David woke up with a start, jolting up into a seated position. He came to regret it immediately, as a wave of pain crashed over his skull, compounding with the soreness that lingered in his jaw.
He rubbed at the soreness, struggling to recall anything that could explain his current situation. Before long, memories came back to him in pieces. The failed hit. Frustration. The call from...
"Roxanne..." His eyes shot open, pupils dilating so wide that his vision rapidly adapted to the darkness around him. "That bitch set me up!"
Furious, he scrambled to his feet. As soon as he was upright, his hands fumbled for his phone, as well as the gun he had tucked into his pants.
"I don't care how good she is at her job, I'm gonna fucking murder that whore—"
Thwap!
Something struck out from the darkness and hit his right hand hard. The handgun flew out of it, disappearing into the darkness around him.
"The fuck...?"
He nearly dropped his phone in a hurry to push the power button. The screen came to life, and he failed to input his password three times before finally getting it right. He turned on the flashlight right away, whirling around to get an actual look at his surroundings.
Trees.
There wasn't anything else around him. Just an expanse of wood and darkness that never seemed to end.
He swept his phone's light across the ground to try and spot his handgun. A full three hundred and sixty degrees, and there was nothing. Not even so much as a dull glint of steel.
"Oh, fuck...!"
He turned tail and ran, nearly tripping over his own two feet. His focus was divided between getting away and trying to dial for help. Right as he was about to hit 'call' on a lackey's number, something struck through the air again. An impact hit his wrist so hard that his phone cracked and went flying, and his hand went limp. The screen's light disappeared like a spark in the wind.
David stopped moving, his brain cycling through options like a spinning roulette.
Fight. Flight. Freeze.
It landed on fight.
"Bring it on, you fuckin' freak!" His voice cracked as he flailed his arms every which way, trying to hit something that might or might not be there. "I ain't fuckin' afraid of you!"
As he swung his fists without real aim, something touched his back, pulling a shriek of horror and revulsion out of his throat. He turned and threw a wild haymaker in response, but there was nothing behind him.
David was just starting to question his sanity when another touch came. Two cold hands wrapped around his head from behind, ghosting their fingertips across his skin.
He couldn't even think to swing back in that moment. His stomach churned so hard that he wanted to throw up, but he summoned every ounce of his willpower just to avoid retching. In that moment, fight turned into flight.
Once more, he pumped his legs, breaking out of the deliberately loose hold. His soles, ankles, and knees ached with every impact against the ground. His thighs burned, as did his lungs, and his throat made hoarse noises every time he gasped for air.
Every few seconds, a tree branch would snap, too perfectly-timed to simply be natural damage. The thuds they made when they hit the ground were also much too loud to be small branches. Whatever chased him through the darkness was attacking.
With every turn he made, he was less sure of of where he was going, less aware of his orientation in the world. Just barely enough light filtered through the canopy up above to avoid crashing into tree trunks, and even that was a hard ask. Adding to his fear, his pursuer made absolutely no noise as it chased after him, except for whatever appendage it was using to strike out at the trees' branches.
'They always fall in front of me... Oh...? Oh no...'
David realized it too late. He was being herded. Still, he ran. There was no other choice.
Hope was fading, but a silver lining eventually did show itself. The tree line. Brighter than the rest of the woods, faint silvery moonlight reflected off of what looked like concrete.
David couldn't help the elated laugh that bubbled up from his stomach. This was it. He had a chance to get away, or at least know what had been harassing him this whole time. With renewed vigor, he sprinted forward, ignoring the fingers that closed around his limbs, barely slipping. It was so close.
So. Fucking. Close.
And then... his hope was dashed.
Instead of an open road or field or anything that could help at all, he was greeted indifferently by a ditch. One of those artificial creeks with concrete or rocky slopes that were supposed to help with the city's drainage.
It was too steep to descend safely, and even if he could, he wasn't in good enough shape to climb back out. There were no stairs or bridges in sight, and the ditch stretched in either direction without any change in structure besides the gentle curve. If he wanted to keep running, he would have to go parallel with it for who knew how long.
