Chapter 31:
– Silas –
My arms tightened instinctively around Miss Militia's waist as the powerful motorcycle roared beneath us. Usually, being pressed so close to Hannah would be enough to set my dragon instincts on fire, making it almost impossible to concentrate. The feel of her toned body under my hands, the warmth radiating off her through her uniform, the scent of her hair mixed with leather—all of that would normally have me fighting a losing battle against my hormones.
But right then, as we sped into the Rig's secure entrance, I felt nothing like that. Instead, my chest was tight with something colder, heavier.
Fear. Determination. A sharp, twisting anxiety.
My mind was laser-focused on the monster we were about to face.
The Simurgh was descending soon enough.
Hannah maneuvered the motorcycle expertly, bringing us smoothly into the massive hangar inside the Rig. We coasted slowly to a stop, the engine rumbling softly before Hannah killed it with a practiced twist of her wrist.
For a long second, there was silence.
She swung her leg gracefully over the bike, standing up straight as she removed her helmet in one swift movement. Her silky black hair spilled over her shoulders, framing her face beautifully as she reached up and gently pulled down her signature green bandana, revealing her expression clearly.
Her green eyes were full of quiet concern, but she forced a brave smile. "We're here," she said, her voice steady, though the slight tremble in her fingers gave away her anxiety. "Try not to worry, Silas. Everything's going to be fine. We're finally going to take down that winged bitch—for real, this time…"
I exhaled heavily, climbing off the motorcycle to stand next to her. I could see right through Hannah's brave front. She desperately wanted to believe her own words. But she was human too, under all that armor and discipline. I knew she was scared.
I reached out and gently rested one hand on her shoulder, feeling the taut muscles beneath her uniform. She tensed briefly at the contact, her eyes widening just slightly, her breath hitching in surprise.
"At the very least," I said softly, offering her a weak but sincere smile, "I have a surprise ready for that monster—something that's literally going to rip her from the skies!"
Miss Militia stared up at me in shock, clearly startled by my words. "Rip her from the skies?" she repeated carefully, eyes searching mine. "Silas, if you can actually pull something like that off, every hero in the world would worship the ground you walk on!"
I shook my head immediately, the smile fading from my face as reality settled heavily on my shoulders again. "That's a nice thought, Hannah. But honestly, all I care about is making sure as many heroes survive as possible."
She blinked slowly at my words, her expression softening even further. Without thinking, I tightened my fingers gently against her shoulder, feeling her body relax a little more under my touch.
"I know," she whispered quietly. "I feel the same way."
We stood quietly for a brief moment, the silence around us tense but somehow comforting. Finally, she stepped away gently, glancing toward the reinforced steel doors that led further inside. "Come on, they're waiting for us..."
I followed closely behind her as we walked through the corridor into the Rig's central command area.
The moment we stepped inside the Rig, I could feel the tension in the air. PRT agents lined the halls on either side of us, their faces set in brave masks of professionalism as they gave respectful nods and crisp salutes. They guided us wordlessly down the wide, brightly-lit corridor, toward the large central meeting room where the other heroes had already gathered.
Miss Militia walked steadily ahead of me. I followed close behind her as we approached the massive double doors that marked our destination.
Hannah gave me one last reassuring glance, a subtle smile playing at the corners of her lips, before stepping calmly into the meeting room. Taking a deep breath, I moved forward to follow her—
But before I could take more than a couple of steps, something small, fast, and green slammed into my chest, nearly knocking the wind right out of me.
"Silas!"
I staggered slightly, looking down in surprise as Vista's tiny arms wrapped around me. Her grip was shockingly tight, face buried deeply into my shirt, small shoulders trembling as she clung desperately to me.
I immediately realized she was sobbing.
"Vista? Hey—what's wrong?" I asked softly, carefully placing a comforting hand on the young hero's shoulder, my other hand gently resting on top of her blonde head.
She pulled her face back just enough to look up at me. Her usually bright eyes were red-rimmed, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. "Please, Silas!" she cried, her voice shaking violently as she clutched tighter to me. "Don't go face the Simurgh! Please don't! Bad things happen to heroes when they fight her, and—and even with your awesome powers, what if something happens to you?"
Her words broke my heart. Vista was usually so mature for her age, so strong and confident despite being the youngest Ward. Seeing her like this—terrified, vulnerable, openly begging me not to risk myself—felt like a punch in the gut.
