Devil Trigger (Devil May Cry/Worm AU)

[SkyRig]

Not ten seconds after she said that did the demons charge.

I zipped past her, swinging Orthrus in tandem with my Summoned Swords, blocking attacks from all sides. I tried the same with the Giant Scarecrow, but found myself being overpowered once again. Its blades pressed down, attempting to bring me to my knees. I felt the other Scarecrows going to attack me from behind. Summoned Swords blocked their paths, some impaled and killed with a lucky hit or two, but some weren't deterred and powered through. As confident as I was in my regenerative ability, I still didn't like the idea of getting hurt or worse. Not after that whole ordeal with Strix.

That was when the unknown cape suddenly reminded me of her existence, barreling in and grabbing one of the Scarecrows by the leg and throwing it against its allies. The shield lit up like a Christmas tree, suddenly rotating and moving at the speed of a buzzaw before she THREW IT?!

"Holy sh—!" I quickly disengaged, planting my feet on the Giant Scarecrow and got out of the way. The spinning shield smacked dead-on into the big guy's abdomen. The force wasn't enough to cut into the leather or force it back, but it clearly left it disoriented enough for me to get some distance and kill the Scarecrow coming up behind me, cutting off its arm and jamming its own blade into its skull. The flood of demonic beetles spilled out and quickly scuttled away, slithering into the larger one.

"Okay, that's disgusting," the cape groaned. Her shield returned and latched back onto her arm, right as two Scarecrows jumped on top of her. "H-hey! Get!" She grabbed one by the head and threw it on the ground. "Off!" She then grabbed the second Scarecrow and cut open its chest with the spinning shield before throwing it aside. The Scarecrow on the ground recovered right as she tried to stomp its head on, stumbling and bouncing away from her. "What the hell are these things?! Some bio-tinker circus troup?!"

"I wish," I grimaced, eyeing the Giant Scarecrow. The way it angled its mask, I felt as though it were leering mockingly at me.

I changed Orthrus' element, changing sides and taking a quick headcount of how many Scarecrows were left. I counted at least seven left. It didn't escape my notice how the ooze of bugs from the last Scarecrow the cape killed piled into the bigger one, as if joining the horde within the body. Either they were seeking refuge before they could be killed, or they were adding their power to the big guy. If it was the latter, then we would have to kill this thing quickly. First things first, I needed to figure out how to cut through that leather body. I needed to get in close with Orthrus, maybe strike with some heat.

The demons did not wait for us to make the first move. Three charged at once, shortly followed by the Giant Scarecrow becoming a spinning ball of death. I sent the weaker ones flying with a simple slash through the air and a blast of cold air, but I had no illusions of trying to block and repel the Giant Scarecrow through brute force alone. I jumped to the side and avoided it and went for another tactic, gathering my Summoned Swords around Orthrus.

Each Devil Arm had unique properties, inherited or derived from their base. The Devil's Arm Ifrit, for example, was forged from the molten corpse of a fire elemental demon and could generate scorching levels of heat. In some cases, that power could influence the wielder's own abilities. Admittedly, I learned this well after my fight with the Bloody Cape, but I experimented with Orthrus' effects on my Summoned Swords.

I was more than happy with the results. The orange-red blades changed ever so slightly, some beginning to be encroached in frost while others began to crack, their tips burning crimson and steaming.

With a flick, the elemental-infused conjured blades were sent flying and went straight for the Giant Scarecrow. It rolled up the wall and continued to speed forward, evading the swords completely before bouncing off like a cannonball and making a bee-line straight for the cape. "Watch out!" I shouted in warning.

The armored girl quickly kicked the Scarecrow she was fighting off her and pulled away, just barely escaping fate and becoming sliced-and-diced roadkill. The Giant Scarecrow changed course and went for round two. Scarecrows attempted to pin her in place or keep her distracted. I moved to intervene, bisecting one and separating it from its torso. Orthrus' chilling breath froze the bugs before they could vacate their now destroyed puppet. The cape, rather than take my newly-made escape route, punched the Scarecrow in front of her in the mask.

That was when I realized what the mounted weapon on her wrist actually was as she pulled her fist back, and with it, a steel wire. With a surprising show of strength, whether her own or her armor's, she threw the Scarecrow attached to the other end of the wire directly into the path of its larger sibling, slamming it right into its side with enough force that it had no choice but to change direction. It went past the cape by a wide margin and had to force itself to a stop, digging its blades into the ground.

I stared in awe and appreciation at her skill before getting back into it and deflecting a blade coming for my neck. I changed elements again and slashed the Scarecrow across the chest, lighting the patchwork body ablaze before sending Summoned Swords into its body and making it a pincushion, then kicking it into the Scarecrow charging at me. It callously used its dying brother as a springboard, hopping into the air and swinging its bladed leg down on me.

I side-stepped and countered, swinging Orthrus and slicing off its weaponized limb like a hot knife through butter. The Scarecrow flopped to the ground and died the moment I stabbed it in the head, setting it and its bugs ablaze.

"GET FUCKED!"

I looked back at the unknown cape, just in time to see her surrounded by three Scarecrows that had her dead to rights, only to have their bellies sliced open and their bugs to spill out in disgusting, oozing black floods. She pivoted on her heel, bringing the spinning shield around with her and slicing off their heads for good measure. The Scarecrows haplessly fell and dissipated into nothing while their puppetmasters fled to the Giant Scarecrow, which was now standing on its legs and laughing.

"Kekekekekekekekekekeke."

I swear, this bastard is laughing at us.

"So, do you have any ideas?" the cape asked me, not taking her eyes off the Giant Scarecrow. "Aside from trying to cut it open, I mean."

"Can you keep it still for a few seconds?"

"I can try."

A plan formed in my head. I had no idea if it would work, but it wasn't as if I had any other choice in the matter. The Giant Scarecrow let out a warbled cackle as it lunged, bringing its claws down. The cape got out of the way in time and just…stopped? What was she doing? As I pondered what was going through her head, her body started to shimmer and glow. It did not appear to be produced by her armor, so it was something else. The Giant Scarecrow swiped at her, aiming to slice her to pieces.

Two shields blocked its advance. I saw double. Next to the cape was essentially her twin, only with reversed colors. The white parts of the armor were jet black, her black hair dyed white, and the blue highlights on her shield colored dark red. The position of her shield and mounted wrist-wire were reversed as well.

I was stunned, left gaping for a short while and trying to figure out what just happened before shaking my head. I quickly joined the fray, sending Summoned Swords flying at its backside. A wicked smile formed over my face when I saw the flame-infused swords pierce into its leathery body. It did not catch fire as I hoped it would, but it made the bastard yell in pain. The distraction proved useful; the cape and her doppelganger knocked the Giant Scarecrow off balance, then proceeded to lunge forward and ram their fists into its shoulders, where its body and the blades met. The wrist-wires dug in deep and the twins were off, pulling as hard as they could on the wires and dragging it right up against a steel beam. The giant blade on its back prevented it from fully being trapped, but just as I hoped, they kept it in place long enough for me to get some momentum going.

I flipped Orthrus tight, flipping into a reverse-hand grip, my free hand firmly on the pommel. I sped up, pouring every bit of strength I had into my arms and legs, crossing the distance in seconds. I thrust Orthrus as deep into the Giant Scarecrow as I can, then let it loose.

First came the ice. Thick sheets of frozen water encroached its body, pouring out from the wound and devouring it from the inside. The Giant Scarecrow thrashed and writhed, attempting to pull itself away. It was succeeding, the twins struggling to keep it pinned against the steel beam. I felt Orthrus' chilling fangs growing deeper. My smile turned vicious as I twisted the blade and dug even further. Sparks flew across what little of the Devil Arm's edge I could see.

"Pop goes the weasel."

Hellfire roared and expanded. The ice broke apart and evaporated. The Giant Scarecrow suddenly expanded, growing like a balloon. The chittering and ungodly squealing of the Trypoxylus beetles grew louder before the body could not take it any longer.

Pop.

The cape screamed and backed away, avoiding the sudden intense burst of heat that erupted in front of her. There was nothing left; no scorch marks, no disgusting piles of black ooze made up of demonic bugs, not even a scrap of leather. I waited a moment, straining my senses and waiting to hear or sense something. Maybe some kind of last surprise meant to catch us off guard.

There was nothing.

I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding, the tension slowly bleeding away. I sheathed Orthrus and turned my attention to the cape, now alone. Her doppelganger was nowhere to be found. I finally take a moment to look at her more closely. Despite the amateurish design of her armor, it had seen its fair share of battle. It had no shortage of dents or cuts, some of which looked too old to come from the fight just now. The way she moved suggested she had some prior combat experience as well. It was strange, though. Granted, I don't follow PHO as much as I should when it comes to cape news and debuts unless I see a news article, but I would have thought someone like this would have been mentioned.

"So, uh…" The cape fidgeted, shifting back and forth on the balls of her feet. "I take it you work for Rodin, too?"

I stared. "…huh?"



"So, looks like you two finally ran into each other."

I should have expected this, to be honest. Boss mentioned I was hardly the only Devil Hunter out there in the world. I was just someone with more unique circumstances. It was still amazing to run into someone more experienced than me, though, if only by a few months.

After some rather explaining, I found myself joining her back in the Gates of Hell, where Boss was fixing up a cocktail for her. Meanwhile, I drank from a freshly-opened can of orange soda.

"I didn't know the talk of the town was a Devil Hunter too," the cape said beamingly. "I have to admit, I'm a little jealous you got a Devil's Arm before me, though. I've been trying to convince Rodin here to give me one for ages."

"Like I told you," Boss huffed. "You bag your first big baddie, I'll make you one. 'sides, even if I did have some to sell, I wouldn't go giving you it for free. I've heard what tinkers get up to when they get into it. Last thing we need is you blowing up the neighborhood trying to pick it apart."

"Give me a break…"

"So, what's your name?" I asked curiously. "Do you not have one?"

The cape shook her head. "Nope. I'm kind of like an indie hero, sort of. I haven't really made a big debut, and I mostly focus on hunting demons. Don't get me wrong, I also deal with the occasional scumbag or two every now and then, but I make most of my buck here. Speaking of demons, there's been a lot of them crawling out of the woodwork recently."

"Tell me about it." Part of me had an idea why that was, too.

Boss finished mixing the drink, setting it down in front of the cape. "Ever since the Fallen came to town. Considering they got somebody like that Strix punk, I'd bet you anything they're following him."

"Has there been any word on the missing persons?"

The cape answered with a sigh. "I've been looking into that myself since the Fallen showed up. Hunting down their members, trying to pry info out of them, but I can never get anything. Not for a lack of trying, mind you. Trying the whole "I'll kill you if you don't tell me everything" bluff doesn't work, either. They're more terrified of Strix than they are of the heroes and villains."

I don't blame them. Just thinking about that bastard made my skin crawl. My side still burned from the memory of his flames.

At this point, I had a pretty good idea why the Fallen were kidnapping people. Like Boss said, demons from the Underworld crawled out of their holes one of two ways. Either they managed to slip through the cracks, squeezing their way in, or they were lured out by the tantalizing smell of blood. It was impossible to know how many of the missing persons in Brockton Bay could be attributed to just gang violence or people getting fed up with this shithole of a city, but if even half of those were the Fallen's doing…

We were running out of time. How much time was left, I had no idea. It was equal parts aggravating and terrifying, knowing that there were god knows how many people in desperate need of saving, hoping a hero would find and save them. If I couldn't find them and we failed…

NO.

Something steely forms in my head. A burning fire was lit in my breast.

I wouldn't fail. I refuse to fail. I will not fail.

"Head on home, kid," Boss told me. "I'll call you in case something turns up."

I nodded and stood up, downing the dregs of my soda before tossing the can into the garbage bin halfway across the room. "Take care! And good luck!" the cape shouted at me. I waved back, giving her a thumbs up.

By the time I returned home, sleep was the furthest thing from my mind. It took two hours before I finally allowed myself to fall unconscious.



I called in sick to school in the morning. I told Dad I wasn't feeling well, that I must have ate something foul and faked puking in the bathroom. I didn't like having to lie to him, but I had no choice.

When I woke up, the first thing I did was log onto PHO to see if there was any new updates. I had a message in my PM.

Purity wanted to meet.

Spoiler: Shameless Plug about My Novel

I'd like to take a moment and shamelessly self-advertise my first-ever book, "Chase Ryder and the City of Lost Memories", which is available for pre-order for kindle and is available for purchase for hardback and paperback. Kindle version costs 8.99, hardback is 26.99 and paperback is 12.99. If you're curious, please consider giving my book a purchase and help support me. Any and all financial help in any form is appreciated! You can find the link to the book in my signature. For guests who do not have access to the signature, the link to my book can be found here.

Okay, it's official. This arc is gonna be the longest as of right now, since it will be going past ten chapters. On a side note, it shouldn't last much longer as we're steadily getting closer to the end goal, and you'll find out why this arc was named "Muscle".

In regards to our currently unnamed cape (working name atm is Shielder, since Eric goes by Barricade in this continuity), she is a Tinker/Master. Her tinker specialty is under wraps for now, but her Master Power falls under the "Projection" category in that she can create a mirror image of herself that can aid her in battle. The copy has a degree of independence and free-thought, but for the most part, it acts in conjunction with what Shielder orders.

Thoughts on the fight? It's definitely not my finest work by a long shot, but I am at least satisfied with how it came out. Somewhat. Like I said, not my finest work.

Click to shrink...

 

[SkyRig]

I passed the message onto Antares, who in turn set up for a quick meeting with the Protectorate. It was a safety measure as well as a discussion, no doubt in regards to my connection to the Empire cape. Truth be told, I half-expected the Protectorate to force themselves into the meeting. Armsmaster certainly gave off that impression. Miss Militia, on the other hand, was more restrained and offered an alternative solution.

"You want me wired?"

For the record, it took considerable effort not to squeal. Miss Militia was one of my favorite heroes, right up there with Battery. Getting to meet her in person was almost a dream come true. I was a little surprised that Antares wasn't here, though I imagined she was still resting after the asskicking we got from Strix. I asked about her when I met with Armsmaster and Miss Militia, though she wasn't able to give out too much information. At the very least, she said Antares was doing fine.

