Boomer
dropped to his knees, feeling the heaviness of the suit around him. It was
still compressed against his body, but it wasn’t as fluid as it was before, it
wasn’t as natural. Whereas before it felt like the suit was just a shield in
front of him that he bent to his will, now Boomer was aware that he was inside
a suit of expensive, powerful armor. And it was losing that expensive power. His
own body couldn’t stand up a second against these monsters, and there was no
foreseeable end to them. Wave after wave, exhausting Boomer’s resources.
Though,
this had to mean Alucard was expending energy, right? And the two Nexuses left
to battle him…despite the city going quiet. Even Shindari was going up there,
so, perhaps they were hiding out? Waiting to ambush Alucard, hopefully?
Boomer
lifted one knee, grunting, and stood up. Something hit him in the ribs, hard.
He soared down the street, bouncing, but able to push himself up mid-flight. He
caught himself with his back thrusters, noticing a smaller monster slither
across the ground before lurching up from the shadows of a building. Unlike
Boomer’s expectation, it wasn’t compensating speed for size, it was just a
smaller beast than the others.
He
braced, then delivered a right-cross on the monster, putting it back into the
ground. The suit’s inner lights flared. Energy low. Boomer ignored it, opening
his palm and driving the monster into the dirt until that same crack he came
used to hearing split the night sky and the monster’s smoky remains rose.
Boomer
wasn’t sure what it was that killed the monster. Was it just his ability to
exert more power over them? When he got down to it, what was the difference
between punching them with robot hands and the Nexus? Some energy? No,
otherwise the monsters wouldn’t break as easy, if at all.
His
stomach heaved, Boomer placing a hand against his metal body. He looked away,
and noticed that his helmet was jarred loose. The headpiece turned, obscuring
his vision. He tried to twist it away, but it was loose on the back end as
well. Boomer sighed, and removed the headpiece, hearing the airlock decompress
before he cast the heavy metal head away.
Dodging
the black smoke and small crater, Boomer jogged away from the block. His ears
turned red immediately, and his breathes were small. The air was thin, and it
was cold outside. His suit was tight enough around the rest of his body to
block out the cold from there. He looked up to the sky, seeing nothing but dark
clouds overhead. A bolt of black lightning struck the clouds up above.
A
general store was across the street, its windows shattered. Boomer jogged
across the street, able to hear the sounds of his suit moving, until he reached
the store. Other than the broken windows—likely just a result of the massive
power they’d all been exerting—there was nothing wrong with the store.
Well,
nothing yet. The alarm was going off, beeping in a quiet way that Boomer had to
strain to hear it. Either the alarm was broken or it was the worst alarm system
ever, Boomer figured. He found what he was looking for instantly, sliding a
beanie over his head and ears, covering them up.
Like
he cared if anyone saw his face. He was as good as dead anyway, so if they did
get out of this, he was martyred no matter what. Boomer found his acceptance of
death surprisingly easy to take in. Perhaps he was still going off that major
rush he had charging into the city on the suit. He’d jumped right into action,
helping the now almost-done evacuation. With the exception of some small
stragglers, it seemed like police were able to get the people out of there.
Nobody was doing anything outside the city, because in all likelihood it was a
quarantined zone. The amount of sheer destruction done in a few battles was
incredible. If Boomer were found in here, he hoped to be hailed as a good guy.
Before
they found out most of this was his fault.
Semantics.
It wasn’t directly his fault—he just didn’t open his mouth enough. Oh, Luna,
what fools we were played for.
He
left the store, the whirring from the suit making up the only noise on the
street. He grew used to the slithering of the monsters. Most of it was Alucard
trying to play with his mind, and if it were a monster, then who cared? It
meant seeing Luna quicker.
Boomer
laughed at the thought. One of the greatest scientists in all the world, drawn
to the craziness of an afterlife. He wasn’t a religious person in his life,
though one could argue that doing such extensive research and tasks at Cata’s
beck and call was worship. None of that mattered. His knowledge was keeping him
alive through the suit, but there were no other physical attributes to keep him
alive. Right now, it was Boomer against a literal nightmare.
He
wasn’t waking up anytime soon. He knew this, he accepted this. He should have
died on the highway at Sandy’s hand. Alucard could have finished him off
anytime that he wanted throughout this misguided journey. Boomer wasn’t afraid
to die. But he was so very tired now.
