Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Cosmic gifts come in many forms. Don't limit energy talents to just fighting and battling." – Coach Williams
Earth – Dayton, Nevada
Zola
Zola frowned as she looked up at the sky. It had been a good day, but now, standing outside the local YMCA and waiting for others from the community to arrive, the gathering clouds signaled that rain was on the way. She gathered a few remaining blankets, pillows, and the pail of granola bars they had set out on a table in front of the building and turned to head inside as a gust of wind and the sound of thunder spurred her on even more.
Zola refused to stay in her home while others suffered in her community. Though she was alone, she believed in the power of community and helping others. Soon after the local news broadcasts ceased and she lost touch with her family and friends, she decided to take action. Going door to door in her neighborhood near Dayton High School, she tried to rally her community. Many ignored her, but gradually, she gained support. Little by little, she began to create a network of volunteers and services dedicated to helping those in need. She distributed walkie-talkies and relied on word of mouth to share information and support those who needed it most.
The initial wave of panic-stricken news triggered an exodus of families and community members from the small town. They hurriedly departed, either to search for their loved ones or in a desperate bid to find a safe place. Tales of monsters and unexplained disappearances blanketed the town in fear. Zola, however, had yet to see any such monsters and remained skeptical of their existence, but this did little to quell the chaos.
Something was undeniably happening worldwide, but Zola was certain of one thing: people needed help. She initially tried to create a sense of community within the nearby high school, but the limited resources—beds, food, and medicine—quickly required the search for a new home base. While many residents returned home before nightfall, an overwhelming sense of insecurity persisted, leaving individuals like Zola, who had no one to depend on, feeling especially vulnerable.
The power outages made getting a good night's sleep nearly impossible. For the past 30 years, Zola had relied on the gentle hum of a white noise fan to lull her to sleep, but now she was surrounded by unsettling sounds—creaking floors and the occasional slamming of car doors outside. This was why she and about 50 others had gathered at the local YMCA. The facility was well-stocked with supplies that the high school lacked, including cots, tables, and essential medical provisions. These supplies were gradually accumulated through several IOUs exchanged with local pharmacies and shopping centers, which no longer had staff available to collect money.
Amid the disorder, the YMCA had become a true refuge. Despite the lingering glances and whispers she had experienced over the past decade, Zola felt a sense of relief seeing the smiling and relieved faces around her. Genuine care for her community and its people motivated her actions. In these uncertain times, the feeling of togetherness provided a much-needed sense of normalcy.
"Let me help you with that, Zola," a calming voice came from behind just as she felt the pail lift from her fingers, another hand taking its weight. "These clouds aren't looking too normal. Let's get you inside." It was just Oscar, the former gym coach and one of the earliest supporters of setting up this refuge.
"You know I can handle those on my own," Zola started, but she suppressed her frustration, realizing Oscar was just being kind. "But, thank you." She passed over the other pillows and blankets before reaching down to unclip the large foldable table. Flipping it to the ground, she heaved it to her side and began to carry it inside, earning a bemused look from Oscar as they approached the primary doors.
Just as they reached the entrance, a sudden gust of wind rushed in, slamming the door against the back of the table. Zola reeled into Oscar, landing on top of him as granola bars scattered across the floor. The roomful of people looked on in surprise. Zora awkwardly straddled Oscar, who lay beneath her with a bemused grin. "Talk about some holy wind," he remarked, a smirk on his lips. Flushed crimson with embarrassment, Zora scrambled to disentangle herself from the mess of pillows and blankets. Just as she reached to help Oscar to his feet, the air was shattered by a blood-curdling scream echoing from outside the doors, freezing them both in their tracks.
Panic and noise quickly overtook the room. More screams echoed, and the building doors rocked and shook in the wind, mingling with the sounds of pellets and rocks slamming against the walls. Zola looked at Oscar with fearful eyes. She had just been outside, and no one had been nearby. The quiet neighbors surrounding the building hadn't shown their faces for hours. What on earth was happening?
