"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!?!?!"

A sudden phone call interrupts Streetwise's plans, as Ms. Winter scolds him at the top of her lungs.

"NO! YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT BRING STUDENTS INTO THE CATACOMBS! WHY WOULD YOU EVEN ASK ME THAT?! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET A RISE OUT OF ME?!"

"But I'm the stronges-"

"I DO NOT FUCKING CARE!!! EITHER YOU'RE BEING INTENTIONALLY DENSE, OR I HIRED A MORON!"

"Y-you don't have to yell..." Streetwise lowered his head.

"I SWEAR TO GOD, IF YOU SO MUCH AS EVEN THINK OF TELLING THEM WHERE IT IS, I WILL SODOMIZE YOU WITH A FUCKING ICICLE!!!"

Ms. Winter hangs up, as she clears her throat, "I am so sorry about that, where were we?"

Across from her, Gateway and the newly formed team Caliburn avoid her gaze, "about the team advising..."

"Ah yes," Ms. Winter pauses, "As I was saying..."

Streetwise quietly puts his phone back in his pocket as he returns to team Aerondight.

"Yeah, I don't think Expel is in the Catacombs."

"So, trip cancelled?" Sparkplug tilts her head.

"Not quite," Streetwise puts his hand on his chin, "we still have the floating gardens."

"What even is the floating gardens?" Double Trouble raises his hand.

"Seriously?" J.U.L.I.A scoffs, "someone doesn't go outside."

"I also do not know what that is," Dreadnought raises his hand.

Glimpse, without saying anything, also raises her hand.

"Okay, it's settled, floating gardens it is."

As the team prepares to embark, White Mask takes a moment and sits on the bleachers. A distressing memory reeks its ugly head. All his life, White Mask has been searching for the demon villain Nocturne, who, ten years ago, murdered his mother in cold blood. One description of him reads:

"A large 6'3 man. Well-built, around 250 pounds."

It's just a coincidence. That's it, one sick coincidence.

Besides, Dreadnought doesn't look THAT old, he couldn't. Could he?

"Hey! Hello? You good?"

White Mask blinks twice and sees Matter, leaning over, flicking his mask.

"Huh? What?"

"They left."

"Oh."

"You went white earlier, when you saw him."

"I thought he was someone else," he mumbles, pushing her aside. Matter glares at him, yet follows him as the two catch up with the rest of the team.

Streetwise begins talking like a tour guide, "Little history lesson, during Zero-Point, when Asteroid Z arrived, a small chunk of that actually landed here at Paladin's Island. Avalon removed it, but some of its energy still lingers, causing gravitational anomalies around one of the gardens."

The team arrives at the floating gardens and immediately understands how it earned the name. Chunks of dirt formed small islands, complete with blooming flowers and thriving trees. Birds have built their nests and fly from place to place. Dreadnought even spots a flying squirrel, traveling from one tree to the next. Sure-Shot estimates that the entire area is two football fields wide, or one soccer field long.

"And the fun thing about this place is, the gravity varies."

Streetwise steps into the garden and starts floating.

"Some areas its lighter, and others,"

He plummets to the ground at great speeds.

"Heavier."

"How have I never seen this place?" Dreadnought wonders with glee.

"You should really look around more. Never know what you might find," Streetwise winks.

Sparkplug jumps into the field slowly making her way to one of the trees. She gracefully glides between each island before sitting on top of a branch. An American Robin lands on her shoulder as she feeds it a small berry.

"Easy enough," Double Trouble remarks, as he jumps into the area. He flops immediately and crushes a few flowers in the process. A couple of the team laughs while Dreadnought helps him up.

"I meant to do that."

"I bet you did," Dreadnought smiles.

Matter jumps in and floats to one of the lower islands. She lands by a flower garden and gently lies down.

"Remember what we're here for," White Mask yells.

"Um, is that him?" Glimpse whispers to him, as she points to someone in the middle.

Each island in the garden has its own gravitational field. Allowing anyone to sit and relax. However, between each island is where gravity varies, as Streetwise mentioned. It takes a great amount of skill to maintain balance in these chaotic zones, and it seems one man has achieved that.

In the middle of the higher islands is one man dressed in green and black martial arts armor. On his head, and wrists rest orange bands. He has short black hair, emerald-green eyes, and an athletic body. Currently, he is tending to one of the flowers. Watering it using bubbles.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"Hey!" Streetwise screams, "Hello! Expel. Can you hear me?"

