Escanor(Marvel)

The closer the evening came, the stronger the paranoia grew. An inexplicable fear gnawed at me from the inside, becoming more tangible with every step the sun took toward the horizon. And then, when the last ray of light finally disappeared beyond the windows, leaving the apartment engulfed in twilight, it became unbearable.

I stepped out onto the stairwell and climbed up to the rooftop. Fresh air greeted me, mixed with the scents of the nighttime city. New York glowed with thousands of lights, like a giant living organism that never sleeps. Especially here, in Hell's Kitchen, where the night was a time for deals, crimes, and fleeting dreams.

I pulled out my phone and glanced at the screen: 9:12 PM. At that very moment, a notification popped up. The sound cut through the night's silence. Unlocking the screen, I saw a message from an unknown number: "Leave the apartment."

Three words. That was all it took for all my fears to become reality. Someone had been watching me. This whole time. My hideout, my game of cat and mouse, my carefully constructed plan all of it was meaningless. I had been naïve to think that cash and fake documents would keep me hidden. A face can't be changed. Finding a tall blond guy with an athletic build in this city wasn't as hard as I had hoped.

I felt hollow inside. Running a hand over my face, I wiped away the last remnants of my old self. The daytime "me" no longer existed. In his place a nondescript, skinny teenager. My name didn't matter anymore. Escanor… That name would stay in the past, along with the person I used to be.

Realizing I had almost no time left, I rushed back into the apartment. I needed cash and the bare essentials just enough to get me through the next few days.

Bursting into my room, I quickly found my stash and grabbed the money. Snatching up a backpack, I stuffed in some clothes, moving as fast as I could. I was just about to run when I heard the screech of tires outside. My heart pounded.

Peering cautiously through the window, I spotted two vans pulling up in front of my building. Armed men poured out black jackets, helmets, weapons. Everything about them was painfully familiar. They looked just like the ones who had stormed my home and destroyed everything I had.

There was no time left.

I bolted for the door and raced upstairs to the rooftop. I had noticed a fire escape leading down into an alley earlier that was my only shot now.

The stairwell filled with the sound of heavy footsteps. I had only minutes before they burst into my apartment and started searching.

Without hesitation, I swung over the edge of the roof and began my descent down the ladder. The metal rungs rattled under my weight. At one point, my foot slipped, and I nearly fell, barely managing to grab onto a pipe. My breath hitched, but I forced myself to push forward.

The ladder ended several meters above the ground I had no choice but to jump.

I hit the pavement hard, the impact sending sparks of pain through my vision. Agony shot through my leg, but I bit down on the scream, clenching my teeth. Gritting through the pain, I pushed myself up, limping slightly as I moved into the shadows of the street.

I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting a chase at any moment. But for now, it seemed like I had managed to slip away.

Stopping by a shop window, I caught my reflection. My blond hair stood out too much I needed to fix that.

I ducked into a 24-hour store, grabbing a few boxes of hair dye. To avoid suspicion, I threw in a couple of bags of chips and a bottle of water. Just an ordinary purchase.

I knew what had to be done. This time, I had to become someone else completely.

The cashier gave me a strange look but didn't ask questions. He rang up the items and said, "Twenty-four dollars." I paid quickly and hurried outside, still glancing over my shoulder.

I needed a bathroom. Somewhere discreet.

Ducking into another store, I asked to use their restroom. Cursing my own carelessness, I pulled my hood lower, trying to hide my blond hair as much as possible.

Standing in front of the mirror, I stared at my reflection with a bitter sense of finality. This hair it was the last piece of my old self.

Taking a deep breath, I began cutting away the strands, one by one. With each snip, I felt myself breaking further away from the life I was leaving behind.

By the time I was done, my hair was much shorter unrecognizable.

I picked up the box of hair dye and read the instructions. Normally, it needed time to set, but I was out of time. It just had to last for a day. If it washed out, so be it but for now, it would do.

When I looked at myself in the mirror, I barely recognized my own reflection. The new hair color and cut completely changed me. I was someone else now and not just on the outside.

Pulling my hood up, I carefully cleaned up any traces of my work and stepped out of the store.

Now, I had to decide where to go next. Hostels were the worst option. Those places were full of trouble shady people, bad rooms, zero security. But I didn't have much of a choice.

Sighing, I pulled out my phone. An old model, minimal functions, no internet. But it was through this very device that they had found me and sent that message. That realization hit me hard. The phone was useless now.

Without hesitation, I removed the SIM card, yanked it out, and tossed it into a trash bin.

I mentally mapped out the area, trying to remember where the nearest motels were. Slowly, I walked through the dimly lit streets of Hell's Kitchen, keeping my eyes open. The later it got, the fewer people remained on the streets, and the ones I did pass weren't the kind I wanted to cross paths with. Their stares weren't just idle curiosity.

