Honing
The young man trudges through the forest once again. It's midday, and the sun filters down through the leaves of the trees all around. Having eaten his fill and had a good night's sleep, he had set out from the campsite of the lucky man, whose name was Roger Sanderson, and his daughter Sharleen. He had asked them about any nearby towns or cities, and had been kindly surprised to learn that Jump city was not more than a few miles away. In fact, they had homes in that city. Thanking them for the meal, the chance to rest, and the information, he left them and struck out in the direction they had indicated.
That had been hours ago. Now, as he walked along, he grew bored. Boredom turned to curiosity. He stopped, opened the briefcase, and pulled out the research book he had stowed inside. Closing the briefcase, he resumed walking, the book splayed open in one hand while he carried the case in the other. He read as he walked, using a thumb to turn the page as he went.
Chapter 1: The Mind Itself
The human mind. A living computer so advanced, that no other creature in the animal kingdom has reproduced it in all its complex glory. A organ so important, that we cease to function if it is damaged. So mysterious, that we are only beginning to realize its inner workings. So powerful, that things like astral sensitivity, psychic surgery, faith healing, stigmata, and remote viewing are possible. Possible through the sheer power of the mind. Mankind has always been defined by how we use our incredible intelligence. We shall continue to be defined, in fact changed, by how we develop that intelligence. Consider this: we use a mere fraction of our brain's functional capacity. Over ninety percent of the human brain is left untapped. What would be possible if we were to tap this latent reservoir of mental ability? It is simple. My studies show that the species homo sapiens, in it's current state, has reached a physically and mentally evolved state to make the next leap. The leap to allowing our brains to ascend to another level, altogether. This book is my treatise on the subject of bringing forth the next in the line of homo sapiens, homo superus animus...
The young man went on to read several more passages from the first chapter. This man, Jacques Gaurotte, was more than certain that mankind could become some sort of super being if only he could access all the potential of his highly advanced brain. He went on to list a sort of leveling system, to rate the development of what he would call a "psionically gifted individual" and all the powers associated with each level. A level E psion would be a person who has just "awakened" to their potential. They would soon learn psionic healing, and would be able to pick up and interpret latent psychic imprints in the environment. The young man knew that was what he must be. He looked to see what a level D psion could do. Force projection, telepathy, and precognition were the next abilities to manifest. The last thing he read before putting the book away, was that these manifestations of his latent mind potential could be triggered by experimentation with his abilities. Mr. Gaurotte hinted there could be possibly unlimited techniques for the use of psionic energy, and that only regular experimentation could reveal them all.
That made sense, as all he had been doing was trying different things with his powers. First healing himself, than healing others. He wondered what else he could do. However, thoughts about his power were swept away, as the forest suddenly ended and he came into a cleared field. A highway stretched from one horizon to the next. On the far horizon, there loomed a towering sky rise. "That, I presume, must be Jump City."
An hour and a half later, he waves thanks to a friendly, old big rig driver, who had kindly allowed him to catch a ride into town. The large commercial transport truck lumbered off down the busy street nearly clogged with smaller private vehicles, like a whale amidst clouds of swirling fish. The sidewalks were packed with people of every station, race, and nationality. They swarmed this way, and then that way. Always in motion, always on the go. The sound of rushing traffic, myriad footsteps, and all the other sounds of urban life echoed off of the tall glass, mortar, and metal buildings. Having no idea where to go or what to do, the young man decided to just meander around. He walked down one street, turned a corner, and went down another. He looked at all the shops and offices, and got himself lost in all the strange new sights and scents. But, a brand new sound snapped him out of it, the sound of people screaming and running.
