So, yes. I'll be going for the next trial."

And as expected murmurs and headlines were what followed shortly after her announcement.

The whispers weren't just from News channels, they were from everywhere, even the heroes.

Except, Nightwalker. He'd, mysteriously and unprecedentedly, said absolutely nothing about her decision to take the next trial.

There were meetings with the other Paragons from different nations what they thought about her decision, they shared their scepticism and worries but again Ian said nothing.

Her announcement, after a while, faded from headlines into prints until after a while they were gone from the News channels entirely.

Because trials didn't work like that, they were allotted times when trials were meant to happen.

The higher up you went the longer it'd be drawn out until the twenty four hour warning notification from the system came, and with it, also the choice from the system.

Kate had a busy life. She'd worked as a teacher even while she was a Paragon. It was her secret identity.

You'd be shocked what a pair of glasses, a wig and makeup could do.

She could easily earn from being a hero, and awakened companies definitely tried their best to recruit her, calling numbers so high she could retire before she was born.

But, Kate had a sense of novelty, or was it naivety, she believed that there was purpose in doing what she did for free.

The only other person who knew her secret identity was her handler from the government, who she'd married.

Of course, the government had no idea. No one else knew who she was so they were just a regular family.

Until late at night when the message finally came in.

• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •

[ SYSTEM WARNING — NEXT TRIAL EVENT. ]

[ 24:00:00 remaining for choice of Next Trial commences. ]

The system message flashed in her retina, as bright as lighting and more deadly than a death sentence.

Host is presented with two options.

1. Accept the Trial and risk it all.

2. Reject it now and system will permanently dissociate, leaving host at current rank. Forever.

[ Yes. ] [ No. ]

Choose wisely. This is your last day. Good luck 😊

23:59:59… 23:59:58… 23:59:57… ]

• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •

She gasped awake. She blinked a few times to see that the interface had minimised and was now in the corner of her eye.

She immediately woke up her husband. He'd already known about her decision but it was only right to talk about it again.

And just like that, the next day she was back into the spotlight. Those who supported her, those who opposed, those who thought she was just plain stupid.

But absolutely everyone had an opinion.

A few heroes had already tried to dissuade her but Kate knew exactly why she was doing this—the only way to keep the world safe is to be the most powerful being.

So her mind was dead set on doing this. That is, until a call came in mid afternoon.

It was Nightwalker, who seemed very distressed and was asking her to meet him in Vistra.

Vistra, a city in Veltharion. About a five hour journey but cut to a few minutes with flight.

She hurriedly wore her suit and took to the skies as fast as she could, a Paragon was never in turmoil and when they were, it was serious.

"...!"

She finally landed at his location. Her eyes furrowed as she scouted quickly—there was nothing around.

It was just a train track in the middle of nowhere. But she could distinctly hear a calm heartbeat so she kept walking.

She finally saw Nightwalker.

Sitting in the train tracks with his legs folded underneath him, arms leaning on his thigh and eyes fixed dead ahead.

"What are you doing?" She asked, confused. "Why'd you call me?"

"..."

He didn't answer.

"Nightwalker, I'm serious." She placed her hands on her waist. "I was busy."

With a sigh, "I remember when I first became a Paragon..." He started. Completely ignoring her questions and worries.

"I remember the spotlight, I remember the feeling of invincibility—actually I still feel that way."

He laughed. "How everything smells clearer, looks clearer, and most importantly, sounds clearer."

Raising a hand to his ear, "I want you to listen with me right now."

She sighed. "Ian, I really don't have time for this. I think I'm gonna leave."

"It's Nightwalker." He corrected. "Unlike you, Kate—" her eyes went wide. "—I don't need a disguise," he stretched out his arms. "This is who I truly am... And it's amazing."

She'd completely zoned out since he called her real name. No one was supposed to know that, no one did except her husband.

"How do you know my name, Nightwalker?" She folded her fists at her side.

Gesturing to his ear again, he whispered. "I said listen. Listen and I'll answer any of your questions."

Reluctantly, she closed her eyes and listened more intently.

To everything else nothing within eye shot, the rustle of dry leaves, the rust old sign creaking not too far away, but more importantly, the train barreling towards them in about a few minutes.

Her eyes shot back open. "The train?" She answered as if unsure.

"Precisely," he remarked. "That train is called the Vistra lifeline, because it carries almost everyone in this old town to wherever they need to get to without stop.

It's the heart of this place..." He gestured wide again. "And that particular one is housing about six hundred people.

Six hundred is wild, right? It's because of the traffic caused by the recent potholes I've been making in the roads for months.

Yeah. Over the past two months I've been landing hard here and cratering small holes so they'd become so much that people can't use the roads anymore until they fixed it—"

"What's the point of this, Ian?" She cut in, patience growing thin. "I don't like where this is headed."

He nodded with a smile, swaying his head side to side. "The point is this.

I want to know how much of a hero you are... You say being a hero is about selfless acts, right?

Your words not mine. So, let's test that theory. Six hundred people's lives or your husband's."

"What?!" She stepped forward. "What type of sick joke is this?"

"It's not a joke. Your husband's routine is simple, he wakes up around 6 AM, you might, or might not, be at home depending on if there's a crime.

He takes the kid to daycare. He goes to get a coffee and then drives to work—except today I kidnapped him so he's not at work.

He's currently somewhere, bleeding out on the floor and will die if someone doesn't get to him in time—hopefully his wife.

And there's your decision.

Save your husband from bleeding to death or save these six hundred, men, women and children... from me."

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