Chapter 3: A Not So Humble End-Bringing

From the long road between the Captains Hill cemetery and the Docks, a crashed forest area presented itself to the seasoned hero. The sound of his motorcycle revved as it went down the road. Chris wore rags of a fancy suit, torn in multiple areas from all the running.

The claim 'he rose from the ground like a fucking zombie' held more cadence now it was seen in person. He still wore the same suit he was buried with, which slightly put Armsmaster off for few seconds.

He bounced back to reality and began assessing the situation.

Chris was more feral, that much was certain, however there was a certain degree of intelligence that did not go unnoticed to the seasoned combat tinker.

Overall it was looking to be a very long night for the veteran protector of Brockton Bay.

Chris's head was already turned in his direction, even before he drove in. His head tilted to his side, turned in a confused and curious motion, while his body was still pointed at the busted truck. Beady scarlet eyes tore into his direction like a precise bullet.

Chris stared at the large, bearded man in a sky blue tech suit, he had a halberd situated on his back, a black visor covering his eyes.

Chris recognized him.

The superhero Armsmaster, he passively recognized him from TV, and from the toys he had of him.

The status didn't matter, but some part of Chris could tell that this guy was strong. He found his blood boiling in anticipation.

He turned his body in the direction of Armsmaster, giving the hero his full attention.

They stared in silence at each other. It lasted for a few moments until 2 vans with purple stripes drove up, but still decently away from Armsmaster, relative to the road. Their lights shining bright through the darkness and onto the newly reanimated child.

Chris's pupils dilated due to the intake of light, but remained unblinking as they bored intently onto the newfound vehicles.

Black suited Soldiers started lining up out of the van. They also had a visor over their faces except it covered the entire face instead of just the eyes and forehead like it did Armsmsaster, plus they weren't blue.

They each with guns latched to them. They got into a lined up position, the 'weapons' pointed at the demented youngling. Poised with practiced profession, they clutched their weapons in cohesive strength as they lined up behind Armsmaster.

Said Tinkers comms came alive with little to no feedback. "Armsmaster, have you arrived at the cemetery?" A female voice came through the channel. Dragon.

"No, we met the caller a few miles out from the Cemetery. In a forested area, but closer to the docks." He replied in the same serious tone as earlier.

"I see, and the caller?"

"Alive, but trapped under his truck."

"And Chris?"

"He's here as well, alive and well."

"Well that's…worrying, should I send backup, you know you're not good with people." The caller said back with concern. Knowing full well that Armsmaster has never had a way with words.

"No, I'll be fine, he's far more feral, like an out of control case 53."

"I'm going to send Miss Militia your way if anything goes downhill. Assault and Battery will be on standby. Try not to do anything before that. He's just a child, he may not be in his right mind. I already called for an ambulance, it should be there soon." The woman finished.

Armsmaster grunted disapprovingly, but he didn't say anything. He took his mind off of it and onto more pressing matters. He turned off his comms and looked at Chris. He had already formulated a plan to stop the rampaging vampire zombie.

"Fire on my command." The large bearded man in a suit said in an authoritative tone, filled with nothing but confidence, and brimming in finality.

Chris stared back at the miniature strike force and his minions, mesmerized by their, and his presence.

Frozen in anticipation, the only motion that was made was the rain that began to cease off his face, the now long flowing mane of curls.

The drool that seemed to endlessly stream out his mouth in a wicked. His mouth twisted into a demented smile that showcased his newfound fangs in all their glory. If the moon were it out they would have surely glistened off of the light.

Armsmsaster found it difficult to determine anything but hunger and hostility in the boy. He grabbed his Halberd and activated it, the electronics surged to life in it as it entered a more battle ready position within his hand.

He began slowly and trepidatiously walking towards his opponent, halberd in hand. Opening his mouth, he bellowed out for all to hear.

"Stand down Chris, we don't want, nor have to fight." He said aloud with that same commanding voice.

