Godslayer Arc 1.18 Avatar of Paradise

“So where are we going Drakvar?” asks Jordis as she skips down the street with Drakvar following her from behind.

“The bookstore so I can buy you a book of your choice,” answers Drakvar, “Though I have no idea why you lead me to the Thirteenth District.”

And I would much rather avoid this District. The people here are strange. They just feel off to me in some manner. Not to mention not a single one has made physical contact with me. And they just look so strange. Almost as if they aren’t there at all.

Something is off here. Frankly, I am half-minded to simply take Jordis and leave this District. Perhaps come back with one of the others to check it out.

“Yay!” replies Jordis as she scampers over to Drakvar and wraps her arms around him in a hug, “Thank you Drakvar!”

“Don’t forget to thank Shocker as well when you next see her,” says Drakvar as Jordis runs back ahead of him again, “I am only able to do this because of her generous gift of money.”

“I will!” says Jordis as she turns the corner and pauses suddenly.

Sensing something wrong, Drakvar runs around the corner, halting as he steps in front of Jordis. He too pauses as he looks up at the sight that awaits him.

Whatever it is, it is absolutely massive, a giant swarm of swirling energy of infinite colours as it engulfs the entire street.

How can such a thing go unnoticed?

But even as he thinks that, Drakvar knows all too well how this thing could have avoided detection.

Acting on instinct, Drakvar steps in front of Jordis, placing himself between her and this...thing.

And it turns out to be just in time as the mere second he gets in front of Jordis, Drakvar is blasts by two beams of light.

They don’t blind him like Solara’s attacks did and like with all supernatural forces, they cease to exist as they make contact with Drakvar.

“Run Jordis!” yells Drakvar as the abomination unleash more attacks at him.

These attacks are much more varied with focused water, fire, energy, electricity, ice, and many other forms of attacks including a few that Drakvar doesn’t recognise.

But as always, they are completely ineffective against him. Unfortunately for him however, they do tear up the street around him.

Needing some more stable ground on which to stand, Drakvar jumps backwards and glances at Jordis, but the girl is already gone.

The abomination forms another creature out of purple-black energy. The creature is roughly Kithoid, but has a hazy, misty look to it.

Similar to a Warrior-Spirit, but...different. Just different. And wrong.

The creature glides swiftly across the ground as it races towards Drakvar. Drakvar counters charges and slams his entire body into the creature as much as he can as they connect with each other.

As he expected would happen, the creature is destroyed as it makes contact with Drakvar. Drakvar prepares to charge the unnatural abomination, only to halt as he hears Jordis cry out.

With one swift motion, Drakvar turns on his heel and sprints down the street and around the corner that he and Jordis came around.

He glimpses Jordis at the far end of the street, being set upon by Kith locals.

They must be under the thrall of this abomination.

With an angry roar, Drakvar runs down the street and racing towards Jordis.

“Drakvar!” shrieks Jordis as the Kith attackers begin to grab her, “Save me!”

As he sprints towards Jordis, Drakvar doesn’t notice the abomination consuming the buildings on either side of him or the sky above him. Instead he focuses on Jordis, smashing to the crowd of Kith surrounding her.

Both to his surprise and not to his surprise, the Kith disappear as they make contact with Drakvar. The parts that touch him simply vanish while the rest of their bodies dissolve into smoke before fading away into the sky.

What has happened to the people of the Thirteenth District?

Just as Drakvar is about to reach the screaming Jordis, tendrils from the abomination whip down, seizing Jordis and snatching her away from Drakvar. He is helpless to watch as something flows from the abomination into Jordis.

No! No! NO! NO! NO!

With a wild howl, Drakvar feels power following through his body, strengthening it and focusing his mind. With this sudden surge of strength, Drakvar leaps as Jordis and wraps all four of his arms around her, yanking the young girl from the tendrils of this otherworldly monster.

Drakvar hits the ground hard, rolling along the street as he holds Jordis tightly against his chest. He glances at her to confirm that she is okay.

Is her fur blue? How did-good, she is still breathing.

Still clutching the now blue-furred and silver-haired Jordis, Drakvar gets to his feet and glares at the abomination as it and its false Kith surround Drakvar.

