Act 9
Eden Centre
Masayoshi walked through the shopping centre of the large metropolis, he had just bought extra masks, having had to leave his last one in the distant village, the echo of his recent appearance still lingered in his thoughts. Almost two weeks had passed since the incident, and apparently, his father had indeed managed to make his data practically non-existent in the official databases, he had spent the last days immersed in work, accumulating overtime to avoid the spotlight. On his way home, he took the card his father had given him, noticing that the tailor's residence was in a far-off region.
Upon entering his apartment, a strange sensation came over him. His vision blurred, the world spinning in a whirlwind of distorted colours. He fell to his knees, his hands pressing against the cold floor.
"What's happening...?"
His breathing became laboured as his heart accelerated, beating against his chest like a drum, until... darkness consumed him completely.
In that same instant, his eyes opened, he was no longer in his room.
He was in an infinite void, a cosmos of darkness punctuated by distant stars that pulsed in rhythm with his own heartbeat, before him, a luminous presence materialised, not a defined form, but a concentration of yellow and red energy, a flame that radiated pure power.
Masayoshi:
His voice echoed, "Where... where am I? What is this place?"
???:
The voice wasn't heard, but felt, resonating directly in his soul like warmth, it was calm. "You are in the Core, the zero point where power meets will, the only place the tyrant's shadow cannot enter."
Masayoshi:
"Him? Darkseid? Did he bring me here?"
???:
"No, it was I, I brought you to this refuge, it is increasingly difficult to keep him at bay. His consciousness is a constant hammer against the shields I erected to protect you."
Masayoshi:
"Shields? You... were you the one who created that barrier?"
???:
"Yes, the tyrant believes I am a mere tool, a brute force to be dominated. He does not understand, power is not something to be controlled, it exists, it is a supreme force that is far more than just an artefact of war and domination, I am the pure essence of the Omega power, a consciousness that has watched for all these years as tyranny reigned with my abilities, I was never able to do what I did with you, Darkseid's mind is a whirlwind of dark mysteries, gaining control over it is impossible."
Masayoshi:
"But... why... why was I chosen? I'm not... special. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
The Omega Essence:
"There are no coincidences, Masayoshi. You were in the exact place at the exact time, your essence and your internal struggle between complacency and action, your contained rage against injustice, your compassion even when confronted with hatred... this is what I respond to. Darkseid is brute force, domination, tyranny, his rule would be the end of everything. You are potential, you are the one who will bring balance to your universe, and you will use these powers the right way."
Masayoshi:
"I can't control this properly, every time I use it, I feel like I could hurt someone, I feel... him... laughing at me."
The Omega Essence:
"Control will come in time, you still cling to limits because you are mortal. You do not use the power, you are an expression of it, I am not a weapon you wield, I am the blood that now runs in your veins, the instinct that guides your reflexes, the flame that ignited your will."
Masayoshi:
"And for how long can you hold him back?"
The Omega Essence:
"That will depend on you, each time you channel my force beyond your current limits, the walls I've placed between you and the tyrant weaken. He is patient, he waits, he knows that one day, either you will yield to the rage and the absolute power he offers... or you will fail, and the breach will be wide enough for him to force his way through."
Masayoshi:
"So it's a lost battle."
The Omega Essence:
"No, this is a race, a race for you to become strong enough, whole enough in your purpose, so that there is no breach for him to exploit, so that your will is the only one. The uniform you seek... the symbol... that is good. It is a step, a focus for your intention, but it is not the armour that will protect you, it is the conviction behind it."
Masayoshi:
"And if I fail?"
The Omega Essence:
"Then everything you love will be consumed by a darkness that knows no end, but that will not happen, because I chose you to be my champion, a vessel for infinite power."
That being of pure light enveloped Masayoshi, like an embrace, the great hero began to fade from that place, as if he didn't belong there, until his figure vanished, leaving only the luminous being in that place...
"So... it was you all along..."
In the deepest part of the darkness, a colossal, greyish form materialised, Darkseid, his aura emanated despair and fear, distorting reality around him.
Darkseid:
"The boy is impressive, he managed to wield powers he didn't even know existed. I await his deeds with anticipation... for when he reaches his peak, I will take this body as my own, all the abilities he acquires... will be mine."
The Omega Essence remained silent, but its concern was palpable, Darkseid should not have been able to access this sanctuary.
Darkseid:
"Your silence is understandable, it was an ingenious trick, that barrier... but one day, you know what will happen. Tyranny is the final destiny of all thirst for power."
Darkseid dissolved into the void, leaving behind a heavy, threatening calm...
Forensics Station
Malik, the nation's chief scientist, stood in the centre of the circular control room, holograms displayed streams of biometric data and voice scans. His frustration was a volcano contained under a thin layer of ice.
Chief Forensic Expert:
Swallowing dryly, his hands trembling slightly, "Sir Malik, we have exhausted all possibilities, the universal voice database returned no matches, the voice... is a ghost."
Malik:
"Ghosts don't leave vocal impressions capable of disintegrating a combat drone, ghosts don't defy the laws of physics in broad daylight. Tell me, are you looking for a ghost? Or have you simply failed?"
Secondary Expert:
"We scanned over 30 billion records, sir, from common citizens to criminals, the vocal pattern doesn't match any known profile. It's as if he never officially existed."
Malik:
He turned slowly, his cold gaze sweeping over each of the experts. "Officially... what a convenient word, it means you blindly trusted that system, it means you assumed this threat, this insect, would be catalogued like everyone else."
Tertiary Expert:
"It's the standard protocol, sir, automatic recognition is the fir..."
Malik:
"The protocol failed, your methodology failed, the technology failed, now, we will use the oldest and, apparently, most reliable method."
He stepped forward, his silent footsteps echoing in the sterile room.
"You, each one of you, will go to the archives, where we keep the birth registration tapes and the old audio profiles of everyone who has ever set foot on this planet."
Secondary Expert:
"But, sir... that's centuries of records... thousands of files..."
Malik:
A cold, humourless smile stretched his lips. "Then I suggest you start immediately, listen to every tape, every... recording. Compare the vocal imprint manually, don't look for an exact match, look for a similar signature, a vocal timbre that has been... omitted."
Chief Forensic Expert:
"That could take months... years..."
Malik:
"Then you'd better work without sleep, because until you find this ghost for me, none of you will see the sunlight, none of you will return to your families, do not fail me again."
The experts remained motionless, the order hanging over them like a sentence.
Malik:
He turned his back, looking at the hologram of the incident that re-ignited, showing the masked blur. "Get out, now."
The three experts quickly exited, the sliding door closing behind them.
Malik:
Alone in the room, his perfect posture finally broke, he leaned slightly over the central console, his fingers white from pressing the cold surface so hard, he whispered, his frustration overflowing for a brief instant, "Who are you..."