Banned
Date: January 8th, 2021.
Time: 8:05 PM.
Location: Prospect Park.
Interactions: None.
Time: 8:05 PM.
Location: Prospect Park.
Interactions: None.
Rayner rubbed his gloved hands together in a futile attempt to keep them warm while he waited for his chosen victim, a woman in her late twenties named Ava, to show up at the park as she normally did around this time of night. And even though he was wearing a heavy coat with a hood, somewhat thick pants, and leather gloves, he could still feel the bitingly cold winter wind as it blew through the dark park, which was mostly deserted at this time of night. Its usual visitants having decided that staying within the confines of the outlying neighborhoods, most of which had warmth, shelter, and numerous creature comforts, was better than sitting out here in the freezing cold night air like he was. Of course, he had no real choice in the matter. Rayner's main goal of gathering more power was still burning hot within his mind, and he had already devoted too much time to tracking down his current target to turn back now.
It had taken the sum total of three days of careful interaction to find out more about his victims routine ever since he'd first heard her powers gentle melodic rhythms while getting a latte over at a Starbucks on Franklin Avenue just off Eastern Parkway, but he'd finally managed to find out exactly where and when Ava liked to go when she wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city. He'd also found out some more details about her power during this time by revealing his ability to alter the perceptions of others while they were browsing a local bookstore. It had been somewhat of a risk, yes, but it was one that, thankfully, paid off.
For the moment she realized he was also a meta like herself, and thus knew what it was like to have seemingly godlike abilities, Ava had dropped her guard and began talking at length to Rayner about her power and how it had affected her life over the years once they had both left the store. Something that Rayner both loved and hated. On the one hand, he was glad that his gambit had paid off, and that he had another useful power he could add to his arsenal. But on the other, he felt a bit guilty that she had bought into his deception so readily. She was certainly not a stupid person by any means, being a computer programmer by trade, but she had believed him nonetheless.
Though to be fair, he had played his cards well.
After all, who would suspect the person they've gotten to know so well over several days, of being a secret serial killer? No normal person certainly. But still... she didn't know what he was, and she had absolutely no idea that he had spent all this time getting to know her just so he could kill her and steal her healing factor.
And that didn't sit well with what little remained of his conscience.
He squeezed his eyes shut beneath the cold acrylic mask that was covering his face, shielding his true self from any retribution the world might unleash in response to what he was about to do, and let out a shaky breath. Clenching and unclenching his fists, Rayner coldly reminded himself why he was here. There was a greater cause behind all of this. And it to this cause that Ava would contribute in death what she was could not in life.
He stood there, motionless, his eyes still shut when the soft crunching of grass caught his attention. Quickly opening his eyes, Rayner shifted his gaze over to the wooded area across from him, in which a long chain of streetlights towered over a winding concrete pathway, bathing it in a sterile white light that seemed to be more fit for a hospital room rather than a darkness covered swathe of well-manicured parkland, and saw the faint outline of a person striding towards the winding pathway. Squinting in an attempt to see more detail through the dark tint of the glass covering the eyeholes of his mask, Rayner examined the figure. It took him several minutes, but he finally realized that the mysterious figure was in fact, Ava.
"Right on time." Rayner mused, grimacing slightly.
He let out a small sigh.
What he was about to do would not be enjoyable, but it was necessary.
Reaching into his pocket, Rayner pulled out his butterfly knife and flicked it open as he drew upon his latest ability and willed himself to be unnoticeable. Taking a deep breath, Rayner braced himself for what was about to come and stepped out of his shadowy hiding place before quickly striding over to her, his grip on the blade tightening considerably as he steadily drew closer. Holding the blade out to his side somewhat, Rayner-no, Reaver-watched as Ava spun around, the sudden and completely unexpected approach of footsteps having startled her. He could see a look of surprise plastered across her face. An expression which slowly morphed into a look of pure terror as her gray eyes, which were wide as saucers by this point, settled on the knife he held in his hand.
"L-look," she began, stuttering slightly, "you don't need to do this. I don't know what's happening in your life, or what you're going through, but this isn't the way to go about fixing it." she said, gesturing towards the blade, obviously hoping to reason with her masked attacker. "You don't need to-" she went on, but by then it was too late. Reaver brought the blade upwards in one fluid motion and stabbed into the side of Ava's neck, directly through her jugular and windpipe, causing the crimson liquid to start welling up around the wound. He wasn't entirely sure why she had been able to see him. Maybe it was because her healing factor had an unintended side effect of making her visual senses better that let her spot him as he approached, or maybe it was the slight spike of adrenaline he felt just before plunging the blade into her flesh that had disrupted the power.
Either way, it didn't really matter.
Placing his free hand against the side of her head, Rayner drove the blade deeper, before wrenching it free and stabbing it through the top of her skull. Gritting his teeth, he channeled an electrical current through the blade, causing her body to spasm and convulse before finally going still. Removing the knife, Rayner carefully lowered her limp form to the ground as he heard the same gentle melody from before.
Only instead of coming from the dead woman lying at his feet, it came directly from his mind. A twisted grin made its way across his face as he cleaned the blood from his weapon in the grass nearby, his mind filling with knowledge of the power he had just absorbed. Continuing to smile twistedly, Reaver used his free hand to hold his knife while he rolled up the sleeve covering his left arm, revealing the tan skin beneath. Switching his knife back to his other hand, Reaver placed the blade against his flesh and slowly began to make a deep incision into his forearm. Gritting his teeth due to the burning pain emanating from the wound, Reaver focused on the cut and pictured it smoothly mending itself in his mind's eye. And it did.
Just as he had predicted.
Although it had taken about a minute, the wound eventually vanished, leaving his skin as unblemished as it had been before. Reaver's smile grew even larger underneath his black and white mask as a low hitching rumble steadily began to build within his throat until it became a low chuckle. Then a laugh. And finally, a mad cackle that echoed throughout the silent park. He sat there, continuing to laugh and laugh madly, until his gaze fell on the woman's lifeless form once more, making him fall silent. Rayner stared down at Ava, his senses having finally returned as his breathing gradually fell back into to its usual rhythmic pace, and solemnly cleaned off his knife once more before quietly folding it up and sliding it back into his pocket as he slowly got to his feet. The moment of mad glee passing just as quickly as it had arrived. Silently turning his back to the corpse, Rayner quickly made his way out of the park, not wanting to be caught hanging around the area. A chill ran through him as he walked along, even though the wind had stopped and he was sweating beneath his coat from his previous exertions.
Was he truly doing the right thing, killing others for their power?
Or was that just a lie he'd been telling himself to avoid facing the fact that he had become more of a monster than the men who had killed his sister?
