"Damn, damn, damn," Ralph said, kicking the troublesome device. The store clerk had guaranteed him this portable coffee maker would work.
"Give it here," Ranjit said, pushing his friend aside. "The poor thing is screaming in pain because you aren't being gentle. Rule one of machines: if you treat them right, they'll return the favor."
"See?" Ranjit said smugly as a steaming brown liquid dripped from the nozzle. "What did I tell you?"
"You always seem to have the touch," Ralph said, chagrined. "Sorry, I'm just frustrated."
With everything going on, these simple pleasures seemed few and far between. Their workplace was on hiatus until his company's whole stock situation got figured out, and it was unclear if he'd receive compensation. But with people going nuts and withdrawing their entire savings, it was unclear whether those dollars would be worth the paper they were printed on. And with the riots and looting, simple commodities were in short supply.
It seemed like the entire world had gone mad. But Ralph refused to despair, enjoying supper in candlelight to save on electricity. With energy prices skyrocketing, they didn't dare be wasteful.
"This cooked broccoli smells quite good, Ralph," Ranjit said, beaming. "You've grown into quite the cook."
"Such a lifelong skill seemed useful," Ralph said, blushing. Besides, he thought it'd be nice to impress his partner.
"What was that?" Ranjit said, straightening like a dog that had heard an odd noise.
"What?" But Ralph craned his ears, frowning as he heard something too. It sounded like screaming.
"We should investigate! Your neighbor might be in trouble."
"Right." While Ralph had already texted emergency services, they might not arrive soon enough to help. Without another word, he rushed next door to the De León home.
"Luis, is everything okay?" Ralph asked, knocking on the front door. When no one replied, he frowned. The lights were on. They should be home.
"No, go away!" a woman screamed. "Luis!"
Without another thought, Ralph's shoulder impacted the door, smashing it aside. But what greeted him was unlike anything he'd ever expected. Standing over a bloody—but thankfully still alive—Luis De León was a creature from a nightmare. It snarled, showing too many teeth. Its rancid flesh made him gag, its skin peeling off in layers. Their son, Mateo, hid behind the couch, praying for deliverance from this apparent monster.
The monster turned toward the intruder, grinning with malevolence. It stalked forward, slow and methodical. It would enjoy tearing them limb from limb. Then it pounced, its muscles ripping with raw power as it leaped.
///
"Damn, you really made quick work of that thing," Friedel said, still gushing about his stepson's victory.
The soldier, Jim, stared in awe, as though he were speaking to an actual deity. "When Doctor Halvorsen said he'd given you the power to fight those monsters, I didn't really believe him. But you are the real deal."
"Yeah, I kick ass," Johan said, relieved the ordeal with the Niflhel had finally concluded, sending their leader straight to hell. "But one final enemy remains."
Jim nodded and tapped at his earpiece. "Yes, sir. He's everything the doctor claimed." He turned to address Johan. "While General Holloway isn't thrilled about a civilian entering the battlefield, he's given the full go-ahead. Bad news, though: since we've cut the power to floor 16, there aren't cameras to tell us what the target is doing."
"Nothing good, I bet. I'd better get going. Sorry, Friedel, but I insist you stay behind."
"Damn right I am," Friedel said with some self-deprecating humor. He pulled out his cell phone and handed it over to Johan. "I bet yours broke, right?"
"Thanks." Johan accepted the proffered phone and darted toward the elevator. "This still works, right?"
"It does." The soldier gave Johan a salute. "Good luck and Godspeed."
Johan plopped on the floor as the lift traveled down. All these nonstop, harrowing encounters had drained him. His limbs felt like rubber as the adrenaline seeped from his body. He needed a moment to process that he'd nearly died twice in as many minutes. But his brief respite was short-lived as the elevator came to a halt. After a calming breath, Johan forced himself to stand on wobbly legs. He'd rest when he'd won—or died. There was someone else he needed to send to hell first.