"Fools! No one can escape the power of Light!" an arrogant, over theatrical voice shouted over the sound of terror. The young man followed the sound of the voice, passing citizens as they fled in the other direction, and rounded a corner. There, he beheld the owner of the voice. A tall, thin man with wild eyes and a scraggly black goatee, dressed in a black and silver uniform, machinery encasing his hands and resting on his back stood amidst the street. Aiming his gauntleted hands at a nearby armored car parked at the curb, the man issued forth a pulsating beam of pure coherent light energy. The blast slammed the car in the side, smashing the armored plating like tin foil. Bags of cash fell out and littered ground. The man laughed in triumphant, walked over, and bent down on one knee to survey his windfall.
The young man watched this strange man for a moment. Obviously, this was a crime. He wondered if he should step in with his special abilities. A few moments later, he decided he probably wasn't experienced enough yet. He watched as a half dozen police cruisers drove up and disgorged almost double the number officers. They took up covered positions surrounding the offender, aiming their service revolvers and police issue shotguns at him. One of them raised a hand-held loudspeaker to his lips and called out, "Dr. Light, this is the Jump City Police! We've got you surrounded, and out numbered twelve to one! Give yourself up or else, we'll be forced to exert deadly force!"
This so called Dr. Light replied by putting his hands on his hips imperiously and laughing. "You insignificant insects don't have what it takes to stand up to the Light! Now, I'm feeling especially generous today. I'll allow you to leave unharmed, if you do so now." He waited, and the police men made no signs of leaving. At this, he frowned deeply, and said, "Fine! Throw my gracious generosity away, just like you throw away your lives! So be it! Prepare to feel the wrath of Dr. Light!"
"Waste the bastard!" one police officer cried, and the whole lot of them opened up fire. Dr. Light reacted by raising a spherical barrier of light energy around him, which caught the incoming firepower easily. Laughing, secure in his power, the villain then unleashed the shield into a concentrated beam of light energy. He swept the beam and raked through the police cars in a full circle. The police officers had to run for it as the beam neared their respective vehicles, as the intense energy caused each car to explode violently. Having lost their cover, the cops turned tail and ran. Dr. Light made sure they left, slinging a volley or two of light energy after them. The young man knew then that he had no choice. He started forward, walking past the wreckage of one of the burning police cars. "Hey! Mr. Sunshine, over here!"
Dr. Light turned abruptly. He smirked with obvious amusement as his gaze fell on the rather unassuming young man who walked out to challenge him. "What's this? A mere child steps forth to face Dr. Light in all his glorious power? Listen, boy, I have no time for you!"
The young man smirked at him. "Man, you sure are full of yourself! Are you this arrogant all the time?"
Dr. Light seethed with anger, his wounded pride starting to smart. He pointed menacingly at the youth. "Beware, you little maggot! My power over light is more than enough might to snuff out your life, like a candle in a windstorm. I would watch what I say!"
"Oh, really?" the young man replied, not fazed in the slightest, "Well, I'd quit diluting myself. Your all show and no substance, I bet. Might be well and good scaring the police with a little light show, but I'm no so easily intimidated."
Dr. Light smiled, and generated a ball of hotly glowing energy between his gauntleted hands. "Very well. If it's substance you want, that it will be substance you get! You'll learn to respect me, boy. Let me enlighten you!" Without further warning, he thrust out his hands and hurled the ball. The boy gasped in surprise and disappeared in a flash of impossibly bright light and a large explosion. Dr. Light smiled, and seeing only a crater left where his foolish young challenger stood, turned his back to gather up his loot.
"Hey! It's not polite to turn your back on someone!" a voice cried out. Dr. Light whirled, eyes bugging in surprise. "It's not... Ugh!" His words were cut off prematurely by a rather savage punch uppercutting him in the chin. He was lifted straight up off the ground, his head snapped backwards violently as he sailed through the air to land hard on his back. The young man stood, unscathed, with one fist still locked in the end of his punch. Dr. Light shook his head to clear it of the disorienting affects of the punch, just in time to be hoisted to his feet by the strange young man. The young man stared him straight in the eye, both fists clenched in the material of the villain's uniform, keeping a tight grip on him.
