How far would you go to NEVER fail again?
This question will push Noche L. Grim to the test as she attempts to join the Cross Military. With their resources she intends to find DeathTech and recover her memories.
However, when she lives on a conti...
Again, the tar black hands flipped through the pages of a book.
"So, chapter ninety-five takes place ten years after the previous chapter," the voice chucked. "The cycle of hate is ironic... If not for the planet lance, then Boxy wouldn't come to power... Hehehe, time to read further."
Twenty-seven years ago, in the year 1747, a pair of twins opened their three eyes to blinding white lights. Heavy chains held their arms and legs together in the dank room.
"Next up, genetically modified twins," an announcer shouted. "They both have a vertical third eye, making them unique for Drive-less beings."
"5,000 credits!"
"7,000 credits!"
"10,000 credits!"
Voices were raised to shouts and screams until the price hit 22,000 credits. A syringe was placed onto both their necks and they passed out. When they awoke both were on a moldy mattress in the middle of a windowless, cement basement. Wooden stairs led to a door – it opened to a dark silhouetted man whose only visible feature was his grinning white teeth.
This was not their first master and they knew what would come in the days ahead. Cigarette burns on the skin, bullwhips to flog their spines, metal spikes to be pushed under the fingernails, red hot irons to brand their genitals, rape, pain, and torture... This man was next in a long, long line to use the twins as toys.
They were shackled to steel cuffs bolted to the wall. Needless to say, they smiled ear to ear when his electrocution attempts didn't produce a whimper from them – their pain tolerance and self-control had increased far beyond what a car battery could do. The man kicked the box to the side, shouting at them to scream; their grins only widened.
He stomped upstairs and slammed the door. The nightmare was over for now. One day, they would have their freedom... One day.
Little did they know, that day was coming soon. After the man went upset, he got in his car and drove to an underground tattoo shop. There he slammed credits on the counter and ordered enough ink to tattoo an entire man from head to toe. The shopkeeper blinked and stared at the madman.
A few, too close to home, shouts later and the shopkeeper went into the back of the store. He didn't have enough ink ready, so he did the next best thing – prismatic energy filled the air and two tubs of red and blue ink were created. He poured the contents into an old container and sealed it tight.
Returning to the front counter, he told the madman he can't use this ink for a few days. It had to settle and using it early could cause excessive pain; the customer hid his smile well. He left after paying a few thousand credits, buying a needle gun, and taking the ink.
Busting down the door to the basement, he set up ten car batteries and shocked the twins until their heads hung low and smoke rose from their shoulders. They hadn't screamed once, but that was ok, he was excited for what they would find when they woke up.
The needle began to vibrate as he began his chicken scratch on the faces and necks of the brothers. Lines went from neck to arm, to chest, to leg, and to foot. It was a sloppy job, but quality wasn't the focus – making them lose the one thing they had left was.
When they woke up, still shackled to the wall, they were no longer identical. The madman's laughter filled the air the moment dread dawned on their expressions. None of them were aware he had just given them their freedom.
The next few days he'd continue to tattoo their bodies, taking pleasure in inking sensitive areas like the hands. Physically, the pain was tolerable compared to the other tortures they suffered. Mentally, every second another bit of their only remaining freedom was taken from them. It wasn't until the last patch of skin was covered up did they realize the gift they were given.
That night, a faint prismatic light shone in the dark – becoming a flame that flickered near the door. Weak and fragile, it was snuffed out quick, but not before the twins noticed. Blue tried again, and rainbow energy became a small flame.
This was not the first time they've experienced Create. They had a previous master that liked to use it for inventive torture. However, he was careful... Their current master was not. The brothers smiled and hatched a plan.
Light flooded the room as the master opened the basement door. He approached Red, bent down, and the madman's smile left his face when he took note of Red's grin spreading from ear to ear. Rainbow energy became a burst of fire in the man's eyes – he screamed and flung his head back.
Blue ripped his right hand out of the cuff, cobalt skin was torn to reveal red muscle underneath. Prismatic energy became telekinesis that stole the key from Master's pocket. Grabbing it and unlocking his shackle, he ran to his brother and did the same.
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Rainbow light formed a pair of knives as the twins lunged towards the man. The sound of a man's screams, and of wet meat being stabbed, was only overpowered by the twins' laughter. Another burst of multicolored energy caused the writhing body to be set aflame. His screams didn't last much longer as the aroma of burnt corpse filled the confined space.
The grinning twins marched up the creaking stairs – they were seconds away from escaping. Seconds away, from the freedom Create had given them. Laughter filled the air as they thanked their newfound powers for releasing them from this hell.
The basement door swung open, they took in their first breath of freedom, and eyes adjusted to the bright light – and the billboard of the Planet Lance Cult promising to destroy Create.
A year later, the Grave brothers exited a tattoo shop where their new skin colors were maintained as they grew older.
"Not a single speck of our original pigment remains," Blue said.
"Nor will it ever," Red said. "Not as long as Create is held in bondage."
Both walked towards the Cross-recruitment center.
"We won't stop until we repay this favor. Right brother?" Blue smiled.
"Right. Create freed us from slavery... So we shall never stop," Red said. "Not until Create is free."
