Chapter One Meeting an Angel
The entire building was secured. Many SWAT and FBI cars were outside, looking at the place. A car pulled up and a large black man with a prominent mustache came out. He wore a brown suit and a black tie.
"Captain Dollis." said one agent.
"Yeah, that's me."
The black man shook hands with the agent.
"Agent Samuel," the agent said "I doubt I need to tell you what was responsible for this."
"Yeah, no shit."
"What happened was an NMC that was obviously some sort of dog came into this dining establishment around nine o'clock this morning."
"When were the SWAT and agents deployed?"
"Approximately twenty minutes after the attack."
"It took that long?"
"Well, the owner used a payphone down the street and traffic was rather bad."
"Ah. You guys take care of it?"
"Well, that's the odd thing."
"What was?"
"It seems that someone already took care of the NMC."
"Who coulda done that?"
"We don't know, but there was a witness to the matter. He's over by that ambulance."
"Alright."
The two men walked over to an ambulance. There was a young, white man drinking coffee and shaking horribly.
"Sir." Dollis said.
The man jolted.
"Sorry," Dollis apologized "I'm captain Daniel Dollis of the NYPD, I would like to ask you a few questions."
"Everyone's b-b-been asking me questions."
"I'm sorry, but could you describe the incident. Uh, what's your name?"
"D-Dave."
"Well, Dave, could you describe what happened?"
"A-alright."
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The diner was busy as usual. Many people were getting some coffee or anything before work and the rush-hour. Dave was at the counter, eating some eggs. Then in walked a rather odd man. He was rather tall and slender and wore all black. He had a highly androgynous face and long, silver hair with odd bangs. His eyes were the real feature though, glowing and a mysterious, mystic green. The man then took a seat and ordered something.
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"What made you notice this man?" Daniel asked.
"He had a sort of air about him, like a magnet. Every chick was looking at him like a new diamond ring and the guys were glaring at him like daggers."
"Odd."
"Yeah, plus that hair of his was something really weird. He couldn't be much over thirty and his hair was long and bright silver."
"Anyway, continue."
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A screech was heard and suddenly everyone was getting out of the diner. A horribly deformed dog with huge claws and multiple limbs went crashing through. Slaver dripped from its mouth and it growled threateningly. Dave was too scared to move and just stared. Everyone was already out but Dave just stared and stuttered. The monster dog then began walking towards him and he backed up against the wall. The dog growled and looked at Dave with hungry eyes. Dave closed his eyes and prepared for the end.
WHAM!!
Dave opened his eyes and wondered what the reason behind the sudden sound was. He felt liquid drip on his face and then looked up. The dog's head was pressed up against the wall above him with a pale hand with long, skinny fingers doing it.
"You happened to ruin my meal." said a deep, silky voice "Now you die, you disgusting chimera."
Something metallic was then heard and suddenly the dog's head had been run through. The creature gave a gurgle and died. Dave looked nervously at what had happened. His eyes became fixated on a very long, thin blade. His eyes traveled down it and then he saw a very pale hand holding the handle of a very long samurai sword. He then saw that its owner was the odd man with the silver hair. He pulled his blade out, blood splashing everywhere and then split the dog in two as it fell. Dave nervously scooted away from the creature and then touched the man's legs. He was then even more nervous and scooted away even faster from the man.
The man then looked at his long, beyond-razor-sharp blade. It had no blood on it for some odd reason despite the fact that it cleaved that menacing creature in two. The man then began to chuckle. Dave was thinking that he was in the same room with some demented maniac. The man stopped chuckling and looked at Dave.
"Tell me," the man said "are you frightened of me?"
"Wh-what?"
"Are you frightened of me?"
"F-f-fuck yeah."
"Heh-heh, excellent, excellent, I should be."
The sword in the man's hand vanished and he cracked his knuckles.
"I thought this would be a boring place, but I suppose it is not." he simply stated.
He then walked right out and into the street.
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"Wait a minute," Daniel said "he actually pressed that thing against the wall with his bare hand?"
"Y-yeah, I've never seen anything like it."
"How long was that sword of his?"
"About as long as he was tall."
"And how tall was he?"
"Over six feet."
"What was his build?"