"Vista, listen to me. I'm not going to die, okay? I have no intention of letting that happen. I promise I'll be fine," I told her. And I meant it.
She shook her head vigorously against my chest, her small fists tightening desperately around the fabric of my shirt. "No, no, you can't promise that! She's an Endbringer, Silas! I—I can come too. I'll help! I can protect you. Remember? I have the Force now! I bet my telekinesis can beat hers, right?" She looked up at me again with wide, pleading eyes, filled with desperate hope.
It hurt even more knowing that, given her incredible new powers, she might actually have a chance of helping us fight.
But she was still so young, so inexperienced, and the Simurgh wasn't just deadly. She destroyed minds.
I wouldn't risk Vista like that, not for anything.
"Absolutely not, Vista!" Director Piggot's firm voice cut in. Piggot stood just a few feet away, flanked by Alexandria, both women watching us with expressions that brooked no arguments. The Director stepped forward, eyes fixed sternly on Vista. "You are absolutely not going anywhere near an Endbringer fight," she continued bluntly. "Especially not the Simurgh. Not unless she's literally dropping right into Brockton Bay itself. Understood?"
Vista's expression fell, her lower lip trembling with frustration and sadness as fresh tears spilled from her eyes. Her grip loosened slightly, but she still didn't release me entirely.
I knelt slightly, bringing myself down to her eye level, gently taking her by the shoulders. "Vista," I said softly, catching her attention fully again. "You're amazing. Your powers probably really could hurt her. But please trust me when I say that this isn't a fight I ever want you near. The Simurgh isn't like the other Endbringers—she's cruel, she's cunning, and she attacks your mind. I can't risk something like that happening to you."
Vista sniffed miserably, nodding very slowly, reluctantly accepting my words even though it clearly hurt her. "I—I just don't want you to get hurt, Silas. You're…you're like the cool older brother I never had! The adventure in the Star Wars universe was scary, yeah, but it was also the single best moment of my entire life. I just…I don't wanna lose you." Her voice trailed off quietly, breaking my heart all over again.
"You won't lose me. I promise. I'll come back safe."
Finally, Miss Militia stepped in softly from beside me, gently placing a comforting hand on Vista's trembling shoulder. "Come on, sweetheart," she murmured kindly, guiding the girl carefully away from me. "Let Silas get ready now, alright? You can wait safely in your room for us to return."
Vista hesitated one last time, glancing uncertainly between Miss Militia and me. Finally, she nodded weakly, her shoulders slumping with quiet resignation. "Okay, Miss Militia…" she whispered softly.
…
I glanced toward Alexandria as Piggot walked away from her. To my surprise, she met my gaze and gave me a soft, almost reassuring smile beneath her imposing visor.
My eyes scanned the room quickly, taking note of who had arrived already. Not many heroes yet, but they would come.
However, I spotted Glory Girl and Panacea. Both of them stood close together, clearly anxious and uncomfortable. As if sensing my gaze, Amy looked up, her eyes locking onto mine instantly. A second later, Vicky noticed me as well, and she brightened noticeably, waving me over eagerly.
I made my way toward them. "Hey, you two. I didn't expect to see either of you here, honestly—especially not so quickly."
Vicky immediately placed her hands confidently on her hips. "As soon as we got the emergency alert, I literally swept Amy off her feet and flew us both straight here as fast as possible," she declared.
Amy's cheeks flushed a vivid shade of pink at her sister's playful phrasing. "Vicky, please don't put it like that," she muttered shyly, tugging nervously at one of the loose sleeves of her oversized sweater.
Vicky grinned teasingly at her sister, nudging Amy gently with her elbow. "Aww, don't be embarrassed, Ames. You love being carried around."
Amy huffed quietly, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. I knew for a fact that she definitely loved being carried around by Vicky at the very least.
I chuckled softly at their banter before turning serious again, a frown beginning to form on my face. I genuinely cared about these two young women—probably more deeply than I'd ever expected to this quickly.
Just like Vista, the idea of them being anywhere near the Simurgh terrified me. "So," I began carefully, looking directly into Amy's anxious brown eyes and then Vicky's bright blue ones. "Are you two planning on actually going to Australia for the battle?"
Vicky's cheerful expression vanished instantly. She quickly shook her head, blonde hair tumbling around her shoulders. "Hell no!" she said firmly. "Mom would literally kill us if we tried. Even though we're both eighteen now, we're still living under her roof. Her word is still law. No Endbringer fights allowed—period."