The halls were pitch black except for the emergency lights, which cast an eerie red glow across the shadows. Johan's mind couldn't help but imagine monsters leaping from their depths. With a cautious but hurried gait, he rushed down the corridors.
A buzz from Johan's phone caught his attention. He checked the caller ID. "Halvorsen?"
"I'm glad you're still alive, son," the scientist said. "I've lost contact with everyone else."
"I can't die until I avenge Ilma."
"My sentiments exactly. Where are you?"
"Wing F?" Johan said, peering at a sign hidden by shadows.
"I know where you are. After Lab J, take a left."
"Got it," Johan said, using the illumination from a far lab as a beacon to guide him to his ultimate confrontation with Surtur and the Reine. Much to his surprise, Dino appeared from a nearby corridor and followed him.
"What does it take to kill you?" Johan said somewhat disparagingly. Except for some smudges on his worn suit, Dino seemed otherwise unharmed.
"Heroes can't afford to die," the other man said, beaming.
"Hero, really?" Did the Ymir thug actually believe that nonsense?
"I have survived as well," ID-01 said, joining them.
"I pulled her from some rubble. It took longer than expected," Dino explained, answering the unasked question.
"That's a relief," Johan said, happier that the robot had survived than he'd expected.
"And ready to kick some ass!" Dino said, pulling his comrades into an enormous hug.
"Let's go." Johan halfheartedly fought against it and laughed. He guided them toward a distant light source.
"What the hell is that?" Johan peered through the window at an odd glowing device dominating the lab.
Dino uttered a curse. "It's the prototype teleporter Ymir's been developing."
"Why would they want that?" Johan got his answer soon enough, as one of Reine's zombies stepped onto the platform with a bomb attached to its chest before vanishing in a glow of sparkling lights.
Without even thinking, Johan charged through the lab's door. This caught their enemy's attention, stopping them from sending another zombie through.
"Come on!" Reine said, throwing up her hands. "Just die already!"
"So, you've come," Surtur said, nonplussed by this sudden interruption.
"That's right, this ends here!" Johan said, pulling out his key.
"You're finished, Surtur!" Dino said, his smirk superior as always.
"I won't allow you to bring Ragnarök—for Ilma's sake!" ID-01 added.
"Henshin!" the three warriors said, transforming for possibly the last time.
"Your interference ends here," Reine snarled, pulling her battered armor to its feet.
"Let's have this battle," Surtur said, pulling out his Uhyre key. "I'll show you the weakness of your frail human spirit! Henshin!"
All three warriors charged as one, Johan's floating blade striking like a serpent. But Surtur wasn't the weak babe Johan had expected, meeting their charge head-on. While his second sword sparked against Surtur's armor, a backhand from his opponent's gauntleted fist tossed Laevateinn across the room. He crashed through a table, snapping it in two.
Dino found similar success. Before he could throw his never-missing spear, he grimaced as Hel unloaded on him, forcing him to take cover behind a workstation. The second Fenrir fought the giant toe-to-toe, but Surtur pressed her hard, taking the offensive.
"What's going on? He's supposed to be out of energy!" Johan thought.
But Surtur read his mind, answering the unasked question. "I charged myself with those experimental power units, restoring me to full. You got close, but now you'll never reduce me to zero again."
While disheartening, Johan refused to relent and rejoined the battle. Reine's zombies joined the fray, but Johan's floating sword reduced them to dust with contemptible ease as Laevateinn rushed to Fenrir the Second's side.
The duo fought with surprising grace and unity, with ID-01 complementing Johan's every move. They pressed Surtur hard, only to be flung back as the behemoth unleashed a wave of fire from his body. Not helping matters was Reine, who harassed them with bolts. While Surtur remained occupied, Laevateinn thrust his sword into the teleportation device.
"Take that!" Johan said, his tone triumphant. At least they'd won one victory.
But Surtur only shrugged. "It matters not. I've copied the schematics in my head. It will be a trifle to rebuild another one."
