(October 1st, 2017)

The Harbinger of The Darkness

It is nearly the end...

The time for the new god of dragons and me, the harbinger of the darkness to battle is nigh. Thousands of years and myriad eras have led to this. Countless lives have suffered due to my long existence in the world of man, either directly, because of my actions, or indirectly, because of my influence. Humanity has survived countless calamities of evil, awaiting the ascension of the chosen one and the coming of the end times. Some see this as something to be excited about. The vanquishing of evil and the deliverance of the human race. A vision of a wonderful world, free of suffering and pain where everyone can live joyously and carefree. Others, however, see the end times in a more pessimistic view. A world bereft of joy and consumed with sorrow. A world overrun by the dreaded children of the underworld and ruled by suffering and pain, a sun that will never shine again, and a shared fate where all of humanity will be doomed for endless misery.

But no one, not a single person on this planet, is both excited and apprehensive of the coming days as I am. It is said that the new deity will vanquish me and bring peace and salvation upon this world and its inhabitants. That prophecy is nothing but a half-truth. The reality of the situation is that the awaited deity will arise, but whether he is able to put an end to me or not is up to him. Everything is possible, and nothing is guaranteed. Nothing is stopping me from snapping Justin's neck in his sleep, killing all of his friends in front of his eyes, or not even showing up to fight him at all. It is up to Justin to attain his power and defeat me... or die trying.

I have lived millennia, waiting for the upcoming moment with unwavering fortitude. Nevertheless, this decade made my patience wear thin. It came to a point where I had nearly forgotten who I am and embodied a lie of a carefree mortal, but when I saw those four dragons atop that temple eight years ago, reality struck me harder than Zanoktryus' sword. My long years of waiting and bringing suffering onto others were coming to an end. I was overjoyed, but also afraid beyond belief. I have grown accustomed to this world and grew close to certain people who inhabit it. To know that one day I may lose them shook me to the core, but that was not enough to waver my resolve and my desire for vengeance. I went to see the deity himself and put an end to everything. I found the chosen and raised my sword to strike, but then I saw him...

He was a child. A tiny, weak, and innocent child. But not just a child, as I realized upon a proper glance at his empyreal bright blue eyes. He was a descendant of my own bloodline. The amount of shock that I felt was indescribable. It was strong enough that I had dropped my sword on the ground. That night, when I left the child to be, I realized that I hesitated. That I had failed to do the one thing that I had prepared for throughout my entire millennia of living. His innocence and purity struck my soul and brought back a piece of my humanity that I thought I had lost. I have never hesitated to kill anyone before. When I saw the young child, I felt attached to him in a way that I never thought I'd feel again. In young Justin, I felt a familial bond once again. And so, I dedicated some of my time to watch the young kid grow and evolve into what he has become today. And now, I find myself spying on him from a distance.

I watched from afar as Justin and his two girlfriends arrived at their meeting spot where Ethan awaited them alongside the vampire known as Kevin Morgan. Seeing Mia jump out of the car to go and greet her loyalist reminded me of when they fought that pathetic demon who revealed to her about the existence of her surrogate mother. It was wise not to reveal too many details to these lowlife demons. Otherwise, I might have had to get rid of most of them. The little demon's creation was a complicated matter. Complications that arose due to the amount of power she possesses. That, and the complicated matter of creating a creature that combines the strengths of multiple types of demons. She was left in the care of some archdemons and succubi, but I use the term 'care' loosely. To this day, I wonder how she made it out of the underworld and attained her humanity. Her feelings of love and compassion, alongside other normal human emotions. It is not a stretch to assume that Justin had something to do with it. This little minx was meant to be the most powerful archdemon and lead the demon forces in my final battle, but fate had other plans for her, it seems.

After Justin got out of the car, Roxanna followed suit. Seeing the wolf-girl exit the vehicle brought a grin to my face and made me comment on her misfortune and lack of perception. "If only you realized how similar that archpriest's condition was to your mother's. Maybe, just maybe... Justin might have been able to heal her." The young wolf's mother was also a warrior of the church who got herself attacked by a necromancer demon and got herself cursed. It was interesting how Justin's tendency to help others and be a hero for everyone around him gets him to deviate from his main objective. Despite getting irritated by his wasting of time, I find myself interested in his heroic escapades and his caring nature, which reminded me of myself before my descent.