I have no idea how to fight this thing let alone beat it. At least we are at an impasse. I might not be able to best it, but it is incapable of besting me.

But at the end of the day, it won’t be able to get Jordis again and that is all that matters.

As Drakvar and the abomination stand off against each other, untold amounts of electricity tears through the air, ripping into the monster and its false Kith.

Shocker? What is she doing here?

As the abomination recoils and the false Kith torn apart, Shocker comes running down the street towards Drakvar and Jordis.

“What is that-” Shocker starts to demand, but is suddenly whacked side without warning by the abomination.

“Shocker!” shouts Drakvar as the Ti’darkei Champion is sent crashing through the window of a shop.

“Do not worry my Squire,” says Sir Galamin in that loud, clear voice of his as he and the Ordic step into with Solara above them and Valen trailing behind him, “I, my father and my daughter shall deal with the Deceiver Entity.”

“Lalf Tokkk Mona!” declares the Ordic as he points his undersized blade at the abomination.

While Drakvar as no idea of what Ordic just said, the abomination clearly seems to as it retreats, disappearing as its unholy mass of swirling colours retracts back down the street.

With the threat gone, Drakvar feels the sudden of power sustaining him fade and his knees give out as he collapses and falls into unconsciousness. 

1.14 Slaughter Part 10

I feel like puking.

That would be due to the damage your body has taken. You have a concussion, warped bones, severe internal bleeding, multiple bursted organs and an emptied bladder.

That sounds very nasty.

It is. We’ll have to redo your physical body again once today’s events are over.

It would take another three months will it?

No. The first time is always the longest. I would estimate it will only take a few hours this time. Several hours if you die again.

That is a relief.

Guardian strides over to where a battered and bloody Defender is standing over a downed Graviburn. While her armour is severely damage and will need to scraped and replaced, Defender’s A- Class regeneration means that she has mostly recovered from her injuries.

Graviburn is not so lucky as Guardian notes the supervillainess is badly injured as she lies in the rumble.

“What do we do with her?” asks Defender as she stares at her prone opponent.

Guardian doesn’t verbally answer her teammate and instead decapitates Graviburn with Gord’Ang, much to Defender’s shock.

“How can you just do that?” demands Defender after a moment’s silence.

“Easily enough,” replies Guardian as she looks at the bloody blade of Gord’Ang.

“She was defenceless,” snarls Defender as she looks around, “You just murder her in cold blood! Did you kill the-oh my god, you did...you really did...”

“Letting them live would have been putting others at risk just to let myself feel a false sense of superior morality,” explains Guardian as she looks around for Friend.

Where is he?

He is no longer in this area. It would appear he fled once you showed up and started winning.

Can you find him?

Yes, just follow your HUD.

Send it to Defender as well.

As you wish.

“Wait, what are we doing?” asks Defender as Guardian takes off after Friend.

“Taking down Friend,” replies Guardian, “We’re not letting him get away.”

“Okay, but about the others?” inquires Defender as she races off after Guardian.

“They are fine,” replies Guardian, “You were the only one in need of assistance and that has yet to change.”

“So how if the fight going?” asks Defender.

“The Slaughter Seven have been driven to a halt with the exception of Aquiline and Friend, who are both on the run,” answers Guardian, “We should take to the air.”

“Okay,” says Defender as Guardian flies into the air, “Wait, my KEPs aren’t working.”

“I catch him from the air while you catch up on foot,” says Guardian.

“Are we even immune to his power?” asks Defender, “I don’t think he was affecting me earlier, but I can’t be certain. Not for sure.”

“I don’t know, but theoretically I should be,” replies Guardian over their comm link as she gets high up into the air, “At the very least he won’t be able to fully manipulate me due to Ceta.”

Thank you for your trust.

You have earned it many times over.

“Okay,” mutters Defender, but she still sounds unsure and upset.

Have I angered her somehow? We seemed to rather tense with one another.

I think that your willingness to kill has disturbed her.

Okay then. We can sort that out later.

Guardian looks down at where Friend is running through the deserted streets. Increasing her speed, Guardian angles downwards to the end of the street Friend is currently on. She lands on her feet and grips Gord’Ang in both hands as she and Friend stare each other.