I nodded immediately, feeling immense relief flood through my chest at her words. "Good," I said quietly, allowing myself to relax slightly.
Vicky's lips quirked up into a slight grin again, amused by my obvious relief. But the smile quickly faded as the tension in the room returned, heavier than before.
Amy cleared her throat nervously, shuffling awkwardly in place beside Vicky. "We're just here on standby," she explained quietly, tucking a strand of dark auburn hair behind her ear. "After the fight, they're going to teleport me out to heal as many of the surviving heroes as possible." She paused, scowling slightly as she muttered bitterly, "And probably some villains too, I guess." She made a small noise of frustration, adding more clearly, "I swear, one of these days I'm signing a proper contract with the PRT. Then I can flat-out refuse to heal villains. I don't care if they help during Endbringer attacks!"
Vicky chuckled lightly, placing a comforting hand on Amy's shoulder. "You've been saying that forever, Ames."
Amy rolled her eyes, glancing up at me anxiously again. She hesitated, biting nervously at her lower lip before asking softly, "Are you really going out there, Silas? Are you really going to fight her?"
I nodded slowly, giving her a firm, reassuring look. "Yeah, Pan Pan. My System already gave me the task of defeating the Simurgh," I said, giving her a smirk as she pouted at the name. "And besides, what kind of hero would I be if I backed down now?"
Amy and Vicky both stared at me in stunned silence for a long moment, their eyes wide and mouths hanging slightly open in disbelief.
"Wait—did you just say defeat an Endbringer?" Vicky asked incredulously, stepping closer to me and grabbing my wrist firmly, as if checking to see if I'd suddenly lost my mind. "Silas, nobody ever defeats an Endbringer! We just…survive."
Amy nodded urgently, clearly agreeing with her sister's worry. "Seriously, Silas, it's impossible to actually beat one. Everyone knows that. Are you absolutely sure you should be going out there?"
I smiled slightly, gently placing my other hand over Vicky's fingers still gripping my wrist. "Trust me, I know how crazy it sounds. But my system has never been wrong before. It gave me this mission. So I'm going to do everything I possibly can to complete it!"
"You really are a great guy... "Suddenly Vicky gave me a playful, sultry grin.
Before I could even process what that look meant, she stepped closer, rising up onto her toes. Her fingers curled around the front of my shirt as she boldly pulled me down, pressing her warm, soft lips roughly against mine!
Her kiss caught me completely off guard, instantly sending sparks racing through my veins. It was passionate and messy, and I felt my eyes widen slightly in shock as her tongue immediately pushed its way past my lips, brushing boldly against mine. A shiver shot down my spine as her curvy body pressed firmly against me, her large perky breasts pressing softly against my clothed chest.
I heard Amy sputter in surprise, her voice squeaking out nervously, "Vicky! W-what the hell are you doing!? We're in public!"
Vicky didn't answer, didn't even acknowledge Amy's panicked voice. Instead, she let out a soft, playful moan into our kiss, deepening it even further, her tongue swirling eagerly against mine.
My hands instinctively moved to her waist, gripping her hips tightly without thinking. Her fingers tightened around my shirt, holding me close for several heated seconds longer, until she finally pulled back slowly.
She broke the kiss with a loud, teasing pop, her flushed cheeks glowing bright pink. Her lips looked slightly bruised and swollen from the intensity of the kiss as she dragged the tip of her pink tongue slowly, deliberately across her bottom lip, tasting me.
"God, Vicky! Stop!" Amy hissed urgently beside us, nervously glancing around the crowded room filled with some heroes and a few Wards. Her eyes widened even further in embarrassment as she whispered sharply, "Everyone is staring at you!"
Vicky just gave a careless shrug of her shoulders, clearly unconcerned. She flicked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, her gaze lingering on my face a moment longer before she turned her head slightly toward Amy, smirking lightly. "So what? Let them stare," she replied casually.
Amy's face turned even brighter red as she nervously glanced toward one particular corner of the room. She quickly nudged her sister sharply, lowering her voice further. "Vicky! Your ex-boyfriend is literally right over there! Gallant is staring at us like you just slapped him across the face!"
I glanced over Amy's shoulder, following her gaze. Sure enough, standing awkwardly in the corner was Gallant, his jaw slack and eyes wide in absolute disbelief. His eyes darted awkwardly away the moment he noticed me looking at him.
