The Ardent Saga Omnibus

by Nathan Howe

  My body ached, and most of my tattoos were now missing. With nothing but my bare fist to use, I knocked squirrelly-man out. He slumped to the ground unconscious. I texted the heroes again, informing them of my most recent actions and then left.

  “That's crazy. Fuck. You've told some weird tales over the years, but that takes the cake,” Jack said. He looked like he had been the one who had been in a battle for life and death.

  “I know, man.”

  Steve lay on the seat as Jack finished the second Sig. Steve wanted him to finish the rest, but it wasn't possible to complete them tonight. His skin was raw. He desperately wanted to use the healing potion, but that would remove part of the tattoos and make them useless. He'd have to wait like everyone else. This was one part of his powers that Steve hated. He loathed sitting in the chair being pierced by needles.

  “So you got them all?” Jack asked.

  “No. That one got away. I'll have to find him tomorrow, or maybe the heroes will actually do their job for once.”

  The phone in Steve's pocket had been going off the whole time Jack had been working on him. Steve pulled it out and noted it was several missed calls and a dozen or so text messages from Inflamed and Heldonhaft. He didn't want to deal with them tonight, so he shut his phone off.

  The sun now shone through the front of the parlor. Steve left money on the chair for Jack. “I'll be back later today to finish up,” Steve said as he stood up from the chair. “If that’s fine?”

  “In the evening, yeah. I'm booked most of the day.” Jack cleaned his equipment in the rear of the shop before the door burst off its hinges.

  The skinny lanky one who had snuck away stood in the hole that had once been the door. Without thinking, Steve pulled one of the Sigs and fired, hitting the man in the knee. He then fired again, taking the other knee out before he turned to Jack, “Call the heroes. They’ll take care of him. I'll be back later today.”

  Steve grabbed his trench coat and walked past the lanky guy, kicking him in the face as he passed that helped release some of his anger, but not all. Outside, Steve pulled the cigar and matches from his arm. He lit up the cigar and headed home. Steve was glad it was a new day. He wanted to forget the events of yesterday as soon as possible.

  One thing bothered him, though. He never had learned who was behind it all. He'd have a few things to check. After a good sleep.

  Burning Out

  Burning walked the streets of Amaranthine, humming. They weren't as crowded as Cynosure. The relative emptiness of it all was a breath of fresh air for Burning. It reminded him of where he grew up, rustic and homely. Burning wasn't a tall man, or physically intimidating, but he was an Ardent and when people learned that they gave him space. In Amaranthine, he was just a normal person, not a single person had learned of his powers. He pushed up the sunglasses he always wore into his short blond hair letting the sun cover his angular face.

  Coffee shops, little book stores, and other boutiques filled downtown. The quaintness of it relaxed Burning. He’d even found a job at one of coffee shops, trying his best to forget his superhero days working with the Hero Coalition. In Amaranthine he was George Smith. He had found a tidy apartment above the shop and now happily pretended the Hero Coalition didn't exist. For the first time since discovering he was an Ardent, his life had reverted to normal.

  There were so many Ardents that none of them batted an eye when he fled the city. He was sure Invincible wouldn't be happy, but he'd get over it. He had so many heroes at his disposal. The loss of Burning wouldn't matter in the long run. It didn't help that Burning had never fit in, hiding his past from even the Hero Coalition.

  A group of young men walked by Burning as he walked back to his place after finishing his errands for the day. They wore jeans and sleeveless vests along with wolf tattoos on their arms. Their posture strongly hinted that they were ready to fight. Burning didn't like it one bit. They reminded him of the thugs back in Cynosure, and that wasn't good.

  “What you looking at?” One of them spat at him and then stepped up in his face.

  Deep breath in and wait a second before responding. Part of him wanted to use his powers and engulf his body in flames. Cover himself in fire. It didn't hurt him or those around him unless they tried to hurt him. He couldn't use it consciously to attack people, which was why he had learned the katana.

