Love and Betrayal.
1474 Words
The sun had set. Every student and teacher was home already, with no memory of anything they’d done that day.
Kevin and Wura landed quietly in the ruined school courtyard. She looked around at the collapsed walls and cracked foundations, putting her hands on her hips.
> “The Vessel really did some damage in here,” she said, inspecting a rough, square hole blown in the ground. She frowned. “She did this?”
Kevin shook his head.
> “That was Shadow’s doing.”
> “Oh. I didn’t even know there was a Shadow here.”
> “Yeah…” Kevin said. Then he turned. “Senior Oyin?”
She faced him calmly.
> “You know better than me. What do they want from her—I mean, the Vessel?”
She sighed.
> “I can’t say too much. The me standing here technically traveled, but what I do know is this: you saving her changed everything.”
She walked closer.
> “Do you remember why you and your friend were kidn*pped?”
Kevin looked away.
> “Not really.”
> “The Boss needed a body that was compatible. After testing and analyzing, you and your friend were the perfect candidates. But you were even more suitable.”
> “So now that she’s safe, my father’s plans are in disarray?”
> “Not completely. He has many other plans for the future.”
Kevin’s eyes narrowed.
> “Senior Oyin, what do you mean by that?”
She looked straight at him, then exhaled slowly.
> “He’s planning to build specialized satellites in space. They’ll be designed to destroy any Vigors or Shadows—because our healing factor is too fast for normal weapons.”
She folded her arms, staring at the darkening sky.
> “He might even be watching and listening to us right now through the satellite above us.”
Kevin’s eyes shot up.
---
Inside a sleek car miles away, Kolade sat in the back seat, calmly staring at the display on his wrist monitor.
> “Hmm. A boy in my school who knows about Shadows… and a woman calling me ‘Father’.”
He chuckled softly.
> “Interesting.”
---
Back at the school, Kevin’s expression hardened. Without a word, he launched into the sky. In seconds he was beyond the atmosphere, face-to-face with the enormous satellite—easily the size of Mount Everest.
He summoned one of his butterfly swords, its green aura pulsing. With one sweeping arc, he sliced the entire structure in half.
As he rocketed back to Earth, the satellite exploded in orbit. The detonation was visible from the ground like a second sun.
He landed in front of Wura, wind from the impact whipping her hair and clothes.
> “Now that it’s gone,” he said evenly, “can you talk freely? Where do Vigors and Shadows really come from?”
Wura nodded slowly.
> “I overheard my father and the Boss once. Vigors are successful experiments—humans altered with power from beings we call Deities.”
Kevin’s eyelids drooped.
> “And Shadows?”
> “Failed experiments,” she said coldly. “The Boss needs a Vessel for another purpose—one even my father and I don’t fully understand.”
---
> “Deities, huh? How did that even happen?”
A voice spoke behind him.
> “Love. And betrayal.”
Kevin turned sharply.
Chinue stood behind him, serene and haunting. She turned her gaze on Wura.
> “A female Deity fell in love with the man you call the Founder. Foolish, really.”
Wura blinked.
> “Why?”
Chinue smiled sadly.
> “Why?” she echoed.
She gently lowered her foot to the cracked ground. Instantly, the world around them shifted.
A luminous purple glow spread across the ruined yard, filling the air and sky.
Shapes emerged in the light—two armored female figures fully forming, their words echoing:
> “You can’t possibly fall in love with a human!”
> “Why not, sister? He never said I couldn’t. He didn’t stop me.”
> “You know how he is. He allows us freedom. But you can’t do this.”
> “Don’t tell me what to do! I love him. He understands me. Sister, he created us!”
The two figures dissolved.
In their place, a man and woman appeared holding hands before a small hut.
> “Now that you know the truth about me… do you still love me?”
> “Yes. Forever.”
They hugged. Between them, a tiny child figure appeared, clasping their hands.
> “See? With this child, our love will never fade.”
> “Yes, my love.”
They slowly faded into light.
Suddenly the purple glow turned a dark, burning red. The female figure knelt, clutching the child’s lifeless body.
> “My child! My child!”
> “What happened?!”
> “She’s not breathing!”
> “Do something—you’re a Deity, right?!”
> “Yes. But…”
> “What do you mean but? DO SOMETHING!”
> “I… I’ll try.”
The red faded back to purple. An old man’s figure appeared, walking away.
> “Wait! Where are you going?!”
> “I’m leaving this place. I want nothing more to do with it.”
> “But our love is forever! If you leave, the barrier will break!”
> “What barrier? You could make one, but you couldn’t save our only child?!”
> “It protected us—hid us from the Deities and humans. Don’t go… our love is forever…”
> “Look at me! I’m old and fragile while you never age!”
> “If you leave… what should I do? I gave up everything.”
Glittering tears fell, dimming the light to white. The woman turned and walked into the hut.
Light faded to nothing.
---
Kevin swallowed, staring at Chinue. He could see sadness in her eyes.
But the white light flared back to life.
The woman emerged from the hut, rushing to the old man. They hugged.
> “I knew you’d come back! Our love is forever!”
> “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
> “What do you mean?”
He took a step back.
> “Do it now!” he barked.
Men rushed from all sides with weapons drawn.
> “Wait—!” she turned to her husband and saw an old woman standing beside him.
> “Sorry, Deity. We need your body and your soul,” the crone intoned.
Her eyes filled with horror. Instantly, her body transformed—diamond armor gleaming, spear forming.
The light turned sickly grey with dark streaks in the sky. The men froze, terrified.
> “She’s weakened! ATTACK!” the old man shouted.
> “With this, your dream will come true. You’ll be young forever,” the old woman whispered.
The light dimmed, the figures dispersed.
---
Chinue floated above Kevin and Wura.
> “That’s why Deities and humans can never coexist. Why Deities never interfere directly. We only guide, or tell.”
She looked sadly at Kevin.
> “Bye for now, silly. My time here is ending.”
> “Wait! Who were those two female Deities? Why does the Boss need the Vessel?!”
But Chinue was already fading.
---
Wura’s voice trembled in the silence.
> “Vessels are fallen Deities with no physical form—only able to possess living humans.”
Kevin turned to her slowly.
> “And you? Why were you reincarnated? Are you here to kill the girl?”
Wura lowered her gaze, fists clenching.
> “Yes. Killing her will save this world. Our world.”
Kevin’s voice hardened.
> “Senior Oyin, I disagree. Killing an innocent girl is not the answer.”
Her eyes went wide.
> “Killing her will destroy the Vessel inside!”
> “No, Senior. I won’t allow it.”
Wura’s voice cracked with fury.
> “Kevin. Don’t make this complicated between us. Where. Is. The. Vessel?! I need to kill her!”
Her phone buzzed. She ignored it, eyes locked on Kevin.
> “Shouldn’t you answer that?” he said coldly.
She sighed, pulling it out.
> “Yes… Yes… He’s with me. Yes… yes…”
Her eyes widened.
> “Okay. I will…”
She turned back—but Kevin was gone.
A split second later, she heard a thunderous shockwave overhead.
Kevin was already a streak in the sky, vanishing into the distance.
From the opposite side, she heard an explosion rumbling through the ruins.
- Writer
