Leo's Downfall

30 years, 5 months, 2 days, 9 hours, 20 minutes, and 22 seconds ago a black haired baby boy was born, weighing in at 8 lbs. He was a healthy baby boy, born into a life with a mother Eve, father Wayne and two year old sister, Angelia. His first few years of life were a blur. He was cared for intensively as if he was a porcelain doll; his best friend was his sister. His past was a complete blur, his name was lost in his madness and change. The only thing he remembers is his nickname Leo, or Nightshade.

He and his family lived on the outskirts of the city, although, year after year the city slowly inched towards them. Both the kids were homeschooled by the father, who was a writer and the mother who was a well-known scientist in her day. They taught them all there is to life and education. They both grew into enjoying chemistry, sciences, and reading up on spells. While they were growing up, Angelia enjoyed staying inside reading, while Leo went outside to watch the world burn.

At the age of five, his sister and he were in the garden playing. All fun and playing stopped when he set his sister’s hair on fire. He had never seen something burn so fast, until he saw how fast the gas in the car burnt after rushing to the hospital to cure the 3rd degree burns that he inflicted on his own sister. At this point, his father sat him down and talked to him seriously and made sure he'd never do it again.

When Angelia got home, both parents threw out all flammable items and relied on magic to make fires. They never taught Leo anything about fire, especially how to make it. But somehow no matter what, he'd conjure fire out of nowhere, with no knowledge. Only with pure serious fear and anger.

At the age of 7, he was sent to a military camp. Wayne thought it was important to learn basic fighting skills. In 1 month he learnt out how to kill a man in 10 completely different ways with his bare hands. He was able to execute it perfectly each time, even if it was only shown once to him. They sent him home before they moved on to further training. They noticed burn marks in his bed; they began to fear him.

One day, Leo and his sister were playing outside. Suddenly a spark of fear came upon him when he found human remains in the backyard. Angelia ran inside yelling
“MOM! DAD! LEO IS ON FIRE”
They all ran outside and found him knocked out on the grass while a burning flame engulfed him. Wayne ran up with an extinguisher, blowing the fire out as quickly as they could while Eve casted ice sheet covering him in ice and putting out the fire. Wayne quickly picked him up and ran to the car.

Pulling the door closed and rushed to the closest witch in the area. “Call the witch and tell her Leo is in trouble.” They arrived within the hour. The witch ran out expecting the worst. She casted a spell that stabilized him enough that they didn’t have to rush anything or skip any important steps.

They all walked into the dark house, Wayne was cradling Leo in his arms. The witch cleared her large wood table and asked what has been happening. Angelia explained what happened, and what has been happening ever since he was 5.
The witch came up with an idea of having to casting a tattoo on some part of his body, suggesting the feet.

“A simple tattoo is needed. The tattoo would be filled with a formula that should control the heat waves in his body that spark the flame, but he must remain calm as much as possible,” the witch mentioned.
“Alright. What would it be, and where?” Wayne inquired,
“Well, I would choose something innocent and somewhere that it might not be seen.” The witch suggested.
After some time and thinking, they chose a small animal which would be tattooed on his left foot. A young fire red fox’s paws leading to a pile of fallen leaves with a fox sleeping inside.

Leo awoke in his bed 3 days later with large burn marks on his hands. Aching in pain, he sits up, became dizzy, and fell back into the bed. “What happened to me?”

Years past. Leo was 14 but he still never had the memory of what happened in those few days. Sach time someone tried to explain, he’d pass it off as a tale that was made up. As the years went on he and his sister grew apart, causing them to get into daily fights that never ended well.
“Why do you always have to PMS over everything?!” yelled Leo,
“Oh for gods sake, you ass. Why do you always have to be a jerk over everything?!” Angelina exclaimed back.
Eve walked into the room and flung a knife into the wall a few feet away from their heads, “Leo, Angelina, keep all your PMSing to yourselves. Your father and I are working and we’d like one day without having to hear either of you bitching about how much you hate each other.” She said as she calmly walked out of the room.
“Jeez, you mess up everything” Angelina moaned while pulling out the knife from the wall.
He’d always been involved with magic and tricks. Through the time of his fights with Angelina he’d have to hold himself back from spurting her with acid and waves of water. He’d always been curious of tattoos and would jump to the chance of getting another one. On his 14th birthday, Eve and Wayne took him to the witch for his usual checkup for his symptoms. He was never inclined going.
“Leo, if you go to this, I will pay the witch to tattoo any marking you want” Wayne said with a cunning voice. Leo agreed.
“Yes, he looks in good shape.” The witch mentioned, “Now is that all?”
Leo got up and said, “I want a magic tattoo on my face, which can glow.”
“As you wish.” The witch nodded, snapped her fingers and all was done. “Just snap your fingers twice, and you shall see the magic begin.”
Leo snapped his fingers and his face began to light up. Swirls of the color started to become visible and glow red.

