Of Heroes and Villains

Prologue: Five Years Ago

Welcome to a world of heroes and villains, a world of supernatural abilities and planned conflict. A world where opportunities are endless and the sky's the limit. Well, only for some. The others are just pushed along to continue their lives, be regular people in a hectic world, just trying to live on to the next day through mediocre jobs.

Many don't wish for that life, but still, more than 70% of 16-year-olds tested become Bystanders, that's what they call them, the normal people. The other 30% is divided into heroes and villains. That chosen group gets gifts, powers, abilities, to help them. While it's never really explained by the Concourse, the group who makes these decisions, how someone's fate is decided, I believe that it is some mix of genetics, the ability to have the gifts, and their personality that they've analyzed for years and luck. Some believe it's just luck, whether it be good or bad.

It was finally the day, I'd been dreading it and also anticipating it for months, though it felt like years. It's the day the course of your life could change so dramatically, or stay completely the same. My friends, Mara and Rilen, and I had been discussing what we hoped to get decided as. Part of me hopes I'll get a hero. I'd love to get powers and make a name for myself, leave a fingerprint on the world. Mara and Rilen both just wanted to be Bystanders, they had planned out their whole lives together, what colleges they were going to apply to, the family they wanted.

All of my class had been taken out of our 6th period English class, and for me, hopefully, the last day of school I'd have to be in. I always felt like I was meant for more than menial labor. Though it sounded selfish to say that out loud, I just had a feeling. We all sat down on those incredibly uncomfortable metal folding chairs schools had in their gyms and waited for our names to be called. The calling was random, so every time an official came out to take another student back, the room tensed and every kid had the same look in their eyes. Mara was called a couple of students in and gave one last hand squeeze to Rilen and smiled nervously at me. This could be the last time I see her for a very long time. We wouldn't know the results of our friends and classmates until the end, lists were posted of the results of the Heroes and Villains, if the name wasn't on either, they were a Bystander. Rilen got called about an hour later and gave me one last nervous glance before following the straight-faced official to the back room.

Another hour passed, I fiddled with my rings in anticipation, how much longer would it be? Could they run out of spots for heroes? What if everyone was already decided? What if they forgot about me?

"Vessar, Lorelei."

I perked up at my name and saw the same official holding a black clipboard and looking in my direction. I promptly got up and followed the official without a word, my mouth dry and grainy. I cleared my throat as I walked into an all-white room with a singular black chair in the middle, a black pane of glass facing it.

The next few moments went by like a blur. A few people in white coats came out and drew some of my blood. Many minutes of silence went by as I sat there, my heartbeat thudding against my chest. Another assistant came out and gave me an undescribed shot into my shoulder. I didn't feel any different right away. So I waited and waited until a voice came over the loudspeaker.

"Lorelei Vessar, you have been chosen as a Villain. Your ability given to you is the ability to wield pain, both removing and giving it to others and yourself. Please stand up and walk into the door on the left for fitting."

I froze. Villain? It could be worse, but what if someone I know is a hero, I'll have to kill them eventually, right? I felt a strange surge of hyper feeling in my veins, I felt a buzzing, an electric feeling in my head. My mind began racing with millions of possible scenarios. A hand was placed on my shoulder and I saw one of the assistants reminding me to get up. I quickly did and followed them into the left door.

I stood alone in another room until a searing white light blinded down on me. I squinted my eyes shut and felt a weird sensation. The next thing I knew, I was standing a few inches taller, my body felt different. The door in front of me became a mirror and I saw myself, or some version of myself. My long braid had been cut shoulder length with bangs. I was now wearing a long black trench coat, dark red turtleneck, and black slacks with heeled black leather boots on. I looked myself dead in the eye in a state of shock until the door swung open and I saw before me a room of other students, though many of them looked different than I remembered. I scanned the room, no Mara or Rilen. I hoped for them the fate they wished for. Whatever had just happened, I felt different, changed. I sense of ambition surged over me, and however, the next phase of my life unfolded. I knew it was going to be interesting.