The Serpent League

by Brendan Walsh

To the Streets

  Delta’s wing came around from the corner of his eye. Gary ducked down, getting as low as his feet and attempted a punch to his chest. The bat was faster.

  Gary could feel the changes coming through him. They came quicker and stronger with each swipe or smack from his opponent. Whenever he was hurt, his body compensated swiftly.

  “Don’t hold back.” Gary said. “I can take it.”

  “You’re getting over your head.” Delta replied, taking a step back. “Don’t think that you’re invincible because of your new abilities. You’re still very vulnerable.”

  Gary rushed forward and raised his fist at the last second before it landed square on Delta’s shoulder.

  The human yelled out in pain, clutching his broken hand.

  The bat’s shoulder bone felt like steel. His skin and fur couldn’t cozy the blow against his own fist.

  Delta opened his jaw. “I wasn’t joking about being the most powerful creature ever.”

  “I believed you, Edgar. Gahhh…” Gary shook his hand, but that did nothing for the pain. He knew that there was only one thing he could do to ease it.

  He would have to strike his friend again.

  “I see it in your eyes. I can smell your intentions.” Delta shook his head. “Don’t do it, Gary.”

  The human charged forward again, his fist raised above his head. The bat took a few steps back, not wanting Gary to get more hurt than was necessary.

  But Delta made no effort to dodge his next blow as it landed in the same place as the first one.

  The bat released a low-pitched screech. The next moment the ground was breaking his fall. The force from Gary’s punch sent him sliding on his back several feet.

  When he shook the surprise out of his head, he saw Gary standing, smiling, most of his bare skin now covered in white fur. His hand was positively warped. Where there had been broken fingers were now six-inch claws, and his hand was the color of volcanic rock.

  “I adapt.” The human smiled. “I get hurt, and then I don’t.”

  “I see.” Delta grunted as he got back up, balancing himself with his wings. “You have to have pain to strike back. Very poetic.”

  Delta’s ears caught the sound of dozens of downed birds. Once again his lack of focus was causing mass chaos among his aerial agents.

  “I see that blow didn’t just hurt you.” Gary turned around, taking note of the falling birds above.

  “You keep baiting me to talk.” the bat replied.

  “There was a lot of talking during the fight against Elder in Washington, so I figure it’s a normal part of it.”

  “That’s not the truth.”

  Gary tightened his clawed-fists. “Because I don’t want to fight you!”

  “And I don’t want to fight you,” Delta replied. “but what are we supposed to do?”

  “You can call this whole thing off. You can end this so no one has to die from all this.”

  “That’s not possible.” He put a wing over his chest. “There is no way this can be stopped. In fact, this isn’t even happening. It’s already happened. The changes done to the creatures of the earth can never be undone.”

  “Don’t give me that!”

  Gary rushed forward again, claws bared. Delta knew better this time around to not allow himself to get hit, so he slid back and knocked Gary away with a fierce brush of his wing. Gary had time to hold his arms together, sliding across the rooftop on his increasingly damaged shoes. His senses were ready for the attack, and the skin on his arms flashed into a kind of thick, scaled skin once the wing had pounded him. As he doubled back, his skin returned to normal.

  The human rubbed his jaw. He could feel his front teeth getting sharper.

  “I can sense how you feel about your new abilities.” Delta said. “You already love them. You are one of the good ones, maybe great ones among humans, Gary. With the Serpent League, you can learn to become the best version of yourself.”

  “Do you think you’re the best version of yourself?” Gary asked.

  He didn’t wait for an answer. Gary struck from above, using his new strength to leap for an attack at the bat’s head.

  Delta dashed forward in time, letting Gary land on his feet. The bat swung around and rammed the human in the back, knocking him cold against the roof. But Gary was up on his feet again as quickly as he had fallen.

  The bat was in the air in time. His talon-like feet made hard contact against Gary’s stomach. He let out a yip as he was forced again onto his back, now forced to feel the pain from Delta’s kicks as he sat up.

