Sweaty and breathing heavily, Riley laid on a soft mat inside of the gym, looking up at Kara.
Having done hundreds of clap-pushups to build explosive strength for his punches, Riley rested in between his sets as he listened to her. This time, she didn't touch him; it was her tooth.
Having removed a tooth from her mouth, she let Riley freely hold it in his pocket. Her ability transferred through the clothes and severed his connection to Ghira, reducing his strength so that he could physically train with normal human means and grow stronger.
"Huff… so, what did you say you'd explain later?" Riley asked, standing up to get some water.
"Well, it was about Jack the Ripper."
"Oh, right. Wait, was he one of Ghira's servants back in the day?"
Kara nodded her head, reaching her hand out to get some of his water, which he handed over without a fight. "That's right. Long ago, Ghira told me that Jack was the first person to ever try to kill other servants, even without having the urge to."
"Oh, that's cool. Was it for justice?"
Looking at him dumbfounded, Kara silently stared at him.
"What do you think?" She mocked, and Riley bit his lip, nodding his head.
"...Yeah, I guess that was dumb."
—Laughing to himself, Riley heard a loud bang and a resounding sensation of boiling pain.
Looking down, he found the left side of his stomach torn off into chunks across the ground. His knees giving out, Riley collapsed to the ground, digging in his pockets to find the tooth and throw it away.
Kara turned around, seeing a tall man—shotgun, he was wielding a shotgun. She would not waste time looking over every detail of his appearance whilst he was armed with a gun.
Immediately kicking off the ground, Kara unleashed a downwards kick, smashing her right foot into the shotgun and splitting it in two. Her right foot landing on the floor, she spun around, chambering her left leg and shooting out a straight kick directly to his chest, sending him hurtling through the gym.
His body slamming and crashing through heavy machines and other people, eventually crashing into the dumbbell rack, bringing him to a sudden halt, Kara clicked her tongue.
Riley grabbed the tooth in his pocket and threw it out, recovering his connection to Ghira.
The urge returning to him, Riley summoned [Bleeding], running over to the injured people. They'd been in the line of fire of a 180 pound man sent flying through a gym, and when they sat against heavy machines, their bones were contorted so that they bled lots.
Riley licked up their blood whilst profusely begging for forgiveness, beginning to heal his open wound relatively quickly whilst Kara rushed over to him.
"Just follow through on your attack," Riley said, his voice muddied with his pain and guilt.
"Y-you sure? Just in case you need help?"
"Nah, I'll be fine. I'll be right with you, promise. Just make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else."
Kara cracked her knuckles, looking at the dumbbell rack and seeing the victim of her kick having gotten up, laughing to himself.
Now with a better view, in a less intense situation, she saw the man wearing a white, fuzzy unicorn motorcycle helmet. His clothes, befitting someone with that kind of flair, were all tie-dye shorts and shorts.
"What're you dressed as?" Kara asked, raising a brow in absolute confusion.
"Pfft," the man responded. "—Just ask yourself, 'wouldn't it be hilarious if the two rebels died to someone in an outrageous outfit?'"
Conveying the general sense of humor of the servants, which was rooted in absurdity in the face of human life, the man snickered to himself.
Riley, healed of his wounds, got to his feet, slowly walking over whilst he spun his finger around. Taking the small amounts of water from the gymgoers water bottles, the water hovered around him in a spiral motion.
"Y'know…" Riley loudly began, not saying anything afterwards.
From what I practiced last night, [Drowning] is only as strong as the amount and proximity to me.
In essence, the bigger and closer it is, the more I can control it.
Having engaged the clearly talkative killer in a conversation, Riley used the man's willingness to wait against him. The water which spiraled around him in the air suddenly slithered along his arm, before being launched out as a concentrated beam.
Within a fraction of a second, akin to the speed of a sniper rifle bullet, the condensed and magically held-together water sniped the servant's chest, penetrating his stomach and directly damaging his organs.
Though, even still, it was not a real bullet.
The effects of [Drowning] getting weaker even just after a few feet of exiting Riley's immediate proximity, Riley was only able to continue adding energy to the water beam for so long before the only control he had over it was keeping it from dispersing.
"Hydraulic Railgun,'" Riley named the attack immediately after unleashing it, a soft smirk on his face. He looked around to the people in the gym, who were panicking. "Everyone, get out! Call 911 and leave, hurry!"
