“Good Friday morning, Chattanooga, I’m Tom Baker with Channel 7 news. Early this Friday morning mass panic rocked the city as a forty-foot-tall alien, landed and issued a challenge to our beloved city for our strongest champions to step forward and entertain him. We go now to Deborah Hendrix, live on the scene as the alien waits in silence, Deborah.” The anchorman on TV spoke as the feed split and a woman came into view on the right side of the screen. “THANKS TOM!” Deborah shouted into a headset cupping the mouthpiece trying to muffle the whooping helicopter blades of the news copter she rode passenger in. “THE ALIEN YOU SEE BEHIND US ARRIVED BARELY THIRTY MINUTES AGO LANDING IN THE TENNESSEE RIVER JUST OUTSIDE THE AQUARIUM. SINCE LANDING AND DEMANDING A CHAMPION, HE HAS FOLDED HIS MASSIVE FOUR ARMS AND HAS FALLEN SILENT. IVE GOT REPORTS FLOODING IN SAYING THIS IS A FLAYURIAN, APPARENTLY, THEY ARE A WARRIOR RACE THAT SEEK OUT STRONG FIGHTERS AFTER THEY DESTROYED THEIR HOME WORLD. IT'S BEEN NEARLY TEN YEARS SINCE MIRACLE MAN AND DECIMATOR DEFEATED ONE ANOTHER IN A DEADLY BRAWL. SINCE THEN, NO EXTRATERRESTRIAL HAS THREATENED OUR CITY UNTIL TODAY.” Deborah shouted as the helicopter circled the Flayurian keeping its distance.
“Deborah, I just received word that you and your crew are to pull out of there immediately. The National Guard is arriving on scene.” Tom spoke fervently into his mic as he loosened his tie. Suddenly the camera feed is cut to static as muffled screams and squelched metal bombard the screen till it too suddenly stops. “Deborah!” Tom called repetitively. “Screw this!” Tom shouted as he abruptly stood from his chair and darted towards the weather screens where a balding man with a slight pot belly waited to do the weather report. As the camera shifted following Tom, the weatherman began his introduction not noticing Tom charging like a mad man towards his direction. “Billy Patti which here, and buh buh burr it is a chilly one out there today folks, Lady Winter has definitely come early this year!!! Ooooof!!” Billy suddenly shouted as Tom Baker plowed through him like a runaway diesel knocking both men off their feet. Then a sudden explosion shook the building causing the camera man to lose his balance crashing into the floor smashing the camera. As the feed switched over to a screen apologizing for a brief delay a slender feminine hand lifted a remote turning off the television set.
“Figures, just when it was about to get good too. Oh well humans are a flighty species.” A slender woman with snow white hair and tan skin adjusted her thin rimmed glasses, her scarlet eyes gleaming in the low light of the small room she lounged in. “Gloria!” another female voice sexy and smooth growled out in anger from the next room. Suddenly the room went white as the voice grew rapidly closer and flicked on the light. The room the white-haired woman lounged in was a small den, cluttered with old worn-out furniture, three-day old snack wrappers and discarded beer cans. She wore a thin gray slip that barely covered her voluptuous features. She was a petite woman despite her curvy nature, her tan skin soft and supple without a single scar or blemish. Her white hair draped lazily around her small shoulders as she rubbed at her eyes.
“Geez Glory you could at least clean up after yourself…wait…is that my thong stretched between your horns!?” Scolded a young beautiful woman her broad but slender shoulders drooped from exhaustion. She was taller than the average woman standing six foot and two inches. She wore a thin tan tank top that rose above her exposed mid drift struggling to contain her large breasts. She wore black gym shorts showing off long muscular legs akin to an Olympic runner or gold medalist swimmer. Her auburn hair trailed down past her knees wild, long, and bouncy. Her face pensive with a subtle rage she flared her thick lips and clicked her teeth. Her eyes were a rich gleam of hazel with a slightly sleepy haze about them.
Gloria slyly raised her slender hands to two gnarled black horns protruding from her brow just above her thin white eyebrows. She shot the disgruntled woman a wolfish grin and removed the silky undergarments. “A thousand pardons, twas a wild party last night, Master Merlynn.” Gloria smirked twisting her seductive face into an even more wicked smile.
