Chapter IV
The Master of Puppets
November 27th
7:00am.
The screeching sound of Ren’s alarm filled his room as the boy jumped out of his bed. He put on his glasses went to the bathroom and washed his face.
As he walked around in his room changing from pajamas to daytime clothing he heard murmuring from his bedroom door. He could not understand what was said but he recognized the voices.
He opened the door to find his mother and brother waiting for him with a birthday cake. The cake was neatly decorated with sprinkles and with fourteen candles lit, waiting to be blown.
“Happy birthday Ren!” Said Maria.
“Birthday brat!” Lendo patted Ren on the head while letting out a smile.
“Wish for something before all the wax covers your cake.” Said Maria holding the dessert in front of his son.
Ren looked around in the room, at his mother and Lendo and blew out the candles.
“I wish for dad to be here!” Ren said with his eyes nailed to the ground in embarrassment.
“Honey!” Maria hugged her son tightly. “I am sorry that your father couldn’t make it, but you know, he really wanted to be here.”
“And now that you said your wish out loud it won’t come true either way.” Lendo mocked Ren, but his cynical smile quickly deteriorated as he met Maria’s gaze.
“Now come and eat your cake!” Lendo led him to the kitchen and cut a slice for his brother.
“Shouldn’t he eat breakfast before dessert?” Maria raised her eyebrow at the boys.
“It’s my birthday! I can have cake for breakfast, right?” Ren looked at his mother for permission. Maria reluctantly nodded, and Ren immediately took a huge bite. “Hm! Chocolate and hazelnut!” Moaned Ren.
“I’m glad you like it darling. When you’re finished brush your teeth well.”
“Don’t you want a slice Lendo?” Ren asked with an inviting glint in his eyes.
“I’m good. Hazelnut is not my favorite.” Lendo walked away with a cold expression.
Ren took his time with the cake, savoring every bite, not even noticing Maria walking away from his son with serious look and went to the bathroom. She took hidden phone out and called Atla. While the phone was ringing she opened the shower to muffle the sound of their conversation. As soon as Atla appeared on screen she squeezed the phone harder. “Did you learn anything?”
“Not much but he’s safe as long as you’re around. No overhuman will try to hurt him.”
“I don’t doubt that, but that’s not enough!”
“All I could find out is that whenever an FWL appears they'll awaken their powers in the next wave. After that it's only a matter of time before the Ever Family finds out about them. There is no recorded survivor, and no known way of bargaining with them.”
“So as soon as he gets powers his days are numbered.” Maria’s tone lowered as the sheer thought mortified her.
“Yes but even If he gets a power, he is safe. Outside of us and Julia no one knows what he is.”
“We don’t know what he is either.” Maria was clearly distressed. Atla looked her in the eye with a concerned gaze.
“I’ve never seen you like this. Even with Lendo you were always calm and strong.”
“Maybe it’s the years of being a regular, made me softer. But we are talking about our little one here. Ren is innocent and pure.”
Suddenly Lendo appeared in the door. “Are you talking to dad? What is this secrecy?” She jumped and turned to look at their older son, but also hid her phone next to her leg.
“W-we are just talking about how Atla forgot to mail Ren’s birthday present.” Maria improvised the most believable lie she could come up with on the spot.
“Yeah silly me!” Atla's voice was muffled by the phone being turned away from Lendo.
“This old fool forgets everything these days.”
Lendo looked at them confused. “You guys are weird. What is his gift anyways?”
“He’s going to get an astronomy book!” Said Maria proudly.
“Really? That’s it? You guys know he’s been yapping about a new phone for a year now, right? He’s had that old flip phone since his eleventh birthday. Buy him a smartphone and maybe he’ll stop being so annoying.” Said Lendo as he walked out of the bathroom.
Atla and Maria looked at each other flabbergasted by what they just heard.
“Was that really our son? I almost heard compassion in his voice.”
“In his own way he’s being kind.” Said Maria smiling with a tear in her eye.
“Wait! Ren has a phone?” Atla asked the unexpected question, which was answered by Maria’s judgy look as she ended the call.
7:25 am. In some unknown location…
“Wellit, my friend. Do you know why today is important?” Said a man sitting in a gloomy red room with a glass of red wine in his left hand.
“Sir! Today is the 27th of November. Even though I don’t know of anything significant happening today, I’m sure you have a good reason to be this happy.”