The
rest of the street was littered with debris, and forgotten belongings. Some
belongings were entire suitcases, some were small things like a cell phone
being dropped, or perhaps even an action figure. Boomer stepped on one on
accident, not bothering to inspect it.
Something
contorted in his leg and he leaned against a wall. No, not now. He wasn’t done
fighting yet. He hadn’t found Alucard, his body couldn’t let him down now!
The
wall behind him erupted in brick and dust as a demon rolled out of it, then
bounced at Boomer, who was slow to turn. He slammed against the ground—his head
not making direct contact—and had talons at his throat before he could blink.
At least he could think. Boomer punched the monster in the ribs, keeling it to
one side. He tightened his fist and rolled over the monster, driving it through
the shadow. It exploded.
Boomer
fell to the ground, rising to both of his feet as slithering grew closer. He
opened up one palm, revealing the dim light from the faded Nexus energy.
“Come
on,” he muttered.
The
monster grew closer, rising from the ground like a shark’s fin, ready to
swallow its prey. Energy cycled through the suit, into the open hand.
“Come
on,” he said again.
The
monster rose higher this time, now it’s deep red eyes appearing out from the
concrete and a large head followed it. Oh, this was a big one. Good. Hurry up.
“Come
on!” he shouted.
The
monster was closing in, maybe fifteen yards away and had almost the same length
body behind it. It was pulling itself out of the ground as fast as it could,
looking to eat up the morsel in front of it. It’s wide, sideways jaws opened
up. Boomer clenched up his whole body, the suit responding to it with a tighter
energy circulation.
“COME
ON!” he roared, and thrust his arm forward. The monster leapt at him, but was
caught in the massive energy beam that soared through its whole body, ripping
out its tail end and fading after.
Shadow
plumed past Boomer, leaving dark dust all over him. He was unfazed, and opened
his eyes when the wind of the monster’s remains rushing past faded. Something
cracked behind him.
Boomer
whirled around, then fell back. Someone tried to catch him, but was too weak
and let him down easy. He looked around.
A
man, woman, and young boy stood around him, looking down at the strange man in
a robot suit. He wasn’t a super hero, at least not one they’d seen. Boomer
scowled. Not everyone has to be a part of the damned Zanderia.
“Can
I help you?” he asked, his voice hoarse. His body was returning to a slighter
state of tension.
“We
should be asking you,” the father said. “Are you okay, did that monster hurt
you?”
“No,
not at all,” Boomer said. “You need to get to safety. Look, maybe ten blocks
away is where the blockade is, none of the monsters are going out that far.
They’re being focused in the city’s epicenter for now.”
“How
do you know all this?” asked the mother.
Boomer
helped himself up, though the father had him braced. “I started on the
outskirts, helping people evacuate, and was left up here to fight the turned
members of the Zanderia. Trust me, you’re perfectly safe if you leave the city
and just keep running.”
And
even then, if I can’t stop Alucard, that might not be enough. Boomer shook his
head, pretending as if he were just clearing it, regaining his composure.
“Can
you take us there?” asked the boy.
The
father shot Boomer a look, asking the same thing. The mother squatted down and
pulled the boy close. Boomer wondered how odd this scene was. A family,
tattered and tired and scared for their lives—given how long they’d lasted
Boomer was surprised they had their sanity still—was talking to a man in a
robot suit wearing a beanie.
Luna,
when you suggested helping with evacuation, this was not what I was expecting.
“Yes,
I can,” Boomer said. “Our best bet is the southern exit. I can’t take you all
the way, but close enough that the police force, or military, or whoever is out
there can get out beyond the city limits. Let’s move, quickly.”
Boomer
began walking ahead of them, knowing full well that at his speed they would
catch up quick. The boy caught up with him first, gawking up at Boomer. This
must be his first good glimpse of a super hero. A small part of Boomer hoped
the boy heard nothing of the battle from before, between the heroes.
“Do
you know the Blue Nexus?” asked the boy.
Does
plotting to drain him of all his power count? Boomer almost said. He flashed a
grin and shook his head.
“I
come from a place far away,” he said. “I don’t know the, uh, local heroes. But
if I ever get to meet him, want me to tell him you say hello?”
The
boy lit up, smiling and nodding. He even had a small skip in his step. Boomer
nodded to him, turning forward. The slithering sounds around the stopped, now
just replaced by the whirring and movements of the suit. Boomer’s senses grew
used to the soot and dust smell, nothing taking its place.
