Soooo. It's been almost a year. I'm sorry. AAAAAAAAAAAAAA
What was supposed to be week, became a matter of months to write this chapter. I won't like, it was a struggle to write this chapter down because I was trying to figure out my character's voice in this situation and found: I can't write 'scary villain' dialogue or twirling-moustache villains well. That's where I made my brother do it. Yes. He is a guest writer for this chapter, so I hope this'll stick the landing this time. 6 drafts. 6 bloody drafts. AAAAAAA
Anyway, here's what he has to say on the entire ordeal.
Joe: G'day all this is your editor speaking. On behalf of my 'client' I whole-heartedly apologize for the delay. Partially my fault, mostly her fault. Hope the wait was worth it.
She killed them.
Without a sound, she ended their lives with a single strike. Hitoshi had only ever known deaths through the reports; in stories and in news articles. Tragedies summed up into digits on the screen. Never once had he seen a life taken away until now as he watched this girl casually slew their would-be captors in mere seconds without mercy.
The former captive, now murderer looked to her glowing hand and gave a sour frown. "NaughTty giRL. SsHe kNeww tHIsS plAce woUld dampEn mine influEncesS."
"What are you talking about?" Midoriya demanded. "What are you?"
The hero-course student remained composed yet guarded as he watched the girl turn towards them. While he can't blame him, Hitoshi cannot deny that Midoriya had led them here, had placed them into this situation; but more than that, the real gut punch was knowing how much he cannot fight without his capture weapon. More than likely, he'd be a burden if they were to engage in combat.
"A mONstER withOut a NAmme. OrR sso tHE giRL cLAimsS," he body twitched, then relaxed and moved like a puppet on a string.
"That's not an answer!"
The hollow, reverberating, inhuman voice that spoke from the girl's lips suddenly answered with eerie clarity;
"Very well."
She straightened her back and made an unnerving smile, gesturing her injured hand to herself.
"Let us start over, shall we? I was given many names across worlds; The Worm in Waiting, The Soul Devourer, The Endless Night, but you may call me by my common moniker; Dark Matter," she grinned with a mock bow. "As for what I am, I am the so-called 'accursed parasite' who currently reside within this vessel. Try as she might, I have graciously taken the reins from my weakened host, and thus I shall delight upon this joyous occasion with all manner of celebration-" she glanced back at the bodies that lay there and tutted- "Oh me, oh my. Such a shame neither of these were endowed."
Midoriya snapped his black whips at her; had its cords wrap her arms and torso to immobilise her. And yet, this person, this thing who calls herself Dark Matter showed little to no resistance.
"Careful mortal," she sneered. "You wouldn't want to bring harm to the girl now, would you?"
"I've got no idea what's going on," Midoriya clenched his fist tighter. "But if I'm getting this right, you're saying you're currently possessing this girl's body?"
"Are my words riddles to you? I spoke rather plainly, did I not?"
"All the more reason I won't allow you to hurt anymore people!"
Despite being confined by his black whips, Dark Matter's hands glowed a sickly dark hue before it swallowed the binding cords whole into oblivion like a serpent. Right then and there the girl broke free; her glowing red eyes now gave him a confident smirk.
"What did you do?" Hitoshi demanded, activating his quirk.
"Are your ears hard at hearing or does my name not tell you what I am capable of? The shadows are my domain, mine to command. That poor display of power hardly ever posed as a feeble threat," then Dark Matter turned her gaze at Hitoshi. "Aren't you a clever little flea? Did you think you can control an untethered soul like mine with that fragmented endowment?"
My brainwashing failed?!
"While you have my gratitude for releasing my host, I'm afraid that the games end here, mortals. There has been enough distractions and I must make my exit."
Dark Matter raised her bleeding arm to the darkness, and like a piece of cloth torn from fabric, she literally pulled a shred of shadow from the wall; transforming it into a physical, long pole spear. She then charged straight towards Midoriya; the pointed end of her weapon aimed at his throat. At lightning speed, Midoriya dodged her shadow blade, swiftly ducking down before it could scathe him. She then spun the spear in the air, forcing him back; baring her teeth at them like a crazed predator. Midoriya tried to attack up close; but the reach of her spear proved to ward anyone from coming too close.
"Air force!" Midoriya used one of his special moves to break her momentum; but the pressurized wind did little to deter her.
What do I do? Shinso panicked. I don't have my binding cloth with me. My hand-to-hand combat skills are still lower than an average hero course student! Think Hitoshi!
The fluidity of her movements showed the mastery of her craft as she began to attack once more. The polearm itself acted like an extension to herself with every advance and parry against Midoriya. Hitoshi then felt his shoe scrape against the broken chain on the floor. Then it clicked.
Grappling the heavy links of metal, Hitoshi yelled; "Midoriya!"
Hitoshi flailed the chain like a heavier binding cloth and succeeded in throwing its tail end to the girl's direction. Their opponent blocked it with the polearm in hand for a second, distracting her from Midoriya's impending blow. Within a millisecond, the girl propelled his kick with an unseen force; sending him to the ground. Hitoshi whipped the chain once more, this time aiming at her footing. Once more she parried it with the length of her spear; Midoriya attacked once again with his fist and sent a blow to her stomach. The girl staggered back, immediately recovered and set her eyes to Hitoshi instead.
Within seconds, the shadowed spear flew out of her hands like a javelin at him.
"Shinso, dodge!" Midoriya shouted.
Hitoshi ducked his head to the side at the impending weapon; only for the tip to transform into a shape of a giant mouth of a viper; baring its fangs before him as if to swallow him whole.
Time slowed by the seconds as he watched the shadow spear throttle towards Shinso's direction. The sight of the spear pluming into a dark, ominous energy that could devour his friend, Izuku's mind flooded in panic.
