The Hill was in an atmosphere of pure animosity. Stern looks of refuted justice and humiliated duty cross through air soaked deep in nitroglycerin. The normal buzz and bustle of the dispatch room replaced by desperately careful conveyance. No one wanted to spark the fury that permeated everything, even if the images they were seeing did everything they could to light it all up.

The fighting half of the Elite were stood over the central war board, few portions of the city below them still blackened by the repeated EMP attacks. Small emergencies flashing and dimming as they were reported and contained. The smaller marks of more minor heroes scattering throughout to the equally disparate and constant crop ups. Most usually turning out to be little more than complaints, but Aegis couldn't bring herself to feel annoyed. Shame caked everything, even as the main screen above the board drew back her ire.

Long range camera footage, drones, surviving spy cams left in Eagleville to watch for Seth's movements. All of it had showed the riots that had resulted from their incursion, the turmoil of doing their jobs where they weren't wanted. Adding an already drenched atmosphere more humidity. But right now, it showed nothing but boiled ionized air. Played back the arrival of a new sun in the middle of main, the war proceeding it killing everything close yet sparing the air assets. So that they could weather the light and heat, and show them Seth, suit and all, sat in that burned out center.

Hollowed out. Unmoving. Vulnerable. But the tension denied any action. He'd thrown this city into blackout twice over, escaped their dragnets twice as well, showed off more alarming power than had been previously observed, left them to spark a new pogrom and be fools, and was now losing control of it all as those images replayed again.

His paradox was maddening. Wanting to be a hero, but hiding his power. Losing his family in the crisis, but modeling himself after their killers. Killing three heroes like they were nothing but insects, but showing crushing regret for it. Rescuing an entire warehouse of people without killing a soul, saving them twice over from what could only be said to be his own outburst. And then spare four more heroes who sought their own revenge in the face of that. But then failing that and tearing people apart like an out of control beast. Before helping those who had all but sold him out.

Aegis could barely wrap her head around all this, and could feel the side on glares from the rest of the Elite who couldn't even begin to understand. Let alone care. All they saw was an enemy they couldn't reconcile with, one struggling against himself just as much as they were. And it pissed them off that it had gone this far. So something had to give.

"Officer Burgess!"

A stoic demand from Erdwut tore down the tension like it was just a curtain pull, and nearly wheeled Comms Officer Burgess out of his chair.

"S-Sir!!"

The officer was still drowning in every bit of that humid air.

"I want every team, B and above, converging on that position within the hour!"

His wide eyed expression belied none of the gravity of that demand.

"S-sir… all of them?"

But Erdwut's glare may as well have been the mouth of an active volcano stared straight at the unfortunate man.

"All of them!"

The tension finally snapped manageable, the room boiling to a roil of procedure. Every dispatcher, tied to the entire tri-state area, switched from quiet standard to immediate link in the chain of command. No order needed to be given, all were rallying every team on their rolls and directing them to Eagleville. Directing them to Seth.

But this set off flurry was disregarded, as Erd turned around and stormed out of the room. The rest of the Elite in toe, because they'd been ready for this fight for too long. Except Hothead, who broke off quickly. He just couldn't be bothered to wear his suit until it was absolutely necessary. Even if he was always on call. By contrast Maglev, Makani Samurai, and Aegis had never gotten a chance to rest. Maglev had held the fort here while Aegis and Erdwut were chasing Seth before. Samurai was finally done feeling sadness for the first time in years, so he'd been out of action these past few days. Mediknight and Techno had to stay on station, Medi still had too many people left to heal and Techno too much data and damage to sift through. And Para, despite his unwillingness to stay where he damn well should, could still only be called a liability. But Aegis was sure he was going to be watching this closely.

The call had barely been made but already the periphery was flooding. Heroes were getting their rallies to action and funneling toward preassigned docks. Every shape and shade, those who knew full well what they were headed towards and those that could barely comprehend. Weapons and elements and tactical advantages storming passed. But Erd was unmoved. Continuing counter to their flow, stoic glare clearing a path all on its own. He and the Elite had concerns only Erd could see as pressing, and their own implacable course to follow.

Hothead skidded into formation alongside Maglev, gloves hanging between his teeth and a boot hastily being clamped in place. Just in time for them to round the corner of the foyer. For them to march through melted and shattered tiles still marking Seth's steps. His desecration of their home.

