The Last Bend

Staring Into the Pit II

Athena stared at the figure and the figure stared back. Ben was at Athena’s right side calmly assessing the situation. The staring match was happening on the 8-lane superhighway that had been cleared. Mass rapid evacuation had taken place and all the nearby buildings within a radius of three kilometres were empty. Thanks to the early warning system developed by ESP they had managed to stop any casualties before the m******e had begun.

Ben scrutinised the young lady who was staring down his boss. She had pale white skin, two feet shorter than him and her body was small, giving her the look of a teenage girl. Even her face was childish but he didn’t like the look of those two canines that gleamed as she smiled sardonically. She was dressed in a crimson hooped dress. The aura she gave off was cold dark and lonely like a bottomless chasm. She was evil incarnate though she had not made any move yet.

“Identify yourself!” Athena ordered.

The figure gave out a chuckle, “Here I thought we would stare each other to death. First, second and third floor guardian, Blood Ripper at your service.” Blood Ripper did a little curtsy then smiled.

“I will tell you only once to go back to where you came from,” Athena said calmly.

Blood Ripper frowned, “I don’t take orders from puny humans.”

Ben flinched and shouted, “Watch out!”

Athena pushed Ben aside and sidestepped to her left just as Blood Ripper appeared behind them. “Oh, I was just saying hallo formally.”

Ben pulled out his sword and struck her but she fended off the sword with her finger then she cursed. Ben struck her three times and hit her. Each place she was struck instantly froze.

“Scarlet Forge.”

Ruby-red flames headed for the two but Ben shouted, “Zero Degrees.”

A dome of ice erupted from the sword and entrapped the flames freezing them on the spot. She chuckled and disappeared for an instant and struck.

A stone golem shaped like an oversized tortoise shot up from the ground and received the blow that would have struck Athena.

Blood Ripper laughed as she dodged a foot stomp from the golem. ‘As you are s humans I can use fifth tier magic on you. Crimson Combustion Chain.”

Two fireballs sprung from both her hands and connected using flame tendrils. She then stretched her arms as wide as she could lengthening the fire chain. She let go of one end and started swinging it above her head. Ben watched in horror as the red fire chain exponentially grew in radius. Not even his zero degrees could counter the range of the Vampire’s attack. They were at a disadvantage as they were the only two ESPers in the area.

Well, there was one technique he could try but it was his trump card. He faced Athena and gave her a smile- he would die protecting her and the humans too. That was his work as an ESPer.

Athena knew from that smile that she was going to lose him but her duty as The Head stopped her from ordering him not to. She knew what technique he was going to use and given the circumstances she too would have done the same. The chain was now almost seven kilometres in length still spinning above her head.

“Cold Snap.”

“Soul Fire.”

The air turned cold rapidly, the moisture freezing and creating a fine silk-like web of hoarfrost in the air. The frost spread faster spreading outwards at the subsonic speed following the still growing chain of fire and freezing the fire in its glasslike capsules. Blood Ripper groaned as the last of the chain was frozen and it fell to the ground.

“That was your trump card? Freezing my fire? Not bad for a human but it cost him his life, no?”

Athena who was covered in blue flames stared at Blood Ripper then at the frozen statue that was once Ben. Cold Snap was a precision technique that froze instantly what it was directed to-it was like a heat-seeking missile and that was why she had used Soul Fire to cover herself from the ice. Her soul fire was cold to the exterior but whoever was covered in it could survive even a year in the Antarctic.

“Now to deal with you,” Blood Ripper chuckled then she vanished and teleported right besides Athena and swiped at her. Athena ducked and moved back a few paces.

“Easier said than done, don’t take me lightly demon,” Athena roared and made three quick motions with her hands. Three beams of light appeared on Blood’s body then disappeared. She watched as three gaping holes appeared almost instantaneously on its body.

She gave out a blood curdling scream and dropped to the ground where Athena was ready for her. “Land Mine.”

Blood Ripper was blown up in to the air as soon as her body hit the ground. Yet again Athena was ready and she uttered, “Firestorm.”

