Emma grabs a hold of the ball of flame, throwing it at Britney. With her defense down, the fireball explodes, and leaves Britney in her stasis cocoon.
Eve screams and twists in Vernon’s arms, her other foot connecting with the back of his skull. The force of the blow sends him to the ground. Bouncing on the ground, colorful dots fill his vision. He can see rage behind Eve's eyes as he rolls onto his back and stares up at her. She tries to stomp Vernon into the ground, but he keeps rolling out of the way. A flash of light then heat rolls over him as Eve gets blasted away by a fireball.
Marie yells, “Don’t even think about it honey. That’s my man.”
Eve pauses, and takes a few steps backward. The hesitation allows Vernon to get back up and back to his team.
He whispers, “All at once, and everything we have.”
Everyone nods.
Marie and Emma start laying down flames alternating with fireballs. Eve erects a blueish barrier of magic to hold the flames back. Duke and Vernon wind burst to her opposite side, their runes humming, and release a barrage of their own.
Vernon conjures pillars of ice, alternating with blades of wind, while Duke does what Duke does best. He sends in everything. Eve erects a pink barrier between her and Vernon. The strain begins to show in her face. She drops to one knee and looks up to Adonis, who is now in the sky watching the match.
Eve's face changes from stressed to happy, lighting up with joy. She stands letting her barriers drop.
Adonis starts laughing and clapping with joy as Eve’s cocoon spins in place, and crowd cheers.
He says with a devilish grin on his face. “That was a good show. Now it's my turn to have some fun.”
25
Adonis descends into the middle of the group near Eve’s cocoon, and runs his finger across it, carefully eyeing everyone. As if in two places at once Adonis at the throat of Emma, and Duke is flying back into the trees. Emma panics and explodes. The flames engulf the two them.
As the flames fade and die away, Emma's body flips through the air, landing on the far side of the opponent’s entrance. Vernon notices there is no burn marks on Adonis yet the flames are against his skin.
Adonis turns his glare toward Marie, and Vernon heart skips a beat. He didn’t even see the guy move. He turns towards her and wind bursts to get between. Adonis appears in front of Vernon, his hand already around his throat. Vernon flies, landing on the ground near where he enter the main floor.
Vernon lifts his head as Adonis returns his focus to Marie and begins to slowly walk in her direction. Duke bursts out of the trees, with his runes humming loud enough to make Vernon think they were about to crack. Duke is within a few steps on Adonis before he releases. Adonis gets knocked off balance, shifting his stance slightly.
Faster than Vernon can see Duke’s face meets the ground, and Vernon can hear the shattering of bone before the stasis cocoon covers him. Adonis reaches Marie wrapping his large hands around her forehead and lifts her off her feet.
Adonis says with a disappointed tone, “This was better than what the others offered. You're still ultimately a disappointment. I expected more from a group who handled my sisters so easily.”
Marie yells out tears streaming down her face, “Vernon!”
Vernon hears her call out and looks over from where he landed to see Marie lifted off the ground. His entire body becomes hot, reaching deep within himself, thinking back to the fights with Vargas, Tyler and Emma. He imagines the door, and wells up the light inside him. Pushing it into his gloves, and boots. This time the black light fills the runes with a shimmering glow.
He lets out a spine chilling scream from within his deepest recesses, and runs at Adonis. With a smirk, Adonis turns his head. Vernon plants his fist square on his jaw, shrouded in black light.
With Marie still in hand, Adonis's body is spun about. The black light fades from Vernon’s arm and his vision blurs slightly. He takes a deep breath to calm himself down, because he can’t pass out yet.
Adonis, with his free hand, rubs the impact area of the punch. He gives Vernon a proper look over. With a flick of his wrist, Marie is tossed to the side. She lands head first onto a nearby rock and he body slumps in place like a rag doll.