Finally, I found what I was looking for. The motel was a rundown place with flickering signs and a decaying facade, but none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was disappearing.

After a brief conversation with the receptionist, I slipped him a small bribe. No ID? Turns out, that wasn't much of a problem. With the key in hand, I went straight up to my room.

Sitting on the bed, I tried to relax, but my heart was still hammering in my chest. My fingers trembled so much that I could barely curl them into a fist. Leaning back, I took a few deep breaths, forcing myself to calm down.

After a few minutes, I glanced around the room and pulled a chair closer to the window. Sitting down, I kept my eyes on the street below. It was mostly empty only the occasional car passing by. But every single one made me tense. Any moment now, a van could come screeching around the corner, men in black pouring out.

Time dragged on endlessly. My body, exhausted from the day's events, begged for rest. I fought it for as long as I could, but my eyelids grew heavier and heavier. At some point, I just gave in. Sleep wrapped around me like a warm blanket, pulling me into long-overdue peace.

No nightmares disturbed me. The sleep was deep, dreamless, and for a while, I forgot about all the danger.

Waking up was the last thing I wanted to do, but the morning light, filtering through the cheap curtains, dragged me out of sleep. I felt the warmth of the sun slowly filling my body. The fire inside my chest, which had lain dormant, reignited, burning stronger with each passing second.

The sunlight didn't irritate me it fueled me, driving away the last remnants of exhaustion. I could feel it my body shedding the pain and weariness of the night.

"If I saw you now, I'd turn you to dust," I muttered, clenching my fists. It wasn't really a threat more of an attempt to push away the fear, replacing it with something stronger: pride, determination, confidence.

But reality hit me just as fast. I knew it was just bravado. If I wanted to survive, I had to let go of the past. Escanor had to disappear. Only then could I live differently not hiding, not spending every night in fear.

I made my way downstairs. The receptionist's eyes widened when he saw me, as if he were looking at a completely different person. I didn't linger. Walking past him, I could feel his gaze burning into my back.

Stepping outside, I took a deep breath of the cold morning air. It cleared my head a little, but it didn't give me any answers.

Where do I go now?

The chances that I was being watched were too high. I was probably in plain sight for anyone looking for me. And they had the resources to make sure I didn't slip away again.

I had to be faster. Smarter. I had only one option left: disappear. For real this time.

****************

A Week Later

It was pure torture. In just one week, I had nearly been caught three times, and each time they got closer, never giving me a chance to rest. I couldn't sleep at night, and my already weakened body was pushed far beyond its limits. Constant running, hiding, fear, and high levels of adrenaline were taking a toll on my health.

Maybe it was a mistake to leave Xavier's school. Now I understand the value of what I lost. He gave me protection and a peaceful night's sleep, freeing me from the fear for my life.

It's bitter to realize it, but I was wrong. Yet, pride still burned within me, along with the desire for revenge. That was what kept me from going back. For a whole week, I've been hiding in different corners, changing my appearance, doing anything to escape my pursuers. Only during the day could I catch my breath a little, not fearing an attack, but as soon as night fell, the real hunt began.

What if I really don't stand a chance? Maybe I should go back, admit my mistakes, and apologize for my behavior. Fear, pain, anger, and a chaotic environment made me react defensively to everything. Even my behavior with Wolverine, where I tried to challenge him with my strength, now seems like a childish stunt.

Although... I'm only thirteen.

Gathering my strength, I stood up from the basement floor, where the air was thick with the smell of rats and their waste. I had collapsed here after escaping yet another chase. I smelled just as foul. How quickly my life had changed in such a short time.

The morning brought me relief, a surge of energy and strength. Energy filled my exhausted body, allowing me to take a deep breath. Finding the nearest hotel, I rented a room. Although the receptionist gave me a suspicious look because of my smell and dirty, torn clothes, a little extra cash quickly cleared up any doubts. Once in the shower, I began washing away all the accumulated grime. I had to lather up several times just to get rid of the stench completely.

After finishing my shower, I picked fresh clothes from what was left in my bag and got dressed. Life had become harder, but over time I got better at hiding and spotting my pursuers. Even now, walking into the hotel, I knew that at least one of them had followed me and was staying in the next room.

Walking up to the wall, I punched straight through it, leaving a hole in the shape of my body.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" the man screamed in panic, but I knew he was undercover.

"You're going to tell me where the others are, or you'll pay for this," I said, grabbing him by his clothes.

"What are you talking about? LET ME GO! I'LL CALL THE POLICE! HELP, HE'S TRYING TO KILL ME!" he shouted. I quickly covered his mouth with my other hand, and the temperature in the room began to rise. He started to visibly sweat.

