Clones rip through the streets of Nashville, leaping on top of cars, ripping fire hydrants out of the ground and throwing them, smashing storefronts and apartment buildings. They’re monsters of pure destruction with no regard for human life. One of the clones looks down an alleyway and sees a child hiding there.
Child: AHHH!
The child runs out of the alleyway, but the Clone chases after him.
Clone: DIE!
Vulcan charges toward the clone.
Vulcan: Back off, you bastard!
Vulcan coats his teeth and jawbone in a layer of magma.
Vulcan: Magma Mandible Mash!
Vulcan bites the clone’s shoulder, burning its skin to the third degree. He then rips the clone’s arm straight out of its socket.
Clone: DIE!
Vulcan: Yes, I’m aware that’s what you say.
Vulcan coats his fists in magma.
Vulcan: Magma Overdrive!
Vulcan begins repeatedly punching the clone over and over again.
Clone: DIE!
Vulcan: Don’t even pretend you stand a chance!
Vulcan finishes his barrage with an uppercut. The clone smashes into the ground, with steam erupting from its pores.
Clone: *groans*
Vulcan spits magma on the clone’s body.
Vulcan: It sickens me to my core that I need that many attacks to annihilate one of these things when Colossus only requires a single punch.
Evergreen: You should be more concerned with what that means for all the other heroes defending the city.
Evergreen has arrived.
Vulcan: Yes, these things are savages. They’ve murdered countless civilians alongside many B-Rank and C-Rank heroes.
Evergreen: We need to be efficient, it takes a pack of A-Ranks to kill one of these things, and with Colossus fighting the man in charge on his own, the rest of us top 10 heroes have our work cut out for us.
Vulcan: Greedy bastard, he better finish up that fight quickly. As much as I hate to admit it, his help was necessary.
Evergreen: Look at you acting all humble.
Vulcan scoffs.
Vulcan: It wouldn’t be necessary if-
Fortunate Son can be heard in the distance.
Vulcan: It’s about damn time.
15 S.T.O.R.M. Helicopters are flying into Nashville. One of the helicopters lands in the street, Pause steps out of the helicopter with a squad of 11 soldiers. Their helicopter takes off to collect another team of soldiers.
Pause: You know the drill; they all look alike. If you see one, shoot on sight.
A clone slams down on the ground, and the soldiers raise their M249 Light Machine Guns.
Clone: DIE!
The clone charges at the squad.
Pause: Or, I guess I should say…
Pause raises his blindfold activating his quirk and freezing the Clone in time.
Pause: My sight, light him up.
The soldiers begin unloading copious amounts of bullets at the clone, eventually breaking through its coating of silver armor and shooting it so much that its skin looks like swiss cheese. Pause lowers his blindfold, and the clone keels over, dead.
Pause: Good work.
Pause taps on his earpiece.
Pause: This is Agent Pause. Alpha Squad has landed six blocks from the target.
Alexander: *earpiece* Good work, stay safe, and whatever you do, don’t let him use his quirk.
Pause: Roger that.
Pause turns to his squad.
Pause: Alright, soldiers, commence Operation: Kill the Nuke.
Colossus looks around at the coliseum.
Colossus: How… How are we here! No planet outside of earth is habitable by human life in this galaxy!
Iota laughs.
Iota: That may ring true for the former generations of people that lived on Earth, but we’re in a different age. We’re in the era of “quirks.”
Colossus: What are you on about?
Iota holds out his hand, and seemingly out of nowhere, a sphere of rock forms floating just above it.
Iota: What you’re standing on is a product of one of the most extraordinary quirks of all time, Planetary Creation.
Colossus: Huh?
Zaire warps into a control room and hooks up Hackmaster’s laptop to a mainframe that connects a slew of cameras around the coliseum.
Zaire: (It’s time to start the show.)
Another member of Iota’s army steps into the control room.
Signal: You called, Zaire?
Zaire: Yes, do you believe you’ll be able to send the broadcast signal to Earth?
Signal laughs.
Signal: I’m the guy that gives Master Iota the ability to hack into cameras on earth from our home planet. This is just like doing that in reverse! I’ll just need to get to the roof.
Signal grabs a wire connected to the mainframe and sticks his finger in the air.
Signal: They call me the human satellite for a reason!