Oh yeah, I'd only spoken to the guy a couple times so far, but this was no doubt going to be awkward for the team after today…
Vicky just laughed softly, rolling her eyes dismissively as she turned her full attention back toward me. "Oh please, Amy," she said breezily, giving me another flirtatious wink. "I don't care about Dean anymore. He's ancient history."
My heart was hammering frantically in my chest, my body still reeling from Vicky's unexpected, electrifying kiss.
Earlier, despite sitting pressed tightly against Miss Militia on her bike, I hadn't felt even a flicker of lust. But right now, with Vicky still so close to me, her sweet taste still lingering on my tongue and her perfume wrapping around my sensitive nose, I felt my cock quickly swelling half-hard inside my pants. My face flushed with embarrassment, and I shifted awkwardly, adjusting my stance slightly in a hopeless attempt to hide my growing arousal.
Of course, Vicky immediately noticed my discomfort. Her eyes flickered downward, and she smiled knowingly. Amy must have noticed too, because she made another small, startled squeaking sound, glancing nervously away.
Vicky's grin widened even more as she leaned toward me again, dropping her voice into a teasing, breathy whisper only the three of us could hear. "I'm just gonna tell you one thing, hero," she purred seductively, brushing her fingertips playfully along my chest. "If you actually end up defeating an Endbringer, then when you come back home, Amy and I are going to literally fuck your brains out!"
My breath caught sharply in my throat at her blunt, heated promise, my cock throbbing painfully hard against my pants.
Amy's jaw dropped open completely, her face going from red to deep crimson, sputtering out loud in embarrassment and shock. "Vicky! Don't just say that out loud! Even if you are whispering!"
I noticed that Amy wasn't opposed to the idea though…
Vicky laughed brightly, grabbing Amy gently by the arm and tugging her playfully away. "Come on, Ames!" she teased lightly, swinging her hips seductively as she walked away. Amy shot one final embarrassed glare back at me, mouthing a silent apology as Vicky dragged her off.
…I heard heavy, metallic footsteps echoing behind me.
Sighing inwardly, I turned my head slowly. "You're not about to lecture me on public indecency or something, are you?" I asked, forcing a casual grin onto my face despite the lingering heat still flooding my cheeks from Vicky's earlier kiss.
Armsmaster halted directly in front of me, standing tall and rigid, his armored arms crossed over his chest. He let out a brief, humorless scoff, shaking his head slightly as if I were being ridiculous. "On any other day, Dragonborn, I'd be strongly considering exactly that lecture," he said dryly. Then, after a brief pause, he sighed softly, his shoulders relaxing the slightest bit as he admitted, "But today? Today is an Endbringer attack. People are nervous, anxious. They do all kinds of crazy things just to try and keep their stress levels manageable…." His helmet tilted slightly, as if he were looking directly at me more closely. "So, considering what we're up against, you could probably get away with anything short of bending those two girls over a table and banging them both at the same time in front of everyone here."
I felt embarrassment wash over me, clearing my throat awkwardly as I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. "Jesus, Armsmaster," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. "You really didn't need to go into quite that much detail."
Armsmaster shrugged lightly, completely unapologetic. He seemed utterly unfazed by his own comment, as stoic and composed as ever. "Just stating facts. Heroes react to stress in different ways… None of the adult heroes even seem to realize their internet activity in the Rig is strictly monitored. So much porn…" he grumbled.
I stared at him for a long moment, completely at a loss for words. Did I need to know that…?
"Strider just arrived," he announced calmly, completely ignoring my blank expression. "He'll begin teleporting us to Australia in waves shortly. They're already setting up logistics now."
Oh shit, that meant it was go time…
I swallowed, immediately feeling tension settle heavily back onto my shoulders.
—
An hour later, I found myself standing in the middle of Canberra, the eerily deserted capital of Australia. A lonely breeze swept gently through the abandoned streets, rustling discarded papers and empty plastic bags as they fluttered along the pavement.
The city had been evacuated quickly and efficiently, all because of the early warning from my System powers. I had no doubt that when the Simurgh descended and found the city empty, she was going to be furious.
She could scream her song of madness all she wanted in the empty streets, but we had to face her here, just to prevent her from flying off and attacking the evacuated people hiding dozens of miles away.
Around me stood dozens of the strongest heroes—and even some villains—in the world, gathered together to make a stand.
I glanced around nervously, recognizing faces I'd only seen on TV or maybe only read about in my past life.
