Darkness(Training)

The sky was falling, turning the colors of a new bruise as the night suffocated the last of the natural sunlight. The city had already been consumed by the glow of incandescent street lights and flickering signs, the fake glow swallowing each building and avenue with its synthetic blast. The stars disappeared from view as eyes adjusted to the surge of ultra violet rays. A cold wind lashed the skin, forcing the hairs to stand on end, knocking the ruffles of a short skirt and tussling long streaks of rainbow colours of a small girls hair. The grass creased beneath the thick white sole of her Converse All Stars, as she stepped up to the side of the bank. It was a fair drop in hill, an abrupt end to the side of a park, one that had been sign posted for well over a year but never demolished. Maybe those heartless councilmen finally found the reason to keep it. Regardless of its danger signs it was one of the best views of the entire city, it was so far away from the raw noise of the traffic that it was a perfect little sanctuary; somewhere to come and compose, play or think.

With the heavy burden of a hard back case it wasn’t easy to scaled the metal fence, as the Nameless one would begin to stalk his prey. Hands pressed against the seemingly soft material of his suit, throwing his leg over the unwelcoming barbed wire he was on the home run. His fletching Darkforce material seemingly caught on the sharp barbs, its elastic weaving into the clutches of the wires as it seemingly moved in a agonizing type rupture. As he hurdled the step and leapt from the top, the material would create a threading, shredding itself but pulled free with the force of the drop. He crouched a moment, the long scratches along his suit would begin to cover quickly now aware of the dangers of what was going on. It was odd – he didn’t even feel it, and he couldn’t even blame it on the usual rush of being chased or falling from large objects. This time… it was just him and his thoughts. Those thoughts of murder as he drew closer to the woman he planned to take life from. He wondered if she knew, if she had the slightest clue that her very essence was about to be snuffed out. That if she would have stayed home she might have lived to see old age. Such thoughts were pushed aside however.

In past experience that was never good.

A huge bulk of a man was busy setting up his drum kit, another fiddling with the volume of his amp, tuning the tough metal strings of his guitar as she passed to set up beside him. Her amp was ready and waiting, all portable powered just as discussed. For a last minute throw together this wasn’t a bad set up. Bear had even managed to rig up a couple of independent lights, not to mention the fairy lights that decorated the chain link fence. Two microphones stood side by side attached to fold back speakers and amps. Nameless smiled inside of his suit as the shadows seemingly grasped the security guard before he could scream tentacle like limbs would wrap around his throat forcing his mouth open as nameless's body would take the form of a strange black gas and stream into the guards mouth.

It was perfect. It had to be. This wasn’t a normal gig. This one required a lot more effort than the usual powerful performance they threw to the world. This one was personal. Nameless could tell as he looked on in his new body.He wiggled the fingers and rotated the neck to get a feel for how the sack of meat he was using moved. The guard ate 1 too many donuts and it would not have killed him to try a sit-up but it would do for now.

The woman lifted the strap over her shoulder, lowering her graffiti and sticker covered bass to sit at the very longest length she could reach. Bear’s strong arms surrounded her for a second, his words falling on deaf ears as he dropped his oversized jacket over her shoulders to disguise the large rip in her dress. The moment was lost as the crackle of radio interference shattered the silence. "Black Hawk to Pappa Bear. We’re in position. Over.” The band took position. She caught sight of movement in the shadows, the quiet murmur of voices in the dark. They were here. She nodded to her drummer, who spoke clearly into the walkie “All systems go. Over.”

The buzz of electricity rose in the air, the lights suddenly dipping in the city lowering to a dim state as knocking out the majority of the bigger buildings overpowering light. It was always helpful to know people in high places, it made vandalism very easy to work with. Becca’s fingers danced across her guitar, voice accompanying her soft melody. Her eyes falling on her newest face for the night. Cyrus. Luck for her he’d agreed to collaborate on a song with her, while Nate was off cavorting somewhere in the now darkened city.

The show had begun, and this was going to be one to remember. That was a guarantee. As the possessed security guard went from check point to checkpoint playing his role perfectly.

As he walked close to the performance area he would gaze at the man at the woman's left knowing he could be a potential problem to his plan. Strangely he began to hear things as if the man was talking to him directly. Though he knew better from the distance. He dug deeper into the mans head. He rarely seemed to sleep any more. No more did Nathan Donovan experience the deep, restful world of dreams; these days he slipped in and out of a light doze, every few minutes seeming to leave him wide awake for more hours. He lay awake, brooding, knowing it would do no good to close his eyes, brooding until sleep took him again at last or dawn's first light roused him permanently.

