Ofez:
thanks for the update...

thanks for reading

Evold:
Looking forward to that. It's been long really.

yes, sorry. Phone issues

zhayyd039:
*****
Benjamin didn't feel anything. He opened one eye, then the other. He was still kneeling on the wet tarmac. The agony was still up in the air. That was enough to tell him he wasn't dead. But how?
A cloaked person was standing in front of him, arm extended. Benjamin immediately identified the man as Origin -Charles.
A protection sphere wrapped around the two men, deflecting the barrage of energy blasts directed at them.
With a thrust of his other hand, Charles projected the protection sphere towards the elder, who had to maneuver out of the way.
"Get as far away from here as you can," Charles said.
Benjamin didn't need it being said twice. He scrambled to his feet and was about to leave when two more people appeared out of nowhere; Red and Blue.
He heard Edward chuckle behind him. "It's good you brought the cavalry. I'm not being underestimated, I see." He went down on a knee and placed both hands on the ground. It was like the whole world moved; everything shook violently. Benjamin had had his fair share of earthquake experiences but they never came close to what was happening this time. Buildings crumbled in a matter of seconds. A gust of energy filled the air. It was so powerful Benjamin felt it up his spine. It sent shockwaves across the whole perimeter, destroying all that was within reach, blowing away objects like they were pieces of paper. The wind came along with a thick layer of dust, almost blinding Benjamin. It was like a sandstorm.
Red and Blue gathered around him and erected a protection sphere.
"It's not going to hold for long!" Blue had to shout through the storm to be heard.
Benjamin looked at the darkness behind them. It was like an open mouth, waiting to swallow them into oblivion.
The strength of the wind increased, evident by the shifting of the sphere a few inches towards death.
Benjamin saw a flash of blue and red ahead. Charles was taking on the elder on his own.
"What's he doing?" He yelled at the two guys.
"Both of us have to keep the protection sphere in place or else you'll be blown away," Blue explained.
"WE would be blown away," Benjamin corrected. "Go and help him, leave the sphere."
Red shook his head. "We don't leave--"
"Spare me the brotherhood bullsh!t," Benjamin interfered. "We all have to die some other day. It's my turn today."
As he said that, a black bolt of energy struck the sphere and the brothers lost control. They were shifted back several feet towards their ends.
"Go already, dammit!" Benjamin yelled again.
With a short nod, Red pulled out of the bubble. As soon as Blue did the same, the sphere started moving backwards. Benjamin kept his eyes on the fight that ensued. The three brothers were obviously no match for an elder at full power. They were being tossed around like a group of amateurs.
****
Katrina rose from the pile of rubble that littered the floor. Her clothes were torn and ragged but at least she had survived. Instead of wasting her power fighting an elder head on, she had used it to command the chiefs chambers to make a copy of herself. The copy fought purposely to weaken Isaac enough for Paul to use the power of the staff to defeat him. It was a leap, convincing a brother to betray the other, but Paul didn't have a choice. Katrina had found a chink in his armour and had used it to her advantage: Paul was an ignorant. He had never even bothered to know the history of his familial ties.
aphroditee
The offer she made was quite irresistible. She had told him that the power of the staff would be his after her death if he marks his blood on it. He did as predicted, without thinking. She chuckled at her cunning.zoeyj With one more thing she had to do, she disappeared down the tunnels, towards the prison, knowing as Paul consumed the power of the staff to fight his brother, the spear would take compensation at the end. It would absorb him. cuddlebear Her father had told her how much powerful his ancestors became after absorbing just a fraction of the energy released after the death of the Two Siblings. She felt a kind of exhilaration pass through her. Her goals were coming to fruition.

how come iv never come across this story....
good twist

zhayyd039:
*****
Benjamin didn't feel anything. He opened one eye, then the other. He was still kneeling on the wet tarmac. The agony was still up in the air. That was enough to tell him he wasn't dead. But how?
A cloaked person was standing in front of him, arm extended. Benjamin immediately identified the man as Origin -Charles.
A protection sphere wrapped around the two men, deflecting the barrage of energy blasts directed at them.
With a thrust of his other hand, Charles projected the protection sphere towards the elder, who had to maneuver out of the way.
"Get as far away from here as you can," Charles said.
Benjamin didn't need it being said twice. He scrambled to his feet and was about to leave when two more people appeared out of nowhere; Red and Blue.
He heard Edward chuckle behind him. "It's good you brought the cavalry. I'm not being underestimated, I see." He went down on a knee and placed both hands on the ground. It was like the whole world moved; everything shook violently. Benjamin had had his fair share of earthquake experiences but they never came close to what was happening this time. Buildings crumbled in a matter of seconds. A gust of energy filled the air. It was so powerful Benjamin felt it up his spine. It sent shockwaves across the whole perimeter, destroying all that was within reach, blowing away objects like they were pieces of paper. The wind came along with a thick layer of dust, almost blinding Benjamin. It was like a sandstorm.
Red and Blue gathered around him and erected a protection sphere.
"It's not going to hold for long!" Blue had to shout through the storm to be heard.
Benjamin looked at the darkness behind them. It was like an open mouth, waiting to swallow them into oblivion.
The strength of the wind increased, evident by the shifting of the sphere a few inches towards death.
Benjamin saw a flash of blue and red ahead. Charles was taking on the elder on his own.
"What's he doing?" He yelled at the two guys.
"Both of us have to keep the protection sphere in place or else you'll be blown away," Blue explained.
"WE would be blown away," Benjamin corrected. "Go and help him, leave the sphere."
Red shook his head. "We don't leave--"
"Spare me the brotherhood bullsh!t," Benjamin interfered. "We all have to die some other day. It's my turn today."
As he said that, a black bolt of energy struck the sphere and the brothers lost control. They were shifted back several feet towards their ends.
"Go already, dammit!" Benjamin yelled again.
With a short nod, Red pulled out of the bubble. As soon as Blue did the same, the sphere started moving backwards. Benjamin kept his eyes on the fight that ensued. The three brothers were obviously no match for an elder at full power. They were being tossed around like a group of amateurs.
****
Katrina rose from the pile of rubble that littered the floor. Her clothes were torn and ragged but at least she had survived. Instead of wasting her power fighting an elder head on, she had used it to command the chiefs chambers to make a copy of herself. The copy fought purposely to weaken Isaac enough for Paul to use the power of the staff to defeat him. It was a leap, convincing a brother to betray the other, but Paul didn't have a choice. Katrina had found a chink in his armour and had used it to her advantage: Paul was an ignorant. He had never even bothered to know the history of his familial ties.
zoeyj
The offer she made was quite irresistible. She had told him that the power of the staff would be his after her death if he marks his blood on it. He did as predicted, without thinking. She chuckled at her cunning. With one more thing she had to do, she disappeared down the tunnels, towards the prison, knowing as Paul consumed the power of the staff to fight his brother, the spear would take compensation at the end. It would absorb him. cuddlebear Her father had told her how much powerful his ancestors became after absorbing just a fraction of the energy released after the death of the Two Siblings. She felt a kind of exhilaration pass through her. Her goals were coming to fruition.

