Infamous Shifter's Genesis

Chapter 16

As Damian navigated the worn streets of the Historic District, his attention was drawn to the ever-watchful gaze of surveillance cameras. The power would be cut either tomorrow or the next day but until then this district would be under the watchful gaze of the Frist Sons. The intrusive presence of these electronic eyes on every corner irritated him, prompting a decision to take a less traveled path through a back alley to avoid their prying lenses.

The narrow alleyway, however, proved to be far from the sanctuary he sought. As Damian walked deeper into the dim passage, he became aware of a pair of menacing figures emerging from the corner. Two thugs approached him with an air of aggression.

The first thug, a burly individual with a shaved head and tattoos crawling up his neck, took a step forward, blocking Damian's path. His gruff voice carried a threatening tone. "Hey, look what we got here. A stranger in our territory. You lost, kid?"

The second thug, slightly taller and more wiry, leaned against the alley's graffiti-covered wall. A crooked grin adorned his face as he spoke with a cocky demeanor. "You think you can just stroll through without paying the toll? Ain't that right, Big Mike?"

Big Mike, the burly thug, crossed his arms over his chest and eyed Damian up and down. "Yeah, you got that right, Jake. Strangers gotta pay to pass."

Damian, unfazed by their attempt at intimidation, assessed the situation. He raised an eyebrow, responding with a calm yet assertive tone. "Big Mike, really? Pay to pass? In case you haven't noticed, this city's already seen better days. I don't have time for this nonsense."

Jake chuckled, his crooked grin widening. "No time, huh? Well, you'll just have to make time, one way or another. How about we break your legs and then you'll have enough time."

The tension in the alley escalated as Jake and Big Mike closed in on Damian, blocking any potential escape routes. The dim eerie shadows of the graffiti-covered walls created a backdrop for the impending confrontation.

Damian, calculating his next move, remained composed. He spoke with measured confidence, "You really want to do this? There are bigger problems in this city than petty extortion. Trust me walk away while you still can."

Big Mike, unimpressed, cracked his knuckles. "Bigger problems? Like what? We run these streets, and anyone who wants to pass through pays the toll. No exceptions. You got the balls to threaten us, we'll do more than break your legs. Let's get him, Jake!"

Jake and Big Mike, undeterred by Damian's warning, launched into their attack. Jake threw a powerful punch aimed at Damian's face, but to their surprise, Damian effortlessly caught the incoming fist with his hand. The thug winced in pain as Damian tightened his grip, causing Jake to howl.

Without wasting a moment, Damian's fingers began to shift and transform into razor-sharp talons, resembling deadly claws. The process was swift, and the alley echoed with the gruesome sound of bones breaking and flesh reshaping. In the blink of an eye, Damian's hand transformed into a lethal weapon.

Jake's eyes widened with terror as Damian, now armed with deadly talons, swiftly sliced through the air. The movement was so rapid and precise that Jake's head cleanly separated from his body, tumbling to the ground. The lifeless body crumpled after, a horrified expression frozen on Jake's face.

Big Mike, paralyzed by shock, watched in disbelief as Damian turned his attention towards him. In a moment of brutal efficiency, Damian decapitated Big Mike before he could comprehend the fate that awaited him. The alley fell silent, the only sound being the echoes of Big Mike's head as it dropped.

Damian, with blood-stained talons, glanced at the lifeless bodies at his feet. Without dwelling on the violence, he swiftly moved to the next phase. Consuming the bodies allowed him to absorb the mass, adding to his strength and vitality.

As he transformed back he took on Jake's appearance. Now Damian confidently strolled through the Historic District. The thugs' memories merged seamlessly with his own, granting him the knowledge of their turf and the city allowing him to navigate the city undetected. The twisted alleyways and dilapidated buildings became his camouflage as he skillfully avoided the surveillance cameras.

Damian, now wearing Jake's face, approached the outskirts of the blast crater without drawing any attention. The distant wails of sirens and sporadic gunfire still echoed through the streets. As he neared closer to the blast epicenter, the air became charged with an eerie energy. The remnants of the Ray Sphere's explosion were evident in the charred twisted rubble and the strange anomalies such as rock moving untouched. It seemed RFE or Ray Field Energy was quite unstable and could shift to kinetic energy randomly.

Just as Damian prepared to conduct a thorough search, a drone buzzed overhead. Instinctively, he sought refuge in the shadows, patiently waiting for the intrusive eye to pass. Once the coast was clear, he resumed his quest for the Blast Cores. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting an eerie glow over the desolate landscape. Hours passed as Damian scoured the area, avoiding both surveillance and the remnants of the city's chaotic aftermath.

His hypothesis that the First Sons, led by Kessler, had already scoured the area and claimed the Blast Cores seemed increasingly likely. However, a faint blue glow caught Damian's attention. Investigating further, he discovered two sizable rock shards emanating a subtle bluish-purple hue. The overlooked remnants of the Ray Sphere's explosion lay before him, potential sources of the coveted Ray Field Energy.

Wasting no time, Damian opened a cavity in his chest, a grotesque yet necessary action. Placing the Blast Cores inside, he secured the volatile remnants of the Ray Sphere. The process was unsettling, the cold touch of inorganic matter within his chest cavity a testament to the danger his quest for power involved.

With the Blast Cores safely stored within him, Damian continued to survey the area. However, despite his meticulous search, no other significant discoveries presented themselves. The remnants of the Historic District held no further secrets, and the drones overhead remained vigilant.

Accepting the limitations of his current location, Damian made the strategic decision to leave the Historic District. The return journey would be challenging, but the stolen identity of Jake afforded him some anonymity, however, caution still remained his ally.

As he ventured back through the dilapidated streets, the memories of Jake guided him to the safer routes. The city, now cloaked in the shadows of twilight, was easier to maneuver. The journey back to the Neon District was easy but he wasted much time to avoid being seen and when he returned it was quite late in the night.