I lay softly, surrounded by warm darkness as my fuzzy eyes twitched to the sound of gentle whispering.

“Shay.”

Then again.

“Shay.”

Slowly opening my eyes as the dim light, that seeped in from the window, pierced through the thin gap in my eyelids as I squinted them, turning around to see a silhouette standing at my bedside.

“Come on Shay, get up. We don’t have time.” They said in a whisper as they shook my shoulders, urging me to sit up.

“Shay.” They said again as I finally came to my senses, looking up at Zane as he ushered me to follow him.

“Zane, what are you doing?” I muttered quietly as Zane didn’t say anything, only climbing out of the window, pausing to make sure I was on the same page before dropping out of sight.

I quickly jumped up and followed him out of the window, climbing down from a pipe onto the empty street below.

“What time is it?” I muttered.

“An hour before everyone else will wake up, 6 AM.” Replied Zane, leading me through the village and out the back exit.

“Where are we going?” I asked nervously.

“To see Anzu. He has something for you.” Replied Zane.

“Anzu?!” I snapped back at him.

“Of course.” Said Zane, stopping to turn and face me. “Don’t tell me you’re holding a grudge now, after yesterday. I’ve already explained this to you. Come see Anzu and you will understand why it’s in your best interest to join us.”

I shut up and followed Zane down and out the back gate of Rein village. And sure enough, there he was. Him and his jacketless black suit. Slim black pants, black shoes, and a black-tie.

“Hey, Shay.” He said nonchalantly with his mischievous grin.

“What’s this you have for me?” I asked getting straight to the point.

Anzu tilted his face and raised his brow.

“You’re suddenly a lot more… sane? I was expecting you to greet me and becoming dependant on me, but you’ve rebound awfully fast.” Said Anzu.

I stared back at him with a plastic expression.

“Anyway, you’re right. I do have something for you. But before that. I’d like you to answer a question. Then I’ll show you undeniable proof of what was said to you yesterday is fact.” Said Anzu; I nodded in agreement as he continued.

“How did you escape the dream ability you were stuck in yesterday. I want to know what you can recall during your escape or the events before it. If you don’t mind.”

I took a second to think, scratching the back of my neck as I pondered my response.

“I was suffering mentally and on the verge of insanity… Then…” I paused, looking up at Anzu with a serious face. “Don’t laugh.”

“Why would I laugh?” He said charismatically. “Continue.”

“A familiar woman wrapped her arms around me. I don’t know where I’ve seen her before, but she put her arms around me then I woke up.”

Anzu snickered.

“I said don’t laugh.”

“No, no. I’m not laughing at that. It’s just. Well, I was right. I can’t help but laugh when I predict something perfectly.” Said Anzu, holding his hand up to his mouth, trying to hide his grin.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“The ability you were in is only supposed to show nightmarish visions to you that will traumatize you. The ability only lasts a few seconds however, it feels like an eternity inside the world. The user can call off the ability so that you don’t remember anything after but its main feature is to continue insanity outside of battle.”

“So?” I asked.

“So.” Said Anzu. “The fact that something nice happened while inside the dream tells me one thing.”

“A 3rd party was present.”

Zane spoke up. “But the ability is only a mental one, how could a 3rd party have been present to act sentient within the ability.”

“That is where my theory comes in.” Said Anzu.

“Shay, you are developing an ability.”

My eyes flashed and I took a step back in recoil at his words.

“An ability?” I asked.

“Precisely. And I now know how it works.” He said giggling to himself manically under his breath.

“Get this; someone is going around playing God, latching themselves onto the souls of individuals, staying there for months, figuring the person out; what makes them angry, what are their deepest regrets, what saddens them to heartbreak.”

“How do you know for certain though?!” I recoiled in disbelief.

“Shay, someone is using you as a vessel. And I theorise that if you are to die while they are latched to you, then they too will also die. Think back to moments where you have been in danger. Your wounds healing out of nowhere momentarily before opening up conveniently when the medics arrive.”

I was shocked. Anzu was right.

“So, this means that you are currently the vessel for this thing. We can go 3 ways about this: We kill you now and be done with this God complex freak, we wait until it leaves your body and try to kill it or… We do nothing and allow more ability users to appear and force them onto our side.” Said Anzu. “I say all that, but I’ve already decided. Shay, you will stick with us and go on missions so I can examine you and how that thing inside you decides to act depending on your situation.” Said Anzu as he stared at me in wait for my response.

“This is all nice and all but, what about that thing you said you had for me?” I said, switching the conversation back to what was eating away at my curiosity.

“Ah, of course.” Said Anzu, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a thing, square-shaped object covered in a purple velvet blanket.