“There are lots of significant events that will take place today. One of our own, Turtle is being escorted to the city of Whitestone, where he’ll be sentenced to approximately fifteen years of prison. In other news the leaders of the seven great countries will begin their journey to the Grand Ceremony just to act like they wouldn’t kill each other the first chance they got. But neither of those means nothing compared to what is about to happen this afternoon. A wave will come.” The mans voice got sinister and gravely at the last statement.
“This soon?” His underling was taken aback by the information.
“Yes and that’s not all. He’ll finally come. The new Fire.”
“Fire? I thought it would never happen! So you want me to eliminate this threat?” The man jumped up to show his readiness.
“No. no, quite the opposite.” The man holding a glass of wine slowly walked up to him.
“Sir I know that what we are doing under the nose of the Ever Family is serious but, if they find this out we’ll be either exiled or eradicated.” Wellit was baffled by the reckless command.
“Tell me Wellit. In all of these years you knew me, have I ever been outsmarted, bested, even surprised?”
“N-no sir.”
“Then why would I start now? Trust me, I am the winning side.”
“Yes, Master Puppet!”
“Send a team of four led by Anvil to rescue Turtle. He’ll most likely be transported in an armored truck by four cleaners. Their rank will be around one pawn, two bishop, and a knight.” Master stood up to take a sip of his wine.
“Risking four valuable men for Turtle? My niece is better at fighting.”
“He’s not an asset for his strength but for the information he possesses. He was there when this new FWL first appeared.”
“So we just need the information he has, not him?”
“Exactly. Four hooded ones will rescue him. They will tell him to go to these exact coordinates. While that’s happening Mantis will enter Younen and look for the Fire just for insurance in case anything were to go awry. As for me I’ll have my hands full with something. Someone to be precise. But if… no when I succeed our victory in the future will be assured. We’ll talk about the next step when you completed you mission.” Master handed Wellit the coordinates.
“But Master! How will Mantis know who the Fire is before we get Turtle to safety?” Wellit was confused by the plan. Master looked at him with a confident smile, took a sip of his wine and answered.
“Oh? I already know who it is. Turtle is just a bargaining chip.”
“H-how do you know?”
“Now, now Wellit. You ask an awful lot of questions for your own good. Now tell me do you understand your task?” Master put down the glass and put his hands on his desk.
“Yes Master!”
“Excellent.”
7:43am
As Ren and Niel arrived at school. The hallways were choked by the noise of chatting schoolchildren from every classroom. They knew what classroom to go to, by which one was the loudest. As he walked in the chaotic chatter of eleven children turned into a second of silence before changing into a unified voice. “Happy Birthday Ren!” Though Niel was the loudest, almost everyone said it. Ken was the only exception. He acted as if Ren didn’t even exist.
Ren went to his desk with a big smile on his face. He looked at everyone and after a sigh he spoke. “Thanks guys! I hope that you can all come to my birthday party this afternoon. That includes you, Ken!” Said Ren with a friendly smile. Ken was so shocked he didn’t know how to react.
“You don’t have to invite me just because you’d feel bad if you left me out.”
“You’re right Ken. But even if there is a one percent chance of you feeling sad because I didn’t invite you that is enough reason to have you as a guest.”
“Whatever.” Ken scuffed as his face went a bit red. Luna smiled at the interaction between the two.
“The party will be at Niel’s house, so I don’t have to worry about my parents keeping an eye on us all night.” Said Ren with mischievous excitement. But before anyone could react the teacher slammed the door.
“Everyone! Sit down!” The small framed woman screamed at the kids. “I finished grading the tests you wrote last week. And as you might guess from my expression, they were abysmal.”
“Was that the one where Ren was missing for another appointment?” Vhiz asked whispering to Marco.
“I think… but they cannot be that bad, right?” Said Marco looking around for reassurance, only to find desperate looks all around.
“Well let’s see.” The teacher started handing out the test results. “Faul Pisces, the laziest kid on this planet. You couldn’t even finish writing your name. You just wrote an F.”
“My name is the only one that starts with F, why would I waste energy on the rest of the letters?”
“0%. Fail!” Shouted the teacher.
“Ginna Libery. What is your beauty good for, when you are this simple?” Looked at the red haired girl with disappointment.
“Please don’t tell me that was a question I missed.” Ginna started panicking.
“No you silly girl! 40% Fail!
“Iiwa Grovi. At least it looks like you tried. 55% Barely passed!”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Thanks?” Said the short girl, looking not so pleased with the percentage.
“Ken Leonnas. Life is unfair. Some of your classmates try their hardest to squeeze out a passing grade, and you, a hooligan show up late, never study and still get 75%. Passed.”