  Delta paused. “You’re powerful, Gary, but you’re no fighter. You need practice.”

  “And you need to calm down.” Gary gnashed his teeth together as he stood back up. “You’re going to remain alone with the way you are. You’re too powerful. You’ll never get close with anyone again if everyone is scared of you. We’re your last friends, Edgar. You’re condemning yourself.”

  “Someone needs to do it.” he replied. “If it’s me, I’m not going to complain. I’ll play my part to serve life. We can live in a more loving world. You need to trust me.”

  Delta turned his head the other way. Gary saw his eyes shrink. The human could see that he was deep in his own mind, using his power that helped make him so omniscient among every animal.

  “No…” The bat whispered.

  “What is it?” Gary cocked his head.

  “A friend of ours has a very stupid plan.”

  “What do you mean?”

  The bat leaped from the roof, flapping his wings as he dove down dozens of windows in a second.

  Gary rushed to the ledge. Delta was still in sight, but his figure was getting more camouflaged by the night with every second.

  “Oh no you don’t.” he told himself. “We’re not done here.”

  Gary followed suit, throwing his body off the ledge. He dove down half of the Rockefeller Center before his wings grew back from under his arms. This time they didn’t hurt as much when they sprouted through his skin.

  Then he was off into the darkness, pursuing his friend.

  “You don’t have to hold so tightly.” Jane said. “I promise that you’re fine.”

  Johnny didn’t like the feeling of only having one person being the difference between safety and falling to his death. Regardless, the gryphon they were riding seemed swift and strong enough. But he couldn’t shake his anxiety.

  And the fact they were approaching a battleground didn’t ease him.

  Slate and his gryphon were right behind him and Jane. Between the lengths of the skyscrapers he could see other flying creatures. Some of them might have been mutant humans, or even mutant animals. But from the wingspan and the appearance of a human sitting on their backs, Johnny knew that they were friends.

  “That’s not really making me feel better.” He told her.

  The shapes of the gryphons in the distances began to grow. As Slate and his gryphon leveled behind him and Lindsey, another two came from around the corners.

  Johnny turned around. It was Lindsey, followed by detective Guajardo.

  “We’re striking in the streets.” Johnny shouted over the thunder of gryphon wings.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Lindsey replied. “We don’t know what’s down there.”

  He brushed his flapping hair out of his eyes. “Someone’s got to do it. Patrick and your father are busy, Gary can’t, so it’s up to us.”

  “What about the blood?” Rita asked. “It’s going to be everywhere, isn’t it? And if we fight them properly, they’re going to bleed. What the heck are we supposed to do about that?”

  “I think…it’s a risk we’re going to have to take.”

  For a couple miles no one said anything. The four gryphons flew in a ‘v’ formation like a group of migrating birds.

  The gryphon Johnny and Jane were riding raising his head. “The four of us will protect you.”

  “From the blood?” Johnny asked.

/>   “Of course, there’s going to be nothing but chaos down there, but together we shouldn’t have too much trouble. And if any of you happen to get infected…I just hope the blood likes you as much as we do.”

  Johnny smiled giving the gryphon’s side a couple affectionate pats. “I just pray for your sakes that we don’t seem too useless down there.”

  “I think you’ll think of something.” The gryphon replied. “Somehow, it seems like good people like you always manage to do that somehow.”

  A different kind of flapping came from behind. It was smaller, not as strong as gryphon wings but still loud enough to be heard over the flapping of eight wings.

  Johnny turned around. Behind him he saw Rita and Slate looking back to the source as well.

  A humanoid winged figure appeared from behind. On his back was a human they knew well.

  “Patrick!” Jane shouted.

  Lindsey waved. “Glad to see your wings are still good, Dad!”

  The pair waved as John kept up his flapping, needing to keep up with the larger creatures.

  “It’s been a success!” Patrick said. “There’s still hundreds all across the world, but there’s no way I would get to them in time.”