Despite his best efforts to keep his distance, fire exploded across Johan's arm as Surtur's sword finally connected, sending raw agony through him. He dropped his blade, unable to hold its weight as his arm burned to a crisp from within. Dino almost fell to the blade next, but a lucky duck saved him. Surtur paid for it when Gungnir hurled his spear. The giant tried blocking it, but the weapon slipped through his guard and impaled his chest.
"Stay back!" Terror crept into Hel's voice as the second Fenrir directed her ire at the traitor, none of her point-blank shots deterring her attacker.
"Fine then." Hel pulled out her Uhyre key and thrust it back into her Ragnadriver. "Grave Bolter!"
But ID-01 anticipated this, knocking the weapon aside before the bolt of energy fired. A far lab exploded in flames as Hel's special attack blasted it to bits.
"Enough from you." ID-01 inserted her own key into her sword, the weapon shaking from the raw power charging within it. "Fang Strike."
Hel howled in agony as her opponent's weapon slashed across her chest. Her Ragnadriver slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground as her transformation failed. After a choking cough, the girl joined her device on the cold, tiled floor. While her breathing was weak, the wretched girl still lived.
"Reine," Surtur said, rushing to his ally's aid. He paid for this distraction with sword thrusts from Laevateinn's twin blades and Gungnir's thrown spear. Sparks flew from the impact, leaving deep gashes in his armor. But Surtur didn't seem to notice, backhanding ID-01 across the room.
With great tenderness, the giant checked Reine's condition. After nodding in satisfaction, he placed her against a far wall before turning to address his enemies. Flame gathered hotter around his sword. Surtur unleashed his wrath against anyone who dared hurt his ally, igniting everything nearby.
"What's with him? Why protect a monster like Reine?" Johan thought. With booming steps, Surtur charged.
Metal plating squealed as the entire weight of Surtur's body struck Johan in his vain attempt to shield ID-01. He crashed into her, both collapsing into a mess of bodies and limbs. Only a quick rescue from Laevateinn's floating sword saved them from the wrath of Surtur's blade. Dino thrust at Surtur's blind spot, but the giant slipped away. A blow from Surtur's helmet staggered Dino before he received a slash across the chest from the giant's blade.
The damage was horrendous, melting the armor where the blade touched and right into his flesh. The man toppled over in pain, and something cracked as Surtur's boot smashed into Dino's chest. His stomach was a clump of charred meat as his transformation failed. He fell, still breathing—if only barely.
"Oh, crap," Johan said, freeing himself from ID-01. Despite the desperateness of their situation, Johan felt some comfort fighting with his wayward ally side by side. His right arm hurt something fierce, but his sword remained firm as Surtur charged.
With them in such dire straits, Johan pulled no punches. With a click, he reinserted his key into his belt. His twin swords blazed with light as he charged. Following suit, the second Fenrir repeated the gesture. She bent down before leaping high into the air.
"Fang Kick!" ID-01's remaining wing burst to life, propelling her extended kick at Surtur's chest.
"Twin Strike!" Johan spun like a hurricane, his twin blades glowing molten as they whipped toward their foe.
The air shimmered as Surtur's fiery blade intercepted the incoming blows. But he hadn't anticipated Laevateinn's swords' power. Steel clashed as his blades struck against Surtur's towering one. The giant's strength was impossible, like fighting against a tidal wave. But Johan refused to surrender, channeling his wrath and hope into his attack. Surtur grunted in surprise as his sword burst to pieces, shards flying in every direction. This left him wide open for Fenrir the Second's flying kick.
A piece of high-tech machinery crumbled as Surtur impacted its side. As the giant struggled to stand, pieces of his chest armor broke away and clattered to the floor.
Johan's breath came in heaving gasps, unable to believe he'd not only matched but shattered Surtur's legendary sword. But it wasn't all good news. While his flying sword seemed undamaged, his other blade wasn't as lucky. With a curse, Johan tossed the useless, half-melted handle aside.
