KIN

Lights were flickering from a jukebox, which most likely hadn't been in use for years. This was not that kind of bar after all, it did add to the bar's run down feel, as if the whole town didn't already suffer from that misguided sense of style.

Kin sighed, not that anybody chose to live like this, he thought to himself. He took the last swig of his glass of horrid whiskey and asked for a refill, the bartender did as he was asked, without a single word being exchanged.

Kin sipped his glass this time, he leered over at the two only other men in the bar, they had been very silent ever since he had sat down, and sure enough they were staring at him. Kin wasn't surprised, it was obvious he wasn't like them, normally he wouldn't care but they had been drinking, and a drunk man with nothing to lose is very unpredictable. Kin sipped again and thought lets just hope they have a daughter or something, but better to be safe than sorry.

Kin opened a leather pouch that was mounted to his belt and fished out eight rings which looked to be made of ivory, he put them all on so only his thumbs were bare. The bartender looked over at him, Kin put up his hands as to say that he was not up to anything.

Well I have overstayed my welcome anyways, he thought, drank the rest of his whiskey, winced and paid his bill. He took off his oversized jacket to expose eight gold looking balls mounted on his arms. They were placed in a weird looking line and seemed to be buried in his skin, four on each arm, exposing for sure to the men that he in fact was what they thought he was. A remnant of the past, often referred to as an outsider, Kin was not a normal human he was born different, cursed by the devil himself, all outsiders were born with powers from the deepest pits of hell.

The two men got up and blocked the only exit. They didn't say anything. The hatred towards outsiders had become so deeply ingrained in people, it no longer needed to be expressed. Kin put his jacket on the table he stretched to crack his back and got ready for a fight.

The men both had bats, they were idiots filled with blind fury, not being able to understand their imminent death, everyone knew fighting an outsider without an army was useless. As they began moving Kin touched one of the balls on his left arm with the ring on his right ring finger, he pulled a chain between the ball and the ring out of nothing, when the chain got to his desired length, the ball fell off his arm and hit the floor with a clunk.

The men looked at the ball, it didn't look all that dangerous to them, they both moved undeterred towards Kin, one aimed for a pillar for protection as the other closed in on Kin. Kin didn't move, he just began swinging the ball beside him, getting it to move faster and faster. As soon as the man got close enough Kin swung the ball towards him, but the man saw it coming, he hit the ball back with his bat. The ball flew directly towards Kin’s head, Kin dodged it, but as the ball flew backwards it pulled his arm with it, but he effortlessly swung it back. the ball was coming from above this time, the man was ready for it and went to swing it towards Kin’s head again.

But this time that wouldn't work, the bat snapped as soon as the ball touched it. The only thing the man experienced before his skull was crushed, was the splinters burying themselves in his face.

Kin pulled the ball back with all his might, he had been overdoing it a little, but he needed the weight to finish of the last one, who at this point was hiding up against the pillar. After pulling the ball back, he extended the chain enough for the ball to smash into the wall behind him, by now Kin was in full fighting stance, legs wide and knees bent, he needed to put everything into the last blow.

He tightened his muscle and pulled the ball with everything he had, and swung it through the room, it graced the wall to his right cutting a track through it. He pulled against the ball as it was about to be in front of him as it was almost at the pillar, Kin yelled as he was being pulled mercilessly by the ball, but without losing his balance the ball followed through and smashed into the left wall.

Kin exhaled as the bartender who had been cowering behind the desk, got up in time to see the man behind the pillar falling apart, the chain had cut right through him as well as the pillar, which meant the room was now filled with dust.

Kin released the chain from the ball and took his jacket, he went over to the two dead men and searched around to see where they were hiding their money pouches, he got both out looked at them and then threw the considerably lighter one on to the bar desk, “For the damages.” Kin said, as he put on his jacket and filled his pocket with the money, and then went to leave. He opened the door and remembered he had to retrieve his ball, he fumbled a bit with it, trying to free it from the wall, after he got it out he waved to the bartender and then finally left.

