Endless Vertex 1 Chapter 0: Rose/ Chapter 1: Atlas

Chapter 0: Rose

"Serpent, are you in position?"

"Yes sir." Leaning against a concrete wall under an air vent, a slender man in white replied, cleaning his fingers with a maroon handkerchief. The blades in the air vent above him spiraled in an unusual way— the endless vertex of a monster's horrific devouring. Several lifeless bodies piled nearby him, blood spurting out from the same slice on their necks. "Permission to deploy D16?"

"Good job. Permission granted. Get ready to go home. Everyone else is waiting."

"Copy." Serpent cherished his words as if they were gold. Colorless dust drifted into the monster's lung, and screams of despair echoed, vanis.h.i.+ng in seconds.

Serpent was gone. The screams were gone. Only the corpses and drying blood proved his existence.

Two deafening screech broke the silence, an "X" dicing open half a meter thick steel. The door collapsed, revealing an empty room with a row of table and chairs with white ashes atop. An a.s.sortment of rifles and ammunition scattered like sea sh.e.l.ls on a beach. A young boy entered the room, Serpent trailing him.

"Drug and child traffickers banded in the same room. Wonder what they're up to?" The young boy muttered, grinding two needles between his fingers. He tapped open the visualizer, scanning through the content.

"So glad we took this job. Good call Serpent." The young boy clapped blithely. "These b.a.s.t.a.r.ds deserve to perish."

Serpent grinned, his pale face displaying a cheery tune. "You say that every time, Atlas. You should visit more often, enhance deterrence. The recruits think that I'm the leader. They barely know that you exist. Very poor job at leading the squad bro."

"I'd love to. But I need time. Time." Atlas shook his head, tearing the needle through a large painting of a sausage. "Art. I don't get art nowadays." The painting shred into pieces and unveiled a safe stocked with cash, gold and jewelry. "Just like in movies."

Atlas swept his hands over the safe. "Let's go." Cracking his knuckles, Atlas secured his grip. With a strident thud, he yanked out the safe with brute strength, and a deep crack split the wall into half.

Atlas ambled away, heaving the tire-large safe on his shoulder as if lifting a light boom box. The bullets on the floor clang with his every step. Serpent stayed behind, Serpent pulled out a matchbox, gently lit up a matchstick by pinching the top and released. The flame flickered weakly, like a star on the verge of dying. They left the factory in broad daylight. And the first speck of the nearest white ash glowed a charcoal hue.

Serpent examined Atlas's shadow behind his back. Chanting an inaudible chorus, sunlight silently swallowed the shadow. Fire. So elegant like a rose. Yet so dangerous, like its thorns.

———————————————————————

My First Novel In English^_^

==============================

Cla.s.s: Aura user

Tier: 1,2,3 Beginner §4,5 Intermediate § 6,7 Specialist § 8,9 Master {10 Zenith*}

Cla.s.s: *

Tier: 1-10

Cla.s.s:

Tier: 1-10

Cla.s.s: *

Tier: 1-10

——————————————————————————————————

Chapter 1: Atlas

It was midnight. An extraordinary midnight.

The stars glittered brightly, lighting up the pitch black sky. Under where the brightest among all the stars cl.u.s.tered the closest together, was a chain of mountains surrounded by a mysterious white foggy veil.

A gigantic statue of a sword perched on top of the highest mountain. Its tip buried into the soil, and a faint figure of a boy could be seen resting on the hilt, humming softly to an invisible rhythm. Concealing his face under his hoodie, he stared deeply into the night sky, as if he could see through it.

The statue below him glimmered, reflecting pale starlight onto the pond which it stands in the middle of. Holy, sacred atmosphere permeate the air, the calm flow of water whispering a lovely tune. An ancient sensation roamed across the untenanted mountain forests, a scene that one can only imagine in a world of fantasy.

In a distance away, a majestic lion bolted towards the direction of the boy at full speed, as if it had found food. Its manes fluttered against the wind. The soft crackles and rustling of leaves echoed lightly in the peaceful night, almost silent.

The boy smirked and rested his eyes. Even the slightest buzz of a fly in a busy morning fish market couldn't escape his ear, let alone a paw step in the middle of the night. He has considered this ability as a G.o.d-given gift. Still, despite acknowledging the potentially menacing threat, he continued to remain silent, stargazing.

Just as the pond entered its sight, the lion started to decelerate, eventually into halt. It remained at its position, before the pond, as if waiting for someone's arrival.

Not long after, a herd of elephants enclosed the pond, arranged in an orderly manner. It felt as if they were organized like a troupe of soldiers, civilized like human-beings. They encircled the pond, as if they were believers wors.h.i.+pping a G.o.d.

