I got down from the tree a day later before dawn. Mr. Wyvern had already left, leaving me chained to the tree. Once out, I made my way back into the tavern, tired. The same couple from before was sitting at their usual table, smiling as I walked by.
The old man sat at the tavern counter, eyeing me as I walked in. "Where's Mr. Wyvern gone?" I asked as I took a seat at the edge of an empty booth, drained.
The old man counted the money in the register as he spoke. "Just setting up the future like we planned. You don't have to worry about that." He slid me a crumpled paper with his shaky hands—the face of a young boy who looked around 12.
"That's your target," he said, leaning back and closing the register.
"Wait, you want me to kill a kid? I'm not killing someone that young, and I've only just got my power and this shitty arm. I still need to practice."
He sighed. "Morality doesn't exist in this world. You need to learn this. That boy is the son of the late Sin of Pride, and just like his father, he too shares the trait. You must kill him before he takes over his father's property and before he can grow too strong." He looked me in the eye. "You work for me, remember? So if we both want to live in the future, this needs to happen."
"What even is his power, or are you having me kill a regular kid before he can get one?"
He served a customer then turned to me. "The Lockheart family have very strong genes, so much so that they are part of the small few who get the same power as their parents, and that power is linked to the title they gain. The Sin of Pride and his family have the ability to grow stronger than their opponent if they believe themselves to be better, but if they feel even slightly inferior, then it's useless."
"So you want me to fight a kid who grows stronger the more arrogant he is."
"I want you to try," the old man said, handing me a jug. "If you fail, then at the very least overwhelm him so if you ever must fight again, he'll doubt himself. Also, go pour table 3 some drinks, and table 7's food's getting cold."
So I grabbed the jug and tray and headed to the tables. By the time I got back to the front desk, several more customers had walked in and multiple orders had been placed. The old man had headed to the back, and then a new man walked in.
He was short and fat, with a stubble of a beard and balding, wearing a dark grey suit and purple tie. He waddled over to me clutching his small walking stick. "Good day, Jayden. I am Jonathan Baker."
"Uh, hi. Are you also a hunter?" I crouched a bit.
Jonathan looked up and stroked his stubble with a smile. "Indeed, I am. I must say, I did not think Alexander's disciple would be so handsome. I have a lovely daughter who's single if you're interested."
"I'm good as I am, sir. Anyway, if you don't mind me asking, what's your power?"
The man's body seemed to glow a bit as smoke emitted from his body, and he turned into a 6'4" lean man with long dark hair and trimmed beard, looking down at me in his new suit. "My power is called Illusion. I hope that was enough for an explanation."
He walked off serving a few drinks before sitting behind the counter, taking orders and seating customers.
As I was about to continue helping, my phone began to ring. Glancing down, I saw the name: Wyvern.
"Morning, sir," I said into the speaker while walking into the back of the tavern.
"Listen, Jayden, tell the master everything went well but I had to take a detour."
"Ight, are you not coming back then?"
"Obviously not. I taught you to use your head yesterday, so use it. Anyway, keep training in the park unless the Master asks you to do anything, then help him instead." And the call ended as the sound of a man screaming abruptly cut off.
I headed outside carrying the paper with the boy's face in my pocket. 'Could this boy really become a problem?' 'Do I have to kill him?' The thoughts floated in my mind. Would a child really have to die for the safety of the future?
In the park I trained for hours until my limbs were sore and my legs felt numb, power drained, swinging and climbing while dodging more flying Highbreeds that decided to crash my session.
Walking back into the tavern at dusk, it was empty—not what I would've expected—and on a stool sat Jonathan, back in his fat stubby form. He poured himself wine and glanced at me then pointed at the TV screen, pressing a button as the news flickered on.
On the screen was a disastrous scene of burning buildings. The news headline said, 'Southern Kingdom: Javerstone'. When it looked like hope was lost, the Monarch appeared from the sky, landing on the ground as two other heroes showed up. The Monarch dashed forward, taking out criminals and saving the day, and then the screen paused. Jonathan stood up and walked over, pointing to the top right of the screen. "See that small shimmer? Looks like maybe a metal dish, but it's actually Alexander."
"He was there? What is he even gone for?"
"Jayden, has the master told you about the 7 Hells yet?"
"Not that I can remember."
"Well, the King's Gambit has 7 main hunters. I'm assuming you know what a hunter is. Well, these seven are the elite, but there is one man who rivals these seven, and that is the man Alexander has gone to look for."
"So is Mr. Wyvern one of these seven then?"
"Precisely. Mr. Alexander Wyvern is the 1st Hell of the King's Gambit. Don't mistake him as working for them. The tavern's relationship to that place is merely work."
The thought of Mr. Wyvern being an elite didn't phase me. Instead it made things more clear: an elite hunter of the criminal underground. His power and control over metal was evidence enough of his skill. If he hadn't been one of the seven, I would've been scared to see the powers of who was.