*****

The stairwell to the apartment building was drab, the walls had once been a mintish green but the paint had been removed from the concrete long before his entrance, he scratched the back of his head. The men hadn't seemed all too clever or organized, but just in case he decided not to leave from the main entrance, instead he headed up the stairs.

As Kin had presumed on the top of the stairwell a door stood that led to the rooftop, again he stretched his back. There is probably no one out there he thought and opened the door, the chilling fresh air hit him instantly his bones began aching under the heartless brass balls. He sighed, these balls are such a pain in the winter.

Out on the rooftop he looked around for an easy escape, and he found it quickly.

A metal clothes hanger on the rooftop opposite his own, he looked around for somewhere to mount an anchor on his side, a step down just behind him would do just fine.

Kin pulled a metal ball from his left arm, again pulling a chain and began swinging but this time he didn't have to use any strength. He aimed for the clothes hanger when he threw, he let the chain extend from his ring until it just passed the top of his target, then he pulled it taught and let the ball fall and swing around the metal bar until it hung from it.

As soon as he saw he had succeeded, he began pulling out a ball with his left hand and put it behind the step. Now came the part only he could fulfil, his true ability. Kin let his intentions flow through the chains and as commanded the balls began growing heavier and heavier, he always had to be careful doing this. The changes he made were not instant, they grew exponentially, growing impatient and not paying attention could be disastrous.

Kin let the ball on the other roof slowly sink towards the ground, as he watched the one behind slowly making a dent in the concrete it was laying on. He pulled the chains and was satisfied that neither would move an inch. Kin pulled the chains in until there weren't any slag and walked towards the ledge as he slowly released the chain behind him. When Kin got to the edge he had to take a deep breath, he was never that good with heights. He pulled the chains again making extra sure, and then walked off, as he was hanging he let the chains do the work, slowly moving him to the other side.

It was not a perfect solution by far, dangling tens of meters over the ground, hanging from two thin chains by his fingers. But he trusted his strength and knew that the chains had never once broken before, so he put away all his worries and just focused on dragging in the chain in front of him and releasing the one behind.

Kin landed on both feet on the other side, and sighed a breath of relief “Fuck me man,” he said to himself as he release the chain to the ball on his side and picked up the ball. He weighed it in his hand, not much weight to it as soon as he released the chain. Although for the ball on the other side, he had to make that one lighter, and that took time, he sat down as he weighted for the ball to grow light enough as to where he could pull it across.

But only a few seconds after sitting, the door on the other side, was kicked open, “THERE!” The man yelled to his friends in the stairwell pointing at Kin, “Shit,” Kin exclaimed to himself annoyed and yet pleased that he was as careful as he was. “HE GOT OVER USING THAT CHAIN!” The man yelled to his friends as he began grabbing it, “hmm” Kin exclaimed as he thought, this could be fun.

Kin wrapped his chain around both hands to get a better grip on it. Then he weighed down the ball in his arms, they were buried in his flesh, deep enough to touch his bones. He leaned back to make sure he would be able to hold the man's weight. The man began moving across, Kin laughed to himself.

About when the man got to the middle of the chain, his friend got on. Just as he put his full weight on the chain, the ball had gotten light enough to where it wouldn't be able to hold them both.

Kin laughed as the two men fell, but just as soon as he did he realized his mistake, “Oh shiii..!” The weight of the men and the ball was way too much for him to hold on to, he fell backwards in his desperate attempt to anticipate when the weight hit.

This might have been a mistake but him falling on his back was probably what would save his ball. As he slid forward the stopped when his feet met the ledge, which the chain had dug a groove into. He continued weighing down two of his balls on his arms to use them as anchors. He felt the chain becoming lighter quickly, probably because the men hadn't been able to hold on anymore, and after a few more seconds he could pull it in.

He released the balls in his arms a second too early, because the weight was still incredible. He could just about hang on though, soon the ball moved over the ledge, and fell on the floor between his legs.

Kin exhaled, and said exhaustedly “I need a nap.”

He got up, picked up his balls and walked tired towards the door, he grabbed the handle, and to his horror it was locked.

“Fuck me.”

