Heretical Scions Ch.1 A Storm

....Hi... I am Squall Melony. I live in the dark dystopian city of Genesis. A advanced city built up high between a range of mountains. Because of our worlds decline and ruin, our whole planet has always been a eternal winter for decades.

I live with my associate, Jizelle Madison in her family's mansion. I have stayed with her since 4 years ago when my parents were slaughtered.

I was on the brink of death as well, but I was barely saved by our doctors. Jizelle appeared in my darkest time and offered to help me solve the mystery of my childhood friend...

As well as figure out where my friend vanished too... My associate, both tutored and taught me how to survive in this harsh world...

I spent most of my time either training or reading books from my associate's library collection, while presently awaiting for some solid proof that my childhood friend is still alive... Four years and still nothing yet...

I was currently reading in my room on my fancy sofa.

Squall was reading in her mind, 'My readers, take note of my lesson. If you want to live a successful and fulfilling time on this world. You must respect others as you never know what might set off the person's breaking point.'

Squall thought, ''Hmm... Is this really true? Is the author correct on this statement?''

Just then, when it was too quiet, outside my windows, I saw a huge explosion blocks away which surprised me.

Squall thought, ''Is that another one? Is it the next incident in which I am needed?''

Every few days, there are certain random incidents in which my talents are required. If it is indeed a job for me, my associate Jizelle will let me know over the tiny earphone in my left ear.

Jizelle over the earphone, ''Squall. You are needed.'' Squall replied, ''I thought so... What do I need to do?''

Jizelle said, ''Just moments ago from my computer, I got notice that a guy suddenly started going crazy on the subway and destroyed it enough to make it explode.''

Squall said, ''Got it. That is enough.'' Jizelle said with a sigh, ''Your so impatient... Fine, just go...''

All I need to prepare is my twin guns and make sure I wasn't missing anything. With that, I left in the general direction of that explosion.

I always travel by running at quite a fast speed through the city since I can't drive yet. I sometimes also travel by rooftop. Luckily, the incident was only blocks away...

Close by the explosion...

Unstable male said, ''My boss! M-my boss MUST pay for firing me!! How dare he-when I have A FAMILY!!!! He will PAY!!!! (War cry)''

Dakr voices in his mind said, ''That's right... Get your revenge. Destroy! Destroy! Wreck everything in your way!''

Unstable male said with anger, ''I WILL!!!!'' Women stricken with fear, ''Do-don't hurt me! Someone help!''

Squall's voice, 'Charged Bullet.' Unstable male said, ''Huh?! Nyahh!!'' Nearby victims said, ''Huh? Who is that? I've seen her before...''

Nearby victims told us, We all saw a strange looking girl that arrived to save us from harm.

She had draped dark green hair, with her eyes covered by her hair. She was wearing a black one-piece bodysuit with a battle cloak, brown chest plate, silver gloves, black shorts, a brown belt, and also wore knee-high black combat boots.

She was carrying dual mana guns, and had a knife on her back.

When I arrived, I saw what seemed to be a enraged worker with like every incident so far, he had dark energy amassing from him.

Unstable male said with rage, ''You child! Don't get in my way! (Growl) My boss needs to pay!''

Squall said quietly with a sigh, ''Mmm... It's not her... Let's get this over with...''

Unstable male asked, ''Hmm? What was that? . .Hm? Huh?! What are you-?!''

Squall said in her mind, 'Mana Bullet' Various civilians screamed, ''We need to run NOW!!!! Move!-move!-MOVE!!!!''

Unstable male shouted, ''That hurt!! Uhh!!''

After my first shot, I started weakening him. You see, for every case, no matter how weak the person's anger was, I always have to weaken them first. Then when they are weak enough...

I have to banish the dark apparition influencing the victim by shooting them with my bullet of light. Depending on the case, it takes between a minute or more. Because my bullet's are mana, they don't harm the person's body, unless I will it to...

Unstable male shouted, ''Stop dodging my attacks!!''

I kept dodging and attacking with my mana bullets until he was weak enough. Because of my training, I have a insane amount of agility, stamina, and skill.

How do I know when the target is weak enough? Because when I inflict enough damage to them, they pause for a moment where they stand. It's happened before, if I don't act in time, the person's strength will enhance again.

Unstable male paused, ''Ahh...'' Squall thought, ''It's my chance. . .Guns! . .Light mana! . .Ready! Firing!''

Dark apparition inside him said, ''What's that?! It can't be! Move! Move!! NOOOoooo!!!!''

Every time I cure a victim, I take some of the burden by seeing their memories, and what drove them to the current present.

The victim will be alright afterwards, exhausted but will not remember much. From what Jizelle told me, apparently the person's anger will subside and they can calm down.

Inside the victim's memories, 'My daughter! I plan to ask my boss for a pay raise okay. Tell that to your mother okay. I need to go to work now. Later.'

'I'm sorry, but your work performance has been dropping lately. I am afraid, I will have to let you go. I know your situation, but I need someone with a better work flow.'

'Sir! Sir! I can do better! Please-don't fire me! I need to support them!'

