by C. J. Lloyd
Enzo stood, stretching his arms out. Flames poured from his mouth as he sighed.
Violet tried to focus on what their next move should be. She swallowed hard thinking about Elric and his power, then she thought about what Calamity said about Legion. Did they really want Elric?
A soldier burst into the room, rifle dangling from a shoulder strap. “Ma’am, we got a hit. Satellites say we’re getting some crazy reading from Boston.”
The whole room went silent.
“Boston?” Enzo looked at the soldier as if he were crazy. “Why the hell would he go back there?”
Terra lowered her gaze, and Violet could see the pain in her eyes. “Do we have to go back there again?”
Eden looked over at Violet. She could tell he didn’t like the news either. “Something’s off, V.”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Samantha answered. “This could be a lucky break for all we know.”
Terra let out a sarcastic laugh. “We never get lucky breaks.” Her southern tang was heavy with anxiety. “We’re better off wrestling cottonmouths in murky, muddy water.”
Violet turned and faced them. “Well, this is it. Sasha, connect with the special ops guys. I know they’ll take care of you.”
Sasha nodded and looked to Sam. “Can I get one of those cool bulletproof vests?”
“I’m sure we can get one in your size.” Sam shrugged.
“I’m a size fox, extra small, nothing too big or sloppy, okay?” She turned and hugged Violet and pulled Eden in as well. “I love you guys just as much as I love Manie. So, come home, we’ll be waiting for you. You too, Terra, Jennifer.” Sasha growled, turning to Rai and Enzo. “Can’t say the same for you two, but … do your best.”
Rai nodded and gave Sasha a calm gesture of thanks while Enzo gave her a cocky double thumbs up with his tongue out. Violet took a deep breath as she watched Sasha leave and hoped that everything would work out.
Samantha clapped her hands together. “That ends the briefing. Execute!”
The room cleared as the soldiers headed to their training bays to get ready for battle.
Violet nodded as Sam came over to them.
“You guys kick ass,” Sam said. “Do it for Zaroule and all the ones who can’t. Wish us luck.”
A chill raced down Violet’s spine as she raised her head with pride. Then she stiffened and saluted Sam. Everyone was surprised by her action, including Sam. But she returned the salute with tear-filled eyes.
“I leave it to you then, V. Make me proud, okay?”
Violet swallowed hard and nodded. As soon as Sam left, Violet focused on everyone left in the room, consuming them all with a bright light, and moments later, they found themselves in the broken remnants of Boston. Gunshots cracked in the air, but where they were was oddly quiet.
Chapter 28
Going in for the Kill
Elric watched from atop a building on the outskirts of what was once a city. Calamity’s forces pillaged the remnants of Boston, savagely tearing through crumbling structures and buildings desperate to find human life.
What was left of Boston had long since been evacuated, and only those helping with relief and recovery had been allowed back in.
The horde knocked over walls that could barely stand and dug through piles of debris for anything worthwhile. Elric’s eyes fell on what must have been the leader of the pack. Draped in shimmering armor, and showered with glistening stone, stood a wolf.
Elric’s claws and body began to change again. His fingers once again had the warm, soft texture of a human’s. His feet returned to having five toes instead of three large talons. His human flesh regained its look as the black reptilian scales faded, and the wings became less intimidating.
“That was quick,” Erebus growled from within. “Doesn’t take your body long to adjust anymore. Impressive.”
“Imagine that.” Elric looked down at the hundreds of creatures scurrying about. “So, are you going to tell me anything about Legion? Or are you going to play dumb about that as well?”
Erebus grumbled angrily. “What I kept hidden from you about Justice was due to a promise. I have my integrity to uphold. But I swear on my honor as a Deva, I know nothing about Legion, this group hidden in the Allverse.”
Elric sneered. “Fine, whatever.”