"It's mostly a precaution," Miss Militia assured me. "Purity is suspected to have drifted away from the Empire and has had little interaction with any of the other capes under Kaiser. There are some rumors she's trying to go straight, though we don't have any real concrete info for that."

Armsmaster scoffed. "I highly doubt she has. If Purity wants to go hero, she would have turned to us. At the very least, she would have attacked the Merchants and Kaiser. Instead, she's just been going after any ABB she can find."

"True, but there's also a chance Kaiser knows her civilian identity," Miss Militia countered. "We should take that into account as well."

The tinker looked as if he wanted to argue further, but thought against it and shut his mouth. I could understand Armsmaster's skepticism, though. Purity was a well-known villain and seemed wholly unrepentant of what she did. The idea of her going straight was more than a little sketchy, especially if all she's been targeting was the ABB and Lung. If she also went after the Merchants, I could see a little support, but not much.

After all, the ABB consisted of pan-Asian ethnicities. Ergo, targeting a group that was dominantly non-White wasn't a good argument of you claiming to go hero.

It would be great if Purity was legit trying to go hero, but so far, she hadn't given me or anyone a lot of evidence.

"So, what do I do if she tries a recruitment pitch?" I asked nervously. "High-tail it out of there? Fight?"

Armsmaster shook his head. "That is ill-advised. She was one of Kaiser's lieutenants for a reason. If she tries for a recruitment pitch, decline. If she gets aggressive, flee. Fight only if you don't have any other choice."

"We'll be nearby in case things go south," Miss Militia promised. "You have our word on that, Vergil."



It was noon. The appointed time when Purity wanted to meet. I stood atop one of the many tall buildings in the Towers, lounging atop a water tower and fiddling with a Summoned Sword while waiting for Purity to show up. I hadn't thought much about the upcoming encounter, save some trepidation and anxiety from meeting with Purity by myself. Now that the situation was unfolding, I found my hands trembling and uncertainty creeping up.

I knew Rune's real name. Only her first name, but only that. I doubted that would matter much to the Empire. From what I understood about the Unwritten Rules, secret identities were a serious matter for two reasons, the first was that it kept a cape's families safe. Second was that if you broke the rules, there would be hell to pay. A cape who had their identity exposed would see no reason to hold back or go on a rampage, and no one was going to help the one who exposed them unless there was something in it for them.

The fact that I knew one of the Empire's capes' real name was a red flag. It meant I held some power over them. Not a whole lot, mind you, but enough to give them pause. I wouldn't put it past the realm of possibility of them trying to silence me to protect one of their own.

A troubling thought occurred to me just then. What if this meeting was just a pretext to kill me before I could tell anyone? What if Purity wanted to kill me before I spilled the beans about Rune?

My grip over Orthrus tightened. I refused to lay down and die because someone told me to.

"Hello."

It took a great deal of self-restraint not to withdraw Orthrus from its confines and strike at the speaker behind me, nor drive the Summoned Sword into their skull. I dismissed it with a flick and carefully turned around. A woman clad in pure white light floated in front of me. The only visible features were her hair and physique.

"Purity," I greeted tersely.

"We don't see any other Empire capes nearby," Miss Militia's voice cackled in my ear. "Looks like she really is alone."

That was a little comforting, but I didn't let down my guard. I kept my face impassive, not wanting to show even the slightest hint of weakness. Purity and I shared some kind of staredown, as if gauging the other. Neither of us made a move, but neither of us was willing to back down if the other showed hostility. Seconds dragged into minutes. After what felt like an hour, the light around Purity dimmed ever so slightly. Her feet touched the concrete floor beneath us.

"I apologize for the short notice. There were some…complications on my end."

"It's fine," I replied neutrally. I couldn't stop myself from scanning the rooftops behind her, wondering if there was a sniper anywhere nearby. "You said you had information you wanted to share. Why me?"

"Because I believe you're after the same thing as me. You want the Fallen here in the city dead or gone."

"What makes you say that?"

"One of the Empire's warehouses was attacked," Purity said, putting me on edge. "There were no signs of a struggle, not shots fired, no sign of cape activity anywhere… Except that one of the members sent out a group message about a man carrying a scythe attacking them."

My blood ran cold. The night we encountered Strix came to my mind. My hand balled into a tight fist.

"Cricket went to investigate what happened, and imagine her surprise when she found you and two Wards fighting someone who matched that same description. Someone working for the Fallen. The next day, someone made a post asking for information about missing persons. Sometime last month, when the Fallen started spreading their propaganda here in Brockton Bay, the number of people disappearing suddenly skyrocketed. I simply connected the dots."

"Hence how you found me."

Purity nodded. "I admit, I was a little hesitant at first. Actually, me being here is a huge risk."

"Let me guess. Empire?"

The woman sighed. "They're aware you know about Rune."

"How is she, by the way?" I couldn't help but ask, both out of worry and genuine curiosity. Even if Rune was a neo-Nazi, she didn't deserve to die. Especially not to the Bloody Cape.

I got the feeling that Purity was smiling behind whatever mask she wore under all that light. "She's fine now. Granted, she's been complaining non-stop about her prosthetic, but she's fine. Speaking of, I want to thank you. You had every reason to inform authorities about her, but you never said anything."

"I didn't because I know what happens to capes who break the Unwritten Rules. Last thing I want is the Empire to hound my ass."

Purity nodded solemnly. "Understandable…"

I get back on topic. "Do you have any idea what happened to the missing gang members?"

"None. And it isn't just them. Friends and family to those who joined have also gone missing." Her tone grew severe, making me tense. I did not sense hostility, but rather trepidation and fear. "Kaiser is many things, but the Fallen are testing his patience. He believes them the ones responsible for the kidnappings and is threatening to go to war with them."

That…sounded bad. Very bad. "And you're bringing this to me and not the Protectorate because…?"

"Because I owe you a debt, and the PRT…" Purity sighed heavily. "They wouldn't trust me."

Gee, I wonder why? I felt tempted to say it to her face, but kept my mouth shut. She came here of her own volition and went out of her way to talk to me, after all. The last I could do was be respectful and hear her out.

"At any rate, I propose a deal."

"A deal?"

She nodded. "Cooperation. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. As I said, I owe you a debt for saving Rune. Even if Kaiser doesn't like it. I would prefer this be settled before things escalate. We exchange information; I pass along any information the Empire has about the Fallen to you, and you vice versa. Is this acceptable?"

A pause for a moment, giving the illusion I was considering her offer, In truth, I was more focused on what my minder had to say.

"On the one hand, this sounds too good to be true," Armsmaster grumbled. "But if Kaiser is willing to go to war with the Fallen…"

"He does realize what will happen if he does that, right?" For some reason, Miss Militia sounded alarmed.

"I'm aware, Miss Militia. Vergil, take her deal for now."

I nodded. "…alright, I agree to your terms." Purity brightened up slightly. I then decide to make my own matters known. "For the record, I have no intention of joining the Empire Eighty-Eight anytime soon. I'm not a villain, despite what anyone says."

"I figured as much." Purity rose into the air, the light around her brightening. "I hope we don't get in each other's way. For both our sakes, let's hope this trust isn't misplaced."

For a moment, I didn't see the Empire cape. For a moment, I didn't see a villain. There was…something, a feeling I couldn't put my finger on. Purity looked almost vulnerable.

"…wait." The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop myself. Purity halted mid-air, turning to face me in confusion. "What's your stake in this?"

"My stake?" I could feel her frowning. "That's a stupid question. The Fallen are insane for worshipping the Endbringers. These kidnappers and their affiliation with this Strix character only makes them abominable. Say what you will about the Empire, but there's nothing wrong with basic human decency."

I shook my head. "That's not what I mean. They say you're going straight, that you've been straying from the Empire. You chose to go to me and not the heroes."

"Like I said, things are complicated."

"But why?" I persisted. I could see it. That something. There was hesitation, a gnawing feeling on the back of her head. I could feel it. "There has to be another reason why you went to me and not the heroes. Not if you're serious about becoming a hero."

For a moment, I wondered if I overstepped my boundaries. The silence is almost crushing, as is the impassive glare she leveled at me. I heard Armsmaster and Miss Militia advising me to get out of there and drop the subject before things got out of hand. I felt my blood broiling, fingers twitching and ready to draw Orthrus. My inner devil wanted a fight, and part of me wished to grant its request if things got ugly.

The silence dragged on for what felt like hours before Purity finally answered. It was quiet, almost a whisper, but I heard it nonetheless.

"…they took my son."

Her words leave my feet frozen to the ground, thoughts of battle long gone. Purity left, quickly becoming little more than a shining beacon dwindling in the horizon.

"…fuck." I couldn't tell who said that, Armsmaster or Miss Militia. It didn't matter who said it. I shared in their feelings.

We finally realized the full extent of what was going on and the implications of Kaiser going to war. The Unwritten Rules were regarded so dearly by the cape community because it kept bloodshed and violence down to a minimum. For a given value of minimum. Whether the Fallen knew it or not, they violated that rule. If Purity was speaking the truth, then a bloodbath was waiting over the horizon.

And there was no telling who would be caught in the crossfire.

"This is going to be fun…" I groaned under my breath.

Why did this shit have to be so complicated?!

When life gives you lemons, that's why.

So, yeah, the Fallen is on the Empire's shitlist for a wide variety of reasons. Mainly Kaiser and Purity's, the latter to a lesser extent. As much as she loves Theo, Aster is and always will be Purity's top priority. In truth, my co-writer actually suggested the Fallen kidnap Aster, but I reminded him about how Purity reacted when Coil leaked the Empire's civvie identities and her rampage trying to get Aster back.

Theo is an excellent compromise, since Kayden does love him as does Kaiser.

Anyway, this arc should be done in a few more chapters. I speculate three or four, depending on how long I drag this out. The "boss chapter" will probably be the longest as it contains the fight and the epilogue.

As usual, I'd like to take a moment and shamelessly self-advertise my book, "Chase Ryder and the City of Lost Memories". If you want to support me financially, consider buying it. Link is on my signature. For guests, account is here.

Cheers everyone.

Click to shrink...

 

[SkyRig]

"Okay, let's try this again…"

Colin watched as he always did. There were other uses for his time, such as installing new hardware into his suit or making upgrades to his halberd. There were dozens of plans to counter Strix, but the only way to prove their effectiveness was to stress-test them. Instead, he was doing something he hadn't done in a long time.

Watching Chris tinker.

The weapon looked eerily close to a railgun, with pylons sticking out of the barrel and the barrel itself being half as long as the teen building it. The weeks spent building the "Alternator Cannon" as it was dubbed were nothing short of stressful for Chris. The theoretical use and practical applications required dozens of reviews and oversight, and it was still being revised and altered so as to adhere regulatory protocols. Its early conception was deemed A-Class weaponry, meaning it was only to be used when fighting criminals and villains the likes of Lung or against Endbringers. Ordinarily it would have been fine, but Chris was still a Ward. The idea of allowing a kid to possess such dangerous weaponry gave the pause, hence the edits.

The Mark II was the current version, specifically built for B and C-Class villains. In theory, it's power output was considerably lower. And much less lethal, as the PRT hoped it would be.

In Colin's mind, it was idiotic. The weapon was only dangerous if it was used incompetently. Half of his equipment certainly was. The same could be said about any tinker-made equipment, regardless of how roughshod it may be. Chris was no different in that regard, and while he was overeager, he wasn't as idiotic was some others he could name.

"Alternator Cannon Mk.2 test is about to begin." As was also standard protocol, any and all tests with tinkertech and/or parahuman abilities were to be recorded and documented extensively. "Energy output is to be set at 59%, and target is outfitted with standard PRT defensive gear with no tinkertech." Chris stood up and backed away until he was behind the blue line. He was tense, jaw tight and hands shaking slightly. He glanced at Colin on occasion, clearly nervous.

It had been a long time since Colin watched Chris work. The last time he did was…was…

…I don't remember.

His fingers dug into his armor, as if trying to crumple the metal. A feeling he wasn't used to, but grew accustomed to feeling since two months ago, resurfaced and grabbed him by the throat.

Colin ignored it.

Chris took a deep breath. "Test will begin in three, two…"

He pressed down on the button. The Alternator Cannon thrummed to life, circuits and pylons lighting up like a Christmas tree. Plates shifted and opened up, reforming as if to provide better stability. Energy flowed through the gun, cycling and growing until it reached the desired output. The cannon roared, unleashing a blue burst of power from its maw and sent it flying.

The training dummy fell apart the moment the energy blast touched it. Actually, it would be more accurate to say it was disintegrated, reduced to little more than flakes of ash and smoke.

Colin watched Chris' face turn crestfallen, wisely saying nothing.

"Dammit," the Ward swore, frustration quickly mounting. "I thought I had it this time."

"You made a mistake," Colin said after a moment of thinking. "It happens, Win."

"I-I know that, but I was hoping I got it right!" Chris walked over to the Alternator Cannon, glaring at it in a mix of anger and sadness. "It's not supposed to blow the dummy to chunks at that output. It's supposed to knock 'em down. What am I doing wrong?"

What was he supposed to say? Do better? You'll get it right eventually? Encourage him maybe?

Why is this shit so complicated, Colin thought.

A communication line buzzed in his helmet. The appropriate facial gestures opened it. "Hey, Armsy, Piggot wants a meeting ASAP," Ethan said. "Take a minute to stop being anti-social, yeah?"

"In a moment, Assault," Colin sighed. "I'm busy."

"Let me guess, making more modifications? You need a life man. Seriously, get out some more. Take Dragon out for a date."

He knew better than to rise to the bait. "I'm helping Kid Win with testing. Unless an Endbringer has shown up or Lung's decided to raise hell in the city, it can wait."

"…wait, you're helping Kid right now?" Colin felt his eyebrow twitch at Ethan's disbelief. "Are you feeling okay? Do you need a minute or two in M/S chambers?"

"It's fine!" Chris put on a smile. It was shaky and unconvincing. He was clearly not fine. "I'm sure whatever's going on is more important than this. I just… I-I just need to make a few calibrations, make tweak some things. I can do that stuff myself."

"…if you're sure."

Colin did not know this feeling. It was irrational and frustrating. The words tasted vile, wrong. He wanted to say something else, but like most times when interacting with Chris, he couldn't find the words. He left the test area, looking over his shoulder to see Chris working on the cannon. He couldn't see the Ward's face, but he could tell by his body language he was angry.

