Boom!
Another tower exploded, sending metal shards and smoke into the air. The sky above the training grounds had turned dark not from clouds, but from ash. The attack had been going on for over an hour and thirty minutes, and the entire facility was reduced to rubble and chaos.
I wasn't fighting. I was running.
Most of my classmates were out there battling for their lives. The powered ones, anyway. The rest of us? Just shadows trying to survive.
I ducked behind a fallen pillar, heart pounding like a drum in my chest. The shed near the mess hall was still intact. I bolted for it and slammed the door shut behind me.
"He is the key."
That voice. That moment. The hooded figure from the restricted zone still haunted my thoughts. Could this attack be... for me?
Why? I had no powers. Nothing.
"Phil, Phil, come in!" Bruce's voice crackled over the comms. "These guys in black are tough. Distract them I'll do the cleanup!"
"Zip and I'm off," Phil's voice came through, lighthearted as always. "Wonder how Ty's doing..."
Phil blurred into motion, weaving through attackers like wind through leaves. A black-clad enemy fired at him. He dodged casually and stopped beside the shooter.
"Try harder," he whispered.
The man stumbled back. Another rogue security guard called out from the smoke, "THE MASTER IS ON HIS WAY!"
Phil didn't flinch. "What rank are you?"
"C-rank!" the man stammered.
"Never mind," Phil muttered, and slammed into him.
Meanwhile, James was cackling as his illusionary clones swarmed a group of intruders. "Let's dance, boys!" one of the clones mocked before vanishing.
Bruce detonated another thermal charge. "I'm on fire today literally!"
"Phil!" Robert called through comms. "Find Tyrone. Move him closer to us but make sure no one else knows where."
"Why not just give him a comm?" Phil asked, dodging a blade.
"They might be tracking frequencies," Mike cut in.
"Without Tymie, we'd be toast," Bruce added.
"You ruined my day!" Tymie's deep voice echoed as the ground rumbled.
The sentient being of Earth towered over the battlefield. With a stomp, he split the earth and sent five enemies flying.
"Try not to die before I'm done, kiddies!"
I was just catching my breath when "TY, WAKE UP!" Phil shouted, yanking me up.
"Huh? Phil?"
"You were sleeping?! Man, I knew you were tired, but this is war, Ty!"
"Robert said you should move closer to us," he explained. "Pick a new hiding spot. No one should know where except me."
"Got it," I nodded.
Phil zipped away.
I was sprinting through trees, carefully avoiding the chaos when I heard it
A guard, sneaking up behind Eria, knife drawn.
Without thinking, I screamed, "ERIA, LOOK OUT!"
Sage reacted immediately. A beam of Azure Flame slammed into the guard just in time.
But I had revealed myself.
The hooded man turned.
He saw me.
He started walking toward me his men flanking him.
"RUN!" Sage shouted, stepping between us.
Flames roared as Sage launched a wide arc of blue fire. The hooded man dodged, appearing behind her. She pivoted, shielding herself.
"Mind your business, you piece of trash," she spat.
"You're here for him," the hooded man said, tilting his head. "Is it love? Loyalty? Or foolishness?"
He struck fast. She blocked. They clashed again, flame and fist. But he was too fast. One punch landed in her gut, sending her flying.
"SAGE!" James and Bruce ran to her.
The hooded man adjusted his cloak. "I haven't had a challenge like that in years. But I'm not here for you."
He looked past them.
"I'm here for Tyrone."
And then he vanished into the trees.
I ran. I had to. But five guards were behind me. I could hear their boots thundering through the underbrush.
I dropped one with a tree branch to the face. Another tripped, and I kicked him in the gut. Two down.
But three still chased me. One tackled me. They punched. Hard.
I was on the ground, coughing blood. And then I felt it
Something in my chest.
Humming. Vibrating. Like something ancient was waking up.
Was this it?
Was something inside me finally
BOOOOM!
Lightning cracked through the sky.
A man in gold descended from above. Cloak billowing. Power dripping from every pore.
The guards froze.
He waved once and they collapsed like puppets with cut strings.
He walked toward me.
"You okay, Tyrone Smith?"
I nodded weakly.
"I'm from the President," he said. "You're coming with me. In two days, we leave for Jupiter."
But as I looked up at him my breath caught.
His build.
His voice.
He looked like the hooded man.
Later that evening, Sage approached him.
"Did you see the hooded man?" she asked, still bruised but burning with fury.
"I saw a student fleeing," he replied calmly. "A Null. Looked scared."
Something about his answer it wasn't right.
And I knew Sage felt it too.
We didn't speak after that.
But as her eyes met mine, I could tell
She was just as suspicious as I was.