On the far side of the slums, a gentle rain started to fall. Fii took off her helmet and let the drops roll down her face. She looked around. No one was watching her. Everyone else was busy fighting or fleeing from the Adrenomancers and soldiers who'd stormed into the slums.
Just one minute...
She just needed just a minute to clear her head. She breathed in deeply. The rain tasted sweet. She wiped her brow and put her helmet back on. Then she returned to the chaos.
Fii launched herself off a dumpster and bounced off a building, gaining height before she fell. Controlling the vector of gravity had gotten easier and easier as the hours went on. With the adrenaline pumping through her veins and the anxiety of the battle, she didn't even have to think about it anymore. It was like second nature to her now.
As she approached a nearby street, she spied a squad of soldiers closing in on a group of slummers huddled in the shadows.
No need to strategize on how to deal with them.
She pulled them through the air until they reached her elevation, then shifted their local gravity's magnitude and vector to smash them into the side of a building. They crumpled to the ground in a mangled heap.
The slummers scurried out of hiding and ran in different directions, some looked at the corpses with horror—others gave her the same terrified look.
She flinched at the latter but pressed on.
I'd be scared of someone who can do that too...no matter who they are.
She flew towards the sounds of battle and skated across the sides of buildings and down the street to save energy. The rush of adrenaline helped focus her attention as she kept scanning for trouble. In the distance, a tall tower of smoke rose into the air from the site of an explosion. Flames licked the side of a nearby building.
Fii slowed and crouched atop a rooftop to survey the area. From her vantage point, she spotted several pockets of resistance still holding out against the invaders.
From their get-up and weapons, they were from the Ironclad Legion. Their fortress wasn't too far from here either. It seemed like they were putting up a good fight, at least for now.
She looked towards the epicenter of the fighting where she could make out the distinctive form of "Hammer" Kareem, towering over the rest. His massive bulk shone with a metallic sheen, his body transformed into living armor. He wielded a huge two-handed hammer that seemed to weigh nothing in his hands.
As he swung it in wide arcs, the air around him shuddered with the force of a small explosion. Adrenomancers and soldiers alike fled in his wake, scrambling to avoid his devastating blows.
The impact of his hammer left deep craters in the ground and sent debris flying in all directions. One soldier who was unlucky enough to get caught in the blast radius was tossed into the air like a ragdoll. He hit the ground with a sickening crunch, his body twisted and broken.
As Fii watched in awe, Kareem took another swing at an advancing Adrenomancer. The man managed to dodge the blow but wasn't fast enough to avoid the follow-up strike. The hammer smashed into his chest, caving it in with a resounding boom. His body flew back and smashed into a nearby shanty. It collapsed on top of him, burying him beneath the rubble.
Fii gulped. Just one hit from that thing would crush her to a pulp. She shook her head and pushed the thought away. Right now, they should be on the same side. Fii gathered her courage and raced towards the fighting.
She landed on the ground beside Kareem. His armored form towered over her as he pounded another Adrenomancer into the pavement. She winced as she heard the crunch of bone and flesh under the impact. She wanted to retch but swallowed the bile rising in her throat.
Kareem's head snapped towards her, his eyes gleaming with the same manic light that reflected off his metallic surface.
"Axion! The hell you want?" he grunted as he slammed his hammer into another soldier. The man went flying and crashed into a nearby building.
Fii flinched but didn't back away.
"I'm here to help!" she shouted over the noise of battle.
Kareem gave her a once-over before grunting in approval. "All right, then. Get to it. Backfire vouched for your power last time, so you best not disappoint. Just don't get in my way."
He spun around and slammed his hammer into an incoming wave of soldiers. Fii jumped aside to avoid getting hit by the flying debris. Then she turned her attention to the advancing enemies.
Her hands flew out in front of her as she began manipulating the gravity around them. They flailed about helplessly as their bodies became weightless and floated into the air. With a wave of her hand, she sent them flying off the battlefield.
Kareem gave her an appreciative grunt before turning back to the fray. He charged forward and smashed through another group of soldiers with ease. His armored form was like a tank plowing through a row of paper targets.
"A shame you decided to waste your time and ambition playing the role of a Super," Kareem shouted over his shoulder as he bashed in the skulls of several soldiers. "You would have ruled these streets had you been willing to ally with us from the start."
