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The Heroes of the Shadows



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Mon Jan 18, 2016 2:52 am
HazelGrace16 says...



Echo


“Pathetic” I say as stare at the television in my room. We aren’t allowed any news channels from the outside, but hey we still have movies. This is the third time I’ve watched Titanic, and I swear the ending gets longer and longer every time. Next to me Ebony sighs clutching her pillow.

“I love that movie. It's so romantic.” She giggles grabbing a fist full of popcorn.

“Puh-leeze. You cannot seriously believe love like that is realistic.” I say pointing at the screen. Ebony rolls her eyes next to me.

“Come on Echo. Could you imagine it? A love worth dying for?” She gawks

“They knew eachother for like three days.” I argue. Ebony picks throws her pillow at me, but I quickly block it.

“Stop being a sour puss. I’d like to believe true love is a thing. One day some guy is gonna come in and sweep you off your feet, and I’m gonna laugh in your face.” She sticks her tongue out at me.

“People like us dont fall in love Ebony.” I look down.

“Think what you will, but I have hope.” She stands, and walks out of my room taking the rest of the popcorn with her. She bumps shoulders with Tim, who then leans against the door frame.

“What did you say to her?” He laughs watching her walk down the hall.

“I apparently ruined her petty little girl dreams.” I say.

“I dont think that's possible.” Her door slams and we both slightly flinch. “She’ll forget about it by tomorrow like she always does.” He smiles. Tim has always had a soft side for Ebony. Unlike with anyone else.

“What do you need anyways Tim?”

“Raydon needs you. Apparently it's important.”

“Alright thanks.” I switch off the television, and stand up. I walk past Tim heading towards the meeting room. Before I can even think about knocking on the door it swings open. “Lazy much?” I ask. Raydon’s back is turned to me, and he is watching surveillance. I recognize Scarlette’s blonde hair on the screen.

“Echo take a seat.” He turns the screen off, and turns to me. “We need to take action soon. Our plans are even more important now that the infection is killing Scarlette at a faster rate. We cannot afford that with our plans. So we must work quickly. The two have been talking frequently and they believe that the answer to curing Scarlette is finding Kirsten. So that's where we start. It was our plan to find them all anyways.”

“I have been working Raydon. Our sources tell us that the last known spot of Kirsten and Astral was the farm. We haven't picked up anything since. So either they’ve gone into hiding, or they are constantly moving. On the other hand we know where Carlos is, but he is unattainable at the moment. His father reached him before we could, and he is under “protection” right now.”

“I don't care about him right now!” He slams his fist on the table. “We need to cure Scarlette so we can continue with our plans. She is no help to me when she can't use her power! The sooner we can access her power the sooner we can access the rest of theirs.”

“I understand.” I cough slightly. “and I have a plan.”

“Okay you may explain, but please don't waste my time Echo.” He pinched his nose, and sits back in his chair. He is clearly stressed, and he has all the reason to be. Pressures are high right now.

“We earn their trust. Starting with Leon and Scarlette. I’ll help them “escape”, and together we will go find the others. If they’re on my side convincing the others will be just as easy. If we earn their trust we earn their power. It's guaranteed.”

“No.”

“But-”

“I said no. We are not risking Scarlette right now in her state. We are only partially into the change. You can take Leon, but not her.”

“It's both or none Raydon. He would never leave her and you know that. Plus Astral would never believe us if it was just Leon.” Raydon stays silent. “You can always continue the change from afar. Come with us but stay ten steps behind. Far away enough that they won't know, but close that you can change her and talk to me. I promise I will keep them both safe. You have to trust me Raydon. I'm ready for this.”

“You better be Echo. This better work, or everything we have worked for will be destroyed. Plan for the escape tomorrow. I’ll alert the guards of the part they must play. I hope to God you know what you're doing.”

“I do.”
"Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine" - The Imitation Game





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Wed Jan 20, 2016 4:24 pm
TheForgottenKing says...



Matt Fawn

"Put your back into it Tim!" I snarled. He glanced back at me before throwing his whole weight into his punch, nearly splitting the bag. He looked back at me with a grin, with which I just raised an eyebrow. I glanced at the others, who were watching." I don't believe I told you to stop." I said, hurriedly, they began working on their punching bags." I don't see the point of this if we can just use out powers." Harley complained. I smirked as I heard Raydon mutter." That was a bad idea Har." I gestured to the others. I smirked at Harley who charged me." You see, I don't need to hit you at all." I said, intercepting her moves before they happened, moving my body as she became a blur." Your predictable." I laughed. She howled in anger and kicked me in the chest, sending me backwards.

"Guess old man Fawn can't handle me. Just like your punk sister." She smiled gleefully." I watched as all the others paled and took an involuntary step backwards." You are sooo screwed." Echo muttered. Raydon stepped in front of me." Matt, she didn't mean it at all. You two were just sparring, of course emotions are running high." I looked him strait in the eye." Move, or I'll kill you." He nodded and stepped back." Just keep her in one piece." He muttered. Harley looked around as her "family" basically threw her under the bus." Use your powers at full." I commanded." With a grin she charged forward, extremely fast. I stepped back and froze her entire body stiff." I walked around her paralyzed body." You see, before all this mess, I was a regular soldier. Handy with a gun and a blade. Than events happened, and I became this. I share my head with an Asian kid, much like yourself. Except he's the only one with his powers. There are none like him. That's why EAGLE needs me. And I'm gladly doing it, saving lives. If you ever let your temper get the bet if you, it will be your doing. The instant you ever swerve from the mission, I will snap your pretty little neck. Never talk about my sister, she hasn't received the guidelines you have. Do I make myself clear?"

Harley just looked at me, and I unfroze her neck. She nodded and I released the rest of her body. She collapsed to the floor. I paused." But your right. Powers do help." Concentrating, I threw her body against the opposing wall, where se fell to the ground in a heap. Tim and Davis raced to help her up. I smirked when I heard Ebony lean sober and whisper to Echo." Ok that, was seriously sexy. Do you think he'd ever go out with me?" I paused as I heard a beep from my phone. It was Dr. Jahid." Another mission?" Raydon asked. I nodded. Everyone swivels their heads." Will you please let us come? Echo asked hopefully." We could use the real life practice." I shook my head. If the Dr gives you guys permission, sure, but we already no his answer." With that I began to leave the room. I heard someone growl." It's not fair!" Before the door clicked shut behind me.
"I make my own luck"- Shay Patrick Cormac





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Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:38 pm
Snoops says...



Carlos.



My eyes wandered the ceiling, counting the bricks on the wall again. And again. I didn't know how long I had been in here and I knew they didn't feed me regularly. So there was no way to tell time. I only got out of the cell for surgery, they would let a gas out of a tube from the ceiling and just wait. Meaning I never actually saw the outside of the cell. When I wake up again, I was in the same disgusting bed with a tray of food next to the door and a new scar. Right now I had twenty-seven. 
After hearing Leo scream, being pricked in the neck and falling to the floor, I had changed cells. And something told me buildings too. Here it was way colder and filthier. The first day I was here, or close to one day, I screamed. My lungs burning by the end and my throat ached for days. No one bothered to come. I didn't think they cared. As I restarted counting, the room echoed a loud alarm- the gas was being turned on. Quickly, I turned with my head towards the mattress and covered my mouth and nose. If I could stay awake, maybe I could escape. All I need is to keep my mouth and nose closed. The alarm and distinctive sound of the gas pouting into the room kept going for another ten minutes. I couldn't keep myself from not breathing for that long so I had to take a deep breathe every few minutes, inhaling some of it. I ended up half dazed...my mind in slow motion as only half on the normal stuff was in me. As I heard a loud echoing bang as my cell door opened, I closed my eyes pretending to be asleep as the Scientists lifted me from my bed to a ambulance bed. Keep your eyes closed. Keep you're eyes closed. Keep you're eyes closed. Keep you're eyes closed. My own warning sipped threw my head. I felt my body being passed by doors and into a medical centre. Thinking about it now...this wasnt my best plan. This was probably my worst. Being awake  during surgery is never good. The wheels squeaked as I stopped in the center of the room, five Scientists around me with medical masks and suits. 
"Is the subject ready?" a husky voice asked.
"009 will be getting a neuro exam today" a female voice confirmed.
Neuro= brain. I was so doomed. took a deep breathe to prepare myself and grabbed one of the operation knives next to me. In one flash, I had a scalp in my hand and I was on the other side of the room across from the Scientists. They're eyes staring intensively at me. My eyes focused on each one of them when I saw him-- Dad. His sharp eyes were on my like a hawk.
“Dad?” I whimper. My heart broke as I watched his skin tighten. As if this- as if I was another annoyance in his day, another spill on the shirt, another lost file or another morning without coffee, except I wasn't a coffee stain or paperwork, I was his son. His own flesh and blood, at least what he hadn't changed of me.
“Son...” his voice cracked, turning from rigid to the same voice I always knew. Had he always been faking it with me? “It's not what it looks like, we're here to help you. Something is wrong with you. You're sick, we're trying to find a cure, son?”
“You're lying!” I screamed. My eyes felt watery, my shoulders crushing from all the weight as my chest felt like it was closing in. I sucked it up.
“I'm not...I promise.”
“No! No! You're always lying! Always! You sold me out didn't you...You're the one that brought me here...I always thought they just picked me randomly, but it was you all along!” I screamed. The knife shaking in my hand as my body trembled.
“Oh, don't be so naive, you're mother didn't want you since day one! All I did was deliver you!” he screamed. His act falling apart as his mouth twitched in anger. I couldn't look him in the eye, my dad, the father of the year stood before me with medical equipment ready to cut in my brain. I tried to become invisible or breathe fire, but it didn't work. I knew it wouldn't work, it hadn't worked in the cell. So I ran. My feet pushing themselves out of the room and I started running. Just running. I passed three doors before getting stuck—the door in front of me blocking my way out. I heard the Scientists behind me, their voices echoing threw the white tiled hall ways. They had me locked in. Running back would just make it easier for them. Staying here just gave me three extra seconds of “freedom”. But there was no way out, this wasn't a movie where there was a quick and ridiculous escape plan. This was reality, and a sucky one at best. So I stood there, waiting. In less than ten seconds they were in front of me, their eyes gazing towards the knife still in my hand, I threw it across the floor. Even if I could stab one, what was the point? No way I could kill all four. So I surrendered. They pricked my neck again with a shot and I was out cold in minutes. I was never getting out of here.
"Keep calm, drink tea and hide under the bedcovers"


Previously Lau2001





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Sun Jan 24, 2016 7:18 pm
Europa says...



Leon Rett

"How long have we been here?" Scarlette asked again. She'd already asked the same question three times today. Her sickness was taking a lot out of her.

"Two weeks. Two weeks, three days, and four thousand, three hundred twenty-two minutes."

In just a few days Scarlette had gotten a lot worse. Her fever fits were getting more frequent and she still refused to eat anything. It was the most painful torture you could put me through, to have me watch her die when I knew there was nothing I could do. No serum they injected me with could beat that kind of pain. I twisted my wrists in their bonds. I was no longer suspended from the ceiling, but the chains weren't long enough for me to move more than a few inches. I passed my fingers over the lock over and over again, knowing I'd get no result. My mind began to wander. The same thoughts cycled through my head. And they were all about Kirsten. I knew what sort of harm Blak could cause firtshand. Even if we'd only been here for two weeks, there was the chance that...
I shook my head. I couldn't let myself finish that thought. She was all I was fighting for.

