Ever?

Ever!

Ever…

Why did he hold back? Why did he not use his full power again? Why is he hiding away? He refuses to accept his stature, denies the greatness that he embodies! He is weak...

Maybe I overdid things a little…

He knows he could rend this world in twain and yet it is as if he desires naught! What happened to our dream? What happened to our promise? Maybe he thinks he isn't worthy…

How ironic…

He is the one who must be reformed! Must be remade! I will not have our dream thrown by the wayside and all of our sufferings rendered utterly pointless! UTTERLY POINTLEeeeeEEEEHHHH! Such profound sentiments are pointless!!!

What can I do? What will it take to bring him back? Maybe… All I need to do is draw him back…

So that we can be made whole…

Again

Seth rubbed at the ache in his head as he walked along the dockside streets, that same feeling like it was vibrating. More an annoyance than anything but he could really use the focus right about now. Because the once barely alive society that hid in the cracks and decaying rubble of this block was now bustling. And not quite in a good way.

The escape route he'd found was little more than a covered hole in the floor that narrowly dropped him into the river. A barely maintained and bird shit painted service dock catching him and leading up to a farther warehouse. He felt a little sad that he left that poor little ghost fire girl alone, but that was quickly alleviated as he saw the state of the street right out the caved in doors. Goons and gangers were rushing down the trashed streets, high-viz overalls and heavy jackets now clearly common among them. Dockers running to defend their long since trashed base.

'Huh… guess I never cared to notice how stupid their colors looked. Really need to hold of myself.'

Whatever regular people who still called this place home came out of the woodwork as well, though their reactions seemed more muddled. As the oppressive drone of the VTOL flight circling overhead filled the air. Most looked scared, understandably. More collateral damage and abuse in their future if the past was any teacher. Some few were happy, but that was a low hidden air kept from prying eyes. A hope that the League was finally here in real force and would help them rather than leave again. Though that look was caught on its downturn back to reality. The blitzed among just tracing the flyers as they patrolled the air, said reality lost to whatever they'd gotten a hold of.

But all of them looked on, as the heroes they had forced away long ago returned. And in turn not at the lone figure stumbling passed them, head low under his cap and a hand glued to his head like he'd just woken up from a night so long it was already midday.

The world dripping away in the echoing, rumbling cacophony. Like so much splashed salt backwash on his shoes. Washing away like the sky was nothing but justice catching up to him. Justice for what…

'Eh, at this point who gives a shit?'

All he knew was that this headache wasn't helping. The heartache was bad enough on its own, though at least it was in remission. His good deed for the day really bringing back his confidence. Just… maybe not completely. There was a lot he had to atone for to begin with, a lot he had to do to ease this burden. He was so very far away from fulfilling that promise he made so long ago. But it at least felt good to take that first step. Even if it had given him a splitting headache. And maybe brought his pursuers straight to him.

He was really not expecting Aegis to show up right then. Let alone at all. And with Alex in toe, it was clear this was organized. He'd definitely fucked up big time with this kind of response. Though it was definitely for the best that she showed up when she did, he doubted he could have led all those people away without throwing this place into… well worse chaos than this. This place didn't need more street fighting, and his brand would have only gotten worse the more goons he had to deal with. But, as things were, it kind of worked out… in the… end?

The onlookers around him suddenly quieted their murmurs, a simmering animosity carrying over in turned away glances. A whistle on the wind, someone's powered flight. A frantic instep sidestep threw Seth into an alleyway, not daring to pay the slightest reaction to the very identifiable sound of Aegis flying overhead. The alley was shadowed and full of boxes emptied from shipments lone past. Enough to hide behind as she buzzed through the darkening cloudy sky overhead. Seth's heart almost skipped a beat as she came into his limited view, for all the good that would have done him. But… wait… No it was Alex! Seeing as Aegis didn't have red hair and a red hue to her suit.

'Fuck! I don't need normal heart attacks added to the mix. Hugghh… Never would have even had the chance to move if it was really her anyway.'

Seth watched from his personal shadow as she zoomed down the lines of the street, ignoring the communal glare she was receiving in return. He was surprised they would even try to send out patrols into such hostile territory, though flyers at least had an out if things got bad. So… they would be everywhere by now… And probably already know what he looked like from the freed prisoners.

'Crap… I have to use the sewers again.'