"Listen here, Light. I've only seen you for a few minutes, but that's all the time I need to know what drives you. You're just a greedy little man, aren't you? Using technology that should be allowed to benefit the world to instead enrich yourself, and to flaunt your otherwise unusual power over others less fortunate than you. How childish! Now, I'll give you a chance to give up, before I get serious. Understand?"
"Hmmm... I seem to have misjudged you, boy." Dr. Light replied, not at all cowed by the stern expression or the rather menacing words. "Your obviously faster than I anticipated. Fast enough to evade even my light-based attacks. Tell me, then... are you faced enough to evade this?" With a battlecry, he thrust his palms into the boy's chest and triggered both gauntlets to unleash their power. The young man was blasted backwards, carried by twin beams of golden-white energy before being driven into a wall hard enough to make the building's facade crack.
Dusting himself off, Dr. Light grinned and looked over at his fallen foe expecting him to be finished. Only, the youth was up once more, looking a little scuffed and perhaps a bit bruised, but not overly injured. The villain narrowed his eyes and said, "Impressive, even after that, you still manage to pick yourself up. No matter, I'm not even beginning to fade!"
The young man smiled, and said, "Good, because it's time to put out your lights!" He charged, and Dr. Light fired blast after blast of concentrated light at him. Infuriatingly, though, the stranger managed to stay one step ahead of him. He dodged the attacks, weaving around the small craters left behind gracefully, before closing with Dr. Light and beginning to rain punch after punch on him. The good Doctor tried to defend himself, blocking with his gauntlets, only he found himself moving too slow. Again, it was like the young man managed to see his defensive stances before he took them, and planned to strike around them accordingly. This annoyed the prideful Dr. Light to no end. And, to make matters worse, the brat actually had the nerve to keep smirking throughout the whole display!
"Enough!" Dr. Light cried, rage plain on his face. He charged a massive sphere of light energy and sent forth a massive beam attack. "Feel the true power of Light, and burn under it!"
"Whoa!" The youth dodged in slow motion as the titanic attack sailed past him, and began to track him. He moved as fast as he could, zig-zagging in Dr. Light's general direction before blowing into him full-bore with a tackle. The surprised villain's aim walked skyward at that, before being shut down for good. The young man cocked back a fist and socked the arrogant Dr. Light square in the face, knocking him out. Panting, the young man stood up and regarded his foe. "Finally... he's quiet, and good riddance..."
Yet, no sooner had he said that then a shouts once more pierced the air. He turned, hearing masonry crumble, and saw not too far away a teenaged girl and four men in black suits as they looked up. Part of the building they had been walking past had been struck by the last of Dr. Light's final attack, carving a large slab of the mortar and concrete from the side and roof of the building. It began to fall, several smaller chunks knocking the men around the girl to the ground. People who had returned as soon as Dr. Light had been defeated gasped and shouted, some crying while others just gaped in horror. "Somebody, save them!"
Responding as if to the anonymous call for help, the young man knew what he had to do. Operating on some gut feeling, some inner instinct, he ran from the fallen villain's unmoving form towards the sight of the falling debris. He ran till he stood in the midst of the girl and the four men accompanying her. Silently, he raised his arms, hands up with palms out, as if he was planning to catch the falling rumble. He reached out with his mind, straining and focusing all his ability towards the danger above. The screaming and shouting ended, turning to shouts of wonder and amazement as the falling debris slowly stopped its deadly descent. It floated gently down into two piles on either side of the innocents whom he shielded. When it was over, the young man fell to his knees and tried not to fall unconscious. In his effort, he did not see the rush of activity that followed. Police units converged on the scene of the fallen Dr. Light, bringing the villain into their custody as they secured the nearly stolen cash. Emergency medical crews converged on the girl and the four men, who had begun to come around.
And, the five special individuals who had responded to a crime report, and had arrived just in time to see everything happen...