Mi

The smell of iron filled the field. Blood, broken teeth, and fractured horns laid scattered across the field. People were in far worse condition than when they had fought Nike.

Their bodies were so much weaker without the thick ambient mana in the air. Misty watched Flame body tank a hit from the minotaur, but apparently that overwhelming constitution didn’t carry over to this field.

Misty wanted to throw up as she saw all of the carnage and disfigurement. The broken horns in particular turned her insides out the most.

Just something about the cream cones being covered in blood made her extra nauseous. Blood gushed from the snapped horns and bruised bodies.

The four of the lessers sprinted, ignoring the bodies. Their minds were on something else entirely as they heard Flame snarl.

Nike sharply cursed, running over to the heavily injured kids.

The amount of concern in his voice was troubling.

They made it past the scattered bodies to find a horrendous sight. Dangling, grabbed by their throat they saw Torrent. Her feet had left the ground and she was held up with brutal strength by the much larger boy.

Struggling to pry the boy’s hands off, she swore through choked breaths and kicked.

The boy’s face was twisted in a look of possessed rage. His eyes were narrowed to thin slices of light, covered by the boy’s demonic face muscles.

Other imps watched in a mix of sadistic interest and horror as the boy raised her higher. Veins and face muscles tightened into a truly demonic image.

The air was sweltering. The ground grew course around the boy as he squeezed tighter on the lesser girl. Slight flames started to billow out of the ground.

“You’re dead you hear me! Dead!” Misty watched the boy squeeze Torrent’s windpipe with all his force. He wasn’t thinking. He was angry.

Something had happened that he had no way of repairing. His horn. His left one was snapped clean in half. Blood gushed profusely from the tip and the boy looked not only angry, but in terrible pain.

His yellow eyes, bright with fire, raised to a flickering of instability that told Misty, “Danger.”

Smokey ran up. He screamed as he tore through the field. He yelled at Flame, screaming to let Torrent go and flew at the boy with a tackle.

Flame met his aggression with a powerful back kick. Dazed, Smokey was sent staggering back in a rattled daze.

Navy went for another tackle, shielding himself with mana as he ran up. The minute Flame saw Navy, his face grew even more twisted.

He roared as he threw Torrent to the ground. His left hand glowed with a yellow palm of fire, flickering much like his eyes. He went for a slap that Navy attempted to block.

The normally calm boy fueled his mana with protective rage, spreading it over the shoulder that Flame swung towards. The shield caught the blast with a sharp *Crack* down its side, only hanging slightly above Navy’s shoulder as he ran out of mana to give.

Flame brought his right down in a punch that was sloppy, but effective.

Navy coughed as the wind knocked out of him. Dazed and struggling to stand, the boy tried to block his body with more mana, which was promptly broken into pieces by the berserking child.

Misty was frozen as Flame leaped on the boy. He rained blow after blow on the child, who desperately tried to block with his arms. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t, he was too strong this wasn’t, I…

What was the point?

They were going to lose? Don’t try, what kind of–? She looked over to Rhodney who shared a similar expression to her. They locked eyes and she looked in the boy’s eyes.

…

Rh

Misty gave him a glance like she was waiting to see how Rhodney would respond. She peered into his eyes for direction, proof, and an example.

She was frozen, but he knew just underneath that she was also looking to see if he’d follow through with what he said before.

Was it better to do nothing, or move?

Navy was being beaten down, with only flicks of mana left to defend himself. Misty had a look of lost confidence and was looking for leadership in the boy. Rhodney didn’t like that pressure.

He was also scared. Why should he also just jump in to get his ass kicked?

He wasn’t somebody with courage.

He wasn’t someone with experience.

He’d never been in a real fight before.

Rhodney, even with these new powers, didn’t feel strong.

The cognitive dissonance of who he was before and who he could be rung in his ears like a terrible bell. Should he leap in? Should he help? What good would leaping in be if he was just another log to add to the fire?

Rhodney’s mind moved a million miles a minute, his vision going green as his own debate hit a fever pitch. Time slowed around him, Flame’s beat down slowly with his fists.

He could see the sweat and blood slowly bouncing off Navy. Navy’s slowly dulling eyes as he realized that Flame had begun to break through.

Rhodney attempted to move in this bullet time, and found his arm moving just as slowly as everything around him.

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He couldn’t just stand here.

He couldn’t just abandon Navy.

That was not why he was here.

The Guardian had told him to live his new life to the fullest, and penetrate the world. Was this what he wanted? Another life of inaction and stagnance?

Or did he want to go for gold?

Rhodney raised his hand in the air and glowing green ropes latched onto Navy. This was what he knew. This was how he’d show Misty what it meant to help. Blind heroism and charging in with powerful fists may be something he admired, but it wasn’t him.

This was.

“FIGHT!” His command shook the ground around them, and he saw the two boys’ bodies vibrate as his voice broke through Flame’s tempo.

The second Rhodney had bought him, and the power he handed over was all Navy needed. His eyes snapped open, his veins and eyes glowing a bright green. Rhodney saw the boy slap Flame’s hand away. He knocked it back as hard as he could, then, in a follow up, leaned in with all his body.

No mana like he normally would.

No enhancements.

