Chapter VIII
The Pacifist vs The Predator
"Master... are you sure about this?" The lanky man asked, hiding in the shadows of Karta Forest. His weak voice creaked like the hinges on an old door.
"Why is everyone questioning me all of a sudden? The children need to distrust and fear cleaners. I don't want them to feel like they have someone to help them! Now do you understand your task, Mantis?"
"Yes Master!"
"No matter what happens, keep your urges in check. You cannot kill any of them. Just scare them." Puppet ended the call with his subordinate.
Back to the children
“Second Reality?” Exclaimed Niel in confusion.
“That’s what the few overhumans I met called it.” Rosa said unsure. “You need to learn how to open a passageway. First you relax your body, then you take a deep breath and imagine your body is one with the air, then just take a step forward.”
“Sounds like meditation. Ken will be awful at that!” Chuckled Marco right until he saw the pointy hair of Ken poking his side.
“You wanna go to the Second Reality in two pieces?” Ken pulled up his sleeves in anger while Terry waved a sage stick at him.
“Wait where is Ren? And Luna? And Faul?” Asked Niel confused.
“They already made it through. They have a real knack for it!” Said Rosa proudly. “But don’t worry, the people that can’t open a portal by themselves can be pulled through by the one who created it.”
“Are you guys coming or not?” Ren poked his head back from his portal.
“Ain’t no way I’m using help if Ren could do it!” Shouted Ken as the others stepped into Ren’s portal.
“Why aren’t you going Rosa?” Ken gave a voice to his confusion.
“Well you said you’d do it yourself, I’m here to cheer you on!” Exclaimed Rosa with a warm smile. Ken’s face went a bit pink from Rosa’s words but he forced the blood back from his cheeks. Ken took a deep breath, looked at Rosa, closed his eyes and stepped forward. Nothing. He tried again, Deep breath, Rosa in front of him, eyes closed, nothing…
“You better do it this time because otherwise you’ll knock me off my feet.” Chuckled Rosa. Ken didn’t say anything just took one last step. His wision went blury as strands of white light surrounded his field of view. Finally he found himself with the others. Rosa popped up next to him from her own portal.
Meanwhile outside of Younen an alarm sounded in the nearest Cleaner outpost.
“What is it, pawn?” A commanding voice demanded answer.
“Suddenly overhumans entered the closed off area in Karta Forest. More specifically where Younen is in the human reality.”
“How many? Twelve, no sorry… thirteen.”
“This many people got powers from yesterday’s wave just in Younen? But how do they figure out how to enter the Second Reality this soon?” The man raised the question. “Send a two-man squad out to investigate the situation. They should only observe the overhumans for now. I’ll have to call headquarters on our further actions.”
“Understood.” The young cleaner with the rank of pawn dialed a number. “Cleaner squad #273 please ready your gear, you’ll go out on a scout mission.”
“Well done! We are all here!” Rosa cheered the others on.
“Woah! Are we still in the village for sure? It’s like we’re in Karta Forest.” Marco stood in awe of the sight.
“We’re basically there. In this reality there is no village so Karta Forest took over the entirety of Younen.”
“My body feels lighter here. Like a huge weight got off my shoulder.” Niel jumped around with surprising ease.
“In the human world you're only able to use about one percent of your power. Here an experienced overhuman can use a hundred percent. But, because you are all new to this, you guys are probably at about twenty percent.”
“Cool! I wonder how strong I am!” Ken replied curiously. He noticed a boulder not far from them and walked up to it. Planting his feet firm in the ground he placed his hands where the rock was easiest to hold and after some groaning, he lifted it.
“That’s at least eighty kilos! That’s insane!”
“Could you lift that, Rosa? You had more time to get stronger than Ken.”
“Marco! Don’t be insensitive! It’s okay Rosa. You don’t have to try.” Ren scolded his classmate.
“I might be able, but because Ken is that much stronger than me as a human, he could already be physically more powerful.”
“The only way to find out is if you two arm wrestle! Let’s do it now!” Marco tried to make the entertainment of a lifetime happen.
“You just want to see Ken beaten by Rosa, don’t you?” Luna scoffed at her classmate's intentions.
“Hell yeah! It’ll be a once in a lifetime experience! Just imagine his face!”
“Hey fatass! If you want to see me 'lose' why don’t you ty yourself?”
“I was too loud, wasn’t I?”
“Guys! Focus! I have a strange feeling. Like when the bug man was following us. Could there be any danger lurking nearby?” Luna looked around distressed.
“Now that you mention it, you are right. But I don’t think it’s an overhuman. Maybe-"Rosa was cut off before finishing her sentence.
