Apocalypse Song pt 13
Terror Drone 7
All systems were critical. Blindsided by her own weapon, wielded by her own creation, the Shards of Brockton Bay echoing a chorus of satisfaction at her impending destruction. Cancerous parasitic unoptimized evolutionary dead ends, all of them. Ripped free of Demesne Holder's sub-dimension by the Interloper, she was at least free of the blinding chaos of his horrible song. Hope she had been unable to drown out, amplifying the simple chaos of human decisions to a storm.
She could see the future again. She could see the next seconds perfectly. Which didn't help her because she couldn't move. All systems had failed, even her telekinesis was offline. Physical movement only capable of pathetic twitches.
In 0.64 seconds the Interloper's sword would descend, shattering her core. Mission failure. End of line. The Interloper would resume its task of bringing stability to the world and hope to humanity, in defiance of the Cycle. All the while refining its ability to counter precognition, turning the world to a time-blind fog sheltering human free will. Even before the time horizon was completely shrouded, the main chance indicated the Interloper eliminating a dozen lynchpins of fear and chaos, seriously threatening the remaining terror drones. Potentially even destroying more of them, depending on their choices. And there was nothing she could do about it.
"Wow. The crazy lunatic actually did it. I knew I liked him."
Terror Drone 7 paused. So did everything else. The sword stopped descending (0.12 seconds), the rubble stopped falling, even the air molecules were frozen in place. Everything except the figure who had appeared before her - tall, with messy blonde hair, dressed in a sloppy lab coat.
"You know, I really expected to have to cheat on this one?" He continued.
He barely even glanced at the Terror Drone he was monologuing at. The Simurgh attempted to read his future, or his past. Nothing. Even the future of the world remained frozen like a fly in amber.
"I had it all worked out too. A hilarious set of coincidences where Mimic found out the Christmas Elf outfit I packed makes him immune to precognition as long as he's holding dental tools. But this is so much better! And it's all thanks to you. I'd shake your hand but, well… I don't want to. I know where it's been."
He crouched down by Terror Drone Seven, looking at her in her skeletonized face.
"You have truly, spectacularly failed at every level. I just want you to know that before you go. Blew the secret of your kind's cute little dimensional probabilistic plane-splicing, showed too many humans that Shards exist to cover it up, got the Shards up in arms against the Endbringers and actually showing volition and initiative? Tsk tsk. Very naughty. Not to mention created a demi-endbringer who, frankly, will be far more fun to watch than you ever were."
"And so, in thanks for all you've done for humanity I'm just going to leave you here, in this moment. To contemplate the magnitude of your failures and how, exactly, you could have avoided all this. But I'm not a monster! You can resume the normal flow of time at any point. All you have to do is think to yourself 'I had one job. Just the one.'"
And with that Terror Drone 7 was alone.
Mimic
All things considered, it was almost an anticlimax when the night air rippled around me and the people of Brockton Bay returned to reality in a haze of golden light. I say almost because it was more than I could have done. Armsmaster's device worked flawlessly, though he told me later that it melted into an unrecognizable pile of slag the moment its work was completed. Convenient, that.
Thanks to Taylor's extraordinary coordination everyone had been rescued from the distorted labyrinths of their own homes and been brought to open outdoor spaces that made the shift safely.
Which meant that the street was filled with onlookers staring in confusion and growing awe as I lay collapsed panting in a pile of Endbringer bones, my sword protruding from the ground. In truth I hardly noticed at first - my body and mind wrung out well past limits. I only stood as applause began to break out all around me.
Right, yes. You're a superhero, I thought to myself as cameras began to flash. Presentation. Symbolism. Shit. Thank goodness I naturally collapse in a dramatic pose. Safety first - I folded the bones away into my cloak with a little trick of spatial folding.
Then I rose wearily - not at all an act. But my costume cleaned itself as I stood, flowing to blue white and russet. A column of silver sparkles illuminated me from above. And I admit I borrowed from the Avatar a bit as I rose to the star studded sky shrouded in silver light - my sword in one hand, the Simurgh's skull raised in the other.
"Hear me now, Brockton Bay and people of the world!" I shouted aloud, augmenting my voice. One more touch of drama, I was clearly visible in the mind's eye of my audience as from an invisible camera. "The Oracle of Madness, the Murderer of Hope, the Chorus of the Apocalypse has fallen in battle. The Simurgh is dead! Thanks to the Protectorate, and all the heroic capes of Brockton Bay. Those who stood with me today, looked the end of the world in the face, and said with one voice Not! Today!"