A deep orange stretched across the sky, giving a mass of clouds a deep plum coloration. Over a heap of dilapidated structures, the sun hung high with a red brightness that was slowly slinking away. A warm breeze blew Elric’s hair around his face. The wings spread over his shoulders as he leaped off the building and glided down to the creatures below. None of them saw him coming. He landed near a pile of garbage, staying out of sight.
A foul stench that was similar to rancid garbage and manure blended with skunk radiated from the pack. Wherever they had been, it must have been a place less visited by people. A creature similar to a humanoid rat waddled by and stopped, slowly looking up. Even with its black eyes, it had an expression of surprise.
It smiled greedily, revealing broken sharpened teeth.
“We have dinner!” it shrieked with a high-pitched cry.
Hundreds of heads perked up and focused their attentions on the dirt mound where Elric stood. The wings slipped into the flesh of his back. The only article of clothing remaining was his jeans, and even those were torn and now resembled shorts. Everything else had been burned or ripped away from the physical changes.
“I want to test out these new abilities on a lower-level scale. I can feel the power balancing in me. What are my chances against all of them?”
Erebus laughed. “Don’t ask stupid questions.”
“Sounds like fun then.”
“Just don’t overexert yourself. Those physical changes could come back if you use too much.”
“Got it.” Elric cracked his knuckles.
A large wave of monsters roared toward him, coming from different avenues of the ruined streets. The first creature, a tiger, lunged for Elric’s legs with large claws. He kicked the creature, sending it sailing over a building. I guess my strength increased. He laughed. Elric focused a tiny amount of energy within him and released it before they could get to him.
With a blink of an eye, dozens of them turned to ash and even the remaining structures collapsed into sand.
“Amazing. I have crazy output. Hard to believe this was already in me even before Zaroule put the doorways up.”
“There’s even more that you haven’t tapped into. Just be careful, there are two of us in here, and we need to be smart about the oncoming battle.”
“I understand. Don’t worry, we’ll be alright.”
Once the wave diminished, everything around Elric had turned to dust. There were no more streets, no frames of buildings, not even concrete. Nothing but blackened earth. It reminded him of the island.
Multiple surges of energy pulsated from behind. He could feel the change in the air. They were like vibrations. There were six of them, all strong, one not on the same level as the other five. He smiled, knowing exactly who they were. He turned, meeting the glaring faces of Violet and the others.
“Why here?” Violet yelled.
“Why not?” Elric shrugged. “The city where my mom died, the place where I started losing people? It’ll be the place where I cut all ties with this world and its people, the place where you’ll die. Besides, I thought you would like it, no population for miles, this place has been evacuated.”
“Because of you!” Eden shouted.
Elric nodded to Enzo and Rai. “They did it too. I can’t take all the credit.”
Eden’s face was fuming red. Elric thought it was quite comical that he still didn’t have a grip on his anger issues.
Eden asked, “So, this is what you want, a repeat of history?”
“No, things are much different now. I’m much stronger than the Titans before me, but then again, so are you guys.” Elric began walking toward them. “I’m not going to hold back;
I’m fighting to kill you. And if you’re not doing the same, then like I said on the island, you should just let me put you out of your misery.”
Jennifer stepped forward with a smile. “And where would the fun be in that?”
He didn’t say a word to her. He didn’t have to. They were the only ones who stood in the way of what he was meant to do. Violet and the others would never lie down and die, and because of that his drive and the hunger of the darkness inside increased.
He stopped a couple of yards away. He admired them. They were ready for anything. Their eyes were filled with determination and hope even though their backs were against the wall. He planned on crushing them with that very same hope and determination they held so dear.
Eden raced toward him with blurring speed.
Always so eager, Eden. Elric sneered, shaking his head. He focused, reading Eden’s movements. With Elric’s heightened senses, he was able to see every footfall even down to the detail of the pressurized air collecting over Eden’s fist.
I guess I’ll end your life first, Eden. Elric reached to grab him, but Eden focused a blast of wind to the ground, launching himself to the sky.
What was that? Elric looked up, taken back by Eden’s actions.
The vibrations in the air became sporadic.