Friend’s currently form is a pretty American teenager with curly brown hair and hazel eyes. Her body is curvy, but more along the lines of a Bellator than an Aphrodite, and is muscular and well-built.

As Guardian prepares to strike, she hesitates.

Why am I fighting my friend?

Naidraug!

Guardian relaxes and lowers Gord’Ang as Friend approaches her. As Friend asks her to drop Gord’Ang, Guardian hesitates.

The Slaughter Seven are still in the area. I can’t just drop my weapon let alone Gord’Ang.

Ycagel!

Something doesn’t feel quite right...

As Friend speaks to her, Guardian checks her armour as it goes haywire. While it isn’t failing completely due to Gears’ high level of skill in designing it, the systems are suffering random malfunctions, including blocking out any external sounds.

Cidro!

Ceta?

Guardian looks up as Friend does so and she spots Alexandria and Glowbug approaching from the air.

Are they coming to fight my friend?

Ordic!

Ceta, what are you saying...? Urggh, my mind is so foggy.

Legacy of Guardian, you are Ordic, the Guardian! This woman that stands before you is an evil one and a monster.

I...I understand.

As Friend walks pass her, Guardian tightens her grip on Gord’Ang again. With Friend’s back turned on her, Guardian charges at her.

She may be friend, but as the Guardian, I must still take her down for the evils she has committed.

Guardian snarls as she swings Gord’Ang at Friend as she passes her. Guardian skids to a halt and spins around, Gord’Ang ready to strike again. She charges forward at Friend as the supervillain blankly stares her missing arm.

A beam of golden light slams into Guardian, knocking her off her feet before she can hit Friend again.

1.14 Slaughter Part 9

Guardian zooms off through the air as marker indicating Defender’s location appears on her HUD. She is by the police station on the other side of the city.

Ceta, what is the situation?

Aquiline is fleeing. Protector is engaging Murderiser. Gears is taking on Necromantress and her undead. Defender is engaging Friend and lackeys Sinister Man, Enlastor, Graviburn and an unknown parahuman. The local police were helping her, but have been forced to redraw as would be expected. Demonica, Hackjob and Murder Wolf have the Fowlers and the local Heroes Union members pinned down in the Fowler Mansion while Sentinel is helping them out with the spare suits of armour. Protector and Gears are doing rather well while Sentinel, the Fowlers and Heroes Union are doing reasonable fine. Defender is in dire need of assistance.

Hence why we are going to her aid. What about other authorities?

Given past inabilities to stop them and the other, more manageable instabilities, the military and government forces won’t be getting involved provided they aren’t targeted by the Seven and their forces. The Chicago Heroes Union are getting involved. Atlas is on his way while Alexandria and  Glowbug are on their way from the Juniors. The rest are staying uninvolved due to low power levels compared to the Slaughter Seven.

So help is on the way.

I should also inform you that Gears has asked Darkness for help.

Darkness? But Gears hates him with that guy being a criminal mastermind and trying to kill Joan.

Gears hates Aquiline and his ‘Seven’ more.

Guardian looks down at where Defender is engaged with the three parahumans. Despite her skill, powers and advanced equipment, Defender is taking a pounding and her armour has suffered serious damage to the point of barely being half-functional. Even then, that is due to the robust durability of Gears’ inventions.

What is the situation?

Defender is on the verge of being overwhelmed. The Adonis in the black spandex is immune to toxins and poisons. He also has an elastic body at C Class level. As a result, he can stretch and is resistance against damage with extreme resistance to electricity. However he is weak against heat and cold. He is known as Enlastor from our records.

And the Aphrodite in the black and red?

Graviburn. B- Aphrodite in addition to a C+ Pryokinetic and a B+ Gravity Manipulator.

She sounds very dangerous.

Power wise she is probably the most dangerous, but she relies too much on her powers and fails to use them to the fullest of her abilities.

And the last one? The Aphrodite in the white spandex and red body armour?

Unknown. She is new addition to the Slaughter Seven’s acolytes. Another mid level Pryokinetic and a high level Aerokinetic from what I can get from Defender’s data. She also seems to be a B Class Aphrodite. Be careful, she is powerful and a smart fighter.

