A Monster All the Time

"Did you hear about Alex?" Lukas asked as he leaned back in his car seat. He let out a quiet yawn before looking at Manuel.

"What about him?" Manuel questioned back; he didn't really keep up with the news.

"Yeah, they say he finally reached [A- Rank]. That makes him the second one of our friend group to make it there."

Everyone in the country of Aska is tested for their aptitude at six years old, and then everyone is tested every four years after that—in the rare care of a reawakening.

The ranks were relatively simple to learn, especially when all the kids grew up with comics, shows, games, and movies all about Wardens. There was the pinnacle of [S Rank], then [A, B, C, D, and E Rank], each decreasing in power from left to right.

It was further separated into [Lower], [Middle], and [Upper] ranks to show where one was in said rank, commonly represented with a minus for Lower, nothing for Middle, and a plus for Upper.

You had a peak rank that you had to train into. Otherwise, you'd basically be a regular human. It was uncommon to be awakened in the first place, and even if you were, you would most likely be only E, maybe D, rank.

Towards the end of the year, far after Lukas and his friends made their game, they were all tested.

The results were statistically impossible. Eleven children had been determined to be [S Rank] in a small town in the middle of nowhere.

The government, recovering from a war, immediately hid the news and watched over the town as they grew up. To Lukas, it was the year his childhood died.

However, the first among their group to achieve [A- Rank] was actually Randall. Since his father fell sick, he had become a Warden earlier than everyone else. He quickly shot through the ranks and started living a much better life and helping pay his father's hospital bills.

The fact that two people from the same town in the middle of nowhere had managed even to have an [S Ranked] aptitude was extraordinary, nigh impossible.

"I bet your sis will also make it to [A Rank]." Manuel scrolled his phone as he talked, "Even though she started later on, she's still rising through the ranks incredibly fast."

Lukas couldn't help letting out a self-deprecating laugh.

"We're surrounded by the best of the best. It doesn't seem possible, but look at the two of us…" Lukas glanced at his friend, "We're practically nobodies. I wish we could go back to when we were kids…"

Manuel looked back at Lukas with pity.

"I don't exactly blame you."

*Bzzz*

"Hmm?" Manuel looked back down at his phone as it buzzed. Lukas could feel it buzzing in his pants pocket as well.

"What's it say?" He asked, assuming correctly that it was a national alert.

"Hero has been accepted into the National Guild's team after years of hard work. Please, Nation of Aska, give our newest member your love." Manuel read it word for word.

The man known simply as Hero. Working for the Association closely tied to the National Guild, Lukas thought momentarily, trying to recall as much as he could about the man.

He was a Warden who exploded onto the scene a few years back. It didn't take long for him to become the leader of a major guild, which was a revolutionary feat for someone presumably young. The fact that he made it to the National Guild's team was marvelous.

"That guy? I can see it. He's got some serious skills." Lukas tapped the steering wheel in thought.

"I hate that damn mask," Manuel said simply.

"Huh?" Lukas' brows furrowed as he looked away from the road and at his friend. "That seems like a really vain thing to judge a Warden by."

"Look, man, it's a creepy mask."

Lukas had to admit that Hero did wear a creepy mask. He had seen the man in a few interviews, and he always wore a sleek suit and the same animal mask. Lukas couldn't even tell what animal it was supposed to be. Was it a wolf? A fox? Whatever it was, it was more cartoonish than anything.

"I can agree with that," Lukas pulled into the restaurant's parking lot and stopped the car, "but come on, the dude can fight."

"I guess, man." Manuel shrugged, "How can I trust him, though, if he won't take off that dumb mask? He's supposed to serve and protect the people, but I don't even know what he looks like. Some shady shit, I'm telling you."

"You know as well as I that tons of Wardens hide their faces since they want privacy."

"Yeah, but Hero's now in the National Guild. He represents our nation - this is different."

Lukas simply sighed.

The two hopped out of the car and debated whether Hero would fit the job. It was more interesting to them than an old friend who had made it to [A- Rank].

Neither of them still had contact with any of their childhood friends. Although they talked about it extensively when Randall achieved [A- Rank], it wasn't that important of a topic compared to the second tidbit.

"Actually… I shouldn't even be telling you this." Manuel stopped as he grabbed the restaurant's door handle.

"What?"

"It's about Hero, I think I know who he is."

"Nah," Lukas shook his head with a smile, "I'm not even going to entertain the thought. If this is anything like your other theories, it'll just be time wasted that would be better spent eating."

Lukas opened the other door and practically dragged Manuel in.

This prompted Manuel to look back at Lukas.

"I seem to recall the entire point of hanging out was for a letter. Shouldn't we get that before we forget?

Lukas shrugged, "I can just give it to you tomorrow at work if I forget. Besides, I left it in the car."

The two looked back, and Lukas' habit of parking in the back of any lot destroyed any motivation to grab it then. Manuel clicked his tongue.

The two of them made their way to their seats. They had picked out a booth at a burger place. It didn't take long for them to decide to get something quick and easy to eat, not to mention that the place was one of their favorites.

After the waiter gave them their drinks, Manuel looked at Lukas seriously.

"I bet if we opened the letter, I'd be right."