An exacerbated scan of his alleyway showed no sign of a manhole cover, but a look out toward the opposite side of the street showed a promising circle. Or at least as promising as a half collapsed half broken open series of shit tunnels could ever be! A few more scans up and down the street showed the onlookers were moving to get off the streets before things got ugly, so at least he was in good company. Briskly storming out of the alley before another patrol could come through. Though there still seemed to be a good number of flyers still hovering over the Docker base. Maybe Alex wasn't doing something official.

'Fuck it, whatever. Hopefully it's a good sign.'

A headache stymied manhole uncovering later and Seth was alone in the dark. Again. The smell was… actually better somehow. Earth, dust, mildew at worst, stale water at best. Maybe a cut off section, probably why few people lived here, no stable plumbing. It was still dark though, and the headache was throwing off his focus. The best he could pull from his enhanced sight was general outlines and a few bright spots. Surviving power grid running along uncut or repaired paths, a good enough guide to the intact main street.

The haphazard concrete tunnel echoed as he trudged on, the occasional muffled drone of a VTOL passing overhead the only adverse sound. It sounded low and full. The evacuations probably underway for the worse off. Another good sign. But his headache was getting worse. The stale air adding undue sting to the throb, like he was suffocating slowly. But, with every turn in the path he followed, the throb seemed to… shift. Like a compass needle stabbing into his skull, it demanded attention in a set direction, and increased if he followed it. Soon it rivaled his chest ache in annoyance, cried for something it wouldn't give a reason for.

'Uggghhh… Why can't you assholes just come out and say why-'

"Evshz zshelpsh cosshz"

Seth stopped in his tracks, echoing step bouncing away in the silence. As a voice filled his ear regardless.

"Wezzz sheedzshs helzzz"

The throb, like disturbed static, was carrying a message, telling him something. Talking. But it cut off as each pang receded, someone was trying to contact him. A frequency, like a radio signal.

"Itzssh timzsshh"

It felt familiar, plucking at nostalgia he… couldn't make sense of.

"Comzzz bacshsh shuszzzz"

But there was only so many possibilities it could be. So had to be the Garkah! An elation fighting sense, promise and regret tossed to the wayside. They were trying to signal him, trying to talk to him from where ever they were. But… but something was wrong. And his chest was demanding that he knew it.

The beat of his malicious heart countered the throb, muddled the message like a jammer. Caught between splitting talking headache and guilt ridden chest ache, Seth wasn't feeling the happy reunion for long. A desperate focus tried to regain the message, but it soon died down under the onslaught of physical guilt. But still he caught the essence of what was happening.

It was faint, like a low powered analogue radio wave with the dial set too high. The conductive receiver expecting it far from prying ears. Or poor quality fillings. Not exactly the best form of communication for them but it at least had a source. A finite direction. A beacon and transmitter rolled into one. They really were still in his suit. Either trapped or just based in it, using it as a tower to broadcast from. So he knew exactly where they were now. Or at least had a direction to follow. But…

But his aching chest demanded he reconsider. He wasn't ready to face them, not yet. This guilt had a source. They'd left him alone because of… whatever he did. Were forced away by it. But then… they saved him… because of what he did.

This was too much sacrifice to just waltz back up empty handed hoping to go back to normal. Their normal. He promised to be a hero, to heal not destroy, to do better with this power than what it had caused. Whatever 'it' was. Whatever still weighed him down with every heartbeat.

'grrr… Why can't you talk to me? At least then I'd know what the- *Ghur* fucking total was!'

This baffled moment in the dark damp at least allowed him a chance to recenter. A hand catching him as he lowered himself down. The floor covered in a grassy mat of algae and… actual grass. He slid his head against the wall and sat back, fairly cool air sitting low and waiting for him. He let the aches go back into the background, limited their inputs and let this emptiness lull it all away for now. All the power usage was starting to take a toll as well. Tired and still dully throbbing, he preferred to just rest a small bit. His new compass rose demanding of him, drawing his attention toward his ultimate goal.

'Hughh, don't worry. I'll come and find you… Eventually. And we can all get back to paying off our debts together.'

A short rest and a comforting environment felt like all he needed right now, as all this back and forth pain fell on deprived eyes. He slid lower and his head farther back, soft carpet meeting and proving this a better choice than continuing. Who knows, maybe he'd fought off his nightmares as well. But the day had already felt pretty full as it was. So what was an attempt at a nap going to hurt?

