Throne of Bet

[ApiLol123123]

He has access to some of the best doctors/surgeons/mages so I hope they look into a Parahumans powers can be removed permanently. Thanks for the chapter!

 

[regulareader]

Disclaimer: English is not my first language. I'm using Grammarly to check the Grammar and using Word to write it.

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Well, it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

I mean, it was still a shit show in the beginning.

They were causing as much destruction as possible to keep us occupied.

We had no trouble keeping up with the attacks, but the PRT and New Wave nearly ran themselves ragged trying to keep the city from going up in flames.

No doubt that was what the Empire wanted.

We're going to have to pick up the slack.

The situation changed in our favor once Avicebron's golems appeared all over Brockton.

They are leagues above Hydra's clones.

Hassan also assisted the golems in handling the clones. Some of her personas briefly revealed themselves to protect people throughout the city.

It won't take long before everyone realizes that Hassan is connected to Chaldea.

At first, everyone, especially the PRT, was uneasy about the fact that we could summon an army of golems at any moment.

I wonder how long it's going to take before someone wonders if Medea can't do the same with the dragon tooth warriors.

They relaxed once they saw that the golems were handling Hydra's clone, allowing them to finally take a break.

I was planning to go home, to get some sleep but the PRT called an emergency meeting and invited everyone.

//////////

Looking around the conference room I could see that everyone was here.

Even the Wards are here.

Morgan and Medea are the only ones with me right now.

I sent Barghest, Cú Chulainn, and Ushiwakamaru to help Moriarty.

I also asked Paracelsus and Asclepius to land a hand at the hospital

Now I'm just waiting for Piggot and Renick to arrive.

Where the hell are they?

"Here you go," Medea said, giving me a potion.

"Thanks," I said.

I swiftly drink the entire potion and exhale in relief.

"The director of the PRT better have a good reason to keep us waiting," Morgan said with a frown.

"She must be requesting backup or something like that," I said.

For her sake, I hope that she does have a good reason.

Morgan is not in a good mood.

"What you got there?" Shielder asked tiredly, walking to us.

"Something to keep me awake for a little longer," I said.

Shielder hummed, "Can I have one?"

"Sure," Medea shrugged, giving a potion.

Shielder drinks the potion in one big gulp, and I can already see his posture shift, becoming more attentive.

"Whoa. This works fast," Shielder said in amazement.

"Oh yeah. The stamina potion will erase your tiredness-guaranteed, or you can have your money back," I said with a small grin.

Shielder chuckled a little.

"How are you holding it up?" I asked.

"I'm going to sleep the rest of the week. What about you guys?" Shielder asked.

"I'm so damn hungry right now, after I get some sleep I'm going to stuff my face," I said.

"After all of this is over I'm going to ask Saber(Barghest) to make a banquet," Morgan said.

That sounds amazing.

"It would be nice if Archer(Emiya) was here. His food is delicious," Medea said.

I need to stop thinking about food.

I'm getting even more hungry.

I notice that everyone else is now looking at us.

Medea rolled her eyes and put enough potions for everyone on the table.

In a few seconds, they were all gone.

"You're a lifesaver," Assault said.

"I take that this is a stamina potion?" Lady Photon asked.

"You're correct," Medea said.

"How long does the effects last?" Armsmaster asked.

"You got about four to five hours before you feel tired again," I said.

Armsmaster hums thoughtfully, gazing at the empty potion bottle in his hand.

"If you guys also sold this potion, it would be a big success, right alongside the healing potion," Velocity remarked.

"That isn't a good idea," I said.

"Why is that?" Manpower asked.

"This potion will restore your stamina for a few hours, but the drawback is that it forces your body to work past its limits," Medea explained.

"What if someone were to drink the potion for a long period?" Brandish asked.

"You wouldn't need to sleep," Medea said.

"And what happens if you stop drinking it?" Battery asked.

"Your body crashes down hard," Medea said.

"It would be like coming down from the worst sugar rush of your life," Laserdream said.

"That's not a bad comparison," I said amused.

"What if you don't need to sleep?" Miss Militia asked.

Don't need to sleep?

Oh right, Miss Militia is a noctis cape.

Medea raised an eyebrow, "In that case, the drawbacks wouldn't be so severe but I still don't recommend consuming the potion for long periods."

