Chapter 4
Deception and Disgrace pt. 2
I often wonder how and why I get myself into these situations.
Honestly, I do…
Marc and Tori franticly hurried down the hall, desperately looking for an exit out of this hellish nightmare that they were now incorporated in. They reached Tori's room, threw open the door only to find it occupied by three Shadow dragons tearing it apart for the book.
"There!!!" one of them yelled, pointing to the book of which Tori cradled close to her being. Marc wasted no time, hastily closing the door and running down the hallway farther into the house. The shadow minions quickly followed hot on their trails.
Larry and Jade were forced to face Havoc and Hazard in addition to the hordes of Shadow dragons that seemed endless. Bee and Lea were back-up for their respective partners.
"Payback's a bitch isn't it Larry?" Havoc avowed as a blade of thick ice protruded from each palm of his hands.
"A fine one at that" Hazard added with a malevolent smirk upon his face. The two manically laughed as they closed the gap between themselves and the four heroes, like something from a horror flick.
"Just like your mothers." Larry retorted with a confident smile. Jade, Bee, and Lea looked at him like he was crazy but Larry knew what he was doing. "Bee and Lea go help Marc and Tori"
Bee and Lea obeyed his order without hesitation, leaving just Jade and Larry to fend for themselves against the two Heralds.
"I'll try to make this as slow and painful as I can…" Havoc stated as his once smirk now changed to a sadistic glare of pure hatred.
Larry looked to his left at Jade. He gazed into her emerald eyes blankly, she returned his gazed with a shrug and a "What?" Larry then wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tight to him.
"Lets get this straight right now, the only reason that I'm doing this is because we need you" Larry hastily whispered in her delicate ear before he shoved her toward the duo. ~I hope you have your end, Marc~ He thought to himself and followed up behind her.
"Tori, where are we going?!" Marc exclaimed as she hurried him down the hall and into a closet door that was almost hidden. She snatched open the door, looking both ways for anyone coming and pushed Marc into the dark make shift haven.
" Shhh!!" Tori hushed, closing the door just as the Shadow dragons noisily ran past them. They remained quiet until the coast was clear and began to whisper their argument. They were it a tight spot and their faces were almost touching, still they had animosity for each other.
"I can't believe you sold us out!! And to think I actually trusted you, I should have never let my guard my down"
"Well if you knew what I have been through you would understand!"
"Two wrongs don't make a right, Tori!"
"Ok so you want to know the truth huh? Well we were there Ma----she was cut by marc's hand over her mouth as he heard more Shadow dragons come by but this time they stopped right outside the door and mumbled something. It didn't last long before they heard Bee and Lea coming after them. Once the commotion left Tori snatched Marc's hand away from her furrowed mouth and continued her heated debate.
"We were there when you guys blow up West Mill. You guys are the most reckless people I have ever met, I mean really. Oh and not to mention the most egotistical, arrogant, wild, selfish idiot in front of me. You put everyone at danger and killed hundreds of people Marc!"
"I was doing what I thought was right!"
"Oh really?!? What, like right now? Rushing in to be a hero? Nice job, you're nowhere near any kind of caliber hero. You, Larry and Bee have extraordinary gifts but until you learn how to use them correctly and efficiently you just you will just be causing more harm then good."
"We made it just fine! We didn't sign up for this you know, but sometimes life throws you some shit so you just have to deal with it!"
"What the hell do you know about life!"
"What the hell do you know about me?"
"Why do you care!?" they both yelled simultaneously, just inches from each other's faces panting and sweating from the heat that was caused from them being confined in that little room.
"Yes, why do you care?", came a voice the at snap of his fingers a blue flame erupted and showed his sinister smile as he appeared in between them.
Larry and Jade however had their hands full, literally. Havoc and Hazard merely toyed with them, amused by they're futile resistance. But on a deeper side of the struggle, Larry was mentally and morally torn for doing this; helping Jade when she was clearly willing to give them up for the "promised" word of Torcher. Just the thought of it incremented his anger and distraught for he knew Torcher was less than a liar. He wondered what would happen if they actually made it out, alive and everything still attached. This thought to him was now only a diminishing essence; all but a hopeless dream.
"Larry, I can't believe you did that to me!" Jade exclaimed as she ran past Havoc in what seemed like a blur fueled by adrenaline alone. She slides across the linoleum floor behind the over tipped table where the cowardly Larry sat.
"Girl, shut the hell up! I'm trying to think here!" Larry barked, not allowing her to break his gaze upon the white plaster wall before him.
Jade shoots him a glare before stating, "You act like I'm the one who did this to you!!"
"Well you sure as hell didn't exactly try to stop it either now did you?" Larry ventured softly as he massaged the bridge of his nose tiredly.
And with that said he then swiftly rolled out from the table onto the debris ridden floor right in the middle of the commotion. At that instant time seemed to slow with each blink that Larry took. Ice and electricity circulated the room with nearly pinpoint accuracy. Larry stood quickly and half-turned to dodge a stray jolt of electricity and a beam of frigid air that threatened to freeze him if it made contact.
Adrenaline pumped through him as eyes both his teammate Bee, and their enemies Havoc and Hazard. "Now if I could only find an opening…THERE!"
He lunged forward with an incredible velocity, cleverly and flexibly evading the energized attacks from his belligerent adversaries. By the time the duo caught on to Larry's bold assault maneuver it was too late, he was three inches from Hazards face. At this point, Larry's body had circulated so much adrenaline through his body and mind, time had seemingly froze and all was suspended in animation but him who brought his eager fist back. When his knuckles made contact with Hazard's unguarded face, temporally everything returned to original but Hazard wasn't so lucky. He now resided in a slump against the impact crater he'd made when Larry's fist speeded into his nose. He was hit so hard, his body, now motionless, transformed back to its normal human state.
"You're next Havoc." He said turning an eye to him.
Larry collected himself from the previous assault and summoned his Buster Magnum at point blank range with Havoc in sight. The beam slammed Havoc through the next two rooms, leaving behind him smoke and two large holes from which cracks ran. Jade then advanced past Larry toward the downed demi-god of lightning.
"Thanks but I can handle it from here" she stated as she grazed her shoulder against his in a displeasing manor. He only retorts with a gaze that let her know he could've cared less.
"Yes please do something with your life instead of placing it in my hands." Larry responded rhetorically.
"Asshole…..", she murmured.
"Bitch…..", Larry responds audibly.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!!?!"
