Ch 14: The True Story II

Chapter 14: The True Story II

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"I have chosen a path, and I shall follow it to the end."

—Amelia.

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In the Garden...

It was night, and Amelia was having dinner with Noah and his family in his mansion. Amelia barely touched her food, though she managed a few bites.

After dinner, Amelia stepped out into the compound. She stood under the night sky, gazing up at the stars, the cool air a gentle breeze against her face. Her phone began to ring. Her mum had been calling her since that afternoon, but she hadn't answered. She stared at the screen for a moment before accepting the call.

Mrs. Brown (crying):

"Amelia! My love, a-are you okay? Why aren't you answering calls!? I've been worried sick."

Amelia:

"I'm fine, mum… I'll be home soon, in a few days."

Mrs. Brown:

"What? Where are you?!"

Amelia:

"I just want you to know that I'm totally fine, mum. Tell Simon I love him."

She ended the call and switched her phone to silent.

Noah:

"Your mother and brother must be very worried."

Noah said from behind her, approaching Amelia.

Amelia:

"I'll go home to tell her goodbye and get some of my things in a few days."

She said, sliding her phone into her pocket.

"Mr. Noah, can you answer the rest of my questions now?"

Noah:

"Of course. I didn't tell you everything earlier today."

He stood beside her, staring upward at the sky as if he could see.

"In 1998, eighteen years ago, three major events happened. Firstly, Number Ten of the Fourth Generation Eleven passed, and the new one was reborn—you, Amelia.

Secondly, that same year, we learned something shocking: Bruce… is still alive. And like I said before, when the Genesis died and took the powers of every non-hero Superhuman with him, he made a pact that Superhumans would still be born, but their powers would remain dormant until an already awakened Superhuman made contact with them. His intention was that only we heroes could possibly awaken these new Superhumans and recruit them to the Garden.

But there was one awakened Superhuman who wasn't a hero, but had been awakened before and after the Genesis passed: Bruce. For years, he had been secretly awakening other Superhumans. Making direct physical contact with them, just like we heroes had been doing. Then they, unaware of what was happening, would go on to make contact with others—triggering a chain reaction. Superhuman after Superhuman began to awaken without our knowledge.

But Bruce didn't stop there. He began reforming the League of Villains, recruiting the unstable, the angry, the lost—anyone with power and a grudge. That's why Superhumans have become more rampant in recent decades… many of them turning to crime and chaos. But like I said before, the Genesis saw this coming…"

Amelia:

"If he did, why didn't he just take away Bruce's power like he did to all other Superhumans? You said the Genesis has control over every and all Superhumans, right?"

Noah:

"That is the one question that I can't answer. No one knows why the Genesis wouldn't, or maybe even couldn't, take Bruce's power. When the Genesis joined the Super Liberation Army, he and Bruce became close. The Genesis even gave him—a mere human—powers, turning him Superhuman.

But our theory is that he made a pact with the Genesis before the war that allowed him to retain his power, because he knew the Genesis was conflicted and might not follow through with the total destruction of humanity. So instead, during the Super War, when the Genesis changed his mind about the destruction of humanity and Bruce disappeared, knowing that he couldn't do anything about Bruce's power—he decided to make preparations for when Bruce would rise again.

Thirdly, that same year, just as the Genesis foretold: 'When the time is right, the next Genesis shall be born.' And the time was right. Every Superhuman felt it. A pulse across existence. The Genesis was born—in 1998. Ever since, we've been searching—not just for the Genesis, but also for Number Ten. We've found you. This was why we mistook you for the Genesis in the first place, because you both were born in the same year."

Amelia:

"I understand now. So Bruce is still alive to this day, and he has recreated the Villain League."

Noah:

"Yes, his ultimate goal is to rebuild the Super Liberation Army—by recruiting the Genesis. He wants to use the Genesis to control every other Eleven… and all Superhumans. That's how he plans to ignite a second Super War. Our mission is to find the Genesis before he does. But Bruce is already ahead.

Three years ago, we were betrayed—by Number Seven, Four, and Three. The very same numbers that betrayed the Fourth Generation Eleven back in 1914: The Forsaken Eleven. We knew it wasn't a coincidence. And we uncovered the truth: There's a pact—placed on the Forsaken Eleven, excluding the Genesis. A legacy they can't escape. It compels them to carry the will of their predecessors—the Fourth Generation Eleven, even though the Genesis rewrote their minds to be free.

Only Bruce and the Eleven knew of this pact, just like only they knew about the pact they had with each other. So Bruce simply reactivated it. He's re-created the Forsaken Eleven in this Fifth Generation, but the last piece of the puzzle he needs is the new Genesis."

Amelia:

"Why does Bruce have so much power? He wasn't even a born Superhuman."

Noah:

"Nobody knows, Amelia. That's why we need the Genesis. Only they can answer all our questions because they embody the memories of all the previous Genesis. And only they can break the pact the Fourth Generation failed to. Only they can save Seven, Four, Three—and the rest of humanity."