Miss Militia hums, "Could I place an order for the stamina potions?"

"I will think about it," Medea said.

I didn't even think of selling the stamina potion.

There shouldn't be any problems if we sell small quantities and be very clear about the drawbacks of the stamina potion.

And if you still abuse the stamina potions, that's on you.

"Thank you Cas-"

"My name is Medea. This way it's easier for us to talk," Medea said.

"I see. Thank you, Medea," Miss Militia said.

"You sure about this?" I asked.

"It's fine. Even if they do recognize my name, no one's going to think I'm the 'Medea'," Medea said.

Yeah, that's true.

Hiding their names was a must in our adventures but is there really any point doing that here?

Some of the servants are going to be hesitant to reveal their names, as the legends surrounding them often hint at their weakness. But only a handful of them have to worry about that.

In the end, it's up to the servants if they want to reveal their names or not.

"Besides, when everyone else shows up, the heroes will have to call some of us things like 'the blonde-haired Saber' or 'the dark-haired Lancer' to tell us apart. I don't want to be part of that," Medea said.

Oh, I can see that, and I already hate it.

I glanced at Morgan but she made no move to reveal her name.

Piggot and Renick enter the room.

"I'm sorry for being late. I had a meeting with the Chief Director," Piggot said, taking a seat at the head of the table.

Renick takes a sit to her right.

The Chief Director?

"As you all know Gesellschaft is in Brockton Bay and causing all kinds of havoc. This is unacceptable and Chief Director Costa-Brown thinks the same," Piggot said.

Everyone glanced at each other.

"What does that mean, director?" Velocity asked.

"For helping a foreign criminal organization invade American soil, the Empire is now considered a terrorist group and must be dealt with immediately. Lethal force is authorized," Piggot said.

That caught everyone by surprise.

It makes sense when you think about it.

The PRT needs to make an example of the Empire; otherwise, they risk appearing dangerously incompetent, which could lead to a significant loss of public confidence.

Sure, they were never able to deal with the Empire before but they were a local problem.

Now that Gesellschaft is here, this is an entirely different picture.

This will also serve as a warning to deter other foreigners power from doing the same that Gesellschaft is doing.

"Oh? So the kid's gloves are coming off. Interesting," Medea said.

Morgan scoffs, "They let this problem fester for years, and now they finally decide to deal with it. Their incompetence is unbelievable."

The PRT certainly didn't appreciate Morgan's comment.

"You seem to have forgotten that all of this is your fault. I told you to lay low and let us handle the Empire, but you didn't listen, and look where we're now," Armsmaster said.

"Let you handle them? If we did do that, you would have failed as you always do," Morgan said.

Armsmaster grits his teeth in anger.

"And we're already doing a better job than you. I mean, it didn't even take a month for us to deal with the ABB. Now, it's only a matter of time before their territory is ours," Medea said with a smirk.

Wow, I can see Armsmaster's blood pressure rising.

"That doesn't change the fact that your recklessness led to thousands being injured, or worse, and it will cost millions to the city to fix all the damaged infrastructure!" Armsmaster said with a growl.

"Okay. Let's all take a step back and breathe," Assault said, trying to mediate the situation. "We're all tired and stressed. I know things loo-"

"He's right," I said.

The PRT and New Wave looked at me in surprise.

Armsmaster nods pleased, "Good, you understand your mistake."

"Our attacks against the Empire weren't a mistake. I said that you're right about this entire situation being my mess. And I'm going to clean it," I said determined.

I turned to Piggot.

"Can we also use lethal force?" I asked.

"Until the Empire and Gesellschaft are dealt with, Chaldea is also permitted to use lethal force," Piggot said with a frown.

That just made things a lot easier.

Now we don't have to worry about the PRT annoying us.

"Director, I'm against giving Chaldea such permission," Armsmaster said.

"Your complaint is noted but my decision is final," Piggot said.

Armsmaster frowns heavily but doesn't say anything else.

"Does anyone else have any questions?" Piggot asked.

"Are we going to get backup?" Dauntless asked.

"Yes, we are. Myrddin, Chevalier, and Rime are confirmed to be coming here. Dragon will also be sending some of her suits to help," Piggot said.