***
Tyler walks up behind Alexandria as she watches her son’s team in the coliseum getting beaten down one by one. He can see the distress and worry in her body language as she shifts back and forth, nervously fidgeting with her hands.
Tyler breaks the silence, “That’s subject thirteen down there, Adonis. He is basically your sons twin brother.” Tyler pulls a cigar from his coat pocket, lighting it with a snap of his fingers.
“Subject thirteen,” Alexandria turns, shaking back and forth, “You told me they shut down the project after that night.”
“Well that’s what I thought too, till just recently. They put me on nanny duty for Project Adonis. There are six clones and two children. The two children are those girls, and they were from the original project. The clones are… Let’s just say not all functional. Adonis down there is the prized clone. Took all your son’s traits, just without Alfred’s. The Board of Directors decided that it was better to use clones, and then alter them, than genetically alter babies.”
“You're telling me he is a clone, and he was made from my son’s DNA. His clone is down there without my husbands influence.”
“Yes it his.”
“Why didn't you tell me sooner? There’s a chance that the stasis system won't be able to handle that kind of power. Vernon and his friends could wind up dead.”
“That’s not all it Commander,” Tyler says softly, “They also made sure that he was a pure sample. He had direct oversight over the whole project. The gene therapy treatments that your husband made, were modified. The new head of research made them stronger and work more aggressively. They didn't care if the clones died because they would just make another as long as it was perfected before they used it on Adonis. We have had a few die, even over the last year that I was brought in. Not only do I have to watch these kids die for your project, but I have to live with what we did to get you out!”
“Tyler I’m sorry.” Alexandria says softly, “I never meant for any of this to turn out this way. You were always my favorite and my friend. It’s why you were my second in command.”
Tyler takes a deep breath, “I don’t know what got into me there sorry Mel. They have some of the top paladins testing out these new enhancement drugs that came from your husband's work. Some good people have died because of it. It's really starting to wear on me, and I’ve had that pent up for some time now. No one to talk to about all this, you know.”
“I know how that is. Not having anyone to talk to and making those types of decisions are always hard. What new drugs are you talking about, I haven’t seen any reports about it?”
“Yea the feed you get is low to medium priority. Anything else would be too suspicious to send out. They locked down your old access years ago but it will still receive those types of alerts. There are a few drugs. Agility, strength, and magic. Agility was the first and it was the original one made by your husband's work. It has no side effects and is non-habit forming. It increases everything in your body. Healing, speed, strength, magical power, magic pool, and mental acuity. The other two are modifications to that formula and they have been less successful on the side effects. Addiction and death seem to be the bigger two I have had to deal with.”
“That’s horrible, why are they trying to create such things?”
“I haven’t been able to talk to you like this to tell you everything that’s going on. It’s getting worse by the day. The Sidus force and the Board have become reclusive with all the attacks.”
“Attacks?”
“A number of attacks have been thwarted on the Board Members homes. They were all unoccupied at the time mind you, but still, those homes should be fortresses.”
“That’s insane, who’s leading the attacks?”
; “Some rebel force that may have ties with the old Separatist, but that is all the information that even I can get right now.”
“Ok, we have to get some serious talk time in, but we are getting off topic. Tell me more about Adonis. Also remember to call me Alexandria, I’m not Melissa anymore.”
***
Adonis grabs Vernon from the back of his head, lifting him into the air. He tries to move and fight back, but his arms and legs don't answer. It feels as if he is about to black out again, but he fights the urge. Vernon didn't even know what to do next. Adonis’ attacks have been so powerful he doesn’t even know if he has used magic yet.
Adonis turns Vernon to face him, and stares at the pendant around Vernon’s neck.
He says, “I remember having a pendant like that when I was younger. My father gave it to me, then took it away. How did you get that pendant?”
Vernon tries to reply strongly but it only comes out as a whisper, “My father made it.”