“A bear!” Terry screamed so hard his vocal cords almost gave out. A massive brown bear approached the children. As it lumbered its furry frame towards the kids, under its paws, twigs snapped, and rocks crumbled. A beast, no ordinary man could take down. There was a second of silence, that was only disturbed by the heavy panting of the beast. No one dared to make a move, so the bear did. The charging animal ran past Ken like it didn’t even notice him and went towards the shivering Terry. As Terrys field of vision was taken over by the grizzly he could not even make the slightest attempt at fleeing. But before the jaws of the predator could rip him apart, Taran stepped between them with a rocky armor covering his arms and back. He grabbed the bear by the jaws, one hand grasping its lower jaw, with his thumb in the animal’s mouth, while the other hand was squeezing its nose.
“Everyone! Go back home! I’ll hold the bear back! Just run!” Taran shouted, with the muscles on his back bulging from keeping the animal back from eating his friend. He grunted as he squeezed as hard as he could, until he heard the bear’s jaw breaking in his hands.
The beast roared in agony as it finally backed away from Taran. But he was also tired from expelling more power than he ever did in his life. In a desperate situation for both of them, the bear attacked again, but Taran braced himself and clenched his fist. He cocked back is arm and when the bear was close enough, he landed a punch on the side of the bears head, killing it in an instant.
Taran's heavy breathing and his armor crumbling off him were the only thing the kids could focus on, who were frozen by the swiftness of this incident.
“Taran are you okay?” Sun approached his classmate carefully.
“Yeah!”
“We need to get back to the other reality and treat your wounds!”
“The armor I made protected my skin. I’m just tired a bit.” Taran calmed his friend down.
“That was still too dangerous! I vote on never returning here and acting this never happened!” Terry was backing away from the others.
“Are you serious he just killed a bear with a single punch! That’s awesome!” Ken cheered his classmate on.
“I’m sorry guys! I should’ve been more alert for anything like this.” Rosa said with tears in her eyes
“You’re right. This was reckless.” Luna showed no remorse for her classmate
“Don’t be too harsh on her. It’s not like we didn’t ask for this.” Ren defended her.
“Of course you protect her.”
“Do you guys feel anything else nearby?” Sun asked, trying to focus on everyone's safety.
“No I think we are clear.” Rosa took a second to sense her surroundings.
“Now hold on a second! There is a problem here!”
“What is it Ken? Are you sensing something?”
“What? No! I mean the bear went right past me like I wasn’t even there. What sort of joke is that?”
“He went for the weakest link. It wasn’t anything personal if that’s what your worried about.” Sun explained annoyed by Ken's focus being on himself.
“But it’s still interesting for other reasons. Bears avoid humans, especially if there is more than one. Not to mention they hibernate in the winter. So this guy was desperate to find food for some reason.”
“Don’t overthink it Ren. It was hungry and Taran killed it, end of story. Now what do we do.” Luna shot down the conversation.
“Yeah who cares? The whole village is our playground right now. We don’t need to hold back our powers here. Let’s go wild!” Ken's hair spiked up even further. He ran towards a line of trees and headbutted the air horizontally, slicing multiple trees with an air slash. “You see that? That was awesome!”
“One kid shouldn’t be allowed to have that much power, let alone Ken!” Marco rubbed his forehead.
As everyone stood in awe of the destruction the gaze of the children fixated on the darkness of the forest. A grey cloaked figure walked out of the shadows. Even from a distance the kids could tell that the man was tall, next to the trees that still stood. His barely human figure was tossed around by the gusts of wind as he approached the kids. He finally stood in front of Ken and took off his hood, revealing a pale sickly face, with round tired eyes.
“Bravo my friend. That was an excellent display of your power. I must say, I thought I was done for when that air-cut flew past my head. Hi-he-he.” Chuckled the man with a quiver in his voice.
“Who the hell are you?” Ken backed up a bit from the stranger.
“I am here to evaluate your powers. I am a Cleaner. My name is Eduardo.” The man took one step toward Ken, but with unsteady back and forth ringing of a tree branch in a storm.
“Are you okay, man?”
“I am perfectly fine, but I must tell you, this place is dangerous. There are a lot of ill-willed people passing through these parts. I wouldn’t trust anyone, who isn’t a cleaner. Hi-he-he.” The stranger looked around and saw the piercing gaze of Luna. Though it was a look of animosity, it was just a façade for the fear she felt when she looked at the lanky man. “What is it deary? Do my looks scare you?” The man started approaching Luna with the same unsteady walk.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Rosa do you know this man?” Sun asked her, not taking his eyes off him.