"I didn't stutter."
Jade swiftly attempted to catch Larry off-guard with an unforeseen backhand but much to her surprise Larry caught her arm and firmly gripped. "I save you and this is how you thank me?"
"Trust me," Jade begins as tears her arm from his grasp, "If we make it through this, I will thank your ass personally."
"Hey!! Don't grab my sister like that!!" Lea interjected furiously.
"She deserves it." Larry coldly mumbles before making his way to where the door once stood.
"Come on now Larry." Bee commented, "This is not the time for this, we have to work together… whether we want to or not."
"Whatever, but as soon as this over, I have a bone to pick with all of you, and I mean all of you." Larry complained looking towards the city that lies on the horizon, "Especially, Marc."
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She rests her hand upon the wall to her left causing a surge of what seemed to be electricity to flow to Devonte and stop perfectly parallel to him.
"What is this?" Devonte asks, using his vision to stare at the wall to his left as well as her. As he focuses upon the wall, he noticed something rather abnormal occurring to its structure. ~ The temperature of the wall is increasing rapidly. The atomic structure is breaking down as well...is she doing what I think she's doing? Impossible. No human is capable of such a technique. She's no god, and I'm going to prove it. ~
Slowly, his adversary spreads her fingers as far as possible across the wall. "I hope you're ready Sir Devonte because I'm about to show you what a Paladin can do!"
With a powerful thrust, she presses her palm against the wall letting a large rectangular block jut from the wall beside Devonte at an incredible pace.
"Too slow!" With a quick right leg, he obliterates the morphed wall with a powerful kick. The collision sent shards and tatters of fabric and material flitting in all directions before billowing to the ground in weak oscillations. Devonte's powerful gaze remained locked upon the Paladin as he ventured cockily, "That's a nice trick you got there, but is that really all you've got?"
"This is just the beginning. Take this!" She quickly slips to her knees and places both hands upon the floor. A surge of her mystifying force pulsated through it and in no time, the floor tore itself asunder, leaving jagged edges upon both sides. Realizing that she'd missed him, the mouth-like floor slowly closed and mended itself.
Devonte quickly leapt backwards, but while he did so, he noticed his adversary surging the molecules of the floor once more. This time though, several large, rectangular obelisks shot from the ground incurring a number of remarkable back flips from him. Narrowly dodging them all, he ends his gymnastic evasion at the end of the hall. The Paladin lowers them and stands full height before saying, "Pretty impressive, I must say. Most people haven't lasted this long against me, but then again, those who have were just being toyed with."
"I'd expect one of you pathetic Paladins to say something as conceited as that. Your bitter words mean nothing to me because in the end, I promise you, you won't even lay a hand on me."
"Oh really? Will you be that much of a challenge to me?" She asked, massaging the muscles of her fingers.
"Not only will I be a challenge, I'll be the one to give you your first defeat."
"Prove your word, Sir Devonte."
"As you wish." He speeds down the hallway halting immediately in front of her. She was obviously taken aback by his agility.
The Paladin delivers a quick right jab that Devonte simply sidesteps. He counters quickly by moving his body forward and shoving her with her shoulder. She stumbles, but quickly recovers to throw another right jab.
With a weak palm, he diverts her jab causing her to lose balance again. This time Devonte seized the opportunity to attack. In a swift motion, he heave right leg and slams it downward. The Paladin sidesteps the assault and returns with a quick and powerful punch. Devonte took notice that this attack, obviously a trademark, was about as fast and strong as one of his more advanced kicks. Taking in this thought, he kneels and rotates his body to the right in an attempt to sweep her legs from beneath her. She lifts one leg, effectively evading the attack that would set her up for a finish reels her arm across her body. Devonte quickly returns to his feet as well and launches a powerful spinning kick using most of the force in his leg and some from his abdomen. As he does this, the paladin quickly releases a backhand which equaled his kick in both strength and speed. They both realize the deadly mistakes they've made and halt. Devonte's heal stopped before the paladin's hood with such a surplus of momentum, it caused her hood it to billow lightly. The Paladin's attack was just as potent as she noticed Devonte's corrugated braids waver a bit.
~ This can't be right...~ Devonte thought as he stared into the darkness of his opponent's hood, ~ her body is so...small yet she can generate that much force? Evidently I'm going to need a strategy. ~
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Tori and Marc now hid behind two trashcans that resided beside the east wall. It wasn't much cover, but for now, it was something that they had to deal with. The rank smell that emanated from them caused Marc to gag. Tori, on the other hand, just held her nose.
"He's going to catch us at this rate you know?" Tori ventured in a nasally whisper.
"How about you...just be quiet and...let me think here okay?" Marc retorts holding in one hand his stomach and in the other his mouth.
"Are you okay? You've taken a beating. I know this smell isn't getting to you is it?"
"Yes! What do you girls throw away so—none of your business!! Just keep thinking!!"
"I've got it...Tori!!" Marc exclaimed, his voice wavering in tone from nausea. "Do you have a car?"
"Yes, it's in the garage and....oooohhhh noooo no no no. Hell no Marc."
"Hell yes, I need the keys and the car. I know where to hide this book."
Tori shoots him a quizzical leer. "Where in this city can we hide this book? They'll just find it again!"
Marc, with a devious smile upon his face, easily asks, "What kind of car is it?"
Tori responded, "I have no clue. It's a large red car that my aunt brought for me on my birthday. Why?"
"Take me to it. I have to find Larry."
They arose to find that behind the two trashcans stood nothing. They were expecting Torcher, but he was no where to be found. The coast was clear and so they make their way to the inside of the completely charred house. The furniture which was once a soft cushion of comfort was now a beacon of distress as smolders of it fell loose in the light breeze.
"This can't possibly be happening." Tori murmured as she steps over the smoked wood that was once the house's foundation.
"Don't worry about it. The quicker we get rid of this book, the quicker we get rid of them. For now, we need to find Larry. I'm sure he has a plan. If not, he'll come up with one."
"I certainly hope so. I'm ready to end this fight."
As they stroll the war torn abode, they notice both Havoc and Hazard lying against the wall. "Larry. He's quite the strong one huh?"
"Hey!" A small voice cries from behind the smoldering couch, "I'm strong too!!"
"BEE!!" Marc cried after noticing Bee. "You're okay! Where's Larry? I need to talk to him!"