Adonis sets Vernon down, and he collapses to a knee. Adonis grabs the pendant from around Vernon's neck and pulls it off. Lifting it into the air he inspects it. Anger flashes in his eyes, as he backhands Vernon who flies like a rag doll into a nearby boulder. Adonis puts on the pendant and spreads his arms wide.
Vernon lays his head back staring at the coliseums sky. There is a deafening ring in his ears. The sound of the crowd feels like its miles away. He wants to make sure Marie is ok. With a great amount of effort he turns his head toward where he saw her last. Adonis walking over to him, but past that Marie is awake still on the ground. She looks like she is screaming something, but can’t make out the words.
Adonis stands over Vernon saying, “I feel like my father is here with me now, thanks to you and my new pendant.” He pauses grabbing the pendant between his fingers. “I will be merciful to you and give you a quick death. There need not be two owners of my pendant.”
Adonis pulls back his fist, and energy pours into his bracelet. His arm and fist give off a slight glow as fire and electricity begin to swirl around and engulf his fist.
Death? Vernon’s ears must have been playing with him, because this is just a competition. This whole match had felt like when we went to go save Marie, like it was real. This thought makes his life plays back before his eyes. Crawling up the stairs in the first house he and his parents lived in to see his father getting ready for work in the mirror. The first day moving to Saint Anthony and the neighborhood boys soaking him in water. The day Marie moved in down the street, and they became friends. The first day of high school meeting Duke for the first time. His first kiss from Marie. The plastic promise ring he gave to Marie last night, and the promise he made to be there for her forever and beyond.
26
Vernon watches Adonis in slow motion. His fist covered with fire imbued with electricity moving closer and closer. Vernon has a rush of calm take over. His body feels lighter, and his chest tightens as adrenaline flows through his veins. Each breath quickens, and vision clears. Vernon leans into the punch and creates a pocket of wind to catch the blow and diffuse the blow.
“I'm not dying today!” Vernon yells catching the punch moments before impact.
Adonis blinks, “What, how did you stop my attack?”
Vernon releases the air pocket and a massive blast of wind expands out whirling Adonis into the air. Adonis catches himself in the air, with an amused look on his face.
He says, "This is the second attack from one person that has caught me off guard. Time to take this seriously."
Adonis begins to wave his hands around, which Vernon recognizes as hand and arm gestures for the overlay. “HaLO access target and upload data.”
Vernon’s overlay lights up and starts to send data over.
He says in a panic, “HaLO cancel! HaLO quit...HaLO reboot...HaLO abort!” but no commands work.
Adonis laughs, “It won’t work simpleton. I have paladin access to the HaLO system. I can download any personal information of yours whenever I want. Let’s see here. There isn’t any information for the first 3 months of your life... Strange. Also these medical readings are like mine.”
“What are you talking about, this is a high school tournament. How do you have paladin level access?”
“I don’t need to explain anything to you. HaLO analyze data readout, and compare to Rebirth and Adonis data.”
Vernon watches Adonis in the air for a moment. He is just floating there, swiping though data, or at least that what he looks like he’s doing. Vernon has never heard anything about rebirth before. This could be part of his parents secret, maybe. He doesn’t know what to think right now, but he knows he has to stay alert.
Adonis breaks his silence, “Where were you born?”
Vernon doesn’t want to tell him anything. “I’m not telling you anything.”
“Who are your parents?”
“What does that matter to you?”
“Because you are my prototype. You are the missing Subject 1.”
Vernon understands this just might be the secret his parents have been holding back. His light, and the pendant inhibiting him to be more normal. He tries to yells back with confidence, “What you are talking about. My name is Vernon Douglas and I am a rune master.”
Adonis ignores him, “That would be why we look so similar. You really are the prototype, and yet you are unaware of your gifts. How sad.”
“Gifts, what gifts I’m a zero?”
Adonis laughs maniacally, “You are far from a zero Vernon Douglas. You just don’t know what you are. You’re the bastard son of my father and since you have already died once, there is no need to feel remorse for what I am about to do!”
