"This is some pretty good tea." He commented. I could hear the anxiousness in his voice.
"Thank you. It took years of travelling, but It paid off quite well. I've found some of the best herbs in the world." Living for hundreds of years left much time for exploration. My younger years were dedicated to seeing the world for all It had to offer.
"I don't mean to be rude, but why exactly am I here?" No point in beating around the bush. I appreciated his assertiveness.
"My apologies for tripping you earlier. The mystic arts grant abilities that some might consider… unnatural. Yet none had the potential to match your speed."
"No problem. It didn't hurt." He admitted.
"As for your question. You intrigue me, Mr. Mercer. Nearly three months ago, you did not exist. You suddenly appeared with no apparent origin and, worst of all, have somehow derailed my precognitive capabilities. How you've achieved such a thing, I haven't the faintest idea." I notice his eyes twitch just the slightest as I mentioned my future sight.
So he knows something, after all.
"T-Trust me. I have no idea why that is."
"Hmm. So it would seem you've lied to me." Space fractured around us. The air split into panes of glass as they passed through the room.
"W-Wait! What'd I do?!" He panicked, crawling away from me.
"Tell me, Mercer, when we first met you recognized me. You know who I am, yet I do not know you. I have a strong relationship with all the friends I've made in the past…the same cannot be said for enemies." I willed magical energy to flow through me, levitating off the floor. From my hands, glowing circles glowed to life.
With a gust of wind, he disappeared, blurring from my vision. I opened a portal to the streets outside. I watched as he froze, staring at the warped world around us. Skyscrapers leaned sideways. Inverted and unaffected by the laws of gravity. Space seemed to almost fold in on itself. The laws of physics are altered by the power of near-infinite dimensional energy.
"The mirror dimension is a powerful tool. Used for both practicing dangerous spells… and for containing even more dangerous threats." I explained.
I floated down from above using circles of energy as a flight of stairs. A simple spell many learnt for its practical applications.
"Look lady! I don't know what's going on. You have to believe me!"
"If you truly do not know, then why did you run?" My hands came together before I lifted them up and around my body. Copies of my hand trailed the original before clones rushed out from behind. They encircled him, dozens of sorcerers trapping him within a dome.
From each of their hands, sparkling whips came to life. He attempted running out of the way, but they latched onto his body regardless. His movements were predictable for someone of my experience. No matter how fast he was.
Nearly a hundred chains held him down. I could see him struggling against them. The sheer number too overpowering.
"Look, I'll give you a chance to let me go. We can just walk away from this." He wheezed out. Eldritch whips tightened across his throat. His confidence was misplaced.
"You speak much for someone with no leverage." A cacophony of voices rang out from the Images of Ikonn.
"Ok, I'm done. You want a fight? Let's go." I noticed a shift in the air. My body straightened in alertness. I do not know what about the man caused such a natural response.
He raised a foot. Pulling along dozens of my clones with him. He hadn't displayed such strength earlier. This was a cause for concern…
"HA!" He stomped on the ground. It cratered, and the pavement cracked and lifted up. Fissures spread across the road as the force sent everything around me flying. My whips flashed In and out of existence before breaking apart. I willed my clones to rejoin me. Maintaining that spell was child's play but ultimately pointless when I had more useful spells in my arsenal.
I twirled my fingers, conjuring a power from another domain. A world of blizzards and stagnation.
Three Golden rings appeared around him.
"Icy Tendrils of Ikthalon!" My voice erupts with authority.
His body convulses as ice encases his form. Even from this distance, I could feel the bone-chilling cold of primordial power. Those unlucky enough to experience the frosts of Ikthalon rarely live to tell its story. Blood stops flowing in the body, and their hearts are unable to pump at the temperatures they were subject to. Layers upon layers of ice enveloped his form, and before long, the young man was floating in a block of ice. My hands ceased their movements. Stopping the torrent permafrost.
"…impossible." I whispered. Examining the damage he caused with but a step.
None could affect the mirror dimension. Every object here was infinite. A mass of everlasting mirrors and quantities that assured nothing could be destroyed.
My eyes widened as I leapt away from the street. Behind me, the massive structure of ice shook. Two beams of monumental heat burst through. Uncontrolled and unrestrained.
"AAAHHHH!" It sounded painful. Focused fire flowed from his eyes. His head shook erratically, burning off his prison before colliding with a nearby building.
I watched as his power tore through the construction. Melting brick and stone.