This is bad, she's gonna kill him! Quirk or not, there's got to be some kind of weakness!
He quickly analysed the enemy before him. Saw the bandages on her arms coming off to reveal her open wounds. And then, he remembered;
"The shadows are my domain, mine to command!"
Tokoyami's quirk Dark Shadow. He becomes docile in the face of an over-exposure of light. Then-
No torch or lantern lay within his sights. He already abandoned the notion of grabbing Shinso and bailing them out of the cell. Neither do they have anything like Bakugo's stun grenade to replicate a flashbang. Then the thought crossed his mind-
The stone! But- is it enough? It was bright enough to light our path, but we're running out of time!
"YOUR OPPONENT IS ME!" Izuku brandished the shining stone from his pocket and felt the crystal pulse; followed by a spike of heat. With its ethereal orange hue, as if it answered his silent plea, the stone glared a blinding light in the room, catching all three off-guard.
The second its light flashed, Dark Matter gave out an inhuman screech. Her screams echoed and reverberated against the stone walls as the shadows disintegrated into the light.
"INCONCEIVABLE! HOW ARE YOU, A MERE MORTAL, GRANTED AUTHORITY?! YOU WHO ARE NEITHER PILGRIM OR ENDOWED!"
Upon seeing his theory proven right, he didn't waste this chance. "You said the shadows are yours to command. I know someone with the same ability and figured you and him have the same weakness."
"No mortal on this side of the world has ever been granted authority over blasted spirit stones of the temple! What makes you-" the girl ceased her words, followed by a drawn-out silence. The anger in her melted into repose. Followed by a moment of epiphany. "-Oh. Oh I see. Hah. Hahahahaha!"
Shinso quickly moved next to Izuku, his hands held the chain tightly as the girl gave out an maniacal laugh. "What's so funny?"
"It seems we are at an impasse," The confidence in her voice contradicted the small quakes on her limbs. "The Hin despises me. Hunted me down for a millennia. It only makes sense this temple granted you temporal authority to slay the lord of shadows. Oh, how clever. But not clever enough!"
Dark Matter stretched out her hand and with the dimming light upon her skin, she summoned a short blade and pointed it unto herself. Izuku felt the panic rise to his throat; "Don't!"
"Oh, but I can and I will," she taunted. "It would be a shame to lose this vessel, but you leave me with little choice. I will break this body unless you show me the means out of this temple."
What?
"You do know of it, don't you? A way out of this rubble of a temple, I mean."
"We're not telling you anything!" Shinso spat.
"Then you care so little of this girl's life."
"You bastard, using your own life as leverage-"
"Who said its mine to begin with?" she pressed the blade closer to the side of her throat. "If this vessel dies then I could just find another. Even your inferior bodies could make for an imperfect host. But it would be such a shame to waste such a fine specimen."
Izuku swallowed hard. Never has he faced hostage crisis like this. "What do you want?"
"I don't like repeating myself, boy. I want to leave this prison of a temple; all with this vessel intact as much as possible."
Shinso retorted, "Says the monster who threatened to end her life with your own hands!"
"IF you show us the way out, I might consider returning the reins back to the girl. How does that sound?"
Izuku clenched the stone tighter, "How are we supposed to know you'll keep your word?"
"And what of the mages; have you already forgotten our situation? It should have crossed your puny little head that more will come to see my little handywork?"
"You-!" Shinso was ready to throw hands at her until Izuku stopped him.
"Wait, mages?" Izuku turned his focus back to Dark Matter.
"You are asking the wrong question, boy!" she mocked. "Although, I suppose if you can lead me out of this temple, not only will I spare this vessel's life, I may also indulge upon the answers you seek on our way to our escape. What say you? Sounds rather enticing of a deal, wouldn't you say?"
Izuku assessed the situation as he observed this girl before him. Saw how her body persisted to tremble despite her intimidation. He tried to understand why she was trembling. Just as much as he tried to recall the small glimpses of who the original owner of this body was before this Dark Matter took over.
Is that girl fighting to regain control over Dark Matter? Or is it that the effect of being possessed by her?
Regardless of it all, he understood that this entity in possession is weak to the effects of the stone's light and was quick to change her tune. He couldn't understand what that means. But upon acknowledging how much he doesn't understand, he glanced at the object in question-
-We need answers too.
Izuku gave Shinso a look of silent resignation. Shinso narrowed his eyes and shook his head; "Are you serious?"
"I don't trust her either, but if what she says is true-"
"-Delaying the inevitable will not improve our situation, mortals."
"Shut up, we're not talking to you!" Shinso snapped.
"Decide then, and decide quickly. Or would you prefer to let the mages join us in this ludicrous negotiation? Not that it matters, of course. More vessels for me to take at my disposal."
"-Looks like we don't have much of a choice," he lowered the stone in hand.
"Midoriya you can't-"
"I know what it looks like, but she's right. More of those guys will be coming here soon. And we need to get back to UA as soon as possible to warn teachers about what's going on," he turned to Dark Matter- "Swear you won't take back your word."
"How earnest of you to ask."
"I said swear it!" he raised the shining stone at her. "Swear you won't bring anymore harm to her and anyone else!"
She winced beneath the glaring light, gritted her teeth as she answered; "Fine. I concede."
He then turned to the entrance of the cell, grimacing at the sight of the four dead villains who lay there. No matter how terrible their fate may have been if these four were alive, Izuku couldn't help but give a silent prayer of reverence.
No one deserved to die like that.
With a deep breath, he strengthened his resolve as he directed Dark Matter to walk in front of them at an arm's length. And to his surprise, she complied as they left the cell without question. A murderer resided in this girl's body who threatened them not so long ago. Who wouldn't be wary of that?
