Chapter 33: Fashioning Fear Itself

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"War is not heroic. War is not exhilarating. War is full of despair. It's dark. It's dreadful. It's a thing of sorrow and gloom."

– Izuru Kira, (Bleach)

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<(Atem POV)> 

'Anyway, speaking of suiting up, didn't I receive that cape as a reward from that Dr. Doom quest I completed some time ago? I kind of forgot about that after the reward got deposited in my inventory while I was busy beating him up.' I thought to myself after the others dispersed to prepare for the mission. So, I quickly opened my system menu and checked the notifications, hoping to find the cape among my inventory items.

[Quest completed successfully!] 

[Rewards are being distributed] 

['Spawn's Mystical Cape' Item card has been deposited in the inventory] 

[Displaying information about selected card] 

[Spawn's Mystical Cape: Congratulations! You have just unlocked the Spawn's Massive flowing Cape which is not only an awesome and stylish piece of clothing but also a partially-living symbiote that will make you look like a badass hellspawn. This cape is not just for show, however, as it has a mind of its own... sort of and a set of impressive powers that will make your enemies cower in fear. Here are some of the amazing features of this item:

• The cape is made of necroplasm, the same stuff that powers Spawn himself, and it feeds on your life force and divine energy. Don't worry, it's totally worth it for the telepathic link and the soul connection that you get with your new best friend.

• The cape can shapeshift, which means you can change its appearance at will, blend in with your surroundings, or manifest spikes, chains, and other medieval weapons to impale your foes. You can also use the cape to glide and fly, because who doesn't want to soar through the air like a handsome dark angel?

• The cape has incredible physical strength, which adds to your own superhuman abilities. You can use the cape to lift heavy objects, smash through walls, or wrap around your enemies and squeeze them to death. The cape also enhances your durability and dexterity, making you more resistant to damage and more agile in combat.

• It can also conduct necro-plasmic energy through itself or unleash necro-plasmic energy blasts on its own, which are powerful enough to even level entire buildings besides snuffing lives out like a flame. Oh, and it can also stretch a lot.] 

[{Image}] 

'That's one weird big-ass description but it sounds quite impressive. Seems like a peculiar sense of dark gothic fashion wasn't the only thing Spawn from the comics had. He possessed some overpowered pieces of clothing as well.' I mentally concluded while ignoring the 'feeding on my spinal fluid' part as I extracted the card from my inventory and willed it to come into existence. 

Instantly a strangely shaped huge flowing red cape appeared out of nowhere and immediately tied itself to my armor without even waiting for my orders.

I realized that the living part of the cape's description wasn't just to scare people off. The cape even though didn't possess an actual ego like Marvel's symbiotes, still really was living because I could feel it trying to connect its life force to mine. No, more accurately, it was trying to siphon off my own life force to replenish itself but in return submitting itself completely to my whims and desires.

It was an interesting feeling, to say the least. The amount of 'life force' the cape was absorbing from me was enough to kill off an average human being ten times over. But to me, that amount was negligible like stealing a bucket of water from a lake. However, on the other hand, I could feel just how much strength the cape possessed and it was ready to use it entirely at a single gesture from me. 

I knew I was the one profiting off more here, so I didn't try to separate it from myself. Instead, I let it absorb as much energy from me as it required in an attempt to make it strong enough to be on par with my own durability and skills. After all, as much as I had understood, this was a growth-type item. The more energy it absorbed from me, the closer it would be to becoming an item having a level of strength similar to my own power level. The only thing I would need to do to increase its level and bring out its complete potential is to continuously 'feed' it with my essence. 

"Interesting choice of style Sir. But, a word of caution. Capes are symbols of power, royalty, and influence but they aren't exactly practical in life or in the... field" Zoya gave her two cents as her voice chimed in from the huge computer screen in the room used to brief people on their missions.