"Ughhhh." Finally, he stopped. Falling out of the ice. I watched as veins of fire surrounded his eyes before receding back to his pupils. I could feel the heat emanating from them before they disappeared. A golden glow was the only remaining piece of evidence that this man was no mortal.
𝘊𝘙𝘈𝘊𝘒
I looked up at the thunderous sound. The building broke in half. Collapsing under its weight. I could see a huge gash on the side of the building where he had burnt through.
I dropped down, lowering to the street. The Bolts of Balthakk popped and crackled at my fingertips. I slammed my palms on the ground. Blazing red electricity fired off and raced across the street, shooting toward Mercer.
He froze. I have fought enough battles in my life to know what inexperience looks like.
"AHH, DAMN IT!" He cried out in pain. The lightning hit him quickly. Bolts of electricity flooded his body, likely overloading his nerves. However, in less than a second, he changed. Still in pain…but seemingly in control.
"Damn it, ughh…UNLIMITED POWER!" Lightning danced around his body. I watched as it trailed along his fingertips. With a shout, he sent everything back at me. A thunderclap shook my body as lightning struck the barrier I had erected instinctively.
"Good, but not nearly enough. You are centuries too young to be my match." The barrier had barely been affected. He had sent my power back weaker than it was originally. It confused me. Such a variety of powers. Yet he had neither the knowledge nor finesse to utilize them. Curious.
The electricity receded, and I watched curiously as his skin gained an army-green sheen. He thrust his hand forward, and I saw his palms sizzle with heat. A blast fired off, disrupting the air in its wake.
𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘖𝘔
That did it. My shield cracked, absolutely obliterated by the explosive eruption. Whatever that was, it was devastating. I covered my face as dust picked up around me. I opened my eyes as everything settled, ears still ringing. I couldn't help but stare in shock at the carnage. The whole street was wiped out. Lampposts upheaved, and an entire city block worth of houses crumbled to nothing but piles of rubble.
"Winds of Watoomb." I called. My robes danced in the air. Dust picked up and swirled around me. I conjured a mini tornado that ripped its way toward him.
His posture changed as his skin tone returned to normal. He leapt into the air. Soaring over the buildings around us. Strangely, the seconds dragged on. Yet gravity did not relinquish its claim on him.
"Woah! Fuck I hate heights!" I could hear his frightened voice shout from above. His arms flailed around like a bird as he cut through the air. I assume this was his first time in flight. The more I saw from him, the more questions I had.
As time ticked on, the more precise, his movements became. At least he has the wits to adjust to unforeseen circumstances. That will do him well in the future. Soon enough, I lost him in the clouds. Yet still, I kept my guard up. This was not over.
The clouds lit up. Small bursts of light could be seen as a figure flew through them. He came down at an angle, carving through the air like a fighter jet.
I lost sight of him as he entered my blind spot. I could hear several thuds in the distance as building after building gave way to a human bullet.
The structure to my right exploded as Mercer collided with my body. In that split second, I grabbed his wrist. With a technique that conveyed years of practice, I pivoted to the side and used his momentum against him. Throwing him with little effort. He impacted the side of a car. His body split the vehicle in half, and he bounced across the street before clawing at the ground and digging finger-sized trenches that slowed his movement.
"You weren't really the embodiment of stealth. I could hear yo-"The hairs on my neck stood on end. Every cell in my body was screaming at me. I had to move, now!
zzzzzzzzzz-PANG
The decision was taken out of my hands as lightning struck from the clouds. I was in too much pain to vocalize a reaction. My body seized as I dropped to the ground, unable to control my muscles. I writhed on the floor as millions of volts of electricity danced around my system. The smell of burnt skin permeated the air around me.
Impressive, but I was no ordinary sorceress. This was not my first encounter with thunder. The pain reminded me of that impulsive fool Odinson.
Speaking of, I should beat the boy senseless for bringing his brotherly quarrel to Earth.
Nevertheless, I stood, shaking off the discomfort and stray thoughts. The boy had turned away from me, walking away to who knows where.
A mistake on his part.
A fire burned to life in my hands. Power from the realm of a dark god. A wave shot its way toward the unaware Mercer. To my surprise, a dome sprung to life around him. The hexagonal barrier protected the careless boy.
"Your powers will not hold against these flames." I informed him.
We both watched as slowly, the shield failed. It melted, holes burning through. His clothes singed the longer he was exposed to the scalding heat.
"The hell kinda fire is this?!" He shrieked.