"What?" Lukas looked at Manuel concernedly, "Why even bring this back up?"

"I've heard my boss talking about it! That's why I'm so confident I know who it is. And that letter, do you know who it's for?"

"Your boss," Lukas answered simply.

Manuel, however, shook his head.

"What? Who then?" Lukas couldn't help but be a little intrigued.

"My boss was the last to receive a letter. This is actually my boss's letter. He has direct correspondence with the leader of the Association. At least Aska's branch of the Association. It's for him instead, but this is a secret."

"Oh, but your boss trusts you to know this? Now I'm certain…" Lukas laughed, "You really are talking out your ass."

Manuel was silent for a moment as he looked back at his friend. He let out a sigh that transitioned into small laughter.

"Yeah… Yeah, I guess I am."

Although he laughed, Lukas saw it. Manuel seemed a bit horrified. He looked blankly down at the table as if deep in thought.

Even his laugh from before seemed hollow.

Lukas felt bad dismissing him like that and thought he'd humor him.

"Alright, fine. Who is it?"

Manuel looked back at Lukas, but now he hesitated. He opened his mouth before closing it again – unsure how to continue.

"Hmm?"

Manuel pulled out his phone as a ringtone blared. He glanced at the name before quickly hopping out of his seat and rushing towards the door with wide eyes.

"Hey! You good?" Lukas asked with urgency.

"Yeah, I gotta take this!" Manuel quickly ran out the front door as he put the phone to his ear. Lukas could see his figure quickly running to the side of the building.

Lukas stared at the door for a minute, expecting to see his friend return, but he didn't show up. He furrowed his brows and turned back around with a sigh. The next time the waiter came around, he ordered appetizers.

After devouring them and waiting some more, Manuel still hadn't returned. Lukas quickly walked to the front and paid for his drinks and food. He was still starving, but his friend came first.

He stepped outside with a frown before pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He placed it against his lips as he tucked his flip-lighter away. He slowly walked around the back of the restaurant with his hands in his pockets.

He glanced in the alley and saw nobody.

"Maybe he's all the way in the back?" He muttered silently with narrowed eyes.

He took a long drag from his cigarette before putting it out against the pavement. He was extremely worried now. It wasn't like Manuel to just vanish like this. Before, he thought it was something mildly bad, like he was getting chewed out.

It had been too long for that, though, and now he wasn't anywhere in sight?

Lukas quickly walked towards the back of the restaurant. He quickly covered his nose as a stench hit him.

As he turned the corner, his eyes widened, and the color drained from his skin. He froze like a deer in headlights.

Lukas doubled over and puked onto the concrete as he used the building to hold him up.

He slowly looked back up, an inch at a time, and there he was.

Manuel's body was slumped against the wall, sinking into the trash, and his head a grotesque ruin of blood and bone. The stench of iron and decay filled the air, mingling with the garbage around him.

Manuel—his friend, his only real connection to the past—was gone just like that.

A lone figure stood with his back to Lukas, hovering over the body.

The man slowly turned when he heard the sound of vomit hitting the floor.

The first thing Lukas saw was his wide, staring eyes. His eyes were larger than any human's, and he had an equally large smile etched onto his face—totally unflinching.

Lukas watched as the creepy, cartoonish animal mask stared back at him.

It was Hero. Undoubtedly one of the strongest Wardens in the world.

'What? Why's he standing over Manuel? What's he even doing here?!' A chilling sweat dripped down his back.

Lukas couldn't do anything but stare. He felt as if the world's weight was crashing down on him. If he moved so much as an inch, he knew he'd die. Every instinct in his body was screaming that over and over.

Hero's eyes were blacked out behind the mask, but Lukas could feel them taking in everything around him.

Everything seemed to have frozen as the two stared at each other. Then, the ocean broke.

"Hi there, Lukas!" Hero said in a giddy voice, almost as if he couldn't contain his excitement.

"W-what?" Despite his whole body telling him to freeze, Lukas stepped back. His legs locked up and caused him to fall onto his back with a grunt.

"Ah! Are you alright?" Hero cocked his head while standing perfectly still. The mask's eyes never deviated from Lukas' frame.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?!" Lukas barely managed to sputter out.

Hero started walking towards Lukas before looking down at his own gloved hands. His left hand was covered in blood. He quickly flicked it a few times in a detached sort of way to try and get it clean.

"I've got a question for you." Hero knelt before the horrified Lukas – ignoring his question, "You wouldn't happen to have a letter on you? A blank one with a plain ol' wax seal on the back?"

Lukas stared into the mask's blank eyes, feeling as though they were piercing his soul.

Hero sighed.

"Guess not. That's alright, though, Lukas!"

Hero lifted the terrified Lukas up as he got up.

"Don't worry about Manuel. He was never really one of us, was he? Just a bystander in our little game." Hero patted Lukas on the shoulders, leaving a faint bloody handprint.

"I really need to find that letter though…" Hero hummed as he started walking past Lukas toward the street.

He turned one last time and looked Lukas in the eyes.

"You've forgotten me, but I've always been here, watching, waiting. You'll miss him, I know… but now you're free. And soon, we'll all play again—just like old times."

Lukas couldn't see his masked face but could tell from his speech.

Hero was happily smiling.