“No, but he says he’s a cleaner. They are like the police of overhumans. But as to what he specifically wants from us… No idea.” Rosa shared her concerns with the others.
“What do you want from us?” Asked Luna with a bead of sweat trailing across her face.
The man halted his approach. Silence descended on the children. The man ignoring the question, noticed the shaking child known as Terry hiding behind the tired Taran. “Do you know why the bear attacked you, boy?” He fixed his body facing towards Luna, but tilted his head sharp at Terry. “A hungry predator always goes for the weakest link. They cannot afford to go hungry. But a well fed one has the luxury of choosing its prey. He can go for the fat… the strong… or the one that’s the most fun.” He fixed his gaze back on Luna. “You see, in that storm yesterday, you could’ve been an easy prey, but devouring you in front of your brother will make for a more entertaining meal.” The man’s face distorted as his jaw morphed into mandibles. The sound of snapping bones and shifting muscles disturbed the girl so much that her feet were anchored to the ground. Finally, her biggest fear stood right in front of her, ready to kill her.
“Luna! Run!” Sun shouted, but the stranger tore off his cloak revealing his insect-like body with hook-ended forelegs, and he lunged at the girl. But before reaching her a slice knocked the creature away from Luna.
“Get the hell away from my friend!” Ken said with a vein popping on his forehead.
Sun ran up to her and shook her. “Snap out of it Luna! We are going back home right now!” He ordered the others. But behind him towered the man with nothing but murder on his mind. Luna watched frozen as the Bug man leaned over her brother with a gaping mouth. Taran tried to tackle him but he wasn’t able to push him away.
“So many tasty meals, I feel overwhelmed. Hi-he-he.” The man laughed maniacally. He raised one of its arms at Taran, ready to kill, but Niel grabbed it mid strike.
“Niel! You have a power too?”
“I have no frickin’ clue, but this guy needs to be delt with.” Niel clenched his fist, looked at Taran and they both hit their enemy in his stomach. He flew back, scraping the ground before opening his wings and stopping himself.
“What is this guy?”
“My name is Mantis! I am an overhuman who can turn into praying mantis, and you are all my meal!”
Taran punched the ground as hard as he could. The earth started shaking as pillars of rock rose, closer and closer to Mantis until they finally surrounded him.
“Quickly everyone fall back. Sun went back to the gates and signaled the others to follow him. Terry tried to leave but he ran through the gate without leaving the Second Reality.
“Why can’t I leave?” Terry wailed at Rosa perplexed.
“You can only leave through the portal you entered through. You probably chose wrong!” She shouted as she ran towards them. But before anyone could escape Mantis cut through the pillars and dashed between them and the gates.
“Nice party trick, but it won’t be enough to keep me at bay. Hi-he-he.”
“Anyone who has powers stay here and fight, the others go back home.” Sun ordered his classmates.
“I won’t leave you here with this maniac.” Said Luna standing beside her brother.
“I will!” Terry ran through the correct gate this time and disappeared.
“Will you guys be okay?" Vhiz asked.
“You’re no help to us right now so just go!” Ken roared at his classmates.
“I’ll entrust their safety to you, Ren.” Sun tapped his friend on the shoulders. Ren nodded. Thus Faul, Marco, Vhiz, Terry, Ginna, Iiwa and Ren left the battle. As the powerless group panted exhausted from the traumatic experience, the portals opened by Ren and Faul closed behind them.
“Is everyone okay?” Ren tried to collect himself after what just happened.
“That dude was the bug man Luna was so afraid of? I understand now, that’s terrifying!” Marco lied on the ground, trying to collect himself. “Why did you come Faul? Didn’t you say you had a power?”
“Yeah, I can make my hair into small pricks. What would I do? Mildly inconvenience him?” Faul defended himself.
“Well Niel stayed.” Vhiz entered the conversation.
“Because Niel is a madman. And so is Rosa, what will she do?”
“Wait! Rosa stayed?” Ren looked around to confirm what Faul just said. He tried to run back to the reality, but he could not open a portal. “Shit! I’m too stressed, I cannot concentrate.” Ren grit his teeth in anger. The others looked at him concerned.
“Can’t you open a portal for him Faul?”
“No way I’m risking my life! It’s not like Ren could do much!" Faul shook his head as he sat back.
Ren tried to calm himself down and open a portal over and over again. The others looked at him helpless.
“Now that the easy preys is out of the way, which one of you should be the first victim?” Mantis looked around, gauged the remaining people.
“You!” Ken pointed at the man.
