Gregory Whizen, also known as the Darkblade, made his way into the headquarters of the Praesagius, the biggest organization of talented seers in the world.
The building stood prominently in the middle of Eden City, the most prominent city on the planet. It was the world's centre of commerce.
It was run under the front of an international conglomerate, Black Ink, that managed multiple businesses all over the world. The organization's agents posed as high-profile employees, coming and going as they pleased.
In reality, it was as the organization required. Only high-profile employees had access to the floors run by Praesagius. In a sense, they were hiding in plain sight.
The organization consisted of the talented individuals who had been handpicked by the organization's brass and other talented scouts, also raised by the organization.
Some of these individuals had the sight, the ability to see events before they had taken place.
The sight was not limited to visions of the future but also to observation of incorporeal beings as well as the dark world. Especially gifted individuals wielded telepathy as well as clairvoyance.
Most talented individuals had a maximum of three abilities. But the cream of the crop had access to more than four different abilities.
Gregory took out a special key card and entered an elevator that was accessible only to the brass of the company. He descended through several underground floors, passing through multiple levels of security as he made his way to the council chambers, where the most powerful individuals of the organization, the Videntis, had their seats of power.
The Videntis were unparalleled, and rumour had it they could wield seven abilities.
He was briefly stopped outside the council chambers to verify his identity. He flashed a black gold card with a dark scythe that was etched with golden markings, the symbol of the Praesagius' kill squad.
Individuals on the kill squad had access to at least five abilities. The two guards opened the double doors for him. In the room, seven thrones stood on a raised platform.
Seven white robed figures sat on these thrones, seemingly unbothered by the intrusion into their chambers.
He walked to the centre of the room and waited for them to address him.
"Gregory Whizen," A young red-haired girl, who sat on one of the thrones, said. Her violet eyes focused on him, scrutinizing him. Her eyes suddenly glowed as she focused her ability on him, emitting an ethereal violet light.
He tensed as a psionic wave washed over him, probing. He inhaled slightly, then, letting out a sigh, he dropped his mental barriers, allowing her to access his thoughts and memories.
A slight smirk formed on her face.
"Lady Victoria," He said, nodding at her. Victoria Goodison was the youngest person to ever sit on the Council of Videntis.
Her psychic abilities were the most powerful that had been seen in centuries, a true genius. She had been groomed from within the Praesagius, having been discovered at an early age.
"You're here about a call you received three days ago, from an orphanage in Earl City. A girl you believe may be the child in the prophecy of old." She said as she skimmed through his memories like an open book.
He shuddered slightly as he tried to shield the more private parts of his life from her, a slight perspiration forming on his brow.
"What makes you so sure?" A middle-aged gray-haired man questioned, his gray eyes narrowing.
"Lord Sebastian, we do not know her background; she appeared out of thin air. The nuns at the orphanage claim that unusual phenomena manifest around her.
She can also see the beings that cross over from the dark world to ours," He said.
"For all we know, it could simply be another talented child, in which case we should welcome her into our ranks. Do not waste the council's time on such trivial matters." A masked figure spoke in a deep voice.
"Do not be so hasty, Thrain. A child that the girl came into contact with went comatose. The nuns reported that the child levitated into the air before losing consciousness. So she has the sight, possibly telekinesis, as well as world manipulation." Victoria said, a hint of curiosity making its way into her voice.
"I highly doubt it, a world manipulator has not appeared in over 1000 years, at the very best, she probably wields some form of atmokinesis." A hooded figure said in a bored tone.
"Are we almost done? Can I go home now?" The person said with a yawn.
" If you must, then you should go and look into it yourself, for now the council is preoccupied with other business that is of the utmost importance," Thrain said.
" I think Thrain is right," A mysterious, blindfolded man said.
"We are yet to give our feedback to the Council of Assassins after we promised that we would aid them in looking into the recent disappearances, not to mention even the ones among our brethren."
"Alright then, it is decided," Sebastian said with a tone of finality.
" Gregory Whizen, you shall investigate this girl, and if you find her to be gifted, you shall return with her and take her under your wing. If she is indeed the child of prophecy, then the council will decide what to do with her.
A tall man with long white hair that fell past his shoulders stood outside the Laurel orphanage. He had piercing amber eyes and a hooked nose that looked like it'd been broken once.
A jagged scar ran down the left side of his face. He was clad in a dark suit, and a long case was strapped diagonally across his back.
"Mr Gregory, this way," Sister Claire said as she ushered him through the gates of the orphanage.
"It has been a while, brother."
Gregory sighed as they kept walking.
" I realize this may be a bit difficult for you," she said as they walked. " But you're the only one I could depend on for this. We don't know what's going on anymore."
Gregory unslung the case on his back and sat down on one of the benches.
