Chapter 13. Intruder (Part 2) Emily

Emily had been the first to know about the situation, as she was the same as him and could sense him. After being startled awake she rushed over to his room, feeling the explosive and hostile energy permeating from him. Fearing the worst Emily forcefully opened the door and gasped at not only the immense pressure but the scene in front of her.

Xavier was floating a few feet off his bed, a brilliant crimson glow emanating off of him with the occasional wild sparks of energy arching from him. He was completely still and still seemed to be asleep, based on his supine position, his arms and legs drooping down awkwardly. The next most obvious thing Emily noticed was sweat dripping from him and landing on his bed, a sizable wet spot below him from the pure volume of sweat.

The energy emanating from Xavier seemed to want release, in fact she could feel his hunger and it wasn't one of regular consumption. It was closer to the opposite, he didn't need to feed on energy, the energy he already had needed somewhere to go.

"What in the world is going on," Jordan asked, his presence suddenly being made aware of by Emily.

"Oh! Jordan, you startled me." Emily stated.

"Emily, what is going on!" He commanded this time, more concern than anger in his tone.

"I-I'm not quite sure, but I sensed him and rushed here as soon as I did. And yes I am also one of those monsters with powers." She answered shyly.

"I know, I also sensed him, but more in the way one might be able to vaguely pick up danger. The effect is still strong even to me though, it would probably be suffocating to someone who hasn't experienced it at all being this close." Jordan quickly explained.

"I see...well from what I can feel it seems like the energy within him eagerly wants out, or more aptly to be used. That is the full extent of what I know, I have no idea why it's happening or what exactly is going on."

"Well, we can't leave him like this right? Is there nothing we can do?" Emily asked.

"There might be nothing I can do...but maybe you could siphon some of his energy? If it's an issue of there being too much and you most likely need some you could solve two issues in one swift action." Jordan suggested.

"I, I guess I could try, but I have no idea if that will even be possible."

Right as Emily finished talking a loud bang reverberated out, echoing down the halls. Almost simultaneously the shelter shook.

"Shit, do you think one of them sensed him and is trying to get to him?" Jordan asked horrified.

"I believe it's best we assume the worst, I'll stay here and try to siphon some of his energy like you suggested. Might also make it harder for them to track him but it also might be too late to think that will help or even be feasible. But while I do this you need to get somewhere safe."

"No, I need to warn everyone else!" Jordan yelled, already on the move.

Immediately getting to work, Emily walked further into the room, struggling past the suppressive force to get closer. Reaching out with her will she attempted to take in some of the energy. It was difficult for a mere moment but after the initial strain, it flowed into her unimpeded. It was more than she had anticipated and what she expected to be a battle to gain power become one to stop it. It took all the effort and concentration she could muster to cut off the stream of energy but it was still not enough.

"Xavier! You bastard!" Emily yelled as she forced herself closer to wallop Xavier.

It might not have been on purpose but when Emily smacked Xavier the energy suddenly stopped feeding into her. When the energy stopped Emily only had a moment of peace, it abruptly ending as she was flung across the room. The energy seemed to now view Emily as a threat, or at least that was what she could feel. She hurriedly made her way out of the room and slumped against the door directly across from Xaviers.

Alarms started blaring and people started rushing out of their rooms as Jordan's voice spoke out from every direction. "This is a Code Red, everybody remain calm and, in an orderly fashion, make your way to the bunker safe house. I repeat this is a Code red, If everyone would please remain calm and calmly make your way to the bunker safe house." Jordan said, repeating the statement a few more times.

The sudden influx of power had made Emily's mind unstable, but instead of trying to suppress it or combat it directly, she did something unorthodox. Focusing on the energy flowing through her she tried something she had been thinking about. When she first discovered her ability it was by accident, she had been flourishing her knives when red energy suddenly seeped into them. It was like involuntary flexing a muscle she never knew she had, the action almost too easy.

First, Emily started out small, enhancing her clothing which took a moderate amount of effort. Next, she would attempt something she wasn't too sure of. The initial change to her body was evident, she could feel stronger and more durable. If the crimson energy was responsible for this, more energy could only mean you were stronger and more durable. But it wasn't as simple as enhancing the body itself. She felt she could do that but knew it would be inefficient and burn her out rather quickly.