As David stared down at the murky water that flowed in the trench, a hand pressed against his back. It didn't even need to push. Just startling him was enough to get him off-balance, tipping forward and tumbling into the pit that spelled his doom. Battered and bruised from the fall, he forced himself up on all fours and directed his gaze to where he had fallen from, ignoring the slick and rancid water that soaked into his clothes.
There was a shadow there, in the shape of a person. A scene from the gas station reasserted itself in his memory.
'Was the call a trick?' He wondered. His brain was piecing ideas together that seemed to fit in his hyperactive imagination. 'Did Roxanne even really call...?'
As he lay stunned in the murk-water, a small portion of the shadow's surface parted. On its head emerged a face so pale that it seemed to glow. Its expression was one of absolute impassivity, and just like the rest of its body, it didn't even seem to shift. It just stared ahead with that empty face that it had.
The shadow's head didn't have to turn or tilt for David to believe that it was probably watching him.
He didn't dare move. Some small part of his mind posed that maybe—just maybe—if he stopped moving, it would get bored or decide that he wasn't worth the effort, whatever it was planning to do. He hoped against hope that doing nothing would make the shadow want to leave.
It took a step forward anyway.
David was too afraid to even blink. Dryness stung at his eyes and made him tear up. Every step the shadow took was languid. It was like just approaching him was a chore to it. The way it didn't have to brace against the slope failed to even register in his mind.
"Why?!" David screamed despite himself. "What did I ever do to you?!"
That made the shadow pause. It just inclined its head to stare directly at him, then continued walking.
Had... had it forgotten about him already? Was that why it just stared dead ahead? If he didn't say anything, would it just have passed him over...?
The shadow was face to face with him before he realized, extending a hand. All of his primal instincts screamed danger, so he flinched back. He tried to crawl away—damn it, he fucking tried. He was yanked back by his thinning hair, clumps of it tearing from his scalp with painful snaps.
A hand landed on his face when he was flipped around.
Consciousness abandoned him.
◎ ◉ ◎
'So my theory was right... I can absorb lifeforce from others.'
Soon after Lucian finished terrorizing David, he got to work experimenting. His first action was to test out an idea that he had while healing the people he rescued from the factory.
Back then, he worked on a hunch. His basis was as follows:
The basic ki manipulation implanted into his mind gave him two rudimentary techniques: active ki circulation, which boosted his physical capabilities, and ki concentration, which could accelerate recovery from both wounds and illness.
He theorized that he could do something similar for another person by projecting his ki into their body, which he tried as the opportunity presented itself: the woman who had pneumonia.
Just as he expected, pushing his own excess lifeforce into her body worked to purge a great deal of her ailment, if not all of it. And since that was a success, there was no doubt in his mind that he could heal other people's wounds as well.
There was one downside, however: since the lifeforce used to heal the patients was not theirs, the effects were diminished. That was why Lucian ended up quite drained that night.
Now... ki absorption. If he could funnel his ki into another person, it stood to reason that he could siphon ki from others as well. He went and tested that idea on David, and it worked.
Again, like with donating ki, there were losses during the transfer, and it seemed like absorption lost more than donation. His theory for why that was, was because their lifeforce wasn't as adaptive or powerful as his. Thus, very little of what he absorbed matched his own pool, resulting in heavily diminished gains.
Regardless, by the end of Lucian's practice with ki absorption, David was left nearly completely out of lifeforce. He'd recover with enough rest, but fatigue would linger in his body for days, if not weeks.
After he dragged David's unconscious body out of the water and back out to the edge of the woods, Lucian's second burner rang. When he answered, Matchstick spoke.
"Hey, we're just about done here. We chased away the people posted up all over the place, and we got guys comin' in to seize the property. How's huntin'?"
"Been productive," Lucian replied as a chorus. "This one'll have to think about the shit he's done for a good long while."