  “Cool tattoo,” Burning said instead through gritted teeth.

  “Wolves for life,” one of them said. The rest howled, walking slowly away from him while staring him down. This could lead to trouble. Gangs always led to problems in Burning’s experience.

  The aroma of coffee wafted up to Burning as he rounded the corner, home. Peace, away from those hooligans and the rest of the world. He felt safe and secure here.

  He walked up the stairs to his apartment, pulling his keys out of his jeans, when he paused. A hero stood in front of him. The uniform the hero wore was similar to the one hidden inside the apartment. Except his consisted of a steel blue and amethyst pattern, with added padding for protection especially on the shoulders and back. He also wore visors over his face, both, it seemed, for protection and concealment. Burning’s uniform was black and red, with no armor and completely covered his face but he still wore his sunglass while in it.

  “Can I help you?” Burning asked, doing his best to act surprised.

  “I hope so,” the hero said. “I'm High-Powered. One of the few heroes here in Amaranthine. Well, actually the only hero currently serving here.”

  This happened to be part of the reason why Burning moved here. No real presence from the Hero Coalition. “That's great. Glad to see it's not unprotected.” Burning hoped his being an Ardent was still a secret here.

  “You're welcome.” High-Powered blocked Burning’s way from entering the apartment. He glared at Burning. “You're Burning from Cynosure, aren't you?”

  Burning sighed. His hopes crushed. He tried his best not to show it. “I don't know what you're talking about. I'm George Smith from Azure City.”

  High-Powered laughed, crossing his arms. “That's what it says on your lease here. But we both know it's a fake.”

  Defeated, Burning said, “Not here.” Before motioning to enter the apartment. “In private.”

  High-Powered stepped to the side allowing Burning to unlock the door. High-Powered followed Burning into the small living room at the front of the apartment. High-Powered sat on the couch that filled most of the small room.

  Burning eyed him. Trying to figure out how or why he tracked him down. He didn't like it at all. “I don't know why or how you tracked me down. But I left the hero business back in Cynosure.”

  “A mysterious person shows up in my city. It's my job to find out who it is. While Amaranthine isn't Cynosure, we still have evil Ardents. I do my best to find out who's here. And you look just like your pictures.”

  Of course, he did. The only pictures of Burning with the mask off were in the Hero Coalition database. “Looking me up online?”

  “Like I said I had to see who's here.”

  Burning shrugged. He still didn't like it. He'd been violated. “Fine that's impressive work on your part. But it still doesn't explain why you came here.”

  Burning walked to the edge of the kitchen. Now his katana was within reach in case he needed it. Always be prepared was his motto, or at least it used to be. Just a week here and he was getting caught off guard. He kind of liked that but knew he wouldn't last long if it continued. Somehow a happy medium was needed, so he didn't die.

  High-Powered leaned forward, the couch groaning under his weight. “Right now it's just me here patrolling the city.” He stood. “It's tough. Amaranthine may be small, but that doesn't mean empty. They don't send many heroes here from the Coalition and when they do most transfer out, and it takes a while to get more.”

  “I'm sorry, but what does that have to do with you tracking me down?”

  High-Powered was silent a moment as he rubbed his chin. “I guess
that didn't have a thing. But look, this is my home, and I can't protect it myself. I need help.”

  Burning didn't like the direction of this. “Did you make it clear you needed more support to the Coalition? Talked to the leader in Azure City?”

  High-Powered nodded and sighed. “I have. We'll see. Not holding my breath. But I have a problem now. One that I can't seem to solve on my own. I've tried to drive them out with no luck. Can't find the leader of the group.”

  Great. The real reason he's here. Now Burning was fearful. He worried this might be something he didn’t like at all. “Go on.” Burning motioned with his hand.

  “Okay, a new group arrived several months ago—the Wolves. Normally they wouldn't be a problem. I'd have them out in a week or so. But half of these guys are weak Ardents, and the leader, he's a shifter.”