Entering a meditative state Emily focused inward on the center of her being. She visualized the invisible pathways of energy and followed them back to where they originated, the core of her being. It was physical yet not. it was something more. As Emily inspected it she could feel a light layer of the red energy encapsulating her core. This wasn't exactly how she thought it would happen but in some ways, she knew it would. She first consolidated the energy to her core, taking it all in. After this step, she tried to enhance her soul as she had with her knife and clothes.

Using her ability, like flexing some invisible muscle, the process started. Energy started seeping in past the first layer of red energy forming another beyond it. The farther into this process, she went the harder it was to build up the second layer. Instead of trying to push harder or worry she stayed calm and let the energy flow naturally, the ability assisting in the process. It would have been a much harder and time-consuming task if she didn't have the natural assistance.

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After Emily had finished enhancing her soul she stood up and flexed out her fingers then gripped them into fists. As much as the enhancement had been exhausting she felt rejuvenated and at 110 percent. Not long after, the glow around Xavier condensed into him, the intense pressure subsiding a good amount as it did.

People started streaming down the hallway to the bunker and Emily quickly closed the door to Xavier's room. She contemplated following along, torn between protecting everyone in case the intruder went after them and being with Xavier when he awoke if he did. The decision was made for her as Alex and Clair strode down the hallway waving to her. Feeling like Emily had no other option she followed along, focusing on her breathing. She looked back one final time hoping Xavier would be alright.

A man who seemed to be one of the leaders of the shelter inputted a code into a panel next to two massive metal doors. They shuttered open and once fully ajar everyone started pouring in.

The shelter itself was a bunker, deep underground and equipped with everything humans would need to survive. Within the shelter there was a bunker that was made to survive emergencies, having emergency rations and an enforced room that could survive nukes.

Once inside people started calming down until the rumbling started to pick up, getting stronger and stronger. Hastily the same man from before quickly went to the panel and sealed the door. Some of the survivors searched around curious about the bunker's contents. Emily was on edge and could sense an intimidating and powerful individual getting closer.

"Everyone! Let's go further into the bunker, just to stay safe" Emily suggested.

Some people didn't initially agree but went along anyway, feeling better safe than sorry. Deep into the bunker was a second set of doors and as the group reached it loud bangs could be heard near the entrance of the bunker. People started panicking and once the metal doors were open they gladly stepped inside the spacious room. Even though the door was a fair bit smaller than the entrance door it took far longer to open and close and seemed to be a lot more secure. However, instead of going inside, Emily went to confront the intruder. Her friends only noticed she wasn't there after the panic subsided but they couldn't risk opening it back up.

"But-but what about Emily?" Clair spoke up quietly.

"She'll probably be alright, I don't know what's going on but she told me to keep you and the twins safe before we got to the bunker," Alex reassured Clair.

Emily made her way back to the entrance where she encountered the huge metal doors warping inward, heavy blows still resonating out. The pressure being exuded beyond the doors was intense, but not nearly as debilitating as Xaviers had been. Overall she had a sense of confidence with her newfound power but would remain cautious.

With one final boom, the doors broke off from the wall, the damage incurred being too intense. As they fell to the ground a hulking figure was revealed, his clothes stretched and barely clinging to his body. Emily took out her knives and infused them with crimson energy, just as she did the man shot forward. Emily was barely able to put up her arms to defend herself as his fist shot forward with terrifying speed and power. A sharp tinge of pain shot through her right arm as she was flung back.

Landing on her feet after getting a bit of airtime she stared at the monstrous form in front of her.

"I could barely react to his straightforward movement, a few more of those attacks and I could be done for." She thought to herself.

Quickly regaining her composure she ran at the man closing the distance to counter. Ducking blow after blow she struck out with her knives hoping to do some amount of damage but it was in vain. Even with her energy being more potent than ever the blades barely cut into the man. He suddenly stopped attacking and laughed, his voice reverberating out loud and deep.

"You do not seem to be the source, take me to them or you'll sorely regret it"

"Over my dead body, freak!" Emily screamed, slashing at him.

He merely cackled at the mere insect so boldly talking back, his arms and legs radiating a crimson glow as he did so. Significantly faster than before the man body slammed Emily into the wall. She crashed into the wall and wheezed out a cough, the wind being sufficiently knocked out of her.

