1.9

"Right then, shall we see who is our lucky winner?" Galvinor paced around the room slowly. Aiming the gun at all of the people involved. He closed his eyes and stopped at a random point. Aimed and fired. A small nerf gun bullet popped out and hit a civilian in the back on the head. It dropped to the floor without a sound and Galvinor threw the gun away. "Don't worry Major. No one will die here. Hey, untie him will you."

The men who had previously kidnapped Major were now untying him. They pulled the knife from under his foot and the wound started to heal at a rapid pace. "So, Major. Are you ready to listen?"

Galvinor sat down on a massive wooden chair. It creaked as his weight descended into it. It could've been hundreds of years old and really well made, as if it were fit for a king. Galvinor cupped his hands together and rested on his knees as he sat, looking up at Major, waiting for his response.

"You do all this and now you want to talk. Are you joking?" Major wasn't moving an inch, constantly looking over his shoulders. The civilians were all leaving now, getting handed money as they left through the door. "What on earth is going on?"

"Just a light prank brother. I'm trying to improve practical jokes." Galvinor held his hands out welcomingly, brimming with a huge smile on his face. His tall figure was still menacing to Major though, considering their past.

"If that's your idea of a prank, it's no surprise that you're not used to social interaction. You weren't exactly a nice guy before." Major stood firm in his approach. He'd learned never to trust Galvinor again. It nearly cost him a dear friend last time.

"The insult is deserved. On a general note, I want to thank you Major, for doing what you did." Galvinor stood back up and faced Major head on.

"What did I do? Enlighten me." Major started up at his face, not breaking an inch.

"You reset our reality. You're actions gave me a chance. A chance at a better life. For the first time in years, I've felt thankful for someone else." Galvinor started pacing the room. "This became a world I could live in, be accepted in. I may look different to others, but I still feel more alive here than I ever did in my past. So thank you."

"You're words won't make me trust you. You killed two people, Nox and I both watched them go up in flames." Majors eyes tracked the pacing Galvinor, making sure not to let him have an inch ahead.

"They aren't dead. Just teleported." Galvinor held his hand up and a flaming wormhole starting circling in his palm. "Of course, I couldn't tell them that it wouldn't kill them, they wouldn't talk if not."

"But why? Why go to these lengths just to thank me?"

"Because given out past, I knew you wouldn't come quietly. Nor do I blame you for thinking that way either. You have every right to. In this world, I experienced regret for the first time. A feeling I don't enjoy. Regret for my past mistakes. Regret for what I didn't do." Galvinor stopped and looked at the floor.

"And what would that be?"

"Fight back. Even if it would've killed me. I chose not to fight back."

"Explain."

"I need your help Major. I'm asking for your help. An alliance. Please help me fight back."

"What part of your brain thought I might say yes. I don't owe you anything. Give me one good reason why I need to help you with anything. I have a good life here now. The last thing I need is to have you back in it. I thought I was rid of you from before."

"You won't have a good life here. Not if you don't help me. As crazy as it may be, you're now the only person I know I can count on. I know of your passion and strength. Of the fire in your heart and I know that's fading from you. I need that fire right now."

"Explain. I'm listening."

"The truth is, I was never the leader of the Underdogs gang. Just the figurehead. I shared the name Satan with two others. It's my family name, a common family name in the Devil's plain. I was a lapdog in the grand scheme. Felt like I couldn't breathe unless I was told to do so. I pulled no strings.

When I was reborn here, I thought I was rid of my restrictions, could be the freeman I always wanted to be. I wasn't that lucky. Because he returned."

"Who did."

"The leader of the Underdogs. My older brother. Solomon Satan.

He's the scariest being I've ever layed eyes on. Perfectly calm in one breath, but terrifying at the same time. A huge build and monster strength. His presence alone scares the life out of me.

When I first saw him again in this world, I challenged him to a duel, thinking I had the upper hand. He nearly killed me. Neither of us knew how to use tricks, or AEnigma. Just raw strength and he broke me within ten seconds. Within twenty I was pleading for his mercy.

He's the last man you want to deal with. I can't beat him alone. I need allies, people who can help me defeat this man. I need your help Major."

"How do I know this isn't a bluff for me to let my guard down." Major still didn't break.

"You can't know that. I can only show you. My life was restored back to its fullest by my doctor." A young woman with long silver hair and a really annoyed and disgusted look on her face walked into the room. "This is my saviour, her name is Steel. She now works for me."

The woman walked up to Major and grabbed him by the collar. "If you even think about hurting Galvinor then I'll perform brain surgery on you when you sleep, butter and breadcrumb your brain and deep fry it and feed it to the pigeons. You hear me?"

Major grabbed her arm and broke her wrist with brute force. He yanked her down and kneed her in the chin, dislocating it, causing her to flop back on the floor. "Touch me again and I'll break you. You're a doctor aren't you. You may aswell get on with healing yourself."