"And you attacked that priest why, again?" A man wearing a hood asked as he approached me, his mouth is the only thing visible from under it. I looked at the man while sporting a visible smile at the chance of seeing him again.

"Ah. You're fashionably early, I see," I replied. "To answer your question, I only wanted to send a message to our lord and savior, Justin Walker."

Hearing that last name did not bring joy to the man, as evident by his displeased sigh. I chuckled at this response as I leaned on my bike with my hands crossed. "It was his choosing, you know. You can't blame the poor kid for not knowing who his family is, can you?"

"Why didn't you tell him?" The hooded man asked.

"Why didn't you tell him?" I responded, pointing my index finger at the man. "You talked to him first, right? Back when he unleashed his first dragon, I presume." The gentleman remained silent. The expression on his face did not change, and he remained still, unfazed by my statements.

"It's hard for you, isn't it?" I asked. The man did not respond. I sighed and looked back at the building where the blond kid entered. "I guess I can't blame you. You and I understand each other more than anyone. At the end of the day, I didn't tell him everything because I knew that it would be too much for him to handle."

The man took two steps forward. "But, you told him the worst possible fact. Out of all the information that you could have given him, you chose to tell him that the same blood that's coursing through his veins is the same blood of the harbinger of the darkness, the most dreaded man? Evil incarnate?" The bitterness in his voice came through a simple, vacant tone. But the anger was evident. It was true that what I had told the teenager may, in fact, be the most horrific and soul-crushing fact about him, but he needed to know. Otherwise, he would have ascended or died without ever knowing the truth.

"It was that, or remain silent. I wanted to spark the curiosity within him. If he doesn't ask questions, then nobody will tell him. You can trust that the messenger has kept his mouth shut. The messenger is forbidden to tell the boy anything else, and I honor his oath. He is a man who has walked on this earth for millennia, you know."

"So are you."

"The difference is that one of us was meant to die of old age or on the fields of battle, you can guess who that one is," I replied. "When I learned that the gods made him immortal, I felt... guilty."

"Tell me. How did you figure out that Justin was the one?" Hearing this question brought a smile to my face. It made me smile because the answer should have been obvious to those who are related to the young deity. It is so painfully clear that I fail to comprehend how none of his family members realized that he is of the same bloodline.

I pointed my index and middle fingers towards my pupils and said: "Those eyes." Then, I took out a photo of the young boy and showed it to the hooded man, who took it from my hands in an instant. "You could recognize him by name alone, but I fail to understand how no one put two and two together. Your siblings are unbelievably naive."

"It takes more than just the eyes to tell. Not every single member of the family has those blue eyes, you know. Look at yours, for example."

"My eyes are like this, but my brother's..."

The man held his chin and stopped to think. "So, you're saying that we're descendants of your brother?" Asked the man with an emotionless voice, showing the lack of interest in this topic, not that it mattered. I giggled at the question and stared back at Justin's restaurant.

"At the time, I was with the oracle, but she never got pregnant. My brother, on the other hand, got happily married a few years after my supposed 'death.' That may or may not be it, though. I'm not a scientist." I sighed a sigh of bitterness after revealing this information about myself. The haunting memories of my tragic life returned to me in the blink of an eye, making me swallow as the flashbacks of my childhood and teenage years started playing in my mind. The betrayal, the bloodshed, the chaos... It all came back to me in a flash.

"What about Darius?" At the mention of that name, I switched from staring at the restaurant to gazing at the hooded man with utter shock. He asked the question with an indifferent tone and expression, but I was taken aback by it. I did not expect him to be so blunt and straightforward, and I certainly did not expect him to know about that name in particular. "His eyes are the same as Justin's, mine, and others."

"Okay, it's not like the entire bloodline possesses ethereal blue eyes," I answered, getting annoyed. "Take a look at your younger brother and his eldest son. Now, tell me. Why did you summon me here?"

"I want to know how I can return to my family." I could not help but let out a laugh at that request, even though it was entirely reasonable. "Why are you laughing?"

"Ah, forgive me. It's just amusing that you destroyed the only known gate. You know, that one in Scandinavia? You're going to have to scour the entire earth to find another."

The man's voice finally turned bitter. The facade of composure and lack of emotion started to break. "I have my reasons for doing what I did. Then again, you know full well why I despise Impero Del Sole with a burning passion of a thousand suns."

