A young man is seen in the training room, having a good fight with a much older man.
It was Henry and his teacher.
Henry launched several of refined attacks, accurate and precise, while making sure to eliminate every unnecessary move.
Once he parried the old man's attack he used the momentum to counter attack.
Slowly the battle was getting fiercer as the two parties increased their speed.
They became a blur as the only visible thing was sparks from their clashing swords.
They both fought on equal what seemed like footing and soon exchanged kicks that sent shockwaves around the training room.
Despite the shockwave they both stood still in their position, their clashed legs still hung on the air.
Henry was quick on his feet, manipulating his flexibility and speed, he spun and sent a kick to the old man with his other foot.
The man blocked by crossing his hands, as he skidded some meters back, a sword flew past the dust caused by the explosion and directly at him.
He was quick enough to parry it with his sword, only to get a short dagger to his throat.
It was the Henry, he was now standing behind him with a dagger to his throat.
The thrown sword was a bait and the old man fell for it...or did he?
"That movement just now... where did you learn it?" He asked but got no reply.
'As suspected, he's a natural born assassin. He can conceal his presence unconsciously, he keeps developing movements similar to an assassin's, even though I didn't teach him.' The old man thought.
"You failed again." The man said, ." The man said as Henry looked down to see that the old man had his own dagger to Henry's stomach.
"You're too predictable." The old man added as they both released themselves.
"..." Henry looked down in silence, his expression emotionless but his eyes calculating.
"Your elder sister is visiting. Unlike your younger siblings, she's way more ruthless. If you know what's best for you. Learn some defensive skills." The man said throwing the sword to him before leaving.
"Yes master" Henry replied with a bow. He looked at the ground for a few minutes before going to return the weapons.
On his way to his room a lot of thoughts crossed his mind.
He remembered how almost dies whenever his siblings, the twins, visited and how much more inpatient his teachers are getting with him.
Even the experiments became more consistent.
Him still remaining in the experimental room just shows Raphael didn't keep to his end of the bargain of helping him escape.
Instead, he had to live in a worse kind of torture since they entered his life.
Riley used him as a test subject and Raphael always beat him to a pulp.
Henry sighed as he looked at the space in front of him.
Anybody will just think he was lost in thought, but he was looking at something...a book.
Since turning seven years old, a book only him could see appeared in front of him. It was a midsized black book with a golden outline and was written in strange language.
He had written out the language letters just to find someone to translate it, but nobody sees the letter, talk more of translating it.
His efforts to uncover the meaning of the words were futile.
He noticed that following gis growth, the book grew in size too, but this time, the added pages were blank, he would write something on it and it would disappear under seconds.
He suspected that it must have something to do with at least the experiments they were putting him through.
He had a strong feeling that being able to read the book will give him a lead...to something ominous.
His thoughts drifted to his elder sister's visit, the first child of the Darkling's family.
He heard a lot about her, from simple comments of her teachers to stories from staff and her victory tales.
They call her The Face Before The Fall, since all her targets get to see last is her face.
Henry wasn't scared, because he believed that there was nothing she could do to him that he hadn't faced.
He has this unfounded positive feeling that he'd survive no matter what.
He knows that her name is Olivia, and she is said to be cold hearted, some said that she was even worse than her father when it came to stone-heart.
Some say her anger bursts like a volcano destroying anything it touches.
Henry heard that she almost killed both Riley and Raphael because they angered her. Thinking of someone who almost killed his torturers visiting him, was scary.
It seemed that after the incident of almost killing Riley and Raphael, they both never visited him again. It was a relief for Henry, at least for the past two months.
Henry heaved a long sigh of tiredness. He didn't know what to expect, because she sent him a letter a month ago telling him she'd be visiting for three days. And that in those three, he'll be experiencing hell so he should prepare ahead of time.
Henry once asked why all this thing was happening to him, and Tina replied
"It's all because of the devil inside of you Henry." She said, at first it didn't make sense to Henry, but when she started explaining the incident it all started making sense. He didn't find it unbelievable, because it was only a person who is cursed by a devil that could live the life he was living.
Although he understood what they were all after, unfortunately, it was clashing with his goal. There were times people told him what the outside world looked like and what it really meant to live, not just 'exist' and it motivated him to want to survive and escape.
Now he understands that his dream of survival is being threatened by the ones who seek the power of the devil but...It still changes nothing for him.
"There's no way I'm losing to them, I'll survive, live and then make them all pay, even the devil." He vowed, ironing his resolve to face what was ahead, he was ready for the worst.
It would all be easier if he gave up and killed himself, but, the afterlife question mark still remains and he doesn't feel like he would find peace giving up easily.
This theory of the devil which he didn't completely believe also made sense when he thinks about the book he has had trouble deciphering for years
Once he got to his room he took a shower and when he was served lunch, he sat down to eat but was distracted.
~beep~
The door opened and a man walked in, an arrogant looking lab assistant with unkempt hair.
"Yo brat, get out of here there's an emergency test you have to run." The man said.
"Get going dumbass, you're wasting my time,." He said impatiently.
Henry completely ignored him, and just walked past him.
~Paaa~
Henry was stunned as the man spanked his ass. He stopped moving and shot a glare at him.
"What you looking at? Get your ass moving lab rat." He yelled.
"You're insignificant, quite trying to be something more. I'm only sparing you because Tina needs you, don't get cocky." Henry said and started walking out.
"What the fuck did you say to me? come back here you bitch!" The man shouts as he followed Henry out.
Henry walked into the lab room and saw new staff that had been replaced over the years. The only remaining one was Tina. Once he reached, he bowed in greeting to Tina and immediately took off his clothes, heading in for the tube.
"I'm ready." Henry said.