Surprise painted Matchstick's response. "Damn... I was pretty sure you'd kill 'im."
"I'm not some pacifist if that's what you're thinking. I just don't like how it feels when it isn't absolutely needed, or when the timing or mood's off. It's like eating undercooked rice. Not fun."
A small chuckle on the other side devolved into a full laugh. "Well, alright, I kinda get it. You can leave the rest to us, but I got a favor to ask."
"Shoot," Lucian replied.
"Gomez an' I are gonna have to stay here fer a bit, watch over cleanup and help our guys settle in with the tenants. While we're stuck, couldja go on over to our place? The big lug's gettin' antsy without nobody to watch over the girls..."
"Done. On my way right now. Anything else?"
The silence was long enough that it was obvious Matchstick was hesitating. "Don't tell this to no one, kid, but... the ol' cue ball's only half the reason I asked you to go to our place."
"Go on..."
"Our boss actually wants to meet you, and he's already on his way there. Have a bit of a talk. I can't say much more than this, but be ready, and don't do nothin' stupid, okay?"
Lucian nodded despite himself. "I'll be there, and don't worry... not too much, anyway. Hanging up now."
Like with the first, he crushed the burner phone. This time, it was destroyed so thoroughly that it was reduced to an unrecognizable handful of scraps.
'Alright... Hit me, Penny.'
[ Quest: "Strike Back" has been completed. ]
[ Rewards: ]
[ Utility Belt [D, Yellow] ]
[ 200 + 300 EXP. ]
[ Total: 500 EXP. ]
[ EXP to next level: 1,888. ]
[ ... ]
[ Hidden optional objective has been fulfilled. ]
[ Fulfilling action: incite an incident that frees the others who have suffered under David. ]
[ Receiving rewards... ]
[ Notice: optional Objective [3] has been left unfulfilled. You may receive the C-grade weapon reward in place of the hidden objective's bonus EXP. ]
'Shit, nice. Give me the Blink Blade.'
[ Granted. ]
[ Reward: Blink Blade [C]. ]
[ Continuing... ]
[ You spared the life of an enemy, while doing no harm to others in your pursuit of them. Despite your steady hand, you still exacted retribution by your own means. ]
[ You have been given the title: Vengeful Guardian. ]
[ Attached to this title is the ability: [Shield the Blameless] ]
[ The ability will allow you to take on any suffering imposed on anyone that is neither you, nor the one inflicting it. As you suffer in their stead, your Vitality will temporarily increase. ]
'Well... holy shit. Fucking jackpot.'
Lucian had the Blink Blade infused to his electrified sword, and assigned the Utility Belt to his Manticore loadout after stuffing its pouches with the weapons he's been given.
'Let's go visit Nyx and take a break there. We'll return to Maxie in the morning.'
◎ ◉ ◎
Killer Moth, having been deterred by Red Hood, returned to one of his hideouts in a huff. It was a small and dingy place made cramped by boxes and crates, but it would have to do. All he needed at that moment was to change out of his suit and blend back in with the general populace.
While removing what he was wearing and stuffing it into a suitcase, he placed a call to the Alex kid so he could give what little he managed to gather.
"Killer Moth... I assume you've found something?"
"I did," Drury answered. "But you're not gonna like it."
"Go on..."
He made a face like a teenager expecting a scolding, already used to it and ready to dismiss the treatment. "Not only is your boytoy associated with the bats, it looks like he's pissed off a gang boss, too. That, or he's being scouted for recruitment. Are you sure this kid's worth the trouble?"
"Which mob boss?"
"Red Hood," Drury clarified. "He was spying on this Albrecht fella just like I was. Chased me off, and I lost track of the kid."
A sigh sounded from the earpiece, punctuated by faint static. "That is troublesome... but no matter. Stop spying on him for now. You know where he works, yes?"
"Obviously. Your guys briefed me on that." Drury was now changing into some civilian clothing that he had stashed in the hideout.
