To save one

Chapter 1

Smoke and embers stretched as high as the neon skyscrapers, swirling against the dark horizon. Screams of confusion rippled through the night, and a stampede of bodies surged forward, trampling anyone whose footing faltered. The stench of burning flesh thickened with each breath.

"This way—come on!" A young lady waved frantically, ushering the crowd toward an open building. A metal hatch yawned wide beneath, leading underground. One by one, the panicked flood poured into the shelter.

"Shouldn't we go too, Janice?" Malick asked, his voice tight with urgency.

Janice shook her head. "Not yet. We have to make sure everyone gets in."

"If we save them, who's going to save us?" Malick's eyes flicked toward the chaos.

"I called the Revenant Control Unit. They'll be here soon."

Malick scoffed. "Come on, you know better. They don't care about Nova. We're not part of Sierra—people like us are left to fend for ourselves."

"Let's have a little faith," Janice replied with a faint smile. Her dark eyes shimmered behind thin-rimmed glasses.

Malick exhaled sharply. "Fine. Move faster," he muttered, helping a woman down the hatch.

"That should be the last of them, right?" he asked, glancing around.

"Yeah, I think—"

A cry split the air. "Help me!"

Malick's head snapped toward the sound. A child knelt on the ground, tugging at the limp body of a woman. His tear-streaked face lifted, eyes locking onto Malick's.

Janice took a step forward, but Malick's hand shot out, catching her wrist.

"Wait—look."

A shadow shifted in the distance. Massive. Lurking. Its hulking form cut through the smoke, moving toward the child with slow, deliberate steps.

"It's here," Malick murmured, his scarlet eyes narrowing as he tracked the creature's movement.

"Malick, we can still save him," Janice whispered, her voice trembling.

Malick's grip tightened. "No. We run."

Janice twisted free, glaring at him. "Let go of me!"

"There's nothing we can do," Malick hissed. "Look at all the people we've already saved. Isn't that enough? Are you willing to risk everything for one more person?"

The child's cries grew louder as the shadow crept closer.

Janice's fists clenched at her sides.

And for a moment, neither of them moved

The shadow turned the corner, revealing a towering figure. Its decaying flesh peeled away in places, exposing bone and sinew beneath. Flies circled the gaping wounds, and the foul stench forced Janice and Malick to cover their noses. Sickly green veins pulsed under the creature's mottled skin, and jagged bones jutted at odd angles from its body.

"That's a Nightgaunt," Malick muttered

"District-level Revenant. We don't have powers—there's no way we can take it down. That kid's done for."

"You've done enough," he added, his voice low.

Janice didn't listen. She bolted toward the child.

"Damn it," Malick hissed as the Nightgaunt lunged after her.

Malick sprinted, snatching a rusted steel bar from the rubble. The Nightgaunt leaped high, claws gleaming in the flickering neon light as it swiped at Janice.

"Eat this!" Malick roared, swinging the bar with both hands. The metal struck the creature's skull with a sickening crack, sending it stumbling backward several feet.

"Move!" Malick grabbed the boy, lifting him effortlessly. They raced toward the underground shelter.

"Thank you," Janice panted as they slipped inside.

"I told you," Malick said, flashing a lopsided grin. "I'll back you up if you want to play hero."

Behind them, the Nightgaunt groaned and slowly rose, shaking off the blow.

"It's getting up already?" Malick asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Well, yeah. You need heavy artillery to kill a Nightgaunt," Janice replied.

"Great. We can't risk the others."

Malick pushed open the metal door, shoving the boy inside.

"I'll distract it. Stay here and wait for help."

"Like hell I'm leaving you to face that thing alone."

"I can handle myself." Malick's grin returned, but his eyes betrayed his doubt. "No point in losing the hero tonight."

The Nightgaunt let out a guttural growl and charged.

"No! Malick—"

Before she could finish, Malick kicked Janice down the underground hatch, slamming the door behind her.

"Now it's just you and me," he said, turning to face the creature.

Malick dashed forward, his fist crashing into the Nightgaunt's stomach. His arm passed straight through its body, as if punching air.

"What the—"

The creature's green veins pulsed brighter.

"Oh, hell. It's got powers."

Malick backpedaled fast, skidding into the street as the Nightgaunt lunged after him. He darted into the ruins of a crumbling building, breath ragged.

"This should do... Far enough from them."

The Nightgaunt prowled through the wreckage, glowing eyes locking onto him.

Malick flexed his hands. Energy crackled faintly beneath his skin.

"You're gonna regret making me use my powers," he growled.

The Nightgaunt staggered forward, its gait disjointed—long, lurching strides breaking into sudden, erratic steps. It swayed as if drunk, its claws twitching mid-air in a futile attempt to lash out at Malick.

Malick stepped toward it, the flickering neon light casting shadows across his face. As the light touched him, his eyes were revealed—black sclera with glowing red pupils. Crimson veins spread outward like cracked glass.

"What's the matter? You don't look so good," Malick said, a twisted grin tugging at his lips.

He chuckled, the sound harsh and unhinged.