Some big names are coming.

"When are they arriving?" Battery asked.

"Strider's been hired to transport them. They will be here within the hour," Piggot said.

"When are you planning to attack?" Medea asked.

"It depends on how many of Hydra's clones are still out there," Piggot turns to me. "Those things-"

"Golems," I said.

"....those golems, how many do you have?" Piggot asked.

"As many as I need," I said.

Piggot looks at me with an unreadable expression for a few seconds.

Oh yeah, she didn't like what I said.

Renick coughs, "I take that the one that is controlling the golems isn't here."

"You would be correct, he is somewhere else. If you want we can talk to him right now," I said.

"That would be a good idea," Renick said.

"Medea, if you would," I said.

Medea snaps her finger and a magical circle appears on the middle of the table. Avicebron images appeared after a second.

"Yes?" Avicebron asked.

"How is it looking?" I asked.

"I dealt with the clones that were causing havoc throughout the city. Now they are all contained in the Empire territory," Avicebron said.

"How much of the city was damaged?" Piggot asked.

"While much of the city suffered damage, none of the critical infrastructure was affected," Avicebron said.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Avicebron spoke first.

"I'm already working on cleaning the streets of debris and repairing the damaged buildings," Avicebron said, anticipating my thoughts.

I gave him a thumbs up.

"What about the hospital?" Glory Girl asked, with a worried face.

Many in the room tensed at Glory Girl's question, turning their attention to Avicebron.

"They attempted an attack, but Paracelsus and Asclepius took care of them. I also placed a few of my golems there for added protection," Avicebron said.

Glory Girl lets out a sigh of relief, and leans head on Gallant shoulder.

"Did any more of Gesellschaft capes appear?" I asked.

"Yes, three more capes have appeared. Let me show you," Avicebron said.

The image switches to the street where a fight is currently happening.

A man is fighting the golems singlehanded, and destroying a few of the golems.

He's dressed like a Greek soldier, and his upper body muscles are grotesquely huge.

It's as if someone inflated only half his body.

And yet, he moves with a grace that should be impossible for such a disproportionate body.

There are clones helping him in stopping the golems from advancing but it will be only a matter of time before he's overwhelmed.

Another image appears.

A group of golems relentlessly strike against an energy shield conjured by a young woman clad in full-body armor. Besides her, another woman is locked in combat with the golems, battling fiercely to keep them at bay.

Unlike her partner, she's in a grey sleeveless combat suit, and brown boots, draped with a dark cloak, and wears a mask obscuring the lower part of her face. She is wielding a sword that is slicing through the golems effortlessly as if they're made of paper.

The golems are unable to harm her; whenever they come near, her body contorts itself, almost as if it were made of water, allowing her to evade their attacks before striking back.

"Who're they?" Miss Militia asked.

"The man is known as 'Spartan', a Brute capable of enhancing his physical strength," Armsmaster said while reviewing the PRT database. "...but I can't find any information on the other two," he added with a frown.

"They're giving any trouble?" I asked Avicebron.

"Besides being annoyances, they're only a temporary setback," Avicebron said.

Avicebron looks to his side and shakes his head.

"What?" I asked.

"It's just another wave of clones that are trying to attack me," Avicebron said casually.

I let out a hum, "Is that so."

"With the numbers of clones they have, it can't be helped that some of them slip past my golems," Avicebron shrugs.

There doesn't seem to be a limit to how many clones Hydra can create.

Well, sooner or later he has to go to sleep.

I can feel everyone's eyes on me, filled with disbelief.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"Aren't you two acting a little too calm!?" Clockblocker and Vista exclaimed at the same time.

Am I?

I mean, if there was any problem Avicebron would have said something.

"Tell us where you are, so we can send backup!" Brandish said.

"There's n-" Avicebron is interrupted by Kid Win.

"He's the boat graveyard," Kid Win said, looking at his phone.

"Oh? Someone already posted on PHO, huh," Medea commented.

"Facebook, actually," Kid Win said.

Ah, good old social media.

"Anyways, we got it under control. So you don't have to worry about anything," I said.

But no one seemed to have heard me, too caught up in deciding who would go to the boat graveyard to help Avicebron secure the area.

"New Wave can get there quicker and secure the area," Battery said.

