Chapter Text
Chapter 99: The Final Hunt
Quirks are strange things. Alongside his purpose, he’d known this since the day he was born. He’d considered it a minuscule thing, a paltry power that couldn’t even begin to compare to what he knew his people could do. What is a quirk to the Ritual? What is a quirk to Logic? But he knew his purpose, and to ensure it came to fruition, he had to learn. Trapped within the body of a Thrall, there was not much to be done. He warred with his brethren, feasting upon the discarded flesh, growing stronger with each passing death, the Logic fueling him, pushing him forward.
And yet… it was not the Logic that ensured he stood above the rest. No, it was the small, seemingly insignificant quirk. The pitiful thing he’d looked down on, for what is a quirk compared to the Logic? He’d learned. Oh, how he learned. By the time the third brood was born, he’d gained a general understanding of the quirk he’d been burdened with, small metal shards shakily orbiting his body. By the fifth, his power had grown, those shaky shards melding together to form razor-sharp rings. They never made it to a seventh, the ritual of growth- their rite of passage- interrupted by interlopers from above. Shining beacons that threatened to pierce through the darkness to reveal what lay below.
But he had his purpose. A beautiful purpose to usher in a new Era, a change upon a blighted world, a wave of cleansing at the hands of the Logic. All he needed to do to achieve his purpose was to stall, to distract, to ensure the Guardians would remain ignorant of the truths of the Node, and so he embraced his quirk as a Wizard would embrace their Rituals. He embraced it as he would the Logic, and when he accepted the truth, he came to a realization. His quirk? It’d grown, his tithes paid not only to the Logic, but his quirk as well. A melding similar in nature to the SIVA and Hive, but instead of Logic and quirk. There was no accounting for this change. The Node did not know such a thing would come to pass, for it had never been exposed to such a thing prior before; iteration after iteration of Hybrid dying before they’d shown progress. That is until he and his siblings stood atop a pile of bodies, Hive, SIVA, quirk, and Logic wound together into an amalgamation of death raging just below the surface.
It was then that he realized the truth, and since that moment, he has only ever grown stronger.
*****
Wisp grabs the Thrall rushing after Jewel and slams it onto the ground, spinning under the blade of an angry Knight while firing a shot into the Thrall at their feet. Its head vanishes in a spray of blood, leaving the ground around them slippery, and Wisp quickly leaps away as that very same blood hardens and turns into sharp spikes, each one chasing after him as he bounces farther back. Zhevrel zeroes in on the man with the minor blood-controlling quirk and pulls the trigger, putting a bullet through his chest, and Wisp shoves him out of his mind, unbothered by the lost life. The Acolyte at the back of the pack opens fire on Zhevrel, forcing her to move from her spot, and Wisp catches a quick glance of her floating towards another end of the room. She lands and the air around her warps, a muffled boom distorting the air further before the Hive and people around her are consumed by the void Light.
The open space allows Hynkit the moment he needs to pull back and catch his breath, his fellow Guardian covering him for just a moment before he leaps back into the fray. Above the cacophony of gunfire, roars, screams, and screeches, Wisp can faintly hear Xarac’s excited whoops, each one punctuated with a flash of arc energy that crackles across the ground, electrocuting Hive and humans alike. He catches Jewel looking worriedly in his direction, but she forces herself to keep moving. She cuts through the crowd blocking her path, a pair of solar grenades consuming their attackers in a flash of white-hot light. They’re not even given time to feel pain before they’re gone, reduced to nothing but ashes in the blink of an eye.
“You are more resilient than I originally thought.” The ground shudders as the massive Knight takes a step forward, and Wisp curses when he spots the Ogres shoving their way through the broken door behind him, the sharp edges ripping their pale, disgusting flesh to pieces, their agonized screams filling the air for just a brief moment before they focus their unbridled rage on their targets. Beams of purple cut through the room, tearing through Hive and human alike indiscriminately, and he sees Xarac’s arm vanish in an instant, a bloody stump ending just below his shoulder. The man vanishes into the crowd that surges forward a moment later, leaving Wisp to wonder- though not worry. He trusts him.- if he managed to break free from the onslaught long enough to heal. “Credit where credit is due.” Wisp returns his attention to the Knight before him, its compatriots seemingly ignoring both of them, instead focused on breaking the door at the back of the room down while simultaneously attempting to kill the rest of Irons Remembrance.
Wisp frowns as he feels something tugging just below his skin, and the Knight smirks, exposing sharp teeth that glisten in the light. “Quirks are such interesting things,” he whispers, his three eyes shining far too brightly for Wisps liking. The tugging grows stronger, and he gasps and clutches at himself. “I paid mine no mind at first,” he continues. “It was a small thing to me at the time, but I have since grown; myself and my siblings.”
“What’s your-“ Wisp gags and his vision begins to tint red. His entire body feels wrong.
“Empowered by the Logic, I can do far more than simply control the metal around me.” The Knight shifts his attention to Jewel and lifts his hand, and Wisp falls to his knees as blood begins to bubble up from below his skin. “Observe.” With a violent motion, he splays his fingers open, and Jewel explodes, shards of her body hitting the nearby Hive. The fighting seems to stall, though Wisp knows that’s not the case. He can hear Hynkit yelling something, he can see Zhevrel turning her attention to the massive Knight, and from behind the Knight, he can see Xarac turning his full rage onto the monster that just ripped Jewel apart in an instant, but that’s not what holds his attention. No… it’s the small shards that’re ripped from his body that captures his interest. “How does it feel? Your body ripped apart from the inside, the iron within your blood turned against you?”
It doesn’t feel good in the slightest, but he’s unable to say that before his head hits the ground and he passes into the void.
*****
“It’s true.” There’s a lot to unpack in those few words, each one spoken with such vitriol it could very well melt plastic- which is saying a lot if one knows anything about Chemistry, but he’s getting way off track with that. Eraser doesn’t have the time required to address those two little words, not now when the thing they’ve been hunting has finally decided enough is enough. Playtime, it seems, is over, and Iida picked the worst possible moment to make his presence known. “It’s true!” Not that he seems to realize it, which… f*ck, he’s got his work cut out for him because when they’re done here, it’s either expel the boy or double- triple down on his training; starting with situational awareness. If only he could be so lucky. Nothing- he’s come to realize- is ever easy. Not his time as a child, not his time at U.A., nor his time as a Hero, and certainly not his time as a teacher. Is he cursed? Of that he has no doubt, but by whom is what will continue to keep him up at night- among other things of course.
“Now isn’t-“ Iida- naturally- ignores the words beginning to spill over his lips, engines igniting, blue flames illuminating the darkened hallway for half a second before they’re gone once more, the afterimages of the sputtering flames now seared onto his retinas. Eraser curses as he rolls to the side, rubbing at his eyes as he does so before blinking rapidly in hopes of clearing the images dancing across them. ‘I really can’t win,’ he silently laments. He can hear the roar of the engines as well as the near-silent cackling of the Nomu following the fight with excited eyes. How he can tell there’s excitement in those pitch-black orbs is beyond him, but he can. And can it even be called that, a fight? From what he can hear, it’s pretty one-sided in Stain’s favor. The creature in question glances at him, flashing sharp fangs that drip with what he assumes is venom, and he shivers, adding yet another item to the list of things that’ll forever haunt his nightmares. ‘Maybe I’ll just give up sleep entirely.’
“WHY ARE YOU HERE?” Stain ducks under and deflects the kick directed at his throat, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Not because of Iida, but because he knows the Nomu is waiting for the right moment to strike. Iida, contrary to what he may think, is a non-threat, and truthfully, that’s putting it lightly. Stain took down Ingenium. What hope does his kid brother have? “MY BROTHER-“ it’s instant, the Nomu’s strike, a single leg streaking out of the darkness, but Eraser had been watching for it just as Stain was. As Stain kicks the raging child away with a well-placed boot to the chest, Eraser throws out his scarf to wrap around his midsection, yanking with all his might in hopes of pulling him out of the way of the deadly strike. The appendage misses him by barely more than an inch, the thick hairs covering it cutting his cheek as it passes, and the Nomu lets out a growl of frustration at its lost prey.
All things considered, he’d expected something more spider-like from the- it shoots out a spray of thick, silky webs as if it’s reading his mind, and he continues to bounce back, not-so-gently shoving Iida back with him, each step a potential hazard; the threads lining the floor growing more abundant as they’re forced back into what he quickly realizes must be its lair. Questions spring to his mind in an instant, the most prominent being, ‘How the f*ck did it get in here?’ quickly followed by, ‘Who the f*ck was up here to begin with?’ as he scans the multitude of cocoons lining the walls. They’re both incredibly valid questions that will have to- understandably- go unanswered though, not that he’d give them much thought other than in passing. There are more pressing matters to attend to after all. Such as the boy who has somehow yet to notice the thing chasing them, his angry gaze glued exclusively onto Stain. Eraser will commend his focus and dedication if nothing else, but that’s all the praise he’s getting from the exhausted man any time soon.
“You’re working with Stain!” Iida hisses, stating what is arguably one of the most obvious things he possibly could have. Perhaps he’ll notice the Spider-Nomu soon too. “WHY?!” He should have seen it coming. Looking back, it makes perfect sense that the boy who refused to bend would shatter the moment his world was upturned, and shatter he has, tears streaking down his face to mingle with the blood flowing down his cheek. He has no doubt the boy isn’t even aware he’s crying, too lost in his authority figures presumed betrayal to care, which- at any other time- would be fair, but if he remembers correctly, Wisp once told the entire class that the world wasn’t black and white. A valuable lesson, that.
