Chapter 1- Vicissitude
Nick always liked his birthday. He wasn’t one of those people who didn’t want anyone to know it was his birthday. He enjoyed company and liked to socialise. But he wasn’t happy with having to go for a B task on the one day he was supposed to feel free. But he didn’t want to say no to Mikey, he had already gone through enough and Nick never liked to make other people worry or to trouble them.
Mikey either didn’t want to send Nick but he had to send him somewhere till he and the rest of the gang prepare for his party. He knew it was a little too childish for a surprise party but nothing was childish for them. He couldn’t find anywhere to send him so Mikey figured to send him for recon near Steadsmaed, for checking up on the area near there. It seemed sus at first for Nick but he agreed that he’ll do it.
Steadsmaed is in peace now. It was for the past two years. The Cavalry still tremors remembering the… trauma that happened there. They thought the bruise would never heal but it did. But it would be wrongdoing if they ever forgot about the lives they lost.
Nick came around to the Square where the memorial was stood and to be honest he was trying hard to hold back his tears. A lot of the people he loved were taken from him, and as much as he tried to hold his sentiments down, he just couldn’t. That’s just the type of guy he was.
He was going to buy a flower from a shop to the right of the memorial when he heard it.
“EVERYBODY GET AWAY FROM TH-.”
And before he could finish his sentence, an explosion from behind the memorial left it in pieces. The memorial that represented the venerated Cavalry, that showed work of those valiant martyrs, who without hesitance offered their lives for this city to prosper was now nothing but rocks and debris.
It took a while for the smoke to clear. Out of all the days when Nick decided to not carry a weapon, this day was absolutely perfect. Out of the smoke a short man only about 5’5 walked out standing on top of a stone tablet carrying the names of the fallen Cavalry, clearly symbolising nothing but disrespect.
“It’s been a while Nicky. Doing good I see.” The voice was not that deep, but deep enough to tell his age isn’t as small as his height.
Nick quickly got up on his feet and recognized the voice, although he didn’t want to.
“There’s no way! You probably just have a voice changer or something. It can’t be.” Nick didn’t want to admit he was worried but he was. If it was who he thinks it was, it’s going to be a mayhem.
“A voice changer? What are you 12 years old?”
“How did you escape, Gold? You were placed in the most secure cell in Xyanium.”
Nick was a smart person. He always was, in school, in sports and practically everything. He was also good at decision making. In his mind he had two options:
1: he could send a signal through his phone to the Cavalry and stall till they come. But it would not work because Gold would make a move before Nick even takes a brisk step.
2: he himself could try do something and save the people at the square and potentially a lot more casualties. He knew it was selfish but if he let Gold escape now he could… no he will cause a lot of annihilation.
“I have my sources. God do you have any idea how horribly they treated us there. Like we were garbage!!”
“That’s because you are GARBAGE!” There was rage growing in Nick. Destroying the memorial itself was angering him, remembering everything else would just distract him from focusing on what he had to do.
“Ouch. rude. But let’s cut to the chase shall we… where did your little ringmaster put the key?” demanded Gold
“Your giddy optimism hasn’t left at all; to think I’d tell you.”
“Neither has your stupidity, tell me where it is Nick… I’m hoping we can do this the civil way.”
“Yea sure man, so what you want to do, is find a huge cliff and jump off.”
“Alright that’s enough” Gold pulled out a pink Magnum which Nick recognised it immediately, as the weapon which holds responsibility for a lot of lives.
“That was kept in the most secure vault in the prison how’d you manage to get it?”
“Dude I just broke outta the most secure prison in the world and you’re asking me about a pistol? Where’s the respect gone in this world?”
“I’m gonna ask you one last time. How did you get out?”
“I am also going to ask you one last time where’s the key? You know how my patience is man. Just tell me and we’ll be cool.”
“You don’t need to do this. Mikey can hel-”
Gold swiftly aimed the pistol at Nick and pulled the trigger without a single moment of hesitation,
The bullet hit Nick right near the heart and his body fell to the ground with a thud… his eyes still open and blood shedding through the hole in his heart.
“I told you… don’t. test. me.” He left out a small sigh as he got on his feet from his old friend’s body.
“Now…… Where to?”
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