"The Flames of the Faltine. A power born from Dormammu's homeworld." I told him. The name of the dark lord was enough to invoke a reaction. A look of fear etched on his face. So he knew of the dark dimension? Good. I wish not another to fall to the temptation of that behemoth.
The barrier disappeared, and the flames consumed him. I waited for the screams. Any sign to stop my assault. Instead, the world around me trembled as a voice spoke.
"Dormammu can kiss τον κώλο μου." His voice seemed to vibrate and distort with his new form. He walked through the flames. They flickered around him, swirling like a tornado with him at its center. I watched as he crouched low, placing his palm on the ground.
His body resembled the surface of the sun. Magma, flowing in human form. Specks of fire burst around him periodically before returning to his body. I was stunned by the aura he projected. This power…it reeked of Olympian divinity.
"Όλα τα πράγματα στον κόσμο γίνονται στάχτη." With a command, the Earth scorched. Lava erupted around me, flooding the streets and consuming everything it touched. The air itself ignited. Oxygen vanished as the flames used it to grow. Nothing was safe. I was right to send our fight to this dimension. The death toll would have been too high to justify pushing him this far.
I tempered myself, using my magic to direct the fire. But they did not listen. My control over my own summoning was wrestled away from me. He didn't control the flames. He was fire incarnate.
Golden circles appeared around me. The frost of Ikthalon bathed my surroundings. I secretly channelled that accursed dark power to keep my body together. My fate was not to die here. That much I knew.
He calmed his assault, bringing everything to a cool simmer. I watched him walk to me. Crossing the distance between us leisurely. Puddles spread around me. Small stumps of ice melted the closer he came. The Icy Tendrils saved me, if but barely.
My clothes were nearly gone, and my right arm burnt from when I cast the spell to protect myself. I looked into the reflective water and saw flower patterns dancing across the side of my face and trailing down my arm. Lichtenberg figures.
"φαίνεσαι κουρασμένη μάγισσα."
'Greek?'
"…I wish I could say the same to you, beast of ash." I knew every language humanity had ever spoken, bar a few lost to time.
"Αυτή τη φορά θα σε αφήσω να φύγεις, αλλά να ξέρεις ότι δεν είμαι εχθρός σου. Θα συμβούλευα να μην με αναγκάσετε να είμαι."
Acknowledging his intentions, I used my sling ring to open a portal behind him. He turned at its existence, nodded to me, and walked through. Returning to the real world.
I sighed in exhaustion. My duties were tiresome. Hopefully, this will be enough.
"That was something." A hidden voice spoke out.
"Yes, Kaecilius. It would seem our anomaly is full of surprises." I brushed off a small flame on my shoulder. My body ached. I had not been pushed to combat anything at this level in quite a while. It was engaging practice.
Dare I say, 'fun.'
"Come, it's time we return to the Sanctum." I stood, walking away from the battle. The mirror dimension had nearly mended all the damage it sustained.
"You would let him go? With such power? He is a danger to the balance." My apprentice was not as assured as I was and for good reason.
"I did not think you and Mordo would share the same zealous attitude toward the natural order. It will be alright. He is needed if we are to survive what is to come." I explained.
"You…you were testing him?"
"His power is great, but uncontrolled and misunderstood even by him. He must know how to fight sooner rather than later."
"You weren't taking this seriously, then? That was dangerous, Master. He nearly killed you."
I turned to the young warlock. His back straightened under my scrutiny. He understood our dynamic. My intentions were a mystery even to him.
"Trust me, Kaecilius. He is special, but if I had wanted him dead. Then he would be." We stared at each other for a moment. My statement hung in the air. He and I both knew it to be true. I was the Sorcerer Supreme for a reason.
"Now come. We have much to do." Breaking the tension, I opened another portal to Kamar-Taj.
"Is there something wrong?" He trailed behind me.
"No, nothing of major importance. The Hell Lords are waging war amongst each other. Intent on taking control of their respective realms. I will embark on a journey soon. I must make sure their battle does not spill over onto the mortal plane." I explained
"And I? What would you have me do in your absence?" He asked. The ever-eager student.
"There is a hidden sect of our order in Tibet. They have become increasingly more active. Learn about their machinations, but keep yourself hidden. Under no circumstances can they find out you are watching them."
"Is that all? What have they done to provoke your ire?"
"I'm more concerned about a specific member. Learn all you can about him. The one who calls himself… 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐦."
