The Last Legacy

Chapter 4: Who Are You?

Here's the thing: The Citadel works in many cryptic ways. You think you know what they are up against, what they are all about, where they are coming from; but you really don't. The Citadel enlisted the Elder Gods, ancient Morlocks with the power of immortality. Some of them involved winners from previous tournament years. They had a power beyond comprehension. Of course, The Citadel wanted the best of the best.
And they had it, right in the palm of their hands.
Take for example; Elijah, with a mysterious capacity that does not take fond of anyone. He is the most powerful telepath in the world. He won the fifth tournament of power and has lived for many years. No one has been able to step toe to toe with him; except the King, of course. The battlefield was prepped beforehand, and everyone was ready to battle it out for the grandest prize of them all.
And Elijah just snapped.
In two single seconds, he had cracked the skull of every contestant in the tournament. We knew he had a power not to be reckoned with. The power of immortality is a relic that overcomes beyond everything. Not only does it grant you what all of us desire, the sole purpose of living the rest of our lives without aging one bit and without death taking a toll on us. The black box; It changes you...and develops you into something much greater.
Far greater than human evolution itself.
Look at Luna as well; a woman with the competence of a warrior. With unlimited endurance and invulnerability, Luna was not someone you wanted to fuck with. Luna won the 32th tournament of Power, taking her place in the Citadel. Her super strength and superb agility saw that even the grandest of compelling abilities could not stand above the woman that only had her bare hands to carry her over the match. It was quite impressive.
I had been studying every match across the years, learning every strategy that I can use to my advantage. I know the opponents I will be facing in the battlefield, though their powers can sometimes be incomprehensible. Everyone hides something from everybody, even if it is for the tiniest little bit.
Secrecy is our key to success, after all. We need a backup that could help us find our way to victory at the end. None us want to be defeated.
Unluckily, there can only be losers and only one winner. And that's when we know everything has gone rogue. There is no empathy to feel anymore.
There is only survival and instinct.
Sometimes, I do wish things could've played differently. But Red Devil made it clear when they implanted those deadly genes on our cell's decades ago. We couldn't complain, how could we? We were just lost children when they were succumbed into us with no warning. We had to train day and night to keep our safety primarily. Some of us had a hard time suppressing our abilities, and others were natural. We fought until dawn to be the ones to maintain the Citadel up and running.
Because that's all the Citadel ever wanted. Morlocks who were willingly warriors able to do what has to be done. And if you were an individual living among these bushes and brambles with no idea where your place was; you were nothing for the Citadel.
Just a puppet holding the space of someone else that could be worthy for your place. Sacrifices had to be made in order to ensure our survival. After all, we lived in the other side of the human world. We were the underground part of human evolution.
Niflheim.
A realm where cold prevails. After the war between the Morlocks and humans, Niflheim was found in the depths of the city. We call it Red Devil because red means freedom and devil...well, it's pretty self-explanatory really.
Hunger kept growing day by day and supplies were limited. We foresaw this coming from a mile away but none of us wanted to properly accept it. King Icarus had to make a stand about it and ordered the new rule; every new Morlock that is born must withstand under the preparations of the Citadel and be implanted self-destructing genes that will take action on their 21st birthday. The tournament is to determine which Morlock to keep and which to dispose of. There are no favorites in this tournament and it's kill or be killed.
And so, the rest is history.
Luna and Elijah had no remorse over the war that was displaced upon them. They really were the right warriors.

And that's why we are all here tonight. To find out how far we can go above everything. Tanya had earned her place by conquering her own demons. She had to undergo approximately over hundreds of psychological therapies in order to keep her personalities in check. It was quite impressive.
Ryder had to be observed and kept in check most of the time. His DNA was all over the place and his shapeshifting was chaotic. They inspected and examined his genes for years until they could find the right procedure to keep his DNA in check. 
And Damon...well, who the hell knows at this point how he got his way in.