Ever?

Ever…

Does he not care? Did he not hear me? No… He didn't understand…

Didn't feel the urgency…

Why won't he come? Why does he not see? Why does he resist?? He will understand…

I will make him understand!!!

Again

The rumble of thunder. Of tearing metal and blasting explosions. Distant yet clouding the sky to black. Ashes raining and fire horizon. Soot caked roads and emblazoned trees. And thunder and beating… and… a drone.

A VTOL. A return trip. A very short nap. And a tame reminder that Seth wasn't free yet. Short breaths of earthy garden put that mild nightmare to rest as he picked himself up out of it. Another desperate yet defeated rub of his face to clear it all away the first day and the last. At least the dark didn't shine. Just loosed some molding dust from its ceiling onto his head. Imagination is a piece of shit.

He was back to trudging through this decayed sewer in short order. No better for ware but at least his body wasn't aching. Though the dilapidation soon, unfortunately, led to more maintained sections. Ones still in use.

"Gugh fuck… At least I'm close."

A quick focus revealed a line running up, a ladder. As well as the streetlights of the main street only a side street away. A hurried climb and pop of the cover freed him of the ungodly stench that was trying to take away everything that was good in this world.

'Fucking place is less sewer system and more mass septic tank. At least the rain is close.'

A breath of fresh alleyway air and a frantic kick to re-cover the grotesque underworld below later, he was back to skulking in plain sight. The sky was another shade darker, true enough to rain approaching yet again. The actually functional main street looking to be in as much of a tizzy as the dock streets despite this. Crowds were gathered to watch the skies, waiting for more heroes and VTOLs to appear and… well… make life harder for them. Though, one group seemed a little happier than the rest.

'Uggh. It's the Zors. Course they're waiting for me. Better go tell them what happened.'

Though… they seemed to have a few new members. Or were taking care of someone who broke their leg. Someone who really liked holster-

'…FUCK, THAT'S RAZOR!!!'

A red hue girl trying to look not completely out of place next to him told Seth enough of what happened, Alex had just run off to get him. The fucking Zors had ratted him out and brought the League here!

'Crap! Crap! Crap! CRAAAAAAP!! Okay don't look, don't draw attention, don't even breath funny!'

Head down, step quick, jamming his bright fucking red scarf into his coat, he hurried as nonchalantly as he could to his apartment. Better to clear it out now than-

"EVZZZZ!!! SSHAINZZzzz!!!"

He was stopped dead in his tracks, hands gripping skull, splitting headache turning to downright axe meeting forehead.

'Why the ffffuck now?!'

He stumbled as the mother of all throbs slammed into him, bumping him into a passerby as utterly chalantly as possible.

"Watch it creep!"

His eyes went wide, as he felt eyes on him. Mixing about, some knowing and unknowing. The barest look back from below his cap saw Mr. 'Immortal Zor' smiling ear to ear and waving him down… As Razor and Alex turned in kind with none of the enthusiasm and all the energy of hunters who just found their prey.

"Hey Dude!! Over Here!! You-"

Razor put a hand up to stymy him. Alex flexed illusionary muscle as the throb in Seth's head pulled him like a stuck hook.

"Hey!! We need to have a word with-"

'FUCK NO!!!'

Immediately Seth bolted, head down and letting that hook drag him all the way to the fucking cutting board! Alex sprinted after in tandem, no hesitation in the slightest.

"STOP!!!"

"Hey wait a- GAH!!"

Razor though stumbled after her on one good leg. Seth weaved around the crowds that thronged the sidewalks, all eyes still locking to the sky. Though a few turned down to the foot chase that was a hell of a lot closer. Alex must have copied someone powerless to lay low or else she'd be turning Aegis and slamming him into the pavement. But she was still as quick as he was. She weaved in unison, practically following his steps beat for beat.

'Is it too much to ask that she feel the same CLEAVING HEADACHE!!!'

"COMSh!!! sshUS!!!"

"AHAAHH!!!"

A throb slammed Seth down, narrowly to the ground. A passing TV shop flickered in the signal's wake, displays flashing static and dying out to the grumble of the crowd watching it. Alex winced in her matched pursuit, her own fancy radio in her ear squealing in the interference.

'What the fucking hell are you guys doing!? The knob doesn't go that high!!'