Chris's attention tuned in directly on him upon hearing his voice. The action confused Chris, whether it was because of amnesia or suprise was unidentifiable.

Considering the caller's testimony, Armsmaster guessed that since the boy was dead, his brain might not have awakened fully. He was sure Dragon had already came to that conclusion as well.

Armsmaster stopped a little ways away from Chris, his presence was felt. However Chris still stood unmoving as he stared at the hero.

They stood for a few good seconds, until Chris smiled wickedly and began sprinting at Armsmaster, basic thinking gone in favor of ancient instincts.

Closing the gap between them in moments. running full speed towards the hero, each step he took made an notable indent in the earth.

The ground shook as he leapt at Armsmaster, gaining momentum, he was put at eye length with his opponent. He slashed animalistically at Armsmaster. His bloodlust palpable.

To Chris's mild surprise, Armsmaster blocks the attack.

There may be more to these heroes than he previously anticipated, was never too big on them, didn't understand the appeal. However the stories he heard from kids at school made them out to be champions, legends, gods.

He never bought that for a singular second.

They were as human as he was, bleeding red blood, eating, and sleeping. All the same.

He was silently glad however, that the hero could stop him.

A loud clash echoed through the area as the ground slightly cracked underneath Armsmaster. Metal and nail clashed as the protectorate soldiers stood by watching the fight commence.

He was surprised to find that this relatively small child could push him back. The Protectorate soldiers hadn't fired yet. Good.

Armsmaster using his superior weight, and Chris's current position currently above him in the air, to haul Chris over him and in the opposite direction of his view, and into a tree.

Armsmaster opened his mouth to announce a new command.

"Fire!" Armsmaster said aloud, his voice boomed through the clearing of broken forest with a hammering effect.

The protectorate soldiers activated their weaponry, spraying yellow foam from out of it as Chris made impact with the tree.

Chris swiped at the foam coming at him with blinding speeds, however it served to backfire on him as he soon found himself borderline immobile. He twisted and screeched at the foam but it held up and kept him locked onto the tree.

The protectorate soldiers ceased their fire as they successfully captured Chris in the containment foam. It was designed for restraining brutes and such after all, only the strongest like Lung or the endbringers could truly challenge it.

Blind aggression turned to immense confusion, and then back. He kept on moving around yet the foam became tougher and tougher to move through.

It was constricting him, it was annoying to Chris. He hated it. He wished he would just break out and kill them and just overall be at peace. He wished he just go back to the way things were before all this stupid shit started happening! He wished he could see anything but the yellow mush containing him. He wished-

Chris stopped moving, still for what felt like hours to him. It partly occurred to him this could just be another dream. seemingly snapped out of his primal mind. He finally looked around, red no longer seeping through his irises as he saw his foamy prison as what it truly was.

Another failed death.

Power coursed through his body, and made itself home within him. It struck with the power of a tsunami as it bursted outward with the vengeance of hell itself.

Armsmaster and the protectorate soldiers were currently occupied with getting Cory out the truck and into the ambulance that had pulled up minutes after the situation was handled. Some watched at the tree, on guard of anything to happen.

Black flames seeped out of the foam as it went from soft yellow to a burnt black. It began spreading from the foam to the tree. It covered the midsection as it went and into the branches and leaves, extending to the grass.

Armsmaster looked back at the tree that held Chris, some protectorate soldiers shot their foam sprayers; however, they were ineffective as they burnt to a smoldering halt on impact. Adding more to the flames.

The flames ate at the tree destroying its bottom half, the tree creaked as it crashed on its side to the ground with a loud boom that could be heard for miles. It shook the ground as the flames stretched from that tree to the next tree, threatening to burn down the forest.

Chris finally broke out and stood up from what's left of the tree and the foam. He eyed with tunnel visioned slits as he glared at Armsmaster hatefully.

He walked through the flames, unharmed, as he stalked towards the hero and the protectorate guards. He wanted to kill them, his mind begged for it.