The door banged open and I jumped, the real world coming sharply back into focus. I looked over at the cell's small entrance. The blue haired girl from yesterday was back. She didn't seem to be in the mood for sneering this time, though. She cast a quick glance at the camera, and following her gaze, I noticed the red light at the top wasn't blinking. Someone had turned the camera off.
Once she was sure of the fact that she wasn't being watched, Blue knelt down and drew a small metal object from...actually lets just say under her shirt and leave it at that.

"A key?" I blinked.

"Don't ask questions. Just follow my lead. I'm getting you out of here." The shackles fell from my wrists and I rubbed the chafed ring of skin.

"But neither of our powers work. And this place is crawling with guards and scientists."

I took the key from Blue and made my way over to Scarlette, working quickly at her chains.

I heard footsteps behind me and tensed before realizing it was only Blue and relaxing slightly. Once Scarlette was free, she took the key from me and pressed a syringe into my hand. Inside the glass tube was a light gold liquid. Almost the color of Kir's eyes. I eyed it warily.

"An antidote for the power-stopping serum they've been giving you." Blue explained.

"What you mean they kryptonite?" I muttered, still examining the serum.

"The wha--Sure. Yeah. Kryptonite."

I looked from the syringe to Blue, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.

"Why should we trust you?"

she smirked. "Because you don't have a choice."





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Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:30 pm
HazelGrace16 says...



Echo

“Now help me get her up.” I bend down towards Scarlette who looks dead except for her light shallow breathing and the glistening sweat on her face. I look back to Leon who looks puzzled. “Hey! I said help me get her. We don't have time to think right now.” I snap.

“She is in no condition to travel. The stress could kill her.” He says worried.

“Well, she is going to have to be, or she will die anyways.”

“Don't you have some kind of antidote for the infection?” He asks.

“...No. Now get her! I'll explain everything later, but right now you need to focus.” He stares at me a moment. “I promise.” He nods.

He has no other choice.

I pull Scarlette’s arm over my shoulder but Leon quickly rips her gently from my grasp. He lifts her and places her close to his chest.

“Are you going to be okay?” I ask. “They’ve been doing a lot of draining tests lately.”

“I'm stronger than I look.” I smirk, but his face remains dark. He is in no mood for jokes.

“Where- Where are we going?” Scarlette asks in a daze. Her eyes are clouded over in a deep gray color. I'd like to say it's the sickness but I know these are really the side effects of something else… Raydon.

“Home.” Leon says.

“Home.” She repeats. She smiles weakly and lays her head against his chest.

She is losing her fight, and that means the sickness is farther along than we predicted. We need to find Kirsten. The plan is for Raydon to find her, and push her towards us subconsciously. I hope to God he can find her. Without Scarlette our plans are screwed. And without Kirsten our plans are screwed. Dammit.

“Follow me.” I order. I rush out of the cell and turn down the west corridors towards the outer section of the prison sector. Raydon has given me approximately 15 minutes to make this believable, and I can't let him down. “This way!” I make a sharp right, and Leon follows closely behind. We approach a “dead end”.

“What the heck!?” He asks bewildered.

“Trust me.” I push a hidden button in the wall, and a wall opens to reveal a dark stone corridor. I look at him. “Come on. They won't think to look here at first. They think nobody knows about this.”

“How did you learn?” I roll my eyes, and transform into one of the scientists. His eyes go wide.

“Easily.” I transform back. “Now come on!” We run into the corridor where the wall closes behind us. “The exit should be about a mile down that way. It opens up into the woods surrounding the lab.”

“Okay.” He says. Then we set off running down the corridor. It only takes us a good 20 minutes to reach the opening. When I open the large metal door Leon shields his eyes.

“I forgot you haven't seen the sun in a while.”

“Yeah.” He pushes past me knocking into my shoulder. He places Scarlette’s lifeless body against a nearby tree.

“Is she okay?” I ask.

“Her heart is beating and that's all that matters.” He paces for a moment before stopping in front of me. “Answers now.”

“Deal.” I say. “What do you want to know first?”

“How did you know where the tunnel would lead? Why did you help us? What's your power? Who even are you?” He rambles.

“Okay. I get you’re hacked up on adrenaline right now but I said one question at a time, but since you asked. I knew about the tunnel because I've used it to leave before. I wasn't exactly born for the lab life. I helped you because I understand you, and how they were treating you was despicable. My power is to transform and act like any persona I want. And my name is Echo. Just Echo.” I repeated the speech Raydon gave me through my head over and over. “I'm going to help you heal her.” I point at Scarlette.

“How?” He asks skeptically.

“I overheard some of the scientists speaking one night, and this is what they concluded. Astral is the one who did this to her right? And every one of you has an opposite in one form or another. For instance Scarlette's strength contradicts Carlos’ dexterity. Kirsten's light contradicts your dark. Scarlette's mind contradicts Astral’s blindness, and Kirsten's healing contradicts Astral’s destruction. So that means-”

“That means if we find my sister...She can save her.”

“Yes. I believe so...At least I hope so. If we can find her, then we may just be able to save her.” I say. Leon’s eyes light up with interest.

“I’m in. But where do we even begin?”

“That's the problem I need your help for. I need you to contact her.”

“How?” He asks.

“Through the one thing prisons cannot trap. Dreams.” I smile. “Let's do this.”
"Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine" - The Imitation Game





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Sat Apr 16, 2016 1:39 pm
Europa says...



Kirsten Rhet

Sleep was the only escape I had. It was the only way I could get away from the fort. The former safehouse that had become my prison. The only time I didn't feel Blak's infernal dark cords burning into my body was when I was asleep. The days went by in such a blur I lost track of how long I'd been there. All I could keep in my head was that Blak would come into the infirmary that served as my cell at some point each day and watch me. And each day, I lost more and more of my will to fight. I was slowly sinking deeper into his darkness, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. I laid my cheek against the cold cement floor, drawing comfort from the cold against my feverish skin. The room was dark. The beds seemed to loom above me like the Icy cliffs of the tundra. I felt my eyes start to close...

....

I knew I was dreaming the minute I opened my eyes. I was still in the infirmary, but I was standing, and the black scars that were branded into my skin had disappeared. The room seemed to dim and blur around the edges, and a thick, iridescent fog rolled in on the floor and curled through the air.

"What the heck?..." My voice echoed strangely through the tiny room. I reached out and ran my fingers through the fog. It felt like the very definition of contradiction. Burning hot and freezing cold at the same time. The hairs one the back of my neck prickled and my head shot up as I sensed the presence. A tall shadow was making their way through the mist. I stood rigid, watching the shadow warily. It began to take on a form. Pale skin. Long black hair. Strange rust colored eyes. Long black coat.

"Leon." I had meant to shout. To try and get his attention. To run over and demand an explanation. But his name crossed my lips in a whisper, and I remained standing in the same spot. Leon sped up to where he was almost running. He collided with me, wrapping his arms tightly around my neck. I twisted out of his embrace. I wanted to laugh and cry and shout at him all at the same time.

"Kirsten..." His voice sounded broken. Wounded, even.

So now my dreams want to torment me too? Show me his face after I've lost him?

He took a breath and continued in a calmer voice.

"Kir, I'm not going to hurt you. It's really me, I promise."

I took another few steps back, shaking my head.

"No...you're not. You cant be I... I saw them bomb the house! You're dead. You and Scar..." I forced down the tears misting my vision. "You're both gone."

Leon's pained expression cleared. He almost smiled.

"Kirsten. The bombing never killed either of us. We both got out of the house before they dropped them. I'm sorry I didn't try to get to you before now. We were captured, And Scar's..." He bit his lip. "Listen. We're both out now and we're both alive. We're coming for you. I just need to know where you are."

"After the attack Blak caught Astral an I in a surprise attack. I have no idea where his godliness crawled off to, but Blak has me at the old fort. The place we were at before the ranchouse."

"Got it. We're going to get there as soon as possible, Kir. Please, just trust me and don't move."

I took a hesitant step towards him, the jumped forward and wrapped my arms around him. I felt him gently kiss the top of my head. I held on tighter ans the mist began to fade. If time had stopped right there, at that moment, if everything had just stopped that second, I would've been the happiest I'd been in my life.

"I'm trusting you, Leon."

Please don't let this just be a dream....





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Fri Apr 29, 2016 2:35 am
Chaser says...



Astral Venceworth


Astral awoke to the sensation of a soft hand on his cheek. His eyes slid open to see Scarlette staring down at him, smiling. “Come on, sleepyhead,” she murmured, “wake up already.”

“Good morning to you too, Scarlette,” he replied dryly. Shifting his head on her lap, he looked around. Emerald hills of green stretched as far as the eye could see; they sat in the shade of what seemed to be the only tree in existence. “Where am I?”

“What? Just get up already, we’ve got to go.”

“Go where?” Astral smiled softly. His fingers brushed over Scarlette’s hand, tracing lazy patterns across her skin.

She scoffed, laughing a bit. “Still not awake yet, are you?” Her gaze softened, blushing red. “I guess I could let you rest, just for a little bit...”

“Yes,” said Astral fondly, “let’s rest. I’m tired, so I’d like to take a break…” He rolled over, burying himself in her sensations. The intoxicating aroma of roses rolled over him, covering him completely. He sighed, shaky with bliss.

She smiled. “Astral?”

The silver-haired god rolled over. “Yes?”

Scarlette’s cheeks were bright red, but her eyes were earnest as she said, “I want a son.”

“Eh?” Astral stared up at her, face blank. “Eh!?”


“Gyaaah!” Astral bolted upright, sweat flying off. The blanket stretched and pulled around his legs, his hands finding the hard ground.

He blinked. “What? Where - Scarlette?” His yellow eyes, stricken with panic, darted around. The world around him was sepia stone, a painted wasteland. A linen blanket was wrapped around his body, while a charred pillow had been accommodating his head.

“Did you hear me, Astral?” The god of knowledge turned to see Frisky lying beside him, steel tail swishing lazily. “I want a son. Would you build me one?” His mechanical eyes blinked in amusement.

“Friskington,” Astral breathed, placing a hand on his chest. “You startled me.”

Examining his wrist momentarily, he gave it a few experimental swings. His muscles ached all up his arms, but there was no sign of the shadowy cocoon from before.

“My apologies. After Blak attacked you, I wasn’t sure you were ever going to wake up, so I thought a will would be in order. With that in mind, I want a son.”

“Now Friskington, be patient,” said Astral, recovering. “If I were to build you a son, I would first have to give you a brother, to push you off a cliff and take over your Pride’s Rock.”

“Come now, Astral, I thought we were above references,” the mechanical king purred. Looking straight at him, his tone grew serious. “But speaking of Scar…”

“Right.” Astral kicked off the blanket and stood up, stretching painfully. “What happened to Kirsten?”

“Do you care?”

“Not especially, no.”

“She was taken by Blak.” Frisky ignored his tone, speaking solemnly. “I was unable to keep him from teleporting away. By now, they could be anywhere.”

“Right, right.” Astral sat down, sighing. “Well, there’s no use chasing a teleporter, is there?”

Frisky scoffed, turning his head away. “Probably not. But the same would apply with how you chased Scarlette. What did you plan to do with her?”

Astral, caught off guard, turned bright red. Frisky eyed him contemptuously, the cold stare dousing his emotion. “Enough, Astral. Perhaps I speak as someone with false emotions, but you cannot allow these feelings to cloud your judgement any longer.”