Off his stumble, Seth ducked into an alleyway stacked to the damn second story with boxes trying to make a makeshift barricade. Yet only really succeeding in giving him a route up. He focused, as best he could when his skull was being battleaxed from on high, power pushed to leap a few easy bounds and leave Alex behind in elevation. The empty rotten wood creaked a little too unstably but there wasn't really time to worry. The top box shattered as Seth tried to jump to the roof adjacent, chest slamming the air out of his lung as he scrambled up, just as she reached the deteriorating stacks.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

The roofs on the main street were thankfully level, but still heavily lived upon. Seth halfheartedly dodged a rooftop garden and barreled through either privacy sheets or dirty laundry as he tried to gain distance. Alex scrambled up behind with a good deal more air in her lungs just as he bounded across the first gap, coat fluttering in the-

"zzZZZCOME!!! TOZZZzz!!!"

A wave smacked Seth and tossed his balance away like trash. He slammed down sideways and rolled across the graveling roofing surface, undo pricking to go along with becoming a GODDAMNED RADIO TOWER!! Alex winced off her own following leap. Enough for her to slow and pull her ear piece out, and enough for Seth to scramble himself back up to keep anything like a lead.

Another bound and another rooftop, but an extra anxious feeling permeated as the rooftops seemed to end just ahead. But also the air was changing, electrifying. Something was building, the clouds hanging in the sky were ominously silent and stretched out over the hills back toward Kadia. The pull was growing, almost dragging Seth as he hit the last rooftop and ran for the edge. The throb was like his brain was being pulled from his skull. Like they didn't care that he needed to actually be alive to-

"COME!!! TO!!! US!!!"

"AAAAHhahhhh!!!"

The sky thundered all at once, clouds lit up like angry gods as the throb tore him down to his knees. Alex's hanging ear piece screeched as she bounded to that final rooftop, stopping dead as Seth gripped his head over his cap, desperate to shut out the pain. She winced at his agony, at the cacophony that filled the sky in its wake. But she didn't need much else to confirm who he was.

"Huhh… Just stop…! We can end this before-"

*BAM*

The door to the stairway behind her slammed open, a panting Zor with Razor carried along on his back bounding out onto the roof. The pair meeting Alex's surprised as Zor thumbed toward himself once he knew he'd succeeded, preemptive cut off succeeding too well.

"I know this town like the… back a… my two ha…"

*thud*

Until he fell over, overexerted and overenthused. Razor picked himself up off his back and just shrugged.

"H-he's just like this."

Before hobbling in alongside her, nervousness rising to white knuckling a knife handle, but managed as they both turned toward their prey.

"Just… just give up okay! We don't want to have to…!"

The air buzzing again cut him off, hairs bristling on their own, sky laden and deafeningly silent. Save for the drone of another VTOL headed back to Kadia… back through…

'No…'

Seth inched up, head tearing itself apart just trying to look up as the heavy transport lumbered below the roil above.

"NO!!"

Static laden air quaking, thundering, waves upon waves crashing over and over until nothing could hold them back but a desperate lurch to nothing.

"NOOO!!!"

Till those words slammed Seth's head like a freight train with no regard for what they were doing to the world!!

"COME!!! TO!!! ME!!!"

*BWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*

A wave, a burst, a wanton annihilation of anything electrical. An EMP slamming those words into his mind, into everything unprepared to take them. Disregarding cause, disregarding everything it took, everything it destroyed. Dim lights down the horizon crashing to abrupt darkness, signs and cars ahead cutting to empty, Alex's earpiece bursting in sparking death, and…

And that lumbering transport coughing its demise.

Engines sputtered in disynchronous horror, pushing it odd and whirling it off its straight path. Inertia enough to throw it over those obscuring hills. Enough to crash it down in fiery death upon the already fried city. To a catastrophe all over again mounted on his shoulders. More guilt to add to the pile, more crime to add to the tally, more death to pile over him. More, more, more…

"NO MOOORRRE!!!"

Seth shot up, tearing grey matter an afterthought. A pull, all that power still hanging in the air like maliciously spread poison, still tearing the sky asunder. All still connected and directed at him. Still flaring tendrils across imperceptible bandwidths. Down one straight fat line toward him. One he could see for what it had been and always was!