"We're running on fumes. I don't know how much of a help we would be," Lady Photon frowned.

"Hey," I said louder.

"Can we send any of the troopers with New Wave?" Miss Militia asked.

"All of the troopers are occupied," Piggot said.

I let out a tired sigh.

"Morgan," I said.

Morgan gently taps her demonic spear on the ground, and instantly, silence falls over the room. Every sound vanishes, leaving everyone startled. They glance around, wide-eyed, trying to understand what just happened.

Their attention shifts to us as I let out a chuckle.

"While I do appreciate the help all of you are offering it isn't necessary," I said.

Oh, I didn't realize that this room had some echo.

Assault waves to grab my attention and point at his mouth.

Morgan taps her demonic spear on the ground once again, and the room is filled with sound once more.

"What was that?" Assault asked.

The magecraft equivalent of the 'mute button'.

"Something to grab everyone's attention," I said.

"Don't do that again," Piggot said with a glare.

I'm never going to be on her good side, am I?

"Are you certain that he doesn't need help?" Manpower asked, glancing at Avicebron.

"I don't need help. The clones aren't getting anywhere close to me. They might have more numbers but they're all weak," Avicebron said.

"There you have it," I said.

They still didn't seem convinced, but they didn't say anything more about it.

"So, about the time of the attack?" Medea asked.

"We still need to plan our attack, but considering how tired everyone is, it will likely take place later this evening. We will reach out to everyone later with more details. In the meantime, I strongly recommend that you all get as much rest as possible," Piggot said.

Murmurs of relief spread across the room.

Piggot turns to me.

"Can I assume that Chaldea will wait until tonight and join us in our attack against the Empire and Gesellschaft?" Piggot asked.

"Huh, well, I was thinking-" Morgan interrupts me.

"Your terms are acceptable. We will meet with you tonight," Morgan said.

Hold on, what?

"I know that look, master and it can wait until tonight. Right now, you're going to get some sleep," Medea said.

Medea puts her hands on my shoulders and starts to push me to the door.

As I was being pushed, something caught my attention in the corner of my eyes, prompting me to turn and see what it was.

"Is that the sun?" I asked with wide eyes.

"It appears so," Morgan said, looking at the sun that is emerging on the horizon.

Oh fuck.

//////////////////////

I enter my room through the window.

"They better cancel school today," I muttered.

I let out a tired sigh and took off my mask.

Suddenly the lights in my room turned on and someone gasped behind me.

I quickly turned around and came to face my parents looking at me with wide eyes.

We stared at each other in silence for a few moments.

"I can explain," I said, breaking the silence.

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Short chapter this time.

I have been wanting to start another story but I'm still working on it.

So next update will either be the next chapter of Throne of Bet or a new story.

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Please leave a review. It helps me to stay motivated.

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If you like my stories and wish to support me, you can find me over at pa-tre-on (slash) Regulareader.

Or at Ko-fi.com/regulareader

 

[vtkun]

thanks for the chapter

 

[cloned 1000]

"This is not what it looks like"
-Master of Chaldea, getting caught in the morning

 

[Astan]

Thank you for the chapter

Should have Leveler sneak

 

[regulareader]

Disclaimer: English is not my first language. I'm using Grammarly to check the Grammar and using Word to write it.

I tried to finish this before Christmas but it is what it is.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to everyone!

I will see you all back in January.

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Well, I was going to have this talk sooner or later.

I wish that it wasn't when I was exhausted.

I can't catch a break, can I?

"Henry, what is that?" Nora asked, looking at the mystic code that I was wearing.

How do I explain this?

"It's my cape costume," I said.

Let's start small.

Mom blinks rapidly at my answer.

"Where did-no, that isn't important right now. How long?" Isaac asked.

"How long I have been a cape or have powers?" I asked.

The second one is harder to explain.

Mom and Dad glanced at each other confused.

"Isn't that the same thing?" Isaac asked.

"Not in my case," I said, rubbing my neck.

"Wha-what does that even mean?" Nora asked, slightly agitated.

"It's hard to explain," I said.

"Then start from the beginning," Isaac said.

That doesn't help.

"Okay, so the whole cape thing started the day that I came out of the coma. I waited first for everyone to fall asleep before I sneaked out. Then I looked for a quiet place so I could summon a friend. And, well, you know about the fight I had with the Empire," I said, explaining my first night as a cape.