"Really skinny, he couldn't be over a hundred and sixty pounds."
"Damn."
"Are there any more questions?"
"No, I think we got everything."
"A-alright."
Daniel went over to the agent."
"What do you think?" he asked the agent.
"It is odd. We won't be able to tell until an autopsy is done, but the NMC was definitely killed with a blade."
"I dunno, bringing a blade from outta nowhere is strange. He even said the blade was six feet long."
"The man's build is strange too. He was said to weigh not much over one hundred-sixty pounds."
"It is weird."
The two of them then went into the diner to check things out. Daniel saw the tarp covering the NMC corpse and various people taking pictures of the area.
"Damn, there's blood everywhere." Daniel said.
"That's not the most frightening thing about this." said an agent.
The man extended his hand.
"Agent Mathews." he said.
"Pleasure. What did you mean earlier?"
"This isn't the only time an NMC incident has ended this bizarre."
"What's that mean?"
"There have been multiple incidents within the last six months. Some NMC infested areas have been wiped clean before agents or law enforcement got there. What was really strange were the bodies of the creatures."
"What about them?"
"They showed signs of electrocution, burns, freezing, crushing, and were usually cut with a very sharp blade."
"Waaaaaiiiiiiit, are you telling me that this same guy did this?"
"It's a possibility. Any cameras and evidence he was there was destroyed however."
"Damn."
"If it is this man, it would explain why there were many hand and foot prints embedded into walls."
"What?"
"Apparently whoever did this has enough strength in his limbs to leave imprints in extremely sturdy substances."
"Daaaaaammmmn."
"We also found several long, silver hairs. However, a DNA test brought nothing up."
"That's weird."
"It's like the guy doesn't exist. I hear MIST wants to talk to this guy."
"Aya sure would like to hear that."
"Oh, you've kept in touch with Agent Brea?"
"Yeah, she just moved back to Manhattan."
"That's intriguing."
"Yeah, she's a bit more easy-going now."
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However, Aya was getting ready for an assignment late that night. She was putting her gun in her holster when she heard someone next to her.
"Going out again?" said a voice.
Aya turned around and saw Eve. The girl had grown quite a bit over the last few years. She was now about Aya's height and looked almost exactly like her except her hair was a bit longer. She was wearing jean shorts and a sweater. Aya smirked.
"Yeah, I gotta go out again, work." she said.
"You've been putting in a lot lately."
"I suppose."
"You used to be out a lot less when you were with Kyle."
"Well, let's just say my job isn't exactly fit for having relationships."
"Which is why I'm avoiding it."
"Smart move."
Eve chuckled.
"I guess I can't expect you back tonight." she said.
"No, though school isn't too far."
"True, I could walk there."
"Well, I'll probably be asleep. You remember where the key is right?"
"Yeah, I know."
"Alright then, bye."
"Kick some butt."
Aya gave a thumbs-up while she left and then headed down. She came to her car and got in, starting it. She took out her cell phone and listened to a dispatcher.
"Sounds like some more mindless freaks, oh well." she said.
She eventually came to a multi-storied mall. Many cars and SWAT vans were already outside but no one was going in. Aya got out of her car and flipped her badge to an officer.
"What's going on here?" she asked.
"Well, we brought SWAT in, but…."
"But?"
"Well, it seems it's not needed."
"I beg you pardon?"
"Something is already killing most of those things. The SWAT pulled out since it looked like whatever was in there was doing just fine."
"Ugh, how incompetent."
"That's what another one of you Hunters said."
"Another one is in there?"
"Yeah, a bald, black man with a mustache carrying a huge magnum."
"Must be Rupert. I'm going in anyway, I can't have something unknown and dangerous running around."
"Suit yourself."
Aya went into the building. Then she saw what had happened. The entire room she was in was littered with NMC corpses and blood. Every corpse was eviscerated and ripped to shreds. Aya thought she had seen everything but this was something she never expected. She then heard gunfire from the floor above her.
"Rupert!"
She quickly ascended the stairs and kicked open the shaft door. She pointed her gun around and slowly continued. She heard more gunfire and then heard an impact sound. Then she saw an object come flying and slam into a wall.
"Rupert!"