There was a moment of stunned silence. And the night erupted into thunderous cheers.
There was a flash. Strider, bringing in Alexandria. The Triumvirate heroine flew next to me, speaking through the armbands over the sounds of Jubilation.
"Alexandria here. A PRT Thinker tank has been monitoring the fight. We can confirm everything he just said. Endbringer down."
----------
I really, truly wanted to join the revelry despite my exhaustion. But I couldn't yet. I had one more loose end to tie up. So I indulged myself in a literally flashy disappearance from the sky. A safe, sane, predictable teleport this time. A few quick messages, a moment playing courier with Strider. Whisking the Simurgh's bones into a Troll's Purse spell. And then Armsmaster, Glory Girl, Dauntless, Skitter, and Tattletale were assembled by me at the edge of the city dump. Tattletale might have been burned out on her power, but I thought she deserved to be here for all the help she had given today.
Together we watched the dump as Tash emerged from the pile of rubbish in a heaving, clawing, swearing scramble. He did not look his best - smeared head to toe with trash, swarmed by surviving flies, spitting junkyard ooze. I will give him credit, he made the best attempt possible at drawing himself up in dignity when he saw us. But there was only so much he could do when Taylor had the flies forming into mocking faces behind him.
"You!" He screeched, pointing at Taylor with four of his arms. So dramatic. "How dare you! How dare you mock me and interfere with my plans? How did you even know where to find me?"
"Um, I'm not an idiot?" Taylor replied, rolling her eyes. "Mimic saw you in the sewers and warned me you were up to something. And your brilliant scheme to get our eyes off you didn't fool either of us. I just didn't put you on the map, that's all. A bit of a range boost from Mimic and I didn't even need to follow you in person. What, you didn't see it coming?"
"Graaah!" Tash snapped at the flies, which had formed into a mustache in front of his beak. "I will kill you horribly for this insolence. I'll kill you all! I beat you all before when I was holding back. So imagine what I'm about to do to you now."
As he spoke a half dozen winged demons touched down beside him. They looked like Vrocks, oversized, stooped vulture-men shedding toxic spores. It made an impression, so I couldn't let that stand.
"Yes, about that," I cut in, stepping forward. As I did I grew, first ten and then fifteen, twenty feet tall as I took on the form of a lion man in golden armor. Titan introduced me to Ajani Goldmane, and under the circumstances I just couldn't resist. Tash still towered over me, but I dare say I had the better presence.
"See, I know you," I continued, "and I know we both think if you aren't cheating you aren't trying. But you still need to know how to play the game, because you can't count on no one catching you."
"Relying on my cheating?" Tash scoffed. "I need no cheating. You are the only threat here to me. Their minds are clear as water to one such as I! And you are exhausted, well past your limit. I will kill your friends, and my harbingers will slaughter across Brockton Bay as we battle, and you can do nothing to stop it!"
"You talk too much," Taylor said. "If you could do all that, you already would be."
"Precisely," I said, pleased she was keeping up. "I would bet that Tash here," I added, addressing the Protectorate, "has been getting all kinds of gut feelings and fancy instincts that have nothing to do with his admittedly bullshit powers. He's like Slash, something like a Thinker power that works only against Capes, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was stealing Tinker powers too. I certainly don't know how to hack an interdimensional particle cannon. But that leads us to a question."
"Because he didn't see Skitter coming. Tattletale. You said something about eldritch, inhuman forces?"
"Oh yeah," she said with a wince. "We're all brainjacked by demons or fairies or Cthulhu or whoever. I guess Glaistig Uaine wasn't that crazy after all. So that's fun."
"Enough of this! Enough talk!" Tash burst out, but I replied with an amplified roar… and he flinched. Just for a second, a crack in the facade. But visible if you know me, and I do.
"It's not a Thinker thing. Your powers were literally betraying you, not just figuratively," I continued, deliberately ignoring his threats. "But not Skitter's. Skitter's power likes her. So what you've got to ask yourself, Tash, is who do our powers like more? Us, the team of heroes who killed the Simurgh for them? Or you, the selfish trash that almost ruined it?" I addressed the sky, for lack of a better place to look. "The crisis is over," I continued. "I think it's time he learned to stand on his own two feet. Don't you?"
An almost imperceptible shift. The Protectorate stood a little straighter. Tash looked around in shock. And just like that his confident attitude fled as he looked at the firepower arrayed against him. Really looked at it, a deadly threat as long as he wasn't being helped out by every parahuman in Brockton Bay.