The lion’s eyes dimmed, his chin resting on the hard earth. “You’ve grown more and more reckless ever since that day in the fortress. I care for you - or at least believe I care for you - but I cannot allow you to deteriorate in this time of crisis. Astral, I’m sorry, but-”

“No.” Astral’s gaze was to the earth.

Frisky’s brow knotted in worry. “Astral, please-”

“Let me finish, Friskington.” Astral forced energy into his muscles, standing up lithely. “No, don’t be sorry. I understand. I have a responsibility to my team as a leader, and I’ve failed them, time and time again.” His eyes flickered with the sunrise’s light. “I’ve been a coward, and a fool. I let the knowledge overwhelm me, let the truth fill me with despair.”

He tilted his head back, smiling slightly. “And all the while, forgetting I could change it.”

His mind began to churn, like sparks flying through a cold storm. “Well, I can’t just sit around in the shadows, can I? I have to make utopia with my own two hands. If I myself am insufficient, I’ll simply remake myself. I understand that now.”

Relief flooded Frisky’s features. “Of course you understand. You are the god of knowledge, after all.”

Astral turned to him, pointing confidently. “Whether I am a king, a god, or a fool, I’ll do what I can to make sure Scarlette is safe.”

The lion seemed to grin. “Right. Well, I’ll scout the area once more before we head out. The helicopters that took Scarlette could still be hunting around.” Standing up, he began to pad away before turning with a smirk. “Try not to worry too much in the meantime, Astral.”

Two silver slots opened on his back, letting the wings shift from storage, unfolding into miniature jet engines. Shaking his tail twice, Frisky sprang from the ground, soaring off into the afternoon sky.

Astral watched him go with fading interest. After a moment, the god of knowledge sank to the ground once more. His face was beet red as he buried it in his hands, muffling a groan.

“Why did I mention Scarlette?”

-----------------------

The night rushed past Astral’s skin, putting him oddly at ease. Frisky’s metal mane shone in the moonlight as he glided through the sky. The earth was a blended patchwork miles below them, criss-crossed by roads and telephone wires.

Astral touched the back of his hand to Frisky’s neck, finding it surprisingly warm. Peeking around at the lion, he gave him a worried look. “Are you alright, Friskington?”

The jet engines puttered a bit, though Frisky flew onward. “A little overheated, but otherwise alright. Although, this trail is growing rather thin. I’m afraid that particle tracking is a fairly new science.”

“Give me a day or two, I’ll figure it out.”

The lion chuckled, though it came out tired. “I’m sure you will, Astral.”

Pressing his lips in concern, the silver-haired god scanned the indigo-shaded horizon. Tapping Frisky’s neck, he pointed to a small building in the distance. “Rest up there for a while. You’ve been flying all day.”

Frisky glanced at it incredulously. “A truck stop? You really think so lowly of me?”
Astral sighed and leaned back dangerously, holding on with just his legs. “Do you want a mate, or not?” he asked.

The mechanical king of beasts fell silent. Two seconds later, they were steering towards the truck stop, falling gently on silver wings.

This, Astral mused, is a god’s power over man.

Tucking his wings in tight, Frisky swooped onto the roof, careful to go unseen. Not that there was much to hide from, only a few dirty trucks occupying the sparse parking lot.

Astral slid from his back, legs a bit shaky from disuse. “The battery should recharge by itself,” he told the lion. “In the meantime, I shall acquire rations.”

“You mean sweets?”

The golden-eyed god grinned. “Why else do people come to these places?”

Hopping down onto the porch, Astral gazed casually through the window. Luckily, nobody inside had noticed the silver-haired youth drop from the roof.

Heading inside, he found that it was a convenience store rather than a bar, and the tough, greasy truckers were actually all thin and balding. An air conditioner buzzed in the corner as Astral walked the aisles, silently judging all of the obscure, off-brand candies that had doubtless sat there for weeks.

Eventually settling on a bag of gummy sharks, he brought it to the counter, slapping a dollar bill on top of it. “Here,” he said smartly, smirking up at the clerk.

The clerk, a man so large he qualified as his own truck, pushed the tiny register buttons with his fingers. Looking up, he regarded Astral from beneath bushy brows. “You looking for booze tonight, son?” he rumbled.

Astral raised an eyebrow. “You...do know that I’m a minor, right?”

The clerk shrugged. “Ain’t about age,” he muttered, stuffing the single bill into the register. “S’about who’s gonna pay.”

Astral sighed. “Oh, fine. Give me a bottle.” As the clerk lumbered off, he turned away, shaking his head.

“Maybe I’ll gift it to Doctor Hernandez,” he said to no one in particular. “It’d certainly help him out.”

“Kid,” the clerk called, “through here.” The man was holding open the brown curtain behind him, gesturing to walk through it.

“Can’t you just bring the bottle out here?” Astral inquired.

The man jerked his head at the security camera on the ceiling. “We ain’t allowed to be seen selling to minors. So, nobody’s gonna see it.” He nodded, his not-quite closed mouth showing yellowed teeth.

“No offense to you, but that is...incredibly stupid. Look, just give me the bottle, and I’ll be on my way.”

The clerk’s eyes flared for a split-second, but then he shrugged. “Fine. Wait here.” With that, he disappeared into the back.

Placing his hands on the edge of the counter, Astral leaned onto it, sighing. “Perhaps coming here was a mistake after all.” Maybe, when the clerk came back, he should just down the bottle himself. Could he even get drunk? Whatever the case, he was about to try.

The curtain brushed aside again, the man stepping back through. “Here,” he said, holding up a bottle of sludge-brown liquor.

Astral sniffed the air; it smelled warm and poisonous, like ozone. “Right,” he said, trying to keep the disgust off of his face as he snatched the bottle. “If that’s all, I’ll be on my way.” He tossed a few more coins onto the counter, turning away.

“Oh, by the way,” he said, almost as an afterthought. “Do you people sell jawbreakers?”

Confusion flitted across the man’s face. “No, why-” He was cut off by Astral’s fist connecting with his chin, sending him spiraling through the curtain. He crashed into the back with a great splintering of wood.

“That’s too bad,” the silver god said, wiping off his knuckles on his vest. “I do.”

His ears pricked, sensing movement behind him. Reaching back, he caught the knife before it could sink into his neck. Glancing backwards, he saw the trucker struggling to move his wrist.

He sighed. “You brought me here, trying to kill me with knives? Such foolishness wastes the life you were given.”

The trucker broke a sweat, growling. Astral grinned, eyes widening. “That said, you really don’t need this hand, do you?” His fingers began to tighten, crushing the bones together in excruciating torture.

“Don’t touch her!” The heel of a palm slammed into the side of Astral’s head, bashing him aside. He slid on the white tile floor, clutching his bloodied temple. His skull reset painfully, having shattered as though sledgehammered in.

Smearing the crimson away, he stood up. Two truckers now stood in front of him, flimsy arms raised in trained combat stance.

“I’m sorry, did you just call him...oh.” Astral swept his hands into a helpless shrug. “I see. In that case, please remove her disguise, she looks hideous.” He jabbed an imperious finger at the two truckers.

The “girl” grimaced, clutching her broken wrist. The other one had produced a handkerchief, gnawing on it in fury. “Fine,” the kerchief-chewer snarled, throwing a hand out in a limp gesture. At once, misty vapor peeled from the two truckers, revealing a young asian girl and pale boy standing in the convenience store aisle.

But Astral wasn’t done. “Didn’t you hear me?” he said, gesturing as though to an idiot. “I said remove her disgusting disguise!”

The girl’s fist clenched. “Why you…” She made to move forward, but was halted by the boy.

Removing the kerchief from his mouth, the boy sighed forcefully. “A perfectly good trap, gone to waste. What even tipped you off?” He was less vocal about it, but rage still burned behind his blue irises. He wasn’t used to loss; Astral would soon fix that.

“Simple, really,” Astral replied, sweeping his arms in an egotistical gesture. “Those gummy sharks were a dollar fifty. But, your man only charged me a dollar.

“Ergo!” he announced, reveling in his genius, “he was not a true clerk, and had an ulterior motive for dealing with me!”

The boy cocked his head. “Wait, but what if he was just being nice, and you punched him through a wall?”

Astral shrugged. “A genius can manipulate luck as easily as truth.”

“Translation: he was guessing.” The surly clerk clawed back into the shop, arms marred by crimson gashes. He pounded a fist into his palm, growling. “What a guy. Perfect fit for his team of obsoletes, don’t you think?”

The god’s head snapped to the side, eyes widening. “I’m sorry?” he said, forcing the blood through his veins, “what was that?”

The girl cackled, flexing her other hand with the knife. “Hey, Tim. Careful, you might make him mad!”

“I assure you, we’re far beyond that stage.” Astral pointed at the giant clerk, expression calm. “Now, remove your disguise as well. Murder ought be personal; that’s what I say.”

Folding his muscled arms, Tim smirked brutally. “What makes you think it’s a disguise, Silver?”

Silence. “Huh,” said Astral.

“Anyway,” the boy continued, retaining his false cordiality, “I think we’ve wasted enough time here. Harley, are you alright?”

The girl jammed her wrist back into place, wincing. “Dumb question, Davis. I’ve been wanting to smash this guy’s stupid face in since I saw it in the file.”

“Too true,” remarked Davis, tucking his handkerchief away. He tightened his iron fists into a battle stance, grinning. Tim did the same, cracking his knuckles with arthritic coolness.

“Astral Venceworth,” Davis announced. “Subject Seven of the Anomalies Project, bearer of the Penultimate Mind. It’s an honor to meet you.

“Although,” he thought aloud, tapping his chin, “those titles probably mean nothing to a renegade. I guess that’s why they dumped your team, huh? No concept of subtlety whatsoever.

“But us, we’re a little different. Better behaved. Smarter. More powerful.” Davis snapped his fingers forward, smirking. “And you’re about to find out by how much.”

Suddenly, a weight slammed into Astral’s neck, and a girl in a black jumpsuit appeared, sitting on his shoulders. “Hi! I’m Ebony,” she said cutely, snapping his neck and toppling his body backwards.

The three assailants closed in and bore down on him, Davis in the middle. “As descendants of your strength it, it is an honor,” he said, drawing his fist back, “to kill you!”

His hand struck against a shield of solid bone. Immediately, blood burst through the white seams, blinding all four attackers at once. Forcing energy into his neck, Astral wrenched himself from Ebony’s grip and rolled to escape. Slamming a hand against the floor with impossible strength, he vaulted over the shelf into the next aisle.

“You good-for-nothing prick!” Harley swore furiously, dashing the crimson stain from her eyes. “I’ll kill you! You hear me! Kill you!”

“Whoa, take it easy,” said Tim, wiping the blood away as he sat up. “None of us can yell our enemies to death.”

“Though that would be pretty cool, wouldn’t it?” chimed Ebony.

“Shut it, all of you.” Davis pointed to the store shelves. “Timothy. If you would.”

“Sure.” The sound of a rumbling bass shook Astral’s eardrums. Tim smashed his fists into the ground, letting a shockwave pulse violently from the impact. Astral yelled as he was thrown into the air, along with several bargain boxes of crusty hats.

Davis snapped his fingers, and immediately Ebony was in the air. She hugged Astral’s waist with a grin, spinning him midair and piledriving him into a crate of stale soda. The god yelled as his back exploded in pain, and blood mingled with soda to stain his clothes dark pink.

