Birth of a Phantom part 4

“Get down!” She snarled.

Two.

The metal cord took a unnaturally sharp downwards turn, slamming into the ground.

— Click.

All three combatants were engulfed back by the deafening boom.

A cacophony of crumbling followed. Debris rained down above them as the ceiling snapped. Thousands of black glass shards clattered on the ground as the machines were swept clear from the epicenter. The blast left a dark crater on the ground, which quickly collapsed into a large hole.

The window walls around them had cracked, and let the frigid air slowly seep out with a silent whistle.

Tremors caught the attention of the guards below, as the narrowing down their search.

Dizzy and lightheaded, Felix opened his eyes and felt a stream of red liquid flowing out of his forehead, “…I hope this counts as minimum damage.”

But as he tried to drag himself up, he found himself unable to move. His arm buried under the rubble of the ceiling. He struggled to lift the debris with only one arm. Memories flashed in his mind of a similar event. A clear memory of his own mangled leg, buried underneath a fragment of a concrete wall.

He grit his teeth and angrily pushed the rubble away. But his eyes widened as he heard his enemy groaning a few feet away.

Harbinger slowly got up, pain visibly radiating from his movement. His top hat was on the floor, showing his disheveled brown hair.

The ex-agent grumbled, staring at the hole on the ground, “Damn tofu bricks.”

Panic began to set in as he watched Harbinger pull out a magazine and reload his gun.

Felix used every ounce of strength he could muster. His veins started to glow, and a numbing electricity crackled out of his fingertips, letting him get rid of the rubble.

But as he did, his face turned pale as he saw his arm, tangled in a web of wires, while a shard of glass from the metal server protruding through his flesh.

Trapped, he searched frantically for something he could use, and saw his pistol lying a few feet away from him.

But while he could barely reach the tip of his gun, Harbinger had already aimed his own at him. Felix closed his eyes, then Harbinger fired — with a loud bang, a splatter could be heard spilling across the ground.

He opened his mismatched eyes to see the silhouette standing right in front of him.

“I’m pretty sure… you’re the one supposed to be protecting me… Felix…” Maria muttered softly. Her blood sliding across her smirk.

“M-Marie…” Felix cracked out a whimper as her blood dripped over his face.

As she fell beside him, his ears began to ring.

Harbinger walked towards the two of them and took the drive from Maria’s back pocket, calmly placing it in his vest.

Marie?

Marie, come on… get up.

You’re okay right? Stop kidding around… Come on…

You’re a little too heavy, you know that?

Get up… come on, get up. Marie…

The brown-haired man looked at the two with a curious expression, “Felix? Felix Aster? So then… you must be the ‘Black Cat of Ruin.’”

As he walked towards them, Felix started panting as his body began to boil from within, “I’ll kill you!”

“Oh, please. You’ve been doing a terrible job at that.” Harbinger scoffed.

Felix snapped the broken glass that was protruding from his arm, using it to cut off most of the wires that bound him to the floor. He sliced through his black sleeve, causing his arm to gash open.

With a vicious growl, his skin and flesh pulled apart just to strike Harbinger’s face.

Harbinger’s knees buckled. His face ached as a red stream started pouring out of his nose. But he looked back at the young agent and grinned, “Was that supposed to be a punch? Please.”

He struck back, causing Felix to bounce off the ground.

“No hard feelings, but no loose ends. Please forgive me.” Harbinger cocked his gun and slowly pointed at the groveling young man, who was facing down on the ground.

But as he was about to pull the trigger, Felix leapt forward and kicked his hand upward, causing him to fire toward the ceiling.

“What the hell?!” Taken by surprise, Harbinger clutched his throbbing arm and looked back at him.

Felix lowered to the floor and stood on all fours, a stance reminiscent of a wounded animal, with a limb rendered useless.

He shot the disheveled man a feral glare, like a predator focusing on its prey, taking one small step at a time.

“Is this why you’re called the Black Cat?” Harbinger shouted, his voice cracking with rage.

The blue-eyed agent began bouncing around the room, jumping above one server to another. Left, right, left right, leaving cracks on the black glass, closing the space between them.

A vein popped in the older man’s forehead as he grew increasingly irritated.

But when the blue-eyed agent finally lunged at him, Harbinger aimed exactly where he would be, expecting it, and immediately fired straight at his forehead. A blue flare burst from Felix’s face, shooting his body towards one of the black pillars.

As he crashed, Harbinger lowered his gun and let out an exhausted exhale. He ran his fingers across his disheveled hair, trying to compose himself.

Blood poured from Felix’s face as he let out a weak cough.

