by Nathan Howe
The farther they went in, the more static their comms devices made. “Do you read?” Blazes asked. Static returned. Blazes didn't like that. “I say we go back. No response from them.”
Charge shook her head. “Nope. The plan was to meet in the center. It's not much farther.”
“Okay. Okay.” They continued on. Soon they made it to a large open area that must have been where most of the production happened when the building still produced cars. She could now see across the way and saw Shocking leading Amaithinar through the room, both with their weapons out, Shocking and her dual blades, Amaithinar with her bow. They acknowledged each other and continued slowly crossing the factory. Once in shouting distance, Shocking stopped, “Anything?”
“Nope, nothing but empty rooms. And complete silence,” Charge said continuing to close the space between them.
The hair on the back of Blazes' neck stood. Then the roof smashed in, sending debris everywhere. Blazes dodged, barely escaping some of the larger pieces. She lost track of Charge and the others. Dust filled her lungs, she coughed. She pushed debris off herself and stood. She couldn't see more than a few feet around herself. Blazes stood. “Charge?”
“Ugh.” Charge crawled over to her. Throwing pieces of the collapsed roof away from herself.
The floor shook, causing Blazes to fall. The sound of gears and pumps filled the air. Once the dust settled, the biggest Gadget King robot yet stood in front of them. Over twenty feet tall, and nearly as wide.
“Bzzt!” it shrieked, and moved towards them, and with each step, the floor shook like aftershocks from an earthquake.
“Charge, we need to move!” Blazes rushed to her friend. Frantically, she helped her to her feet.
Charge was dazed. “Hot damn, that thing is ugly.”
“Seriously? That's all you have to say.”
“What?”
“Never mind. We need to leave. We can't take that thing on with just the two of us. No sign of Shocking or Amaithinar.”
Charge stopped. Pushed herself away from Blazes. “No. We stay. We fight.”
That was the right thing to do. But still felt crazy. Blazes didn't want to die, but she'd fight alongside Charge no matter what. Charge poked her device. It wasn't working. “Dammit.” She slapped it a few times, and then it came to life. “Okay. Let's fight, you big ugly beast.”
Right then, an arrow flew through the air, striking the giant robot. A second later an explosion rocked the robot, causing minimal damage. Blazes let out a breath in relief. At least Amaithinar was alive and fighting.
Shocking screamed at it, a loud guttural sound. “Over here, you giant pile of trash!”
Now they stood a chance. The fiend stopped advancing on Blazes and Charge and changed course toward Shocking. Blazes sighed. She hoped Shocking would be able to take the brunt of the attack. They would be too much for Blazes and Charge to take.
The robot sent a bolt of lightning at Shocking. “Humph. That all you got?” Shocking mocked. “I'm immune to electrical damage.”
Bzzt. The building continued to rattle with each step the robot took. Blazes threw fireballs at it. They bounced off, doing little damage. Charge rushed to the back of the robot while Blazes continued to throw fireballs and Amaithinar fired various types of arrows at the robot. Charge activated her fire sword. She struck at the same time that Shocking stuck with her two razor sharp blades. They ripped the left leg of the robot clean away.
The robot fell to one side, but that didn't stop the attacks. Several bursts of static charges exploded from the robot, sending Blazes and Amaithinar back. In an attempt to correct itself, the right leg of the beast detached, allowing it stand up again, only this time shorter, stubby wheels providing movement. Once fully detached, the leg split up into smaller robots that attacked them. Smaller cogs surrounded them.
“We got the little ones,” Charge blurted out over the noise of them. All of the robots buzzed, hurting Blazes' ears.
“Roger,” Shocking said while she slowly backed away from the big one.
Realizing the little ones were more susceptible to balls of fire, Charge drew them into a tight group. Blazes waited for a second while Charge quickly ducked out of the center before bringing a rain of fire on them. They screamed as though feeling pain. They scattered and allowed Charge to slice and dice them to pieces.
The big one was still standing off in the distance. Charge rushed to it. If the Gadget King sent more, they would be done for without backup. Blazes scanned the building, hoping to find something to use against it.