Adonis flexes his body, extending his right arm, left hand grabbing his wrist. His bracelets both begin glowing as he starts casting a spell. Both fire and lightning runes weave into a mass of wind whirling around Adonis. Fire and lightning form blades, then folded back into the wind, then remade into blades, and folded into the wind again. Over and over they go as the wind dies down a ball of magical blades is finishing. The blades fold into and over themselves, compacting and condensing into a ball of dense energy.
Adonis says with a crooked smile across his face, "Ignis exanimo fragor!"
Releasing the baseball sized spell from his hands toward Vernon. There are all different kinds of counters that runs though Vernon’s mind, but he decides on just one. He runs. There is no doubt in his mind this isn’t a huge spell. It wasn't Adonis’ style so far to not be flashy.
Vernon tries to put up a full thick layer of ice between him and the baseball sized spell, but forgot to fill his runes. Only a half dome of thin ice is made. He reprimands himself, good one there genius, and keeps running. Praying the spell will connect with the ice and not him. The dome is just high enough and it hits the ice.
Vernon is thrown forward, and he catches glimpses of a tornado of fire and lightning. Sliding on his back he looks up at Adonis who is finishing a second one. Vernon knows he can't win if he just keeps running and isn't a long range fighter. The only way to stand a chance at winning is to take him head-on.
He looks for a way to get behind him but there isn’t one. The only way is forward. Wind gathers beneath his feet as he bursts into the air, dodging the second ignis. He tosses a small blade of wind at it, igniting the ball. The blast propels him forward at Adonis. Charging his own attack Vernon’s gloves glow bright blue, almost white.
His fists land in the center of Adonis' gut.
Adonis boasts. “Was that really the best you had?” He laughs.
Vernon smiles, “That wasn’t the attack.”
A gigantic and dense pillar of ice forms at his chest and thrusts him back. It covers his body as it flies into the wall. The pillar falls to the ground from Vernon’s side first, Vernon’s eyes fixated to the other end. As the ice pillar falls, Adonis appears in the middle of a crater in the wall. His stare and smile give Vernon an uneasy feeling. Adonis lets out a scream while flexing his pow
er, doubling the size of the crater.
Adonis says filled with glee, “Finally this is getting interesting!”
Vernon stands his ground, feeling better than he ever has in his life. Both of them meet each other fist to fist, and as they collide the ground and air tremors around them. Again and again and again, punches, and kicks collide sending shock waves through the arena. The ground beneath their feet dimpling from the continued barrage.
The crowd is silent, at the edge of their seats, trying to keep up with the action that is going on the floor. The cameras begin to have a hard time keeping up with the movements and most look like blurs.
Marie is trying to stay conscious to see if Vernon will be alright. She lays there with her heart and head pounding, praying that he gets through alive.
Runes begin to flare up for the both of them as they continually match blow for blow. Scorching, freezing, blasting, and slicing everything around them. The coliseum walls begin to stress and crack from the pressure.
They pull away from each other, and stare the other down, while breathing heavily.
Adonis asks, “How are you able to keep up with me? It doesn’t make any sense. You may be the first, but I have more experience, strength, and battle prowess than you. I was born and raised into a world of constant training. How... How... How, is it possible that you being the imperfect unrefined original could be on equal footing with me? I will not allow this to happen!”
Adonis roars with anger. Vernon can feel the magical pressure rise as each of Adonis’ runes flare up. Glowing a cycle orange, vermilion, and plum. They very sky within the coliseum begins to crackle and burn.
Vernon feels the back of his throat begin to dry out. The heat coming off Adonis is staggering and the ground beneath his feet begins to molten. Dark clouds form overhead, and the molten ground starts to crawl up Adonis' body. Devouring and covering him whole.
Cypher Theorem Series Box Set: Books 1-3, The Zero Class, Shadow Moon, Dragon Fire: A Science Fiction Fantasy Page 17
