The men walked away their frustrated voices fading even as their bodies moved out of sight.
Kyrie remained motionless and in close proximity to the brick wall.
He counted to five before letting out a breath. One of relief and yet uncertainty.
He was safe. At least for now.
How had he done it though?
Moments earlier, before the men entered the alley…
Kyrie's heart was thumping frantically. He was backed against a wall both literally and figuratively.
His hands had turned orange, fire energy swirling on his palm. He decided it was now or never.
His instincts pushing for the incineration of this men but his brain said otherwise.
Negan's advice: Don't use your powers in public when am not there.
And just then it clicked. A different option, untested and actually riskier.
The ability the system had replicated from Montes. One he hadn't unlocked or paid attention to because it didn't seem worth it.
The weight of it's value was evident now.
[ System Archive ]
[ Ability Available: Psychic Invisibility]
[Cost: 1000 EXP]
[Unlock? Y/N]
Kyrie didn't hesitate. YES
[Psychic Invisibility: UNLOCKED]
[Duration: 1 minute (Novice)]
[Note: Telepaths can detect presence. Physical contact breaks effect.]
The notification flickered: [SUCCESS]
It took less than a second when his body shifted, turning translucent, separated from sight.
The men quickly burst into the alley, weapons raised. Ready to respond soon as called for.
They scanned the area carefully.
They looked right at him and yet through him.
Kyrie had held his breath. Sixty seconds were all he had.
The men searched, quite confused, looking all around.
One of them ever passed within inches of Kyrie unable to discern anything.
Fifty seconds.
"Where the fuck did he suddenly go?"
Forty seconds.
"Oi, check behind those crates"
Thirty seconds.
Kyrie's lungs screamed for air but he'd be damned if he was that reckless.
Twenty seconds.
"He's not here, the boss is gonna kill us" One sneered
"The marshals will be here soon, let's go "
Ten seconds.
They started to leave hastily, still arguing but done searching.
Five.
Kyrie waited until their voices faded completely before releasing the ability and his breath.
The stream of exhaustion suddenly came pouring down on Kyrie as he rested his hands on his knees trying to support his own weight.
After a few short breaths, he emerged from the alley with eyes peeled and attentive to everything.
The morning fog was slowly receding but amidst this he saw some clothes on a clothesline at a side alley.
In a blur, the man that was only in shorts was now pulling on oversized worker's clothes.
They were several times larger than his body but he definitely didn't care about fashion right now.
Ding!
A notification appeared.
[Emergency Quest Complete]
[Rewards: +1,500 EXP, +1 Fortitude]
[Mental strength demonstrated under extreme conditions]
[Current EXP:1650]
The notifications continued.
[ Daily Quest Available]
[Daily Quest: Secure Your Survival]
[Objectives:
- Treat all wounds properly (0/1)
- Find a secure location (0/1)
- Acquire clothing and supplies (1/1)
- Acquire a weapon (0/1)]
[Reward: +400 EXP, +1 attribute stat (to be assigned)]
[Time Limit: 24 hours]
Kyrie dispelled the screens. His survival was obvious priority right now.
Walking closer to the road, he was able to leave the vicinity from another direction.
He flagged a traditional carriage, heading to Negan's address.
He recalled them from the journals he had read.
The hooves of the horses clicked after the driver's greetings and they went on their merry way.
Twenty five minutes later, they arrived at Negan's district. Familiar grounds for Kyrie.
Noticing their arrival, Kyrie brought his open palm over his face with a sigh.
Sweeping down slowly as his body became transparent in an instant like he was never there.
The driver turned back as he realized they were actually close to the destination.
"Hey, We're almost– Th-, The driver's eyes widened in shock -- what the ?"
Kyrie had slipped out of the carriage when the driver still focused on the road.
He looked around from a hidden spot but it was locked. No sign of Negan or his steam car..
Off to work already? Negan thought.
He realized he was alone.
Kyrie stood there for a moment, the feeling of isolation hitting him pretty hard.
He was still staring at the locked door when it dawned on him that he had to leave.
It was actually unwise to be here or even the casino.
If those men were still coming for him. This was the most obvious place to look and the casino would be stalk too.
He wouldn't want to endahger anybody..
He definitely couldn't stay.
He immediately mixed with the expanding crowd of workrers..
He was thinking on his next move when he recalled one of Negan's safe houses.
His intelligence stats been high was definitely a blessing right now.
He remembered the addresses and areas marked with ticks in the journals.
From what he could remember, the safehouse seemed to be across the industrial district.
He sighed.
Boarding another carriage. He worked his way around his lack of money by applying the psychic invisibility trick again.
But while Kyrie made his way across the city.
Vivienne sat in a windowless room.
