Chapter 3
The sun shone brightly on a day in mid-May. A breeze blew in off of the ocean, across the scattered rocks and small islands off of Paragon City’s coast, keeping the temperature a mild sixty-five degrees. Occasional clouds rolled overhead, passing shadows across the ground. All in all, a fine day, except for the gathering of wizards and fledgling magi intent on summoning a dire evil, vanquished centuries earlier, back into the world.
PhoenixHawk hovered just inside of the area that had been covertly blocked off to civilian traffic. Below him assembled a group of mid to high security level superheroes who’s mission was to stop the summoning and break up the enclave. Three members of his own team, the Onami Strike Force, waited with the others. Shadow Pain, his adopted sister, a skilled Katana warrior who’s face was hidden in a shroud, stood motionless amongst the group. Next to her was her friend and PhoenixHawk’s lover, Thauma Guard, a tall, powerful force-field defender, with ebony skin and orange hair. The last Onami member was Lady Emily, a smallish young healer new to the group. Evangelica, the blaster recently kidnapped by the Circle of Thorns, waited alongside the last two team members. Skida Marink, a healer who’s power source was similar to Thauma Guard’s, and her husband, Celsius Bane, and strong Tanker with masterful skill of fire and ice manipulation, stood patiently waiting.
PhoenixHawk dropped to the ground amid the group of heroes. The green fire in his eyes glowed brightly, arcs of power danced around his black and green chest armor.
“There’s an entire army here,” he said. “As far as I can see there are groups of Circle casters and demons. There’s no way we can defeat them all.”
“We don’t have to,” Evangelica said. “There is a bizarre sort of chain of command amongst the highest level Demons. The Princes of Darkness, second only to the true gods, cannot come through to this plane without the help of an Envoy. The Envoys gather the required power to summon their Master. All we have to do is stop the Envoy from completing the negotiations and summoning of his Master.”
“It’ll be on one of the outlying islands,” Thauma Guard said.
“How do you know?” Celsius Bane asked.
“Because the lines of power converge there,” Skida Marink said. “My powers are scientifically created, but they are designed to let me feel the lines of force. The Circle mages use this area often because the energy flows so powerfully through here.”
“Can you guys get out there without setting off the alarm?” Evangelica asked of the group. “PhoenixHawk and I fly, so we should be able to get out there without drawing attention. The rest of you don’t, so maybe we should go and have P.H. teleport you to us.”
“We can fight our way out there,” Celsius Bane said.
“Against individual groups perhaps, but if an alarm goes up this whole conclave could come down on us at once. We’d never survive.”
“She’s right, C.B.,” PhoenixHawk said. “Besides, we might not have time to fight all the way out there. Cedao Kestrel said that once this ritual gets started it will be hard to interrupt. We have to get there before they actually begin.”
“Then let’s do it,” Celsius said.
PheonixHawk and Evangelica took to the skies, headed out over the coast, high enough that the villains on the ground couldn’t spot them. As they got to the outlying islands they split up and began searching. It wasn’t long before PhoenixHawk spotted a small group centered around a demon that dwarfed the rest. It’s huge wings spread out behind it, large muscular arms ending in powerful hands and sharp talons. Its scaled body was surrounded by a black nimbus.
PhoenixHawk pulled up above the island and contacted Evangelica, telling her he had found the island. The dropped down behind a large outcropping of boulders, out of sight of the demon and Circle mages.
“This thing is huge,” PhoenixHawk said.
“Its Master will dwarf it,” Evangelica said.
PhoenixHawk concentrated, using a simple spell that Thauma Guard had taught him, and teleported her to him. She did the same for Skida, and in less than a minute the team was gathered.
Celsius Bane looked around the rock and ducked back. “Big,” was all he said.
“There are two Death Mages out there, and two Spectral Followers,” Evangelica said. “We should take them out first so we can concentrate on the Envoy.”
The team agreed.