From the kitchen a small noise is audible. The crew turns to face the source of the sound. From behind a tipped over table, crawls the savior Larry and his cohort, Jade.
"What the fuck Marc? Huh?! I mean what the fuck?! You left me in here to fight these two alone!!" Larry barks as he speedily walks up to him.
"Ahhhh, you're good. Suck it up." Marc quips with a teasing smirk.
"You weren't alone Larry! You had me!" Both Bee and Jade chime in. Unfortunately, they both go unheard.
"What the fuck do you need me for now? To fight another one of your fights? Huh?!"
"Stop crying like a little bitch okay? I just need you to come up with a plan to get this book from here to the freeway without one of us dying."
Larry glares into the hazel pools of Marc's eyes with animosity before responding, "Bee, get a book from the shelf. I have a fucking idea."
"Yay! We're gonna live!" An excited Bee shouts before following Larry's order.
"This book here bears a striking resemblance to the diary correct? It's old, brown and chipping. Oddly enough, this one doesn't have a title on the spine."
"Okay super genius," Jade quips as she takes the book from Bee and hands it to him, "What do we do now?"
Larry's eyes stroll to the left before he returns them back to the book. "We need transportation and Bee clone. Think you can provide that team?"
"Easy. Tori's providing the ride and Bee is providing the...well... the Bee, correct crew?" Marc asks.
"Okay. The plan is as follows. Marc, Tori and the fake Bee will take the false diary to the East Bay Bridge and toss the book off. This'll cause Torcher to believe the book is lost. Now in reality, the book will be here with Bee, Lea and Jade. This'll give us enough time to take out the remaining Shadow Dragons and hide the book in the nearby forest as well as granting Bee Lea and Jade enough daylight to either regroup or escape."
"Larry?" Marc slowly begins, "What will happen to us?"
"Me and you will be fighting Torcher. I figure if I can beat Havoc and Hazard alone, we can beat Torcher."
"That's my Larry. Always on top of things." Jade compliments as she embraces Larry before subsequently being brushed off by.
Bee, using his ability to duplicate, creates a clone of himself and responds simultaneously, "Awaiting further orders sir!"
"Right then. Real Bee, take the book and go hide behind the house somewhere. Clone Bee, come with me. We need to take care of the rest of these Shadow Dragons. They might not die in the dark, but at least we can escape them. You too Jade."
"Good luck Larry. Hopefully, you won't die while I'm gone." Marc says before exiting through the hallway.
"I won't. These Shadow Dragons aren't that tough. Right Jade?"
"Right. Let's go." She responds.
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"Great job McAllister." She congratulates in a tone that almost replicated respect. "No one has ever come that close to hitting me before and lived."
"Is that so? Well, I guess you'll be happy to know that the next time I won't miss then right?"
"I must say, your performance have matched your words entirely." She takes a few steps back and fleecing her hood. "I certainly hope that you can make this match as enthralling as you say."
"I've come to notice that the distinction between us isn't as great as I thought. You're fighting me because you want a challenge don't you?"
She was obviously taken aback by his evidently wild guess. He happens to be right. "Yes. Quite perceptive McAllister. I see why you were elected the new leader of T.D.H."
Devonte looks away and closes his eyes with a smile. "No, no." He starts. Half open eyes wander before he responds almost voicelessly, "I quit that job."
"That position is the highest promotion one could receive. It just exudes professionalism and power. Why did you quit?"
"There are a few things I need to know about myself."
"What incurs that thought?"
"McAllister. My last name. It is more than just a surname I know. My fa—Friezell has mentioned that name quite a lot lately. Moore, Styler, McAllister...these names are questionable and I want to know they're meaning. Also, the more I stay here, the more I feel out of place. I feel as though I should know something that's being kept from me."
"Is that so?" The Paladin shuddered in a poignant, almost inaudible whisper.
"What's wrong?" he asks in an almost caring manner.
She quickly returns, "So, you will persuade him to free you?"
"I am free already. But if I need to persuade to acknowledge my freedom, then I will."
"You're request will fall upon deaf ears McAllister. As smart as you are, I'm sure you've realized that."
"You've not yet realized what I'm implying?" Devonte asks, taking a step closer. Contracting a fist, he responds sincerely, "My request may fall on deaf ears, but my attacks will land on disloyal flesh."
"You? You intend on fighting him alone? What causes such delusions to befall you? Do you not see that his power and skill border omnipotence?"
"These eyes see all." He responds shooting a solemn gaze into the somber of the Paladin's hood. "I've seen his power, I've analyzed it. I've studied it closely for seventeen years."
"Is that so? Well, you'll soon realize my former general," she begins as she takes a step closer to him, "in the eyes of all things, no matter how powerful the sight may be, there resides a blind spot." She rests a promising hand upon his broad shoulder but her half-caring gesture was met with animosity.
Devonte slides his pastel eyes to an area of her cloak he was sure her eyes resided. With an almost malicious glare and sneer, he responds heatedly after placing a weak grip over her hand, "I have no blind spots and during this battle you shall soon realize this." He removes her hand from his shoulder.
"You speak fervently and bravely of this impending battle between you and Friezell. Whether its courage or fear that compels you, do what you will. But Devonte if you win this fight here, grant me a simple request."
"That'd be?" He ventures with a furrowed brow.
"Information." She responds.
"Information?" Devonte inquires before conceding, "Simple enough. I guess I can give you that."
"Thank you. Now, please, return to your position. The fight is not yet done."
"Hmph. That's what you think."
With a dim sense of trust and a complacent nod from Devonte, they both turn and retreat to their original positions in the hallway. Devonte's visage held a smile. Although he'd just given up a free ticket to his next destination in the tower, he gave it no attention. This fight was one he was planning on savoring before his destined fight with Friezell. Also, it goes without saying that this fight, to him, was no more than practice.
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"It's down this hall to the left." Tori spoke softly as both she and Marc sauntered slowly down the aftermath of Torcher's fury which was the scorched hallway.
"He really did a number on this one chasing us huh Tori?"
"Yeah. It looks like we'll be living with our aunt again. Damn it she's nosy."
"How so?"
"Well one time Marc she—Caught me trying to kill you Victoria!"
The voice was all too familiar to the both of them.
"Torcher you son of a—no jokes Marc!! Car!! Now!!"
The pursuit was on again as Torcher streamed down the hallway after them bellowing, "Give me that damn Diary Victoria!!"
"Where's the goddamn garage at?!" Marc asked, ducking numerous fireballs.