Throughout the years Wayne and Eve had multiple fights, driving them apart. Day by day, they pushed each other away. At the time Leo was 15 and Angelina was 17, they had a divorce. Wayne moved closer to the city taking half the belongings with him, leaving all the science to his wife. Both the kids were left behind as Wayne dropped off the map for two years.

On Leo’s 17th birthday Wayne showed up at his mothers door step. He knocked the door and Leo answered.
“Leo! Come with me, I have a surprise for you”
“No. Where were you for 2 years? And what made you come back now?” Leo exclaimed.
“Listen, Leo I don’t have much time to explain why I was gone, but it was not safe for you, your sister, or your mother.” Said Wayne, while pulling Leo out the door and forcing him into the car. As they were driving into the city, Wayne started to talk to Leo about what has been happening.
“Leo, I’ve got into a ton of trouble at the office. I was writing a report on a criminal scene that happened months ago and I went back to the scene to see if I could put something together. I found this,” He pulls out a large chrome black brief case. “Son what I’m about to show you is between you and I. I didn’t believe it when I found it myself but once I’m gone, which will be soon, it will all be yours.” He opens the brief case, inside held 13 columns, and 2 levels of small containers filled with an orange-gold alloy inside each, and every one. “It’s Orichalcum and I need you, your sister and your mothers help.” He paused while looking into the case of the valuable contents.
“Dad, I’ll help you, but where will it go once we’re done?” Leo asked with curiosity,
“Well, I was hoping to help your sister and you with your finances.” He shut the case and shoved it under the car seat, “but for now it needs to be hidden with our little secret.”
Leo looked out the window and marveled at the approaching city. He never got the chance to visit the city until now.

“Here’s our stop” mentioned Wayne.
It was a tall, and brick tattoo parlor.
“Look. I know I haven’t always been around to take care of you, and the past two years have been a blur I want to give you something that will make sure you remember me.” Wayne spoke with strength as he handed Leo a box wrapped in brown tissue. “Open it when you’re ready to join the streets.”
They walked into the tattoo parlor and go to action. Wayne chose what was going to be tattooed and where. First the outline, second the pain, third the result. Leo stood up, after 2 hours of straight ink to skin. It was finished. A jet black raven from shoulder to shoulder with wings spread out. The head tilted down, with red flaring eyes.
“Dad, this is amazing.” Leo paused and looked around the room, “Dad!?”
The tattoo artist walked up to him with a note and a brief case. It read “I’m sorry son I needed to finish some unsettled business with some clients of mine. I’m afraid this was that last time that I will ever see you again. This should cover you for a long time. Give one container to your mother and one to your sister. I love you son. Signed, Nightshade.”
“Who in the hell is nightshade?” Leo now confused, took the day walking around the city in an attempt to search for his father. Within 3 hours of searching, it was beginning to get dark, so he gave up and took a train home.
The next day he went back in the parlor to search of his father. He walked up to the artist and asked “Have you by any chance seen my father since yesterday?”
The tall troll artist replied, “No, sorry man. Want a tat instead?” Leo pondered for a little while and the troll added, “My name is Larry. I’ve got nothin’ do to until my 3 o’clock appointment. I’ll give it to you 25% off” he put out his hand.
“You know what, sure why not.” Leo put out his hand and shook Larry’s “The name’s Leo”
“Alright. What will it be today?” asked Larry
“I’d like to have a rose going up my arm” Leo mentioned, “Jazz it up. Make it electrifying.”
One and a half hours later, ink to skin, pain, and soreness. He took a look in the mirror. While turning, he saw a large black and red rose vine going up his arm. On his shoulder, a fully bloomed rose. Leo pulled his grey t-shit forward and pulled his leather jacket. “I looks amazing. Thanks, Larry. I think it’s about time to go home.”


