Sep 30, 2011

Chapter 2 - Dark Resonance

“Alright, give me your full attention then. I’d rather not repeat this more than I have to,” Willy said, taking a profound breath of salubrious air.  Willy stared critically at Trav, proving he had his attention.

“Well, to start with my story, it’s most fitting to start with his,” Willy said. “Sid and I are both from the future, exactly 23 years from now actually.” Trav’s eyes expanded during Willy’s first statement.

“The future? You’re pulling my balls on this one right?” Trav asked, genuinely taken aback by Willy’s sudden short declaration. Willy shook his head.

“The future is a horrible place,” Willy said somberly, keeping his head up high. His eyes glanced up at the roof. “It’s thanks to K.I; an organization that rose to power in 2015. Or better known in the future as, o B.E.”

Trav chuckled somewhat, an incredibly bleak laughter. “Really?” Trav said, uncertain on how to place his thoughts into words. They were running rampant right now. Most wouldn’t believe Willy’s statement, but with what he demonstrated in the gym earlier, and Willy’s overall posture and tenor, he had reason to believe, he actually wasn’t lying. He wanted him to be lying, but he didn’t think he candidly was. Trav exhaled noisily.

“Alright, so back up,” Trav said, gesturing with his open palms. “Both of you are from the future? Why so? I mean, why come back? You really expect me to believe that?” Trav’s words were completely not in sync with his brain. He believed Willy, but he didn’t want to, simply. Willy nodded slowly.

“In the future, a drug was developed by a scientist known as Edward Reid. It’s called the CPES, or, the Complete Performance Enhancing Serum, for short.”

“You mean like steroids?” Trav chimed in.

“Without the negative effects of steroids, right. They’re even on a superior magnitude than the steroids in this current time. These drugs boost physical, mental, adrenaline, endurance, speed, essentially the body to function as a whole. I was the second subject to this serum. Sid was the third.”

Trav folded his arms heedlessly, cocking his head back faintly. “I see.” He replied simply. “So you two are basically super humans?”

“Right,” Willy said.

“So, what happens to the future then? You mentioned the future being a terrible place to live,” Trav asked.

“As I said, K.I. had risen to power, not long after the serum was introduced. It was still being served under an underground facility in the black market. Even now in my time before I left the future, the C.P.E.S serum isn’t that well renowned. Somehow, a group of people got their dirty hands on it. I suppose it’s in human nature to achieve power, and rule over the peasants, or the unworthy. These guys got it, and became nearly invincible.” Willy explained, as if explaining the origin of K.I. wasn’t enough. Trav was still left confused however.

“Is Sid a member of this organization or what?” Trav asked.

“Yeah. He’s sort of an agent for the organization,” Willy said, refusing at first to take the story any further. Obviously, even Trav could tell, this was a touchy subject for him. Since he was ‘in’ though, he wanted Willy to spill everything.

“Well look man,” Trav began. “As long as I’m in, I want to know everything. Who is Sid? Why are you after him here? You never answered my original questions.”

Willy hesitated at first. He sighed, giving in, “Me and Sid were best friends at one point, before we were tested for the new C.P.E.S. We both had one major thing in common; we hate to lose. We strive to be the best at whatever we do, and never give up. With this trait, his serum affected him a speck differently than mine did,” Willy said. “He became mad. He was spiteful to me. Maybe he was always like that, and I just couldn’t see. I don’t really know, but eventually, it turned into an all out match. We were always so competitive, but now, he had the edge. His serum… it boosted his potential about twice as much as mine did. He’s better than me, in every way possible.” Willy said, stopping with an abrupt sigh. “It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever felt helpless, but, it’s also the first time in my life I’ve been so excited to compete.”

Trav acknowledged Willy’s words. He couldn’t relate to them, but he admired Willy’s personality nonetheless. “If only most people in this world had the strive and motivation you do. What you’re doing is great Willy.” Trav said, patting him on the shoulder in a buddy-like manner. Willy smiled slightly.

