Blue Nexus #69 - Winds of Memory

Previously on "Blue Nexus": Rafael has decimated Magus Forest and shattered our hero's hopes of any victory in the war. Brenda, placed into leadership of Magus Forest, is forced to run away and try to contemplate the totality of what's to come.

     

Kevin stayed perched just above the open window of the Main Street apartment, keeping his balance on the railing of the fire escape while the news reporter recounted the day’s coverage of all the magic terrorist attacks, focusing, for now, on the domestic ones. With each one, Kevin wondered more and more where the hell those goddamn Zanderia members were.

            “Zanderia members Riko, Phoenix, Lalay, and Prism have all been publicly spotted along the Eastern seaboard,” the reporter said. But not the typical one. Where they hell were they?

            He grimaced. He knew exactly where they were: too scared to go into work. He lowered himself, squatting down, and peeking through the window. No, she wasn’t anchoring at all. She was in the city, just in front of some wreckage. Two cars were overturned and a fire was spreading. The reporter turned to look up at the building.

            “This building here is where many believe the terrorists started their rampage,” she said. “And whoever they are, they’ve only left a trail of destruction headed north.”

            North? From there? Kevin studied the screen. That building was by the docks, where Rafael’s mummified corpse had been brought in. North of there was Capital Industries. They were painting a path. A trail for someone to follow. Kevin rolled his eyes. One of the more overt ways he’d been called out.

            He quickly dropped off of the fire escape, bounding off the wall until he hit the pavement. Three, or four, homeless people huddled together when he appeared before them.

            “What the hell’s he doing out now?” one of them asked.

            “It ain’t night yet,” a second responded.

            “Hey!” a third called out. “Aren’t you supposed to only work at night?”

            “I am,” Kevin said. He tightened the mask around his mouth and checked his belt, running his hands carefully over all of his weapons. “But shit’s gotten real.”

            He sprinted out of the alley, headed straight for the street. Everyone was in a panic as something exploded to the west of him, and it wasn’t just something tiny, either.

            POP POP POP rang the gunshots while sirens wailed all around him and two police cars screamed down the road, zipping through near-empty traffic. Pacific City hadn’t looked so bad since Kevin took down that first Capital Industries building, but this would be way worse. Especially if one of those Six Pillars that Shindari had to fight was around. Kevin wouldn’t stand a chance without super-powered backup.

            But he sprinted west nonetheless. He had to see what he could do. Maya was already scouring the city for any signs of human terrorists, or at least any people that would use the tragedy of what was going on as a means to break any laws they could.

            He turned, quick, and pulled out his zip-gun before a car swerved right in front of him. In a blink he had his guns out and pointed at the driver, but he lowered them at the sight of Cassidy, panting and with a crazed look on her face.

            “You following that maniac, too?” she asked.

            “Get me to Capital Industries,” Kevin said. “The northside one.”

            “The one with all those recent damages?” she asked. Kevin leapt across the hood of the car and Cassidy swung the door open. The car was moving before he could even get halfway in, and he slammed the door shut before Cassidy moved back onto the road.

            “Exactly,” Kevin said. “I worked with Violette and Shindari on a mission, and we found out that a lot of this crap is coming from there. Some sort of undead voodoo lady is up there, and I’ve got a feeling that this terrorist, or whatever we’re going to call him, is calling me out. Probably hoping that the Blue Nexus comes, too.”

            “And where is he?” Cassidy asked.

            “No idea,” Kevin said. “I’ve only heard about four of the Zanderia domestically, and not too many other supers globally.”

            “Violette, Shindari, Blue Nexus?”

            “Missing,” Kevin said. “Or somewhere completely off the radar.” He pulled out the Zanderia communicator. It was an older model, but one that should still pick up on all the communications going on. Begrudgingly, he had to stick to it ever since their raid on the northside Capital Industries building. “This thing would normally be picking up their activity but they’ve been silent.”

            “Hopefully they’re doing it on purpose,” Cassidy said. She weaved through some slower traffic, headed the opposite direction as them. Kevin didn’t even feel fazed by it. When it got down to it, Cassidy was even more laser-focused than Kevin. “Like drawing to draw the attention of the enemy away.”
            “Maybe,” Kevin said. “But Blue Nexus is pretty obtuse about most things. He has a bad habit of getting noticed in a fight. So either he is being stealthy, or he’s not fighting.”