Fii bit back a retort.
She had to focus on keeping the enemy at bay for now. Her eyes darted around as she searched for more targets. A dozen soldiers approached from behind, their rifles trained on her. She raised a hand and they were pulled off their feet. They soared towards her before being slammed into the ground with enough force to crack the concrete. They lay there unmoving.
Fii jumped into the air and shot herself towards another group of enemies. She somersaulted over them and landed in their midst. Before they could react, she extended both hands towards them and turned up the local gravity. The soldiers groaned and collapsed under the increased weight. They tried to lift their guns but couldn't even move their arms.
While she kept them there, the other Ironclad Legion fighters shot them from a distance.
Fii grimaced at the bloodbath but kept going. She leapt through the air, bouncing from building to building as she used her powers to disrupt enemy formations and open holes in their defenses. All around her, the Ironclad Legion took advantage of her efforts and rushed into the gaps she created.
However, her exhaustion began to creep in. As her adrenaline faded away, so did her control over her abilities. It wasn't much longer before she misjudged her trajectory and lost control. She tumbled onto the pavement with a heavy thud. The landing jolted her brain, making her vision blurry.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
She staggered to her feet and took a few unsteady steps forward. Everything spun around her. Her legs gave way beneath her and she collapsed again. Her chest heaved, trying to catch her breath. But the effort only made her cough and wheeze. Every muscle in her body ached.
Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself upright.
As stumbled towards a nearby wall and leaned against it for support, a soldier with a wicked scar running down his face appeared out of nowhere and swung his sword at her head. Fii stumbled back but the blade nicked her helmet. She managed to dodge the second strike but wasn't fast enough to escape the third. It sliced into her shoulder and left a deep gash.
She gasped in pain and fell to one knee.
The soldier raised his sword high above his head and brought it down with full force. Fii threw herself sideways, narrowly avoiding the blade. She rolled away from him as he took another swing at her. She scrambled backwards until her back hit a wall. The soldier advanced on her slowly.
I just need him to stop...
Drawing upon her gravikinesis, Fii attempted to manipulate the gravity around the soldier. Her intent was to pin him to the ground, to immobilize him just long enough to make her escape or mount a counterattack. She visualized the gravitational pull intensifying around him, like an invisible hand pressing down with inexorable force.
Her mind, clouded by pain and fatigue, struggled to mold the forces at her command. She pushed harder, her mental grasp slipping, until finally she let out a scream of frustration and exertion.
But as she concentrated, something felt terribly wrong. The connection was too deep, too forceful.
She opened her eyes just in time to see a visible distortion rippling around the soldier as the gravitational pull centered directly on him. His eyes widened in horror as the force increased exponentially, far beyond what Fii had aimed to conjure. The ground beneath him cracked, debris floating upwards as the localized gravity field turned chaotic.
The soldier's body contort unnaturally. The sound of cracking bones filled the air, followed by a wet tearing noise. His eyes widened in shock and pain as he began to crumple inwards, his limbs twisting unnaturally. The sword fell from his grasp, clattering against the rubble-strewn ground.
He screamed in agony before his body gave way and imploded in on itself with a sickening crunch. Blood and viscera sprayed from his ruined form in all directions.
Fii froze in horror at the sight. Pieces of gore splashed across her visor and clung to her suit. She stared blankly at the soldier's crumpled remains lying before her.
This wasn’t what she intended—not like this.
She looked down at her hands, which trembled uncontrollably. Tears welled in her eyes as she struggled to comprehend what had happened.
As if triggered by her mistake, a massive wave of fatigue slammed into her. She could barely keep her eyes open as she sank to her knees. Everything went black and her body slumped forward onto the concrete.
Voices and sounds drifted in and out of her mind...voices calling out her name...hands grabbing her arms...her body being lifted up...a dull thudding sound in the distance...then nothing but darkness.
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Mirage walked briskly beside Edith, keeping a close eye on the geneticist as they navigated through the labyrinthine streets of the slums. The woman seemed unfazed by her predicament, her expression neutral and calm as she took in the sights around her. She carried the reinforced briefcase that Mirage assumed contained her research materials, tightly gripped in her hand.
She's a tough one...maybe too tough.
