"Things will never be the same again."
Gneiss Underwood never thought that he could have a shot of a normal life.
Growing up in an environment where everything defied sanity, guns and loneliness were his normal companions, if not danger and Death h...
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"Everyone says Love hurts, but that is not true. Loneliness hurts, rejection hurts, losing someone hurts, envy hurts – everyone gets these things confused with Love. In reality, Love is the only thing in this world that covers up all the pain and makes someone feel wonderful again."
Number Nineteen
The black-clad guy attacking Krad was the personification of inferno himself.
The blazing otherworldly flames caused him to stagger – startled and overwhelmed and entranced at the same time – but he quickly came to his senses and sidestepped the enraged 04. Despite the beauty of the bluish black fire, he knew it wouldn't be beautiful once he was toasted to death. He doubted if there were even bones left to bury.
Cremated alive, now that wasn't funny.
However, as soon as Krad went for his right, 04 calculatedly whipped his arm to him, already expecting Krad's reaction, and followed through with a punch on the shoulder. Krad yelped when his jacket burst onto flames and was quick-witted enough to pull off the fabric without touching the flames. He did so just in time, before the fire got onto his skin and hair.
Not even ashes or soot was left from his jacket. And he knew it was supposed to be fire-proof too, an investment of Creed on every agent's uniform.
Krad shoulder-rolled away, avoiding a kick on the gut. Fire enveloped 04's feet, burning his boots as the destructive force of his power hit the ground. The explosion that followed was deafening.The tiled floor cracked and burned, inextinguishable.
"Hot, shit!" Krad leaped away from the charred and broken tiles. "You're seriously trying to fry me, aren't you?"
"Only if you quit dodging."
"And be a human bacon?" He ran parallel to 04, throwing random chairs and tables to gain every little advantage he could get. "I don't think so, mister."
Feigning to stagger after another explosion, he subtly looped wires around 04's neck, aiming to strangle him – or at least keep a leash on him. However, as soon as the thin, nearly-invisible piano strings touched his opponent's skin, they melted and evaporated.
You got to be kidding me, Krad thought as he backed away. How was he going to use his wires against the guy? He hadn't tried this angle in his simulations before. To think that he would get to witness fire hot enough to evaporate alloyed steel, he's at a loss what to do.
Offense or defense?
Attack or run?
Which would ensure the highest probability of survival?
