Prologue (2)

Vergil glanced at the scene of broken bone mending to one whole. Silent painful moans filled the room.

"That's a bizarre ability" Vergil commented "it heals yet causes pain upon those it is used"

"Uh no, it's an ability to change a structure of an object or similar" The man's attention was wholly on repairing the damage the girl suffered.

"Mind if I ask its name," Vergil asked probing, hoping that the man to divulge some of his secrets while distracted and it worked.

"Overhaul" He replied without batting an eye towards him.

The man delicately applied his powers to the pale woman who moaned in rasped in pain. It continued for some time. Vergil and Nora waited for him to finish.

"That's enough" the man sighed " for now"

The woman fell asleep exhausted.

The man glanced at Vergil and Nora " Hi, sorry for the late introduction, I'm Mark and she is Katarina" He said pointing at the sleeping woman.

"My name is Vergil and this is Nora," Vergil said eying the tall lithe woman who stood beside him while giving him an awkward look.

The conversation continued, exchanging their experiences with each other, Vergil gave a rudimentary explanation, without mentioning the encounter with the Shadow.

The two before them were college students, who hid here all this time. Mark explained in detail how the people panicked with the arrival of those huge monsters, and how their panic led to the deaths of people due to the havoc, Katarina being one of the victims.

"She would have died too," Mark said shuddering " lucky after I chanced killed those... Undead I got an ability"

Apparently, Mark had gotten his ability after killing some newborn undead. It made him suspicious.

Vergil had to kill a horrendous monster that he could never have killed without the hand of the godlike being.

'Hollow Jester' he smiled ruefully. Maybe it was making it difficult for him and gaining an ability shouldn't have been so tough.

"Hey!" Mark pulled him out of his thoughts," I explained my ability, I'm sure you have too...so..."

"You want me to tell you my ability" Vergil smiled, the man was not an idiot but naive.

Vergil glimpsed wariness in his eyes 'Testing the waters' he judged Mark's intention.

"Sure" Vergil replied "Equal exchange, my ability name is Snatch. I can steal things" saying that he went to demonstrate it.

Vergil closed his empty hand, and when it reopened he held a pen.

"Cool!!" Mark exclaimed.

"Not as cool as yours" Vergil stayed silent for a few seconds before continuing "Well that's it, we have to get going. Do you happen to know where the College's blood bank is located?"

Mark scratched his memories before replying "It should be in the next block, It's in the commerce department, the building with the glass walls"

"Ah" Nora exclaimed, her memory of it restored.

"Till we meet again Mark" Vergil's rough hands held Mark's "Hope you survive"

With that Vergil exited the messy classroom with Nora following behind.

...

Vergil and Nora soon reached the blood bank. It was a small refrigerated compartment with blood packets resting on ice cubes.

"What's Wayne's blood type?" Nora asked.

"B+ve"

Taking two packets, both left the building. On their way, they met little resistance, but with their newfound abilities, the undead were not much of a problem.

Especially Nora's powers were very useful. Her mage-type ability was devastatingly potent.

Vergil thought of his own ability 'snatch'

"Nora" he called "go ahead without me, I will follow as soon as possible"

"Uh, ok..." She said ruminatively "Hey, Vergil, I'm sorry for reacting like that...When you killed those three. I mean a lot had happened and it has left me shaken"

"Your afraid of me, aren't you" Vergil bluntly stated "though I can't blame you for that"

"No!" She rejected it " I... Need some time to reflect"

Glancing at her tired and sighing face he nodded and repeated " Go ahead, I'll catch up"

"Those two? why?" She asked.

Vergil left her unanswered and headed straight to where they had found Mark.

...

"Thank you, Mark" Katarina spoke "Though I would like not to get your treatment"

Mark smiled at her words, remembering the man who had saved him and Katarina. In the moment he had forgotten to even thank him for helping him. He didn't know whether he would meet again or not.

Just as he thought that he heard the approaching footsteps. And from the door came Vergil.

"Hey, your back" he called " did you find what you needed?"

"Yes, I did, thanks," Vergil said in an impassive voice that alerted him.

"Did you want to find food? I know a place..."

" Hey, I came back for another reason. I wanted to try my ability on you..."

"Your ability? You said it was an ability called 'snatch' right? How are you going to use that on me? What can you steal?" Mark felt the tension and Katarina shifted closer to him.

It all felt just like when those three arrived, was he wrong about him? Was he just like them? Hiding behind a kind mask to let their guards down.

Vergil must have sensed his thoughts, as he said " chill out, I'm not here for a silly thing like rape. I have a dear friend dying on my hands to care about such things"

"Oh, sorry"

Vergil seemed he had more to say as he continued " And for that same reason Mark, I can't take chances. I'll be honest Mark, I can steal yes, not only things but abilities too. And I now need yours"

" Well, can't you take me with you" Mark tried to come up with solutions but Vergil had his mindset.

"You won't leave your girl alone, I know it. And if I am correct you won't lose yours" he waited for a second before saying " permanently"

"What if your wrong then!!, won't I lose my ability forever!!" Mark felt relief that his dreaded worries were proven wrong, but a new threat hung now.

"Then you have my sincere apologies. I'm sorry" saying that Vergil moved closer to him.

"Uhh...wait!! Virgil, we can't be sure that your ability will not end up doing anything....." Before he could say anything he felt all his strength sapped out of his body and fell unconscious.