“Evangelica and I can hit several of them at once, attacks that should take the Spectrals out,” PhoenixHawk said. “After that, Celsius you take the Death Mage on the left, Evangelica will back you up. Pain and I will take out the one on the right. Then fall back and we’ll concentrate on the Demon.”
The team spread out into a position where they could move quickly at the villains. Thauma Guard surrounded all of the heroes in force fields. Both Evangelica and PhoenixHawk concentrated for a moment, Building Up their strength, then launched their attacks.
Hitting the Death Mage on the right side, PhoenixHawk unleashed an explosive blast that spread out like a small shockwave, its energy staggering the Mage and both Spectral Followers. Evangelica blasted the other Death Mage with an exploding Fire Ball, the heat from which spread out over the entire group. Both Spectral Followers turned to flee as they phase shifted out of existence.
Shadow Pain burst into speed like a bullet. Coupled with her ability to blend in with her environment, and her super reflexes, she was nearly impossible to see. Her katana flashed out repeatedly, driving the Death Mage away from the Envoy. PhoenixHawk loosed blast after blast at the Mage.
Celsius Bane leapt upon the other Mage, his body enveloped in flames. He threw an ice patch underneath the Death Mage that spread out and made the footing nearly impossible for either the Mage or the huge Demon behind it. Evangelica was letting loose with Fire attacks, one after the other. The Death Mage went down behind the force of the attack quickly, but the Envoy recovered and blew a gout of fire from its mouth, melting the ice patch.
The remaining Death Mage fell unconscious from a heavy katana blow, and Shadow Pain fell upon the Envoy with ferocity. Her katana flashed out, skipping off the scales that armored the Arch-Demon, but occasionally chipping away small cuts. The black glow around the Envoy enveloped her, breaking down some of her defenses, making her have to concentrate harder to avoid being hit, weakening her attacks.
Celsius Bane had a Burn patch going, the flames licking up to the waist of the Demon. Again its scales deflected much of the heat, but it snarled in rage at the pain that was being inflicted. Both blasters were adding fire and energy attacks to the fray, but their impact was as minimal as that of the fighters.
“Damn, this thing is strong,” PhoenixHawk said, lashing out with an intense Sniper Blast.
The Envoy lashed out at Celsius Bane with a huge backhanded swipe, knocking the Tanker backwards off his feet. Celsius was strong, his skin hardened like steel, so the blow didn’t physically harm him, but he was dazed from the attack. Shadow Pain moved up to assist just as the Envoy blew a huge breath of flame over Celsius semi-prone figure. The heat was intense, cutting right through Thauma Guard’s force field and washing over Shadow Pain.
Skida leapt in to help her husband regain his feet, Thauma right behind her to reinforce the hero’s force fields. Both women were caught in the blast of fire from the Envoy, Skida’s healing aura barely able to keep them conscious. Lady Emily had pulled Shadow Pain, healing the scrapper, working to clear her mind.
Seeing the Defenders in trouble, the Envoy rushed them, trying to put them down quickly.
PhoenixHawk let out a howl of rage and flew hard at the charging Demon, not even hearing Evangelica screaming to stop him from rushing in too close. He flew full force into the Envoy, lashing out with a Fire Sword blast across the back of the Demon’s head. The Envoy turned to meet his attacker, giving Thauma and Skida time to get themselves and Celsius out of the way. PhoenixHawk lashed out with a close range Power Blast, which caused the Envoy to take a step back, but he couldn’t get away fast enough to avoid being swatted out of the air like a fly by the Demon’s huge hand.
The Envoy snarled in rage as PhoenixHawk blasted at him fast from the ground. Before the hero could regain his footing, the Demon pinned him with a tree trunk thick leg.
“You’re death shall be the first to feed the Master,” the Envoy snarled.
“Give it your best shot!” PhoenixHawk replied, lashing out at the Demon’s leg with his fire sword.