The lights of the tavern dimmed as Jonathan checked his phone. "Well, seems we're off." He grabbed a bag from behind the counter and walked out, flipping the open sign as I followed along. On the way out he had told me that since Mr. Wyvern was out, he would accompany me to go kill the 1st Sin's son.
At first I had mixed feelings. Though I did want to see the future where I live, I also had concerns about killing a child—that was until Jonathan told me of all the horrors the Sin syndicates commit. Each of the seven Sins—seven highly powered individuals—each owned their own criminal syndicate, each one as violent as the last, and each one a stain on the earth.
Jonathan had stopped talking once we entered the train station, the next one leading to the border between the west and the north. A large station with multiple rails coming from all directions.
He pointed to a man and his son sitting on a bench asleep. "Illoom," the word came out sharp as mist erupted from his body. He now looked like the man on the bench, and when looking down at my now paler hands I realized I too had been changed to look like the man's son.
"That's… really useful. How long can you keep this up?"
"Depends how much I move, and how many people I cover. Why?"
"I have an idea."
And before I could explain, the train made a sound as it pulled into the station with a blare. We hopped on, and as we left I glanced out the window seeing the real man and his son arguing with a ticket man until they saw me and froze. Slowly the train rode away and I leaned back as the view went from frozen faces to lush green hills.
The journey was long and boring. As dusk slowly arrived the scenery changed as the border was crossed and the lush hills turned to ski slopes. The window frosted as we neared the northern train station. The lights in the train cabin switched on and the conductor spoke through the speakers. Within a few minutes the train slowed to a stop and we walked out. Once a good distance away the illusion fell as Jonathan guided me into a restaurant.
The inside was nice and warm, different to the snowy streets as we ordered our food and waited. Jonathan pulled out a map showing me the layout of this kingdom: futuristic skyscrapers and stadiums, rows of similar houses all circling the center where the kingdom's castle stood—even it looked decked out with tech without losing its royal presence. Then on the edge of the map, near the outskirts of the northern mountains, stood a mansion.
"That is the home of the Sin of Pride," Jonathan announced. "All you need to do is kill his son. He himself is far past his prime but even so, he could kill you. But because of his old age you may be able to escape before he catches on who killed his son."
"Won't he just retaliate or blame another Sin or Nexus and just go on a crime spree?"
"He wouldn't even think of it. He is strong, but if one of the Sins were to lash out, every top ranker of every kingdom and village would be on him, and even having just two may be seen as overkill. He won't blame anyone big either. His belief that he's too powerful to mess with will make him rather think a random strong unknown did this and not the rankers who 'fear' him."
The waiter arrived, placing down our food. "Enjoy."
The food in the north was noticeably better than typical west dishes, but compared to the tavern food it was nothing. Nonetheless the flavors were amazing—both sweet yet salty in perfect balance, a savoury dish yet sharp and tasty. The meat was chewy and the sides were simply tender. It could only bring up the question: if this was regular, what did the royals eat?
After dinner we were out again. Although this was a mission, I wasn't let off training. Instead of paying a transport fare, I was made to slow down time and grapple from building to building while Jonathan concealed me with his illusion. The hardest bit was keeping Jonathan unfrozen so he could keep up with me.
The cold breeze of the city was nice. Glancing down streets and through alleys, the north kingdom truly was a brilliant place. Behind it stood the Hellbare Mountains, the coldest place on the planet, temperatures dropping so low only plant life was able to barely survive. The light from its peak shot down towards the kingdom's castle—a sleek metal masterpiece that reached into the sky, 4 silver pillars and a central piece that seemed to light up the darkening sky.
As we made our way past, towards the mountains, days seemed to pass: staying in hotels, cafes and restaurants, taking short breaks. To go cross kingdom was in other words to go cross continent, and on foot that was a feat of its own.
By the time we got to the gates of the mansion snow had settled. The crunch beneath our feet echoed as we made our way through, now standing before the large oak doors of the mansion at the edge of the kingdom, the mountains looming behind it.
On his throne sat Matt Lockheart. The day was cold, the sky dark, and in front of him his son knelt down on one knee, his face bruised and his hands shaking.
Matt Lockheart was old. He was by far the oldest of the seven Sins, and with age came knowledge. By now he had lost his ego, he had lost his power. It was after he met a certain man he realised how weak he truly was, and so all his wealth and work would fall upon his son, the boy who had inherited his power: Damien Lockheart.
Damien, like his father in his prime, had been born with the power Ego. With the belief that he was stronger than someone, he instantly became stronger than them. This of course didn't work with external powers such as fire, but just the sheer strength and speed Ego could generate was enough to let his father claim the spot of Pride.