Sharp teeth click together and the Nomu throws its abdomen forward, hoping to hit them with- ‘Oh, f*ck.’ Eraser shoves Iida out of the way and the sharp appendage that shoots out of its abdomen is shoved through Eraser’s stomach, the pointed tip coming out the other end drenched in red. Oddly enough, it doesn’t hurt. ‘Huh.’ It’s ripped from his body with a sickening squelch, and he watches with somewhat minor concern as things begin to slip out of his body through the gaping hole. It’s seemingly at that moment that Iida realizes it’s not just himself, Eraser, and Stain if his scream is anything to go by. ‘Took you long enough,’ Eraser thinks as the world begins to dim. ‘I wonder if Wisp has ever gone out like this.’ He crashes to the ground; his entire body numb as the venom courses through him- or perhaps it’s just shock- and Fynch appears above him. The last thing he sees before darkness takes him is Stain blurring past him to grab Iida, the two disappearing down the hallway as the Nomu turns back to Eraser with a gleeful glint in its eyes.
‘What a way to go.’
*****
“Cultivator says he’s got someone inside the facility.” He closes the folder in his hands and sets it on the table and the man shuffles closer as he looks up at him.
“Can a link be established?” There’s been an information blackout involving Hosu since whatever the f*ck happened, and he’s yet to get word from anyone inside. He has an empire to run, and these hindrances are cutting into his profits.
“Twenty-two can establish a connection,” he confirms. “She has linked with him before and he’s still in her buffer.”
“Lucky break. Have Twenty-two pass along a message then.” The man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a notepad and pen. “Dead or alive, I want Wisp.”
“Preference, sir?” He hums, tapping a finger against the desk as he stares at the feathers adorning his wall.
“Alive if possible. It’s harder for Jess to Extract from a corpse, but if they need to kill him to get him out of Japan, then so be it.” He’ll work with what he’s given, though that doesn’t mean he has to like it.
“Should they go after the kids as well?”
“No. Grabbing Wisp will put too much heat on them as it is. Grabbing his brats, no matter how much I want them, isn’t worth the risk. Besides, the last intel drop I got mentioned they’re protected by multiple Heroes. Nezu apparently fields his mail.”
“Understood, sir. I’ll have Twenty-two relay the message.” He waves the man off, who quickly scuttles out of the room, and he leans back in his chair, his eyes drifting closed.
“A new endeavor?” He grunts in reply, opting not to answer verbally. “Tired of birds already?”
“Too many on the market.” Jess hums softly, walking completely into the room. “You made what, ten total?”
“That’s right,” she confirms. “The last of the batch should be coming to see you soon. The buyer requested at least twenty years old.” He curses, rubbing at his temple.
“That’s forty sessions. sh*t’s going to give me a massive headache.”
“It could be worse.” And yes, it absolutely could be worse. If things were as they were when the Farmhouse first started, it’d be closer to ninety or even over one hundred sessions. Small blessings he supposes. “So, what’s the new project going to be?”
“I really wanted a shapeshifting brainwasher,” he admits, his anger over losing Toga Himiko and Shinso Hitoshi still fresh, “but after seeing Wisp in action, I’m thinking someone with Light Manipulation to add to our ranks wouldn’t be the worst idea.”
“A new crew member?” Her surprise is clear. He’d turned down several iterations of creations over the last several years, none quite catching his interest enough to keep for the group. To hear that he’s finally found one is… surprising to say the least. “Huh, that’ll take some getting used to. What did you want to mix him with?”
“He’d be fine on his own, Jess.” He waves a hand uncaringly through the air. “Though, I’m sure you have some ideas.” She doesn’t deny his claim, and he finds himself nodding. “Just make sure the best one makes its way to me. The world is changing, and I think we could use some more muscle.”
*****
“They keep getting back up,” Mirko hisses as she bounces between the group. Each leap sends another flying, some crashing into their companions, others splattering against the wall before they peel themselves off, congealed blood sticking to the walls and leaving long strings that stretch out behind them as they shuffle back into the fray. One grabs her as she passes, clamping down with surprising strength. “Let go of me, you disgusting f*ck!” The creature tightens its grip, sharp claws digging into her skin. She can just make out the blood beginning to bubble out, and she growls, swinging a fist forward. Its head snaps to the side with a sickening crunch, and it releases her from its hold, allowing her to quickly leap away, and as she sails away, the spot she’d been occupying a moment before goes up in flames.
Ingenium zips through the crowd, raining punches and kicks down on them as he passes, and Endeavor follows each attack up with one of his own, burning each downed opponent to ash in an instant. They’d learned quickly that if they leave anything behind, the one controlling them will simply raise them once more. In fact, Mirko knows that there’s one somewhere within the group that’s more bone than anything else. Thankfully, those types- at least the humans- can’t use quirks once they’ve reached that stage, but that doesn’t make fighting them any less of a pain.
“My puppets.” The Knight lifts its hands high and the bodies littering the ground begin to rise once more, “Dive deeper!” The ones behind them rush past, disappearing down the dark hallway, and Endeavor and Mirko both curse. “Bring me new bodies!”
“They’re going after the civilians,” Endeavor says between clenched teeth as he throws a fireball after them. One takes the hit, going up in a burst of flames, but the remaining nine disappear entirely.
“My brat is watching them,” Mirko replies as she leaps across the room, using the walls and the larger Hive as springboards for each of her attacks. Her foot sinks into one of their chests and she quickly pulls herself free, ignoring the muck that sticks to her shoe. “And I know for a fact your brat can handle them.” The man growls in reply, eyeing the passageway the nine disappeared down, but before he has a chance to give chase, the Ogre at the back of the room claws its way to its feet, the flesh adorning its head falling off in massive clumps. Ingenium speeds past it and the creature strikes, sharp claws leaving deep furrows across his armor.
“sh*t!” The man rolls as he topples over, crashing into a group of raised humans which quickly descend on him. “Help!” Mirko springs forward just as Endeavor throws fire at the group, both attacks clearing out the dead, allowing the man to climb to his feet. He quickly checks himself over, hands frantically tapping at his armor as Mirko shoves him back towards Endeavor. “That was terrifying!”
“The field is too wide open,” Endeavor observes. “We need to funnel them. It’s too easy to be flanked here.” He grabs the nearby Hive and sets it on fire, flesh bubbling and sloughing off to reveal the white bone lying underneath. Grimacing, he shoves it away and grabs Ingenium, shoving the man down the tunnel behind them. “Go after the ones that escaped,” he orders. “Your speed is a hindrance in these small confines. You’re better suited for a straight path.”
“Can’t say I like being benched,” the man replies as he prepares himself, “but there are civilians to protect.” Endeavor throws a hand forward, washing the hallway they’d fallen back to with fire, and Mirko leaps right after it, bouncing off the tighter hallways, her speed increasing with each follow-up jump, each kick cracking, breaking, and tearing limbs off before she moves onto her next target.
“Go!” She yells as she disappears into the crowd, springing forth a moment later to throw a person against the wall, their caved-in chest stained red with blood. “We’ll handle sh*t here.” The glint in her eyes says she’s ready for the fight of her life, and she intends to enjoy every second of it.
*****
“Puppet,” Kurogiri lets out a quiet growl, “come here for a moment.” Despite his irritation, he does as ordered, following the blue woman into the room. The door closes behind them with hardly any noise, and she takes a seat on the armrest of the chair at the room’s center. “I will keep this brief. I understand you dislike me.”
“I do not appreciate being called, ‘Puppet’,” Kurogiri dryly replies. “I am my own Being.”
“Are you?” Prevara questions as she leans closer. “Because from where I stand, you are a creature cobbled together and controlled by man.” Her eyes sparkle with barely contained mirth, and Kurogiri lets out a quiet sigh, already knowing what’s coming. “I can see your strings, Puppet.” Kurogiri remains silent, reining his anger in as best he can. “You wish to be free, do you not?” He gets the distinct impression she’s no longer talking to him. “These things you’re forced to observe, you dislike them, yes?”
“What is your point?” Kurogiri asks with a huff, his yellow eyes flickering, the edges of his body shifting into a light blue hue before returning to normal.
“What would you do to earn your freedom?” Something inside of him jolts at her question, both active minds in agreement for once. The conditioning placed on him has been slipping more often, and contrary to how he acts, sometimes… sometimes he yearns for more. “What price would you pay?”
“Anything.” It’s not him who speaks, but the one within, the quiet voice slipping past his lips against his will. “I’d pay anything.” Prevara smirks, bright white teeth flashing.
“Then let us create a pact.” Sigils of green spring to life around her, forming a dome with them at its center. “Spoken within the Promise of Silence, none but we shall hear the words said, and none- not even we- may share what has been said once we step outside unless it’s amongst others bound by our pact or our goal has been accomplished.” Prevara holds her hand out, the green light coalescing within her palm. “Do you accept my terms?”
“I-“ Kurogiri pauses and the voice within whispers quietly, begging for him to accept. He considers it, the idea of freedom, a man his own no longer bound by invisible strings. “What about the one within?”
“Any that speak will be granted freedom when the time comes.” She studies him for a moment. “Do you accept?”
“I… we accept.”
“Very well, Kurogiri.” She claps her hands together and the green light explodes outward, wrapping them both within its surpassingly warm embrace. “Then let us begin.”
*****
“What kind of useless f*cks refuse to help protect people?” Katsuki stalks back and forth, grumbling angrily to himself the entire time. “They call themselves Heroes, but they can’t step up when sh*t hits the fan?” He scoffs, throwing his hands in the air, but then he comes to a stop, his eyes narrowed. He can feel something watching him. Subtle eyes that pierce through the darkness, observing each step he takes, each movement he makes. The hair on the back of his neck stands straight up and Katsuki whips around to glare at the darkened hallway to his right. “Everything alright?” Icy-Hot asks, peering down the corridor as well. Something about it feels distinctly off, but he can’t quite put his finger on why. Katsuki grunts in reply, his eyes narrowing further, and for just a moment, he’d swear he sees something shift, but after staring at it for another few seconds, nothing changes, and he looks away.