Though wary-worn, Shinso followed Izuku as he led the way to retrace their steps into the long halls. At the first sight of familiarity at the second turn of the corridor, Izuku led them up the stairwell where they had first left the sack-creature behind. The stone in his hands now dimmed into a softer glow at the end of the stairs, retaining enough light to reveal the strange indents across the crumbling walls of the upper hall.
"What is this place?" he muttered.
"An abandoned Hin temple. A place once believed sacred by the long-expired Hin, who held drawn out ceremonies of cleansing the penance out of the endowed; and bestow more 'burdens' onto their pilgrims. How ironic that mages of all mortals would make this their nest for their schemes."
"…"
"Why the sudden silence? Unsatisfied with my answer?" she cocked her head over her shoulder deviously.
"You really are willing to answer any question," Izuku couldn't help but remark.
"Despite the girl's protests, I cannot see why one ought to hide such critical information if I am to oblige this ridiculous cooperation."
"Why do I get the feeling you're not just giving us free samples without some kind of trick up your sleeve," Shinso countered.
"Hah, take it for what you will. Knowledge is a weapon worthy of any sacrifice. One crumb of truth begets wars just as it bargains peace. It just so happens I am quite the generous soul who delights upon divesting secrets, for it is one of my candid delights. Quite the contrary to my host's obsession of wearing a stone façade to feign ignorance."
"More like you enjoy hearing the sound of your own voice."
Though apprehensive at first, Izuku decidedly asked; "All this talk of endowed and being called Northerners by those guys. Where- no, what exactly is this place? This place you call 'this side' of the world? If this is still part of earth, then why hasn't anyone known of it?"
Dark Matter gave out a long sigh, shrugging at them haughtily.
"The world as you know it is far grander than the limitations you mortals placed yourselves in. It is a realm divided into two parts. This side of the realm is known to its denizens as 'The Mystic Isles;' a large archipelago that make up the unseen realm. Four towers hide this secret archipelago from their inferior half; your half. That makes you two Northerners. Just as the Mystic Isles are set on the southern half of the world; your realm is what the Mystic denizens call 'the Northern Realms.'
For thousands of years, the Mystic Isles hide themselves away from their Northern counterparts. Unwillingly, unaware at first; but as the centuries passed, they convinced themselves it was for the good of both sides."
"Why?"
"Because the Mystics are afraid of what they have and what Northerners do not: endowments."
Endowments?
"The endowed are those granted authority over a law of nature; some societies call it a gift; but many believe it as a mark of penitent servitude. For a time, the Northern Realms were spared from this so-called penance, having to be born unendowed unlike most Mystics. And with it, they believe no Northerner deserves to know the weight of that unending servitude; nor do they believe your kind are deserving of it."
Shinso interjected; "Are you saying these endowed are no different from people born with quirks?"
She scoffed; "You call that pathetic ability of yours an endowment? What law of nature does your 'quirk' govern, hm? Mind-control? Or is it just measly puppetry? No, no, no, what you mortals manifested are no more than inferior fragments of such gifts! All so warped and incomplete, tis bad comedy to see how such a phenomenon had warped the very vessels who are born with it."
"What are you getting at?" Izuku asked, clenching the stone tighter in his grip.
"Metahuman abilities. Quirks. These are just misshapen shards of endowments. The endowed are the first of your kind to wield such powerful abilities; the true ancestors who birthed a myriad of powerful skills. Which makes the Mystic Isles no more than the world's very own ground zero of all quirks. It's true origins."
"How?! That doesn't make any sense! The first quirk ever discovered was-"
"The birth of the shining infant, yes."
She then raised her arm, emphasizing her bioluminescent skin with a sneer. Izuku widened his eyes at the implication. "No-"
"My host has her own theories to consider in regards to the causality between the Mystic endowed and Northerner's quirk-users. I admit that nothing has ever been confirmed or denied on what truly happened to cause the Advent of metahuman abilities. But everything points to the Mystic Isles, no matter how much you mortals would deny it. The only difference in opinion is in the circumstances that led up to it."
The quirks' true origin…
It was a lot to take in, but as absurd was it sounded, he couldn't bring himself to dismiss her words entirely. Not with the things he had witnessed. Especially coming from a murderous entity that resided within this girl's body.
"Then, what about these mages? What's their deal with us?"
"Ah yes. Mages. No more than another foolish cult who think themselves victim to the endowed society. Hypocrites, even for my liking. It is said that the source of all endowments is from a phenomenon we call radiance. Mystics believed that it came from a divine force beyond mortal comprehension; just as other see it as the mark of penance after a long-forgotten sin. Most convinced themselves that radiance is a gift bestowed upon them from the so-called Oracle. But to the mages themselves, they see radiance as no more than a resource to be harvested and used to empower them."
"Then, the reason they kidnapped us-"
"-was all so they can harvest your blood, believing your quirks carry a fragment of that very same power, aye." She gave out a long, disapproving sigh- "I may be a body snatcher, but even I'm inclined to agree with my host's sentiments on the matter. Their practices are disappointingly mediocre and their beliefs irresponsibly flawed. Endowed bodies aren't the only resource with an abundance of radiance, but no, they like to lap at their own egos and blame their victims regardless."
The gears in his head began to turn as he tried to process everything she had said. Unaware of his thoughts speaking through his mouth he began to break down the information in his head;
"If radiance is the source of all endowments and that quirks are just a fragmented version of it; anyone can assume that quirk users would have a bit of that radiance. But is radiance something that's found in one's blood? But then again, she did imply that radiance isn't just found in an endowed or quirk user; so then what is radiance and how do these mages even extract radiance from the blood? Does it have something to do with their tattoos or-"
"-If we are just inferior versions of the endowed and after our blood, then what does that make you and her? Was your host kidnapped by these mages too?" Shinso interjected, cutting Izuku from his trail of thought.