“This will prove to you that your sister is working for the council of Aero City and not only that but also…”

Anzu didn’t say another word after that. He just handed me the object and let it explain itself.

I unveiled it and feasted my eyes upon the most irritating sight I had ever seen. I felt a vein pop out of the side of my head as my brow twitched: My sister, posing with several other Roses; all in uniform, including… Diablo.

“Anzu… What is this?” I asked morbidly.

“A photograph.” He responded aphetically. “A new type of technology that allows you to photograph any moment taking place in front of you that you want. Only the council and a few large companies have access to it.”

“My sister… really is a fucking traitor… And Diablo is her right-hand man.” I clutched my fist in anger.

“2 months ago, she became a Rose. Making her their newest member. She hasn’t gone public yet, which is why you won’t know.” Added Anzu.

“That bitch.” I said, biting my lip as blood spewed lightly out of the slit, I made with my teeth.

“Will you be coming with us now Shay?” Asked Zane who was standing next to me.

“I suppose if it means getting revenge on my sister. Staying with you people will give me the best chance at that… But what if Diablo notices that me and Zane are missing?”

“What if he does? As long as he doesn’t see us leave, he will simply assume you were kidnapped.”

“The time is… 6:03.” Said Zane. “Diablo will be sleeping. There is no way he will see us leave. We can simply run off for now, play kidnapped and then return at a later date when it’s required.” Said Zane who stood to my left. I turned my head to Anzu who’s eyes were as sharp as an eagle. His vision fixated on something behind us.

I slowly turned…

“Is that so – Zane?” Said the deep, intimidating voice of Diablo who stood towering over us, glaring down with a vicious gaze of fire.

Everything was still for a moment as time seemed to slow down… It wasn’t until I fully noticed him behind us before everything seemingly resumed in a snapping explosion as I flicked myself up to kick Diablo in the head, I was, however, easily dodged and tossed a side with a powerful, gut vanquishing, blow to my stomach with the back of his fist.

I flew backward through the air before smashing into the dirty ground. Winding myself completely as I hit the hard, cold grass below.

* * *

I watched through my watery eyes as Zane put up the best fight he could against Diablo. He was fighting at a much faster and thorough pace than before… Had he been holding back?

Zane slashed his sword around at Diablo who was blocking it effortlessly. However, as Diablo counter-attacked Zane with his sword, it shone a bright white colour, like before, as he swiftly swung it down at Zane who, somehow, ducked underneath as Diablo’s attack missed and broke apart the wall behind Zane.

I was flabbergasted. I couldn’t even move in response to the sight: Zane dodged Diablo…?

In that moment where Zane managed to evade Diablo’s shining blade, he brought his sword forward as he stepped in towards Diablo. Readying his weapon to slash right through his torso as Diablo stood off-balance from swinging his sword so heavily and the shock of Zane dodging.

Just as it looked like Zane’s attack hit, Diablo vanished into thin air with a sudden, light, foggy flash.

“He skipp-“ I tried to shout but it was too late. 2 seconds had passed; Diablo reappeared behind Zane, however, Zane suddenly disappeared too, as Diablo’s blade missed for the second time.

I noticed Anzu smiling childishly as he leaned against the wall, then I noticed Zane behind Diablo, ready to strike once again, but then. I noticed a blue, plasma energy ball forming behind Diablo as Zane’s face went from ecstatic to fearful in seconds.

I rushed forward at max speed; Zane too far into his attack to dodge and Diablo not even paying attention to Zane, simply staring off blankly as if he had already won. And just as the attack fired I managed to push Zane away, only to feel a cold, sudden, emptiness inside me as I stuttered away from Zane who looked back in a mix of horror and shock, his pupils shriveled, his eyes widened.

Diablo now looking back as he too looked at me with a sense of shock in his jaded eyes before I felt myself being thrust away from them into the wall, then through it as I fell into Rein village surrounded by rocks.

The muffled sound of Zane continuing to fight Diablo rang in the background as I felt myself drifting from consciousness.

“Come on.” Said someone from my right.

“If you don’t fight, we won’t escape. None of us at this moment can beat Diablo. Zane is doing his best, but he won’t last long if Diablo gets serious.”

“We need you to put yourself in danger so whatever inhabiting you takes it as it being attacked and just off’s Diablo for us.”

Looking up through my blurry eyes I saw Anzu pulling me to my feet.

“As long as you have a drive to keep fighting your wounds will keep healing until you have the opportunity to be healed.”

“Go back up Zane already.”

I put my hand on my sword that Diablo gifted me the day prior and faced forward. Readying myself for the hardest fight I would have to put up to date.

* * *

-Versus Diablo-