*.*.*.*
I flopped on my bed. Creaking the wooden frame as my weight settled. I was tired as hell. My body was fine, besides the destroyed clothes and melted mask. My shoes had burned off long before fighting the Ancient One. I conveniently forgot how speedsters had specially designed suits to withstand the heat generated by their feet. I'd have to build something similar soon.
What a shit show.
She nearly had me beat. The more I used my powers, the more glaring downsides I learnt about them.
From what I've gathered, I was limited to holding a few at a time. The more powerful the power, the less of them I could hold. I maxed out at five no matter how weak they were, and all of them took time to build up. The longer I had them equipped, the more experienced I became. A few minutes would make me a veteran with any ability.
Thus was the issue. She had me on the defensive. Pushing me to dismiss and pull for different powers throughout the whole fight. If I had kept a powerful one on me for the whole duration, I could've curb stomped her. Magic was just too versatile, forcing me to adapt.
The worst part? I literally couldn't choose my powers. It was frustrating at times, not knowing the full list of my abilities and being given ones I had no idea how to use.
For all intents and purposes, I was broken. Or at least I should have been. I needed to practice if I ever wanted to reach the supposed 'beating Superman' level of power scaling.
On a positive note, I learnt a lot. I'd be ready the next time I actually had to try hard in a fight. If I had chosen powers the second I was at the sanctum, maybe the few minutes I'd spent drinking tea would've made me strong enough to change how the fight played out…
No point in thinking about it now. She sent me back home, so hopefully, she'd leave me alone for now. I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed on that one.
"Haah...Uugh...Aaah..." I kept shifting around in my bed. I just couldn't sleep, no matter how much I forced myself to. Reality kept hitting me in the head like a hammer. I was no closer to any one of my goals. I was, quite literally, bleeding money.
𝘗𝘐𝘕𝘎
A notification popped up on my phone. Restlessly, I picked it up to read.
[Your early direct deposit has hit your account]
I forgot I even set that up. Everything business related was set to a separate bank account for Alexandria.
I opened my phone to check the amount. Realistically I'd be looking at ad revenue payment. There were a few companies who… were willing to… use…
What the flying fuck. I rubbed my eyes and refocused on the utter nonsense on the screen. My account just went up by 124,000. That's what? A million or so page views in a month? How many ads did people watch through?!
'Holy shit, I love TikTok.'
"Oh my God, I'm gonna vomit. What am I thinking huuk." I gagged comically as the thought crossed my mind. I was truly living in the end of times. Better than an Endgame scenario, I guess.
I did the math. In six months, if I kept at the same rate of growth, I'd make a little over a million dollars. That's if the rate of growth stayed consistent with most other digital markets.
I stood up, newly motivated. No time for lazing around. I had shit to do.
I walked past a mirror and froze. Looking back, I touched my face and stared at the changes. I looked different. Significantly less pudgy. In fact… I think I have a jawline.
I lifted my shirt up. A bit disappointed that the layer of fat still persisted. Yet under all that body mass, I could see the hidden definition of abs. Who woulda thought.
"Gotta add more exercises than just running around. Time to get on that One Punch Man routine. Saitama bod here I come!." Without the hair loss… I hoped.
Keys in hand, and hope in heart, I set out to the warehouse. I had money. With the safety net of knowing more was on the way. I didn't have to hold myself back anymore. It was time to go full-out geek mode.
As the old saying goes, time waits for no man.
*.*.*.*
My hands stayed perfectly still, moving with surgical precision. I carefully placed small rings of rare Earth Barium Copper Oxide superconducting tapes on the inside of the magnetic tube.
It could produce highly efficient magnetic field coils. When cooled to below negative 200 degrees Celsius, the superconducting tape can carry as much current as a large copper conductor. This allowed for absurdly strong magnetic fields, which consume minimal amounts of power.
The average fusion reactor generates electricity the same way stars power themselves in space. In the reactor, two lighter atoms are smashed together to create heavier elements. And just like natural stars, they generate immensely hot plasma. Basically, electrically charged gas.
In my case, the strong magnetic fields would allow the plasma to be contained in a much smaller space than should be possible. More bang for your buck type thing.
I was imitating the arc reactor, but I was going to do it better. I know I could eventually surpass it with enough time and materials.
My reactor uses hydrogen fusion to form helium, which releases a shit ton of energy. To get more power than the reaction takes to run, the plasma has to be heated to temperatures hotter than the core of a star.