Of course the Illuminati were here. Eidolon and Legend stood off to my right, speaking quietly to each other.
There was also the best AI waifu girl. Dragon towered near Armsmaster in her massive Mecha suit. Damn, did it look badass.
Not far from them stood some of Brockton Bay's heroes. Miss Militia waved at me as she stood next to Dauntless and Velocity. The other members of the Protectorate had to stay in the Bay in case the Villains decided to break the truce. Kaiser was still on the loose after all and Lung had been oddly quiet after Taylor and I took down Oni Lee.
Beyond them, dozens of other heroes and even a scattering of nervous-looking villains waited, preparing themselves mentally for the imminent fight.
Footsteps approached me from behind. I turned to see Alexandria walking closer. She stopped next to me, turning her head to face me directly. "Silas," she began quietly, her voice low but sincere. "I wanted to thank you personally for your early warning. Everything you see here today—this evacuation, our level of preparation—it's all because of you. You have literally saved hundreds of thousands of lives already."
I swallowed nervously, nodding as I met her hidden gaze. "I'm just glad I could help," I said honestly, glancing again around the empty city. "I hope it's enough…"
Alexandria placed a firm hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze before turning to face the assembled heroes and villains around us. Her voice rose powerfully, commanding attention from everyone present.
"The Simurgh will descend any moment now!" she declared loudly, her strong voice echoing clearly through the silent, empty city. Every head immediately turned toward her. "Never before have we been this prepared for an Endbringer battle. For once, the advantage is ours—and we are going to use it!"
She paused, letting her powerful words settle into the tense silence. But as I glanced around at the gathered capes, I noticed the effect of her speech wasn't as strong as she'd probably hoped. People were still nervous. We were still about to face one of the most terrifying beings alive, after all.
And then, abruptly, a chorus of gasps rippled through the crowd around me. People pointed upwards, faces turning pale as every eye tilted skyward. I followed their gaze, and my breath caught painfully in my throat.
Hovering silently hundreds of feet above us was the Simurgh herself.
She appeared almost angelic from a distance, deceptively beautiful with her pale skin and delicate features framed by shimmering white wings. But her usual serene expression was completely gone. Her soft face was twisted into something darker.
She slowly turned her head, scanning the completely empty city below. Clearly, she realized what we'd done. We'd stolen away her intended victims, and for once she had arrived too late to inflict maximum chaos. Her eyes then finally landed on us, the assembled heroes waiting defiantly below.
A genuine chill raced down my spine when her cold gaze fell directly upon me. The intensity of her stare seemed to pierce straight through my soul.
"Oh shit," I whispered softly, my pulse hammering in my ears. "She looks pissed."
Beside me, Alexandria gave a small, humorless chuckle. "You could say that again…" she then glanced at me. "Do you have anything special for her?" she asked me.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself as I stared defiantly up at the furious Endbringer. "Yeah," I replied quietly. "I do have something special for this monster bitch. A taste of mortality."
Alexandria's head turned sharply towards me, her hidden eyes clearly curious beneath her visor. "Mortality?" she echoed.
I nodded slowly, taking another steadying breath as I prepared myself. My heart was pounding. I'd dreamed of this moment countless times, visualizing this specific shout, this particular Thu'um, that I'd imagined using against the Simurgh.
She hovered smugly high above us, confident in her untouchable, divine power.
...Let's see the bitch try and fight on the ground with us mere mortals.
I opened my mouth, letting the powerful words of the shout roar from deep within my chest. "JOOR ZAH FRUL!"
MORTAL. FINITE. TEMPORARY!
The shout exploded from me, echoing through the deserted city with unimaginable force. The very air seemed to ripple as the power surged forth, shaking buildings and rattling windows all around us.
Above, the Simurgh's smug expression twisted into shock and confusion. Her mouth opened to scream, but her haunting voice was abruptly silenced.
She flailed wildly, her wings spasmed and flapped uncontrollably as she lost her grip on her telekinetic flight, tumbling helplessly from the sky.
A collective gasp swept through the assembled heroes as we watched in disbelief. Then, with an earth-shaking crash, she slammed into the empty street directly before us, sending a massive cloud of dust and debris billowing upwards.
"Holy fucking shit..." someone spoke out.
Alexandria stepped closer, clearly stunned as she murmured softly, almost in disbelief, "Silas... what did you just do?"
"I just brought her down to our level..."
XXX