Lying on his chest, the girl gazed up at him seductively. “So, on the off-chance that you don’t die here, you want my number?”

“What-” Scarlet rose in Astral’s cheeks. However he barely had time to register the offer, because Harley was flying down from above, screaming with her knife raised.

Cursing, Astral shoved Ebony from his chest, ripping the blood forward from his back. Crimson needles impaled Harley’s limbs in midair, and she dropped to the ground, retching up blood.

Tim rounded the corner and charged down the aisle, revving up his hands for another explosion. Astral dashed to meet him, plasmic blood rippling in the palm of his hand.

The giant raised his fists, roaring as he beat them against the ground. Grimacing in anticipation, Astral leaped into the air, flinging the blood from his palm. It punctured through the advancing bubble of air, hardening into a spear that slashed Tim’s arm. He merely flinched; that was enough.

In the blink of an eye, Astral vanished forward, his arm bursting open. Kneeling, he slid to a stop behind the giant. Two seconds later, hot red blood exploded from Tim’s torso. He fell over, howling while clutching his mutilated waist.

The god breathed out a shallow sigh, flicking blood from the tip of his sword. Protruding from his arm were calcified blades of bone, locked together to form a serrated gladius. He leveled it with a glare, snarling. “Astral Drive,” he said, letting the bloody blade glisten in the harsh light, “Bone Saber!”

Davis wasted no time, lunging towards him from behind. The silver god spun around, lashing out with his sword, lopping off a huge piece of flesh up Davis’ arm. Imbrued muscle shredded and fell, revealing the sickening white of bone. Blood spurted and poured from the grievous wound, overlaid by Davis’ agonized scream.

Eyes glinting coldly, Astral waved the blade once more, shearing through his neck in one clean arc. Davis’ head wailed horrendously, all the way down until it hit the floor, staring into oblivion.

“Davis!” Tim roared, staggering to his feet. He’d removed his shirt, using it to messily bandage his crimson stomach. He winced as trails of blood started to leak through the bindings.

“You...you killed him…” Ebony’s eyes were wide, and she clamped a hand over her mouth, doubling over, distraught.

Harley hadn’t moved from the floor where she’d fallen.

The muscle beneath Astral’s eye twitched, and he stumbled backwards, the blade retracting into his arm. His breathing was ragged, loud. His fingers felt detached and mechanical, as though he was a prisoner in his own body.

Crying out, he clutched at his collar, twisting the white cloth. “Th-this...did I….” His eyes shifted desperately, but he could only focus on the fresh corpse in front of him, the pool of blood gliding across the white floor…

“Too slow.” The voice came from behind him, accompanied by a sickening crunch. Astral looked down in time to see an iron hand burst through his chest, clutching a beating, pulsing, lump of flesh.

Davis smiled as he drew his hand back, cracking the last strands of Astral’s sternum. He squeezed the overripe heart like a vise, bleeding the tissue between his fingers. “Victory,” he stated blandly. “Though, I assume you’re not familiar with the term. It means we’ve beaten you, Astral.”

The feeling in his legs cut out, and Astral toppled forward, cracking his forehead against the tile floor. Heaving, he pushed himself onto his side, feeling the loose flesh slop around in the empty cavity. Groaning, he cast a weak stare at the corpse in front of him, which was now dissolving into thick red liquid.

“Surprised?” Davis stood over him, tidying up with his handkerchief. “Nobody sees an illusion coming. And yet, everyone expects invisibility...”

He chuckled, crouching low to whisper brutally. “But enough about your friend Carlos. The fire-breather will breathe his last, soon enough. They all will.”

Yanking Astral up by the hair, he spat in his face. “So allow me to pass on a message from my master: The shadows meet their death at the hands of the Light.” The words coiled into Astral’s ears, like pale smoke descending over him.

Davis grinned before continuing, “Well, with that said, any last requests? We’re in this grand emporium, after all.” He waved a hand around, gesturing to the convenience store. “There’s no need to be impolite about assassination.”

Astral barely registered the words, darkness falling fast over his flitting eyes. Mustering the last of his razed strength, he pulled in enough breath for a dying whisper. “Beef,” he mumbled, barely a croak, “jerky.”

“Beef jerky?” The boy cocked his head, chortling. “Sure. Jerky. The great Astral Venceworth wants beef jerky for his death. I see nothing wrong here!”

Sauntering over to the pile of jerky bags, he ripped the plastic open, dumping the dry strips of meat over Astral’s face. “Here!” he mocked. “Have all the jerky you want!”

Catching the oversalted pieces in his mouth, Astral chewed faintly, then swallowed. “Thank you...for the meal, you insufferable replicant!”

Bucking his legs out, he planted a foot into Davis’ chest, blasting him into the wall. Pushing hard against the ground, Astral rose steadily, breathing in terse, ragged gasps.

Davis spasmed, his arms and back truly ravaged now. “H-how are you…”

“Shut your mouth,” the god spat bloodily. “You’ve monologued for long enough, and the audience is sick of your drivel.” Placing a hand over the hole in his chest, he hardened his expression.

He had to give credit to Ebony for not screaming as she pounced towards him, but he still heard her. Tightening his fist, he overturned his bones, fusing them into a rock-hard casing. Spinning around, he slammed the gauntlet into Ebony’s shoulder, sending the girl spiralling into the sky. She crashed against the ceiling and fell down, unconscious.

Tim was shaking Harley’s body, but the dark-haired girl still couldn’t move an inch. Giving up, he whipped his head around to glare at Astral. His expression was more frustration than pain.

Astral, meanwhile, licked a trickle of blood from around his mouth, reclaiming it back into his body. He removed the hand from his chest, revealing strips of flesh writhing around, raggedly twitching as blood passed between them. In the middle of it all, a pink sphere of flesh hung suspended by the veins.

He doubled over as the healing sped up, organs swelling, bones reforming, muscles reshaping across them. Astral grinned as the skin sealed over the wound, until a light patch of skin was the only sign that his heart had been ripped out two minutes prior.

“Thank you for that...experiment, Davis,” he said, turning to the boy who was still embedded in the wall. “I was looking for an opportunity to do some remodeling; the human heart is such a limited invention of nature. The only thing missing, of course, was a bit of protein to supply it all. I guess you could say I had a bit of a beef.”

He chuckled softly. “No? Fair enough. But in any case, this vessel is now seventy-five percent more efficient than yours. My mind is still perfectly intact. So, what did you come here to do again?”

“You seriously need,” Tim growled, charging down the aisle heedless of his wound, “to shut up!”

Astral relinquished his glove back to bones, turning to face the onslaught. “Go on, then. I could use a-”

He never got to finish his sentence, as Tim raised one hand, vibrating with seismic energy. Roaring bestially, he pummeled the ground, cracking the entire floor. The shockwave blazed outward, levelling the area, launching Astral into the sky.

Wood cracked, metal twisted, and the convenience store collapsed around Tim, walls crumbling to dust as the roof gave way to starry night. The giant was left standing alone in the dark wreckage, his teammates buried beneath the rubble.

Astral soared, completely out of control, through the night sky. “Friskington!” he screamed, the night air snatching his words away. “Friskington!”

Jackboots rammed into his stomach as Tim caught up to him, driving his body down like a meteor. The silver-haired god undulated violently, like a ragdoll against the wind. Then, the ground came, a single, devastating impact that shattered all of his ribs, crushing a lung.

As Astral lay coughing in the dust, Tim crossed his arms, his shadow menacing in the moonlight. “You know what, Silver?” he said, lifting Astral up with one apelike hand. “I’ve decided we do sell jawbreakers, after all.”

His chest healing a bit, Astral sputtered a detached response. “This much power...how…”

Tim was silent for a moment before slamming Astral’s head back into the ground. Turning away, he sighed angrily. “Half of these fights are people powering up, and the other half is people reacting. Nobody sees any problems with that?”

Stooping low, he scowled menacingly at the prone Astral. “You know what, I’ll tell you. My big secret is that I absorb power and make things go boom. Now please, shut up.”

“Y-you,” Astral stammered, piecing the events together, “you took Harley’s energy…”

“Obviously.” Tim shook his head and plunked down on Astral’s chest, trapping him beneath his weight. “It worked, didn’t it?”

A spire of bone erupted from Astral’s hand, shooting up to glint under the giant’s chin. “Get off,” he snarled, “or it goes through your head.”

Face blanching, Tim jumped backwards, skidding in the dust. The needle retracted into Astral’s wrist, and he rose to his feet. His stance was limp, his eyes livid. “How dare you,” he spat. Those were his only words. His anger giving way to action, he lunged.

Tim raised his arms, walloping the ground once more. But Astral had stomped against the dirt, jumping with godly might. Flying downwards, he kicked viciously at Tim’s head, and the giant caught the blow on his forearm.

And all the rest was raw, silent wrath.

Astral was relentless, striking acutely at the joints and pressure points of his opponent’s anatomy. The flurry of punches overwhelmed Tim, who couldn’t find a single opening to attack. Adrenaline surged through the god’s body, overloading his veins with white bloodlust. There was no thought in Astral’s mind, but to kill the person who stood before him. His punches sliced the wind, crumpling his target with unmatched power.

Without a sound, Astral smashed an immense fist into his opponent, breaking the giant’s defense.

As Tim stumbled off-balance, the snow-white blade burst from Astral’s arm again. Not bothering to call out the attack name this time, he grabbed Tim’s shoulder, stabbing upwards to plunge the blade into his-

“Halt.”

Astral’s sword froze, a hairsbreadth away from the soft flesh of Tim’s neck. His entire body had been locked in place, driven to the ground with a rusty stake. A wave of panic detonated in his mind, the only fraction of him that he still had control of.

Perhaps he should have paid more attention to Frisky’s absence. He’d never been too mindful of those sorts of things.

Tim’s eyes widened, and he pried Astral’s hand off, backing away. “Y-you!” he exclaimed, staring past the god, voice filled with fear.

Who? Astral wanted to scream. Who is doing this? Weren't you the one who didn't like suspense? Answer me!

A familiar step, the disciplined footfall of military habit, reached his ears. It was joined by a voice, low, sinister, but recognizable. “You followed me out here, didn’t you?”

Tim bit his tongue, staring at his jackboots. “It was Raydon’s idea.” There was no protest behind the statement, just flat obedience.

“And he didn’t come with you, did he?” Tim nodded, and the voice scoffed. “Typical. At least you fight your own battles, right, Astral? Just, against your own teammates.”

Tybalt? Astral tried frantically to place the tone. It felt as though spears of ice had pierced his mind, as well. Perhaps one of the soldiers on the beach. Or, a scientist? Is it Chuck? Please be Chuck.

It wasn’t Chuck. “I don’t even have to list half of your other crimes. And deep down, you know you deserve this.” The voice grew more intense, strangely sounding more youthful and hate-filled with each syllable. “If Scarlette won’t hate you for it, I certainly will.”

Matthew! Astral struggled against his immobilization, trying to move, to turn, to be able to do something. Nothing happened.

Matthew’s voice grew cold again, mechanical. “But allow me to clarify: My mission is to subdue you, and bring you back to my superiors for dissection.” Fury flashed in his tone, nearly tangible in the air. “But I guess they’ll just have to salvage what’s left.”

Matthew! Astral screamed inside his mind, his perfect, ultimate mind, but there it stayed, unheard. Matthew!