"It's the next door on the right. It's here!"
They enter the door to find Tori's large red car. "Oh shit Tori!! I can't believe it!!"
"What!? Is Torcher in here?!"
"No! Your car! It's a Shelby GT500. Black leather seats with red stripes. Oh, the paint job....red with black stripes...the steering wheel centered with the mustang emblem. OHHHH YESSSSS!" Marc excitedly exclaims before quickly opening the door and jumping inside.
"Keys...keys! I need the keys! Where are they?!" Tori cries flinging open the glove compartment only to have a massive trill of paperwork, ink pens and a tube of lipstick fall onto her lap.
"Right there!" Marc points to a wooden table over in the corner of the garage. "I'll get them! You wait—Marc, look out!"
"What the—come here!" Torcher smashes his fiery hand through the glass, tears Marc out of the car and flings him against the wall.
"Oh God no." Tori whimpered as Torcher, now through with the weakened Marc, makes his way over to here shooting a crimson eyed glare at her.
"Give me that goddamn book or else I'm going to kill your ass right here, right now!"
"NO! HELP! LARRY!" Tori screams at the top of her already sore lungs.
"You bitch, now we have to—"*Ping*
Marc, with a pipe made from a dense metal alloy, smacks him across the side of his unguarded face sending him flying to the ground.
"I got the keys. We have to go because he'll be back up in a few seconds."
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"You can make the first move if you like, McAllister." The Paladin declares as she kneels and presses her hand against the floor before spreading her slender delicate fingers about.
Devonte exhales, gives slight angle to his knees and gradually pushes out his left palm, leaving the other idle by his side. Resting in his signature offensive stance, he delivers a jeer, "Ladies first." with a weak smile accompanied by a light chuckle.
"Hm hm. You're wit may be keen but you're still going to lose." Surges of energy, an almost immeasurable amount, streams from the tip of her fingers and quickly makes their way to Devonte. He watches them carefully, even tightening his stance, but as they near him though, they inexplicably veer and flow into the adjacent red plaster walls.
"I think you missed." Devonte jibes after watching the strands of energy sharply dodge him.
"No my old leader, this is indeed one of my more advance techniques, Intending Stings. When used, it's nearly impossible to dodge. You'll soon find out what I mean." Moments after the brief explanation, an abundant amount of small, yet extremely keen needles slowly erect over the entire length of the hallway. Immediately after to focus on Devonte's current position.
"It's been fun, but as you well know, I have a job to do." States the Paladin with a haughty tone and a weak laugh of conceit.
"You foolish girl." Devonte remarks before retreating into a simpler stance, "I'm going to win and I'm going to get that question." He now stands with his left hand across his chest and his right behind his lower back.
"You may be able to survive this, but until you prove otherwise...Goodbye, McAllister."
The needles stiffen and sharpen slightly and better their aim. With a quickly realignment with him, they all shoot at once at an incredible speed.
In the midst of the onslaught of perfectly sharpened quills rests Devonte with sealed eyes. ~ They're everywhere. Exactly one thousand needles flying at me at every conceivable angle. I must say, such an amazing attack for someone of her caliber, but I can still stop all of these with great ease...~ Devonte focuses, taking a deep sigh. Instantly, his eyes shoot open revealing his vein-filled pastel eyes. His sight is now a tapestry of negative colored objects, most of which were there projectiles that, to him, were moving at a lurch. This was his opportunity and with all his haste, he grasped it.
"Grand Helix!" He slides his left foot over his right and spins at such an incredible speed, the crimson carpet beneath him is drilled from position. Mixing the immense velocity of his rotation with his ability to manipulate light, he creates a dense, impenetrable dome-shaped barrier of oscillating illumination that deflects all one thousand spines that threatened his being and shaves apart the white plaster walls neighboring him.
Four spines that were deflected made their way back to the Paladin and slices through her cloak. Two grazed her right arm and two slashed through both her legs sending her falling to her knees.
~ Impossible. ~ The Paladin concedes with a distressing psyche. ~ He...he stopped them all? No one has ever negated that attack. ~
Devonte skids loudly to a halt within the crater of his own creation. His rotation, now at an end, allows him to clearly visualize his evolved and warped surroundings. The paladin stood in awe as she faced him. She was aware that Devonte, even with eyes focused upon her, was not beaming a glare into her soul, but rather he was inspecting the quality of his work. His peripheral vision, the area of which amassed the entire hallway both front and back, caught within it the walls adjacent to him. Also, through instincts she'd cumulated through numerous battles she knew that as he studied the walls with frozen eyes he did not allowing his mortifying, gaze to flicker from her. His all-seeing eyes would not allow it.
"Silence? I told you once, I have no blind spots." Devonte reassures her before straightening to full height. "I can see all and I can stop all."
She knew he was inspecting both her and his environment meticulously. A simple thought repeatedly slipped through her mind, it's constant, irking osmosis relentlessly beseeching inquiry.
"Devonte, you're sight...can you predict angles with it as well see angle from which projectiles come?" She asked meekly.
He smirks and responds with fervent conceit, "To a certain extent."
The paladin, through a twilight hood, turns weary eyes to both the war-torn walls of the hallway. In the same fashion her adversary had meticulously examine them she asked the only question she could muster.
"You could see them; you could see them all before they hit you. If you wanted to you could've reflected them all back at me couldn't you?"
Devonte concedes, "If I spun any faster or maneuvered any quicker, a few of them would be lodged in your throat and possibly a more through your chest if you must know. But as for reflecting them all back; I'm certain reflecting them all at you would be impossible for me."
Silence befalls them like a dense blanket as they stared each other down. Apparently the paladin had never taken on such an endeavor. From his previous display of skill, frankly she has no choice but to believe him right now. But as she found herself delving within the intensity of the heat of the battle, a smirk crosses her façade.
"Magnificent McAllister. Just Magnificent." She congratulates with applause as she slowly makes her way to her feet. "Nobody has ever evaded that attack."
"It's needless to say that there is no need to try to befriend me now. I'm ready to win this fight." Devonte retorts in an undertone and in his pastel eyes, a sincere glare.
"I'm not attempting to befriend you," She corrects, "I just think I owe you something now that you've proved your worth as a combatant."
"That would be, Paladin?"
"My designation for one thing. I'm no Paladin. My designation is Project 31337," she said, "but I used to go by Rose Luvai-Reisohn."