*****

“ugh” Kin scratched his head “my luck is awful, first i lost another bar, then one of my balls.” He talked to himself as he walked down the street. He had successfully gotten back on the other side, after that he had knocked out the guy who was waiting for him. But after that he had had to fight through at least ten men, who had been holding up in the stairwell and the bar, turns out he hadn't been cautious at all.

And as usual he overdid it and a ball had gone through one of the men's heads and then the wall, he had to cut the chain as soon as that had happened.

Kin took out a cigarette, lit it and inhaled deeply. Earned quite a lot of money though he thought to himself and felt the coins rattling around in his pockets. Should probably have given the bartender a bit more of it. He held his hand behind his head and looked up at the sky, it was dark and grey and not a cloud to be seen, it never really changes, not after the war.

“Well I'm not that unlucky after all,” Kin said, as he noticed his ball was lying up against the leg of a bench. Kin had always appreciated a good bench, and this was a very nice one. The metal frame had a very aesthetic and classical design.

Kin grabbed his ball, and sat down leaning backwards cigarette in hand, what a nice breeze. He took the last drag of his cigarette and threw it in the street, “well got to find a new bar” he got up and continued walking, looking for windows with lights behind them.

It was funny, Kin could swear he had been in this town before, but he was sure this was the first visit: Perhaps it just reminded of his hometown Nise. Yeah it looks nothing like it, there weren't any tall buildings, not that i can recall anyways. it's probably the streets, they were just as empty.

He took off his rings as he walked, putting them back in his pouch. He did so because he was nearing a bar or at least he thought so, he could hear voices, and he stood out enough as it was without the rings.

Now standing in the heated room, the metal pressed against his bones finally stopped relentlessly nagging him. The kept had kept reminding him it was cold, as if he didn't already know. The bartender, if you could call a man in an abandoned apartment with some nasty spirits that, was laying on a bench reading a book in a foreign language. Hopefully he is new to this country. At least he didn't seem too bothered when Kin sat at his table, maybe that was because of the man who was already there.

The man nodded at Kin, then signalled to the bartender for two of something, the bartender waved him of, had to pour two glasses himself, sat down and gave one to Kin, “cheers” he said and swallowed the drink and poured himself another, Kin sipped his Yeah if it didn't say alcohol on the side of the bottle, id been convinced this was poison.

“So what brings you here?” the man asked, Kin just shrugged and continued to sip of his glass, “hmm not much of a talker” he said and drank a bit more.

“Nah I'm not used to talking to people is all,” Kin said as he continued to drink, the man nodded in sympathy “Strange times for sure, soon we will all be gone though.” Kin nodded as well, not that I care all that much, Kin finished off his glass and the man filled it up.

“I'm Ray,”

“Kin.”

They both drank in silence for a while, as they just enjoyed some non hostile company. After some time of silent drinking Kin pointed to the beers that stood in a cupboard, and as he did the bartender all of a sudden could pull himself away from the book. He pointed to the price and looked excited, Kin just nodded. Ray looked at him as if to ask if he was sure.

They opened their beers and Ray took a sip, eyes closed Kin didn't look but he was sure a tear welled up in his eye, “Thank you” Ray said, Kin just waved him off, “So can i ask who you work for?” Ray questioned, Kin looked at the bartender but he didn't seem to care much about them at all, Kin had already paid after all.

He took a sip of his beer, “I don't work, never have.” The bartender looked up at him, then shrugged and kept reading, Ray looked confused as if the statement in itself was impossible, “don't work?” Kin shook his head, Ray was about to ask where he got his money from, but then decided not to.

Ray looked at his beer and took a swig with his eyes closed, “don't say this to anybody else ok?” Kin nodded “I am contracted to bring in other outsiders or kill them if they themselves don't have contracts.” Kin just nodded again he knew that something of that sort was a costume amongst the working outsiders.

“Are you on the clock now then?” Kin asked as he continued to drink, Ray looked a bit at his beer, “Why do you ask, you are contracted with the Yanks delivering payments right?” Kin nodded, as they drank the rest of the beer in silence.

