Omega

by Riley Tune

  His body looked as if he was a child in the metal creature’s hands. Then he dropped him. Not off of the rock to plummet to his death. No. He dropped Hunter at Omega’s feet. The same position where countless others ended their lives.

  CHAPTER 35:

  REUNION

  T hey were all too shocked and tired, to speak. The use of their powers to such a degree had left most of them drained save for Danielle and Power Prince. Danielle was fuelled by the darkness around them, giving her power reserves beyond her normal limits. Power Prince, well he was a living battery. As far as he knew he couldn’t run out of energy. While his energy may have been limitless, his body wasn’t. It still had limits, and even though he wasn’t tired, he knew eventually he would have to slow down to recover. Even Perkins and Jen were feeling like they could use a breather.

  In the distance, the sounds of buildings could still be heard crashing as the cries and screams from across the Sand Wasteland filled the air slightly. The residents of Acropolis were doing all they could to survive as their world literally came crashing down.

  One by one, each member of Flex’s team slowly landed on the ground as they saw Omega do the same on the large floating platform she occupied. Flex was the last to arrive at a scene that looked like a classic showdown between two forces. As he began to descend, he allowed his anger to hold as he looked at his team.

  He couldn’t say it, not right now, but he was proud of them and what they had accomplished. Even Jen and Danielle, by far the biggest rebels of the bunch, now that Hunter was coming into his own, had performed without question and to the best of their abilities. As they waited on the ground below him, all he could see were their stone faces. Neither woman was joking or cracking smiles like normal. Danielle, with eyes as a dark as bottomless pits, stood prepared with her hands up as if she was going to enter a boxing ring.

  Jen, large sword drawn and in hand, had more of a crouching stand. Her time training with Sasha really had paid off. The blaster she used while in the air was back with Perkins now, as she aimed both of the weapons across the sand towards Omega. Even from where he was above them, Flex could see her green eyes glowing as she analyzed the darkness around them.

  A faint glow of pink light pulsed below. Causing shadows to dance on the sand. Power Prince, his second in command, his team member able to generate raw unmatched energy on a supreme scale was standing there. Hands at his side and his body tilted so that his shoulder faced the enemy.

  A slight smile tugged at the corners of Flex’s mouth. Power Prince, his obsession for tv and movies aside, always was smart in a fight. Now he was just trying to make himself a smaller target. No doubt he had seen several of the large Gunners in each Warden’s Circle, and the imposing cannons they held like toys in their hand. Flex let out a sigh. Even a smaller target wouldn’t help in this fight.

  Cayden was the only one that seemed out of place. Flex didn’t know why but the young Icon had a confused look on his face. Like he had seen a ghost, but he had seen Omega and a Warden’s Circle before. What could he- “Why don’t you come on down?” A voice hissed through the silence.

  Flex quickly turned his head and looked down to the source of the suggestion. She had a passive face as her hands were resting in the pockets of the green jacket she wore. Flex could feel his anger reignite as he could see that she had placed her large boot on Hunter's neck. Everything inside of him wanted to rip their entire force apart, but he couldn’t. As he began to descend, he could see the four Pain Conduits in their midst.

  They were oddly close to each other. Standing, as if they were covering someone up, but Flex couldn’t see anything. He had descended too close to the ground before he had noticed it. Had he still been in the air, maybe he could have figured out what they were up too.

  “Four of them,” Flex said to himself. A whisper came back over his coms. “The women are the Pain Conduits, right?” It was Jen. “Yep,” Cayden responded under his breath. “I’ll handle them,” she replied calmly. Flex admired her confidence, but she hadn’t seen or felt the power of even one Pain Conduit, not to mention the combined might of four. “Hold your ground. Nobody moves until I say so.”

  Omega clapped slightly at hearing his words. “Smart.” As she spoke four of the Wardens around her seemed to spread out as they leaped off the platform that now rested on the ground. They all took steps and moved as if they shared a single mind. Perkins swallowed as she saw the metal creatures seemingly come to life. She told herself she didn’t care, but deep down she wondered. Was one of them him? Her brother that had abandoned her. Was he among them now?