Blood Ripper was struck by a combination attack of lightning and fire that lasted for a full minute. Athena watched as she was burned and waited for the smoke to settle.

“Time reverse.”

Athena watched in shock as the area around Blood Ripper reversed all the damage she had taken including the gaping holes in her body. Not only that but she also sensed that Blood Ripper had her health increase exponentially.

“Excellent of you but now I really have to end this.” Blood Ripper said emerging from the debris holding what looked like a large pipette. A light appeared in front of her and slowly increased in size taking shape until it was the exact copy as her. Next she summoned her familiars and a plethora of bats, wolves, and ravens appeared besides her.

Athena watched in dismay knowing there was nothing in her arsenal that could take down that demon. She didn’t even bother to take a defensive stance and watched as the white avatar covered the distance the pipette raised ready to strike. She closed her eyes and a tear dropped out of her left eye and the last thought was that the humans were doomed.

“Embers of creation,” a melodious voice said besides her.

“Boss stand your ground,” she heard Ben’s voice to her left and felt his touch. She opened her eyes to find Ben blocking off the avatar. She reacted quickly and made another firestorm that instantly charred the summoned beings. She saw Blood Ripper locked in battle with the girl.

The girl phased out as the pipette lance aimed for her. She reappeared and struck a blow at the base of her neck and she hit the ground hardly.

Athena gasped at not only being called but that also of her knowledge of the tri-combinational attack that she had been trying to create. But all that paled to the fact that Ben was alive.

“Wait won’t he die if he does that and I only have the theory about Maelstrom of Chaos,” she shouted back not knowing how to telepathically talk.

Ben nodded and initiated Cold Snap just as soon as Athena activated Soul Fire again. This was mentally tasking, running the Soul Fire that required about half of her concentration but she had to try and she closed her eyes and did as she was told.

She pictured a firestorm laced with lightning in her right hand followed by a visual representation of her Land Mine power in her left hand. Finally she imagined herself standing on hot red magma. She felt the strain on her head as a painful migraine but she held on and visualised all three pictures merging into one picture. As soon as she started picturing it, the mental load subsided and she easily visualised without the strain.

She opened her eyes that glowed an angry orange red and she shouted, “Maelstrom of Chaos.” The ground below her started to tremble for a second before it exploded and hot spews of lava shot out of the ground as the area of effect spread further and further very fast. Lightning crackled and flashed haphazardly as heat waves emanated all over scorching everything they touched.

Ben reacted quickly and produced an ice avatar and engulfed himself in it when he felt her activate her powers. He watched in horror as the ground was destroyed and it reminded him of the scenes he had scene in films depicting the birth of the universe. The first heat wave turned the avatar to ashes. He could sense that she had no control but he had problems of his own.

Her heat was rapidly melting his avatar thought it was close to absolute zero and he couldn’t dare approach her. He struggled to put up new layers of ice to replace the melting layers. He looked at the girl but she was busy engaging Blood Ripper at the moment. He almost laughed as he remembered how they’d thought they could take her down. He knew the girl wasn’t weak and yet Blood Ripper was holding her own against the girl.

He flinched but followed her instructions and sure enough the heat stopped melting his ice. He wondered just how powerful was she to not only take on the demon head on but also provide safe passage to him as well as bring him back to life. He got close to Athena and put his cold hands over her eyes to over them. As soon as he did she stopped the technique and he lowered her slowly to the ground.

“You are hot,” he told her. She smiled knowing he meant it both ways. Then she turned her attention to the two battling titans.

“This is the first time a human has managed to stand this long against me, but you are no human are you?” Blood Ripper said watching this strange girl that not only had resurrected the ice man but also unlocked latent powers in the pesky female with large breasts.

“I would but one get out of my head and two you know the existence of The Great Tomb which means that now I have no option but to kill you.” Blood Ripper said. Sandra felt her powers hitting the roof and she didn’t like it. This being was now approaching her power levels so she’d better act fast.