“sh*t feel off to you?” The boy blinks once, a slow thing, and he nods. “Feels like I got eyes on me,” Katsuki continues. The shadows shift, floating green orbs appearing within the darkness at their backs, and a Knight quietly steps into the light, silent footfalls bringing him closer to the boys. “Can’t tell if it’s this place or nerves.” Another step, a blackened blade pulled from its sheath, sharp teeth glinting as the Knight grins wickedly at its first targets. His fellow Shadows know what lies beyond the door, a feast of cowering humans ripe for the taking, but first… one more step brings him close enough to strike, and he shoves the blade forward, but instead of hitting his target, it’s instead buried in thick ice. Katsuki strikes without thinking, letting off an explosion that sends the large creature rocketing back, surprising him. “I f*cking knew it,” he hisses. The Knight stares in disbelief, one hand rising to touch his burnt chest, and a quiet growl escapes his lips.
“Human,” the creature hisses, “you will suffer by my hand.” Katsuki lifts his hands up, a feral grin tugging at his lips as his hands begin to spark.
“The only one suffering today,” he replies as he takes a step forward, “is you.” Katsuki can still hear the screeching of the Hive that’d assaulted the police station. He can see their sharp teeth sinking into yielding flesh; can hear the screams of the men and women that’d been torn to shreds while they still breathed. The crackling growls louder, bright sparks igniting, casting smoke into the air. “This f*cker is mine.”
*****
“Let go of me!” Stain slams the boy against the wall, his face inches away from Iida’s, and his thoughts stall at the pure hatred boiling just below the surface.
“You,” Stain growls, his grip tightening, “are a blight.” Iida finds that he can’t breathe, each breath seemingly bringing nothing in. He tries to gasp, opening his mouth to suck in the sweet oxygen he knows is there, but nothing comes, leaving his heart to stutter as his chest begins to ache. “Do you understand what you’ve done?” He can only blink in reply, his previous anger washed away by the fear now coursing through his body. “And because of what? Your brother? The one that, if you cared enough to learn, is currently helping the others fight?”
“But he’s-“
“Perfectly fine!” Stain hisses back. “Wisp and his friend healed him, you petulant child! You come here in anger after Wisp willingly lets others die so that you may live, and then you return and get another man killed!”
“But I- he… you’re…!”
“I’m what?” He demands, his face inching closer. “Tell me, the man fighting to protect the people within this Temple, exactly what I am.” There’s a promise of something to come if he answers, but it doesn’t matter, because he can’t force the words past his lips, the image of Aizawa being impaled holding all of his attention. Stain reaches down and grabs his knife, spinning it in his hand before shoving it into Iida’s, which he then takes and presses against his chest, the blade digging into his skin, a drop of blood blooming at the tip. “It’s time for you to make your choice, you would-be-Hero.” The blade sinks deeper, and Iida’s anger returns in full force. “Will you kill me for what I did; damning the people I would have saved in the process? Will you become the very same thing you claim to hate?” Stain listens intently to the skittering behind him, noting the webs nearby that begin to vibrate. They’re running out of time. The creature is approaching. “Does Iida Tenya have the conviction required to stain his hands with my blood?”
The boy snarls and the knife digs deeper. “I believe you have what it takes,” Stain whispers back, never once breaking eye contact as the blade continues to sink into his flesh. “You’ve already indirectly killed innocents through your actions, and while you didn’t kill Eraser yourself, it was by your ignorance that he passed.” The blade stops, his mind going perfectly blank. He can see it with stark clarity, the moment Eraser shoved him out of the way. Unaware, his other hand rises, touching the cut on his cheek. All the while, Stain watches, the blade buried in his chest, his attention split between the boy before him and the Nomu at his back.
“I didn’t…” His whisper tapers off and Stain narrows his eyes.
“You didn’t what, boy?” He asks in return. “You didn’t put your life on the line coming after me, ensuring that Wisp had to save you instead of the people murdered by the Nomu? Was it not you that attacked me while a Nomu lurked within the shadows? Was it not through your anger that you didn’t even see the creature until it impaled your teacher? Will you bury your head in the sand, boy? Is ignorance all you know?” The tap of clawed feet against tile echoes down the hall and he chances a look over his shoulder, spotting the thing within the shadows leisurely stalking after them. Its pitch-black eyes sparkle with the lights cast from above, and he reads glee in them.
“I…” He tightens his grip, pulling Iida’s attention back to him.
“Make your choice, child. We’re running out of time.” The blade slips between the ribs covering his heart.
“Why?” Iida whispers. “Why did he spare you?”
“Make.” Stain grabs his wrist, keeping him in place. “Your.” Iida tries to pull away, his eyes widening in panic, but Stain does nothing more than ensure the blade stays within his chest. “Choice.”
“The real world isn’t so black and white, and I want each and every one of you to realize that now where it’s safe. Rules can be bent. Rules will be bent. In the field, you might one day do things that go against everything you believe in.”
Despite his anger, Iida finds himself loosening his grip on the knife. “You will live with this decision for the rest of your life,” Stain presses. “Are you sure this is what you wish to do?” He once saw Wisp kill men and women that were threatening to harm his students, not even hesitating to remove the threat the moment they presented themselves. Which means... if Stain is still here, if Wisp spared him…
“…I’m sure,” Iida whispers, his arms falling limply to his side. Stain rips the blade out of his chest and quickly shoves it into its sheath while simultaneously shoving Iida down the hallway.
“Maybe there’s hope for you yet then.”
*****
“M- Nemmy,” Aya whispers, her tail wrapping around Nemuri’s wrist as she stares up at her. Nemuri looks down, using her free hand to gently brush the blonde hair out of the girl’s face. “Where is Papa?” She- of course- knows the answer to that question. The issue is that she doesn’t know how to properly explain it to the girl. Wisp has been gone for well over two days at this point, and his kids miss him. Himiko is a nervous mess, pacing back and forth either in her room or the living room, Hitoshi is equally nervous, though he hides it better, and Eri and Aya both understand that something is going on, they just don’t know what exactly it is. Small hands clutch at her own and she squeezes them, causing Aya to purr.
“Your Papa is...” she starts, her brows furrowed. “He’s fighting bad people,” Nemuri decides on.
“Bad people…?” Eri whispers back. Nemuri nods and scoops her up, depositing the girl in the spot next to her so that she can wrap an arm around her. Eri snuggles into the embrace, looking up at her through her hair, and Aya wiggles on her lap, pulling her attention back to her.
“Is he coming home soon?” Her voice hitches, small tears threatening to spill over, and Nemuri quickly wipes them away, pulling Aya into a tight hug. She sinks into the embrace, her purr growing louder, and Nemuri smiles into her hair.
“He’ll be home soon, sweetheart,” she coos. “Your Papa would never want to be away from either of you for long. Nothing will stop him from returning home.”
*****
There are many things that Wisp can say with absolute confidence that he’s never experienced before. Prior to today, his heart being torn to shreds while it’s still inside his chest was one of those things. Feeling his veins being ripped open from within is also something he can no longer claim. ‘Today has been an interesting learning experience,’ he thinks with a wince, blood pouring out of his ears, nose, and eyes. Red blooms across his vision as another vessel within his eye pops, the small bits of iron ripping free to join the ball slowly forming above the Knight’s hand.
“You are persistent.” Wisp grunts as he forces himself to his feet, ignoring the way the world seemingly tilts to the side. “It is no wonder you are so desired.” He can feel Sylph trying to heal him, but the Light can’t seem to keep up with the damage being done to him.
‘And why is that?’ he wonders, his gaze sweeping across what remains of the battlefield. Bodies litter the ground, human and Hive alike, blood swirling into massive, gelatinous pools, black and red mixed in a disgusting display. ‘Why does the Light feel so… hindered?’
“Perhaps you have noticed.” The Knight takes a step forward and the ball of blood-iron morphs into a sharp blade. “The Light has begun to abandon you.” Zhevrel sparks with energy but it’s quickly snuffed out. Behind him, he hears Jewel gasp as she’s resurrected, but the moment she comes to, Trecu kills her again, ripping her body to pieces in an instant with his quirk. Wisp can see what remains of Hynkit scattered throughout the battlefield as well, his Ghost seemingly giving up on bringing him back for now. “Your friends understood the truth.”
At the back of the room, an Ogre strolls through the shattered door with something strapped to its back. The thing pulses softly, the light around it seemingly sucked into it, and he feels the Light that’d been coursing over his body vanish entirely. “That is why they fought so hard.” He runs a finger across the wound on his chest, humming quietly as he inspects his blood. “But you did not move fast enough. What will you do now? What can you do now?” Wisp can feel the power lurking just below the surface, beckoning- begging to be used. “For what is a Guardian without their Light but easy prey?” The blade hovering above his hand zips forward, aimed at Wisp’s heart, and he rolls out of the way, shoving himself to his feet in the process. “You would still fight?”
‘There’s a delay between kills,’ Wisp thinks, his gaze flicking between Xarac and Zhevrel. ‘A cool down before he can use his quirk lethally.’ After dying nearly ten times to it, he’s begun to see the pattern. ‘I have three minutes before he can rip the iron out of my blood again.’ The temperature in the room plummets, the bodies and blood below them frozen in Ice, and the Knight chuckles as Wisp takes off after the Ogre at the back of the room. ‘Bring the Light back to keep them in the fight,’ the creature roars, its purple gaze passing over him as he slides across the ice, ‘and then we take this f*cker down.’ Wisp leaps into the air, a blade of crystal-clear Ice appearing in his hand, and as he falls, he slams it home, shoving it and his arm elbow-deep into the Ogre’s eye. It roars in pain and topples over, and the thing on its back begins to ring as he draws closer to where it’d fallen.
“You cannot stop what is coming.” Wisp looks over his shoulder at the Knight that’d watched the short battle, the creature never once moving from its spot, and then he approaches the thing on the ground, the object humming louder. The small bubble of light around it pops as he shoves the blade through it, and he rips the thing to pieces, the Light returning to him in an instant. Zhevrel sparks with energy once more and Jewel surges forward with a gasp, glowing red eyes landing on the Knight that’d killed her time and time again.