“Hi-he-he. I like your style kid.” Mantis dashed at him but a pillar of rock stopped him. He tore through the boulder like it was made of cardboard before being hit point blank by Ken’s air-slash. Most of the attack missed as the man, using his wings, did a backflip to gain some distance. As he landed Niel punched him square in the right side of his face, then Taran punched his left cheek, Luna kicked him in the stomach, and as his gaze fixated on the sky from the pummeling he saw Ken jumping up and delivering a massive slash on him. All the kids flew back from the wind caused by the attack. But as the dust settled the man stood there with Ken’s head-blade stuck in his shoulder and with only a small wound on him. Then he turned his bug-arm back into a human one and grabbed Ken by the throat, holding him high.
“You shall be my first meal then.”
“Calm.” Sun touched the man on the back. His pupils dilated and he slowly let the wiggling Ken down. Ken fell on his back and started gasping for air and coughing. “Now finish him guys!” Sun shouted.
Everyone got ready to jump the man.
“You little shit.” But before they could reach him, Sun’s ability wore off. The man turned his arm back into a claw. And the man turned around and slapped the child with full force knocking him down.
“SUN!” Luna screamed. She grit her teeth and went to fight the man. But Mantis evaded every attack coming at him.
“Your anger makes you predictable. Even if I closed my eyes, I could tell where you’ll go.”
“Hiagh!” Luna groaned and for a second fear came over the man.
Funny. For a second I saw something on her back, but maybe I was just seeing things. Huh? The wound on my shoulder is opening up! That spike-haired kid is dangerous. I need to fight smarter!
Mantis brushed off Lunas next two punches and by the time she looked up he disappeared. Just the eerie screams of wind remained haunting the battlefield.
“Where is he?” Niel looked in every direction for their attacker.
“Maybe he finally realized we are stronger than him and ran away!” Ken grinned at the thought.
Luna ran towards her brother, but she was stopped by a splash of water.
“Don’t move Luna.” Rosa said in a commanding tone, rarely heard from the girl.
“What the hell Rosa? Sun might be injured. We need to check on him!”
“He’s still here! Now that he is in combat, he cannot hide his bloodlust, I can sense him. He’s waiting on our first move.”
“Where is he?” Luna looked around frantically.
“Somewhere in that direction.” Rosa pointed where Ken has cut down some trees.
Looks like they figured me out. I’ll have to attack one of them before they open gates and leave. Judging by where they are on the battlefield, I should target her.
“So what will we do now? We need to move.”
“Taran should create a wall, protecting us from him for a few seconds. In that time we pick up Sun and run back to the human reality.”
Looks like they’re planning something. But you cannot escape kids! I am too fast! Hi-he-he!
As soon as Taran’s fingers moved the man jolted out of the bushes and went straight for Rosa. With no room to react, she fell back in fear.
“Rosa!” Ken and the others yelled.
But as Mantis reached the girl, a clanking sound was heard, as if he hit something hard.
“I made it in time.” From the panting it was hard to guess who the saviour was, the ground was frozen solid from a newly opened portal, an at the other end of it there stood Ren.
“Ren!” Rosa stood in awe behind him.
“You got your powers!” Niel exclaimed proudly.
Mantis tried to jump back but the arm he attacked with was frozen to Ren' hand.
“I don’t think we ever introduced ourselves properly. My name is Ren. I don’t suppose we could talk this out?”
“What?” Mantis was flabbergasted by the question.
“Come on! You were cool for a second, and you ruined it!” Ken shouted.
“You think I was cool? Aw! Thanks buddy.”
“Do not EVER call me buddy!” Ken charged at Ren who was still holding back Mantis’ claws.
“What are you doing Ken?” Niel tried to cut him off, but Ken dashed past him.
“Ken this is not the time.” Sun pleaded with him.
“Infighting? This looks interesting. Hi-he-he!”
“Ken you are always so angry! You should find a soft side!” Ren chose his words carefully as Ken approached.
As Ken reached his struggling classmate, he had an epiphany and changed his target in the last second pointing his head-headblade at Mantis’ elbow. “Heh, gotcha!”
Mantis screeched until his vocal chords almost gave out. As he jumped back his arm was left behind on the ground.
“You fucking…BRATS!” Mantis clenched his wound in agony. But among the pain he felt a shiver down his spine. Cleaners are coming. I have to go! “If you think this is over… As soon as I get the green light I'll devour you all!” Mantis declared and left the battlefield.
Luna ran to her brother’s aid and turned him over to his side.
“Sun! Are you okay? Speak to me!” Luna’s begging was soon stopped by the groans of her brother.
“Luna? What happened?” Sun muttered as his vision cleared.
