Eric Frye pulled his hood tight hugging it close to his skin as he trudged to the back of the bus. He always chose a back seat as opposed to the front. People always grew nervous around him and tended to give him a wide berth most places he traveled. Eric wasn’t anything special. A man of average looks with a shaved head and a wiry frame. Some of it had to do with the fact he was black, though Eric knows it was because they sense something about him. He supposed that was true. Out of everyone on this bus, Eric would probably be safe in assuming he’d been the only one of them to die.
**********
His end came suddenly. He’d been rollerblading past an alley when something struck him hard on his left side. Eric rolled over a dark colored hood, smacked into the hard cracked glass, then tumbled off the other side. He managed to lift his head off the cement long enough to see a Buick peel off around the corner. People were rushing towards him with looks of concern. Some were on cell phones while others hovered over him. A wave of nausea and dizziness assaulted him and he lowered his head to the nice cool recesses of the sidewalk. He closed his eyes for just a moment allowing the darkness to wash away the pain.
Eric awoke to nothing but darkness. This couldn’t be right? Was he struck blind?
“Hello?” he called.
It seemed silly at the time but, in the moment, your mind tries to make sense when there is none to be had. As soon as he called however a small sphere of light formed. Eric, figured he must not be blind after all, began to make his way towards the light. He’d only walked a few moments before the light brightened in both size and intensity. Eric shielded his eyes even as a voice began to speak.
“Eric Frye.”
It wasn’t a question.
“Who’s there?” asked Eric.
“That in itself is a complex and difficult to answer question. For now, you may call me The White.”
“The White?”
Eric’s confusion deepened. The fuck was The White?
“Am I dead?” Eric continued to question.
“Nearly. You were ran down by Agents of Darkness.”
“The fuck?” Eric spat.
He couldn’t help himself. He knew he was in the presence of something more than himself but that didn’t stop him. Sometimes instinct simply kicks in. To his surprise, the voice merely laughed.
“I know this must be very confusing. I will try to explain. You have stumbled upon a war that has transpired over millions of years. Those who would do harm to this world have deemed it necessary to take you from it.”
“Why?” he probed.
“I can not say for sure. I only know they see you as a threat. Probably for some future event that needs your help to occur.”
“So wait, I was targeted for something I might do?”
“That seems the most likely occurrence yes.”
“Well fuck.” Eric runs a hand over the stubble on his head.
“Fuck indeed Eric.”
A half chuckle emits from Eric before he even knows it’s out.
“So why am I here? If I’m not dead why am I seeing this?”
“Unfortunately you will die, Eric. Your injuries are too great.”
“So, you’re here to collect me?”
“If that’s what you choose.”
Eric raises an eyebrow, “What I choose? I’m being given a choice here? Why?”
“Because The White is losing the fight.”
Shit, Eric thinks, “So, you’ll what? Bring me back to life?”
“That is correct.”
“Why?”
“Because I need soldiers, Eric. I need people who are willing to fight and stand up to The Dark.”
“And what? I’m lucky contestant number five?”
The voice laughs. It sends a warmth through Eric, making him feel good, feel strong. He tries to grasp on to it, to hold it close to him but it slides away.
“You are funny Eric but no, the choice is not random. One the Dark wishes you dead meaning you have yet to complete your task on Earth. Two, you stand up for others, even when it is not in your best interest. Three, you wish to make a difference. To be more than a cog turning the wheels.”
“Okay, let’s say I choose to take this deal of yours. What is it I’d have to do?” inquires Eric.
“You would have to fight The Dark and it’s agents. I won’t lie. Doing so will be dangerous. You will have to fight monsters.”
“You mean literal monsters?”
“Yes. You would not be powerless against them. By becoming my agent I would grant you power and skill of your own.”
“Like a superhero?” Eric seems surprised and intrigued.
“Yes, that analogy would sum it up quite well.”
Eric nods, thinking it over. Did he really want to do this? Did he really want to willing throw himself into a situation where he would be in danger every day of his life? The more he thought about it the more he realized that he did. If he had the opportunity to help the world, to help those who couldn’t help themselves, didn’t he have an obligation to at least try? Besides, something he does saves the future, saves the world. He couldn’t do that if he was dead.
Eric nods to himself and much as to the light, “I accept.”
“Thank you, Eric Frye.”
The light begins to grow closer and the darkness around him changes. He is standing on a train platform. A shape is walking towards him. It slowly starts to form and comes into view. It’s an old-time train conductor. He looks Eric over with a crisp nod and hands him a golden sphere. He speaks with an English accent. A train whistle can be heard as it grows close to the platform.
“Right then chap. Take it. You’ll be needin’ it.”
Eric reaches out and grasps the sphere. It glows in reaction to his touch. The glowing continues as it radiates in his hand. The sphere begins to melt, no, that wasn’t quite right, it looked like melting but it was being absorbed into his hand. The process happened quickly and he had barely had time to register his horror and the orb was gone.
“What the fuck!?” Eric screamed.
“Do not fret chap. All is well. Transfer’s complete.”
“The fuck just happened?”
“I apologize Mister Frye. We haven’t much time as your train will arrive shortly, but I shall do my best. Our Lady informed you that we’d be giving you life again. She likewise informed you that it would come with certain benefits and perks.”
