Heir of the Immortals Resurrection
Chapter 5
Dressed in a white polo shirt, a black blazer, and khakis, Herald's body shifted ever so slightly as the plane hit a bit of turbulence, causing the white leather of his chair to squeak. Glancing down at the file in his lap, he once again looked over the information.
Nymphadora had transformed the majority of the iron and copper he had collected into gold, leaving him a note in the file that said these two metals weren't worth cashing in. This left him with a net worth of 668,852,374.56.
According to the file, he was raised by his grandmother Selene in Romania, homeschooled in the arts of business, combat, and magic. No one had ever really seen him, but people did recognize the name Gallio. Unfortunately, until he gained a shapeshifting ability, he would not be able to go out into public, so he was going to be working behind the scenes. With that decision, he closed the file.
He focused on Mary, who sat across from him dressed in a red blouse, and black slacks, her high-heeled covered foot bounced as she watched him, "If everything goes well with these slavers, I'm going to need you to head to Vegas and use your abilities to get us more capital."
Mary looked at him, a smile curling her lips, causing her to look like a deranged teacher with her hair knotted up at the back of her head, "You want me, she began slowly, to use my abilities to clean out casinos?"
Herald raised a hand, "I'm only giving you $800,000, so be careful with that, and don't win every time. Lose enough not to draw attention to yourself and make sure no one remembers you. Remember to have the security staff remove any security footage with you on it."
Mary inclined her head, "So, do we know who we are going after when the plane lands."
"I need to look into that," slipping his feet into his Brown loafers, Herald rose to his feet and moved to the circle of runes drawn in between the two rows of seats on the grey carpet in marker, moving to the center of the circle, he crouched down, shifting his legs into a cross-legged position.
Moving his hands into the center of his lap, he pressed his fingers together, forming a circle, and slowly allowed his eyes to go shut.
Red energy pulsed from his body, spreading out to the runes. Each symbol burned with white light. A pale red thread rose from each symbol stretching through the air to Pierce the ceiling, phasing through it like a ghost.
In his mind's eye, he guided the six threads down to the earth below, splitting each thread out first into thousands, then millions, then billions of branches.
They were just entering the United States, their plane passing over the pale green Statue of Liberty, her torch stretched high into the sky as a beacon of freedom, his lips curled, except for mutants.
His threads drifted down to the earth, lightly touching the people below as they flew overhead. Voices pounded into his head with enough force to make his body shake.
Beads of sweat instantly popped out on his body, soaking his clothes, and rivers of blood ran from his eyes, gushing from his nose with the force of a hose.
"Herald!"
"I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth as whispers of knowledge guided him to direct his threads in another direction.
Mary stared at Herald, her eyes wide at the trails of blood running from his nose and eyes. 'Why was he doing this, was it just to help her feed her more bloodthirsty personalities, or was it really about helping those that were being sold for money?'
Slowly she reached her hand forward, her painted red nails reflected the light shining throughout the cabin. 'In the end, it doesn't matter.'
Resting her hand atop his, she reached out with her mind, a light blue aura tinged with black briefly flaring around her. Her power flowed over the runes, mixing with the crimson of Herald's.
The moment her powers mingled with his, she felt her mind pulled elsewhere. She found herself floating in a dark void filled with red threads. Each one pulsed with power and released a whisper that combined with the others.
Incalculable voices echoed around her, sending vibrations through the mental projection of her body. She gritted her teeth, her luminescent blue form temporarily losing cohesion before she forced herself back into shape using pure willpower.
'This is just pain she is used to pain.'
"What are you doing here?"
Herald floated towards her, his entire being made out of crimson energy. Threads extended from everywhere on his body, pulling taught as he moved towards her.
"I'm here to help. From the blood leaking from your body, your putting strain on yourself, I'm hoping to ease that."
For a long moment, Herald stared at her. Besides Jacqueline, Mary was the first person that actually wanted to help him, that actually cared about his wants and desires instead of wanting him to be a follower.
Herald stretched forth his hand, "Then come and I will show you, our enemies."
Mary reached forth her hand, allowing her fingers to curl with Herald's.
"Be strong, a multitude of minds will be open to you, do not lose yourself."
Mary closed her eyes. Reaching out to the threads around her, she allowed her telepathic power to mingle with the crimson threads.