Part of him wondered if it was his fault.



The meeting was pointless. Director Piggot went over nothing new. Strix was a high-priority threat, the Fallen needed to be investigated thoroughly, and their victims needed to be found before Purity took matters into her own hands or Kaiser went to war. The former matter was of peculiar interest to him, since Purity willingly gave away part of her civilian identity. Things had to be dire if she was willing to give that information. It was equally possible she was lying, of course, a means to invoke some sympathy or an attempt at manipulation.

In any event, Colin barely paid any attention to the meeting and it was over by the time he decided to return to Chris. To his chagrin, the test area was empty and the Alternator Cannon gone. The tinker was nowhere to be found.

Colin sighed.

"That's rare." Hannah walked up behind him. "You usually don't sigh unless there's something eating away at your mind. Half the time, it's wondering what kind of mod you want to install or how affective it will be."

"I didn't realize you were a thinker," Colin said dryly.

The woman smiled under her bandanna. "You're not the only one Dragon talks to. Every girl appreciates a ladies night out, even if she spends the entirety of it behind a computer screen."

Dragon mentioned something along those lines before the other day. He knew he was hardly the only person she talked to, but he felt a childish irk that didn't make sense to him. Another thing that was becoming blatantly obvious as of late. Things shouldn't have gotten so complicated, so confusing. He had half a mind to wonder whether he was being Mastered, but evidence suggested otherwise.

"Are you okay?"

He wanted to say he was. Maybe he was overthinking things. Or maybe…

Colin sighed again. "I don't know," he confessed. "This situation has me disoriented."

"You mean the Fallen?"

He shook his head. "About Vergil."

That was when all this started, when he found himself seeing the things he ignored or pretended weren't there. Shadow Stalker was rambunctious and wild, but she had talent. She had experience and spent a few years taking down low level criminals, and even managed to come out on top in a cape engagement once or twice. That said, her callous and caustic view towards criminals left much to be desired. When she pinned a man to a wall with a crossbow bolt and nearly killed him, the Protectorate moved to apprehend her. Armsmaster hoped being in the Wards would straighten her out, but she only got worse.

She obeyed her orders, but only begrudgingly. She never showed respect, and acted like a feral animal locked in a cage. In retrospect, it seemed only natural she needed some kind of outlet, something to take her frustration out on.

That outlet being a bullying campaign taken a step too far.

He didn't know about it immediately, of course. None of them did. As far as they knew, what happened to Taylor Hebert was just a case of staff negligence and bullying gone wrong. The situation would be resolved in time, and it had nothing to do with him or the Protectorate. Taylor Hebert became a subject of interest for obvious reasons; crisis point investigations and PRT protocol wanted to know if the girl underwent a Trigger Event, and if she did, whether she would try a life of normalcy or join the Wards where she could learn how to control them.

As it would turn out, however, the situation was more complicated and dire than it seemed. Taylor Hebert wasn't just some girl who was tormented for no reason besides pettiness. No, the one responsible for her condition and month-long coma was one of his own Wards. The truth came out when the girl's father, Danny Hebert, and a lawyer named Alan Barnes launched a lawsuit against Winslow and began compiling evidence, among which were various complaints and notices written by Taylor to the Winslow staff faculty, as well as several journals' worth of incriminating evidence.

It seemed ironic that the one who informed them about all of this was Sophia's own mother, Naomi Hess from the Junior Adult Safety Organization; a relatively new subsidiary of the Youth Guard who catered towards normal, average youths instead of superpowered ones. When she brought them the damning evidence, a full-scale investigation was launched into Sophia's activities.

Director Piggot did not get rid of her immediately. The situation in the city was still too volatile, but that wasn't to say she wanted to hold the ticking time bomb forever. Sophia Hess was a PR disaster waiting to happen, a bomb that could ruin the PRT immeasurably. The director was calling in favors, setting up meetings, forming plans for preparation of a transfer. When all was said and done, Sophia Hess would be gone forever and face punishment. The "official report" would be that Shadow Stalker's troubling behavior grew out of control and was taken off the team and sent elsewhere.

In reality, she would be facing a judge and jury, awaiting sentence and a one-way trip to federal prison.

Colin should have been satisfied with that. He should have been happy such a glaring problem would be out of his hands. The reality was that he wasn't. If anything, it opened his eyes.

It was all his fault.

He saw the signs. He made the reports. He informed Director Piggot about Shadow Stalker's behavior, but never once did he make an attempt to correct it or discipline her. He did not try to reign her in or pull her aside for a scolding. He was content to shove his duties off to others, focusing on proving he was not obsolete, that Dauntless couldn't replace him. The Winslow v. Hebert case forced him to look at what he neglected and remind him he was in charge of the Wards, not Miss Militia or anyone else.

It was his fault a poor girl ended up Triggering. His fault she ended up trapped in a locker full of god knows what.

"It wasn't your fault." Hannah put a hand on his shoulder. She looked at him with pity and reassurance.

He wanted neither.

"I should have tried," Colin said sadly. "I didn't. I was so busy with my own priorities I didn't think about my responsibilities. Shadow Stalker, Vergil; those two were my responsibilities."

"It's not too late. You're trying to make things work with Chris again, aren't you?"

"And he made it perfectly clear I fucked the dog there." He wasn't an idiot. He saw how nervous Chris had been. How he jumped or twitched every time he made a suggestion. It hurt more than it should have. He knew Chris wanted nothing more than to meet his expectations and prove himself. When he first met the kid, he had high hopes for him. "He doesn't want anything to do with me."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"How do you figure?"

"You haven't seen the way he's been smiling lately."

Colin raised a brow. "Did he get himself a girlfriend?" Hannah just stared at him, looking unsure what to express or even say. He frowned. If Chris didn't have a significant other, then what got him in such a good mood? Or was the smile just for show? How did the saying go? 'Fake it until you make it'?

BEEP BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEP!

Any thoughts or questioned the tinker had were out the window when his HUD flooded his vision with alerts and notifications. At that same time, Hannah's work phone began to ring.

The timing was not coincidental.

Hannah answered her phone while Colin the notifications. All alerts about activity near the south-eastern part of Brockton Bay. It was flagged as parahuman, meaning PRT had top priority and authority.

"Velocity, what's going on?" Hannah demanded. "Has something happened?" He couldn't hear what the speedster was saying on the other end, but whatever he relayed to her, the woman's eyes became the size of dinner plates. "What do you mean we might have a bio-tinker in town?!"

Images and feeds from nearby security cameras were uploaded to his HUD in seconds as part of the first-response program. He was lucky in that regard, since it gave him an idea of what they were dealing with. The first thing Colin saw was a familiar head of white-hair, wearing a black visor and a leather jacket bearing icy-blue wings on the back, flame-encroached shirasaya in hand. Next to her was a cape he did not recognize in amateurish tinker gear.

The creature staring them down came next. Only one thought came to mind when he saw it and the devastation surrounding them.

Endbringer.

"Shit."

Shit indeed.

The first interlude of Muscle, and giving some much-needed spotlight on Armsmaster and my character for him going forward. I'm taking some creational liberties regarding his thoughts on Shadow Stalker and Taylor based off his portrayal in Worm-in-Waiting and Parabellum. (Speaking of which, for the love of GOD Stranger! Update it already, I'm dying of anticipating over here!) To be honest, I was kind of hesitant to write his character this way, but when I remember his early character pre-Leviathan, it does kind of fit. The man holds himself to high standards, after all.

I've also given you guys a "look" at the villain and demon Taylor and "Shielder" will be facing at the end of the arc. Don't expect this fight to play out like in Worm, though. This right here is when shit gets crazy.

What did you guys think of my portrayal of Armsy here? Bad? Good? Please let me know!

Click to shrink...

 

[SkyRig]

I decided craziness could wait a while. Between Purity dropping a bombshell and that debrief, I did not want to deal with anything in Brockton Bat at the moment. Heroics could wait as could demons. Boss brooked no complaints and said nothing, happily giving me the rest of the day off, which of course meant I was free to pursue life at home.

It was almost dizzying to realize how little I actually remembered what being 'normal' was like. Sure, I spoke with Dad more often and could actually enjoy school now, but more often than not, I was out on the streets fighting punks or killing anything that went bump in the night. Demon slaying had become so part of the norm for me I wondered if my civilian life had any real meaning.

Giving up this, being Taylor Hebert—a normal girl living with her father—was out of the question. Nothing could make me give this up.

"So, how have things been at school?" Dad asked me as we prepared dinner. Tonight was the rare occasion we worked together in the kitchen; my father was not a lousy cook per se, but he had a bad habit of burning anything not called 'meat loaf'. "Found a boy that's caught your fancy yet?"

I rolled my eyes as we revisited this conversation for what must have left like the umpteenth time this week. "I have several boys who are friends, and I'm not interested in any of them. Besides, one is already in a relationship and I'm pretty sure another is gay." At least I assumed Chris was gay. And maybe half the school. It escaped nobody's notice how interested he was in Trent Darren's, pardon my French, fucking ripped body in P.E. Not that I blamed him; Trent was quite easy on the eyes, but that's all he was, just eye candy.

"In that case, any lady friends?" Dad snickered at my flummoxed expression. "I won't judge, kiddo. Before Annie and I hooked up, she was dating a girl two years older than her." His face grew nostalgic and perhaps a little thoughtful if the creased brow was any indication. "Now that I think about it, Clarice really didn't like me when Annie introduced us."

"Was she part of Lustrum's gang?"

"I think so, though I couldn't be sure. She hated me at the very least, though that might have been because I was a close friend of Annie's."

That had been a somewhat recent discovery. Since we reconnected, Dad was slowly growing more open talking about Mom. A few weeks back, I once asked him what Mom was like when she was my age. As it turned out, she was quite the rebel in the past; she was actually part of Lustrum's gang of feminists, though Dad wasn't sure if she was a hardcore member who swung bats at people or was part of the rank-and-file. I did a little research on Lustrum myself and learned she was sent to the Birdcage, though the circumstances leading to that event were not what I expected.

She wasn't sent there because of a confrontation with the PRT. Lustrum walked up to their front door and turned herself in. The public statement was that she was taking responsibility for one of hers going too far. Some poor shmuck ended up castrated by a member of Lustrum's crew, though the news articles and PHO didn't say whether the guy lived and who was responsible for said castration. It mattered little anyway as Lustrum's gang fell apart without her and vanished with the wind. She still had some supporters here in the Bay, but they were all regular folks without a major voice to back them up.

I found many other gangs like Lustrum's as well. Brockton Bay's criminal history before the Golden Age of Parahumans wasn't like what it is now. There were the occasional gangbangers and street thugs, but they could be counted on one hand alone. The first parahuman gangs in the city that were not the Empire or the Teeth ended up phasing out real quick, either driven by independents like the Brockton Bay Brigade and other solo heroes or absorbed into others, and even those gangs ended up vanishing.

The Empire Eighty-Eight stood alone, Allfather leading the group until his untimely death. Even when the Teeth showed up, they were still the strongest power in the city.

"Seriously, though, is there anyone you like?" Dad pressed on. "I would eventually like to play the Dad card at some point in your life."

"Then you're gonna be waiting a long time, old man," I snorted. "Because there's no one like that at Arcadia. Romance isn't exactly high on my list of priorities, you know? Besides…"

He frowned. "Besides what?"

My hands stopped moving. I thought back to the locker and Winslow. I thought back to Sophia and Emma. I thought back to the day I met Rodin and fought Orthrus. The sigh leaves my mouth before I realized it. "I…don't think I'm cut out for this dating stuff. I'm not pretty, I'm not smart, and my hair's…" I pinched a few white locks between my index finger and thumb. "It's not what you would call normal. Plus there's all this baggage. I just don't feel comfortable sharing that sort of stuff with other people."

"…Taylor." I looked at my father. He looked like he aged several years, crow's feet looking more obvious than ever. "It shouldn't matter if your pretty or smart."

"Mom was both of those things," I pointed out.

"I didn't fall in love with your mother because she was smart or she looked pretty. I loved her because she was the sort of woman who took no shit from anyone and spoke her mind. Love isn't just about appearances, kid. Anyone who dates or marries somebody just because they look hot as hell just means they're fucking shallow. Beauty fades as you grow older. I'm not exactly young anymore, and in a few decades, I'll be as shriveled as a prune. So would Annette if she were still here. Would I still love her then? Of course I would."

Dad sighed. "What I'm trying to say is, you shouldn't fall in love with somebody for shallow reasons like that. One day, you'll meet a boy or girl who will love you because of who you are, and you love them the same way." He shook his head and stepped away from the counter, setting down the knife and rag as he turned to look at me fully. "Me and Annette weren't perfect. We all had our secrets. I didn't know she was with Lustrum until we'd been together four years and she called me to help bail her out when shit with the gang went south. I never told her about the stuff with my parents until we had you."

"Your parents?" Now that I thought about it, I never heard Dad talk very much about his family. I knew about my grandmother from Mom's side, but I knew zilch about Dad's. "Did something bad happen?"

Dad grimaced. "My parents and I never got along. They were old-fashioned who thought they knew what their kids wanted. Suffice to say, what I wanted and what they thought I wanted were two entirely different things. Last time we ever spoke was when they yelled at me for marrying some 'snot-nosed punk' who wasn't good for me. They haven't bothered to talk to me since."

I stared with a mix of guilt and anger. Guilt for bringing up something that Dad clearly did not want to talk about, and anger at my grandparents over on Dad's side of the family. They sounded far too much like the stereotypical over-controlling parents you hear about on news feed and website blurbs way too often. I sincerely hope the day when I meet them never comes.

Dad looked like was going to say something else, only to stammer and frown. "….Shit, where was I going with this again?"

The smile on my face couldn't have been any bigger. "You were saying something about me finding the right special someone?"

"Oh, right. A-anyway, my point is that the special guy or girl you run into? They'll love you because you're Taylor. That's it, really." He paused for a moment, then smirked. "And if they think you look cute? Well, added bonus. Plus there's the whole 'beauty in the eye of the beholder' and all that."

"…you suck at giving advice, do you know that?"

"Your mother thought I was good at giving it. Unfortunately, it seems my rebellious daughter doesn't have a very good brain. It could be defective."