Hence the magnets. They trap the heated particles in the center of the reactor. Mine was designed as an orb. About the same size as the arc reactor, if not a tad bit bigger. Still handheld and portable.
How exactly do magnets help with making energy? Well, in a fusion reactor, changing the strength of the magnetic field has an effect on the reaction. Fusion power increases to the fourth power of the increase in the magnetic field. Doubling the field would give out a 16-fold boost in power generated by my device.
Or so my specialization in 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘴 and 𝘕𝘶𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 physics told me. Superpowers for the win.
There were key design choices I had to make for this to be possible. I replaced the covering of solid materials that surrounds the fusion chamber with liquid material instead. It can be easily circulated and replaced. Just like how Stark has to maintain and change his reactor with time, I'd have to do the same but with a little less hassle. Just drain the fluid out and squirt some more back in.
I clicked the parts into place and screwed everything completely shut. The orb looked futuristic. Grayed-out military design. The all-too-familiar spinning hole on the side reminded me of the reactor from Pacific Rim. The one on the chest of Gypsy Danger. The spinning vortex turbine was blue, but the more power used, the more changes would occur. I hadn't tested it out, but it should go from blue to orange, then finally red If it somehow died out.
Which is next to near impossible. I've hit a home run. A tad bit off of Tony Stark in terms of power production. A solid 8.5 gigajoules of clean energy. A few thousand megawatts more, and I could power the whole of New York City with this tiny orb. I'd be boasting if I didn't know Stark had upgraded his own power source by a huge margin after escaping captivity, even more so after creating a new element. No one really talked about it much. The guy built a substandard power source that could completely change the world, In a cave. I struggled to do that with powers to back me up. Still, what I did was pretty cool in its own right.
The first magnetic confinement fusion reactor to produce net energy.
I was waiting for a standing ovation.
Or I would be if the smartest men in the universe didn't live on the same planet.
I placed the orb into a power converter. Plugging in the cable to the outlet on the back of the orb, opposite the turbine. I placed it securely before backing away. Planning out how I'd place everything in the large working space.
It was well over two months past New years. I celebrated on my own. Tinkering at the warehouse with no one to really interact with. Pastor Maddox had come by and got me a cake for the occasion. Nice guy.
I also noticed a suspicious lack of disturbed looks coming my way when I went out grocery shopping. People seemed nicer, a lot more friendly. Even got a few smiles here and there. Ms. Rosenberg had been coming in to check on me monthly, just like she said she would. At first, she'd spend less than a minute making sure I hadn't blown up the place before walking out as quickly as she could. Yet, just like everyone else, her attitude changed. She was kinder now. Stayed for longer, even attempting to start up a few conversations.
My ability to instantly heal from muscle fatigue was perfect for changing myself. In six months, I've dropped 90 pounds. My muscle gain was incredible. I don't know if it's the egoist in me, but I kinda looked good. A modest physique. It definitely improved my attitude and confidence. How I wish I'd learnt the ways of pumping iron as a teenager. Life would've been so much different.
I filed my taxes a while ago. Back then, I was a bit peeved at the amount I had to pay off. I eventually got it back, what I lost and more. I looked into making toy drones for kids, expanding my repertoire of tech along the way. Although I did have questions. Like why having an ability solely focused on drones was any use. A bit too specific, to be completely honest.
I was, as of the end of this month, a certified millionaire. I've watched cricket matches that lasted longer than my get-rich speed run. Exaggerations aside, It's crazy how much you could make with the right ideas and hindsight.
A piece of mail was dropped off at my apartment the day before concerning the progress with Medi-gel regulation approval. About another month or two should do it. So that's something to look forward to. Slow Glass was still on the back burner till I could find a way to somehow change the density of solid matter. I had a few ideas to solve that problem. Maybe if I could get my hands on Gravitonium…
I regret not having watched all of the Marvel tv shows. If I had seen Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., my knowledge outside of the main movie universe would be a lot better. All my information was pretty standard. I didn't know when exactly the Chitauri invasion would happen, but I knew it was sometime this year, likely between April to September. Worse, I couldn't for the life of me remember where Loki popped up. Forget the base that got wiped out by the Tesseract. I couldn't remember If he went to Germany with mind-controlled Barton to steal that other element, or Poland, or shit, It could've been France. No clue.
Months of learning how to code didn't help in the AI department either. I could make something a lot more simple than J.A.R.V.I.S., but I had plans in mind for artificial intelligence. I'd need to snag the mind stone away from S.H.I.E.L.D. before they hand it over to Hydra. I'd rather not let the nazi group get the advantage.