Oscar, glancing back quickly to warn the others to move away from the doors, was the first to act. He approached the front doors and cautiously opened them with a few other men. The sight that greeted him was unlike anything he'd ever seen: a dense fog had descended almost instantly, and a sudden, fierce gust of wind roared down the street. Two running figures were caught in its fury, tumbling like ragdolls. They landed hard, their cries barely audible over the howling wind.
Hearing the commotion, Zola rushed to the doors, her heart racing as she watched the chaotic scene unfold. Her eyes were drawn to the source of the gusts, where a dark, shifting figure seemed to emerge from the hovering darkened clouds. The creature was tall and shrouded in shadow, its eyes glowing white like holes within the clouds. It didn't just control the wind—it was a part of it.
As Zola tore her gaze from the creature, her heart lurched once more. At the end of the block, the atmosphere darkened further, and from the shadows, hundreds of similar dark creatures began to pour out, blending seamlessly with the fog and dispersing toward the nearby houses. Their numbers swelled with each passing second.
"We need to move!" Zola shouted, her voice barely reaching the back of the building. Panic surged through the room as people scrambled to gather their belongings.
Oscar hesitated for a moment, his gaze fixed on a figure lying in the street. Without a second thought, he dashed toward her, leaving Zola to handle the frenzied crowd. The wind howled around him as he approached the fallen person—a teenage girl—her terrified eyes locked onto his.
"Come on, we have to get you inside!" Oscar urged, helping her to her feet. But as they began to move, one of the dark creatures turned its attention towards them, its glowing eyes locking onto its new target.
Zola watched with a mix of fear and determination as Oscar and the young girl raced back, the creature closing in on them. "Back doors, NOW!" she shouted, louder this time, urging everyone to hurry as the monstrous threat loomed ever closer. She stood by the doors, encouraging Oscar and the girl to move faster as the creature bore down on them.
Losing hope, Zola's eye contact with Oscar transformed into one of fear and panic. He seemed to silently urge her to leave him and shut the doors. Just as she was about to give in, a new sound cut through the chaos—a distant, growing rumble from a powerful engine. The air crackled with electric intensity as the horn of a Ford F-150 blared, its headlights piercing the fog and casting eerie shadows around them.
The truck roared into view, glimmering with arcs of electricity that danced across its metal surface. Sparks flew as the massive vehicle barreled into the creature, sending the mist swirling in its wake. The impact bought Oscar and the girl precious time to reach the doors.
Just before Zola slammed the door shut behind them, she saw the truck skid to a stop. Its tires spun as it peeled away toward the street, heading straight into the darkest part of the storm, disappearing into the ominous gloom. Just before it vanished, Zola could have sworn she heard the faint strains of "Somebody's gonna hurt someone, before the night is through" from the Eagles' song blasting inside the cab. She shook her head, questioning whether her mind was playing tricks on her. Looking again toward the inside of the building, her determination to get them out of there was now firmly resolved.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
***
Luck and Mr. Reynold
"Do you think we can even hit those things?" Mr. Reynolds shouted, straining to be heard over the deafening music and the truck's roaring engine. The vehicle surged forward, racing toward the monstrous cloud figures that loomed around the frightened people stranded in the street.
"I'm not waiting to find out! Can you turn that damn music down!" Luck roared back. The truck hit a bump, slamming Mr. Reynolds backward into his seat. The entire vehicle seemed to hum with electric energy, glowing ominously as Luck gripped the steering wheel, electricity crackling off his fingers.
BOOM! The front fender smashed into a creature emerging from the storm, sending it hurtling into the distance. Mr. Reynold was violently thrown against the truck's center console as the truck screeched and swerved onto the main street. "Are we really going in there?" he shouted, his voice filled with desperation.
