Adam : From a man to a God

"I won’t waste any more time, where is your brother ?" Felicity said, her voice sharp as she shoved her hands deep into her pockets. Anna's heart raced, confusion washing over her; she was an only child.

“I— I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t have a brother. You must have the wrong person,” she stammered, shaking her head, her voice barely above a whisper.

Felicity let out an exasperated sigh, stepping closer. With a sudden, jarring motion, she slammed her hands onto Anna’s thighs. Anna twitched in surprise, her eyes darting up to meet Felicity's, widening in shock as she noticed the unsettling green of her pupils.

“Can’t you feel that?” Felicity asked, her tone dripping with menace.

“F-feel what?” Anna stammered, dread pooling in her stomach.

As Felicity withdrew her hands, Anna's breath hitched. Her palms were adorned with countless green spikes, glistening ominously and smeared with crimson. Panic surged through her as the belt restraining her against the chair fell away, severed as if by an unseen force.

She glanced down, and horror gripped her. Her legs were soaked in blood, punctured with gaping holes from which the warm liquid gushed. A scream tore from her throat, raw and filled with terror. She struggled against the leather bindings, tears streaming down her cheeks, pooling in the hollow of her neck. The pain was absent, overwhelmed by sheer dread as she stared at the gruesome sight of her own legs.

Looking up at Felicity, she was met with a sinister grin, one that seemed to revel in her suffering. A chilling chuckle escaped her lips before she spoke again. “You’re not crying from pain; you’re just frightened. I almost forgot what that useless bitch said—she claimed you couldn’t walk. Don’t worry; you’ll feel the pain very soon."

With that, Felicity turned and exited the room, the door sliding shut behind her. Alone, Anna sobbed, her voice cracking as memories of all the wrongs she had endured flooded her mind.

Memories of past horrors flooded Anna's mind, each one sharper than the last. She recalled the tragic incident that had claimed her friends' lives, leaving her physically and emotionally crippled. After that, she had been snatched away by someone with supernatural powers, dragged to this nightmarish place.

Now, she faced the promise of pain for a crime she didn’t even comprehend. Siblings? She had none. The last thing she remembered was the warmth of her small family, shattered by loss. And here she was, at the mercy of strangers—were they even human? The thought sent icy tendrils of fear creeping up her spine.

Her sobs gradually quieted as she tried to piece together their intentions. They spoke of a brother, yet she was utterly alone. It had to be a mistake. The fear of impending torture made her hands tremble uncontrollably. She had seen such horrors in movies, but now, the images flooded her mind unbidden, each one more grotesque than the last, making her shake even harder.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching, sending her heart racing. The door slid open, revealing Felicity once more, now cloaked in black assassin attire. “I had to change,” she said, her voice chillingly calm. “Didn’t want to get my clothes dirty.”

“Please, let me go! I don’t know what you want. You have the wrong person,” Anna pleaded, desperation evident in her voice.

“Oh, I know exactly who you are,” Felicity replied, a wicked smile curling her lips. “I’m just going to torture you for fun.”

“What?!” Anna gasped, disbelief mingling with terror.

“I loved that look on your face when you cried in despair. I’m so going to break you. And after that, I’ll find your brother and make him watch as I torment your barely living body one last time before I kill you in front of him.”

A cold shiver raced down Anna’s spine as Felicity moved closer, her presence suffocating. She gripped the back of Anna's head, yanking her back downward, pain shooting through Anna’s scalp. “That’s what he gets for killing my little sister,” Felicity whispered, releasing her hair, leaving Anna trembling in terror. Felicity seemed to relish the moment.

“Help!!!” Anna screamed, her voice raw with desperation.

Felicity’s laughter echoed mockingly. “Hehe, now you’re screaming for help? Aren’t you just the stupid one?” She leaned closer, her eyes glinting with malice. “Now, where to begin… Oh, you’re still bleeding down there. We wouldn’t want you running out of blood now, would we?”

Green spiky needles sprouted from her palms, and with a swift, brutal motion, she slammed her hands onto Anna’s thighs, sealing the gaping holes. Anna cried out as blood dripped and rolled down her legs, pooling on the floor. Felicity withdrew her hands, leaving the gruesome needles embedded in Anna’s flesh. The bleeding had stopped, but the horror had only just begun.