"I know. I'd definitely feel the same way. However, I'm afraid I cannot help you."

"Then, I shall take my leave." With that said, the man turned away and began walking, but then he stopped to say his final thoughts. "It seems that Justin has grown in this crusade. He's far from the kid you kicked away at your citadel encounter. Tell me. Do you see him as a legitimate threat?"

"I'd be lying if I said I do not. He assembled a team of different people from all walks of life and united them under one cause while also evolving and becoming more powerful. Mia, for example. She's Justin's love interest and lived in the darkest pits of society with him. Look at Alex. He's Justin's best friend who lived his childhood with the kid. And finally, Zachary. The two bonded over the same father figure. The three crusaders allied with many different people that were also inspired by the courage and resolve that Justin bestowed upon them as a group leader and a divine, celestial figure. There's no reason not to be proud of him."

"I know," The hooded man said as he walked away. "I am proud of him."

"So am I..."

A few moments later, a group of giant robots pierced through the sky and dove towards the restaurant. I immediately recognized them as Aurora Astralis and her team, evident by the fact that they are the only people to possess giant robots that fly through space. The group of five landed in two different parking spots. Aurora and one of her teammates next to the restaurant while the other three landed near the establishment in a parking spot close to the building. Aurora exited her white and gold robot, making me see her new body that she received after Benjamin Astralis poured his heart and soul into making sure his daughter survived. I took out a photo of her before the imperial attack and compared the two. Seeing that she had lost a significant number of her bones, bullet holes and debris tore through her organs, and her memories gone, It was a miracle that she survived. If it weren't for some magic and the Astralis tech, she would have certainly bit the dust. I would also say that being an Astralis contributed to her survival.

"Poor Ben. He failed to realize that at the time, the empire did not have the means to send their troops to space." According to the news reports, Impero del sole confirmed that they were responsible for the attacks. But the truth was that their claim was nothing but a fallacy to make other countries fear their spacial capabilities that did not exist at the time. The truth was that I sent a few missiles and automated robots that I have procured from one of their bases. Young Aurora happened to be with one of her father's assistants when the facility that she was in was attacked. Benjamin should have realized that, but in his anger, he glossed over this major fact. Then again, if my own son were to be a victim of an attack, I would have done the same and retaliated with everything I have got.

Since Justin is getting so close to ascension, I decided that it would be a great idea to send him a gift. "Let's just hope that Zack will be ready for some quality family time because it will not be smooth sailing from here."

Justin

"Yo, Justin... dude... color me impressed! You scored a big one! Just how can she stand upright with those megalithic, goodly cannonballs?" Zack whispered into my ear after I introduced him to Rox. "This is the first time where I didn't want someone to stop bowing in front of me!"

I looked at Alex, who was also gazing at Roxanna in disbelief. The wolf-girl did not notice the two deviants maliciously glaring at her, nearly drooling at the sight of her assets. Rox wore a blue leather jacket with a plain white shirt under it alongside a pair of jeans and white sneakers. It didn't help that she stood next to Mia, who also had a perfect figure. Alex shifted his attention for a moment and noticed the two of us standing next to the door. The cyborg got off his chair and slowly moved towards us, wrapping his arm around my neck. "Dude! You get to have two snacks with you on this trip! That's not fair, my guy!" The cyborg whispered. "Are the two of us supposed to stay hungry?"

I glared at the white-haired kid and grabbed him by his collar. "It's not like you don't get to spend the time with Alpha-One!" I exclaimed in a whisper, earning me blushy cheeks from the cyborg. "And you, concupiscent monarch! You're gonna go and meet your waifu. You'll have plenty of time to assail her purity once we arrive."

"What are you three talking about?" A1 spoke behind us, startling us and making us plunge to the floor.

"That hurt..." Zack trailed off as he held his forehead.

Mia, Selena, and Rox rushed towards us and began asking what was wrong. I attempted to get back on my feet, but I felt a hand pull me back down. Alex pulled me towards him and whispered in my ear. "Where are you going?! This is a blessing in disguise, bro! Just take a look at this fantastic view!" As soon as I looked up, my eyes landed on the four pairs of bazoombas that dangled freely in front of my face, making me swallow as I stared, not even paying attention to the girls asking if I'm okay. Zack and Alex remained still as well, not wanting to prohibit themselves from this glorious sight. Naturally, Mia was the first to notice what the three of us were up to, but she did not say anything. Instead, she looked at me and gave me a wink. When Rox and Selena noticed, they took a few steps back, their faces becoming red as a tomato. Alpha-One pulled Alex back to his feet before he could say anything, leaving Mia to help a disappointed Zack and me.

