7 Minutes Until Loss of Consciousness

“Shit! This Stream will take him back to Shay, if he gets there first, it’s possible, he will use him as a hostage!” Exclaimed Diablo dashing back in the direction of where he left Shay.

Diablo kept sprinting full speed to the top of the street. “If I continue going straight and take what would have been the left exit from the festival, I can get back to Shay quicker using a short cut.” Diablo uttered to himself.

“S-SHIT!!!” Roared Diablo.

“I forgot! How could I forget such a crucial detail! I blocked the left path earlier to stop him from escaping and now, because of that, the festival route is crowded with on lookers.”

“Damn it… I fucked up!”

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As the killer drifted through the dark dingy sewers, The scattered openings which were in place to allow water to flow down into the sewer beamed in just enough light for him to see his surroundings, he used each of these openings to watch the road signs and street names through the miniscule gap he was given; figuring out his exact location.

“Rowan Lane, Juniper Street, Oak Street.” He quietly muttered out, still winded from being struck by Diablo.

He kept naming the streets as he continued to float through the veins of the city. “One more.” He announced quietly giggling to himself maniacally in his winded raspy voice.

Slowly he came closer towards one of the many exits to the sewers. “This one.” He said smiling cockily. He quickly grabbed onto a ladder which would lead him to the sewer grate at the top. One by one he climbed each step on the ladder cackling louder for each and every inch he ascended.

-Clunk, Scrrrrk-

He pushed open the grate and slid it away to his left, scraping across the road.

He looked around and noticed he was one street away from Shay.

“Tch, no matter I can walk easily from here.” He exclaimed as he began hobbling down the road in pain towards where Shay was left, covered in bitter cold ice. People looked and stared at him struggling to keep moving yet, no one helped. He kept moving onwards, he grit his teeth in pain and pushed to make it to his goal as he was ignored and stared at by disgusted onlookers.

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‘Richard Phantom was the son of the well-respected Lord Adrian Phantom. A man who had conjured several upstanding achievements, he had worked his way up from nothing; a boy living in the slums. As a child Adrian was abused by his father, beaten and bruised which pushed him to work and excel his way through life with an iron resolve. At aged 20 he started his own company which donated 20% of all proceeds to a charity for starving children, he fought in the great war which lead him to be given a knighthood by the king for his efforts in the war. He used his popularity at aged 30 to start up a charity for the homeless which dropped the homeless population in Aero City by 64% in just 3 years. At aged 37 he married and had 2 Children. One being Richard Phantom and the other a Leon Phantom.

From a young age Richard looked up to his father and wanted to be like him when he grew older. However, after Richards mother left, it turned his father into the child abusing maniac that Adrian’s father was. Day in and day out, Richard and only Richard was abused, his older brother Leon watched and laughed at him, who, after seeing his father beat Richard, started doing it himself.

Richard felt exiled by his family, his mother left him, his once esteemed father who he looked up to his entire life began abusing and beating him and his older brother, who he thought he could turn to for help, began taking after his father and beat him also.

At aged 17 Richard left his demonic home and joined a rising illegal organisation, from there he was taught how to fight, control magicka and it was there how he learned to use his ice abilities. Richard’s first task after joining the organisation was revenge. Revenge on his father, his brother, his family. Richard returned home to take vengeance on his cursed family which had cast him aside and bullied him his whole life, only to see that his mother had returned and the atmosphere of his fathers manor had returned to what it was in his early days.

His family was happy again, blinded by the ability to return to his dream life, he ran up to the door and hugged his father and mother. Richard threw the organisation behind him and forgot about it entirely, he was just happy to have his father back, the same father he looked up to when he was little. His brother had reformed after joining the Guards and welcomed Richard home; everything was looking up for him. He put his past behind and held onto the present.

He lived with his family happily for 2 weeks until his past had caught up to him again and grasped him firmly, never letting go. The organisation had come to his family’s manor at night and burned it down. They took his family into the front garden and not only were they murdered, his father, mother and brother were tortured with hot coils, knives, their limbs cut off one by one, all in front of Richards eyes.

Richard screamed and begged for them to stop. But it was too late.

The family he had yearned for his entire life, his ideal dream… Was gone.

Richard was taken in by the organisation and was manipulated into becoming their toy. Richard felt like everyone was a puppet for his use and no one outside the organisation could be trusted. His life had been ruined by his family, the organisation and himself.’

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Richard slowly continued down the street, staring at the people around him with malicious eyes. He used every muscle in his body to keep himself stable. His entire body felt stiff and just the idea of moving at all made his gut wrench; yet, he pushed onwards.