"Rose Luvai-Reisohn?" Devonte repeats, getting a feel for her name, especially her surname. "Your family name is remnant of a regal family that existed a few centuries ago."
"I know. I am a direct descendant of them. Just as you are a direct descendant of the previous rulers of Amaterasu."
"What?" Devonte exclaims walking closer to her, "What do you speak of now?"
"McAllister, I know more about you than even yourself. I will tell of your history in due time, but now, I must finish this fight."
"No, I'm not done with you yet! Tell me more!"
"Thank you so much for entertaining me McAllister, but now, I must play my trump card. She slowly extends a hand and rotates it so her palm faces her chest. "Goodbye." She presses her hand against her chest and vanishes completely.
"C'mon, you think it's that..." Devonte's eyes roll about the proximity checking the area for a sign, but he soon realizes that she has done the seemingly impossible. "No. Impossible! You've-Ha ha! I told you McAllister, every eye has its blind spot."
~ This is a skill I've never encountered before. ~ Devonte stands before the void of the hallway with focused view. With riveted eyes, he inspects the zone before him, looking for anything he could use to ascertain her position.
This was a predicament he had to get out of quickly. This situation is akin to him fighting blind and it is this very thought that is keeping him on the boundary of paranoia and calm. Devonte's mind, which is the reason he became a commanding general in the first place, seems to become more focused in scenes where disaster seemed all but inevitable. This is a trait that has proved to be invaluable to him. The nerves that bordered his eyes began to bulge ferociously the more he peered forward into the proximity around him. ~Where the hell did she go? ~ Was the question reverberating through his mind.
"Although you've somehow managed to get past my sight, you won't-AGH!" Haughty words are cut short by an attack from behind. This one was not a mystical attack from a wall, but a physical one.
"You know, I remember you saying a while back that I wouldn't touch you."
"Yeah. I do too." He admits.
"Well, if you can't keep that promise, than I guess there's no use in asking you to keep a real one."
"Oh really?" Devonte starts. "What would that be Rose?"
"Hm hm. If you beat me, I'll tell you."
"Crazy girl. If you show yourself, I could end this fight right-" Devonte is once again silenced by soundless and sightless blow to the ribs. The assault shot him into the wall with enough force to leave an indent.
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He mashes the pedal to the floor and the tires release a shrill cry as the rubber burns against the pavement. Leaving only dust and reawakening Torcher, they speed off onto the highway en route to East Bay Bridge.
"Gimme your cell." Marc demanded, holding out his hand.
"Why?"
"We need to call Larry and tell him to hide the book now."
"You're finally thinking like a strategist. Took your ass long enough."
"Just give me the damn phone."
Tori reluctantly hands him the phone. He smiles and looks to her with a nod. His toothy grin at first reminded her of the same grin that got them into this, but this time, there was truth behind it. He dials the number quickly.
"*ring*.. *ring*…BEE!! WATCHOUT!!!...ahh!!..Hello?"
"Larry, alright we're here at East Bay Bridge. What now?"
"Perferct I'll--BUSTER MAGNUM!!!.. be there it as soon as I ca--." With that said Marc heard an abrupt click on the other line. He didn't like the thought of leaving his best friend and brother alone to fight T.D.H. but what choice did he have. Plus there he was stuck with Tori, he didn't know rather to chew her out or comfort her. Either would have seemed to be beneficial at the current time. He continued to drive down the public boat landing then stopped and through the car in park.
"Why?" Tori asks breaking the silence.
"Why what?" Marc clarifies.
"Why are you risking everything for us?"
"Honestly, it's not you that I'm protecting, it's my brother and Larry. You brought us into it so now we have to finish it."
"How Marc? By recklessly plowing into things again, wiping whole cities, innocent lives?!"
"Atleast I am honest with my intentions!!"
"Marc you are just alike Torcher…" She spat as she reclined herself into her seat with folded arms. The look of doubt and disappointment was clearly evident.
"How can you pass down judgement upon me? You were the one willing to trade us for a plate of fast cook lies and false hope.. not me"
"What the fuck ever… Wheres Larry?"
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~This has already gotten fucking annoying, I swear. ~ Devonte thought, pallid eyes lolling about the hallway searching for his opponent.
"Having fun General? I though your eyes could see everything. I thought you had no blind spots!" Following her jeer was another assault on Devonte by her, each hit stripping away his energy.
~ I don't know how much more of this I can take. She's slipped past my vision and she's too fast for me to hear unless she's at close range. I'm at a loss here. ~
"Like I said." Rose began finally halting her attack on him, "Everything has a blind spot and soon you'll see that."
"I have no blind spots."
"General, when will you learn?" A powerful fist sends him face first into the left wall before sliding down into a slump.
~She....she might actually beat me. ~ Devonte contemplates as his eyes wane from all-seeing to regular visual range. ~I can't believe it. If she can beat me, then Friezell just may be a challenge. ~
"About ready to give up, McAllister? Had enough?" Rose questioned smugly while she approached him.
"When I'm able to see you Rose, I'm going to hurt you." Devonte retorts in a deeper, more menacing voice.
"I don't think you're in any position to be making threats. Wouldn't you agree? Anyway, like I said earlier, it's been a pleasure fighting you."
"If you strike me down now, I'll become stronger than anything you can imagine."
"Fine."
A surge of energy flows beneath him and into the wall behind him. "Is that the best you've got, Rose!? Huh!?"
"Shut up." Out of the wall shoots hundreds of spines that impale him through his back and out through his chest. Punctures riddle his body, inside and out. The only thing Devonte could mutter before falling over is, "I told you so."
His cryptic message goes unheeded as Rose stands before him, now visible with a wide grin hidden beneath a somber cloak. "You put up a good fight, but it looks as though I've won McAllister. I wonder what Friezell saw in you."
"Something he obviously doesn't see in you, my dear Rose."
"Impossible!" She cried, turning around as fast as she possibly could, "How could you possibly be alive?! I just killed you?!"
"Grand Helix!" He placed his left foot over his right and threw himself into a spin bringing forth a massive rotating sphere of light that launched her into the wall she'd just defeated him upon. Rose attempted to run, but her attempt was futile. She was caught between the wall and the sphere which was beginning to tear parts of her robe away in a grinding force. The sphere gradually expended pushing her deeper into the wall leaving behind a crater like indent.
