by Ammar Habib
Nobody said a word.
“If I don’t fight him tonight, he won’t simply go back into hiding. He’ll burn this city to the ground and kill every living soul in it. Then it’ll be the nation, and then the world.” He paused for a moment. “It all ends tonight. I’m going to face him tonight. And I will give him everything I have. The outcome—well, I’ll leave that up to a higher power.”
A red light above the large monitor suddenly began flashing wildly as an alarm sounded off through the warehouse. All eyes turned to the enormous screens as they automatically began showing a ‘breaking news’ report. They all knew what it would be.
William began to make his way towards it. “Looks like we won’t have to wait long.”
***
An unknown enemy force attacked Camp Fin. By now—two hours after Villanueva announced the training exercise—the camp was nearly evacuated of all personnel. However, a few soldiers still remained as they tried to empty the last of the weapons. In their last moments, they heard the invaders suddenly arrive after a bright light engulfed the entire camp. But the soldiers were wiped out before they ever saw the face of the enemy.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of men and women of every race and ethnicity emerged from the light and into the compound. They did not utter a word or cast a glance at the corpses they carelessly stepped over. Some were armed to the teeth, while others did not carry a single weapon. Numerous thunderous bolts of lightning were fired off into the night sky until they captured the media’s attention. The invaders did not disable the cameras or attack the countless news helicopters that soon hovered above them.
They were here to be seen.
At the forefront of this army was one man. He appeared old, almost ancient. There was hardly any meat on his bones. Dark—almost black—skin covered him and there was not a speck of hair on his body. He wore only two simple sheets of a dirty cloth. One was worn over his top half while the other wrapped around his waist. The edges of his lips curled into a slight, sinister smile.
Ethan watched it all unfold. He knew exactly who this man was: Daken.
Standing next to Daken was his lieutenant. None of the man’s original skin could be seen. Instead, he was completely covered in scars—scars that could only have been created by fire. He stood next to his dark general as they watched the army. He had been there the day Ethan awoke in Daken’s camp after Naira’s death. Now, he would be here at the end.
When the helicopters began to fly above the camp, the invaders started tearing down the entire base. Some of them used weapons: guns and unbelievably sharp blades. Others used their bare hands. But many used their ‘gifts’. They moved things with their minds or shot out elements from their limbs. Piece-by-piece, they destroyed the entire base from the inside out and set it ablaze. Buildings went up in flames. Caches of weapons were blown sky high. The only thing they left standing were the walls.
Ethan knew exactly what this meant. It was a message. This is what would happen to Crown City if Ethan did not face his deepest fear tonight.
As he watched, Ethan sensed fear. He sensed it from his comrades. He sensed it coming from the news report. He sensed it coming from the entire city as they horrifically watched this unstoppable army. It was as if the apocalypse itself had suddenly arrived in the dead of night.
But Ethan was not afraid. He had feared Daken for far too long. He had dreaded the day that they would again meet face-to-face. But no more. After everything that this monster had taken from him, he did not deserve Ethan’s fear. Now, there was something Ethan felt more than fear. Something that drowned it out.
Anger.
Chapter 18
Take Care of Them All
Half an hour after the attack on Camp Fin began, Ethan was changed into a fresh uniform. The only thing missing was his mask, which rested on the table next to him. Under the warehouse’s bright lights, he looked down at all the weapons spread out in front of him before filling up his arsenal. Daggers went first. Then knives. And last went the extra clips for his wrist cable along with numerous small pellets.
The news reports played on all of the warehouse’s monitors. Reporters finally overcame the shock of it all and now spoke as the cameras still showed the burning camp. The military was being held back on the president’s orders, as were any missile strikes, although nobody understood why.
But Ethan did not pay the monitors any heed. Holding one of his long daggers out in front of him, he glanced over his right shoulder and at Jonathan. “These are the new ones?”
Jonathan nodded.
A few feet away, William picked out six guns from the collection at his disposal: two semi-automatic rifles, two semi-automatic handguns, and two pistols. As he chose each one, he checked to make sure the weapon functioned properly before holstering it. He also packed away countless grenades. As William picked up his last pistol, he broke the silence. “So what’s the plan?”
Ethan replied without even looking William’s way. “Kill Daken.”
“How will we get inside?” William holstered the final handgun.
“Daken will let me in. He wants to be the one to kill me.”
“But what if he has his army attack you?”
Ethan packed away the last of his needed weaponry. “Every soldier of his I’ve faced has been over-confident. Ever wonder where they get it from?”
William slightly smiled.
“He thinks of me as his prize—his crowning achievement. He’ll want me all to himself.”
Adam stood right next to William. Wearing his navy uniform, he finished prepping all his weapons before glancing at Ethan. “But how will the rest of us get inside? I doubt he’s letting you bring friends.”
“You won’t.” Ethan finally turned to look at his comrades. “Because there is no ‘us’. I’m going alone.”
“Like hell you are!” William’s loud voice echoed through the entire base. He had sensed that Ethan would say this. “I’ve been with you almost from the start and I’m not sitting on the sidelines now.”
“You’ll die if you come.”