Galvinor turned back to Major in shock. "This is the reason I need your help. This part of you is one I don't think Solomon can handle. I believe you have more potential than he does. I've lived for over four thousand years now. Four thousand long and brutal years of suffering. I'm yet to see someone with as much potential as you. Please Major, help me. Protect your friends."

Major glanced at the floor. He was unsure about the request, it was a hard one to decipher. If he's lying, Major's was putting his friends on the line, and himself. If Galvinor is telling the truth though, his friends are still at risk of harm. Major knew he only had one option. "Fine, I'll trust you for now. At least no one else is at risk that way. Just know, we're equally powered in this world now. One wrong move and you're a goner."

"Thank you, I'm glad you've put your trust in me for now. On a different note, we'll need to discuss our tactics and how to go-about the situation." Galvinor helped Steel up, who had healed her wounds by this point. He signalled the men who captured Major to get the car running. "We'll take the car. I'll need to speak to your allies. This isn't a conversation for just the two of us." Galvinor held his hand to the door for Major to exit.

Major got in the car with them all. It was a strange feeling, being face to face with Galvinor. Steel was flashing dirty looks over to him whenever she got the chance. "So Major, the directions please. None of us know where you live."

Major gave the address and they were off to their house. Not a long car journey later, the entire crew got out in the dead of night. Major knocked on the door and Nox let him in. "I've got someone here who wants a word."

As Galvinor entered the room, a deep silence fell and Nox drew his blade at Galvinor's neck, looking deep into his eyes. Major gently prised the sword away again. "Hear him out. He has information we need to hear."

Everyone created a circle of chairs and sofas and Galvinor spoke his piece, the very same he said to Major. Silence echoed around the room as he finished. No one really knew what to say. Or what to do. All brains were thinking hard of the proposition. None of them knew of Solomon Satan, some weren't even sure he was real.

Aureli especially had a hard time coming to terms that they would need to team up with Galvinor. He was the very same person that left a permanent mark on her face, her entire body. She remembered the feeling she had that day. When it happened. The pain, the suffering, the sadness. She remembered back to seeing Major's face, the shock of his expression and the tears rolling down his eyes. The man who caused all of that was sitting in front of her, asking for her help. "No way. It's not going to happen. Not from me." She got up from her chair and left the house.

It was dark out. She strolled under the street lights, desperate for air, which helped with the unease in her stomach. She was backtracking in her thoughts, trying to find an easier solution to all this. Though they were hard, she couldn't deny the truths of the matter. If Solomon was real, they'd need Galvinor on their side. This is a new world now and they aren't all as powerful as they used to be.

It started raining heavily and Aureli couldn't help but stand still, letting the droplets run down her scarred face. Those droplets were accompanied by tears as she looked down at a puddle, trying her hardest to accept her appearance. Someone who was once a young beauty, now felt hideous in her own skin. She tried to wipe away the scar, pretend it wasn't there. To no avail as her fingeres rubbed the ridged surfaced of her face.

The rain stopped pouring on her now, but carried on pouring around her. She heard the pitter patter of raindrops falling above her. Turning around, she saw Major, holding an umbrella and smiling at her. The warmth of his smile, caused her to weep even more. She put her head in her hands, weeping on the pavement of an empty street, under the light of a street lamp.

"You're hurting, aren't you?" Major walked a step closer. "You've kept a lot inside recently.. Since the incident." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "No one blames you for anything, let everything out. You deserve it."

Aureli lifted her head up to him, streaming with tears. "Why... Why did it have to be me?" She tried her hardest to wipe away an endless stream of tears. "Why did I get hit that day. Why did I have to be the one who's appearance was ruined. Why did I have to be scarred for life. What did I do wrong. Why was I made so hideous." She broke down once again.

"You're not hideous. Not even nearly. That scar only makes your eyes stand out more. You're beautiful, no matter how you look. All of us love you for who you are, we don't want anyone else." Major pulled her in and hugged her tightly. "You have that scar because you were always meant to. It's part of you now, it's the most special part of your appearance, wear it proudly."

"But why, I was born different. I wanted to stay that way. I was fine with staying that way. Why did I have to change?"

"We're all born the same, a blank slate. What we do with our lives is up to us. If you want to be great, then just do it. Life moves on. No one is the same as when they were born, I'm not, your not. Our past shapes us as a person. Our present shapes our future. You are who you are now. And that's fine. You can't change who you are, you can't get worse or better than who you are. You don't need to change."

Aureli cried into his jacket, his words touched her heart. She felt wanted, felt needed. She felt accepted. These were feelings she had almost forgot and hadn't thought of. Major stroker her head, still holding the Umbrella over them. "Major. What do I do next. I've forgotten my old self. What would I have done?"

"You would've followed your heart."

Aureli's scar started to glow, a red colour. She stared up at the sky and felt her soul leave her body.