"No, the girl simply volunteered as bait."
Izuku and Shinso gaped at Dark Matter as they asked in unison;
"Bait?"
Earlier that day
Cobe could feel the air thinning with each step amidst the ruins. His moon-pale skin prickled with borrowed trepidation.
I must hurry. We must find the rest of them while Reina's keeping them occupied.
"Um… Where are you taking me?"
The lost student who had an extra pair of fox ears was the third prisoner Cobe had found. By those words alone, Cobe felt the boy's palpitations as if it were his own. Despite his endowment allowing him to feel the emotions of others like his own, the pilgrim kept a stoic façade.
"I shall lead you to where you belong," the pilgrim replied solemnly. "You do not belong here. I shall be your aid to your escape."
"You can take me back to UA?!"
Cobe felt the boy's relief, feeling the tensions loosening in his chest.
"Aye. And for me to show you the way, I must ask of you to remain calm. Keep faith and I shall lead you to safety."
The student quickly nodded; Cobe felt his resolve strengthen within.
That is good.
With his staff in hand, he struck the stone ground; its impact echoing across the long halls. Cobe frowned when he realised the orange stones that once adorned these temple walls had long since been chipped away.
It seems reverence no longer bears any meaning to them.
"Light," he commanded. And with his words, the stone on his staff glowed anew; lighting their path ahead. He felt the boy's jolt of surprise and turned to him. "Fear not. This night shall soon be over."
They strode across the halls, staff in hand as he kept his senses sharp for any foreign emotions that didn't belong to the boy. Animosity; intimidation; anger; envy; conceit; frustration; emotions he often felt from the presence of mages. Though such sensations are common among their own peers, in this moment, he had to rely upon discernment alone to distinguish the emotions between friend and foe.
"Status," Linda's voice buzzed in the radio in his ear.
"It appears that everyone was right to worry," Cobe began. "They intend to isolate each prisoner into separate cells with the hopes of breaking their spirits from escaping."
"Um, who are you talking to-?"
"As much as I don't want to admit this, Hunter was right to put herself as bait," William added. "I still think however, how bad of an idea it is to have her go in without so much of a radio and just a single flare."
"Bad idea or not, anything conspicuous on her person would have defeated the purpose as bait," Thomas chimed in. "At this point, they've already gotten a sense that anything that looks remotely Northerner tech would already rouse suspicion."
"FOUND ONE!" Chamomile's enthused yelp distorted the radio, almost deafening Cobe's right ear.
"Oracle's teeth, Chamomile! Can you stop screeching into the radio? What id you fi-"
"Codenames, Theseus," Linda chided.
Chamomile eagerly cheered; "Found an endowed! -Don't worry sir, I'll get you out as soon as my brother gets here."
"-What did I just say, Cassio?" Linda sighed, her exasperation apparent. "Let me all remind you of the rendezvous point. As soon as we take down every last one out of here, someone needs to go and retrieve Hunter."
"Aye sir," All three answered.
Cobe eyed the student as soon as he felt the uncertainty from him.
"In times likes these, we hold fast to the light," he assured the student. "For as long as we live, no matter the struggle; no matter the tragedies and difficulties; have faith. And there, you shall find respite."
"…Uh, o-kay?" the student tilted his head. "-I don't get it."
"And understandable sentiment," Cobe nodded.
"…Right."
In that moment he felt his heart palpitating.
Where is this feeling coming from? Is this urgency I sense? Or is it-
Forks of lightning flashed from the other end of the halls. With words of authority, Cobe made the command; "Shield!"
The orange stone brought forth a barrier of light, effectively blocking the attack. Smoke arose from the impact, blocking his sight. Footsteps hastened towards their direction; Cobe struck the end of his staff onto the floor. "Cease!"
His words of command brought the unseen enemy to stop at their tracks. Then the debris and smoke wafted away, revealing three mages standing there before them; their feet bound by strings of light, planting them onto the floor.
"What is a high-ranking pilgrim doing in the middle of this island?!" one of them demanded.
He felt their animosity, felt his heart pounding against his chest.
Guard your heart, he told himself. These feelings are not yours.
Cobe activated his radio; "Three more mages bound. May I ask that you teleport them? I am currently escorting yet another student I found."
He could hear Thomas giving out one of his long, despondent sighs; "I swear, I'm the trapmaster of the group; why is it that our targets go to everyone else but me?"
"Cause everyone hates fighting you?" Chamomile teased.
"Very funny. Alright pilgrim, I'll be there."
In an instant, a portal manifested from one of the walls. Followed by the sight of his auburn-haired friend sticking his head out; frightening the student.
"Hello!" Thomas beamed at the rattled soul.
"Uh… hi…?"
"The boy is frightened, Tho- Theseus," Cobe cleared his throat. "Do try to be considerate to not rile him up."
Thomas gave the student an impish salute; " 'pologies, friend for the sudden entry!"
"No, uh, its alright," the student gave a nervous nod. "I was just surprised, that's all."
"Ooh, nice one Pilgrim!" Chamomile poked her head out of the portal, making the student shriek.
Having felt the student's jolt of nerves, Cobe stared down at the younger Springs sibling, unamused despite the excitement he felt from her.
"Whoa sorry there, buddy," she grinned at the student, then turned and looked at the bound mages. "Even after getting seventeen captives outa here, I'm surprised we didn't find a hornet's nest full of em."
"Think we might've found another of their 'cattle' stores rather than their base?" Thomas asked.
"By the looks of it, it's a base alright. Just not a large one unlike the last raid."
"I swear they've gotten more tenacious."
