Chapter 1

"Shit, everyday I wake up highschool feels like it was a bad dream," says Ben.

"I'm too scarred to pretend it was," says Owen.

The two are just a week fresh off of high school. Ben dark medium built kid with trimmed hair, brown eyes and an emerging bearded.

Owen is on the shorter side, has lightskin and wears glasses. He has short dreads and a round face. He's slightly chubby with black eyes.

They stand at a corner at the end of a row among many in Demi estate. A young lady walks past the two, she completely ignores them while they stair at her as she walks away in awe.

"You gone drop your eyes bruh," says Ben smiling at Owen.

"Whatever bro," says Owen who then adds,"That reminds me, you know Kinji?"

"Yeh, the fat girl?" Asks Ben.

"You mean thicc?" Asks Owen.

"Naww dude, fat. The one Mike calls non-binary," Asks Ben.

"She never told me she's non-binary," says Owen.

"She isn't, they call her that coz she's so fat she can't identify as one person," says Ben smiling.

"Shut the fuck up bro!" Says Owen slightly aggressive.

"Alright, tell me wassup with her?" Asks Ben.

"I clapped," says Owen.

"Cap," says Ben

"I'm telling you bro, I clapped those cheeks," says Owen.

"Quit lying bro, its not even as impressive as you think it is," says Ben.

"You just jealous you're still virgin and I'm not," says Owen smiling at him.

Ben squints his eyes then says,"No! What the...I don't care about that, you're lying. She's like twenty and we ain't even turned legal yet. Ain't no way she let you slide bro."

"Sure thing virgin boy," says Owen.

"Aight then, if she really did let you clap then swear it, can cheat?" Asks Ben.

Owen squints his eyes staring at his friend, "What the hell, you're joking," he says.

"If you really did clap then swear it bro, CAN CHEAT?" Asks Ben again.

"We're not ten anymore bro, see this is why you get no bitches, coz you gat the mind of a child," says Owen.

"Naww dude, you're just scared coz you lying. You can't swear coz you know its cap!" Claims Ben.

Owen sighs then says, "Fine, I'll say it you overgrown child."

"Can cheat...can...die," he says in a whisper as if afraid of something.

"See, there, I said it. Now fo you believe me?" Asks Owen.

"Hmm, you actually did, alright dude I be..." Ben I'd interrupted by the sky turning red.

A loud and manic laughter is heard from every direction.

A blade pokes into their reality out of no where a few metres in front of them. It slides down cutting a rift in space. A hand of bones grabs the right edge of the rift like a sheet and spreads it open. A foot of bones then steps forward and onto their reality followed by its whole body. It appears to be a figure with their hands and feet made of bones while the rest of their body is covered by a shadowy cloak that emits black mist. It takes off the hood of it's cloak exposing it's skull of a head. The blade he used is connected to a black handle forming a long scythe.

Behind it is an entire universe of horror, though barely visible, screams, groans, mourns and wails can be heard coming from that place. The figure turns and zips up the rift closing it, it then turns back to the two boys.

"Owen Mwangi, you have used sacred words and sworn regardless of the fact that you were in fact capping. For this, I, Death have come to collect your soul and condemn you to eternal damnation," says the figure.

"Of course you lied, and now you're fucked," says Ben smirking at him.

"Actually, you being a part of it means you're also cooked," says Death.

"Wait seriously?" Asks Ben in fear.

"Naahh, I'm just playing with you, haha," anyway Owen, ready yourself for eternal suffering!" Yells death as lightning flashes in the sky.

"Wait, I'm sorry! It was just a dumb lie, you can't kill me coz of that," says the boy.

"Just a dumb lie huh? So you falsely accused a girl of being a bop, regardless of how harsh society is towards women in terms of sexual conduct. To add, the woman you speak of is twenty years old, you're just a sixteen year old teenager yet you feel it is fine to lie about sexual misconduct with an adult. Do you realize what would've happened to her if word got out about this?" Says Death holding his scythe in his right hand.

"I didn't...I didn't think about all that. I see now that I was wrong, please forgive me," begs Owen.

"Come on Death, he's just a kid, and he's learnt. Forgive him," please Ben on his friends behalf.

