Nova Force Book 1

Two days had slipped by since Rome had entered the city as Mr. Shoto, his cover still impenetrable to the unsuspecting eyes of its residents. He'd barely stepped outside, preferring instead to rely on his unique abilities to cut a hidden tunnel at the back of his building. A passageway to allow him to slip in and out with ease, concealed as Nova Zero.
 
But today was different. The shop was finally open, and Mr. Shoto sat in his chair, waiting for customers to stroll in. A sign outside urged people to come and talk, but no one came. In fact, it seemed like people had started to avoid the area altogether.
 
Mr. Shoto ventured outside to introduce himself to the shopkeepers, waving his credentials to gather information on behalf of Light over Dark with permission from Silva Sivitas. But every person he approached seemed afraid, as if they were hiding something from him.
 
The day had been a total waste. Not one bit of valuable information had been gathered, but Rome sensed that a few individuals knew more than they let on.
 
Later that night, before the little get-together with friends, Rome decided to tail a few people with the help of Tarif, whose unique abilities could come in handy. He took control of the senses of a small bird and followed a man who worked at a toy store, while Rome himself trailed a waitress from a nearby restaurant.
 
Her hair, a rich and lustrous shade of dark blue, cascaded in gentle waves around her shoulders, a striking contrast against the monochromatic backdrop of her surroundings. Each strand seemed to capture the essence of the night, a deep, mysterious hue that hinted at hidden depths beneath the surface.
 
It was a lonely overcast night with the clouds 80% covering the moon. There were lightening flashes from time to time which lit up the entire area.
 
As he followed the waitress, he noticed that she was acting strangely. It was as if she was being followed, but Rome had masked his entire presence, making it impossible for her to detect him. He soon realized that he wasn't the only one tailing her that night.
 
He listened intently as two men in dark cloaks cornered the waitress, interrogating her about what she'd said to a guy in town earlier that day. The men's menacing tone made it clear that they weren't just looking for answers. They were dangerous.
 
Rome wondered who the "girl" they had mentioned was. Had they kidnapped another child? He needed to gather more information, but he didn't want to endanger the waitress's life. He watched silently as they threatened her, ready to strike if they tried to harm her. But in the end, they just left without doing anything, leaving Rome with more questions than answers.
 
The young lady slumped to the floor, sobbing excessively. She was in real danger but didn't know what to do.
 
As Rome approached her, Sisteen felt a chill run down her spine. The purple eyes staring at her were like nothing she had ever seen before - they reminded her of a galaxy, swirling and pulsing with energy. The lightning crackled overhead, illuminating Zero's face and making it even more menacing. Sisteen couldn't help but shake with fear.
 
"I-i-i...I didn't say anything, I swear," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
 
"I'm not with them, ma'am," said Zero, his voice calm and steady.
 
Sisteen's heart raced as she tried to process what was happening, but she had no idea what to do.
 
"No, no, no, please don't kill me! I'm the last one left out of my family, I have nothing left!! Why do you all try to take what remains from me!! I already lost everything!!" she screamed, her terror taking over and tears flowing down her cheeks.
 
"Look at me, lady! I'm not here to kill you. I'm here to stop them, but I need your help to do it," said Zero, his voice firm but reassuring as he wiped the tear running down her face.
 
"You're...you're not going to kill me?" Sisteen asked timidly, still not quite believing what was happening.
 
"No, not at all. I'm Nova Zero, you must have heard of me," said Zero, offering her a small smile.
 
"Yes, the mysterious guy who took down a lower class advanced monster with like two attacks," Sisteen replied, her voice trembling. She had heard stories about Nova Zero, the mysterious hero who had taken down an advanced monster with one attack, saving some kids.
 
"But who were those men?" Zero asked, his tone serious.
 
Sisteen glanced around nervously, as if she was afraid they might be listening.
 
"Not here...let's go someplace safer," she said, motioning for him to follow her.
 
As they made their way to her small village on the outskirts of town, Sisteen couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew the barrier that surrounded their village wasn't as strong as the one in Silva Sivitas, and she couldn't help but wonder if they were safe.
 
"Not to pry, but why don't you live in a more secure area?" Zero asked, as they entered her small home.
 
"I hate that city, the people in charge there are...I'm..." Sisteen trailed off, her eyes downcast.
 
"Hey, you have to say something for me to help you," said Zero, his voice gentle.
 
"The ones in charge here, it's like they have someone that needs them to do...things that aren't right. They're the ones kidnapping the children, I think. They have people all over, especially in that wretched city," Sisteen said, her voice barely above a whisper.
 
Zero's eyes narrowed as he listened to her story. He had heard rumors of child kidnappings in the area, but he hadn't realized the situation was this dire.
 
"How are they kidnapping the children?" he asked, his voice serious.
 
"I... I'm not sure. But more than five cases, I've seen some kids come to my restaurant and then go missing the day after. Then the candy store and the furniture store. You can start there," Sisteen said, her eyes pleading with him.
 
"Okay, I'll come check on you tomorrow night, okay?" said Zero, his voice firm.
 
"No, I'll be okay. Don't come back. It's for both our well-being," Sisteen replied, her voice shaking slightly.
 
"I can help you, trust me." Zero offered.
 
As Zero reached out with an earnest offer of aid, the weight of her past tragedies bore down on her like a suffocating blanket. Memories flooded her mind, each one a jagged shard of pain piercing her already wounded soul.
 
"No!" Her voice cracked, the sound echoing hollowly in the desolate space around them. "The last person... he... he tried to help me, and now he's gone. Brutally murdered." The words hung heavy in the air, each syllable laden with the burden of her sorrow.
 
She refused to let history repeat itself, to let another well-intentioned soul fall victim to the darkness that clung to her like a relentless shadow. With a trembling facade of strength, she feigned a smile, a fragile shield against the storm raging within.
 
But behind that fragile facade lay a wellspring of anguish, her eyes dull and lifeless, the remnants of a fire long extinguished. Yet, amidst the despair, a glimmer of something once bright flickered faintly—a reminder of the happiness she had once known, now swallowed by the abyss of her suffering.
 
Zero couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of her pain, the suffocating aura of negativity that enveloped her like a shroud. What horrors must she have endured to be reduced to this broken shell of a person? And yet, despite the crushing weight of despair, there lingered a flicker of determination—a silent plea for life amidst the darkness.
 
At that moment, Zero realized the depth of her torment, the silent screams that echoed in the emptiness of her gaze. And as tears welled in his eyes, he knew that no words could ever heal the wounds that ran so deep, that some sorrows were too profound to be eased by mere kindness alone.
 
Zero hesitated for a moment before nodding. He knew Sisteen was scared, but he couldn't help but feel that there was more to her story than she was letting on. Questions about the city lingered in his mind. That city seemed too perfect. That always means something else is going on.
 
He then turned around to leave her small home but heard something like a bell ringing. She took her necklace from around her beck and opened it, and it made a soothing bell sound. Rome then left and made his way back to Silva Sivitas for his little get-together with his friends, which will start at 10.