“You should have killed me instead of watching,” Wisp mutters as he turns back to the Knight. The Blade of the Queen shrugs almost… uncaringly and Wisp feels his veins beginning to rip apart again.
“I am enjoying the Hunt. Why would I hasten its conclusion?”“And that,” Jewel growls, “will be your downfall.”
*****
Shouta wakes with a gasp in pure darkness, the bindings wrapped tightly around his body holding him firmly in place. “Shouta?” Fynch calls, and his gaze snaps to where he thinks the voice came from. “Can you hear me?” He grunts in reply, wiggling his body to try to break free. “Can you cut yourself free?” He continues to wiggle his arm until it’s pulled loose, and he reaches across his body to where he keeps the knife Wisp gave him. It sticks to the webs covering him and he struggles another few minutes before he finally rips it free, the tip of the blade slicing his arm open when he fumbles it. Hissing, he grabs the blade and shoves it through the thick silk, and cool, fresh air immediately rushes inside as he sucks in a deep breath. “Oh,” Fynch happily chirps as he zips into view, “good!”
“How long was I…?”
“Only a few minutes,” he replies, watching intently as Shouta pulls himself free. “I had to wait until you were bound and the Nomu was gone before I could bring you back, otherwise it may have… bitten you.” And for that, he’s grateful, because the last thing he wants in his life is to be turned into soup. Grunting, Shouta rips the last of the silk off himself and looks around.
“What about these?” Fynch hums sadly, the light of his eye dimming considerably, and Shouta nods in understanding. “Nothing to be done then,” he comments, forcing their deaths out of his mind. “Where’s the Nomu?” Fynch turns and faces one of the many tunnels branching out from the main hub, and Shouta stares down it, his eyes narrowed. “Iida and Stain?”
“Still alive for now.”
“Given how intent Iida was, that’s somewhat surprising.” Not that he thinks for even a moment that Iida could have killed Stain, but- and Wisp can attest to this- all it takes is a simple mistake for things to go to sh*t. Besides, he doesn’t only have to deal with an angry teenager, but a disgustingly spider-like Nomu as well. Shaking his head, Shouta gathers his scarf, winding it back around his neck, and he takes off in the direction Fynch indicated.
“Why do you hide from me?” He pauses as the Nomu’s voice washes over him, cruel intent buried within each word. “Are Heroes not meant to save people like us?” He shakes his head and quietly stalks forward, being careful to avoid each thread draped across the hallway and placed on the floor.
“Do not pretend,” Stain hisses in reply as he steps into the hallway, Iida nowhere to be seen, “that you are innocent.” The Nomu smirks, envenomed teeth dripping dangerously, tar-black eyes glistening at the prospect of a new hunt.
“I am only following my nature,” it happily replies, legs extending and claws splaying. “Is that wrong?”
“I know who you are.” The Nomu pauses, its head tilting to the side, and Shouta sneaks closer. “I recognized your work, but with the enhancements and changes you’ve undergone, I was uncertain until now.”
“Oh?” The Nomu questions, its abdomen pulsing. Shouta spots the glint of the sharpened appendage hidden within, and he prepares himself, his knife in one hand and his scarf in the other.
“You were the start for me, the reason I began my work as a Vigilante, but you escaped, slinking off into the darkness like the vile creature you were.”
“Ahh,” anger fills its voice as it skitters closer, “so you do remember!”
“Look at you now,” he continues, entirely unbothered by the malice directed at him. “An abomination so far removed from humanity that you wouldn’t recognize yourself in the mirror. Your fall from grace warped you, and your fall from society twisted you into the creature you are today.”
“You wound me, Chizome.” Stain hisses angrily, his blade flashing as he draws it, and Shouta inches closer, coming to stop just at the shadow’s edge. “Do you care not for the return of an old friend?” Stain throws the blade in his hand, sinking it into the creature’s chest, and while it flails back, he charges forward, slipping under the swing of its leg while running another blade across its surface, separating it at the joint. The Nomu howls in pain and Shouta leaps into action, slipping past another leg to cut it as well. He throws his scarf out, grabbing Stain to drag him out of the way of its follow-up strike, its abdomen passing through the empty air where he’d been a moment before. “You live?” Shouta doesn’t answer, instead slipping past Stain to attack, sinking his blade into the abdomen and ripping it to the side. “How,” the Nomu hisses as it pulls away, skittering to the back of the room and well out of range of their attacks. “You were dead!” Stain throws another knife, the blade slipping perfectly into its eye socket, and it quickly scurries away, disappearing down a silk-covered hallway.
Shouta continues to watch the hallway until he can no longer hear the thing, and then he turns back to Stain. “You okay?” He’s answered with a nod, and he quickly notes his clenched teeth and balled-up fists. “Who was-“
“You’re alive!” Iida cautiously walks out of the room he’d been hiding in, his eyes blown wide as he stares at Shouta. “How?” He asks, unintentionally parroting the Nomu. Fynch appears next to Shouta, bobbing happily in the air as he hums to himself, and Iida’s gaze flicks between the two. “You’re… like Wisp?”
“It’s a new development,” Shouta replies. “That doesn’t matter right now though.” He throws out his scarf, wrapping it around the boy. “I assume since you’re not freaking out right now, you two had a chat.” Iida nods. “Good. When we get back to U.A., you and I are going to have another chat. Do you understand?”
“I-“ Iida looks down, “Yes, sir.”
“Stain.” The man slowly blinks, his eyes somewhat hazy, and he looks up at Shouta. “Did you notice that it didn’t heal?”
“I did,” he slowly replies. “It’s not like the rest.”
“That’s good; it means it’s easier to kill.” Stain nods and sheathes his blades, hazy eyes following the path the Nomu took in its escape.
“You’ll never believe what happened at school today, Chizome!” She bounces excitedly, her extra arms twitching at her side. “I met someone with a mutation quirk just like mine!”
“Oh?” He asks, a smirk pulling at his lips. “I assume that’s a good thing?” His friend smiles brightly back at him, her deep blue eyes sparkling with happiness.
“Stain.” He blinks and focuses back on Shouta. “Let’s go.” The man follows quietly behind him, his mind years in the past as they slink towards the future.
*****
“So, what are they?” Zavala looks over his shoulder at the woman and watches as she fruitlessly tries to fix her wrinkled uniform. Behind her, the members of the JSDF continue to watch the streets, their orders long since changed to lethal. A pity it took a contingent of Thrall ripping a Division to shreds while it was live-streamed back to their Command tent before they realized that the Hive aren’t normal people. “You said they’re worse than our worst nightmares and you don’t hesitate to kill them if they’re spotted.”
“They are Hive,” Zavala supplies. “Creatures of the Dark that deal in death.” She follows his gaze to the strange spires that reach towards the heavens, each one ending in a sharp tip. “They are a blight, a scourge that leaves nothing behind. Men, women, children… they do not care.”
“Where did they come from?”
“They followed us.” He doesn’t like admitting that, acknowledging that they failed to save themselves and have now potentially condemned an entirely different People to the very same fate.
“And where are you from?” Zavala doesn’t answer, but she can see the pain in his eyes, in the way he holds himself. “Are they all bad?” She asks instead, watching him carefully as he mulls over her question. Eventually, he shakes his head.
“There are many that have forsaken their people to join us. One of our greatest is Hive, though she calls herself and the ones that follow her ‘Krill’.” It took so long to accept Zhevrel, and it took nearly as long to accept the ones that later followed her, but he’s come to realize that some of them truly do wish for something other than war. Their new city and the communities within are proof of that.
“Are the people inside Hosu going to be okay?” Zavala wants to tell her yes, he wants to promise that each person will escape with their life, but he’s not naïve enough to think such a thing could come true, even if the thought of civilian deaths rips his heart to shreds. When he doesn’t reply, she nods sadly, joining him on the line to ensure the Hive don’t escape the burning city.
*****
Mirko slams into the Knight, sending him rocketing back several feet, and the large creature lets out a hissing breath, teeth bared angrily at the two standing before him. “It should not be this way,” he grinds out as he grabs his sword. “You are puny things, toys to be played with, and nothing more.” Endeavor steps in close, throwing a flaming fist forward, and the Knight ducks under it, grabbing his sword. He swings it up in a wide arch and Endeavor sidesteps the swipe, stepping into the creature’s guard. “Mother!” Mirko comes in from below and kicks the Knight in the leg as hard as she can, the crack echoing across the room. The abused appendage snaps under the weight upon it and the Knight stumbles forward, Endeavor’s fist hitting him as he falls. “I do not understand!”
“It was a bad match-up,” Endeavor comments as he stomps forward, kicking the Knight’s hand aside when he reaches for his blade. “What use is an army when the one you face can burn them to ash?” Mirko grins at the downed Knight and cracks her knuckles, each step a promise of what’s to come, but before she can deliver the killing kick to the downed creature, a hand shoots out of the darkness and grabs her leg. She tries to leap back, but it tightens its grip, and she feels the bone beginning to strain under the pressure.
“Katron, my dear brother,” a woman strolls completely out of the shadows, wings of pitch-black resting upon her back. Her glowing eyes study the three, shifting from Mirko to Endeavor to Katron. “To be laid low by such… disgusting creatures.”
“How long have you been watching, Shelki?” She tsks, ignoring his question, and shakes her head, her grip tightening further.
“You have disgraced us,” she says instead. Without warning, Shelki swings Mirko through the air, slamming her against the ground, and Mirko groans, more surprised than anything else. Before she has a chance to recover though, she finds herself flying through the air, and she bounces off the wall, her leg throbbing. Looking down, she spots a black handprint, inky veins spreading from the point of contact. Each vein seems to pulse, and where it spreads, she loses all feeling.
