The skies of Nirvana shimmered as locks of pearly white hair blew in the wind's whispers. Synapse stood at his balcony, leaning against the railings as he overlooked his Kingdom. Everything, everyone in it was his own, a birthright. A smile quirked up on his scarred face.
"Beautiful, is it not?" He spoke, not turning at all. "Everything here belongs to me…"
"It's trash. Garbage." A voice responded, static filled and armed with contempt. Synapse slowly turned to the source, gazing upon her form, the dark hair with wisps of green. Thalia. "I have no use to entertain it."
"That's what you may think but all I see is just a few misdeeds… bad apples of the bunch, no?" He turned back to the view. "You do your job and I'll do mine."
Thalia clicked her tongue before vanishing in a burst of green static and the word 'INSTANCE'. Synapse continued to stare over his Kingdom, his empire, before reaching his hand out and ripping open the space. "No need to hide, Nadia."
From the ripped open space, a brunette woman with hair down to her hips emerged. She wore a white robe and scarf, adorned with buttons and pins as a blindfold hid her eyes. She used a large stick to guide herself and keep herself steady. "Your Highness… how long did you know I was there."
"Since the moment your Universe was born." He grinned before turning to the woman. She was shorter, around 5'4. "So… what brings you here? You don't stalk me unless you have a vision."
"Ah… yes, I've had one… of the Fate of Nirvana…" Her voice was soft, quivering. "An azure cinder swallowing it in a blaze of hideous carnage…"
Synapse's eyes widened imperceptibly as he fully turned to face her. "I… How do I stop it."
She shook her head with sorrow. "You can't, Your Highness…"
"What do you mean…" He stared, his face curling into confusion laced with fury.
"It's… not something that can be changed…" Nadia reiterates, looking away.
"Nadia! Pull yourself together! Look for another path of Fate!" Synapse gripped her by the shoulders, his voice bordering on shouting.
She yelped in surprise but nods, searching for another, any other Fate where.. no.. hot tears stream down her face. "I- I can't! It's too much to bear!"
"Push through and tell me!" The King exclaimed, desperate.
"I cannot even say!" She sobbed, grasping Synapse as she sobbed into him.
"….Thats… that's enough then.." He sighed, running a hand through the Seer's hair. "You may go.."
Nadia sniffled, wiping her eyes before nodding and taking her leave. Synapse stood there, concerned and thinking as he stared outwards. "What the hell do you have planned… Monster.."
Luka laid on the couch in the hideout, watching the blue sparks snap and pop in his palm… he thinks back on what everyone has been calling him, Monster… the Monster Legion… What is that? What could it possibly even mean? He turned up, looking at Mari who resided on the couch next to him. "Hey, Mari?"
"Yeah, Draco-Boy?" She tilted her head to look at him.
"First, Luka is fine, second… Do you know anything about the Monster Legion?"
"Oh, those guys? Nasty bunch. Made you but… did a half assed job it looks like." She replied. "They release Monsters and junk to cause chaos because they believe it's in the Feline's will."
"Feline? What is the Feline?" Luka asked, intrigued about finally getting some answers.
"Yknow, the Feline-" Before Mari could finish her sentence, Darren shot her a glare from across the room.
"He'll know when he knows." He sighed, working on something with Isaac at the tool bench.
"Right… got it.." She sighed, looking back at Luka. "Sorry, Draco-Boy, boss's orders, can't tell you much else."
"It's fine, I suppose.." He sighed, looking bored. Answers will have to wait. His gaze returned back to Mari, staring her over. "So… do you guys do anything or just… stay here?"
"We do stuff! Occasionally…" She paused, realising she doesn't sound convincing. "Yo! Darren! Do you have an assignment that me and Draco-Boy can go on?"
Darren looked back at her, tilting his head. "Assignment? Well, there's the Outpost on Site 12, if you wanna take him there… should be relatively peaceful for them."
Luka seemed pleased to actually go do some practical field work and see what they do, but Mari, not so much. "Ughhh, Site 12 sucks though! It's boring!"
"Yeah, tough luck Mari, can't have a newbie get squashed on the first day." Darren grinned, though his voice was laced with sternness. "You either stay here like a bum or you can go do your work… and you really wanna send Isaac on Site 12?"
"Good point…" She replied, pushing herself off the sofa and dragging Luka with her. "Hope you're ready to be bored to death, because that's exactly what's gonna happen."
Luka stumbled, not even able to get a word out before she pulled out a door knob and jabbed it into the air. Before his eyes, a door shimmered into existence and Mari twisted it open and pulled Luka along with her.
"Here we are!" She strong armed Luka against her side as she exclaimed, looking around. The landscape changed into plains surrounded by thick forestry. To the side was a shack, filled with basic utilities. "C'mon, in here."
Mari led Luka into the shack, Luka looking with curiosity. "So what do you… do here?"
"We just look out for anything evil or such, there's a settlement near here and anything that isn't supposed to belong and wants to destroy this, we kick it's ass." Mari responded with a grin as she collapsed into an office chair. "Simple, really."
"I.. see." Luka nodded, comprehending as he fell onto a couch, looking out the window. "So.. does it happen often?"
"Nah, not in this Universe at least." She shook her head, tapping her finger against the table.
And so, the two sat there for hours, the birds chirping and wind whistling droning out to the pair. The sun dipped into the horizon as the sky turned to hues of purples and oranges. The air growing colder as evening emerged. Just as Mari yawned, ready to call it a day, the air rippled open, a figure shot down out of it. They stood around 6'8, hunched over. Their skin was charred and cracked, red hot liquid spilling out of them as the air around them burnt.
Mari's eyes widened, turning to Luka. "Luka! Big Bad! Get up!"
Luka turned, shooting up as he saw upon the behemoth's form. Instantly he shot up and pulled Mari out to confront the beast of a man.
It turned to the duo, roaring with hatred.
"SAMUEL!!"
[End of Chapter]