Another attack? Elric scanned the area.
The others remained standing, watching in anticipation. They weren’t ready to make a move, but then, he saw her eyes, the Earth Titan’s. A shifty green scowl. Wings spread over his shoulders as he launched himself to the sky. He just missed a giant wave of earth that crashed below.
“No Sasha, Manie, or Alfred, huh? You only brought the ones worth my time. How thoughtful. Don’t you wish you had Sage, Violet?”
“I’m much stronger than she would’ve been, and Sasha and the others would make easy targets for your attacks even if you weren’t deliberately going after them. We’re the only ones who can take your attacks without being killed instantly.” Violet’s hands began to glow. “You’re not even using a quarter of your powers.”
“No, I’m not. But then again, I’m capped out anyway, so …”
A bright purple light flashed above him. He looked up over his shoulders only to be pelted by a blast of wind that hurled him to the ground. Sneaky. He looked up to see Eden land gracefully as he focused a gust of wind at the bottom of his feet and hands. Violet teleported him for a surprise attack.
Cries of celebration in the distance faded as the smoke cleared, and Elric met their focusing gazes once again. The dark aura shielded him from the attack, absorbing any major damage.
“Good job, Eden. That first attack, when you came at me, was just a diversion for Terra to attack, right? That was good.”
Eden glared, gritting his teeth. “It did nothing.”
“No, but it was worth the effort.” Elric scratched his scalp. He started storing up more energy within his chest that he’d use for a surprise attack.
“I’m tired of this stupid calm, emotionless act,” Rai yelled. “Where’s that sadistic look you had before, huh?”
Elric focused the dark energy into his right hand, turning his fingers into claws. The energy stabilized, coursing over the digits in an ominous current of sparks. Elric went on the offensive, everything around him a blur. He smiled, catching the dumbfounded look of shock that painted Eden’s face.
He lunged forward to impale Eden, stealing the play out of Allure’s book. He’d end Eden’s life just like how she killed Zaroule.
Jennifer snatched his wrist, stopping his follow-through just inches from Eden’s chest. A golden aura danced over her fingers. Elric’s eyes rolled to meet the burning gold glow of her scowl.
“Nice. So you know this one too, huh?” Jennifer asked, keeping her eyes locked on his.
Sparks of dark blue came from the connection of their energy. That’s interesting, Elric thought, watching the strange friction of the two energies. A terrible boom separated them, launching Elric one way and Jennifer the other. His wings caught the air and helped him gain his footing.
Jennifer was slammed into a concrete slab of what was once a piece of a building. She screamed, grabbing the arm she had used to halt his attack. The energy he had stored did more damage than he thought possible.
“You’re nothing but talk!” Eden yelled.
“Really?” Elric pointed to Jennifer’s arm.
The flesh had been ripped open, and a gash deep enough to show the bone was just starting to heal as the tissue reconnected itself. Jennifer bit down on her shirt, grimacing and holding the arm close to her chest.
“That was done to Jen, the Light Titan. Can you imagine what that would’ve done to you?”
Eden’s expression softened to concern as his cheeks slouched.
“Don’t let him get to you, Eden. You’re right. He’s all talk,” Jennifer said as she stood and let her arm go. “He’s trying to get into our heads. Something I bet he learned from that Calamity chick.”
Eden nodded, his expression hardening. “You’re right, Jen. Thanks for the reminder.”
And that’s why he had to destroy Jennifer first. She was their heart, and though it didn’t seem like it, she gave the rest of them hope. It was the light in her. It gave them a strength he couldn’t weaken or crush by physical means. He had to tear it to shreds.
He bolted toward Jennifer. Watching Eden from his peripherals, Elric was able to catch a glimpse of a blast of wind that came hurtling toward him. Elric sliced right through the attack, and a dark hand smacked Eden out of the way.
“Jen, watch out,” Terra yelled. “He’s going for you.”