“Still alive? Time to put this kitty down for good.” The brown-haired man pointed his gun one more time. As he pulled the trigger, however, there was nothing but a hollow click. He had run out of bullets.

Felix’s eyes opened slowly, as if he had just woken up. Disoriented, his vision struggled to focus. A chunk of his cheek had been blown off, leaving a gaping bleeding hole across his face.

“Tsk…” Harbinger grabbed the blue-eyed agent by the throat and slammed him against the wall, “Enhanced human? This is supposed to be the pinnacle of strength? The next link in the evolutionary chain? Don’t make me laugh!”

His grip tightened as he leaned in, “What makes enhanced humans so special? What makes you so special?!”

Struck with a barrage of spiteful questions, Felix looked at him, revealing the bullet that he caught in his bloodstained teeth and spat it at his face.

An enraged grin formed on the man’s face as the shard of lead struck his cheek, staining it with blood and saliva.

Harbinger squeezed his neck tighter, asking, “Please, explain to me how a novice like you, the poster boy of Project ASTRAEA, reached rank thirteen?!” Frustration bleeding through the ex-agent’s words.

With only one useful arm, the blue-eyed agent grappled against the hand choking him. His face swelled as he struggled.

My rank? What does that have to do with any of this?

Sweat dripped over his mismatched eyes, blurring his vision. He could barely make out Harbinger’s expression. With barely any air getting into his lungs and brain, Felix’s consciousness was quickly fading into black.

But before he could pass out, he faintly heard Harbinger’s ridicule, “Who would have thought… that Nocturne’s little brother… would turn out to be so pathetic?!”

As he uttered those words, small, ephemeral blue sparks erupted from the wound on Felix’s other arm.

He’s right, I’ve done nothing to earn my place… It’s probably nothing more than the whims and expectations of the higher-ups.

But who cares?

I’m not gonna die a second time. Not on my first mission. Not when I haven’t achieved anything.

I still have to honor my promise. I will rise higher—

And you’re in the way!

A sharp slash whipped against the wind, followed by a dull wet thud on the ground.

Felix’s arm was raised towards the ceiling, set ablaze with a fiery blue haze pouring out from his wound.

Harbinger’s eyes slowly descended to where the sound came from, where he saw something familiar wrapped in a sleeve, leaking with blood.

He shifted his gaze back forward, his face went pale.

“Huh?” Realizing his arm had been cleanly taken off, his voice cracked, and he clutched his dismember arm.

Freed from his grip, Felix took a deep gasp, finally able to breathe. Every raspy inhale filled his burning lungs. While he supported himself against the wall, his body became enveloped by thousands of flickering sparks.

Harbinger bit his lip, his expression contorted into rage. In a fit of blind anger, he struck with his remaining arm — but the black-haired agent caught his fist with ease.

Stood in front of him was the same agent, with the same raven-black hair, and the same blistering wound on his face. But now, he was bathed in a blue glow that outlined his body.

Azure sparks glistened around the child of stars, and wiry strings of electricity started to form from his wounds, weaving and sewing his cheek back together, reforming the missing parts of his face.

Harbinger tried to pull back his arm, but the blue-eyed agent wouldn’t budge. His eyebrows furrowed with a mix of fright and fury.

With a loud, desperate cry, the older man swung his foot with a powerful kick and struck Felix dead in the face, loosening the grip around his arm, letting him back away.

As he slipped out, he watched the ephemeral particles spiral, forming waves of blue flames that danced into a spherical shape — it was as if a star formed around Felix’s body.

Unable to make sense of what was going on, Harbinger’s mouth trembled at the sight of the burning blue dome, “Wh-what?!”

But the dome was incomplete. Gaps ran through the crystalline structure. Sections in the flame thinned, and stretches of transparency in the blue haze fractures where Felix’s gaze pierced through.

Harbinger’s instincts screamed for him to run, but his body faltered, a few seconds too late to respond. He was only able to turn around and take half a step forward.

Then, the blue star burst —

The silent shockwave blasted Harbinger through a row of servers, shattering the black pillars in his path.

Crystallized haze exploded from Felix, scattering little blue glitters that illuminated every part of the server room.

With slow aching steps that lifted up the rubble around him, Felix approached the fallen ex-agent with a snarl.

Once again disheveled, Harbinger tilted his head up. Standing before him was the man he had taunted, wrapped in cold, silent rage.

“P-please… spare me…” Lying atop the broken black pillars, he pleaded, “I’m just doing what they told me to...”

“By who? Who ordered you to do this? What are they after? Why did you disappear from the agency?” Felix snarled, grabbing the old man by the collar and shot out a flurry of questions.