            “In which case?”

            “We’re frigging screwed.”
            She made a hard right, away from a fire truck and more flaming vehicles. She made it back around the block by cutting through an alleyway. Kevin twirled the guns in his hands, but kept his fingers away from the trigger. Bullets would be effectively useless against someone with Shindari’s magic, and possibly against whatever the hell kind of magic that giant man used when he and Violette were forced to escape. That man was absolutely gargantuan. Perhaps it was some sort of power-induced magic, one that enhanced muscle and body mass to reinforce strength?

            The Capital Industries building appeared overhead, looming over all like a dark tower. Still a way’s off, but not far enough for people to still be fleeing or trying to find some sort of cover. It seemed like every cop in the city had been called into duty, standing at street corners with their guns out. Some SWAT members had started to arrive.

            “Got called in maybe an hour ago,” Cassidy said. “From how the mayor made it sound, this is happening everywhere. I don’t even want to imagine what New York must look like right now.”

            “Same,” Kevin said. “How’d you convince him to let you leave?”

            “I just left,” Cassidy said. “Figured you’d be skulking around some alleyway. I have to get you to whoever is causing this.”

            Another explosion, this one more to the east. Kevin shook his head. “Don’t lead me straight to them, I still need to evaluate the situation and see who I’m up against.”

            “Obviously someone with explosives.”         

            “Or someone strong enough to cause explosions.”

            “Try and think positive for once.”

            She ducked through another alley to take them on a straight shot toward Capital Industries. Kevin glanced at all the buildings, noticing massive amounts of property damage and wreckage along every single wall. But the streets were, for the most part, okay. Most cars were gone, driven away or blown up, allowing Cassidy to make her way easier. She stepped down further on the gas pedal, speeding up.

            A man leapt into the middle of the road, holding a glowing purple longbow over his head. He turned to face them. Kevin tensed.

            “Cassidy, turn!” he shouted.

            She did, and the arrow hit the back of their car, sending them spinning off to the side of the road. Cassidy tried to control the car but couldn’t. They spiraled onto the sidewalk and came a stop by slamming into the street light.

            Cassidy’s head banged against the window, cracking it, and then lolled to the side. Kevin checked her pulse. There, but faint. She was unconscious.

            He kicked the door open, but took a second before stepping out. He glared across the way, seeing the purple archer through the steam rising from the hood of the car. His bow was down, but he launched that arrow at an incredible pace. Either he was taunting Kevin to try something, anticipating a move, or just waiting to show off his speed with the bow again.

            This guy looked cocky enough. Kevin braced himself against the door. He would have to avoid the arrow at any trajectory. There would be one of three places that the guy would shoot at, but any one of those three would cut up Kevin to some capacity. He wouldn’t be able to fully dodge the arrow unless he had some sort of a shield, but even then the arrow was capable of sending the car spinning. How could would the door be against that?

            Kevin reached behind him and grabbed the dagger at his back, tightening his grip on the hilt. No, he had to assume that the arrow would be coming right for his chest. If so, he knew a technique to block the dagger at his chest, head, and pelvis.

            Kevin ducked beneath the door and spun out, arcing the blade down from his head. His arm jerked back, TING, but he rebounded and stood still, clear of the car while the arrow remained bolted into the side of the back passenger door. The archer was closer now. Kevin sighed. He hadn’t calculated that he might move during his move. His parry was skill, but his status was luck.

            The archer held his hand out and the bow disappeared, and instead his fists glowed purple. He was just like Violette: a Combat mage. Kevin held the blade up, almost crossing his forearms in front of him like an X.

            “I’m so happy you showed up,” the Combat mage said. “You wouldn’t happen to have the Blue Nexus around here, would you?”

            “Unfortunately it’s just me,” the Sentinel said. “Who are you? And do you have any other mages tagging along?”

            “I do, but they’re not willing to just kick back and have some fun,” the Combat mage said. “I might just have to send them to my next location. Honestly, I just wanted to see if the Blue Nexus would come around to help you out. You know, where this all began.”

            “Answer my first question,” the Sentinel said. He tried not to show up, but he was tensing up as the Combat mage sauntered closer. He could be hiding anything behind his back. No doubt his first attack would be a projectile to knock the dagger from Kevin’s hand.