  She raised her blaster that had dipped slightly and shook her head. None of that mattered and she had a new family now. One that needed her protection for as long as she could. “I take it, you’re the one who defeated Manis,” Omega said as she leaned in closer without actually moving her feet. The distance between them wasn’t great but she wasn’t directly in Flex’s face either.

  “I always thought Manis was strong. One of the main reasons I offered to help his power was that I knew he could be great. Stronger than anything or anyone. Even my Wardens.” She glanced to the Warden closest to her and shook her head.

  “I love my children, but facts are facts. They’re strong, but Manis with my help...” She shook her head and sucked her teeth. “Special.” She stopped talking and looked to the side as the glow from the fires in her city lit the skyline. “Now I see I was wrong.” “Give me-” Flex’s words were cut short as Omega applied pressure to the boot on Hunter’s neck. As she did so, her Warden seems to come to life.

  One suddenly had swirls of sand spinning around him, as he floated off the ground. Another had fire dancing in one hand, while cool tendrils of ice encased the other, all while a body of water moved around him like a serpent. The remaining two Wardens still did nothing. They simply stood there. Faceless creatures that were positioned to look directly at Flex.

  “You know how many people you’ve killed tonight? How many of my people perished because of what you did to Sonah?” Omega asked. This time she wasn’t as smooth with her tone. “Far fewer than the amount you have killed throughout the Sections of Mo’eizus,” Perkins replied from behind Flex. “Let’s not forget, they’re not even your people. Not truly.”

  Omega pursed her lips and nodded her head. “They chose to be at my feet, and not in my shadow.” “Don’t nerfing try it,” Perkins screamed. Her reaction caught several of them by surprise. The Gunners all aimed at the blond spikey- haired body of Perkins across from them. Still Perkins continued her verbal carnage.

  “None of them chose The Curse of Varo. You chose to not help them like you did your precious residents of Acropolis. Then any who tried to oppose you, tried to give a slither of power back to the people were wiped out. Don’t talk to me about choices.” Perkins was breathing hard now, and Cayden glanced at her through the corner of his eye.

  He thought that his brother would have loved to seen what just happened. “This is going nowhere,” Danielle said as she stepped in front of Flex. “Either give us Hunter or we take him.” Omega’s brow raised as Flex repositioned himself to stand in front of Danielle. She may have been brave and fueled by anger, but Flex was nearly invulnerable.

  “Sorry, but I can’t do that.” Omega said slowly as she looked down at Hunter. “I need him.” Danielle’s eyes narrowed. “You’re still stuck on this King and Queen shit?” As she spoke Flex could have sworn, he saw the darkness around them ripple. Not some energy generated by Danielle, but the literal darkness around them seemed to pulse. He looked at Danielle again, but this time he had confusion on his face. The question found its way in his head. Just how strong was Danielle really? For most of the time she had spent with the lords, she never really showed how much she was able to do, but since they had arrived on this new world, time and time again she was letting her true power shine.

  “You know when I realized you were attacking my city, I put plans in motion to send a message,”
Omega said as her audience looked at her in confusion. “To be so bold as to attack Sonah, to try to destroy Acropolis, couldn’t go unanswered. Right now, my forces are in place on the Great Beast Arzi. Mostly normal guards, but they have a little surprise with them.” Flex and Cayden both moved to advance, but as they did so Omega smirked and shook her head while leaning in and pushing her boot down harder on Hunter’s throat.

  “Your home will be destroyed. Blood will paint the street red, fire will rain down on those below, and every Spellborn will know that Bravado brought my fury down on them,” Omega said with a slight eye roll. It was as if the destruction of an entire city was normal practice for her.

  “Oh no. Oh no.” The rapid voice of The Mechanic came over the coms. Several members of the team looked toward Flex for direction on how to handle the new development. Power Prince thought it would be better to divide forces, but at what cost. He felt they were screwed on all fronts, and he didn’t like that surprise that Omega spoke of.