Her heart sank as she searched for a weapon to help. Not a thing around. They didn't stand a chance. “We need this,” Amaithinar said. She shot more arrows at it. “I'm not doing any damage to this thing. And my Fey powers do not affect the Gadget King's minions.”
The room heated up. And two figures landed in between her and the beast. Both covered in fire and armor. Inferno and Heated had arrived. These two were the strongest and fiercest heroes in Azure City and the leaders of the Hero Coalition along the west coast.
They charged the robot without fear. Used their fire swords and fists to burn and tear it apart. With each strike they made, the more the robot fell. It sent smaller, damaged robots to attack them. Blazes and Charge attacked with their own fire. Amaithinar rained arrows on them, easily beating them.
In a matter of minutes, the fight was over. Inferno and Heated didn't even break a sweat. Blazes hunched over. That was one of the most intense fights she'd been involved with. Up until now it had pretty much just been the skirmishes with the smaller robots and those wasn't all that fierce, just annoying.
“Thank God you arrived,” Blazes said gasping for air.
“We were on our way to help with the Gadget King,” Inferno said. “I had hoped you were already there. We've been trying to contact you for half an hour.”
“That thing interfered with our comms,” Shocking said. “You’ve found a current location for the Gadget King?”
“We have. Meet us here.” Heated handed Shocking a piece of paper. Shocking scanned it and then smiled.
“That is the district we were going to check if this place was a bust.”
“Reports are hundreds if not thousands of his creations guard a warehouse.”
Blazes jawed dropped. Did he say thousands? No way it was that many. How could he have made that many? “We can't get past those numbers,” Blazes said.
“No. You can't do it alone. We've sent several to meet us there. We'll make a path for you and your task force and then stay outside battling the rest while you take care of the Gadget King.” Inferno was known for letting those under him finish what they started, even if he could do it better and faster.
“Roger,” Shocking said.
“Meet us there,” Heated said. Then they both jumped into the air through the hole in the ceiling and were gone.
Amaithinar hovered in front of them. “I'm going to fly over behind them. I'll give you some updates from up high.”
“Okay,” Shocking said. “Be safe.”
Then Amaithinar was gone as well. The trio rushed to the front of the factory to the SUV. By the time they made it, the others had arrived at the warehouse and were giving them updates. Shocking sped to the location.
It took them twenty minutes. Inferno, Heated, and Amaithinar stood a mile or so out from the actual building. A half dozen other heroes lingered in the area. “Everyone is here,” Inferno said.
“Here's the plan. We'll battle to the entrance. And Shocking and her team will continue into the warehouse to engage the Gadget King, who hopefully won't be in his armor. My intelligence says he doesn't wear it while he works. The rest of us will remain at the front to battle the other minions outside to give them time to take him out.” Inferno paused. He paused at each and every hero, making eye contact. “Understood.”
“Roger,” everyone replied.
“On my mark, we attack. Be safe and watch each other's backs.”
They marc
hed to the edge of the perimeter the Gadget King's minions had set up. Inferno stopped and nodded. Everyone activated their powers for the battle that was about to ensue. In front of them stood a line of robots so thick you couldn't see pavement. The sound of them overwhelmed Blazes. Buzzing. Inferno hadn't exaggerated when he'd said a thousand—easily that or more stood between them and the Gadget King. Once everyone was ready, Inferno faced the enemies and sprinted into the front line screaming “Go!”
They formed a line and headed straight for the front door of the warehouse, with Inferno in the lead, and Heated taking up the rear, the rest in between them taking out little Gadget King minions. With so many, everyone had plenty to battle on the way. It didn't take all that long to reach the door. These robots weren't built all that well, falling after one attack. But with the sheer numbers, it could take hours to deal with all of them once they entered the building. The others would still be busy.
At the door, Inferno blew it wide open with his giant fire sword. “Go. Make haste and end this.”