how come iv never come across this story....
good twist

Taniaa:
how come iv never come across this story....
good twist

Most you quote all the update. Haba

Hi all, so I'm going to finish this story in a few more posts. I'm posting the first few chapters of End Point today just to have a feel of how it goes. Thank you for helping me improve and also for the patience. Much love.
P.S: I'm making an announcement because I couldn't keep track of the number of people I want to invite to the new post.

op comma update ooo

Jamal bent down at Edward's unmoving body, the man who gave them more trouble than they had bargained for.
"Is he dead yet?" Red asked.
Jamal saw a finger twitch. "No…he is very much alive."
Charles stepped forward and grabbed the elder by the back of the neck and lifted him vertically, his feet a few inches above the ground.
"What are we to do with him?" Blue looked suspiciously at his brother.
A dark line crossed Charles face as he said, "we will interrogate him then absorb his remaining powers. You felt the energy in the air earlier?"
"The Torpedo has been unleashed," Jamal said calmly.
"What?" a shocked Blue asked, "by who?"
"Katrina."
A grim silence passed between the four men. They all knew they didn't have enough energy to face another threat.
Jamal closed his eyes. A thick blanket of darkness covered him and he was being dragged further into it, back into the tunnel.
The two figures appeared above him again, the chains bounding then glinting from the illumination of the camp fire at Jamal's feet.
"You…you…" one of them said weakly.
"How do I stop the Torpedo?" He interjected. "Tell me the truth and maybe I'll unbound you."
The other laughed wickedly. "In your current state, you can't? If you try taking any more power from us it'll consume you whole and we'll be free."
Jamal knew that. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."
"You want to be a hero, don't you?"
"No. I want to get rid of this whole mess."
They barked in laughter.
"When we're out, we'll start with you first. Then your sorry friends."
With a clench of the fist, blue energy engulfed the chains. He heard someone groan in pain.
"That's not what I want to hear," he said, clenching his fist harder. The flames quickly turned to black and the two figures let out a shriek. "If I die, you two die with me."
"How can you be so sure?" one of them giggled.
"You stop the girl by removing her heart and burning it in the blue flames charged by proton virus," the other voice said. "The Torpedo lies in the heart of the user, killing the body changes nothing."
"The Torpedo is a mass of electron energy," the other explained. "So you need to balance it up using proton virus, then burning the whole thing using it's original form. The result should be the release of a huge amount of energy."
"Be careful, kid," the other said, "because that is when the world would be vulnerable, and we can be unleashed."
Jamal turned to leave.
"Unbound us!"
No reply. He kept walking.
"You b@stard! You promised!"
"I said," Jamal turned around, his eyes glowing in blue, "maybe."
He clenched his fist again and the chains clunked tighter. He could hear both of them growl in pain as he traveled back to reality.
************