Evangelica was shaking Thauma Guard, yelling at the Defenders to get PhoenixHawk teleported away from the Envoy. All three tried, but none could get him away from the black nimbus that surrounded the Envoy.
Seeing his peril, feeling trapped and helpless, all of the rage and insanity that PhoenixHawk had held inside since the Rikti invasion snapped in his head. Visions of his mother and younger sister poured into his mind. He could see his father throwing him the football when he was little. Anguish flooded him like fire. Every last shred of emotional control snapped.
The Demon holding him down saw the change in the Hero, and bellowed in rage, raising its right hand up high, looking directly into PhoenixHawk’s glowing green eyes.
“Just do it,” PhoenixHawk snarled.
Celsius Bane and Shadow Pain had regained their feet and both leapt at the Demon, rushing to the aid of their trapped friend.
The Envoy’s rage continued to bellow out as its right hand smashed downward, driving its talons straight into the armor over PhoenixHawk’s chest. The composite and metal plating crushed in, splitting under the razor edge of the Demon’s claws.
Just loud enough for the Envoy to hear, PhoenixHawk spoke the true name of the Demon, thus breaking the Demon’s protective aura, giving him power over it just as the Envoy’s talons sank deep into his chest.
A flash like none of the Heroes had ever seen before exploded outward. It was like a small sun had been compressed and suddenly let loose, white and orange power blazing outward in a devastating blast. Chunks of rock, earth, and grass flew in all directions. The concussion wave sent Celsius Bane and Shadow Pain flying backwards, into and along with the rest of the Heroes.
Celsius rolled to his feet, shaking his head to clear his eyes from the dancing dots that filled them. Thauma Guard slowly got to her feet, helping Skida and Lady Emily back up as well. Evangelica and Shadow Pain both stood and slowly made their way back to the group.
In front of them was a huge crater, twenty feet across, easily ten feet deep. Half-way up the Envoy was staggering, trying to regain its footing as well. Its right arm was gone half-way up the forearm, the entire right side of its body scorched and hideously burnt. Its right wing was a tattered mess behind it, twisted and mangled.
“Aaron?” Thauma Guard said softly, looking towards the center of the crater.
“We’ve got to finish that thing off while its still weak,” Evangelica said.
Celsius Bane and Shadow Pain fell upon the Demon, with the Blaster’s help quickly finished off the last of its strength. When it fell to a last katana cut, its body crumpled into ash and blew away in the breeze.
Turning, Shadow Pain found Thauma Guard kneeling in the center of the crater, holding PhoenixHawk’s head in her lap. The small arcs of energy that surrounded his body were gone. His chest armor was caved in, with two gaping holes where the Envoy’s talons had driven through. His eyes, now were a deep brown color not seen since his mutation had begun to take over after the Rikti invasion, stared sightlessly up at the sky.
Tears streamed down Thauma Guard’s face as she stroked PhoenixHawk’s cheek. Skida Marink and Lady Emily knelt next to her, their heads hung down, shoulders shaking as they fought through their own tears.
Shadow Pain walked slowly over, unable to believe what she was seeing. “Kyodai?” she said. “Aaron?” It was the first time in years she had spoken his given name. Seeing his face, she knew instantly that he was gone. She slowly covered the last distance between them and drew her katana, laying length-wise it on the ground between herself and her brother. She knelt before the blade, bowed deeply so that her forehead touched the metal, and held the bow for several seconds, then sat up onto her knees.
“Sayonara, Kyodai,” she said. “Maido Arigato Goziamashita.” Goodbye Brother, thank you for everything you did for me.
Below the island, the gathering of the Circle of Thorn had seen the blast, and were making their way out to the island to see what had happened.
Celsius Bane easily lifted his fallen comrade. “I’ll carry him out,” he said. “But we need to go. We did what we came to do.”
Holding PhoenixHawk’s body as though it were weightless, Celsius leapt away, back towards Paragon and Atlas Park, where he would deliver PhoenixHawk to City Hall so that funeral arrangements could be made.