“Hey Astral,” Matthew said, cocking back the hammer of a gun, leveling it with his head. “Catch.”

White-hot pain slammed into the back of Astral’s skull, and the world shocked to black.
The hardest part of writing science fiction is knowing actual science. The same applies for me and realistic fiction.





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Sat May 07, 2016 4:49 pm
Europa says...



Leon Rhett

I could see the smoke above the treeline. My breath came fast and heavy. My hands started to shake.

"Kirsten..." My own voice seemed to come from somewhere else. I set Scarlette down and I felt myself begin to move, stumbling through the trees as the forest seemed to get darker.

"Kirsten!"

Echo was running after me, shouting something. I sped up to a staggering run, my chest and throat felt like they'd been stuffed with cotton. I burst from the trees, skidding to a stop in front of the ruins. The blackened earth and smoking hunks of metal that used to be the base.

"Kirsten!"

I barely felt the energy lashing through me as I charged into the rubble, vaulting over a fallen chunk of charred plaster to where the infirmary used to be. There was absolutely nothing there. Not even a pile of dust. I staggered back, spinning around and leaping back into the carnage behind me. I dropped to my knees, cursing as I tore away debris.

"Leon!" Echo's voice came from somewhere at the edge of the crater. I didn't stop digging. I heard her feet crunching through the rubble.

"Leon stop it."

I continued to claw away the wreckage. Echo caught my arm as it came up, squeezing it in a vicelike grip.

"Leon, she's not here."

My head snapped around, my eyes wide as I stared up at her.

She's right. Kir...

I clenched my teeth and tore my hands out of her grasp.

"No! She's still alive. She's here and I'll find her!"

Echo hauled me up by my shoulders and spun me around to face her. I was surprised she didn't slap me, too.

"That's not what I meant. Just take a look!" Echo, still holding on to one of my shoulders, pulled me away from the rubble and back into the trees. I wasn't sure at this point how much was her holding me up and dragging me, and how much was me actually walking.

I might have lost my sister...

Echo jerked me to a stop and pointed to a nearby tree. It was covered in blackened gouges. I could barely see the final traces of a fine golden vapor misting up from the splintered wood. I shook my shoulder from her grip and strode over to the tree, running my fingers along the charred wood.

"Still warm. She's out there somewhere, for sure." I rubbed the black residue off my fingers and peered farther into the forest. "Looks like Kir's left quite a trail, too."
I blinked. Now that my mind had stopped reeling, It brought another thing to my view. Scarlette wasn't with Echo. I turned around.

"Did you just leave Scarlette out there alone?"

Echo muttered a curse under her breath. I sighed a little.

"Thank you, for showing me this. But Scarlette needs protection more than me right now. I can find my sister on my own."

"So...you're trusting me?"

I turned back around and leaned against the mutilated tree.

"No, I'm not. But I don't exactly have any options, do I? Just...keep her alive. Please."

There was a heavy silence before Echo answered.

"Yeah. I promise."

I glanced back at her before plunging into the trees, following the trail of destruction my sister had left. Anxiety swirled in my mind and clawed at my chest, making my heart thrash against the confines of my ribs. There was no way Kir could make this much damage on purpose.

But there's still a hope. She's not dead. She's not...

I repeated the phrase in my head as I crashed through the woods, as if saying it so many times could somehow erase the other possibility. The trees began to thin and I pushed myself faster, the sound my feet pounding the ground mixing with the rapid beating of my own heart. I pushed aside the brush and skidded into a clearing. Judging by all the torn up trees and churned earth, there didn't used to be a clearing here.

Did Kirsten really do all this? I climbed over a fallen tree, and began sifting though the remains of the forest and hoping she wasn't crushed under a tree somewhere. The air seemed to get hotter as I searched deeper into the carnage. I called her name as I searched, the air beginning to burn my lungs. The only thing that met my ears was silence. The sick feeling of despair settled back down on me.

"Leon?"

I laughed, giddy with relief. The voice was faint and weak, but it was there. I swiped the sweat from my forehead and dashed toward the sound on shaking legs. The rest of the search was more of a game of Marco Polo than anything else. Me calling out and Kirsten answering until I saw her sitting propped against a tree trunk. Her eyes were closed and she looked paler than usual, but I could also see the quick rise and fall of her chest.

"Kir!"

Kirsten opened her eyes and watched me quickly maneuver myself through the ruin towards her. I skidded to a stop beside her and dropped to one knee. She smiled weakly.

"Sorry. I think I may have moved." I took a shaky breath.

"It's alright, Kir. Can you stand?"

"Yeah." There was a flash of defiance in her eyes as she said it. I stood and held out a hand to her. Kirsten braced one arm against the trunk, pushing herself to her feet. She stood there, swaying for a few seconds before taking a staggering step forward. She staggered, a coughing gasp escaping her as she dropped back to her knees. I knealt beside her, stretching out a hand to lay on her back, and froze when I saw the darkness. A pulsating disk of black slowly spreading out from her neck and down her shoulders. My heart wrenched up to my throat. Kirsten squeezed her eyes shut, shuddering as the black disappeared into her skin. She began to stand again and I gently grabbed her shoulders, pulling her down so her head was resting on my lap. Her pupils had diluted to where you could only see a thin ring of gold.

"I'm fine." Kirsten insisted weakly.

"Do you really think I'll buy that?" I forced a small smile and swept her hair away from her forehead. Her skin burned at the touch. "You're completely burned out. Just rest."

"I don't--"

"Kirsten." I let the worry emerge in my voice. "Please."

Kir took a deep breath and shut her eyes again. I waited in silence for a reply. It took me a while to realize she'd fallen asleep. I hoisted her up into my arms and stood back up, tucking her head close to my chest.

"Thanks."





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Sun May 22, 2016 9:30 pm
Chaser says...



Astral Venceworth


Astral awoke to the sensation of Chinese water torture.

His eyes flew open in panic, staring at the bleary scene above him. He was trembling, restrained spread-eagle in hard metal chains. As if the dripping water had been smeared into his eyes, all the lines had been erased from the world, leaving vague blurs of everything that should have been.

As he watched, the water plinked down from the faucet, denting his forehead, driving through his skull.

“Roooaaaaahhhh!!!” Astral screamed, the sound echoing in the small stone chamber. The god struggled, jerking violently against his chains. Plop. The drop of water slammed into his brain like a bullet.

“Aaaaaaagh!!!” Raw, primal fear churned through Astral’s mind, surging out from the hole in his forehead. His knuckles pounded against the steel table, fingers clawing futilely at the chains. The water invaded his body, soaking every part of him in tarnishing madness.

“My head! My head! My head….” Eventually, the screams trailed off. Astral sobbed, overshadowed by dread, awaiting the excruciating splash of water.

Instead, he heard slow, relaxed clapping. The table angled on hydraulic legs, facing towards the door. The lights became intense white, searing Astral’s damaged eyes. When he opened them again, a short, humanoid blur stood at the other end of the room.

“I was wondering when you’d wake up,” the blur said, walking across the chamber. “And here I thought you’d died and left me all alone.”

Astral winced, panting. The blur noticed this. “Don’t worry, Astral. Eight hours seems to be your limit, so…” It raised its hand, and metal twisted above Astral’s head. All at once, the remaining water slammed onto Astral’s head, drenching the silver-haired god. It drove him into a frenzy, and his wrists scraped against the chains once more.

“Calm down, please. Those screams won’t win you any awards.” The blur paused, standing directly in front of Astral, who stopped yelling. “Well, now that that’s out of the way, I bid you welcome to our home.”

Astral squinted, blinking his eyes repeatedly, trying to make out the speaker. “Who - who are you?” His throat burned from the screaming, but the thought of drinking water horrified him.

“Me? Astral, you forgot already?” The blur cocked its head, then sighed. “I guess your eyes really were damaged, then.” Producing something from its pocket, the blur leaned close, reaching up to Astral’s face.

Two lenses of clarity flooded Astral’s eyes, restoring the world’s detail. The glasses were placed delicately on his nose, and Astral looked down to find a boy’s face inches from his.

“Perfect!” the boy exclaimed, pushing off of Astral, standing back. He was a short, brown-haired lad with an oddly cheery expression. “Now, I’ll introduce myself. My name is-”

“Raydon!”

The boy blinked, then shrugged. “Well, there you go. Nice to see you too, by the way.”

“How are you here?” Astral shouted, straining himself.

Raydon rubbed his chin, smirking. “You really haven’t figured it out by now, have you? My, how deep did that bullet go?” He chuckled, shrugging helplessly. “I guess I could tell you, if you promise to be a good boy and listen.”

Astral opened his mouth to retort, but he quickly shut it, glaring.

The boy grinned. “Excellent. Now, this is a story that began long ago, stretching back at least a thousand years…”

He glanced sharply at Astral. “But since that would be boring, I’ll just tell you of our own involvement. So. Obviously, you and your Heroes are part of what the government currently calls ‘The Anomalies Project.’ Imaginative, I know.

“Their goal is to create superhumans, for world peace, as they say. However, once they’d infused the first batch of children with powers, they realized that the result was...less than satisfactory. In fact, the only one that seemed to be remotely stable was you.” Raydon gave the god a meaningful look.

Astral stared him down as he continued. “You know why that was, right? Because you were just so intelligent, a godly mind was just a hop and skip away. And as all good scientists do, the government expounded upon this hypothesis. They found new subjects, ones that were already powerful. Superior muscle, superior strength, superior acting, and a superior mind.”

Raydon smirked, pointing to his head. “They created us, Astral. We are the Light, the heirs to your power. Welcome to oblivion, king of the world.”

He twirled about the room, smiling innocently. “Of course, I really don’t bear any ill will towards you, Astral. How could I hate my old friend? No, I just have to kill you, you understand?”

He stopped, staring solemnly at the chained god. “I know this might be hard for you to take. The mighty Astral Venceworth, brought to his knees by penniless Raydon Odepus. But I promise you, your death will not be in vain. Science will remember you, as a few lines of data in the grand scheme of progress. And really, for what more could you ask?”

Astral’s gaze was to the floor, his body still and silent. He could feel Raydon scanning him, waiting for an answer.

“Well?” the god grunted, glaring up at the boy. “Are you going to kill me, or not?”

Raydon held his hands up, eyebrows raised. “No, no. You go first, I insist.” Saying this, he walked closer in challenge.

And now he was within range. “Bone Spire!” Astral roared, willing the spear to come shooting out of his wrist to impale-

The boy walked up and slapped him lightly across the face. “Raydon Slap!” Untouched, he jumped back, chuckling.

Astral stared at his wrist, wide-eyed in disbelief. “What…”

“And the hypothesis proves correct!” Raydon said, fingers splayed triumphantly. “It’s amazing how many problems can be fixed with a little brain damage.”

Hardening his mind, Astral focused again. He could feel his mind racing, electricity pouring through the cells. But his pulse remained the same, his bones stayed as they were. Clenching his fists, he willed his body, pleaded his body to break free.

But nothing happened.

Raydon glanced over, giving Astral an odd look. “Are you still trying that? I just told you that won’t work.”

Astral seethed, hanging limp in his chains. “What do you want from me?” he muttered.

“Well, that’s simple.” Raydon beamed, dropping his hands. Flexing his fingers, he raised them, trembling. As Astral watched, the earth trembled with him, layers of stone ripping up from the floor. The roof of the chamber swirled and caved, and the lights distorted, shorting out as they liquefied into the metal. The matter melded together and flowed inwards, tapering into sharp points.