tankio

For more on concrete saws: http://ticklyfandoms.tumblr.com

************
Chris felt his body fling out of the room. He slapped against a wall with a bone-rattling thud. The pain scorching through his abdomen told him a few more bones have been broken. He felt that overpowering aura again and when her voice came, it was in a booming monotone.
"You have played your role, human. Your sacrifices will not be forgotten."
She raised her hand above her head and blue light illuminated round the corridor. It was as light as it was violently hot.
"Katrina," Chris grunted. His body was way past its limits now. He just lay on his side there, couldn't even move a finger. "You are not yourself. That thing is eating you up."
She scoffed and lowered her hand.
For the briefest of moments, Chris thought she had a change of mind.
Until the light started shrinking, shrinking slowly in his direction, morphing into an orb of blue energy. He struggled to move, to no avail. The thing was close now, 5 metres out.
Chris grit his teeth as the area around him got hotter. Sweat dripped off his body as if he was submerged in a small pool.
3 metres. The thing had shaped into a perfect sphere, the sphere that would end him.
2 metres. Katrina said in her monotone, "consider it a quick death compared to what is to come on other people. Take it to be a honorable death. You died to free me, and this girl, from the darkness. And for that, I'm grateful. WE are grateful."
With that, she slipped into the darkness and vanished.
Chris closed his eyes. He had never believed in any sort of deity, but as death cloaked him, he found himself wondering if he had been wrong. The energy orb was so close now that it lit up his body completely, casting shadows on the walls.
He closed his eyes and waited.
*******
Jamal cut through the air like a projectile homing in on it's target. The energy in the air was almost palpable now. A few minutes ago it was so weak he thought it was somehow over. Until it came back stronger.
He felt Charles to his left, Blue and Red to his right. The three of them had absorbed Edward's remaining powers and had received a significant boost in their energy reserves. It wasn't up to half of Jamal's, but it was better than nothing. The elder also couldn't provide enough information on what was happening at the other place, but Jamal didn't care about that.
The Monarch headquarters stood out among the other buildings around it, or what remained of the place. The roof had caved in and most of the walls had also fallen in. A large crater had left the other buildings in ruins, too. The whole place had an eerie feel about it, like a graveyard, plunged in darkness.
"Looks like someone had kept the other elders occupied," Charles shouted over the -suddenly- freezing wind. His voice came again, "what's that?"
Jamal saw it too. Among the ruins and everything, was a bright blue light. It didn't take him another second to identify it as electron energy.
The Torpedo is a mass of electron energy, he remembered.
He angled his body towards the light's direction, and pushed, leaving a blast of energy in his wake.
**********
The sound came like thunder from above. Chris ignored it. The orb was inches away. He couldn't open his eyes as they had been forced close by the bright light and sweat.
Until he heard a thunderous crash nearby. And someone called out to him.
"Chris!"
He knew it was Jamal. But it was too late, wasn't it?
"Hold on!" Jamal called. There was another crashing noise and suddenly the light wasn't as penetrative anymore, so was the heat.
Ten seconds passed. Ten hopeful seconds.
The heat died down, giving way to fresh air. And dust. He choked. Hands on his body and voices, about three of them.
He blacked out.
*****
"Get him out of here," Charles said to Red and Blue. They nodded and fast-sped out of the area with Chris.
The whole place was plunged into darkness again but not for long. With the flick of a finger, Jamal produced numerous electron energy orbs.
Charles gave him a look.
"Low energy," he said. "Just additional illumination."
They moved deeper into the building with the only sound being the crunching of debris under their feet.
"How did these b@atards manage to keep this place hidden?"
"Underground tunnel networks, I think," Jamal replied.
They reached a door, barely holding up on it's hinges. Charles pushed it and it creaked open.
They didn't need any light to know what's going on. The smell that hit their senses was enough to send someone right back where they came from.
Charles cursed loudly.
Jamal heard flies buzzing around the corners.
"Dead bodies," he muttered.
There was a munching sound somewhere in the middle distance. A rat -or rats- squealed from the intrusion.
"God!" Charles croaked.
A figure materialized out of thin air, followed by a small light like a lamp with blue flames. From the looks of it, it was wearing a black cloak, head to toe.
"You feel that?" Jamal whispered at Charles.
The violent energy that they felt from miles away, it suddenly occupied the room. The figure was standing in the middle of the room which Jamal measured as about thirty by thirty metres. The light fell on the mutilated corpses that littered the floor, dried up blood all over the walls.
Sound of flicking finger came from the figure and the corpses vanished, along with the smell. Completely.
Jamal felt Charles shiver. He couldn't help a pound of the heart, too. His legs screamed beneath him, everything telling him to get the hell out.
Right on cue, the door creaked close.
Charles looked sharply over his shoulder, and nodded slowly back at the figure.
"Who are you?"
No answer. Just a cold chill passed through the room.
Jamal stepped forward, black energy oozed off his steps.
The figure pulled off the hood and Katrina's face came to view. On the right side were blue veins, even the right eye was blue.
"This will be for her father," a cold monotone said as she raised her right hand and blue flames flared off her palm.
********

********
The bolt of energy missed Jamal's head by inches, and crashed into the wall behind him. Charles appeared behind Katrina, hands encased in red flames. With a roar, he slammed both hands aiming for her head. A thick cloud of dust rose, accompanied by a loud bang. Jamal had to shield his eyes from the spray of dirt that flew in the air.
The dust was settling now, and Jamal could just see Charles' outline where he stood, panting. There was another outline on the floor, Katrina, he assumed.
The thick blanket of energy that previously filled the air started to dissolve, and the room grew brighter.
"That was easy," Charles gasped. "I thought ---"
Jamal followed Charles gaze over his shoulder. The illumination in the room wasn't natural at all. Just a few steps behind him was Katrina and her hovering lantern. Those hollow eyes stared blanks through him and he couldn't bring himself to check what the object at Charles feet was.
He didn't need to.
There was a screeching sound from behind him and he heard Charles gasp in surprise. Then followed by a flash of blue and then silence.
Katrina moved.
Jamal felt that cold temperature shrouding him the closer she got. He tried gathering energy but it simply disintegrated into nothing. She extended her left hand, reaching for him. He just stood there, frozen.
Her hands were inches away now.
Time seemed to slow and he felt the familiar sensation of himself being drawn backwards, reeling into a dark pit. In his panic, he lost his composure and crashed into the hard ground.
Chains rattled above his head, not so far away.
"Let us loose, you bastard!" A voice squealed.
"Fast!"
"She's trying to absorb our powers."
Jamal rose to his feet. "What are you talking about?"
"The Torpedo, it can sense us. It's trying to rip our powers away."
Jamal paused to think. It might be a ruse.
"Quick!"
"You two can't be trusted," he muttered.
But he didn't have much options left at the moment. She might take more than the two brothers if she touches him.
He could feel the soft pat of her palm on his cheek. He closed his eyes and a cold shiver ran through his body.
He clenched his fists twice and looked up. "Fine."
The chains started to rattle louder and a small glow of red and blue flames appeared where the voices came from.
A demonic laugh boomed in his ears followed by a catastrophic explosion of energy that immediately knocked him back into reality.
Jamal felt his body tumbling to one side. At the same time he felt shreds of energy being ripped off his body. An overwhelming air filled the room, almost breaking the walls and lifting the roof.
His tumble was halted when his body smashed against the far wall.
Katrina was standing where he left her, but two new figures stood in front of her. They were dressed in ragged cloaks with the hoods pulled up. Black energy radiated off their bodies.
A sinister laugh escaped one of them. He squealed, "finally!"
Jamal took advantage of the situation and looked towards where Charles was. He was there all right, but his body was tangled with a string of blue energy. It was obvious his energy was being drained while his movements were also restrained.
Jamal tried prying the things off but they seemed glued to his body.
"It's useless," Charles managed. His breathing was hollow. "I don't have long."
Jamal realized his hands were shaking as he kept trying to rip the cords off his friend's body.
"Jamal, listen to me."
But he wasn't listening. He was not going to lose more comrades.
A blast came from behind and from the corner of his eye he saw the two figures weaving around Katrina, dodging her attacks while trying to land theirs.
The next time he spoke, Charles voice had steel in it. "Listen to me, goddammit!"
Jamal froze. Sweat trailed down his face and body. Cold, nervous sweat.
Charles paused, collecting his thoughts.
"Tell the rest I'm sorry."
Jamal gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about?"
Then it dawned on him. He was about to protest when another energy blast flew past his head. He blocked out the noise going on around him, concentrating on Charles. "You want to blow yourself up too?"
"What other choice have we got? Those two will defeat her and take the weapon and we won't be able to stop them."
"We'll find another way, then. Nobody has to die!"
"I know I'm going to die. But if I don't make my death worthwhile, EVERYBODY'S gonna die and you'll find yourself watching it happen."
Jamal felt his head hanging.
"Get the hell away from here."
Without another word, Jamal staggered backwards. Charles nodded once more before red bubbles started appearing around him.
With every last ounce of energy he had remaining, Jamal jumped. He zoomed towards the roof and soon he was outside. He cold air felt hot against his face as he flew as fast as he could, away from the explosion radius.
*******