The four of them stepped through the door without looking back. They entered a dark room. Oil lingered in the air. Shocking stood in front as the point because she was the tank of the group. The rest followed while she crept along with her dual blades at the ready. All of them ready to attack at a moment's notice.
With each corner they rounded, Blazes expected a group of minions to attack. But none did. The warehouse was large, just as big as the factory, and just as empty. The Gadget King had sent all of his creations outside to defend him. Not the best idea. It left him defenseless inside and open to the attack they planned on executing on him.
A voice echoed off the walls. “Soon. Soon.” Mumbles followed.
Shocking stopped. “Getting close.” She stealthily checked around a corner. “He's here. In his robot armor or whatever it is. Only his head is showing.”
She peeked again. “He's working on something. There's a pile of discarded parts around him.”
Charge increased her fire sword, closer to Heated's now. “We need to act then. Before he finishes. Take him out quickly and send his ass to Remnant Heights and forget about him.”
Blazes agreed it would be a relief to have him rotting in the prison made for evil Ardents. Shocking addressed them. “Okay. I'll go in first to get his attention. Then I want you three to give it everything from behind. Take out his legs first. I'll work on his arms. Hopefully, with those shredded, he'll give up.”
Blazes nodded, sounded like a solid plan of attack. “Ready,” she said.
“Now.” Shocking rubbed her blades together. She sprinted around the corner screaming.
Blazes hesitated a moment before following. Charge was around the corner right after Shocking. The Gadget King faced Shocking and laughed, standing ten feet tall in his armor, completely encased. Straight out of the movies, like nothing Blazes had ever seen before. “You can't beat me.” He hit a few buttons on his robotic arm. Buzzing filled the room. The discarded pieces came to life. The tiniest Gadget King creations Blazes had ever seen, six inches tall, hissed and buzzed around their ankles, stabbing them. “Ouch!” Blazes kicked one away.
Unfazed, Shocking continued right at him. “Take them out while I handle him.”
Charge smiled. She jumped into the air, swirling her sword around herself, creating a ring of fire that engulfed those close to her, melting them instantly. Again they were super weak. Blazes used her fire to make as many tiny balls of fire as possible. It was fun watching all of them scatter.
“Noooo!” the Gadget King stomped to Shocking. “You will not win so easily.”
Amaithinar unleashed arrows on the last few vestiges of robots leaving the Gadget King. “Go!” Shocking commanded and she sliced part of the Gadget King’s left arm, removing his controls that he used to activate the robots.
Arrows and fire smashed and burned his legs from behind as they attacked. Targeting his right leg first, it was only a matter of seconds before it splinted and he toppled over. “This can't be.” The Gadget King frantically tried to move. “No one is smarter than me.”
“And you choose to harm people,” Shocking said. She swiped at his shoulders slicing it, blood and oil shot into the air.
“My arm, you cut my arm!” The Gadget King shrieked. Charge jumped into the air, bringing her sword over her head, she cut through the other leg like butter. It dropped off and started to buzz. Blazes shot several bursts of fire at it before it could form more robots.
“It's over,” Amaithinar said.
The Gadget King hung his head. “I may have lost this time. But this won't be the last of me.”
Inferno walked around them. “Secure him. The robots outside are taken care of.”
Wow. Blazes was impressed. That was a lot for them to take care of so fast. Shocking and Charge slowly cut the Gadget King out of his armor. Blazes thought he'd put up a fight, but he whimpered. Mumbling, “I'll get you. I'll rebuild.”
Several weeks later. Blazes patrolled the southwest district in Azure City with Charge. “It's almost too boring these days,” she said.
Charge laughed. “I know. I kind of hope the Gadget King does come back. I miss the little battles. So long as that giant one isn't back again.”
“Me too.” At least Azure City is safe again. Even if it was boring patrolling the streets. Blazes was sure a new villain would arrive soon. They never did get a break. Just brief respites.