Understood.

The most dangerous one is Friend.

Where?

Hanging back. Parahuman fights are things he stays out of due to his low physical prowess.

Guardian decides all of four hostile parahumans, Friend is the biggest priority. The full-member of the Slaughter Seven is a shapeshifting Bellator who has an A+ ability to make you think he is your closest friend or ally to the point you would ignore that fact he is casually killing your actual friends or even you.

Only those with high level powers that render them immune or resistant can realise what is happening and attempt to stop him, but they always find themselves killed by their teammates.

I’m not sure if I’m immune his power.

If you do fall under his thrall, you won’t be able to your powers without my consent.

That is good to know.

Guardian swoops down and slashes Gord’Ang at the unknown woman as she pulls the air out of Defender’s lungs. While Friend might be the biggest threat, saving Defender is still Guardian’s top priority.

Not expecting Guardian’s sudden appearance, the psychopathic Aphrodite is caught off guard as Guardian chops her arm off. Before anyone else can react, Guardian grabs her by the neck and snaps it with her enhanced strength.

We can afford no mercy to these monsters.

I am glad you understand that now.

I spent years experiencing the memories of warriors and soldiers. That only recently the Guardian has been a superhero is something that I now understand. And I understand why that is the case.

Guardian covers her activates her hardlight shield in front of her as Graviburn lets out a continuous stream of fire at her.

As Defender gets to her feet, Guardian feels a sudden onset of sickness as her body goes unsteady and wobbly.

What is going on?

Graviburn is attempting to use her gravity powers on you. In response, I am using the gravity generators in your nanites to counter the effects as best I can.

I still feel awful.

It is better than being crippled or dead.

True.

As Enlastor charges towards Guardian, Defender dashes at Graviburn. With her super speed, the supervillainess is unable to react before Defender tackles to her to ground.

Taking less than a second to recover, Guardian focuses on the incoming Enlastor. The surprised supervillain tries to halt his attack, but Guardian is already positioning herself to strike.

She pulls back her arm so Gord’Ang is pointing at Enlastor. As the sociopath tries to run away, stumbling over the rumble left from the fight with Defender. Guardian doesn’t give him a chance to get away, thrusting forwards with Gord’Ang as she runs at Enlastor whilst activating her KEPs.

Guardian runs Enlastor through the chest. As she takes in shocked look on his face, Guardian slashes Gord’Ang upwards, tearing through the flesh and bone of the supervillain.

As blood splatters her armour, Guardian turns away as Enlastor’s corpse falls to the ground.

Godslayer Arc 1.17 Satri

Satri Roken, Page of the great Champion Miskara Stormmistress of the Ti’darkei Order, twirls the spear that her mistress left in her care before disappearing.

From what her cousin, Page Uri and her own mistress, Knight Sirakor Justmover, have told Satri, it is normal for Champion Miskara to do such things. Something that Satri has noticed due to how Miskara has disappeared in the same way for the other two days that Satri has been her page.

According to Uri, one of the reasons Satri got the position of being Miskara’s page was because she could be trusted to tolerate Miskara’s eccentricities and keep them secret.

Still, Satri doesn’t mind such things as her position is a prestigious one, it pays well and Miskara has proven herself to be a kind mistress so far.

After all, all Satri has to do is look after Miskara’s trivial affairs such as cleaning her clothes, keeping her quarters tidy and preparing her meals.

Satri strolls over to massive mirror in the luxurious quarters to see how well the sleek, smooth white and silver spear suits her now that she has completed all of her outstanding tasks.

Like her cousin Uri, Satri has white fur and black hair, but she is taller with long hair. And also like her cousin, Satri is wearing the white and gold robes of a Ti’darkei Order page.

“Do you think dis looks good?” Satri asks the spear rhetorically.

But to her surprise, the spear flickers one, glowing with white light.

“W-what?!” exclaims Satri as she recoils away from the spear in her grip, the last thing she was expecting being a response from the inanimate object.

Satri hesitate for a moment before asking the spear, “Can you understand me?”

In response to the question, the spearhead blinks once, momentarily full of glowing white light.

