COMPROMISE (Ch. 133)

Silence reigns momentarily, Harden steps towards Kevin, his expression schooled, 

"Ethan Raine?" Harden questions, Kevin cocks his head to the side with a questioning gaze,

"Who's that?" He inquires with furrowed brows,

"YOU" Harden replies his fist crashing to connect against Kevin's jaw, a movement to fast to catch later and he's left spinning as his skull is crashing into the ground. The executives give space, surrounding him, 

"Is this really what you've come for?" Kevin inquires with a questioning gaze,

"Sir!, We need to move, the government taskforce can't hold off any longer" the driver states drawing Dexter's attention. The latter glances to his watch, his ex pression schooled, 

"Very well, get them in" he states signaling to Cain and Abel, "we need to leave" he states turning to Kevin. 

"The hell you are!" Duke growls bluring to strike Dexter, Kevin blurs to Dexter's front a hand in his pocket, he counter's with a simple up kick that crashes into Dukes, connecting at the latters ankle and breaking it, Duke tenses the muscles around the area as he crashes into the ground, finding his feet quickly Sebastian races past him his leg whipping viciously at Kevin who leans back letting if fly pass, Sebastian re directs the kinetic energy allowing him to pull his leg in motion and strike with his heel. Kevin spins anti clockwise horizontally the strike missing with the bearest of margins, his heel whipping against Sebastian's guard once he gains footing, Sebastian digs hid heel in skidding back several meters, Harden and his executives waste no time joining the fray, a seemingly unspoken alliance forms as even Nathan Warden and Duke join the fray as all nine Shifters pounce on Kevin, the latter pushes Dexter,

"Ignite the engine" he states simply, kicking the car at the tire's rim, the car skirts in a one eighty before speeding off,

"Not a chance!" Duke shouts splitting off from the surrounding group, as their various striker techniques crash into Kevin's afterimage. Kevin had already lifted off the ground, his form floating in mid air before bluring through the sound barrier crashing a ribcage shattering kick into Duke who is blasted aside like a football. The ground go dead silent as the stare a Duke's shattered form laying lifelessly several dozen meters away,

"Don't worry, he not dead" Kevin states.

Raven who'd been watching bites back his anger, 

(How long as he been working with the very person he knew i've been trying to take down!),

{For a while} Silver responds,

(You knew?!!) Raven screams internally,

{I suspected such a possibility, though make no mistake, it has played no part in today's events, you where never going to get Dexter here today, that much should have been obvious} Silver replies,

(You should still have told me!),

{And let you get in the way of our goals?, No, where else would you find a better teacher?} Silver replies,

(My mother?!, The white haired aunty?, One of her many officers?) He questions sarcastically, (this is surprising reasoning from an over century old sentient being) he quips,

{It's simple, none of them are better than he his, not even the white hair, she'd put up a fight, maybe even force him to the brink but he'd win} Silver replies,

(Oh and how did you figure this?, Or is this just another one of your many declarations i'm supposed to take as fact?) Raven questions,

{It's simple really, talent, only one man i know has such a disgusting affinity for the arts} Silver replies, {i seek the best for you kid, despite the individuality of martial arts, of Shifters, one man cannot stand alone, an emperor without an empire is simply a man, you must learn to work even with those you despise} Silver replies. Raven found sense in Silvers statement, afterall he'd done exactly that several times already, working with those he didn't like, even hated, but the feeling of trust, even respect he'd had for Kevin despite his doubts, he'd almost begun to consider the young man his teacher, his friend.

Harden and the rests faces harden, Sebastian blurs to the fore if the ground ready for any sudden engagement, he could feel it through the seeming serenity, it was way to quiet, 'still',

(PERFECT ZONE) he mules, Kevin who stood on air as one would ground had empowered his Domain, or perhaps as to Sebastian's understanding of Shifter at the ZONE advancement levels, at the 'PERFECT ZONE', one became one with their Domain, concepts such as 'Force' arts held no meaning, just one unified 'Force' ability, the very ability that would interact with Relics and Artifacts, ever Relic and Artifact had a different reaction based on ones 'Force' ability, some similar, some differing slightly, but never quite the same.

Kevin finds ground, Sebastian noticing his release over the area around them, 

"As much as i'd like to play with you kids, i have a shit ton to do, so what's it going to be?" Kevin questions,

Harden steps forward beside Sebastian,

"You're also at the ZONE advancement, we have a chance" he states,

"I'm sorry to disappoint you kid but that guy if far above just 'ZONE'" Sebastian replies, (you kids didn't even notice his Domain take hold) he mules bitterly,

(Then he's at least qualified to solve the problem at hand) Harden ponders

"Hmm" Kevin hums glancing toward's Raven who's stare is practically boring into him, a mischievous smile plays on his lips, one the teen was all to familiar with,

"You're not actually here to fight are you?" Kevin questions staring at Harden, (except him) he muses glancing at the masked teens quaking 'Force'.

"How about this, i'm not much of a bully, and your challenge is more a nuisance than entertainment, one month from this very date, you five will go against my students crew, you win them i'll hear you out, you win" he states turning to Raven who's sharp eyes morph into a glare, 

"And i'll answer more questions" he declares with obvious amusement,

"How about this instead, if i win, you grant me your aid" Harden replies, "Jefferson Ha" he continues,

(Anan?) Kevin mules recalling that person organisation, 

"My teacher, the one who's eye you took, he needs your help, i'm sure you know who we are by now"

"I'm sure there are others you could request this from" Kevin replies,

"None nearly as strong as you are, none more in need of atonement" Harden quips,

"Atonement?" Kevin chuckles, "for what?",

"His eye" Harden replies,

"His substitution, if i hadn't taken his eye, you wouldn't have a master" Kevin smiles, 

(Going this route...., He won't bite) Harden ponders, "Do you have so little faith in your student?" Harden follows,

"No need for such games" Kevin muses, "I'll play along" he replies 

 turning and stepping into his supercar, 

"You better not lose kid!" He declares as his car bullets into the distance.

Raven's mind spins as he ponders furiously,

(Kevin Volt, what exactly is your game?, What is it you actually want to achieve, is this all for your amusement, are you trying to help?, Or do you simply want to watch the world burn?) He questions.