Frozen Aura
The heat overwhelmed Lorenzo as he stepped out of the airport in Johnstown. It was blistering compared to Cynosure, where he’d spent the last several years in training. Nothing had prepared him for this. He'd grown up in the north. They didn't reach a hundred. At least not regularly. Beads of sweat rolled down his long angular face and back after only a minute outside. Part of him was glad he wore his snowy white hair in a Mohawk. Why they'd sent him here, he didn't know. He was an Ardent, and they needed more here, but he controlled ice, and heat was his enemy. They normally sent people like him to the north, and he requested to stay in Cynosure. It would be tough to use all his powers in the scorching sun of the southwest.
He lugged his bags behind him. The rest would arrive soon via shipment. Lorenzo checked his watch for the tenth time in five minutes while waiting for his ride to pick him up. His ride was another hero who had arrived a few weeks before him but had trained further west in Azure City. They didn't train as many there, but still, a plethora passed through their doors, even if most wanted to attend Cynosure, which had the reputation of being the premier training center and the home of some of the most famous heroes around—Invincible, Inflamed and Chilling to name a few.
A sporty blue and pink convertible pulled up next to him, “Yo, Frosty,” the driver said. This must be Valiant Glow, his new partner. Hair black as night that fell just past her chin and a svelte figure with olive skin made Lorenzo pause. She was around five and a half feet tall. For a brief moment, Lorenzo was overwhelmed by her.
“Valiant Glow?” Lorenzo asked tentatively. Using code names when not in uniforms bothered Lorenzo, it took away some of the covertness of them. Most of the heroes didn't mind.
She jumped up out of the car, smiling, and grabbed one of his bags. “Yup, my friends call me Anais. But Valiant or Glow work too.” Her tone was friendly and joyful. She shoved the bag into the trunk. As Lorenzo walked around the car to store his other bags in the trunk he spotted it, a giant sword sat in the back, partially hidden. It must have been six feet long. “Damn, they said you used a sword. But they didn't say it was this big.”
Anais shrugged. “A family heirloom. It's a Titan's weapon, or so they say, called, φωτιά.”
Lorenzo rolled his eyes. “I have no idea what you just said.”
Anais smiled showing teeth, “It's Greek and means fire. For as long as they can remember, one person in my family can wield the sword and can control fire.”
“Wow. That's cool.” It was an impressive sword. One that would strike fear into
people, that much was obvious. Lorenzo was glad he would never have to face it. Just the thought of it scared him.
“Thanks.” She gestured to the car. “Let's go. We don't want to make Wildfire wait. She can be a real jerk if you don't follow the rules or show up late.”
In Cynosure, rumors had spread about Wildfire. Some good, some bad, and that was one of them: tough as nails and expected her heroes to be on time and ready for everything. Lorenzo didn't mind. His father was like that, a retired Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines. It built character, he'd say. All the discipline had paid off in his hero training, helping him be one of the top in his class.
The little car sped through town. While Johnstown wasn't as large as Cynosure, it still was one of the most populated cities in the country. Part of that was because it was just so large, covering more miles than many other cities. The drive was entertaining, to say the least. Anais' driving was death defying. Several times they nearly totaled the car as she weaved in and out of traffic, barely looking where she was going. “Lighten up, Frosty. I'm not going to kill you.”
“It sure feels that way.” A trail of horns and curses followed them until they made it to the Johnstown Hero Coalition headquarters located on the small river that flowed through downtown.
A stern women stood out front, her skin the color of fire. Her wings opened behind her, bright white feathers, all perfect. Wildfire was a powerful woman and leader. It was clear as day that she was a member of the Phoenix race, making her different from most of the members of the Hero Coalition. Phoenixes controlled fire and flew with wings on their back. They had a hidden homeland that no one knew the location of but them.
“A minute to spare, Valiant Glow. Is your crazy driving the reason why Frosty's face is yellow?”
They left the car and stood in front of Wildfire. “It's not that bad,” Anais protested. “You should see how the rest of my family drives.”
“I'll pass,” Lorenzo said to Anais. He turned to Wildfire. “Ma'am.”
Even though Lorenzo was larger than her, he felt tiny with her inspecting him. She checked him out from head to toe. “Your file said you could create and control ice.”