A whitish blue light shaped like a lance appeared in both of her hands and she threw them at Sandra who once again phased out. Blood Ripper turned to mist and Sandra felt a blow connect with her shoulder just as she phased back in. She rolled back and watched slightly in shock though she didn’t show it.

“No,” Ben uttered, “That demon can take on an astral form and she has managed to strike our girl.”

Athena though saw it as something different, “No, hey girl she is taking an astral form but she is still on this plane. She isn’t following you don’t be bewildered.”

Sandra realised Athena was right. Blood Ripper had struck just as soon as she materialised back into this world. That meant that every time that she phased in or out Blood Ripper would strike her that meant that she either needed to remain on earth and fight her or disappear and leave Blood Ripper to ravage this earth.

Two walls of stone rose up and sandwiched Athena and Ben the pressure increasing. Athena was too weak to react and Ben was caught unawares.

“Dance of the Deadly Nightshade.” A female voice right beside them. Sparks flew as a metal object literally sliced both walls at supersonic speeds. The wall crumbled down.

Athena and Ben watched in amazement at the newcomer. She was a petite girl small built than Sandra and looked even younger than her. Her hair was jet black as was her clothing. She was dressed in a black body suit and on her feet were a pair of jet black shoes. A pair of equally black gloves covered her hands. In her left hand she wielded what looked like a short katana and her right hand she had a pair of shurikens. Only her face was visible and even so only her eyes, forehead and hair. Ben tied her appearance and demeanour to that of a ninja.

“***** you have permission to use it,” the girl said. Her voice sounded like a whisper that carried over the wind. The girl looked at the newcomer and something about her felt warm. She was not even surprised to hear the young girl call her by name.

“Asps of the Underground,” the girl said and a horde of snakes erupted from the ground and leapt into the air and trapped the vampire. Next ***** with a twirl of her finger opened what looked like a portal and out came a gigantic axe wielding giant. It raised the axe and swung it down on Blood’s head.

“Do you feel the destructive power in that weapon,” Ben asked Athena as the giant appeared in front of them. “That power can split the moon cleanly in two.”

A loud metallic sound rung in the air and the giant vanished in a poof of smoke. Right at Shalltear’s neck was a long katana that had just stopped that massive axe. Sandra turned white and so did the newcomer. Athena felt a foreboding feeling wash over her.

“Encapsulate Marjora, Han Feizi,” said the girl.

“Svalinn,” went Ben.

“Adamantium and Aegis,” went Athena.

Five different forms of shields went up almost immediately but it wasn’t enough as the wielded katana made a slicing motion with and all the shields were neatly sliced. The newcomer activated Dance of the Deadly Night Shade and managed to minimise the damage received to deep wounds on the three.

“What is that?” Ben groaned bleeding from his chest, “I put up an Adamantium shield and it was sliced like modelling clay.”

“It slightly resisted on Han Feizi but still pushed it aside. If I am not wrong that is a spirit sword and that means the wielder is not a human level opponent. We have to flee.”

“We don’t even know who you are.” Ben pointed out. He winced at the condition of her right hand that she had used to destroy the slice. It was all mangled up and shredded but she showed no ounce of pain.

“I am Shade, world’s fastest assassin and second best sniper. I am also second in command and I respond to my two masters. One who you have met or seen his handiwork and the other is her master.”

“You are the black aura we saw days ago or that was your master.” Ben interrupted.

“That was me, a creature of that calibre is child’s play, the one standing right there is nothing to scoff about none of us can take him down not even combined. Sandra I suggest we all pull back.”

The Katana was resting at ease and finally the wielder could be seen clearly. He was of medium age, had white skin, tall and had a large built. He had a mop of copper air on his head and his posture was one of not care attitude. He looked at the three humans in front of him and the third one hovering a few metres away. He glanced around looking at the destruction and a small smile played on his lips. He picked up Blood Ripper and breathed back life and power into the vampire.