"You shouldn't have fought them. That was incredibly irresponsible," Isaac said with a frown.

"I had to do something, the fight was only going to get worse and Morgan was more than enough to deal with the Empire capes," I argued back.

"Morgan?" Isaac asked.

Crap.

"You mean that woman with white hair?" Nora asked.

"Isn't she a projection?" Isaac asked.

"Yes and no," I said.

"What does that mean?" Nora asked.

"Wait a second. What do you mean: you had to summon her?" Isaac asked.

Oh boy.

"Here the thing about my 'power', I can summon legendary heroes to help me in battle," I said.

Oversimplified, but it's enough for now.

"When you say 'summon', is that just something you say to add a bit of flair to your power, or do you actually mean it? Because if it's the latter, then they must be coming from somewhere," Isaac said with a grim frown.

I pressed my lips in a thin line.

Mom let out a gasp at my silence.

"Henry....did you kidnap them?" Nora asked hesitantly.

"No!" I nearly shouted, making my parents lean back in surprise. "That isn't even close to what's happening. Yes, they are coming from somewhere but there is no kidnapping or mastering involved in this whatsoever."

My parents seemed relieved at that.

"What even made you ask that question?" I asked.

Isaac shrugs, "I keep hearing how sentient your projections are, now you say she has a name and this whole summoning thing. I couldn't help but think that it's like those stories of a mage summoning heroes from distant lands," Isaac said.

Holy crap Dad, you have no idea how right you are.

"You know, like those cheese novels that your mom likes to read," Isaac said.

"And what's wrong with them?" Nora asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"Honey, those novels are so packed with cliches that I could hardly bring myself to finish one of them," Isaac said drily.

Damn.

Mom lightly slaps Dad's shoulder with a huff.

I let out a small laugh at this.

"Young man, you aren't off the hook yet," Nora said sternly. "So, where're they coming from?" she crossed her arms.

"....from another world," I said rubbing my neck.

"Explain," Isaac raised an eyebrow.

I let out a sigh, "They come from a Chaldea that exists in another world. And we're in the process of transferring the entire organization to here."

"Why would they do that? They would be abandoning their homes," Nora said.

No, they wouldn't since their home is Chaldea.

"Okay, I'm going to need-" I'm interrupted by Daisy walking into the room

"What's going on?" Daisy asked, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

She suddenly stops when she sees me, her eyes going wide in surprise.

"YOU AR-" I quickly got close to her and covered her mouth.

"For the love of god don't scream that," I said, creating a bound field that covers my room.

I should have done that earlier.

I remove my hand from Daisy's mouth.

"You're Magus," Daisy said with an excited grin.

"Yes I'm," I said with a tired smile.

"Awesome," Daisy whispered.

A thought crosses my mind.

"Hey, give me a hand here, and later I can introduce you to everyone at Chaldea," I whispered to Daisy.

Her eyes light up and nods her head quickly.

"We can hear you," Isaac deadpanned.

Oh well.

I shrug my shoulders in response and Daisy laughs nervously.

I frowned as Daisy tensed at the distant sound of explosions.

I gently place a hand on her head, guiding her gaze to mine. "Everything is going to be okay," I said softly, offering her reassurance.

Daisy grabs my hand firmly and nods.

I glance at my parents and see that they are also tense.

That is it, we aren't staying here.

"We're going to the hotel," I said.

"Hotel?" Nora asked.

"We needed space since Chaldea has a lot of members," I explained.

"Where did you get the money?" Isaac asked.

"We robbed the gangs," I said with a shrug.

Dad raises an eyebrow but doesn't say anything.

More explosions echoed in the distance.

"We can finish this talk when we're there. Now go change clothes," I said.

Isaac frowns, "We can't just-"

"This isn't up for discussion, the hotel is the safest place in the city and we're going there," I said with a tone of finality.

Mom and Dad and Daisy exchange glances.

"What are you guys waiting for? Go change," I said, pushing them out of my room.

God, what a headache.

"Da Vinci, I'm bringing my family to the hotel. My parents found out," I said.

"Oh boy. How did that happen?" Da Vinci asked.

