"...Damn it." Igil rubbed his forehead as a throbbing pain passed through it like a nail constantly being hammered into his skull. He wasn't sure what caused it, but he knew it was somehow related to his enhanced strength.

"Did you hear me? Move, or end up like this guy." With one look, he could tell that his words fell on deaf ears. Few left, and those that stayed gathered together in groups, slowly closing in on the boy.

They're planning to jump me. Could get rough... Igil thought, sticking the knife in his hand into the ground. I reckon it'll only be a minute till the guards catch wind of what's happening. So, these guys want to kill me before they get here, so they can stay on the good side of the guards.

So I'll just take them all out in a minute.

Neatly ducking underneath the first attacker's punch, he seized the man's arm and swung him into the foe at his flank, before narrowly sliding out of the way of an attempted stab to the chest. Flipping into the air to avoid being stabbed by four different foes surrounding him at every angle, he landed and stomped on the head of an attacker at the very back of the swarm.

As several more foes rose into the air to charge him, he sprung into the air once again, landing on the back of a foe, and then pushed off the man with his legs to effectively send the attacker flying into the crowd.

As he returned to the ground he was violently greeted by six different foes attacking him at once. Swiftly flipping into a handstand, he spun himself like a helicopter blade, his legs slamming into his assailants with merciless ferocity.

30 seconds so far. He thought, blocking a punch with his palm, high-kicking a man into the air, and then bending his entire upper body backward to avoid a knife strike. Bringing his hands upwards, he clasped the knife with both palms and pulled it out of the assailant's grip, shoving the handle into the man's nose violently.

Now using the man's belly as a trampoline, he boosted himself high into the air, seizing several tiles from the ceiling, and as he fell back down, threw them with ninja-like precision at the few assailants left.

Igil inspected his surroundings and could see that he had taken down most of them, and those that were still conscious had fled.

Well, all but one.

A man with ragged blond hair and piercing eyes stood amongst the bodies of test subjects. As he walked towards Igil he kicked the bodies lying in his path out of the way, much to Igil's surprise.

"Are those not your friends?" He asked.

"Course not. Was just waiting for them to thin down so I could beat the snot out of you!"

"So you could take all of the credit?"

"You know it."

Igil stared at the man, and he stared back, the two going completely still. Time seemed to slow down to a snail's pace as they observed each other, waiting to see who would strike first.

2 seconds passed.

4 seconds passed.

8 seconds passed.

16 seconds passed.

And then the two moved at the same time, closing the distance between themselves rapidly. The man turned his body and brought up his leg with monstrous strength as he approached, slamming his leg toward Igil's neck. Igil brought up his arm, guarding his neck and tanking the kick, and planting his feet into the ground to fight against the force of the strike.

Stolen story; please report.

Shifting his guarding arm, he grabbed the man's ankle, and pulled the man towards him, seizing the man by his collar, turning, and then hauling the man over his back and into the ground with a great crack.

"SHIT! FUCK, MAN, MY BACK!"

Igil barely acknowledged the man's shouting as he gasped for air. Despite his victory, there was no doubt that the man was much stronger than any of the people he'd fought before. The exchange took way longer than he thought it would, and he could hear the guards coming from the cells.

"You look like you've gotten yourself into a fine mess." Called a voice from behind him. "Of course, you could have avoided the whole thing if you were a bit wiser."

Igil turned and found himself face to face with the owner of the voice, a girl with long scarlet hair whose eyes were wrapped tightly in cloth.

"You're Igil Asahav, right?"

"That's me."

"My name's Nalle. It's nice to meet you, Igil..." She bent down and threw the man on the floor over her shoulder and turned. "Is what I wish I could say. But you've proven yourself to be a disappointment."

A disappointment? How?

Nalle strode over to a strange statue of a black frog, its mouth wide enough to swallow an entire person whole. Ducking slightly, she walked right into the frog's mouth. Inside it was a long and cramped pathway.

Creepy... Igil followed after the strange woman, walking right into the frog's mouth, and immediately felt like gagging. It had a strong stench that was akin to the smell of burning flesh and coal, but much stronger.

"Why did you decide to attack them?" She asked suddenly.

"Huh?" Igil replied.

"Why'd you attack them?"

"Ah-well, I needed to find you and they were in my way so-"

"So, you got rid of them. I know. But that wasn't the only option available to you."

"But it was the quickest."

"No, it wasn't."

This lady...what the fuck is she on about?

"You could have fled just as easily as you took them all down. That was the quickest option available to you, and you didn't take it. You and I are similar that way, you know?" She turned to look Igil in the eyes.

"So then what's your problem?"

"The problem is that your inclination towards violence will cause problems sooner or later. I know because...my inclination toward violence is also going to cause problems!" She grinned. "But those two have been kind to me since I first met them, so if I were to let another hot-headed freak join up with them, I could never forgive myself."

"I'm not hotheaded, lady." He replied curtly and she suddenly stopped moving, causing Igil to almost bump into her. Right before them was a small room, stuffed with the stench of smoldering flesh, ash, and death. The ground was coated in hills of ash, soot, and blackened bones.

Igil immediately covered his nose. Now that his sense of smell was stronger, standing outside the room felt like sensory hell. Nalle walked right on in, tossing the unconscious blond-haired man on the floor, and taking a seat on an ash hill.

"What is this place?" Igil asked in a slightly nasally voice.

"It was a cremator for the living, used it to burn people and corpses alike until-"

"Let me guess, the low budget kicked in and they couldn't afford fuel anymore?" Igil finished.

"Basically." She scratched her head. "Let's properly introduce ourselves. You tell me three fun facts about yourself, and I'll tell you three fun facts about myself."

"Doesn't that seem like a waste of time? Isn't there more urgent-"

"Just do it!" She pulled out a small slip of paper and a pencil.

"Uh-alright. Uh..." Thinking about it, I'm not all that interesting huh? I don't have any talents, hobbies, or interests...how the hell am I gonna come up with three different things? "I'm 14...I guess I like fighting things and...I...I.."

"Good! Great, great, awesome, amazing, spectacular!" She put down her pencil and showed him the slip of paper. In a matter of seconds, she had drawn a beautifully illustrated caterpillar staring up at a bright moon.

Igil put his hand to his chin. "What am I looking at?"

"You! Your answer tells me that you're inexperienced and naive, on a hunt to explore your identity and find yourself. You have no idea what you are and have only just found a reason for existence. Does that sound about right?" She crumpled up the piece of paper and tossed it over her shoulder.

"I guess. How'd you figure all that out?"

"And now it's my turn." She said, completely ignoring Igil. "I am the illegitimate child of a nobleman. I have a twin sister. And I could care less about escaping this place. Whaddya think?"

"I think you're crazy."

"There's no denying that, I'm afraid. I don't have any interest in escaping this place. I want to die on my terms, and I need you to help me do that."

"You want me to murder you?"

"NO! No. Of course not. Well. Sort of."

She reached out, placing her hands on Igil's shoulders, looking the boy right in the eyes. "I need you to help me kill myself."