  Omega release a long sigh, removed her boot from the unconscious Hunter’s neck, and placed a hand on his head. The pure orange glow from her hands covered his entire body in seconds, and was gone just as fast. Flex and his team didn’t even have time to react before gasps filled the air, and Hunter shot straight up from his slumber.

  He was breathing hard now. As if he had just run tens of miles in the last few minutes. The sound of air rushing from his nose seemed to boom around them. He looked up at Omega standing above himself and could see her smiling down on him. He scampered backwards to move but then, something happened that he didn’t expect.

  As he placed his hand down to move, it crushed the stone surface below him into dust. He looked at his hand, still breathing so hard that he could barely hear anything else. “What the?” he began to speak. “It’s going to take some getting used to, but I needed you strong for what comes next,” Omega said as she extended a hand down to him.

  Hunter looked at the hand in front of him and then across the sand to his friends, all standing there as confused as he was. Against his better judgement, he extended his own hand and allowed Omega to help him up. The mere contact of their skin was enough to make Danielle advance, but Flex had an iron grip on her shoulder in seconds. “Not yet,” he said slowly. “Something is going on here.”

  Omega rubbed the access debris off of Hunter’s chest and looked him up and down. “You’re going to save us all.” Hunter’s eyes narrowed. “I took your powers and created newer versions of them for you.” Omega continued. “Whatever you could do before, you can still do, but at a far greater scale.”

  Hunter looked down to where he was moments ago and at the destruction, he caused by simply placing his hand down too hard. “My strength,” he said as he looked at his hand. “Far beyond your normal limits,” Omega said as she looked at him. “I dare say you might even be able to give him a run for his money.” Hunter let that sink in for a second. He was almost as strong as Flex?

  “Naturally your new abilities won’t work on me,” Omega said as she took a step back from Hunter and extended her hand towards his friends. “That’s part of the package. Although, because of the part you play in our future, I gave you a bonus. Unlike any of my other children I create, your power will not leave when my time finally comes to pass. I could be long gone, but you never know just what Mo’eizus could need from its savior.” Hunter looked at Omega.

  He was confused at what she was saying. None of it made sense to him. In her eyes looking back at him was something he didn’t expect. It was hope. The same look of wonder a child gave Santa at the mall. The same look of a mother watching her child graduate. Whatever Omega needed from him, she truly believed in, and it was more than just the hope of giving her a child.

  Then it was gone. In an instant. The look of hope, that made Hunter think for a moment that Omega wasn’t as bad as he thought, was wiped away as she gave a snap of her fingers. Instantly the Pain Conduits leaped forward. Flex’s eyes went wide as he prepared for the onslaught of pain to wash over them all, but nothing came.

  Instead, the Pain Conduits, all four of them changed one by one. They became intangible. Sinking through the sand below them as their arms moved frantically. Flex quickly looked back to Jen, and instead found an empty space. She had ignored his orders, and turned invisible during all of the commotion of Hunter’s return. Flex couldn’t see her, but he was willing to bet that she was across the field and was the cause of the Pain Conduits sudden intangibility. “Guess she really could take care of them,” Cayden said.

  “What a woman,” he continued. “Easy, lover,” Danielle said while never taking her eyes off of the growing tension in front of them. “She’s spoken for back home.” Omega looked around in surprise as her Pain Conduits seemingly turned to ghosts and descended through the sand- covered ground. While surprised, she didn’t lose her composure. Hunter had scampered away and run towards Flex and Danielle. He wanted to fly towards them, but with his new power, he feared how that would turn out.

  The last thing he wanted was to end up in the atmosphere. “Nice to have you back, boo,” Danielle said as she winked at Hunter, but never dropped her guard. Hunter looked at her and gave a slight nod as he took up position behind Flex. “What are you doing?” Flex asked.

  “Helping,” Hunter responded. “New powers or not, I have to try. Plus, didn’t you hear? I’m stronger than you now. I’ll be fine.” Flex rolled his eyes. “Not how I heard it, but-” his words were cut off as the wind rushed past them.