"Learning isn't enough, an example is. Do you really think this is the first time he's done this shit? I've watched you from when you were a child, lie and swear over and over again. All this time, waiting until you were considered old enough by HIM to come and end you. That day is finally here. I will not forgive you Owen, so pick your power?"

"No ple...wait, did you say pick your power?" Asks Owen.

"Well yes, the way this works is you get to pick an ability. The two of us will then battle until of course one of us wins, that being me and then I will kill you and take your soul to hell. If by any slight one in an infinity chance you win then I let you go and you are forgiven," says Death.

The two boys look at each other then back at death,"Any power?"

"Yes, any power, not powers though, one singular power and everything that falls within it's various attributes. For example if you select matter manipulation you can bend anything and manipulate it to the molecular level, as powerful as that sounds, it won't be enough to save you, nothing ever is," says Death with a grin on his face.

Owen also grows a grin on his face.

"Choose wise..." Ben tried to warm him but he quickly yells.

"Chronomancy!"

"Ahhh, time manipulation, not bad. Most usually choose superspeed to outrun me, but I sense a fighter within you. Very well, what of your friend, will he be joining us?" Asks Death.

"I can join the fight?" Asks Ben.

"Yes, as his teammate but there's a catch, if I win, I get both your souls," says Death.

The two boys turn to each other and yell,"Awesome!"

Both excited for what's to come.

"Awesome indeed, select your power child and let's be done with it," says Death.

"Energy manipulation," answers Ben.

"It just keeps getting better," says death with an even wider grin.

"Now I shall speak the special incantation granting the two of you your chosen abilities. Time, energy, power, synergize!"

Just then the two boys are hit with light beams from the sky simultaneously. Dust and smoke covers them, as it settles the two appear to be fine.

"You now have the powers you chose and...a bit of knowledge on the same, that's part of the rule to make it a fair fight since I already know how my powers work, you also get speed and strength boosts as your defaults. All civilians in this existence will also be temporarily transported to another dimension until the fight ends so let loose," says Death.

"Alright," says Owen staring at Death with a smirk as he gets into a stance.

"Locked in," says Ben also getting into a stance.

"I want you two to know, that I will very much be enjoying this," says Death as he also gets into a stance.

He then goes for a quick right horizontal swing of his scythe at the two boys. Ben dodges it first by ejecting into the air and hovering, flames jet from under his feet like two rockets. The scythe stops about a foot from Owen.

"Damn you can fly?" Asks Owen looking at his friend.

"Yeah," Ben answers enthusiastically.

"What? What is this?" Asks Death pushing his scythe's blade towards Owen but it appears to not move, almost like a force field exists between the scythe and Owen.

"Why won't it reach you?" Asks Death.

Owen then spins hitting Death with his right elbow then his left fist and finally kicking him away with a right push kick. The blow throws his far back crashing into a truck.

The two slowly move towards Death as Ben asks, "How did you do that?"

"By slowing time. I selected an imaginary space around me and slowed down time within this region such that any projectile sent towards me, that I do not allow to pass, is met by a time barrier. The faster this projectile moves the slower time in this region gets until eventually the distance covered by his attacks become insignificant in battle," he says smiling.

Ben being closer Death swings his scythe from above at him, Ben quickly forges a shield made of photon and blocks the attack. He then side steps as the scythe slides of the shield and with force throws the shield at Death hitting him in his chest.

"Damn, never really thought we'd be jumping Death," says Ben.

"And winning too," adds Owen.

Death dives at Ben flying with him up and high into the air, holding him by his neck he calls his scythe to him with an open palm but before he can strike Ben's eyes glow white and he blasts lazers through his eyes into the Death's eye holes. Death flies back covering his eye hold. Ben then bends light creating four large cannon constructs that charge up and blast giant Lazer beams that fuse into one large beam, at Death who saw it coming and opened a portal in front of him with his scythe while opening the other end of it by Ben's right simultaneously. The beam goes into the portal and blasts Ben who tried to make a shield of light again but the shield isn't strong enough to protect him. It blows him away crushing into some buildings. Death quick dashes to him and picks him up flying quick high up into the air so as not to allow Owen the opportunity to hit him.

He holds the boy by his right shoulder ready to strike him with his scythe, his grin showing once more. He swings it but it is stopped, Owen appears to be standing between the scythe and Ben, his time barrier protecting them both from the scythe.