The explosion came as a rumble at first, like thunder deep below the ground. When Jamal looked over his shoulder, all he saw was red and orange flames dancing round the building he jumped out from a few seconds ago.
Then came the hot blast of air that hit him midair, knocking him sideways before sending Jamal rifling towards the ground. More cracks around his body as a few more bones gave way, leaving a scorching pain in their wake. He couldn't move anymore. From the distance behind him the flames roared, licking up towards the sky. When he inhaled, his sides hurt and all he breathed was hot air mixed with dust.
That was when the second explosion came. The flames sounded angrier, releasing a hot gust of wind and debris, consuming everything within reach. Jamal couldn't move, as a vortex of dust swept in his general direction. He simply used his arms to cover his head while small and large-sized stones rained down on him. A thick curtain of darkness settled over him. Jamal didn't know when he lost consciousness.
A tap on his cheek. He heard voices calling. They sounded so far away, more like echoes. Another tap on his cheek, harder than the first.
He opened his eyes to see a blurry image staring down at his; a silhouette at first, before his eyes refocused. All he could see were blue glowing eyes that pierced through his humanity. Dark features, hooded face. A similar character soon appeared beside the first one. Sinister laughing filled his ears as he laid there, on the bare cold ground.
"It's our turn to play hide and seek," the sinister voice said, full of mischief.
Jamal didn't need telling who those people were: the two brothers he kept at bay. The ones he freed.
Then he remembered Charles. The explosion. F#ck!
"We have your friend to thank," the more serious voice said. "His explosion provided us the perfect distraction to nail the stupid girl."
"Of course," Mischief agreed, "right before we finished him off!" He burst into a fit of uncontrolled hysterical laughter.
Jamal felt a hot wave of rage fill his body. He tried to sit up but he demanded too much of his battered body. An acidic pain reminded him of his situation and he fell back on the ground, wincing.
"Don't think we saved your life, kid," Serious said. He rose from Jamal's side and turned gave his back to him. "Era, prepare to jump to the dimension. We'll imprison him there until we can wrap up his friends too. Then we will make an example of you to the world."
"You're a pathetic hero," Era said in a more serious tone. "You let your friends down. You let the others die." He spat. A strong wave of energy suddenly overpowered Jamal. He could feel his world turning upside down. There was only one power that had that kind of effect on its surroundings, and that was the Torpedo itself.
**************

The brothers absorbed the energy of the torpedo, this his serious. Jamal have really suffered. He has met bigger powers than his but he is fighting well. Nice work � bro

FINALE: THE LAST STAND
Benjamin felt the heat rise in his chest. It was burning; excruciating.
But he could feel his body. His existence.
He tried to open his eyes but they hurt like a bowl of pepper was poured in them. His body felt stiff but he could sense it was intact.
Is this how the afterlife feels? he wondered. Trying to sense his surroundings, he felt himself lying on something soft.
"You're awake," a female voice said softly. "Finally."
The voice was familiar, but his foggy mind couldn't place it. Benjamin stirred once again, trying to regain his senses. He found himself staring at the ceiling of a room -a small room, from the feel of it.
The room was dimly lit with the curtains closed, letting very little light to penetrate. "Where am I?" he muttered. He was aware of his slurred speech. He felt a soft but firm hand on his chest as he tried to push himself to a sitting position.
"We almost thought we lost you," she said, "but thank goodness you're still alive."
Benjamin cast a look at the figure hovering beside him. "Lost me? We?" He was totally confused.
"Come on, Jade. Stop playing mind games with him," a male voice boomed from somewhere in the room. It sounded familiar, too. But he just couldn't remember where.
Benjamin couldn't stand it anymore. He shrugged off the girl's hand and rose to a sitting position. "Who the hell are you guys and why are you talking in coded words?" He winced as a jolt of pain flowed through his spine, almost rendering him unconscious.
"Relax, man," the male said, "before you reopen your wounds."
He heard a clicking sound and the lights suddenly came on, momentarily blinding him. He squinted into the brightness, then blinked a few times to clear his vision.
Standing by the door -and light switch- in front of the bed stood Red, clad in the Peacemakers' traditional cloak with the hood down. He looked like hell: his face was marred in layers of dirt and dust. His cloak torn in many places. But it was his expression that was most baffling -it was hollow. Blank. Hopelessness written all over.
Benjamin looked him up and down. "Red? What the hell happened?"
The lady -Jade- cut in. She was also clad in the same cloak but hers still looked fresh. It was the lady he met at the meeting some days -or weeks- ago. The one he was flirting with.
It felt like a lifetime ago.
She spoke to him, "The situation has gotten worse. We're losing?"
"What about Jamal? Aido? Origin?"
As she opened her mouth to answer, a loud explosion cracked the air.
[[To Be Continued]]

Hmmm

Tanks for the update

guys, i'm sorry for the prolonged delay. I'll resume when I have a better phone.

zhayyd039:
guys, i'm sorry for the prolonged delay. I'll resume when I have a better phone.

abeg try ooo

Update!