Those able to move ran out of the gym in packs, meanwhile the injured laid on the ground in pain.
"Kara," Riley softly began, "please try not to damage that dude's motorcycle helmet—I've got an idea for it later on. I'll focus on helping get everyone out of the building."
"Alrighty," Kara said, leaving Riley to use [Hanging] to rescue the injured. The moment he ran away, she grabbed a forty-five pound plate and launched it like a frisbee towards the servant, forcing him to dodge.
Having leapt to the side, the man raised his revolvers—
Kara had already reached him.
"—Hk."
The man was grabbed by the wrist and jerked to Kara, losing his balance. Swung forward, his vision went into rapid blurs before crashing into the brick wall, causing an absurd crunching to play throughout the gym like a symphony.
His body laying weak, he looked down, trying to see his legs. When he tried to move his legs, even the slightest jolt caused them to grate violently, causing excruciating pain.
Kara rushed across the gym, raising her leg and stomping on the man's broken legs, moving the bone and nerves around, scraping them against each other.
"ARGH! SHIT!"
She forcefully removed the motorcycle helmet, looking back and seeing Riley having rescued the people. She tossed it over to him, and he caught it, placing it down on the ground as he stood over the nigh-defeated servant.
"So, what're we going to do with him?" Kara asked, and Riley held his hand to his chin.
"You. Tell us your name."
"Kgh… Bartholomew."
"...Huh. Interesting name," Riley said, his interest piqued as Kara nudged him.
"That's not his real name. We just have a practical joker."
"Ohhhhhh."
Riley smirked, crouching down and looking over the man's broken legs. Snapped at the knee, they seemed to bend in a 120-degree angle—the wrong way.
"Though, if he's joking like this, I feel like he's a bit more of an impractical joker than a practical one… Man, I love that show."
Riley smiled, trying to use humor and lightheartedness to resonate with the servant and win him over to his side.
"Heya. So, listen. Me and Kara are pretty open to having new recruits. If you wanna live and join us against Ghira, y'know, we'd love to have you. I just want to put a stop to all the violence caused by him. Mind joining us?"
Kara scoffed, raising her foot and stomping on the man's knees, rubbing tendon and bone against each other in pain. The man grunted, curling up in pain as Riley looked at her with raised eyes.
"What? Hey, what're you doing!?"
"Are you serious? He's a killer."
"So are you. And so am I."
Riley stood up, still looking up at Kara, his eyes resolved with determination. "They deserve a second chance. I gave you one. I want one for myself. At least let him answer."
"Oh?"
Kara inched closer to him, looking down on him with cold, stone-hearted eyes. "Have you forgotten, Riley? If I wanted to, I could end your life in the blink of an eye."
"—I trust that you wouldn't."
Visibly caught off guard, Kara tilted her head slightly.
"I believe that there's a little bit of good in all of us. Even if we don't always act on it, I believe anyone can be a good person if they really, really try. If I didn't, then I'd have to end my own life as well."
Riley gently poked her cheek with his fingertip, causing her to back away.
"You could easily kill me, yes. But I trust that you'll do the right thing. I'll always reach out my hand to those in need—even if they've hurt others. As long as they truly fight against it, I'll never forsake them. That's what I wish for myself. That's what I'll give to others."
Her heart unsteady, Kara sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh… sorry," she muttered.
"It's okay, but uh, please don't do that again—it was awfully frightening."
Riley smirked and looked down at the servant. Reaching his hand out, Riley wished for the servant to join him.
And yet,
"Come, join the show."
Those words escaping the man's lips, Riley was plunged into the world of black.
…
"...What… what is this?"
Music. The raving music, blaring bright lights and the many fans in the stadium, Riley found himself at a concert.
Being one among the many in the stadium, Riley looked around to see mutilated corpses swinging glowsticks. An uneasy sensation in his heart, Riley turned to the main stage, seeing the servant standing next to a microphone with a blue electric guitar in hand.
What the? Seriously, what is this place? This has to be his ability, right?
"Heyheyhey!! Welcome to the show! To all my adoring fans—and my spiteful enemy—MAKE SOME NOISE!!"
Instantly, the corpses erupted into cheers.
"LOBO!"
"LOBO!"
"LOBO!"
"LOBO!"
