The Final Tear

Chapter: 20

North Korea

They appeared in a remote area near the border of North Korea, the rugged terrain stretching out before them under a cloudy sky. Adrian, Elena, and Camile stood together, surveying the surroundings.

"This place is as pitiful as the last time we were here, isn't it, Camile?" Adrian remarked.

"Maybe worse, actually," Camile replied with a grimace.

"You two came here before?" Elena asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Yeah, back when the original Assault Team Void was around, we came here to destroy an anomaly," Adrian explained.

Elena nodded, understanding dawning on her face. "I see."

"Yeah."

"So, what's the plan?" Elena asked, shifting her gaze to the desolate landscape.

"Get in and get out as quickly as possible. There are a lot of GOIs (groups of interest) here which I don't want to deal with," Adrian replied.

"Which ones?" Elena asked curiously.

"Church of the Broken God, the GOC (Global Occult Coalition), and Children of the Scarlet King," Adrian listed off, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"Oh, alright. Let's get this done."

"Move out."

The trio vanished in a burst of speed, appearing in the air below the tear. Immediately Adrian started to seal the tear, his hands glowing with energy as he focused on the task.

Camile kept watch, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any potential threats. Elena floated beside Adrian, ready to assist if needed.

As Adrian worked on sealing the tear, a group of figures emerged from the shadows, their presence masked until the last moment. They were clad in dark robes, their faces obscured by hoods.

"Children of the Scarlet King," Elena muttered, recognizing their attire.

One of the robed figures stepped forward, raising a hand. "You are interfering with our sacred mission," he intoned, his voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance.

Adrian didn't look up from his task. He sighed. "Camile."

"Master?"

"Kill them all. Leave none of them alive."

"Understood."

"Oh, and before I forget, some of them are reality warpers or have some anomalous abilities, so go all out."

Camile nodded before golden energy started to be released from her body. A pillar of golden energy burst from her, and when the energy died down, Camile stood surrounded by a vale of shimmering gold energy, emanating power that crackled with intensity. She faced the robed figures from the Children of the Scarlet King, her wings unfurled with an imposing presence. The cultists hesitated for a moment, sensing the formidable aura emanating from Camile. Yet, driven by fanaticism and their belief in their mission, they charged forward with unnatural speed and strength.

Camile moved with preternatural grace, her movements a blur as she intercepted their attacks. With each strike, bolts of black and gold lightning surged outward, repelling or killing any cultists that got hit by them. Some attempted to use their anomalous abilities against her, warping reality around them or conjuring strange phenomena.

Undeterred, Camile's focus remained unwavering. She countered their reality-warping with her own power, Aspectikinesis (Aspect manipulation), removing certain aspects from them or reality, disabling their abilities. Elena, who was watching the massacre unfolding, turned to Adrian and asked, "You gave her Aspectikinesis?"

"I didn't. My blood did," Adrian replied, still closing the tear.

"Huh? Neat," Elena said, turning back to watch the one-sided massacre.

Camile's strikes became more precise, each movement a testament to her mastery of her newfound abilities. The cultists' numbers dwindled rapidly, their screams of agony filling the air as they fell one by one. As the last of the cultists fell, Camile stood amidst the carnage, her barrier of gold energy flickering around her. She turned to Adrian and Elena, her expression calm and composed.

"It's done," she said simply.

Adrian finished sealing the tear, the glow around his hands fading as he let out a breath. "Good job, Camile. Let's get out of here."

"What about the bodies?" Elena asked.

"What about them? They aren't our problem anymore. Let's go find the people."

"Right..." Elena said with a deadpan stare.

The trio vanished once more, heading to their next destination, leaving the aftermath of their encounter with the Children of the Scarlet King behind. The trio appeared over a rundown village.

"North Korea and their human rights violations never seem to surprise me," Adrian said, annoyed.

"Indeed."

"Hmm."

"Camile, find people affected and collect them."

"Understood."

Camile took off, her figure blurring as she sped through the village, locating individuals affected by the tear. It didn't take her long to find them. After five minutes, she returned with a group of ten people. Camile teleported to Adrian's left and then said, "Master, these are the only living ones."

"What?"

"The rest were killed by the energy from the tear because their bodies weren't strong enough."

A frown appeared on Adrian's face as he heard the news. "What of the ones not affected?" 

"They're alive."

"Good."

Adrian then turned to the people, looking over them, and the frown on his face grew larger. All of the people were suffering from varying stages of malnutrition, from adults to kids. Adrian sighed before speaking,

"Okay, listen up. The ten of you gathered here have gained abilities overnight, and I'm here to give you two options. I wish I could give more, but that's not possible. You now possess abilities you should not have, and you only gained them because of an accident caused by me and my sister. Now, you have two options: one, I erase the powers you have gained and wipe your memories of them and the incident. Or two, you keep your newly found abilities...but you have to come with me without seeing your family, but I will pay for anything they require. You have five minutes. Make your choice."

After Adrian gave the choices, the group of ten looked at each other before walking forward. Adrian didn't need to use his powers to know what their decision was, and he nodded.

"Very well."

Snapping his fingers to open a portal in front of them, he said, "Walk through that portal, and when you do, you will find yourselves in a white room. My maid Camile will be guiding you."

The group hesitated for a moment before stepping through the portal, one by one. Camile followed them, ensuring they all made it through safely. Once they were gone, Adrian turned to Elena.

"Alright, we're done. Time to head to France now."

"Yeah, yeah."

With that, both Elena and Adrian vanished.

Chapter 20: End