“He’s really gone…they’re all gone.” Laura mutter to herself as the wind swept away her tears. She couldn’t believe it was happening again. The past few months had been littered with death like the litter upon the streets of New York: Nurse Jane, Eclipse and …Hesperus. That little devil, how could it have been that someone she hated so intently could have hurt her so much when he died? The emerald eyed assassin sat perched upon the roof of the Champions tower. It was the tallest sky scraper around the area and from here you could see entire Island. The panorama of images swept past her eyes as she made a 180 degree turn to view it. Everything was quiet, peaceful at least for most Champions it was.
She felt selfish and spoiled for doing this, isolating herself amongst the clouds like she above everyone, like she was the only one to feel pain. It wasn’t just her that had been shaken by the recent happenings she knew that but it still hurt. She began to question why she had let it happen, why once again she had allowed people enter her heart people who were now long gone. In her right hand she clasped a half empty can of Dr Pepper, something whenever she thought of she could only muse over how Charles managed to get her hooked on that stuff. A weak smile slid across her ghostly pail face as she balled her fist. “I should never have joined!” She shouted out in anger her teeth gritted against one another.
As if to mock her the wind began blowing harsher, beating against her bare skin. She lowered her head in internal agony as tears began to swell up in her eyes. Charles didn’t understand, it was her fault all of it but he was relentless piling himself up with work and trying to block out the past months with work. No doubt it had put strain on their relationship, but there was something more to it. On the final nights before Jason’s death, when she was alone in her hospital bed Eclipse invested time with her. When War Killer was off in the night, dressed in crimson and midnight Jason was the one who comforted her. He assured her that things would be alright, that Charles would return the same old Boyscout she once knew. With all the time she spent with him at those last days it was unavoidable for a deep friendship to bloom.
Letting out a deep sigh she chugged down the remaining Dr Pepper drink and then threw the can toward the horizon glaring at the taunting sunset that spoke the soon ending of another day. Just as she was about to climb down from the ceiling she saw something. A plane? Boat? Maybe an oncoming storm…no it was vast and wrong color. Straining her eye sight using her enhanced sense a deep fear dawned on her. “A Tsunami…” It was crazy, impossible but here it was like a visitor the host was dreadfully unprepared for. She’d never get down in time. She had left her communicator in the lobby of the top floor. If she screamed no one would hear her.
Yet like always the jade eyed mercenary would never stand and watch anything unfold. Getting to her feet she skidded down the slanted roof her eyes steadily awaiting the drop. She was over a dozen stories high, if she was unable to hook her twin talons into the wall she’d end up making a very strong impression in the side walk. Without thought, or sane reason present she leaped off the roof flying toward the ground below. Her reflection raced passed the glass window panes as if she was watching her life fly by her. Using her heightened senses she could hear the colossal wave approaching its target. “God give me strength…and keep them safe.” With that she spun in mid air to face the blur of windows that she seemed to be racing past. Clenching her fists with one jagged movement she dug her hands into the glass as the momentum of her fall dragged her down. But like an anchor her speed began to subside and eventually she was at a standstill on the 5 floor.
Kicking through the already broken glass she staggered a bit winded before looking around at the dozens of eyes that stared at her. Her ragged hands dripped blood down on the carpet as her hair was blown in all directions. “You…need…to…” but the words were unable to make it past her throat. Pushing the pain aside she just pointed toward the large window on the opposite end of the lobby, and through it could be scene a very large wave approaching. Some people ran in panic other people dropped to their knees, some went and hid in corners but most ran. “Excuse me miss.” A young woman’s voice said from behind. Turning her glance she saw a young brunette with some bandages in her hands as she started mending Laura’s wounds.