“Kin, do you need a place to stay?” Kin shrugged, “not particularly i'd prefer to find my own place.” Ray nodded, “Yes I can understand that, then I'd recommend this place, but just remember i have a place for free, though you will have to share food and drink with us.” Kin lit up a cigarette, “thank you.”

Then they sat and drank for a few hours in silence, Kin was enjoying the company as he didn't have to think about anything. Then Ray got up, waved to Kin and left.

Kin was quite drunk at this point, “Aight barkeep get a room ready im going to be back in an hour or so.” The bartender didn't react at all as Kin left for some fresh air.

Kin lit up a cigarette, he felt the smoke filling up his lungs stimulating every surface in them, he then exhaled deeply, “Ray sure is a nice guy standing up for me like that,” Kin flicked of the ash on the end of his cigarette, “such a shame an outsider like you was eavesdropping.” Kin glared at the shadow in the door well, that was trying to sneak up on him.

The figure moved out under the light of the street lamps, she was just a kid. Kin sighed, “Well I'm guessing you like to follow the rules, which means you have to kill me. Because bringing me in is out of the question.” He cracked his back and continued “I don't care all that much but I can't have you ratting out Ray.”

The kid did not seem very impressed, “I have no intention of ratting out my comrade, I'm not heartless, i just need to change the story a bit for the boss is all.” She took out two knives, they looked like potato peelers Kin threw his cigarette bud.

“Glad to see Corporate corruption hasn't changed much,” Kin Wasn't ready with his rings, he had to get creative, as if i don't have to get creative every single battle. He took a few steps back to get out of the light, “Tell me how old are you 15? 16?.” Kin asked the girl, “Just turned 15 yes.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“ugh why did I have to ask.”

Ray

In the days before the war, outsiders were welcomed in by the community. Their special abilities were used to improve the world, technology and pharmaceuticals had evolved to a point where humans had become invincible.

And yet here they were, two real humans fighting for scraps, because they were unlucky enough to be born with a power made to improve humanity, a next step in evolution.

Kin stumbled backwards getting ready to fight, he was really off balance, maybe i should have stopped drinking when i realized we were being watched.

“Get ready girl.” Kin said and raised his arms, the girl with the small knives lunged forward, the metal glimmering in the light from the lamp posts. Even though Kin was inebriated he could easily dodge her advances, skilfully sliding from side to side lowering his head and jumping as needed.

She never got close to landing a strike, Kin saw an opening and went for a strike, she blocked with her arms and took the strike.

She was surprised by just how weak his punch was, she didn't even lose balance, sure it hurt a little but nowhere near the pain she felt on a daily basis. She almost felt bad about the fact that she was going to kill him.

A few more strikes from Kin were easily waved off by her, she went for a few swings now relaxing, feeling more confident in her abilities and chances of winning. Kin noticed a lot of whistling from the small blades, way more than a blade like that should make, he inspected them a bit closer.

“Shit, those are potato peelers!” Kin jumped back, “what the hell power involves potato peelers?!” he yelled at her, but she didn't really react to his question.

She flew forwards, and swung wildly yet she was very precise. Kin was struggling to keep up, if he had begun making his metal lighter as soon as they started fighting, he would have been long gone. Kin moved in to deliver a few strikes but the girl had learned his moves. Kin was getting sloppy; she only needed one arm to defend against his punches.

This was a costly mistake, she quickly swung her potato peeler against his left arm, but it was a few centimetres short.

Which is why Kin moved back shocked at the fact that he was missing his left hand, he looked down at his bloody stump. There it was lying on the ground helplessly, begging him over.

It looked lonely.

“YOU PIECE OF SHIT, YOU ARE DEAD!” Kin yelled at the girl, he jumped forwards, but blocking his only remaining hand was way too easy for her, she was already ready to take his remaining hand off.

Her arm was raised to block, and as she thought his punch was going straight for it. But right before his hand made impact the chains on three of the balls on his arm extended and floated upwards, just far enough to release the one force of the one remaining ball. The ball which he had been weighing down.

His strike cracked her arm and followed through to knock her out immediately, he had shown just enough restraint as to not kill her, which was thoughtfulness only reserved for fellow outsiders.