“Whatever, hag.” Growled Ken under his breath. The teacher didn’t even bat an eye. As if, him speaking to her like this was a daily occurrence.
“Luna Miegin. I appreciate the effort of trying to better Ken, but you shouldn’t forget to study as well. 58%. By the skin of your teeth.”
Luna looked kind of disappointed, but she was eagerly waiting her brother’s results.
“Marco Tarias. Your concerns were right. If you’d spend less time in the buffet and more in the library, maybe you wouldn't be such a faliure. 50% Pass, but barely.”
“That is very fat phobic of you, miss. My parents will hear about this.” Said Marco angrily.
“You could be as skinny as Ren and you still wouldn't put more effort into studying, would you?” Said the woman side-eyeing the chubby boy. “Anyway… Niel Aeris. You spend so much time with Ren, that I am surprised that this is all the knowledge he could pass onto you. 44% Fail.”
“I was helping out around the house. I could barely spend any time studying.” Niel was trying to explain his side of the story.
“Well at least you’ll be a good farmer when you grow up, but maths is also important.” Answered the lady.
“Terry Raccen. I once saw you pee your pants from seeing your own shadow. When was that, like two weeks ago?” Said the teacher jokingly. Some people actually chuckled.
“How is that relevant to my grade?” Terry was looking around nervously.
“It’s not. 72% Passed.”
“Rosa Quary. You are a timid girl, but for some reason, I still don’t like you. Anyway, 100% Passed.”
Rosa acted like she didn’t even hear the teacher.
“Sun Miegin. You should study with your sister more. Maybe she’d actually learn something. 73% Passed.
“She’s smarter than you give her credit for, miss.” Sun smiled at his sister, who was embarrassed by the comment.
“Taran Aurus. You are a kid of few words, but maybe some of those words should be Can I have some private lessons? 52% Passed, I guess.”
“Good enough.”
“And finally. Vhiz Cypra. You got 89%.”
“Thanks teach. I guess those hours of grueling studying payed off after all.” Said the tall boy acting all surprised.
“Fail.”
“Why?”
“I saw you cheating off of Rosa.”
“But that’s impossible. You sat her far from everyone so she couldn’t help us.” The boy was trying to make excuses.
“Don’t try to act innocent. You’re built like a giraffe. You just leaned over to her when I wasn’t looking.”
Vhiz was surprised she noticed, but he couldn’t deny it anymore. “Alright! You got me!”
“In conclusion, without Ren your grades are subpar. We’ll rewrite the test and if you all won’t get a sixty percent at least, both grades will be marked.” The teacher sat down at her desk and put the tests away.
“WHAT?” Vhiz screamed jumping out of his seat.
“That’s actually pretty fair.” Said Ren quietly.
“Oh shut it Ren. It’s easy for you!” Marco was frustrated by his classmate’s comment.
“All we need to do is study, right?” Said Ginna in an unsure tone.
“Then how about this? After school we’ll have a study session in the library together. After that we’ll go to Niel's place and party!” Ren suggested, with a kind smile on his face.
“I don’t want to stay in school more than it’s necessary.” Said Marco casually leaning back in his seat.
“Well it’s either that or failing the class and repeating a year.”
“Wow, look at this! It seems, I have a free hour after school today.” Marco jumped up looking at his phone like he had a timetable for his daily activities.
“Will everyone come to the library then?” Asked Ren.
“I’ll pass. I’ll just try harder next time. Maybe go for a perfect 60%” Said Faul slouching in his seat.
“Then we’ll meet at Niel’s at 4:30.”
“If I find the energy to come.” Faul was sliding deeper and deeper down in his seat.
“If you come, I’ll let you borrow my copy of Space Pirates 2.” Sun came with an offer Faul couldn’t refuse.
“Deal.”
4:00pm.
In the neighboring city of Youren. An armored truck was running its motor in front of a grey building. Contrasting the greyness, Turtle walked out in a bright orange jumpsuit with his hands cuffed, and the strange devices in his ears.
The two guards escorting him barely reached his shoulder’s height.
“Really? These two pipsqueaks will be my guards? Do you regard me this low?” Turtle shouted back towards the closing door of the building. As they reached the truck a familiar face opened the back door. Cat was staring at his enemy with bloodthirsty eyes.
“I was surrprised you can pronounce pipsqueak. I thought you would give up after the fifth letter." She mocked the handcuffed man.
“You?” Said Turtle with a vein popping out of his forehead.
"It’s a custom that the one that defeated a hooded one should escort them. And… I want to see you being locked up.” Julia chuckled with a devilish grin.