"Thank you for coming to pay me your respects." The King stood up from his throne as we all had to curtsey for him. The tournament was due in a month so, preparations were ongoing, and we were all gearing up for what was to come next. "I called upon you Morlocks today because I have an announcement to make." He adds, as he brushed the feathers off his brim. Being King meant having the most loyalty-driven accoutrements. We all stood once again and waited for the news. Somehow something feels wrong.
The King wouldn't just call us out here to deliver some casual news.
"You called us out here because you finally discovered this whole thing is pointless and you are willingly going to hand in the black box to me, huh?" Jax conveys, a pose so firmly and with certainty. Jax was so fool of himself. He knew that his words wouldn't mean shit to the King and he knew too damn well that he couldn't touch him— yet.
You see? Jax was part of a royal family like my father. A royal family that led the Citadel a decade ago. The Cohen family were ferocious and did what they had to do to keep Red Devil up and standing. King Maddox drove the last of the Morlocks to battle and watched the blood spill across his eyes. He didn't do anything to protect them— any of us for that matter. His blood-driven agenda was revenge and justice for his son, Jax, that was taken from the Citadel by the governor of the humans; Sonya Zade. The woman who was responsible for the many of the wars that were unfolding upon our paths. We battled with her for years. She's killed so many of us.
So many.
She had taken baby Jax Cohen from the Citadel and the King was filled with rage. He got so much out of Jax. He was strapped from his own persona. The truth is Sonya has shattered our lives since the moment she took a stand in the human world.
Niflheim hasn't been the same ever since. We are broken.
Lost.
But justice will come.
Justice for all the Morlocks and all the people we've lost along the years.
Our creed eventually will lead to the execution of her. I will personally make sure of that when I win the tournament.
"Perhaps I should remind you, Jax, that the Cohen family is diseased." He declares, as he passes around the room until meeting our gaze upon the crowd. "And quite frankly, no one is here to protect you anymore." My father reaches behind him, his fondles so close to his ear plug.
Should've kept your mouth shut, Jax.
My father mocks back at him as he directions himself back upon the throne and fixes his gaze on the crowd beneath him. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted" he starts as he stares firmly on us. "We need to make some changes on the lineup."
"What—" Jax protests.
"I was not finished and if you interrupt me once again, Mr. Cohen, I will personally have your head upon my scythe and your blood spilling across my skulls." he conveys as he signals the skulls dancing around the room.
Changes? I was not informed of this, not even by Shujinko.
"I'm not taking anyone out, so you can all take your head out of your ass." The King paces around the room and then sits back on the throne once again. "I'm instead adding someone into the mix."
You got to be fucking shitting me.
Adding someone into the tournament when we are about a month away from it taking place.
It took everyone years to fully flesh out our skills and learn methods for this event. Adding someone now is just taking away those years of training and having to review someone else.
"Excuse me?" Tanya exclaims as she wanders around the room in fury. Her eyes start to dripple, realizing how much things could change. "Tanya does not want any trouble..." her appearance seemingly modificates and the aura is no longer the same. I know when Tanya is not her and not because of her drastic attitude changes.
I can literally see the aura that surrounds her. I can see all the auras surrounding everyone around me. I can feel their sentiments and their deepest fears. I know what they hide under the shadows and I lurk for that.
They just don't know that.
"Shut up, Shelley. No one wants to hear your god-fucking mouth japing" Tanya's other persona rises up, causing a warzone in the room.
Tanya's aura is blazing up and constantly adjusting. It's honestly profound how she can manage to change in between personalities back and forth.
"Tanya does not like trouble.... Shelley fears trouble...." The other personality responds. Tanya's eyes lighten up. "Go and fuck yourself in the face, Shelley." The other side of her exclaims.
"Okay, that's enough" Ryder intercepts and pushes himself to Tanya. He caresses her arm as if trying to keep what's part of her in check. But that's thing about abilities and capacities; we shouldn't keep them in. We shouldn't fight them. We shouldn't let them control us; rather let them be set free.
If there is one thing I've learned through my journey and my training days is that powers don't make you.
You make the power.