An orange glow filled the room, the explosion shaking the whole building. Benjamin used both hands to protect himself from the falling debris but he need not bother; a blue sphere surrounded them immediately.
“The building won’t hold for long,” Red said as he stretched his arms over his head, supporting the sphere. “Get to the door.”
Benjamin was supported on both sides by Blue and Jade, who half-dragged his aching body towards the door. He was just aware of his head rolling between his shoulders.
“What about you?” He heard Jade call out at Red. The building groaned and started to tilt sideways.
“F#cking move!” Red shouted back. “And don’t look back.”
Benjamin could barely keep to his feet now. The floor beneath them was giving way real quick and the rising dust didn’t help for visibility. He was now zooming in and out of consciousness and his body felt like one sore wound. Jade and Blue were talking but they sounded like slurred voices to Benjamin. Knowing that he was slowing them down, Benjamin opened his mouth to talk, to tell them to leave him behind. However, he could only manage a string of babbled gibberish.
They were in a dark corridor now. Benjamin thought he heard the sound of metal snapping somewhere behind him.
“Keep going!” Red’s voice urged from behind them. Benjamin was zooming out of consciousness fast. The last thing he remembered was Blue calling out his name.
JAMAL KNEW he was lying on something cold. Now that he rose to a kneeling position, he could hardly breathe; his chest felt numb and congested. He could not identify the gloomy surroundings but something deep within him told him he had been there before.
Sound of trickling water came from somewhere not far from his location. As Jamal tried to stand up, a strong grip on both arms stopped him. It took him a few seconds to realize he had been chained up. He tugged at his restraints but could only manage to exert himself more and by the time it struck his mind, he was winded and gulping air into his aching lungs.
“Someone’s getting feisty,” a loud, mischievous voice said nearby before breaking down in laughter.
“Who is there?” Jamal said.
The laughter continued.
“Who are you?”
“Who am I?” the voice said in between chuckles. “Brother, come! He is asking who I am.”
Suddenly, a small fire lit up 5 metres in front of where Jamal was tied up. A man was standing near it with his back facing Jamal, hooded. His cloak was ragged but there was a certain dangerous aura about him. The other ragged figure –standing beside Jamal- immediately went down on one knee, head bowed.
“I thought I told you to watch the prisoner, Era,” the man’s voice boomed, each word said with authority, “not play with him.”
Era? Jamal thought. Where had he heard that---?
A surge of adrenaline flowed through his veins as his situation dawned on him. With a renewed vigor, Jamal started struggling to free himself. “You bastards!” he kept screaming.
Era broke into another fit of laughter as he watched.
The man near the fire raised a single finger, Jamal felt his energy dissipate, and Era fell silent all at once. “Enough,” he said as he started to turn around.
Jamal froze. Those hollowed glowing eyes, devoid of any human emotions. They stared blankly at him. He felt his limbs go numb in hopeless fear. Right there and then, he knew he knew this was a test he might not survive.
“My brothers,” the man started to say. “They underestimated you. I’ve been to their bodies and I have seen what you are capable of.” There was a slight pause. “My last surviving brother, I killed him too. He was in no condition to be useful to me in any way.”
Jamal wanted to tell him to f#ck off and throw every last bit of anger at him, but the grip around his throat was real.
“Do not expect in any manner that your friends are going to swoop in here and defeat me. I’ll round them up and execute them as you watch. You shall suffer. I will break you inside and out. ”
“You spent what, a little time in here and you are already trying to break lose?” Era chided.
“Era, keep an eye on him,” the other man ordered before turning to leave.
The fire started dying out as everything went dark once again. Jamal felt his heartbeat slow to a crawl as his body shut down.

Okay? What took you so long brother? Hope you are fine?

Fazemood:
Okay? What took you so long brother? Hope you are fine?

I'm fine, brov. Couldn't get a phone so I settled with writing with a PC. Sorry for the wait, and thanks for your patience

The fire started dying out as everything went dark once again. Jamal felt his heartbeat slow to a crawl as his body shut down.