'I was fired... What am I supposed to tell them? No-no-no!! What can I do now?! My heart can't take this...'

'You were fired right? It's his fault....that the business....is failing right? Not yours. Just get..RID..of..HIM right? Do it... (Evil laugh)'

Squall thought, ''Ugh... He was fired? . .Something....like that, was enough? Who....is influencing....these civilians? I....wish I knew... A....working father, hmm?''

Squall reported to her earphone, ''Jizelle. I finished another case....of a enraged civilian.''

Jizelle replied with a chuckle, ''You did? Greeaat job. Tell me when you get back alrighty.''

Squall replied withdrawn, ''Do....you need to be told about every case? It doesn't seem necessary...''

Jizelle replied with a gleeful tone, ''Yes, I do... You never know what might be important. Plus I find it so exciting, even though your not the best storyteller.'' Squall replied, ''Hmm... Your too happy..about this.''

Meanwhile, somewhere else dark...

Mysterious young girl said, ''Ahh... That worker has been cured... How terrible... It seems once again, a certain girl ruined my attempts to drive a human into madness.

Because of her infuriating obstruction, I keep only collecting a small portion of those people's negative energy. Hmm... What to do about this?

Ohh! It's time for the next episode of the new drama! I wonder what she will do this week!''

A little later... In Jizelle's 2nd floor office in her mansion...

Jizelle said, ''Wow... So this incident was just because that guy was fired? How sad... I wonder how these dark beings pick their targets? It always seems to be a person who is angry enough at something in their life...

I hope we figure out more clues soon... Well, in any event, surprisingly that guy didn't fatally wound anybody nearby, and his destruction was minor compared to the other cases so far.''

This is my ally, Jizelle. She's a annoying cheerful girl with silver hair, a black headband, and ribbon holding up her short ponytail.

She wears a fancy blue suit with gold lining, a black tie, with gray pants and wears white ankle shoes.

Squall inquired, ''Hmm?'' Jizelle said, ''He destroyed the subway and the surrounding streets. That can be rebuilt in time. Not a innocent life though...''

Squall thought, ''Right... People can't be....restored....like...a city is....able to...''

Jizelle said, ''Squall? Squall?? Are you listening? (Giggles) Now, it is time for dinner. Sophia!!''

Since a few years ago, she had robotic maids built that do most of the work around the house. Her most important one is titled, Sophia.

Sophia asked, ''What is it, my lady?'' Jizelle said with glee, ''Is dinner ready?'' Sophia replied, ''It is about done, my lady.''

Jizelle said with a smile, ''Great. If your done thinking over there, it is time to go to the dining room downstairs now.'' Squall nodded her head and followed Jizelle.

The next day afternoon, in the training room...

I was training once again in this room in the mansion, where I practice my dodging and shooting. It is exhausting work, but it is how I focus my mana and skill.

I train with robotic dummies, where the skill level can be set to different levels. I don't have much to do, as I have been waiting for some clue to what happened to my childhood friend...

Squall thought, ''Another session completed...''

Apparently, Jizelle is the heiress to a family that developed factories making most of the city's current tech for ages. Because of that, her family is very rich.

She has told me that sometime after she was born, she and both her parents caught pneumonia. That was when she met who she found out later was my father.

He was a skilled and experienced doctor. Unfortunately, because of other complications, her parents died, but she was saved. Years later, she apparently was so smart that she graduated at only 12.

One year later, when I was barely saved by the doctors after almost dying, I felt like I was in hell with no way out. That was when I met Jizelle. She offered to take me in, and said she heard about my situation through connections.

She offered to help me figure out what happened to my childhood friend, and why she massacred my parents and almost me as well...

Squall thought, ''Father... Mom... . . . .(Hyperventilating)''

In that moment, I remembered my parents dying next to me, and had a panic attack.

Squall was panicking, ''Ahhhh!! Ahh!!!! (Throws up) (Hyperventilating) Mom!!! Father!!! AAAAaaaa!!!!''

A little later...

Jizelle said with worry, ''You had another panic attack? Jeez, don't worry me like that... I thought....you would be past that by now. I am your friend, and I can't help but be worried about this matter...''

Squall replied looking away, ''Hmm... Your not my friend. . .I don't....need any friends... You just....took me in.''

Jizelle said while trying to hug her, ''Don't lie... You know, we are indeed friends. Aaa! Don't dodge my friend hugs! (Chuckles) I did research years ago about what makes two people friends...''

Squall replied while still dodging, ''Mm... I don't care. I don't need any friends...''

Jizelle pouted after falling, ''Aww... She left. I just wanted to hug my friend. She needs to lighten up.''

I went to the mansion's library to put back the book I read, and start another one...

Squall was thinking, ''Why....does she insist on us being friends? Friends only get in the way... Trying to be friends won't help me... . . . .Hmm? What is this one?''

The title read, 'Complex understanding of human Emotions' Squall asked quietly, ''Human emotions? . . . .''

Squall looked inside and read, 'This is a book that dives into how complex emotions of man can be. Read below for index guide.'

Squall asked quietly, ''Will....this book help me? A....book into the complexities of human behavior? Hmm...''

Goodbye.....