The world lit up and froze, low light aurora towering and crashing over everything flared to stellar waves Tendrils splayed, cut and condensed, found their shortest paths, found their freed brethren and gathered them to their cause.

To an almighty pull!

And a push in kind!!

A hand. A burning, cajoling, demanding hand. Shot forward, reaching out across distance too far to even feel. Reaching out to catch what was too far to save. All to deny that limit and catch that falling bird. Tendrils! Fibers of pure purposed energy! Threads upon threads upon threads upon threads! Lightning with more thought and more control roiling it into cordage in flash blazing moments only power could stand!

Arcing from atom to atom, zigzagging across the sky from density to density, pin balling a path of fastest connection and deepest reserve! From positive to positive like its namesake bolt! Dragging all excess to a cause it could only hold under him! Because he had to reach it!! He had to save them!! He had to reach out take them-

"Mayday!! Mayday!! This is Transport 5 5!! We've lost all power!! We're…"

Alarms returning, telemetry screaming, altitude spiraling, "Pull Up!!", fuel pumps flooding out, automated systems trying, "Climb you ugly duck!!". Screams, 'they don't deserve this', 'I don't want to die'. Gravity and torque, itchy bandages, pits upon pits upon pits, sore on sore on too tired to even scream in terror. Warmth, desperate holds, found and shared hopes, shared pains. Hopelessness, 'I don't want to die!', spitefulness, 'I don't want to die!!', screaming into the void in desperate chance that it will listen and, "I REFUSE TO DIE!!!"

Till finally a clear sight line flowed into view, outside world flashing past as it whirled about grim. A line stretching back in bright blue as if aimed. A burning held back warmth burdened with silent thoughts, burdened memories she didn't want to know. That she didn't want to forget. That feeling of a hand holding tight to hers even if it hurt him. That girl was looking back at him, through a window of this frozen moment. Eyes meeting despite distance. Brown eyes meeting hazel ringed in azure plasma.

A hand extended… And taken again.

As a tree slowly cut this final sight short, altitude dropping in inescapable slowness, the barest thread of connection about to be severed.

'I have to save them! I can take, I can feel, so that means I can cross them over!! I can save them!! I can bring them back!!!'

"I WILL BRING YOU BACK!!!"

*CRRCRRAAAAAKKKKKKkkkkkkooooooooo*

Another pull, an almighty demand, an arcing glare filling that stretched thin tendril for all it could carry. Lightning striking twice and thrice over. Life turned to data, data to existence, existence to fiber and electron being. All to be shot back in this sudden horribly slow reality. As another lightning bolt of transfer, of implantation, of conscious crossover tore the sky asunder. Minds, beings, cumulative existences all dragged away from the hell they were doomed to. Nerves made framework, memories made substance, life given new found form to be remade and held tight. More overwhelming feelings muddled together as they passed through. Names, faces, pains, and sadnesses, and "BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!"

Seth recoiled back, the flash of fifteen souls haphazardly saved like solid-state backups slamming him in the face. The air shattered and kicked and buzzed with excess, washing over, washing away the ache and pain and callous demands. As his cap was loosened and lost to sudden will brought to life. As his disguise became little more than pointless trifle. As pure white hair stuck in shock came free at last. And the world returned to its normal speed. In all its painful glory.

Alex and Razor unshielded their eyes, rubbing away the indistinguishable flashes that occurred outside their perception, wincing at the blaring ring deafening it all away. As the strike that just crashed before them waned into only personal rattle. As all they saw was a burned in jag, and trail of sputtered thrust disappear below the forested hill. Some level regained by the VTOL, but nothing was going to stop its fall.

Both freshly named heroes glared their uncertainty, their unknowing disdain, their fearful hesitation at the still smoking plasma sparking off of Seth. As he stood there reaching for his crime, still seething ozone from power taken without doubt. As his hand extended coming back down from its calling, as a new weight fell upon him clear as could be. As those hand were seen for the blood upon them. As he leaning down with power they couldn't compete against, to retrieving his cap from the near melting tar roof around him. His eyes burned of emotion and laden beyond their reasoning.

It was undeniable now, it was him. Electric power still tracing up in the sky in their singed vision and concerningly white hair being smoothed down to return his already blown disguise. A new red scarf bunched below his coat freed in the tumult, let flow from around his neck for good measure or lost nostalgia. Alex shifted forms as her fists tightened, features kept her own but body and suit copied from Aegis to get as much strength as she knew she had. Because even she'd held back her real potential.