Hundreds of audience members shouted, causing Riley to grit his teeth as Lobo swapped places with one of them, just right behind him. Grabbing the electric guitar and winding back, Lobo smashed the unbreakable guitar into the back of Riley's head, sending him flying forwards through the crowd.
"Not yet, not yet!!"
In his element—a concert where he was the star of the show—Lobo leapt into the air. The corpses grabbed Riley, slowing his momentum as he kicked and struggled before throwing him upwards. Riley's vision was a blurry mess, as his shoulder was smashed against by the guitar, sending him flying down into the ground.
With no audience to catch him, Riley crashed into the ground, coming to an instantaneous stop. A thick snap playing from the speakers as though it had happened just next to a microphone, the audience erupted into cheers.
Riley slowly tried to get up, summoning [Hanging] and wrapping the entire rope around his waist, looking around.
"Kara?!" He shouted, calling for help before having his broken shoulder obliterated by the hard slam of an electric guitar. Letting out a scream, one which played on the speakers, Riley collapsed to the ground, his shoulder lodged out of place.
"Enjoy the show," Lobo softly said with a chuckle, raising the guitar. Utilizing [Hanging], Riley flew away, evading the attack as he took off into the air.
"C'mon now, don't run—"
"Quit yapping."
Floating down to the ground, Riley summoned [Shooting] and pointed the gun directly at Lobo, a look of murderous intent on his face. Seeing a gun, Lobo swapped places with one of the audience members near Riley, lunging at him with the guitar.
Then, Riley turned to face the man, having gathered spit in his mouth.
"Pthew."
Spitting, Riley used [Drowning] to send the water flying at Lobo's eye. Due to the size, it wasn't fast or powerful, but it blinded Lobo and made him flinch.
Pressing off the ground, Riley slashed at Lobo's forehead. [Bleeding] taking its toll, blood erupted from the man's forehead, covering his vision in red.
Instantly teleporting away, the man did not want Riley to follow through, getting to a safe distance.
"Tch," Riley clicked his tongue, looking at the crowds of people.
The people in this audience… They all have distinct faces. Unique mutilations. Some are missing their arms, some are bruised so badly their faces turn green.
"You… are all these people your victims!?" Riley shouted, gritting his teeth. Consumed by rage at the sight of victims in pain, he bared his fangs as he gripped [Bleeding] in his hand tightly.
Healing his wound, Riley sacrificed some of his own blood, completely gaining control over his shoulder once more.
"Kgh, hehehehehehe…"
Giggling like a child, the man's joy was captured on the speakers, ringing throughout the stadium. "That's right. And what will you do about it? Continue reaching your hand out towards me? After all, you're an evil person too, aren't you?"
"—Hk."
His knuckles burning white with their intense grip, Riley took one step forward with [Bleeding].
"You…!"
"What's wrong? After all, everyone has a bit of good in them, isn't that right?"
"That's… That's true. I believe there can be good in you as well. Just… Please, stop hurting others. At least… try."
"Pfft."
The music blaring, their words amplified by the speakers, Riley heard the man's utter rejection very clearly.
"As if. I'm just doing what I was meant to. It's in my nature, after all."
So… so it's true, it seems.
Lobo had already surrendered to his nature.
"Then enough talking. I'll kill you."
His mind flashing with methods of suicide to utilize, Riley struggled to figure out one that could be used.
[Falling] was unknown and difficult to figure out. [Poisoning] was difficult to imagine how it would work. [Tongue-Biting] was uncertain at best.
His mind considering all sorts of methods, Riley found one which surely had to be akin to [Bleeding], [Hanging], and [Shooting], in that it could be summoned.
Removing the knife from the world, Riley extended his hand.
Come.
Utilizing [Crashing], an entire car was summoned forth, brought into the world. A bland gray, with rust along the lower sides, the vehicle looked incredibly beat-up.
"Pfft!" Lobo scoffed, teleporting near Riley and lunging at him. "What kind of power even is—"
The electric guitar raised, it was quickly slammed down towards Riley, who leapt backwards a few feet to evade. In his energetic, excited frenzy, Lobo's reaction time was delayed—Riley grabbed hold of his neck.
"Kgh—!"
"Try and teleport."
Yet, Lobo did not.
A snide grin curving across Riley's cheeks, he lifted Lobo off the ground with his one arm.
"—So that's how it's done."
Having figured out the trick to disable it, Riley's heart raced with excitement.
