Salotinni eased back into a leather chair. It creaked under his weight. He held a vial of a glutinous purple liquid; he proceeded to pour it into a cup of water.
"My dear girl - why don't you let me hear that wondrous voice of yours?" he said aloud. The Heart Angel he was referring to did not react at all.
Salotinni smiled. "Are you worried about the boy? Haha - you simply amuse me. You're just as 'righteous' as that child. Worrying about others will only get you killed, Macie!" Salotinni laughed uncontrollably.
Macie fidgeted in her tank. Salotinni saw her out of the corner of his eye then pressed a button on his desk. A portion of the liquid in Macie's tank drained out, and she removed her mask.
"Please!" Macie cried out. Her voice was gentle and weak. She pressed her hands against her chest, crumpling her blouse. "I thought you had finished your experiments with me - why would you need another victim?"
Salotinni rose gracefully from his chair, sweeping his arms out wide. He smiled devilishly at her. "Poor, sweet Macie. Fusing you with a Marker was a complete failure." He picked up the cup of water that he had poured the strange substance into. Salotinni shook it gently; the purple mass fanned out in slow motion then pooled to the bottom of the cup.
"This cup is you. The traits of a Marker are slow to start with you and are awakened only through extreme stress or physical pain. As for Michael, he will be different." Salotinni grabbed another vial of purple liquid. He poured it into a different cup of water - the liquid mixed with the water.
"This is Michael. As you can see, I have completely infused him with a Marker! Genius, no? He will hold every single trait of a Marker - together, they will make the most destructive being that has ever existed!" Salotinni threw the cups at Macie's tank. The fluids spilled out onto the ground as the cups bounced.
Salotinni drew back the curtain with one stroke of his hand. His face brightened with delight. "Finally... I have done it!" he whispered.
The tank had cracked on its right side. The cage bars on the left side were broken. Between the two containers, Michael lay among broken shards of glass and metal. His wings had regenerated along with the other missing parts of his body. Michael rose to one knee, wiping green fluid from his face. He opened his eyes and stared angrily at Salotinni. They were purple.
Salotinni offered a hand. "P-perfect! Obey me, angel! Become my weapon of humanity's end!" Salotinni started to laugh again.
Michael lunged forward with his right hand clenched in a fist. It twisted and bent into a purple claw that cut through Salotinni's chest. The professor kept laughing as his wound instantly disappeared.
"Ungrateful aren't we?" Salotinni hissed. [b]"You have been stripped of the one thing that could kill me - the energy that lies within an angel! Man nor Marker can cut me down.[b]" Salotinni kicked Michael in his stomach. He fell to the floor with a grunt.
"Why are you doing this!?" Michael spat. "Why do you want to end humanity?"
Salotinni sat down in his chair again. "My boy, I'm surprised! Are you blind to those you protect?" Salotinni twirled his finger in the air. "Humanity needs to be eliminated. Have you taken a glance at history? How many times have angels had to save humans from destroying themselves entirely?" Salotinni smiled, knowing he had proven his point.
Michael jumped up and flung his clawed hand at Salotinni again. Salotinni stuck out his leg, striking Michael square in the chest. He slumped to the floor. "Humanity deserves a chance at life," Michael said through anguished coughing.
"It has lived long enough. Time for some euthanasia!" Salotinni cackled maniacally.
Macie's tank exploded into a shower of glass. Her wings had grown back and the right side of her face was covered with an ink blot of purple. She flung herself at Salotinni, holding him down as they struggled to gain an advantage.
Michael stood up weakly. He held his hand out, palm facing Salotinni. He shut his eyes and strained to summon his energy. "Havin' some issues, emo-kid?" a voice said in his head. Michael ignored it and kept on drawing on his power.
"You won't get anywhere with that lack of power, emo-kid! Want dear ol' me to lend a hand?" The voice kept saying. "I want out of this body as soon as possible, so I have to keep ya alive. Switch control with me!"
Wait, what? Michael replied. What do you mean by control!? Michael felt his body go numb. He watched through blank eyes as his body was consumed by the appearance of a Marker. Everything matched what a Marker looked like except for his eyes. They were white.
"Hah!" the same voice that was in Michael's head yelled out. It was a higher pitch, but a sound like feedback on a microphone accompanied it. "Apparently, Michael can't do shit on his own!"
Salotinni gasped. "Mickey took control!? How is that possible? No Marker should have survived that experiment!"
"I forgot that you had given me that name - thanks for the reminder!" Mickey's hands glowed a white color. "I forgot that you had a thing for names with 'M,' Salty. Are you ready to die?" Mickey said threateningly.
Salotinni threw Macie off with a swipe of his arm. Mickey caught her deftly, then dropped her. He aimed his hands at Salotinni and let loose a blinding burst of energy. Salotinni laughed as it barreled towards him.
"I told you already that only the energy of an angel can-"
Salotinni was completely vaporized by the bolt of energy.
---
The morning sun crept up over the town. Its tendrils of light were pale. Rays of sunshine peered through windows and licked the streets. Normal, daily life stirred, and it was just another ordinary day in the city.
Taylor rolled out of bed. She got to her feet and trudged wearily to the bathroom. She hit the light switch as she entered, shutting her eyes to the light. Taylor turned on the faucet and splashed water in her face. She opened her eyes at its touch.
It took a few seconds to react to what she saw in the mirror. She tried to let out a scream, but a hand covered her mouth. "No no, don't scream! I'm sorry for startling you!" the attacker said.
Taylor stopped wriggling under his grasp. She removed his hand and smiled. "I thought you'd be here later on in the day, Lucas!" she exclaimed. She turned around and hugged him tightly.
"It's one in the afternoon," he said. Taylor blushed.
"Oh my god, really? I can't believe I slept for so long!" She giggled. "Give me a few hours to get ready, then we'll head over to the park."
Lucas groaned. "Hours? Seriously?" he twisted his face in disgust.
"Yeah! Just come back for me later, okay?" she pushed him out of the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. Lucas sighed.
"Is she ready to head to the park?" a childish voice said. Lucas turned around at the sound.
He shrugged. "Sorry dude. Couldn't get her ta meet you in the park like you asked. Why are you hiding from her, anyway? If what you've told me is true, then she wouldn't refuse meeting you, Michael." Lucas slumped against the wall next to the bathroom door. The sound of running water came from it.
Michael phased through the wall opposite Lucas. Macie followed closely behind him, clinging to his wing. She hid at the sight of Lucas. "She's been ignoring me lately. It's odd, though."
"What is?" Lucas asked.
"Since when could you see me?" Michael inquired. He patted Macie on the head gently. She relaxed at the gesture.
Lucas shrugged again. "I've always seen you, man. And all those other spirits too."
Michael crossed his arms. "Well - please get Taylor to the park. For my sake, please. Please..." he said. His voice grew weak. Lucas nodded at him. Michael turned to leave. Moisture built up under his eyes then spilled over in tears.
"Wait, dude." Lucas said.
"What is it?"
Lucas pointed at his face. "Stop crying over dumb stuff like this, you pansy."
Michael laughed weakly. He phased through the wall he came through with Macie trailing close behind.
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