'Wait a minute, if fire broke the tree, then it'll spread and break other trees. Then it'll go to city, and then everything will be gone and then…..and then mom….and dad-DAD!'

Chris stopped at that, his rational side came back full force. Chris snapped out of his animalistic phase, red haze had lifted as he looked back at the trees.

Armsmaster could tell something had changed, Chris's stance softened, and his eyes stopped bulging with blood and intensity.

All the tension he had seemed to cease and as Chris took a look of mild confusion.

Chris then took a swift scope of his surroundings.

They were burning, the sound of hellfire filled the air as it struck tree after tree, burning them to a crisp before continuing. The grass now blackened with death as it turned to ash. The trees cried in agony as the forest was slowly turning to an obsidian clearing.

Chris saw all the destruction he brought, it reminded him of the car crash, and again of his father. Haunting him to no end.

"I'm sooooo stupid! I….." Chris sighed in frustration. He could hit himself! However that wouldn't help quell the heat burning through the trees.

He thought of how he could stop the flames. 'i'm unaffected by it, sooooooooo maybe…'

Putting his hand out to the flames surrounding him, he willed himself to the flames. Chris thought of how it felt to manipulate things the same way Lung could with his fire, or Miss Militia with her guns, or Nilbog with his….kids…..

'Actually that might've been a not so good comparison.'

Chris snapped out of his mental ramblings and willed the fire to come towards him. Using Lung as a prime example on how it potentially might feel or look, or operate.

His body tingled, the fire was oddly soothing, in touch, sound, and even the taste of it. The fire flew over to his body and covered him completely. The dark flames then began seeping back into his skin, the black flames moving into his pores and away as excess energy.

It made him feel safe.

All the protectorate had seen was the flames fly back at Chris, and take hold of him, creating this fiery spirit as he was engulfed in black flames.

It took a minute before all the flames receded completely back into Chris. Leaving Chris himself as normal as ever.

His clothing however didn't leave much to the imagination. Considering all that's happened…

"Of course my clothes get blown off, of course it does." He states aloud, annoyance ever evident in his voice.

He decided to ignore that whole thing and take a good look at his surroundings.

He stood for a few seconds in serene ambience. Taking in the oddly calm and comforting scenery of the burnt clearing. It extended so far he could even see the road.

The trees, the grass, and even the truck were burnt to a crisp. Armsmasters motorcycle had taken damage but still seemed to be alright, it fared better than the vans at least. However it probably wasn't going to be used for a while.

Speaking of the vans, one was reduced to a pile of smoke, the other one…..was suspiciously intact, not a burn to be seen nor to mull over in unpleasant thoughts of murdering innocents, soldiers, and hero's. The purple striped vehicle stayed where it was.

That's when the backdoor of the van flew open. ALL of the protectorate soldiers came out of the van, unharmed, Armsmaster included.

Chris stole a glance at Armsmaster and the protectorate soldiers, all of which were staring at him. All accounted for.

Armsmaster had the foresight to order everyone into the van, that's good. But….

'HOW DID THE FLAMES NOT BURN THE VAN!' Chris mentally remarked in surprise, his ease off set by the flurry of confusion. His eyes popping at the insanity of it. Not only that…..

'What about the security guard in the truck!' quickly glancing over at the truck in panic, he saw that the truck had been reduced to a smoldering pile of ash. Chris could still smell the guy among the ash and smoke. His scent led him to the van.

That set him at ease a little bit, he didn't want to be like Lung, or Kaiser, or some other menace to society.

'If this was what people with powers felt...Then they must have room temperature iq or something because this is not it.'

A sad smile spread to his face, the guilt masking the would-be laugh. He still felt like total dog water but at least he got a small snort out of himself. Perhaps he could befriend Armsmaster, unlikely but it's not like he has another option.

Armsmaster looked right back Chris, it seemed he had finally regained sanity.

A spike of rage, anger, power, and ecstasy shot through Chris faster than he could perceive his thoughts. It might've been more, however he couldn't tell with the rush he felt.