The kids streamed out of their classes, running happily into the courtyard, scrambling one after the other.
"For the life of me, Claire, I don't know why you would choose this kind of life with your gift. It's all such a waste."
Reaching into his pocket, he drew out a packet of cigarettes and popped one into his mouth.
His amber eyes glowed slightly, and the cigarette lit up. He inhaled deeply before letting out a smooth stream of smoke from his nose with practiced ease."
"Do not smoke in front of the kids," Claire said indignantly. Her eyes flared with light, and a vacuum formed around the cigarette, extinguishing it.
"Hell, woman, won't you give a man a break?" He said, as his lips quirked up in a gentle smile.
" Which of the kids is she?" He said, his gaze turning serious.
' She's not with the other kids. She usually likes to be alone; she's probably got her head stuck in a book somewhere. Come, I'll show you."
He rose slowly, dusting himself before following her. She led him to the orphanage rooftop.
"From up here, you can view everything for miles around." She said in a deadpan voice. She scanned the courtyard slowly.
"There she is, she usually comes out and sits under that tree in solitude and reads for hours on end."
Gregory casually walked up to the ledge with his hands in his pockets and climbed it.
"What do you think you're doing?" Claire said, her eyes narrowing. He turned around, flashing her a wicked smile. "What do you think?" He said.
"I'm just going over to say hi. Oops," He took a step off the ledge and disappeared.
"Greg!!" She shrieked frantically. His amber eyes glowed vividly as he shot towards the ground.
The wind rushed up fiercely around him. Using his ability, he pulled on the air around him, increasing the air resistance around him as the distance between him and the ground decreased, gradually slowing his descent.
He landed soundlessly, a small breeze stirring in his wake.
Emily was particularly entranced by the book she was reading when she felt a foreign presence loom over her. Adjusting her glasses, she looked up.
A white haired stranger in a black suit stood in front of her with a strange case slung behind his back. His deep amber eyes bore into her own as he observed her silently.
" You're Emily, yes?" He asked. His voice was calm and soothing. She nodded silently, unsure of what to do.
"My name is Gregory, Gregory Whizen," he said, as he offered her his gloved hand. " I hope we can be friends?"
She puzzledly stared at his outstretched hand without making a move to take it.
"Sister Claire tells us not to talk to strangers." His eyes widened in surprise, and he threw his head back and laughed.
Emily awkwardly looked at him as his melodic laughter rang throughout the deserted backyard.
A breathless Claire finally arrived, wheezing audibly." You! You could have died. Don't ever do such a thing again!" She yelled indignantly.
" Oh come on, don't be so uptight. Besides, I think Emily and I are going to get along well. I like her already." He grinned.
That evening at dinner, the kids were informed that the strange man would be one of their teachers and that he would be staying with them at the orphanage, and that they should treat him nicely and act normally around him.
"Kids, this is Mr Gregory Whizen, he'll be joining us for a while," Sister Claire announced. He'll be teaching arithmetic and art. Please be on your best behaviour and treat Mr Whizen with respect."
Later that night, after the staff and the kids had retired to their quarters, Gregory sat on his bed in his room with his eyes closed, meditating in silence.
He inhaled, a gentle wind stirring in the room as he practiced his ability. He exercised a delicate control over the drafts of air that flowed into the room, slowly levitating into the air in his seated position.
His eyes flew open, glowing surreally in the dark, as he heard the distant screams of the children in the children's wing. Slipping out through the window, he skillfully manipulated the wind to propel himself through the air at a steady speed.
His hair whipped back around him as he reached an incredible speed. He compressed the air in front of him to create an aerodynamic force to increase his speed.
He gradually controlled his descent, dashing up the stairs to find a few of the nuns trying to break through the door to the dormitories.
"Stand back," He ordered.
The nuns quickly moved away from the door. A vortex of wind slowly stirred on the palm of his hand. He snapped his fingers, causing a slight spark of white flame to swirl into a spherical ball along with the wind.
With a thought, he detonated the ball, causing the door to fly off its hinges with a flash of light and a wave of searing heat to erupt from the controlled explosion.
The debris from the door hovered in the air without harming the kids, as he calmly surveyed the room, noting Claire's prone form in a corner of the room, the unconscious kids, and the growling creature that stood next to the portal in the room.
He was filled with a deep sense of foreboding as he finally noticed the man-shaped silhouette illuminated by the portal behind the man.
The man's outstretched arm had frozen as it reached towards a little girl who was standing in front of another girl whom he recognized as Emily.
"I didn't even sense his presence. Is he ignoring me?"
The man's scarlet eyes suddenly turned and focused on him.
"I do wonder, is it your intention for all of you to continue interrupting me?" He said with an inhuman smile.