Devonte abruptly stops, knowing that if he continued, the sphere would undoubtedly rip her to shreds. Instead he gets into a stance that heralded one of his more advanced techniques. Simple as it was, it consisted of a regular stance, only his right hand was stretched outward with his index finger pointed at her.
"I hope this stance doesn't come as a surprise to you. I used it to end the life of the general of Kessaris."
"I...I...k..killed...you..."
"Hm hm. Sure you did, but until then...Shooting StarsTechnique!"
His vision activated upon the completion of his phrase. He could see the internal workings of her body and strategically pinpointed all the points he wanted to strike. From his index finger shoots a small, slender beam of light which strikes the upper left side of her chest with a powerful sting following it. He repositioned his finger and another shot into an area beneath her right shoulder.
"This is only the beginning. Flash!" With blinding speed and precise accuracy, Devonte blasted ninety-eight beams of light hitting selected pressure points and a majority of muscle ligaments in her upper body. She writhed under the pain as they buried her deeper in wall which was now a crater full of bloodstained fabric and torn carpet.
"Now for your legs. Flash!" After fixing his aim to her lower extremities, he shot one-hundred more beams into points on her leg he knew would immobilize her.
After the onslaught, she slid down the curvature of the crater and fell to the floor. She could tell as well as he could that she was on the verge of complete immobilization.
"I spared you, you know?" Devonte ventured as he walked toward her. "I cut off your energy flow. You won't be matter-shifting anymore. Honestly, you should consider yourself I used the weaker technique and that I hit you only two-hundred times. Fifty more times, you most likely would've gone into cardiac arrest and died."
"One of your signature techniques, the Shooting Stars Technique wasmore powerful than I expected it to be. I was never aware that it could paralyze someone."
"You're far from paralyzed, but the amount of times you were hit, you were supposed to die. Rose, no one has ever taken half as many hits as that. As a former leader of T.D.H, I can sincerely say that you are on the echelon I am."
"That means a lot coming from you General McAllister. Thank you."
"Please Rose, call me Devonte." He said rather warmly.
"Fine, General Devonte."
With lavender eyes, he looks to her and nods lightly.
"Why are you doing this?"
Devonte takes an askance and responds, "Excuse me?"
With a fervid tone, she inquires, "Why are you going to challenge Friezell? Don't you know what he can do?"
"I told you one time. I know what he's about. I know how to beat him."
"Devonte, please," Rose begged, "Friezell is far more powerful than you think. Don't you see?"
"I've seen the entire—NO! No you haven't Devonte!" Rose cried. "No you haven't. You haven't seen anything."
"What!" Devonte barks, turning his body to her. "What makes you so sure I can't beat him?!"
In a almost indistinct tone, she reveals, "Because I've tried it already. I am the experiment that tried to break free and failed." She rolls her left sleeve to her elbow and reveals a massive scar that resembled a laceration from a fine-toothed blade.
"The pain brought on by this scar haunts me to this day. To see you, the infamous general of T.D.H, acquire the same injury as me because of a foolish choice...just go back to commanding the team or else you may receive a scar not even time can heal."
"Why Rose?" asks Devonte lacing his fingers and bridging them beneath his chin, "why are you afraid of me meeting my demise at Friezell's hand?"
"I admire you." She responds almost silently. "I admire you're skill."
Devonte is taken aback. He furrows a brow before responding dumbfounded, "What?"
"You've successfully commanded the T.D.H army through numerous takeovers and almost impossible seizures. I was the elite commander throughout most of the Great Amaterian War, but when Friezell saw I was failing, he replaced me with you. You were nothing but a rookie in over your head and I was known as an elite, yet you still managed to usurp my position. With a weak and frail army of twenty-five hundred, you fought against seven thousand Amaterian soldiers and won. Now you speak of fighting Friezell? You've come so far, and you're going to throw it away like this? For what?"
"I may have done all of these things, but that was before. I lacked free will during that time, but now I can see the truth behind truths. I have seen my destiny if I stay along his path and I want to change it."
"Your reasons baffle me"
"They baffle me as well. The reason I need to accomplish a few things is beyond even me, but I assure you, I need to do this Rose."
"I think it's about time for that request. Devonte, please, give me your hand. I'm going to show you my final technique, Dreamcatcher."
"I owe you that much for hearing me out. What are the effects of this technique?"
"Nothing at all. No ill effects anyway. Just give me your hand."
"Alright then."
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The house was now in shambles, nothing but a mixture of frozen debris and statically charged matter existed. Havoc was kneeled to the ground perched upon what was the last remaining free-standing structure of the house. Hazard stood beside his comrade, his eyes heavily scanned the area.
"Octavius!!", Havoc scolded. The icy blood from his veins and minor wounds became visible as he became slightly tensed. "The book if you please".
Hazard just simply grunted and proceeded to leap to the ground beneath causing any surrounding metal to levitate due to his increased level of magnetism. His exterior became to radiate with a dimmed array of sparks, a sidistic smirk emerged upon his face. " Oh, please make my night and do something stupid."
"Damn, this is a fatal setback." Larry thought to himself, "I can't leave and risk them following me."
"Just go already we can hold out for atleast a decent distraction." Jade interjected. Her tone was more demanding than harsh. She had a huge gash on her left shoulder that several small trails of blood seeped down her arm. She held it as if it would fall apart at any second. Lea and Bee were exhausted from the struggle. and it was well over their bed times if you asked him. The odds were not in their favor, and Larry's mind was running on empty.
"Oh please. Look at your shoulder, plus Bee and Lea are wiped out. If I go I will have to take you guys with me"
"Well there is another car in the shed down in the woods. But there's no guarantee that it will work"
Larry turned his full attention to her with his brow arched. "Well that would have to do for now."
"How are we supposed to get there and where are we going"? Jade said walking towards Larry and stopping and his side.
Their eyes met. "Go to Eastbay Bridge and wait for me there. I won't be too long behind."
Jade simply nodded and dashed to the shed followed by Bee and Lea. As they disappeared in the forest, he turned his gaze back to Havoc.
"Havoc, the day I ever listen to you will be one of oh so feeble flesh in mind." Larry objected. He quickly gathered what little energy he had into his right fist and charged at Havoc. Havoc ablidged Larry's challenge, forming an ice dagger from both his forearms. Havoc made the first strike, which Larry so effortless avoided and countered by release his potent force that had been building in his hand into his stomach. The impact only stunted the cyronetic Herald for a split second and then he inturn plunged the frozen dagger into his thigh, twisting it as he pushed deeper. The cry of pain echoed in Havoc's ear bringing him the most satisfying pleasure. Larry collapsed to one knee but was blind-sided by an eager Hazard as he struck him from behind.