"-Or it is possible he might've let loose and culled their numbers by half," Cobe added nonchalantly.
The two siblings gaped at him.
"Please no," Chamomile deadpanned.
Thomas nodded, "Yes, Pilgrim. Please try not to say something like that in the middle of this."
"This is overwatch, please update your location before you start teleporting again, Theseus," Linda's voice buzzed in the radio.
"Roger. By the looks of this floor and the lack of lackeys-" he made a quick glance at their surroundings- "I say Pilgrim, Cassio and I are at the twenty-seventh hall."
As Thomas continued with the report, Cobe turned his attention to the student who now felt bewildered rather than his earlier fright.
Is bewilderment better than fear? He pondered.
"A-are you all heroes from the same agency or-?" the student pointed.
Before he could answer, Chamomile flashed a grin; "Secret agents, my friend. We're here on a raid to save the hostages and kick off the mages! What school are you from? How'd you end up here?"
He could feel her excitement; this childish enthusiasm of wanting to spoil one's surprise by passing secrets onto strangers.
"UA… high?" the student answered.
"Ah- where is that again?"
Thomas knocked his sister's head; "Alright, free time's over. Let's get these guys packed up."
"What are you going to do to us?" one of the mages yelled.
"Stuff all of you in my bag of holding, that's what!"
With a snap of his fingers, Thomas summoned forth portals below the feet of all three mages. They screamed in terror as they fell; leaving Cobe to feel the lurch in his stomach from them. It took an exasperated huff to calm the borrowed nerves he felt, only to sense the student's bewilderment turn into shock with a touch of excited humours.
Then there's this… sense of amusement?
"Is that amusement I sense from you or is it just me?" Cobe couldn't help but ask.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Thomas feigned.
"Nothing to worry, just held them into custody, that's all."
"More like subjecting them into endless falling," Chamomile muttered.
So they were amused, Cobe concluded.
The radio buzzed once more, "Overwatch to Theseus, requesting Overwatch to Theseus."
Thomas answered; "Aye, this is Theseus."
"Just because we're not in a major city, doesn't mean all of you can go slacking off on this mission," Linda chided. "Time's of the essence and we need you to get a move on it. Please resume finding those stray portals and close it shut. We can't have anymore stragglers wandering in and out, understand?"
"Alright, alright. On the job we go," Thomas waved a hand in the air and opened another portal before he turned to Cobe. "Pilgrim, if you please?"
Gesturing to the freed captive, Cobe immediately understood what he meant. The pilgrim turned to the student and struck the end of his staff onto the floor once more. The stone then released tiny spores of light into the open air.
"Upon succumbing to slumber, you shall forget all that you have seen this night," he chanted. Upon these spoken words, the student began to show signs of drowsiness. "And that all of which you might recall here shall be nothing more than a dream."
"A… dream-?" the student slurred. "But… how am I supposed to-"
Chamomile was quick to catch the student first by his shoulder before he fell. Cobe assisted her from the other side to carry the student's slump weight. Thomas stepped aside as the two did their best to carry him towards the portal.
"Did you at least make sure to get the right coordinates this time?" Chamomile deadpanned at her brother.
"What do you take me for?" he folded his arms. "I made sure to return him to the proper campus."
The two agents crossed the portal and found themselves staring at a line of trees with a school building standing not too far from the portal. Cobe felt the itch of curiosity that rose out of Chamomile the very moment she laid eyes on the new surroundings.
Thomas cleared his throat. "Don't even think about thinking it."
"Hmph," she pouted.
After setting the student to lay on the grass, they all returned to the ruins before Thomas sealed the portal shut.
Then, William's voice came through the radio. "This is bad. Looks like they did swipe a hero among their hostages. Luckily, she's unconscious and showed no signs of their runes on her skin- so far."
Thomas gave out a long sigh and opened another portal on the floor.
"Wonderful. No rest for the righteous," he then leapt into the dimensional hole on the floor and closed it shut; leaving Chamomile and Cobe behind.
Cobe then resumed his trail onwards along the corridor, navigating his way around the next turn. Behind him, he could feel Chamomile's heightened levels of euphoria trailing behind him as she followed him.
She then summoned light with the palm of her hand and raised it over her head. Cobe squinted at the sudden exposure, feeling the impending headache. Chamomile then walked ahead of him with a skip and a hop until her trail ended at the sight of a door.
"End of the road, it seems," she mused.
Upon reaching the door, she unceremoniously unlatched the door handle and swung it open. Darkness greeted them at first, until his friend took one step inside. The light she carried shed light upon the dark and felt her astonishment the moment she eyed what lay inside.
He then felt an odd, unfamiliar emotion he'd never expect to feel from the girl.
All it took was one glance towards the direction of her gaze to realize why.
Before them, at the corner of the room, lay a collection of white sackcloth creatures piling and standing on top of each other; carrying with them those signature grey rabbit dolls with their single arm. Chamomile's cheer died into frozen fright as the creatures slowly turned their bead-eyed heads towards them.
The warmth drained out of him as soon as the white creatures unanimously raised their grey rabbit dolls at them.
Spirits of the hunt-!
"NOPE!" Chamomile immediately dragged Cobe out of the room, pulled the latch and closed the room shut. "WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING IN THERE?! WHY ARE THERE WALKING DEATHFLAGS IN THIS TEMPLE?! AND WHY ARE THERE SO MANY OF THEM?!"
With shaking fingers, he pressed the radio on his ear; "O-Overwatch this is Pilgrim… I- we have a situation…"
Present
Izuku could hear the trampling of feet padding on the stoneground as all three hid at the back corner of the hallway's intersection.
"Quickly! Quickly!" yelled one of the mages.
"See to it that no stone is left unturned!" said another. "If there are any left to be found, drag them out! Leave no trace of them behind!"