“What the f*ck is this?” She whispers to herself as she climbs to her feet, but when she goes to take a step, her leg gives out under her.
“I would not move if I were you.” Her gaze snaps up, eyes narrowing on the woman as she pulls Katron to his feet, and next to them, Endeavor stands completely still, a blade pressed against his neck. “The poison will kill you faster if you do not listen.”
“You think that’s going to stop me?” Mirko demands, half-limping half-hopping forward. “I’m not scared of death.”
“And what of this one’s life?” Shelki asks, eyeing her curiously like she’s some sort of experiment. “Will you sacrifice his life?” Endeavor tightens his fists and flares his quirk, the blue flames catching whatever is holding him on fire. It screams in pain and falls away, giving him the space he needs to move, and Endeavor surges forward, his flaming fist aimed directly at the woman. She casually steps to the side, running a single finger over his arm as it passes, and he quickly recovers, preparing to attack again, but the flames sputter out and he loses all feeling in it. “I shall give you the same warning as the other.” Endeavor looks down, spotting the black veins spreading across his arm. “I would not move if I were you. If you do,” she shrugs, “I doubt you’ll survive more than twenty minutes.”
*****
“Stay.” Katsuki sets off another explosion and the carapace protecting the Knight continues to crumble away, revealing the soft flesh underneath. “The f*ck.” He punches the exposed spot, another explosion ripping free, and black blood begins to flow. “Down!” The Knight swings its knife forward, but the attack is blocked by another wall of ice. Punch after punch is rained down on the creature until finally its eyes dim, the green glow vanishing entirely as it slumps to the ground. Katsuki growls above it, more animal than human in that moment, and slowly he lets out a breath, straightening up to glare at the thing.
“Are you okay?” His words cut through Katsuki’s anger like a warm knife through butter, leaving him feeling exposed and oddly cold, detached even. After another breath, he nods, his glare never once leaving the creature at his feet. “You didn’t hesitate.” There’s no judgement in that statement, and Katsuki finds himself looking up at the boy, those words bouncing around in his head, not out of guilt, but at the understanding hidden behind it. “You’ve seen what they can do too.”
“Yeah,” Katsuki agrees, his arms falling limply to his side. “I have.”
“Is it wrong?” At his questioning stare, Todoroki gestures vaguely to the Knight. “I was upset when I had to kill them the first time, but now… after someone helped me really think about it…”
“I watched them rip someone apart and eat them while they were alive,” Katsuki whispers. Todoroki hums softly, his mind flashing to much the same thing. “So no,” fingers flex, nails digging into his costume before he forces himself to relax, “it’s not wrong.”
“Do you know how Wisp-“ A hand reaches out of the darkness behind Todoroki and Katuski’s eyes widen. The boy, seeing this, drops without thinking, and the claws snap closed through the air his head occupied a moment before. Todoroki kicks off from the wall, sliding across the ground, and Katsuki grabs him, quickly pulling him to his feet, the two falling back-to-back as Knights and Wizards begin to crawl out of the shadows.
“You are stronger than we assumed,” one comments, their wings touching the floor.
“Underestimating our enemies, even humans-“ Todoroki latches onto that and tucks it away for later, “is a detriment.” Three more join them, and the boys find themselves surrounded by six Knights and Wizards. Blades are pulled from their sheathes, hands begin to glow with blue energy, and black smoke fills the room, leaving it hard to breathe.
“We shall not make such a mistake again.”
*****
“Wait a minute, big guy,” Comet says, grabbing All Might before he can commit to another fight. “We can’t go battling everything we come across.”
“Isn’t that our goal though?” He asks, eyeing the Hive as they march by. “To reduce their numbers?”
“Initially,” she confirms, “but when you were busy reducing the last group to paste-“ and wasn’t that quite the sight to see. Something about the entire thing brought her immense amounts of joy, and it wasn’t just because the Hive were dying. “-we got new orders.” He lifts an eyebrow at her, and she feels the urge to ruffle his hair. Shoving whatever that is deep down, she gestures to the structure in the distance. “Our new orders are to reach the Temple and the people inside. Shaxx has already cleared a path from his end, and they should be breaching it soon to begin escorting civilians out.” The net around Hosu is closing, each fireteam pushing deeper into the city as each street is cleared. Once the civilians are recovered and safe, it’ll be time to push into the center of the city and destroy the citadel growing within.
“What about them?” He gestures over his shoulder with his thumb, clearly unhappy with the idea of leaving anything dangerous behind.
“There’s another fireteam following behind us. They’ll be taking over our duties.”
“I don’t like it,” he quietly admits, “but if those are our orders…” Comet slaps his shoulder and grins at him through her helmet. “Lead the way then.” Nodding, she takes off, weaving through back alleys and across rooftops to dodge patrolling Hive and humans alike, but as they draw closer to the Temple, she notices something, two people walking up an empty street. Pointing them out, All Might nods to her silent question, and they veer off course, coming to a stop above the two.
“You’re certain this is what must be done?” All Might’s eyebrows pull together, and he leans forward, Comet doing much the same.
“We must see if he is ready or not, Savathûn.” The woman comes to a stop, her companion following suit a moment later.
“What if he’s not?” She shifts, her head tilting up, and All Might and Comet both pull back before she can see them. Savathûn smirks, though they don’t see it. “What will we do then?”
“Our purpose is to pull him out of hiding and guide him down the correct path. If he is not ready…” the comment is left open. “Whether he knows it or not, he has already accepted the Logic.”
“Oh?”
“I saw the video of his slaughter. The Banished Disciple has grown stronger.” She points into the distance. “His Temple is proof of this as well. Stasis has warped and consumed the minds of many, and Wisp was once almost one of them, but he has grown, taken the reins as it were. To see him use it in such a beautiful manner…”
“Do you believe it will be enough though? The Siblings may be too much for him as he is currently.”
“If Wisp defeats even one of them, then he shall have no issue defeating the others. He will continue to grow with each death, though I am uncertain if he will be ready for what we have prepared quite yet.”
“What I don’t understand…” they start walking again, their quiet footsteps disappearing into the distance.
“Are you okay?” Comet unclenches her fists, forcing herself to relax, and she lets out a breath she wasn’t aware she’d been holding. “Comet?”
“That was Eris Morn and Savathûn.” He tilts his head to the side in confusion. “Comet to Vanguard.”
“Go for Comet.”
“Eris Morn and Savathûn have been spotted in Hosu. What are your orders?” She hears Ikora suck in a breath, her quiet growl making its way across the link. “Your orders, Ma’am.”
“Do not engage. That… that is not a fight we can win currently. Continue with your mission.” It’s clear by the tone of her voice that she’s unhappy issuing that order.
“Understood, Ma’am.” Comet stands and turns to face the Temple, a frown pulling at her lips. “Let’s go, kiddo. We’ve got work to do.”
*****
“The time between deaths is getting longer,” Jewel points out. Wisp nods in agreement as he rubs at his forehead. Blood continues to leak from his ears, nose, and eyes, the Knight having shredded many of the veins within already with his quirk. “He doesn’t have unlimited stamina.” There’s a massive boom behind them, and they watch as Hynkit sails through the air and crashes into the wall. Shaking his head, he pulls himself to his feet and dives back in. “Did you notice that it’s only one at a time as well?”
“Yeah, it’s always one of us, never all of us at once.” Jewel hums and taps her chin, ignoring the missing chunk of her cheek.
“So, there’s limitations beyond the time limit.”
“The time limit seems dependent on each person as well,” Zhevrel comments. She peeks over the edge of their blockade to watch as Hynkit and Xarac weave and dance around each other, each one landing blow after blow against the Knight. Hynkit is thrown back again and Xarac catches him, flipping in the air to launch the man back at the creature. He crashes into the Knight feet first, sending him stumbling backwards. “It takes roughly five minutes before he can kill me.”
“Three for me,” Wisp adds. “Jewel and Hynkit are the unluckiest by far.”
“Yeah, getting ripped apart literally seconds after coming back isn’t exactly fun for me.” Despite the situation, Wisp finds himself laughing, and Jewel cracks a smile.
“It would make sense that you and Hynkit are the easiest to break apart.” Zhevrel taps the floor with her clawed finger, her green-white eyes dimming as she thinks. Wisp watches as her wings flutter, exposing the galaxies hidden within before they’re tucked firmly against her back once more. “But what is the difference between me and Wisp?”
“You’re not human,” Xarac points out, his normally upbeat tone severally diminished. “But you’re all missing something equally important.” He leaps into the air and slams his Staff down, the Knight lifting his sword to block the blow. “He’s yet to kill me.”
“That’s…” Jewel curses, her eyes glowing brighter. “sh*t, that’s a fair point!” Hynkit grabs his arm, wrenching it down, and Xarac releases his Staff and kicks the Knight before quickly pulling away. The creature lets out a rumbling growl and Hynkit explodes.
“There he goes.”
“Okay,” Zhevrel joins the fight, counting down the seconds until she’ll die. “So why can’t he rip Xarac apart like the rest of us?” The room flashes with purple energy, the shockwave washing over them and blowing debris across the room.
“Damn, Zhevrel.”
“I know for a fact that Xarac is human,” Wisp helpfully points out. “Unless things have changed over the last hundred years that I don’t know about.”
“Nope!” Zhevrel grabs his extended arm and launches him at the Knight. As he passes, he grabs the creature’s helmet, his momentum sending Trecu crashing onto his back. Zhevrel descends on him immediately, her hand sparking with solar energy, which she slams against his chest. He catches fire, the flames climbing up his neck, and he splays his fingers, ripping Zhevrel apart from the inside.
“I am tired…” he stands, using his sword to keep himself steady, “of these games.” Wisp leaps over the barrier, charging at the Knight as he swings at Xarac. He slides across the floor and kicks his knee out, sending him crashing down once more.