His eyes bursted with blood as it rushed across his body. His veins and muscles bulged with no restraint, visible through the pale skin.

Forgein, ancient energies flew through his body like a big fish fighting in a calm stream. It threatened to break his body into mush. He felt the power, it pushed and pushed and pushed until his instincts roared full force in his body.

Amongst all the hunger, guilt, sorrow, regret, and apathy, it dawned on him that he was on the cusp of losing control again.

Flashbacks of him hunting the security guard with a terrible smile struck him fast and hard. He couldn't let that happen!

"No! Not again! I can't let it! I...I-" Chris sored screamed with more ferocity than any living creature should, his vocal chords unwavering in his cry. He never wanted to see that red tunnel again, he never wanted to feel those emotions again.

'Not again? What was that supposed to mean?' Armsmaster thought to himself. Checking his built in lie detector, it came to his attention that the boy wasn't telling any sort stories.

Considering his case 53 nature, it made sense. In fact, it's actually surprising to know he's still in there. It's good to know that it he wasn't willingly commiting those actions. Some would go crazy and lose any all of what they previously were. It would also explain why he didn't jump at the chance to kill him and his squad, or even the caller. Or how he instead took the flames instead of letting them spread.

Armsmaster fuddled this information away for later.

Chris mentally fought with all his willpower, however in the end he collapsed to his knees, his hands striking the dirt and causing it to shift under his weight.

All he could see was static, his brain struggling to process itself. His hearing rang bells of delight, while his sense of touch and taste went into action. He clutched his own head, his nails dug into his own skin and blood began to swiftly flow out from the self-inflicted wounds.

Smell was torturing him from the inside and outside. Smelt the blood pumping from the soldiers' hearts. It was like last time with the security guard.

He already knew what that would entail, he HAD to fight against.

Chris started screaming, tears bursting from his eyes. The ground rumbled from the sound as he gasped in despair. Violently trying to fight back with pure will.

Then he stopped moving, sitting still on his knees, a downcast appearance took hold of him.

Armsmaster could immediately spot the difference. His eyes were bulging with horrific fury. His muscles tightened up. His teeth were on show, full force for all to see. Drool fell from his mouth. It was like staring at a hungry bear about to maul its prey.

This was about to get ugly.

"Everyone! Fall back! We still don't know what he is capable of-" before he could finish his sentence, his combat system blared warnings to him.

Chris was already next to him, and swung with the might to put a tiger down instantly.

Armsmaster barely reacted to the borderline hypersonic attack, blocking it with his halberd. However he was sent flying, he flew through a multitude of trees before crashing violently against the earth.

Armsmaster got up quickly, however Chris was already on him, closing the gap in seconds. Swiping at him with his sharp claws.

Each block sent Armsmaster back, unable to completely offset the amount of force being thrown at him.

Chris continued his relentless assault on Armsmaster, slashing and slashing at him with talon sharp nails. The clashes resounded through each clearing and tree Armsmaster was sent flying.

Bone and metal clashed as each hit sent them closer to the city.

Armsmasters combat software was being pushed to its absolute limit. Bringing new and old tactics to try and gain some sort of foot hold. Armsmaster parried, blocked, and dodged with veteran grace however the speed and strength gap was still evident.

Chris attacked with bloodlusted abandon and unmatched ferocity. His attacks seemingly stronger than the last. A hellish grin plastered onto his face, the power flowing through his body made him feel alive, truly alive.

Armsmaster determined that Chris was indeed growing stronger, slowly overwhelming him with strength and speed. He found he could do very little to stop the explosive growth.

He was sent flying from the treeline into the known hillside of Captains Hill.

One especially strong kick from Chris cracked the halberd and sent Armsmaster reeling backwards. Chris then followed this up by sprinting towards him and decking his chest with an especially powerful punch.

The blow cracked the ground beneath them, shattering the armor in the area and cracking the surrounding bits. An explosive boom would be heard as Armsmaster was punched from the hill through multiple buildings and into a store. Shattering the building.