“He took everything… He said he’d give her back… He said he’d give her back if I did what he told me to…”

“Who is he?!”

“... Julius…”

“Julius who? Full name, from where, what does he look like?” His grip tightened.

“He has blond hair… wears a suit… and hides his eyes… I don’t know anything else.” He mumbled in a barely audible voice.

“Give who back?”

“Her… her, her! HER! HER! HER! GRAAAAGH!” Felix recoiled as Harbinger began to convulse violently, dropping the old man to the ground.

“…I can’t… even remember her face… My beloved… please forgive me…” The broken man sniffled.

“I see.” Felix spoke, the blue haze that enveloped his body dissipating into wisps. He picked up the gun on the ground, “If that’s all you can offer me…”

“Please… don’t… don’t kill me…”

“No hard feelings.” The blue-eyed agent reloaded his pistol, “…but no loose ends.”

After echoing Harbinger’s words, the ex-agent began to cackle, “I remember…”

“Hm?”

“Julius… I see it now.” He looked up at Felix with tears in his eyes, reflecting the glowing aura that he emitted.

“See what? What are you talking about?”

The ex-agent began to chuckle, “...that power… the Fallen Sun… It’s you! The Child of Stars…”

A bead of sweat rolled down Felix’s face.

“You’re the one he’s afraid of! Felix Ast—!” A wet gag sputtered out Harbinger’s throat.

Green bile splattered out of the old man’s mouth as he laughed maniacally and fell to the ground, vomiting an unknown fluid.

With a mix of disgust and shock, the blue-eyed agent took a step back.

“Please… don’t kill me…” The broken man weakly pleaded as the bile dripped out of his lips.

Felix’s hand trembled as he aimed his gun at the Harbinger’s head.

But before he could pull the trigger, a memory intruded in his head. One with a soft smile, and a warm ember glow. The words echoed in his ears, “You’re a good, kind person, aren’t you?”

The blue haze that enveloped him dispersed, and his smile faded along with it. He looked to the side and clicked his tongue.

“You’re an Elite Agent… have some pride, damn it.” With a disappointed sigh, he fell to the floor and glared at him with pitying eyes.

Harbinger let out a soft chuckle and closed his eyes, turning completely silent.

Felix sat on the floor and let out a deep exhale, exhausted from the battle.

After all this time, I didn’t know what to expect… But I guess I was hoping for something different. Like those battles Luna used to have.

He clutched his shirt, as if to squeeze something underneath it.

Blood dripped down his nose, and as he stared at his arm, his veins appeared to be glowing, lighting up his flesh from within.

“Urk…” He winced. His expression quickly changed to panic, as an uncontrollable blue fire burst out, crackling into streams of electricity, “Huh?!”

“Why is it— ” He shot back on his feet, a sharp pain came from the gash in his arm, “— doing that?!”

As he frantically waved his arms up and down, a pair of arms wrap around him from behind, “Calm down, just calm down!”

He turned around, and saw the black-haired woman holding him, “Huh? What?! Marie?!”

“Don’t worry. It’s healing you. Your powers are healing you.” Her voice calmed him down.

“M-Marie…? You’re alive?” He asked with complete confusion, sweat pouring from his face.

“Alive and kicking, no thanks to you.” She released him and took a step back.

A relieved sigh escaped his lips, “But you’re… you were shot in the… I don’t know what to say. I’m just… glad that you’re… Sorry, I’m exhausted.” He scratched his cheek.

“I know. I saw everything. Your eyes, your speed, and your look just needs a splash of oomph to it.” She suddenly covered her mouth, letting out a giddy squeal.

His eyebrows furrowed, letting out a nervous laughter, “I just tore a man’s arm off, why do you sound so… excited?”

“I just sliced a man in half a few hours ago… but your eyes… they’re not something I see everyday.” She watched with a proud smile.

“… Eyes? Both of them?” He echoed back as he slowly placed his hand under his right eye, which was shimmering with the same azure glow as the left.

His attention shifted to the blue haze emanating through the torn flaps of his black coat.

Professor Tetsuya’s words echoed in his head;

The other one will also turn blue in due time. And when that happens, your gifts will finally… oh my, I can hardly wait.

“Wait, no, we don’t have time for this. We still need to escape. Can you still move?” His voice raised with urgency.

“It’ll take more than a bullet to put me down for good.” The dark-haired woman placed her hand on the back of her head, and with an uncomfortable expression, clawed something out.

With a pained grunt, she showed Felix a metal shard between her fingertips. It was the bullet Harbinger had shot her with.

