Michael stood outside his rented place, the desolate air of the alien world surrounding him. He glanced at the massive pile of supplies stacked outside his door, a grim reminder of the path he had begun to walk. His time in isolation, filled with grief, had led to the realization that he needed action—not just brooding. Revenge was his driving force, and every step brought him closer to his goal.
The house AI chirped as he entered. "Welcome back, Michael. No rental payment has been received for thirty days. Continued occupation without renewal will result in eviction."
Michael chuckled wryly. "Guess I've got bigger problems than rent now, huh?"
After freshening up, he paused in front of a mirror. The man staring back at him wasn't the same as the boy who had set out on this journey months ago. Cosmic green eyes shimmered back at him, bright and unrelenting. His muscles were more refined, his black skin glowing faintly with a cosmic glitter that danced along the surface. He looked alien, almost like a fictional character, but he couldn't let himself dwell on the transformation.
Michael packed the rest of his belongings and teleported away, leaving the rented house behind. He appeared in an enormous cavern deep below the surface of a desolate planet.
Michael stood at the center of his cavern, the supplies he had collected from his rented place now scattered across the ground. The expanse of the cavern echoed faintly with a hum—a strange, uneasy feeling that crept into his mind. He placed his hand against the cold rock wall, sighing deeply as he tried to ground himself. Yet, no matter how hard he focused, there was an itching in the back of his mind, faint but persistent. It wasn't physical. It was something deeper—a whisper that didn't belong to him.
As he closed his eyes, the sensation sharpened, pulling him deeper into himself. Then, he saw fragments—brief, blurry visions. A girl, tattered and exhausted, fighting shadowy figures in the depths of space. Her clothes were strange, futuristic and worn, as if she had been fighting for days. Around her, the figures twisted grotesquely, humanoid yet unnatural, with extra limbs sprouting in chaotic patterns. The expanse of the battlefield stretched endlessly through the void, chunks of planets reduced to smoldering debris floating across the galaxy. The sight filled Michael's heart with fury.
He gasped, his eyes snapping open, glowing brightly with cosmic green energy. Without hesitation, he let his rage take hold, teleporting instinctively to the source of the cry. The cavern was replaced by the infinite emptiness of space in an instant. Michael's vision blurred, and when it refocused, the scene from his visions was real. Before him, the girl fought desperately, her movements slowing as the shadowy figures surrounded her like predators closing in.
The solar system was a graveyard. The remnants of two crumbled planets burned red-hot among floating debris, chunks of rock scattering like dust after each impact of energy between the combatants. The girl screamed as she narrowly dodged a strike from one of the shadow creatures, her exhaustion evident. The figures emanated waves of pure malevolence—negative energy so thick Michael could feel it pressing against his mind like a storm cloud.
Michael didn't think. He acted. His energy surged as he rushed in, unhinged and untamed. He collided with one of the shadowy figures, his fist glowing brightly as it slammed into its side. The force sent the creature spiraling backward, crashing through the burning debris. But Michael's movements were sloppy, wild—he fought without direction, his rage blinding him to strategy.
The creatures adjusted quickly, their grotesque limbs moving unnaturally fast as they surrounded him. In unison, they attacked, firing beams of red energy that converged on Michael. He was too slow to dodge, his raw swings leaving him vulnerable. The blast sent him hurtling backward, crashing violently into a nearby asteroid. The impact shattered the asteroid's surface, leaving Michael sprawled in the debris.
As Michael groaned, trying to push himself up, the girl appeared above him, panting heavily. She reached out, grabbing his arm and helping him stand. "Hey! Listen to me!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the ringing in his ears. "I appreciate you rushing in to help, but you're going to get yourself killed fighting like that. Whatever you're feeling—it's messing with you. You need to focus!"
Michael clenched his fists, his energy flickering erratically around him. "I— I don't know what happened. I just... I just had to act!"
The girl closed her eyes briefly, summoning what little strength she had left. "Alright. Hold still," she said firmly. Her hands glowed faintly with blue energy as she placed them on Michael's shoulders. "I'm using Mind's Anchor. It'll help you calm down."
Michael felt the negative energy gripping his mind dissipate, replaced by a cold clarity. His wild thoughts settled, and for the first time, he could think clearly. He exhaled deeply, nodding. "Thank you."
The girl backed away slightly, her eyes scanning the shadowy figures still circling them like vultures. "Those creatures—they're lesser corrupted minions created by beings far worse than you could imagine. They naturally carry and release an energy that screws with your head. You'll be fine now, but you need to focus to fight them properly."
Michael narrowed his eyes, looking at the figures. "Fine. Tell me how to beat them."
The girl pointed at the glowing red cores embedded on random parts of their spines. "See those cores? That's their weakness. You need to strike them directly to take them down."
Michael tilted his head, confused. "What cores?"
The girl groaned, visibly annoyed. "The glowing red parts on their backs. Come on, it's basic. Everyone knows this."
Michael blinked. "I guess I missed the memo. Alright, so how do I hit them?"
"Use Void step, to out manuever them and Astral palm to strike their cores directly—it's the quickest way to finish them," she explained.
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Void step, Astral palm? What the hell is that?"
The girl sighed, shaking her head. "Forget it. You're useless for this. Just do whatever you think will work."
Michael smirked slightly, his confidence returning. "I think I'll stick to what I know." He straightened, calming his energy and focusing inward. Drawing on the knowledge he had learned from his training module, Michael refined his stance. His movements were fluid now, deliberate but powerful, each motion fueled by cosmic green energy. He charged forward, ready to take the fight to the corrupted beings.
The shadow figures attacked simultaneously, unleashing beams of red energy and strikes from their jagged limbs. Michael dodged gracefully, small teleportation steps allowing him to evade their attacks with precision. His energy pulsed brighter, controlled and deadly, as he countered each move with devastating strikes.
Michael wove through the fight like a masterful dancer, his fists glowing as he struck one of the figures repeatedly. As its core became exposed, Michael gathered his energy, forming a blade of energy around his hand. Cosmic green energy shaped like jagged lightning surged from his palm, crackling with destructive power. With a roar, Michael drove the energy into the creature's core, obliterating it completely. The creature let out a distorted scream before disintegrating into nothingness.
The second figure lunged at him with renewed fury, its claws stretching impossibly long. Michael dodged easily, teleporting behind it and delivering a series of precise strikes. As its core became exposed, he unleashed another attack, the energy tearing through its spine and core like a celestial storm. The creature collapsed, fading into black and red mist.
Michael stood panting, his energy flickering faintly. The girl approached him, a weary smile crossing her face. "Well... you're not totally useless," she said dryly.
Michael chuckled, his cosmic green eyes glowing brightly. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
The girl extended a hand. "Name's Kaida. You're clearly look like you don't know what's going. Have you been living in the slums or something."
Michael hesitated briefly before taking her hand. "I'm Michael. And I just got my powers."
Join my Patreon to support my work and read chapter in advance patreon.com/Writing_when_bored