"They roped me in," I confessed.

Ten minutes later, Trevor, Ian, and Jess came through the door. Zack and Mia rushed to greet our friends while I sat in front of A1, who was showing me photos of imperial installation throughout the country while drinking a smoothie. "And this one was undergoing construction when we infiltrated it. There was nothing worth salvaging, but every fortress destroyed is a hindrance to the empire's plans," The girl explained. Zack's pals arrived at our table, making A1 and me get up to greet them.

"Hi! I'm Jessie!" The blue-haired girl greeted the cyborg.

"Alpha-One," A1 replied with a smile.

Ian greeted the girl with a sincere smile and a firm handshake, but Trevor got lost in the beauty of the cyborg girl and tattered his words"T-T-Trevor..." the man froze for a second before pulling his hand out for the girl to shake. I greeted the three and watched as they went to the others before sitting back with Aurora, who shrugged the awkwardness of the teen's actions and continued discussing business with me.

"So, why are you bringing so many people? I didn't expect you to call for my entire group," Aurora inquired as she crossed her arms and took a few glances at Alex, who was in a conversation with Rox. I sighed and took a deep breath before revealing to her what I have in mind.

"You know I've been roaming around the country and trying to unleash as many dragons as I can, right?" I asked the girl, who nodded in response. "Well, I believe I can ask the oracle, Aphroditia Du Ciel Adrasteia, can help us awaken hundreds if not thousands of dragons at once."

The white-haired girl's eyes widened. She took a sip of her smoothie and kept her focus on me as I continued. "But, I believe that the harbinger of the darkness may attack as soon as I finish doing whatever I'm supposed to do with the oracle. There's a high chance that he will bring with him an army of demons, and we need as many allies as we can to combat them and drive them away."

"I understand so far," Said A1 as she took another sip of her smoothie. "My team and I have had the displeasure of facing demons recently. To be honest with you, it might have been the first time that I have experienced true fear. They came at us in droves and were relentless. We managed to defeat them each and every time, but we exhausted our ammunition and resources."

It was evident in her eyes that her experiences with demons shook her to the very core. I do not doubt that she might have fared better in her previous emotionless state, but the lack of self-preservation sense that came with that state might have caused her to destroy herself or her team in order to fulfill the missions. Fighting demons is not something we scoffed at, and we would certainly prefer fighting the empire over the forces of the underworld. It certainly benefits us greatly to have as many allies as possible, but I wonder whether it is enough. The king's Noble Guard that will be accompanying us on the journey will undoubtedly provide us with much-needed firepower, and the Crown Secret Service, who are currently traveling ahead of us, will prove to be useful in fighting off massive hordes of demonic adversaries swiftly. Ethan also informed me that teams from the Royal Glaive are already stationed at the islands and the holy palace where the oracle resides. That alone makes me feel slightly relieved. However, all the preparations, manpower, firepower, magic, and allies that we bring will be nothing but a mild inconvenience to the harbinger, if an inconvenience at all.

All of the people present in this room, aside from a notable few, have seen me get kicked away like a soccer ball by the harbinger. They have watched the ruler of their kingdom die at the hands of this evil entity, and they have lost all hope. They are all counting on me to rise up to the occasion and bring deliverance. That is why I cannot let anyone down. I sighed and lost myself into my thoughts, which caught the attention of the girl who sat in front of me. "What's wrong, Justin?" The girl asked, but I did not respond. Before I could sink into my thoughts any further, however, I found myself getting poked in the forehead by Alpha-One's index finger. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," I replied, not looking her in the eyes. She could sense that I was not feeling well and reached to hold my hand that casually rested on the table. "This is it, A1. It's the beginning of the end. I'm either gonna defeat that maniac or end up having my head on a pike."

"Don't say that, okay? I know it might sound as weird, but I feel that you and I have some special connection. I feel that you and I are closer to each other than we might realize."