“But damn does it hurt… like… hell...” Her voice weakened as she nearly toppled over, but Felix caught her as she fell, holding her upright with his wounded arm.

She noticed the flesh and muscles in his arm slowly weaving back together.

“We need to get to the hospital…”

“Looks pretty deep, but like I said, nothing leaves a scar on us.” She giggled weakly, before turning into a fit of violent coughs.

Felix stared blankly at her, muttering, “We still need to get out of here.”

“Before that…” She wobbled over to where Harbinger was, and got the drive back from his pocket. “What do we do with him, then?” She asked.

“He’s no longer a threat. Just… let him die from blood loss.” He leaned on one of the servers that were still standing.

“I still think we should get rid of him.”

“I’d rather not kill…” He lowered his gaze, “Not when if it’s unnecessary…”

“He might survive long enough for the guards to interrogate him.” She argued.

Before he could formulate a response, he heard the distant sound of footsteps and doors opening from the lower floors.

“…Fine. We don’t have much time. They’re almost here.” He conceded.

“Right.” Maria kneeled down to Harbinger’s level.

He looked away, opposite her direction, and stared out the window wall. He watched the fireworks pop from the skyline, hearing the distant thud and crackle that came after.

From beneath his feet, he listened to the footsteps of guards getting closer. Unable to catch his breath, his face grew increasing impatient.

But as the light from the firework faded away, and his glowing blue eyes reflected in the window wall, he saw Maria’s reflection, holding a pistol.

He quickly turned around to see her kneeling down, with the barrel of a gun placed inside Harbinger’s mouth.

The dark-haired woman coldly whispered as her own blood slid across her cheek, “A bulletproof vest gonna save you from this.”

“Wait, no! Don’t use a—”

With a loud crack, Harbinger’s blood painted the servers. But the sound of her gun echoed to the lower floors, drawing the attention of the guards below.

“I heard a gun fire!”, “It came from up there!”
The voices of the guards flurried in as they rushed towards their location.

“Why didn’t you use your knife? I thought they were your specialty!” He shouted in a low voice, trying his best to keep himself not signal their location.

“This just seemed easier!” She yelled.

“And you didn’t think to use a silencer?!”

“It was the only piece on me!”

While the two of them bickered, Felix could hear footsteps rushing to their direction.

He shifted his pistol towards the door. His hands barely steady. The adrenaline pumping through his veins was dissipating. He could barely stay awake, much less continue to fight.

“I can’t fight… Did we get what we came here for?”

“Yeah, everything’s in this drive.”

“Then we have to go.”

“Right!” She thoughtlessly wobbled towards the exit.

But he stopped her by grabbing her by the arm, “We can’t go through that door, they’re on their way.”

“Then what if we jumped through the hole?” She pointed to the blast mark left by the explosion.

“No, there are still guards climbing up. We’ll be surrounded.”

Felix’s glowing blue eyes scanned the room, looking for a way out. But there were no other doors, nor any vents they could slip in through. His attention noticed shattered remains of the onyx table, and slowly shifted his gaze to the shattered servers, and to the gaping hole down the middle.

“Oh… Bollocks.” He cursed the current state of the server room, turning around. His gaze then focused on the shattered window, looking outside and seeing the rooftop of a nearby building.

Felix pulled out his pistol, shooting the window several times, “Get your grappling hook!”

“It blew up with the grenade!” Maria shouted back.

Outside the door, the remaining guards stood in horror. Frozen and sickened at the corpses Harbinger left in the hall just outside the server room.

“Men, get ready!” The head guard ordered, and the men lined their rifles towards the door. With a nervous expression, the head guard slowly moved towards the door with a key card.

Felix’s heart pounded, the heavy sound beating against his ears. He holstered his gun and picked up Maria in his arms.

“Wh-what are you—?” Her expression was flushed with a mix of both shock and fright.

“How high could the top floor be?” He nervously laughed, taking a few steps back.

“No, no you aren’t!” She protested.

“Hope we’re still keeping the damages to a minimum!” With Maria in his arms, he began bolting towards the broken window.

The door opened, and the head guard immediately spotted them, “There they are!”

Bullets started flying in the two agent’s direction, destroying what remained of server room.

“After them!” They chased after the two agents.

“Hold on!” Felix shouted, kicking the window with his iron-clad heel. Maria clinging tightly to him.

But as the guard’s ran through the ruins, the head guard nearly fell into the hole into the center, “Whoa—!”

Shards scattered through the air, and as they all looked forward, all that was left to greet them was the blue firework that decorated the sky.

~