“You were hit by that asshole. But he’s gone now, you can rest.” Luna helped her brother up only to see a massive scar on the side of his face, from the corner of his jaw to his eye. She couldn’t do anything but let out a terrified gasp.
The gate to the human reality opened. All the powerless were waiting excitedly for their friends. But that excitement was quickly halted and turned into worry as Luna carried her brother’s unconscious body out of the second reality.
Not long after that, the real cleaners arrived. Two women approached the site with careful steps.
“They fought someone.” Said the taller girl with her weapon ready in her hand.
“And they killed a bear. Impressive.” The more relaxed one sized up the fell beast.
“Focus Aida! Whoever they fought, put up a fight. They could still be nearby.”
“What? You don’t think I can beat someone who ran away from children?” Aida chuckled.
“Julia beat you when she was twelve! And she wasn't even an overhuman yet.” The taller more composed lady, whose name was Tilla scolded her partner.
“She cheated for sure! But never mind that! Should we go after the kids, to warn them?” Aida said something with some responsibility behind it.
“If you want to lose all your savings! The village is still closed. No overhuman can enter.” Tilla exclaimed as she was taking photos of the scene. "If we intvervene we'll be fined for sure!"
“That rule is useless now. They’ll open the village soon and then we’ll have to come back here anyway.” As Aida was explaining her point of view, she took some blood samples from the ground. The blood of Mantis and Sun.
“Yes but unlike you I don’t have my families bank account to rely on if they punish us for acting on our own! Get all the samples and we’ll head back. Knight Trap said he’ll take responsibility for this place after he gets back from his mission on Carum. After that all the shit that will go down here will be his job to take care of.”
“Wow Tilla. You sound so evil.”
“Because I want to live? As soon as they open this place up for overhumans I’ll relocate as far away as possible. This place creeps me the hell out.”
“Because of some kids?”
“Read some books sometimes! This is where the biggest disaster in overhuman history took place...”
Later that day Luna, Ren and Ken were sitting in the principal’s office.
The man turned around in his chair and slammed the desk making only Ren flinch.
“I don’t have to tell you that you are in trouble, am I?”
“But… what exactly are we in trouble for?” Asked Ren hesitantly.
The man slammed the desk again. “What? You know the break between classes is just fifteen minutes? You guys were away for more than double that! And when you came back Sun is injured!”
“We told you, first we were looking for Ken, he was almost struck by lightning, then the tree fell and after Mr Fury left them, it suddenly exploded. Probably built up steam in the tree from the heat of the lightnting tore it to pieces. And a piece of shrapnel hit Sun in the face!”
“Let’s say I believe your “exploding tree” story. I spoke to Mr. Fury about the incident! But that still leaves plenty of room to get back to the school in time!”
“I’ll tell ya!” Ken leaned back in his chair.”
“NO NO NO!” Ren and Luna screamed adamantly.
“I tried to take him to the nurse, but he insisted that he should go to the hospital. I told him that's too far away. We argued for a while so I knocked his ass out. After that I had to drag his ass to the nurse. And no matter how strong I am, Sun is still heavy.”
“…Yeah and we only met him later.” Ren added.
“So I saved him, we can go now. You're welcome.” Ken stood up and made his way to the door. The principal looked at them for a while clearly doubting the story, but to the kids surprise his expression let go of some of the anger.
“I’ll keep an eye on you kids! Don’t think you are off the hook!” The principal grunted.
As the three of them stepped out of the classroom a panting Marco jumped in front of them. “Guys! Sun is awake!”
The three kids shared a look of unease but hopefulness then ran to the infirmary.
The sickroom was of modest size. Walls white and cold, the smell of sanitizer and a medicine floated in the air. Sun was lying in his bed, with half of his face bandaged up.
“How are you feeling?” Luna slowly approached her brother, like she was afraid that even her mere presence could open up her brother’s wound.
“…never better…” Sun opened his dry mouth slowly “The others?” He looked around for them but only Luna was there.
“The nurse forbade the whole class to enter, not to disturb you. I got sister privileges.” Luna chuckled. Sun smiled, but it was quickly halted by the steering pain in his face. “Most of the guys never want to go back there. But you know some are more excited than others.” Luna had a clear picture of Ken and Niel in his mind.”
“And you?” Sun asked sitting up a bit.
“I think they are right, Ken and Niel. Not for the good reason, but right.”
“Then you came to the same conclusion… The first time you saw him he was in our reality. Which means hiding here won’t make a difference. We need to go back there and train.” Sun and Luna both looked determined knowing full well the weight of their decision.