Some nights not even brooding was enough. Sometimes he found inexplicable bursts of energy rising within him, energy that demanded release. On those nights, like tonight, he rose and walked around the city, stalking, staring into the glorious darkness around him. When the air was still and cold, he almost felt alive.

Now he was outside, walking the streets once more, a freshly open container of raspberries in his hand. They were cool and a little sour in his mouth- just the way he liked them. Nibbling, he made his way through dark byways and close alleys, his jacket, black as the night, waving behind him, hat pulled down over his eyes.

He met a few people on his way; they stood aside and let him pass. A few nights, when he had begun this habit, he had been challenged on his walk. Not any more. Now they pressed against walls, letting the man in black stride silently by. He smiled. Good. They had learned.

He walked without aim or direction, seeking only to work out the restlessness within him and trusting in his own sense of direction to return to the apartment. Some nights he walked quite a long way. Not tonight. He didn't have to go far for the release he sought. A body, pressed against the wall, relaxed and moved towards him, blocking his path. Nathan paused, looking expectantly upwards at the figure. The other man was taller than him by at least a head and shoulders.

The man's lip curled, and his arm shot out and knocked the half-empty container of raspberries away. “What are you doing here? Your kind isn't welcome here.” Nathan stared into space. “You knocked over my raspberries. That wasn't very nice. I like raspberries.”

The other man pushed him, apparently expecting Nathan to step back. Nathan held firm, which seemed to surprise his assailant. “I've heard of you. You're the man in black. The nightwalker. They say you walk the streets at night looking for a fight.” Behind him, three more figures seemed to melt out of the shadows. “You've heard of me?” he replied, voice level. “I'm flattered. Stand aside, and you can tell someone else about me.” The man pushed him again. “You remember Xavier, huh? You beat him up last month. He's my brother. He's still in the hospital.”

“I have a policy to remember nothing of fools,” said Donovan firmly, “Nor do I make it a habit to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man. Stand aside please, because I don't put that many steps between shoving and murder.”The third shove, and this time Nathan was forced to give ground, just slightly. In the dark, he saw the gleam of a smile. “You ain't so tough.” Nathan let his jacket fall to the ground. “So your brother said. Perhaps you can swap stories from a neighboring bed.”

He had pulled all of that from the man's head. It was amazing how he was evolving since reemerging from the depths of the abyss. His powers were growing stronger with each day. Though with each day he felt more of his humanity slipping away. He could remember how he had first got back after the damnation. He was born running, he was half out of his mind with fear, he had no idea who he was or how he even came to be in New York. All he knew is that he needed to escape. eventually he made his way to central park, that's where he finally collapse on a park bench in front of the Alice in wonderland statue and gave into sleep.

Just before he drifted off he kept whispering to himself, "Dream of someplace nice, dream of someplace nice..."

He fell asleep and dreamed of a young man who looked like him, but he was cruel and malevolent, and didn't like what he saw. a fruge state is what you call it i suppose. and the trauma of the riots and being hit on the head caused him to forget his other life and in a way made him reborn. now it was like a bad dream, as if the young man he saw was a evil version of himself that never existed...

When the Morning Came he lye on the bench, his pale skin glowing in the pale blue light of early morning. looking vulnerable, with that huge gash on his head. If anyone walking by saw him they would no doubt want to waken him to make sure he was all right. He was riddled with agony and the power of the DarkForce filled his body. That was such a long time ago. The night had been overcast with clouds, dark and strangely cool. As Nameless walked, the early morning was bringing no light, only further gray skies. He frowned. Such dark days always made him sad. He would have to bring a brighter day to this portion of the city. He entered the park and removed his hands from his pockets. He pressed them together then slowly opened them. With that action,lights within the area would flicker once or twice before they were non existent and there was darkness. Once giving way to the bright warm sun behind them, and with it came the light blue sky to illuminate the world. In it's stead was nothing but Opaqueness a shroud of darkness and it was then he would claim his victim. He felt a shape in the distance: a man on a bench. He frowned again and approached him. Concern crossed his features or was it opportunity as he saw the wound on the man's head. He looked around but saw no one. He bent down and gently shook the man, wanting to wake him up. This was a perfect opportunity to break away. With that he would again body jump inserting himself in the man's gash. His eyes popping open he would begin to make his way from the scene. It would seem he had much more to learn about his new found abilities and he was sure he was going to enjoy every waking moment of it. He had discovered a lot about himself after his emergence. Was it the Darkforce, was it the souls, or his time spent in the abyss. He had so many questions and he needed so many more answers. But where would he start.....