Cyrus POV

I was around 8 years old whenever the Pestilence attacked the Outer Rim of the city where me and my family stayed. My mother was a secretary for a construction company and my dad was a brickmasons for the same company. So they would get home at the same time usually. While I waited for them I would hang out at my friend's house Darius who lived next door.

Darius's mother was a housewife while his father was a Bouncer for a night club. That's what they told people anyways but in reality his father was an underground Boxer who was undefeated. His parents and mine grew up together in the neighborhood and eventually got married and bought houses next to each other. So I always saw Darius' mother and father like my Aunt and Uncle.

We were in elementary school when the Pestilence attacked and not just any Pestilence it was the Army of the Cockroach King. The first wave that was sent towards the outer shield was only to see how we would respond to an attack. With it being the Cockroach army four of the ten guilds respond with most all of their members.

Which shows the seriousness of the attack because usual attacks from the ant army only call for two guilds. The Cockroach army is known for leaving cities crippled or completely destroyed.

Our city was sadly no different. Two generals from the Cockroach King army appeared that day and they completely overwhelmed and killed seven guilds and blew through our cities first and second shield with ease.

After reaching the SBA building they stopped their attack and retreated, which they came like nothing happened.

While me and Darius were in a bunker deep underground. Our parents were out there getting slaughtered and eaten.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Coming out of that bunker and seeing the destruction I knew that my parents were alive if they didn't make it to the bunker in time. The Pestilence let nothing but destruction in their wake if it was living or once living the Cockroaches would devour it. Some cities that get overrun with termites nothing is left which is why we only make our buildings out of metal now.

The Cockroach Generals weren't fought back but they simply just gave up and left after they got what they were looking for. I overheard a footsoldier say.

"Where are the Four Monarch families!? They're supposed to send someone when Prime Pestilence members show up. Do they not care about us in the lower cities!

Are the Spirit Guardians in our city all that pitiful to let so many get slaughtered? I questioned.

I knew all of the information about our society and who were the people running it. My father may have been a bricklayer but he was no fool. He was once about to become a priest until he realized he couldn't marry my mother. He knew a lot about the old world and knew where to get the information. He taught me everything he could even before I could even talk.

Everything didn't click in my brain until after my parents death. It was like the awakening of my second brain. My father wasn't a bricklayer but a Crime Boss that ran one of the city's underground fight clubs. He knew how society and the system ran like the back of his own hand.

I always wondered why other men called my dad boss and although he was a 'bricklayer' he never looked like he did manual labor all day.

The Gang my dad ran pretty much disintegrated after the attack. Some of the members were still alive and started up business again. It wasn't until last year in middle school did the gang try to recruit me and Darius. It was Mainly Darius they wanted because he was built like a tank from birth. But dad gaining the title of once 'Lord of the Flies' my name carried weight to it now that there was no unification amongst the gangs.

Out of all of the things my father taught me he always taught me to be prepared for the worst and most unimaginable thing to happen. Including his death. I was smart enough to understand but not emotionally mature enough to handle the situation.

I held my contempt for revenge deep within my heart. It was impossible for me to get revenge in the first place. But now here I stand at the very apex of the city with an opportunity to destroy every enemy that has found his way in my path. Nothing will get in my way.

Some will think this is a hero's tale after I destroy the Cockroach King and his army. Some will think I'm a villain for killing the Four Monarch Families. But this is all for the sake of my own revenge, my own justice out of my injustice.

If every crime boss that grew up in the slums had the same opportunities as politicians, who do you think would be the better politicians?

Cyrus smiled animalistically as Professor King showed them the bea

st crystals. "When can we start?"