The hovering girl was pesky and would be nothing more than a troublesome mosquito and yet she was the strongest of them all. By power scaling he would put her at a nine out of ten. But that dark girl something about her was disturbing, the power levels in her were spiking and roping randomly, at times her levels spiked up and reached the mosquito’s and other times it went well below a humans. Well it didn’t matter all he had to do was to destroy them and leave this disturbing patch of land. He had done what he needed to do. He pointed to a portal that he created and Blood Ripper meekly entered it.

He raised his sword and made an arc with it but Sandra blocked it with her bare hands.

He raised an eyebrow out of interest and kicked her away but she phased out just before the kick connected. He watched disinterested as she reappeared. He felt her tap into her wellspring of power and frowned. That magic shouldn’t be available to a human.

He quickly raised his katana but before he swung it Sandra touched the blade and it turned to ash. He growled and gave her a kick that connected with her solar plexus. She hit the ground hardly and felt five of her ribs break on impact. He jumped down almost landing on her chest but she was pulled away by an unseen force before she blacked out.

Shade watched in agony and at the last minute pulled Sandra away from the deadly stomp. “We have no option we have to fight and die trying because either way he will kill us all now.”

Athena slowly got to her knees and so did Ben.

“As for me buy me a minute I set up my trump card,” Shade said. The other two nodded and she closed her eyes and sat cross-legged on the ground.

Ben went on the offensive to buy the two ladies time and he activated his ice avatar. He swung the ice arm down on the figure that caught it and smashed it to smithereens. Not fazed he created another two and trapped the figure in his cold grasp. He pulled out his sword and charged directly at him sword raised. The figured laughed as the sword stopped at his clothes not penetrating his skin. Ben slashed again but again no effect. The figure struggled and broke the hands then delivered a punch that hit Ben squarely in his chest. Not to be done he activated cold snap and focused on the figures arms. The figure realised what he was doing and rammed Ben down in the chest again. This time Ben down like lead and was kicked away like a ragdoll.

Athena’s eyes flashed open as her technique was activated. Spews of pumice ash and lava rained down on the figure as fire and lightning struck and charred him. He groaned in pain and agony and charged like a mad bull at Athena who quickly summoned a stone golem that took most of the force of the charge before it shattered. He struck her and she went flying in the air to hit her head on the road hardly. She started bleeding form her nose and she knew she was spent.

Shade stated levitating and slowly opened her eyes that had turned jet black and so did her face. She seemed to be engulfed by dark flames and the figure turned its attention to her. For once he felt dread wash over him as they locked eyes. He knew he had to mow her down before she finished whatever she was doing.

He charged at her aiming for her neck but at that moment she whispered, “Come forth Thanatos.”

He swerved and avoided touching her at the last minute. A deadly silence covered the area and it suddenly went black and the very smell of death emanated from her. The area around her started to wither and die out. Plants withered, insects fell down and dead and the tarmac around her turned to dust. He felt the shadow of death cover him and he steeled himself and willed a light to cover him.

“Using the Light of Life will not help you creature,” she said in an unearthly voice. “Come forth Tartarus.”

Whatever will he had vanished as the ground roared and shook beneath him as the light he bathed himself in dimmed and went out. Waves of heat swept up exactly beneath him and suddenly the earth opened up and out came a creature of nightmares. He screamed in fear as the creature approached him. He lost all will and strength as the creature grabbed hold of him and dragged him down back to the earth.

Shade dropped down limp as a doll as the two gods disappeared. Another figure appeared out on the sky as light appeared and looked at the motley pitiful band of humans on the ground. How could they send his brother to death they would pay, He raised a hand and swung it down on them all. Athena gained consciousness and watched as the third figure sealed their fate. The others were unconscious and would be spared the knowledge of their doom.

A shadow flickered over the sun momentarily and Athena thought she imagined it. As the figure lowered its hand, she gasped as she saw the hand neatly sliced off. The figure groaned in pain and was startled at the new attack. Athena heard Shade whisper unconsciously, “Master.”