She fell to the ground both peelers clinking along the ground, “TAKE THAT YOU LITTLE SHIT!” Kin yelled, he then looked at his hand, it looked pathetic as it laid there.

He laughed at it and shook his head.

“Well good thing Ray gave me his address, he owes me now.” Kin picked up the girl by the back of her collar and flung her over his shoulder. “You owe me too.” he told her and began walking as he bled on the ground

*****

When they arrived at the door, Kin was pretty tired, probably because of all the blood he had lost. He was just about to knock on the door, then he looked down and sighed.

He then knocked with his head, as he thought hitting the door with his lump would be an issue. He heard shuffling on the other side. The light in the peephole went out and then the door opened. “Kin you cam…” Ray stopped himself as he noticed the horror show that was standing in front of him. Kin just held the girl in front of him, “This yours?” Ray just looked, mouth agape but quickly shook off the shock and took her in his arms.

“Don't worry, I just knocked her out.” Kin said as he showed his arm, “Yeah she gave me this so i had to return the gesture.” Ray ran over and put her on a sofa, Kin followed and sat on the bench opposite her.

Ray looked at his wound, “it's a clean cut,” Ray grabbed a pillow, took off the cover, he wrapped it around the wound and took a few zip ties and pulled them tight over the cover. “I can fix it.” Ray said as he thought a bit, Kin didn't seem bothered he just leaned back and relaxed. “I think I'm dying, Ray.” Ray got up and left the room and then came back with some lumps of metal, they were made of brass. “Ok Kin before I begin I should tell you my power, and then you will tell me yours.” Ray put the metals on the bench, pulled out a table, sat down and placed them on top. “I can mold metal into the shape I want, all I need is for it to make contact with my blood.” Ray pulled down his sleeve and showed off hundreds and hundreds of scars, “I will make you a hand out of brass, it seems that it's a metal that suits your ability, but before I do, tell me what your power is, and what those balls are for.”

Kin coughed his eyes felt heavy, his body would probably feel heavy as well, if he couldn't just make it lighter. “If my bones contact metal, i can adjust its weight through chains,” Kin’s head was getting light, he swayed a bit struggling to hold it up. “Gold is the one that works best, zinc, copper, tin and silver works well too, brass is just the most convenient.”

Ray nodded and began working,

“Can you make joints?” Kin asked

“Yes.”

“Please make it hollow.”

“All right.”

“make holes for my chains in the palm.”

“I will.”

“Then fix her arm.”

Ray nodded.

Kin passed out.

*****

A few hours later Kin woke up, he was groggy, his eyes couldn't really focus that well but he could just about see the golden shine from the end of his arm. Kin looked around trying to find any shape that resembled Ray, but couldn't.

He blinked, and noticed his vision getting better, he blinked a few more times, and was finally beginning to be able to see the dimly lit room he was in. A bottle of water and a candy bar was placed on the table just beside him, he grabbed the water and emptied the bottle in an instance. He then grabbed the candy bar and slowly ate it.

As Kin looked up he noticed the girl looking at her, “Morning.” He said as he leaned back and put his legs on the table. Kin looked around for his jacket, but couldn't find it. He looked at the ground, most of the blood had been washed away but the bench still had a few stains.

The girl ignored him and looked away, she turned to look at her aluminium cast.. Kin inspected his new brass hand, it was limp and lifeless.

He extended chains through the holes that Ray had made on his request. They extended to the fingertips, he pulled the fingers down, it worked pretty well, he was impressed with Ray's engineering skills.

“You are not dead.” Ray said as he entered the room, Kin nodded and inspected his hand a bit further trying to better understand how to make it. “I made the fingers spring-loaded, so they can move back on their own.” Ray sat a pot on the table. “Hungry?”

Kin looked up from his new hand, and inhaled through his nose, “Smells good.”

Ray grabbed a chair and they all sat around the table and ate together, this was the first time Kin had eaten with other people since the war. Kin grabbed his spoon with his brass hand and didn't find too much difficulty holding it.