"What the hell have you done?"

The demand felt more bluff than intimidation. Even with Aegis' power, she couldn't match what she just saw. But her anger was denying her shaky authority already.

"What the hell did you do!?!"

Seth barely turned, more looking back at the clear skies over the Docker base, flyers still circling but no VTOLs leaving with more survivors. Only one in service, the others patrolling. And yet were none perturbed despite the terrifying light show and thunderous announcement. Distance, interference, and local surroundings drawing them away and leaving them in the dark. A temporary condition, one he had to make use of while it lasted. He turned back to the hills, the dark clouds losing out over the city proper. He didn't like leaving the story to someone else, for it to fester when he could clear it. But he didn't have time.

"I did what I could…"

Before either hero could react to a single word, a foot pressed down to the molten rubber roofing with an almighty stature. And the power he had amassed pressed down with him, threads spreading down through the roof like those corrupting pulling tendrils. But instead of disintegrating, instead of repeating history taken too far, they knew and beheld and held it tight.

All at once the roofing as a whole shot back, the corner lip shattering to chunks and heavy debris. Their target exploding away, already approaching the tree line with a single bound. Delayed reactions finally realized as Alex pressed in similar fashion, but stopped as the debris washing over her face… shot back into place!

Infinitesimal, temporary threading pulled the shattered lip back into place like a slacked weave, structure returned without seam. The roof repaired like it was never destroyed, still dilapidated by poor maintenance but back to its previous state. A flashed up framework threaded and returned in Seth's wake. A display of what he'd learned in this pain, a demonstration of it with no need to say more, a silent blistering exclamation that he wasn't going to leave destruction behind again! And another thing to fear and stymy their outclassed pursuit as he hurtled toward those that needed him most!

As he boomed through the tall trees he'd passed through the week prior. Canopy rushing by with passive prickling threat. A twist, a foot brought round as a tree grew too close to ignore. Wood splintered as it was stamped in line, with momentum too far gone to hold back. Launching him faster against the pine filled air drag. As before, spread threading pulled taut, unsplintered the grievous wound and returned its arbor splendor. He didn't have time, he couldn't stymy himself and preserve what happened to get in the way. He could feel his cargo, feel the fear and confusion bleeding in, strange experiences not helping their weathered psyches. But worse still, he felt the passive fade of his hurried process to save them.

Their bodies copied fair enough, data easy but crammed into hardware not meant for this much. And he couldn't simulate them. Couldn't provide solidity like the Garkah had passively. They would lose themselves, dissolve into empty hollowed husks as they went without stimulus, suffocating simply because they don't have lungs to breathe with. Eventually degenerating into amalgams… like his mother would have. Or worse yet be too suffused with his overwhelming being to stay whole, like the Dockers before them.

He had to keep his focus on them, keep them separate and individual, and constantly give them what they were bereft of. Give of his own experience so they could feel something close enough to life. The wear already draining, cutting into his reserves, but purpose tore that existential fear away. He couldn't delay just because he might break something, so he refused to restrain himself.

Splinters showered and reformed, and the city came back into view. Clouds still hanged but the threat of rain on the darkened city passed on to the outskirts. But the pillar of smoke within refused him relief. Tree tops turned to metal coping, but the destructive steps did not abate. Metal caved inward and rebounded like heavy trampolines, concrete underneath shattering and returning from its denied defenses.

The streets below filled with cars, all stopped in their lanes. The plaster of flowing crowds filling the spaces between them. All exacerbated by a second mass disruption of their orderly society. The EMP wider than just the line that sought him. A few heroes scrambled to their service and safe harbor, more wrecks to clean up and damage to repair. But all of it was moot, didn't mean a single fucking thing! His eyes were locked ahead at the steadily dying out column of grey.

A haphazard police line starting to mark up the proceeding street, a few roofs torn up and bearing metal wreckage. But the main focus was the throng that filled the street. A grand triage scrambled into being out of need and bereft, what medical staff and applicable heroes outnumbered fifty to one with no transport to clear it. White and black and color mixed in with a sea of humanity… And hinted with red dripping and pooling about.

The craft had spared none on its path down. All victims he couldn't have spared from this.