BENJAMIN WINCED as he opened his eyes once again. He felt much better than he did last time. The pain had subsided to a more tolerable burning sensation. He could feel that he was leaning against something warm. His mouth tasted dry, like he downed a cup of oil not too long ago. Looking around, he realized they were in an alleyway with his back resting against the wall of a building. From his point of view he could make out the sky; a dark blue blanket devoid of any stars nor fresh air. Just the piercing glare of moonlight. The hopelessness still hung in the air.
"How are you feeling?" came Blue's voice from the left.
"Been better," Benjamin managed to say. He was still feeling woozy and was grateful they had found somewhere safe to stay and were not running around.
"Good. We'll move out in a few minutes."
A sharp pain tore through Benjamin's skull as he nodded in reply. He could now hear Blue getting to his feet and wandering into the darkness ahead.
"He's coming," he heard Jade whisper in a shaky voice. "He said he is coming, right?" She sniffled.
A few minutes later Blue reappeared with Jade following closrly behind. She looked pale, shaken.
Blue announced out loud: "Blue got left behind and we cannot confirm whether he is dead or not. I suggest we assume the worst and move on."
Benjamin heaved a sigh but said nothing. His mind was reeling. He had lost count of the number of people he had lost in the space of a few days. No, a few hours.
Origin?
Aido?
Blue?
Jamal, too?
His train of thought was broken when Blue announced that they should keep moving. When Jade asked where, there was no definite answer.
THE STREETS were quiet as the night. Even the insects seemed to be on strike that night. That same uncomfortable atmosphere still hung around the trio. They had been walking for hours nonstop. When they did stop, it was to take a drink and keep moving. Benjamin managed to avoid being a burden to the rest by owning the pain slithering through his body every now and then. They had found a small kiosk where Blue suggested would be less conspicuos in case anyone came looking.
Now they were holed up in the small building, holding on to dear life. With no plans or even hope to see the next sunrise.
The moonlight provided just enough illumination for him to see the outline of his colleagues. Blue was rooted to a spot near the door -Benjamin was sure the young man had lost his will. Jade looked bitter as well, lying down quietly just in front of Benjamin. As for him, he only wished he knew where his teammates and enemies were so they could plan something. He hated waiting -just waiting- to be killed. They couldn't run forever; they would eventually have to face their fears. The only question that remains to be asked is if they'll do so willingly or they'll have to be forced. He decided to cast those thoughts aside for later, his body needed sleep. His mind, too.
Stirring to lie on his back, Benjamin closed his eyes and in a matter of seconds he was dozing.
The next sequence of events that took place are still a mystery to Benjamin. Maybe it was his tired brain that could process thoughts no longer, or maybe fate had taken a cruel turn. Whatever the reason, he felt himself jolting back to consciousness. As he sat up, he could just make out Blue -who had been standing at the door since they arrived- crumpling to the floor. A figure stood at the threshold, over Blue's unmoving body. The opened door allowed moonlight to flood in to the small room.
"What is this?" he couldn't take the quiver out of his voice at all. "Who are you?!"
And when he got no reply, "Jade?"
Instinctively, his eyes moved back to where Jade was lying down. She was not there.
The figure wore clothes that looked more like rags. Two blue balls glowed beneath it's hooded face. And when it spoke, it carried a certain degree of authority in it. "Take him, too."
The whole world seemed to go into a spiral just then. Benjamin tried to rise to gis feet but his body just wouldn't obey his commands anymore. He remembered seeing another pair of blue eyes staring down at him.
Then a sinister laughter broke out.

Welcome back boss I will have to go back 3 chapters and get conversant with the characters once more. Thanks for the updates

Evold:
Welcome back boss I will have to go back 3 chapters and get conversant with the characters once more. Thanks for the updates

Thank you. Sorry for the wait.

Then a sinister laughter broke out.
JAMAL KNELT on the cold floor, hands bent backwards and secured with chains. His whole body strained from the stress position he had been in for days. His stomach growled from hunger and his throat burnt from thirst. The only time he saw light was when either of his captors came to check on him, to demoralize him more. He had lost track of time.
The small camp fire in front of him suddenly lit up shortly followed by a crash as a cloaked figure landed near it. He could immediately tell it was the one called Era -from the giggling that hit his ears. "We have rounded up your friends," he said happily.
Jamal breathed, the unexpected lighting has messed up his vision and it took him a while to get used to it. He could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins; the little energy he had managed to conserve was reacting to the presence of a higher power next to it. Era was slowly moving towards him albeit in ignorance. Jamal could already feel his heart rate rising.
Time seemed to come to a halt as Era stopped just two meters short of Jamal. But two meters was enough for him to catch his target off guard.
Jamal leapt to his feet as he channelled just enough energy through his left hand to break the chains and take a swing at the unsuspecting enemy. Era jumped as if he had been electrified as Jamal's fist landed flush on his jaw, making him stagger backwards. Not intending to back down just yet, Jamal channelled more energy through his right hand, broke the restraints and landed a much more powerful blow. Era was sent reeling into the darkness, rolling over the camp fire on his way and sending the whole place into darkness once again.
Forgetting about the pain in his shoulders and back, Jamal took a stance and gathered energy. The ground around his feet began to shake and red bubbles started to appear around him. In the distance to his left he could hear Era shrieking out in pain, calling out to his brother.
By now, the whole place began shaking, large chunks of rocks starting to fall from above. More red bubbles appeared in the middle distance, enough to propel Jamal upwards. He took off like a rocket.
Benjamin struggled. He had been at it for a long time now, but the result was still the same; he couldn't break free of the sphere he was placed in. To his left was Jade -also in a sphere- unconscious. Then Blue, also sphere’d and unconscious.
The bossy figure that supervised their capture was slowly pacing around, obviously taking his time, blue eyes blazing like stars. A lantern with blue flames flickered in midair over his left shoulder, illuminating every step he took.
Benjamin slammed his fists against the energy sphere, shouting at the figure to let them go, but his words fell on deaf ears. The pain in his chest was starting to get worse. He was on the point of slumping in defeat when he saw the sparkle in the sky. At first he thought it was a star. No, he thought, it was moving. Maybe a shooting star? It got to be!
As he reached the highest elevation in the room, about 35 feet, Jamal turned around, heading back to the spacious place head first. Blue energy morphed to red then finally to black. And then he touched ground.
It was as if a small nuclear warhead detonated with a cracking BOOM! soon after followed by bellows of dust and fire. The air was filled with the sound of sparks and fire crackling. The dust had not settled when the second explosion erupted. It was twice as powerful as the first and Jamal felt his heart lurch when a shock wave spread out from around him.
Era used both hands to protect himself, raising an energy barrier. It was enough for the first explosion but when the second came, it penetrated the protection and blew him away. He cursed Zo for sending him to pick up the kid alone without binding the energy blocks of the prison. He had warned his brother about the boy's abilities but got ignored. He pushed himself to his feet, arms apart. Black shards of energy rolled from beneath his sleeves on to the ground and immediately turned to ink-coloured smoke. Blue light crackled over his left shoulder and showered the room. Jamal was 15 meters away. With the sweep of a hand, Era summoned large orbs of black energy from thin air and projected them towards the onrushing Jamal.
Jamal was aware of the orbs hauled in his path, but so much electron energy was flowing through his veins he never paused to think twice about a collision. Placing both hands in front of his face in the form of an X, he smashed through Era's attack. There was a blinding flash as black and electron energies collided. Quickly followed by a deafening bang.
It struck like an earthquake. From the heavens.
Benjamin saw red. Almost as if the sky was ablaze; extending down the horizon. A consuming and rumbling noise rolled through the air, almost deafening along with a gust of wind. It smashed everything -and anything- within reach. Including the energy orb prisons. His vision blurred as he was carried away at speed and smashed through a building somewhere nearby, shattering the orb. In a far corner of his confused mind Benjamin could hear shouts coming from behind his position but the wind was too powerful to do anything. And his body had reached its straining limits. His sides burned and his head hurt from being banged all day.
Chunks of rock and metal rained from above as the dust settled.
Jamal exhaled. He leaned forward, adding more force to his thrust and drawing a gasp from Era as he pushed him so his back was against the wall, lips parted slightly with blood trickling down the left side of his face. Those hollow eyes looked down then back up at Jamal.
"How?" Era managed to croak.
Jamal's right-handed punch penetrated the Torpedo defences and crushed Era's ribcage. "I managed to grab one of your orbs as I charged at you. Used it to smash through your defence."
Era said nothing.
Jamal forcefully pulled his arm out of his opponent's body. Era gritted his teeth, chewing down on the agonizing pain as he slid down the wall. Hollowed eyes darkened.
Dead.
Jamal gave his back to the corpse. The place was falling apart but he didn't care about that. A grim smile crossed his face.
He was going to give his last opponent a pleasant surprise.
************
He landed on level grounds, his surroundings littered with debris and mangled corpses of people he didn't know and did not give a damn about knowing. The strong wind howled and twirled in midair along with handfuls of dust and garbage. Screams filled the middle distance; music to his ears.
Zo felt it. The link between himself and Era had been severed. Which could only mean one thing: his brother was dead.
That bastard, he thought. He had been lazing and complaining around for centuries. So he got himself killed by that kid.
There was no time to worry about those things, he decided. He had a world to run. With the wave of his hands the gusting wind died down. He knew the explosion earlier came from the other side. The night sky was still stained in red, like a veil soaked in blood. He looked at the ground.
By the end of the night, there will be enough blood to soak it, too.

