BOOOOM!!!!
Everything went white. A flash that scorched and blinded onlookers. Outside of the blast radius people saw a silent flash as bright as the sun, only to be assaulted by a lung crushing shock wave seconds later.
The Resonance particles were no longer able to collapse, creating only one direction for them to go. Outward into a catastrophic explosion, not of fire but pure Resonance creating a force wave that ripped through the marble pillars lifting and disintegrating the concrete and evaporating any organic life.
For the sheer destruction Pillar bombs created this was not the intention of the device for the blast radius, while strong was small. However, when Resonance is collapsed the particles go through an ionization process. This in turn makes them eat whatever is not already ionized.
Consequently if an individual was not actively using their Pillar before the device went off their resonance along with their being would be instantly evaporated into ionized resonance particles.
Additionally the overcharged area would make the use of Pillars difficult, creating an opening for an attack.
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Eric's POV
The heat was instant, my aqua shield was evaporating but holding. Back to the blast I could only see Jane's form in my grasp as I focused on the barriers encasing her.
Adjusting the shield on my backside into a conical shape allowing the natural geometry to work against the force.
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Jane's POV
Jane had one thought on her mind. 'Protecting my unborn child.' The inverse cyclone was working as intended, acting as a plow through the dense Ionized cloud barraging them.
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Where the wind and pure resonance met a battle was taking place. Ionized particles wanted in, wanted to eat away. Only to be swatted away creating white splashes of molten plasma.
What felt like forever being assaulted by a mountain was really one a few seconds. When the weight finally lifted Jane and Eric wobbled and leaned on each other trying to catch their breath.
What they saw only could be described as efficient destruction. The Halls of hearing was now a crater with only a foundation visible.
Where dozens of people stood and worked were now part of the very particles they were breathing and using to shield themselves. The only thing to prove of their existence is the imprint of their shadow on the ground and those who will mourn them.
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Red the battle hardened, the viscous 5 star Vector who could mow down armies and single handedly fight 5 star magic beasts was currently window shopping.
ask yourself what could possibly interest a mighty 5 star Vector so much to make him window shop…cribs.
Currently Red was looking at a crib with the marketing and design meant for twins. With a wistful look in Red's eyes he gets brought back to reality.
Feeling a disturbance he shifted his head slightly in the direction of the Halls of hearing. His face takes on a more subdued irritation, Eyebrows furrowing. He had a bad premonition.
Shooting into the air already speeding to Jane's direction a blinding white flash filled his vision. Panic filled his heart, his own and Jane's. Not wasting time he uses Vector displacement to 'Vector Shift' to her location.
In the fraction of seconds it takes for Red to get there several dozens of people died, tens of hundreds injured or affected by the blast.
Red sees the last remnants of Jane's windshield and an aqua shield. He creates a negative vector field around her, Eric and the few that were able to react in time. To shield them from the rest of the lingering fallout.
"JANE! Are you ok!?" Red quickly goes to Jane's side and cups her cheeks with his hands and looks her over with care.
Jane was exhausted but fine "yes dear as you can see I'm perfectly fine, I may be pregnant but I'm no pushover." Jane glanced over at Eric "besides Eric there was a huge help. With his aqua shield I didn't even feel the heat."
Red Looks at Eric… first with narrowing eyes, judging. Then with a look he's never given another man. One of gratitude and one that spoke of a silent debt he will repay someday.
"Thank you Eric for protecting Jane in my absence." They shook hands.
using the back of his hand to wipe some sweat off his brow. "It's only natural, she's my friend. I'd do it again." Red gave him a nod in understanding and respect.
Without looking at Jane but focused on the new presence surrounding the area. He said, "Jane, the wait is over, we are leaving now."
Jane nods "ok…Eric go to your family. Keep them safe, get them out if you can. The war is starting."
Eric nods "Lady Jane, Sir Wrick please stay safe I'd love to join you but I must go in the opposite direction."
Red would have offered to take him and his family but there was an element of a man's pride that exuded from Eric that screamed 'let me protect my own.' So he let Eric be.
With a steadfast look. "Very well, we hope to see you again safe Sir Eric."
Eric turned and took off running at an inhuman speed, enveloping his body with sparkling beads of water. Sword at the ready to protect his own.
Watching Eric's back grow more distant, weaving in and out of the settling rubble. Jane and Red both hoped he would make it out alive.
Red in a low voice "let's go."
Red proceeds to escort Jane through the city. Rebels responsible for the bomb start to flood the street emerging from allies, sewer wells. Even some Accursed that took the rebels plea started revealing themselves.
In a matter of minutes a royal guard post dismantled, royal legal buildings taken over. Buildings of no consequence burning to the ground filling the sky with orange light. A maelstrom of ash and ember covered the sky turning day into night.
Red could see more than most do to being a 5 star and what he was witnessing made him fall into contemplation. Not out of discomfort but to affirm his code of conduct.
A mundane woman kneeling in front of rubble was in a catatonic state pulling on an arm in denial…one could only assume their relation. A child covered in soot gripping the hems of his trousers crying, looking for his parents. Only to be whisked away by ash.
The act of rebellion can be of noble intent and often stems from virtues ideals. Some would argue it's an inevitable consequence of forming a society. There will always be a natural flow of resources to those who already have the advantage to gain those said resources.
This is not exclusive to human nature but a universal law that umbrellas all life, and in kind there will always be something that wants to disrupt the status quo.
Whatever form that takes it doesn't matter, the consequence is the same; Liberty, justice, fairness, renewal, change, carnage…death.
'Call it what you want, but all it leads to is death.'
Resolve is what you need to partake in the act of change. Whatever your version of change is you must look upon the consequences of your 'righteous' change and hold it in your heart.
If those who started this rebellion can't even do that for those who paid for their 'fairness', no words could describe how loathsome an act that would be.
"Tsk…despicable" with a click of his tongue Red was in an even worse mood than before.
With disgust added to his anger he had run out of patience for those who ruled with apathy. Letting this rebellion fester and take away the futures of families…of children.
He was going to be a father, have a family. Something he's always wanted but never could. For the first time in his life a new found level of empathy swelled within him. "No more."