They flared with blue light.
Mary's face scrunched up as uncountable voices began screaming in her mind on a variety of topics.
The personalities within her shifted, forming a protective ring.
The volume of the voices dimmed.
Herald's grip tightened.
Four names echoed through the darkness, the voices fading in their wake.
Benedict Kine, Brandy Dunlop, Michael Baer, and Sirius Aries Black. At the echo of these names, the rest of the threads faded away. Four threads spread out from the two of them, crimson threads mixed with blue and black.
Floating towards one of the threads, they focused on the first target to learn about.
Benedict Kine. Stepping onto the threads, reality stretched around them, pulling them somewhere else.
–XX –
Mary and Herald stood in darkness.
Mary's head slowly moved from side to side, taking in her surroundings. Focusing on Harald, she found his eyes closed.
"Where are we?"
"We are in the subconscious of Benedict Kine."
A man 5'7" tall with grey hair that brushed his ears appeared before them. Blue eyes stared out from behind square-framed glasses. A small diamond of grey hair decorated the tip of his chin.
Mary walked in a circle around him, taking in his lean frame beneath a dark suit. Long thin fingers like those of a pianist absentmindedly stroked a red Ascot.
She glanced at Herald, "The Ascot is kind of pretentious don't you think?"
Herald opened his eyes, his crimson orbs shining, "Prepare to learn."
The image of Benedict Kine burst into a storm of swirling colors that twisted around them.
Mary stared at the twisting rainbow of colors as knowledge flowed into her mind.
Benedict was born to Joshua and Rose Kine. His parents were factory workers that spent most of their time earning money for the family to be able to live. This made Benedict strive to make a better life for himself and his parents. In his younger years, he did odd jobs for the neighborhood. At age 16 he discovered his mutant ability. From then on, he extorted people with pain or seduced women with pleasure.
With the money he saved, he attended college getting a medical degree. After graduating from school, he performed his internship at a hospital called St. Mary's. There he met Sirius Black. When Sirius Black discovered Benedict's abilities, he offered him a job. Sirius revealed to Benedict that he was part of a medical program that was experimenting on humans, but they needed a healer to put them back together.
Benedict agreed, eventually taking control of the collecting of participants for the experiment. At first, he had to use his abilities to control his victim's nervous system. Then he discovered, mutants living in the sewers. He sent Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth to capture some of them, but Creed got overzealous and killed most.
Shortly after that, he discovered Brandy Dunlop, a mutant teleporter. Taking her under his wing, he was able to expand his enterprise with her teleportation abilities but with the expanded enterprise, he needed muscle, so with the money he earned from Sirius, he bought a clone of Michael Baer from Sinister. Michael would act as security, while Brandy would be the transport, Benedict would act as a healer.
The swirl of colors faded, and Mary swayed.
Strong arms wrapped around her, "Are you alright?" The words sent vibrations through her body.
"I'm fine, I just wasn't expecting a knowledge download," she looked into his eyes, "it was a rush."
Blue skin wrinkled, as one corner of Herald's mouth curled.
Another thread appeared before them.
"Are you ready to view our next target?"
Moving to his side, Mary intertwined their arms, "Let's do this."
The world stretched, pulling them away in a blue flash.
–XX –
Stone sprouted up from beneath their feet. Curved walls formed around them, pipes emerging from them like worms slithering through the earth. Grime oozed from the walls like infection, and rancid water splashed into molded stone channels.
Blurry indistinct ghosts dropped from the sky, shifting around them in an unsteady gait.
"This is a weird subconscious."
Herald's red eyes flashed with energy, "We are farther up in the mind this time. This is a place that holds significance for Brandy Dunlop."
With a step, he began guiding Mary through the shambling ghosts.
The ghost parted around them, forming pathways.
"Why did you choose Brandy Dunlop next in our information gathering?"
"Brandy has a connection to Benedict. It was that connection that pulled us here."
The ghosts shifted around them, forming a circle. Emerging into the circle, their eyes fell upon a woman.
The woman before them stood 5'6" tall, her slender frame was covered in a purple corset that highlighted her bust. Earrings lined the curves of her ears, and studs emerged from her face like jewels from a mountain.
Short purple hair was slicked back against paper white skin and haunted red eyes stared unseeing at the world.