"Schizophrenic Synchronicity," he said, voice low and deliberate. "My ability lets me manipulate sensory perception—fracturing your grasp on reality. Right now, you're stuck between two versions of it. One's real. The other… well, it distorts space, time, and distance."

The Nightgaunt swayed violently, swiping at the air.

"This is just a weak application, but let's face it—low-level Revenants like you aren't bright enough to pick the right timeline."

Malick's fist collided with the creature's chest, sending it flying backward. It crashed through the facade of a nearby building, debris crumbling around its limp form.

The Nightgaunt groaned, trying to rise.

"Don't bother," Malick said, approaching slowly. His posture slouched as he dragged a rusted axe along the ground. Sparks flared where metal met concrete.

"Stay still while I hack away at you, yeah?"

"Malick."

Malick froze. His eyes darted to the side.

"Huh? Who—"

Before he could finish, Janice emerged from the shadows, running toward him.

The red glow in his eyes faded.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.

A sharp crack echoed as her palm met his cheek.

"What were you thinking?"

"Janice, look out—"

Malick's warning came a second too late. The Nightgaunt lurched forward, slashing at her. Blood welled along her forearm where its claws grazed her skin.

Malick reacted instantly, swinging the axe and severing the creature's hand at the wrist.

"Come on!" Malick grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her into the crumbling building. He shoved over rusted shelves and broken furniture, blocking the entrance just as the Nightgaunt's severed hand began regenerating.

"I told you to stay put," Malick said, breathing hard.

"A hero never leaves her partner behind," Janice replied, ruffling Malick's short dreadlocks with her good hand.

"Let me see that."

She held out her arm, revealing three shallow claw marks. Blood trickled in thin streams.

"It's nothing," she said. "Barely broke the skin."

Malick's expression darkened. "It's not nothing. That scratch could carry the Nightgaunt's strain of the VOR virus."

Janice's smile faltered. "So… what now? I'm infected?"

"We'll have to slow the spread until we can get proper treatment." Malick's voice dropped, his grip tightening around the axe handle.

"Does that mean I'll turn into one of them?"

"There's a chance you won't. About forty percent, give or take."

"Forty?" she repeated.

"If your immune system fights it off, you might come out the other side with powers." Malick tossed her a flashlight.

Janice caught it, arching a brow. "So I get cool powers if I don't die? Sounds like a win-win."

Malick didn't respond right away. He stopped, leaning against the wall.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Janice asked, tilting her head.

"I don't like the idea of you getting powers." Malick's voice was softer now, almost distant. "The more you use them, the faster the VOR eats away at you. Most don't live past ten years after awakening their abilities."

Janice's lips curled into a bright, unwavering smile.

"Then I'll make those ten years count," she said. "I'll become the greatest hero this city's ever seen. I'll wipe out the Revenants—and show the world what a real hero looks like."

Malick stared at her for a long moment, before sighing and shaking his head.

"You're a real pain, you know that?"

"Yeah," Janice said, grinning. "But you wouldn't want a boring partner, right?"

The grating sound of metal and the low, guttural grunts of the Nightgaunt snapped them both back to reality. The barricade shuddered under the creature's relentless assault.

"We need to find a way out of here," Janice said, picking through the rubble.

As she stepped forward, her foot struck something hard.

"Malick, hold up."

He glanced back. "What is it?"

"I hit something… feels solid."

Janice crouched and wiped away layers of dust, revealing a large, glass-like surface. Her eyes narrowed.

"Malick, come look at this." Her voice sharpened with urgency.

Malick knelt beside her, sweeping his flashlight over the object. The beam reflected off a tall figure sealed inside—a man with dark blue hair, his features calm and undisturbed.

"Holy—this is a cryogenic pod." Malick's brows furrowed. "He's… still alive?"

"I think so. Help me open it."

Together, they pried at the pod's release latch. With a sharp hiss, the chamber began to decompress. Cool vapor escaped as the seal broke.

Janice gently lifted the man's wrist, pressing two fingers against it.

"He's got a pulse," she said, exhaling in relief.

A loud crash echoed behind them. The Nightgaunt broke through, shattering the last of the barricade with a thunderous push.

Malick's fists clenched.

"Damn it… I can't use my powers. Not with Janice here."

Janice glanced at him, reading the tension on his face.

"We take it together," she said firmly.

Malick hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah… sure."

The Nightgaunt snarled, lowering its head to charge.

Before either of them could react, the man from the pod stepped between them, bare feet pressing lightly against the cracked concrete. His hand rose, palm facing the creature.

Repulsion.

A violent shockwave erupted from his outstretched hand. The Nightgaunt was hurled backward, careening through the remains of three buildings before disintegrating into dust. Everything in the blast radius crumbled, leaving only scorched ground and silence.

Malick and Janice stood frozen.

The man stared at his own hand, expression blank yet oddly curious—like he hadn't expected such power.

"That was insane…" Malick muttered. "Who are you?"

The man opened his mouth to respond, but faltered. His eyes narrowed as he clutched his head, fragments of memory flickering through his mind like shattered glass.

"I… I don't know."

Janice knelt by the pod, brushing against a faded note attached to its side. She held it up, reading aloud.

"Isaac Hart," she said, glancing at Malick.

"Also known as Hero X."