Weeks later, Leo and Angelina were practicing magic by shooting acid at the garden snakes in the yard and watered the plants with waves of water. Flicking small items at each other. While Eve was doing her usual chores, she came across the brief case and the letter. “Nightshade?” she whispered to herself. “Leo!” Both Leo and Angelina rushed into the room. “When were you planning on sharing this with us, or even telling us about this?” while holding up the note in one hand and the brief case in the other.
Leo looked up are both the note and the case, “Mom you have no idea what this is,” he paused, “dad told me that it could endanger all of us”
“but,” Eve interrupted, “in this note, he said to show it to us and give us a share.”
Leo grabbed the case and held it in his one hand, while opening it with the other. The brief case was full of the metal containers. Pulling out two small containers, one for Eve and the other for Angelina.
“Dad called it Orichalcum” Leo looked up to his mother. She stared at him and pulled him into the room next door.
“You can’t tell anyone about this. These cost hundreds and hundreds of nuyen. People will kill for this.” Eve pushed him to the side and grabbed her share. She turned around and looked at Leo. Said “Go to this address” she pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to him. “and tell them to put it into your bank account. Years ago I’ve set a timer on it giving access to it when you are 25, but here is an emergency access code. Only for serious occasions.” She paused and looked at the casing. “We are rich…” Turned and walked out of the room, not saying a word more.

Weeks later, while Leo and Angelina were out shopping in the city. When they got a phone call.
“Hello?” Leo answered. “What? When?” he hung up the phone and looked at Angelina in distress.
“What’s going on? Who was it that phoned?” She asked,
“It was the police. Someone broke in the house. They received a distress call from the house. It was mom.” He paused, “when they showed up the house was torn apart and mom was lying face down in a pool of blood. They took her to the hospital as fast as they could. No results yet, but they mentioned a note that they found at the scene.”
Angelina interrupted, “What did it say?!”
Leo looked up and stared at her before speaking. “They know.”
Without a second thought, they drove to the hospital and demanded to see their mother at once. They looked into the window where their mother lay. They proceeded to the front desk and asked when they’d be able to take her home. The front clerk replied with “it’s too soon to know. At the end of the week is earliest. Most likely three weeks.” They both walked back the room to see their mother one last time, turned around and went home.
At first glance their house looked destroyed. Within a few minutes the house reformed. Leo looked over to Angelina, she was waving her hand back and forth cleaning up the area.
“What’s that called?” Leo asked.
Angelina flung a bottle cap at his face and then replied. “It’s a combination of fling and levitate, mom taught it to me a couple weeks ago.”
“Oh great, now you can throw things at me without much effort….” Leo paused and yelled “TEACH ME!”
“Naaah. I’m good” she replied with a chuckle while attempting to make the situation lighter. “Oh, by the way I learnt something from the witch.” She waved her hand over his arm, creating a snake that ravelled around his arm and down to his fingers. Leo’s eyes bulged and gave big thanks with a large hug.