Taking off a pair of ocean-blue earphones, the boy got onto his feet. In an exhilarated tone, he exclaimed," I'm back guys!" He leaped onto the pommel of the sword and spun around, glancing between the two species.

However, a bittersweet grin soon hung on the boy's face," Home sweet home." Attempting to sound more cheerful, he cleared his throat." So... How's it going guys?"

The animals remained silent. Well logically, how would anyone expect animals to speak?

"Come on guys! This is really awkward. Could you guys just at least give a response? Don?

"Altas." An unimaginable deep, old voice came out from an elderly looking elephant. Mind blowing eh?Though Don had a weak, but existing condescending temperament that could make even the most ferocious tiger calm like a kitten, he still spoke with much care and respect. "You seem really, down."

Atlas sat back down, scratching his head." Yeah...I, I feel confused. I love what I do, but these days my mind isn't cooperating. It's very off."

"Is it due to the long-term missions?" Don questioned, raising his trunk. Atlas's mentor always sends Atlas to missions all around the world, accepting job hirings from stealing to a.s.sa.s.sination, but of course, not hurting any innocents, just the ones who deserve it.

Moreover, Atlas has just returned from some business he had to attend in Africa. It was some to do with, a.s.sa.s.sination?

Every time Atlas returned, he would gather up everyone in the forest for a farewell. After all, the forest was where he spent the most time at growing up, and they were practically his family.

This time, Don noticed that Atlas had a reluctant mood written lightly on his face. Knowing Altas, he also sensed bemus.e.m.e.nt in him.

Atlas sighed with helplessness, nodding his head. "Yup, that perverted, old man told me that he has accepted another job for me. But this time, a job as a bodyguard. It's gonna be another strenuous job."

He wasn't completely telling the truth. Even though these human like animals were his family, they don't share the same blood. His mentor? He was a human all right. But to him, that pervert is merely a teacher and a way, way older brother. Where are his parents? Who are his parents? His mentor always found ways to change the topic. That man was hiding something for sure. At this point, he was just chasing his tail. Having no results was just too exhausting and frustrating. Sigh.

Closing his eyes, he let out another long sigh. In a blink of a eye, Atlas vanished.

"I was gonna advise singing a song to cheer him up. Guess that's not necessary." Don let out a sigh of relief.

The following day, Atlas walked out of a bijou and tidy wooden hut, lying atop one of the many mountain surrounded by an especially thick, milky and mysterious fog. He yawned and stretched his body, deeply inhaling the weird fog instead of the freshening air carrying the scent of the mountain gra.s.s.

Unexpectedly, Atlas immediately sat on the floor with his legs crossed, exhaling out a humid mist.

After a few seconds, Atlas shook his head as he furrowed his brows, biting his lower lip," So close?" Throwing his hands in the air, he walked back into the wooden hut, returning with the latest Skullcandy earphones, a delicate looking ring on his ring finger and an Iron Man luggage bag. With only such items, he trekked the mountains hastily and silently, heading towards the urban area.

Stopping by a deserted road, a Byzantium-colored Ferrari could be seen, parked by the side. Atlas murmured," How fancy, at least that old man still remembers me."

Recalling the days when his perverted mentor was still training and accompanying him to missions, which he would always flirt with women on the way, somehow succeeding, and buying inappropriate DVD's in different countries, which was explained to Atlas as the best remorial souvenir.

Until when Atlas was 10, he just suddenly disappeared without trace, wanting Atlas to wander the world by himself. He sent him missions often, but only few training materials and pictures of him with food from all over the world after a period of time, sometimes weeks, sometimes months, and from the last time he did, it had been a year and four months.

Atlas shook his head, shaking himself back to reality. He stepped towards the expensive car, noticing the thickness and density of the gla.s.s, which to his calculation, was about thrice the durability of bullet-proof gla.s.s.

Atlas chuckled, examining the outer sh.e.l.l of the Ferrari.

"This is practically a mini-super-tank car!" Atlas exclaimed excitedly,he paused, continuing with a calmer voice, "My favourite." Entering the car, Atlas held firmly on the wheel with one hand, and the other reaching towards an envelope on the pa.s.senger seat. With a snap of his fingers, the envelope tore into two, revealing the car key, some photos of his mentor with foreign food and a slip of paper with a few other items.

As Atlas fired up the engine, he picked up the letter, took a deep breath, then started skimming through the paper.

" Hey Atlas, got my present? There's even more surprises in the trunk. Also, I've gotten you a place to stay too, get to this destination below, and you'll sense the key urself. About the Mission: Don't have much to say, just remember this address and meet the employer by tomorrow. PS. Do the job perfectly and just have fun. PS once more. Sorry for not being there. But don't do any dumb sh*t, I'm still watching you."

The paragraph ended with a badly drawn wacky-face, artistic skills equivalent to a kindergarten, as well as the addresses along with the employers name at the bottom.