“seems you figured it out already,” Ray said with a smirk of pride.

“Yes it's perfect,” Kin looked at the girl with dead eyes, “almost an improvement.” But the girl just shrugged.

Ray just ate as if it wasn't awkward at all.

Kin looked at the brass in his arm as well as his hand “I have always worried about getting a zinc allergy”

“That's nickel you idiot,” The girl said.

“Oh, yeah.”

Shi

After eating Ray and Kin began drinking, Kin had put his legs on the table again, Ray pointed to his right leg “I noticed your leg, its metal as well, where did you get that?” Kin emptied his glass and put it on the floor, “I lost it in the war, a skilled metal worker like you made it.” He knocked on it, “sadly he could only work with aluminium, so I can't do much else but control it with the chains.”

Ray sipped his mug, “can I see it?” he asked “Sure” Kin replied as he pulled up his pants leg, it was beautifully made, there weren't any imperfections, or at least any he could see with his untrained eye. The chains moved around the foot's hinges as if they were real tendons.

“Ah, amazing!” Ray exclaimed, Kin nodded. Ray looked closer, “for sure these are machine made from old technology.” Kin nodded again. Kin fished out his pouch with his rings, “brought back my leg, and got it made into these rings, I use them to fight with.” Ray took the pouch and opened it, he  took out a ring and inspected it, “yes these are expertly made as well, try them out and see if they fit your hand.”

Kin did, but he already knew they would fit perfectly. “So with these you could fight long range, very clever.” Ray said approvingly, Kin put back his rings, Ray laughed “Lucky for you Shi that he didn't have them on when he fought with you.” he slapped the girl on the shoulder. Shi didn't even flinch.

Ray filled Kin’s glass, he nodded as to thank him, “what do you guys do?” Kin asked, Ray looked at Shi to see if she wanted to answer but of course she wouldn't, so he had to do it himself, “We work for a local company, The Sect.” He drank the rest of the contents in his mug, “Shi here as you have learned, is a skilled fighter so she's a bodyguard.” The girl laughed at this, “as if, I'm their hitman I kill people they don't like.”

Ray sighed, “that might be a more accurate description.”

“Figures.” Kin said.

“I work as a metal worker, which you could probably imagine. Then I recruit outsiders, as we talked about yesterday” Ray smiled sadly, “I actually kind of enjoy improving my skills with my job, even though I'm just creating things for them to torture and kill people with.”

“Outsiders you mean?” kin asked.

Ray nodded.

Silence fell on the tiny group.

All that could be heard was scratching from Kins lighter as he was playing with it, clunking from mugs, glasses and cups moving up and down, the rhythmic tics of a clock and a low howl from the wind forcing itself through tiny cracks and imperfections in the building.

“Kin?”

"Hmm?"

“Do you want a job?”

Shi jumped up and had to grab her arm in pain, Kin laughed a bit.

“Nah.”

“Alright”

“Thanks.”

Shi just looked disgusted at Ray for even suggesting such a thing, she lay back down again, no reason to argue over nothing.

And then the room fell silent again.

So silent that you could hear voices from around the building, that's a rare thing to hear. Kin looked at the ceiling and closed his eyes, trying his hardest to figure out what they were saying, but it was impossible. It seemed they had all been captured by this fleeting moment, which soon again was gone.

“The sound of happy children playing,” Ray said with a sorrowful voice, “that's a sound that hasn't been heard anywhere in this world, not for the past fourteen years.” Shi had never heard such a thing, so she didn't know what was so special about it. Kin was not sure about it either, he had been too young maybe. Ray was definitely ten or so years older than him, which would put him in his late thirties early forties.

Maybe he had been a father, Shi definitely isn't his child, they look nothing alike, but maybe he had a child before the war. After the war there was no use for children outsiders, so not many of them survived. How did Shi live then, she was the youngest outsider Kin had ever met.

Kin decided not to ask about it, he just continued to drink instead. He turned on a cigarette and smoked slowly as he stared into the ceiling, like everything it was made of concrete. It had deep horrible cracks, deep enough for him to worry about staying under them.

meh.