Like Iota’s first broadcast, jumbotron billboards, TVs, computers, phones, and anything connected to the internet or has a signal begins streaming the confrontation between Iota and Colossus. Down in the fallout shelter, Angel, Alexis, Karma, Eve, Zach, Gus, Jace, Demetri, and Isaiah, alongside many other city citizens, watch on their phones.
Angel: How are we even getting this signal?
Karma: We’re way too far underground to be getting texts, let alone a live feed of a fight.
Alexis: This must be the work of a quirk.
Zach: Yeah, that’s crazy and all, but what the hell is that guy thinking fighting Colossus? He’s going to get clobbered!
Karma: That’s true. There’s a reason this is the first time these tunnels have been used in nearly two decades. Colossus may be nearing his forties, but he’s still the strongest person on the planet.
Alexis: That guy must have something planned.
Iota makes the dirt sphere bigger.
Colossus: So, you’re able to create planets, huh? That sounds like quite the powerful quirk.
Iota: It is, but it isn’t at the same time.
Colossus: What do you mean?
Iota: All quirks have a downside or a cost for use, and this one has the most tremendous cost of all: my life.
Colossus: Hm? What do you mean?
Iota: I can create mounds of rock that can be formed into planets with their own oxygenated atmosphere of any size. However, the cost is the minutes of my life. Every human has a set time in which their body will simply “fizzle out,” and they’ll die in their sleep. This rock in my hand moved that time closer by 5 minutes.
Iota taps his foot on the ground.
Iota: And this planet right here? It took 10 years off my life, but then again… you took nearly 20.
Colossus stares at Iota.
Colossus: I don’t even know you.
Iota: And that’s part of the problem.
Colossus: How did you even get this rock out here in space?
Iota: The same way I brought you here.
Colossus’ eyes widen.
Colossus: The warp gates…
Iota: I guess you can use your head. What a shock. My accomplice Zaire would find suitable environments in space where human life could be sustained and be out of reach of earth’s radar, and I would create the planet through the warp gate.
Colossus: Alright… one more question. How the hell did you build a coliseum on this planet?
Iota smiles.
Iota: An “old friend” helped me out.
Colossus: “Old friend,” huh? Why do I have trouble believing that’s the truth?
Iota: Believe what you want to believe. That is indeed the truth.
Colossus: Hm…
Zaire watches from the control room.
Zaire: (Master has created only 3 planets using his quirk, this one that cost him 10 years of his life, our home planet that cost him 25, and a “special” planet that cost him another 10. The average male life expectancy is 95 years. Master has moved that mark all the way down to 50. He’s 27 now… so he’s only got about 23 years left to live, assuming, of course, that his life will be average length. However, if he’s going to be fighting Colossus, I imagine he’ll have much less by the time this is done.)
Iota cracks his knuckles, and Colossus looks at the glowing Iota Ring on his fingers.
Colossus: (If I recall correctly, he was once a Guardian. Wielding a ring makes him a dangerous opponent, I can’t let my guard down.)
Iota laughs.
Colossus: Huh?
Iota: I see you eyeing the ring! It only further proves that you know what it is and that you’re a liar hiding behind your own ring!
Colossus bursts towards Iota.
Iota: Huh?
Colossus: You shouldn’t have lowered your guard!
Colossus punches Iota in the chest, sending him crashing into the arena wall and covering him in a cloud of dust. The coliseum goes quiet.
Colossus: You were a fool to ever challenge me.
Iota: You think so?
Colossus quickly turns around to see Iota standing behind him.
Colossus: What! Then what did I-
Colossus looks back at the wall he thought he smashed Iota into. There’s nothing there, and the wall is perfectly intact.
Colossus: What?
Everyone watching the live feed is surprised.
Jace: How… How did he do that?
Zach: Colossus mashed that guy so hard he could have died! But now it looks like it never happened!
Angel: It must be some form of trick.
Alexis: (A trick? Maybe, but more than likely, it’s the reason why this guy is so confident he can handle Colossus on his own.)
Iota laughs.
Iota: That’s strike one.
Colossus: How did you do that? Given your audience's reaction, I wasn’t the only one that saw what happened, so I know it wasn’t just in my head. I actually did punch you, but you somehow seemed to have reversed it.