“She did.”
“Splendid! That’s just what has occurred. That said, your body has expired and it is imperative that we get you back to it as soon as possible.”
The train hisses to a halt at the platform and the doors slide open with a rush of air.
“I’m dead now?”
“Indeed sir.”
The train conductor rushes Eric onto the waiting train.
“But wait, what powers do I have? What can I do? What ….”
The conductor cuts him off and hands him a card, “No time for all that. When you awaken and recover you head to that address. They’ll help you in all you need help in. Cheerio!”
The doors to the train whooshes shut and the train shoots off at a great speed than expected. Eric does manage to keep his footing making his way to a seat. This is all too weird. Is this some sort of elaborate dream? Eric shakes his head and closes his eye. Suddenly he is hit with a wrenching pain. It first hits him in the chest then radiates through his whole body. From a distance he hears the shout of “Clear!” and is ravaged by the same pain.
**********
Eric’s eyes shoot open. He must have fallen asleep on the bus. He missed his stop a while ago. That event had taken place more than ten years ago. He awoke on a table surrounded by doctors. Cheers erupted in the room before fading to congratulations and finally to the beeping of machines. Eric had been clutching a card in his hand which a confused doctor extracted from him. He faded away only to wake in another room. This one slightly more personal. A nurse happened to notice him in the room and smiled. She informed him his belongings were being cared for, even the card they missed when he asked.
Eric recovered slowly. He went to the address and trained for a year learning his powers and how to fight. Eric ended up marrying his nurse and a year later they had a child. His child was five now. Eric had done a lot of good in his time after coming back to life but normal people still tended to shy away from him.
Eric pulled the bus cord and strapped on his rollerblades. He still loved to rollerblade and had even adopted a parkour fighting style for dealing with the monsters he constantly fought. The bus began slowing down when something smashed through the windshield. Eric shot a look to the front to see a hairless creature with wings sprouting from it’s back. The creature is muscular and long sharp pointed teeth. It’s snapping at a few of the passengers. Eric focuses and releases a bolt of energy from his hand. It slams into the creature and it whips its red eyes towards Eric. He slaps a shoulder into the back door of the bus and is on the street. The creature was after him. He had to draw it away from these people. As if reading his thoughts, it slams through the roof of the bus giving chase.
Even though it has wings the creature is charging him. Running on all four legs. Eric slides around a corner easily leaping over a pipe jutting from the alley. The fiend skids around the corner but does not manage to avoid the pipe. It rolls head first over the asphalt then leaps into the air. Eric puts his head down, charges up his magic and picks up speed. It’s an unnatural speed, a gift granted to him by The White. He hears a roar and is suddenly lifted off his feet.
Eric charges up and expels another blast of energy. The blast catches the beast belly and drops him. Eric rolls onto a rooftop and begins pumping again. Leaping off the edge, he coasts to another rooftop and slides to face the enemy.
He placed his hands together aiming them to the sky. Eric drew on the pool of magic granted to him to help fight monsters like this. He charged to his maximum power scanning the skies. He held on to the magic feeling it thrum through his body. Where was the damned thing? An oily voice invaded his mind and his concentration on the magic broke.
“Chosen of The White, surrender now. It is futile.”
Eric scoffed, “If it is futile why are you hiding?”
“I am giving you the chance to surrender. I will have your power but I seek answers.”
“I ain’t gonna answer a god damned thing for you, Demon. Go back to Hell where you belong.”
That oily voice laughs sounding like sandpaper and a spike erupts from Eric’s chest. Eric tries to draw in a breath but can not. All he can manage are exasperated gasps but no real air comes.
“You do not need to answer Chosen. I can extract the knowledge myself.”
‘I can’t die. I haven’t completed my task. I haven’t saved the world.’ Eric thinks.
The creature emits it’s horrible laugh once more.
“Dear mortal, you thought you’d save the world? No. However, you’ve already done something that could be a hindrance to our plans. It has no powers so I need you to find it’s location.”
At once Eric knows what the creature is after. He does everything he can to conceal any knowledge on his son. This thing can’t be allowed to have him.
Humor crescendos in the vile abomination, “You think you can hide it from The Scion? How wonderful. Try! I shall keep you alive long enough to know you’ve failed. You will carry that on into the next world and it shall haunt you for eternity.”
Eric knows he can not hold the creature off for long. Even now he could feel it digging and sucking the knowledge from him. He knew there was only one thing that could save his family. With the last of his magic, he mustered up enough strength and ripped himself off the claw. Eric had one shot, he aimed for the spot between the buildings and plummeted to the street below.
The Scion uttered a screech that should have rattled the whole city as Eric’s head met the pavement. Eric’s life drained away but not before issuing a curse to The Scion. He had no breath but he knew The Scion could hear his thoughts.
“Fuck you asshole!”
The Scion dived down to Eric but he was gone by the time it got there.
“Of course, I should have known better than to give so much away. Heroes protect, and a father’s love for his family makes for the greatest hero of all.”
The Scion leap up and flies off. It wasn’t a complete loss. Eric Frye’s power will be added to his own. With it, The Scion will use it to destroy this world.
Neoteric Knights 