Aya went to the older man's side. He had a few bruises and looked very injured. He weakly opened one eye.
"H-hey." he said.
"What the heck happened?"
"Seems I ran into our little visitor. He's one fast bastard though, I couldn't get a single hit on him."
"Are you hurt badly?"
"No, nothing is broken or bleeding."
"Alright, just rest there while I check up ahead."
Aya left Rupert's side and advanced forward. She saw what had happened. There was a miniature crater where Rupert was more than likely slammed into and several bullet holes in the walls, floor, and ceiling. She then saw something intriguing. She kneeled down and picked up a metallic object.
"A bullet." she said "But it's been cut in two."
She then heard sounds of fighting nearby. She heard more slamming and some sounds of various things being cut. She quickly ran over to where it was happening. However, she was too late. She did, however, see the aftermath. Whatever was tearing through the place was leaving devastation in its wake. More NMCs had been sliced like meat and burned like wood. The smell was so unbearable that Aya had to cover her nose.
"What the hell is going on?"
She then kept moving. In the next room she saw a flash of black and kept running. She then burst through the next door and saw a figure slowly walking along a corridor.
"Freeze!"
The figure stopped and then turned its head slightly.
"Well, another user of firearms." said a deep voice.
"Who are you?"
"Names are irrelevant. Though, I could assume you are a comrade of that man who was firing at me needlessly a moment ago."
"You did that?"
"Yes, he wasn't much of a challenge."
Aya eyed the man's weapon. The weapon was a long, thin sword.
"Weird weapon," she said "drop it and slide it over."
"Not possible."
"And why is that?"
"I need it and there is a rather violent creature behind you."
"Huh?"
The man then extended an arm and a bolt of electricity came out. Aya barely dodged it and saw the bolt connect with a mutated rat behind her. She looked back to where the man was but he had vanished. Then she felt a very strong presence behind her and hot breathing down her neck.
"You know," the man said "it is rather difficult to fight multiple opponents. You must keep your eyes on them and you can only fight one or a few. I can suppose this is why they made firearms."
Aya was nervous. She painfully tried to force her eyes to see the man's face.
"However, there is quite a bit of skill lost due to firearms. I suppose that's why I prefer blades, they require far more skill and dexterity."
Aya took a chance and put the barrel of her gun under the man's chin and fired. However, she only heard the bullet embedding itself in the ceiling.
"Impressive." she heard a voice to her right say.
Aya looked and saw the man who was behind her now standing a mere five feet away from her.
"That's impossible." she said.
"Is it? Then how can I be here and not lying on the floor behind you?"
"I-I don't know."
"Well, that must mean I am swifter than a bullet."
A blast of some sort then ripped through the area, blowing a large hole in a wall.
"Hmmm, seems some animals have been released." the man said.
He then ran into the next room as nothing but a black blur. Aya raced to the end of the hall and to the entrance to the next room. While she was running she heard man slashes seemingly piercing flesh and no gunshots. By the time Aya saw what was going on, she was surprised. All she saw was the aftermath but even that was astounding. It seemed to be an NMC the size of a gorilla sliced into ribbons. The man had an extremely long, black lacquered sheath in his right hand.
"How in…?" she wondered.
"Does something trouble you, milady?"
"How did you do that? How did you kill an NMC with nothing but melee weapons?"
"Because it is my skill."
Aya then noticed that the area behind the man seemed to waver like a desert mirage.
"Damn! Knight GOLEM!" she cursed.
The man was a bit confused but then saw the large, imposing figure behind him in body armor with long limbs. However, he blocked the first blow with his arm and then struck the huge opponent with a kick. The GOLEM was now on the ceiling, embedded a few inches within the plaster. The man snorted.
"How annoying." he said.
With a swish of the man's long, leather coat he continued on with Aya becoming more surprised as the day went on. She followed him as swiftly as he could, hearing his ridiculously swift slashes and chaotic behavior and she followed. Not once had she seen an NMC alive in this man's wake. Eventually she came to another large room and saw the man dealing with several NMCs by himself. One shot tentacles at him but he merely sliced them and then showed the creature his palm.
"Mystic flames, burn this abomination, Fire."