“A thousand pardons my ass, please just clean it up. Gods I need coffee.” Merlynn slumped her way into the den and then through a low archway into a quaint orderly kitchen. On the stove whistled a dented blue kettle which Merlynn quickly removed from the red-hot range before it began screaming. She then pulled a small can of Folgers instant coffee from the cabinet above her tiny sink. After adding a healthy amount to a handmade mug, she poured boiling water from the kettle in it. The murky brown liquid swirled and steamed as she raised the cup to her supple lips.
The aroma tickled her nose as she dedicated herself to her first long drink. She melted in bliss as she continued drinking till the bottom of the mug shown. “I don’t see how you drink that swill.” Gloria scoffed as she leaned her head around the archway scratching her gnarled horns. Merlynn cast her a long hateful scowl screaming ‘go to hell’ before briskly turning to make another round. Gloria entered the kitchen with fluidity not unlike a slithering snake now smoothing the wild strands of bed hair that defied gravity atop her head. “We would still have the good stuff if a certain lazy succubus hadn’t drunk it all.” Merlynn retorted as she finished her second cup. She then rinsed the mug and returned it to its usual spot on the small windowsill between her tiny sink and cabinet.
Gloria ignored the comment as she dug through the pantry built into the wall adjacent to the stove. “Ahhh salty ambrosia heaven.” Gloria cooed as she held up a pack of Maruchan Ramen, chicken flavor. “I don’t see how you eat that filth…” Merlynn snorted as she opened the window halfway, drawing a cigarette from a pack of Camel Wide’s and lit one, taking a long powerful drag. Her view out the window wasn’t much to look at. Nothing more than the bricked wall of the Kestrel law firm building adjacent to her and its rooftop garden which was regularly maintained. It did however boast a nice view of the sky, whether it be a rising sun or even the starry night sky. Today a red sun slowly crept over the kestrel building casting a foreboding chill down Merlynn’s spine.
“Says the powerful wizard who slowly poisons herself with her vices.” Gloria sneered turning her attention back to the pack of ramen. “Double bubble toil and trouble, double bubble toil and trouble.” Chirped Merlynn’s cell phone as it nearly vibrated off the countertop into the sink. Merlynn reached down and silenced the device sighing with a bit of aggravation. Merlynn cast her gaze towards Gloria who all but held the pack of ramen in the air like Link from the Legend of Zelda with a compass or a map. “Still, it wouldn’t kill you to eat a decent meal once in a while, it’s not like were hurting for money or food.” Merlynn added as she exhaled billowing smoke from her cigarette, the heat of her breath fogging the chilled window.
“Double bubble toil and trouble, double bubble toil and trouble.” Chirped Merlynn’s cell phone again, this time Merlynn noticed the name ‘Abbey' pop up as she picked up the device to answer it. Before she could however the call had ended going to voicemail as she unlocked her phone. “Eh, I’ll call her back here in a few.” Merlynn thought to herself as she laid the device back onto the counter returning her attention to her cigarette and view out the window. She began noticing flashes of red and blue cascading on the wall in front of her as she let out a loud unladylike yawn.
“Well, when your done with that alien thingy you can take me to that new ramen shop that opened up in Hixson!” Gloria spoke in a bubbly voice as she crushed the ramen with wicked intent, dumping it and the seasoning packet into her mouth. Merlynn slowly turned, her cigarette half ash, as she watched the dainty succubus pour the remainder of the boiling water into her mouth without so much as a flinch.
“What alien thingy?” Merlynn asked as she dropped ash into the sink below her. “Oh, I forgot you were sleeping still when it happened. Yeah, a big nasty alien touched down in the Tennessee river bout forty-five minutes ago, give or take a few minutes.” Gloria gulped hard with a seductive moan and a pleased smile. “No shit…” Merlynn mused hazily as she returned to her cigarette. The weight of Gloria’s words struck Merlynn like a sack of bricks. “WAIT WHAT!?” Merlynn shouted dropping her cigarette in the sink, it quickly fizzing and hissing as it was quenched by the droplets of water clinging within.