"What's gotten them so worked up for?" Shinso whispered.
"No idea," Izuku muttered.
"So, they finally started the plunder," Dark Matter remarked.
"Who?"
"Hush now, less they hear us."
Izuku grimaced as he peeked at the ruckus on the other side. He could barely make out the silhouettes of their enemies running across another hall; their shadows highlighting the glow of their exposed scarlet tattoos as they passed.
They've been at it for a while now. And we can't stay here for very long; not while there's a chance one of them might head our way.
He eyed Dark Matter.
I can't give her the opportunity. Even if our enemies' actions are unforgivable, I won't give her that chance.
"Are they gone?" Shinso asked.
Izuku stuck his head out once more and found the halls empty. "Looks like it."
Dark Matter tapped her foot on the ground, "Why waste our time playing the rat when I can take the fight to them?"
"No one asked your opinion," Shinso retorted.
Ignoring him, she mused; "The mages are suddenly running amuck; clearly in panic, mind you, so it could only mean the squadron's begun their raid. I fail to see the point of taking this path incognito in the middle of it."
"What do you mean?" Izuku asked.
"I did say my stubborn little host was bait in this operation, so I had assumed the two of you would take one and two together by your puny little heads," she scoffed at them. "Oh, but I suppose I can indulge upon satiating your ignorance."
"Who is she?" he asked. "The person you are possessing, who is she? How did you inhabit her body; what do you mean by 'this operation'?"
"And you ask me these questions while our pursuers are on high alert? Quite the thrill seeker, aren't you."
"You know more about this situation than we do. If you or the person you're possessing just so happens to be involved, then all the more reason we have to know."
"Besides," Shinso added. "I doubt they could hear us with all their running and screaming back there."
She eyed the two of them, then gave out a mirthless chuckle. "The name is Reina Orion; leader of the vanguard and member of the Starcatcher squadron. An agent of the Secret Global intelligence, specialized in combative infiltration and reconnaissance missions."
"Secret Global Intelligence?"
"What about we get a move on as I elaborate on the matter? The fiends are on the move."
They resumed their steps just as Izuku asked; "What exactly is the Secret Global Intelligence?"
"Secret Global Intelligence, SGI for short. They made it their lives' mission to prevent world calamitous events from ever coming to fruition; all the while protecting the world in the shadows; hence, their moniker. Just another lofty organisation for loftier and convoluted causes."
"O-kay, but what exactly do they do?" Shinso insisted.
"Reconnaissance missions; subterfuge; assassinations; infiltration; raids; etc, etc. Prior to the Advent, they were just one side of the triad of secret societies; controlling the flow of information. Information that centre on interlopers that could become a detriment to this world's status quo. But in the wake of the first manifestation of 'quirks' as you call it, they unified to fortify their stronghold to hide the existence of the Mystic Isles from the Northern Realms. Even if it meant hunting down interlopers of either side who may have crossed the barrier by happenstance.
As for the situation at hand, it just so happens that Reina and the rest of her company were tasked with finding these nests of mages. She happened to willingly offer herself as a sacrificial pawn to find said nest. And while she entertains her captors' by playing possum, the rest of her team will receive the signal to her location. They then proceeded to raid the nest, release the hostages and then herself. Rinse, wash, repeat."
Izuku stopped at his tracks, trying to process everything in his head.
Secret factions. SGI. The Mystic Isles. The origin of quirks. Mages. Where does that leave for All for One? Or even the likes of other things in…
Wait. she mentioned she was the bait in the middle of their operation-!
"Midoriya?"
"Dark Matter," Izuku narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying that by freeing your host out of the cell, we sabotaged their mission?"
Shinso widened his eyes at the statement.
"Who knows," she shrugged with a chuckle. "She only ever needed to divert their attention to her and her alone. Who said anything about sabotage?"
His heart dropped at her words. "Then… what about the others? There's got to be more kidnapped innocents in this temple. Right?"
"Hm, as I recall from my host's memories, the operation should begin right about as soon as the mages' captives are rescued. Considering the state of panic they demonstrated, I wonder what that could mean?"
"Hang on, isn't that a good thing then?" Shinso asked. "Won't that mean we can just wait for her comrades to arrive and help us out of here?"
"Ha! If you count the erasure of memories, then yes. Perhaps that is the wisest decision. But I did tell you they would not suffer yet another interloper to fall into a stray portal between realms did I not?"
Izuku warily asked; "How do we know they would actually do that?"
"Think boy, whose body is it that I currently possess? I hold her memories; know the ways she'd think; know of her darkest of shames. She would wipe your memories clean of this encounter if she had the chance."
A loud explosion could be heard from afar and felt the entire walls rumble in the aftershock.
"What was that?" Izuku turned to the direction of the noise.
"That doesn't sound good," Shinso added.
Another explosion followed; this time it was growing closer, its aftershocks rumbled even more violently than before.
"Something's… coming-"
Then suddenly-
One part of the wall exploded, followed by the sight of a silhouette of a person thrown across the room. A curtain of smoke and debris clouded their sights as all three were stunned at the sudden impact.
"How's that you tattooed bastard!"
Wait. That voice-!
"Kacchan?!"
"Haa?!" The rubble of stone came tumbling off the hole on the wall, followed by the sudden entrance of none other than his childhood friend. The minute they locked eyes, Bakugo pointed at him, clearly more agitated than usual; "DEKU YOU BASTARD! WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU SHOW UP TO TRAINING TODAY?!"
"Kacchan, don't tell me you were also-"
"-So much for the subterfuge approach."
Just as she said the words, more mages showed up and blocked the halls. The exposed red tattoos on their arms gleamed as they readied their assault.