The lights were turned out, it's funny how a room with three people is more quiet than a room with three sleeping people. Well two. Kin played with one of his rings.

I'm not supposed to be here.

*****

“Achooo!” Kin wiped his nose, “Shit it's cold.” forgot my damn jacket, he sighed.

Not as if it's any use to me all bloody like that, and there wasn't any more room in the pockets anyway.

Kin walked with his hands in his pockets.

The sect? Sounds like something to do. Someone was walking opposite the road, Kin stared him down as they moved past each other, but he didn't notice him.

The buildings were becoming bigger and bigger, they were also standing closer. Then he had to stop, he stared at the building on the other side of the road.

Huh? Bricks?. A red brick building. It Has to be important to still be standing. Kin stared, finally time had stopped its relentless sprint.

“Funny eye color, orange is not normal.” Kin blinked and looked over at the man talking to him, it was the man from the other side of the street, “you don't pay much attention do ya.”

The man stepped back from Kin, he turned around to look at the house.

“You have become pretty famous among the outsiders from the Sect,” He waved Kin of “but don't worry, I'm not in the business of hurting other outsiders, i won't be any trouble to ya.” The man stared silently at the house, Kin scratched the back of his head.

“Don't bother with that house, there is nothing for you to gain in there,” The man scratched his beard “not worth your time Kin, just move past this place.”

He looked at Kin “I know you don't have much of an agenda. But I also know you don't do anything for no reason at all, just don't make too much trouble alright?” Kin turned away from him, he looked towards the large central building up the road, “Find a jacket as well, its cold and that metal looks horrible” Kin waved at him “bye then!” the man yelled, as he waved.

What a strange man, didn't seem like any trouble though.

The building grew closer, at this point not even the cold wind that chilled the metal, which rubbed up against his bones, would stop his march.

He pushed in the door, no one was there to greet him, he looked around to see if anyone lived in this huge building. Perhaps they were expecting him.

Kin made sure all his rings were ready.

Walking along the left wall he made sure no one could surprise him, and that he always was ready to defend himself. He felt like he needed it, Kin had lived long enough to understand what humans were capable of.

In front of him two decisions were laid out, on the left of the room, the side he was on, a door made of metal perhaps used for storage. Further along the wall in front, a double door made of wood, a way into a larger hall.

He touched the outer side of the metal door with a ring and began dragging out a chain, as he walked along the wall towards the wooden door.

He took in a deep breath and reached for the door handle, he twisted it and swung it open full force.

“Shit,”

The room was filled with men, possibly from the sect, the correlation from earlier meetings with them, made it seem very likely.

Kin had heavily weighed down the door, which came in handy as he pulled the chain in violently. As soon as he disappeared from the door opening, gun fire rang through the room he had tried to enter.

Kin released the door as he was rolling on the floor, as he landed just before it, he touched it again and began making it lighter.

“Come on, come on.”

He was pleading for it to go faster, but it was made of a steel alloy he wasn't very used to, so it took more time than usual.

He looked over at the double door and could hear people moving towards it.

“Fuck it!”

He began kicking the metal door with all his might, as he was awaiting the imminent arrival of his enemy.

Finally the door relented just as he noticed an eye and a gun peak around the corner, he went through and slammed the door closed behind him. Again he released the door and repeated the contact with a new ring, again pleading for it to get heavier as quickly as possible.

There are at least a hundred men in that room, I have to make everything count.

He looked around, he had correctly deduced it was a storage room. He went straight to the booze, he swallowed a quarter of a vodka bottle, threw it on the floor, and ran towards the end of the room, while still connected to the door, he felt around the walls.

Somewhere it had to be connected to the other room by a thinner wall, as this building wasn't made with this room in mind. He finally felt what seemed like a newer wall took a few steps back, brought out a ball and began swinging it in circles. Kin took a wide stance and braced with his legs making the right one heavier.

Charlie

Gun fire was ringing out around him as he stood slightly panicked trying to get his bearings.

Who was that man, he seemed familiar to him, was it just another outsider? Charlie had a hard time getting a grasp on the situation, not usually a problem for him, but something was off about this situation.