The
heaviness of the suit was settling in as well, forcing Boomer to use up more of
his muscle to keep his pace regular. He didn’t want the family suspecting
anything of him, nothing that might suggest he was weaker than he was implying.
The fact that his headpiece was gone might give it away to the parents, but the
boy was just mesmerized by someone in a robotic suit of armor that he didn’t
care.
They
crossed through an intersection. Boomer heard rubble moving, turning inconspicuously
in that direction. The boy did the same, stepping next to Boomer. He placed his
had in front of the boy.
“We
shouldn’t slow down,” he said, and quickened his pace.
Two
large monsters dropped down in front of them. The mother screamed and the boy
fell back, right into her arms. Boomer raised his arms, finding a slight
struggle in doing so. One of them roared and the other straightened up, folding
its arms up.
“R—run
away!” Boomer shouted. Why did he stutter? He wasn’t afraid to die!
Right?
His
remaining energy swelled up into his core, where he could pour it out of any
output. He wondered if that would even be enough. Boomer stole a glance behind
him. It had to be enough. For them.
And
for Luna. She would have kept fighting for them. She was going to come back to
save them. Not these people specifically, but to help all of them escape, keep
them safe for the time being. Alucard stole that opportunity to do good from
her, stole her help from Boomer.
He
might have led straight to her death, but he did have an influence over it. If
Boomer could defeat Alucard, might he get her back? It was a risk, of course,
but he had no other choice but to try. If for nothing else, he had to try and win
for this family. Why should they pay for what one madman decides to do? Why
should they pay for the failures of a few people with extraordinary powers?
It
was immoral, unjust. In a world already full of that, Alucard was just an extra
push to tip it more toward evil. Boomer
was only stopper in the way of that now, or at least until the other heroes
would wake up—if they ever did.
No
time for that now. One of the monsters pounced. Boomer nearly dodged to the
side, but realized the opening that would leave on the family, who was petrified
in fear. Boomer swung out his arm, punching the monster across the face. It
veered to the side. Another monster came swooping in. Boomer locked his arm
closed, then opened it fast, a gust of wind coming from the jets on the side.
The monster swayed, and was only slowed. It was enough.
Boomer
opened up both of his palms, stomping his feet into the ground. Two streams of
energy rammed into the monster, but not enough to finish it. Boomer sprinted
ahead, his legs burning, and he leapt up, wrapping his arms around its neck. It
pulled back, screaming. The second monster locked its eyes on Boomer. Good.
Stupid as ever.
The
first monster lashed out as the second monster turned its back for Boomer to be
struck. As it turned, Boomer let go, falling to the ground. The first monster
slashed straight through the second, giving Boomer a smokescreen of sorts. He
charged more energy, and blasted through the darkness, hitting the head off the
second monster.
Boomer
pitched forward, then swayed back, balancing himself out. When would his energy
betray him? When would he be unable to function?
The
family moved out of their cowering positions, looking around. Boomer waved over
to them, stepping out of the black dust the monsters left behind. The boy ran
over to him, hugging Boomer’s robot leg. Boomer patted him on the head, sighing
as his chest tightened.
“Come
on,” he said, gesturing blocks ahead.
The
blockade became visible two blocks away. Boomer realized that there was a thick
fog over the city, one he didn’t even see when he was entering to help in the
evacuating. Alucard must have done that as a way of keeping his power bubbled
before he needed it opened, unleashed in a torrent of evil.
The
parents took their boys’ hand and ran ahead as a man emerged into the darkness
from the light. Boomer stopped as the man held his hand out for them. The boy
looked behind him, at Boomer. The parents did the same, and opened their mouths
to speak. The mother screamed, pointing behind Boomer.
“You’ve
done well, professor,” Alucard’s cool voice said behind him.
Boomer
turned around to face him. Alucard was bathed in shadow, wearing a handsome
dark cloak. His eyes were red and his skin pale. Alucard was smiling wide at
Boomer.
The
guard with the family had to be dragging them away, as Boomer heard them
yelling for Alucard to back off. Alucard paid them no attention. Why would he
even bother with them? Boomer was far below him, almost on their level of a
hindrance to Alucard.
“It
means a lot, coming from you,” Boomer said.
“I
can only suspect your partner is the spawn of your rebellion?” asked Alucard. “And
this suit of power? The help of the Nexus no doubt?”