  “I think you’ve done great, Patrick.” John told him.

  “So you’ve seen what’s been going on in the streets?” Slate and his gryphon flew closer.

  He nodded. “I take it that you all are going down there to do something about it?”

  “Yup.” Johnny smiled.

  “How was your family?”

  “Good! My gryphon was kind enough to watch them while I go help out you guys.”

  Jane laughed. “You know, after all this, we and these guys should get together and hang out. Maybe shoot some hoops.”

  “One thing at a time.” Patrick smirked. “Lot of damage to do and undo before that can happen.”

  Eagle Eye took to the rear, flying steadily behind the four gryphons. Patrick closed their eyes once they closed into formation. He could sense the League. He could feel their mental reach against his. But not just them. Those who had woken up to a different world were nearby too. They needed help.

  Patrick knew what he could do. After taking the blood, the first thing he did was inhibit Edgar, the most powerful of them all. If they were going to have an honest shot at helping their allies, he would need to use that power on multiple minds at once.

  He hadn’t done it yet with the intention of inhibiting people, but he would need to learn.

  He closed his eyes again. They were approaching. Fast. He got into the head of a League shapeshifter in the form of a rhino. It was running down people trying to fight back with its horn and with swings of its massive head.

  Not anymore.

  He could feel his grip on the creature’s mind. It wasn’t hard. The rhino clearly hadn’t been anticipating an attack of that style, or maybe it was just powerless to defend against them. Patrick could feel it rearing back and falling on its side like in a spasm.

  Going into the heads of those the beast was pursuing, he felt their relief. They were able to find shelter in an open apartment complex down the road. Patrick allowed himself that victory. There would need to be many more than that.

  “We’re coming up on the big ones!” Eagle Eye said.

  Patrick smiled. “I’m ready. I’ve already begun.”

  He looked around at his friends on the backs of the gryphons. They were all silent. He didn’t need to get into their heads to read what was on their minds. It would be tough, but the gang seemed like they had new help at every turn. They were ready to fight again.

  Getting lower to the street, the first creature Patrick saw was a giant gorilla-looking creature. It was standing on top of an SUV, looking out for the gryphons approaching.

  What are you doing? Patrick asked the creature.

  Are you one of them? One of the Raven Gang?

  Yes. I’m Patrick Buchanan.

  Thank you for your words. They helped me out. I want to help you.

  Excellent!

  There are others like me. We’re all going to fight this together. Keep flying. We’re all pulling for you guys!

  A sharp brushing came from behind his neck. He turned around. A massive hawk had clipped his back. He knew it was no accident.

  “They know we’re here!” he shouted to everyone. “They’re starting their attack. We need to get on the ground. Something tells me we’re not going to want to be thousands of feet in the air when they bring out their big guns.”

  The five flying creatures landed on a clear roadway. Patrick could sense that no civilians were around. Good. But the rumbling for around the alleyways told another story. The enemies were coming.

  Slate and his gryphon struck first. A shapeshifter with bear claws and a back full of porcupine spikes leaped into the air, bending over to pick the gryphon in the neck. Slate saw it coming, and he and his ride ducked down in time to get under it and smack it in the back with a wing, sending it dozens of feet into the air.

  “Get out!” Slate demanded. “This city is not yours to take!”

  Patrick lowered his head. Within the last second the amount of approaching hostile minds tripled. He couldn’t get a strong enough hold on any of them to inhibit them. He would have to wait until they got closer to get a better chance.

  Behind him another gryphon approached. His mother was on her back.

  He knew what she was doing. A diversion would be a long shot, but someone had to make chaos to throw off the groove of their plan.

  Be safe, mom.

  I will. If there is one thing I’m going to do that Gordon couldn’t, it’s protect you from these monsters. Besides, this is the closest thing I’ve had to a vacation since the last time we were in New York.

