by Hayes, Drew
Electricity burst from Vince’s palm, searing through the air and striking Sam in the chitin covered stomach. It was a test-shot, meant to see how tough he was in that form, but it still managed to send him staggering backward. Vince didn’t hesitate, launching another, slightly stronger blast that drove Sam convulsing to the ground. Whatever changes he’d made to his body, apparently enhanced resistance to electricity wasn’t among them.
“Please yield. I don’t have any desire to hurt you more.”
“Fuck you. You think I’m going down that easy?” Sam was struggling to lift his arms, reaching for something, and in a flash Vince realized what was happening. He wanted to eat the contents of another compartment, probably one that could take a shock without breaking a sweat. While Vince had more tricks up his sleeve, electricity was the safest option for bringing Sam down. If he had to go to fire, things became a lot riskier. Much as he hated to do it, there was only one way to finish this immediately and keep Sam safe.
Vince slammed a fist lightly down against Sam’s chest, more a gesture than a punch, and met his eyes. “Deathblow. This fight is mine.”
“From one punch? You must be out of your mind if you think I’m buying–”
“Vince Reynolds has scored a deathblow, and is therefore the winner of this match.” If Sam had been surprised by the lightning, he was downright flabbergasted by Victor’s voice announcing his loss. Victor wasn’t done quite yet, however. “Vince, in the interests of fairness, if you’re going to claim that deathblow, I have to ask you use the energy it would have taken. It’s part of managing your resources, and the people watching are going to want to see that you can back the claim up.”
“That’s fine, I had a feeling I’d need to do something like this.” Vince got up from Sam and walked half a block away, to a clean section of the street. “Building or floor? I’d like to do whatever is safer and easier for you to clean up.”
“Dean Blaine requests that you use the floor. That’s just one fix as opposed to putting a building back together.”
Vince nodded then looked down at the concrete below. The punch needed to be strong enough that it would kill Sam, but he didn’t necessarily have to give away just how much force he could deliver in a single blow. If he undershot it, they might make him go again, or question the win. Better to be sure this was over. About five Roy-hits worth of force should be enough to settle the issue.
The concrete buckled and shattered, caving in on itself as a small crater formed and dozens of cracks spider-webbed out across the pavement. Vince had to hop back quickly lest he lose his footing. Down the street, Sam was slowly turning back to human-form, staring at Vince in an odd mix of anger, wonderment, and terror.
“Thank you, Vince, that settled the matter nicely. You should both report to the medical rooms for evaluation.”
With Victor confirming the match was over, Vince turned to Sam, extending a hand to help him up. “Are you okay? I tried to keep the voltage low but you’re probably going to be shaky until we get you to a healer.”
“What in the living hell are you, man? I just watched you throw manipulated energy, lightning, and a punch that would break a strongman’s ribs. What kind of power is that?”
To his surprise, Vince realized he had managed to keep part of his ability hidden: he hadn’t absorbed anything in the entire match. Some people might put it together, but there was a chance he still had a few surprise cards to play. Reaching down, he hefted Sam up to his feet, taking care to steady him.
“What am I? I’ll tell you Sam, since you seem to have some preconceptions about Lander. What I am is the last choice among my school’s competitors. I’m the guy who barely made the Intramurals cut. So I hope Korman brought their best and came to win. We’re not going to make this easy.”
265.
“What do you think, good or bad?” Alice was so close that Nick could practically feel her breath as they watched the match end on screen, a proximity that would have been inappropriate if they weren’t romantically entangled. “He won, but he had to give away a fair bit to do it.”
“That was always a risk. Vince has been improving, but his straightforward nature still shows itself constantly. In terms of overall strategic outcomes, this is about what I expected, even if it’s not ideal. That said, you have to remember something key when evaluating his matches: Vince has a different end goal than the rest of you.”
Alice turned slightly, giving Nick more attention now that the screens were dark. “How do you figure that? We’re all trying to win.”
“That’s the mechanism you’re using to achieve your goal, not the goal itself,” Nick replied. “You, for example, want to show that Subtlety students can hold their own, as well as prove to yourself that you’ve got what it takes to be a Hero since you started out so much weaker than the rest of us. Shane is fighting to live up the burden of his heritage, defeat his rival, and keep the score even with his sister, since Angela won last year. Chad’s main desire has always been to show the world that Intra is a name to be respected, not pitied, although he’s also hoping to settle the score with Shane and do Lander proud. All of you need victory to meet those goals. Vince, on the other hand, is trying to show that he can be responsible and effective with the – frankly – insane amount of power he has. He’s trying to prove to the DVA and the Heroes that he can stay in control, that he’s going to be an asset in the field, not a liability. From that point of view, he had a great showing. He only ever used as much power as was needed for the moment, never going into overkill. Even that deathblow was obviously him trying to safely end the match.”
“Wait, so you don’t think Vince cares about winning?”