"Then proceed with Plan B. Find his place of work and tail him home in disguise. If you get a chance, recruit him. Make offers, use blackmail, whatever. As long as you can get him to me. The more willing he is, the better."
"... fine. I'll manage. Expect another call tomorrow."
"Then our business is done for tonight." As 'Alex' spoke those words, a woman's too-happy squeal rang out just before the connection closed off.
Drury could only grimace, plucking the earpiece from its place. He would have crushed it underfoot if it wasn't a blatant breach of contract. "Hedonistic fucking pig..."
He sighed, mental exhaustion setting in.
"Well, time to do research, I guess. Found nothing on Lucian Albrecht when I looked earlier... That leaves the girl. Her name was Maxine Alexandra Steele, I think. If I can't lure the kid with carrots, I'll just have to raise the stick to her."
◎ ◉ ◎
Lucian swung and glided his way over to Park Row as the Manticore. One reason he did so besides convenience was to test how much the Utility Belt's added weight affected his aerial movement. To his surprise, the current difference was negligible.
He landed just at the edge of Park Row's border, landing atop a short building out of sight. From there, he switched back to his civilian clothes and rappelled down to make the rest of the way on foot. Retracing the path to his destination, he noted that there were a little bit less of Red Hood's people when he entered his territory. It wasn't too much of a difference, but it was clear to see for someone like Lucian.
'Figures. Those two probably work for him, considering their location. Less people here means they pulled people to occupy David's building.'
The walk to the boys' place was as slow as it was fast. He forced himself not to think—this was Jason Todd that he was meeting, after all. He didn't know too much about Red Hood besides the most basic parts of his backstory: being picked up by Bruce after Dick left, growing and fighting side to side, then... dying.
'Well, we at least have that in common. Not that I can say it...'
[ Have any memories prior to your death been resurfacing? ]
'... no. I try to remember sometimes, but no dice.'
Penny replicated a warm squeeze on Lucian's hand. He also noticed that it lingered, but didn't point it out. Only when the cold emptiness returned did he realize that he was already most of the way through a familiar alley, with the back entrance to the electronics repair shop to his left.
'Best bite the bullet and have that talk.'
Lucian twisted the knob, finding it unlocked. He made sure to lock the door behind him as he entered.
The atmosphere in the cramped storage space was a lot heavier than before, likely bleed-over seeping out from the living space behind the door to the right. Out of curiosity and instinct, he engaged his ki vision.
Pale green light filtered through the gaps between the door and its frame. It was a toxic color, and despite how little was actually escaping into the storage room, Lucian couldn't help but note how brilliant it was.
'Lazarus lifeforce,' he concluded.
That was the only real explanation—this was his first time ever seeing a green aura. Most others carried grey tones of lifeforce. Only his, being purple, had ever been different. Now, that included Jason Todd's own color.
'Now that I think about it, Aleck's aura was kinda bluish. I'll have to dig some information on that later.'
For now, he focused on the present and reached for the next doorknob. With a twist, he pushed it open.
Inside were three figures. One dominated the scene: Red Hood sat at the tiny dinner table, his body comically large against it and the rickety chair beneath him.
Off to the side, calm yet obviously nervous, was Rita. She looked between Lucian and Jason, gauging the tension. Gulping, she seemed to settle on staying still and quiet.
On the couch by the boarded-up windows was Nyx, holding what looked like a small tumbler to her chest. She was fast asleep, drooling and snoring away with a tablet discarded at her feet.
Lucian opened with a sly and challenging grin. "She's got guts falling asleep around you, dear stalker."
Red Hood inclined his head. "Stalker?"
Luce puffed air out of his nose, calmly approaching the dinner table. "Oh, come on. I can feel it. You've got that same stare I felt earlier. Feels like a... how to put it? Like someone's got a gun pressed to the back of my skull."
A low, slow chuckle came from Jason. "You don't say? How can you be so sure?"
