A Story of Evil

[Ten days before the prison incident. Sol is partially recovered.]

"My liege, I have a question."

"What is it Sol?"

The two wielders of [S.W.] were within Pandora's core. The king was busy making some final adjustments on new machines; assisted by none other than Lilia. 

"It's about the use of my powers." 

"What about it?" The king asked, still focused on his work as he grabbed a lightning core.

"I feel like there's something wrong with it."

"What do you mean?"

"It lacks firepower my liege. I've been testing it out on Pandora's box but, the output I displayed on my fight against Blaze…I couldn't muster that much firepower anymore."

The king looked at Solomon from head to toe. His [Analysis] was working at that time. Enabling him to see past Sol's skin. Diagnosing what was happening to him.

"Yup. I knew it, my hunch was right." King Jubilee said as he finally gave his full attention to the boy.

"Hunch?" Sol was puzzled at the response.

"Yup. The thing is you took a shortcut, a risky one at that which allowed your body to create mana veins within the span of an hour. That very same phenomenon which takes a person a whole year in order to obtain; that very same thing was gained by you in an hour. Do you see where this is leading yet?"

"Not quite my liege, forgive me."

"Okay listen. You gained all of those things too quickly Sol. And because of that, the mana you produced also accelerated. Your body which was still not used to mana at that time, didn't understand the process quite yet. Meaning, you were able to produce even more than what you can actually handle. That is why you were able to go toe to toe with Blaze who went beyond the earth titans."

As always, what the king said made perfect sense to Solomon. It wasn't just a hunch. He really did get weaker and, the answer to this question was given to him clearly.

"Is there no way for me to reach that level again?"

"Of course you could. But this time around there aren't any shortcuts. You'll cultivate the mana veins already existing. Slowly. Adding to your output little by little until you reach my level."

"Or surpass it." Sol suggested, making the king smirk.

"Bold of you to declare that. For now however, just focus on strengthening your arsenal. It's good to take your skills slowly because, the thing that strengthens our SEED is control. All that mana will just be a waste if you can't use your skills properly, got it?"

"Yes my liege." The boy said, running back to Pandora's Box to continue his training.

…

…

…

Solomon's group was going inside the lion's den. He couldn't risk showing his powers that time. Primarily because the king even went his way ensuring that everyone believed that Sol was still powerless.

Alice was able to read the situation easily and, with just a gaze, Cain was also able to pick up what they were in. Trouble. 

Their nervousness didn't last long however. Not with Sol giving them a sly grin which disappeared just as they saw it. They knew what it meant. That, despite the situation they were in, Solomon had a way to get out. A method which, they had no time to listen to as, Felicity ushered them to move.

"Rule number one is, you guys aren't allowed to talk with each other. If I, so much as hear a sneeze from you or, if your footsteps began shifting rhythm suddenly, I'll slice your heads off. Other than that, you're free to enter as my guests." 

"Do we have an understanding?" The knight asked, with the children remaining silent despite her question. Making her sigh right away.

The three weren't stupid. They understood the orders given to them and, knew how to follow. They knew because they were raised in the slums. A place where you get punished when you step out of line.

"You know I was actually hoping that one of you would answer. That way I'd have a valid reason to kill you." She openly declared, making the three understand that Felicity really intended for it.

"Well I guess my job here is over." Felicity clapped her hand three times, taking out three soldiers. Ones which looked more active than the guards which Sol tried talking to earlier.

"Guys, please assist our esteemed guests inside our humble abode. I need to update Kingsley about this haul."

"Yes milady!" The three guards declared simultaneously. With Felicity skipping merrily back to the prison without a care in the world. Sol's group, assisted by the guards, followed in a normal pace as if to not raise the suspicion of the people around.

"What's the plan?" Alice whispered to Sol, her daggers ready to be brought out at the boy's command.

"Hey no talking!" The guard who was with them said. His gun pointed at the children.

"Didn't you understand a single word Lady Felicity said? Do you want to meet your maker this early?" This forced Sol and his companions to comply. With Sol thinking how weird it was that some soldiers were able to function properly while some weren't. 

Upon entering through the gate, the group was welcomed by vast open training field. There were some soldiers doing so on the sides; guns and swords on their hands. Yet aside from this, there wasn't much machinery.

"They probably rely on the watchtowers for damage. That means I was right on the mark." 

