Reversal of Fortune [malexmale]

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

I woke feeling leaden and oppressed by darkness.

My muscles felt rubbery, my body heavy and weak. Something was covering my eyes, I could feel it. There was a mild sting in the backs of my eyes as well. I could hear the faint sounds of machines beeping and whirring. The soft sound of traditional Japanese music seemed out of place among all the sounds of machinery. I moved my hands just a bit, though they were just so heavy, and I could feel something around my wrists, padded and tight. I shifted my foot, which was thankfully free, but I couldn't do much with it aside from moving it up against the cushions beneath me before it slid back down into place.

"Excellent," came a voice from somewhere across the room, and the music turned down a tad, followed by the sound of footsteps moving toward me, "You're awake. I was a bit worried that perhaps I'd injected too much of my serum. That would've been incredibly disappointing." It took me several moments to recognize the voice as Tenjin's. I searched the darkness of whatever was over my eyes. I sought control, despite the mild panic tightening my chest. I wasn't going to let on that I was freaked the fuck out by my lack of sight.

"Don't worry," Tenjin said, moving somewhere to my side and adjusting something that clicked and hissed, "You're not blind. I simply had to get in there and see what made them work the way they do. This kind of gift is... incredibly rare. Or at least, it was. Until you bestowed the gift upon my least favorite group of people." I felt a small twinge of amusement that I'd managed to irritate him, but there was an overwhelming sense of violation that he knew that. I didn't let on that it bothered me, however, and simply laid there, forcing calm.

"The gift was given to those who would use it wisely," I responded coolly. Tenjin scoffed.

"And Hades in your eyes is someone who uses it wisely?"

"Yes."

"That's all? No explanation?"

"I have no need to explain the actions of another. I know I chose the right person to carry on the legacy."

"You put great confidence in a male who's killed thousands and destroyed millions."

"What's the saying? You can't make an omelette without cracking a few eggs?" I asked. Tenjin laughed.

"You are amusing, I will give you that, demon," he replied, continuing his movements around me, "I wonder what Hades would say if he found out about your gift."

"There is no reason for him to know."

"I'd heard he spent quite a few centuries trying to research the ability and never found it. I would think he'd find it very fascinating."

"I don't think so. He has more important things to worry about. Like the fate of the universe."

"No thanks to you," Tenjin said smoothly, "You gifted him the power of a hero, did you not? As the Fates have done to many others. That power in itself is rather rare as well. Very few have been blessed to be a hero."

"It wasn't a blessing," I said flatly, "It's a curse."

"I suppose so," Tenjin murmured. I frowned, listening to him move around. A moment later, I felt him messing with something over my eyes, lifting them away. Bright lights assaulted my eyes and I grimaced, blinking rapidly against the offensive lights. It took a moment before my vision cleared and I watched Tenjin unstrap my wrists from the chair. I frowned, rubbing at my wrists as he stepped back, picking up a large stack of papers to thumb through.

"I believe I have received as much as I could for now," he said, more to himself than me.

"You got inside my head," I said, sitting up and moving my legs over the side of the seat. Tenjin looked up.