The Villains' Hero (second draft)

Chapter 1: Routine

It was 3AM again. Karma sat up in his bed, staring outside to the pitch black. His eyes wandered to the calendar on the wall next to him, today marked the anniversary of his second month cast out of Dene. His gaze turned back to the outside world, disinterested. Though he had been here for a short amount of time, it felt like he was here for years. It was the same thing everyday...

Everyday, wake up at 3AM for no reason, get ready, and depending on the day, do the same thing every week. Sundays were free days with restrictions from Eros on what constituted as free, Mondays were merchant days and med days where Hunloy was allowed to buy and sell things and receive prescription meds or healthcare. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Hunloy worked on the crops that Eros took most of. Thursdays and Fridays were forced community events, though at least they got to choose the event. Saturdays were called 'Enrichment Days' where Hunloy would actually get to go to the surface and be in Dene, the main city. Although, there was a catch because Eros can't have Fallen running free.

Today was Saturday. Karma wondered if he would be drafted to go to the surface. He hated that he was forced to commit crimes, but he did love the chance to break the loop and experience new things with real sunshine. He missed the sunshine, the warmth and natural beauty. In Hunloy, the city was as far underground as they could put the outcasts so all weather and natural environments were actually artificial. Eros knew that in doing so, most people would see it as a kindness, but Karma knew the truth. They just wanted control...

Eros.... It wasn't until Karma got labeled as a Fallen that he fully understood how messed up they were. They acted all nice and compassionate and innocent, but they hide their fangs until they strike in cold blood ruthlessly. Since being a part of Hunloy, Karma had witnessed people disappearing, people being killed by Reapers, people deemed Filth and mocked constantly, people accidentally breaking one of Eros' many complicated rules and getting severely punished. And the people of Dene are brainwashed to follow blindly, attacking the Fallen just the same. But the worst part? All this has become just another part of another day for Karma.

He sighed before his eyes caught the wrap he used to cover a scar on his arm. For him, the scar was the first occurrence that separated him from his family, the second was being sent here. He undid the bandage to let it breathe, revealing a rather large and square skin graft scar on his right forearm. Memories flooded his brain, and almost his eyes too, when he got interrupted.

"Sir, it's almost 4AM, did you not get any sleep tonight again?" The voice was rather young and it's source was this teenage boy in the corner. He was quite plain looking with short brunette hair and pale brown eyes. However, he was also partially transparent and was floating.

"Paxton, please don't call me sir... I'm not much older than you.." Karma said to the spirit boy, his voice shaking from the emotional burst he was dealing with. He discovered he can see and communicate with the dead after gaining his transformation. He also understood on a basic level that he can manipulate the dead too, but refuses to do so out of respect. Paxton, on the other hand, practically begged to be a guinea pig to test the powers. His reasoning was that it made him feel like he had a purpose because he could help out the living like possessing someone who was hurting someone else to make them stop. He said he couldn't do it alone and wanted to use Karma's abilities for himself.

"Yeah okay, sorry. I forget you don't really like that. Just ingrained in me I s'pose. " He floated over, landing on the bed next to Karma, handing over a cup of freshly brewed green tea with some milk in it over ice. "Figured you'd be up again so I made ya your go-to." Karma thanked him and let out a deep breath as he took the cup, taking in the sweet aroma of the tea and watching the green swirl with the white and ice. He was grateful that, while dead, he knew he wasn't alone in Hunloy. A friend like Paxton was comforting, though people thought he was insane when they spotted him talking to the air since he is the only one that could see him.

He also discovered he could cast small illusions, create blue flames, and even do minor shapeshifting though right now he can only change his size a little or morph into a cat. But he didn't do it often as it really wears him out. He dipped the tea, seemingly lost in his thoughts, when Paxton recentered his attention. "Think ya will be chos'n for the draft today?" Karma's ear twitched as he came back into focus and he thought about Paxton's words for a moment.

"I don't know. That's why it's a draft. But if I do, I'm going to just stay under the radar. Do some petty theft and move on without a scene. Eros can't do anything if I don't go all out but still stay within their rules." Paxton nodded and Karma started to get ready. No matter what happens today, to Karma, it's just another day in the routine...