Before Charlie could move a wall fell down, it was from the storage room. The outsider jumped through the wall, he looked shocked, probably not expecting to be launched straight back into the hall filled with enemies.

Charlie grabbed his rifle and pointed it towards the outsider, but before he could shoot, the outsider began swinging small golden balls around. He hit a few men, but before the outsider could get the upper hand, gunfire rang out.

He swung the chains around wildly taking out a dozen men or so, but it stopped. Charlie hadn't fired a single shot, he exhaled in relief that he had not needed to get involved.

The room was filled with dust.

As soon as it cleared out, he could see the man standing limply with blood pouring out of his chest and his cheek, no chance of survival.

His orange eyes were burning though, Charlie looked intently at him.

"M.." " Michael?"

Charlie was shaking, he dropped his gun and stumbled towards his brother.

“Is it really you? I thought…” He reached out

But it was meaningless to the outsider, who just looked at him in disgust.

“You are talking to an outsider? Do you look down on us?”

The outsiders' voice had a weird vibration to it, it almost sounded metallic.

The other men in the room were shaken at the actions one of their colleagues had taken, but for now that mattered little to Charlie, as the outsider was ripping off his ruined shirt.

Charlie stood wide eyed, as the outsider revealed a gaping opening in his stomach. Chains and cogs moving independently of his actions, Charlie could see his vertebrae which were covered in chains.

Up against the vertebrae six golden balls were dug into the bone, but these were different, the color was pure, there was no doubt, even to an untrained eye this was clearly the purest gold.

The outsider pulled out four of them, his eyes were now almost glowing, Charlie just stood in bewilderment looking upon the man who once had been his brother. The outsider cracked his back.

Before he could move, fires rang out together with panicked voices, bullets flew around Charlie's ears but he couldn't move. The gold balls were different from the other balls, they were faster and way heavier he could hear them explode as they made contact with the walls.

Again the room filled with dust, soon enough the room fell silent.

Charlie fell on his backside sitting with his hands in his lap, accepting whatever fate was awaiting him.

In front of him a mess of body parts was strewn around, chains lay scattered around like noodles in a soup.

he looked over his shoulder fifteen or so men were still standing panting and wide eyed. All other members of the sect were dead, five of the men still standing were outsiders, they were completely untouched.

some of the men fell to their knees so much destruction, and it all felt meaningless.

Someone began yelling.

“It's looking, it's looking!”

Charlie didn't understand what that meant, until he looked towards the head of the outsider, it was missing an eye and its jaw was laying by itself a meter or so away from the torso, but its eye was looking directly at Charles.

He froze, the left eye was like an orange beacon, lighting up the blood in front of it. The chains began moving jingling along the floor and through the blood. The head began floating upwards as the chain held it connected to the rest of its body.

the arms, the torso and the legs began dangling from the chains along with the head, which was getting closer to Charlie, the eye burning its impression directly into his brain.

it was over, this creature was unstoppable.

The chains moved over attaching themselves to the guns making them so heavy the men had to drop them. The chain attached to a necklace  surrounding a man's neck, it was made of gold. He didn't have time to react, as his head rolled on the floor.

The chains were relentlessly grabbing buttons, belts, rings, glasses and whatever metal the men had on them. Not before long the men had all perished, turned into nothing more than a bloody pile laying in almost comical piles. All the while the head was looming over them watching it all unfold with hatred.

The outsiders that were left standing, had no idea what to do or what was happening, they stood powerlessly as the head and the chains crawled towards Charlie, who still was just sitting limply awaiting his end.

But his punishment for existing would be far greater than those of his friends, as the chains reached him, it tore off his leg and arm, it then began tearing out his innards.

Charlie didn't scream he didn't make a noise, he understood what was going to happen.

His last thought was of his brother, now that he was free.

The outsiders would witness the monster take over another body, they were the only ones to have been in the presence of this act.

As they stood with clenched fists they knew, this was not the first time the monster with the chains had taken the flesh of another man.

Charlie's eyes turned orange, he got up and left.

--THE END OF PART 1--