With a cruel grip, Felicity seized Anna's wrist, squeezing with relentless force. Anna felt the bones in her arm crack and shatter under the pressure, a wave of unbearable pain washing over her. She screamed, the sound a raw and instinctual reaction. Thirst evaporated from her mind; all that remained was the agony. Her wrist felt like a crushed, empty bottle, and Felicity's laughter echoed in her ears.

“Ha! It looks kind of funny,” Felicity taunted, inspecting the mangled joint. “Like you have another joint in your wrist. Let’s see how it works.”

With sadistic curiosity, she twisted Anna's broken wrist, moving it right and left as Anna cried out, her screams becoming desperate gasps. The pain was suffocating, drowning her in a sea of anguish. Felicity paused, watching with glee as more blood spilled onto the pristine white floor.

Then, her hand darted for Anna’s other wrist. In a frantic attempt to resist, Anna leaned in, trying to bite Felicity, but her movements were thwarted as Felicity swiftly withdrew her hand. Anna’s teeth snapped at nothing but air, a sound like a clap echoing in the silence. The sudden motion sent a jolt of pain through her already tortured wrist.

“Wow… you’ve turned into an animal,” Felicity remarked with a twisted smile. “But we’re only just getting started.”

A wave of fear engulfed Anna, pulling her under as Felicity seized her other wrist. In a desperate attempt to escape, Anna leaned in again, but Felicity’s other hand slammed her head back against the chair. The impact was jarring, and before Anna could gather her wits, Felicity crushed her other wrist with a sickening crack. Anna screamed once more, the sound a haunting echo of her suffering.

“Aaaah!” Anna screamed as Felicity pressed her head harder against the chair, the pressure making her skull feel like it might crack. She squirmed involuntarily, her other wrist twisting painfully as Felicity toyed with it, shaking it as if it were a plaything. The look of agony and despair on Anna's face seemed to bring Felicity a twisted sense of pleasure.

Suddenly, Felicity stepped back, leaving Anna gasping Tears streamed down her cheeks, and though she wanted to beg, her cries and heavy breaths choked her words.

“Wow, look at the floor,” Felicity said, her tone mocking.

Sobbing, Anna glanced up at the harsh overhead lights. “Look at it!” Felicity’s voice sliced through Anna’s cries like a knife. Reluctantly, Anna looked down, her heart sinking. The floor was drenched in her blood, a horrifying testament to her suffering. Panic gripped her as she realized just how much she had lost. “Shall we continue?” Felicity grinned, her eyes dancing with sadistic delight.

Meanwhile, a dark-skinned man clad in black pants and a fitted shirt walked through a narrow hallway, the walls stark white and illuminated by tall, glaring lights overhead. He halted at what seemed like a dead end, and the door slid open with a soft hiss.

“Damn!” he exclaimed, entering and holding his head in disbelief.

“What?” Felicity shot back, half her face smeared with blood as she glared at him. “I thought you were just going to ask questions, not put on a Halloween costume out here.”

“Is it time?” she pressed.

“Yeah, I brought what you asked for.” He hesitated, his eyes falling on Anna.

She was a pitiful sight, some of her teeth lying in her lap. Nails pierced through each side of her ears, and her collarbone was broken, along with her fingers, wrists, nose, and likely her ribs.

“Okay,” Felicity said, her voice dripping with satisfaction as she began to pull the 4 inch nails from Anna's ears. Anna’s eyes were shut tight, her gaze directed downward, with bloody saliva pooling at the corners of her mouth. She moaned softly, a sound of sheer torment.

“Alright, I’ve broken her. You can do it,” Felicity declared, stepping back.

The man approached Anna, placing his hand gently on her head. A soft, white glow began to emanate from his palm, illuminating the darkness behind her closed eyelids. The light pulsed with an almost ethereal quality, hinting at a power that felt both ominous and hopeful.

She twitched and screamed in agony as memories flooded her mind—memories that weren't her own.

The man stepped back, hesitating. “Did you bring it?” Felicity asked urgently.

“Yeah, yeah, here,” he replied, pulling out a small iron bar wrapped in cloth from his pocket. Anna's screams subsided as she gasped for air. Felicity carefully unwrapped the bar, ensuring the cloth protected her from touching it. “You realize she could’ve died if I came in later, right?” he said. Felicity glared at him. “I wouldn’t let that happen.”

Felicity approached Anna, pulling her hair back and forcing the relic into her mouth . “ Jeez, you could’ve just put it in her lap or something,” the man suggested. “Shut up,” she snapped.

