The Storm of Apocalypse

Chapter One: Part Three [3]

Mycenia and Vinceo held each other's hands as they went through the light traffic of the city. It was past midnight but the city was still awake. Watching the tall buildings as they passed by and listening to the radio, the old song triggered her memories.

She remembered standing in the corner of the wide fighting pit, staring at Arlette across her. They were inside a big cylindrical room with glass walls and ceiling. The same music was playing softly in the background. They just stared at each other while the spectating students, standing on the bleachers around the pit, cheered for them. It was loud but her thoughts were louder, what Arlette said earlier that day kept on repeating in her mind. And that convinced her to choose Arlette now in their fighting class instead of Renie. One way or another, she knew she would win.

The human referee came into the pit and called them. She approached her with no hint of her thoughts; her face was blank.

"I will be deactivating your implant now. Whoever knocks out the other will be the winner. The winner will face the other winners and the champion will be promoted to Level 3," said the referee.

Everyone knew about the ranking and it was the most important of all. Level 1 is considered a beginner;  it was when she was isolated for years. When her powers were awakened, she became Level 2. This level is the hardest for they will undergo endless training and fighting. It was torture but it is all worth it. Winning the fight will bring you to Level 3 where you will have freedom; no more training, and no more isolation. One will experience how to live with humans. It is when you will make a change to the world. A purpose. After years of doubts, pain, and horror, one will understand the meaning of life.

A loud alarm filled the fighting pit for three seconds, a cue for them to begin. Mycenia didn't move and watched Arlette charge towards her. She gasped for air as she felt her abilities; it was ecstatic for a second. Arlette was about to punch her but she quickly dodged her fist and moved aside. Arlette kept throwing punches and kicks and all she did was avoid them. She can easily incapacitate her but she won't. She wanted to know what she wanted to say. She threw glances at their instructor in the Defense and Attack course, Mr. Villanueva, and she knew he was not satisfied. The previous fights have been bloody and intense. He was probably disappointed and bored knowing what they were capable of.

She leveled up their fight. She also threw punches and kicks. Arlette got some of those and she groaned in pain. In return, she also got some jabs and strong kicks that made her kneel. She dropped to the ground and pretended she was knocked down. She heard the spectators scream "boo". Arlette climbed on top of her and she pretended to struggle and fight. With Arlette's hands wrapping her neck lightly, they were tethered and began to communicate telepathically.

"They know I can read people's memories but they don't know I can hear their thoughts," Arlette said telepathically. "Every time we're fighting in this pit, I have been gathering information as much as I can. And I found out the truth and our way out of here. Mycenia...the freedom of Level 3 is not real. It is another prison wrapped in an illusion of having a beautiful life. We will be forced to do things that we don't like and want."

"What do you mean?" she asked while pretending to struggle; kicking around and pulling Arlette's fingers on her neck.

"We will become their weapons, Mycenia. We will be forever their soldiers. They will always control our lives until we will be useless to them."

"What they have been doing to us for years was to make us the best; to push us out of our limits; to realize our truest potential. They made us like this for we are meant to change the world," she spoke in her thoughts.

"They are preparing for something big. I hear whispers of a Project. I am scared of this, Mycenia. We need to fight back and escape. Take control of our lives and end them for good... before anyone could even get hurt; before it's too late."

"There were attempts in the past and they all have the same fate. What do you think we have right now that makes it different?"

"We have you."

"I did not say I am going to join your fight." She released a pulse of psychokinetic energy that peeled Arlette away. She stood up and heard the cheers of the audience. "Level 3 is my dream, Arlette. For years, I worked hard for it. It's the only way I can get out of this place without killing myself. We have to play by their rules."

She searched for a purpose for so long and she believed that Level 3 would give her that. Out there in the world, doing something that can help people is worth all the pain and struggle she faced. She worked hard for this. She wouldn't have been gifted with such abilities if she was not meant for more. For decades, she learned that defying Herozoan would only endanger her; she survived all these years by doing what they wanted. She can't let Arlette destroy everything with her reckless plan."

"I'm moving to Level 3 tonight. This time, no one will stop me."

•••

"My..."

She turned her gaze to Vinceo. "Yes?"

"What are you thinking?"

"Just the past. Every time I fell silent, my mind just skimmed through my memories, reminding me of the horrors we need to do just to survive."

"Yeah...I feel you."

"Ceo...who's Casper?"

He let go of her hand. "What?"

"You said we're going to talk about it?"

He sighed. "I don't think this is a good time."

"Why?"

He glanced at Arlette's contact who was busy driving the van.

"I don't care, Ceo."

"But I care."

"I thought there would be no secrets between us?"

"Alright...alright." He surrendered.

She stared at him, waiting for his answer. Casper must have been an interesting person for Vinceo to gather strength and confidence just to tell about him. She had ideas and none of them was good; each possibility breaks her heart. But why would he scream his name?

"When Arlette wiped my memories. Everything in me changed. It's...It's like I created another identity. Everything you and I knew about myself was gone. And I fell in love with a man—Casper. He just came into my life and made me feel things; he filled in the gaps that I have been longing to understand. I left him when Arlette came back to check me...I left him and said I'll be back. I didn't even have the chance to tell him the truth," he shared in a low voice. It seemed like he was having a tight chest. "And I saw him die in an illusion."

The revelation shook her down to the core. It was the first time she heard a silence that was so loud it was deafening. Her mind couldn't process what he just said. It was worse than what she initially thought. She believed Casper was his son; that Arlette lied to her. She couldn't understand what she felt; it was like her heart was shattered to pieces. She can't believe the man that he loved fell for another. Her mind was wiped for years but she never fell for anyone. She knew her heart belonged to someone.

She hated Arlette more. She betrayed her. This was all her fault. She couldn't and she would never blame Vinceo for loving someone. Loving a person regardless of gender is never a mistake. If Arlette hadn't messed up their minds, none of this would have happened and they could be living now together, building a family.

"And what does your heart and mind say?"

"W...What?"

"Who do you really love?"

"I...I don't know. I'm sorry."

And that answer broke her heart more.