“Thanks Trav,” Willy said. “It’s not a game this time though. I have to stop him.” Willy looked up at Trav. “Tell me,” he began. “Do you like to lose?”

Trav removed his hand from Willy’s shoulder, and stared at him. “Huh?”

“Seriously, do you?” Willy repeated.

“Well no, not really,” Trav answered honestly. “But I’m not an assertive person like you. When I know I’m beaten, I accept it. I don’t have much of a drive, to be honest.”

“You’re in now, Trav,” Willy said. “You had better get used to the drive, and achieve the will to win.”

“Are you suggesting what I think you are?” Trav said, backing up slowly. “Me?”

“Have you ever been in a fight before, Trav?” Willy asked, ignoring Trav’s question. Trav’s eyes widened.

“Yeah, in my dumber days I was in a gang at one point; got into fights all the time.”

“I see, that’s good,” Willy said with a polite nod. “It’s time for me to face Sid,” Willy said. Trav stared dumbfounded at Willy. What Willy had on his mind, Trav knew and didn’t care for much. “I need your help.”

“Whoa whoa man, you want my help?” Trav asked in confirmation for the unbelievable. Willy said nothing else and made no gesture, he merely gazed at Trav. Trav inhaled deeply, exhaling in a vigorous fume. “What can I do against you superhumans? And if Sid is already more than twice as strong as you, with you being like five times as strong as me, what do you expect me to do? All I got on me are these gingerbread boxes…” Trav said, fairly teasing at the end of his statement, but it all held true. Exactly what could he do against someone like Sid? How did he get mixed up in a predicament like this?

“Like I said Trav,” Willy began, standing up from his hospital bed. Trav inspected Willy from his meter range. Willy undid his bandages on his head, arm and leg on the injured sectors of skin. They had already began the healing process at an accelerated rate, the wounds already closed up. Willy even seemed to be walking normally toward the door to the room. Willy turned back to Trav with a grave expression on his face. “Once you’re in, you’re in.”

Trav placed his hands in his pockets, walking closer to Willy. Even after Willy’s explanation of his adventure traveling through the time stream with Sid, it still didn’t explain what he truly wanted to know. Trav motioned toward Willy, placing his hand on his shoulder in a brotherly fashion.

“Fine,” Trav said solemnly. “I’ll help anyway I can. But do tell me one thing,” Trav began. Willy smirked slightly, turning to listen to Trav. “Why is Sid here? You followed him here, right?”

Willy’s eyes expanded. He checked the hallway corridor on the left, heading back to the gym. Willy pondered for a few seconds, which were long as with Trav. “Well, not really. The best way to describe this situation would be an accident.”

Trav’s eyes widened this time. “An accident?”

Willy nodded. “It was Sid’s intention to come here, but not mine. That’s all I can say,” Willy replied. “Since I am here, I might as well act. I must have been sent here for a reason. Perhaps the higher ups in Aura foreseen this situation and had planned accordingly.”

Trav rubbed and scratched his head. “Another new term? What’s an Aura?”

Willy folded his arms. “I’ll explain later. We have a task at hand. Trav, I shouldn’t need to remind you, that Sid is a top-tier ranked criminal in the future. He never acts without a reason, he’s extremely dangerous. For the full on frontal assault, you will leave that to me. You are not to approach him head on, got that?” Willy said, sounding unusually strict. Trav noticed the change in Willy’s demeanor. This situation really was grave. Trav understood that for sure now, just by being with Willy.

“You don’t have to tell me again, believe me,” Trav replied. Willy smiled. “But hey, won’t we get in trouble for fighting in school?”

“Well, truthfully, I think a detention is the least on our worries,” Willy began his walk down the corridor, gesturing for Trav to follow him discreetly. Trav followed behind Willy. Trav could sense that Willy knew much more than he was letting on. Trav didn’t like being kept in the dark. He had no idea what he was getting himself into, all by meeting the boy from the future.