He was running on empty, but Rhodney had hyper charged him with pure strength. The onrush of adrenaline made his eyes go wild. Navy released a heavy hook square into Flame’s jaw.

Flame barely caught the boy’s glowing fist with the palm of his hand.

But that didn’t stop the energy.

His face jiggled as he was sent flying to the left. Flame caught massive air time and was left spinning. His fury quelled with the whirring of his body in a dance of confusion and pain.

Navy slowly fell as Rhodney’s powers started to drain out of him, collapsing to the ground. His chest rose and fell, the boy lay victorious next to his opponent. A smile formed on his face as his superiority started to swell.

‘Yikes,’ Rhodney thought in a nervous laugh. ‘Ease back on the ego, pal.’

Navy’s smile was something that was infectious. Rhodney smiled too as they looked at the laid out Flame.

Navy smiled wide for the first time since Rhodney had seen since he’d met the boy, as he was thoroughly enjoying what will be the first victory of many.

Nike walked over to the spot of carnage and approached them.

…

Misty wasn’t listening as the Minotaur reprimanded Flame, Torrent, Navy, and Rumble. Rumble had attempted to jump Navy right after Flame had gone down. He was promptly slammed by the minotaur, but the attempt made only her feel even worse.

She was truly the only team member that didn’t help when their friend was getting attacked. She just stood there. Like a shaky-legged deer as her friend got pummeled into the ground. She had waited on Rhodney to attack and move before she did.

She wanted proof that she wasn’t the only one scared. She was sure she wasn’t the only one. And she was wrong.

Of course he attacked.

Of course he moved.

He didn’t need any persuasion and he didn’t wait for her.

He was probably laughing at her in his head as she didn’t move. Oh Misty, how weak you are… Not only do you lack magic, but you’re also a coward. Look at me and how I can help win the combat by just screaming.

I’m ~sooo~ spe…cial… She looked down on herself and looked at her hands.

Damnit.

Damnit…

She ran into the forest as she started to cry, trying to avoid as many imps’ eyes as possible as she seeked solace.

She walked behind a tree, her back sliding down the trunk as she bawled her eyes out. Gods, she was pathetic. She stayed just on the outskirts, hoping someone would come comfort her. Hoping someone would come along to give her a pep talk…

But they didn’t come.

She just cried toward the ground hearing the ambiance of the swaying forest. Feeling the tree behind her waving its cool frons over her body.

Then, came the anger.

Mi

Misty wasn’t listening as the Minotaur reprimanded Flame, Torrent, Navy, and Rumble. Rumble had attempted to jump Navy right after Flame had gone down. He was promptly slammed by the minotaur, but the attempt made only her feel even worse.

She was truly the only team member that didn’t help when their friend was getting attacked. She just stood there. Like a shaky legged deer as her friend got pummeled only. She had waited on Rhodney to attack and move before she did.

Proof that she wasn’t the only one scared. And she was wrong.

Of course he attacked.

Of course he moved.

He didn’t need any persuasion, he didn’t wait for her.

He was probably laughing at her in his head as she didn’t move. Oh Misty, how weak you are… Not only do you lack magic, but you’re also a coward. Look at me and how I can just scream to help win the combat.

I’m soo… spe…cial… She looked down on herself and looked at her hands.

Damnit.

Damnit.

She ran into the forest as she started to cry.

Trying to avoid as many imps eyes as possible as she seeked solice.

She walked behind a tree and slid down as she bawled her eyes out. Gods, she was pathetic. She stayed just on the outskirts, hoping someone would come comfort her. Hoping someone would come along to give her a pep talk…

But they didn’t come.

She just cried toward the ground hearing the ambiance of the swaying forest. Feeling the tree behind her waving its cool frons over her body.

Then, came the anger.

She turned around and punched the tree as hard as she could. No dent. She hit it again, and again, and again, and again, again, and again, and again, and again, again, and again, and again, and again, again, and again, and again, and again, again, and again, and again, and again, again, and again, and again, and again, again, and again, and again, and again.

Her vision became a searing red as she pummeled the tree. Scarlet-pink steam gushed out of her mouth, surging onto the ground like heavy, toxic vapors streaming from the gates of hell. She broke into a roar. Why was she the weak one, huh?

Why was she the one who would get left behind?

Why hadn’t the gods given her any magic?

Was it some kind of cruel joke?

Are you all just laughing at me?!

…

The steam billowed as the girl stood by the tree. Misty stood with heavy breaths, too exhausted to keep going. She stared at the ground as she lamented. It was useless.

She was just the scared one.

There was no reason for her to believe she had anything useful to contribute.

Right?

Maybe… Maybe she should just leave…

Misty slowly looked up to the tree.

And Shock hit her like a wave,

breaking against her spine in a tingling crash much like a wave against a cliff. Broken layers of bark and holes beaten deeply into its wooden surface.

The tree looked like it had been trying to get away, tilted in an awkward slant that told her all she had to know.

Did… Was this her?

She raised her bloody knuckle, and placed it firmly in one of the holes. It was a perfect fit.

… Misty made sure to remember this feeling. She remembered the pain and the anger, keeping it close to her, rubs her eyes, and then broke into a slight laugh as she started walking back.

This last lance throw is going to be interesting isn’t it?