Chapter 48: The Morlocks

Manhattan, New York

Volume 1: Origin

His Enhanced Investigation ability had grown as much as his other abilities in consort with his physical attainments, and his persona percentage increased.

It wouldn't be amiss to state that he could one day rival the world's greatest detective if he pursued that line of work.

He didn't look forward to returning to school and dealing with the implications of his slip. It was unexpected, but he wouldn't change it if he could.

As he contemplated his future, his senses roused at the suspicious couple that moved throughout the cart in cohorts, plundering unsuspecting commuters of their valuables.

Preternatural senses honed from trial and tribulation honed in on the duo, and his interest peeked. Initially, he hoped to discover what gave off the same feeling as his fragment. He hadn't forgotten his chase of Mabel and the energy he felt from this city region.

'Looks like I've gotten my first lead.' He thought inside his head as he watched the two.

These two were mutants. A better term to describe them would be Morlocks, mutants whose mutations were so grotesque they escaped to underground cities of old.

Their illusion hadn't been able to deter his eyes. The senses that led him here hadn't given him much to go on but an energy of familiarity. He hadn't even thought about the hidden mutant population force underground by the nature of their hideous mutation.

He came from his silent musings. The two had set their sights on him. The duo tensed in anticipation; the girl of the pair looked into his eyes before lowering her head, her hand clamped on her partner.

Abruptly, the two had gotten up from the seat beside him without fanfare. 'Threat detection?' He thought. He was interested in her more than ever now.

He tracked them with eyes, each grey orb filled with hidden glee, but he quickly smothered it behind a mask of indifference. He did not want to alert her if her ability was psionic-based.

In his mind, the system chimed, and a system notification settled upon his psyche like most missions that weren't paramount to his current endeavors were ignored by minuscule flex of will.

The system had retained its rights to grant him a mission just by being around abnormal events. He had taken the subway many times, and today, he had to meet the detestable bunch of Masque cabal of bad seedlings.

The repulsive-looking Masque is ironically gifted with the ability to shape other people's appearance. Unable to affect his hideous face, he had grown to loathe beauty in every form. At this stage, he supposed the ugly toadling was obsessively doing things against the wishes of his leaders.

He had read about the Morlocks in his past life, so he knew enough of their stories to assume some things, and with the system's intuitive pronto learning aspect, he had a near-complete understanding.

The sheer knowledge he had in his head could condemn or venerate depending on who had access to his ability; with the system and his previous knowledge, he could solve just about anything significant or minor in the universe.

There were some caveats, though. One glaring one was that he had to be in the area for the system to grant him the mission and most relevant knowledge.

Cole had slipped from his seat and trailed behind the departing duo. He had timed his leap from the cart. His body failed to touch the ground or become buffered by the rapidly accelerating train as he pulled on his ectoplasmic powers and controlled his landing in a hover.

He looked around the area, disgusted by the smell and unable to roll back his enhanced sense since he was tracking the duo.

Similar to Clark Kent, he pushed his glasses up on his face, and under the ambient light, his appearance changed, his complexion lightening but still pale from the unforeseen evolution of his physique, his eyes once grey turned blue, and his height grew from five foot six to six to six and a half.

Under the complete guise of the transformation, Cole stepped further into the tunnel, his senses and enhanced investigation ability granting him capabilities to track the duo.

The tunnel drew darker, but his vision hadn't been hampered. The pickpockets had ducked into an old maintained shaft that possibly led to hundreds of old cavernous tunnels built during the state's infancy for hundreds of reasons. He had even remembered an Underground Railroad being unearthed.

He thrummed through his detailed memories of the mutant that invoked the system quest. Masque assisted in founding the Morlocks alongside his peer mutants Callisto, Caliban, and Sunder. They had hidden away from the upper world for many reasons, but the main one was they were persecuted for their monstrous appearances.

Masque had grown in power in the community because, without his unique ability, those who listened to him couldn't come up or work or move around to secure food.

Callisto, in her infinite wisdom, had allowed the man to grow his political power to the point there became a split in the once singular community.

Another that had interested him was Caliban, the mutant with a similar mutation. He, too, could manipulate fear to the point of being able to absorb fear from others and potentially make them courageous.

'Could he be the one that called to him?' Thought Cole.

What would occur when two abilities clashed? Would they cancel each other, or will the stronger, deeper of the two depose the other? He had no idea but would like to test it if he knew Caliban. He didn't technically, but he was aware of his personality in the comics. He would lash out first before anyone else besides Masque, that is.

What may be so in other universes and realities may not be so in Marvel universes; concepts existed in all known verses, but he was subjected to its rules and aspects in Marvel.

Fragment of Fear wasn't something you read and carry on; that was a piece of a larger whole of a god, the god Phobos, son of the god of war Ares.

Phobos had the power of Odikinesis, the god of personal fear, panic, and rout; Phobos could control the feelings and emotions of war, such as fear, hate, and rage.

The prominent ability of his and his twin Demios was Fear Generation: Phobos can make individuals see their worst fears through eye contact.

He stepped backward, his hand reaching out to grab a metal pipe. He cut his eyes to the wall to see a giant eyed-morlock half camouflaged into the tunnel wall.

He didn't get an opportunity to speak before another ambusher stabbed at his left; he felt the blade part the space between him. This one had some physical mutation. He pulled on the camouflage Morlocl, removing the hideous being from its perch, and brought his knee into the attacker's gut. The Morlock screeched in pain as whatever food they ate spilled across the already dirty path.

Cole flowed backward as the second attacker came at him low; the earlier assessment of blades was off; this Morlock held sharp appendages that spiraled from her arms.

He had allowed her to chase him back down the tunnel. By now, he assumed the leaders would be coming to help against the formidable attack. It dawned on him that he maybe shouldn't have walked into their home without greeting.

"Can we talk?" Cole said, sounding like Jason Todd from the Arkhamverse.

"Die, Maruader." The female hissed, arm blades lengthening into long sabers. Cole had to up the ante as the girl tried to skewer him.

'Marauder? He thought in alarm. His chimed again, and he groaned displeasure.

'Oh damn.' He came from his musing, barely avoiding the two-bladed appendages that stabbed his vital areas. Maybe he shouldn't have appeared. He blamed the system and its continuation of great rewards.

Those people would complicate things. Mutant hunters and future Morlock massacres. And that Mr. Sinister would be an extreme pain to confront.

He heisted for the first time on how to continue. He could forewarn them. Potentially save lives and ingratiate himself with the community.

He and the lady Morlock danced inside the tunnel, sweat beading the girl's brow, frustration laden her emerald eyes. He smiled at her, and she pushed him back to the tunnel entrance as he lept away, his feat hovering from the ground.

The pickpockets had returned, each holding a makeshift weapon, but he sensed others moving down the tunnel.

He had only needed to meet Callisto and claim his rewards; one he wanted the most was to be personally trained by her. It was a win-win for him; he needed to further his talents, and who better to teach him than the woman who had a mutation that made her the perfect sensei?

System-generated mission updated: The Host has come into contact with members of the Morlock community.

Ingratiate yourself with the Morlocks and help them with their miserable lives, potentially finding helpers for your burgeoning group of extraordinary individuals.

Your choice of approach has mas marred your arrival. Mission parameters have changed.

Reward(s) Variable.

He rolled his eyes at the system interruption and acknowledged the updated mission.

Cole's hand reached out and grabbed the forearm of the woman.

"I'm not a member of the Marauders." He bellowed, causing the incoming Morlocka to stop briefly before another voice cut through the tunnel.

"Masque." He growled, noticing the toad standing behind a hulking mutant.