The Statesman, Paragon City’s senior Hero, would later say that the sacrifice PhoenixHawk had made was one that any Hero could be called upon any day to make, but that those who did make that sacrifice would never be forgotten. A plaque would be erected at the site of the blast that had taken the Hero’s life, so that all who would come after him would see the crater, and know the honor of the Hero that had given himself up to save his friends there.
Epilogue:
After
"Aaron!" The young woman's voice rang out as she rushed towards him.
"Jess?" Aaron turned as she ran full tilt, nearly bowling him over in a hug. "What the hell? You're...."
"Dead?" a familiar voice said behind him. "Yes, we are."
Turning, Aaron found himself face to face with his father for the first time in many years. They stood in the middle of an open field. In the distance were other people enjoying the sunshine, sitting on blankets spread out on the ground or at picnic tables.
The last thing Aaron remembered was an island, near Talos. A conclave of Circle of Thorns mages had called a super-demon to the world to negotiate the entrance of another Demon, or maybe even a God. Thauma and Skida had gotten too close to the thing, and were about to be obliterated. He had rushed it as a distraction and gotten caught. Looking into its eyes, his visions of his family had flooded back to him, and his sanity had snapped. Hanging on to enough of himself, he had whispered the name of the Demon, breaking its power, then the talons had pierced his chest.
"How? Where?" He couldn't clear his mind. "Thauma?"
"She's fine," his mother said, joining his father. "You saved them. You saved a lot of people. I'm very proud of you."
Aaron sat down on the grass, feeling it beneath the palms of his hands. Jessica sat down next to him. She had been twelve when she died in the initial strike of the Rikti invasion. Now she was a full grown young woman.
"How are you so much older?" Aaron asked.
"Things work a little differently here," Jess said. "Time flows differently, if it even exists. Some who have died after you will arrive here sooner. What you see is who I would have become if I had lived."
Aaron looked at his hands, almost as if noticing them for the first time, and noticed the feeling, like something missing.
"My eyes, are they..?"
Dad came over and put his hand on Aaron's shoulder. "No, they aren't glowing anymore. You don't need your powers here."
"How do you know about that?"
"We know about everything," Mom said. "We have watched you grow, watched everything you did. We were always with you."
"You could see me?"
"Yes."
"How? How can that be?"
"Stop and listen for a second," Jess said. He listened to the sounds in the air, birds chirped in the trees, leaves rustled, and something more. Almost at the edge of his consciousness he could hear voices, someone talking.
"Thauma?"
"Yes," Jess said. "You can hear them talk to you when you try. You can see them if you try. Because you want to, because you loved them, there are people in the world you will always be close to, always have a connection with."
He dropped his hands into the palms of his hands. It was all so much, almost overwhelming.
"You've handled far worse situations," another familiar voice said. Looking up, he found a man wearing a simple white tunic with blue piping on it. His hair was short and spiked, a goatee covered his chin.
"Tropic?" Aaron asked.
"I was," Tropic answered.
Aaron stood and shook the man's hand. "You never called me for that beer I owed you."
"I will."
"Aren't we a little late for that?"
"They will call us back," Tropic said.
"What?"
"We will be called back," Tropic said. "I lived for a long time, did a lot of things, met a lot of beings. Something tells me, something I know in every fiber of my being, that we will be called back."
"When? How?"
"I don't know. But I know someone will call us back, together. Until then, be with your family. I will see you soon."
Tropic turned and walked away, fading from view.
Aaron looked at his family, the faces that had haunted his dreams, that he had missed for so many years. Since the blast that had killed them, he had missed them every day. Something told him what Tropic had said was true, that he would have to leave his family again, but he also knew they would be with him, wherever he went. Whatever the future held, he would not let it ruin the time he now had with them.
"So," Jess said. "Tell me about Thauma Guard."