Iota holds up his hand that has the Iota Ring on it.
Iota: This is your one and only hint.
Colossus clenches his fist.
Colossus: (The Iota Ring grants its wearer many psychic abilities, but I’ve never heard of a telepathic power that could reverse time. No matter, one hit is all I need to take him out, so all I need to do is that!)
Colossus grabs Iota by the leg and leaps high into the atmosphere of the coliseum planet.
Colossus: Take this!
Colossus chucks Iota towards the ground with extreme force.
Colossus: Colossal Smackdown!
Iota smashes into the ground of the arena, cratering it.
Colossus: Let’s see how you recover from that!
Iota: Like this.
Iota is standing on Colossus' back.
Colossus: What!
Colossus looks at the ground. It’s perfectly intact.
Iota: That’s strike two, one more, and you’re out.
Colossus: *frustrated grunt* (How is he doing this?)
Colossus lands on the ground, and Iota backflips off of his back.
Iota: I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you five minutes to plan your next attack. Then, if you actually figure out how I’m evading your strikes, I’ll happily allow you to defeat me.
Colossus: Are you mocking me?
Iota: Yes.
Colossus stares at Iota.
Colossus: (He may be acting cocky, but he has every right to be. I’ve never been one to rely on strategy or my opponent’s weaknesses. I usually take my opponents out in just a single punch. The fact that he’s survived two of my attacks without a scratch is a testament to his abilities. I have to figure out what he’s doing soon, his arrogance is giving me an opening, and I can’t afford to waste it.)
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Aster, Adrian, and Kevin stand back to back as the four clones surround them.
Adrian: Alright, guys, stand back. I’ll take care of this.
Aster: You seriously want to take all four of these things on yourself? I know you’re trying to protect us, but we’re both mighty on our own.
Adrian: You may have been healed by Recovery Girl, but that was recent. You shouldn’t be fighting again so soon, and furthermore, I’m a pro hero. This is my job. So you have permission to fight only if I cannot defend you. Otherwise, stand back.
Aster and Kevin both look at Adrian through the corner of their eyes before nodding their heads.
Adrian: Run while I distract them!
Adrian charges at the clone that stepped on Alec and punches it in the face, not phasing it in the slightest. Kevin and Aster run past the clone, with Kevin grabbing Alec off the ground.
Clone: DIE!
The clone slams Adrian to the ground.
Adrian: AHH!
Kevin looks back at Adrian.
Kevin: We’ve gotta help him!
Aster: Don’t, he’s fine.
Kevin: What do you mean! He’s going to die if we don’t-
Aster: That’s alright.
Kevin: What?
The clone steps on Adrian’s sternum crushing all of his internal organs and killing him.
Kevin: NO!
Aster places his hand on Kevin’s shoulder.
Aster: Relax, everything is alright.
Kevin: Huh?
Adrian’s entire body becomes engulfed in blood-red flames. The flames then beam up and form into a Phoenix.
Aster: He tapped my arm just before he told us to run.
Kevin: Oh… could have used a heads up…
Aster: Yeah, but this is more fun.
Adrian has entered Phoenix Mode.
Adrian: Take this!
Adrian storms toward one of the clones and unleashes a barrage of punches scorching the clone’s skin with third-degree burns.
Adrian: How do you like that!
The clone is unphased.
Aster: Am I the only one getting déjà vu here?
Kevin: No…
Each clone lets out a roar.
Adrian: Punches aren’t going to work, huh? Well, then I’ll have to cook each of you alive!
Adrian begins spinning, igniting flames with his eyes on each clone until they’re fully engulfed.
All 4 Clones: DIE!
Adrian: What!
The clones charge at Adrian.
Aster: With their bodies covered in flames like that, it’s like their monster fireballs!
Kevin watches in horror.
Adrian: (Even with their skin burning off and their muscles atrophying from the heat, they’re still coming after me! It’s alright, though, Aster’s quirk is more than just a firestarter!)
Adrian begins flying straight into the air. The clones attempt to jump after him, but he escapes their range too quickly.
Clone: DIE!
The Clones all land on the ground and turn their attention to Alec, Kevin, and Aster.
All 4 Clones: DIE!
Kevin: Oh shit!
Aster: Don’t worry, give it a second.