“Cool,” mutters Satri, fascinated by this discovery, “How about this, one flash for yes and two flashes for no.”

And the spear blinks once.

“Okay, can you blink twice for no?” asks Satri and the spear does so.

“Dis is so amazing,” whispers Satri, “Does Champion Miskara know about dis?”

The spear blinks three times.

“Does dat mean you don’t know?” inquires Satri.

The spear blinks once.

“Oh, okay,” says Satri as she wonders how to ask Miskara herself about this discovery, “What else can you do?”

A beam of light shoots forth from the spearhead and flies across the room, hitting one of Miskara’s pillows.

With a frightened whimper, Satri drops the spear and darts across the room to Miskara’s canopy bed.

The pillow has a small burn hole in it, but fortunately it hasn’t caught fire or anything. Satri sighs with relief.

“So what do I do with dis now?” mutters Satri.

“Just get a replacement,” says Miskara from behind Satri and the page jumps at the sound of her mistress’ voice.

With a great nervousness, Satri slowly turns around to see Miskara leaning against the wall by the doorway, holding the spear.

“H-hello Champion Miskara,” replies Satri, “I-I mean m-mistress. I d-didn’t realise dat you h-had returned home.”

“Oh relax,” says Miskara with a wave of her hand, “I’m not going to bite your head or anything. Just tell anybody who asks dat it got damaged during me demonstrating my power.”

“But wouldn’t dat be lying?” asks Satri as she relaxes.

With one swift motion, Miskara aims a finger at the pillow in Satri’s hands and fires off a small bolt of electricity. It hits the hole in the pillow with pin point accuracy, burning it even wider.

With a small yelp, Satri drops the pillow before sheepishly bending down and picking it back up.

“Not anymore,” replies Miskara with a smirk, “I didn’t scare you did I?”

“W-well, no, uh yes, you did,” replies Satri, deciding to be honest with her new mistress.

“Sorry,” replies Miskara, sounding genuine to Satri, “I forget dat not everybody is used to my power as I am. Anyway, once you get a replacement pillow, come back here. I want to chat with you.”

“Me?” says Satri, confused.

“Yes, you,” replies Miskara, “You’re my page and I am your mistress. We should get to know each other. Besides, I’m sure you want to know de true story behind dis spear.”

As Satri leaves Miskara’s quarters, she decides that being the Page of the great Champion Miskara Stormmistress of the Ti’darkei Order is nothing like she thought it would be.

1.14 Slaughter Part 8

Guardian adopts a defensive stance as Gears flies off, Gord’Ang in gripped tightly in her left hand.

Careful. I recreated your body slightly earlier than I should have done. As result, you are weaker and more fragile than normal.

I’ll keep that in mind.

Aquiline is wearing a black leather full bodysuit and has a sword with a silver blade while Guardian has her armour and Gord’Ang.

That sword appears to be a molecular blade.

If he has been using it against Gears, it must be pretty worn down by now.

It is still dangerous to us even with our armour.

And we got a few new tricks up our sleeve. My past lives have taught me quite a bit.

“Oh £$&* you!” snarls Aquiline with a mixture of annoyance, angry and even a bit of fear, “You’re supposed to be dead! You died! I don’t believe you been lying low these last few months. That just isn’t you!”

“Is it so unbelievable that I can come back from the dead?” inquires Guardian as she strides forward.

The vigilante is controlling her armour with her power as being inside the machine gives her better processing and reflexes. Especially with her weaken physical state.

“No,” mutters Aquiline quietly, “Not when it comes to you. @#*&!”

Guardian dashes forward, her feet barely touching the ground as she uses her KEPs at low power to boost her speed. Aquiline is caught off guard, barely raising his own blade in time as Gord’Ang comes at him.

The silver blade is cut into two as the Linx blade tears through it, nicking Aquiline and leaving him a small gash on his upper arm. Already in motion, Guardian swings her right fist into the side of Aquiline, knocking backwards.

As the mass murder is knocked off his feet, Guardian sticks her foot against his chest and activates the KEPs in it. As the KEPs in the back of Guardian’s armour keep her steady, Aquiline is sent flying across the street.