Two weeks later, they brought their mother home. Setting up her room with everything that she would need to survive and recover. They dedicated hours upon hours of research for many potions, making one after the other, trying to come up with something that would fully recover Eve to her old self. It came to the second month of testing and constant brewing and research, when Angelina threw in the towel; she picked up her bags and left. Leaving Leo behind, without warning or word.
Leo worked day and night, researching and brewing, over and over again. Slowly he went insane. Nothing seemed real anymore. He went back and forth to witches and other spell casters. After 40 days, 20 hours, 22 minutes, and 30 seconds and 100,000 nuyen, using little of the brief case worth of research and the line went flat. His mother stopped fighting. Leo facing massive amount of denial and loss issues he became enraged. His body burst into flame. He pulled a large bag out of his living quarters with a large amount of his belongings while slowly engulfing everything in his path. The fire was spreading throughout the house. Soon enough the house was engulfed in fire. Tunnels of fire ran the halls, whirling around, and chasing each other and Leo. Pushing the door open he fell onto the wet grass in the front of his home. His now destroyed, flame engulfed home. There he lay.
He woke up to a sky filled with ash, the ground covered in a blanket of grey mush, and the air as thick as smoke. He pulled himself up onto his knees and looked around. The house was obliterated. The remains were just a fragile structure of charcoal. The rest, burnt to ash. He had his clothes, account numbers, and wallet. But he lost the most important thing to him. His family. For the first time in a long time he had nowhere to go. He was lost in his own nightmare that has become real. He opened his bag and found a brown package with writing on top of it in black “Leo my son. Open for the truth.” He ripped the package to a large note and mask.
3 months later....
“Thief! Get back here! Police! Police get him!” yelled a shop keeper while running after the boy dressed in black, with flames running up his legs and sides. Sirens began to fill the streets. Cop cars and bikes begun to show themselves from around the corners, filling up the streets with commotion. The young runner jumped on a jet black bike and road off into the foggy city where it was impossible to chase. Pulling off a mask that looked as if it was metal and felt skull sown together with electric wire. His dark hood that towered over his face blew back now showing his face. He opened and closed his eyes and looked forward. It was Leo, eyes now shinning bright yellow.
He quickly pulled into a hidden driveway. While the police cars and bikes rushed past the driveway he ran into the dark brick building. Once inside, he slowly opened the pouch of gold and diamond rings. “I don’t know if this is worth it, but I’m sure Sugar Cookie would pay good money for them” he said to himself, while walking up three fleets of stairs. He reaches the fourth floor and knocks on door 109.
“Who is it?” yelled a voice from inside.
“It’s Nightshade, bringing what you asked” Leo replied while pulling mask over the face and hood over his head.
The door opens to a large orc, who stood feet above Leo. Large muscle bulged out of his arms and chest. He looked down at Leo, looked at his hands and pulled him into his apartment.
“I thought I heard sirens going off.” The orc mentioned. “So, where are they?”
“Yeah, I got it for you, Sugar Cookie. Here they are. Now where’s my payment?” Demanded Leo. Sugar handed him a cred stick.
“First of all, don’t call me Sugar Cookie. It’s just Sugar, pixie. Second, go on. Hand them over,” Demanded Sugar. Leo handed it over and then got ushered out of the room and out into the hall. “Thank you for your business”

Leo walked down the stairs and slotted the chip into his comlink. That prick cut me 30 short... eh, I’ll get it from him later. Don’t wanna deal with his shit. Plus I’m running late”
Couple weeks past. The weekly market was being as busy as ever. Leo decided to take a stroll and stop by a few booths to pick up a few things for his clients. He turned and pulled his hood over his face, as his eyes and face tattoo began to glow. “Stop! Hands up.” Leo turned to a police officer staring him down with an Ares Predator. “Put them up or I’ll be forced to shoot.” Without thinking Leo grabbed a young boy and thrusted him forward. Three shots pierced the market’s commotion and the young boy was on the ground.
People began to scream as they heard the shots, and saw the young boy fall to the ground. Tons of people flooded the streets. Police sirens began again. Leo immediately turned and ran to his bike. Starting it Via AR commands, it was ready by the time he jumped on and quickly left in a cloud of smoke.
He darted into the alley way hoping that he lost. They followed, sparks showered onto the pavement from the slight impact with the alley wall. Leo looked back, and increased his speed. A ramp at the mouth of the alley was blocking the exit. “Well, if there’s no way around, guess I gotta go up” he said. Increasing his speed to his max, he hit the ramp. Bending upwards he took off, like a banshee. He looked back and around. The police spun out and crashed into fence.
The ground was coming quickly, Leo began to panic. He punched the gas getting his wheels to go as fast as possible. It would be a bumpy and quick landing.
The bike crashed into the ground losing one of its springs in the process. Speeding towards the freeway, pushed the breaks down as hard as possible. Sparks flew out from underneath the tires. The bike slowly skidded to its side, to a slow stop. Breaks were almost burnt out, springs were shot, and his handlebars were charred. He pulled his hood back on. “I think it’s time I take you to Larry for a fixing.” Leo said, patting the bike. Kicking it to start, he turned it into the highway back into the city.
Coming up towards the parlor, Leo took a look around, casting invisibility. Taking one more lap, he turned into the lot, pulling off his hood and snapping off his glow and walked in.
“Looks like she took a beating. What was it this time? Cops again? Or a contact that turned on you?” Leo turned around to see Larry cleaning up blood off of the tools.
“Hahaha, you got me. Look there are guys looking for me everywhere, and the police are working with them. I’d have to give thanks to my attire. None of them really know what I look like” Leo chuckled.
“You know, you can’t keep running forever. You should settle down. Maybe sit at home for more than 20 minutes at a time. Sleep for more than 5 hours. You’re tired and I can tell.” Larry paused and looked down to Leo, taking his gaze off the tools. “You know I see you as a brother, and I know that you miss your family ever since you burnt your own house down.” He paused again. Putting down the tools he put his hands on Leo’s shoulder. “You’ve changed. I want to help “
Leo took a step back. His hands began to steam up. “Listen. I get that you care for me as a brother. But I’m leaving the city. I came just to see if you could fix my ride and to say goodbye.” Larry nodded and walked forward to embrace Leo.
“Stay the night and I’ll fix up your ride.”



