hero and the devil (Skephalo Hero AU)

capítulo 1

3rd Person - POV

"Somewhere in Orlando, a hooded figure sat at the edge of one of the tallest buildings, swinging their feet as they gazed at the sky. The night, adorned with stars, was something beautiful to behold, even more so from one of the highest points in the city. It was a clear night, with few clouds, making it easier to appreciate the magical view that deserved to be admired."

"A sound, like something landing on the building, was heard. The hooded figure turned toward the noise, revealing something that looked like a blue blur. Even so, it was possible to make out a shape resembling a face, which seemed to smile with confidence... and something more. It was as if the blue blur pulsed with its own energy—unstable, yet curiously human—until the blur began to speak."

— Ready to go? — Its voice sounded like a glitch: distorted, strange. The words were understandable, but it was impossible to discern who the voice belonged to.

— Of course. — The hooded figure responded as they rose from the edge of the building. — I’m always ready.

"As soon as their brief exchange ended, the two leaped from the building, heading toward another, and then another, moving in the direction of the city center."

---

Darryl - POV

"I open my eyes and sit up in bed, blinking a few times as I try to make sense of my surroundings and realize I’m in my room. I reach out, fumbling on the table beside my bed until I find my glasses. Once I put them on, I glance at the clock on the shelf and see that it’s 6:20 in the morning."

"I get out of bed and head to the bathroom. After a quick shower, I put on black jeans, a light pink hoodie with long sleeves, and a black beanie. I leave part of my hair out in the front so it doesn’t fully cover my hair, but it still keeps my ears warm in the cold."

"I grab my phone from the charger and leave my room, heading for the front door. I pick up my backpack; I didn’t feel like eating or had the energy for it, so I just slung it over my shoulder and walked out, locking the door behind me before I began to walk."

---

— I had the same dream again, — I say, tapping my foot anxiously as I look at the woman in front of me.

— Which dream? The one with the monster or the one where you’re on a building and someone shows up? — she asks calmly, signing a small form that was probably my authorization to pick up new medication. Or maybe she wasn’t interested in what I was saying and was just catching up on work.

— The one with the building, — I point out, shifting uncomfortably in the armchair.

— You’re still dreaming about that, aren’t you? — Her tone was calm, but her gaze betrayed that she might be more worried than she wanted to admit.

— The monster one hasn’t happened in a while, — I whisper this last part, but she must have heard because she raises her face and finally looks me in the eyes with curiosity.

— You hadn’t told me that. When did the monster dream stop happening?

— I think it’s been about seven weeks.

— Look, nowadays, it’s not uncommon for people to have recurring dreams, but are you sure this isn’t because of your power? — she asks, pointing at me with a blue ballpoint pen.

"That might make sense since people who have recurring dreams usually either have PTSD or some specific ability. That would make sense, except I don’t have PTSD, and I don’t have powers either. And over half the world has powers these days."

— You know I don’t have any powers. You’ve seen my medical file yourself.

— Right. Our time is almost up, but I still have one more question, — she says, setting her clipboard aside and leaning forward. — Have you gone back to school yet?

"And there it was—the dreaded question I didn’t want her to ask. I feel my stomach tighten at the question, trying to mask it, but I can feel her gaze bearing down on me as I remain silent."

"She sighs at my silence before speaking again:"

— I’ll only give you the prescription if you promise to go to school on Monday.

— Do I really have to? — I ask, shrugging and sinking deeper into the armchair, trying to hide from her view even though she’s sitting right in front of me. At the same time, I glance around the room, avoiding her gaze. I notice the freshly painted light-blue wall, the clock hanging near the window, the painting of a mountainous region to the left of the room. I look at everything but my psychologist.

— Darryl, high school is important.

"I didn’t want to go back to that place, but I needed those meds. Was it worth it? I’d have to repeat my first year of high school since I hadn’t attended any second-year classes. But I really needed that prescription."

— Fine, I promise I’ll go on Monday, — I say, standing up from the armchair and raising my hands in surrender.

"She smiles and hands me the prescription as she accompanies me to the building’s exit, bidding me a brief 'goodbye.' Then, I turn and start heading home, already regretting agreeing to this."