End of the World
#6 of Etheral City
Splitter led the group into the building and casually walked to the front desk. He changed his voice into a gruff and weak one, "Excuse me, kind miss. My family was saved by the Paladin, and I can't just let a good deed go without recognition. It wouldn't be right to my maw and paw. So, is he available to see? It would only take a second." The receptionist smiled up at Splitter and started typing on her computer.
"Okay... it appears that he has a large opening right now. Just make your way through the elevators and go to the top floor. I'll inform him of your arrival." Splitter nodded and the rest of the group followed him into the elevator.
He went back to his normal self, "Listen up, she knew something was wrong. Someone told her to keep an eye out for us, so we don't have much time. Smokebomb is in a safe house, already hacked into the system. There's eight of us, so Penny's with me, you all split into groups of three. Remember, no killing, only incapacitation. Kick a groin, bite an ear, throw dirt in their eyes, whatever is needed. You aren't looking for an honorable fight, only a victory. Paladin's all mine." He stopped talking and looked up with his eyes closed. "Shit, they know we're here." he pushed a button two floors below the top.
Penny was confused, "Why did you do that? We have to find the stairwell now, and that will take longer than normal." The villains agreed with her.
Splitter sighed as he took off his cloak, "They know we're here, well, more specifically they know I'm here with a group of people. Therefore, the three or so heroes that have gathered here will fortify defences around their master. If we start on a lower floor and make some noise, they will be funneled down the stairs and though the other elevator. This one... will be out of order, so to speak. Time for something none of you are used to, guerrilla warfare." The elevator stopped and the group rushed out, throwing off their cloaks. Splitter hit the fire emergency switch in the elevator and called the one next to it. That arrived in a few seconds and he also hit the emergency switch.
Rendika led her group through the right side, and Purple Mouse through the left. Splitter focused his eyes, and Penny thought that he was saying something to someone. He started to walk and grabbed her hand. With a flicker, the lights went out. Penny could still see, but she understood why he grabbed her. She was terrified of what could happen. Among the dark corridors and screaming employees, only Splitter's glowing red eyes could be seen. At one of the emergency stairwells, Splitter halted suddenly. Penny could hear heavy footsteps, then the door burst open. Strongwolf, a hero with super strength beyond any other, came through and smiled, "Found ya."
Splitter pushed Penny back and switched to a defensive position. Strongwolf threw a punch which narrowly missed as Splitter took off his headphones and tossed them to Penny. Something was crushing her, something she couldn't see. Stronwolf seemed to notice it, but shook it off and focused on Splitter once more. "You... you took her life. Forget what I said earlier, I will kill you. Every monster deserves to die." An overwhelming sadness rushed though Penny (This must be what he is feeling, but why?) Time slowed down. Penny and Strongwolf were caught off guard. "I'm going to tear you to pieces!" he shouted as he charged forward.
Strongwolf threw another punch, but Splitter spun to his inside and hit his gut with an elbow. Strongwolf flew back. In an instant, Splitter jumped and did a walking kick, forcing blood out of Strongwolf's mouth. Both of them were hanging in air as Splitter slammed his fist down on his head, making Strongwolf hit the ground as though he was shot out of a cannon. His eyes were wide as Splitter came down with a final punch, a feral look on his face. His face was crushed under Splitter's fist. The fight lasted no more than four seconds in actual time. Almost thirty in the slowed time.
He wiped his hand on Strongwolf's uniform and grabbed Penny's hand again, "Time to move." Penny wondered why he didn't ask for the headphones back, so she set them around her neck. They ran up the stairwell, but before they could exit, Invisible Viper blocked their path. "You do realize, don't you? Strongwolf is dead, and Fire Panther? Oh, he's safe, but pretty badly beaten. Flee and I'll let you go." She was shocked and her eyes were wide. Penny didn't even know that Panther was down.
She growled, "You think you're s-so smart, d-don't you?! I kill you myself!" She turned invisible and charged. Splitter rolled his head and punched thin air. Viper came into view and rolled down the staircase, unconscious. Splitter walked through the top door to the rooftop.
Paladin was standing there, facing the city and resting his hands on his sword. It was about four feet long and gold with a wood handle. He stood there, in a full suit of gold armor sans helmet. In a noble voice, he said, "So, you have made it here, one who has fallen from righteousness. Perhaps it is good and just that I end your miserable existence filled with hate and sorrow." He spun around and pointed his sword at Splitter. Penny tugged on his shirt.
"You can't beat him! He's fast, strong, and can heal quickly!" Splitter tore his arm away and slapped the wall by the door. In her head, a voice echoed (I can kill him, but I won't.) Penny stood there, confused and terrified.
As he marched towards Paladin, he spoke, "You are weak and undeserving of such a noble name. You are the reason there is so much crime in this city. You and your cronies have destroyed the lives of the ones you called villains and forced them into crime. You do not deserve praise and honor."
"You must be kidding me, human. The people like to see good triumph over evil. Sure, everyday criminals are fun, but they don't give any large scale publicity. Those super misfits were the perfect scapegoats. Easy to frame, easy to defeat, and they didn't even know how to stop us. I've even slept with a few of their wives, just for kicks. Then you had to come along. I know all about you. Born in a human hospital that was bombed by "terrorists". That was just another excuse to get some popularity. I set up the trap personally. But you survived, even as an infant, you survived. Tell me, why are you still alive? I don't know about humans that much, but I am pretty sure that a mother is needed for the cub to survive."
Splitter looked up at the tiger's eyes, "Simple, I have a purpose. Fate and Destiny wouldn't let me die before that was fulfilled." The pressure was pushing down again, and screams burst forth from Splitter, "Hear the cries of those you have wronged." Paladin crippled over in pain, "Feel their pain." It was so loud that Penny put the headphones on her ears. They were made for a human, so they fit awkwardly, but they still did the job.