She then whirled around waving a hand in the air with a bit of her will lowering the veil she cast on her tiny apartment. The ongoing chaos outside rocked the apartment at once causing Gloria and Merlynn to nearly take a knee from its deafening presence. Sirens wailed from police cruisers and emergency vehicles blaring by. Roars of engines and horns beat against the thin walls as human screams pierced through. Gunfire and shelling rained like hail against a tin roof. Merlynn turned to Gloria helping her up then quickly dashed around her apartment gathering supplies she needed.
She all but dove into her bedroom headfirst over her messy queen-sized bed grabbing a large black hat with a wide circular brim and tall drooped peak from her corner bed post. She then rolled over to the far side grabbing a large copper colored gun seemingly designed to shoot flares and carefully fastened it to a belted holster which she slung over one shoulder. A long black trench coat hung neatly on a hook to the right of her bed which she grabbed throwing one arm into one of the sleeves. As she fought to get the second arm through, she wrenched her bedside table drawer open and two different colored flares with cute gel penned sigils rolled to the front. She quickly grabbed them and slammed them into her left coat pocket. Finally, she grabbed two rings from atop the table putting one on each hand and adjusted her coat after pulling her arm through the other sleeve. “Got damn birds…” a rough voice burbled as Merlynn brushed up against a small planted shrub with a thick trunk. It resembled an oak tree albeit the size of an average bonsai tree and it had two large hollow sockets each burning with a golden beady light. Below those was a gnarled knot that stuck out roughly an inch which would twitch left then right every so often and another large oblong hollow that would softly creak as it opened and shut when it spoke. She knelt to the shrub ruffling its bushy canopy. “I promise Stumpy you can go next time.” The shrubs beady lights for eyes flickered up at Merlynn then faded slightly as if thinking then returned to their usual brightness as if it understood the promise.
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“Glory you better be ready or else you're staying here!” Merlynn called as she quickly walked to her front door pulling a four-foot length of wood carved with intricate sigils and runes from a large ornate vase clasping it firmly in her left hand. As she opened the front door the cacophony from outside nearly blew it off its hinges. Merlynn gathered her will without a second look back then walked down the narrow path of stairs into the chaotic streets of Chattanooga.
As she hurried down the stairs heavy hot breathes poured into the cold air around her and the image of Gloria dressed in tight black biker leathers quickly came into view. Her white hair tied back in pigtails and horns veiled to appear as goggles Gloria blew a large pink bubble between her lush red lips.
“You plan on fighting…dressed like that?” Gloria asked between bubbles. “LET’S SEE YOU GET DRESSED DECENTLY WHEN SHIT HITS THE FAN!?” Merlynn barked as she threw her hands on her hips scrunching up her coat and doing no favors for her attire. Gloria blew one last bubble and gestured at her leathers and boots. At that Merlynn growled a curse, popped her bubble, and with a bit of will took a set of keys from her coat pocket. speaking a few whispered words, she tossed them into a large opaque portal that formed as they flew. A loud thunderous roar bellowed through the portal as a jet-black Indian motorcycle rolled through the portal stopping beside her, its engine thrumming with power. She then raised her left-hand staff still in hand and tapped it three with the third strike causing a small magic circle to form around the bottom of the staff pulling it quickly into the sleeve of her coat till it vanished as if the sleeve were bottomless. “Just get on the damn bike.” Merlynn scoffed as she straddled her iron steed. Gloria smirked wiping gum from her face and leapt on the bike as Merlynn slammed the throttle giving it all it had peeling out on one tire.
They drove hard through the street able to bob and weave around abandoned cars and debris with ease as the mighty engine chiefed with its thunderous roar. People littered the streets as well. No bodies, not yet anyway, but all manner of folk found themselves on sidewalk curbs, some running for their lives, some awestruck at the chaos, while others simply did what they could to help. Soldiers were mixed among them all directing those lost amidst the chaos. Groups of them watched as Merlynn and Gloria blazed through the madness of panicked confusion.
