Disclaimer: I do not own Black Cat or any of the concepts of mutation brought about at any point of the story.
Author's Note: The following story was originally created as a prologue to a series based off the events of Black Cat vol. 10. However, as the author, I feel that this story deserves to stand alone due to its raw power. However, please keep an eye out for said series called Lucifer's Roulette
A Matter of Time
(Or Prologue: Spinning the Barrel)
Hell had erupted in his shoulder. He could feel the cool, mutated steel pierce his skin, then slice through his muscles, severing precious nerves. That thing was alive; he could feel it sucking the blood from the inside. The blade kept pushing its way in, until finally, his back slammed against the wall, knocking whatever breath remained out of him. Gasping, he gagged on a pool of his own blood and spat it out. The blade withdrew. Wide-eyed with shock, he let his body sink to the floor.
Creed Diskenth laughed deviously and stated, "It seems to me that you can't properly control that power of yours!" Or at least that's what Sven heard. The fallen Sweeper's senses were fading quickly, his soul unraveling itself from his body. He barely even sensed Echidna entering through her warp gate close by. Sven gathered just enough will power to lift his arm and to make a futile attempt of covering his gushing wound. More than anything, he feared that if he passed out from blood loss, he might never wake up…
Where was Train?
Now Creed had ended his conversation with Echidna and pivoted in Sven's direction. As he stepped towards him, Creed leered behind his dark glasses and licked his lips menacingly. Sven tasted metallic blood on his. His life was finally going to end; only the thought of Eve had kept him from joining Lloyd up until this point.
But Creed did not strike. Rather, he seemed to be mumbling to himself. Sven shifted his eyes upward, catching a glimpse of a stricken Eve out of his periphery. Creed raised his voice so as to announce, "We don't have to kill him entirely…It's enough to wipe out his humanity." Diffusing his Tao-powered sword, Diskenth reached into his coat pocket with his right hand and revealed a tiny handgun.
Echidna, to Sven's surprise, could only stammer, "Creed, that pistol…!" This pumped an extra dose of depleting adrenaline into Sven's system. For an accomplice to wince at such a miniscule weapon told him that Creed had something horrible in mind for him…but what could possibly be worse than death?
"This pistol fires a shot known as 'Lucifer'," declared Diskenth loud enough for Sven to hear. "It was developed by the Apostles of the Stars with nanotechnology acquired from Boss Torneo. When the bullet enters the flesh, it triggers a drastic physical metamorphosis. The injured party awakens as a beast…a monster." Creed flashed a toxic grin. "Because the genes recombine in random order, the specifics of any transformation are unpredictable. The last fellow we tried it on turned into a wolf-man. Can you imagine that?"
So Sven was going to die…but his soulless body would remain, killing and causing pain, and leaving Eve to suffer at his hands…"Once Train has learned that his partner has turned into a beast," concluded Creed, "he will reconsider taking his place by my side…heh heh heh HAH HAH HAH!"
"Sven!" shrieked Eve, choking back her tears. Wildly she dashed towards Creed, but then swiveled around at the sound of a creaking door…
BANG!
Time seemed to stop as the bullet plunged into his rib cage, penetrated his heart. Sven could not react. He could only stare. Blood flowed freely out of his mouth. He could not feel it warm his skin nor soak his clothes. His body felt heavy. He let his eyes roll back into his head. After what felt like an eternity, convulsions overtook his body, and everything went black.
Train had come in time to see his partner give a last jolt before collapsing limply onto his side, his open eyes glazed over.