Caution tape warded the destroyed façade, but a crowd was gathered outside it regardless. Landing packed and guarded to keep it there, waiting for just this moment to occur as their own reports grew defined. The flash and chatter of cameras, and the coordinated assemblage around an in-focus area. The media had gathered wanting answers for what was going on, what had burned into the night and flashed over their forest horizon. What it all meant, what would be done. And they were not going to relent in their pursuit.

The Elite were surrounded the second they left the empty double door, barraged by flashes and questions too fast to answer. Already soured dispositions turned caustic as the assault weathered down their guard unlike even the worst attacks they've faced before. Questions of their competency, of the city's safety, of their disregard, of what will happen to Para, to Aegis, of why this even got this far in the first place, of why nothing is being don-

*STOMP*

The storm was silenced as that stoic volcano stepped into place and broke its surge. Taking its brunt as the face they had to deal with. The sole focus to lay blame and ring praise to. A spokesperson and leader rolled into one. Because despite Aegis' reviling of those words, he was good at this. Meant to bear this brunt. Eschenwald sitting unlit on his belt so all attention was on him, even as the air came off a broil. But his voice retained none of it. Like that volcano had gone extinct and remained sat watching down over the life that had spread out in its shadow.

"Everything is going to be fine. We're on our way to stop things from getting worse. Get back to your homes and get back to your lives. Your heroes will put an end to this scourge. We are going to finish this…"

His hand pulled the dormant blade free, as the inquisitive swarm pulled back almost out of instinct. Like that calmed volcano was coming back to life.

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"Once… and for all."

*FWWWOOOERRRRGRGrrrrrrrrrrrr*

As a first eruption in ages tore that placid mountain to cinders. That molten sword bursting out in full flare as the landing docks to either side of the foyer thundered to life. VTOLs igniting their engines and starting their drones for all to know that their heroes were going to war. As the stoic volcano that was Erdwut made his march yet again. The part in the crowded reporters pulled wider as he made his way, fire and ingrained respect keeping them back as the rest of the Elite followed behind. As the full brunt of the League force in Kadia descended from their despoiled home.

"YYEAAHAAHA!!! That's the call fuckers!! B and above lets fucking GO!! Let's show this town what its been missing!!"

Forests rumbled, hills echoing, the air violent and surging to life. Roads dense and heavy taken, winding out of foothills and down from the emptiness they foretold. Transports lifting off and held to, full of militarization and heavy with power. Flying escort for the ground teams rolling out a main defilade to see this war themselves.

Himself. Bare to the wind of his exile island in a sea of green. Standing on the tip of this armored spearhead and having the time of his life. Letting it all wash over, letting inertia and bumpy roads have its way with his body. Letting it feed the rattle of the air he caught. Potential soaked up and beaten into his mandate. Giving shine and shudder to the cuffs that kept him in check. So that the day that had come could feel his sequester. Could feel Kineticlysm free to let loose.

Whether to further retrace Seth's steps or to make sure the whole city knew what was happening, the Elite stepped down from their Hill and marched their warpath. The VTOL fleet slowing in the thermals, engines only tilted enough to hover in this combined arms formation. As UTAHs rumbled out from the lower docks and rounded the access road that surrounded, forming up alongside to bulk it all up.

The twice destroyed plaza path before the Hill clinked under their boots. The ruined monument still standing in the way, yet easily circumvented. The still shaken Buster sitting against it even easier. Her blade was freed, but she still sat with it propped up beside her, hand wrapped around and head pressed tight to it. Like she'd lost something dear to her and only just got it back. Aegis only afforded her a pitying glance, but little else. She'd chosen to undertake this on her own and had to deal with the consequences on her own. But it would still have been nice to have another blade added to the fight.

The clinks turned to rumble as the UTAHs formed up off their side streets. The city was still in disruption, normal life brought to a halt twice over and their heroes defeated twice over. So the people needed to see that their defenders weren't letting this stand, weren't letting evil win, weren't going to let history repeat in some different form. People gathered to watch them, to cheer them on, to see for their own eyes that their lives weren't going to be left in chaos. Still more simply watched to confirm that they were heard just as much as anyone else was. If not a bit more so. For as much as this city loved its heroes, Aegis knew they felt entitled to them. Felt entitled to the peace and security that they provided. Their ire couldn't be ignored among the cheering throngs. Sometimes she regretted ever being a hero, but now wasn't the time for doubts.

As the crowds were allowed to see before the matter of distance was made. As the UTAHs revved close and were made way into the formation. As hand holds and roofs were made grand stands. As engines were allowed their full throttles. As this war party set out full and into what may come.