The next morning Leo got up early, so he’d get a head start on his journey. When he walked outside to marvel at his fixed bike he witnessed his best friend lying in a pool of blood a few meters from the bike. Three bullet holes in the chest. Leo fell onto his knees drenching them in the blood of his one and only friend. A note was left. It read “If you try leaving the city, we’ll drag you back in twice as hard as you tried to leave, and make you watch everything you love burn. Well. let you watch yourself burn everything.” Leo watched as the paper turned to ash. Quickly getting up he started his bike; pulled on his mask and hood, and rode off to the city line as fast as he could.
The sun was rising, illuminating the streets and buildings. The streets were beginning to show life when the sky began to fill. Kight Ermat Dragons began to swarm around the area. Trolls with tower shields were patrolling the streets with Gauss rifle. “I need to get out of here, quick.”
Motoring towards the north gate there was a road block.
“Shit.” He looked back to a large van coming up to the rear of him. He skidded to the side and stopped his vehicle. Pushing his arms out, without thinking, he casted a large stream of acid towards the van with as much power as he could. He started to lose focus as his head began to rush with an intense amount of dizziness. Suddenly, everything went black.
Hours later Leo woke up in what looked like a prison cell. Looking around, he saw a brick room with one large metal door with bars over just a small window. There were two beds, one toilet, and a stack of dirty plates towering beside the door.
On the second bed there was an old man, waving his hand over the wall, and casting prints on the wall.
Leo got up and walked towards him. “Hey what is this? What are you doing?” The old man chuckled, not taking his gaze off the wall.
“Welcome to the holding cells. I am the one without name, and without identity. What am I doing, you ask.” The old man paused and chuckled again, “Well, my dear boy, I am printing my past and future.”
Leo looked at him and asked “Do you mind printing something on me?" He said, the old man looked over and blinked.
"Of course.” He waved his hand over Leo “You will have your future." A wave of images waved over Leo and suddenly a stinging pain began in his ear and lasted until the old man released him.
"Ow! What is it!? What did you do?" he yelped.
The old man replied simply with "what you are in my eyes, and what your future holds" and he turned and returned to his markings.
The last tattoo. An insane flaming skull with black soulless eyes.
At that point he realized he was a dead man. At the age of 21. He only just started his life.
The cell door opened, and a deep voice came from "Wizard. Come forth". The old man waved his hand over the wall, only to make sure no one could read his symbols. As soon as the wizard got to the door, there was a quick flash and he fell to the ground, motionless. Leo looked back to the door slowly opening. He quickly thought of a spell that would aide him, fast. He thought of the invisibility spell that he learned only a few weeks ago. Casting it from pure memory, he ran.
He quickly ran into a room that looked like an office. Documents were piled on top of each other with fire arms hanging off the wall. Then he saw his mask on the desk along with the bag that he had when he packed. He quickly ran by, swiped them off the table, and made a quick exit into what looked like a hanger. The ceilings were high and the metallic walls surrounded by various types of planes and cars. Some were metallic, some jet black, some were tank, and others were a mix of the three. Two propellers or more on each of them, and a small variety of what looked like missile jets in the fat corner. Black slick cars, which had long glass windows were in long lines behind the aircrafts. He pulled on his mask and scanned the area. Within a couple seconds, a red glow emanated from the far corner. Two bleeps echoed from the general area while an engine started. The sound roared closer and closer. When the speeding bike got close enough Leo jumped over and landed. The bike then veered to the nearest exit.