Lucian pulled out a chair for himself, directly across from Red Hood. "Oh, I don't know... sixth sense? Keen animal instinct? Kinda like a cat, y'know?"
Before any more words could be spoken, his eyes caught Rita. She was pale, and her skin glistened with sweat. He decided to give her an out from what is—from his point of view—a comical scenario.
"By the way, we should probably let Rita get back to her sister."
Jason looked her way now as well. The slight shift in his posture—a barely-perceptible stiffening of the shoulders—was obvious to Lucian. "He's right," he said. "Go on back upstairs."
"But—"
"Go on. I told you earlier that you didn't need to keep me company. This was just a convenient place to meet..."
Rita grudgingly nodded, then looked over to where Nyx was.
"Actually," Lucian cut in, "would you mind if I stayed until sunrise? I could use a break."
Some color returned to her skin. "I-I don't mind," she replied. "... Can you watch over Nyx for me? I don't really want to wake her up, and she seems to like you..."
He nodded, and she was on her way back upstairs.
"You managed to get through to the kid," said Jason.
Lucian leaned back in his chair, ending his posturing. "Well, y'know... kinda what you get as the eldest kid..."
"You have siblings?"
"Had," he corrected. "Twins. They both wanted to be doctors."
Something shifted in Jason's posture again. Something more relaxed, more contemplative. The green aura that surrounded him even calmed down into a smoother flow, like candleflame as opposed to a crackling campfire.
"And the guy you put a hit on," he followed up. "I heard you spared him."
Lucian thought for a moment. "'Spared' is a strong word. Just didn't feel like it."
"Explain," said Red Hood.
"Damn, this an interrogation now? I thought you were cool, man..." He felt the eyes narrow behind the red helmet's lenses. "But uh, anyway... there wasn't any need. Didn't feel right either. 'Sides... I can use it to see if fear tactics are effective for change."
Jason's aura went... 'stable.' Almost completely still, like laminar flow. Lucian didn't know what it was, but it was a notable change even if the meaning was lost on him.
Red Hood nodded, then stood up. "I think I have a better grasp on you now. I'll get out of your hair."
"Now, hold on," Lucian interrupted. He remained seated, but Jason didn't sit back down himself. "I got at least one question for you. Why were you following me earlier?"
"Doing someone a favor," Jason answered. "Friend of mine. I owe him a lot."
"It was Nightwing, wasn't it?"
There was no answer. Instead, Red Hood just left, footsteps quieter than his muscular bulk should allow it to be.
Lucian decided to take a bit of a nap, taking his chair near the door to the storage room, next to the couch.
—=—=—=—=—=—=—=—
[A/N]: Hi! Hello!! It me!!! :D
So, again, like before, I split this chapter into two because it got too heckin long. Also, since there's so many heckin words here, pls forgive any mistakes or the like... do still point 'em out though, so I can fix 'em.
And that's this mini-arc over! I expanded a bit on what Lucian can do among other things, established another bat-family connection, and set up more plot.
Lucian's gonna spend a lot of his levels building the Changeling class tree now, too. It's got some abilities that'll cement what he really wants to be in the future, since he's still kinda drifting along right now. As soon as he starts on that path though, there won't be much deviating from it.
Last note, I'm making some changes to the Changeling class tree progression before we get there, and I'm putting it here so I absolutely don't forget—not completely, at least.
Changeling is the Basic class, which has 5 levels. After that will be three Intermediate classes, each having another 5 levels to progress through: Doppelganger, Therianthrope, and Mimic. Only when those three have been maxed out can he take the Advanced class, Shapeshifter. That one will have 10 levels, for a total of... five... five times three... that's twenty... 30 levels!
He won't be leveling Mage and Monk for a long, long time, if he even does it at all. He just needed to unlock basic knowledge; training will do the rest.
Okay, that's it! Baibai!
Oh wait, there was something else
I'm taking a break form posting this week because I'm aging! I'll be back next next week. I just know I'm finna overeat myself to the point I get sick... but yeah :D