"Where else would we go?" Luck barked angrily. "Get ready to take the wheel!" The truck sped down the street, and without warning, Luck unlatched his seatbelt, flung open his door, and leaped out, the vehicle still moving as he tumbled to the ground, quickly regaining his footing in the middle of the street.
"Get to the community center! I'll find you!" Luck's words lingered in the air as Mr. Reynolds scrambled over the center console, shaking off the shock. He slammed the door shut and floored the gas pedal, crashing through a nearby fence. Spinning the car around, he glanced in the rearview mirror just in time to see Luck strolling casually down the middle of the street, now encircled by menacing creatures.
Mr. Reynolds couldn't bear to look any longer. He had to trust that Luck knew what he was doing. He had a mission—one just as vital as Luck’s own. He had to find Tuck’s mom. He had to find Zola.
Keeping his foot down on the gas, Mr. Reynolds' mind raced. His first instinct was to take the truck to the community center to find Zola, but if she was anything like her son or former husband, she would not easily leave on her own. Instead, Mr. Reynolds had a better idea. Swerving sharply, he directed the truck towards the high school, searching for another way to ensure their safety.
With music blaring, Mr. Reynold's eyes gleamed as he spotted his destination, only to find it securely locked and bolted. He honked the horn a few times, ensuring anyone nearby would take notice. Taking a deep breath, he slammed the gas pedal, steering his truck directly into the gates. The bolted metal barriers snapped open as the truck roared forward into a sea of yellow and black.
Fields of gleaming school buses stretched out before him, their bright colors vivid under the fading sunlight. Thanks to his crisis management background, Mr. Reynold knew how to handle this situation with precision. The market for stolen school buses was nearly nonexistent, and the urgent need for transport vehicles meant they had plenty of options. These options included a fleet of refueled school buses, ready for immediate use.
Leaping out of the truck, Mr. Reynold darted into one of the front buses. Offering a silent prayer for good luck, he began his frantic search for the keys. As moments passed, his chest tightened with growing anxiety. In a desperate move, he kicked the closed glove box, and to his relief, a set of keys tumbled out, dangling within reach. Igniting the engine, Mr. Reynold sped off toward the community center.
***
Luck
As Luck grew older and took on the roles of husband and father, he discovered that fear never truly goes away. Creating a family and surrounding yourself with love doesn’t reduce fear; it merely compels you to hide it deeper within. Fear can take a back seat when it comes to protecting those you love.
Standing in the middle of the street, Luck embodied a beacon of strength. He needed Mr. Reynold to understand that he could face this challenge alone, and once he succeeded in that, he would then just have to figure things out. As the engine roared to life and the Truck flew off, Luck took a deep breath. Part one was accomplished. Now, he just had to weather the impending monster storm—simple.
Shadow Gale: Level 7
Born of storms, these creatures seamlessly blend with the tempests they create, shrouded in dense fog. Their presence heralds fierce winds, bending nature to their will. Cloaked in darkness, they command the elements with an eerie, almost ghostly precision.
Biding his time, Luck let the creatures approach. Their hesitancy showed in their indecision to attack, each second allowing more time for the people of this town.
Luck let his talent flare, sparks of lightning flaring from his body as the fog seemed to disperse from the light. Luck couldn’t help but feel his lip curl upon seeing this development.
"You may bring the fog, but know that lightning will always have a home within the darkness," Luck declared calmly, even as an eruption of piercing winds signaled the creature's attacks.
As the fog condensed around him, Luck swiftly dashed backward, skillfully dodging the initial gusts of wind. Seeking a better vantage point, he harnessed the air around him, forming a protective barrier between himself and the howling gusts. Electrical currents surged through his core, his body now glowing with an ethereal white light.
Luck's fists connected with multiple shadowy figures, delivering powerful blows to their midsections. The impacts seemed to compress the very air within the creatures, sending them shrieking backward. Yet, they quickly regrouped and returned to the fray, attacking him with relentless ferocity.