Jennifer was too slow to react. Elric could see it in her eyes, the shock. Her hope and determination wiped clean off her face. He fed on her sorrow as the expression of defeat took hold of her.
A bright purple light glistened from the corner of Elric’s right eye. A blast rocked him in the face, took him off his feet midstride. His ears rung obnoxiously, and his jaw dangled as a sharp, aching pain radiated from his mouth to the back of his head. He looked up to see Violet, hands on her hips, standing next to Jen.
“He’s going after you now, Jen, because he thinks if he gets rid of you, then the rest of us will be a piece of cake.”
She’s reading my mind.
Violet folded her arms, eyes glowing brightly. “You’re damn right I am.”
A large fist burst from the ground, barreling into Elric’s stomach and knocking him into the sky. The force cracked two of his ribs and punctured his lung, knocking the wind out of him. When he opened his eyes, he was face to face with Violet in the sky.
Her eyes burned with an anger he hadn’t seen since they were kids. “Don’t underestimate us.”
With another glowing fist of purple energy, she smashed him in the stomach sending him back to the ground and embedding Elric in the earth. A slosh of flames wafted over him as his flesh began burning away. He wailed as the searing pain radiated over him, melting his flesh until he could feel nothing. It must have gotten down to the nerve endings. Sadly, he’d feel it once his body started to heal.
A dark aura went up over him. He struggled to get up, rolling onto his back and coming face to face with a wave of dirt and debris that slammed on top of him with a crushing weight.
“When I told you to control your powers, I didn’t mean hold back,” Erebus growled.
“I know. I wanted to see my limits at this level, and they’re a lot stronger than I thought,” he replied to the voice in his inner world.
“When you fought them earlier, your powers were all over the place. You had them nervous. They’re expecting big things from you, so give it to them. Don’t fail where the first left off.”
“Right.”
An eruption of energy kicked up chunks of earth and concrete, freeing Elric from the earthly tomb. He pulled himself out of the large crater, his claws digging into the soft loam. His wounds healed as he rotated his jaw around and patted his ribs.
&
nbsp; “I’m sorry,” Elric said, dusting the dirt off his torn pants and shaking clumps of soil from his hair. “I gave you guys the idea you stood a chance against me.”
His burning gaze fell on Jennifer and the others, but they didn’t look worried. There wasn’t a single drop of fear, doubt, or nervousness in their eyes. They weren’t just ready to fight. They were ready to die.
Chapter 29
The War for the World
Darkness poured from Elric. The atmosphere became heavy as gravity increased. The clouds above blackened, rumbling with a bellow that made his insides shake with excitement. Large horns grew from the sides of his head, slipping through his lengthening hair, and his skin changed to a lifeless pale color.
“Are you finished toying with them yet?” Erebus asked with a guttering voice that rolled from within Elric’s chest. “I’m beginning to lose my patience!”
“Let’s be honest, then,” Elric snapped back. “The truth is, when the last Dark Titan fought the others, he had a hundred percent of his power, correct?”
Erebus replied with a monstrous roar of frustration. That was all Elric needed. The truth was he was only operating at a percentage of power, and he had his grandfather and Erebus to thank for that. But none of that mattered. He had to aim for his goal. Nothing short of wiping this world clean and making every world government pay for its ruthlessness. He would make his dream a reality.
“Elric, give up,” Violet yelled. “You said it yourself. We’re stronger than the ones before us. You can’t take us all on. It’s impossible.”
“Yeah, I did say that.” Elric’s body was starting to solidify and harden with the black scales.
“You feel that?” Enzo smiled. “He’s taking us seriously now.” He ran, hurling large fireballs. Elric smacked the first one away, causing the ball to explode on contact.
The attack did nothing. Eden followed beside Enzo, combining their attacks. Large waves of wind sliced the air and tore through the earth. From the distance, Elric saw that Eden and Enzo’s eyes had become like their Devas.
Now let’s see how I compare. Elric raised his right hand. Eden and Enzo were both taken off their feet, floating aimlessly in midair.