Matt leaned back in his chair and looked up. The light of the chandelier glimmered in his eye. How much did it cost, he did not know. He simply bought it for his wife's happiness. He glanced down at his son, the boy who was determined to take over the syndicate he had created, but he was disappointed. His son had the ego and the drive, but he lacked what was really needed to make it in this world: the undeniable power of talent, something so little that only few people possessed. And for this, he was wary of the future of the Pride Syndicate.
The sharp knock of the front door echoed down the empty halls into the main room. Matt's body tensed as a smirk grew on his face. 'Who could possibly dare to enter my estate after dark unannounced?' was what he was thinking. Who could dare to be so brave? Could it be... him? No, Matt brushed away the thought. That person who had showed him the truth had no reason to speak to him now.
"ENTER. The door is always open." His voice boomed as it was carried through the empty halls as he sat up on his throne. His light brown hair that had started to go grey seemed to gain its colour back as he called for his son to move and stand next to his throne, and so Damien scurried over and stood straight next to his father as footsteps echoed down the hall.
After a good minute, the door handle spun and the double doors slowly swung open as I stepped through alone. The cobalt blue suit I wore was tight around me as my tie hung half done, my boots muddy.
Matt Lockheart glanced down at me, his eyes locking on to my bionic arm, his fingers tapping the armrest as he leaned on his other hand. "Well, you going to say your name? It's not every day someone shows up unannounced. Not even Nexus has the guts."
I slowly walked forward as I introduced myself. "My name is Jayden Matsuki. I've come to bargain. My master would like me to retrieve your son's head, but I want to make my own deal." My voice came out slow, the sound altered by Jonathan's illusions to make my voice harsher, more confident. I had to sound like this was a choice for them, and not a choice for me.
But Matt didn't flinch. His smile seemed to intensify as he spoke. "Such confidence, but you should know your place. You are standing in my home, boy. Even if I'm beyond my prime, I alone am more than enough to splatter you."
My body relaxed as I took another step. This was what I needed. "I have no intention of fighting you. I value my life, but I do hope you value your son's, because he is who I was tasked to take care of."
"And if I say no? If I right here, right now, were to end your life?" Matt smiled as he fidgeted in his throne. Arrogance was a trait he truly loved to beat into a pulp.
"Then... and only then... would my partner be sent after you." The words hung in the air as Matt paused, curiosity getting the better of him. He spoke.
"And who may this partner be? Because there's only a few people in this world who could face me, and all of them are people I myself have known longer than you, I can guarantee."
My lips slowly parted as the name exited my mouth—the same name Jonathan had told me to say, the name of someone whose name carried so much meaning, it was like a key.
"Xander Kortez."
The lights in Matt's eyes seemed to die, but the flare was still there. If his power had been fire this entire estate and possibly a large chunk of the area would be up in flames. His hands clenched the sides of the armrest, his hair seemed to age drastically, the grinding of his teeth loud as memories poured in. That name. That man.
His mind fogged as he saw himself. It was perhaps four years ago. Matt Lockheart the Sin of Pride, leader of the Pride Syndicate, one of the most feared men on the planet—and yet on that day he was laid on the floor, bloodied and bruised in a crater, half his home destroyed, the surrounding area a violent mess of his henchmen's bodies, ruined homes and overturned earth. And over him was Xander Kortez, his white hair flowing in the wind, his green eyes staring into Matt's soul as he sat cross-legged suspended mid-air, leaning his chin on his knuckle as he adjusted his scarf over his mouth. The snow that day had come late. Why? Simply because Xander had made it so.
He snapped out of it, his eyes flaring up again as he glanced over me from his throne. "I have my doubts of your so-called partnership. That man—no, that monster—was more than just a partner." He paused as he leaned back in his seat. "But I no longer act as a fool. That, I should thank the beast for. So tell me, Jayden Matsuki, what are your terms?"
"In the future, if I'm ever in trouble, and someone asks you to help them, I want you to turn the other way and favor me instead."
He raised his hand and glanced at me, his smile gone now replaced with disgust. "Pride favours no one. The Pride Syndicate won't become your lackey unless you are one of us." He sat up and commanded his son forward. "But you are intriguing. To mention that name as a bargain, and to request Pride to go against pride—it is entertaining to say the least. So I'll make you a deal: beat my son, and I'll accept half the deal. So the Pride Syndicate won't help others against you, but we will also not help you. We will stay neutral."
I was too invested in my talk. I hadn't noticed the violent smile on Damien's face, his eyes lit up at the chance to fight. This boy was truly his father's son. But as Xander had made a fool of Pride, I too would make Pride lower its head.
The room went cold as every door swung open and Matt's henchmen strode in, blocking all exits. Chairs and tables were moved out of the room as four henchmen drew lines marking the area of the fight. First to get knocked out, yield, or be thrown out loses.
Time was my advantage. The blue patterns on my arm glowed faintly as my eyes lit up softly, time slowing down slightly as I glanced around. Up above near a beam I noticed a small shimmer. Jonathan was hiding, ready.