He slams into a wall with a thud and collapses on the ground. Guardian is about to go for the kill when something slams into her. She grunts in pain as she loses her grip on Gord’Ang. As she tumbles through the air with whatever hit her, Guardian quickly grabs Gord’Ang out of the air and stabs the blade into the creature that hit her.

As Guardian roughly lands on her feet, the creature creates out an unnatural screech of pain. Guardian holds Gord’Ang with both hands as she takes in the massive beast standing before her.

The creature is a three metre tall bulky humanoid with muscular black and red skin. The body and legs are covered by dirty grey armour while the hands and feet are covered by metal plate gauntlets and boots respectively. Four curled black horns grow out of the hand, two on each side while the creature has four gold eyes and a pig-like nose.

It snorts at Guardian as it looks down at the gash in its side as it drips misty black acid. It glares at her, Guardian spots Aquiline uneasily getting to his feet.

“%$£&,” coughs Aquiline before looking at Guardian and the beast, “Well, it looks like you got your hands fall with one of Demonica’s Drenora. I wonder what deal she had to make to get this one. I’ll be seeing ya around Guardian darling. Toodles!”

Aquiline runs down the street and Guardian is itching to hunt him down and finish this once and for all. But she has to deal with the Drenora as Aquiline called it.

The Drenora roars it summons a large greatsword with a red blade and black hilt that it holds in one hand with ease. It charges at her, swiping the large blade at her. Guardian raises her right arm in front of her.

As the blade comes down on her, Guardian activates a trick that Ceta taught her in the cyber world. A heater shield made of green hardlight appears in front of Guardian’s right wrist. Using extremely advanced Deltaen technology, advanced enough that often got them mistaken for divinity, Guardian can convert data from the cyber world in the objects in the physical world.

As the red blade bounces away from the green shield, leaving only a small dent in it, Guardian slashes with Gord’Ang. The Drenora roars in anger as Guardian chops off the hand holding the broadsword, just at the point where the gauntlet ends.

Guardian jumps back, pulling the hardlight shield closer so it is floating only an inch away from her right wrist. As the Drenora also backs up, Guardian jumps forward and boosts herself to the side by firing the KEPs.

As she flies over the shoulder of the Drenora, Guardian hacks off its other arm at the shoulder. She spins around as her feet touch the ground. Before the Drenora can finish roaring in rage, Guardian stabs through its chest.

Guardian is careful to avoid the acid that is burning through the street as she pulls Gord’Ang out. But rather than die, the Drenora whips itself around before Guardian can finish removing Gord’Ang from its body.

The sudden movement yanks Gord’Ang out of Guardian’s grip and she stumbles. Guardian braces herself as the Drenora charges at her, its horned head pointed at her. She sticks her green hardlight shield in front of her and staggers as the Drenora slams into it.

Before the stunned Drenora can recover, Guardian summons Gord’Ang back to her hand and stabs the Drenora in the forehead.

As the Drenora goes limp, Guardian yanks Gord’Ang out. Before it can hit the ground, the body of the Drenora disappears into black mist.

Guardian returns her hardlight shield back to the cyber world before taking off into the air.

Who needs my help next?

Defender needs our help.

1.14 Slaughter Part 7

Aquiline dodges to the side and Gears’ handgun automatically ejects the empty magazine. Most of the Renders miss, but three hit Aquiline despite his abnormally quick reflexes.

Aquiline’s words about his suit being both bullet and explosion proof are proven correct as the Renders fail to hurt him with neither its kinetic force nor its explosive power. Aquiline laughs loudly as he twirls both of his blades again.

Where is Necromantress?

Yes, where indeed?

Probably off to create more undead.

Then we need to finish off Aquiline and Murderiser and hunt her down.

Along with the rest of the Seven and Sinister Man.

If Sinister Man isn’t a member of their group.

Oh he is.

“Well, this has been fun, but I have to go,” says Aquiline with a mock bow, “Personally, I don’t want to get involved in this anymore than I have to. It is my teammates that want to tangle with you guys to be honest. So I figured why not let them find out first-hand how dangerous the Guardsmen are? If they survived, they’ll come out more educated for it. If they don’t, then we’re better off without them.”