"Hey, this brain's defective because of you. In fact, I think you should reimburse me."

Dad grinned. "Oh yeah? How?"

"Stop talking and help me finish dinner."

"Fair enough."

That night, I didn't think about my cape life at all. The concerns and state of Brockton Bay were the furthest thing from my mind at the moment. I ignored it all in favor of a lively and animated talk with my Dad at the dinner table, tossing back jokes and recalling old memories involving a hellion called Taylor and a woman by the name of Annette Hebert.



The next day I went to school. Victoria was here, looking no worse for wear, albeit walking unsteadily. "Oh, h-hey." She smiled when she saw me, joining me on the way. "Been a while."

"Feeling better?" I asked. "Your walking kind of funny, though."

"Slight screw-up on the way here," she assured me. "Not to mention I think my legs might be asleep. What about you, stranger? You look like you're in a good mood?"

"You think so?"

"You're smiling more than usual. It's kinda creepy, to be honest."

"Wow. Rude much?"

"Hey, I gotta hit the daily quota somehow!"

As usual, classes were a mixed bag of exciting and boring, but lunch was more excitable than usual. The boys were happy that Victoria was back, especially Dead. Cuddle time was back to being a regular thing, as was Dennis and Chris' jokes they should get married. That said, Amy was still absent. Victoria said there was a situation at home that needed to be handled and she volunteered to deal with it. I chalked it up to family drama, as well as a reminder as to who her family was.

"Do you mind if I ask a personal question?" I asked suddenly.

Victoria shrugged. "Go right ahead, so long as it isn't anything creepy."

"What's it like having a cape family?"

Next to me, Dennis snickered. "She gets that question more than you'd think."

"It's not too bad, I guess?" Victoria looked thoughtful. "I mean, my cousin and aunt are still going even though New Wave's pretty much disbanded, but outside of the family barbeque stuff I normally don't see them very often. Mom hasn't gone out for heroics since…" Her mood darkened some, but otherwise she kept up her smile. "But, not many people bother her. Sure, we get the occasional fan coming up to greet us, and me too because, hello, daughter of Brandish and all that, but other than that it's pretty normal."

"…huh."

The blonde girl grinned. "What, disappointed it's not as exciting as you thought?"

"Nothing like that. I just thought you'd have a bunch of creeps looking to get into your good graces because of who your family is."

"Oh, she did and still does," Dean chimed in. "As well as the occasional stalker."

I deadpanned. "…are they still alive?"

"In prison, but yes," Victoria answered without missing a beat. "Sometimes Mom scares them off with a lightshow. She might be retired, but she's still a cape. Enough about me, though. How about you, Taylor? What's your family like?"

Once again, everything in the world felt right as I ignored everything else. Unlike last night, though, I felt something was wrong. There was this feeling in the back of my head, my hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

But…what?



"Is everything all set to go for the party?"

"Yes, Your Grace. Everything is prepared for tomorrow's festivities…"

Strix looked away from the nameless grunt and at the stage. He took count of the number of people gathered for the upcoming performance. All the actors were in place, save for a few last minute additions. A few extras was nothing to worry about, though he would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed. Ever since his arrival in the Human World, he expected to find a decent challenge and found his opponents wanting. The capes were nothing to write home about, and the one Devil Hunter he encountered was no more than a greenhorn.

"Vergil" as she called herself was a curiosity. He felt Zion's Shard within her, but there was no mistaking the demonic energy coursing through her. A half-breed was nothing special beyond being quite the appetizer, but something told him that girl was different. It was instinctual, he realized. Something in his bones told him that girl was unique.

"If she shows up, this might be exciting," Strix said mostly to himself. He was not going to hold his breath, however. Per that annoying git Valefor's orders, the festivities were kept to the down low with the utmost secrecy. Only a handful of outsiders knew where the party would take place, all just as twisted and crazy as the rest of these idiots.

He hoped she would show up regardless, if only so that he could have an outlet to relieve his boredom.

Oh, holy shit, I'm finally back with this. God, this took fucking forever.

…then again, that probably has to do with 3.11. It's easily gonna be the longest chapter in this whole thing, and that's because it's the last chapter for Muscle.

On that note, Devil Trigger is nearing the end…or, well, the end of its first "season" I suppose. We've got three arcs left. The next arc is filler for lack of better word, much like how 80% of Style was, and the arc following that is build-up for the finale of Mission 1. Which, to be quite frank, I'm dreading on writing because it involves Leviathan, and that bastard has a bad habit of making or breaking a fanfic. If not him, then Jack Slash, who is thankfully being reserved for Mission 2.

At any rate, a major focus for this chapter was focusing on the slife-of-life aspects that I want to focus on more than I should. The world of Worm is grim, it is depressing, and it likes to see you suffer. Stuff like this, that tiny speck of light? This is the sort of stuff I like to read and write about in other Worm fanfics like Constellation.

Fresh reminder this story has a TV Tropes page, so maybe check it out and add to it?

Click to shrink...

 

[SkyRig]

March 13, 2011

If there's one complaint I have against cape life, it's that it barges in at the worst possible time. I'm having the time of my life at the arcade trouncing Chris at F-Zero when I got a phone call. Worse still, it was that ringtone.

My neck burned as everyone turned to stare at me, some judgmental and others in bemusement.

"I didn't know you were a LMFAO fan," Dennis said with the biggest shit-eating grin I've ever seen on him.

"O-one sec," I stammered. "I, um, gotta take this…"

I couldn't get out of the arcade or hit the call button fast enough. "This had better be good, Boss," I growled almost inhumanly. "Because so help me…"

"Ah, calm your tits, sister," Boss chuckled. "I got good news. Swing by the shop. Oh, and make sure you bring a suit. Something hot's about to go down tonight, so make sure you bring your best. You feel me?"

And just like that, my short-lived vacation is over.



"What."

Really, how else was I supposed to react? I was expecting Boss to do his usual thing, mixing drinks and looking, well, like Boss while doing it, maybe be a little intimidating. I half-expected to see him threatening some shmuck who thought it might be a good idea to pick a fight with him. A week ago, a bunch of punks from the ABB tried to gang-press him into joining. Boss made it clear that the Gates of Hell were a neutral zone. So long as you don't start shit, you're free to do business. The idiots who didn't get the memo? Well, suffice to say, they weren't welcome back.

I was expecting to find such a scene, if not see another attempt to recruit boss. Hell, I even thought I'd see someone from the PRT. Instead, I saw a flushed woman in a spiffy suit with and fedora walking out with a noticeable limp. When I reached the lounge area, I found Boss with a wry smile on his face.

"Hey," Rodin greeted. "What took you?"

I glanced at the entrance where the woman left, then back at him. "Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not," Boss shrugged.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Okay…" I said slowly. "What was so important you had me come here instead of telling me over the phone?"

"Waiting."

"For what?"

A second later, a familiar patchwork-armored indie hero walked inside the Gates of Hell. "Sorry I'm late," she panted. "Ran into a few problems. I'm good." She saw me and waved. "Oh, hey. Vergil, nice to see you again."

"Hey," I waved back. "Picked out a name yet?"

"Yeah. I figured it'd be easier if people had something to call me by."

"Oh yeah?"

The cape nodded. "I'm Gemini. Thought it'd be pretty fitting, seeing as how my power lets me make a copy of myself."

"Huh," I said simply. "Cool." I looked back over to Boss. "Okay, so… What's up?"

Boss took a deep puff of his cigar while pushing the manila folder on the counter over to me. I flipped it open and felt my blood freeze. Inside the folder were dozens of photos and something that looked like a PRT report file. The photos showed a theatre of some kind, well more like an opera-house. Very old by the look of it from how dilapidated it was. I saw broken pews, tarnished leather seats, railings from the theatre seats dangling by threads and the uppermost first-class seats scattered all across the top floor. I saw a tattered banner, an ad for what looked like some kind of play.

The theatre was not what scared me. It was the fact that there were cages scattered about the theatre. All of them filled to the brim with people; young, old, children, Japanese, Chinese, American, etc…

And right there, sitting in the front row of seats, was a man with a rotten mask.

"Ohfuckme…" Gemini whispered numbly. "H-how many…?"

Boss exhaled. "How many people went missing since the Fallen showed up?"

Neither of us could answer. We didn't want the answer because we were scared. I couldn't stomach to look at the pictures any longer. I couldn't even look at their faces. Some of them looked broken, physically and mentally. Disgust eventually gave way to broiling anger.

"…where did you get this?" Gemini asked quietly.

"Anonymous tip, albeit a damned good one. Take a look at the floor." He pointed to one picture in particular, tapping his finger at the point of interest. A sigil was seared into the stage, forming a hexagram with Latin writing circling it like a ring. "That's a Hell Circle. Old school stuff, the kind used way back when in the dark ages. Only guys with some serious mojo can use these."

"What's it for?"

Boss grimaced. "Sacrifice." Gemini looked up in horror. My grip on Orthrus tightened like a vice. "These poor souls are just fuel for the Hell Circle. They'll be used to pop open a gateway straight to hell, big enough for some nasty customers to start crawling through." He took another puff of his cigar. "From the look of things, the Fallen ain't satisfied with worshipping your Endbringers anymore. Now they're taking a page out of those wanna-be warlocks worshipping the wrong punk."

"How bad is it gonna be?" I asked. "If something really terrible shows up, how much damage is it going to cause?"

"…enough to know you gotta kill it fast," Boss said simply. "Call up your buddies and get to work. Sooner you stop this shindig, the better."

"And if we run into Strix?"

"Just focus on saving those guys and leave that part to me."

I was surprised to heart that. Gemini was too as we looked at each other. We didn't ask anymore stupid questions and left the Gates of Hell. Gemini hopped aboard a motorbike, clearly tinkertech given the spiffy-looking parts slapped onto it and took off. I followed after her at full speed, running atop the rooftops while speed-typing onto my phone and sending a message to Antares and Purity.

"Party at MicKinley's Opera House. Bring your best suit."



The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Antares and Velocity stood across from Purity, the latter floating a few feet in the air surrounded by light. Gemini shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, understandable given that we were a few seconds away from being in the center of ground zero. Whatever her claims, at the end of the day Purity was still one of the Empire's hardest hitters. No offense to Velocity, but even he would have trouble with her. Same with Antares and myself. I could probably get a few licks on her, but in a straight-up fight?

"Is everyone gonna play nice?" Velocity asked tightly. I could faintly see the vibrations in his fingertips, a sign that he was ready to throw down at a moment's notice.

Purity folded her arms. "So long as you don't get in my way."

I groaned into my palm. This was going to end badly, I could tell.

"Okay, let's all calm down before somebody blows a gasket, please?" Gemini held up her hands placatingly in an attempt to stop the hostilities before they could get out of control. "We're on the same side for now, so let's keep it that way until we rescue everyone?"

"Which means no pissing matches until this thing blows over," I warned.

Everyone looked at us, then at each other. An uneasy truce was settled, though unless I was mistaken Purity was actually shifting about uncomfortably. Velocity was speaking into his helm, no doubt communicating with whoever was on the other side while Antares floated over to me.

"So, new partner?" she asked me with a grin. "What am I, chopped liver?"

I rolled my eyes. "We're not partners. More like work colleagues. She said she's an indie hero and just decided on a name. I dunno how long she's been at this, though."

"She any good?"

"I can vouch for her." I raised an eyebrow. "Are you gonna give her a sales pitch after this?"

The blonde Ward shrugged. "I'll leave that up to Velocity. I'm just glad I was cleared to go back into action after what that asshole did to me." Her mood noticeably darkened, as did mine. "Any idea if the bastard's here?"

"Safe bet, I'd wager."

I tried not to notice the way my hands were shaking or how Antares' fingers twitched. I could not forget how easily we were trounced the last time we fought Strix, or the sheer feeling of helplessness. No matter how hard we tried to fight, he defeated us like we were nothing. I spent countless days in the Void, training in preparation for when he showed up again, but I still felt weak. The memory of our encounter shook me to the core. As we were now, could we even hope to fight him?

Honestly… I don't think we were. I felt infuriated, almost apoplectic for this shame. Ever since the day I Triggered, I despised this feeling of helplessness, how weak I felt.

…but, that was fine. Fighting Strix wasn't important at the moment. What was important was that we saved everyone in the theatre.

"We ignore Strix for now," I said after taking a deep breath to calm myself. "For now, let's just save everyone who was kidnapped."

"And if he tries to pick a fight with us?" Antares retorted. She clearly wanted a rematch with him despite the dangers.

"Leave him to me." We looked at Purity in surprise. "From what I understand, this Strix was able to fight the Protectorate to a stand-still. While I doubt I will be able to kill the bastard, I can give him the fight of his life."

Velocity sighed. "Normally I'd condone against that sort of thing, but given what we know about this guy… Yeah, you kids leave him to us. Just focus on getting those people out of there, okay?"

"But-!"

The Protectorate hero glared. "That's an order, Antares."

Antares looked like she wanted to argue, but any protests she had died under her warden's glare. She looked away and clicked her tongue in frustration. I was going to have a keep an eye on her.

With everything settled, we began the operation. Several PRT officers were on standby, some waiting in plainclothes and others in armored cars. The plan Velocity proposed was to stealthily enter the building and scope out the inside. Once we confirmed the status of the civilians, the PRT would rush in. Battery and Triumph would wait on standby, so when the party starts, they'll be the first to barge inside.

Sneaking inside turned out to be pretty easy thanks to Purity. She practically cut a hole in the wall with a laser and melted it back in place once we were inside. The further we went inside, the more I felt that gnawing discomfort in my stomach. The buzzing in the back of my head wouldn't stop.

I hope this went well…



In the main part of the theatre, Strix suddenly looked up. One of the Fallen grunts noticed this and looked at her superior. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

"Not at all…" Underneath the wooden mask, the demon grinned. "In fact, everything's perfect. We got everything in place?"

"Yes, your grace. We've finished the preparations."

"Perfect!" He stood up and clapped his hands gleefully. "Then let's get this party started!"



Before the mook noticed me, I wrapped my arms around his neck and yanked him back, dragging him away from his friends. Seconds later he went limp. I gently set the unconscious Fallen down on the ground and wrapped some plastic bindings around their wrists and ankles. Ahead of me, Antares and Gemini finished dealing with their mooks as well.