Astral’s breath caught as the entire room twisted and became a swarm of needles curving towards his neck.

Raydon walked forward, through the center of the serrated storm, until they were face to face. He leaned close to Astral, placing a hand over his heart.

“I just want you to notice me, Astral,” he said, eyes shining in the darkened room. “I want a fair contest. But for now, science has to move on. At least there’d be no point in killing you here, right? You deserve a chance. All of you.”

“All of-” Astral cut off, realizing what he meant. His calm expression darkened, turning murderous. “Raydon.” It was a simple, short word, packed with enough malice to make the heavens shatter.

“You see, that’s more like it.” Raydon laughed, joining his hands behind his back. He turned and walked towards the open door, swaying slightly. “Science moves on, and the strong survive. The obsoletes will fall to ash…” The rest of his monologue dissolved into quiet laughter as he exited the shadowy chamber. With that, the door shunted closed, leaving Astral alone in the jagged darkness.
The hardest part of writing science fiction is knowing actual science. The same applies for me and realistic fiction.





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Tue May 24, 2016 2:37 am
HazelGrace16 says...



Echo


My eyes go wide as I see Leon approach. I almost felt starstruck to see Kirsten Rhett in real life. After all this time of studying and watching her, it was weird to see her in person. Even cradled in her brothers arms you could still sense the power coursing through her body. Leon gently places Kirsten down on the grass. He doesn’t dare move her a hair in the wrong place. It's like watching someone handle a porcelain doll. I break the silence walking towards him.

“We have to hurry.” Leon looks up at me as though he would snap if I said another word.

“No. She cant. Using that much power could kill her in this state.” He tries to say calmly.

“So you’re just gonna let Scarlette die then?” I ask frustrated. He stood up grabbing my arm, and pulling me away from his sleeping sister. I gasp, caught unaware of the unexpected strength in his grip. He gets in my face.

“No. We will find another way. We can wait until Kirsten is stronger, and then we can save them both. But for now. We let her rest.” I clench my jaw as my attention catches on Scarlette who is barely breathing. My face softens.

Compassion is the only way to go here, or I’ll never get him to allow this.

“Leon...She doesn’t have time. It’s now or never…” Leon’s eyes brimmed with tears. He was conflicted, and anyone could see that.

“What if it doesn’t work? What if I lose them both?” His body is tense, and he clenches and unclenches his hands.

“I know you’re scared, but I can promise you that it will be okay. You’ve all made it this far…” Leon nods in understanding.

“But-” Suddenly Kirsten sits up groggily with a groan. Her breathing is slow, and her skin is paler than usual.

“God, you guys are like an old couple deciding their kids future for them. Don’t I get a say in saving my best friends life? It's my decision, and I can do it.” Leon kneels down next to her, but she looks him dead in the eye without a hint of doubt. “I can do it.” He stares at her a moment, but nods knowing he has lost the argument. He slowly helps her move over to Scarlette’s corpse-like body. She stops a moment, shocked to see her friend in this condition. She quickly brushes these feelings aside holding out her hands over Scarlette.

Suddenly, a soft golden light illuminates from Kristen's hands wrapping itself around Scarlette. I watch amazed as her body begins to rebuild itself. Her limbs plump themselves no longer clinging tightly to her bones, her skin transforms from the grey dead color to a soft blush color, her hair becomes light and wavy instead of dead and stringy as it once was, and the ghastly wound on her arm began to close. Kirsten was doing it. She was healing her.

But as time passed I also began to notice the toll it was taking on Kirsten. Her hands were trembling violently, and blood trickled from her nose. Leon yelled for her to stop, but she was unresponsive. Leon reached out to grab her, but he was thrown back as if an electric shield was surrounding Kirsten. He stared at his burnt hand stunned. Suddenly a sickening thought came to my mind.

Kirsten was going to die if we didn’t stop her soon.

Without thinking, I threw myself at Kirsten tackling her her away from Scarlette’s grasp. My eyes widened with the smell of burnt hair, and flesh. I held in my screams getting off of Kirsten. Dazed she slowly sat up with wide eyes.

“What- what happened!” Leon rushed to her wrapping her in his arms. He stroked her hair, and looked at me over Kirsten’s shoulder. Some of my hair was burnt and my arm was tender, but I was alright. Leon stared at me a moment before mouthing thank you, and I slightly smiled. “Did I get run over with a truck or something? Who’s that? Where’s Scarlette? Carlos? Is everyone okay?” Leon shushed Kirsten, and slightly laughed cradling his sister.

“No you’re okay.” He smiled. “Oh, that’s Echo...she’s on our side. Scarlette is gonna be okay. Carlos cannot wait to see you. Everyone is okay.” Both of us knew their group as a whole wasn’t okay, but Kirsten would remain gullible for a few more hours. She smiled slightly snuggling her head into her brother's arm.

“Good. I’m gonna sleep now. Okay?” She said as if transforming back into a child. Leon nodded, and Kirsten quickly drifted off to sleep.After a few moments of silence passed between us Leon grabbed my hand suddenly catching me off guard. My eyes went wide until I told myself to relax. I looked from his hand to his eyes. He was looking right at me. It was a strange feeling.

“Where am I?” We both look abruptly over at Scarlette who was awake and standing. I watched as her eyes flashed a solid grey to her regular blue eyes. Nobody knew it yet but…

Raydon was officially in her head.
"Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine" - The Imitation Game





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Wed Jun 01, 2016 6:14 pm
Europa says...



Leon Rhett

"Where am I?" Scalette's nervous voice rang strongly through the air. Echo and I looked over to find her awake and standing. That was quick. I Let go of Echo's hand and gave Scarlette a quick smile.

"Hey, Scarlette. Glad to see your feeling better." Scarlette took another confused look around the woods.

"How did we get out here? And who's that?"

Right. She's been unconscious until now.

Echo stood up. "My name is Echo. I helped you and Leon escape." Scarlette's eyes flicked from Echo to me. Like always, her eyes betrayed her thoughts: Can we trust her?

I shot Echo a sideways glance. I still wasn't too sure about that myself. My eyes wandered over to Kirsten, still asleep, detached from the group huddled in the middle of the thick of trees. Scarlette followed my gaze and she tensed a little, her eyes this time shining with worry. "Is Kirsten alright?" I nodded.

"Kir's okay, just a little tired."

Scarlette's eyes went wide and she pulled her sleeve up. Where the infection had been was nothing but a small scar. Scarlette sighed. "She pushed herself too hard, didn't she?"

"You know how she can be." I replied. Scarlette shook her head, drawing her eyebrows together. I stretched out in the grass on my back.

"I know what your thinking. But wait until she wakes up to--" I stopped short when I saw the thin white cloudlike trail drifting across the sky. It was almost like the one that came from a... I jumped up.

"Plane!" Scarlette was already backing towards the bushes. Kirsten jumped awake.

"Is it after us?" She demanded, jumping to her feet.

"Don't know."

"I'll check it out." Kirsten jumped, the one bound reaching to where she was barley a speck above the treetops. I didn't waste time. I shot a glance at Echo, then made a dive for the underbrush, flattening myself on the forest floor with Scarlette beside me. Echo was laying beside us flat on her stomach.

"Okay." She whispered. Even though she was speaking quietly, it sounded to my nervous ears as if she was shouting at the top of her lungs. "Can anyone tell me why we're hiding in the bushe--mmmnph!" I clapped a hand over her mouth. She furiously pushed it away, her face flushing. She opened her mouth, closed it again, and gave me a dirty look. I put a finger to my lips and point up at the sky. We all lay there, waiting for either Kirsten to give the all clear or for some sort of attack. I could almost feel the silence pressing down on my back. Dangit. Just when things were starting to look like they would work out...if that thing has thermal sensors, we're all dead. Then the sound of jet engines reached our ears. Growing steadily louder as the plane came closer. We pushed ourselves to our knees and inched farther back into the thicket. Looks like the plane was here for us after all. And if it's coming this close it must have spotted us and they may already have Kirsten. If we're going to rescue her now, we'll have to fight whoever's in that plane.

I heard a soft thud as someone jumped down onto the grass outside our hiding place. I glanced at Echo and Scarlette on either side of me, motioned sharply to the woods in front of us with two fingers. Scarlette nodded. We both jumped at the sound of a voice.

"Hey! You guys alright in there?" Kirsten Pushed her way into the thicket and squatted down to where we here hiding. She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "It was just the lion. Nothing we need to worry about." I nodded and army crawled my way out of the brush. A silver muzzle poked through the bracken.

"Scarlette?"

I helped Scarlette out of the bushes and she stood, brushing herself off. "I'm here."

The four of us pushed back into our campsite, where Frisky was laying stretched across the entire length of our patch of woods. Echo shook her head, muttering something I didn't catch.

"And I take it his godliness isn't with you?" Kirsten raised an eyebrow. Frisky gave something resembling a sigh.

"No. I lost track of him while we were out looking for you. I was trying to find him when you came and jumped on me."

Echo furrowed her brow. "That's not good." Kirsten scoffed.

"Oh isn't it? Good riddance is what I say."

Echo blinked, a small glint of an unidentifiable emotion shining in her eyes. "That so? Isn't he your leader?" Kirsten whirled around, clearly seething inside.

"Hardly." She snarled. "He may have been created to boss us around, but he also nearly killed Carlos, dropped a tree on Tybalt, and kindnapped Scarlette. He doesn't give a crap about any of us, so what makes you think I have to give a crap about him?!" Scarlette bit her lip.

"Kirsten--"

"And he's the one who gave you that infection, isn't that right, Scar?"

Silence.

"I thought so." Kirsten scowled. She glanced over at Frisky, then jumped lightly onto his back. "You up for a bit more flying?" Frisky stood up, shaking out his mane.

"Of course."

"Where should we go?" Scarlette asked, mounting the giant machine. Kirsten shrugged.

"Does it matter. If we don't get moving, someone really will come after us." Echo nodded, jumping up after Scarlette.

"She's right. It wouldn't be smart to stay in one place for long." Kirsten rolled her eyes and muttered "no duh" under her breath. She reached down to me and I took her hand. She pulled me up onto Frisky's back. Two mechanical wings shot out of the slots in his back and the lion leaped into the air, wheeling through the sky above the trees and away from the woods.
...

"We need to land." I said firmly. The stars whipped by us as we flew, the cool air blowing my hair away from my eyes. For once I could see everything without my vison being obscured. Is this how everyone else sees? Echo looked back at me.

"A few more hours." I scowled at her.

"Not a chance. Kirsten and Scarlette are both far from a hundred percent.--" Kirsten gave me a steely look over her shoulder.

"I told you, I'm fine." I shook my head.

"No you're not. You nearly fell off a couple minutes ago." Kirsten muttered darkly under her breath and I continued my argument.

"given both their conditions, we really should have stopped to rest hours ago. We're landing. Now." Echo's mouth twitched as if she was trying to pick out something to say, then she turned back around without a word. I patted Frisky's side.

"Take us down."





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Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:52 pm
JustJasper says...