“The only thing I can think of,” Xarac throws his Staff at the Knight and Wisp locks him in place, holding him firmly in its path, “is that Xarac really only ever uses arc.”
“Oh,” Wisp mutters as the Staff pierces the Knights chest. He grabs it and pulls it deeper, smirking darkly under his helmet when it pokes out through his back. “sh*t. His quirk isn’t control of metal, it’s Magnetism.”
“Huh,” Xarac sprints forward and Hynkit flashes with Light, the man standing and sprinting after Xarac. “I never even considered that.” Wisp feels something in his head pop, and he falls onto his back, the world spinning and darkening around him. Trecu grabs his chest and squeezes, shattering his ribs and tearing his internal organs to shreds.
“ENOUGH!” The others ignore him, Xarac swinging past him to wrap his arms around the Knight’s neck while Hynkit slams his arm through his abdomen. Trecu stands, dragging the two up with him, and Zhevrel flashes with Light, the woman floating into the air, the air around her hands beginning to warp. Behind him, Wisp too comes back, coughing violently as he clutches at his chest, but he doesn’t take the time to process his death, instead shoving his knife through the Knight’s knee. The creature roars and tries to kick him, but Jewel tackles him, knocking him onto his back once more. Zhevrel throws down a void grenade, which begins to eat at Trecu’s armor, and Xarac pulls back and rips his Staff free.
“Do it,” Wisp hisses, his grip on the Knight tightening. Zhevrel falls next to him and grabs the Knight’s other arm, which had been reaching for Hynkit. “Quick!” Trecu’s fingers splay and Hynkit explodes once more, spraying them with shrapnel. Jewel immediately takes his spot, clamping down tightly. Xarac doesn’t stop to think. Instead, he jumps into the air, his Staff held high above his head, and he slams the tip through the Knight’s chest, ripping through his heart and piercing the ground below, leaving him pinned in place like a bug on display. Cautiously, the others let go and back away, watching intently as Trecu violently coughs, spraying black blood into the air.
“It shouldn’t be-“ Wisp shoves Apostate into his skull and twists the blade, shattering bone and reducing his brain to mush, killing him before he has a chance to finish his sentence. Part of his body is consumed, leaving behind liquid, metallic flesh to splash against the ground, which Wisp scowls at with open disgust.
“You should have killed me when you had the chance instead of playing with your food.” Wisp gazes across the battlefield, bodies piled high, Ice and blood forming strange, warped, and disgusting structures, and finally, he looks back at his team, watching as Hynkit returns and sags in relief, Xarac gently patting him on the back while Jewel shuffles over and leans against the pair. Zhevrel floats closer, studying Wisp intently, her eyes dimming before growing brighter as she looks between him and what remains of the Knight.
“How do you feel?” Wisp considers the question, his grip on Apostate loosening, the blade dangling from his fingertips, blackened blood dripping to the ground below where it immediately freezes. Surpassingly enough…
“I feel good.”
*****
Shouta drops, the Nomu’s sharp claws passing over his head. Time seems to freeze for a moment, his loose hair caught in the passing breeze created by the creature looming above him, and then everything returns in full force, another leg swinging out to bisect him. Shouta rolls backwards, using his hands to springboard over the attack, and he launches off the wall full speed back at the Nomu, his knife carving a clear path across its chest. The Nomu hisses, its abdomen thrown forward, and as he hits the ground, he spins, the sharpened end of the appendage passing by him instead of through him. ‘Never again,’ he thinks. He throws his scarf out, wrapping it around the Nomu’s segmented body, and he pulls, his enhanced strength tipping the surprisingly light creature over. As it stumbles forward, Stain shoots out of the darkened hallway to the right and buries his blade in the thing’s chest.
“You won’t escape this time,” the man promises as he twists the blade, thick, purple blood leaking from the wound to stain his weapon and his hands. The Nomu lunges, sharp teeth bared, and Shouta yanks on the scarf again, sending its attack off course. Its claws twitch and the webs around them constrict, closing in on the pair. The closest one slices through Shouta’s neck before it snaps, leaving behind a long, bloody line. He grunts, one hand moving to cover the wound until the Light rushes to heal it. Stain fairs much worse, several webs managing to snag him, binding him in place as they dig into his skin. He tries to twist an arm free, and they dig deeper, revealing the layer of fat hidden just below the surface.
“I am the Hunter, not you,” the Nomu grinds out. “You are mine to do with as I please!” Stain continues to struggle against the bindings, uncaring of the damage they do to his body, and the Nomu slips free of Shouta’s capture scarf, no longer interested in playing with its food. “She screamed as she died,” he taunts, “just as you will.” Its abdomen zips forward, the sharp tip already extended, and Stain watches its deadly approach with… there’s fury, unbridled amounts of fury, but buried under even that rests resignation, acceptance, and guilt. “Suffer f-“ the room explodes with Light, the beautiful purple waves washing over them, shadows dancing to an unheard song, and the Nomu finds itself locked firmly in place, each leg bound by something immovable. He looks back to find Shouta is nowhere to be seen, the space where he’d been standing shimmering as smoke billows into the air, and just past that, a ball of purple light, thick strands of it stretching out to wrap around his body. “What is this?”
“RECIPRO-“
“I’m not sending a teenager against a genetically modified monster, Stain!” The man stares blankly back at him, his head tilted slightly to the side. “It’s illogical.”
“The only illogical thing here is your unwillingness to use everything around you to your advantage,” Stain counters. “Your desire to protect the boy is admirable, but you seem to have forgotten something.”
“And what’s that?”
“He’s already here, Eraser. He has already seen the truth, has already witnessed the evils that you hoped to spare him from. You died in front of him. The child has seen death. His eyes have been opened to the truth. There is no returning from that. The childish innocence you hoped to protect cannot be spared any longer.”
“He’s a kid!”
“A kid that may be the first of many to die if we fail.”
“I-“ Eraser growls, preparing to stalk forward and shake some sense into the man, but Iida reaches out and gently grabs his wrist, stopping him before he can even begin.
“Whatever you need of me, I’ll do it.” Stain grins. “I do not like the idea of working with a murderer, but Wisp… Wisp was right. You’re exactly what the people of this city need. You have no qualms with death. You will not hesitate to do what must be done.”
“One sees reason.” He looks back to Shouta. “And the other?” He grits his teeth, balled fists shaking, but he knows. He knows if he tries to stop Iida, he’ll just find a way to insert himself into the fight. Shouta can see it in the way he stares back at him, seemingly daring Shouta to try to stop him.
“We do this my way.”
“-BURST!” It’s fast, far faster than the Nomu was expecting, the voice announcing the boy’s presence the only warning he gets before his head slams into the ground, a heavy leg leaving its imprint on half of his face from the initial impact. Teeth shatter, shrapnel ripping the inside of his mouth to shreds, and he bites through part of his tongue with jagged teeth, the useless flesh falling out of his mouth when he gasps in pain. Iida comes to a stop at the back of the room, his engines stalled, and then he vanishes in a puff of blackened smoke. The webs binding Stain snap, cut loose by their invisible companion, and he immediately moves, not giving the Nomu time to react before three knives are shoved through his back, one severing his spine in an instant.
Despite the injuries, he tries to move, a few of his legs wiggling, but the purple bands holding him in place constrict further. Realizing he can’t escape, he opens his mouth to shoot his venom at the man looming over him, but nothing comes out. In fact, now that he considers it, he can’t feel any of his quirks, even the one that was guiding him to the man he knows lurks somewhere below. ‘Why can’t I…?’ The air next to Stain shimmers, revealing Eraser and Iida, the boy currently supported by his teacher. “…my quirks?” Eraser’s gaze flicks to the Light binding the creature in place, his brows furrowed as he considers the implications. He never actually activated his quirk, instead planning to do so after they had the Nomu bound. To discover that the Light neutralized its quirks is… groundbreaking to say the least.
“It’s strange how the Light and your quirk have combined,” Fynch quietly comments. “Will all quirked Guardians be enhanced as well?”
“We can discuss the logistics of our Light later,” Shouta whispers back. He watches as Stain takes a halting step forward, his entire body shaking violently.
“Why.” The Nomu looks up at him. “Why.”
“Does one need a reason to do as they please?” The shaking stops, his body now tense- taunt, ready to release at a moment’s notice. Shouta backs away, pulling Iida with him, and the two disappear down the hallway, leaving Stain and the Nomu on their own.
“So, you’ve always lacked conviction then,” they hear Stain reply. “Just a useless parasite that latched onto someone else.”
“She was beautiful, wasn’t she?” It says instead. Stain lifts his blade high, his rage vanishing once more, replaced by an eerie calm, but Shouta can feel it, the hatred billowing off the man in violent waves. They crash against him, the currents just below the surface threatening to carry him out with them. “The look on her face when she realized what I did to her family and what I was going to do to her ne-“ The blade falls, piercing the Nomu through the brain and out through the bottom of his mouth. It tries to say something else, some last, potent words to carve an irreparable hole into the man’s mind, but they don’t come. Stain twists the blade and rips it out, glaring down at the dead creature at his feet, and the blade falls free from numb fingers.
“She was my only friend, my only family,” he whispers to the dead thing. “Nobody believed me when I told them what you did.” A fist slams against its head, purple and red blood mixing together. “Not the police.”
“He’s a Hero, kid. Stop lying.”
He hits it again, and again, and again, and- until nothing remains of the creature’s face but bloody mush. “Not the Heroes.”
“There’s no way he did that. What, you trying to stain his image or something? Guy didn’t give you his autograph and now you’re mad?”
Skin and muscle and fat and blood and bone reduced to liquid by his repeated punches, and yet he doesn’t stop, he can’t stop, years of rage and pain bottled deep within shattering, releasing their poisonous, corrosive content. “NOBODY!”
“If they won’t listen, if nobody will see the truth…” he dons his mask and tucks his sword against his back, “then I’ll just have to show them.”