"Well, you know what they say about the crazy ones, huh?" Damon smirks and playfully smacks me against the shoulder.
"As I was saying..." King Icarus coughs and lets himself back into the dialogue. "I'm here to present your newest opponent. And unlike past opponents, you will need to fully study this one to comprehend what you are really dealing with."
The crowd projects a distorted look. What we don't know how to control or defeat; we tend to fear. And what we fear we seek to destroy; no matter the circumstances.
Honestly, this has sparked my interest. I've seen first hand what all this people can do. I've been closely studying them and knowing their every move.
Just like I study my victims.
A new challenger could potentially change the meta.
But then I see her across the room of the throne.
Her crimson blossoming strands apparent on the back of the avenue. God, no.
"Morlocks, I'm sure you're familiar with Ms. Galant." My father remarks as she steps upward and fixes her gaze upon us.
Amaya.
"Father, but—" I neglect but then shut my mouth as fast as the words come out. I can't dare to question him because it is what it is.
But it's impossible. Amaya has walked across our planet for years. Her youth might be kept in check but she's not fooling anyone. The Thee creatures have known to be walking this earth for centuries because of their long-age gaps.
However, they are not immortal.
But this does not make any sense. Amaya can't be over 21 and she couldn't be implanted with the destructing cells unless—
"Amaya is still adjusting to things in the Citadel, but Red Devil makes no exceptions for anyone. And her fate must be met by the end of the tournament after all."
Jericho coughs and then exchanges laughter with Jax on his right. "The dead-coming back to life chick? Really?"
Assholes.
Amaya would kick their asses and split them into two if she could. She would wipe everyone out. She might be considered only for medical purpose because of her passive abilities but Amaya is a warrior on her own right. She's picked up quite a few tricks along her way. She knows her way around the computers and has gained the competence of a hacker. I've seen her hack her ways into places. And she's extraordinary with her lasso. A weapon the Thee have been mastering for many years. She— wait.
If Amaya is competing in this...it means I'm against her.
It means...one of us has to emerge victorious. And one of us must die.
I hear a voice echoing from the back of the avenue, but his accent makes it pretty clear who he is. "Ha! Blimey! Look at that." he squishes across Jax and the others to gaze upon Amaya who stands with such nervousness on the side of the room.
Oh fuck, Damon. What are you doing? "Sup, I'm Damon." He asserts to lighten up the mood. Amaya gazes upon him but switches her stare against the community before her.
She's not ready for this. This is way too soon.
I need to speak up. Say something.
"Father, I—" my voice trembles and instantly shuts down. I see my father turn his sockets on me and waits for my argument. I take a deep breath and look back at him. "Nothing." I mumble.
Fuck me.
There's nothing I can say that would actually make him change his mind after all. "I know what you are all thinking." The King walks around the room marking his every move against the crowd. I haven't been face to face with my father for months. I've been so busy in my own training and thriving for the win that everything around me has become unknowns. I hardly get to come out here and form a conversation with my father like we used to back in the days. But hard times will come, he always used to say. And even with Jonas and Mother gone, I still had him.
And he was all I had left.
"Amaya is 327 years old." He discloses as he calls her out to us. "The Thee is known for not aging like regular people. And Amaya spent seven years in Hel where time does not exist."
That's right. Amaya was due for the tournament before she disappeared. I remember that. I always used to think that she got self-destructed by some outside force. But it was much worse than that.
She decided to travel to the gates of Hel in an attempt to save what was already lost. Nothing could bring any souls back...no matter how hard you begged.
"She will begin her training exercises tomorrow with all of you. "my father declares as he redirects himself back to his throne chair. "Get some rest. Tomorrow is a special day for all of you. You will all learn about it in the morning."
Amaya asserts with her head and leaves immediately. She's scared and she's not prepared for anything that is to come. This is unacceptable.
The rest of the cast leave the room. Damon gifts me a smile on his way to the door. A smile so rich that I can almost taste the warm of invite. "Except you, Ari. Stay." My father stops me on my way to the doorway. I look back at him and nod.