Three weeks. Twenty one days. Five hundred four minutes. I calculated the time in my head as the clock across the room ticked carefully and consistently. I almost smiled at the thought of how constant the time was. However the nurse pulled me from my thoughts by ordering me to lay back down on the bed. I pressed my dark hair back down on the pillow and swung my legs back onto the white sheets. Wincing at the pain that caused my stomach I gritted my teeth and waited for it to pass. The nurse walked over to me and took my blood pressure again then checked the bandages on my abdomen. Quietly I counted all the tiles on the ceiling waiting for more orders. "Just take it easy Timothy. You will be clear to leave the infirmary in a week then you can be a bit more active until your next mission." The nurse instructed patiently.
Once the nurse had finished my brain automatically shut off. I was like a radio that could only pick up static. Unable to think of anything I simply stared up at the ceiling in a trance. Despite my daze at the back of my mind I collected all of the information I had gained about my mission.
I had been instructed to eliminate the heroes of the shadows. I didn't have much else to go on other than their powers. Astral would be able to give us much more information about their location and what tactics would be best to take them out. I felt myself slipping into the quiet rhythm of the the clock ticking and the crackle of my useless brain. I closed my eyes and succumbed to the orders I had been given. I drifted in an out of consciousness, and remained like this for several days, it didn't matter if I was awake or asleep I was shut off and could do nothing. This should have bothered me but I couldn't quite bring myself to care. I was used to this and to an extent not doing anything was relaxing, however after nearly a week I was released from the infirmary and I received more orders. I did some level of training everyday and that usually meant expelling all of my energy onto a punching bag. Everyday was the same. Get up, train, check for any additional information on the heroes, sleep, repeat. With a few meals thrown in of course. I checked my team a couple times to see when they could be ready to go on a mission again. For the most part they had been able to heal quickly and seemed anxious to get back into the field. I sat on my bed letting the static of my thoughts take over until I was needed.
I was soon approached by Raydon and he reactivated me. When my vision returned I looked up to see an extremely frustrated and irritated Raydon. He glared down at me as I matched his gaze slowly rising from off the bed until I was the one looking down. Rolling his eyes he ordered me to function like a normal human being for once in my life.
What does that even mean???? I panicked. I mean do I get angry or sad or happy??? Emotions are so complicated!
"although I am not sure that is possible for any of us." he added grinning at his own oversight.
"What do you want Raydon?" I asked quickly trying to keep invented frustration out of my voice.
"No need to get snappy Timmy I asked you to act human not like Astral." He began to laugh at his own joke again.
I smiled but internally I began to debate what new emotion I should display sense frustration seemed to be the wrong one.
Happy lets go with happy.
"Anyway, you seemed to have healed well" Raydon observed raking his eyes up and down my body. When I didn't respond he continued "you are going to go on a solo mission. Echo hasn't left us any signs as to where the heroes may be and I have lost my patience. You will find them and plant this tracker on them." He opened his hand and revealed a clear ball half the size of a bullet. "This is a waterproof and flame resistant. I recommend you place this on Frisky the giant robotic lion. He will not be able to sense it or pick it up with his scanners so chances are it will stay on for a while." He handed the tracker to me and waltzed out of the room, when he got to the door he turned back "leave immediately" Raydon instructed. Once I nodded he spun on his heel and danced away.
He always had a flair for the dramatics.
My brain compelled me to prepare for my mission and I grabbed a prepacked backpack full of supplies from under the bed.
Well that was fast.
I marched down the hall unaware of what time it was but not really caring either. I hesitated at the door to Ebony's room. I had a soft spot for that girl. She was asleep on her bed, curled up into a ball like a snoozing kitten. Although life before orders was a mystery to me and I was now unable to feel emotions the way the heroes did. I couldn't help but smile at her. I dropped my bag in the doorway and walked over to her. Quietly I pulled a blanket up onto her shoulders and brushed some hair behind her ear. I don't know why I did any of this, my brain was screaming at me to leave. The only thing I could think of when I tried to find an explanation for my actions was that Ebony reminded me of something I had a long time ago. I just didn't know what.
The screaming orders in my head forced me to leave. I crept back to the door grabbed my pack and unconsciously made my way out of our base. When I was able to think again I was standing outside about three miles from the complex. The night was cool and a peaceful breeze ruffled my hair. I didn't have time to think much about my surroundings, right now I had to decide which way to go. The last place I knew the heroes were was ten miles from here. I decided that heading that way was my best bet. After traveling for a few days it was once again night and I had passed their last known location a few hours ago. My brain was silent for once and I was content to just travel in one direction for a little longer. I would not have this luxury for a long time. A few hours later the sun peaked its face up from the horizon. This aided my mission significantly, now I could see.
Specifically I could see a large robotic lion complete with the heroes and Echo flying ahead of me. I knew I could travel very quickly at times but I didn't think I would be able to find them so fast. Frisky began to descend into the tree line and my view was blocked by the branches.
The part of my mind that still belonged to me faded into static again as my killer instincts took over. When I could register what was happening again I was standing in a tree over the heroes. Unprepared for the sudden change in location I panicked and dropped clumsily to the ground. I quickly picked myself up hoping the heroes were blind and deaf. Unfortunately for me I was now surrounded by the most deadly weapons in the world.
What do I do! What do I do! What do I do!
Should I greet them?
Shut up Tim you are here to kill them not make conversation!
Well killing them hasn't exactly worked out very well so far.

"Hey guys..." I said hopefully.
That's when I was punched in the face. A blow that light wasn't going to knock me out however I felt that the appropriate reaction to eliminate the tension was to crumple to the ground.
Wow Tim you are an idiot!
Why do we capital-N Nerds love Mars so much?
Because it's beautiful, it's tough, it's buried in our mythic, childhood memories.
It's covered with human triumphs but also with sad stories of failure.

-Greg Bear





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Fri Jul 01, 2016 8:34 pm
HazelGrace16 says...



Echo

For a week we continued on with our same daily schedule. Fly by day, land, set up camp, sleep, and repeat. I can’t say exactly what we are searching for, but something tells me everything leads back to Astral...Which means everything leads back to Raydon.

Night 6 after setting up camp, everyone began to settle down taking their usual spots as far away from me as possible. I never expected them to trust me, but I didn’t expect that they would treat me like a plague. Leon sat next to the fire occasionally poking it with a stick, and Scarlette and Kirsten sit next to each other in the crook of Frisky’s body. You could tell he was very protective of all of them. Hard to believe a guy like Astral invented this creature.

After half an hour or so the girls finally fell asleep. Leon sighed, and broke the barrier that separated the heroes and I. He sat, and I looked at his face lit with shadows from the fire light. He remained silent with his gaze turned towards the fire. I may have imagined it, but I felt as if he tried to reach for my hand. Before I could even process if my imagining was real or not I jumped up and rubbed my hands nervously against my jeans.

“I think I’m gonna go get some firewood. The fire’s looking a little low.” I whisper.

“Let me help you. I don’t think I could sleep even if I wanted too. Plus a walk would be nice.” He stood. I bit my lip.

“Alright…” I agreed. Leon turned his gaze to Frisky, and Frisky nodded in understanding. He would watch over the girls while we were gone.

Silently we made our way deeper into the woods away from camp. The night was dark, but you could still see the faint light of the moon shine through the leaves of the canopy. It created this blue atmosphere that felt almost similar to being deep under water. Along our route we picked up the occasional fallen tree limb. I furrowed my brow and bit my tongue as the wood rubbed against my burnt arm. I was thankful it hadn’t been worse.

“How’s your arm?” Leon stopped walking after he must have noticed my expression. I turned around and looked at him. “Also, thanks for that. I can’t say how much I appreciate you stopping her.”

“It's okay. And you’re welcome. I know how much you care about her.” I adjust my pile, and continue walking. He jogs and falls back into step with me. “You know you’re lucky to have a sister. You’re lucky to have all of them.”

“You never had any siblings?” He asked.

“Nope. Well- Not that I know of. I guess the people in the lab didn’t want us to remember family connections.” I laugh slightly. “And besides the people at the lab weren’t exactly the ideal family...well, most of them.”

“What do you mean?”

“No-Nothing. Just some old memories. Forget I said anything…” I do my best to quickly change the subject. “You know I’ve spent so many years watching movies about the real world, and within these past couple of days the real real world has completely disproved it all.”


“Not all that you hoped?”

“Actually it’s kind of better. Not as sappy. A little more homelessly than I expected though.”

“Oh you don’t like sappy?”

“I like it in small increments.”

“Well you’re lucky. That doesn’t really change. However, hopefully when all of this craziness has passed you’ll the beauties of the world. Like indoor plumbing.” I laugh.

“I know what indoor plumbing is! I lived in a lab not in a cave.” I push his arm and he laughs. “I wanna see things. Stupid things like the eiffel tower, the east coast, or a public movie theatre. I want to see something that isn’t white walls…” Leon stops, and I turn.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No- I just...Get it. Some normal would be nice.” I smile and slightly nod. “Why don’t we head back to camp. I think we have enough to keep the fire going for the rest of the night. Don’t ya think?” I nod.

“Okay.” We walk silently the whole way back. When we get back to camp a strange feeling creeps up my back. Like we are being watched. Leon and I place down the wood, and take our spots back next to the fire. However, that is quickly cut short when our attention is brought to the screaming figure who falls from a freaking tree. The girls both sit up in sync, and we all rush to our feet running over to the culprit. We all prepare to attack the threat as the boy slowly stands up. My eyes go wide.

Tim!

“Hey guys…” He says stupidly.

Without waiting I quickly walk over to him, and punch him hard in the face. I pull my hand back shaking away the pain that now buzzes through my fist. He falls to the floor unconscious. I turn to the Heroes rubbing my fist.

“Sorry Scarlette I know that is kind of your thing.” She shrugs.

“I mean it looks like you took care of it pretty well.”

“Must be some kid that got lost in the woods…” I lie.

“You think it was just some random kid that was watching us?” Scarlette questioned.

“I mean- He probably hasn’t seen anyone for miles. He might’ve been making sure that we weren’t cannibals or something.”

“Then why did you knock him out?” Leon asked with an eyebrow raised.

“Precautions.” I say trying to play it off.

“Well I dont trust him. We need to tie him up.” Kirsten orders.

“That seems a little-”

“What Miss Precautions? Are you not okay with tieing up the suspicious guy?” I close my mouth, and turn picking up Tim’s body. All the lab strength training has paid off. I walk over to a tree off a little ways, and lean his limp body against it. Leon walks up behind me and hands me the rope we scavenged a few days ago. I tie the rope tightly around his body.

“I don’t know when he’ll wake up. We all should try to get some sleep.” I suggest.

“I agree.” Leon says.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a few hours when I am sure everyone is asleep, I quietly make my way to Tim. I know Tim well enough to know my punch didn’t knock him out. Luckily he was smart enough to play along with the part. When I reach him I slap him hard across the face knocking him awake from his sleep.

“Wake up! We need to talk!” I whisper yell. He slightly laughs moving his jaw around.

“Echo! It's been awhile. How’s your mission going? Not well considering I am here.” He may be whispering, but his tone still had that same bite.

“Did Raydon send you to spy on me? I can see that you’ve done a great job.” I say sarcastically.

“Alrighty enough sarcasm Echo. I am here to complete what you’ve failed to do, and Raydon is sick of waiting on you to accomplish it. There is a tracking chip in my left pocket. It needs to go on the Lion.”

“You’re doing better with your emotions...Wait a second. I'm confused. Can't Raydon track us through Scarlette?”

“He’s in her head, he can't see out of it.” He says. I scoff.