“What are you doing! Run!” Talon insisted with a slight hint of ferocity. The blue eyed woman just looked up at her and smiled doing her best to hide the fear that Laura knew was behind those eyes. “I’m not like you, I can’t just heal or fly away. The wave will hit me whether I run or stay.” “You might have a better chance.” Laura insisted urgently as the woman continued to wrap bandage against the Lycan’s battered hands. Time had seemed to slow as the insanity and nonchalant of this woman’s demeanor shocked her into passivity.”If I die today, I would not want the last thing I do to be running.” As if in slow motion the wave crashed through the clear window with such force that it shot deadly shards of glass in all directions impaling all in its way. And just like that Champions City was no more.
Minuets later
Pain shot through every vain as Laura couldn’t seem to find the strength to get up. There was some light like that of a smoldering flame about to be snuffed out as the sun was still setting. Drenched in her own blood and water the emerald eyed assassin sat herself up. Her whole body seemed to groan at the thought of movement but she ignored her better sense. “What happened..” her voice was weak and her body weaker, who knows how long she had been submerged underwater before managing to wash ashore. The Champions tower was now totaled snapped in half like a stick. The smell of death lingered in her nostrils like an overpowering stench.
She could feel her body slowly begin to heal itself, if only everyone could have had a healing factor. Taking in one final deep breath she sprung to her feet her foot claws digging into the ground to stabilize her. She swayed like a tree being tossed by the wind as she tried to take a few steps forward. Lifting her right hand to wipe away the blood her eyes locked onto her now fully bandaged hand as the memories of the mysterious lady flashed before her eyes like a scene in fast-forward. Where was she? Laura’s eyes began searching the area full circle, her nose couldn’t latch onto any kind of scene for the commotion and chaos around her was too overpowering.
“Help…” it was weak but loud enough for her feral ears to pick it up. Neck snapped to the right as her body followed her nose to tons of debris. Kneeling down she began picking some up, throwing it aside and continuing this until she saw a sight that caused her eye to leak. A mother cradling her little baby in her arms as if to protect it from the harsh impact of the water. By the time Laura had gotten to her the mother was already dead but the child, the baby was breathing. Quickly Laura slid the infant out of the dead mother’s cradling arms and looked the child over, it was a boy. Holding him in her arms she climbed out of the ditch she had just dug and looked around in astonishment, there were probably dozens more scenes like this out there, how could something like this happen without warning.
Walking a few miles she managed to help out any survivors she could find, she wandered if there was anyone else out there, she wondered if Charles had survived or if his life as well was so swiftly swept away. She couldn’t fall apart now go look for him, as much as she wanted to there were innocent lives that needed her help. Out of contact and destitute she managed to find a stable warehouse that had not been too torn apart by the wave. But nothing was really stable, the island had been broken into two pieces from what she could see each separated by a large segment of water, and due to its instability there were consistent tremors. Settling the group of people there she encouraged them to go look for others and get resources. Sadly she couldn’t stay, there was too much chaos left unsolved too much questions that needed answers…too many people she loved that she needed to find.
Walking out of the warehouse and staring up at the partly darkened sky she could see clouds from all direction gathering around the now vulnerable island as if to seek out vengeance. Sniffing the air once again she tried locking onto anyone familiar scent but couldn’t get any of the smells to make any sense. Feeling weak and helpless Laura knew that she could do nothing in this state. Lifting her eyes to the heavens and last rays of light that were given off from the horizon she whispered “Gemini.”
With that a radiant blue consumed her body as it glowed from her chest outward. A Beautiful sword fell from above like a lightning bolt and metalized in front of her. The deep sapphire blue blade hummed as she clasped it tightly in her right hand. With that her body began to elevate slightly as she shot up to sky now fully viewing the havoc that had occurred due to one sudden catastrophe. As she hovered high in the air a sudden pain, like that of a stabbing to the chest. Cringing in pain she dropped a few feet but managed to regain her height. But again like before but heavier the pain resounded in her chest.
