Paradox Saga: Rising Sun

I Get To Decide The End

To know that you have powers is somewhat cool. Being told you're one of the people who's gonna end the world is another thing. 

I gritted my teeth. "What do you mean?"

"I told you, you're gonna be someone who's gonna be a key piece in destroying the world. Well, not exactly end, though. It's either you stop or be one of the people to cause it," the old man replied. He was about to say another thing but Saiko interceded. 

"Maybe this isn't the proper time, Gramps," Saiko said. 

The man straightened. "Yeah. Perhaps, I'll tell him in time but I think he'll find it out soon enough."

"I'm sorry, Shiro. Gramps can be so annoying sometimes," she said and glared at the screen.

The man waved his hands side-by-side rapidly and bowed as if he was afraid Saiko might throw a tantrum. "I'm sorry!" It took him twenty rapid bows before sitting up again. He cleared his throat. "Anyways, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Sadao Takao and I'm Saiko's grandfather..." 

"A very irritating grandpa," Saiko added.

"and your very handsome godfather," he introduced before looking at the girls. "The reason I called is to say that the precautionary measures have been made. This update x laser stuff may be the one that the first line of the prophecy is describing, but I'm still not sure about. In fact, the update didn't seem to affect me much. I have already contacted the government through my subordinate who's working in the Security sector which is why there are people there in cheesy tuxedos."

Mark seemed to sneeze outside. I quickly turned my laugh into a cough.

"You girls," Sadao-san continued, "are to accompany Shiro into the emergency facility prepared by the government where the people hit by the light beams are starting to be gathered. The agents there will escort you outside and remember to wear your masks," he reminded. 

"Wait, wait, wait! I still can't get my head off with this prophecy stuff. What the hell is it? How does it concern me?" I interrupted.

Sadao-san smiled. "You're just like your father - direct and stubborn. However, I cannot tell you the full prophecy without meeting you personally which is the reason why we're going to Japan. My assistant here tells me we'll arrive within five minutes. Now, there is not enough time. Let's just talk when I get there, okay?" he asked. 

"But -" 

"No time to explain, okay? Girls, you need to tell him about the basics of living as a Figure. For now, I'll take my leave. I need to talk to the others about the light beams matter." 

Sadao-san waved goodbye and the screen blacked out before disappearing. 

"Come on, Shiro. We'll explain along the way," Nami said and they started to prepare. The were now wearing normal clothes as if their armors dissolved along with the screen from earlier. 

The girls called the nurses who came over quickly along with one doctor. They seem to be in a hurry as they removed the hoses connected to my dextrose and some stuff from my hands. The doctor looked at my hand and asked how it suddenly healed, though he didn't seem to mind when Nami replied by saying she put some special ointment on it. They quickly went out and told me that I'm ready to leave. 

"What's wrong with them?" I asked Nami as she helped me stand up. "Why do they seem to be in a hurry?"

Nami gave me a set of clothes. "I don't know but I think it concerns the light beams hitting people. How it hit normal people, I don't know but we don't have some time to be concerned about it," she said and pulled a portable changing cover. "You need to change your clothes."

I went inside the cover and changed my hospital gown into a simple white shirt and black pants. The moment I finished changing, Mark and Kate were already inside and was ushering us outside. They escorted us out the hospital so we looked like those criminals-in-the-hospital people you see in TV. We didn't forget to wear our masks which made us look more peculiar. More people in tuxedos waited outside on a black limousine. I can't help but think if I was an alien or something like that. The people really looked like dudes from Men In Black. 

I looked at the limo. "We're riding on that?" 

"Yes. Something wrong?" Kate asked. 

"No but," I looked at the girls, "can't we do something like teleport magic or something?" 

Nami let out a chuckle. "Seems like you don't know a lot about magic, Shiro, but no, we can't do that. We're incognito today, remember? Besides, we need to explain to you what Figures do, right?" 

"Okay, I'll consider that," I replied. 

We went inside the limousine. I can't stop shaking my legs as we sat and waited the car to stop at the facility. 

Nami bent down, got a can of of orange juice from a compartment under the seats, and gave it to me. "So, Shiro, you were asking earlier about the prophecy earlier, right?"

"Y-Yes."

"Then, let us explain it. All of it started when a small portion of people around the world began to show supernatural abilities. Nobody recognizes when or where it started but all that we know is that along with the appearance of those people, portals from another world or Anaphoras also started to appear. Only Figures were the only ones who have the ability to see these Anaphoras or sense where they are as Anaphoras give out a very strong energy signal. The superhumans were going to be called Figures in the near future as they seem to have powers similar to famous individuals in many myths and legends around the world," Nami explained and took a sip of her grape juice. 

"Wait, so you're saying these myths and fantasy stories are true?" I asked.

"Well, we're still not that sure but maybe," answered Saiko who was gulping down a bottle of root beer. "The Figures' history or their powers' origins are still unclear. Many have pursued to discover the Figures' timelines and how we got our abilities but they either gave up or discovered something else. An example was the discovery of fireworks in China by a Rank-F chef."

[A/N: According to legend, fireworks were discovered by an unknown chef in China. He was simply experimenting with chemicals and put them in a bamboo stalk and thus, created fireworks]

"However," Thyme continued, "the main reason behind those is because Figures lived in hiding. In some countries, the Figures were persecuted and hunted because of their irregularities. The most known are the persecution of witches in Europe during the mid-1400's. Some Figures died without leaving their legacy while some disappeared without leaving a trace such as Jack the Ripper. 

[A/N: Jack the Ripper was a serial killer who killed five females - all prostitutes - in England during the 1800's. He was never identified nor was arrested] 

"Jack the Ripper? You mean the English murderer?" I questioned.

"He was not a murderer. He was a Rank-B assassin. He only killed succubi who ravaged the streets of England," Fritz replied in defense. 

[A/N: Succubi (singular form: succubus), according to folklore, are female s*x demons who seduced men and had s****l i*********e with them. It is said that repeated s****l activities with them may cause poor health. Male form: Incubus]

Nami cleared her throat. "So, continuing to the explanation, since Figures were hunted, what they only did was to clear Figures in silence. Luckily, Anaphoras only appeared in isolated areas for no apparent reason. The Figures continued to live in silence, most of whom lived as normal people, until the revelation years ago, the day your parents leveled up into S-Rank, actually. A prophecy was revealed to all the Figures through their Systems." 

"Excuse me, but what is a System?" I interrupted. 

"The menu and notification stuff that suddenly flashes in your mind is called the System. You'll know soon enough," Nami answered. "Anyways, the prophecy told about the end of the world and..." 

Nami didn't finish talking. I was having the time of my life drinking my orange juice until I realized they stopped talking. All of them were looking at me and quickly looked away when I glanced at them.

"And what?" 

"Nothing...but as what Takao-san said, you'll be somewhat a key piece on the world's end. We really can't explain it to you clearly as even we don't know the whole prophecy. I guess Takao-san will be the one to explain it to you," Nami answered. 

The driver suddenly knocked the black window in the driver's portion. "We're already here, Ma'am's and Sir."