So far we've managed to keep our presence to the minimum, quietly taking out any Fallen grunts we ran into along the way. We were up on the second level, where the high-class seats in the theatre were. There was a surprisingly low number of Fallen around, given what Boss was implying. With how important this shindig was, I expected to see a bunch more. Of course it was equally possible the main bulk was at ground level and keeping a close eye on the "food" so to speak.

Even now, the mere thought of it makes my stomach churn in a way I hadn't felt since I came across the Bloody Cape.

"One more down," Antares huffed. "We good here?"

"Seems like," Gemini muttered back. "Velocity, how much further until we reach the main area?"

The speedster pointed to the double doors ahead of us. "Right past there. Come on."

We carefully strode through the halls, Purity covering our rear. Since this was an infiltration mission, her light was dimmed to the point I could actually see her costume under all that bright light and glare. It was pretty plain, little more than a full-coverage bodysuit with a full-covering mask over her head. I vaguely saw what looked like safety-goggle-like lenses grafted onto the mask, but that appeared to be where the light was most intense.

Gemini gently pushed the doors open, entering the theatre's second level. If the place looked disheveled from the pictures, it was worse in-person. The metal network above us was no more than twisted, meshed lumps of metal that were barely hanging on as is while the catwalks were gone. A good portion of the second level was demolished and reduced to splinters with no shortage of holes. There were scorch marks seared into the floor, walls, and whatever seats still intact after all these years.

"The hell happened here?" I heard Gemini ask. "It looks like Lung went through here!"

Velocity looked as though he was going to answer, but his focus was almost immediately captured by the sight of the hostages down below. Little under a dozen metal cages, all housing god knows how many people. Several Fallen gathered around the main stage, though unlike the others we found these ones dressed in long robes, the kind you'd see stereotypical mages in video games wear.

Leading them in whatever weird-ass ritual they were planning was Strix, lounging by the front seats as though he were part of the audience.

I hiss through clenched teeth, phantom pain running across my stomach. I felt something wash over me, a feeling of intense anger and abhorrent fear and—

"Tone it down, Antares," Velocity warned.

The feeling abated. I blinked in confusion, shaking my head as whatever the hell happened began to fade. "Sorry," the blonde Ward said genuinely. "Seeing that asshole just…"

"I know, kid. I know."

"What the hell was that?" Gemini asked. "Was that a Master power?"

Antares looked guilty. "Sort of. I can generate an 'aura' that affects people. Comes in two settings, making people love me or straight up terrified. I usually use it on two-bit thugs and people in a panic, but I slip up every now and then."

"Wow. Sounds useful…"

"It is and it isn't."

While Antares explained her power, Velocity tapped into communications and began relaying information back to 'Console', whoever they are. I glanced back at the main stage, looking at the people inside. They all looked scared out of their minds, clearly frightened and clinging to each other. I couldn't blame them. They were taken from their families and homes, kidnapped by an honest-to-god apocalypse cult, and clearly in danger. They did not know what kind of danger, but they knew something was happening.

I looked at the gathered faces, looking to see if there were any I recog…nized…

Holy fucking shit.

"Is that…?"

"What the fuck? Why is Madison down there?!"

I stared at Gemini in shock. "You know her?!"

"Y-yeah…" The indie cape nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off the red-head squirming inside the cage with a dozen other people. "She's friends with someone I know."

I was tempted to ask if that person was named Emma or Sophia, but I stilled my tongue. I did not want to invade Gemini's privacy, no matter how much I wanted to know. Besides, with any luck, I'd find out once this shit was over and done with.

"Wait, what do you mean he's coming here?!" All eyes turned to Velocity. The speedster sounded both surprised and aggravated. "I don't—look, if he's here to help, let him! Just give us the word when…" He trailed off, his eyes showing clear frustration and annoyance with Console. "Look, the sooner we wait… H-hang on, what's—"

That was as far as he got when a loud 'BANG' echoed through the theatre. I was not ashamed to say I jumped a foot into the air by the sudden noise. The Fallen were just as startled and quickly whirled around to greet the intruder, brandishing weapons like guns, rifles, barbed-wire bats, and crowbars. Strix, meanwhile, could only chuckle as he rose to his feet, conjuring a familiar wicked-looking scythe.

"You know, I was expecting that little girl to show up," he said loudly as he turned to greet Boss, who walked inside the theatre like he owned the place. "What circle of hell did you crawl out of?"

"The kind that'd send whoever shoved that stick up your ass crying to dear old daddy Mundus," Boss retorted, huffing a cloud of smoke. He was not wearing his regular ensemble and apparently dressed for the occasion, now clad in a sparkling gold Japanese robe with a dark-brown coat over it. "Not that it's any of your business. I have to say, I'm a little disappointed. Been a while since I ran into some hotshot from the Underworld, and what do I find? Him playing house with a bunch of punks worshipping a bunch of Godzilla rejects."

I giggled in amusement as I heard Purity and Velocity choking. It was understandable of course; after all, whoever heard of calling Endbringers "rejects"?

The Fallen didn't appreciate Boss talking smack about them either. "You dare?!"

"Quiet now, princess. The adults are talking."

"Why you—"

"Shut the fuck up," Strix ordered succinctly. The goon promptly shut up and gulped. "And as for why I'm working with them… Well, their momma made me an interesting offer. Who was I to deny such a passionate request? Still, I wish she found more worthwhile people to recruit. Good help is so hard to find, especially when you're plotting the end of the world and all that jazz."

"Excuse me, but what the fuck did he just say?!" Antares gaped. "Is he fucking serious?!"

"Oh, so you're a B-list movie freak too?" Boss asked in bemusement. "Good to know." He took another quick huff of his cigar before incinerating the cancer stick. I felt the air itself start to tremble. "Normally I wouldn't give two shits about what comes crawling the woodwork, but I'm on vacation, you see. You summoning one of your boys means more work for me, which means less time for me to relax, so how about you do me a solid and die?"

It happened in the blink of an eye. One moment everything was still, frozen as if locked in a moment of time. The next, Boss moved and the whole world exploded. Everything went black for a moment. When everything came back into focus, I realized I was lying upside down, my back against the wall and my legs dangling in the air.

"…what…?" was all I could get out while trying to get the god-awful ringing in my ears to stop. I felt movement around me and muffled voices, but everything was blurry.

I fell on my side and stumbled back up to my feet, shaking my head to get rid of the ringing. Once it stopped and my vision corrected itself, I could not help but gape. "Holy shit."

There was very little else I could say. The theatre looked like crap before, but whatever Boss did gave it one hell of a face-lift. The entire back side of the theatre no longer existed; the walls were just gone, reduced to nothing. The archway and wings were completely demolished, shattered to the point of being little more than splinters and broken wooden shrapnel decorating whatever remained. The stage was shattered and cracked apart like glass. The ceiling now sported a giant hole showing the starry night sky and moon.

Thankfully, none of the kidnapped people were hurt as the cages were surrounded by golden barriers etched with runes. The same could not be said about the Fallen, who were scattered about the place, some dangling from the rafters and first-class seats. Boss stood tall and proud, back turned to me, the PRT, and Purity, the latter of whom were apparently coming to as they groaned and got up. Strix was lying in front of the ruined stage, battered and broken and missing an arm.

At a second glance, he actually looked worse. His stomach was ripped to shreds, exposing his insides. Any doubts that he was a demon were effectively gone when I saw something squirming where his intestines should be. I couldn't quite see what exactly it was from this distance, and to be frank? I did not want to know. All I saw was how it sloshed and wriggled, tubes and tendrils digging into misshapen lumps of flesh, all that remained of Strix's stomach.

"What the heck just happeeeoooooh holy crap," Velocity stared bug-eyed at the damage before him. "What—how did—"

Gemini and Antares gulped in unison. "…Gem, Vergil?" the latter squeaked. "Is your boss Triumvirate level, by any chance?"

"After seeing this?" Gemini said weakly. "I'm thinking yes."

In the midst of all this, I finally took notice of the PRT soldiers securing the area. Triumph walked up next to Boss, nodding and thanking him before turning his attention to Strix. I saw the visible flinch throughout his body when he took in the demon's state.

"You know, I should be dragging you to HQ about lethal force," I heard Triumph say to Boss. "But seeing this asshole? I think I'll settle for buying you a drink."

"W-well…" Strix coughed. "It looks like…I was mistaken…" He looked up at Boss, tilting his head in curiosity. "You're not one of us, it seems… A cousin, perhaps?"

Boss took out a cigar, lighting it up with a snap of a finger. "And if I am?"

"Heh… If I knew someone from Inferno was here, I'd have prepped a bigger party. Oh well… I'll settle…for a little get-together then…"

Triumph grabbed Strix by the lapels of his coat. "You're not doing anything other than getting a one-way ticket to the Birdcage."

"I'm afraid…" Strix laughed.

I felt my blood freeze. Why? Why was he laughing?

"…that won't be happening. Goliath's been waiting…a long time, you see… Let's not keep…him waiting…any longer."

Purple flames coalesced around his hand.

I wasn't sure what happened next. I knew something was coming, something bad, and my body reacted on instinct. In a burst of speed I never thought possible, I flickered across the theatre and grabbed Triumph by the collar of his armor, quickly pulling him away right as the stage was consumed in a violet inferno. The barriers protecting the cages held strong and Boss didn't look so much as burnt even as he stood amid the flames. However, while the hostages were safe, I couldn't say the same for the Fallen and some of the PRT soldiers. They were all consumed by the fire, screaming and wailing. Some floundered about, swinging their arms like madmen.

The feeling from before came back in full force as the flames turned scarlet, embers flowing into the cracked stage. The Hell Circle lit up like a Christmas tree and proceeded to literally bleed out into the floor, creating a circular wax-like puddle of red.

"What the hell's going on?!" Triumph shouted in dismay.

Boss grimaced. "Well, shit." He looked back at me. "Dukes up, sister. Shit's about to get real."

"What? What are you—" I blinked. Boss was nowhere to be found. "Oh, you mother—"

That was as far as I got before raw power screamed into being and tore its way into reality. An explosion of red that created a shockwave so strong it tore down the theatre like it was paper. All of us were sent flying into the air as an ungodly roar echoed and reverberated for all to hear.



To an outside observer, it looked as though all hell broke loose. An explosion of red light ripped apart the theatre so completely there was virtually nothing left of it. The surrounding area was no better, with the nearby buildings demolished and broken apart like dirt. Car sirens went off in response to the quake. The streets and pavement were broken apart as though something tore them up and ripped them from their foundations. The soldiers outside the theatre were scrambling for cover, others taking position when they saw something moving in the giant could of dust covering what remained of the theatre.

"Aaah, the Human World… It's been far too long!"

This can't be real, Madison Clements thought as she stared up at the Endbringer. Th-this is a nightmare!

What else could she call it? How else could she describe it? She and everybody else taken by the Fallen looked at the monster in horror as it rose from its kneeling position. Its body looked as though it were made from stone and fur, a disgusting muggy heat radiating from its body. It was at least five stories high, maybe even bigger. It stood on two furry legs with three-pointed hooves for feet and a whishing tail with spikes at the tip. Its hands were claws, talon-like fingers curved and pointed with flaming embers dropping from its smouldering forearms. Fur covered its neck and face, two curved horns jutting out from its forehead with a wide toothy grin and four orange-red eyes. The worst feature, in her mind, was the face plastered across its stomach, sporting dozens of yellow eyes with a snarling, fanged mouth.

"Oh, god…" the blonde kid next to her whimpered. "Oh god oh god oh god…"

The Endbringer chuckled, rolling its next and shrugging its shoulders while looking about the area with a mix of fascination and curiosity. When its eyes fell upon them, Madison felt her body lock up. She couldn't move. She couldn't even breathe.

It grinned. Everybody screamed. Some managed to get up and run, leaving the rest for dead. "More sacrifices," it purred. "How…fortunate."

It reached for the nearest group; Madison and three others.

Oh, god. This is it. This is where I die, the girl realized as tears flowed down her face. She thought about her life up to this point, of the mistakes she made. A white-haired girl from the Boardwalk came to her mind. I never got to apologize… I… I…!

[Destination/Trajectory]

[Agreement]

[Interconnect/Interlink/Congregate]

[Accept]

For a moment, Madison felt everything fizzle out. Then she felt the Endbringer's glare grow hostile.

"Zion…!"

The clawed hand turned into a fist. It reared its arm back. Madison heard someone scream and she shut her eyes, unwilling to see the end.

"HEY, ASSHOLE!"

Madison's eyes snapped open in time to see a hauntingly familiar girl with long white hair and a blue jacket leap at the Endbringer, slashing her sword across its face. Antares followed behind her with a punch to the face.



If somebody told me I was going to save my former bully, I would have laughed and spit in their face. If someone also told me I'd have to fight a giant-ass demon, I would have asked if they were on crack.

The demon in question was…big. As big as the nearby buildings, and made every warning bell in my head go off. I thought I knew what to expect from demons after I fought the Bloody Cape last month. Strix disabused me of that notion, and this thing reaffirmed them. It sweltered with power, steam rising off its body and the ground hissing and seemingly burning with each step it took.

Next to me, Antares was nursing her hand. The cloth around her fist was burnt and the skin underneath an irate red, steam wafting off her knuckles.

"Okay, we have its attention…" the Ward hissed in pain. "Now what?"

I flipped Orthrus, switching to its colder element. Flakes of ice fell from the blade as I assumed a stance. "Now we kill it."

The demon did not look happy at our intervention or that we had the gall to strike it so blatantly. To my dismay, the cut I made was superficial, barely even a scratch. I didn't even draw any blood.

"Worthless insects," it snarled. "You dare strike me? Do you know who I am?!"

"I'm gonna go on a guess and say Santa Claus?" Antares said. I laughed in spite of myself and grinned back at her.

Her taunt only made the demon madder. "I will feast on your bones, feeble creature! Feel the wrath—" It raised both fists high into the air. The air grew hotter. Antarest shot into the air while I jumped away towards one of the nearby buildings that hadn't caved in. Not a moment too soon as the demon brought its fists down. "—of the mighty Colossus!"

Volcanic Giant
Colossus

​

The earth shattered beneath the weight of its strike, sending chunks of concrete everywhere. One nearly clipped Antares out of the air. Whatever bits of concrete remained under its attack started to melt, turning to slimy black tar that clung to its talons. I sent several Summon Swords at it, all hitting their mark. With such a large target, there was no way I could miss, and yet the swords did not sink deep enough into its flesh. Its hide was too thick.

