Chapter 1717: Prove It Marcus, the head and leader of the Dark Guild, or at least, whatever was left of it, stood on the pavement, feeling the weight of his legacy slipping through his fingers. He wasn’t even sure if he was the last member alive after the catastrophic events that had dismantled his organization. It wasn’t something he had much time to dwell on, though. The emergency of his situation was too pressing. He knew that the people who had targeted the Guild wouldn’t be pleased to find him breathing, but a voice in the back of his mind reminded him that centuries of history were supposed to culminate with him. He was the leader; he couldn’t let it all end in a gutter. Driven by that thought, and following the desperate advice of unlikely allies, he had ventured into Slough. After a long, grueling journey and hours of walking down unfamiliar streets, he found himself utterly lost. The last time he had been in Slough to meet the Howlers, it had been during a massive, high-profile public event. Now, the city felt like a maze. He couldn’t call for help, either. Every account, every credit card, and every digital link to his name had been frozen or deleted. He knew that if he so much as touched a smartphone, they could track his purchase history or ping his GPS in seconds. He was a ghost in a digital world, which was why he had destroyed everything he owned. Finally, as he turned onto the bustling Burnham Food Street, he spotted the familiar black and gold uniform. He approached the obvious Howler member, knowing he had no other choice but to play his final card. “I’m from the Dark Guild,” he stated, his voice low and raspy, carrying a seriousness that didn’t match his disheveled appearance. “I need to see your leader, Gary Dem... Can you take me to him?” In any other situation, Marcus would never have revealed his secret identity so casually. But to get to the right people, he had to speak the truth. What he didn’t expect, however, was for the guard to turn his head and look him up and down with an expression of pure disgust. Marcus was still wearing his high-end, designer clothes, but they were stained and rumpled. Worse, a certain smell was radiating from him, the unmistakable scent of a man who hadn’t been able to use proper facilities or a shower in days. “What the...” The Howler member scoffed. “I’ve heard some crazy stories from people trying to get a meeting with the boss, but claiming you’re from the Dark Guild? That’s a new one.” The guard didn’t look intimidated; he looked annoyed. “Hey, not just anyone can see Gary, alright? He’s a busy guy, a popular guy. You think the King of Slough has time for every homeless guy with a fantasy?” The Howler member waved his hand dismissively, shooing Marcus away like a stray dog. It made sense, in a way. Gary Dem was infamous in Slough for several reasons. To the locals, he was a hero who had cleaned up the streets, and to the world, he was the man who had publicly defeated Harbour, the Champion of the AFC. People were always trying to get a piece of him. “What do you mean? I really need to meet with Gary Dem!” Marcus insisted, his desperation beginning to leak through. “It’s important! If I don’t talk to him, all of the Howlers could be in serious trouble!” “Hey, hey, watch your mouth,” the member replied, his eyes narrowing. “Are you trying to jinx us? We’ve already been through enough lately. Look, if you were really the leader of the Dark Guild, one of the legendary Kings, why the heck would you be wandering up to a random grunt like me on a food street? Do you even have any proof?” “Proof?” Marcus stammered. He started to think frantically. What was he supposed to show this man? His driver’s license? That didn’t exactly have "Member of the Dark Guild" printed on it with an official stamp of the Guild. He was realizing, far too late, that his policy of hiding his identity from the public was coming back to bite him. In the shadows, he was a King; in the light, he was nobody. “Alright, look,” Marcus tried again, lowering his voice. “You don’t have to take me directly to him. But can you at least put me in contact with someone who can? Your manager, a captain, anyone. Just tell them I’m here. I’m sure they will want to listen to what I have to say.” “The manager? What is this, a restaurant?” The Howler laughed mockingly. “Look, man, if you were the leader of the damned Dark Guild, I’d be shaking in my boots right now. Instead, I’m just bored. We’ve been told to report any suspicious activity, and if you keep pestering me about Gary, I’m going to have to report you as a nuisance.” That was when a spark of inspiration hit Marcus. If they wouldn’t listen to a friend, maybe they would listen to an enemy. “Then report me... report me right now!” Marcus challenged. The Howler member stepped back, a little afraid of the sudden change in the "crazy" person’s eyes. “What are you doing?” “I said report me! I’m a threat!” Marcus shouted, his voice echoing off the surrounding stalls. “If you see me as a threat, that will finally get someone to come out here who will actually listen to me!” The guard continued to back up, looking at Marcus with pure bewilderment. “Come on! Why would the Howlers hire someone as useless as you anyway?” Marcus provoked, stepping into the guard’s personal space. “You can’t even tell a serious threat when it’s standing right in front of your face!” The other Howler members nearby began to catch wind of the commotion. Heads turned, and the public on Burnham Food Street started to linger, sensing a fight. The Howler guard, feeling his pride wounded in front of his peers and the public, finally reached his breaking point. He lunged forward, throwing a frustrated punch. “You asked for it, you freak!” The punch was telegraphed and clumsy. Almost on instinct, a reaction honed by years of elite training, Marcus shifted his weight. He avoided the strike with a fluid movement and countered, his fist connecting squarely with the guard’s jaw. The blow sent the guard’s head spinning, his feet leaving the ground for a split second before he crumpled to the floor. Silence fell over the street for a heartbeat as the other Howler members witnessed the attack. Marcus stood over the fallen man, his heart racing. He had finally gotten their attention. *** ***** (Busy going to different places, this...time zone sucks. Landed and had a load of meetings, and then only slept for a few hours. The second Chapter will be in a few hours. I’m feeling sleepy. I woke up at 4am and couldn’t go back to sleep so I thought why not write.) *** For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media below. 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