Armsmaster layed trapped under the rubble, conscious but in pain, he felt his ribcage shatter from the impact. His spine shivered in weakness as he attempted to get up.

Although his armor endured the worst of it, he could barely move his body as his system alerted him to the being residing just outside the building.

A demonic houl coursed through the surroundings.

Armsmaster teleported the halberd to his hand as he tried to stand up again. His body refused to listen to him.

He saw the palish ghoul standing in the street. The streetlights showered him in a light that showed off the arm that had hit him, had blood dripping from it. That blood disapeared on his wrist as soon as he saw it as well.

Chris stood just outside of the destroyed building, having already caught up with the man-made rocket.

Drool fell from his mouth in a hellish foul of a smile. His canines failed to glisten off the moon, having long already retreated into the sky, the rain clouds ceasing into vapor.

Standing there, the mere sight tantalized his taste buds to no end! He could finally feast!

Chris's muscles flexed in his feet as he began his sprint towards Armsmaster.

Armsmaster prepared himself the best he could angling the halberd in front of as a last line of defense.

Chris stopped dead in his tracks, his joy turned to fear as he look directly behind, having completely forgotten about Armsmasters presence. His instincts roared warning signals at him.

Armsmaster was confused, why was he dead yet? He looked behind the child.

The sun had begun mulling it's way over the mountains surrounding the bay.

Chris's eyes dilated in pure, instinctual terror. SOMETHING told him this was the thing, the thing that would replace the endbringers in terms of daily horror. The thing that'd keep him up for days to come. The thing that he'd think about as that thing. The thing that would cloud his judgement for years to come.

The suns rays beaming from the mountain tops and onto the bay, greeting it with morning light.

His mind fixated on the one thing that took hold of his hunger, every emotion, feeling, and sense driven into one thing.

'ESCAPE!'

Chris turned his entire body around quickly, wasting no time in his movements. Drool no longer falling, instead grunts of desperation came out.

Sprinting as fast as he could to find something to hide in, or from the genetic hell he felt in his body, mind, and soul released onto him. An increasing pit in his stomach urged he wasn't fast enough to make it away from it.

He wasn't fast enough.

Searing pain flew tenfold throughout his body, starting from his legs. Skidding onto the street. He felt the excruciating, seemingly never ending path of scorch trailing his way, starting from his heels extending to his legs.

Within the span of seconds, millions of cells within his body screamed in agony, before being silenced to dust. He felt each and everyone of them suffer. All of it.

He fell on his face. Hard. He felt the rest of his body also be reduced to ash. His will included, he screamed in pain as every pore of his was screamed in pain. Terror filled tears fell from his eyes.

A cacophony of sass resounded throughout the echo chambers of his fading conciousness.

'ESCAPE! ESCAPE! ESCAPE!'

He had to, he just had to, he was slowly slipping, slipping into that indescribable nothingness again!

He looked around, only to find one eye instead of two eyes. One good eye that hadn't bit the dust. It tracked onto something.

A manhole cover. Entrance to the sewers. Or whatever. The hell. It. went.

'ESCAPE! ESCAPE! ESCAPE!'

With what was left of his arms, he began scrambling for the cover. Making his way to it, his hair burned away, along with the rest of his lower half. His stomach already undergoing the process of receding to the afterlife. His head was partly gone as well.

After what felt like an eternity of crawling under the cruel sun. He made it.

He desperately punched through the cover, forcing a hole through it.

Slipping his way into the hole, he fell into the storm drain below. Landing hard on what was left of his burnt arm, he crawled away from the opening to avoid getting burned any further.

Falling into the dark, human sized tunnel. He crawled until he finally felt the throbbing pain in his legs, stomach and even hair.

Realizing that he was actually in water did little to quell his emotions, his thoughts.

He was thinking straight finally, that's when the guilt came in.

Standing up, he found both his eyes had returned, along with his legs, hair, and everything. Back to normal…..HOW?

Confusion, guilt and grief, all fused into a new emotion Chris had never before felt.