"They walked on me a little after I entered my room," I said. "I think they were waiting for me," I rubbed my chin in thought.

The timing was too perfect.

"I'm not surprised. With all the commotion happening, they must have gone to check on you and your sister-"

"And they didn't find me," I said, pinching my nose in frustration.

Yeah, they were waiting for me.

"So, how did the talk go?" Da Vinci asked.

"Still going. I only told them a little about what I had been doing as a cape but Daisy interrupted me when I was going to talk about my 'power'. I'm going to need help to explain that," I said.

"I'm at your disposal," Da Vinci said immediately.

"Thanks," I said with a smile. "Seriously, how the hell do I explain everything to them?"

"I have an idea," Da Vinci said.

"What's it?" I asked.

"We show them your memories," Da Vinci said.

I froze at her suggestion.

My....memories?

"I can't," I whispered.

"Henry," Da Vinci said.

"They will see everything that I have done. I killed so many," I said.

They will think I'm a monster.

They will be scared of me.

I can't go through that.

"HENRY!" Da Vinci exclaimed.

I let out a gasp and shook my head to clear my mind.

Remember Xuanzang's meditation lessons.

"Clear your mind and focus only on your breathing. Breath in....breath out," Xuanzang lesson echoed in my mind.

Breathe in.....breath out.

Breathe in.....breath out.

Taking one more deep breath I was finally able to calm down.

Opening my eyes, I notice Hassan beside me, her hand gently resting on my back. Trying to help me calm down.

"Thanks," I said tired smile.

Hassan nods, she doesn't move from my side.

"You okay?" Da Vinci asked concerned.

"Not really," I said.

".....we don't have to do this, you know. I know that you don't want to hear but we could make them for- "

"No. That is never going to be an option with my family," I said firmly. "Besides, if I start now when would the lies end? They will just keep piling up until whatever chance I had to reconnect is completely gone."

I clench my fist in determination.

"We're doing this," I said.

"Okay. Whatever happens, we're with you. I'm going to get things ready for your arrival," Da Vinci said.

I have a weary sigh, running my hand through my hair in frustration.

"Another long day of work," I comment.

"Indeed. Would you like to eat or drink something?" Hassan asked.

"Got no appetite right now," I said, shaking my head.

We still have to exterminate the Empire later.

Man, I'm not going to get much sleep today.

"Oh yeah, do you got eyes on the Empire capes?" I asked.

"Yes. They have retreated to Medhall to catch their breath. Kaiser is arguing with Victor on what do to about Avicebron's golems. They are scared," Hassan said.

Well, they won't be scared for long.

"What about Hydra?" I asked.

"He's also at Medhall creating more clones. He's an odd one," Hassan said.

I raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"I've been watching him for the past two hours. Other than creating clones, all he does is stare into space," Hassan said.

That is odd.

"Is there anything else worth noticing?" I asked.

Hassan nods, "There's a tunnel that leads to outside of the city."

An escape route?

We can't have that.

"Cape made?" I asked.

"Yes. The walls have no sign of being made using machines or tools. There are also two unknown capes waiting at the end of the tunnel," Hassan said.

One of them must have created the tunnel.

"Take Ushiwakamaru and Cú Chulainn to deal with them and anyone that comes out of it. No prisoners," I said seriously.

My parents and Daisy step inside my room, only to freeze in shock at Hassan standing next to me.

"It's okay, she's with me," I reassured them.

Looks like they are ready.

"Master, the hotel is still being watched," Hassan reminded me.

Oh right.

"We need to cover your faces before we leave," I said.

"I'm sorry, who's watching the hotel?" Nora asked concerned.

"People that want me under their thumbs," I said casually.

Maybe I could use the masks from Daisy's old Halloween costume, I think she might have kept a few of them.

"Master," Hassan said, holding three spares of her mask.

Oh, that's much better.

////////////////////

The trip to the hotel was made in silence, my family is still coming in terms of me being a cape.

Daisy informed me that I was already considered the most powerful cape in the city.

Not much of an achievement when the bar is low around here. At least in Brockton Bay, the S-call threats and Endbringers are another story.

Upon entering the hotel, we found Da Vinci already waiting for us in the lobby.

"Hey," Da Vinci said with a tired smile.