As the two wandered down the hallway, the atmosphere in the school completely changed. Trav thought it may have been his imagination, but the hallways were much darker than they were before. It may have been the emptiness of the students in the hallway, since school had recently just gotten out. Only a few remained in the hallways, packing up from their lockers and leaving through the front door eagerly. Trav couldn’t explain the horrifying feeling he was getting in his gut, the feeling he knew something was going to go down, something intense, that lurked the school. He and Willy were on their way to face an extraordinary young man who exceeds in every way, the extraordinary young man Trav had met only earlier this day.

Willy and Trav approached the gym in the school. The locker rooms before were empty. A strange ominous wind blew in the doorway, a color that was seemingly darker than black pierced through the doorway. Trav noticed the gym’s lights were turned out, followed by a figure who stood out, even in the darkness, by illuminating his own shape of obscurity. Trav could feel the very aura of the young man inside of the gym. It was Sid, it had to be. He never felt anything like this; it was affecting him mentally and psychologically. Trav began shaking inside of his shoes, his face distorted in a form of dread he had never before experienced in his life. Willy turned to Trav.

“Stay cool, Trav. It’s vital you do,” Willy said. “Believe me, he’s not that tough,” Willy said with a smirk. Trav could tell, he obviously was only trying to cheer him up. Trav gulped, and attempted to regain his composure. He looked inside, turning the handle for the door. Willy’s eyes flashed suddenly, walking inside as Trav finished opening the door. Willy walked inside slowly; followed by Trav. Trav’s every step sent a darker echo with each thud against the cement floor.

The inside of the gym, as Trav and Willy both already knew, was darkened. With all of the students gone, it seemed only one remained. Willy turned to the far corner of the gym, staring gravely at the figure barely visible through the dimmed off artificial lights.

“I see you’ve come at last Willman,” the voice said in an apathetic, mocking manner. Willy clenched his fists, glaring up at the dark figure above him, sitting casually, legs across, arms folded, smiling ever so tauntingly.

“You’re going to pay, Sid,” Willy declared. “For everything you’ve done, and will do for sure.”

“Finally have something to make me answer for all of my crimes? Have you forgotten who the real criminal is here?” Sid said, again in the same apathetic, taunting tone he had before. He uncrossed his legs, unfolded his arms, and stood up from the bleacher seat. “You will never truly learn, will you boy?” Sid glared down at Willy in an enigmatic presence. “You are nothing to me. And to think, you could have lived. But for your disobedience to the future utopia of K.I.,” Sid said, leaping down from the gym bleachers. Trav stepped back in alarm, Willy remained strong, yet wide eyed when he realized who Sid was aiming for. Willy turned his head in a 45 degree angle, glaring intensely at Sid, who lost his movements for a second, but caught him back, when he appeared… in front of Trav.

“I deem you dead,” Sid said. Trav stepped back, staring down wide eyed at the super menace before him. Trav gritted his teeth, gathered all of his courage and vigor into one blow, and swung with such bravery and diligence of that of an assertive warrior, which even caught Willy off guard by the surprising nature of his attack.

However,

It was all in vain. Trav felt the impact of his fist, the impact of a palm. Sid grabbed Trav’s enclosed fist, and began to squeeze the very skin off of his fingers, digging into the flesh of his bones. Trav screamed in utter anguish, his cries echoed through the layers of the gym walls. Willy charged for Sid and Trav.

“Trav! Hang on! Damn you Sid, face me you coward!” Willy said, which got Sid’s attention. Sid turned his crimson, piercing eyes at Willy, which pierced through his soul and spirit alone, but he remained strong. Trav however, had already been pierced mentally and physically… as he felt the insidious hand dig into his gut flesh this time. Trav coughed up a batch of blood, spilling on the ground in intense splashes across the gym cement floor. Trav clutched his stomach in agony, with his already nearly disfigured hand. Sid watched down in delight, which Willy could take no more of, it was time to end this now.

Willy charged for Sid, throwing a punch at Sid, who had his attention kept on Trav. As Sid turned, the impact of the fist collided with Sid’s face, transferring force waves through the air from the intense force of the impact. Sid fell against the floor, yet flipped up to regain his balance, throwing off the extreme punch as if it were child’s play. Willy took a stance, his knees bent, arms bent, slanted over forward slightly, ready for any attack and counter attack. Sid laughed.