"Do you want to know what happens to a body at a thousand degrees?" I asked. My hand began to heat up, and he struggled to break free, but it was useless. I wasn't cruel and didn't actually want to torture him, but he needed to believe this was serious. "I'll remove my hand, and if I don't hear what I need, I'll keep heating it up."

"The Van, Internet Repairs," he muttered. The skin on his face had noticeably reddened, but there were no burns. Making sure he wasn't lying, I glanced out the window and spotted the van. Giving him a slight push against the wall to knock him out without cracking his skull, I jumped out the window.

Moving at incredible speed, I reached the van, ripped the door off its hinges, and stormed inside. Two men were sitting inside, focused on their computers. One of them, snapping out of his shock, grabbed a gun and started shooting his bullets bounced off my skin uselessly. Seeing the other reaching for a radio, I acted faster, crushing it into dust.

"You have a choice: talk, or find out what it feels like to be a roast chicken in a microwave," I said, touching the metal and slowly heating it. "Where is your temporary base located?"

I expected one of them to try shooting me again, but instead, he turned and shot his colleague in the back of the head without hesitation. Before he could turn the gun on himself, I grabbed it from his hand.

"Did you think it would be that easy?" I asked, slightly shaken by his actions. He had killed his partner without a second thought and was ready to end himself as well.

"They'll avenge me. You mutants are a tumor that needs to be cut out," he spat venomously.

A crowd was beginning to gather outside, pointing at us, and in the distance, sirens of emergency services could be heard approaching. Slamming him against the wall, I rushed to escape. I hadn't learned where their base was or how they were tracking me, but at least I had bought myself a little time. I had a few minutes to cover my tracks and disappear unnoticed.

Finally, a plan had formed in my mind. A risky plan potentially suicidal but I was sure I could pull it off. I had discovered that I could create a miniature sun and leave it in place indefinitely. I could even will it to detonate at a specific moment.

I found an old oil processing plant, abandoned after the business shut down. Inside, there was still plenty of leftover, highly flammable oil. If I gathered it all in one place and set it on fire, it would create a massive explosion. They would surely send a large squad to the plant. That would give me time to vanish without a trace and get my revenge. I had long noticed that among their ranks was the gray-haired man who had given the order to kill my parents.

First, I needed to wash my special suit, the one Hank had made for me. It was heat-resistant and would give me a better chance of surviving this dangerous plan. Once that was taken care of, I headed for the plant.

Upon arrival, I saw countless old barrels filled with used oil. This oil would burn easily if exposed to an open flame. I moved the barrels into several key locations and placed an empty one in the largest cluster. Inside it, I released a miniature sun and closed the lid.

I carefully surveyed the area. Everything seemed ready.

Time passed, and evening drew near. I could feel my strength fading. I knew for certain they were close now. Soon, they would be here to capture me.

**************

X-Operatives

A black, unmarked van swerved sharply across the road. Inside, shrouded in darkness, sat operatives without insignia. Their faces were hidden behind masks that was their rule. They had no names, no past, only one mission: eliminate all mutants.

The van rolled onto the factory grounds, and its doors burst open. One by one, the operatives stepped out silent, focused, prepared for any threat. The last to emerge was a man without a mask, his hair streaked with gray.

"Secure the perimeter. He's here somewhere. Don't let him escape," he ordered.

"Sir, don't you think it's suspicious? Hiding in the city would be easier than out here," one of the soldiers asked cautiously.

"I know. But he has no powers, and whatever he's planning we'll find him," the commander replied.

The team split up, flashlights cutting through the darkness as they moved across the factory grounds. Their movements were sharp and coordinated. They pressed forward, passing rows of rusted barrels filled with used oil. The only sound was the faint shuffle of their footsteps until one of them raised a hand, signaling a discovery.

"There! I see him!" one of the operatives shouted, immediately giving the order to fire tranquilizers. "He's moving that way. Get the net and the tasers ready."

The building wasn't large, and the number of hiding spots was dwindling. Escanor tried to slip behind a door, but they were on him. A sudden jolt of electricity struck his back, and his body stiffened his muscles refusing to obey.

"This is the end of the line. You've run far enough," the gray-haired commander said, stepping closer.

"Just a little more…" Escanor gasped, his eyes flickering toward a metal door labeled "Emergency Exit" just as his watch started beeping.

"Something's wrong!" the commander shouted, but it was too late.

A deafening explosion ripped through the building, shaking the very foundations. Fire erupted in all directions, consuming everything in its path. Within moments, the flames became a deadly wave, melting metal and concrete alike.

Seconds later, the entire structure collapsed under its own weight, burying everyone inside. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky, visible from miles away.