A vein pops on Expel's forehead as he leaves the watering and skilfully floats down towards the rest of them.

"Streetwise," Expel sneers, "I haven't seen you since the candidates meeting."

"Ah right, bag of dicks. Yeah, it's been a while, how you been?"

"I've been better."

"Cool, cool. So anyway, I've got something for you. An assignment."

Expel remains silent, staring daggers into Streetwise.

"Okay, so, you know how I'm handling Introduction to Teamwork right? Well with the upcoming festival, Sparkplug and I have decided to let them compete in Braveon Rescue and Liberation for their finals. Ms. Winter proposed that we get different teachers to be their advisers so I'm here now to ask if you are willing to be their adviser?"

"Okay."

"Now I know this is a lot so I have prepared some... Wait what?"

"I agree to be their adviser Streetwise. On one condition."

Streetwise rolls his eyes and sighs, "What's the catch?"

"They land one clean hit on me."

"That's it?" Streetwise laughs, "one clean hit, anywhere?"

"So long as I don't block or dodge it."

"Alright," Streetwise extends his hand out and Expel shakes it. He jumps back into the garden and begins to float to the top.

Streetwise whistles for Aerondight to gather around, as he informs them of the conditions of this fight.

"One clean hit, like a punch or a kick?" Sure-Shot asks.

"Throw a rock at him, that still counts."

"I'm assuming here?" White Mask questions.

"Yup, he is right up there," Streetwise points.

"Any advice?" Dreadnought asks.

"Give it everything you got," Streetwise smiles, "I am 100% sure Expel won't be holding back. He's not exactly the merciful type."

"How about info on him Dickhead?" Matter remarks.

"Nice try," Streetwise chuckles "A key part of fights nowadays depends on correctly assessing your opponent's abilities."

"Anyways, good luck," he waves, "you'll need it."

In one big jump, Streetwise leaps to one of the islands and sits down in the shade. He tucks his arms behind his head and lets out a loud yawn.

"Alright listen up shitheads," White Mask prepares, "I hate to say it, but Streetwise is right. Expel is a freakin teacher, and if we want to stand even a sliver of a chance, we have to go all in."

"Then what's the plan, Sir?" Sure-Shot arms himself.

"Our heavy hitters, myself, Dreadnought, Matter, and Double Trouble will be going in the front lines," he looks to the three, "if you find an opening, take it, we only need one hit."

"Sure-Shot and Meraxes, you are both on long-range attacks. Use your distance and hit him from afar."

"J.U.L.I.A and Glimpse, you are on scouting duties. Report any weakness you can find."

"Let's show that son of a bitch what we can do," White Mask smiles and nods.

Expel floats between the island while his eyes are closed as he meditates. The soft rustling of the wind begins to grow louder.

"And so it begins," he whispers.

From the ground, Dreadnought begins to chant to himself,

“To the light I go, like a flame to a moth. May I call forth the Duke of Hell Astaroth.”

The orange fires of hell surround him as great orange wings erupt from his back. His left hand forms the head of a snake. His eyes become yellow and scales develop on his skin. On his head rests a bloody crown of thorns and his teeth have morphed into fangs. He looks to the team and smiles,

"This is my new form, Dreadnought Infernum."

"Wizard," Double Trouble smiles back, as he clones himself and jumps into Dreadnought's arms.

White Mask sharply breathes, reminding himself, that Dreadnought is on their side.

At least for now...

He shakes his head and dismisses the thought. He looks to Matter as she nods.

"Alright Aerondight, let's kick his ass."

Dreadnought begins flying at high speeds, hoping to finish the fight before it begins. Using his right hand, he throws all four Double Troubles at Expel, trying to catch him off guard.

In one fell swoop, Expel helicopter kicks all four of them, sending them barreling towards nearby trees.

But that doesn't stop Dreadnought as he uses his snake hand to try and bite Expel. Using the lower gravity he weaves in between the beast and dodges all the attempted lunges. He then grabs the snake arm and begins twirling Dreadnought around like a lasso. He spots Sure-Shot by one of the islands preparing to shoot, and throws Dreadnought right towards him, causing an explosion of dirt across the island.

Expel hears a faint humming sound, as he looks up to find J.U.L.I.A, with a jetpack and a large energy cannon, aimed right at him.

"EAT PLASMA MOTHERFUCKER!!!"

