Limitless The Strongest Revenant

The world was never fair. Anyone who told you otherwise would be part of the group that got the good end of the deal. While losers complained on their smartphones, millions would sell their kids for food.

This was reality. Most had three options. Deny that the problems exist. Blame it on someone else. Or confront it head-on. And sadly, very few choose the last option, as most would prefer to ignore the problem or run away from it.

The few that do try to change it don't fare well either. Bright young children often glow with noble dreams. They want to make the world a better place. Only to turn cynical and suicidal once reality hits them in the face. And I don't blame them.

I considered it an impossible task to begin with. The world comprised billions of people. Thus, its situation came from the collective decisions of billions as well. Wishing for a single person or a small group of individuals to save it had a fundamental issue.

It just absolved billions of people of all the crappy decisions they made and gave them a way out. Arguably, this became the blueprint for kings, presidents, and leaders. In fiction it was much worse, we called them "Heroes". How fucked up that?

This was why I never believed in heroes. Wanting someone to save you gave away your power to change your circumstances. People did not need heroes. We just needed people to own up to their mistakes and be better.

'I am no hero. Nor will I ever be,' I reminded myself.

I would willingly abandon an entire continent if it meant saving even one of my girls. Why should I take accountability for them in the first place? Were we not the same species? If someone like me could thrive. They could do it too. All they needed was the will to do so.

"Why do you think you can? A while ago you were perfectly happy with just sitting still."

"It's your vision Limitless," Zanele replied.

"My vision?"

"Yes. Every Reaper I have met since my ascension has thought it impossible to clear Hellsgate. They all just wanted to survive it, like a curse that stayed with you till you died. None of us could see a future beyond the undead. But that is not the case with you!"

"…"

"Somehow, I saw it with my {fate}. The future you seek. The world without the undead. I-I caught a glimpse of it. Death and battle still remained. But there I felt hope. And I experienced peace. It was like all the dark clouds in my heart were blown away!"

"You know I have no idea what you are talking about, right?"

Zanele's words sounded like those of someone who had experienced a high. I never tried drugs, but I assumed it was just like being drunk without the hangover. All her talk about the future and all that crap sounded like something you'd hear in an epilogue of a movie.

"That doesn't matter. All that means is I understand now. You are right. The future I seek would never arrive if I just relied on my husband. I either help him or do it on my own. If I were a better mother. A better partner, maybe things would not be as bad.

"Even now he writhes in agony and I do not even have the courage to stand beside him. The {Kindred} clans are the ones guarding him against the demons. While I hide in this place with a prince everyone left to die. I wish to change. To join my husband's {Kindred}!"

Just then, the elders of the Soldat clans began to chatter.

"Matriarch! What you're talking about is treason!" "The other clans will kill us all!" "We must bow down our heads if we are to survive!"

Zanele raised her head and turned back to them, "Silence! I see now why the Successor disdains you all! You care only for your survival. Our countrymen and the King are killing themselves for you demons! You are all relieved of your duties! Leave!"

"What? You can't!" "We have served this clan all our lives!" "We were the ones who made you into who you are, Zanele!" "Ingrate!"

Despite the demeaning words, Zanele didn't shrink back and roared! "Yes, you have. And that version of me died a while ago! She must if I am to change! Amari! Escort them out!"

"Yes, Mother!" "I will help Mother-in-law!"

Amari and Mia stood up and began hauling the Phantoms out. Of course, like criminals trying to resist, they squirmed. Some of them even began to shift into their soulforms.

"You traitors!" "We won't stand for this!"

That was until a captivating voice resonated in the air.

"{Thrall}… I order you all. Go out and dig a hole in the center of the village. Fill it with your shit and bury your faces in it until I tell you to stop."

"…Yes…"

Like hypnotized zombies, the elders stopped all resistance and walked out of the hut. They were out of it and wobbled as if in a trance. Amari, Mia, and Zanele, who were just as powerful, made complicated faces at Jo's demonstration.

It should be known that up to this point, she didn't have the power to order Phantoms around. The single temporary commands with death resonance were naturally inferior. Those wore out in seconds and could be broken by a Reaper if he was strong enough.

Reapers resisted Death Resonance instinctively. That was why my Italian lover had used a mix of cues, suggestions, and misdirection. At least that was before. Now? None of those were even needed. She could just straight-up command others to do her bidding.

"Darling, I hope you don't mind," Jo asked while grinning.

"No, I do not. Thank you, Jo. That was amazing."

With the elders gone, Zanele once again prostrated herself towards me.

"Why should I choose you, Zanele? The Soldat's are quite weak. Pardon me for saying, but you yourself exposed that you do not possess Hannibal's favor nor backing. You have no military or political power to speak of. As it stands, you are useless."

"Limitless!" Amari shouted indignantly!

Without me saying anything, Robyn vanished from my lap. Then, she stabbed the business end of her AA-12 into Amari's groin. Needless to say, Bella and Aki likewise had the gorilla man in their sights.

"Stop interrupting Possum, cunt. He is not here as your friend. He is here as the King of Hell's Eden."

I gave Robyn a nod of appreciation while turning back to the prostrated matriarch.

"Let me be clear. Neither I nor the Awakened will fight for you. Our focus has always been Hellsgate. It's for that same reason that I plan to leave Antarctica after we purge the undead. If I wanted to conquer Africa, I would have assassinated Hannibal instead."

People might say that I was being a bully by questioning Zanele, like this. But nothing could be further from the truth. The human brain was wired to avoid discomfort. It was why change was so scary. Thus, in order for any change, a big enough reason must exist.

No one escaped poverty because they wanted to buy a car or a house. The ones that do often have something deeper. Like a loved one dying because of not being able to buy medicine. Or being cast out onto the streets in the rain due to expensive rent.