Just as he made it to the street corner he felt a bolt of pain sharply stab through his entire body and he collapsed, his legs gave in and he fell onto the wall just at the corner in a blind spot, away from the main street, his body was shaking and pain shot through him like a Gatling gun. His nerves spiking every other second and the blood in his body pulsing. He lay there on the ground, looking up at the sky feeling defeated. He felt just as he did when his family was murdered right in front of him, no one lending out a hand, left to die on his own, everything taken from him, his dream of joining a family which treated him as his own was on the verge of being crushed once again.

He lay there in dirt and muck on the verge of giving up when a soothing voice came to him.

“Um, are you okay sir?” Asked a girl from behind him. Her voice warm and welcoming.

Richard turned to see a girl with brown hair and hazel eyes staring down at him.

“No, I-.” He began to cough after inhaling dust on the ground that he had disturbed when he collapsed.

“Look it’s okay, you seemed to be trying to get somewhere, I can help you if you’d like.” Said the girl as she began to help him up.

“What’s your name?” She asked, I’m Amelia.

“Richard.” He replied in a groggy voice.

Amelia let him lean on her shoulder and began unknowingly walking him over towards Shay. Richard began smiling, he couldn’t believe how lucky he had become. His dream wasn’t over after all.

The two came closer and closer towards Shay.

Yes! I can see him now! Thought Richard, I can see the ice!

“Huh, what’s that? Ice?” Amelia asked herself as she looked towards the alleyway.

The two were on the other side of the road and only a little away from the entrance to the alleyway.

“Is that where you want to go?” Asked Amelia slightly confused.

Richard nodded and the two began their slow walk across the street.

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2 Minutes Until Loss of Consciousness

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The two continued to mope towards the alleyway, Amelia still assisting Richard, one step at a time they slowly narrowed the gap.

“Hey Amelia!” Called out a voice from someone walking out of one of the many shops.

Amelia stopped to turn and greet her friend.

“Hey!” Amelia replied and the two began chatting, her friend showing interest in Richard and his state, asking what happened and if he was Amelia’s friend. She tried talking to him only to be ignored however, as none of this was on Richards mind. All he could care about was Diablo’s speed and how fast he would be able to catch up to him.

Richard, completely ignoring Amelia and her friend, stared down at the corner of the street, just waiting for Diablo to come booming around the corner and spot him.

I- I’m so close! T- this bitch! Richard thought to himself as his dream began to drift away from him once again.

“Um, excuse me?” Asked Amelia’s friend; who had identified herself as Sarah while Richard was preoccupied with Diablo. “I’m asking if you want me to go buy some medical supplies for you, there is a drug store right there.” She asked pointing towards a “Lisandro’s Medical Care” just 5 ft from them.

“Sure! That’d be great!” He replied; still fixated on the street corner.

Sarah turned around to go into the Drug store to collect medical supplies to treat his wounds and Amelia sat Richard up against a wall outside the store and across the street from the Alleyway where Shay was frozen.

She was in and out within 30 seconds, the owner of the store came out too to help treat him. At this point a small crowd had begun to form around him, blocking his path to the alleyway.

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1 Minute 28 Seconds Until Loss of Consciousness

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Just as the crowd formed around him, he began to hyperventilate, his dream was being snatched from him back and forth, he was so close yet so far. Multiple people gathered around him, incasing him in a human like box, blocking his surroundings.

Just as things couldn’t get any worse for him, he peaked through the legs of those around him at the street corner to check for Diablo and sure enough, the 6 ft 5 imposing figure came shooting from around the corner and was heading straight up the street for Richard.

It’s over for me, here he comes. My dream is slipping from my grasp. Thought Richard as Diablo rapidly approached his location.

He could here the thudding of Diablo’s shoes hitting the ground as he got ever so closer. Each step emanating pure anger, raging louder and louder as he booms upon Richard’s dream.

“I’m done!” Muttered Richard fearfully in a high pitch tone, squinting his eyes shut; bracing himself for Diablo’s intimidating voice calling out to him.

Yet, seconds pass.

“It’s okay, you aren’t done. You’re fine, don’t worry. The shop owner is treating your wounds.” Exclaimed Amelia sympathetically in response to his cry.

“Huh?” Richard looked up to see Diablo across the street facing the other direction, staring straight at Shay.

H- He didn’t see me?! He was too preoccupied with checking on Shay!

“That bastard, he must of rode out the stream and is trying to escape at the exit!” Exclaimed Diablo.

“I’ll be back Shay! Hold on for a little longer!” Announced Diablo as he turned to bolt for the sewers main exit gate.