Plans, plans, and more plans. I only wish I had the time to entertain them all.
𝘉𝘻𝘻𝘻 𝘉𝘻𝘻𝘻
I pulled out my phone. The time, I realized. I was going to be late for 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. Hurriedly, I grabbed a black balaclava from my wardrobe before jumping in my car. The smooth cloth only covered the bottom half of my face, covering my nose but stopping right beneath my eyes.
After a short drive, I pulled up to an unassuming car shop near the industrial area of the Bronx. I checked my phone again to verify it was 10:00 pm. I hopped out of my ride, looking around the barren streets of the neighborhood. A line of people gathered on the sidewalk in front of the store. To the average person, it seemed closed, but everyone here knew what was about to go down. The loud bass of Hip-Hop music coming from inside was the only giveaway.
I waited patiently in line behind the massive crowd. By the time I reached the front, I could hear cheers of excitement electrify the place.
"Tickets, please." He was a towering bouncer. Intimidating, even for someone like me.
"I-uhh, I'm not here to watch. I'm actually looking to participate tonight."
"Participate, huh? Good luck with that. Pass through here, get checked, and then speak to the boss. He'll set something up." He seemed amused by what I said.
After getting a full body check for weapons, I walked into absolute pandemonium. At the center of the shop was an octagon ring, barricades surrounding the perimeter. A crowd of roughly two hundred people stood around the room to witness the spectacle put on tonight. New York's newest underground fight club. The Arena.
I pushed my way through the mass of bodies to reach a man surrounded by security at the very back end of the arena. I read about him online, Hugo Longride. An entrepreneur who dipped his toes into legal fight promotions. It was small-time stuff, used more for scouting to funnel guys into the big leagues.
"Excuse me Sir! I'm here to get a fight tonight!" I had to raise my voice to get heard through the deafening sounds of the crowd.
"You want to fight? Do you have any prior experience?" His accent was foreign. It sounded Eastern European, Serbian, maybe?
"No… not particularly. I just, I don't know, thought I could try out today." I cringed at my reply. I had no idea how to break into the fight game. There wasn't really a guide out there I could follow. The internet wasn't as developed in 2012 as it was where I was from. Or, 'when' I was from.
"HAHAHA! You are funny boy. Fight you want, yes? Then fight you will have." He pulled out a pair of gloves from under his desk, handing them over to me before explaining the rules.
"Normally, Arena has ten bouts, but I make exception. The rules are simple; no kicking, biting or shots below belt. I give you sixteen-ounce gloves already, so you are good. A fight lasts three-minute rounds. First to knockout or pass 10 second timer loses." The way he spoke was different, yet charismatic. Almost like he was looking out for you. No wonder the place got as popular as it did so quickly.
"So… who am I fighting?" I questioned. If he was adding another fight, then he must have someone already picked out.
"Ehh, don't worry about specifics. You look like big man. We give you big man fight, HAHA!" He patted me on the shoulder before giving me a firm squeeze. Draping his arms around me, he led me toward the cage before leaving me to whisper into the referee's ear. After a few spare glances at me, the referee nodded before addressing the crowd.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. We've got a new fighter entering the ring here tonight. Let's MAKE SOME NOISE!"
𝘙𝘈𝘈𝘏𝘏𝘏𝘏𝘏𝘏!
The crowd went absolutely mental. A few wolf whistles here and there didn't help my already anxiety-ridden nerves.
My power gave me a lot of things, but so far, the only combat power that wasn't super strength or a variety of lasers was weapon proficiency. Something I learnt while I was cutting a carrot while cooking.
It took practice, weeks of it, but I learnt how to suppress my powers' automatic defence mechanism. It only worked for small things. A bullet would get blocked regardless of how much effort I put in. The goal here was to force my powers to give me something new. A hand-to-hand combat ability or similar. After watching Thanos pimp slap the Hulk into being a bitch, I'd rather find out if I had that type of power in my arsenal now rather than when I'm knee-deep in some bullshit. Better safe than dead.
I walked into the cage, strapping on my gloves. I flexed my hands a bit to get used to the feeling. They were awkward and uncomfortable. The confined space put my fists into a position I never made naturally.
"Facing the newcomer. In this corner, standing at six foot two inches, two hundred and forty pounds. He is undefeated with a record of 13-0, winning all by TKO. Introducing our greatest competitor, the champion of the arena… ROBIN HOOD!"
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵.