The clones suddenly stop dead in their tracks, keel over, and die.
Kevin: Wh- what just happened?
Aster: Adrian heated the flames up to an extremely high temperature. They were wasting away from the heat, and eventually, their hearts melted.
Kevin: Jesus…
Adrian lands on the ground and turns off Phoenix Mode.
Adrian: Alright, let’s stay out of sight. I don’t want to have to die again.
Aster: It’s a weird feeling, right?
Kevin looks at the burning corpses.
Kevin: (Those things… their quirks were just like mine…)
The image of Alec being landed on and Adrian’s death flashes through Kevin’s head as he trembles.
Kevin: (I’m capable… of that?)
Adrian notices Kevin’s expression.
Adrian: Is something wrong, Kevin?
Kevin shakes his head and regains his composure.
Kevin: I’m fine. Let’s just go.
Adrian: Is Alec alright?
Kevin: Yeah, his injuries already healed, thanks to his quirk. He’s just out like a light. Should I wake him up?
Adrian: No, he got attacked because he was lagging behind. Just carry him to the shelter.
Kevin: Right.
They continue on their way.
Kevin: (I inflicted an extreme amount of damage to Alec and Aster when I went 100%, but I’m only a teenager right now… what would that be like when I’m in my prime…)
Kevin gulps.
Kevin: (I don’t ever want to find out.)
Back on top of the construction building, Wes is panicking.
Wes: WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!
Wes attempts to pick up and carry Alden, but he’s too weak.
Wes: WE’LL JUST GIVE THEM ALDEN! I’M SURE THAT WILL-
Verity places her hand on Wes’ shoulder.
Verity: Calm down. Everything will be fine.
Wes drops Alden.
Alden: *groans*
Wes: Sorry… I don’t do well under pressure.
Lilith: What pressure? They aren’t even here yet. You’re just being a bitch.
Everyone stares at Lilith.
Wes: (I just got called a bitch by the butterfly girl that pissed herself… this is a new low...)
Jake: We’ll be fine, I just have to finish this plate of nuggets, and I’ll teleport us out of here.
Wes: How many do you have left?
The plate has 30 nuggets still on it.
Wes: …
Jake: Don’t worry, this will be like… 5 minutes?
Wes: WHAT IF WE DON’T HAVE FIVE MINUTES!
Jake: I’m sure we-
A clone leaps on top of the building.
Jake: Don’t.
Clone: DIE!
The clone charges at them.
Wes: Verity! What’s its plan!
Verity looks into the clone’s eyes.
Verity: It has no thoughts other than…
Wes: Other than what?
Verity: “Die”…
The clone jumps up through the ceiling and bursts back through above the five students.
Wes: Everyone move!
Wes, Lilith, Verity, and Jake dodge as the clone lands beside Alden.
Clone: DI- huh?
The clone looks down at Alden.
Alden: Please… kill… me…
The clone stares at Alden.
Clone: DIE!
The clone charges at Wes.
Alden: *groans* Why... me…
Wes: WHY ME!
Jake teleports in front of Wes.
Wes: Huh?
Jake: I’ve got this.
The clone winds back a punch, but Jake lunges forward and places his hand on the clone’s stomach. The two teleport away.
Wes: (Wh- what’s gotten into Jake today?)
Blair and Saige are at a standstill.
Blair: Will you just give me my clothes back? I promise I won’t go anywhere.
Saige: That’s a lie.
Blair: No! It isn’t, I swear!
Saige looks at Blair with skepticism.
Blair: God, you’re a bitch.
Saige: I don’t expect a thank you, but I will when you find out what’s happening.
Blair: I want to find out what’s going on! That’s why I want to leave!
Saige: Hayze isn’t himself. That’s what’s going on, Blair!
Blair: Then let me go help him!
Saige: You can’t!
Blair: Yes, I can!
Saige scoffs.
Blair: What was that for?
Saige: I wasn’t around when our class was attacked in the woods, but I know what happened.
Blair: And?
Saige: Hayze saved you. If he didn’t follow that murderous bitch and risk his life doing so, you would have been kidnapped, and who knows what would have happened to you.