Nick let out something that might have been a laugh, if it weren’t quickly muffled into his shoulder by a swift turn. “Heavens no. Of course he cares about winning. Remember, I said responsible and effective. He has to show that he can get the job done without losing control. Plus, he knows he’s representing Lander, and have you ever seen Vince take that sort of responsibility lightly?”
He had a point there; even Alice felt the pressure of knowing she was showing the Hero world what her class was capable of. For someone like Vince, the sense of obligation was probably palpable. “Okay, I see where you’re going with this. Vince wants to win, and that’s important, but he’s better served in the long term by losing and staying in control than going nuts and scoring a victory. Any fight where he stays composed is a sort of win either way.”
“Precisely. From that perspective, this was an excellent bout for him.” Nick’s eyes wandered across the viewing room to where Lucinda was hurriedly whispering within a circle of her Overton classmates. “I just hope he’s able to keep it up for his next fight. I’ve got a hunch that one is going to push his limits a lot more.”
* * *
The portal opened not far from the gas station where the seemingly elderly couple had stopped for fuel and sandwiches only a day before. It was tucked away carefully, out of sight. Soon figures came pouring out. Globe was first, taking point just in case there were traps or an ambush waiting for them. Only when he was sure it was clear did he motion for others to follow. George came next, already in robot form and rippling with so much energy that sparks seemed to be flying off from his body. Persephone was close behind, dressed in simple tactical gear that in no way resembled her old Mood Swing outfit. After her was Joan, vibrating from all the speed she was containing thanks to Quentin and Adam’s enhancement. Then came Gerard, who had actually donned his Raze costume. No one asked him why; it was his choice how he wanted to meet this day. Adam was next, still shaped like Quentin and crackling with power, but burdened by a hard stare no child could properly emulate. Last was Shimmerpath, who sealed the portal behind them.
“There’s not much time, so I’ll keep this short. Adam has one amped-charge left and so does Quentin. If your power starts fading, get to Adam, unless he’s already used his. In that case, have Shimmerpath open a door back to Quentin. I�
��ll make sure no one tracks you or follows. However, if I’m dead or incapacitated, then Shimmerpath won’t risk going back to Quentin. If we can’t do this without endangering a child, then we can’t do this. Even if the world doesn’t know or believe it, we are the Heroes in this fight, and it’s important that we act the part. Should the attack fail, then you are all ordered to retreat as best you can. I’ll buy as much time as possible. Remember, when we die, so dies the truth, and truth is more important than any one of our lives or pride.”
In another group with this kind of power, there might have been someone who questioned even the idea of failure. After all, they were amplified to their physical limits, and most had already been strong to begin with. There shouldn’t be anything in the world that could stand against them. But these people knew what it was to lose, to have their power mean nothing in the face of cunning and betrayal. They knew they might die today, that their efforts might come to nothing. They understood that no victory was certain, no Super unbeatable. And they were ready to face that outcome, if it meant bringing truth to the world.
“Not much else to say, and time is of the essence. I’ll cloak up until we arrive, but with no information on what kind of Supers Charles has guarding the place, there’s no guarantee it will work. So be ready from the moment we lift off to fight, because we only get one shot at this.”
Raising his right hand, Globe made a fist. Below them, the ground started to rumble as a massive rocky slab formed beneath their feet. Dirt fell away as it lifted into the sky, over the tree line, unseen by the townsfolk thanks to Globe’s manipulation of the light in his sphere of control. None of them were entirely sure what his normal range of control was; he kept that secret close to the vest. But it didn’t matter in that moment. With Quentin’s juiced up power flowing through him, Globe’s area of control could reach much farther than its standard limitations.
Whether it would be far enough, however, remained to be seen. Invisible to the world below, the slab of rock turned thirty degrees and shot off through the sky. Soon, they’d arrive at the lab where Charles had hidden all of his most incriminating secrets.
Soon, the battle for the truth would finally begin.
266.
In a way, Shane was glad that he was going after Vince. While he was impressed with the amount of their actual power Chad and Alice had hidden from their fellow competitors, Shane had also known it was a feat he wouldn’t be able to match. Sure, the first shadow-strike would be a surprise, but after that the cat would be out of the bag. It was a relief not to be the first Lander student to show their real potential, even if Vince had managed to keep some of his tricks hidden for later rounds.
Shane stepped out from the prep room into a thickly wooded area, similar in style to Alice’s open field setting but with vastly more trees to use as cover. Across a narrow, clear strip of grass he could see another student stepping into view. This was their opening position, meant to let them see and greet each other before diving for cover. Victor’s voice called for introductions, and Shane was happy to oblige.
“Shane DeSoto, Control major. Hero name: Styx.”
“Ervin Mooney, Weapons major, obviously. The name will be Whetstone, once I’ve earned it.” Ervin patted the sheathed sword at his side as he spoke, making it clear why his major was obvious.
“Students, this match has begun!”