I could barely register the crowd. My mind was so jumbled I didn't care enough to ask them to introduce me. The champion? In my first fight? Were these guys out of their minds!
I searched through the crowd to find the manager, just to see him smoking a cigarette in the corner with a huge smirk on his face.
I take back what I said. The guy was a businessman. The second he saw a newbie, the only thing that crossed his mind was entertainment. A way of making more money. A little piece of my naive soul broke. Hoping for the best intentions from everyone was biting me in the ass.
"You ready?" I was brought back by the referee. I hesitated at first before hardening myself to reality. Worst case scenario, I go home with a few bruises. My ego included.
"Y-Yeah. I'm ready." He nods his head before checking both our gloves.
"Alright. Ready? GO!"
I put my hands up in a makeshift guard. Anyone with a lick of experience could see I had no idea what I was doing.
We circled the cage, each on opposing ends. I sized him up from a distance. He was shorter than me, but packed with a lot more muscle mass. He initiated the challenge, moving in closer. I was forced to either meet him or get pummeled with the cage on my back.
Disliking the latter idea, I met him halfway. With lazy execution, I threw an overhead right aimed at his head. I caught a glimpse of a blur from under my chin before the world went black.
𝘏𝘶𝘩?
All I could see was the ground. My face rested on the cold mat while my body lay unresponsive. My ears were ringing. I swear I could hear the referee saying something, but I couldn't quite make out what it was.
Groggily, I forced my body up. Shaking my head to hopefully clear the fog that was blurring my vision.
The crowd roared as I stood, happy to have a long fight to watch, regardless of how one-sided it was. My opponent watched me in disinterest. He shrugged his shoulders and pressed for another hit.
I saw his left hand go for a hook. My hands lifted up to protect my face before a devastating right uppercut connected with my gut.
I dropped to the ground again, practically wheezing as air refused to enter my lungs. I was rethinking the choice to put myself through this. The pain was one thing. Knowing there was nothing you could do to fight back was another. I was outclassed and outmatched in every way possible.
It was harder than before, but gradually I lifted myself up. Standing on shaking legs and broken hopes, I faced him again. Giving up isn't an option. I had a purple space ballsack to beat.
"Just give up. I'm getting bored." For the first time, Robin Hood spoke.
"I-𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘻𝘦, I'll b-beat you."
"Yeah. Sure, buddy." He followed up with the cleanest three-piece combo I've ever seen. A body shot and two hooks sent me crumbling to the floor like a pile of bricks.
I felt drool slipping out of my mouth and soaking my mask. My brain's ability to function was gone. I was using the last of my consciousness to stop my powers from surfacing.
"4! 5! 6!"
So that's what the ref was doing. The countdown. I almost forgot about it. I could barely muster the energy to care anymore.
Power called to me. On principle, I denied it. The temptation was high, but I couldn't do it. Punching him through the building would cause more problems than not. Though, the power felt different. Strong, but nothing like I've used before.
Without the strength to keep it at bay, It took place in me, and I made a decision. My thoughts changed. Moulded to something else. Someone else.
I was disgusted. The thought of using a higher power to defeat a mere man left a bad taste in my mouth. Admitting defeat? Lying here to relax?
HA! Only when I'm dead do I intend to rest.
For the third time tonight, I stood. Nothing had changed to my body physically. I was still me, but someone else was steering the wheel.
"Tell me. How much are you willing to lose?" My voice altered. A heavy Chicano accent invaded my speech.
"What?" Robin Hood asked. I could see him reacting to my change in stance. To him, it probably looked like he was facing a completely new opponent.
He wouldn't be too far off.
"We will find out." I threw a left jab. He swiftly dodged to the right. I analyzed his head movement, throwing a few more punches to get a little more in tune with his rhythm.
Left jab. He dodged again. This time he was met by a perfectly timed right cross to the temple. The impact was full contact. He wobbled for a bit, trying to shake off the hit.
'Can't have that now, can we.'
Ignoring the crowd raging in the background, I pushed the advantage. He'll be hesitant to take a hit to the head again. Anticipating his new guard pattern, I faked a hook before digging my first into his solar plexus.
I took his breath from him, falling to one knee. He stayed down, waiting for the countdown to give him more time to get some stamina back.
As if I'd let him.
I threw my gloves off. Tackling him on the mat. I ground-pounded him, ignoring the ref's cries to stop. Each hit filled me with glee. The fact I entertained this place, to begin with, was a mystery. They thought they could humiliate 𝗺𝗲? No, I'll show them there are consequences for crossing my path.