Blair: Yeah… I know, but what does that-
Saige: You realize Hayze was an idiot, right? That wasn’t a display of selflessness or heroism! He was committing suicide! There were more scenarios where he would have been captured just like you! But he got lucky! You developed your crush on him because he was stupid, and that’s why you desperately want to go out there and try and help him. Do you see how these two things correlate?
Blair clenches her fist.
Saige: There are more scenarios in which you get yourself terribly hurt at Hayze’s hand than ones where you help him! Don’t be an idiot, Blair. Don’t try to repay him by following in his foolish footsteps. He didn’t-
Blair: SHUT UP!
Saige is surprised.
Blair: I don’t care that he got lucky. I don’t care that it never should have worked. At least he put himself in the position to get lucky. Nobody else, not even my closest friend, Eve, was willing to even attempt to save me… but he was, and it worked. He didn’t let fear take him over. He knew that I would have been taken if he didn’t try. He cared… he didn’t have to, nobody would have blamed him, but he did.
Blair starts tearing up.
Blair: And even if he failed… at least I wouldn’t have been alone. He removed the scenario where I was the only person captured that night by doing what he did. Either he rescues me, or we’re taken together! I think about that a lot... about what it would have been like if he didn’t save me. I would have been brainwashed, enslaved, or…
Blair gulps.
Blair: Worse. Hayze saved me from that… and I’ll always respect him for it. That’s why I feel the way I do about him. I know he’ll always have my back and be there for me when I need him.
Blair sits up in her bed.
Blair: And that’s why I need to have his back… even if it’s stupid because his stupidity saved me.
Beneath Blair’s bedsheets, magma starts oozing from her hand, burning through the bed and dripping to the floor.
Blair: (So, Saige, I’ll figure out a way out of your “cage” whether you like it or not.)
Khaos has calmed down and accepted his fate inside Dr. Moore’s lab.
Khaos: (Damn that bitch…)
Khaos looks at Dr. Moore’s corpse.
Khaos: (You tricked me well, I’ll give you that, but you sacrificed your own life to do it.)
“ Dr. Moore: If there’s one thing Hayze has taught me, strength is overrated.
Khaos: Then I guess you’re as big a fool as he is.
Dr. Moore: Oh, we’ll see who’s the fool soon enough. “ - Chapter 98
Khaos: (What an idiotic proposition, I have complete control of this body because I’m so superior to that moron. He couldn’t hold a candle to my strength.)
Khaos looks around the lab.
Khaos: The only way I’m getting out of this room is if they’re foolish enough to open the doors, and that might never happen! *frustrated grunt* Dammit!
Inside the Ring Fragment, Hayze and the other four personalities are still in debate.
Hayze: So there’s no way I can get any of you to back down?
Gale, Wrath, and Impulse: No.
Hayze: That’s great…
Calm: You will have to think outside the box if you want them to agree with you.
Hayze: *sighs* I know… say, if this option to overthrow Khaos is only available because he’s wearing the Ring Fragment… why doesn’t he just take it off?
Wrath: You really think that asshole is afraid of any of us?
Gale: He’s so cocky...
Calm: He doesn’t believe for one second that we’ll be able to come to an agreement for one second.
Hayze: So why don’t we all just prove him wrong and agree!
Wrath: The only way I’m agreeing to oust Khaos is if it’s me that’s taking over, that’s final.
Gale and Impulse: Ditto.
Hayze: *groans*
Hayze sits down.
Hayze: (I’ve gotta convince four alternate versions of myself to agree. Calm is making this more manageable, but the others are an issue. Gale believes he’s better than everyone else, so he won’t agree to anything that doesn’t benefit him. Wrath is aggressive and brash. He’ll only agree to something that hurts everyone besides him. Impulse just wants to have fun. He’s more likely to agree to something that helps others besides himself, but only if it will entertain him. The only thing we all have in common is a distaste for Khaos, and while I could easily see us agreeing on restricting Khaos’ powers, he’ll just remove the fragment and we’ll be screwed. We can only agree on one thing before he takes away our only avenue for success, so whatever we agree upon has to be full-proof, but that’s tough to figure out.)
Hayze stands up.
Hayze: (Either way, I can’t give up, I have to keep trying, and I have to keep thinking.)
Walker is leaning against the door to Dr. Moore’s lab.
Walker: (What will I tell the police? And more importantly… what will I tell Rachel?)
Walker hears rapid footsteps that are getting louder with each second.