The forested hills passed solemn and ignored, the neighborhood beyond still smoking from its burned out wrath. The people below could only see this one way, heroes enforcing their will over the already downtrodden. But no one cared anymore for what was thought of them. All this advance saw was the cratered street ahead, the boiled over air that still steamed the last of its heat away, and the shine of armored terror that needed to be put down.

The drone overhead increased, more VTOLs crowding the sky from the east and north. Outposts that were spread out providing their forces to the fight. Flyers detaching and escorting their laden motherships, streaks of contrails and energy of too many hues in their wakes. The road rumbling from the east, the intersection ahead filling with more UTAHs from those other bases. And standing atop one, surrounded by roiling air set to burst apart and-

"I'M BACK YOU UNGRATEFUL FUCKS!!!"

And glaring like a madman at the dystopia that spread out before him. The one who bore the blame for this neighborhood's state in its people's eyes. And payed for it as all those too excessive do. Kineticlysm, the unofficial tenth member of the Elite in exile, too strong for his own good and too brash for anyone else's. But despite his hate of this place for ruining his career, he wasn't about to ignore a call to arms. Or another chance to prove his worth as a hero again. He turned back to meet his advancing and far less enthusiastic compatriots as they loosed from their own transports.

"Hey guys!! It's been way too… long…"

But Erd refused to stop and greet his former comrade as he stepped off the roof. As the rest of his semi mechanized unit passed by. The road nearly turning to dust beneath steel soles as he followed in behind, built up power shaking the air and ground like it was being held hostage. His suit had seen better days as Aegis greeted him with a halfhearted shrug. The bottoms from a surplus suit colored a matte prototype grey, but accented with steel borders and a torn up black tank top that matched his boots. The big thing was the container cuffs and collar he had made of that same steel.

His power stored up potential energy every time he moved, and too much of it could be overtly destructive when he turned it kinetic. So he wore, was mandated to wear, special equipment to release that energy when it wasn't needed. The aesthetic scarily suited him. Messy brown hair and bloodshot grey eyes just added to the mad smile he gleamed. He hadn't gotten to fight much since his departure. But, despite his reception, was far too ready now.

The rest of the UTAHs rumbled the smoky neighborhood and blocked off streets in every direction. Storm doors bursting open and spilling out heroes narrowly beyond count. Suits colored every hue under and over the rainbow, powers and weapons of every conceivable and inconceivable type. An army to stand against undo terror.

Flyers and transports circled the sky, powered and armed creating a perimeter too deep to avoid. More doors slamming open and rappelling ropes spooling down to adjacent rooftops, ranged supers dropping down to firing positions. Bows and guns, unnatural accuracy and powered arms, even a tank of a man wielding a minigun torn straight from a CWIS mount. Swords, spears and powered hands filled the street below. Manipulators and breakers, martial artists and elementalists, wielders of artifacts and holders of power. The League descending upon its foe with all the force it could muster.

Teams spreading out as they neared the dust filled crater, a line three deep rounding the edge. Weapons pulled ahead while ranged stayed their distance. The VTOLs departing and leaving the sky to the dome of flyers in en masse overwatch. The Elite held their line a breast facing down their gleaming yet bowed target. Erdwut holding center with Aegis beside. Hothead and Maglev holding the left while Samurai pulled in next to Aegis. Kineticlysm squeezing in next to him, a softened yet still overly excited smile meeting Samurai's fairly worried one.

"So what's this guy like huh? You gotta tell me!"

Samurai disregarded his overenthused tone and whispered him a brief, as Aegis scanned down the encircling formation. A few of the trainers from her course were in line, and none of their former students for lack of rank. Blade Tone, Phoenix Tech, Breakerbox, and… Para?!

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him grapple his way out of one of the UTAHs. Suit barely managed on, bandages still marking his face, and his limp hand and foot still drawing him down. But the determined look in his eye staring back at her said enough about what he was here for. Refusing to be left behind and watch from the drones milling just out of the combat zone.

She bore down on him to keep his place back there, because that was all she could do. In the end none who were here mattered, only what they were here for. Her gaze falling back on the drooped metal form in the center of this geologic scar. The overpowering burn of ozone and consecrated dust coloring this still life nature. He hadn't moved from his fall, suit still locked in its battle mode like it never left it in the first place. The greyed sheen of the outer layer had stayed unstained by the concrete and the dust that fell around it. And the eyes that had harbored the malice she'd witnessed before were cold and empty.

But she knew that, underneath the peaceful stillness that sat amid their torrential reaction, laid something too powerful to ignore and too destructive to let be. Even if it was her student, even if he was her friend, she knew what she would have to do.

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