Didn't know you updated already.


Jamal is back

There was no time to worry about those things, he decided. He had a world to run. With the wave of his hands the gusting wind died down. He knew the explosion earlier came from the other side. The night sky was still stained in red, like a veil soaked in blood. He looked at the ground.
By the end of the night, there will be enough blood to soak it, too.
Jamal ascended the dark tunnel. The featureless darkness skipped by his vision in a blur. Hot air blew against his face. His body ached from fatigue but there was an unerring determination in his mind. He was ready to fight.
Or to die fighting.
Light ahead. 150 metres, he estimated.
Adrenaline surged through Jamal's veins as he neared the opening. When he was 50 metres away he stretched both hands above his head and gathered energy. The blast echoed against the tunnel walls and his vision was momentarily filled by a violent flash.
Zo sensed the presence before seeing the brilliant flash of light that spilled out of nowhere just a few metres away from his position. He was just fast enough to raise a barrier to protect himself before a crushing explosion rocked the whole area. Thousand pieces of rocks the size of a man's fist flew in random directions at high speeds. Four rocks crashed against his protective shield -where his head would've been- in quick succession.
The barrage lasted no longer than a minute. The number of rocks decreased. The thunderous noise faded.
Zo found himself standing in the middle of Sanka. All the flashy buildings had been reduced to heaps of dust. He could see what was once the poorer side of the city from where he stood. Everywhere was dark and smoke rose in all directions. He looked up. A thin layer of cloud was quickly racing towards the halfmoon. He was reminded of how a victorious army sprinted across an empty battlefield towards what remained of the enemy.
The ghoustly silence slowly returned. The only noise Zo could hear were shouts coming from a considerable distance, plus the sounds of sirens. A cold wind blew against his face as the protective shield thinned away. He looked around for good measure, even though he knew his senses extended as far as the light of his lantern reached. Roughly a 50 metre radius.
No surprises.
So when Jamal's attack came, he only managed to evade it because he was naturally faster than any body. He blocked the blazing punch by twisting his torso to the right and let the punch -and Jamal- brush his right shoulder from behind. Jamal's momentum carried him forward with Zo directly behind him. It was a poorly planned attack.
And Zo intended to make his adversary pay for that.
He raised his hand vertically, palm pointing skywards, then swiped it downwards, settling it on Jamal. A blue bolt of lightning followed his hand gesture, landing on its target with gruelling accuracy. It pierced Jamal through the back and exited through his groin, striking the hard ground with a sharp CRACK.
An animal-like sound escaped Jamal's throat quickly followed by a gaggling noise. His back arched as if a dagger was buried in the centre of his spine. His body trembled as he turned around to face Zo. Mouth agape with blood trickling down one corner, eyes losing their light.
"Consider this a mercy killing," Zo whispered before making a backhanded motion and a thin light, the shape of a sharp blade, slashed Jamal across the throat. His legs gave way and the body followed with a heavy thud.
He heard a sound to his left. The one called Benjamin was kneeling in the distance, eyes wide with shock. He let out a cry filled with grief as he approached Jamal's corpse.
Zo watched as the man grabbed his dead friend, trying to shake him. As if he will wake up. Anger coursed through his body. What was it with those humans and useless emotions?
He raised his hand again. Benjamin looked up hopelessly.
Zo lowered his hand on Benjamin.
He saw the blue spark in the sky. And, as if in slow motion, watched as the bolt of lightning descended on the hopeless man.
Zo took a step back. At the last minute he sensed something. It was moving fast towards his location.
Behind him.
As he twisted his neck to check what it was, a blurred figure went past him. He turned around just in time to see the figure catch the bolt of lightning with gloved hands and divert it away. The new arrival had his back to Zo, facing Benamin. But the man's still blank expression made Zo assume it was probably an unknown person to him.
The figure lowered his hood and slowly turned around.
Empty, hollowed eyes that glowed blue stared back at Zo. Ankle-length cloak.
Zo nodded knowingly. Jamal's body disintegrated into shards of blue light.
"I see," he said.
"You haven't seen anything yet," Jamal replied him. He only managed to steal half the powers of the Torpedo from Era, but he felt giddy already. He was aware of his hollowed eyes, but the hunger to steal the other half of the powers was overwhelming. He cracked his neck.
Blue energy blew from behind him, swirling in the wind.