A black cloud enveloped and covered Shade. “Dance of the Deadly Night Shade.” A male voice thundered above them. Athena looked up and saw the same technique that Shade had used only it was thousand times more powerful as it easily sliced the figure to shreds. The figure didn’t even know what hit it. For a fleeting moment she saw a dark skinny male figure before it vanished along with Shade.

She now knew just how small and insignificant she was compared to the others. Who was she kidding, as soon as she got to her feet she would hand in her resignation. There was nothing she could do now.

Athena watched Sandra get to her feet.

“Between you and Shade who is stronger?”

“Technically I am to arrest and take you in but the power difference is way big. There is no way you’d let me take you? Besides the destruction here will raise questions that not even my unit can cover up.”

Sandra stated hovering and with three motions of her hand undid all the destruction that had been done.

“You know what, never mind I asked.”

Sandra turned to Ben and covered him in a green light and he recovered al his injuries. She did the same to Athena then dropped to the ground.

“Why don’t you heal yourself?

“Time manipulation” Ben quipped. “Remind me never to think of attacking you. I can do something about your injuries.” He took out his sword and placed it on her chest. The sword melted and started flowing around her body and wherever it touched it healed her.

She got up and started to phase out but before she did she told them, “A war is coming you need to prepare. Those three we fought were just scouts nothing more. I’ll do my best to control other forages like this from happening but soon it will be full out war>

“But what can we do? We stand no chance against such beings.”

“Why don’t you find her?” Ben asked, “Won’t it be easier for you than us?”

With that she disappeared.

A force yanked them back into the chairs.

“That’s the end of that memory,” Athena’s voice rang out behind them. They opened their eyes to pitch darkness until three claps were heard and the lights came on.

“Almost all the figures were blurred except for the antagonists, also the place where that ninja introduced herself I didn’t hear anything.” Kate said, “So it was hard to identify anyone, however, I am certain that I can trace her. The ninja that is. Something about her is so familiar.”

“I was hoping you would be honest with me, but you have no intentions of telling me so let me ask, where did you hear or see the word Misty Crepuscule?”

I told you on a site on the deep web,” William replied his heart beating slightly faster. Athena looked at him and shook her head. She took a paper and wrote two words on it, then handed William the paper and told him to write the exact words blow hers. She folded it and gave it to Kate telling her to leave the office.

“Can you tell me what’s written on the paper?”

“You’ve written Shifty Iconodule,” came back Kate’s voice. Shock registered on his face and Athena told Kate to enter. “Now read and tell me what’s written on the paper again.”

“Misty Crepuscule twice, in your wring and the bottom one in his writing.” Kate frowned and she looked at Athena then turned to stare at the door then back at Athena. She motioned for her to take a seat.

“That’s why I say you couldn’t have found it on the deep web. That term has power on its own. William’s term vanished but mine shifted to a syllabically similar term because of who I am. Again I’ll ask who told you about Misty Crepuscule otherwise I’ll have to treat you two as hostiles.”

Even as she spoke, they both felt Athena’s power rising. William sighed knowing too well this was a button that he wouldn’t win, “No need to get worked up, I don’t know how I got it. Neither does Kate. All I know is that once I knew that term I was sure that it would get someone’s attention.”

“May I?” Athena asked. Kate nodded and allowed Athena to place her fingers on her head. She felt a tingling warmth where their skin touched. “I hope you don’t go where you aren’t supposed to.”

After a minute Athena stepped back and shook her head, “You really don’t know how you got it, because someone did a wipe on you. From the leftover aura, it wasn’t a malevolent being, I doubt even they know they did this to you.”

“Well you two go home and behave yourselves, I’ll be watching you two closely from now on,” she said dismissively. The two stood up, bowed and left.

Athena sunk back in her chair and said, “What do you think Ben?” a young man appeared besides her dropping his liquid camouflage.

“William is a stealth type and he has intelligence. Two qualities making him blip on their radar. Kate would fit perfectly HER. She reminds me of HER. You're right she is more analytical and that Laplace function suits her well.”