Finally finished, I jumped off him, wiping off my bloody knuckles. The guy was sprawled on the ground. His face was covered in red paste. Nose probably broken from how crooked it looked.
"Stand." I ordered
"Huh? P-Please, I'm just here for the money, man." He said while trying to get back up.
I grabbed him, lifting him over my body before slamming his chest on my knee. I heard a sharp crack as he dropped once again. I wish I could say I felt something, but I didn't. I would give them no remorse.
I knelt down and grabbed his right arm. The same one he knocked me on my ass with.
"Did you find the answer?" I asked.
"Arrrgh, wha?" He said through gritted teeth. The pain must have been unbearable.
𝘚𝘯𝘢𝘱
"AAHHHHH!" His screams were music to my ears. A symphony of beauty. I let go of his broken finger as it hung uselessly out of its socket.
"I asked you before. What you were willing to lose. I suppose a few fingers will do."
𝘚𝘯𝘢𝘱, 𝘚𝘯𝘢𝘱, 𝘚𝘯𝘢𝘱
Each one, more blood curdling than the last. Followed by the worst scream a man could make. True pain was a lesson, and I was a teacher who did not fail his students.
"P-PLEASE, STOP! THIS IS TORTURE!" Poor soul. He wasn't as pathetic when he knew he could beat me. If he had power, I wonder, would he show mercy to his enemies? I think not.
"Torture? Yes. But not of your body, of your soul." With a sound that put the rest to shame, I snapped his arm at a 90 degree angle. It looked unnatural, a direction it was clearly not meant to bend to.
I towered over him. That act was the last straw. He passed out from the pain, adrenaline no longer able to keep up with the damage.
It was silent, too silent. I looked at the crowd. The atmosphere in the arena was unrecognizable. I smiled under my mask at the manager's expression. His mouth hung open, his cigarette long since dropped after watching that performance.
"What? Is this not what you wanted!? Are you not ENTERTAINED!?" I roared.
You could almost hear a pin drop. The heavy silence was like a blanket that stopped everyone from reacting.
"HELL YEAH!"
𝘙𝘈𝘏𝘏𝘏𝘏𝘏𝘏𝘏!
Like sheep, they all clapped in applause for the monster who had defeated their greatest warrior. What's better than watching a hero win? His failure, losing to the enemy. These people would love anything as long as it was fun.
I walked out of the cage. The crowd moved out of my way to clear a path. The bouncer from earlier blocked me, stopping me from reaching my goal.
A mistake on his part.
I punched his throat, hitting his windpipe. He clawed at his chest, slowly choking out from the hit. Grabbing his head, and slammed it on a nearby table, sending his consciousness to the shadow realm.
"Hey! What are you doing! You had your fun. Now leave." The manager's rage overpowered his survival instincts.
"Leave? On whose authority?"
"Mine. Did you forget I'm in charge?"
I chuckled at that. Money blinds people. Makes them believe they have power. Real power couldn't be bought.
"Tell me. Do you feel in charge?" I pushed him up against a wall. He held my gaze for a single moment before losing his composure.
"Good. At least you have some wits about you. You set me up, but I appreciate the hustle. Leave New York. If we cross paths again, trust me, I will not be as lenient." I gave him a final warning.
I left the auto shop, walking back to my car with the intent to go home and pass out.
"Hey! Big scary dude!"
I turned around to watch a kid no older than 15 running up to me. He must have sneaked his way in to watch the fights.
"Yes, chiquito." I was interested. It's not every day you see a kid who could handle that level of brutality and voluntarily interact with me.
"You ever find some time, come check out Yancy Street. We could use someone like you." He said, proudly.
He's…trying to recruit me? Has the kid lost his mind?
"I'll think about it." I said before turning back to my car. Better I leave this place before the cops roll up to shut it down.
"Wait! What's your name?" He rushed up to the car, attempting to pull me back for an answer.
"…Dorrance."
"Umm, I thought with the mask on, you'd have a code name or somethin'. You sure you should be givin' it out just like that?"
"Chavo, the day you hear my real name, it will be your last."
𝘝𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘮
The DeLorean's engine started up as weak as it ever did.
'I should really get that checked out.'
For now, I was tired and pretty damn hungry. I was quick to dismiss the events of tonight. Normal me could deal with the emotional stuff after I grab a quick bite. Oh, what I'd do for some enchiladas right about now.