deformed power poured from him in unimaginable ways but to their horror shock and then delight. Bits of rubble began to move shifting back into place buildings rose twisted hulks of cars were restored to pristine condition. As the purple light flowed from the tower the city seemed to spring back to life. Though unknown to those in the shield, unknown to all but the few who experienced it the dead breathed again but this was not the point of the spell. This was not its true purpose and the tower groaned under its weight. It hadn’t even begun its task and yet it threatened to falter.

“Gears that grind then turn with time grant me strength this one last time! I know what I have done I know my crime and will pay with mine but grant me strength just this one time!” Cross continued to chant as the tower seemed to spring to life anew.

The area of effect continued to grow until it finally reached the tower. Massive chunks of the cooling towers and inner city sprung back into place. People throughout the city watched on in shock while the people in the Dome watched on in horror as cracks shot through Cross’s body.

For you can only bend the walls of reality so far before they'll snap back at you and Cross was coming ever closer to breaking one of those rules. While not true time travel the manipulation of time was truly forbidden by the fundamental laws of magic itself. Cross was just progressing an item back in its point in time but even doing so was a huge infraction. Cross screamed, blood did not leak from the cracks as they spread through his body as if it were porcelain. Shattering or sometimes referred to as the break is what it was called when one bent the laws of reality too far or drew upon magic, they did not have the rights or strength to control. They would fracture and shatter and break like porcelain or glass. These wounds could not be healed or mended. The only way to fix it was if they had the ability to regrow the body part in its entirety and then remove what was broken. Cross's Titanic form exploded and the man that was left underneath looked more like a burnt out black crystal than human. Hundreds of cracks ran through him but magic poured through every break and fracture. He knew he was going burn out he knew he was going to die yet he was not going to stop until the spell finished.

“Gears that grind in turn with time I now face my crime for this strength I offer mine gears that grind now turn back the hands of time!” Cross let out one last chant and the tower surged with energy for half a second desperate to finish its task. Before it too shattered under the weight. The city was silent for only a few seconds before with a roar the city heart, beat anew. A massive surge of blue ether particles shot from the cooling tower. While the city thrummed back to life power turned back on. A large portion of the city looked as if the fighting had never happened, all that had been touched by Cross’s power had been restored to a pristine condition. No dirt, no grime no damage those who have been hurt wounded or left dying now were able to stand without a mark on them. However, in the center where the tower once stood a blackened charred husk of crystal shattered into a pile of dust and fragments. Agnes wept, Deirdre looked on in horror many just tried to process what happened and as the city cheered those who knew the truth wept for the loss. Hours later Deirdre was to be recovered by the military but before she left she, Sergei and Agnes went to pay their respects to Cross.

“I I can't believe he's gone.” Agnes wept.

“I can hardly believe it either he, he was a good man.” Sergei said.

“Yeah, he was…… but you know since he was a sin and all he, he probably won't get the credit he's due.” Deirdre said pulling a pin off her jacket and held it out to Sergei. Who realized it was some sort of recording device.

“See to it he gets what he deserves.” She said simply before he clenched the pin in his hand looked her in the eye and nodded. She started to walk off when she felt it, a fluctuation of dark magic she turned back to the piles of ash to her shock something moved. Then seeing her expression, the others looked over. Agnes shot to the pile digging through it only to unearth something that the others dared not believe. Buried at the bottom of the pile burning purple cracked and scarred but still functioning was a beating heart. “Medic.” Deirdre said just barely above a whisper knowing that there was one in the group that had come to pick her up “Medic!!!” She shouted running to get the man.

Wrecker omake: On Wrecker's corner stage wrecker was typing away at his computer.

“Hey, I know it’s been a while, especially for this story but I’ve been keeping busy and fully intend to finish this and my other stories. Now just a few small notes life’s been rough for a lot of us this year and I’ve been experimenting with how a prioritize what I’m writing I’m hoping it will speed things up. I know I’ve said that before, but testing takes time and more over ideas and this one is working better than any I’ve tried before. Next, I’m now posting on royal road the same name as always. That’s all for now well till next time this is wrecker signing off.”