A cloud of red dust flew in the air as the body went through the brick wall that used to be there. Just as the dust went up, it was dispersed by someone flying through it.
"... not my time, I'm not going. There's a fear in me..." John sang to himself to try and pump himself up as he got ready to get back into the fight
A young teen was flying through the air with eyes that were dripping with bloodlust and thirsting for combat. The boy flew in the direction of a large humanoid. The being stood 9 feet tall and had pure white skin. Otherwise looking like a normal human.
Inside of the white man's hand was a kid who looked no older than 13. Another kid also looked to be about 13 beneath the man's right foot.
Seeing the teen he had just knocked away flying back for a second round, the white man let out a loud and boisterous laugh.
"Son of Vulcan! Coming back for a second beating? You and your friends do not learn!"
The boy did not care for his taunts and charged ahead with his fists raised. Asphalt laughed when he saw the boy continue forward and raised his free hand to meet the charge. Asphalt slapped his hand down and sent the boy crashing to the ground with a single move.
Just as John was about to stand back up, a boot greeted his face and sent him flying once again. John once again crashed into another wall. His already injured body was covered in even more injuries. He even had a large gash on his head. Despite that, John made another charge towards Asphalt.
This had just been another afternoon for the group. The middle schoolers had all left school together and were on their way home since their parents had to help with several emergencies. As they were flying through the sky, Tyler heard something coming and warned the others. Before any of them could react, Asphalt was there.
The next few minutes were chaos. Tyler, John, and Jamie tried their best to hold off Asphalt while Emma, the last 8th grader, led the rest of the kids away. The three knew that they stood no chance but they still hoped that they could buy enough time until the Alliance got there.
But even after 5 minutes of constant fighting and bringing the fight to the ground, no help had come. Not the Alliance, military, or even the police. And the three were losing more and more ground with every second that the fight lasted.
John flew back into the fight and saw that Tyler had managed to trip Asphalt. Jamie had also broken out of his hold by kicking the large man in the arm hard enough to cause him to loosen his grip. The three floated together and were panting as they looked at the giant in front of them with fear and determination in their eyes. They were the children of heroes. They had been raised to put others' lives above their own but it was still a terrifying thing for children to have to do.
Asphalt looked at the trio with a mocking smile on his face. He saw how one of them had an arm that could not even be lifted. How another had a large cut across his chest. How the last was bleeding out of his head so much that he might have died from blood loss before Asphalt could even finish him off. But most of all and the thing that brought him the most satisfaction was the fear in their eyes. As much as they tried to put on a brave front and stood in front of him with their first raised, Asphalt could see the fear in their eyes. And it aroused him.
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'I really wish I could play with these kids but I only have about a minute more before someone gets here. I need to end this fast.'
With that thought, the man charged toward the trio. Although they were ready, they were still caught by surprise by the sudden charge. The trio was a step behind but also flew toward Asphalt to meet his charge head-on.
"Allowing the bad guy to take the initiative means that you are being put on your backfoot. Always take control of the situation even if you cannot win in that situation." is what the kids grew up learning. So even when they had to battle a monster named Asphalt that was about to rip them to shreds, the boys did not falter or fall back.
The next 50 seconds were some of the most brutal that the boys would ever experience. No longer holding back his punches, Asphalt truly let them feel pain. His speed was faster than before, every hit broke something. Their young bodies could not take it and they were turned into punching bags instead of sparring partners like they had been before.
The first to go down was Jamie. A blow to the side of his head broke open part of his skull and revealed his brain to the world.
Then it was Tyler. A punch that should have gone to his gut, went through it instead. Tyler was left on the ground with a gaping hole in his body.
John was the last one standing. He was fighting like a mad dog as he took every opportunity to attack with whatever he could. His fists, palms, elbows, feet, knees, teeth, even his head. But no matter what he did, he was soon beaten and had most of the bones in his body broken.
Seeing the 3 boys lying broken in front of him, Asphalt could barely control himself.
'No, no. Stick to the plan. But the son of Vulcan had actually managed to scratch me. I should make sure they remember what happens.'
Asphalt lifted John by his head as a savage grin spread on his face. The look of a predator about to enjoy its prey. With John in his left hand, Asphalt raised his right hand as a ball of blue energy formed in his palm. He then threw John as high as he could into the air, then threw the ball of energy after him.
*Boom* An explosion rang through the sky
Asphalt then got down to his knees and placed his hands behind his back. He took out a pair of handcuffs that he placed on his own hands. As the handcuffs appeared on Asphalt's wrists, his body went through a change. The giant that was over 9 feet tall shrunk down to a bit under 6. His skin also changed from chalk white to a normal, caucasian skin tone and he grew brown hair on his head. Just as the transformation ended, a thud could be heard. Asphalt turned and saw a body with several dire burns on it along with all of his limbs bent in different directions.
Sirens could be heard and so could the swishing of air. Several police and Ambulances were first to arrive on the scene. Then moments later, several heroes were on the scene. They looked at the damage all-around before looking at Asphalt and the boys. When they saw the serious state of damage that the kids were in, they each felt anger well up inside of them.
A woman wearing blue and purple spandex flew forward and grabbed Asphalt by his throat as she lifted him into the air.
"I will kill you!"
Seeing that the woman was so mad, Asphalt revealed his grin to her and let out a small laugh.
"You won't, Cherub. Even if you were one of those heroes that don't follow the 'No Kill' rule, which you aren't, you still wouldn't be able to do so when I have already surrendered. I'm on my knees, powered off, and have dampener cuffs on. That would be the same as killing a defenseless civilian."
Hearing that he had compared himself to a civilian after what he had done, Cherub was ready to end the man's life. Her grip around his throat tightened but before she could end his life, the other 2 heroes on the scene stopped her.
"You can't. As much as I hate to say it, he is right. He is already in police custody. We can't touch him. Not anymore."
"Stop, Cherub. He is not worth it. These three need us more," Mercury said as she gestured toward the boys being loaded into the ambulances. Cherub looked at the boys and nodded. She flew over to the ambulances and lifted one with each of her hands before flying off to the closest hospital. Mercury grabbed the last ambulance and did the same.
The three boys were brought to the emergency room and given the best medical care that they could be given. A healer also came in to give them care as well. But even with their swift arrival and the doctors trying their best, Jamie did not survive the night. Tyler and John were in comas for weeks before waking up. Tyler stayed in his hospital room for a few more weeks before being released.
John had to stay for half a year before he could walk normally once again. The perks of having most of his bones broken before having an explosion detonate point-blank. The rewards John got for being the hero that day was being broken in ways he had never imagined and the death of one of his close friends.
As for the person who had done it: 2 months into John's hospital stay, he had broken out of prison and gone on another rampage where he ended up killing 37 people. All to be thrown back into the cell he had escaped from 3 times prior.