  He laughed. Shaking the concentration back into his head, he felt his enemies getting closer. They were coming from everywhere. The alleys, the streets, from the sky and-

  A crashing came from behind him. The loud metallic crunch of a car being tipped over as a mutant creature rose out of hiding. It looked like a giant salamander with its wide mouth, but its strength and bipedal abilities told a scarier story.

  Slate and Lindsey were positioned right behind it. They dove out of the way as the creature bellowed its lungs out in a wet, guttural scream. One of the gryphons was there to separate the humans from the beast.

  “Watch it!” Patrick screamed.

  Eagle Eye dove for the clutch. He rammed into the fish-lizard’s chest like a manic football player and sent it back against the wall.

  “I guess this is one of them that isn’t on our side.” Jane said.

  “Good guess.” Johnny backed away, looking for something to use as a weapon. “We need something else here…”

  Patrick strode forward, tightening his eyes. “But until then…”

  The creature’s mind was unguarded. Clearer than anything, Patrick could sense its loyalty to Edgar. His heart sank. He knew the feeling.

  He wanted to ease it. There was something to work with-

  Patrick’s eyes bolted open as he was suddenly in the air. He crashed against a neighboring brick wall, feeling just like the salamander must have felt being knocked by Eagle Eye.

  One of the Leaguers stood where he had been, looking to be some combination of a shark and a hippo. If that were the case, Patrick was grateful to have still been alive.

  “Stay away!” came a shout.

  Patrick turned his head. A pack of wolves were barreling down from the other side of the street. He allowed himself a sigh. Friends. They didn’t have the flight that the gryphons had, but they were no less reliable.

  As if to compensate for the arrival of their friends, several massive creatures thumped out from all the neighboring alleyways and streets. Several animals, looking like mutant lions, horses, giant birds, and lizards were now dominating the street. The wolves retreated several steps. Patrick and the gang followed them back, looking as clueless.

  �
��You know, this would be a much easier fight if we still had those weapons we fought Elder with weeks ago.” Johnny said.

  “Something about that wouldn’t work.” Patrick watched their adversaries, making sure they weren’t leaping at them. “This is a fight of natural abilities. Organic talents are what will decide the winner.”

  “Speak for yourself.”

  Patrick and Johnny turned to see Jane approaching with her arms full. She was already passing out the weapons to Slate and Rita. Large metal clubs clinked as she turned and gave one to Patrick and one to Johnny.

  “Aluminum baseball bats?” Johnny asked.

  Jane shrugged. “Thankfully the people who live in that vacant apartment played softball.”

  Patrick didn’t need to turn his head to sense the beasts approaching. He heard the gryphons plant their claws in the ground and the wolves snarl.

  “I really don’t think this will be good enough.”

  “Then get in these monsters’ heads and make them think it’s enough.” Jane said.

  Patrick shook his head. “Inhibiting these many minds is going to be rough.”

  “That’s where these come in.” Slate said, resting the bat on his shoulder. “I may never have played baseball, but I think I know how to use this.”

  Smiling, Patrick took one of the bats. He turned to face the army of creatures that were now surrounding every exit of the street. For every step backwards his friends took, they made two. Time was running out.

  He closed his eyes. Hundreds of hostile minds around him.

  All unguarded. He slipped into them.

  He felt some of them already start to spasm.

  “Let’s go.”

  He wasn’t going to let the bat get away. As hard as he flapped, Delta kept getting farther out of sight.

  Where the hell are you going? Gary wondered.

  Gary brushed his right wing back, barely missing the edge of a wide rooftop. It took him several awkward flaps to fix his flight. A few more inches off and he would have found himself plummeting towards the ground. He didn’t want to know if his body would be able to save him from the fall. He could only be lucky so many times.

  Going as fast as he was, his vision was blurred from the breeze in his eyes. He had to close his eyes. A light, almost tickling sensation rose from his chest to his eyes. Some kind of beam began to shoot out of his head, bouncing back from each giant shape of the skyscrapers. Echolocation. He allowed himself to smile. Gary had always wondered what that was like.