I raised my head and looked at her, astonished that she feels the same way. "You know what? I feel the same thing," I replied. "I feel like I should at least... know more about you." I reached over and grabbed her hands, feeling a strong bond between us. It felt as if I should know her more, or at least, in a different way. Alpha-One nodded, unsure of what to say. I could tell that she feels exactly as confused and perplexed as I am. The only explanation I could think of is that me being a deity, I somehow benefit from the power of the Astralis bloodline, similar to the way they gain more power in the presence of one another. The family has existed for millennia and may serve as retainers of the gods in their existence alone. However, there was no evidence for me to back up any of my theories. But, I also feel something else towards this girl. As if we are closer than we realize. For a split second, I looked at her and saw myself.

"Maybe it has something to do with you being a god," Alpha-One suggested, to which I nodded.

"I believe so," I replied, omitting some of the truth.

"But why me?" She asked. "I'm not human. I was created by the Astralis corporation to serve as a soldier! I don't-"

I cut her off by gently squeezing her hands, fearing that she might start asking too many questions and suffer from the symptoms her father described. "Uh... maybe it has something to do with your inner self, perhaps. It's not a stretch to assume that some magic is involved. Mia states that she feels some sort of presence that resides within me, and now you and I share a mutual bond. Look, I'm not gonna question it so long as it's not harming us, so don't ponder too much over it, okay?"

"Justin?" Kevin said as he approached the table. "Mia wants to talk to you. Alpha-One, you too."

The two of us got up and followed Kevin to where the redhead demon was located. When we arrived, I felt my heart nearly stop at the horrific sight of Mia biting Selena in the neck with blood spilling out of her wound. "WHOA WHOA WHOA! Mia, what the hell are you doing?!" The demon girl removed her fangs from the catgirl, and I watched as Selena covered her wound with her hand. Kevin approached the bleeding girl and supplied her with a tissue.

"Selena agreed to become my familiar, much like Kevin over here," Mia explained. I looked at the catgirl and saw her giving me a thumbs up accompanied with a cute smile. But that was not enough for me to retain my composure.

"But why?! What's the meaning of all this?" I asked.

"Don't worry, Justin. I did it so Mia and I can stay together forever!"

My mind struggled to process and comprehend what was unfolding right in front of my eyes, making me unable to do anything but to give up. "So now you're her slave?"

"I'd like to think of myself as Mia's personal assistant. Her right hand, if you will."

Mia stared silently at us, grinning throughout the exchange. Aurora's buried her face in her palm and sighed at this absurd situation, unable to conjure up the words. I stared blankly at my cheeky girlfriend, who looked at me with a smile as she pulled her new servant towards her and wrapped her left arm around her. Mia's symbol, which was the face of a dragon with four demonic horns, glowed red on the back of Selena's left hand as well as Kevin's. It was a peculiar sight, as it was the first time that I have seen Mia's symbol being so ethereally displayed as a magical symbol and not as a design for Mia's phone case or belt.

"Oh, Rox!" Mia called out to the wolf-girl, who was in a conversation with Alex. "Wanna become my eternal servant?"

"I'll pass," Rox replied.

Mia shrugged her shoulders and said: "Oh well. You can't win 'em all. At least we have one wolf on our team, right?" I stopped to think about her statement for a second, and when it dawned on me, I felt like having a heart attack. Ian approached Mia with his left hand glowing with Mia's symbol, as well, making me slam the palm of my right hand against my face.

"What?" Mia asked before I grabbed her cheeks and pulled them out. "OWOWOWOWOWOWOW!"

"Why are you turning everyone into your servants?!" I inquired as I pulled on her cheeks.

"Both sides have to agree on this!" Mia exclaimed as I kept pulling. "Both sides have to agree!"

After all of that, I found myself with Kevin and Ian outside of a clothing store where Mia, Nova, Selena, Alpha-One, Alpha-Two, Rox, and Jess all went to try out some bikinis and swimwear. The boys and I waited inside the store while the girls tried out their outfits. Questions about Mia's vampiric abilities clouded my mind as I kept picturing the times she sucked out my blood to recover from her life-threatening injuries. Every time she bit into me, I felt the blood being sucked out, but I have never experienced any strange sensations. I didn't grow fangs or lust for blood. In fact, I remember vividly being disturbed at the sight of Mia drinking that large bucket of blood from that diner.

"So, Kevin," I started. "She bit you to turn you into a retainer?" The vampire looked at me with a shocked face, as he did not expect the question.