Before she could recuperate she had been taken out of the wall and flung around by her leg. The man swung her around with little effort and even as Emily struggled he held onto her. She felt sick from being swung around so hard but had the chance to collect herself after he threw her at one of the walls. she fell to the ground and was about to get up but he didn't let her.

With a concise stomp, the monster of a man slammed his foot down onto her arm, shattering it completely. In an act of defiance, she stabbed her knife at his foot but the blade broke as it made contact.

"I guess we have to do this the hard way." The man said as he started lumbering towards the stairs leading further into the bunker.

Emily's expression darkened and she got to her feet and ran after him.

"Not yet!" She yelled, enhancing her body and slamming her uninjured fist into his back.

He stumbled forward from the attack, the punch genuinely taking him by surprise and hurting a good amount. But the small victory was short-lived as he turned and smacked her into some shelving containing emergency rations. The non-perishables being crushed and scattered about in a mess. Emily was then tossed around like a ragdoll, showcasing how unserious the man was taking the battle. He was toying with her like a lion with a gazelle, the disparity of power now far off.

Spitting blood onto the ground Emily snarled at the giant figure before her but he just looked on in amusement. At this point, she was thoroughly exhausted and her whole body ached. She had tried to heal some of the damage incurred during the fight but the whole special was too exhausting. This alongside a good amount of her energy being allocated to enhancing her body so she didn't die, lose a limb, or fall unconscious. She knew she had been truly outmatched and that there was nothing she could feasibly do to ensure victory but she felt every second was crucial.

At this point, all Emily could do was try to fight through the blurry vision and labored breaths, hoping that some miracle would happen. But there wasn't often a happy ending for those like her, cursed at birth and destined to crash and burn.

"Since you insist on being a nuisance, I am unfortunately forced to teach you a...valuable lesson." The man sympathetically scolded, sarcastically.

A moment after his declaration he picked up Emily by the arm and grabbed her leg, with a sharp snap her leg was broken right in half. A muffled scream escaped Emily's throat as she tried to suppress the pain, a feral growl following shortly after. The man dropped her carelessly and continued deeper into the bunker.

Not giving up yet, Emily got up onto her good leg, putting most of her body weight onto it, and shuffled after the monster. A few moments later she could hear the all too familiar noise of fists against metal. Tears streamed down her face at the impending doom and the fact she was powerless against it.

The rest was like a blur, her limping toward the carnage and screams, falling to her knees. A gut-wrenching scream echoed out from her, the volume impossibly loud.

"So, are you going to take me to the source of that immense power now?" The man yelled, turning to Emily's beaten and broken figure. "It felt so...powerful, but it disappeared." He said, seemingly crestfallen. "But this power obviously didn't come from someone as weak as you hahaha. Take me to where they are hiding!" The man went on.

"Fuck you to the deepest reaches of hell!" Emily coldly stated, gripping her knife that was still intact.

A fury raged in her heart but she wouldn't give up until her last breath. Standing defiantly, her arm limp at her side and her leg broken she snarled and held up her knife in an offensive position. But at this point, there was nothing she could do against him as he grabbed her around her shoulders and grabbed her other leg breaking it.

"Now, take me to the source of that burst of power from earlier or I'll descend and take out more of these pathetic shelters. Eh, I think I'll do that either way, but if you take me now I'll end your suffering painlessly."

At him breaking her other leg she didn't utter a single noise, not giving him the satisfaction. And at his final request and threat, she responded by using her free hand to try and stab at the hand clasped around her, while also wiggling around to try and get free. Even though she had been completely defeated her spirit and soul still pushed forward, not giving up even if death was a promise at this point.

In response to this unending defiance, he slammed her into the ground and yelled. "You stubborn bitch!"

Emily blacked out for a second but forced herself back awake in time to here the man talking to someone. "I must have missed one, rookie mistake hahaha!"

She groaned and looked up to see who he was talking to and noticed it was Xavier, his gaze fixed on the man. Knowing this threat was just too great she used the last of her energy to plead with him to run. "Xavier, run. Just run!" She wanted him to fight back just like she did but this monster was invincible.

"Quiet you." The man said, forcefully kicking Emily to the side. "I'll deal with you after this kid."

Emily had already been over her limit, the kick only cementing her unconsciousness. The last thing she saw before blacking out for good was the man's fist about to strike Xavier. But Xavier was looking at her, his eyes conveying warmth and promise that everything would be ok.