He found no word that could begin to describe this, he was just a child at the end of the day, or the dawn of it in this case.

His sense of humor failed to put a smile on his face, pondering everything that had happened. At least he regained his sanity, but at what cost?

"Why did this happen to me, I wanted strength, but not like this." He solemnly replied to no one, questioning the universe of anything. Why him? He never wanted this.

The Protectorate, the fucking super hero organization with people like Alexandria, Eidolon and shit will be coming after him, to throw him in the birdcage. The thought didn't even seem to scare him, but one thing certainly does now!

The mother. Fucking. SUN! THE SUN! The amount of pain was even worse than when he fried his hand on the stove top has a toddler. Except magnify that by a magnitude of infinity and maybe, just maybe you'll find a atom of what he felt when it came over the fucking mountain top!

He HATED his powers, driving his mind into a hunger-entitled rampage like an animal! No even worse, the sun harms him, the implications went wild in his imagination.

There's no way he triggered into a creature of night, a vampire, but considering where woke up and the last thing he saw…

All they've done in his eyes was hurt people, the thing he swore never to do. It just wasn't right. His father loathed those who did it….it just wasn't in his nature. But now….

All he wanted was to see his parents, talk to them one last time. Questions of what should he do? What does he do? How does he do it? When should he do it? It was mind boggling the amount of things going on.

Bringing his hands to his face, he felt tears streaming from his face. He'd never been a crier, not even remotely, and yet he could wager he's cried more times than since he was a baby.

This was just too much for him, a 13 year old. 13 year old Chris Teel! Him! The nobody in school! The kid that actively avoided problems, now probably at the center of Brockton Bay news. He could LITERALLY see the headlines already.

'Breaking News! Demon child fatally injures known big shot hero Armsmaster! More at 11.'

He balled himself up and huddled towards the wall, arms placed over his knees. He put his head down in shame. The tears started drying a little bit, but still failed to cease falling. He didn't know how long he'd been crying…he really didn't care.

"Why was I brought back to life, but you weren't dad? Why?" He beckoned to himself, one last time.

"My my my, you're in quite the predicament, child." A sassy voice resounded through the ducts. Startling Chris out of his position.

"Who was that!" Chris yelled out on his feet, clutching the wall behind him like it was his last hope. The wall cracked as the pressure of a scared little boy began brunting the force of his pain onto the wall.

"Just me." The seductive voice told him. Chris identified the direction it came from. His left.

Chris turned to his left, 2 almond shaped, scarlet orbs stared at him, the animalistic pupils staring directly back into his. A strange darkness covering the rest of the body, despite the rest of the hall being seeable.

"Okay, who are you then?" He questioned back.

"What do you mean? I'm you."

The answer caught him off guard, before he could respond however, the voice continued.

"When you triggered your brain split between your human half and your…other half."

"You're that…other half." Chris questioned inquisitively.

"Precisely! My your sharp! Or I'm sharp in this case. Hehe." The giggle at the end would've sent shivers down his spine before, but now….

"So what now then other me? Do you even have a name to go by?"

"Actually I do. Forgive my manners Chris."

He walked 'through' the metaphysical darkness and into the 'light', dawning a fedora that would make Indiana Jones blush. He wore an embroidered black tuxedo with a white tie, over an expensive black dress shirt. He also had on white dress pants. It wasn't the fit that caught Chris's attention, it was the face.

It wasn't exactly like his, he could tell it looked distinctly eastern, his eyes didn't seem to shine as bright as they had before. A perfectly chiseled face with absolutely no faults to be found, no bumps, no scars, clean shaven, it was like he was plucked out of a dream. His chin was sharp, very sharp, and he also had the same curly black hair as his, although the hat was covering most of it. Taller than him too.

His appearance was that of a movie star in his twenties. Almost like Michael Jackson or Prince. He opened his mouth, a cold breeze flew out from it that exuded pure dominance, confidence, and kindness.

"My name is Muzan. It's finally nice to meet you."