[color=gray]The service was lovely.

At least, as far as funerals went. 

The sixteen-year-old boy could only muse as he walked down the neon-lit streets of New Lilith. Still dressed in a suit beneath his father's loose-fitting jacket, it was pulled tightly around his body to ward off the chilling winds coming in over the bay. A perpetual fog hovered close to the sidewalks and buildings in the older districts, a side effect of the exhaust from the ancient steam systems used to heat the city's infrastructure. The collected water droplets swirled a variety of colours from the advertisements and sleazy signs above, greens, blues and reds all vibrant against the dark sky of the evening. 

The teenager had been so preoccupied by his thoughts that he didn't realize he had taken a wrong turn, leaving behind the Wharf and accidentally stumbling into the Lower East Side instead of the Milk District that housed his dorm. While no street in New Lilith could particularly be considered safe, the Lower East Side was the worst of the worst. Pulling the jacket tighter around himself and wishing for the days when his father was still here to keep him safe, the boy turned on his heel to head back to presumed safety.

But it was already too late.

Out of the corner of his eye, the teenager saw a motorcycle swing about at the end of the street, coming around for another pass. In the near distance, the sound of several exhausts echoed through the tightly lined buildings. The whole neighbourhood knew what was about to happen as dim lights in nearby windows were completely extinguished whilst shutters were drawn close. Like vultures circling a corpse, the roar of the engine drew closer and closer. Ducking into a nearby alley, the boy tried to throw his pursuer off his trail only to be confronted by four other men, approaching from the far end of the dark passageway.

[color=white]"Are you lost? You look lost."[/color] One of the men at the far end of the alley asked, his face turned upwards into a cruel sneer. 

[color=white]"Dressed too nice to be from around here."[/color] Said the second while reaching for a weapon tucked into his waistband. The third man at the far end of the alley only chuckled wickedly along with the comments of his two companions The fourth man had nothing to say, adding only the sound of his knuckles and neck cracking as the four drew closer. 

Behind the teenager, the sound of a motorcycle engine suddenly filled the alleyway before the engine was cut short as the final member of the ambush arrived. Climbing off of the bike, his heavy boots stomped against the cobblestone below, as the distinct sound of a spring-loaded knife opening could be heard reverberating off the surrounding brick. 

[color=white]"Your phone, your wallet, your shoes and your jacket."[/color] The biker ordered as the other four howled like a pack of hyenas. 

[color=steelblue]"Easy there Terminator."[/color] Came a gruff reply from above the alley. Looking up the teenager saw a hooded figure leap towards the ground, landing between the five men and the teenager.

[color=white]"Who are you supposed to be?"[/color] The same biker called towards the figure in the hood and long coat. [color=white]"There are no heroes left in New Lilith."[/color]

[color=steelblue]"That's where you're wrong."[/color] Came the response as the shrouded figure twisted his wrist. Beneath the biker, a chord suddenly went taunt, entangling his legs and carrying him into the night sky. The clang of his head against the steel of the fire escape was an unmistakable sound.

[color=white]"Cute trick, hero."[/color] The loudmouth with the gun yelled from the opposite end of the alley. [color=white]"It's still four on one."[/color]

[color=steelblue]"You're right,"[/color] The hooded figure replied, [color=steelblue]"Those odds aren't fair."[/color] He retorted, producing an orb from his belt.

[color=steelblue]"For you."[/color]

As the orb was released from his hand, the alley was covered in a dense layer of smoke. Against the smoke was a projected image of the hero, his decoys distracting the four remaining assailants, their weapons harmlessly passing through the projected mirages. 

The teenager watched in amazement as the vigilante moved through the smoke, single-handedly downing each of the remaining assailants one by one. His movements were perfectly efficient, no flourishes only what was necessary. No energy expended that wasn't needed. When the smoke cleared, the teenager was surrounded by the five unconscious bodies. Out of the corner of his eye, something else caught his attention. 

A nearby wall bore a new image. An 'I' and an 'A' stylized in blue and red against the dirty brick.

IllAdvised was on the move.[/color]