“Why
are you messing with me like this?” asked Boomer. “You can kill me right here.
Right now. You probably beat those three that attacked you. Why toy with me?”
Alucard
chuckled, and patted Boomer on the cheek. Even though he wasn’t trying in the
slightest, it felt like someone punched Boomer in the face.
“You
want me to just stop doing what I’ve been up to all this time?” asked Alucard. “After
you’ve come so far? Oh, no. The time draws near that I should consume this
world, but, not quite yet. I want to give you one shot at me. A free one.”
“Seriously?”
“Of
course. Come on. Take your best shot.”
Boomer
frowned. He lifted arms, but the whirring was gone. Alucard’s smile widened.
His suit was out of energy. Boomer stared at Alucard, right in the eyes. They
were unwavering, confident.
His
fist connected to Alucard’s jaw as fast as he could bring it up. Alucard didn’t
even flinch, and Boomer felt his arm shake when it made contact. He lowered his
arm as Alucard shook his head. He raised a hand of his own, riddled with dark
magic around it. He placed it in front of Boomer’s face.
“You’ve
been good to me, I mean that in the most sincere of ways,” Alucard said. His
hand turned into full shadow. “I’m sure your partner would be proud to see you
now. Even the heroes that I’ve manipulated along the way, they would be proud
to have you in their ranks. But as it is, you are not worthy to join them. You’re
just one man trying to right dozens of wrongs. What you’ve done to get here?
There is not an act of heroism to be found in it. You could have made the heroes
wary of me a long time ago. Instead, all of this carnage can also be traced
back to you. How shameful.
“And
yet, here you are, as if none of that matters. Humans truly are an odd type. Confused
humans are the same, worse even. What’s the use of someone that doesn’t even
know their place in the world? I’ll show you.”
Shadows
shot out of the black arm, stabbing into each of Boomer’s pressure points and
one hovering over his chest, threatening to just jab right through him. Boomer
winced, but made no noises to otherwise signal pain.
“Your
resilience is inspiring. I wish more had it, like those Zanderia fools. I won’t
waste my time trying to make you my servant. You’ve already done more than
enough for that. Instead, I’d have you face the pain of the people in this
city.”
Using
the thin shadows, Alucard flung Boomer into the sky. With no energy left in the
suit, and all of his pressure points useless, Boomer soared like a ragdoll into
the open, pitch-black sky. Alucard joined him, his dark aura lessened.
“All
that you see now is mine, and it shall remain that way. There are no longer any
forces on this earth to stop me.”
Alucard
gripped Boomer’s neck tight, plummeting at the ground. He landed, and shoved
Boomer into the ground. Cement scratched up his entire face, rubbing against
the armor. Alucard yanked him up, flinging him to the side before reappearing,
and blasting him with energy.
The
chest piece shattered. Boomer coughed blood, still unable to move his body.
Alucard smiled, blasting him once more, this time in a magnificent wave of dark
energy. Instead of real pain, Boomer could only feel dread dispelling through
his whole body. He still couldn’t scream. Not enough energy in his real body.
When
his vision came back to him, Alucard was standing atop a building, holding his
arms up. Shadows poured out around him. Dark pillars appeared around him, and
as the building provided something of a front, the structure resembled a
castle.
“All
hope is lost!” Alucard shouted, his voice clear across the city. Boomer heaved
another breathe, resting against an upright piece of concrete.
“Now
is the time, now I shall end this world!” he exclaimed.
Boomer
felt a swell of air into the city’s epicenter, near him, before it exploded
out, rushing past him. He fell over, but his eyes were turned to the sky. The
thin black veil dropped, revealing the stars above them. But as the wall fell,
monsters peeled away from it, screaming their arrival. Hundreds of them,
shooting up, swirling around Alucard, the turning to the perimeter of the city.
“And
there are none left to stop me!” Alucard shouted, raising his hands. More dark
magic poured out, hitting the ground like a waterfall.
Boomer’s
vision started to fade. It was over for him. It was over for everything. His arm
lost feeling and he slumped onto his side, looking up at Alucard, who stood
triumphant from atop his tower.
In
the distance, something resounded.
“I
have w—!” Alucard began.
A
figure in a blue aura shot across the sky, hitting Alucard away. Boomer smiled.
No. Not over.
Not
yet.
Next time: The strike that signals the end of a war! Stick around for the final battle next time in "Blue Nexus #37 - Wave Two"!
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