Mary took a step forward, unconsciously shifting herself between Herald and the woman. Whatever happened here, whatever connection she has to this place, it's not a pleasant one.
The world around them shifted and began to blur. Information flowed into their minds playing out around them.
Brandy Dunlop was born to Holly and Brian Dunlop. Both parents were mutants. Brandy inherited her mother's teleportation ability, and could also create portals. She inherited her father's unique looks, which made her shy away from the public.
Brandy's mother Holly homeschooled her to keep her safe. Once done with school for the day, they would use their abilities to help the Morlocks, tunnel-dwelling mutants with deformities and mutant powers.
One night while doing their activist work, the tunnels were attacked by Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth. He killed many of the Morlocks. Horrifyingly, Brandy witnessed her mother being murdered as she tried to help other mutants escape. In her fear, Brandy teleported herself away.
For the next year, she lived on the streets, using the skill she developed with her mother to help others to survive. At eleven years old, she was found by Benedict Kine.
Benedict Kine provided a home for her. In return, she would help him with his business.
While she originally felt uncomfortable doing this job. Eventually, she found a sort of revenge in it since her mother died helping others. She saw this as a sort of revenge for the people being too weak not to take care of themselves.
Mary's hand drifted away from her mouth, the woman before her temporarily replaced with herself. She turned to Herald, her eyes shining, her tone pleading, "There must be something we can do," she shook her head, "to be manipulated by the very person that caused your pain."
Herald's eyes flashed, "I have given her the truth of Benedict's involvement, what she chooses to do with it is her choice."
The ghosts that had reappeared after Brandy's memories played out parted as a path of crimson intertwined with pale blue energy appeared before them.
Without a word, Mary moved forward, hooking her arm into Herald's. Together they stepped onto the path, space around them warping as they were pulled to the mind of their next target.
–XX –
They appeared in a large concrete room. The floor beneath them rumbled as it cracked open and tables emerged, dust falling from their corners. Beakers, burners, and other scientific equipment fell from the ceiling, stopping just before it smashed into the table. It floated, gently settling into its place.
Florescent bulbs buzzed as the walls bubbled. Six-foot tall circular glass tanks pushed free of the walls. Grey stone dripping from their edges to harden into miniature stalagmites.
A section of wall reversed, becoming a chalkboard with the diagram of a body.
"People's minds are weird," Mary commented as she took in the lab around them.
"Says the woman with three different people in her head."
Mary grinned, a spark of red light appearing in her eyes, "Four."
Harald began counting on his fingers, he cocked his head to the side, "Would you count yourself?"
"Of course."
Herald shook his head, "Never mind." He moved forward.
Mary fell into step behind him, her lips twisted into a catlike smile, "I win," she whispered.
Herald stopped before the tank, staring at the man floating in a fetal position within.
He was 6'10" tall and 310 lbs. of solid muscle. Light shining through the water reflected off bald mocha-colored skin. An eyelid was partially open, revealing a brown Iris.
Large arms were wrapped around thick legs trashcan lid-sized hands ending in thick fingers intertwined to hold his knees to his chest.
Mary stopped beside him, slipping her hand into his. Together they reached out with their minds.
Michael Baer is a mutant that was cloned again and again by Mr. Sinister. Unfortunately, with each generation, he loses more of himself. At current he only knows his name. With each generation, Sinister improves his abilities. Michael Baer was bought by Benedict as an enforcer for his human trafficking business.
Though bought by Benedict Kine, he is not treated as property. Benedict Kine has stated that he may have bought him, but he is still a living breathing human being, and treating him badly would only result in his betrayal of their business. With this freedom, Michael would eventually develop a relationship with Brandy Dunlop.
As the knowledge fitted into their minds, Mary's hand curled into a fist, "we need to kill this, Benedict. Though these two do not realize it, they are being manipulated."
"We will, though even if they did realize it, they probably wouldn't care." Herald stretched forth his hand a glowing arch appeared beside Michael's tank.
Mary turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
"My brain has finally adapted to the stress of searching through all the minds it took to get us here. That allows me to do more with my powers."
Mary moved forward, "Hopefully that means the transition will be less weird."
Herald moved beside her, "It is not my power that made the transition weird. Each mind is different; therefore, our method of arrival will be."