"Hey. Is everything ready?" I asked.

"Not yet. Morgan and Medea need a few more minutes to finish the spell," Da Vinci said.

"Spell?" Daisy asked, taking off her mask.

I let out a sigh, "It will all be explained. Just be patient for now."

"So this is your family. Hey there, I'm Da Vinci," Da Vinci introduces herself to my family.

"You're so young," Isaac said with a frown.

Da Vinci shakes her head, "I only look young. Trust me, I'm actually older than you," she said with a wink.

Dad glances at me confused and I shrug in response.

"Da Vinci? Isn't that the same name from that movie from 2006?" Daisy asked, scratching her head.

Da Vinci's smile turned stiff, and I quickly covered my mouth to stifle a laugh.

Oh god, this is amazing.

She is one of the greatest minds in history and Daisy remembers her from a movie about some over complicated conspiracy about the holy grail or something like that.

"Anyway, let's go to the meeting room. I'm sure you all have many questions," Da Vinci said.

I walk next to her, my family quickly following us.

"You had anything to eat yet?" Da Vinci asked.

"Nope. And don't bother asking Barghest to make something, I got no appetite right now," I said.

Da Vinci glances at me with a concerned frown.

"Don't give me that look. Besides, it's not like this is the first that I'm working nonstop," I said.

"After this is over you're going to eat something and sleep for eight hours," Da Vinci said, leaving no room for argument.

"All right," I said.

"....you know, I was hoping things were going to be different here," Da Vinci let out a sigh.

Yeah, different world, same problems.

Well, on a smaller scale this time.

"We just have to deal with the S-class threats and the Endbringers. After that the heroes can handle the rest," I said.

"Already planning your retirement?" Da Vinci asked amused.

"Oh yeah. I'm thinking about traveling around the world," I said.

"Hm, that does sound good," Da Vinci said.

We reached our destination and entered the meeting room.

It's a simple room featuring a rectangular table surrounded by chairs.

I sit at the table with Da Vinci on one side, while my family sits opposite us.

"Get comfortable, we got some time before the preparations are ready," I said, leaning back on my chair.

"What're we waiting for?" Nora asked.

"And what was that about a 'spell'?" Daisy asked.

Oh, fuck it.

"We're waiting for a spell that is going to show my memories to all of you," I said.

One, two, three...

"What're you talking about?" Mom, Dad, and Daisy said at the same time.

"I know that sounds weird but Henry is speaking the truth. Just wait a few minutes," Da Vinci said.

"You mean, wait for this so-called 'spell'," Isaac said annoyed.

"Honey," Nora said with a frown.

"No. We aren't going along with whatever is happening. Henry, what the hell is going on!?" Isaac said impatiently.

"It's complicated," I said.

"So simplify," Isaac demanded.

"I can't do that," I said with slightly gritted teeth.

"Why not?" Isaac pressed.

"Because you will never believe me!" I exclaimed in anger, slamming my hands on the table.

Dad blinks in surprise at my outburst.

Mom and Daisy look at me with concern.

"The truth is far too ridiculous for any of you to believe without proof. Hell, there are still parts of it I can't believe myself that it happened, and I was there!" I said.

The Clock Tower didn't believe us when we told them about the singularities. They thought that such things were too fantastic to be true.

Too fantastic.

A freaking secret society of mages didn't believe us.

"Let's all calm down first. The last few hours have been stressful for everyone," Da Vinci said, mediating the situation.

Mom sends a grateful nod to Da Vinci and turns her attention to me. Her expression was a mix of confusion and concern.

"We want to understand but you aren't making any sense. I mean, what memories do you even want to show us?" Nora asked.

"I'm going to need all of you to keep an open mind. And I do mean open," I said, staring intensely at my family.

Mom, Dad, and Daisy nod their heads after a moment of hesitation.

"I'm going to show memories of how I became the last master of humanity and everything I did to restore proper human history," I said seriously.

My family stays silent for a minute.

"I'm calling the PRT," Dad breaks the silence and grabs his phone.

I let out a groan.

"Please don't. That isn't going to help," I said, pinching my nose.

"Mr. Karn, I understand your skepticism but I assure you that Henry is speaking the truth," Da Vinci said, trying to help me.