“And you’ll die if I don’t.”
“This isn’t a debate.”
“You’re right. It’s not. We’re coming with you and we’re going to fight alongside you.”
There was complete silence in the large chamber. Jonathan and Amelia wordlessly and motionlessly watched the situation unfold. As Ethan and William seemingly stared down one another, the air around them grew tense. It began to feel a little bit colder. Any moment now, something would crack.
But after what seemed like a long minute, Ethan let out a deep breath. His gaze came onto Adam. “You know what going with me means, don’t you?”
“Everything we’ve done will be meaningless if we don’t fight tonight,” Adam replied.
Ethan looked at William. “And you?”
“I’ve never been one to back out of a fight.”
After a moment, Ethan slowly nodded. “Then I guess it’s settled then.”
Adam slightly smiled, but it was short-lived. Without warning, Ethan lunged forward and his fist struck Adam square in the forehead. The crack of the blow sounded off as Adam collapsed, unconscious.
William instinctively dodged Ethan’s fist and elbow without even fully realizing what was happening. But his luck did not hold out. A moment after William sidestepped Ethan’s second blow, Ethan’s boot caught his torso’s side. William did not cry out in pain as two of his ribs cracked. And with three swift and successive blows, Ethan knocked his friend out cold.
Turning around, Ethan caught Amelia’s expression. Her face turned white as she registered what had occurred. Eyes wide with disbelief, her gaze travelled back and forth between Ethan and the unconscious William.
But Jonathan’s expression did not change. His calm gaze stayed on Ethan, as if he had expected his brother to do that.
Ethan took a few steps towards Jonathan. “Tomorrow morning, take her to her embassy.”
Jonathan nodd
ed.
Coming to his brother, Ethan laid his hand on Jonathan’s shoulder. “You were here at the beginning, and now you’re here at the end.” Ethan’s tone changed. It was no longer that of The Guardian. It was no longer that of a burdened soldier. It became the voice of a brother. “I never thought that it’d be you, Jonathan, to stand by me all these years. You were the first face I saw when I returned to Crown City all those years ago. We were strangers when we were young, but when I came back, you tried to make us into brothers. And no matter how hard I tried to push you away, you wouldn’t give up on me. It’s because of you I did not lose myself. You’re a good man. A good father. A good husband. And you’re the type of man I wish I could have been.”
Without hesitating, the two of them embraced. They knew this would be their last meeting in this world. There would be no more future. Only memories. And one day, those memories would fade and only a legacy would remain.
This was their goodbye.
Jonathan was losing his last living kin. He had lost his mother and father. Now he was losing his brother. But unlike before, Jonathan was letting his brother go. He was letting him ride off into the sunset and into the blaze of glory.
“You always thought this burden was a curse, Ethan. But because of it, you and I will die as brothers and not strangers. Because of it, you have become a hero—a legend. You have changed not only this city and nation, but the world. Hundreds of millions have hope because of you.” Jonathan’s eyes began to swell with tears. “And I can proudly say with my head held high and my chest filled with pride that it is my brother—my brother—who is responsible for all this. It is my brother who is the greatest hero of his time. People will know of you. Stories will be told and people will rally to your symbol for generations to come. And it is my brother who has done all of this.”
Ethan took a step back. Wearing a slight smile, he gripped Jonathan’s shoulder one last time as if savoring their final moment.
Slowly, Ethan finally turned away. He gave one final glance to Adam and then a longer one to William. He picked up his mask from the table and began to walk toward the lair’s heavy doors.
“Take care of them, Jonathan. Take care of them all.”
***
The Guardian sped down the highway atop of his sleek, black sports bike. Under the dark heavens, his cape and hood flew behind him, but his eyes remained focused on the road. The burning Camp Fin could be seen in the distance and for miles around. Countless news helicopters still flew high above it. They were close enough to capture all that occurred, but far enough to remain safe from the explosions.
Ethan had no problem getting by the perimeter the military and police set up five-miles outside the military compound. His mind was focused on one thing: the final battle.
His thoughts momentarily scattered as he heard a voice in his head—Veila’s voice. “There’s no turning back now, is there?”
“No.”
“Then let me help you.”
Ethan did not reply.
“Daken has powers like many of his soldiers. Just as Vixen could do, he can move things with his mind. He’ll kill you before you ever have the chance to fight. But if you let me join with you, I can negate that power. It will give you a fighting chance if nothing else.”
He was silent.
“If you die, then my last chance to stop Daken dies with you. Let battle alongside you. And if need be, let my sacrifice my life with yours.”
Ethan’s grasp around the motorcycle’s handgrips tightened. “Let’s do it.”
Chapter 19
The End of All Things
Camp Fin’s tall and looming gate was swung open as if it waited for Ethan. Even from out here, on the other side of the entrance, Ethan felt the heat of the flames. But it was nothing compared to the inferno in his soul.
Ethan heard Veila’s voice echo through his head. “When you face him, do not hesitate. Have no fear.”
Without another thought, Ethan stepped into the domain of fire.