"Yes, Mia bit my neck. Why do you ask?" Kevin asked.

"Don't you vampires bite people to convert them into your own?"

"We do, but she didn't turn me into a vampire because I already was one."

"But you can still bite someone and not turn them into a vampire, right?" Kevin nodded, so I continued. "It's when you want to suck their blood, right?"

"You have to be willing to turn people into vampires if you want them to turn. We have a fluid in our fangs that allows us to turn humans into vampires. I don't know the science behind it, but I know that if I shoot it into the arteries of a human, it will turn them. When I was turned into a vampire, I was bitten and then buried. I dug my way out and found myself thirsting for blood. The other vampires provided me with blood from a butcher shop since they had plenty. It's how they usually do it."

"But that girl, Emily. We didn't bury her and watch her dig her way out. A simple bit sufficed. I'd say Alex's restoration powers helped, but I'm not sure if they didn't just speed up the process."

"Mia's a very powerful archdemon, Justin. It wouldn't be far fetched to think she could make vampires with ease," The vampire stated. "She also made me a greater vampire. Sunlight has no effect on me anymore. I can operate at my full power under the sun. I have now become less dependent on blood, too."

"So... you evolved?" I asked with a hint of cluelessness in my voice. The vampire nodded with a joyous smile, pleased by his evolution. I sighed and held the left side of my neck, where Mia had bitten me.

"Wait..." The vampire said before pausing for a second or two. "Did Mia bite you?!"

I swallowed before nodding. "Twice, yeah. The second time was when I found her fighting the vampire. She used my blood to revitalize."

"That's weird," Ian said as he walked towards us, having exited the shop. "Mia didn't bite me to turn me into her servant." Our eyes immediately shifted focus towards the werewolf who swallowed nervously at the sight of our glares weighing heavily on him. "I-I-I was kinda scared of being bitten, so she cut her finger and make me drink the blood droplets!"

I looked at Ian and asked him why he chose to be Mia's retainer. He answered by saying that it is to make him more powerful against other werewolves and to repay her for helping him with his mother's situation. Ian explained to me that Mia and gave his mother a few spells to help with her lycanthrope transformation and to prevent bloodlust and thirst for blood. He did not seem to care about his parents' opinion about this, stating that it is for the greater good. He also doesn't fear Mia for being a demonic entity because he feels that no one close to me could be evil.

"You bring out the best in people. I feel weirdly relieved and peaceful in your presence. When you told me that it will all be okay and that we'll save my mom, I felt all the fear and sadness go away. It was... magical," Ian explained. It was hard for me to believe that he was referring to me. "From then on, I never felt afraid when I'm with you. In fact, I came all the way here, mostly because I wanted to be around you."

"Are you flirting with me?" I asked, laughing with the two about the matter and lightening the mood. Kevin, too, was so amazed by what Ian had to say about me that he did not say a single word and listened carefully.

"I refuse to believe that Mia's love for you is fake. Seeing how she went out of her way to help me makes me indebted to her. She is also a kind soul that sees beauty in everything, and that is something to admire. If being her servant means that I could provide as much help as I can at all times, then so be it."

"Justin? Is there anybody here named Justin?" A girl who worked at the store stepped out and called for me. I entered the shop and followed her instructions to head to the changing room as one of the girls was calling me. I stopped in front of a door where whoever called me was meant to be. I leaned against the wall next to the door and knocked on it twice.

"I'm here," I announced and watched as the door slowly opened, only stopping slightly and leaving a narrow opening where a hand emerged and knocked on the door. I took that as a request to come closer, and so I did. But to my shock, the hand grabbed me and pulled me inside. I found myself shoved against the wall and landed on a small ledge where one would sit. The store was pretty high-end, and the items in there were not cheap, meaning that the changing room will be designed in a way befitting of such a store, explaining why a ledge would be in such a place. The door closed behind me to the sounds of laughing girls. When I looked up, I felt as if my heart was going to burst out of my chest at the sight of Mia, Rox, and Selena, staring down at me with lascivious gazes, all three of them wearing the least amount of clothes with as much visible skin as possible... and by that, I, a very lucky man, mean bikinis. Rox and Selena grabbed my jacket and took it off while giggling, suggesting that the three attractive ladies have some prurient plans in mind.

"Mia?" Nova knocked on the door. "Are you done yet? We need to go."