I know it must be tough in there but completing missions and catching criminals comes before the safety of your team. Thought Diablo.

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38 Seconds Until Loss of Consciousness

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I- I just got so lucky! Thought Richard.

“There!” Exclaimed the Shop owner. “You’re all patched up. That should stop the bleeding.”

Richard was so preoccupied by Diablo that he didn’t even realise that he had been all fixed up. He felt a little better now that the bleeding had stopped. He stood up using the assistance of the wall he was sitting against and began hobbling towards the alleyway.

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24 Seconds Until Loss of Consciousness

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Richard steadily took one step at a time across the uneven rocky road that separated him from keeping his dream and only being able to dream.

Complete the mission I was given! If I do that, they will keep accepting me!

“Acceptance, acceptance! My family!” He began to mutter to himself while quietly cackling.

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13 Seconds Until Loss of Consciousness

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He stepped up onto the curb and onto the path in front of the alleyway. Still cackling quietly to himself.

“I’ll break him out and use him as a hostage.” He uttered silently.

The onlookers who had just helped him looked on in bewilderment at the fact that he was able to cross the street on his own despite his previous condition. The shadow from the buildings blocked the ice, leaving them unknown as to what captivated his desire for the alleyway so much.

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8 Seconds Until Loss of Consciousness

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He stepped forward again however, he tripped on his own misplacement of his feet and came crashing into the floor.

As this happened Amelia came rushing over to aid him.

It took her 4 seconds to pull him up and let him stand on his own two feet again.

Richard let out a sigh and then looked up to face the alleyway to confront the block of ice that held his ticket to freedom and to seeing out his dream.

Only to see, it was empty.

“H- How!?” He yelled in astonishment and fear. “Did Diabl- No, I was watching him, he didn’t get close enough to break him out and this ice. It wasn’t broken. It looks as if-“

“It was melted!” Yelled a voice from above.

Richard looked up in reaction to the voice only to be kicked straight in the face by an angry Shay Shuppet, sending him flying out into the street.

“Man, I made it out just in time. I was positive I wouldn’t make it just now.” I said, stepping out into the street drenched in water from the melted ice.

“How! How did you escape! My ice wouldn’t melt in this weather and especially not in this amount of time!”

“Simple.” I replied. “You don’t understand my ability, you made a rash move before discovering what it was and that was your downfall.”

Richard sat and watched in bewilderment as I began strolling confidently towards him.

“I have access to the electricity element. I can control electricity at will and conjure it myself using Magicka. Electricity creates a heat of its own so all I had to do was wrap my body in electricity until the ice melted.” Replied Shay gloating his first victory as a member of the guards.

“M-my dream!” Replied Richard as he began to shake uncontrollably.

I took a step closer to apprehend him but as I advanced forward, I noticed a sharp switch in the air’s temperature. It began to feel Icey and moisture slipped away leaving a bland chilled atmosphere. It became difficult to breath as this spikey feeling pricked the air.

This must be his ability. I thought as he hesitated to step any closer.

“Shay?” Asked a worrisome female voice from behind him. “What’s going on?”

“Amelia?!” I said turning around to face her; becoming distracted as he hadn’t noticed her before. In this moment of preoccupation, I focused all of my attention on Amelia instead of the killer.

Richard took advantage of this slight window he was given and lunged towards me; only noticing last second that he was attacking.

I was slashed across the right side of his body, just managing to dodge a lethal blow last second.

He’s fast, not quite as fast as Diablo but faster than I expected. Thought Richard in reaction to my swift dance with death. However, Richard now stood in between me and Amelia.

“This girl seems so important that you’d take your eyes off your fight… Shay? I think I heard her say.” Exclaimed Richard smiling maliciously.

I glared at him and tried lunging forward to attack him however, his body felt stiff and he tumbled to his side.

“What the-“ I Exclaimed in confusion. This wound shouldn’t have been deep enough to cause me to stiffen up like this?! What-happened?!

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-HuA – Hua – Ha - HuaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!!!!!!!!!!!-

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Richard began laughing maniacally in response to Shay’s confused face.

“Here you are gloating about not knowing people’s abilities, yet you don’t even know the lengths of mine!” He screamed breaking out into a demented laughter.

Amelia gasped at his deranged demeanor which shot fear into her like a 150lb crossbow. This gasp caught Richards attention who turned and grabbed her, using her as his hostage.

“Now! What will you do now that you have been caught in my ability? Come! Fall deeper into my quicksand esque ability!”

“The more you try to fight me! The Slower you’ll become! This is my ace in the hole!”