“You’ve gotten stronger, Willman,” Sid said. “Unfortunately, it’s a shame your friends have been caught up in the mess you created.”

“I created? You must be joking,” Willy said, rather seriously. Sid remained unphased.

“You dare disobey my authority? You only need to be properly punished, BOY!” Sid grinned maniacally, a dark aura began to form around his body, the sheer pressure from his force waves sent Trav spiraling against the bleacher seats. Trav caught his balance on two of the bleacher bars, observing from his sight above, amazed by the sheer volume of pressure Sid’s own energy was putting out. Quite the monstrosity this Sid fellow was, and Willy, was almost no different, yet so different.

Willy clenched his fists yet again, and took a charge for Sid. Willy threw a dynamic punch for Sid’s chest, which Sid managed to dodge easily. Using the easy opportunity, Sid leaped up from Willy’s view, baffled by his sudden movement, was kicked in the chin. The force of the impact once more echoed throughout the gym, even Trav could feel it, and he wasn’t delivered this time. He held his stomach in writhe, groaning in intense pain. Willy was amazing, but Sid, he knew, he was a whole different league all together. Trav wondered, if Willy really could win. Despite his clear disadvantages, Willy absolutely would not back down. Trav couldn’t understand why he participated in a losing battle. He sighed solemnly to himself, watching from the bleachers.

Willy caught his fall, falling back in large steps from the impact, but refused to go on the ground. Willy remained back on guard, but eyes widened when Sid appeared behind him in an amazing burst of speed.

“Looking for someone in particular?” Sid said mockingly, grabbing Willy in a sleeper hold with both arms. Willy reached for Sid’s arms, attempting to force himself free. He struggled endlessly, but could not anticipate what Sid would do next. Sid raised his knee, forcing a powerful knee into Willy’s back. Willy gasped, and then shrieked in pain, causing even Trav to cover his ears, causing blood to soak on his right ear from his bloody hand. Trav squinted his eyes, attempting to see through the thick darkness.

Willy panted, his back nearly cracked in two. Sid threw Willy against the bleachers, causing the two sides to collapse into the floor, while Sid over him and watched calmly, his hands tucked in his pockets coolly with a mad grin. “What’s wrong Willman? Feeling a little sore?”

To Sid’s surprise, the rubble beneath the broken bleachers sprawled up, Willy leaped out, exploding in a seemingly mad rage. His eyes were infuriated, he slanted slightly, probably due to his nearly destroyed back, and he charged Sid at a vastly increased speed. Sid watched on in interest. Trav watched as well.

“One hundred… ten percent!” Willy exclaimed, his muscles slightly got bigger, hardly noticeable, but the increase was a tad noticeable. Willy threw a punch at Sid’s face, nailing him severely in the right cheek, causing Sid’s face to distort on impact. Sid flipped through the air, being lifted up by the power of Willy’s punch. Trav watched on in amazement, simply sheer amazement.

“Holy snot… what are these guys man?”

“One hundred fifteen percent!” Willy’s speed boosted once again, and which once again, probably so did his power. Willy ran for Sid as he fell from midair. Sid used his falling momentum to place himself in midair, flipping madly toward Willy, aiming a mighty kick for Willy, which Willy was able to counter by sheer power. Sid’s eyes widened as his attempted attack were to fall; Willy caught him in a powerful spin-kick, whirling him through the entire wall of the gym in a mass crater. Willy began panting slightly, watching Sid fall beneath him as he boosted his power in impressive increments, and percentages.

“… What is that power? Their attacks are out of this world,” Trav wondered to himself in amazement, which Willy, being so far away and occupied, could not hear him. Willy watched as the crater in the wall simply exploded with pressure from Sid’s energy. Willy shielded his eyes from the falling debris, but when he looked back up, was in for a rude awakening.