The red girl gritted her teeth before responding. "Y-Yeah. Nearly done." The entire mood was ruined in a snap of the finger. The disappointment on the girls' faces was indisputable, especially on Mia, who seemed so angry that she'd burst the door open. I stayed silent and watched as each of the girls went for their clothes without a single word exchanged between the four of us. Rox, too, seemed very irritated. The wolf's fist was clenched shut, ready to punch anything that might stand in her way, whether it was friend or foe. Selena seemed to be the least angry out of the three, but the sadness that presented itself on her face was more than enough to tell me that she, too, did not want this to end before it started.

After a few seconds, I could not help but chuckle under my breath, grabbing the attention of the confused girls. It took them a moment before they realized that I was laughing at this entire awkward and silly situation. They eventually smiled, getting rid of the bitterness that plagued the changing room. I decelerated time and got out of the room after wearing my jacket and walked to the two men who got startled by my sudden appearance. "By the gods, Justin! When did you arrive?" Kevin exclaimed. "You scared the hell out of me, man."

After a few minutes, I stood in front of the shop with the boys, experimenting with my doppelganger. I have discovered the ability to modify my copy based on whatever I have in mind. I was able to change his height, build, age, and even gender. As I was toying around with my doppelganger, the shop's doors burst open and the girls walked out, carrying multiple shopping bags each. Upon seeing this, I felt my poor little heart drop at the total price the multiple bags hinted at.

"Kevin, Ian, come help a girl out, boys," Mia called over her assistants to carry some of the bags and walked over to me. I watched as the boys opened the trunk of my car and placed the shopping bags inside of it, and went to the other girls and helped them with their stuff as well. She had a cheerful expression on her face that faded when she saw mine, a blank stare of a soulless man. "What?"

"The bill, Mia. The bill."

"Oh, come on. It wasn't really that much. Plus, it's a trip on a yacht. Anyway, what were you doing with your doppelganger?" She asked.

"I was seeing how far I can modify it... him? I managed to change his build, height, gender, and even age. I could-"

Mia cut me off at the mention of age. She suddenly grabbed my shoulders and looked intently into my eyes, mouth agape with excitement. "You mean... I can have a teeny tiny Justin?!" I shrugged my shoulders at that question. "Please! I want a cute little Justin to hug and play with! I want a little Justin who tugs on my heartstrings by his cute little face! Please!"

I sighed and accepted her request, conjuring an eight-year-old doppelganger of myself that earned a gasp from the demon. The kid looked exactly the way I did when I first received my powers, but he wore tiny versions of my current clothes. Mia screamed in joy and hoisted the kid in her arms, hugging him and pulling him close, as if he was a cute puppy. "Let go of me, you dummy!" The doppelganger said, much to Mia's pleasure.

"And he sounds exactly like little Justin!" Before I could say anything else, I watched as Rox, Selena, Jessie, A1, A2, and Nova rushed to Mia and swarmed the poor little doppelganger, fighting over who would get to hug and hold him. I could not even make out what they were saying, but I managed to pick up a few words, like 'cute,' 'tiny,' 'baby,' and 'mine!' with the last one coming from the distinguished demon herself. I felt terrible for the little creation of mine, but I felt jealous simultaneously. My ability allows me to control my doppelganger telepathically, take control of their body, or give them sentience. I bestowed sentience upon this doppelganger and allowed him to act independently of me.

Eventually, I dematerialized the copy and ordered the girls to the armored vehicles while Rox, Mia, and Selena went with me. We returned back to the restaurant where Mia and the girls begged me to conjure the kid doppelganger, but I waited until we entered the yacht. Using boats, we moved to the giant ship. Those who could fly helped others and managed to reduce the time we needed to board the vessel and move our cargo in it as well. It was getting late, so the girls decided to refrain from wearing the swimsuits, much to the dismay of the king and the cyborg dude. We partied on board and had a great time overall. Everyone was getting along just fine, with Rox conversing with the vampire and A1 and enjoying the company of Jessie. The Alpha team scattered around the ship while Mia found a training room and forced Ethan to train her with the katana. Alex, Ian, Trevor, and Zack took to a room to play games, and Nova sat on a sofa outside, drinking soda with Selena. And I... I secretly flew back to shore to cruise around in my new muscle car while nobody noticed, watching the yacht leave with a grin.