Chapter 60: Black Philosophy

5 Minutes Earlier ... (Donte's POV)

Darkness. Nothing but darkness. I've lived in this darkness for so long that I can't even count. There is no life beyond the feeling of absolute fear and pain.

Over and over I'd relive the same dream, but it gets worse each time.

I heard two voices speak from outside.

"Guess we're in for another night of searching for an energy source milady." one of the voices said

"That we are." went the other, "I'm sure we'll find something suitable soon."

The second one sounded like Cas, and I've heard the first one around the lab a lot recently, but can't really tell who it is. I heard someone call him 'your highness' before though.

My life was only about suffering, and there was no one to put me out of it. I wanted this all to end, none of it feels good.

Suddenly I felt a spark inside me. Similar to the one I feel when I use my speed, but also different at the same time. I couldn't tell what this weird feeling was, and wasn't able to shake it either.

Soon I heard a voice cry out from far away; it was Shante.

"Sis .." I whispered

Her cries of pain sounded just like mine. The last thing I'd want is for her to go through this sort of torture.

Her cries told me she needed help, and with that my sights were set on something new: saving my sister.

I got filled with energy and started vibrating more than I ever have before. I didn't know what my aim was or where she even was, but I knew I was going to save her. Not too long after I started vibrating I broke the seal that was on me, setting my mind free.

Opening my eyes and looking at the world for the first time in forever, I found myself on a hospital bed in the lab.

I didn't even realize it at the time but I was moving so fast that the other didn't even notice me. I went into the room that my suit was and changed into it. I ran into the elevator and none of them noticed me zip pass.

I ran out towards where the cries in my head led me, and ended up face to face with Shante.

This time I saw inside her, she wasn't doing this all on her own, she was being forced to do all this by the essence of Black Zero.

"Give me back my sister." I commanded the evil inside her

She started vibrating like a psycho again and charged at me.

My body dodged her attack without me even thinking.

I started vibrating and ran after her with my own punch. She blocked my hit, then we both started hitting each other and blocking.

But soon she ended up landing a hit in my face, knocking me over on the ground. I won't lie, I thought it was all over for me again and that I'd end up getting sent back to that dark void, but I was surprised when I realized that I didn't feel anything other than a normal punch.

"I said.." I whispered, slowly getting back up

She looked surprised, but I was done playing any sort of games. If I'm immune to her attacks then I have to take the chance now before it's too late.

"Give me.." I continued

I ran around her in a circle, generating all the energy I possible could've. My streak of lightning turned into mostly light.

"Back my sister!" I shouted, charging at her and channeling all my energy into my fist

I didn't want to hurt her, but I didn't hold back either.

Once I landed the punch in her chest her entire body was filled with my energy; some of it even came out through her back in some sort of beam of light.

Her screams echoed down the streets as I felt part of her get purged.

The suit that was around her faded and she started to look weak. Once she fell I caught her in my arms. Holding her like that caused all sort of doubt and negative feeling inside me to just vanish.

I couldn't help but laugh as I stared in her helpless eyes.

"Hey sis." I said, "You ok?"

I expected an actual response, though all she did was start crying and hug me.

I must've been out for a long while.

Romaine's POV

Melany, my mother and I were all spending time catching up in the living room. I actually can't remember the last time we were all together like this.

"How long are you here for?" I questioned

"Around 3 weeks." Melany responded, "So make the best of it."

"3 weeks huh." I mumbled to myself

Immediately my feeling of happiness disappeared, almost as if it was sucked out of me. And instead a wave of dissettlement came over me. It didn't take long either before I was able to realize what it was.

"Zero." I murmured

"What was that?" Melany questioned

"Oh- um, nothing. It's nothing. I'm just gonna go for a short walk ok?" I replied, already getting up from my seat

"Yeah sure no problem." She said

"Just don't be too long." my mother warned

"Don't worry, I won't." I assured

Hasting to put on my speedster shoes, I hopped my way out the front door.

I don't know how or why, but this feeling was leading me somewhere. And sure enough, not far down my neighborhood street, there he was, glaring right at me.

"You bastard." I called out to him, "Why the hell are you here?"

"Ahh" he went, "It seems the prey has arrived."

"You need to go the hell away. Right now."

"That's not how it works, Romaine. It is the predator that chases the prey."

"What do you want with me?"

"I've already told you; I want your speed."

"Yes I know that, but why?"

"So I can make your life a living hell."

"Well there's no way you're getting it from me."

"And there's no way for you to stop me."

Before I could even react he came at me with god-level speed

He shoved his right hand into my chest, piercing right through me. Blood was forced out of my mouth, almost causing me to choke on it.

As he raised his arm in the air, I helplessly hung off of it like a stick. He then revealed to me an object in his left hand. It looked like some sort of gemstone; a ruby, most likely.

"Do you have any idea what this is, Romaine?"

I was unable to respond at that point, but even so I had no idea what it was.

"Researchers call this the philosophers' stone. It's said to be able to do a numerous amount of miraculous things. It's only bound by the user's imagination."

He raised the stone up to my eye-level. The philosophers' stone began to glow, sucking some sort of essence from me.

Just as I'd started to grow weak, his snickering grew louder and louder. My body started shaking erratically in intervals, followed by me starting to lose consciousness.

Everything was black at this point, with Zero barely recognizable. A portal opened up over to the left, then someone blazed out of it, punching Zero in his ribs.

Black Zero and I were both thrown to the side, damaging my insides even more.

"Let go of him, you bastard." commanded the vigilante

Retracting his hand from my chest, Zero swiftly got up and fled the scene.

"You ok?" my savior asked as he slowly picked me up

Following the slight nod of my head, I lost consciousness.