Rudolf Stanks sat with arms folded. Silent as ever.
Across from him was Vivienne Thawne,who remained composed, legs crossed.
At the head of the ebony wooden table was a man with a thick beard, well- gel black hair, a stern face and eyes that seemed odd. His eyes were moving erratically, filled with paranoia.
He was Gilead "Saul" Thawne
"Why do you wound me so Vi my love"
Gilead said even as his fist slammed hard against the table.
"You are my wife. My wife "
Vivienne watched and remained speechless with an expression that she seemed to have honed control of for years.
"You bitch!" He ranted, voice laced in anger.
Suddenly his fierce expression switched into another that was more childlike.
I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to call you that. I'm sorry, Vi, I just—"
He ran his hands on his beard now upright and pacing from side to side.
"Why do you hurt me like this, Mama?" He said again with a solemn voice.
All the while, Rudolf merely stayed silent as he watched Gilead.
"Well, the boy seems to be related to Negan. " Rudolf suddenly cut in.
The pacing Gilead stopped for a second
" Negan "
Rudolf nodded in affirmation.
" Might be his son "
Gilead continued pacing as his face hardened.
" I—- I don't care if he is the son of the devil. He has crossed the line. "
Vivienne suddenly leaned forward, her tone soft but intentional.
"If you go after him, Negan will come after you. And if Negan comes,so does Leonel Are you ready for that war, darling? Over an affair?"
She knew all the buttons to press with Giilead.
Gilead stared at her. First a look of submission and then resolve.
" He came for my wife, that cannot be overlooked "
Vivienne lips curled up as she heard the statement, her eyes turning dreamy almost like she was recalling the night they had.
"He only came in me darling." her tone teasing.
Gilead's face turned red. For a moment, Rudolf could have sworn he would hit her.
But then Gilead sat down, his eyes still incoherent .
"A war with Negan..." He muttered to himself. "With Leonel... No. No, that's bad for business… waste of resources."
Vivienne smiled faintly, her words getting to him.
It wasn't long before Gilead's expression changed again, his eyes now burning bright.
"But what will they think of me? That I "Saul" couldn't handle some kid? That I let some idiot fuck my wife and get away with it?"
Rudolf looked at the boss noticing his resolve before speaking
"We can find him. Know what he is up to and when to strike "
Gilead nodded slowly at this words , his eyes much calmer now.
"Yes. Yes. Find him." He looked at Rudolf.
"Send men to everything related to Negan. If the boy goes looking for his father, I want to know."
Rudolf simply nodded
" I will get on it immediately." he walked out.
Vivienne sighed.
----
Kyrie arrived at the safe house which was an old and seemingly broken building tucked between factories in the east industrial district.
The kind of building that didn't draw nor held attention to itself.
Kyrie, with watchful eyes entered the building from the back. He found it unlocked. Inside the building was large and yet sparse, there was only a bed, table, couch and some basic supplies in crates.
He sat down on the table making sure to look around before finally letting himself feel the pain on his body.
His feet were in bad shape— bruised and bleeding. He looked around and found some first aid under the sink.
He took some time to clean and bandage the wounds. It was easy due to prior knowledge from his previous life.
[Daily Quest Progress: Treat all wounds properly (1/1)]
[Daily Quest Progress: Find a secure location (1/1)]
[Daily Quest Progress: Acquire proper clothing and supplies (1/1)]
He knew if he needed to rest. His body needed it after the intensity of the last few hours.
Kyrie sighed while he created a mental timer for three hours. He fell on the bed, his eyes closing just barely able to sleep.
Time flew past and when he woke. The pains seemed to have melted away.
The system had assisted in minor recovery of his body's stamina and capacity.
Kyrie sat up, flexing his shoulders. He felt better. It wasn't perfect but more than his pitiful state earlier.
His mind soon drifted to Vivienne. He didn't know if she was safe? What those men would do to her?
He clenched his fists. He hated the fact he didn't know much. He needed information and definitely Negan.
He didn't want to admit it but right now.
He needed Negan more than he wished.
----
While Kyrie planned his next set of actions at the safe house. Negan was close to Strevus's borders, his steam card idling on the road side.
Negan leaned against it, a smile on his face while opposite a woman seated on a nearby bench.
"You're sure about this?" the woman asked, her voice smooth.
"I'm sure," Negan replied.
She tilted her head with a sigh.
"And you think he can handle me?"
Negan smirked faintly. "He'll handle it."
The woman stood, arranging her coat, her hard nipples had been peeking from her top.
"This better not come back on me, Negan."
"It won't." He replied.
She paused, studying him. "Why now of all times?"
Negan's expression hardened.
"Because he is my boy."
Author's Plea>>>>Power stones x Votes go along way.
Thank you