"I know, I know. But believe me, Zoya, this one is practical enough. In fact, this one is probably the most practical cape as far as practical goes." I said with a small mysterious smile.

"I hope so sir because it would be one hell of an embarrassment if you were to trip on that cape while walking in public," Zoya warned. Her logical AI mind was probably not able to accept the concept of a cape due to it lacking any actual practicality in real life except looking cool. 

"Oh, quit complaining. You sound like one of those cape-haters. You will never understand the greatness of capes. They are cool and badass, two reasons which are enough for me to love them." I harrumphed. "Don't worry my precious. No one will hurt you. Daddy knows how cool you are, he will never abandon you." I joked while caressing my new cape.

Zoya didn't say anything after that and just awkwardly continued to float there which made me a little bit embarrassed of my previous antics as I stopped caressing the cape and focused on trying out its capabilities. 

I could control the cape by purely using my will due to the spiritual connection I now shared with the sentient piece of clothing. So, controlling it and changing its shape, look, color and hardness wasn't too difficult. Most of its functions weren't too complex except its ability to generate necro-plasmic blasts. I didn't know why but something in me told me that the ability was more dangerous than it sounded and I shouldn't use it inside the school or on someone who was not an enemy. 

"Okay, now that I have finally put some makeup on, I am ready to kick some ass... Oh, you didn't tell me that you are a fan of the gothic culture like me? Damn! That cape looks amazing on you. It seems red suits you Atem." Domino complimented with a genuine expression on her face as she entered the room with the other four following behind her.

"Cool," Laura said as she took a long look at me proudly dawning the cape. 

"Huh, this is the first time I have seen something like this." Remus expressed while raising an eyebrow at my dark choice of fashion. 

"Most intriguing," Beast described while circling around me with a curious face as he tried to poke at my cape with a pair of tweezers in his hands.

"Can be used as a blanket in the cold too," Logan stated, still sipping on a beer can, sounding like he cared about it as much as he cared about who was going to be the next president.

I wonder just how many beer cans this particular version of Wolverine drinks on an average day. I think I finally found the reason why the miscellaneous category of the school's expenses has risen so much in the past few years. He probably drinks more beer than the X-jet uses fuel.

"Okay, now that we have all dressed up, I think we can officially start the mission now. After all, the 'beasts' under Romulus' rule aren't going to kill themselves." I chuckled at my own joke as I gestured towards Zoya to open a boom tube to Romulus' current location.

As the red Boom tube opened with a booming sound, tearing a hole in space, time, and dimension itself, I walked into it boldly with the others closely following behind me. 

The island was a contrast of beauty and horror. It lay amid the azure Aegean Sea, a verdant jewel with gentle hills and craggy mountains. It could have been a paradise for tourists, if not for the looming presence of a dark castle that marred its landscape, looking like a grim fortress of stone and iron, built in the style of the old European nobility. It was surrounded by a horde of wolf-men, fierce and loyal guardians who would tear apart any intruder who dared to approach their master's domain.

"I hope we pay the laundromat enough because the amount of blood they are going to get on their costume today is going to annoy the shit out of them," I whispered to Zoya. 

"The sentinels do the laundry sir. So the only person this is going to annoy is me since I would be the one managing them." She beeped back. 

"... That's unfortunate... Anyways, my dear wolf squad..." 

"Actually, I need to interrupt here but I am not exactly a wolf. I resemble beasts in general but not really a wolf species. In fact, I think I resemble a species belonging to the primate family more than that of a Canidae family. So, perhaps you might want to change the name of the squad. Maybe something like the All Beast squad or perhaps the Blue Animal squad." Beast interrupted the glorious speech that I was trying to mentally come up on the spot.

"..." 

"Maybe we pretend this conversation just didn't happen and start the battle?" Laura asked ignoring Beast's confused look.

"Agreed," I answered back as everyone on the team including the confused Beast began to descend the hill we were standing on to sneak our way into the castle. 

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