Immediately he raised his right hand aiming it at Death's face. At the end of it is a green glowing ball of light that blasts at Death throwing him away as Owen grabs his friend.

"You're...flying?" Asks Ben disoriented.

"Yeah,"

"How the hell are you flying man?"

Owen walks down to the ground while holding him stepping on the air like an invisible staircase is there.

"I created pockets of time prisons, a region where time has completed stopped. Hence the air molecules also stop, I then walk on these air molecules," says Owen.

"I'm starting to rethink my powers not gonna lie, coz ain't no way I'm getting my ass whooped while you constantly coming up with new shit to beat his," says Ben.

"This is actually something I learnt from you, adapting to the circumstance, when we play MK," says Owen.

"Ohh, yeah. Wait, and what about that green thing you hit him with?" Asks Ben.

"You know that saying 'punch em to next Tuesday' ?" Asks Owen.

"The one Sakura says in that PS2 game," answers Ben.

"Yeah, that's what I did," says Owen.

"Damn...alright,"

"You good?" Asks Owen.

"I'm...fine," answers Ben barely on his feet.

Owen starts to get worried, he realizes that the situation is getting serious and his friend is becoming a victim of his actions...well he did choose to fight but then again, bro code yk?

"Alright, let's go," says Owen as he dashes at Death.

"I didn't think I'd have to use any of my other abilities but, I'm growing tired of you two," says Death. He then slowly sinks into a shadow made by a building next to him, he dives out of it next to the two boys through some shadow made by an electric post swinging his scythe at Ben but he dodge it.

Owen dashes back to Ben's side, Death on the other hand notices something on Owen.

"Wait, light can reach him, he's filtering what goes in and out and since he needs light to see, it has to pass the barrier. Meaning shadows can too," he thinks to himself as a devious smile pops up on his face.

He turns to his right spotting a trench full of mud, he scoops up some mud, some pouring through the spaces between his bones for fingers. He then throws the mud at Owen, none of it actually reaches him as it is all stopped by the time barrier. The two stand there wondering what tricks Death could be pulling.

"Hmmm, just as I thought, good as he is at using his powers, he doesn't have a refined understanding of it. If he did The barrier most likely would've formed a more defined shapez similar to his body's. The barrier however forms a sort of cylinder around him, a wild guess but..." Thinks Death who quickly sinks his scythe into a shadow on the ground, it appears through a shadow made by Ben on Owens feet. He then just as fast pulls it like a lever, it's head simultaneously stabbing into Owen's right thigh.

Owen screams and jumps back, the scythe is pulled by its movement.

"Owen!" Yells Ben.

Death laughs menacingly before saying, "I have you now."

Owen places his right hand on his leg.

"Can't you heal it? Reverse time or something!" Yells Ben worried.

"I'm trying! It's not working!" Yells Owen.

"I finally found a way around your time barrier, embarrassing how long it took, all I needed is an attack that doesn't need to traverse the space between me and you to reach you, let the fun begin," says Death.

He's stunned from the pain, completely disoriented as he did not expect it to get past his barrier.

"Keep your guard up," he says to Ben.

Death sniffs the air then says, "What's this? Is that fear I smell? Ohhhoohoho, there it is, sweet sweet victory. For the first time in ages I'm actually excited to win. For a minute there I thought you'd beat me, but, nah, I'd win."

Ben's arms ignite and he charges at Death throwing a barrage of fists but Death easily dodges all of them. Death swings his scythe at him but Ben flies back and up dodging the attack. Death sends shadow arms from his cloak Owen since the boy can barely move around. Ben gets in between Owen and death.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! I WILL NOT LET YOU DESTROY MY FRIIIIEEEND!!!" he screams releasing a giant explosion from his body that burns up all the shadow arms.

He then charges places his arms to his right hip, his right hand above his left one. A small ball of light slowly starts to grow in between.

"Kaaaaa, meeeee, haaaaa, meeee," before he could finish this totally random chant that is totally original, death raises his right hand and from his big black cloak comes a massive load of dark energy, Ben released his and the two collide. Ben's teeth clenched hard. Death barely putting in the work.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" Ben increases intensity but Death is unfazed, unbothered and barely trying. Almost as if Owen was the only problem.