  “And most of the crime here is non-Ardent. That's why I moved here.”

  High-Powered nodded. “Yup. It's usually just one Ardent at a time until now. Dealing with multiple ones is tough even if they are lower level ones.”

  Burning moved from the edge of the kitchen and stopped in front of High-Powered. “I think I ran into some of these Wolves. Had this tattoo of a wolf on their arm. Acted like a bunch of immature fools.”

  “That's them.”

  “You think the two of us can take them?”

  “I've seen some of your stuff.” Of course, he has. Normal people filmed it whenever they could and posted it online. Happened too often. Burning never searched it up himself. Didn't want to see it. But lots of the other Ardents back in Cynosure checked it daily. “You might be able to take them alone.”

  “Doubtful. I'm good but not like some of the top guys back in Cynosure.” Some of the heroes that Burning had worked with could do amazing things. Much more impressive than covering one's body in fire and carrying a sword. High-Powered's abilities were likely vastly more powerful than his own. He just lacked confidence and experience.

  Burning felt for High-Powered. It couldn't be easy being the lone hero in a city. “Do you know where they are located?”

  “Not really. They have several places they cause the most havoc. It hasn’t help me find out the location of the leader, though.”

  Burning thought long and hard. If he agreed to help everyone would learn where he had moved. They'd be able to come ask him to move back. High-Powered had come here almost begging for help. It would go against his training to turn him down. Yet he still thought about doing just that.

  “Okay. I'll help you this one time. But you need to make sure you get some more heroes here soon. We'll start tomorrow after my shift at the shop.”

  “Seriously? You are going to work your day job first?”

  Burning gestured around the room. “This place it's not much, but that job covers it. I didn't leave Cynosure with much. I like this place and the job. I'm working my scheduled shift tomorrow.”

  “Fine. I'll see you then.” It was clear that Burning confused High-Powered, but that was okay with him. He loved the normalcy of the job. It made him feel human again. He needed it to unwind and relax. Otherwise, he worried that he’d go crazy.

  The next afternoon, sweat covered Burning, which was something he never understood. He could cover himself in fire, not be hurt, and not sweat one bit. But go for a run or rush around here at the shop and he'd be covered.

  With the shift over, he rushed up to his apartment and dressed in his uniform. He jumped out the window instead of using the stairs. He didn't want his neighbors seeing him leave his place in uniform. It was bad enough they might have seen High-Powered there. He was sure they knew who he was. They had probably taken countless pictures of him, especially with him being the long-time lone hero here.

  Once Burning was outside the front of the shop, he saw High-Powered waiting patiently for him. “Where are we going?” Burning asked once he was close enough.

  “The closest hang out of the Wolves is at Fifth and Main.”

  No wonder Burning hadn't seen many of them in his week here. That was in a different part of town. “Do they not normally come over here?”

  “Not that I noticed.”

  “Odd. I wonder why they were here yesterday?”

  “I thought about that.” High-Powered walked across the street in the direction they were going. “They must be looking for new places to branch out too.”

  “You're probably right.” That wasn't good. “I don't want thugs ruining my new home. I left Cynosure to get away from this type of stuff.”

  High-Powered stopped mid-stride. He stared at Burning. “Really? I've never heard of a hero wanting to stop.”

  “In Cynosure, it's a semi-often occurrence. It's rough there. Takes a strong-willed person to deal with the violence day in and day out. I can only imagine what it's like for those in Lenience City or who lead the raids on Diablo Island. It sounds fun to the heroes working in cities like this one. But it's not. Worst years of my life. I just want to be normal now. To forget about all of it.”

  “I just couldn't hang up my uniform. I love my powers and using them to help others.”

  “I'm not saying I'm not grateful for my powers. I just want to be normal is all. If I have to help like now, I will. Occasionally. But I like my new life. The mundaneness of it—it's relaxing, refreshing.”