Flames were everywhere. Every building was ablaze and slowly turning into ashes. He was surrounded by the ruthless, hell-like fires as they loudly devoured everything they touched, and he felt their immense heat crash against him. The flames shot high enough to blind out the star-filled sky. But Ethan did not slow down as he walked through the hell. He kept his eyes focused straight ahead, looking neither left nor right. The entire base seemed empty, but he knew that Daken was here. He could feel it. Ethan was overwhelmed by the same surreal feeling he sensed when he awoke in Daken’s lair all those years ago—the feeling that he was no longer on Earth.
He moved slowly between the burning carnage, keeping his senses tuned in to it all. To his own surprise, his heart remained calm. Maybe it was because he knowingly came here to die. Or maybe this was his destiny. But whatever it was, it kept him at peace as he waded deeper and deeper into the flames.
Turning the corner, Ethan was met with a single path that ran between the fires. Daken’s soldiers lined up on either side of the path. Ethan studied the first column of soldiers, then the other. They were armed in various ways and all their eyes focused on The Guardian. They wore the same eyes as Anthony Griffin, Vixen, Danior, Jaing, Lyn, and every other one of Daken’s disciples that Ethan had faced over the years: murderous and insane. But they did not utter a word and their expressions remained stoic.
Ethan sensed that they would not harm him. Not yet, at least.
He began to make his way down the path between both columns of soldiers. Their eyes followed him the entire way, but Ethan kept his gaze straight ahead and his head held high. He did not even reach for any of his weapons.
Taking a final turn, Ethan found himself in the base’s courtyard. Although surrounded by fire on all sides, this area itself was clear of any flames. It was as if some kind of an invisible field held the inferno back. But Ethan did not pay heed to the flames. He focused on the being waiting for him:
Daken.
The old man stood on the far side of the clearing. He wore the same sinister smile that Ethan had seen too many times in his nightmares. Upon seeing his nemesis, Ethan took a deep breath. The last time they met face-to-face, Daken gave Ethan his abilities. And now, Ethan intended to use those abilities to kill him.
Daken spoke above the flames, drowning them out. His voice was as dark and sinister as Ethan remembered. “After all these years, the prodigal son—the hero—has returned.”
Ethan did not utter a reply. Keeping his composure, he began to make his way across the concrete ground and towards his foe. His heart rate remained under control, as did his breathing. His eyes stayed on Daken, not showing a hint of fear.
“And I sense you haven’t come alone. Veila has joined with you.” Daken’s smirk slightly grew. “Have you come to kill me?”
No response.
“To save the world?”
Still no reply.
“Or have you come to see if your beloved is still alive?”
Ethan stopped ten yards away from the old man. There was utter silence as their eyes remained locked. Slowly, Ethan reached up and peeled his mask back, revealing his stoic face. He let the mask fall onto the concrete. Ethan’s impassive expression was opposite of his enemy’s.
“Still the unemotional soldier, Ethan?”
From high above them, Ethan felt the views of countless cameras. Whatever would happen tonight, the world would see. But he did not care. It didn’t matter anymore. Nothing else mattered except for this duel.
Ethan uttered his next words in a way that would have struck fear into the heart of any mortal. “Tonight, you will die.”
“One of us certainly will. But…” Daken smiled. “There is one who already has.”
There was a bright flash of light around Daken. It was blinding, but Ethan unwaveringly looked into the light.
And when it diminished, Daken still stood there. Only now, he had changed. For the second time, Ethan looked at the Daken’s true form—a monster. He wa
s hooded and cloaked, his robes the blackest tint possible. He stood nearly eight feet tall, covered in thick, black scales. Ethan saw one of Daken’s hands sticking out of the robe’s sleeve. It was colossal and sharp talons grew at the end of it. His head was a nasty dark color; he possessed blood red eyes, and a long, large jaw with fangs. His face resembled no animal on this earth. A thick tail came out from the bottom of his robes.
In Daken’s arms was a corpse: a dead woman, limp and motionless. Her skin was pale, while her long, jet black hair hung freely.
Ethan found himself staring at the face of his wife.
Looking directly at Ethan, Daken dropped the body and it landed on the ground with a loud thud. Ethan’s eyes stayed on the corpse. Memories flashed through his mind. He heard Katrina’s laughter. He saw her smile. He remembered the touch of her skin. He was engrossed in her loving eyes.
The monster had taken it all away.
Ethan’s gloved hand curled into a tight fist. His body shook with a fiery rage. His quivering eyes held back tears. The tears only fed his fury. Once more, he spoke the words too many criminals had heard. Every syllable was filled with a firestorm of anger. “Daken. I am the creation of your sins. And they have sent me to claim your soul.”
The battle began.
***
Two explosive knives cut through the air and struck the monster in quick succession. The deafening explosions engulfed Daken, but Ethan knew that they would do little damage. When the blasts dispersed, the beast’s clothing was in rags, but he remained unscathed.
A stream of deadly fire was shot at Ethan, but Ethan easily sidestepped the attack. As it passed by him, Ethan felt the flames’ heat crash against him. He unsheathed both his daggers and slightly twisted their hilts with a flick of his wrists. A powerful electrical charge immediately surged through the blades.
