Chapter 9: The Limitless Bloodline

"They’re Supernaturals. Banshee Warriors to be exact."

She explained to him.

The name hit White with a memory from his past.

"Banshees...Emissaries of Death."

He replied, and she nodded.

"Yes."

"But Banshees don’t fight or hunt unless attacked. They just wander about the bodies of those that are dead...or soon to be dead."

"They’re some of the least bloodthirsty supernaturals."

"That’s true. But remember what I said, Banshee Warriors. Not just Banshees."

Nova replied, and seeing his lost expression, prompted her to continue.

"See, Banshees can predict death right. It’s even been recorded that places where banshees are gathered will soon turn into a bloody battlefield, and there are some cases where we, Humans, use them to predict the place where deaths will take place next."

"But Humans aren’t the only ones that know what Banshees are."

"Amongst the supernaturals, there are those who use the power of the banshees to predict what will cause a large amount of death, mostly to them..."

She said, pausing, and White completed.

"Banshee Warriors."

"Around a year ago, I noticed banshees lingering around me..."

Nova explained, and this time, White’s attention was captured.

"As you know, one who has banshees lingering around her signifies the omen of death, and death to those people usually happens in less than a week."

"Except that, even after months, I’m still alive."

"This could only mean one thing...I’m not the one about to die. I’m the one about to cause a lot of death."

"And since I am human, then those deaths won’t be human, and mostly supernaturals."

"So, the Banshee Hunters began to keep tabs on me since then. Even tracking me down to the awakening ceremony."

"You know why?"

Nova asked, and White mused.

’They wanted to see if you were a real threat. If the banshees were right.’

"They’ve been stalling for all this while. Banshees predictions aren’t always a 100% true after all. But now, they’re sure that I’m a threat to them."

"It’s why I chose to risk entering into the XtremeCybers soul space, rather than to remain outside there."

She concluded, and he understood now.

The explanation made the blame he had for her lower a little.

"I get it, but..." White said, and she noticed his confused expression.

"But what?"

"But why were the Officials wary of you? Wary of your awakening?"

"They don’t know Banshees have surrounded you and that you’re a threat to the supernatural, right?"

"Why didn’t they extend their hands until you brought out that card?"

"Cause my Awakening isn’t an awakening. The Limitless Bloodline is both a Curse and a Gift, and for outsiders like us, it’s more of a Curse than ever a gift."

"You should know that too, don’t you?"

She asked with doubt in her eyes.

He had also awakened the Limitless Soul. He should already be aware of its difficulties.

"I don’t know anything about it."

White claimed.

"I don’t believe that..."

Nova said outright.

"You should have seen the signs from when you were younger, and your parents should have explained."

"My parents died when I was little."

"And you never wondered how they died?"

"A Car crash?"

White replied with a shrug.

"Some dude in a trailer was drunk driving and crashed into them."

"I...I’m sorry."

She whispered with a guilty expression.

"It’s fine. He got himself a life sentence, in one of the nastiest federal prisons there is on Earth."

"There’s nothing else worse than that."

He added, and her brows furrowed for a while before they relaxed.

"Ever heard of the Big Four?"

She asked, and a memory crossed White’s head.

"The Top Ruling Families of Earth?"

He had heard of them once on a random mission back in his past.

"They’re the Most Powerful Awakening Families, and The Limitless Family is one of them."

"Every member of the Limitless Family awakens S-Rank."

White froze.

"Every... member?"

He asked, unable to believe his ears.

S-rank awakeners were incredibly rare, and now she was saying there was an entire family of one!?

"Yes. Every last family member of the Limitless Family are S-ranks. But their power is too chaotic. It’s very destructive and incredibly hard to control."

"And to add, they’re a very harsh family."

"Harsh...in what way?"

White asked.

"Harsh in their training to control the Limitless Power."

"They have the most absurd rules of most Awakening families, and most of their members try to escape from them."

"They allow it. But even if they escape, it doesn’t get rid of the Limitless Bloodlines."

"Their children will awaken it, and since the Limitless Ability is already so hard to control, even in the Family. Can you imagine how outsiders will fare keeping the ability under control?"

She asked, and it dawned on him.

"So, the Instructors saw us as Outsiders who can’t control their powers, and are not worth recruiting?"

He mused.

"They see us as ticking time bombs. That’s just how difficult the Limitless Ability is to control."

"My Mom had a deep relationship with the people from XtremeCybers. She gave me the card, years ago, and instructed me to join them."

"That’s why they had no choice but to allow me in."

"And you decided to bring me along, under the guise of a... twin brother?"

He asked but she remained silent.

"Why?"

He pressed on, and she finally replied.

"I didn’t expect to see another Outsider."

"And since I led the Banshee Hunters to the awakening hall, if you remained out there, you would be dead the second you stepped out of the awakening hall."

"I had to bring you with me."

’She’s kind. So kind, it’s hard to believe...’

White thought quietly to himself, but still he replied,

"Thank you...for everything."

"The Banshee Hunters won’t stop."

She continued.

"They’re sure now. More and more, they’ll come for us."

"At least we’ll be safe in XtremeCybers, but the Limitless Family doesn’t exactly have a good relationship with the humans, either."

"Soon, those in Xtremecybers will learn of our true identity, and we’ll be discriminated against."

"The only way we’ll ever survive is if we work together."

"So..." she said, stretching out two of her right fingers, and White’s eyes narrowed as a void-like light bloomed from her fingers, forming a tattoo.

"Will you have my Back, White...Like I’ll have yours, against all odds."

"What’s this?"

White asked warily, and she replied.

"A Life Oath."