Meanwhile Gears has reloaded his handgun with another type of bullets, Blasters, as he listens to Aquiline talk. Blasters contained high explosives with a lot of power. Designed purely to blow apart their targets.

As Aquiline dashes down the alley, Gears opens fire with his handgun. Five of the six shots hit Aquiline and while they don’t penetrate his clothing, they do stagger him. As the Aquiline stumbles, Gears fires off his KEPs and slams into the monster in human form.

Shouldn’t there be more people about?

Yes, there should be.

With the Seven about, the implications of such a thing are disturbing.

Indeed, we should eliminate Aquiline as quickly as we can so we can evaluated the situation.

Both Gears and Aquiline go tumbling into the road, Gears losing hold of his weapons in the process. As Gears get to his feet, he spots one of Aquiline’s silver swords lying within reach. He looks up to see Aquiline preparing to strike him with the other sword, where it is has currently lodged itself into the road.

With a snarl, Gears rolls out the way and grabs the other sword. Aquiline yanks his own sword out of the road and swings it at the vigilante. Gears whips his stolen sword around, meeting Aquiline’s in a clang and burst of sparks.

Gears is rewarded with a momentarily stunned look on the Aquiline’s face, just there for a spilt-second to the one point somebody would need inhumanly quick reaction time to even notice it.

And I think that was a bit of fear in that look as well.

Growling at Aquiline, Gears’ fist slams into Aquiline’s gut, already in mid swing when the swords made contact. Winded, Aquiline stumbles backwards and Gears presses his attack. He swipes his sword at Aquiline and the serial killer raises his own.

As the flat side of Gears’ sword hits the sharp side of Aquiline’s, Gears watches as his sword snaps into two.

Dammit it!

We still have two of our own molecular daggers.

Plus Aquiline’s blade must be losing its sharpness as well.

Indeed. Aquiline might be more skilled, but we have more options and gadgets available to us even if we are equally skilled physically.

I just wish we knew his power set.

As Gears hops back and prepares for Aquiline’s next attack, both he and his foe turn to look at Murderiser as the mass murder crawls rapidly along the side of the wall. Protector quickly follows him out of the alley at ground level.

Gears and Protector make eye contact.

“Don’t let Murderiser get away,” says Gears, using the comms in their armour, before turning his attention back to Aquiline, “I got this one.”

“As you say,” replies Protector as he activates his KEPs and flies off after Murderiser.

It appears wall crawling is one of Murderiser’s powers.

And did you notice that his arm was healed from the damage we inflicted earlier?

Yeah, I did.

It is not good news.

Indeed, Murderiser must have some form of powerful healing or regeneration.

That is definitely not good news.

Aquiline charges forward, swing his sword at Gears. Gears fires up his KEPs and takes off into the air, out of Aquiline’s reach.

“So where is the rest of the Slaughter Seven?” inquires Gears in an angry voice.

“Dealing with the local heroes,” replies Aquiline in what is supposed to be a causal tone, but is too tight for that, “Friend and some of our lackeys are dealing with the local heroes while Demonica, Hackjob and Murder Wolf are taking care of those ridiculously powerful Fowlers. Necromantress is doing her thing.”

Joan.

We must deal with this monster and go to her aid.

We can’t just let Aquiline go and he shows no signs going down anytime soon.

Then we send Jaylyn to aid Joan.

“Sentinel,” says Gears as he switches to a private channel and turns off his external speakers, “Go and help your mother. Demonica, Hackjob and Murder Wolf are going after her and the rest of her family.”

“Understood Father,” replies Jaylyn in less than a split-second, “I will use your spare suits of armour.”

“Good girl,” mutters Gears under his breath as he turns his external speakers back on, “Let us finish this Aquiline.”

“Then come down and fight,” sneers Aquiline as he points his remaining sword at Gears.

“Actually,” says a deep, distorted feminine voice, “Why don’t you go and help some others in need of aid Boh. I will deal with this Tokkik.”

I know that voice…

This is wondrous news!

Indeed!

Excellent!

Brilliant!

Praise be God!

“Guardian,” says both Gears and Aquiline at the same time, but in two very different voices.