Sid appeared in front of Willy, kicking Willy strategically in the stomach. Willy coughed up a good amount of saliva, and as Willy was falling, Sid caught his foot in midair.

“You still have one more chance to redeem yourself,” Sid began with an arrogant, yet level headed smirk. Willy glared up at Sid, his head planted against the floor. Sid clenched his other fist in a symbol of power and authority. “Surrender your allegiance, and kneel before me, I will set you free.” Sid said cruelly. Willy’s hair covered his eyes, his face a blank nonchalant expression, blood splattered and battered before his arch enemy, he seemed completely helpless. Willy nodded his head slowly, Sid let go of his grip, allowing Willy to drop fully to the ground. Willy stood up slowly, staring at Sid in the face, face to face, his expression turned much grim.

“Go to hell,” Willy chained a barrage of punches and elbows skillfully for Sid’s upper body, for which Sid was able to escape rather easily. Sid grabbed Willy’s right hand as he swung for his face, causing Willy to draw back, and Sid to sinisterly smirk.

“That’s my line.”

Sid threw Willy against the ceiling, taking out one of the overhead artificial lights, causing little flickers of light to rain upon the gym. As Willy fell back down, unable to defend himself, Sid placed his right hand on the ground, swung with the momentum sideways in a pure 360 degree circle, kicking Willy against his right rib cage. A crack resonated through the gym walls, along with Willy’s anguish cry.

Trav could hardly take this anymore, this fight was too intense. The walls were even crying from the massive onslaught Willy was doomed facing. Trav knew though, Willy could not go down alone; he always knew that from the moment he told him. As Willy crashed into the remains of the second level bleachers, Trav approached Willy, helping him up (with his good left arm). Willy shook his head, attempting to batter out his fatigue. Trav watched almost apathetically, but many thoughts were still racing through his head, as Sid was approaching, fast, but he was walking. They had time.

“Trav,” Willy began weakly, battle worn. Trav turned his attention to Willy.

“Yeah man?”

“I know this is a lot to ask,” Willy started, spitting up blood. “But I need you to distract him.”

Trav’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Excuse me?”

“I have one technique that I think can beat him. Downside is I need time to charge it,” Willy said bluntly, obviously knowing now was not a good time to mince words. Trav reluctantly, yet seriously, nodded. He stood up straight, facing Sid as he approached from within the never-ending darkness.

“How long you need?” Trav asked with a grim, solemn on his face, as if he had already accepted his fate in this battle, and his time was now.

“Two minutes.”

Trav glared timidly, but remained his serious demeanor, back at Willy. “Here, that’s a lifetime.”

“Two minutes, Trav,” Willy repeated. Trav slowly nodded.

“Consider it done. Get it charging right now,” Trav said, almost orderly. Willy nodded with a smile. Willy stood up, bent one knee and stretched the other in front of him, held above one hand over his head, the other pointing toward Sid. A white aura began to form around Willy, giving a leeway of light across the room, contradicting Sid’s dominating black aura.

Trav walked toward Sid, staring gravely at his opponent. He swallowed bravely, staring at a serious Sid who was looking for blood. Trav’s face began to twist suddenly into a smug grin.

“You can make this much easier on yourself,” Sid said. “But it seems the chronological fear and pain in your nerve receptors damaged the input in your brain?” Sid asked smugly, a manic lit widened in his crimson acute eyes. Trav swallowed down his fear, and approached him slowly.

“So man, what exactly is your beef anyway?” Trav asked, rather casually surprisingly, which even caught Sid off guard. Sid widened one of his eyes while folding his arms coolly, twisting his head slightly.

“What’s that you say? My beef?” Sid questioned. Trav remained serious.

“I mean, why are you out to get Willman? And why are you kicking my ass too?” Trav wondered, but cut himself off before continuing another question. “Judging from what I’ve seen so far, you don’t seem like the type who reasons anyway…”

“I can reason,” Sid replied, walking toward Trav, pinning Trav by his right wrist against the gym wall, digging his fingernails into Trav’s skin, cutting through easily like butter. Trav bit his thumb to hold in his scream of pain. “I’m only doing the world a favor. In the future, say, thirty years from now, you’ll be begging for my forgiveness.”