As they walked past a row of abandoned shanties, Mirage noted the subtle shift in Edith's demeanor. Her pace quickened slightly, and her gaze shifted towards the alleys and rooftops around them. She seemed to be on edge.
"Not thinking of trying to escape, are you? That would be unwise," Mirage warned. "You might be a genius in your field, but you're no match for me."
Edith shrugged. "I'm not stupid enough to try to outrun you. I'm just worried about the Gully Rats showing up."
"Gully Rats?" Mirage asked, unfamiliar with the term.
"The gang that runs these parts," Edith explained. "They're known for their brutality and their obsession with territory. If they see us passing through their turf without permission, they won't hesitate to attack us—especially at night. And since we're both women..." She trailed off, leaving the implication unsaid.
Mirage sighed inwardly. Just what she needed: another complication to deal with. "Well, we're not crossing into their territory...are we?"
She had a vague understanding of the layout of the slums, but she couldn't be sure they were staying within the boundaries.
"We just did. Why do you think I'm worried?" Edith replied. "I'd like to keep my virtue intact."
Mirage's gaze swept over their surroundings once more.
"I'll handle them if they come after us," she said with confidence. "I've dealt with far worse than a bunch of low-rent thugs."
Edith gave her a dubious look but kept quiet. They continued walking in silence for several minutes. Mirage noticed that Edith's grip on the briefcase tightened as they passed a series of dimly lit alleys. A few more steps and they emerged onto a wider street lined with dilapidated buildings. It was surprisingly empty.
Mirage checked her GPS for the rendezvous point with the operative in charge of transporting Edith to Salvatore's facility. It wasn't too far away now. Just another few blocks.
"This way," she said, gesturing for Edith to follow. They crossed the street and headed down a narrow alley between two tall structures. It was dark and cluttered with debris and garbage. Mirage pulled out a flashlight from her belt and clicked it on. She shone the beam ahead of them as they walked cautiously through the narrow passage.
Suddenly, they heard a faint rustling sound from behind them. Mirage spun around and pointed the flashlight back towards the entrance of the alleyway. The light illuminated a small group of men standing there.
They wore tattered clothes and carried makeshift weapons. Their faces were smeared with dirt and grime. One of them had an eyepatch and scars covering his left cheek. Another held a long pipe in his hand. The third man was slightly shorter than the others.
The two stared at each other for a moment before the shorter man spoke up. "Well, what do we have here? A couple of pretty ladies all alone in the dark?" He sneered. "Funny place to be wandering around at night."
The one with the eyepatch laughed and nudged the short man. "Looks like we hit the jackpot tonight, boys."
Mirage raised an eyebrow.
Three thugs. No one with firearms.
She pulled out her silenced pistol and unceremoniously shot the three in quick succession. The muffled gunshots echoed through the alleyway. They fell to the ground without a sound. She stepped over their bodies and motioned for Edith to follow. The geneticist gave her a nervous look but did as she was told.
They continued walking down the alley until they reached a parking garage at the end of the block. Mirage scanned the area before gesturing for Edith to proceed into the darkness ahead of them. The woman hesitated briefly but complied.
An armored SUV awaited them in the garage's interior. Its doors were open, and a man in an ill-fitting suit stood beside it. He wore sunglasses and had his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. He regarded Mirage with a stoic expression.
"You're late," he said curtly.
"Had some issues along the way," Mirage replied. "Nothing I couldn't handle."
The man nodded and motioned for her to hand over Edith. Mirage led the geneticist towards the SUV and handed her off to the operative.
"Good work," the man said. "Boss'll be pleased. We'll take things from here."
He grabbed Edith's arm roughly and shoved her into the backseat of the SUV. The door slammed shut behind her. Then he turned to face Mirage once more.
"Boss has one more assignment for you before you're done with this place," he said.
Damn it. How much longer did she have to stay in this dump?
"What is it?" she asked reluctantly.
The man reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small tablet computer. He tapped on its screen a few times before handing it to Mirage.
She looked at the tablet's display and saw a map of the slums with a blinking red dot indicating her current location. There was a message icon flashing on the top right corner of the screen. She tapped on it and read the contents.
Head to the Aether Clinic and extract all data you can find regarding Edith Weiss's research. Once secured, eliminate all witnesses and destroy the facility.
Mirage frowned as she stared at the screen.
Shit. This was going to take a while…