“Dont act like you have all the answers Tim. You’re easily disposable to Raydon just like me, and you being reckless would have costed me the trust I’ve built in the Heroes idiot. That is the only thing keeping Raydon from taking my head. I suggest you go back home, and let me handle this. I’ll take care of the stupid tracking chip, but I won't let you stick around. I'll make it look like you escaped during the night. No matter what your orders are from Raydon. You will go.”

“Tsk tsk Echo. I wouldn’t go against Raydon just yet in this war. Remember where your priorities lie, and dont let your emotions cloud your judgement.”

“What are you talking about-”

“You know what I am talking about Echo. Don’t be foolish.”

“I am not-” Suddenly I am cut off by someone pulling me back forcefully by my hair. I am pushed against a tree, and I gasp at the cold knife now placed against my neck.

“I knew it! You could never be trusted. Talking to the prisoner was not the smartest move Echo. I knew you knew him!” My eyes widen as my eyes adjust the the face in front of me.

Kirsten.

“Kirsten! Kirsten it's not what it looks like! Trust me-”

“No! I am done pretending to trust you. I am done with you getting into my brothers head. I am done with you getting into all of our heads!” Her eyes glow red.

“Kirsten-” She places the knife tighter to my throat. A trickle of blood falls.

“Shut up!” She yells. Out of nowhere Leon comes running up to Kirsten, and rips her arms away from me. She struggles teeth clenched. “Let me go! She is a traitor! A traitor!”

“Kirsten stop this! Calm down!”

“No I won't! I won't! I am tired of being shut up! You’re letting this little traitor into our family. Our family is already full, and you’re wasting time going on walks with her when we should be finding Carlos!....and Astral. We’re wasting time, and she is probably telling her enemy friends all of our plans. And you’re an idiot to believe anything else!” After a moment Scarlette appears out of the brush and runs to us. She drives a needle into Kirsten’s arm. Her eyes flutter and she falls down into a deep sleep.

“What was that?” Leon asked.

“Sedatives. From Echo’s bag. She told me about them because I was having sleeping problems, and they helped…” She explained. Leon turned to me, but I didn’t dare look him in the eye. “Look. I don’t know what is going on, but you both need to figure it out before Kirsten wakes up tomorrow morning.” She picks up Kirsten in her grasp, and starts walking back to the camp.

“Echo what is going on?” Leon looked at me, his expression angry. I sat there stunned. I had nothing to say. Tim just sat there with a smug look on his face. I was cornered.

“Leon I-”

“I don't want excuses Echo…”

“She. She saw me talking to the prisoner. She saw me talking to Tim.”

“Who's Tim?”

“An old friend from the lab. He was sent after me after I disappeared. I was telling him I would let him go. I told him I couldn't go with him because that life wasn't for me anymore.”

“Is this true?” He looked at Tim. Tim then looked at me. I pleaded with him with my eyes.

“Yes it is.” He replied. “I was so worried about Echo. I came after her when she left. I guess I didn't realize she had the runaway heroes with her.”

“We’ll finish this in the morning.” Leon said. He looked at me like he wanted to believe what we said. Although, he and I both knew he was smarter than that. “A good night's sleep would be good for everyone right now.”
"Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine" - The Imitation Game





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Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:48 pm
Europa says...



Leon Rhett

We all sat together around the empty fire pit. There wasn't a could in the sky and the sun shone brightly through the trees, but however bright it was outside, the mood in our circle was definitely dark. Tim sat in the corner where he was put last night, under the watchful eye of Frisky the Death Cat. Scarlette and I were seated on either side of Kirsten,who was more focused on the ground between her boots than either of us. Echo was on the other side of the pit, isolated as usual. I felt a small tug in my gut. How long ago was it that I had been like that? Echo met my eyes, and I turned my gaze away.

"It's time we started figuring things out." I said quietly, casting a glance around at everyone. "As long as everyone's planning on being honest." Echo shifted little in her seat. The hollow was silent for a moment.

"Well, If no one's going to start...I'd like to know how the base got destroyed." Scarlette piped up. The air around me suddenly seemed to grow hotter. We looked over at Kirsten, who was still staring down at the grass. She didn't say a word.

"Kirsten." I prompted. "Do you know anything?" Kirsten gripped the log we were sitting on. Her fingers left black scorch marks on the bark.

"I don't remember that." She muttered almost too quietly to hear, still focusing on the ground. Echo sighed impatiently

"Well, what do you remember?" Kirsten looked sharply up at her, glaring. A warm wind suddenly blew through the clearing, ruffling my hair. "I don't have to tell you anything." She snapped. I laid a hand on her shoulder, and winced at the heat that speared from her skin. Guess that explains the sudden heat. Kirsten relaxed at my touch. She shrugged me off, and went back to staring at the ground.

"I remember I was lying on the floor...He'd come in at the same time every day and just watch me struggle." The air started to heat up again. "But...this time...he pulled me up and propped me against the wall. I remember..." She squinted a little, as if trying to make out the shapes in a blurry photograph. "pain...and heat...but I...I blacked out after that."

"Do you think Blak died in the base?" Scarlette asked hopefully. I shook my head.

"Blak has no physical form...that's why he was able to separate himself from me and take over Ying. Even if the body he was possessing died in the explosion, he's just find another host."

Echo's gaze shifted to Kirsten. "So...he could be anywhere, or anyone right now." I glared at her. Of course she'd assume that. Echo caught my look. "What? It's true, isn't it?" Kirsten glowered at Echo through her bangs.

"Now isn't time for the blame game." Scarlette intervened. "We should be pulling together. How are we going to find the others."

"If they can even be found." Kirsten's voice was still soft, but this time, it seemed to crack through the air like a clap of thunder. Scarlette and I both looked over at her.

"Hey..." Scarlette reached out and grabbed her hand. "They're out there somewhere. We'll find them."

"How do any of us know that for sure? For all we know, he could be dead." I had no problem figuring out which he Kirsten was more worried about. Scarlette let go of her hand. Silence filled the clearing. Kirsten stood up, and looked around at the three of us.

"What? It's true, isn't it?" She jumped lightly over the log, and stormed off into the trees. Scarlette stared after her for a moment before standing and running after her. It was just me and Echo. Her eyes met mine. I blinked. I felt a little hotter, and looked over to my right before remembering Kirsten and her odd heat waves had disappeared into the forest. I wanted to run. To find her and vanish into thin air, and find her a place where she wouldn't ever hurt again. I wanted to run, run, run....
I sighed. I can't run now.

"I guess it's a good thing we're alone." Echo looked up at me, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

"W-what?"

"I don't know what you're thinking, and I'm not sure I want to." I scowled. "We need to talk."





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Mon Aug 22, 2016 2:36 am
HazelGrace16 says...



Echo


“I want you to leave.” I blinked at him a moment before reacting. I knew there would be repercussions after the incident last night, but I didn't expect this.

“Wait--Look Leon, last night, everything was just a misunderstanding.”

“Care to explain? Because, to me it looked like you were talking to the creep who was watching us, and my sister must have heard something she didn't like.”

“I dont know if you’ve noticed Leon, but your sister isn't exactly in the right mindset right now.” I snap. Leon stares at me coldly. I felt a tightening in my stomach, but I held my ground.

“Don’t you dare. Dont you dare make this about her! This is about you and your lying!”

“Excuse me? She's the one who's been acting weird lately, and she's the one who attacked me! Honestly, she should be the one getting interrogated!” I waited for his next rebuttal, but he stayed silent. He then walked towards me until his face was only a few inches from mine. He was fuming, and his breathing was deep.

“I told you to leave Echo. I suggest you do that soon...before you regret it.” He's trying to make me seem small, but I won't give him the satisfaction. I stand straighter and look him dead in the eyes. He may tower over me, but he hasn't won yet.

“You’re a hypocrite.” I spit. “You all talk about how important family is, and yet you'll turn someone away who has done nothing but help you. The least you could do is give me a chance to explain myself. I deserve that much…”

“And why should I let you? How do I know you wouldn't be lying to me?” He asks taking the few steps back. My face feel warm at the sudden realization of our closeness. I shake it off and clench my fists.

“You'll never get far in this world without trusting anyone Leon.”

“I do trust people. I just dont trust you.” He says with a scowl.

“Ha. Tell me how you really feel.” I say rolling my eyes. “You and I both know that's not what you really think. You may be strong on the outside Leon, but you aren’t that great at lying.”

“Stop messing with me. I’ve made my decision. Go. Now.” He clenches his teeth.

“I wasn’t lying the other day…That day we went walking. Everything I said was true. About where I came from, and where I wanna go. I told you, because I trusted you. And I thought...I thought you trusted me too.” I put my head down trying to make myself seem more pathetic.

“You have five minutes.” I look up and nod.

“Tim isn’t just a stranger...In fact, I know him quite well.” Leon looked at me with intrigued eyes. I had his attention now. “Tim and I grew up together… Well, not necessarily grew up, but we woke up together in the labs.”

“So he was there with you?”

“Yes, and he was the only one who knew about my plan to help you and Scarlette. He tried to stop me, but I had made up my mind. He must have followed me after we escaped…”

“Or, he was sent to spy on us. I should kill both of you because of this information…”

“But?”

“No buts. You still need to leave.”

“Leon!”

“No more Echo! You were right about my family. I’ll do anything to protect them. And you? You are not family.”

Okay that hurt…

“Then what am I?” I say more hopeful then I should have.

“You’re a problem…”

“You’re making a mistake Leon, you need help. You need me. You and I both know something bigger is coming.”

“We’ve made it this far on our own. We can take care of ourselves. Just like we always have.”

“Oh really? Is that true? Because, if I recall correctly your family isn’t together. Carlos, Astral, Tybalt, Matt…All of them are gone, and you dont know where to find them.” He whips towards me and pins me by the throat to the nearest tree.

“You know where they are?!” His stare is cold, but his grip on my throat was not that tight. I could easily rip away, and he knows that.

“No I dont, but I do know that you need all the extra help you can get right now. Please...let me stay.” Our faces are so close again that I can see the spark of a red glow in his eyes. His heart is racing, or maybe it's my own. He stares at me a long moment taking in every line of my face with his eyes. Both of us are walking on glass in this moment it seems. He releases my throat and turns away from me. I wipe an unexpected tear from my eye.

“Leave now.”

“Leon…”

“Now!” I take a step back eyes wide. I’ve never seen an outburst like this from him before.

“...Everything that has happened. Everything I felt was real, and I know you felt it too.” I turn away as another tear falls from my eye. I take a deep breath and smirk. “Hey Leon, you know what they say about Echo’s right?...They always come back.”

Silence.

Slowly I begin my trek away. I need a new plan and fast.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night when the camp becomes quiet I sneak back to the tree where Tim is tied up. With my right hand I pull a knife from my sheath and place it his neck, my left is covering his mouth.

“You make any sounds you die.” I whisper. He smiles and moves his mouth away from my hand.

“Pleasure to have you as a visitor on this dull evening Echo. I heard your chat with Leon earlier today went well.” I place the knife further against his neck. “I can see it's a touchy subject. What is it exactly that you need?”

“You’re going to switch places with me…Now.” I clench my jaw.

“Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Now you see. I dont really want to do that Echo. You had your chance, and you failed…Now it’s my turn.” He smiles.

Spoiler! :
@TheFantasy14 @Oswin1800
"Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine" - The Imitation Game








All my life I've wanted to be someone; I guess I should have been more specific.
— Jane Wagner