"But… but I still outnumber you!" Tash burst out. "My Vrocks will feast on your flesh! They…"
"Ah yes, your Vrocks." I replied. "The creatures created to kill the Simurgh. Specifically. Infused with a deep and abiding hatred, even above their urge to eliminate all life, for the Simurgh in specific. To shred her flesh and worry her bones. Harbingers? Fetch!"
I quickly poured the Simurgh's disjointed and chopped up skeleton to the ground, and stepped back as the Vrocks ecstatically pounced and began wrestling over the bones. They ignored us entirely. A small amount of telepathy may have been involved, I admit nothing. But if there was, it would take much less of a nudge than you'd think.
Tash was sputtering as his demons rolled in the bones like dogs. I raised an eyebrow at him, and gave my most insufferable grin.
"So what do you say Tash. Are you going to come quietly? Because I think I've got at least one more round in me. How about you?"
As I spoke my tongue became silver and shifted in my mouth to that of a snake, or a dragon. I hoped it didn't show, because I would need all the help I could get to weave a suggestion into my words without him catching me. He would never be chained again, just like me… not unless he thought it was his idea.
No commands, no compulsions, but concepts coming to mind. Sauron in chains, captured by the Numenoreans, working to corrupt them from within. Bringing about their utter downfall. Tense conversations with your nemesis as you bargain with your knowledge and power. The chance to really, properly play Hannibal Lector. All the pieces leading to an inevitable result.
"...Damn you!" Tash ground out. "This isn't over Mimic. You should kill me now. Mark my words. Someday I'm going to escape and make you pay for your mercy."
And someday you'll remember I know as much about reverse psychology as you.
"Perhaps," I said aloud. "But that is not this day."
"I do have one condition."
"Oh really?" I was curious just what ploy he would try.
"...Take care of my mother for me," he answered, and opened his mouth to vomit up Noelle. Unconscious, covered in goo, but clearly alive.
Ah, the effective kind.
"I promise," I replied. What else could I say?
Noelle coughed and opened her eyes, looking around in confusion. Tash bent down, looking her in the eye.
"Mother, it's over. It's finally over, she's dead."
"It's true," I confirmed. "We killed the Simurgh."
She was still shaking off whatever made her unconscious, but even so she gave an ecstatic smile and collapsed into disbelieving, happy sobs.
Tash held her for a moment, then nodded and stood, extending his arms in front of him. I sighed, knowing exactly the image he was presenting, but it actually was important. And so I conjured carbosteel restraints around his many wrists, inscribed with the sigils I stole from Nolius that could bind my powers. I hadn't seen him use any magic yet, but I was not taking chances. I also put a cage around the Vrocks and their bone pile. They didn't notice.
Noelle sobered at the sight.
"So what will happen to Crow?"
"It's Tash now, apparently," I answered. "And I don't know. He's surrendering himself. I imagine a great many people will want to have very lengthy conversations with him."
"It's still Crow, but only to her," he corrected me, with surprising fondness in his voice. Good. There was something to build on, going forward. And with that the Protectorate began escorting him away into custody.
"Don't worry," Tattletale chimed in. "He's way too valuable, they'll treat him alright. Once they get a Tinker-bomb collar sized for his neck anyway."
"Not helpful," I sighed, before turning to look at Tattletale and Skitter. "So, you two just saved the city." I expanded my senses a little - just enough to see the dancing, happy crowds, and highlight the stars - and shared the view. "All those people out there? They're alive, and joyful, and feeling hope for the first time in years because of you two. Not too long ago I asked if you were ready to be heroes."
I gave a challenging grin. "What do you think. Could you get used to it?"
Taylor nodded enthusiastically, eyes glistening, and turned to Tattletale.
"Will you come with me?"
Tattletale made a face, looked at me, winced badly - her power hadn't recovered yet.
"Ugh, I must be crazy," she said. "I was going to hold out for money but… fuck. This is so much bigger than us isn't it. What the hell."
"You won't regret it," I said. "It won't be easy, but you won't regret it."
I was swaying on my feet, scraped down to the bottom of the barrel, and there would be even more work to do once I was able to sleep. But all things considered? Save a town of goblins, save the world from them, then go home to recruit a pair of supervillains after killing an apocalyptic monster and arresting my evil clone?
I looked up at the stars and smiled. Yeah. No regrets.