" Octavius I thought you were better than this, I thought you were smarter… Oh well, this is too easy" Havoc taunted as he shed his icy blades.
"No THIS is too easy" Larry responed as a 1996 El Camino sideswipes both Havoc and Hazard. Larry looked in disbelief as he examined the condition of the automobile. The paint was peeling from every inch of the body, the headlights were crooked, the bumper was barely attached and the engine sounded like it could cut off at any moment. Jade swung open the passenger door.
"Get in!" she demanded
"You mean to tell me Marc gets a Shelby and I am stuck with this beat up Hoopty?!" Larry rhetorically asked while siding into the vehicle. The inside was even worst then the outside Larry thought.
"Look, just be lucky it runs" Jade said as they sped off toward EastBay Bridge.
The stars, which were unevenly dispersed about the sky, twinkled brightly like fluorescent sprites teasing the world below with their unreachable, untouchable gifts. The surrounding somber was as milky as ever in the night and the ambient flashes of spectral flashes only made it seem darker and the flashes lighter. It was perfect contrast, much like the forces of good and evil. But between each blazing god of the night sky and another is deep, seemingly infinite void. This and every void is filled with many different choices, all of them ranging from light to dark. Nothing more, nothing less. In the lavender eyes of the fallen prince Devonte, sparkles a star that burned with a resolve, truth and reality. He sits atop a motorcycle blasting Stronger by Mr. West as he weaves in and out of traffic like a slender serpent through grass. The red lights of the bike's rear seemed to elongate in the same wave he'd moved in only seconds earlier.
Horns honk and music from other cars pass, growing loud as he neared, reaching it's pinnacle, then falling as the proceeded into the nightly universe as if never there at all. Dark braids are undone flowing into a trill of dark strands stopping at the nape of his neck. He squints out of irritation. The wind his fierce, but was made more so due to his speed against it. He was apparently on a mission.
"Are we near them?!" Yells Rose over the passing cars. She was in tow with Devonte for her life. She feels her weight shift from the tilt of the bike. She didn't agree on the maneuvers her leader was taking, but if it was to stop Friezell, the scars she obtained, she'd obtain hundreds of time over if it were to produce his downfall. She opens one eye and sees a car veering toward her. Of course, she closes it as if the thin wall of flesh would protect her from more than two tons of metal and fabric rushing at her.
"Not yet! They're still about five miles off!" Devonte looks back at her. There was nothing loose. Her grip was as firm as a king over his land and like tyrant, she wasn't prepared to let go. "Rose, listen to me okay!?" I need you to hold on as tight as you can! We're going onto the highway! From there, the freeway!" Devonte traces his surrounding using his vision and continues,"We'll be on Eastbay Bridge soon! Hang on!"
"Okay!! Just be safe okay?!" Rose half begs. Instinctively, he grip tightens and her pull on Devonte's attire became apparent when his breath became stifled a bit. He readjusts his collar and returns his hand to the handles of the speeding bike. His right hand moves forward egging the bike for more speed and after the engine revs to a low hum, he pressures it again for more horsepower. It gives.
With no more room to turn, he looks forward with his vision and calculates the distance from there to the under path. He completes the quick analysis and drives off the top of what seemed to be a low-riding Corvette Z06. His bike launches into the air and before the descent he basks in the feeling of weightlessness. In that pivotal moment, his tethers were gone and nothing seemed to be holding him. Rose, on the other hand, was having more of an epileptic episode. Her eyes widened like the victim of a pre-stroke and her teeth showed from what was neither a grimace nor a smile. Her expression could only be described as pure, unabashed fear. Devonte could see her behind him and all he could do was smirk in response. The bike drops to the ground with a skidding thump. Like a dog, the tires leave a mark upon the road that said to anyone, 'Devonte McAllister owned this blacktop.'
"Freeway."
"Ye-yeah? Great..."
"Something wrong?"
"Nothing....just drive okay." Rose rests her head against his back burying deeper for warmth against the somewhat frigid night air.
"Surely you can't be scared. You're an elite."
"I fear death."
"Is that right?" Devonte presses the matter casually, though still swirled wit intensity.
"I just do. I've come too close to losing what I call a life."
"What do you call a life?"
"My mistake. My excuse for a life. What you have is a life."
"I'm trying to escape that life. It'll be done tonight."
"The only way to escape life is death."
"Stop being cryptic. I could've left you in Amaterasu to be ripped to shreds. I need you to at least help me here."
Rose pulls from him and looks into the flowing locks of black hair. After taking her fill of that and the moon whose craters at this point resembled millions of expecting eyes, she rest against his back. "Do you have plan?"
Devonte squints, noticing a car off to his left and three people ahead. "I do."
- - -
"Larry's coming. Just shut up and wait, okay?" Marc returns the ignition and back out of the car park aiming to drive to the bridge. He mashes the gas digging Tori deeper into her seat much to her surprise and chagrin.
"Do you think this is fucking joke boy?!" Tori asks sitting forward fiercely. She looked out the window watching the exit sign zoom by and returns her eyes to Marc whose face harbored a sly smile.
"I think this is a life and death situation! Just sit back, relax and—BAAAMMMMMSHHHHH!!!!" Against Marc's side of the car, another car slams into it shattering the glass into millions of pieces. Like tiny bullets, they head solely for him, less than half for Tori. The car rotates in the road leaving a tessellation of black circles against the blacktop of the bridge. The back of the car slams into another and stops in its tracks abruptly.
"Get out!!" An all too familiar voice demanded. To Marc, the sound came through as blurry as his vision. The only thing he could truly see was the carnage and snare of metal that was once Tori's ride. He felt apologetic, but the car that slammed into his hit so hard, his was muted temporarily. He held his head feeling a trill of blood run from it but paid it no mind. The only thing he was worried about was locating the symphony of loudly thumping bass drums he was so sure was playing nearby.
"Get out!!!!!" The voice demands again. Marc looks over to Tori in the passenger side of the car. She was, at the moment, sleeping. Her door was against the siding of the bridge at it was chipping due to age and the force of the crash. Marc nodded disappointedly to himself and looked up to see the burning star of hatred that was his sworn enemy. There eyes met and in Marc's was a glimmer of limitation and doubt that Torcher's ego quickly became inflated by.