Trav glared up at Sid. “Not gonna lie… I highly doubt that’s gonna happen you psycho!” Trav attempted to headbutt Sid, who merely caught Trav’s head with his left index finger.

“You know,” Sid began cruelly, yet casually. “If I wanted to, I could drill a torrent right through your skull, right into the core of your brain, then split your head in two. You should be honored, that I have let you live this long.”

Trav shook with fear. He knew by now, he wasn’t playing around. He glanced over at Willy, noticing a highly rising white aura around his body, a large flow of energy was building around Willy, that even Trav could feel it. Sid didn’t seem to notice however, but he did know that Willy wasn’t quite ready yet, he needed more time. Trav glared up at Sid, and used his quick wit to distract him just an extra minute longer.

What he thought of, probably wasn’t the brightest idea though. Trav lunged forward for a solid punch to Sid’s jaw. Sid dodged easily, taking Trav aback. Sid watched with slight amusement as Trav ran for the ruins of the bleachers. He cowered along inside, as Sid walked closer.

“All you’re doing is delaying the inevitable, boy,” Sid said calmly. “So why don’t you come on out of there? You can at least spend your final moments as a man of honor.”

“Yeah Sid?” Trav leaped out of the bleacher ruins, carrying a large piece of a fragmented seat. Sid looked up in a little wonder. Trav grinned mightily, glancing up at the ceiling. Trav twirled the seat fragment once, twice, three times, threw it up at Sid. Sid kept a swift glance at the seat, seeming to be more focused on Trav himself, what he was up to. Trav smirked as he glanced up. A light shattering sound echoed through the gym, causing Trav to look up in terror and disappointment.

“I… I missed…! Shit!” Trav exclaimed as fragments of glass rained on the floor below Sid. He glared up at the artificial light he was aiming for, but missed, instead shattering one of the rooftop windows. Sid smirked.

“You really attempt to distract me this long?” Sid glared, turning to Willy, but was in for a rude awakening, as his eyes widened, Willy remained in his powerful kung-fu style stance, aiming his two finger open palm for Sid.

“Justice…Cannon!” Willy unleashed a vast amount of pure white energy, almost invisible, aimed for Sid head on. Sid’s eyes widened as the energy blast approached him, and as it did, it changed shape. It turned into a piercing beam with a rigid stance… and then, it broke apart into five different beams, all aimed for Sid. Sid leaped back, back flipped up, to avoid the first three, colliding, and piercing through the gym floor and wall, respectively. Sid kicked off of the wall to avoid the last, but the last one, came from behind. Trav groaned, and began to panic to himself.

“No… it missed… it’s all over-“

“Not… yet,” Willy panted heavily, completely out of breath. Willy pointed forward, Trav following his gaze. Sid grinned and landed stylishly, until his head was impacted with a large artificial light bulb from the ceiling. Trav looked as the seat fragment landed harshly on the ground, while Trav’s intentions all along became a reality, in a sudden twist of fate… the last beam approached Sid, piercing through his chest.

“G… Gah… no goddamn way…” Sid fell against the ground, soaking in his own blood as the gaping hole in his chest deepened. Trav watched in amazement as Sid fell against the ground, clearly defeated. Willy panted heavily, holding his chest. Trav ran over to Willy, supporting him up by his left arm.

“You did it man…” Trav said with a soft grin.

“No Trav… we did it,” Willy said with a thumbs up, still panting heavily.

Suddenly, in a large bolting movement, Trav felt a swift impact to Willy’s head. Trav’s eyes widened as a mysterious figure stood over a now defeated Willy. Trav clenched his fists as this new challenger beamed its heavy, yet piercing soft crystal blue eyes at Trav now. He/she wore a white scarf that flowed along invisible wind patterns, shimmering through his face. Trav gulped, standing back away from the apparent new enemy. He backed against the wall, staring epically at the new challenger…

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