Two years later, he had dropped off the map. He was earning money as a usual thief would, and he still had most of what was in the brief case. He tended to keep it for safe keeping. He moved into a small building. Not the best around but good enough. It had all his living needs. Spending some money here and there; on rent, food, foci earrings, sometimes new fun gadgets, and tattoos.
Leo went out at nights scouting areas and for things to hunt or break into. Loose ends or odd jobs were a rarity that would give him an opportunity for variation. He spent a lot of his time out on the streets alone, practicing his magic in alleys and in his room.

On his 25th birthday he treated himself and went out to a pub. The grainy, loud, old building had large red banner flashing; the pub itself was dark and smoky. He’s never been in one before; the feeling of being around so many people was odd. It was musky and warm, making it quite hard to breath. “God, I need something to drink.” He walked up to the bar and asked for the best beer in town. The bartender poured a large pint of a dark brown substance with foam leaking off the sides.
“Do you have a tab? How are you paying?” asked the bartender. Leo reached into his pocket and pulled out a cred stick.
“This shall cover about 5” Leo said while chugging down the beer.
The next morning Leo awoke lazy and sore. His memories of last night was a complete blur, no recollection of the past 12-16 hours. What he doesn’t remember is later on that night, he had a belly full of liquids. When the bartender cut him off. He was at 7 beers, and still a ton of nuyen left over.
“Listen buddy, you need to go home. We can call you a cab.” The bartender said.
Leo replied, “Hey, yeah man. I can walk home. I’ve got a couple things to do” getting up and leaving.
Once he got outside, he stumbled onto the street and began to stagger towards the nearby strip club that was down the street. This was his demise. To this point he’s never had a sip of alcohol, or touched a woman’s body. This was the day that Leo changed into a completely different man.
The next morning he woke up with two furry, poofy tailed, red headed women in his bed. Both names went over his head. He had no recollection of what happened.
After that, he never was the same. He continued to grab women off the streets, nocking each one off his chart. One by one, up to each five a week. Each night he’d go to the bar and list off the girls he’s plan to lure in; barely ever striking out.
After a long night, the first girl that really struck him as a keeper got nosey and asked a few questions. She was a brunette petite girl, still barely dressed. Long black symbols covered all over her body that showed the curves of her. She came out of the bedroom with her hair falling over her shoulders, walked up to Leo, grabbed his hands, and asked “How many woman have you do this to? How long have you done this for? And why?”

Leo looked down at his cup of coffee and took a sip before answering. “You know what? I’ve lost a ton of people, which I cared about. My mother, my father, my sister, and my best friend. Ever since then I’ve planned to make those people who did it suffer, as they did to me.” He paused, put the kettle on, and continued, “I’ve been doing this for many years. I found many woman that fit my fancy and yet I don’t think I’d ever throw in the towel. Because I bet you, if I did, I’d lose them. As I did my family. But if I did stop, I’d have a pretty good idea who I’d try to chase after.” He winked and continued to drinking his coffee.
After that morning he took a few nights off even a few sober days. He walked into his bed room finding with a note left on top of his bedside table, “I’m interested in more. Call me. Maybe dinner next time. -Jessica” and a number was left underneath. He stared at the note for hours. He thought about it deeply, sighed, and put it down.
He walked to his closet and pulled it open. Picking up his old leather jacket, he saw his mask on the cupboard. He started to remember his past, and then flashes of all the nights that seemingly ruined his life.
“I’m 29. I need to change my route.”
The next day he went on a search for a new job. He hasn’t had a job for 2 years. Figuring he’d stay true to what he said Jessica that one night, the resume he made only included eighteen things. "Looking for a job. My name is Leo. Will kill for money. You’ll know how to find me."