"In that case…!" I leaped out and struck again, aiming for its neck. I felt the sword cut into the flesh, ice seeping into the wound. I didn't draw blood. "Tch!" Goliath reached to swat me away and I jumped away, slashing at its fingers mid-escape. Antares fell like a rock and drove her foot into Colossus' face, striking his eye. The demon roared and swat around its face before glaring at her in anger. She tried to dart away, but Colossus was faster. It swiped her out of the air and sent her flying straight into the concrete, where she bounced around like a ragdoll and tore up the road in the process.

Purity made herself known by blasting beams of blinding, intense light at its exposed backside. I couldn't tell if the attack succeeded in wounding or annoying it as it whirled around and spewed gouts of flame. Purity blocked the incoming flames with a wall of light. Triumph also showed up by blasting Goliath with waves of eardrum-shattering sound. That only made Colossus huff and respond by tearing out a chunk of a nearby building and throwing it straight at him.

I jumped back into the action by jumping at its neck and driving Orthrus as deep as possible. Ice began to seep into the wound, though not fast enough. Before I could jump away, Colossus snatched me and proceeded to slam me into the ground. The entire front of my body seared in pain before the bastard followed up by punting me into a brick wall. I spilled out into the inside of the building, coughing up a lung while trying to get up.

"Hey, kid!" Velocity showed up next to me in a red blur. "You alright?!" I glared at him through my visor, which I now noticed was cracked and fizzing out. "…okay, stupid question."

"Y-you have a plan?" I wheezed.

Velocity grimaced. "Yeah, calling in as much back-up as possible and keep collateral damage to a minimum if possible. Sadly…"

A bestial roar shook the air. The ground trembled as I heard the sounds of battle continue, followed shortly by Purity hitting the ground and making a human-shaped indenture in a nearby van.

"I don't think he's making it easy for us. Fucking hell, what is that thing? An Endbringer?!"

"A demon," I spat, calling Orthrus back into my hand. "A very ugly one. One I'm going to enjoy tearing its fucking head off."

With that, I jumped back into the fray in time to see Gemini and her negative-colored twin latched onto the demon's back with their grappling hooks, reeling themselves in and slicing up rough skin with their shields. Sadly, like with my sword, their cuts were superficial or failed to cut deep enough. They quickly maneuvered away when Colossus attempted to squash them, leaving it open for Antares to drive a dumpster truck into the back of its head. The front of the car practically crumpled in on itself, but it did the job and caused Colossus to stumble.

Velocity chose at that moment to enter the fray with quick thinking, getting rope from somewhere and pulling it taut enough for it to catch Colossus' foot mid-stumble and force the bastard to the ground with a thud. I wasted no time in getting close, landing right next to Goliath's head.

"Clench your fucking teeth," I growled and drove Orthrus into its eye as deep as possible. For added measure, I sent dozens of flaming Summoned Swords into it other eye as well. Blood splattered across my body; better yet, large clumps of ice formed around Orthrus, digging deeper into the demon's eye socket.

"AAAAAGH!" Colossus' screams of pain were music to my ears up until it turned into a scream of fury and thrashed about the ground, forcing me to disengage. It climbed back to its feet and glared at us. "Stop buzzing around, you pests!" The mouth on his stomach opened wide, revealing what looked like magma boiling within its maw and—

"WHOASHIT!"

An explosion of hellfire flowed out from the second mouth. Dodging the stream of hellfire was easy, but what came afterward was another story. A turbulent wind pulled in everything in the path of the flame, even the lingering plumes and embers left behind by the breath. Pieces of rubble, cars, even us. Everything was being pulled into Colossus' gaping maw.

"Shiiiiiiit!"

I saw Gemini latched on to a nearby building with her grappling hook. Antares dug her fingers into the side of a building and held on for dear life. Triumph and Velocity clung to a dented light pole. I grounded my heels into the ground and stabbed Orthrus into the ground, keeping my body as low to the ground as possible. Ice quickly spread through the ground and wrapped around my feet. I bit the inside of my cheek, feeling the ice digging into the exposed flesh.

It was better than the last time I felt it back when I met Antares, but it was still an unpleasant experience.

…wait a second, where's—

I got my answer when a light-wrapped figure flailed past me, unable to escape the vacuum. Purity struggled and fought back against the vacuum, but she couldn't break free. I acted immediately, sending ice-infused Summoned Swords into the maw. Twenty, fifty, a hundred—I didn't stop to keep count of how many I created, only that I sent out everything I could muster.

Colossus' flaming maw clenched shut, sputtering flames with bits of frost falling from the corners of its mouth. The demon's face scrunched as if it tasted something sour before suddenly grinning. The sound of gnashing teeth and disturbingly familiar gurgling came from its belly before opening it again. A ball of molten fire came flying at Purity, who couldn't dodge in time and took a direct hit.

"Purity!" Gemini called out.

Another molten ball came flying, aimed directly for the Protectorate heroes. Triumph untangled himself from the streetlight pole and created a wall of deafening sound that rippled the air itself. The ball seemingly stopped in mid-air, leaving it open for me to slice through with Orthrus. It fell apart and splattered to the ground, revealing melted bits of metal and concrete.

"Bastard!" Antares shot toward Colossus with a fist cocked. The demon responded by grinning and meeting her charge, throwing its head forward. Her fist collided with its forehead, causing the air to shake for a moment. For a second everything was still. Then Antares was knocked back, crying out in pain. I saw her hand steaming.

"Pitiful!" Colossus sneered before backhanding her. Her body went smashing straight through a brick wall. "Even with the power Zion gave you insects, you're still nothing! You're not even fit to pick out of my teeth!"

"Zion…?"

There it was. That name again. Orthrus mentioned that name also, but I still don't get it. What does this 'Zion' have to do with parahumans?

I shook my head. I could think about that later. I needed to think about how to win. Come on, think. Its skin is too thick to cut through properly, and its body is too hot to maintain physical contact properly for very long, but it has to have some kind of weakness. I made the bastard bleed when I stabbed my sword through its eye.

…hang on. Earlier, when it tried to suck us in. What if…?

"Gemini!" I called out to my fellow Devil Hunter. "Can you and Triumph keep him busy?!"

"What?!"

"Just trust me!"

I quickly whirled around and ran over to where Purity had fallen earlier. I found her lying on her side, costume burnt and ripped up. Part of her face was exposed; not all of it, just enough to see a patch of singed brown hair and a blue eye.

"Hey!" I called out to her, grabbing her shoulder and shaking her. "Hey, come on! Wake up!" The eye was unfocused and glazed over. The light was dimmed. I feared we lost our heaviest hitter in this fight. Then the light started to return to her eye. She blinked, iris slowly growing more focused.

"…ow…"

"Can you still fight?"

"I-I think so…" Light began to wrap around her like a cloak, obscuring the tear in her mask. "How are we doing…?"

I grimaced. "Getting our asses kicked." I looked over my shoulder and winced.

Gemini was hanging in the air for all but two seconds before gravity pulled her down and fell flat on top of an overturned car, crumpling the door beneath her weight. Her shield was cracked and fizzing out. Triumph was being carried piggy-back by Velocity, the former bleeding from the thigh if the dribbling red stream down his leg was any indication. Antares was flying around, using a car as a makeshift weapon. Said car was less of a vehicle and more of a misshapen lump of metal.

Colossus looked no worse for wear. I could see our attacks were having some effect, but not much. His body was covered in cuts and gashes, his butchered eye still covered in ice, but otherwise barely hindered whatsoever. That said, he was acting sluggish. I couldn't tell if that was because of the ice-infused Summoned Swords I shoved down his gullet or his stamina running low, and something told me it was not the latter. Even if he was slowing down, it did not change the fact that the heroes weren't built for this kind of battle. Antares was hiding it well, but I could tell she was not doing well. She was favoring her right arm more, even though I saw mainly swinging with her left fist most fights.

"D-damn," Purity hissed, clutching her side. I smelled blood on her. "Where was the Fallen hiding this bastard…?"

For a moment, I wondered where Strix was. I pushed him aside in favor of the big ugly bastard wrecking my city. I take a deep breath and start to calm my mind. I needed to focus. I needed to do better.

"Fighting pansies is all well and good if you're playing hero, but there are times when you gotta take off the kiddy gloves," Boss' words echoed back to me when I started working under him. "Demons don't play nice with others no matter who they are. No reason for you not to hold back against them, either. When you fight them, don't play hero, sister. Fight like your life's on the line. Fight like the monster you are. Don't think about it too much, just let your inner devil come out to play."

My inner devil… To be honest, I still did not understand what Boss meant by that. Maybe this was the perfect time for that.

"That mouth on his stomach seems to be his weak point," I said as I fell into position, feet spread apart and Orthrus sliding back into its scabbard. My fingers wrapped around the hilt like a vice. For a moment, I felt clashing elements throb within my grasp; the ebb and flow of an unforgiving tundra and volatile wildfire. I focused on that feeling. "Do you think you can bombard it the next time he opens it?"

Purity's light shined a little brighter. "I can damn well try."

I smirked. I cleared my mind and focus on everything in front of me. I do not see the heroes fighting or the destruction around me. I see only my enemy. A monster to be slain and cut down.

I would not allow this gap in power to stop me. If it did, everything I cared about was going to disappear. Maybe in Colossus' belly.

Like hell I'll allow that.

As if reacting to my thoughts, Orthrus rumbles with power. My smile turned feral and I feel it for but a moment. A ping of instinct.

I let it loose.

Spoiler: Taste the Blood

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RK_aR078Do

It happened so quickly and suddenly, Colossus did not understand what happened at first.

One moment he was laying waste to this human city and in the process of killing Zion's little flesh bags. He could feel that golden bastard's power radiating off them to varying degrees. Why that disgusting thing gave such power to weaklings, he had no idea. Nor did he care. All that mattered was establishing his dominance. This human city would be the first step to establishing his rule and become the beginnings of his epic. He would rise above his kin and become King!

The humans of this city would become his sacrifice towards greatness. One such human was betwixt his fingers, struggling to free herself while screaming in pain as the heat burned away at her body. He raised her to his mouth, ready to bite her in half.

Then he felt a chilling cold pass through his maw and steel slice his tongue clean off. The pain was dull and he would not have noticed it until he tasted his own blood pooling his mouth. Then he felt the cold overcome the pain and hissed.

"Who dares—" A blistering heat came next. It was nowhere near as strong as his, but it was hot enough to cause his skin to crack and calcify. The fingers holding the blonde human fell along with the human, hitting the ground beneath him. A blue-and-black blur sped past his field of vision and snatched the human mid-air.

The blur was that white-haired human with the Devil's Arm, who skidded to a stop. She gently set her fellow human down and turned her gaze to Colossus. It was then Colossus noticed something different about this human. She bore the same stench as the rest of these 'parahumans', but there was a tinge to it. Familiar, but different. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. He glared at the strange human before him for a moment before he realized what the tinge represented.

His grin threatened to split his mouth. "A half-breed…?"

It had been a long time since he came across their kind. A surprise to be sure, but a pleasant and exciting one. Surely this creature would give him a better fight than these weaklings. Excitement swelled through Colossus. He grabbed two discarded cars and shoveled them inside his second mouth, then spat them out in a single ball. The half-breed evaded the attack by jumping onto the side of a building, blitzing across it and crossing the distance between them in moments. She leaped at him and swung her Devil's Arm, creating a wave of flame that obscured his vision.

"Pathetic whelp! My fire exceeds yours!" Colossus expelled a plume of flame, intending to snuff them out. Just as his fire consumed hers, they were expelled and overwhelmed by a cloud of steam that consumed his field of vision. Before he could blow the steam away, a hail of icy blades threw themselves against his face. By themselves, the blades could not do much, but the cold proved an annoyance. He shielded his face and swung his arm out to blow away the steam.

He felt something land on his outstretched arm and something sharp cut into his hide, filling the wound with a harsh frigid chill that swiftly crawled up his arm. He swatted at the annoyance, but felt nothing squish beneath his palm. Silver gleamed through the cloud, and before he could retaliate or defend, it slashed at his eye. Ice filled the wound, icicles digging through the wounded flesh.

Colossus roared in pain, clutching the wounded portion of his face and snarling in rage. "Damnable wretch!" He stomped on the ground, cracking it apart and sending a shockwave through the ruined streets and flailing his arms, finally dispelling the cloud of steam. He caught sight of the half-breed dangling from the ruined remains of a building, sword stabbed into a concrete pillar. "Found you!" he leered and moved to crush her, only to stumble when a wave of abominable noise crashed into him.

It was the same insects from before, the speedster and the banshee that annoyed him to no end. He attempted to squash them, but the red-clad human dashed away before he could crush them under heel. He looked back up in time to see the half-breed in motion, gliding past his face and dragging her sword along his cheek. The incessant chill of her blade was growing into an annoyance as was her leaping. He blew another plume of flame right as she landed. She swung her sword, creating a arctic gust that stopped the flames dead and created a small puff of steam.

In anger, he threw his fist forward and smashed it into the building, causing it to crack and crumble beneath the weight. The half-breed dodged and used his shoulder as a spring-board, jumping to another building. Colossus leaped after her, jumping high into the air and bringing his entire weight down. The half-breed jumped away again, but he had a clear view of where she was going and spat out another plume.

To his glee, the attack struck dead center and knocked her out of the air and back onto the ground. When he fell on top of the building feet-first, he all but sent it crashing down. Only the left side of the wall was left standing, though it looked so fragile a mere gust would knock it down.

"And now… You die!" Cackling with glee, Colossus opened his secondary maw and began to draw everything into it. The crumbling remains of the buildings nearby were pulled into his stomach, melting and grinding within his furnace alongside any destroyed cars. The girl dug her sword into the ground, but it was useless. She was already caught in his pull. In a few seconds, she would be no more than nourishment.

The half-breed struggled in vain to keep herself close to the ground, even firing off those icicle blades of hers. They were painful to ingest, yes, but he need only wear her down. He could endure the pain a while longer.

Colossus learned too late this was a fatal mistake, not noticing the brilliant, burning light ahead of the half-breed.