They stuffed the burly man into the truck. One of the cleaners joined them, the other sat next to the driver.
“Enjoy your last car ride turtle. You're not gonna see the light of day ever.” The young cleaner mocked the man sitting in front of him.
“Sadly that’s not true.” Julia took out a folder and started reading. Leonard Way. Otherwise known as Turtle. Twenty six years old. Assault, arson, smugling, petty thefts. He gets 20 years at most.”
“So when I get out, I can hunt you all down. You’ll be the first to die kid!” Turtle started chuckling as he looked at the young man sitting across him.
“Well Leonard. Lucky for us, you are terrible at your job.” Julia provoked Turtle.
“Don’t call me that, bitch or I rip your head off!” Leonard grinded his teeth in anger. Cat took out her knife, holding it to his neck.
“Oh please, try. I’d love to kill you in self defense.” Julia’s eyes turned cat-like for a second. Turtle jumped backwards out of fear.
“Knight Julia! Don’t you think that’s a bit too much? Our task is to get him to a judge not to be the judge.”
“You are right… lucky for him… What’s your name?”
“I am Zachary Cross. My rank is bishop. My code name is Vein. I am a healer who’s been working for the C.O. for five years. I got my powers in the last wave seven years ago.”
“And have you ever lost someone to the Ever Family in your life?”
“N-no ma’am. But the cleaner’s heroic deeds saved many of my friends before.”
“Well then, I cannot explain to you the hatred I feel for every single hooded one. When I was only five... What they did to my parents..." Julia choked on her words as she tried to explain herself. "I swore that I will never be as helpless as back then, and I’ll eradicate their entire group one-by-one if I have to.”
Turtle started chuckling. “And here you are escorting me to a judge like the good lap-cat you are. Do you know how many cleaners have I seen with the same conviction? You’ll end up just like them.”
“I’m giving you a chance. Serve your sentence, and quit this life, otherwise I will hunt you down the first chance I get.”
A bead of sweat ran down Turtles face, as he knew Julia was not kidding.
The truck’s engine started, and they began their long journey to Whitestone. The most beautyful city of this region.
In the meantime...
After their classes the children gathered in the library of the school. It was a modest library, with maybe a couple hundred books. They were just finishing up studying when Niel received a message from his mother.
“Guys there is a bit of a problem. My mom just texted me. She said we need to find another place to party. Dad invited the choir for practice. I guess we don’t want to party to church songs.”
“Hmph! How lame!” Said Ken with a disappointed chuckle.
“Then where should we go?” Asked Ren desperately.
“We cannot go to my place, having guests over is too stressful!” Screamed Terry.
“I’m not good either, I have a strict only girls policy.” Vhiz winked at the girls of the class who turned away disturbed, disgusted, and confused.
“My mom doesn’t like guests.” Said Rosa quietly.
“Guys Guys! Stop it I have the perfect place to party at!” Ken jumped in before anyone else could come up with an excuse.
“Really? We can go to your house?”
“No way. But Niel’s dad gave me a good idea. Let’s go to the old church ruins in the forest!”
“That’s a terrible idea!” Terry’s eyes swelled up with tears.
“By the time we get there it’ll be completely dark!” Sun agreed with Terry’s concerns.
“Not to mention the giant bear that lives there!” Niel added.
“You guys worry too much. It’s been months since the bear was last seen. It probably died. And I know those woods like the back of my hand.” Ken didn’t back down from the idea.
“Are you sure the bear is gone, Ken?” Asked Ren.
“What? You want a percentage on it? I dunno like 80%”
“Oh so the chance of dying to a bear is one in five! Great odds.” Terry still mocked the idea.
“Listen I saw some kids going there a while back and they are still alive, no sign of any bears. So what do you say Ren? Don’t you want your fourteenth birthday to be memorable?”
Ren let out a deep sigh. Maybe this is what I’ve been missing? “Sure.”
“Are you serious, Ren?” Niel looked surprised at his best friend’s sudden answer.
“Hey, we’ll be there together. What could hurt us?”
“A bear.” Niel answered quickly.
“Or something that eats bears.” Said Marco.
“There isn't such thing, stupid!” Vhiz ridiculed Marco, for his obliviousness.
“Oh really? Then how do they die?”
“Of old age, of course! What, you think your grandma was eaten one day?” Vhiz continued mocking his friend.
“Don’t mention my grandma, jerk!” Marco pushed his friend.