"....You." Marc spoke softly. He was in great pain, but his hypertension was beginning to activate. "How...many times....do we have....to put you down?"
"Apparently you haven't done so enough kid."
"You son of a bitch. Don't you ever quit!?"
"No." Torcher coldly responds. "But after this, I know you will. Hear me boy? This time, I don't plan on letting you go..." A line of gasoline was leaking from the car and Torcher's eyes were hooked to it like a fish. His pupils weren't visible, so only he knew about his trump card.
"Soul Grenade!" Marc throws his left hand forward blasting a sphere of phantasmagorical colors which Torcher knocks away with his forearm.
"Is that the best you've got?" Torcher asks as he lands before a completely drained Marc.
"No!"
"Too bad!" Torcher has no qualms about driving his fist into Marc's gut causing a dark mixture of blood and spit to shoot from his mouth. After that, Torcher follows up with a spinning back kick off his right leg to send Marc flying back into twisted remains of the Shelby GT.
Marc wheezes as the kick connected with his upper chest heavily and clearly. Torcher walks upon him heating up. Sparks begin to shoot from him like a small fireworks factory inching closer and closer to the small puddle of glass under the car. If struck, both Marc and Tori, who was now leaning over the edge of the bridge held only by he seatbelt, would burn to death.
"It's been fun Marc my boy...but this game ends now. I always enjoyed fighting you though. After I'm done with you, I'll take out your friend, then your brother."
"You're not taking out anyone!!!!" The El Camino smashes into Torcher, but isn't stopped. It caught him off guard completely and Larry notices immediately. Larry releases the wheel and looks back to his entourage. "Everyone out!" He quickly yells. "Now!" Doors swing open and Bee, with Lea in hand, flies from the El Camino while Larry and Jade hit the blacktop rolling. The El Camino breaks through the bridge's concrete guard sending him plunging into the shoreline below. The car crunches against the impact at first, then explodes with Torcher still pinned beneath it.
"Oh my God that never gets old!" shouts Larry as he comes to a rolling stop. An expression of amusement is evident upon his face.
Jade only smiles at Larry's amusement. In the back of her mind, she wanted to believe that Torcher was finally gone, but she snapped herself from the thought.
Marc looks up noticing his two guardian angels and smirks. "Do you two have the book?"
Larry nods affirmatively. He lifts the book from a compartment in his jacket and waves it in the air only to have it burned to ashes seconds afterwards. The cinders lad atop Larry's head and in confusion, he looks around searching for the culprit. Instead of finding a being of incendiary creation, he finds one of light. "You."
"Yes me. And that book...thanks for helping find it." Sincerity was never a choice of emotion for him, but now, given the circumstances and the prospect of a future with him living, it has become one thing he'd know he'd need to win his once enemies over. "Honestly. If it weren't for you, I would've never seen it." Although no sarcasm was present in his mind, his gratitude seemed to exude nothing but it.
"You destroyed are home. And now you're saying thanks? What in the hell makes you think I'll forgive you for that? Anyway, why are you showing your face here?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No!" Larry responds in shill pitched exclamation. "No it's not!"
"You humans are blind. I'm here to keep you from dying. All of you." Devonte lands and slowly walks to Larry until a large sphere of heat melts the road beneath them. Devonte pushes Larry from the area of the attack, but badly burns his arm in the process. Torcher arises once again, seemingly unscathed by having a car land on him.
"I'm tired of playing these games. Larry, just give me the book. If you do," he says while heating up, his body now shining a light blue, "I'll kill you quickly!"
Larry snickers at his threat and looks at Devonte. "I can't. Homeboy here burned it up."
Torcher looks over to Devonte hoping that Larry was not speaking the truth. Involuntarily, the blaze covering his body began to glow a blinding white as his anger grew each second. He can only summon a weak "What?" in response. Devonte nods his head and Rose steps back. "You can't be serious."
"Yep Torcher. It's over. No more book, no more prophecy, no more nothing. It's over." Devonte holds his hand and covers it with light. Like a splint, it holds it in place. "What are you going to do now? Friezell will argue, but what can he do now? There is no book left."
Torcher closes his eyes and grits his burning teeth in anger. He succumbs to blind fury and in a flash, explodes. Gravel is thrown around and chunks of blacktop are launched onto cars below. People scream and run in fear of burning rubble, dodging everything they could. Some weren't so lucky. The Shelby, or what was left of it, finally falls over the edge with Tori still in it. She awakens and finds the ground heading toward her. Confusion had settled. She was heading toward the ground instead. Fear stifles a scream and she closes her eyes only to find her life is still in tact as well as he body. A veil of light encases her and her shamble of a car. She gasps and looks up.
"Bad choice." Devonte's voice echoes. He'd changed. Like Torcher and his alliance, his body had taken on the form of his element. His body was completely white and resembled plasma like substance. His hair which elongated to his lower back was not longer hair, but a mass of light beams or tendrils. His eyes were as dark as the pinnacle of midnight and in the center of those midnight jewels were pastel dots that forever changed shapes redolent of the constellations of the night sky during Earth's revolution.
With the same infinite bellow, he speaks, "I take it you're all okay?" The all nod. Marc had come too and nodded as well. "The leader is up. I need to speak to you after I handle this."
"We don't need to speak about a damn thing." Marc responds.
Devonte would force a smile if his mouth were present. Instead, he looks to Torcher and drops Marc's team at the bottom of the over pass. "I guess it's about time...we finish this Torcher."
Torcher only responded with the fizzle of a raindrop hitting him.
"Okay so be it." Devonte hovers feet from the ground and Torcher obliges his cocksure attitude by driving to him.
"I'm going to kill you once and for all, do you hear me? You've been in my way for too long!!"
"Then kill me." Devonte closes his eyes and as Torcher nears him, finally ready to release an attack, a massive bolt of lightning drops from the sky striking them both. It rips through what was left of the overpass and eats away at the ground, silicating any sand beneath it. Marc and his team jump for the nearby forest and take refuge in there as they lose another important part of the city. Devonte and Torcher disappear, but not before an ominous voice speaks, "I've tried to help you survive your entire life. I've tried to help you beat one fight after another and this is what you do. You destroy my key. You're city has and always will be free under my rule, but in the time you need me son, you'll look up to me and beg for help...beg for forgiveness and I'll look down, face expressionless and eyes as cold as the arctic…only to simply respond...no."