"I can't get a signal," Isaac said, ignoring Da Vinci.

"Dad, please put the phone away. The PRT isn't going to help, all they are going to do is put a leash on me," I said.

"Why would they do that?" Nora asked.

"To control Chaldea. By now they must have realized that they can't defeat us, so their only choice would be to control Henry," Da Vinci explained.

"You guys are that strong?" Daisy asked curiously.

"Yes," Da Vinci said.

Dad kept messing with his phone.

"Dad put the phone away!" I said angrily.

"No!" Isaac exclaimed just as angrily.

We stared each other down until Mom rested her hand on Dad's shoulder. She turned to me and, after a brief pause, began to speak.

"Sweetie, something isn't right with you," Nora said.

I lean back in surprise.

"At first I thought it was because you're a cape but now....I don't even know what to say," Nora shakes her head.

It's going to be worse after they see my memories.

"Maybe it's his powers," Daisy said.

She began fidgeting nervously as all eyes shifted towards her.

"What do you mean?" Da Vinci raised an eyebrow.

"I read how some powers affect the parahuman's minds. Making them act different from how they were before," Daisy said uncomfortably.

Damn it Daisy. I know that you're trying to help but you're making it worse!

"Ah, that," Da Vinci said with a grimace. "It's more common with 'Thinkers' as their powers are related to their minds, so it's expected for them to see the world in a different light. But that has nothing to do with this conversation."

Da Vinci fixes an intense gaze on my Dad, silencing him before he can launch another rant.

Da Vinci sighed, "I didn't want to resort to this."

I don't like the sound of that.

Da Vinci looks me in the eyes and then at my chest.

It takes a second before I understand what she wants.

Yep, I was right.

I take off my shirt and my family gasped at the state of my body.

The contrast between how I looked before and after the coma is undeniable. I certainly didn't have such well-defined muscles and, most strikingly, wasn't covered in scars before.

Old scars.

Most of them are faded by now, thanks to Nightingale, but you can easily that I didn't get any of them recently.

My family kept looking at me in horror, too stunned to say anything.

I need a drink.

The door swings open as Medea and Morgan step into the room. They halt abruptly, their eyes scanning the space, instantly aware of the palpated tension gripping everyone present.

"Should we come back later?" Medea raised an eyebrow.

"Won't make a difference," I put back my shirt. "Let's get this over with."

Medea and Morgan quickly move to my side. Morgan places her hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me.

I took her hand and offered a grateful smile.

A magical circle appears under me.

"Before we go through with this, I need to warm all of you," I said, locking eyes with my family. "This is going to be awful. At first, it isn't so bad but later it is when things get, honestly, downright cruel."

They exchanged a glance, their eyes reflecting a mix of fear and uncertainty. After a brief pause, they nodded to each other and then turned toward me.

"We want to know," Isaac said determined.

Mom and Daisy also nod in determination.

"Begin," I said.

Medea and Morgan start the spell.

Down the memory lane, we go.

//////////

Please leave a review. It helps me to stay motivated.

//////////////////////////

If you like my stories and wish to support me, you can find me over at pa-tre-on (slash) Regulareader.

Or at Ko-fi.com/regulareader

 

[vtkun]

thanks for the chapter , Merry Christmas

 

[Kolarthecool]

That seemed overly dramatic and angsty tbh. I hate it when a character pulls the 'you wouldn't believe it anyways' card without even bothering to give the explanation first.

He could have easily summarized things by saying his coma was actually his mind being pulled into a different world and he wants to show them his memories of that time to better explain things, but nope it's all 'just trust me and wait, you don't need an explanation or to call the professionals, just listen to me while I act all sketchy and out of character'.

The memory thing isn't even necessary considering it gave him a panic attack at the thought of it, a verbal explanation downplaying some things would have worked considering how weird some cape powers can be. His family don't need the whole history of FGO just to know how his 'powers' work and that his projections are more than that.

 

[ArKFallen]

I've enjoyed reading this though the last chapter felt far more tense. I chalked it up to him assuming a summary of "My coma was from a parahuman foreign to this world summoning my mind to save another world" would wind them up more than calm them down when he doubling down on secrecy . The foreshadowing on the scar reveal was good and far enough back I didn't see it coming.

 

[damican]

This is enjoyable.