“Gemini what are you doing to me!” she groaned trying to compensate ignoring the pain but it grew stronger. Someone was in trouble, someone she had used Gemini on she didn’t know who but she had a feeling in her gut that time was running out. Racing in full speed she flew oddly enough to the boarder of the crumbling island. It was scent, vague and polluted with salt water but she picked it up. Someone was down there. Taking in a deep breath she dived head first into the water, seemingly flying at full speed under the island that once use to stand with such vigor. Eventually she saw an air pocket and the scent got stronger. Submerging from the deep she found herself face to face with.. “Eclipse?” She strained a bit her heart almost stopping and her mid air flight almost giving way. The scent was almost identical to his but it couldn’t have been him.
It didn’t take long for Laura to realize what he was doing and quickly she had an Idea. “Don’t let go, I’ll try to relive your stress.” She said pointing her sword upward toward the ceiling of the underwater air bubble. With that like a drip almost she pricing the earth and with great force and unknown power she burst through the layer and found herself in the heart of the island. Isles floated, the reason this one was sinking because its weight was had increased due to it severing itself from the other three, because oddly enough when combined the weight was distributed better and no doubt there might have been air pockets and gaps in the earth that allowed it to float. Now with it shattered each was unable to cope without the other.
Like a drill she forced her way through the dirt and sand she needed to make larger air pocket within the island so it would have better chances of floating. Who knew how Ecl…that individual of significance had been there, the fact was he couldn’t just hold this place up forever. Managing her way eventually with one strong shove she heaved out the dirt she had dug through and accumulated. Like a geezer it burst out from the islands hull into the ocean. With swift calculation she knew she needed to plug that hole or else would come through and the whole island would be in its previous predicament. With a blasé from Gemini she managed to make the entrance of the tunnel collapse hopefully now clogging the air inside.
With that she returned swimming underwater to the hero who she had seen so valiantly holding up the mount all by himself. “I know we don’t have time but…” she paused a moment stared deeply into his eyes then a look awe overcame her. “Over Kill…your back.” Words escape her as she couldn’t hide the joy behind her eyes. It had ages since she had seen him, the connection she had must have been made from when she healed him during the Skrull Invasion months ago, and now he was back. Earths Mightiest Mortal oddly enough very different in appearance. “It’s good to have you back.” She said with a weak smile as he released his hands from the dirt ceiling to reveal marking hand prints from where his were. Glancing up he chuckled slightly. “Well that wasn’t really the impression I wanted but it works.”
There was no time to catch up there hardly any time for catching each other’s breath. If the islands were failing due to their foundation being knocked off then this wasn’t the last heroism these two friends would have to commit. “We should check on the other islands.” Over Kill suggested, with a simple nod of her head Talon agreed and the two were off like missiles directed to one target. Up ahead of them Laura could see a small figure but hands stretched out as he desperately tried to keep the largest piece of the island together. “He’ll never be able to keep them together, our best bet is to keep them up but let them separate.” Laura communicated telepathically with Over Kill.
“I’ll help out Edward you take the other..that is if you can handle it?” she threw him a teasing smirk. “Hay I am not called Earths Mightiest mortal for nothin’!” he said and the two parted to complete their grave task ahead. It was a horrible sight, she could see the ground literally splitting above Edward’s head as the massive weight was practically on his shoulders: Time was running. “Need a hand…or two.” Laura messaged as she swam up beside Lazy assumed a heaving stance. “I’ve got back up, Over Kill will handle the other island we just need to get this one safe.” She continued her mental messaging giving her team mate the Idea. The two of them safely let the two isles go their coerce and split, now the hard part was getting them stable. “Can you hold it for a moment?” she questioned but he affirmed her undoubtedly.
With that Laura aimed her valiant blade toward an underwater mountain was several yards off. With a strong blow of fire she managed to cause an aqua landslide causing the crumbling foundation to be aided by mud and rock. Then aiming her blade she released a blue flame that melted it and made it hard. With the help of Edwards Super strength the two managed to set the helpless ilsnad upon solid ground once more. She was quite amazed at both Edward and Over Kills endurance, if it wasn’t for them the entire island and their inhabitants would have been long gone. Looking over she saw Over Kill who had managed to handle the smaller island and also put on a firm foundation. With that one great disaster was averted, but there was still a lot of work that need to be done.
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