Chapter Seventeen: Never Broken

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"The sun is setting." Bruce pointed out to Lux who was hidden in the shadows of the cave. He never understood her fascination with the bats that lived there but lately she spent her time scaling the ceiling and getting close to the creatures.

"I don't have much longer then." Her voice echoed though its origins still remained unknown. Bruce simply shook his head.

"Do you plan on staying up there all night? I have guests coming, you know? Green Lantern wants to pay a visit and he had to bring the rest of the League with him." At that, Lux dropped down and landed with a quite audible thud.

"In that case, I'm going to skedaddle. I'll catch you later, Bruce." She waved as she grabbed her bike and disappeared from the Batcave. She didn't want Bruce to get in trouble because of his recent "activities" that included advancing her and teaching her how to kill.

As she race down the highway back to Dakota, she picked up a distress signal coming from the docks. Apparently there had been another explosion of Big Bang gas. Activating the turbo boost, she zoomed to the destination. When she arrived, her eyes widened as she saw dozens of kids diving into the water. They were all being affected, making her heart lurch. It looked so painful and right in the middle of it all was her sister and the boys. Virgil and Richie were fighting...something. When Lux looked closer she realized it was Ebon and Hotstreak fused together.

And to think she actually had a crush on the other pyro. Ick.

Without a second thought, she rode over to where Matrix stood and hopped off the bike. The heroes looked like they were having a hard time and Matrix actually looked to her sister for help. Lux nodded solemnly and activated her armor. Matrix gasped as Lux's eyes glowed and she sent a massive fireball towards Ebon-Streak. The creature shrieked as it turned on her.

"Hey there boys, you look like you need a nice long nap. I'm happy to oblige." Her eyes were blazing as she fired flame after flame at the entity. Ebon-Streak howled at her as it slowly weakened. Eventually, Static joined her in her assault and finally Matrix and Gear gave it their all. After several tense moments, the four watched as Ebon-Streak fell into the river and never surfaced.

"Is he dead?" Gear asked.

"If he is, good riddance." Lux snapped as she walked back over to her bike. Matrix panicked, her sister was leaving again.

"Wait!" Lux stopped, "Don't leave...please Lux, don't go."

"Oh Morgan, you don't get it. I have to go, but you don't. You get to be free." Lux told her as she climbed back onto the motorcycle.

"What if I don't want to be free?" She didn't want to be without Lux. They had always been together. What was separating them now? What was breaking their bond?

"Our bond is never broken, Morgan. Don't forget that. Who knows? Maybe I'll come back in time for your graduation." Lux smiled.

"So...this is really goodbye?" Static asked and Lux nodded, "In that case, I'm glad you blasted your way into Dakota."

"You're so cliché, Virgil. I'll miss you too." Then she looked at Gear who simply watched her. She could feel his disdain for her. She was hurting Morgan, whom he loved. She smiled warmly at this realization.

"Keep her happy, or I'll kill you." Gear's eyes widened but he nodded stiffly before taking Matrix's hand as they all watched Lux leave. She'd be back, he knew. He didn't understand how he knew this, but he did.

When her tail lights disappeared, Matrix turned and looked at her two friends. They were all she had left now, including her father. From that day on, she promised to cherish them. And when the day came, that Lux would return, they would mend their relationship. However, that was in the future and for the first time in her life, she wasn't afraid of what was to come. She trusted that Lux would make the right choices. With a small but sad smile, she dismissed the horrible vision that she had seen of her sister. It would never come to pass. And that was enough, for now.

--

Finding Crane's body wasn't as much of a shock as it should have been. Lux's heart did ache though, if only for a fleeting moment. It was almost midnight, Atrum would be there soon. Kneeling down, she set the body alight, cremating it. The white flames licked at her as she recalled every moment she shared with Crane.

The woman had been there the first time Lux walked. She smiled in approval when Lux first spoke. There had been sadness in her eyes when she heard of Lux's first kills. She wished them well when they finally left Eros. She made Lux Aeterna's life hell. But she was always there.

"In a weird way, you were a mother to me. Thank you." She whispered as the last of Crane's ashes blew away.

"Sorry, but I figured we'd be best off without her interference." Atrum's voice was like a disease. It made her skin crawl as she turned and glared at him.

"It doesn't matter, I would have still killed you." Lux smirked and at that, the Dakota clock tower struck midnight and Atrum lunged at her. Lux easily dodged him and jumped over his attempted assault. With effortless grace she sent a fireball into his back, launching him into a wall.

"Maybe you should reconsider. You obviously don't stand a chance." She sniggered as Atrum stood up and faced her. His anger were quite evident.

"Don't get so cocky, bitch." He snarled as he sent a powerful pulse of air at Lux. However, she barely moved a milimeter and he stared at her in disbelief. What was this? When did she get so powerful?

"I warned you, did I not? I took my power to the next level and now I'm just honing my new skills. You should run while you still can." Atrum took several steps backwards before lunging at her again.

With a single hand raised, Lux knocked him back with an air pulse of her own. He shook it off and ripped the ground open, send debris flying at her. Lux disappeared from view and reappeared behind Atrum where she sent a knee into his stomach and an elbow into his back. He groaned as he tried to stand back up but she had broken several of her ribs and the pain was too much.

"I'd kick you while you're down but even I'm not that cruel." She smirked as she bent down and picked him up by the collar of his shirt. When he was standing, she gave one final smile and began to walk away.

"Kill me, why don't you?" He asked as he glared at her.

"I would but...I don't think you're worth it. I gotta go now, Eros is waiting for me." Atrum just stood there, in shock as she climbed back onto her bike and rode off into the night.

Then he remembered what she had told him before, he didn't have to continue living the way he had been. She was no longer the center of his universe. He could live for anyone he wanted to and at that moment he chose to live for himself. He silently thanked her as he began walking away, from Crane's ashes, from Lux, from Eros, from everything. He was no longer Atrum Aeterna anymore. They were no longer counterparts. It was time for him to seek out his own identity.

An identity that was his and his alone.

No one was in the Batcave when Lux returned. Bruce must have retired for the night, which sort of surprised. It didn't matter. They had exchanged farewells long before, when they had finished sparring one night.

--

"So...I'll be leaving soon and...why is this so damn awkward?" Lux grimaced and to her chagrin, Bruce chuckled at her.

"If you're trying to say goodbye, then I get it." Bruce finished for her and she nodded stiffly. It was hard believe, within a few weeks, she'd be back at Eros.

"Thanks Bruce, for everything." Bruce gave her a small, subtle smile.

"You're not a bad kid, Aeterna. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." And she wouldn't.

--

It was a shame he wasn't awake, Lux smirked as she flopped down in the chair that sat in front of the computer. She planned to leave at sunrise. Eros was expecting her and she suspected that they already knew of Crane's untimely demise. But she didn't dwell on that. Instead she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. There was a long road ahead of her, and she wondered if she was prepared for it.

There were no doubts, she was ready.

--

The End.

No I'm serious, that's the end. I know it seems sudden but...it works for me. Anyway, I have a sequel to start. :D I hope you stick around for it. Later

Psycho