  “Uh.” High-Powered walked to the corner and continued in the direction of the Wolves hang out. “I have trouble wrapping my mind around that. Just leaving and trying to pretend that you're normal.”

  “Some day, I'm sure you'll understand.” It had saddened Burning when the job became too much. He loathed himself for it at first but soon accepted it.

  It didn't take them long to arrive by foot. Men and women stood on the streets, with the same wolf tattoo, making it clear they had reached their destination.

  High-Powered placed his arm in front of Burning, stopping them there. “Just wait. They'll come over and threaten us.”

  “Brazen.”

  “I don't scare them. And there are more of them.”

  “Well then. Follow my lead.”

  “Will do.”

  It didn't take long with them standing on the corner for a group of the Wolves to approach them. They had chosen the largest three of the gaggle to confront them. It didn't scare Burning at all. From the strut they walked with Burning guessed that they were Ardents. The one in the middle’s skin flickered and a ball of fire formed in his hand as they reached High-Powered and Burning.

  The fire danced in his hand. “You're in the wrong part of town. Leave now, or you'll regret it.”

  “Your little trick doesn't scare me,” Burning responded as he let fire cover his body.

  “Whoa.” The guy stepped back. Both men on either side of him did as well. Burning's flames scared even hardened Ardents. Fire was like that. Even ones that could control fire didn't like others who could. Like this thug—he could be hurt by it. He wasn't immune like Burning, so it scared him.

  They made it back to the herd, spoke a few words to them, and stared back to Burning, then left. Burning smiled.

  High-Powered leaned into Burning with his eyebrows raised. “Why'd you chase them away?”

  “They won't tell us anything voluntarily.”

  High-Powered shrugged. “You don't know that for certain.”

  “No. No, I don't. But we can try to follow them. Let's go.”

  Burning let the flames die and followed the big one that threatened him. He'd be the one that could lead them to the leader, this shifter guy.

  “What do you know about the leader?” Burning asked, keeping a safe distance from the thug who kept walking in circles. He was smart. Checking to see who was following. It made it difficult to track him. Burning wished he had the resources of the Hero Coalition in Cynosure. They had heroes who'd be able to track him without being seen. Unlike Burning and High-Powered, who had to keep the thug in sight.

  “I told you everything. He's a shifter. I've never seen him. They talk about hi
m. But never name him.”

  “Paranoid much.” The whole hiding his name concerned Burning. Having his followers employ tactics to avoid being followed. This guy was cautious. What was this shifter hiding? Could this guy’s care about loved ones, like Burning’s, be why he was hiding so much? That might be the case, but Burning had trouble believing it.

  High-Powered pointed forward at the thug who ducked into an alley. “I think he made us.”

  Burning sighed and sprinted to the alley. It was empty. “How in the world?”

  The alley dead-ended at a high fence that wouldn't be climbable. It did have several doors leading into the two buildings. “He must have gone inside.”

  “Well, we can't enter,” Burning said. “It'd be a death trap. Best to wait it out and hope we see him exit.”

  “That sounds fun.”

  Burning burst out laughing. “Since when was being a hero fun? In Cynosure, it was about doing a job. Very few moments of enjoyment.”

  “No wonder you wanted to leave. For me it's fun. Patrolling the city. Fighting and arresting evil people.”

  “Sure. But it's still a job. Still work. And that isn't always fun.”

  High-Powered tilted his head and rubbed his chin. “I guess you have a point.”

  They took different corners across the street. Burning had the building on the north while High-Powered had the building on the south. They kept in contact with the communication device that all Hero Coalition uniforms had built in.

  The sun set with no sign of any Wolves activity. The street was quiet. Burning checked his watch, getting close to midnight. He had to work the opening shift at the coffee shop.

  “Let's call it a night. Check out one of the other hang outs tomorrow,” Burning said with the comms.

  “Okay.”

  The next evening they walked to the southwest section of Amaranthine. “Is downtown where I live the only place they don't have a known hang out?”