What Is Real?

"W-What!?" Edward coughed up blood, that blow was no ordinary one and he knew instantly that he was dealing with an individual blessed with superpowers.

"You're still alive? Little shits like you piss me off the most!" Astro caused out as Edward shakingly got up to his feet.

His legs were wobbly as he could barely withstand the recoil of the earlier attack.

"W-Wnat do you want?" Edward questioned, hoping to get an answer from this fiend as people like him are usually talkative.

"I don't know what I want man but I know I'm to bring you back alive. I wanted to take you back unconscious but I'm questioning my life decisions right now," Astro said, sounding irritated.

"Is that tattoo one of those regrets?" Edward asked and the moment he did, he noticed that Astro became vexed.

He must have struck a nerve and this was confirmed by Astro's outburst.

"You little fucker!" Astro cussed as he began to walk towards Edward.

Edward look to his left and right, he was frantically looking for a means to escape as he was well aware of the limits of his powers.

Edward bolted, hoping that the cover of darkness would come in handy but the fact that Astro didn't give chase or look worried made him question why.

Edward realised he left his phone at home to charge so he shouldn't even call Fred but then again, he couldn't even remember if Fed gave him his number.

Edward was frightened, he could feel his heart beating and his mouth getting dry, it was hard to breathe.

Edward didn't know what he had walked in but this was a glimpse of the world he was oblivious to.

Why couldn't he be as strong as Apex? Then none of this would be happening as he would easily apprehend anyone that stood in his way.

"Found you, you little shit…." a voice said and Edward realised that Astro had somehow found him but he was convinced it was because of whatever power he possessed.

"Please…. Someone! Save me!" Edward thought to himself.

-

Fred was on his way home, he was surprised that Edward was a lot more down to earth than he had anticipated. Maybe he judged him too harshly but who could blame him?

Fred was used to people letting him down, he didn't fancy his lifestyle living as a normal person to make ends meet.

There was discrimination against superhuman individuals as normal humans were reluctant to give them jobs that other humans could do.

They already had powers after all so what more could they want?

The only jobs they could secure was security work as this was where their powers were most useful.

Fred wondered if he would join the League of The Chosen 5 one day, in the very distant future because he knew he didn't come close to being competent enough to think himself worthy of such a position.

The Chosen 5 went quiet after Apex's stunt and Fred knew it wasn't a coincidence.

The other members have mostly been low-key with Apex serving as the face of the group.

He was their leader and he was believed to be the first to join Percepta but Apex wasn't always the strongest superhero. There was another or was there?

No one could recall such a being existing but this had to be the case for Apex wasn't a being that was blessed with immortality so who was before him?

"How long are you going to keep following me for?" Fred asked in the cover of darkness with the parted clouds letting the moonlight through.

The moment he asked, he heard the footsteps that were once concealed approaching him.

"Ah! I'm impressed you noticed me…" The person that came into view was Gina.

"Why are you following me?" Fred asked.

"I'm not following you, I'm simply on my way home," Gina tried to play innocent.

"I took this turn intentionally, no one lives here…" Fed said, calling her bullshit.

"Okay, you caught me…" Gina admitted defeat but Fred was confused as to why she sounded so calm.

But whatever it was, it wasn't a coincidence, he couldn't make out her face but there was something familiar about her.

Fred waited for her to make a move but she never did, but he soon heard a voice that terrified the leaving hell out of him.

"Stop messing around Gina," This voice sent a sting of death right through Fred's body.

Fred knew that whoever that was, he needed to stay far away as possible from him but he also established that this person's name was Gina.

He was certain that this information could be useful to his people but sadly, his superpower wasn't suited for combat and that was the reason Damon sent him on this mission that required no combat.

This was the worst possible match-up for Fred and what was worse was that this was a two-on-one situation so even if he somehow manages to defeat Gina, whoever was lurking in the darkness would most certainly kill him.

He couldn't risk and his natural response was to try and run away but to where was the question?

He lured Gina here because he thought she was alone but now he just found out that she was being accompanied by another, Thanatos.

-

Michael was done with his fight but he knew that Tee had something to do with why his opponent forfeited but why? This suddenly didn't feel like it was a coincidence because that nosebleed meant he overexerted himself but how could he have done that if he wasn't even fighting?

But he also remembered Günter's words about "He" wanting him alive but who was he?

Michael was quite analytical and he began to search for patterns he might have missed because everything suddenly didn't feel natural.

It didn't feel real, and Michael could tell that Tee was noticing something was off with him.

Tee heaved a loud sigh before looking at Mountain Woman.

"Hahaha, I think we have been had," Tee blurted out and everyone's body language changed upon hearing this, excluding Elizabeth.

"It took you long enough…" Mountain Woman said. Michael was so confused because nothing suddenly made sense anymore.

The world soon fizzled out of existence and Michael awoke in a room with Elizabeth, who was just waking up as well but the people that had died in there except these weren't waking up except for the individual that manipulated sand.

They were all laying on respective beds with a strange device hooked around their head.

Where was Tee? Where was everyone? Why weren't they in the room with them?

Michael had so many questions and the person in front of him knew it.

"Welcome back Michael, I think it is time for you to learn why you're truly here…" James, who was seated across them, said.