There was silence for a few seconds after Noah finished talking.

Amelia:

"The villains who attacked my school… Are from the Villain League, so they were sent by Bruce. Were they after the Eleven? Does that mean the Eleven is in my school?"

Noah:

"I don't think so. We think Bruce was after you. We don't know how he found out that you had awakened, but he wasn't after the Genesis, but the Echo. Because he knew if we found you, it increased the chances of us finding the Genesis before you, or even maybe, just maybe, he had hopes of you copying the Eleven's power like you did before."

More silence followed before he continued.

Noah:

"Amelia… Are you ready to carry the burden of the heroes of the world on your shoulders?"

She stared at the sky before responding.

Amelia:

"Just yesterday morning… I was a normal teenage girl, living my normal, trashy life, until I touched Luca and awakened. That same yesterday… I killed someone… with my thoughts. I couldn't accept it. I lied to myself that it wasn't my thoughts that controlled or killed him, but deep down I knew what I did, and it kept me up all night.

Before I got a chance for all that to sink in… Today, Luca brings me to a whole secret world that I didn't know existed. I found out that I, alongside the public, have been lied to all our lives. I found out that I'm a Superhuman whom the world views as a villain, when in fact we're protecting them from the real villains. I went back to my school to find it destroyed, the students destroyed."

Amelia's voice began to rise and sharpen, her fists clenched.

"My best friend, who I just spoke to an hour ago, was lying lifeless in a pool of her own blood and internal organs! My childhood best friend lost his arm and is bedridden in a critical situation!"

"Of course I'm ready!"

Her eyes glowed, broken and furious.

Noah stared at her for a while, then looked ahead again.

Noah:

"Very well."

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The next day…

The children of the Garden—adults and children—were on their way to the front of the Hero Headquarters for an orientation. They chattered as they headed there.

"What's this announcement about again?"

"Are you kidding me? Do you know how important it is?"

"Number Ten has been found, the Echo Eleven."

The crowd gathered before the headquarters, on the floor below the platform of the Headquarters entrance.

In the headquarters…

All Elite Heroes and 1st Class Heroes were assembled in the Headquarters compound, waiting for the Eleven and the President of the Hero League—Noah.

Inside the headquarters, Noah and Amelia were in an elevator, coming from the top floor.

As they reached the bottom floor, the elevator dinged and opened.

Amelia's eyes widened in shock. The Eleven were waiting for them, but with someone else—

Amelia (shocked):

"Chad?!"

Chad stood beside Luca. His brows were furrowed, his eyes were reddish, and he had bags underneath them, showing that he had been crying. Amelia ran out of the elevator to Chad.

Amelia:

"Huh? What are you doing here?!"

Chad didn't respond.

Noah:

"Chad is joining the children of the Garden to become a hero."

Amelia was shocked by this news, but as she looked into his eyes, she understood immediately.

Amelia:

"So you've been a Superhuman all this time?"

Chad hesitated but responded, his voice harsh and low.

Chad:

"No, I'm not a Superhuman, but I'm going to become a hero anyway so I can avenge Sarah."

He clenched his teeth and fist, staring down.

Amelia was surprised that Chad was willing to go as far as changing his whole life and becoming a hero to avenge Sarah. But at the same time, she understood. Chad had known Sarah longer than even her.

Luca approached Amelia.

Luca:

"Yo, you good?"

Amelia looked towards Luca and dropped her head, her hand at the back of her neck.

Amelia:

"Yeah."

Noah:

"Now… Let's go, the children of the Garden await us."

Noah said as he walked past them. Everyone followed as they headed outside.

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In front of the Hero Headquarters…

Elite Heroes lined up on the lower part of the stage while Noah and the Eleven stood on the top and main platform.

The crowd hailed, shouted, and screamed as Noah gave his speech.

Noah (with a mic):

"…and now we have found our Number Ten, the Fifth Generation Echo Eleven—Amelia Brown!"

The crowd erupted.

"We are one step closer to finding the Genesis and stopping the Villain League. Rise… Children of the Garden!"

He placed his right hand across his chest, pledging, and everyone else followed suit.

"For Superhumanity!"

He shouted heroically, and the whole crowd erupted, shouting and hailing.

But all that was on Amelia's mind was:

"I'll kill them all!"

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TO BE CONTINUED…

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We've come to the end of the Attack At Stonebridge Highschool Arc, but this is just the first of many to come—Amelia's journey and adventures begin from here on. If you've enjoyed the book so far, feel free to support me with a vote.

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Chapter 15 Preview:

It's been a month since they officially became children of the garden. Amelia and Chad have been familiarizing themselves with their new society, and they go on their first mission in the next chapter. Meanwhile, the Superhuman Subjugation Service (SSS) has some leads on their investigation into the Attack at Stonebridge Highschool. Tomorrow, a new arc begins in: Masked Heroes