  In a sudden pop of sound, he was there. “I knew it!” Hunter said as the sand storms created from the new arrival died down. He looked almost the same as he did when they last saw him. Tall and muscular with an inhumanly large chest. His salt and pepper hair was longer now. The shaggy layer covered his ears and was accompanied by the thick beard he now sported.

  He wasn’t in the expensive suits or hero gear he was known for. No, he wore white tattered clothes. Similar to those of Acropolis. Hunter suspected that the clothes were perfect before the fires and destruction caused by the city falling. “Impervious,” Flex said as he looked at his mentor and friend.

  “You’re...” his words were cut off. “I’m fine,” Impervious said. Danielle and Perkins seemed to be the only people who were concerned by the power in his voice. “Flex,” Perkins said as Danielle took a step forward and stood beside Hunter. Before they could voice their concerns, Jen reappeared beside them.

  Her sudden shift to visible from invisible caused Cayden to jump. “Call me crazy but he doesn’t look like he needs saving,” Jen said. “My thoughts exactly,” Power Prince replied. The young hero had been quiet up until now. Even Hunter’s return didn’t earn a response. Power Prince had been a hero longer than most of them. He knew there was time for celebration and reunions, but that came after they were all home and safe.

  Something that for now, they weren’t. As he stood there, he noticed how Impervious looked very healthy. Normally a person held captive showed signs of malnourishment, muscle atrophy, or even pale skin. Impervious had none. True, it could have simply been that, like everything else, he was Impervious to those effects too. Still, Power Prince was weary.

  He knew how fast Impervious was. For Impervious the world moved in slow motion when his speed was used. So, he could have joined either side, but he chose to stand with Omega. Power Prince wasn’t sure how his friends missed it. In the back of his head, he realized that he was still thinking like a leader.

  “The city's in ruins,” Impervious said to Omega as he glared at Flex. “The lab?” she asked. “Secured,” Impervious replied. “The data, research, everything.” Omega didn’t speak and instead nodded her head. “Atlas no,” Hunter said slowly as he looked over at his uncle. “You’re working with her?” He said slowly. “We thought,” “you thought exactly as you were supposed to,” another familiar voice said from behind the remaining members of the Warden’s Circle.

  Cayden gasped as he stepped forward. Earlier
he thought he was simply seeing things. That all the adrenalin was getting to him. He now knew he was wrong. He had seen exactly what he thought through the Warden’s Circle. They all knew that voice, but couldn’t understand why it was coming from across the sand where their enemies were. Perkins frowned as the owner of the voice stepped forward.

  There he was, dark-skinned and menacing. The same eyes Perkins and Cayden had known for so long. The eyes of a friend. A brother. “Cord,” Perkins said slowly in a cracked voice. Cayden, couldn’t find the words to express what he was feeling. His knees suddenly felt weak, and against his own will, he could feel his lip quiver. As Cord walked closer to where Impervious and Omega stood, his face began to melt.

  Power Prince and Jen both grimaced their faces as they watched a man seemingly turn to wax and melt away. From within the wax face came a new voice of laughter. “Not quite.” The voice had an odd accent to it. As if it had spoken in a dozen different languages, and created a new one in the process.

  “The man you knew as Cord, died in that building ambush so long ago.” “Icaro,” Cayden said as he finally found the power to speak. He didn’t say the man’s name in the calm fashion of a statement. It more so sounded like he was accusing the man, the way he spat the name out. Hunter’s mind raced for a moment.

  Where had he heard that name before. Then it hit him. When they first arrived, and had the debriefing with Cord. He mentioned that they were betrayed by a man posing as one of their own. A man called Icaro. A Spellborn assassin that could shape shift into the figure of people he consumed. “Atlas, it’s been you all the time.” Hunter said out loud.

  “Well, I’m lost,” Jen said. Power Prince felt the same way but remained quiet. “All the random disappearances to scout, the time you needed alone to think. Everything,” Hunter continued. “You were passing information to them.” Cayden’s eyes widen as Hunter's conclusion finally set in. He had seen it all along and didn’t even notice it.