Stain screams, agony ripping his throat apart, and he sinks to his knees in the gore, uncaring of the liquid seeping into his clothes. Iida listens to the man’s continued wails, his heart clenching despite who it is.
“These are things you each need to remember going forward. You will face Villains, but you will mainly find yourself facing normal people. They may be sick, they may be hurt, they may even be unhinged and not the slightest bit understandable, but you must help them and treat them with respect and dignity, just as you would anyone else.”
He didn’t understand it at the time, All Might’s words bouncing off him, his mind still preoccupied with what’d happened at the USJ, but as Stain continues to scream in anger and pain, those words finally start to make sense to him. “Let’s go, Iida.” Shouta gently prods him towards the stairs, and Iida takes a step forward, his engines finally returning to normal. “This isn’t for us to see.”
*****
“Shaxx to Vanguard, we’re approaching the Temple now.” The armored man and his contingent of Guardians step closer to the door, each of them eyeing it wearily. ‘Please don’t make me fight you again, Wisp.’
“You’re clear for entry. Bring them home, Shaxx.”
“Understood. Breaching in-“ the door swings open on silent hinges, hallways lit by beautiful red and blue flames within banisters of crystal-clear ice that sparkle to the dancing flames. Lines of Light begin to climb the walls, intricate patterns and shapes taking form to detail battles long done, and battlefields long abandoned. He spots Wisp’s first days, his trek from the wildlands to his time with Lord Saladin. He sees the Crucible, his own image standing high above flanked by breathtaking golden light. The Vanguard, each given their own home on the walls stare back at him, Cayde, bright eyes shining with mirth, Ikora, a book in her hands and her brows knitted together in concentration, and Zavala, the man standing proudly against the Cabal during the Red War, his weapon shouldered and his finger on the trigger.
Deeper they go, the doors closing silently behind them, and Shaxx continues to spot more murals. As they move into the first chamber, something changes, the room they find themselves in darkening, revealing the twisting galaxy in the darkness clinging to the walls, and the ground seems to rumble, a construct- one he recognizes- of Light climbing the walls to tower over them. The Ahamkara speaks silent words to the outlined man before her. Shaxx follows the curve of the room, the darkness returning before it reveals a man lying upon a bed. Sylph floats next to him, her grace and beauty- the love Wisp holds for her captured with lines of glowing Light. Onward they go, the first one he saved, Eri, Himiko, and Aya, each one's rescue detailed with stark clarity.
“What is this?” Someone asks, their voice almost… reverent.
“It’s his life,” Shaxx replies, his eyes landing on two gravestones, one dedicated to Jinx, the other to Sarok. Wisp kneels before it, glistening tears frozen in time fallen halfway to the ground. “Every moment, every person of importance to him.” Shaxx burns the images into his mind, preserving them for so long as he lives, and he walks towards the door at the end of the room, but it too opens, revealing the very same man he’d been sent to find. “Wisp.” Green eyes blink back at him, and he smiles brightly.
“It’s about time, Shaxx!” He feels himself relaxing at Wisp’s tone, the fear of what he’d find melting away as Wisp approaches. “I was just about to go help the Heroes when I felt your approach. Whatever was above is dead, and we dealt with our own threat. All that remains is the one Mirko, Ingenium, and Endeavor went to stop.”
“You’re…?” Sylph appears next to him and gently taps her frame against his helmet, and he lifts a hand up to brush her, her quiet giggle filling him with happiness. “It appears I expected the worst for nothing.”
“Certainly understandable,” Wisp concedes. “Last time I was in a Temple, things were…” He doesn’t finish his sentence, not that he needed to-to begin with. “The civilians are down that-“ Wisp gestures behind himself, “hallway. I need to make sure the others are okay before I join you.”
*****
“Let me claim them.”
“No. They are mine until they die.” Endeavor wheezes, his lungs struggling to suck in air as the poison continues to spread, everything below his sternum entirely numb. Next to him, Mirko lets out a scream of pure rage and forces her numb body to move, each step shaky but certain.
“I will not let this f*cking stop me!” Shelki watches her curiously and mutters quietly to herself.
“You’ll die faster.” Despite the poisonous roots spreading across her skin, Mirko manages to lunge forward. She spins, intending to kick the uncaring Wizard into oblivion, but something reaches out of the shadows and grabs her leg, halting her attack. She pants heavily, sweat pouring down her face, and her red eyes narrow into a venomous glare. “If looks could kill, dear child.” Endeavor flares his flames in an attempt to force the rot back, and for just a brief moment, it recedes before returning twice as fast, the blackened roots climbing up his arms until he loses sight of them under his costume and he assumes up his neck. “Only a few more minutes. I wonder what it shall do once it reaches your brain.” Her last few experiments had been… inconclusive. ‘Hopefully, these two will provide better result-‘ the shot rings out and she screams in pain, her arm ripped apart by the bullet that tears through it.
“Why can’t I sense you?” Wisp asks as he walks into the room. His gaze flicks to the Heroes before returning to the two Hive. “Only,” his aim shifts and he pulls the trigger, putting the bullet through the Knights head before it can react, “that one. Well…” Wisp shrugs. “Not anymore I suppose.”
“You…”
“Me.” He throws balls of Light at Endeavor and Mirko, both letting out sighs of relief as the blackened veins begin to vanish. “I recognize that,” Wisp says as he lifts his shirt up to reveal the black marks on his torso. “Never thought I’d see the Corruption again. Gotta say,” he fires again and the Wizard falls into the shadows, “I’m not happy about its return.”
“The Corruption,” her voice echoes from around them, and Wisp falls in with the pair, placing his back against theirs, “was merely the beginning.” Claws reach out of the darkness and Mirko kicks out, knocking the hand away. “An experiment given life. Zerdu was an anomaly. Crota should not have created him.”
“You know your history.” They scan the room, looking for the Wizard, and portals begin to appear around them, Knights and Wizards stepping out of them, each one carrying strange black blades.
“Of course I do.” Her quiet whispers fill the room. “It’s a shame my Ogre only scarred you.” Wisp’s thoughts stall, his mind cast to a time long past. He can see the warped Ogre, eyes of green opening across its body. The fight that left him scarred, the descent into the Hellmouth that led to his finding Zhevrel. “How is my Acolyte? I was surprised to learn that she lived after her Worm died. Even more so when I learned that you fed her Light.”
“Who are you?” But he already knows. There’s no doubt, even though he knows it shouldn’t be possible.
“I am now Shelki,” she appears behind her companions, her wings splayed, “Ghost of the Brood. But I believe Zhevrel,” his eyes widen, “had a different name for me.”
“Exiled for thinking different.” She lifts a hand to her head, running her fingers over the scar. “Worm abandoned, killed self.” Zhevrel taps her chest. “Spent time in pit before, always brought back for more rituals.” Wisp nods along, showing that he’s listening to her as he tends to their fire. “Wizard Mother want kill, but Ritual Leader stay hand. Say useful still.”
“You’re the one that escaped,” Wisp hisses. “You’re the one that started the experiments in the Hellmouth!” Shelki laughs, her wings fluttering behind her, and her three green eyes shine brightly. “How?”
“I joined the Flesh long after my escape, dear child! The Council of your City were not the only ones to be consumed, though unlike me, only a few of their minds survived within. You realize you’ve met one already, yes?”
“The- You’re a hybrid like the others! Node-born.” The Knights and Wizards begin to move at some unseen command, weapons brandished before them.
“We only require the Warlock.” The first charges with a roar, thundering footsteps joining its battle cry, and the three move to meet them. Mirko flies above Wisp’s head, her foot connecting with the Knight and sending him toppling over. As he falls, Wisp vaults over him and fires a bullet into his skull, not even pausing before he moves onto his next target. Endeavor follows up behind him, leaving behind a burning corpse that crumbles to ashes in seconds. Black smoke clouds the air and Wisp drops his gun, clapping his sparking hands together, the shockwave sending the smoke careening away from the group. One of the Wizards says something they can’t understand and Mirko comes to a stop and glares up at her. Wisp flips over her and snatches her outstretched arm, spinning and using his momentum to launch the woman at the Wizard high above their heads. She lets out a joyous whoop as she sails up, her kick shattering the Wizard’s chitin and the bone underneath.
Leaving Mirko to her work, Wisp falls back in with Endeavor, one hand pressed against the man’s back while he uses the other to fight, fire spraying out from one side while Ice springs forth from the other, catching their would-be attackers in an unavoidable attack. The Ice clinging to Endeavor melts away, but before Wisp can reapply it to keep him cool, another Knight lunges at him. He catches the creature’s wrist and wrenches the blade out of its hand before shoving it to the ground, and Endeavor slams a flaming boot onto its head, searing his footprint across its face. Wisp follows up with a kick, his boot leaving a large hole in its skull.
He spots the Wizard falling out of the sky, Mirko’s legs wrapped around its head- ‘What a way to go.’- and he rushes out to catch her before she slams into the ground. She leaps off the Wizard, her kick sending it crashing into the nearby wall, and Wisp catches the woman, quickly shoving her to the side, both of them dodging the blade that would have gutted at least one of them otherwise. Mirko rounds on the target and Wisp hits it with a kick to the chest, sending it reeling back just long enough for Mirko to wind up her own attack. Kick after kick leaves it with a caved-in chest, each hissing breath accompanied by blood bubbling past its lips. As they pass it, his hand cannon reappears in his hand and Wisp fires down without looking, ending its life.
“How-“ Shelki lifts her hands into the air and the black smoke returns in full force. Endeavor and Mirko both drop, the poison taking effect instantly, but Wisp shoulders through it, lunging forward to grab another Wizard. He squeezes her skull with all his might, ignoring her screams as the bones in her face shatter and snap, and as her final wheezing breath comes to a shuddering stop, he drops her lifeless corpse on the ground, his casual pace leading him towards his final target.