Merlynn's hazel eyes took everything in, all the pain, the sadness, the fear of the unknown bottling it up inside as best she could to maintain her focus. It was difficult for her seeing mothers looking for their children, hearing their calls on the chill morning air. She cringed with each alley they passed as soldiers laid unrelenting gunfire into the darkness, the flashes from their guns illuminating howling figures as Gloria felt her pain and leaned forward bending her smooth face to her ear. “Focus Lynn, push from your mind those painful images, those thoughts. Do not forget them, but do not let them control your actions either. Focus that pain, focus that sorrow and use it on our enemies. Do for them which they cannot do for themselves with their pain, their agony, the raw emotion that pours from them like water across pavement.” Gloria spoke in a smooth clear voice that could have easily been heard even with the commotion of the city and roar of the bike.
“I know Glory, I know. I just wish that stupid law hadn’t been passed ten years ago. If the ban on Supers hadn’t been passed this alien asshole might not have even made landfall, let alone breached our atmosphere.” Merlynn spoke leaning her head towards Gloria’s. “Well, aren’t we the lazy one? Hope’s that everything would have been done already if not for some trivial human law. That law holds no reign on those of other cities, other regions. We all share the same planet, the same air yet here we are with an alien in our river. Besides that, silly law only suppressed the ‘good ones' the villains were only swayed once the death penalty went into effect.
Gloria words faded away till all Merlynn could hear was the roar of the bike, could only feel the tires charging across the pavement, till all she could see was the path ahead of her and the tangled tentacled face of the Flayurian peaking over the butterfly exhibit at the top of the aquarium. Her vision began to tunnel as the bike roared again, the engine pushing all power to the wheels which churned the pavement behind her leaving trails of blue flickering flames. The closer she neared the epicenter of the chaos the clearer the destruction became.
The Flayurian had grown tired of waiting, pushing his psychic presence upon those who could not flee turning them from sane humans to rabid husks of their former selves. Their minds ripped from their bodies permanently leaving them feral and voracious. It had swatted the news helicopter from the sky like a fly in the summer heat causing it to crater the street as it crashed. The rubble roared with crimson oil filled flames just now starting to die as Merlynn and Gloria slowed to a halt at the rivers bank, the Flayurian staring at them with uncountable eyes. Merlynn watched as the mass of tentacles where its chin would be writhe releasing a low sonic pulse.
“Fools. I asked for champions. Not a paltry witch and her pet.” The Flayurian’s voice quivered with tremendous psychic pressure inside Merlynn’s mind. She recoiled in pain clutching her ears as a thin line of crimson trickled down to the bottom of her chin. The Flayurian turned to fully face Merlynn his countless eyes burning with a savage rage with his four arms still stretched across his chest. It then loosed its upper right arm extending an elongated finger towards her causing Merlynn to quake again as another psychic blast struck her like a yellow school bus. “Go. Remove this filth.” The Flayurian’s voice boomed again as the husks rose from trash, behind bushes and crawled from broken vehicles clambering to their feet their empty hollow eyes fixated on Merlynn.
With a hive minded scream that could give demons a pause for caution the husks flung themselves in waves at Merlynn and Gloria. “WITCH…” Merlynn's voice quivered as she continued to recoil in pain struggling to lift her head. As two husks leapt into the air, their arms stretching for Merlynn’s neck, a sudden phantasmal chain with hook like blades circled around them rending their frail bodies into dried bits and ribbons. Gloria leapt over Merlynn clutching an end of the chain in each hand. With a snap of her arms the chains retracted into her body disappearing as quickly as they were produced. “LYNN SNAP OUT OF IT!” Gloria screamed as another husk reached out from underneath piled rubble grasping at Gloria's leg. Gloria shrieked as she felt the husk’s searing grasp wrap around her leg squeezing like a vice easily burning through her leather pants. Merlynn finally free of her pain managed to raise her head as her vision clarified on the sight of Gloria wrenching the husk out from the rubble twisting and smashing her free booted foot through the husks face, neck, and shoulders. The hand of the husk fell to the ground limp as the burning handprint left on Gloria’s leg hissed and steamed rapidly healing. “You good Lynn cause a little help would be most appreciated right now!” Gloria barked wrenching two silver pistols from within her leathers as another set of husk hands burst through bits of burning debris. “Witch…it called me…witch.” Merlynn stammered as her voice began flooding with rage. “Oh, toil and trouble Lynn it is sending mad husks at us and your still hung up on that!?” Gloria cursed as she spun willing her phantasmal chains through the prying hands and squeezing raucous rounds into several more howling faces as they emerged.