SHOOOOOOM

In a flash of bright white light, a large beam of energy fires point-blank at Expel. The bird on Sparkplug's shoulder becomes distressed and flies away, much to her dismay. On the ground, a small crater has formed, but with no signs of Expel.

"Did we do it?" Double Trouble asks, groggily standing up.

"B-behind you!" Glimpse screams.

J.U.L.I.A looks back and finds Expel unfazed by her attack. In a state of shock, she doesn't even move, as with one swift punch to the gut, Expel knocks her unconscious.

"You bastard!!!" Matter shouts as she charges Expel without hesitation. She throws several fast blind jabs at him yet he effortlessly dodges all of them. As she goes for a hook, he ducks and decks her right in the liver. Suddenly, Matter stops with her barrage, and floats mid-air. Dreadnought sees something in her eyes. A gaze he hasn't seen for a long time. A lifeless stare.

Did... did he? No, he wouldn't. Heroes do not kill. I know that much. But if it isn't death, it might be something like an induced slumber. But it doesn't look like a knockout. I know one thing for certain...

"ONE PUNCH!!!" Dreadnought screams to his team, "HE ONLY NEEDS ONE PUNCH TO KNOCK YOU OUT, THAT'S HIS ABILITY."

"That's a dumb ability," White Mask thinks, "I could do that too."

But that at least limits his range. Unlike someone like Streetwise with his ropes, we have our distance fighters, which means our win condition is...

"Meraxes!" White Mask shouts, "Firewall, NOW!"

Meraxes smiles as she forges a wall of pure fire to block Expel's view. White Mask awkwardly floats to Sure-Shot and Dreadnought.

"Okay new plan, we get close and restrain his limbs, just enough for Glimpse to spot an opening, and for Sure-Shot to land a clean hit."

"Can't Meraxes just close the firewall?" Double Trouble wonders.

As if on cue, Expel punches through and breaks the firewall, making his way to neutralize her.

"Shit! Glimpse, keep an eye out. Sure-Shot, be ready to fire, the rest of you with me!" White Mask jumps forward and uses the weaker gravity to fly towards him. Double-Trouble does the same, while Dreadnought opts to fly there.

Meraxes panics and throws a fireball right at Expel, only for him to dodge and hit her in the arm, extinguishing the flame.

Dreadnought comes in first and crashes down on Expel holding his right arm. Expel tries to hit him with his left but four Double Troubles grab and pin Expel's arm with all their combined might. Finally, White Mask comes in and hits Expel's knees with his staff, making him kneel. Both Dreadnought and Double Trouble are struggling to keep him down while White Mask goes for the headlock.

"You wanna know a secret?" Expel coughs, "It doesn't have to be with my hands."

He leans forward and headbutts White Mask with the back of his head, breaking the white mask, and knocking him back. He starts pulling away from both Double Trouble and Dreadnought, with the latter starting to lose his grip.

At the other island, Glimpse points at Expel's chest,

"There, right there, a good clean shot."

"If you say so, Miss!" Sure-Shot giddily shouts, as he fires a metal ball directly at his chest. Expel tries to break free...

CLANG

A metal ball hits his chest, as he laughs and stops struggling.

"I yield."

"We.. we did it!" Glimpse happily shouts as she hugs Sure-Shot with a sigh of relief. He just smiles and pats her on the shoulder.

Double Trouble reverts to one and Dreadnought de-transforms. They both help Expel up while he cracks his neck.

"What exactly did you do to them?" Dreadnought asks.

"I didn't knock them out," Expel grunts, "I just pushed their souls out of their bodies for a bit. Watch."

With a snap of his fingers, White Mask, Meraxes, Matter, and J.U.L.I.A instantly wake up.

"My fucking nose," White Mask whimpers, as he collects the damaged fragments of his mask.

"That was insane," Meraxes massages her shoulder, "I literally watched my body fall."

"You know the pain doesn't go away when you get pushed out right?" Matter scolds Expel.

Two claps emerge from the trees as Sparkplug and Streetwise descend from the trees.

"You were all exceptional" Sparkplug praises, "that was quite the show."

"I gotta admit, you had me nervous there for a bit" Streetwise chuckles, "but you guys manage to pull it off. Well done."

"So, Expel," Streetwise turns to him, "Would you be willing to advise these heroes for a bit?"

Expel looks at each of them with pride and nods, "I would be happy to."