"If you're here, why haven't you beaten the crap out of these guys already?!" Bakugo yelled at him.
"That would've been easier had it not been for this body-snatching psycho over here," Shinso pointed at Dark Matter.
"Show these rats the full weight of our cause!" One of the mages declared.
From the palms of their hands, their enemies summoned a great wall of flames as it travelled at high speeds towards them. Izuku stood his ground.
One for All. Air force!
Izuku used his fist to throw pressurized air towards the flames until there was nothing left but smoke and charred walls. The enemy mages did not relent; with their scarlet tattoos, one of them touched the rubble of stones; transforming it onto a golem large enough to block their means of escape.
Bakugo was the first to act, leaping towards the walking boulder and blasted his explosion onto it. All it did was break an edge off its body, right as the golem began to run; its steps shaking the very ground they stood. Izuku then ran to meet it, used One for All and landed a solid kick onto its centre. The impact left a gaping hole and yet-
It's still moving! Does it work like Pixie-Bob's quirk?
"Smash!"
He threw another blow at its vulnerable cracks, just as Bakugo attacked its legs with another set of explosions. The imbalanced golem fell to the ground, now struggling to move an inch forward as it was pinned down by its own weight. Another mage ran forward, grabbed one of the stones from the ground. Her tattoos on her arm glowed red; transforming the stone into a sword. She screamed as she pointed the tip of her blade at Izuku, only for Bakugo to jump right in-between them; his foot planted on the flat side of the blade and knocked it out of her hands.
A barrage of attacks then came in the form of phantom-like birds; flying through them both as it dispersed into clouds of smoke. The mage whom Bakugo had kicked then unsheathed a short blade from her side, sliced her own hand before she screamed; "Rend!"
She flung her hand at them; letting the open wound splatter in the air. Drops of blood transformed into flying needles as it travelled onto their direction. Bakugo was quick to set his nitro-glycerine sweat onto the needles and disintegrating it with his fire.
A spire of red lightning then bounced off from a mage's hand, its scarlet light channelled through the halls in an eye-blink. Only then did Izuku see Dark Matter run towards them; saw a glint of blue in her eyes as she ran past and stood in the way between them and the incoming attack.
The impending lightning flew at their direction, then with an outstretched arm, Dark Matter grasped the red current with the palm of her hand.
"What?!" the dagger-wielding mage shouted.
Her fingertips twitched at the static of electricity as the red lightning in her palm absorbed into her own skin. The dim light on her skin glowed anew. And Dark Matter laughed.
"See the perils of your own mortality, you accursed rats. Stars aren't the only source of light a Starcatcher can consume!"
"What the hell?" Bakugo angrily gritted.
I thought an over-exposure to light was her weakness! Why is she suddenly-
Then, that familiar, bone-chilling sense of bloodlust crawled on Izuku's back. The possessed girl's hands began to glow a sickly, dark light. Warning bells screamed in his head; telling him if he doesn't stop her now, this entire hallway will become a slaughterhouse.
He ran straight to Dark Matter and unceremoniously grabbed her by the waist and hauled her over his shoulder.
"WHO DARES-!"
"Shinso! We are leaving! Now!" Izuku yelled.
"Right!"
All three ran to the hole in the wall and found themselves stepping into the very same hall where they first saw that broken map. Ahead of them lay the evidence of Bakugo's handiwork in the form of yet another gaping hole that decidedly became their next exit.
"Mind filling me in on what the hell is happening?!" Bakugo demanded as they ran.
"Oh, joy. Another straggler has come to join the proverbial bandwagon," Dark Matter grumbled despite Izuku carrying her like a sack over his shoulder.
"What was that?!"
"Uh, well- you see-" Izuku gave him a summary of the hours than transpired up to the present. From the rumour to the strange portal. Down to the incident in the cell.
"Idiot!" Bakugo shouted at the end of the summary. "What the hell were you thinking, carrying that extra on your shoulders?! What's the use dragging her to UA when she's already killed those tattooed bastards?!"
"I'll admit, he's got a point," Shinso added. "With the information we have and the evidence on our phones, what exactly are we supposed to do with this? I doubt we can bring this up to the police when no one's even heard of a place like this before."
Given how they've been playing by ear up to this point, Izuku couldn't deny the argument either. He hadn't thought this part through properly, not when they were standing on a knife's edge in that moment. When they're able to escape this place, what then? There's still the portal issue that connects UA to this temple. And what about her?
"Rather audacious to hold such meaningless prattle before the person in question."
"Shut up extra baggage! If I were Deku I'd throw you off the side of the road!"
"How amusing. I admire the colourful choice of insults."
"Don't compliment me!"
An Overgrowth of giant vines bursts from the floor beneath and sprawled all over the broken stonewalls. Like a sentient monster, the vines began to fly across the halls, its destination pointed directly to the exit ahead of them.
"Oh no you don't!" Bakugo triggered his quirk to kick himself into the air and aim his right hand onto the sentient vines. "AP shot!"
He sent a rapid fire of explosions onto the vines; setting it all to flames just before it could weave itself over the gaping hole on the wall. Izuku bulldozed his way through the exit, followed by Shinso who was slowly losing momentum in his pace. Bakugo gave a disgruntled scoff before he grabbed Shinso and flew through the exit before making a hard pivot onto the halls.
"T-thanks," Shinso said.
Brandishing the stone from his pocket, Izuku lifted it forward to light their path. Just as they kept running, he could hear angry screams and shouts from behind.
"Pfeh, amateurs," Bakugo mocked. "They should've known that sending some dumbass vines are just begging to be burned."
"Rather smart of them to send vines rather than lightning the moment they realized a Starcatcher vessel is in their midst. Foolish, but applaudingly tenacious, I might add."
"Who asked for your commentary!"