As Merlynn rose from her bike, she raised her left hand summoning her staff gripping it firmly, the wood of her staff creaking in her grasp. Her right hand fell to the large copper flare gun. “Don’t you dare…DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE CALL ME A WITCH!” Merlynn’s voice echoed in a wide radius, her voice brimming with will and power. As Merlynn began to walk forward, staff and flare gun firmly gripped at her sides, a sudden explosion roared from behind her as a teenage female voice screamed in earthshaking agony. “GET OUT OF MY CITY!!!”
Merlynn continued her stride forward totally oblivious to the raging scream that blindingly rushed forward in a hot white blur. The white blur roared past Merlynn rapidly picking up speed then past Gloria breaking the sound barrier tenfold as it hit the water and shot straight up planting deafening haymakers left and right as it pummeled the Flayurian from its torso to its writhing face lifting it out of the water and steadily into the air. “Was that Abbey!?” Gloria asked Merlynn in confusion whom strode past her pulling the copper flare gun from its holster and planted her staff solidly in the ground forming a massive flickering barrier around them. She then slid her hand into her pocket pulling out one of the cute gelled flares, its markings bright blue in color. She watched as Abbey continued to lift the alien into the air with each earth-shattering blow. “ABBEY!!!” Merlynn’s voice quaked in a powerful basso. “MOVE!” Her voice rang out once again as she loaded the flare with an audible clunk and latched the gun shut aiming its long copper barrel at the core of the alien. With one last double fisted slam to its squishy face the alien rocketed back towards the river in a thunderous boom. Merlynn felt the beings countless gaze fall upon the copper barrel as its eyes filled with worry and regret. “DOUBLE BUBBLE BITCH!!!” Merlynn boomed as she pulled the trigger.
Silence fell on the world as the copper barrel hummed with a glowing electric blue energy emanating a sound akin to a jet engine sucking in air as it whirred to full throttle followed by a roaring white beam of focused energy that cut through the alien with ease vaporizing its upper half to nothing more than red hot flakes in the morning sun. Abbey’s hot white glow dimmed and faded completely as she descended to the ground softly landing next to Merlynn and Gloria. Her fiery red hair slowly settled as she lifted dirty welding goggles atop her head revealing bright emerald green eyes. A wide wicked smile crossed her fair but flushed face as she quickly licked chapped lips. “I totes had that, Lynn.” She chuckled giving Merlynn a wry smirk. Merlynn’s face snapped back to normal as Abbey’s sweet but teasing voice melted away all her anger and grief. “Sure, ya did Abs.” she retorted trying her best to not show how entrapped she was in her deep-seated rage. Abbey tilted her head to the side slightly, her beautiful youthful face twisted in confusion. “Are you okay Lynn?” Abbey spoke in concern as she stepped forward grabbing Merlynn by the arms then wrenching her into a bear hug. Merlynn was a full head and shoulders taller than Abbey but that didn’t stop her from burying her face in Merlynn’s chest profusely sobbing. “I’m fine Abs, please, you're soaking my shirt.” Merlynn spoke in a soft reassuring voice as she lightly stroked her fingers through Abby’s fiery red hair. Abbey pulled away looking up at her, her eyes puffy and red. Abbey then took in a deep breath and proceeded to rattle off questions so fast she went from chipmunk to practically meta fusing individual unrelated questions into one question. All which Merlynn ignored lighting a cigarette with her staff and then dismissing it once more.
“Ladies, as touching as this droll is we should leave before the military comes in for clean up.” Gloria dry heaved as she returned her two pistols to holsters tucked under each arm within her leather jacket. Abbey nodded then released Merlynn wiping her eyes after. Merlynn turned and quickly strolled over to her motorcycle tapping twice on the fuel tank. The mighty black machine roared once then full reversed into a portal casting the keys out into Merlynn’s lazily outstretched hand. The three of them remained vigilant as they slid off the scene and into the back alleys working their way steadily through the city.