As she stepped away, the iron bar crumbled into dust, seeping into Anna’s bleeding eyes, mouth, and ears. Her body jolted, eyes glowing blue. Felicity’s fingers turned blackish-green, nails elongating into sharp points. She cut Anna’s restraints, stepping back as Anna’s head drooped forward.

Slowly, Anna lifted her head, her wounds healing, a hint of ice shimmering before vanishing. She gazed at Felicity and felt an unexpected emotion—love. The woman before her was beautiful and admirable.

Anna stood shakily, stumbling into Felicity’s arms. Felicity gently caressed her cheek. Anna heard herself whisper words she never had before. “Big sister…” she said softly, lovingly. The man stared at Felicity, disturbed. “She’s one sick, psychotic bitch, isn’t she?” he thought.

“Little sister, from now on, your name will be Victoria, okay?” Felicity said softly. “Victoria… Okay. I’ll cut ties with the people I cared for, for you. Anna replied, sliping into unconsciousness.

Meanwhile, in Centerhill, Anna’s parents were worried sick. It was the middle of the night, and Anna was missing. Her father sat on the sofa, watching her mother pace the living room, phone trembling in her hands. “Why the hell are you just sitting there?” she snapped. “We’ve called the cops, talked to them, searched everywhere.”

“They told us to wait for—” he started.

“Shut up!” she interrupted. “How can you be so calm about this?”

“Calm?” he retorted, standing up. “You think I’m calm? I left you with our daughter, now she’s missing, and you think I’m calm? I should be blaming you!”

Their argument was cut short by a thud upstairs. “Anna—is that you?” Jasmine quickly headed upstairs. “Jas, wait!” her husband yelled, but she entered the room to find Anna in black assassin clothing, standing as if waiting for them.

Anna smiled at her mother. Jasmine’s hands and legs trembled at the sight of her daughter. “Anna…” she said, approaching. Anna stomped her foot, sending a line of ice across the floor, encasing her mother’s leg. It shattered, her leg splintering into pieces. She fell to the floor, screaming in pain.

Her husband rushed in, eyes widening at the scene—his wife on the floor, his daughter smiling. “Anna! What did you do?” he cried.

Anna shot an ice spike through his mouth, breaking his teeth and piercing his neck. He choked on his blood and collapsed, dead. “Nooo!” her mother wailed.

“Anna… why are you doing this?” she sobbed.

“My name is not Anna. It’s Victoria,” Anna replied, annoyed, as she formed a small ice spike and threw it, piercing Jasmine’s skull. Her mother’s head hit the floor with a lifeless thud.

Anna smiled, hugging herself. “I did it… Big Sis will be so happy.” She chuckled, staring at her parents’ lifeless bodies.

In the portal world, DMR:

The young man gulped down the last of his drink. “Thanks, I was parched,” he said.

“No problem,” Adam replied.

“So, what kind of test is it?” Eddie asked.

“Well, it’s a variety. I’m not supposed to talk about it if I failed,” the young man said.

“Really? Oh, come on, it’s not like they’d know,” Eddie prodded.

“Yeah, I’m not taking any chances. Sorry, I have to go. Thanks for the help,” he said.

“Wait,” Adam called. “What kind of power holder are you?”

“I’m an air type,” he replied.

“Oh, thanks,” Adam said.

“What are you thanking him for?” Eddie asked as the guy walked off and they entered the building.

They were greeted by a receptionist in his early twenties, wearing a suit. “Please write your names,” he said, offering a white open book with a black pen. Adam noticed a small scar on the receptionist’s index finger and wondered if he was a power holder.

“Lucky you, you’re the last two to meet the participant quota,” the receptionist said.

“Really?” Eddie asked.

“Yeah, the number was 250 this year.”

“Two fifty!?” Adam exclaimed.

“Yeah, this is the main tournament. We had 4,046 participants last year.”

“Don’t you remember?” Eddie nudged Adam.

“Y-Yeah, just surprised it’s fewer this year,” Adam said.

As he wrote his name, he noticed familiar names in the list—Tilda and Akira. He didn’t see Alex’s name, but something told him Alex was already signed up. Eddie wrote his name without noticing Akira’s, then handed the book back.

“Good, you can go upstairs to the testing room. Second door on the left,” the receptionist instructed.

“Okay, thanks,” Adam said as he and Eddie headed to the test room.