The creatures continued to swarm, their movements synchronized with the gusts of wind. Luck dodged their strikes with nimble agility, countering with his own. His glowing fists connected with the shadowy forms, dispersing and pushing back waves of creatures as the winds tore into him. Despite the impacts he was making, Luck quickly realized his attacks lacked any long-term damage, and as the battle wore on, his strikes began to lose more of their effectiveness. With his energy internal fading, his final blows seemed to merely punch through the air with gradually decreasing strength.
SLAM! A powerful gust-fueled fist collided with Luck's head, followed by a vicious strike to his gut. Disoriented and gasping for breath, Luck was hurled into a nearby garage door, denting its frame as he crashed onto the cement.
Luck gathered himself, recognizing he needed to buy more time. A part of him selfishly longed to make his last stand, propelled by the realization that the battle was slipping from his grasp and victory seemed increasingly out of reach. The thought of falling without taking any creatures with him gnawed at his mind, but he pushed it aside. He had to change. It wasn’t just about him anymore—his death now would mean the death of others, including his wife. He needed to prolong this fight for his son. His son needed a mother, and Luck was determined not to be the reason that was taken from him.
Blood streaked across his face as Luck contemplated the battle. The dynamic was evident in the diminishing force of his strikes. These fluid creatures thrived without any secondary force restricting them to the laws of this earth.
As his fist struck the cement, Luck pushed himself up, energy humming within him. He looked to his son for inspiration and his friends for lessons learned. Internal power could only take him so far. Why not share? Share his power with his family and influence the dynamics around him.
It dawned on Luck that his strength didn't need to be confined within himself. For too long, he had carried the weight of his abilities alone, but now he saw a different path. He wasn't alone, and his power didn't have to be either. With a newfound realization, he understood that his energy could be a beacon for others, a force that connected rather than isolated.
Focusing his energy, Luck found his core, pushing his focus inward. He flooded the inner workings of his talent, envisioning a balloon expanding. He let his energy bubble, allowing the concentration to diminish but surrounding himself with energy that stretched out two meters around his body. The power no longer felt like a burden; it was a shared force, amplified by the love and support of those around him.
Disregarding Nex’s internal comment about leveling up, Luck re-approached the figures now surrounding the driveway. With each step, he infused more of his energy into the encroaching fog of entities. Gradually, the creatures began to solidify, their once nebulous forms twisting into tangible, menacing shapes—shapes that could be punched…
SMASH! Luck unleashed a strike, but this time, instead of compacting or shifting the shapeless creatures, his fist met a dense form. The creature flew back as Luck once had, its body folding and breaking away. The sight provided him with a renewed sense of determination.
Luck charged forward, his glowing fists now meeting the solid forms of his adversaries with each strike. The creatures, now vulnerable to his attacks, began to falter under his relentless assault.
Time seemed to stretch as wave after wave of creatures descended upon him. Each strike grew heavier, each movement more arduous, as Luck fought with unwavering determination. His energy waned, yet he refused to yield. The fog thickened, and the swarm of entities seemed endless, their relentless attacks testing the limits of his endurance.
Luck fought determinedly, but the swarms of creatures began to overpower him as his energy once again dimmed. His strikes, once powerful and decisive, now grew weaker, barely holding the advancing horde at bay. His vision blurred, and fatigue set in, but he pressed on, driven by the need to protect those he loved.
As the battle raged on, Luck spotted a glimmer of hope—a light on the horizon. Desperation fueled his movements as he dashed again to create distance between himself and the creatures. It was time. He had nothing left. He focused on igniting his inner core, pulsing an electric wave of energy outward. The wave surged through the dense fog, momentarily pushing back the encroaching darkness.
Just as the surge of power left his body, a massive force appeared to plow through the fog, scattering the creatures like leaves before a storm. Its immense presence rocked Luck backward. Time felt suspended as he lay there, the world around him fading into darkness.