Seth stepped from the rooftops, security overwhelmed or non-existent, and excessive power stymied at last. But horror ate at his demanded focus. That familiar tinge filled his nose, one he could never forget, but mixed with antiseptic and burned up fuel. His muscles tensed to fight off the memories, the ever waiting return to those bloodied streets and ash filled skies, but a sensation washing that rising horror away. One of rebooting power grid. A partial focal shift, enough to see the city returning to its powered status quo much faster this time. And raise his hope above the past.

Without a thought against it he stormed into the triage, a pull refusing the city's return just a little longer as he assertively charged toward the nearest unattended needing help.

A boy with blood streaming from between fingers desperately pressed to an arm, a piece of shrapnel stabbing bone deep in. With a forceful hand, Seth pulled his disguise apart, replacement scarf rendered needed compress. No words but slight protest from what was probably a father, as he pulled that hand away. Blood free to spurt before a magnetic hand dragged over and dislodged the offending piece. A whimper thwarted by the sudden wrapping of red fabric tight over his arm, and a bit of electron threading pressed and pulled to staunch the worst of the wound. A needed proof, a needed known that he could do this. But thankful hands was too slow to catch as he pulled away without so much as a glance. His time limit only partially losing out over his demanding promise needing to be kept.

His coat was off before he reached another, beaten sternum and internal bleeding forcing a man to the ground, chilling his body and threatening him without outward cause. A samaritan hanging over in vain care was surprised up by the sudden blanketing coat over her charge, foreign hands pressed down on the already struggling, hands pressing threads to where they were needed through already laden cloth. Something to keep them held there to heal more than he could stay. Nothing to be scared at but the brim of a cap and a demanding tone.

"Keep him warm. Don't leave his side."

Before she could question he was away, invisible threads already through with their repair and blood lose at least staunched. Seth scanned down the triage, more medics streaming in to fill the gaps as best they could. But he did not stop his crusade. Could not.

Hands suddenly pressed to a broken arm, threads pulling it back into place and staunching its path. No cover to obfuscate his powers, just hope that none would recognize him or notice in time. A head wound fused as another piece of shrapnel clinked to the pavement, a shattered shoulder reforged, a burned and broken leg healed as if it were never put to flame. An impaling spear of wanton metal disintegrated, power locked away pushed back in as threading closed vain and organ. The hole in his side was going to have to heal on its own. He didn't have the time to codify this poor guy as well.

Seth stumbled off deeper, drain finally winning out over excessive expenditure but not enough triage left to scour. Frantic looks between overburdened steps at the last few crowds offered him nothing else to heal. And none of his cargo. Nothing but the overpowering smell of burning metal…

And flesh.

The triage abated to horror, wreckage filling what was left of the street. The hulk of the craft broken over itself, burned through layers of protection coloring it like rust and salt. Steam fizzing and hissing as the heat was extinguished alongside stubborn flames. Heroes surrounding the hulk, prepping and staring as two figures pulled away from the wreckage. A third form passed between them.

Charred…

And small…

Cauterizer's olive bard uniform hard to ignore, smoke framing his burdened expression. As was Depthcharge's full plate diving suit as its eyes glowed closed and bore the bodies burn so as to add to the rows away from here. A bulky woman standing over the gathered covered forms, white sheets obscuring truth from onlooking eyes. But there was little to hide from him.

Names and memories and shared feelings rattling off as Seth scanned over them, matching a barely discernable consciousness to each. Guilt narrowly refusing to accept that he could bring them back. That they were all safe with him and not charred meat on the ground ahead. But his fight almost fell away as he watched the last be laid in line.

The woman pulled a tarp up, fluttering it over with obvious struggle. Depthcharge smoothing it out, foam armored hands delicately pushing the trapped air out and making sure the little girl beneath was properly respected. The memory of those beaten eyes and that blue fire sting of her hand in his refused Seth his focus, his placid composure.

Any will left to hold it all back.

Depthcharge looked up from their charge beyond heavy, looked to what they only saw as a struggling young man hiding his tears behind a simple cap brim. Their look drawing the bulky woman's gaze, blond short hair revealing another burdened gloom as she turned back toward him. Duty driving her up, the need to comfort others in their times of need and keep the site clear. Rather vain and oddly familiar brand emblazoned on her chest, chrome detailed surplus suit missing an over exemplified sword to match. A softened voice trying to calm him before his burden drove him down.