Silence, Penny couldn't hear anything. Her mind was empty, save for the fear she felt for the Paladin. When she started to wonder about how that happened, all fear was driven away and her thoughts came to a swift conclusion. These headphones not only block sound, but they focus the mind to the task at hand. For someone as powerful as Splitter, these must of cut down the thousands of thoughts and emotions he heard and felt every day. (He did need these, otherwise he would have been driven mad) she thought as she took them off. Penny stumbled as her mind went back to normal as every thought went back to normal.
Splitter was skillfully dodging every one of Paladin's swings, but he didn't return a punch. After a while, Paladin grew closer to hitting him, so with a final leap out of range, Splitter landed on the edge of the building in a crouching position. "I am so glad that you decided to say everything and clear the air. It really makes my job easier." there was a low rumble coming from the street below, "Remember when I slapped the wall? I thought someone like you would've noticed the new black dot there... I'm still amazed at how small cameras can be." Paladin was panicking.
"N-no, you need to understand something..." he paused, then screamed, "He possessed me! He told me to say those things! None of them were my idea, I didn't mean any of them!" Splitter was laughing.
He let out a deep breath, then said, "Pathetic, even when you see defeat you try to get sympathy from those you wronged. Tell you what..." Penny felt all of her hope drain out of her as red clouds formed and swirled over head. A glowing red light came from the streets and buildings as the temperature started to rise, "you seem to like calling yourself a noble name, but you're evil. So... I'll be the one who calls myself evil and be good... you use your full strength... and I'll give you a taste of mine!" as he shouted, flames burst from everywhere. The red swirling clouds let loose fire as evil piercing screams called out from the heavens. Penny stared in horror as red wings burst from Splitter's back, forcing out blood.
Splitter stood up against a background of his own personal apocalypse. Every trace of remotely good feeling was pulled from Penny's soul. Paladin stumbled backwards, "Wh-wh-what matter of d-demon are you?!How can you be doing this to my mind?!"
Splitter growled, then with a sick smile, "Who says it's all in your mind?" Paladin shook in fear, as the former villains ran from the building. They tried to take Penny with her, but she was petrified with fear. Splitter's voice was echoing, "You see, worm, you have done way too much to everyone to be set free. A simple quick death would be way too much, so I'll tell you what. I will personally end the lives of all of the true criminals in this city," he smiled again, "and the last thing they see... will be you."
He raised his arms high over his head, and as he did, hundreds of screams came forth. Not from him, but from the strange golden orbs floating into the sky. As they reached the clouds, the outer glow faded and inside the terrified faces of all of the former heroes and various criminals. As the Paladin trembled in fear, he too was encased in an orb and raised to the ominous sky. Penny, like the other terrified onlookers, flinched at a banshee like wailing coming from the "Hero among Heroes". Penny was feeling an influx of all kinds of emotions, and a little part of her wanted to see him suffer, "Is this... is this my feeling, or his?"
Splitter snapped his fingers and every orb other than Paladin's charred on the outside and cries erupted from them, the cries of burning victims. Smoke rose from orbs as they shrunk into nothing, leaving only bad memories. Splitter stared up at the Paladin, the looks on their faces showed their true forms. The confident defender of justice, and the cowardly murderer. With a final grin, the Paladin burst into flames.
It was only a short time, but eventually his sword fell from the orbs and impaled itself in the rooftop. The flames from the street below died down, and the red clouds turned back to gray. However, the flames surrounded Splitter as he struggled to stay on his feet. Penny was in shock, and ran over to help, but was stopped in her tracks. These flames were different, they did burn her. "Come on! We have to get out of here!" she shouted over the fire.
Splitter was fighting off the pain, but managed to say, "Go! Get out of here! This is my fate, not yours! Let my soul burn in peace." he was solemn, and didn't see a way out.
Penny was frustrated, he had just saved the city, proved hundreds of villains to be innocent, and saved her life multiple times. She was not going to let him die like this. Penny marched into the swirling flames, feeling the intense heat push her back. She put her arm in front of her eyes, but it did little to help. The ten feet that separate them might as well been a mile. Penny didn't care, she pushed forward anyway.
As she did, her clothes started to burn away, but she didn't notice. The flames were distracting enough. When she was mere inches from Splitter, the pressure was almost unbearable. Penny made one last ditch effort and dove onto him, hugging him tightly, "If you go, then so do I!" she shouted over the deafening wind. Splitter barely opened his eyes, then he shook violently.
The flames disappeared and Splitter went limp. Penny caught him as he fell, and she dropped to her knees. He was laying on her lap when he said, "Damn... you messed up... my plans." Penny took off the headphones and gently put them back on Splitter.
Tears welled in her eyes as she smiled, "Next time you do that, I promise that I will kill you myself!" she ended up laughing. She was burned and exhausted, much like Splitter. She looked down at him lovingly and saw him take off his shirt, "Why did you do that? I thought... I thought humans didn't have fur... so you would cool off faster..."
"You know, It's a good thing your back is facing the camera." Penny raised an eyebrow, "You do have a cute body now that I see it with my own eyes." Penny looked down and saw that she didn't have anything on other than scraps of clothes. She screamed and raised her arms to cover her breasts, letting Splitter roll off of her lap, "Ow."
She took his shirt and put it on, pulling it down to cover as much of her body as she could. She picked up Splitter's head and put it back in her lap gently, "I was hoping that you wouldn't see me naked so soon."
Splitter smiled, "Alright, I have an idea. Tonight, you can drag me back to your apartment and have your way with me, as long as you're gentle." Penny was appalled at first, then she smiled, "But first, I could go for some ice cream. It was a little toasty today."
"I think I know just the place." she giggled as she picked him up off the paved roof.