It was almost impressive how this possessed entity could muse herself on their pursuers despite the situation. Despite the awkward position he was carrying her, not once had she thrown a fit as he did so. Turning a corner at the end of the hallway, Izuku immediately recognized the place.
"This is it," Izuku declared. "This is where I was dragged in."
Bakugo unceremoniously dropped Shinso on the floor and turned on their backs to see if more enemies were in hot pursuit. "Ha! The fire must've freaked them out to stay away."
"Mortal. How long must I endure being lugged on your shoulder like a sack of unrefined wheat?"
"Oh, right," he set her down on her feet, who then scowled in obvious irritation. Then a thought crossed his mind; "Oh yeah. How did you end up here, Kacchan?"
"Tch, you can thank the walking sock for dragging my ass here."
Just as he replied, the sackcloth popped out of Bakugo's jacket pocket; waving at Izuku as it did.
"Didn't stop annoying the crap out of me just right after All Might decided to head out to the teacher's office when you became a no-show. The little rat then started running towards the back of the building when I found an unconscious student laying there. While I was chasing it, I ended up here and got greeted by a bunch of those weirdos. The rest you can figure out for yourselves."
"You too, huh," Shinso muttered.
"You."
All three UA students turned to Dark Matter. That confidence and murderous rage in her all fell into a single, terrified look.
What is she afraid of?
"Why are you here, of all places?!"
The sackcloth creature forced itself out of Bakugo's pocket and began to walk towards her. Dark Matter inched back as it approached her.
"What's going on?" Shinso asked warily.
"No clue," Bakugo retorted.
"What do you want from me harbinger?"
The creature blinked, pointed at the possessed girl with its lone hand, then gestured at itself before it pointed to the wall. Izuku could barely comprehend was he was watching, but the effect alone made Dark Matter clench her teeth and barked;
"When has a host's soul ever mattered to a harbinger? You would dare demand that I relinquish my reign- my freedom in favour of this shattered soul?!"
The creature curtly nodded.
"ARROGANT CURR! You of all things dare order this?! Of ME?! After all the souls you've damned in your wake?!"
It almost seemed comical at first. But for whatever reason, the sackcloth creature pulled its lone shoulder(?) back as it puffed its chest out as if it were sizing her up. Dark matter hissed, her stance shrinking like a terrified feline before a giant rat.
"Is she seriously scared of that thing? Am I missing something here?" Shinso pointed, astonished at the sight.
After squirming and cursing from her corner, she finally growled, "Fine, I yield! I yield! I surrender back my host's mind and will! But know this, harbinger; you are only delaying the inevitable."
The walking sackcloth gave another curt nod. That was all it took for the girl's body to collapse onto the floor like a lifeless puppet.
Izuku was quick to run to her side, checked her vitals to see if she was breathing.
"Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Bakugo yelled.
"I…I'm not too sure either," Izuku said, then turned to the creature who now walked over to the girl's side.
The creature gave one blink at the girl, then looked up to Izuku, blinking at him. He couldn't understand what it was trying to say, but grasping the straws on what Dark Matter was panicking about, he understood one thing.
"It looks like whatever's possessing her won't be coming out in a while," Izuku concluded.
"Are you sure?" Shinso asked warily as he took a few steps closer.
"…I don't know."
Echoes of footsteps rang through the walls as the shadows from the end of the corner appeared to have grown closer. Izuku then took this chance to pick up the fallen girl and carry her in his arms this time as he frantically turned to the walls.
"I can't remember which part of the wall it was, but it the portal was definitely from this side," his eyes searched for any odd signs on the wall. Anything that could give away the hidden portal.
"There!" Shinso pointed.
Izuku's gaze followed the direction of his finger and saw a corner of what looks to be a suitcase of sorts. He then realized: "Of course! I dropped my hero costume case here!"
"No time for talking, they're getting closer," Bakugo alerted, bringing him to run headfirst into the wall, only disappear right through it.
Shinso and Izuku followed in suite, carrying the unconscious girl with him just as the little creature trailed behind. The entire scene changed the very second he crossed the barrier, from that musty hallway into the familiar forested area of UA's gardens.
"Thank god we're back," Shinso huffed, shaking his head. "That was one hell of an escape."
"We need to find the teachers, fast," Izuku said as he put the girl down on the grass. "This entire area needs to be closed off from everyone else or else-"
The girl began to cough in her wake and sat up, startling all three students.
"Are you alright?" Izuku quickly bent down next to her.
As soon as her coughing fit died down, she opened her eyes. Rather than the ruby-red glow, her eyes shined a hypnotic blue hue.
Blue eyes… does that mean the person conscious in this body is-
"Where… How…" she turned her head from side to side, observing her surroundings until her eyes widened in shock.
The girl quickly stood up, her limbs trembling as she strode straight towards the direction of the hidden portal.
"What are you doing?! Are you crazy?!" Shinso yelled.
"Have to go back- I have to go back!" her hands reached out into invisible barrier, only for her to touch nothing but air. "No. No, no, no, no, no!"
Her hands waved in the air, trying to reach the portal but found nothing.
"Thomas! Chamomile! Cobe!" her voice began to quaver, her entire body now shaking. "Will…"
She immediately fell, face forward, only for Bakugo to catch her first.
"You moron! Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" Bakugo reprimanded.
"Kacchan, can't you try to be a little nicer?"
"…Why… is the emissary of death doing… here…?"
And with that, the girl fell unconscious once more in his arms.
"Hey! Hey! You can't just fall on top of me!" Bakugo tried to shake her awake, but to no avail, she wasn't moving.
Izuku couldn't help but notice, within the girl's periphery before she was knocked out, stood the sackcloth creature. Its beaded gaze pointed directly at her.