"Hey. It's… it's gonna be okay…"

But none of who they were or what they thought mattered. An almighty pull fading away as she drew within range. And a clenched fist coalescing every bit of focus and power he had left to give.

A fist bearing all his power, all his burden, all the souls he swore to return rose. Rose before any could react to the sudden electrifying of the air, rose to the sky in denial of fate and the bullshit of the universe, rose just to shoot back down with the wrath of a god scorned!

That almighty fist slamming to the asphalt without care for the repercussions, for the wanton possibilities, or even the goddamn consequences! Sending the ground to feel this burden, to fail its hold, to crack apart as the world froze for the barest of moments! As electrons altered beyond all feasible reason spidered out with crisscrossing direction and blaring purpose! Teeth gritted as everything he had shot away, memories, forms, frameworks, copied structures, and carried consciousness! Blackened bodies tethered in burning wire, filled with thread too bright to deny, outlining and flaring from beneath their certain deaths!

The moment only returning as the heroes watched that overburdened ground crack beneath them, flared in jagged paths straight to their own burdens-made-physical. Sheets glowed brighter and brighter. Bodies of char turned bodies of light. But he needed more, he needed matter, he needed energy!!

'I NEED MORE!!!'

The other hand rose over, air sundering as it bore all the hate and anger that carried him here, all his being and all the power he knew he had. And all of it to the beating tone of his twofold existence! To that ripping beat of that guilty heart! To another almighty fist slamming down and that cracked asphalt shattering to nothing! As all of it shot through everything!!

Rubble, shrapnel, wreckage, and refuse. Bodies both live and reforming denied to gravity in shared rippled perception, as the ground heaved out from below them. Plasma drenched path refusing their infinitesimal size shot out and through it all that could spare. Metal and concrete wrapped in malicious beating light, ripped apart in resonance tone for all they had, feeding back into those blazing bodies still rowed in place. The steaming crashed hulk cracked at its seams, dooming coffin turned repurposed fodder.

Muscle, bone, vein, organ, microcosm, and mental construct. Memories and consciousness realigned to reforming pathways, nerve impulses overlaid and set to the beat. Skin, hair, teeth, and scar, even the fucking ratty clothes on their backs!

Everything they were, everything copied in desperation and guilt ridden fury! All of it laid out and spun through that raucous resonance that was his tone! Framework lattice shining as matter and energy were shunted back into place! Fury throwing all that Seth had at bringing them back and making them whole!!

All while invisible hands made sure he knew how.

The flare crescendoed, sheets burned away and repurposed. All once gone made whole again! A final flare rippled through, a jolting startup to restart life cut too short. And a last bright glow of those spear spread threads, as they dwindled and disintegrated the last vestiges of that burned metal coffin. The moment finally returned in full manageable speed, for the rest of the world to see and know what just happened. In the dancing dying sparks of new life.

As a chorus gasped for the breath they had been denied, instinct and fear driving them up in sudden transposition. The little girl rising up in heave, a hand to her chest fighting a phantom pain, glowing with her uncontrolled burn threatening her heave… Yet refusing to take so wantonly. New thought put in with the old, old pain dimmed and put right, control taught in the flash of revival. This girl, this Tasha, wasn't going to be forced to suffer those burdens anymore. Seth made sure of it.

The heroes, off balance and trying to make sense of what they just saw, what they just felt, and what they ungraciously stood in the middle of. Their charges made whole when death was all they had been left with. Their scene emptied and of all the wreckage that made it so horrid burned away. But all of them failing to take this in complete, all looking back at the smoking and reformed asphalt opposite them. At the kneeling young man in the middle of it those dancing sparks of plasma left out.

Looks of pure awe, of dumbfounded disbelief, of burgeoning jealousy, of whatever they were feeling now lost on him. Seth had used everything he had, everything he could borrow. His breaths were haggard, his face dark under his cap, all the energy sapped away and weighing him down. But one piece held him up, the softening hold in his chest. Blind guilt reasoned with. Remunerated. A weight overdue lightened at last, like a little bit of the world was finally lifting off his back. Even if he could barely move at all. But the growing stares of all he made witnesses and outdid in utter excess were driving any elation down. Namely as that bulky woman advanced on him with a tenuous step and a tensing hail of-

"HOLY SHIT, DUDE!!!"

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