“This is for the ones I lost.” He fires, ripping the leg off of the nearby Knight, and Wisp drops a grenade on its chest, the Ice piercing through its body before it freezes over entirely. He follows it up with another tossed over his shoulder, this one exploding and shattering the frozen Knight into millions of pieces. “This is for every single one that died.” Shelki tries to dodge, to sink back into the shadows of her quirk, but Wisp catches her by the front of her robes and he yanks her back into the Light. His solar-enhanced hold sears through the fabric, fibers melting away to reveal the chitin hidden below, and Wisp presses his hand against her chest, his fingers sinking into the chitin and flesh. Shelki tries to shake him off, the black smoke condensing around him and arc energy bouncing harmlessly off his armor, but he pays both no mind even as the black veins climb up his neck.
“This…“ Wisp pulls one hand back, a small shard of Ice appearing upon the tip of his knuckles, “is for Zhevrel.” The punch sends the shard deep into her body, and for a moment, she thinks nothing will happen, but then it activates, sharp spikes of Ice tearing through her flesh and body, exposing bone, fat, muscle, and skin frozen in and hanging off of the spikes that continue to climb into the air. Wisp releases his hold on her and steps back, content to watch even as the poison reaches the edge of his eye. He can’t feel anything at all, and yet… in that moment, he doesn’t care.
Shelki screams silently as the Ice continues to spread, soon enveloping her entire body, and Wisp stares down at her for a moment longer before he lifts his hand cannon up, points it at the frozen Wizard, and fires. The passing shards leave deep, bloody furrows across his exposed skin, and he wipes some blood out of his eye. Sylph appears next to him and he feels the Light cascading over his body, the pain hitting him for just a moment as feeling returns before his wounds are healed. “Honestly, Sylph,” Wisp says as he turns around and tosses two more balls of Light at Endeavor and Mirko, “I regret not learning to use this,” he lifts his hand up and an intricate crystal of Ice appears above it, “earlier. Never again, Sylph. I refuse to let my fear rule me ever again.”
“Look at you, Wisp.” He whips around, the woman’s voice leaving his ears ringing. “You’ve grown so much.” Mirko growls as she stands, her glare shifting to the two women standing at the back of the room.
“Who the f*ck are you?“ They pay her no mind, both instead watching as Wisp draws closer, his green eyes blown wide open.
“…Eris?”
*****
Katsuki and Todoroki press their backs against the door, bodies strewn about and trapped within the ice and fire covering the area before them. “f*cking-“ Katsuki coughs, blood spilling over his lips, and he wipes it away, smearing it across the back of his hand. “They won’t stop.” Todoroki hums next to him, his eyes narrowed at the remaining Wizard and Knight, both of which have moved to stand on either side of them. His leg is entirely numb, some strange black veins disappearing under his clothes, but he can feel them spreading, a coldness unlike anything he’s ever experienced before proceeding their advancement. Katsuki isn’t holding up much better, his arm and half his face covered in the very same markings. “Well, let’s go then!” He screams at them, his single hand sparking. The Knight grins and the Wizard cackles.
“We have enjoyed this. You both shall make fine tithes.” They both advance, but the sound of advancing footsteps leaves them pausing, both looking down the hallway, and in the distance, they see it, blue sparks, lightning crackling, blue arcs of electricity striking the walls and the floor as someone charges at them. “Who are-“ the body slams into the Knight, sending him flying into the opposite wall, and the man that charged at him follows up with a punch. The Wizard turns to help her companion and someone fires, the shot tearing through her back. She collapses to the floor while the helmeted man- who they realize is Shaxx- grabs the Knight with both hands and lifts him into the air. He slams the creature down on his knee and tosses the dead thing aside, nodding to himself before turning to face the boys.
“Look at you two!” The man cheers, oddly… bubbly for someone that just killed someone. “I see Wisp was correct about you both! So much potential just waiting to be molded!” Ingenium sprints down the hall and skids to a stop in front of them, kneeling to look them over. “You fought those creatures well, my friend,” Shaxx says to the man before his gaze shifts back to them. “And you two! Fantastic Guardians you both would make! Tell me, what do you know of the Crucible?”
*****
“How do we get inside?” Comet and All Might both look up at the massive door before them, neither able to slip a finger between the cracks in the door to pull it open. “I don’t see any way to do it. Do you?”
“Can’t say that I do, kiddo,” Comet replies.
“Why do you call me that?” She glances over her shoulder at him and shrugs.
“Just feels right. Does it bother you?” Normally he’d say yes and politely ask that she stop, but… oddly enough, it does feel right.
“I-“ All Might scratches the back of his head almost… bashfully. “No, I actually quite like it.” She hums in reply as warmth spreads through her chest.
“Good! That means I don’t have to-“ The door explodes and both of them leap in opposite directions.
“You are not bound as we are; slaves to the Worm within.” Wisp flies through the opening and crashes into the building across the street, the entire thing crumbling before falling onto him, and two women step through the wreckage of the door, neither paying All Might nor Comet any mind. “Wisp,” the man groans and drags himself out of the rubble, “you are a pure conduit. It’s carved directly into your Being.” Eris continues to walk forward while her companion stops in the middle of the street to observe. Nothing lost.” She grabs him by the front of his armor and lifts him into the air. “Nothing taken.” Wisp weakly paws at her hand in an attempt to gain purchase, and she brushes it away with her other hand. “Only freely given.” He tries to shake free from her hold and she slams him into the ground and curls her fingers under his armor, ripping it away as if it’s made of paper. “Do you recall what I once told you?” Her warped gaze stares through him and she shakes her head, waving her free hand dismissively through the air. “No matter, you are far from ready to challenge me.”
“Why, Eris?” He wheezes. “Why?”
“I do what I must, Wisp,” she quietly replies, her eyes dimming. “I’m sure you understand such reasoning, yes?” Eris holds his glare and taps a clawed finger against her side. “Never before had I felt so helpless. My friends lost, my hope lost, near everything I held dear lost.”
“So, you abandoned us?!” He yells back. “You joined the thing that took everything from you, Eris!”
“I found my purpose, Wisp,” Eris corrects. “You will understand.” She wraps a clawed hand around his neck, easily breaking apart the Ice that begins to cover his body. “One day.” Wisp struggles weakly against her hold, his hands clawing at her own, but she simply squeezes tighter, ignoring his gasps for air and his desperate green eyes begging for an explanation. “It would do you both well to remain where you are,” Eris comments as Wisp falls still. “What would a newborn Guardian and an above-average human hope to accomplish against me?” She leaves Wisp’s body behind, gesturing to Savathûn, and the woman joins her once more.
“I won’t let you-“
“Yagi Toshinori,” Eris interrupts, surprising him, “you barely won your fight against Shigaraki- excuse me, All for One. Do not pretend you have the power required to face me.” With that, the two vanish, disappearing through the Rupture that tears itself into existence before them, and as it closes, All Might rushes over to Wisp while Comet steps into the Temple, ignoring the destruction within as she looks for any survivors. She finds Endeavor and Mirko buried under rubble, both of them breathing but unconscious, and the Temple begins to crumble around them.
*****
“-hasn’t woken up yet.” He comes to a stop just outside the room, listening intently to the ones within. “I-“ she curses, “I knew we shouldn’t have left him alone!”
“You couldn’t have predicted this, Jewel. Come on, we need to check on everyone else. Wisp isn’t going anywhere, and if he does wake up, you know he’ll come find us.” She sighs and the two walk out of what remains of the hospital room, leaving the man within alone with the nurse. He watches as they disappear down the littered hallway, and then he steps into the room.
“Oh! I’m sorry, can I-“ he taps the woman’s face, and she falls to the ground. She’s not dead, not that he’s against killing her, but there’s really no need. Instead, she’ll sleep for a few hours, blissfully unaware- for now- of her failings. He turns to the sleeping man, green hair brushed gently out of his face, the rise and fall of his chest slow and steady, and he approaches the bed.
“So, you’re Wisp,” he whispers as he leans closer. “Crazy to think you have so much power. Gonna be real interesting to see what they make with you.” He slips a pair of quirk-suppressing cuffs around the sleeping man’s wrists and pulls out his phone, quickly hitting dial. It rings once before it’s answered. “Need a pickup for two.”
“Understood. Ready for transfer?”
“Go ahead.” Wisp and the man vanish, replaced by two others who quickly scatter, both going in opposite directions as they make their way out of the rubble-strewn hospital. Now, it’s just a matter of escaping Japan before anyone notices that Wisp is missing.
*****
His eyes open slowly, and he vaguely registers the cuffs around his wrists. Wisp groans, his head pounding as the memories of what happened replay over and over again. ‘Why, Eris?’ He can’t think of any reason she’d abandon humanity, that she’d kill so many people. Over what, loss? Which, maybe that’s unfair, because he knows he’s done some questionable things, but that doesn’t change the fact that she joined the Darkness! Wisp growls and opens his eyes completely, hissing as the bright, fluorescent lights send pain shooting through his skull.
“Ah, wonderful! I was worried you wouldn’t wake up for some time still. You’ve been asleep for days! That fight in Hosu must have really worn you out.” Wisp looks up, his gaze falling on the man sitting across from him, but it doesn’t linger there long, instead drawn to the colorful red wings displayed behind him. “Do you like them? Beautiful right?”
“You’re the ones that took Keigo.”
“Oh, no. We don’t do that here. His name is Thirty-nine and you’d do well to remember that.” Wisp starts to stand, the chains holding him to the chair straining- and really, he isn’t trying quite yet- but a hand falls on his exposed back, sending searing pain coursing through his body. “You’ve got quite a lot to learn, but that’s alright! We’re very good trainers.” The hand is removed, and Wisp looks over his shoulder at the man cowering behind him. Despite his anger, he easily registers the fear lurking behind his eyes. Grunting, he turns back to the man behind the desk.
“Welcome to the Farmhouse, Forty-two.”