He only noticed the light when it reached its apex, glowing hot like a star. Then his world turned to white-hot blinding pain as the light tunneled into his stomach and exploded, detonating like a bomb. The force was so great it caused his hide to burn and crack apart, spewing flames pouring out from his own body. He shrieked with pain, stumbling and gasping. He tried to close his secondary mouth, only to realize that it did him no good. The blast created a gaping hole where the contents of his maw were spilling out and sizzling against the concrete.

"N-no…" Colossus wheezed. "H-how can this…?"

The humans took advantage of his dazed state. The half-breed sent a surge of ice towards him and trapped his feet in thick clumps, icicles and spikes digging into the weakened flesh. Steel wires wrapped around his wrists and pulled, yanking his arms back. When he feebily tried to struggle, he met absurd resistance. The speedster had temporarily abandoned his comrade and grabbed hold of the shield-wearing woman and was slamming his feet against the pavement at ludicrous speeds, ensuring he could not move his arms.

Between his weakened state and immobilized limbs, he had no defense against the light-wearing human as she proceeded to bombard him in explosive blasts of light. Each attack wore down his hide, some tearing off chunks of flesh. He tried to retaliate, mustering the strength to spew a gout of flame. The blonde human from before intercepted, carrying that sound-blaring wench in her arms and letting him create a wave of nauseating sound that left him gurgling.

Disbelief overtook Colossus. This…could not be happening. It was not possible. These humans were weak. Helpless! He was but thrashing them around as though they were nothing before, so how did they muster the strength to mount such a counter-offensive? Where did they find the strength?!

"Hmph. Worthless runt. You will never become King." The scathing words of his kin came back to Colossus and filled him with newfound rage.

He would not accept this. He refused to accept this! He was a demon, a higher being! He was stronger than these worthless creatures! He was not like Goliath! He would succeed!

"Damn…you…to…hell…!"

In an act of defiance, Colossus mustered every last ounce of his strength and collected every remaining power in his body, gathering it within his maw. He felt his body strain beneath the pressure and the bombardment, the risk of death very clear. He no longer cared if he died, so long as it meant these humans would burn in his flames.

At its apex, the collective power began to break apart his jaw and face. His remaining two eyes were burning, melting into orange sludge. He could no longer see anything. He did not need to.

"DIE!"

One moment, he unleashed his final attack.

In the next—

"You first."

—a Devil in the making sliced off his head and sent the flames billowing into the sky.



It hurt. Every part of my body hurt in ways I never imagined. My back felt like it was on fire, something was stabbing the right of my insides, my left arm was totally numb and smelled very much like burnt flesh, and my legs wouldn't budge.

I just laid there on the ground, in the middle of the ruined city block, relishing how cold the concrete felt. I was pretty sure most of it had to do with the ice I made earlier to keep Colossus pinned, but I didn't care.

"Wow…" Gemini croaked. "O-one hell of a firework show…"

Velocity set her down against one of the nearby slabs of rubble that hadn't been ingested by the giant bastard. Her armor was, to put it mildly, rendered FUBAR. The metal was scorched, burnt, melted practically everywhere, and her shield was broken apart in so many different places I could see the exposed wiring and circuits. Her helmet was also cracked, looking ready to fall apart any second.

I glanced at the "fireworks" she referred to. Colossus' last-ditch attack seared the sky itself, tearing open a hole in the cloudy sky above. I could still smell the brimstone and smoke. I swear I could see the lingering embers as well. I looked back at Colossus' body…or rather the top half of his head, which would have been staring back at me if not for his eyes being destroyed. One set was caked in ice and the other set melted out of his sockets.

"…think Boss will make us something really badass out of this?" I winced. It hurt to talk. Ugh, my healing factor couldn't kick in fast enough.

Gemini laughed weakly. "He fucking better…" she said, her words lacking any heat whatsoever. "Because after this? I am so taking a vacation…"

…vacation sounded good right about now.

I heard my phone go off in my coat pocket. I would have been amazed by the fact that it somehow managed to survive all this chaos if not for the fact that I recognized the ringtone and groaned. Against my arm's angry protests, every muscle burning in pain from even the slightest movement, I dug into my pocket and answered the call, bringing the phone to my ear.

"Hey, Dad…" I said, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, thank god you picked up!" Dad sobbed. "I thought the worst happened. Honey, w-where are you?"

I glanced at Gemini, who waved awkwardly at me. "Hanging out with a friend… Something happen?"

"No shit something happened! The whole damn city block over by MicKinley's just exploded and there's a ten-foot monster running around!"

"Oh…"

I was almost tempted to tell him I killed it. Almost. I still wasn't ready for that talk quite yet. That and I was too fucking tired to think.

"J-just stay where you are, a-a-and promise me you'll stay safe, okay kiddo?!"

"Okay…" I slurred.

The call ended shortly afterwards. I glared at the decapitated head of Colossus again for a moment before sighing and closing my eyes. Sweet unconsciousness took me moments later. My last thoughts before falling asleep were of the thrill, the exhilaration, the moment in which something inside of me seemed to wake up and take control.

It felt like I was in the passenger seat while a professional driver took the wheel. I was but a stranger in my own body, dancing to the whims of another. It was a feeling unlike anything I've felt before. It was like the moments in which I found myself truly backed against the wall, only stronger and sweeter. I felt I understood Boss' words about letting my inner Devil out to play a little better now.

Even so, I could not deny how frightening it was. The cold edge that seeped into me, the sheer commitment to cut down Colossus unlike anything I'd felt before, not even when I fought the Bloody Cape.

Worse, I still felt its lingering presence. It was there, in the far corner of my mind. Not present, but not totally gone. It was waiting. Waiting for another chance to be let loose upon the world.

It finally struck home then. It was sinking in, the fact that I, Taylor Hebert, was no longer normal. Not human, but something else. Something more.

The last thought I had echoed through my head as I fell asleep, the exhaustion taking its toll.

What am I?

Longest chapter thus far, and for good reason. Have I ever mentioned how much I hated writing action scenes. Such pains in the ass!

…well, at least Taylor's bagged her first major demon. Colossus is not a counterpart or expy of Goliath from DMC5 and is in fact the same species of demon. Think of him like the Bael to Goliath's Dagon. (For you philistines who don't recognize the names, the toad demons from DMC4 you fight in Fortuna Castle.)

Rodin actually intervening on this isn't so much me trying to get Strix or make him out to be a bigger bad than he actually is as he is trying to get rid of a potential problem. Like Rodin said, he's on vacation, and Strix complicates things more than he should by trying to summon some nasty demons. Goliath, as far as Rodin is concerned, isn't very high up on the totem pole, so he's more than happy to let Taylor kill it. If Strix summoned something worse, like say Nightmare or a demon from Inferno, then Rodin would get involved.

The endgame scene was supposed to involve a little something-something, but after some consideration with my co-writer, I'm pushing it back to Mission 2. On that note, once "Mission 1" is complete, Devil Trigger will be going on hiatus so me and my buddy can plan out Mission 2 to the fullest. And considering the scope we have planned for that thing… Yeah, it's gonna be a long while.

I've got an interlude lined up to wrap up this arc, and after that, I'm switching my focus. You crazy bastards want craziness? Back your things, dirtbags. Blood Gulch is waiting.

Click to shrink...

 

[SkyRig]

Anne Barnes stared at her sister, wondering where it had all gone wrong.

Things used to be so simple when she was younger. Back then, all she worried about were her grades, getting into a good college, making sure Emma and Taylor didn't do anything stupid when she was the only one in the house, and finding someone who was worthwhile boyfriend material…or girlfriend material, as it were. Anne didn't realize she swung the other way until she started college and met her roommate. Their first meeting involved the latter stark naked and in the middle of changing.

The first thought that crossed her mind at that moment was, Oh, holy shit, she's hot.

That was the first sign she was gay. The second sign was when she started taking second glances at her roommate whenever they hung out. The way she dressed, how she did her hair, how soft her lips looked, etc. What really cinched the deal was when her roommate, in a drunken stupor, kissed her. It was a chaste kiss all in all, but Anne could safely say she did not hate it.

It was around that time Anne started experimenting, wondering if she just found the right person or if she really was attracted to girls. She looked up certain bars and took a few ganders, and after a few times, she safely concluded that, yes, she was indeed gay. When she broke the news to her father, he was surprised but no less supportive. Emma barely even reacted, having somehow figured out she was gay well before she did and told her it was about time.

Zoe, on the other hand…

She seemed disappointed for some reason. She didn't outright say she disapproved, but at the same time, she didn't say she liked what she heard. Every now and then, Anne caught her mother making small remarks, sometimes giving her little glances when she thought she wouldn't notice. It was clear she did have problems with her eldest being gay, but she had the decency not to say anything.

In hindsight, that was probably when the cracks first started to show up. Anne had been so absorbed in her own thing and trying to get her mom to understand, or at least accept this was her now, if only begrudgingly, that she failed to notice what was going on with Emma. She offered quiet apologies and told her sister things would get better, but they were half-hearted. She did not understand how badly the ABB fucked her up, not until Sophia Fucking Hess bulldozed into the Barnes' life.

The girl's demeanor rubbed her the wrong way. She wasn't a total bitch, but the way she acted set off all kinds of warning bells. However, she was a friend of Emma's so she kept her mouth shut. College started ramping up and took away most of her attention, letting Sophia sink her claws deeper. She heard her parents arguing more often. Sometimes it was about her, sometimes it was about Emma, and other times it was about them. Whenever she was there, Anne tried to be the voice of reason. Her efforts were lukewarm and barely a stopgap. The cracks were getting worse, and she was scared what would happen if her family broke apart.

Just when it felt like something was about to go right, the camel's back finally broke when Alan exploded at dinner, cornering Emma and demanding answers about what happened to Taylor, her friend since childhood.

Who she shoved into a waste-filled locker and put in a coma. She hadn't learned that tidbit until it made its way on the news.

Emma looked like a cornered mouse, shrinking and flinching with each word. Zoe joined in, though instead of siding with her husband she fought with him. Her father wanted to get Emma help, get her to see a shrink. Zoe wouldn't allow it. Ultimately it didn't matter. By the end of February, Emma was sent to the Brockton Health for Troubled Youths.

Her mother wanted a divorce.

Everything was happening too quickly, too fast. Anne was struggling to keep up, to do something, and yet all she could do was look back at her failures and realize how badly she screwed up. How she was never there for Emma, how she didn't realize what was going on until it was too late.

It had been one month since all then. April was a week away, and things looked like they were quieting down. The city wasn't trying to tear itself apart, and for once Anne could take a moment to breathe and get back to her life.

Emma…did not look well. The hair she prided herself on maintaining was unkempt and tangled, her arms looked skinny, her skin was pale, and her eyes…

Anne closed her eyes and took a deep breathe. She opened them again and collected herself. "Hey, sis."

Emma barely even reacts to her words. She sat with her knees curled up to her chest, head bowed. If not for the fact she was making eye contact, Anne would have thought she was dead. Another reminder of her screw-up.

"How have you been?" she asked. "Are the people here treating you well?"

The BHTY, despite its appearance, was not an insane asylum. It was a mental health care facility dedicated to helping children with unique problems. Autism, asperger, the whole nine yards. Other problems involved traumas, much like what Emma experienced. It was relatively new, but it was the only place in the city that could reasonably help her. The alternative was to send her to another city, which her parents refused to do.

"…fine," Emma murmured. "I guess. Some people are annoying."

"Anyone in particular?"

"Some stupid kid who has trouble sleeping. Insomnia, I think. Anytime someone gets loud he starts screaming at us to shut up. Doesn't matter who."

"Sounds like a pain."

Emma's smile was brittle, but it was better than the last time she saw it. "He kind of is." Her smile faded, expression turning more somber. "How… How is everything at home?"

Anne sighed. "Not good. Dad's rarely home these days, and Mom…" She chewed on her bottom lip, finding it difficult to look away from the floor. "We haven't really spoken since the stuff at Winslow went public. Has she visited you lately?"

"A few times, yeah. She said she was going to help get me out of here," the red-haired girl shrugged. "The other day I overheard getting into it with a doctor."

Somehow, that doesn't surprise me, Anne thought bitterly.

She wasn't sure if Zoe had always been like that or if this was a new development. Not that it mattered anymore, seeing as how their family was broken to hell and back.

"…how's…" Anne looked up. Emma was struggling to get something out, but the words were lodged in her throat. She looked like she swallowed a lemon. "H-how…how is…?"

"Sophia?" Anne hedged a guess. Emma's face tightened and nodded. The older Barnes sister grimaced. She hoped Emma wouldn't bring her up this time. "I don't know. She hasn't swung by the house. To be frank, Emma? I…" She took a deep breathe. She needed to be calm. She needed to be calm. "I really don't want to see her."

"But she's my friend!"

"So was Taylor. Though I guess you couldn't give a shit about that anymore." The words hurt for both of them. Emma recoiled as though she had been struck, and Anne's mouth tasted like vomit. She wanted to bite off her tongue, but her mouth didn't stop. "Seriously, Emma, what the fuck were you thinking? I have no idea what happened between you two, but did you hate Taylor so much you wanted to ruin her life? You almost killed her for fuck's sake!"

Emma looked away, out of shame or unwilling to look her sister in the eye anymore. Frustration bubbled in Anne's chest, unsure whether to blame herself or Sophia for her sister being like this.

She wanted to say something else, anything else, change the subject, but found she could no longer muster the will to continue. Anne sighed, feeling like a failure once more. She glared at her lap, at her wringing hands. "…I'll come by again later," she said after a moment. "I'm taking a break from my studies for a while, so I'll be able to see you more often."

Emma didn't say anything, not even as she left. Anne exited the room and closed the door shut behind her. The moment she was outside, she leaned against the wall and glared up at the ceiling in dismay. "God, this fucking day…" she groaned. "Damn this city to hell."

Brockton Bay had always been crazy, even before she was born. The age of capes turned it into the madhouse it is today, giving rise to freaks and monsters of all kinds. The Empire was the first to rise up, and before long, the Teeth and ABB made themselves at home. Nowadays it was just the Empire and the ABB, and whatever that gang calling itself the Merchants were.

In recent days, however, Anne found herself dealing not with the drama that came to be with capes, but rather something else. A worthwhile distraction enabling her to vent her frustrations.