thanks for the update op and be consistent in dropping updates

"You haven't seen anything yet," Jamal replied him. He only managed to steal half the powers of the Torpedo from Era, but he felt giddy already. He was aware of his hollowed eyes, but the hunger to steal the other half of the powers was overwhelming. He cracked his neck.
Blue energy blew from behind him, swirling in the wind.
Zo moved in a blur. He materialized in front of Jamal with a whoosh, one hand balled in a fist while the other was stretched, reaching for Jamal.
Jamal took a step back as he raised his left hand to intercept Zo's outstretched arm, half-spinning to the right as he did so. He grabbed the arm, let the fist land harmlessly across his back, then countered with a roundhouse kick. But he wasn't fast enough -Zo was already shifting to the left and preparing his next attack.
A blue light flashed in the dark sky momentarily.
Jamal raised his arms in an X to protect himself from the lightning attack. It struck in half a second. Quickly and fiercely. He could feel the electric shock travelling through his body, leaving a trail of numbing pain in its after-wake. His arms felt like they were stabbed by a million pieces of glass.
He did not see the kick that sent him crashing into the ground 5 meters away.
Jamal felt like a bowling pin, rolling heavily across the hard baked earth. He was vaguely aware of Benjamin's presence some 25 meters away. He utilized the momentum to roll back to his feet. Pointed his two fists at Zo. Black energy erupted beneath his sleeves. Followed by a loud bang and a flash of light.
Zo anticipated the attack and nullified it with an energy orb.
With an arrogant grunt and the wave of a hand, he sent the attack in Benjamin's direction. Jamal was there to parry. He could tell his left arm was almost rendered useless. His vision blurred slightly. He was having trouble keeping the Torpedo under control. He could feel the cold flow of the substance running through his veins, trying to take control of his body. He had to do something about it and fast. Offload the excess energy.
"Are you okay?" Benjamin whispered.
Jamal nodded. He rose to his feet. Unzipped the cloak. Let it drop in a pile on the ground. The Torpedo dripped from the tip of his fingers. It mixed with the air, rising to the skies like blue smoke.
Another grunt came from Zo but he made no comment. The lantern over his shoulder glowed brighter. Jamal imagined it was reacting to the Torpedo coming off him.
Another blur as Zo moved. Jamal met him halfway, feeling much lighter.
Weaved the first two punches. He could feel the power in each punch as they missed inches away from his head. He stepped to the left to dodge the third -an overhead punch.
Zo was surprised at the sudden change in Jamal's flexibility. As his punches missed, he got angrier. A roar escaped his lips as he felt intense heat rise from beneath his feet. From beneath the ground, too.
A blast of red blaze exploded around him, extending far into the sky. He raised his eyes just in time to see the Jamal rat jumping away from the blaze radius.
Another rage flowed through Zo's veins, with another roar. He waved his arms, sending huge slashes of flames in all directions. The air filled with a thunderous boom. More chunks of rocks rose into the air, like a rock shower.
Zo's eyes narrowed. Beyond the screen of debris, he could just make out Jamal's figure, jumping back out of harms way. His companion beside him. With brutal intentions running through his mind, he punched the air. No energy, just pure brutal force. A violent gust of wind blew against the large chunks of rocks -which were still in the air- and sent them propelling towards Jamal like cannon balls. They hit the target with crunching accuracy, a rock smashing against the other and soon they were piled up 10 metres into the sky, 10 in diameter.
Zo was not to be fooled a second time. He knew a protective orb could easily protect Jamal from the attack. He sprinted towards the rock pile and pointed a spot in front of him. Another massive blast followed. But this time a longer lasting one.
Twenty seconds later, he heard a shout coming from the rocks. Just when they were becoming red hot. The air was hot as a blast from a furnace. The pile of rocks burnt like an oven. The deep blackness of the night glowed in orange. It reflected off the empty skies.
A twisted kind of smell hit his nose. The atmosphere was so vile Zo had to raise a protection barrier to spare himself from its hostility.
Thirty minutes later Zo decided to investigate the aftermath. Black smoke rose from the burnt spot and there was a ten diameter crater as the result. The rocks had rolled away and most of them had disfigured from all the force imposed on them.
He only had to move a few stones before he could see the crater. It was deeper than he expected: filled with an unnatural blackness so deep he could not see the bottom. He smiled at himself for such effort.
So when Jamal's attack came, Zo was too distracted to react quickly enough.
It was a vicious uppercut. Jamal erupted from the darkness like a beam of light, his fist making contact with Zo's jaw like a hammer on a chisel. A loud crack left him in no doubt of the state of his teeth. He felt his feet lifting of the ground along with his body. His ears picked up the clattering noise of his protective orb give way, like plates being smashed on a tiled floor. His vision went woozy as he hit the ground. Shaking his head several times to clear the cobwebs, his eyes focused on Jamal standing on top of him, blue energy cupped in one hand. Eyes hollowed.
With a swift movement of the arm, Jamal smashed the energy in Zo's face. He was suddenly cloaked in darkness. It was the last thing he saw as his body went numb.

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Wow wow wow! Amazing. Nice trick Jamal. Op thanks