Deaths beam of darkness begins to push back and overwhelm Ben's beam of light. Slowly and slowly drawing closer and closer to Ben. The interphase being only a few metres from Ben, Owen jumps out from behind Ben leaping towards Death.

"Fool," mocks Death raising his scythe with his other hand ready to strike at Owen.

Quickly, Owen puts his right index finger on his left wrist then says, " Ryōiki o nyūryoku shite kudasai,Jikan rupu."(Enter domain, Time loop)

"What the fuck?" Ask both Death and Ben.

Their environment changes, they all appear standing on the glass casing of a clock. The clock is at half past four while the second hand keeps moving. Ben seeming confused as ever but Death wastes no time, immediately he leaps at Owen cutting his head off with his scythe. Ben stares in shock.

"Aahhahahahahahahahahahaaa, fool! You're tricks won't save you thi..." A flash in existence and the three appear once again. Standing on the giant clock. The time on the clock is still at half past four, the second hand begins from the twelve hours mark and keeps moving. Owen's head is back on his neck and he seems... mostly fine, except for his wounded leg.

"What? What is this? I killed you!" Asks Death, both him and Ben completely confused.

Owen smiles then says, " Well, yes, yes you did but I reversed time. You see this place, is my domain. A places where the rules of time are in my hands. As you can see, on the clock beneath us, the time is four thirty one. At four thirty I set a time loop that activates immediately I or my friend here are injured within the domain. Hence everytime you attack us time will reset to four thirty, this will happen over and over till the end of, well...I don't know, there is no end really, at least not in this place."

Death stabs Ben on his chest and immediately it resets back to half past four, all three back in place with everyone intact. Owen smiles, Death stabs him by his neck and everything resets back to half past four once again. He kills them over and over again yet nothing changes, time constantly resets back to that exact moment.

"It won't work, you'll have to listen and comply if you want to leave this place," says Ben.

"And what if I don't?" Asks Death.

"Well then, get comfortable, coz we're spending all of eternity here," says Owen.

"Ayo what?" Asks Ben.

"Yeah dude, it's either that or dying," says Owen.

"I don't know bro, I don't wanna be stuck here for that long, I'll lose it," says Ben.

"Calm down, we won't be stuck here that long," says Owen.

"And why is that?"

"Because our friend here is a natural phenomenon, one that's too important to stay trapped in here for all eternity," says Owen staring at Death with a smirk on his face.

Death stares back with his eye holes looking livid. Death knows that he can't stay there too long, in fact the fight should've ended by then so he can get back to work, the embodiment of the end itself.

"I hate you," says Death says Death still angry.

"Say please," mocks Owen smiling in victory .

Death clenches his dry teeth so hard a screech is heard but eventually he relaxes accepting that for the second time in history, he has been bested.

"Please," he says.

Still smiling, Owen snaps his fingers and they flash back to the real world. Death raises his hands and the sky goes back to normal.

"You got lucky this time mortal," says Death to Owen.

He then waves his hand and all their wounds, all the effects of the fight vanish, almost like it never happened. Owen opens the palm of his hands realizing that their powers too are gone.

"It was fun, we should do it again," says Owen.

"No! I never wanna see you ever again!"

He then uses his scythe to open a portal to the other dimension and goes inside before it shuts itself.

A man opens a gate in from of them.

"Seems people are back too," says Ben.

"That was awesome," says Owen. The two begin to walk away along the row.

"Yeahhh," says Ben, "I hope you learnt your lesson though bro."

"Yeahh yeahh, anyway, did I tell you about that time I saw a raccoon near my house?"

"That's cap bro, we don't even have raccoons in Kenya," says Ben.

"I'm telling you dude, I really saw one," says Owen.

"Swear it," says Ben.

"On my momma," says Owen, a giant bold of lightning stikes down in the horizon.

"Broooo!" Yells Ben.

Shinobi miniGaiden

"Can cheat, can die" is a swear term.

It starts with one person asking "Can cheat?" This is to corner someone in case they're lying such that if they are they either don't say it or risk dying if they are

The one who's suspected of deception then answers "can die" to prove they're telling the truth.

This is something I grew up with and tonnes of kids used, and uhm I don't really know if other countries did, but we did so I hope that clears it up if anyone was at all confused.