Sol hasn't given up. In fact, he was far from simply giving up at that point. Most of his skills aren't obvious to the naked eye, this including [Spatial Awareness] and [Reverse Analysis]. Through this, Sol continually gathered data while setting up the field for their escape. With the gates not being closed yet, Sol knew that it was still possible for them to get away.

"Remember what King Jubilee taught you. Concentrate Sol." The boy thought to himself, preparing his ultimate skill with great caution. Measuring the distance of every enemy perfectly and calculating the amount of mana that would immediately get depleted.

Alice and Cain still waited for his command. They were getting dangerously close to the entrance of the main building and, the gate behind them was almost closed. However, they were still calm. Because as they took a glance at Sol, they saw that he was still deep in thought. They weren't gonna get captured that easily. Not with the boy who get them through impossible situations alive. And, with a smile finally forming on the boy's face, the command was finally given.

"Alice…"

"Hey I said no talking!" One of the guards said, pointing his gun at Sol. The boy, with a cheeky smile worn wasn't fazed as he continued:

"…kill them." Sol finished, hyping up Alice who gave her response.

"Gladly."

The three guards tried shooting them right away. But this decision proved to be fatal as Sol placed an invisible space wall inside their barrels. Causing the unfortunate incident that came next.

Their guns exploded in their hands. Shrapnels of it hitting them right away and momentarily stunning them. This gave Alice a much-needed interval in order to act. Stabbing through the crown of two soldiers with her daggers while the other tried running away. 

Alice followed quickly. Unsheathing the swords of the two corpses; throwing one at the soldier running away while following up with a leap and a stab at the neck. Other soldiers tried following up this assault but, as soon as they pulled the trigger, their attacks simply ricocheted. All because Sol already set up thin space walls on their locations. He needed to deactivate every other continuous skill as, these were also draining his mana.

"CLOSE THE GATES DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!" A commanding offer shouted as Sol's group began running for the said exit.

"As if I'd let you." Sol said, creating space blockages on top of the gate. Preventing it from closing any more than it should. The soldiers ran for them but, with their normal speed, this wasn't possible. Unfortunately, they were far from running at normal speed.

Five soldiers caught up to them in no time. Alice tried killing them all but, was only successful in taking out one as two more tried grabbing on her shoulders. The quick and nimble Alice was also able to escape these. Barely. However, she wasn't receiving much help as, Sol needed to focus on keeping the gate from closing. A feat which, at his current level, proved to be a difficult task in itself.

Just like that, they were suddenly cornered. More soldiers of the same caliber grouped around them and, even the guards on the watchtowers were back to fighting state. Their wounds somehow wounded.

As if waiting for this moment, another figure came into the scene. Clapping her hands as she appeared from the prison's main building.

"Bravo! I must say that was an impressive performance you put on." Felicity said with an evil grin plastered on her face.

"You know, I was a bit doubtful when Kingsley said that there were more Void citizens like the king. Yet here you are proving me wrong."

"This is a trap, isn't it?" Sol asked.

"Hahaha! You catch on quickly kid. Unfortunately, your brain caught on a bit too late." Felicity said in reply. 

Sol attempted to cast a spell at that point. But Felicity vanished in the blink of an eye. Appearing behind the boy, with a sword positioned on his neck. Alice and Cain tried helping out but, they were restrained and pinned down by the soldiers. 

"As far as I can tell, you have the same powers as the king. So that means, you know the method to gaining it just like King Jubilee does." Soldiers pointed their guns at Alice and Cain at that point. 

Sol was still looking for a way out of the predicament. He tried linking together the variables, he tested out every option in his head. Yet the same thing came over and over again. There was no escape. Not that time around. 

"Why don't you tell me what your secrets? You know, before I blow the heads of your friends there."

There was something that worried Sol even more. Despite wanting to answer her question, [Cold Blooded] prevented him from doing so. The passive thought that it was illogical and, for the first time, Sol hated the skill. He hated that it prevented him from saving his friend at that moment and that, they were going to die because of him.

"No! STOP!" Sol thought to himself but, his lips moved automatically. Giving the response that he dreaded.

"I don't know anything." Sol said, expressionless and raising a shocked expression on Cain's face.

"Hahahaha." The knight kept laughing until her voice was all they could hear. Cain was still frozen in fear while Alice tried her best to hide this emotion. They knew what was coming. Death was. And as Felicity swayed her arm, the sound of gunshot echoed through the field.