Despite the damage they'd inflicted, Surtur stood tall and proud, ready for another round. With a crack, he tore free a leg from a broken metal desk. He fought like a demon, despite losing his original weapon.
A clang reverberated from Johan's helmet as the table leg smashed into it with the force of a runaway train. Stunned, Laevateinn felt Surtur's boot as he kicked his chest with bone-crushing force. ID-01 wasn't having any better luck. Her opponent was always a step ahead, dodging around her sword and claws.
Much to Johan's dread, he realized ID-01's prediction algorithms couldn't match Surtur's. She tried slashing at him with her remaining wing, but their opponent only grabbed it with a gauntleted fist midair and crushed it between his fingers.
Only Laevateinn's flying blade seemed to do any damage, rending armor wherever it struck. This only earned Surtur's ire, however, as he jabbed the bent remains of the desk leg into Laevateinn's right leg, piercing straight through the plating. Liquid agony stabbed Johan's leg as the metal melted into his flesh.
With his movements hampered, he couldn't dodge the backhand to his face. The impact drove Johan into a nearby wall, and his armor dissolved as he crashed to the floor. Every breath burned as he heaved, but he was still alive.
"Just one left," Surtur said, on guard as he circled his last opponent. ID-01, however, didn't reply, keeping her eye on Surtur.
"Win, please!" Johan croaked, struggling to a sitting position. But he feared they'd already blown their shot at defeating Surtur. At full power, he seemed almost invincible.
The two combatants charged, Surtur fighting with his fists and ID-01 with her sword. They collided, but the impeccable giant kept a step ahead despite his size and more limited reach. Punch after punch drove the second Fenrir back, but she stubbornly refused to relent. Through sheer determination, ID-01 widened the hole in Surtur's chest, almost exposing the power unit the doppelgänger used for energy. But she paid for it dearly, suffering crippling blows that pushed her well past her limit. Then it was over. Her transformation failed, and she collapsed to the cold, tiled floor. Sparks flew from her joints, and she lay there unmoving and unblinking. It was impossible to tell if she still functioned.
"No! ID-01!" Johan gasped, gripping his injured leg as he swayed on unsteady feet. While he still had his belt, he wasn't in any condition to continue.
"You fought a good fight, my counterpart. But you lack the other Fenrir's spontaneity and creativity," Surtur said, staring down at his fallen foe. Then he closed his eyes and sighed in resignation. "Pity you couldn't take her mantle. My fights with the other one were enjoyable."
If ID-01 heard these odd compliments, she didn't respond. Johan feared the worst. He cursed—another senseless loss he couldn't prevent. Why had he taken this belt if he failed to protect anyone?
"I've not lost just yet." Johan held his key in an unsteady hand, determined to die fighting. But Surtur caught the motion and stared at the human through his helmet. Johan glared, daring his enemy to finish him already.
"Well, that's done with," Reine said, limping toward them. Johan cursed when he saw she'd resummoned her armor. Even if he'd activated his own again, the odds were hopeless.
"Correct. It's done," Surtur said, continuing to stare at Johan. "Now, none can oppose Ragnarök. It's finished."
"Not yet!"
Surtur jerked in surprise as an energy bolt suddenly struck the exposed parts of his armor. He staggered back, using a massive hand to protect his vitals from further damage.
"What are you doing, Reine?" Surtur said, genuinely shocked and hurt. Despite his almost omnipotent prediction algorithm, he hadn't seen this betrayal coming.
"Like you wouldn't have done the same," Reine said, her tone derisive. "I'm finishing the job before you kill me first. Kill or be killed, right? With you gone, I'll be the Queen of the World! And no one can stop me!" She cackled, delighting in her cunning betrayal and upcoming victory.
///
Author's Note:
Next chapter will be the conclusion to Kamen Rider Fenrir. Will the heroes defeat Surtur and save the day? Or is the world doomed to chaos, despite whatever they do? Find out next time in the thrilling conclusion to Kamen Rider Fenrir!