Blue-white light flared as they pass through the archway.
–XX –
Both bent their knees as they landed in a garden. Orange Lilies swayed in a gentle breeze as sunlight shone from a clear blue sky warming their skin with its gentle caress.
Mary turned to Herald, "I have to say, this is the most beautiful mind we have entered."
Herald pointed forward. A path stretched out before them. Slowly, he moved forward. Mary's eyes widened as thorns emerged from the stems of the Lilies, crisscrossing each other as they formed a defensive wall.
The ground shook, dust shooting into the sky as it split open. The lilies around them shot upwards, thickening and intertwining as they formed impenetrable walls.
With her telepathic powers, Mary could sense the field around them had just transformed into a mind-bending maze.
Herald glanced over his shoulder, "Remember this, the most beautiful can be the deadliest."
Mary moved beside him, eyeing the paths that split off and twisted before them. "How are we going to find a way through this?"
Herald fell into a cross-legged position, "We do not need to if we are willing to endure a bit of pain." He thrust his hand forward, slamming it onto the thorns that protruded from the maze walls. Blood spurted as the thorns pierced his flesh.
Thick drops of blood ran down his arm to drip off his wrist onto the ground. With each drop of blood that hit the ground, a resonance flashed through the mind. "With a connection forged through pain, we bypass our enemies' defenses and get a look at his true face and heart's desire."
The image of a man appeared before them.
He was 5'9" tall with shoulder-length brown hair. A neatly trimmed Brown beard covered the curve of a narrow chin. Grey eyes stared out at the world with an undefined passion.
Hints of tattoos poked out from the sleeves of his two-piece suit, continuing to crisscross over the back of his hands.
This man's name was Sirius Aries Black. He was born to Phineas and Ursula Black. From a young age, he was sickly. For the first five years of his life, he spent it in and out of Saint Mungo's hospital for magical maladies and injuries. However, despite their efforts by age 8 he was deathly ill and given only hours to live.
In desperation, Phineas contacted a supposed miracle worker Lily Potter. He offered her anything to save his son.
Lily arrived at the hospital to look Sirius over. She found that he had a rare blood disease that was attacking his major organs. Using her unique abilities, Lily was able to change the detriment and his blood, but the organs were still damaged.
To save Sirius's life Lily used blood manipulation along with Orgon transfusion to save his life, replacing the damaged organs with magical creature organs. The result left Sirius Black changed.
After recovering, he discovered he could shapeshift, make his body intangible, split his essence to possess other's bodies, and use the destructive forces of elements. Learning of this, his parents became fearful of him. They again contacted Lily Potter for help. She took Sirius away and taught him to control his abilities.
This caused Sirius to be fiercely loyal to Lily since he felt his parents abandon him. At age 13, after learning to control his abilities, he returned home to study his family magic. By eighteen, he was working as Lily's enforcer spreading hers and James's influence throughout the magical world.
Once the magical world merged with the mundane, he began being her head of security on secret projects, his shapeshifting and possession abilities making him great for infiltration and spying. With Sirius's work, he became her most trusted person and lover.
As the knowledge of Sirius's life filled their minds, they allowed themselves to be pulled back.
–XX –
Mary opened her eyes, the sweat drenching her body sticking her clothes to her skin.
A layer of fire washed over Herald's body, burning away the blood that streaked his dark blue skin.
Mary marveled at his control over the flames as they spread out, burning away the runes that covered the carpet without actually damaging the carpet.
Slowly, Herald rose to his feet, groaning at the stiffness in his legs. His body swayed as the wheels of the plane touched down on the tarmac, sending a shudder through the cabin.
Putting a hand on a nearby seat, Mary rose to her feet, never taking her eyes from Herald. "Did you know Lily Potter had a lover?"
"I spent most of my time chained in an attic," he shook his head, "I have to say, I did not see her being that type of woman."
Moving past Mary, Herald grabbed the file he left lying on his seat, before grabbing his duffel bag from an overhead compartment.
Mary grabbed her things, glancing at Herald, "Does this change our planet all? I mean Lily Potter was nicer to you than James."
"It seems our enemy's minds weren't the only ones you saw into."
Mary raised her shoulders.
"In answer to your question, no beyond the fact it would be helpful to capture him alive, since he may know some secrets useful to us."