Sighing again, Anne walked away from Emma's room. Once she was outside the building, her phone rang. She looked at the ID and frowned, flipping it open. "Hey, Rodin."

"Hey, yourself," the bartender greeted. "How's things?"

"Shitty. Metaphorically, anyway. I just got done visiting my sister."

"She getting' any better?"

"At this point, I don't know." Anne raked her fingers through her hair. "Do you have a job lined up for me? I need to do something."

"Sorry, nothing special tonight, darlin'." She swore under her breathe. "But if your up for deliveries, I got something for you. A customer of mine made a request or two and the items arrived the other day. Client confidentiality keeps me from telling you what, but the stuff is volatile and needs extra care."

"How bad we talking?"

"Let's just say there'll be some property damage and leave it at that."

Anne should have been surprised at this point, but given that this was Rodin and that she worked under him for close to three months at this point…

"Alright, I'll be right there."

"Perfect. See you then, kid."

"You know I'm in my twenties, right?"

"Kid, you could be in your hundreds, and you'd still be younger than me." With that cheeky remark, he ended the call, making Anne stare at her phone in befuddlement. A thought crossed her mind. When the thought started to sink in her head, her spine shuddered and quickly banished it. Some things were better left unsaid.

She stashed her phone away and began making her way to her workplace. By evening, Anne Barnes retired for the evening. Even on quiet nights like this, however, Gemini was ever the busy-body.



Rodin chuckled to himself as he set his cell phone down on the table. "Kids these days, always thinking they hafta rush into things," he mused, chomping on the bit of his cigar before casting his gaze to the guns sitting on the workbench next to him.

The first was a flintlock rifle, vaguely reminiscent in design to Colonial era weapons. Of course, Colonial rifles never had demonic sigils carved into the metal, nor was said metal pulsating and seemingly writhing and shifting with purple lights throbbing within the sigil's carvings. The wood was also replaced by a tanned leather skin, rough and coarse and warm to the touch.

The second was a double-barreled shotgun with a similar aesthetic to the rifle, albeit a tad bigger and the metal comprising the barrel of the gun sporting a somewhat more "heavy metal" design, with quils and spikes running along the sides and top of the barrel respectively. The mouth of the muzzle resembled a pair of gaping jaws, looking to take a bite out of someone.

"A bit shabby, but this should tide the kiddies over a while," Rodin smirked. They had been begging him for new weapons for a while now. Mostly Gemini, though that was because the girl was looking for an extra edge in combat. She was working with normal weapons and material after all, and after fighting a big fish like Colossus… Well, it was only a matter of time before they stepped into the big leagues. After this, things were going to get a lot tougher for them.

Especially Taylor. The girl's half-breed status, artificial though it was, made her a target for demons of all shapes and sizes. And the stronger she got, the more appetizing she'd be.

"But, she'll be fine," Rodin said to himself. "Kid's got spunk." His lips curled into a wry grin as he looked over his shoulder, just in time to see someone enter the bar. "Kind of like you, just without the strut and style."

"My, my. Looks like this vacation's done wonders for you if you took on an apprentice."

"More like picked up a stray is all. So then…" Rodin flicked his cigar into the ash tray and leaned on the countertop, looking his customer in the eye. "How's Italy been treating you, baby?"

And viola. Muscle is finally wrapped up after several months of waiting, and I've pulled back the curtain. Of the few Worm fanfics I've read, do you know what I've noticed? How Anne Barnes is criminally underutilized. Emma and Alan usually take center stage in the ones I've read, the former for obvious reasons, but we hardly see or hear anything about Anne or Zoe.

Hence why I decided to make her part of the Gates of Hell's entourage alongside Victoria. I actually had to fight about her inclusion with my co-writer since hers was a last-minute decision. He only came around to the idea when I started fleshing things out rather than just make it a one-and-done impulsion.

Anne's Trigger Event mainly involves the shit surrounding her family. The start of it was when Zoe quietly disapproved of her daughter being gay and Anne wanting her mother to accept that, even if she didn't like it. Things really started getting problematic when Emma got jumped by the ABB and her parents started arguing, with Emma starting to distance herself from her sister and spend more time with Sophia. This builds up for a year or so before the locker incident kickstarts the Trigger Event and her parents start planning a divorce and Anne trying, and failing, to get them to reconcile. That she failed to notice Emma's problem only made matters worse and blamed herself, causing the Trigger Event to kick in.

As I said previously, the next arc will be filler and set-up the last two arcs of Devil Trigger, though Arc 4 will be relevant all the same since I'm taking the moment to have Taylor focus on something that isn't her Devil hunting job and her relationships, building the foundation of what will be her team. Oh, and dipping into something I haven't done before when it comes to characters. And probably something other writers haven't done before.

I think. (shrugs)

Anyways, with this arc said and done, I'm shifting focus over to A Worm in the Gulch. It's been far too long, and I'm itching to get back to Blood Gulch.

Click to shrink...

 

[SkyRig]

Volcanic Giant — Colossus
-Brute (Muscle) 6+
-Blaster (Ruin) 8+

Despite what you think, Colossus isn't the top dog of his realm. His kind are the vanguard whenever the rulers of hell decide to have a pissing match with each other. They used to serve under Berial until he kicked the can in Fortuna. When he died, the strongest of their race took over as the new ruler of the Fire Hell.

You wouldn't believe it, but Colossus is one of the weaker kids. 'course that don't make him any less dangerous. His whole body is one giant furnace, and the one thing he's got over Goliath is that he can expel the heat from anywhere in his body. Stick too close, and you'll end up burnt to a crisp.

Taylor's Notes
(Some information is pure theoretical based on my first encounter and personal examination of its abilities)
-Brute: Its size is not just for show. Its thick hide and endurance made me think of Lung whenever he was shown on the news in the middle of ramping up. The only one who could do any damage to him was Purity, and his thick hide meant I couldn't do much unless I stuck Orthrus in him long enough for the ice to really do anything.
-Blaster: With Shaker undertones. He had molten lava in his belly for fuck's sake. Actually, calling it lava is being merciful; that stuff was hot enough to melt concrete, and it was practically coursing through him. Staying in close proximity is a death wish, especially with bare-handed contact. I was safe thanks to Orthrus' ice properties, but Antares…

 

[SkyRig]

Incandescent Barrels of Destruction: Colossus Mk.II

One of two weapons crafted from the remains of the demon Colossus. Crafted using low-density Gilgamesh metal from the Underworld, the shotgun is imbued with a special power that allows it to create magic slugshells, preventing the need to manually reload. It is capable of using normal bullets, though they would likely explode upon pulling the trigger since the shotgun imbibes the shells with Colossus' flames.

This version of the weapon was made using Colossus' horns and fangs from his secondary mouth. Unlike its sibling and predecessor, the Colossus Mk.I, it was built specifically for Taylor in mind.

 

[SkyRig]

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♦ Topic: A New Cape in Town (NSFW Warning)
In: Boards ► News ► Events ► America ► Brockton Bay
Brocktonite03 (Original Poster) (Veteran Member)
Posted On Mar 23rd 2011:
As the unofficial representative of representative of my fellow Brocktonites, I can safely say we have seen some shit. Some good, some bad, and some just plain weird.

This, however? This takes the cake. Had to argue with the mods a lot just to post this because, well, NSFW warnings. Just look at the attachment.

Link.

(Showing page 1 of 305)

►ArchmageEin
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
In the immortal words of Earth Aleph's George Takei,

"Ooooooh myyyyy"

►AverageAlexandros (Cape Husband)
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Holy shit. Is-is this safe to look at?

►Deadman
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Whoo mama! Baby, where have you been all my life?

►Specific_Protagonist
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Oh that is SO not fair! She should not have hips that look THAT good!

►GstringGirl
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Well, I see why this is NSFW. Hair being a superpower is a new one aright and-

HOLY SHIT DID SHE JUST MAKE A DINOSAUR FROM HER HAIR?!

►Brilliger (Moderator: Protectorate Main)
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
My mama has a saying. Don't fuck with a witch.

I'm starting to see why.

►Groupies
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
LOL Poor Hookwolf. First that Rodin guy, and now the bombshell.

►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
It took me a while, but I finally recognized where la senorita is from.

There's been a lot of talk about this crazy hot and dangerous unmasked cape that's been having fun in Italy for a while now. She looks a little different on account of having shorter hair (evidently getting a haircut does nothing to weaken her power). Someone actually managed to interview her after a scrap with the italian mob.

Thanks to Tony Redgrave for translating the article. Link here for the article. For the TLDR version, I've got you covered.

"My name is Bayonetta. As for why I don't wear a mask, I'm quite picky about what I wear in the bedroom. I don't really need to explain how my powers work, darling. I just gave you a show, after all. And as to why I'm here in Italy... Well, I'm taking a small break from my day job at the moment and taking my own advice. I had quite a long talk with a certain bar owner about taking a vacation, you see."

►GstringGirl
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Waitwaitwait, you mean her clothes are her HAIR?

Does-does that mean she's walking around buck naked the whole time?!

End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 303, 304, 305




(Showing page 269 of 305)


►Brocktonite03 (Original Poster) (Veteran Member)
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Why does it not surprise me that the bar owner she mentioned is also the coolest bar owner in my city? Seriously, you have got to pay a visit to the Gates of Hell. Rodin takes no shit from anyone and beats the ever loving hell out of any gangs who try to take the piss out of him. I think I speak for everyone here how awesome it was to see him manhandle Hookwolf and Kaiser, motherfucking KAISER, had to step in and make everyone back down.

►Whitecollar (Cape Wife)
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
You think they're a couple? If so, I need to ask this Bayonetta how good Rodin is in bed.

►Answer Key
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Hey now. Let's keep this clean.

►White Fairy (Veteran Member)
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Clean? Bah! This is the internet! Nothing is sacred, especially the Brockton forums!

...speaking of which, given the topic, I could've sworn this be the sort of stuff VoidCowboy would be all over.

►BadSamurai
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Now that you mention it, where is Void? I know we all have lives outside the internet, but I see him pretty much everywhere everyday in the Brockton and Boston forums.

►WhedonRipperFan
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Are we really complaining? Good riddance, I say.

►Answer Key
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Actually, and take this with a grain of salt, there's a rumor Void was caught up in that whole bio-tinker monster attack a couple of days ago.

►WhedonRipperFan
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
No shit, really? Well, now I feel bad. Assuming it's legit.

Now that you bring that up, doesn't Vergil frequent the Gates of Hell?

►AllSeeingEye
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
I think so. A lot of people see her coming and going with that indie cape. Gemini, I think her name is? I've also been hearing that Antares has been seen visiting the bar too.

►Good Ship Morpheus
Replied On Mar 23rd 2011:
Wards gone wild LOL



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(Showing page 305 of 305)


►Bayonetta (Verified Cape) (Verified Bombshell)
Replied On Mar 25th 2011:
Well, well. I see people have been talking about me.

►Antares (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied On Mar 25th 2011:
I see you found PHO.

Word of warning, girlfriend, this place is full of degenerates.

►Bayonetta (Verified Cape) (Verified Bombshell)
Replied On Mar 25th 2011:
So long as they keep their hands to themselves.

►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied On Mar 25th 2011:
Holy shit, woman! What the hell do you EAT to get that tall?!

►Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied On Mar 25th 2011:
Feeling jealous, Vista?

►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied On Mar 25th 2011:
Fuck off, Clock!



End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 303, 304, 305

■​

 

[SkyRig]

Hey guys. Important notice.

First off, if you've been following my other works, I'm still very much alive and well. Been busy with...well, a lot of stuff. Some important things to go over.

First, I am almost done with Chase Ryder and the City of Lost Memories, Part II: Revolution. The third-to-last chapter is almost done and I'm writing the epilogue chapter because the penultimate chapter is a war sequence that will probably take me weeks, if not a whole fucking month to write. I don't do war sequences well. Fight scenes have never been my strong suit.

Second, after Chase Ryder is wrapped up, I'll be starting my next original work. Instead of going the self-publish route, I'll be posting it as a web serial over on Royal Road. I've heard its a good place for original works from what I've looked online, but at the same time, I'm a little concerned. Starting a brand new website is always a risky gamble because you have no idea what to expect. I managed to get some footing here because my first actual SV fanfic was a Worm story, and that series is so fucking popular it deserved its own section both here and on Spacebattles. You'll notice a lot of my works here are Worm stories, and those usually tend to do better than what I have uploaded here, original or crossposted.

Third, my writing for Sufficient Velocity hasn't died out. I'll be regularly rotating fanfics so as to keep myself from being burned out, but this ties into the major announcement for this PSA of mine.

Devil Trigger has been a collaborative effort between myself and another, who requested they remain anonymous because of prior bad experiences on sites like FFN and Wattpad. We took turns planning and writing out drafts for arcs, with Arcs 1 and 3 being the brainchild of yours truly and Arcs 2 and 4 being theirs. As of October...*glances at calendar* 3rd at the time of this writing, however, my co-writer is leaving Devil Trigger. This is not because of a falling out, but rather because of his disinterest in Worm as of lately and wanting to retire from writing to focus on other matters.

This means that I will now be in charge of writing and planning out the remain arcs. Arcs 4 and 5 are mostly done in terms of planning and rough drafts, but Arcs 6 and 7 are still unfinished.

This, of course, means the wait for the upcoming chapters will be extended. Really sorry about that.

Last announcement for this PSA: After I finish up Chase Ryder, get my next original work all set up, and finish the planning and rough drafts for the remaining arcs of Devil Trigger, writing for A Worm in the Gulch and Phantom will be resumed.

...on a totally yet slightly unrelated note, I have a story that is currently only available over on Patreon. I've got like seven followers over there and make around twenty bucks a month XD Its not a whole much for a guy who's struggling to make ends meat (my interview was a total shitshow in case you didn't know and please don't ask), but its still a lot more than I was expecting since I've made it blatantly clear I don't like using patreon at all. If you are at all curious about the story, there's a link to my patreon page HERE. On Nov. 6, I will be posting a preview of what you guys can expect when I release it publicly here on Sufficient Velocity. It will compile the first three chapters in a single chapter (as said chapters are around 1-2k words long).

I hope people will look forward and enjoy it. Hopefully.

That's it for this announcement. Sorry for the long wait. I promise it will be over soon...ish.