There was no sense in wasting time; surprise was one of Shane’s most valuable tactics. After the slow burn of Vince’s fight, he hoped Ervin wouldn’t be expecting an immediate assault, at least from so far away. Shane’s sclera turned black as his power activated. Various shadows became tangible as they morphed into dark blades with razor-sharp edges under his control. Tempting as it was to use Ervin’s own shadow to strike him from behind, Shane had to be careful. He was already giving away a lot about his power in this first match. Once he let the other competitors realize that their own shadows were fair game, and that he could attack from such a long range, it was a trick they’d be on guard for. He still might have to use it in this fight, depending on how strong Ervin turned out to be, but it was too vital of a tactic to blow so early on.
Instead, he opted for a simple, frontal assault with three shadow blades. While it was unlikely such an attack would win the match, right now his real goal was information gathering. Not knowing another Super’s power put him at a severe disadvantage, so the sooner he could make Ervin reveal his ability, the better Shane would be able to counter it. As the trio of blades whipped forth, each swinging for a different area of Ervin’s body, Shane was surprised to notice his enemy didn’t seem to be dodging. Instead, Ervin had merely drawn his sword and shifted his stance. He’d probably be able to block one of the shadows – if it had enough mass to cut then it had enough mass to be stopped – but the other two would be able to carve slices out of him while he was pre-occupied. Shane aimed carefully, making sure not to target anything vital, and then his blades closed in on Ervin, all striking at once.
As expected, Ervin swung his sword, however it wasn’t to block. Ervin was attacking the blades, and to Shane’s utter shock not only did Ervin hit each one, he cut through them, sundering every shadow before it could draw close to his body. A lifetime of training kept Shane’s surprise from showing, though it didn’t help diminish how much shock he felt. This wasn’t the first time someone had cut through his shadows, but the only one who’d ever done it with that kind of casual ease was Angela, and only because her weapons were made of solidified light. How in the hell had Ervin managed the same trick with a standard sword?
“Shadow manipulation. Not bad. Credit to Lander, at least you didn’t only send brutes. But that’s a paltry number, and it takes too long to get them near me. I’m afraid this is not a good match for you.”
With that, Ervin darted out of sight, racing into the trees. Shane quickly did the same; it was the height of idiocy to stand in the open when an enemy had cover. Damn, maybe he should have used the instant strike on Ervin; Shane hadn’t counted on the guy being able to neutralize frontal attacks. Then again, with enough shadows, no amount of swordsmanship would protect him. Regrettably, Shane would have to show off more of his potential, and he was already the first of Lander to give away the root of his power.
There was a sound from nearby and Shane scanned the area for movement. It was the rustling of the leaves that gave it away. A pair of daggers came sailing forth from the branches. Shane was about to dive behind a tree for cover, but something in his gut told him to dodge entirely. Although Shane wasn’t one to rely too much on intuition, he also didn’t ignore it when it came on strongly. Leaping to the side, Shane rolled away as the daggers sailed into, and through, a nearby tree. They came out high. There was no chance they would have hit him, but the message they sent landed perfectly.
Ervin’s attacks could cut through cover, so if Shane tried to block them then they would either penetrate and wound him or potentially count as a deathblow, depending on if Ervin had enough control to throw a non-slicing blade that targeted a vital organ.
“Whetstone. I get it. You enhance the sharpness of things, right? That’s why you cut through my shadows and sent daggers through a tree.”
“That somewhat undercuts the degree to which my power works – forgive the expression. My blades can slice through nearly anything, though you needn’t fear for your safety. I’m capable of turning off the effect whenever I choose. I assure you, when you feel my cold steel pressed against your flesh it will be dull and harmless, even as it secures me the deathblow.”
The voice was coming from within the trees somewhere, though it was hard to track the exact location. Ervin had clearly worked stealth into his skillset to great effect. This was bad. Shane could unleash a torrent of shadows, but without seeing his target it was too risky; he could easily cut the guy in half by accident. On the other hand, Ervin could keep up guerilla tactics using the trees as cover, flinging daggers and leaping out to make quick strikes. The field had put him at a
disadvantage, one that he needed to neutralize quickly.
When the idea popped into his head, Shane tried to dismiss it. The mere notion was preposterous. He’d have to reveal far too much of what he could do to make it work. It was the sort of inane madness that Angela would employ. At that realization, Shane pulled himself up short. Dismissing a thought because it’s what his sister would do wasn’t sound tactical thinking. After all, she’d won this whole thing while he was struggling with his first match. And as much as he might like to hide his potential, there was no sense in holding back for future fights if he couldn’t even win this one. Better exposure and victory than secrets and defeat.
Turning, Shane took off in a dash, sprinting back toward the clearing. “Hey Ervin, you’re pretty nimble, right? And good reflexes too, so you wouldn’t be in any real danger from something like a falling tree.”
“I would slice it in twain before it ever drew near me. I respect the desire not to risk your opponent’s safety on a strategy, I truly do, but perhaps you shouldn’t tell me the method of your next attack.” The voice was close, closer than Shane was comfortable with. Hopefully he’d be able to pull this off before another set of daggers came flying.