Keeping hold of the man's throat, Riley rushed towards the car, winding his arm back. Exerting the explosive strength his body had quickly built up as a resort of training, Riley violently smashed the man's head through the glass window.
Pinning his body against the inner seats, restraining the man's movements and making him helpless to fight back, Riley's heavy breaths rang in Lobo's ears. Even though Lobo kicked against the air violently and grabbed Riley's wrist, trying to stop him, Riley heavily pressed him deeper into the car.
"Well? Is this how your victims felt? Is it?"
The corpses in the audience rushed Riley down to save Lobo, yet Riley's grip tightened at the sight. Lobo's body halfway through the window, his kicks unable to fight back and without much option, Riley began to laugh at him.
"Someone who hurts others without a second thought—someone like you…"
Leaning closer and whispering into his ears, Riley made eye contact as he continued to wring his neck with one hand.
"Hey, hey… I always see cars explode on TV. But, I bet that's not true, right? But what kind of ability would it be if I just summoned a car? That'd be boring, right? Right, right?"
Lobo's throat wrung until he couldn't breathe, his eyes rolling backwards. The corpses swarmed the vehicle, stacking atop each other to pile up and get ahold of Riley—
"There."
Leaping into the air, Riley detonated [Crashing] with Lobo still inside. Even if he tried to switch places with one of his "fans," they too were caught in the blast.
'
An eruption of fire and energy swarmed the stadium, blowing wind and metal—for lack of a better term—everywhere.
Riley landed on the ground, standing back up with his smirk replaced with a serious expression.
Summoning [Hanging], the car set ablaze vanished from the world, causing Lobo to collapse to the floor. Gritting his teeth, slowly standing up, the flames set upon him were no longer present.
"Kgh… you…"
His audience caught up in the blast, their human bodies were dismembered completely, removing them from being fit for his swapping.
Wrapping the noose around Lobo's wrist, the servant was flown forward. Digging his heels into the ground, Riley used the momentum of being pulled in addition to the force exerted, driving his fist into Lobo's sternum and cracking it open from the force.
The feeling of having struck a man solid with his fist spread across Riley's knuckles, traveling down his entire arm.
Lobo went limp, his body hanging by a raised wrist.
Glancing at the hundreds of corpses the servant had amassed, Riley despaired over each and every life lost.
"Let's test out [Falling]."
Guessing that [Falling] would likely have something to do with downwards movement, Riley dropped Lobo to the floor.
Raising his foot into the air, Riley used [Falling], creating momentum and force with his downward stomps. His boot rapidly speeding up as it went down, it crashed into Lobo's ribs, bludgeoning them with such force that they broke apart as a whole, penetrating his insides.
The man roared in pain, tears streaming down his face as Riley sniffled, his vision growing blurry as well.
"...I'm sorry."
Even if he's hurt a lot of people, even if I have to kill him to protect future lives… It still hurts to see someone in pain.
Crouching down, Riley gently held Lobo's hand, summoning [Bleeding] with the other. The next moment, the knife split open his skull, putting an end to his life.
In that moment, the world around him vanished.
…
Opening his eyes, he found himself inside the gym, looking down at the ground to find no dead body.
"Hm."
Riley walked over to the center of the gym, grabbing the fuzzy, unicorn-styled motorcycle helmet.
"Riley, what happened?" Kara asked, approaching him from behind.
"He must've wanted to be a musician or something. It was a weird concert. Anyways, let's leave before the police arrive; I have to make some adjustments."
Kara softly nodded her head, following him as they left the gym.
…
A sea of white.
A field covered in snow, the harsh, cold winds blew against a man's jacket. Adorned in white robes and winter clothes, he left his small cabin in the woods.
Trudging, one footstep after the other, his footprints being erased after each step he took—any evidence of his crimes was removed from the world.
Intriguing.
In the Fall, the bears and other prey ate as much as they could to store fat, preparing for hibernation. However, despite the forest being incredibly active, he paid no mind to them.
—Riley Woods, an "Enemy of the World," as Ghira puts it.
In his age, he had explored all manner of prey. Large, small, human or otherwise. Yet, he had never killed a servant.
Moving through the snow, the gruff man's cheeks curved, a twisted grin carved into them. His cold eyes brimming with dark desire for a climactic final hunt, the Right Hand of War—Frank Russo, marched forward.