“Stop it, Marko, Vhiz!” Niel sighed. “If we really want to go there, we need to drop by my house. All the snacks and drinks are there. Not to mention Faul is also going there.”
“I just texted him. Told him we are going to the church ruins.” Ginna told the others.
“What did he answer?” Niel asked.
“He’s typing… Cool. Did Ren grow a pair or something? That’s what he wrote.” Ginna looked at Ren awkwardly. “Oh he’s still typing! Did you read it out loud? Are you still doing it? Ginna stop.” Rosa took the phone out of her friend’s hand.
“You go to your house, and we meet at the church.” Ken broke the awkward silence.
“But you know the way there, dumbass!” Said Niel.
“Luna knows it even better than I do. She’ll go with you.”
Luna crossed her arms confidently. “If we are quick, we can catch up to them in five minutes.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Marco could not believe Luna’s statement.
“Niel and I are faster than most of you. We’ll be right behind you.”
“Is everyone in then?” Ren asked the group. People started looking at each other with concerned gazes. Ren felt the distress emanating from everyone. “Look, I understand if any of you are afraid. But I think I need this adventure. If it helps, I’ll be the first one to enter the church.”
“Wow Ren. When did you become so reckless?” Sun stood there baffled by his friend.
“Is it reckless?” Who am I kidding? Of course it is. I want to call off the whole thing.
“Well if that’s what you want, lets not waste any time.” Said Sun holding Rens shoulder.
The kids began their journey into the forest where their fate would be sealed.
5pm
The sunset’s final rays were warming the driver’s face as the truck escorting Turtle was leaving the thick foliage of Karta Forest. As the scenery changed the bright light blinded him just for a second. Enough time to be ambushed. Something collided with the truck from the side. Julia, Zachary and Turtle were thrown around in the back of the van. By the time the truck came to a stop it was on its side next to the road.
Julia didn’t even have a chance to catch her breath and the backdoor was ripped off. An unknown man’s shadow loomed over her. She was certain about one thing, she was in danger.
She immediately attacked the stranger, who caught her by the hand and threw her like a ragdoll. As she was flying through the air, she saw the man take turtle out of the car, ripping off his cuffs and taking out the devices from his ears.
“Finally! I thought you guys would never come. Now let’s kill these weaklings.”
“The only weakling here is you.” Said the man that was even bigger than turtle. “The information you posess is more important then your life. You run to these coordinates, someone will pick you up.”
Turtle was terrified by the monstrous man, and he just ran away. Julia seeing this jumped towards her enemy, but another attacker jumped in front of her.
“How many of you are there?” Julia panted in frustration.
“Just enough to take care of you.” The man who was in his late forties dropped the cigarette he was smoking and the battlefield was covered in smoke.
“Cleaners requesting immediate backup. Sending our location now.” Zachary shouted into his radio as he was healing the driver who was knocked out. The choking smoke made it increasingly difficult to speak but he screamed through the pain.
“Some smoke won’t hinder me!” Julia got ready to attack the man through the thick smoke. Her vision was better than the average overhuman’s making her a bad matchup for the man.
“First the healer.” Said the leader, signaling to his comrades.
Hearing this Cat tried to leave her opponent behind and dash in to save Zachary but a blur of a person blitzed her. By the time she looked up to see her teammate he was kicked through the chest pinned to the steel side of the armored truck. Blood was gushing out of his mouth as he looked at Julia with a terrified and confused look. As if to say: Why? I don’t want to die!
The murderer pulled her leg out of Cross’ chest. His body fell on the ground lifeless.
Julia screamed in anger and charged the bloody-footed killer. The smoke-creating man was shocked by her sudden speed.
Her anger gave her what she needed, murderous resolve. She went for the neck with her claws, but in the nick of time, the hooded one dodged. Not fast enough though. A piece of her hood was torn off along with a piece of her neck. With the hood off, the slender face of a woman was revealed, with bright red lips and eyeshadow she was a beauty to behold. She groaned in pain and held her wound closed. She desperately wanted to get away from Julia. But Julia was not done with her. As she landed the first attack she immediately turned to attack again. But the large man stood between them. Julia’s claws tore the clothing of the man, but no wound was on his bare chest. The wounded woman ran behind some trees to catch her breath.
Looking around she saw four hooded ones staring at her in the thick smoke. Her other two teammates finally woke up and squared up to fight alongside her. Looking into the man’s eyes who took her claws without a scratch on him she was ready for a though fight. But that’s when it hit her.
Turtle might’ve heard about Ren's situation while we were fighting him! If he escapes Ren is as good as dead!