It's been in interesting two months. Taking out trash and stealing those chips for myself. They have both electricity and Share Energy. Share Energy powers CPUs, like me. And Electricity powers me, as a Conduit. Giving me double the power from draining these things. Having them on me for an emergency drain is all well and good. But I learned ASIC bastards use these to turn a profit. And to give Share Energy to this Deity of Sin.

How did I learn this? I find a rat, and make them squeak.This Deity of Sin bothers me. The way it's described reminds me of The Beast. This inevitable destroyer that will turn the world into it's playground.

Yet, not all legends are as they seem. The Beast ended up being John White. Turned into an unstable monster against his will. Because of my own negligence. This Deity of Sin, something about it isn't right.

What the hell even is it? Does it know what's going on? Does it approve of the ASIC? Is it like John or Warner? Some poor sap who was twisted and juiced up because of some meddler? I don't know, but what I do know is that I have to stop it.

Some Locusts were holding up a gamestore. Locusts are the most brutal of these four splinter factions. People have been hung from lampposts as warning signs and territorial marks. Burned alive and thrown off buildings. These guys are just savages.

Cole floated down onto the rooftop, right between two guards. Doing a quick roll. She activated Gigawatt Blades and cut the two men in half with a swipe. She did a quick pulse to see where the hostages are.

Then she threw a Shock Grenade next to her feet then rolled out of the way. That part of the roof caved in. The debris knocking a couple out. The dust blinded everyone else. Cole wasn't blinded, she knew where they all were. Thanks to letting out constant pulses.

They all fired in random directions. Not caring who they hit. Cole used a TK Blast to send most of them flying, and onto their asses. Then with some electrically charged punches. Cole finished the rest of them.

She began to put Arc Restraints on the Locusts. Then the dust fully cleared, and Cole saw the hostages. "Ms? Mommy isn't waking up," A little boy pointed to his dead mother. She was killed in the ensuing firefight.

Cole healed the injured and escorted them out. Families and friends reunited. The people cheered for Cole. Calling her 'The Saint of Leanbox.' All for helping to cleanup the streets.

For two months, her reputation has been quiet and building. Now with this incident, the faith in Cole that has been building has been sealed. Cole felt healthier, and a bit more powerful. 'This is that Share Energy,' Cole realized.

The Share Energy in those chips only temporarily increased Cole's power. They were used for healing and buffing her. This time, Cole can feel the faith of the people entering her. It is a warm feeling.

Cole felt her phone vibrate, she saw FoB sent her a text. Cole gave a two fingered salute to the people and left the scene. After she got enough distance. She collapsed onto her ass.

There were fifteen hostages, five of them had been killed. Thirty Graveminds holding up the place. Twenty were killed, two by Cole's hand. The other eighteen by eachother during the confusion. Cole failed those people. Because she was so focused on taking down her enemy.

She neglected the safety of others again. She took out her phone. Before she turned it on. She looked at her reflection. Kessler's face smirked at her.

"Everyone has their breaking point. You, me, even dear, sweet Sasha. What seperates the strong from the weak, is the ability to take the beating, hell, to love the beating. No matter how great the pain. Never wavering from what needs to be done," Kessler's voice mocked Cole.

"Screw you!" Cole snarled at the memory. She stood up at the sounds of bats screeching and flapping their wings. FoB was wearing a red coat and dress under that. Black boots and she has a black umbrella unfurled over her head.

"Trish? Are you alright?" FoB asked in concern. "Five innocent people are dead because of me. I failed, I don't know why I have these powers if I keep failing to use them," Cole confessed. Putting her phone in her pocket.

"Don't beat yourself up about it. You saved lives, and the people love you. Isn't that enough?" She asked. Cole kept silent, it isn't enough. Cole forgot how to be less critical of herself. Not wanting to be the 'Demon of Empire City' again.

She bore the weight of Empire City, of the places destroyed by The Beast, and New Marias. She bore all of this suffering because that's what she has been conditioned for. Because Kessler wanted to mold her into a savior. She became one, at the cost of thinking for her own wants.

Cole was broken by Kessler. She was a demon, and Trish paid the price. Cole can't save everyone. What good savior that can't save everyone? "Trish, maybe you should just quit. This can't be good for you," FoB placed her hand on Cole's shoulder.

"Look, I know a place you can stay while the ASIC do their thing. We can grab as many people as we can, and just hunker down. Green Heart can't save us, she left us. All of the top Guild Members are holed up at the Basilicom. We can't beat them," FoB said and Cole looked at the Basilicom.

(?)Karmic Moment

FoB has a point, this isn't good for me. And even against all the gangs in Empire. I still had some type of support behind the scenes. Right now, i'm all alone. I can still save people, and bring them to a safe place.

But, to give up fighting? To give up trying to stop this mess? Sure I saved people, but what about the world? The Deity of Sin is coming. And I need to be strong and ready.

"You can get people to safety. Do it, i'm staying up here. I have to keep going, even if it kills me," Cole said to FoB. Her face was one of sadness and betrayal. "Please, don't do this Trish. You'll just die," FoB begged.

-Good Action-

Good acts reinforces your good reputation.

Cole left FoB there and began to roam Leanbox. She heard the sounds of machine gun fire. Locusts were firing into a crowd of people. Cole executed a thunder drop. Taking out a chunk of Locusts. "Get going! Now!" Cole yelled at the crowd.

A the crack of a sniper rifle went off. A locust dropped dead. More snipers were on the rooftops. Shooting at both Cole and the Locusts. They immediately began firing back. 'Graveminds!' Cole looked at the snipers.

Graveminds are covert, and constantly ambush people. Whether to jump Cole, civilians, or the other three factions. An rpg went off and Cole jumped out of the way.

She ran behind a ruined car, avoiding sniper fire. Then she entered Precision Mode. Taking out a few snipers before draining an Arfoire Chip. Then she repeated the process a couple of more times. By the time she finished taking out the snipers. The streets have been flooded with blood, and littered with corpses, from civilians and Locusts alike.

'This is why I can't stop fighting,' Cole thought, despite the fact she knows she should just stop. That this is a losing battle. That she's only going to end up dead. She can't stop, because she doesn't know how to. Kessler forced her to forget.

By the end of that battle. I was tired, my body was aching and weak. I used another chip to keep myself going. I haven't slept in a week. The thought of sleeping while people are being slaughtered keeps me awake.

FoB, i'm sorry, but this is what I have to do. This is why I was given my powers. That son of a bitch Kessler gave me these powers for this purpose. To be a savior, to lay down my life if necessary.

Truth be told, I hate this. I just want to pack it all in. I did this song and dance twice. Now I'm doing it a third time. I wondered what the fuck Green Heart was doing. Because i'm busting my ass trying to save HER goddam nation.

Well, maybe it's time I got my answers. Maybe I should pay the Basilicom a visit. I'm just stumbling in the dark. People are getting killed, and the police are too fucking scared to to their jobs. Only arresting the people I caught.

Yeah, I'll give the Oracle a visit.