The creature then began to burn from flames that had appeared out of nowhere. Aya gasped and then switched her attention to and NMC bearing down on her. She quickly aimed and fired into the creature's skull quickly and accurately. It hit the ground before it was within a foot of Aya and seeped bodily fluids onto the ground. She pointed her gun at the man.
"Get down." she warned.
The man ducked as Aya fired her last bullet into the NMC behind the man, getting the creature between the eyes. Aya saw something flying towards her and she caught it. The object she held in her hand was a submachine gun.
"It's a wise decision to have the best equipment available." the man advised.
"Tch, I could blow you away with this."
"I highly doubt that."
The man kneeled by a creature and examined its body, his green eyes observing every detail.
"Hmm, this creature seems to have mechanical and other strange objects in its body." he noted "Is this a sign that this is not a creation of a god but of man?"
"Yeah, it's an ANMC."
"What in blazes is that?"
"Artificial Neo-Mitochondrian Creature."
"Oh, a monster then."
"Yeah, and you've been hacking up ones that are just natural mutations."
"Ah, so that's what they are."
The man switched his view to a window.
"Is that natural, or unnatural?"
Aya wondered what he was talking about when something smashed through the window. Aya brushed glass from her hair and saw an NMC that barely fit in the room.
"That's natural." she said "It looks like a severely mutated lizard."
"Interesting, this should amuse me."
The man stood tall and took his blade in both hands, readying for a fight.
"Hey." Aya said.
"What?"
"This is my job, so just stay out of it."
"Tch, suit yourself."
The man propped his unusually large blade against a wall and leaned against the damaged plaster. Aya cocked the submachine gun and aimed. She unloaded into the creature, causing blood and skin to splatter everywhere. The creature screeched and shot its tongue at Aya. She managed to evade but it took her a moment to regain herself. The creature swiped at Aya but she stepped back, having her jacket cut in the process. Aya unloaded the rest of the clip into the creature and cursed when she heard the click of the clip being empty.
"The problem with firearms," the man commented "they always run out of bullets."
Aya drew her pistol and began firing again, this time just for the head. Still, the creature refused to die.
"What is this thing made out of?" she thought.
"Do you want me to kill this beast for you?"
"No, I'm fine."
The truth was, Aya was anything but fine. Her ammo was spent and there was no way she was going to try and strike the NMC with her tonfa. She knew there was only one way to defeat the creature and she liked it the least. Although, at least this guy was strange enough so it wouldn't matter that much. Hell, this guy had already set an NMC on fire so what was the point of keeping it a secret? Aya readied herself and concentrated. Her body temperature began to rise at an unusually high rate and began to sweat heavily. The man raised an eyebrow and then widened his eyes when he saw the NMC burst into flames. Aya breathed heavily and the man chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Aya gasped.
"I see now."
The man walked over to Aya and kneeled down next to her, smirking and narrowing his cold, green eyes.
"You're just like me." he finished.
"What are you talking about?"
The man cupped her chin with his long fingers and looked into her eyes, green meeting blue.
"We're both monsters." he said simply.
Aya was a bit too worn from her fight to respond to that. She then merely passed out and rested her head against the man's shoulder. The man merely smirked and picked Aya up as though she were a doll.
"Sleep, sleep, one who is like me."
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The police and federal officers were getting rather worried. It had been over an hour since Aya had entered the building and the last sign of any activity was when a loud crashing sound was heard. Suddenly, one of the officers saw someone exit the building. It was the silver-haired man, carrying Aya over one shoulder and Rupert on the other. The officers slowly lifted their weapons at the man as he approached. He set Aya and Rupert down when he was within ten feet of the officers. One of them had a megaphone out and was using it.
"Put your hands behind your head and turn around slowly!" the officer ordered.
The man merely sighed and turned around, walking away.
"I said put your hands behind your head!" the officer ordered again.
"Be quiet and stop barking, you pathetic dog."
"What!?"
"I don't believe you went in there to face those creatures, so be quiet and stop attempting to order me around, it's rather pathetic."
Everyone tensed up as the man turned his head slightly and revealed his blazing green eyes.
"Tend to these two before you try to order me around, adieu."
In a swish of black and silver, the man disappeared into the night.