Walker: (Someone’s coming.)
Fatal turns the corner.
Walker: (Shit.)
Walker notices Fatal’s heavily bandaged eye.
Walker: Is your eye alright?
Fatal: Nevermind that, Damien! What are you doing here?
Walker: (There’s no point in lying, it can only cause further harm.) Khaos is trapped in this room, I’m keeping watch.
Fatal: Wh- why is he trapped in my sister’s lab?
Fatal looks at the door and notices it is reinforced.
Fatal: H- how did you even do that?
Khaos can hear them talking faintly, he walks up and places his ear against the door.
Khaos: (Hm… that’s the voice of the sister… this could be interesting.)
Recovery Girl rounds the corner.
Recovery Girl: Rachel! Where are- oh, Damien, what’s going on?
Walker: Recovery Girl? Rachel, did you run off?
Fatal: Yes…
Walker: Why?
Fatal: I just… I got a strange feeling that something was wrong… something with Kelsey.
Walker’s eyes widen.
Fatal: What? What’s with that face? What happened! Tell me right-
Khaos: *muffled and faint* She’s dead. I killed her.
Fatal looks at the door with a horrified look on her face.
Fatal: N- no… YOU’RE LYING!
Khaos: *muffled and faint* Her corpse is right behind me, your friend there teleported in here and saw it. Ask him.
Fatal turns her attention to Walker.
Fatal: Damien… please…
Fatal’s eye starts tearing up.
Fatal: Don’t lie to me.
Walker: It’s true.
Fatal falls to her knees in shock.
Fatal: No… NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Fatal’s eyes start to glow.
Walker: (No!)
Walker wraps his arms around Fatal.
Khaos: *muffled and faint* That’s right, let your frustrations take hold! Then, burst through this door and kill me for what I did to your sister!
Fatal is hyperventilating.
Walker: Recovery Girl! Where is Adrian!
Recovery Girl: I- I- I- I Don’t know! Ewing sent him with a couple of students to the fallout shelters!
Walker: Shit!
Fatal starts fidgeting in Walker’s arms trying to break free of his hold.
Khaos: *muffled and faint* COME GET ME!
Walker: (She’s going to lose control! I can’t let that happen! She’ll break Khaos free! Adrian is the only one that can stop this and if he’s not available… then I have no choice!) Recovery Girl! Stand watch here! I have to take Rachel somewhere else! Whatever you do, don't let anyone open these doors!
Recovery Girl: Roger!
Walker: Let’s go, Rachel!
Fatal: AHHHH!
Walker opens a portal beneath them, they fall through it, and it closes behind them.
Recovery Girl: Phew…
Khaos notices that it has gotten quiet outside.
Khaos: Wh- what’s going on? What happened! Why didn’t she lose control!
No response.
Khaos: ANSWER ME!
Khaos kicks the door.
Khaos: GODDAMMIT!
Back at the coliseum, Colossus and Iota are still facing off.
Colossus: I’m not sure how you’re deceiving my mind, but I know it has to do with your ring.
Iota starts clapping.
Iota: Good job! I’m sure all the five-year-olds you’ve brainwashed into loving you figured that out already.
Colossus: The only questions are: what exactly is the mental power you’re using, and how do I counter it?
Iota: Those are rather important.
Colossus examines Iota.
Colossus: (The first time I attacked him I used a punch, the second time, I threw him to the ground. Maybe the problem is that I'm striking him directly… Perhaps that’s the secret.)
Colossus winds back his fist.
Iota: So, you’re going to attack? I hope for your sake this one works.
Colossus: Colossal Impact!
Colossus smashes his fist into the ground causing the planet to shake as a massive rock bursts out and slams into Iota’s chest, sending him flying as blood spews from his mouth.
Colossus: There! I got him!
Iota: No… you didn’t.
Colossus is shocked. He turns around to see Iota standing behind him.
Colossus: H- How!
Iota: That’s strike three.
Iota points his palm to the sky.
Iota: And that means you’re out.
Suddenly a shadow overcasts the entire arena.
Colossus: Wh- what?
Colossus looks up in the air and sees a massive asteroid.
Colossus: WHAT!
Iota laughs.
Iota: This attack cost me five years of my life! Let’s hope it costs you all of yours!