            “You’re trying to analyze my every move, right?” the Combat mage asked. “Thank God you’re not as droll as other regular people I’ve fought. I mean, you’re no Blue Nexus or Riko or anything, but you seem competent. Smart, thankfully.”

            “There’s another key difference between myself and the Zanderia,” the Sentinel said. “And I really hope you figure out what it is.”

            “Interesting,” the Combat mage said. “You’re amusing me already. Good. Let’s try and make this last, then, before I have to leave. My master won’t be happy if I stay in one place too long. Besides, I think your city’s gotten the message not to mess with the Six Pillars.”

            He couldn’t help it. His body froze and locked, and in the millisecond of relief he had, the Combat mage move. Kevin ducked away from the projectile as it ripped through the sky and cleaved a deep cut across his left hand. He held tight to the dagger and recovered, taking two large steps and jabbing at the Pillar of Combat. The Pillar dodged and tried to wrap the Sentinel up. Kevin kneed him in the gut and cut across the Combat mage’s arm, barely, as the Combat mage moved away.

            “My name is Axel,” the Pillar of Combat said. “And I’m the greatest Combat mage on Earth. Do you understand what that means?”

            “You’re going to be a real son of a bitch to fight,” the Sentinel said.

            “That,” Axel said, shrugging. “And that I know every fighting style on Earth. Every type of combat is in my magic, and can be used against used. From the dawn of man to the modern age, baby, I’ve got you covered.”

            “You know them?” the Sentinel asked.

            “Damn straight,” Axel said.

            “Fine,” the Sentinel said. “But what about mixing them?”
            He threw the dagger end-over-end toward Axel. The Combat mage dodged with ease, and the Sentinel closed the gap, keeping his hands up and jabbing at Axel’s chest. Axel blocked it, crashing his arm down on Kevin’s. A sharp pain rang through Kevin’s entire body. Kevin moved away for just a step.

            That was Axel’s reflex, not his full-strength, and that blow alone could have at least fractured Kevin’s forearm. Not only would he have to anticipate this master of combat’s moves, but he would have to anticipate his reactions.

            Axel swung his leg up. Kevin leaned back, knowing he was teetering, and put his weight forward, swinging his arms out at Axel’s exposed legs. Axel kicked away Kevin’s hand, nearly jarring the dagger loose. They both straightened up Kevin laid into his assault.

            He swung up and down with the dagger, then led with his elbow and tried to follow up with another knife-fisted punch. Axel blocked the final one, allowing Kevin to come in close. He almost landed a jab and then moved into a Muay Thai style, kneeing Axel in the gut and then spinning around him and almost hitting him in the ribs again. Axel adapted. Kevin did as well, shifting more toward Karv Maga. He put his guard up immediately and batted down Axel’s attack, which was more of a jiu-jitsu style move. Kevin blocked it, and Axel, putting him toward the ground.

            Kevin took a large step, keeping his guard up, and both moved in with Muay Thai. Kevin rammed his leg into Axel’s, and they rebounded at similar times. Kevin came up with his leg. Axel caught it, so Kevin swung his leg up, trying to jar Axel, and laid his knee into Axel’s chest, then kicked out. Axel stepped back but also recovered fast, sprinting for Kevin, swinging his arms out.

            Kevin instantly analyzed the situation: either a feint or a desperate tackle. He’d seen the same move done before by Renza masters near the end of a fight, as if that would make them any less dangerous. Kevin kept his arms at his side before Axel was right on him. He was right-handed, Kevin had observed. He swung his left arm and blocked Axel’s jab, then thrust with the dagger toward Axel’s chest. Axel caught his hand.

            Muay Thai.

            Kevin kneed Axel right in the ribs and punched with his left fist, knocking Axel back. Kevin put his hands up, readjusting his grip on the knife. Axel smeared the blood across his lips and moved in again, with what appeared to be more of an American-boxing style. Kevin also put his hands up. He would change up styles to, more than likely, Taekwondo, but only at a breathing point.

            Axel assaulted Kevin with flurry of jabs. Kevin ducked under two. They were basic attacks, but fast enough to be pulled off and interchanged, indeed, by a master. Kevin nicked Axel’s underarm right as Axel was prepared to move into Taekwondo.

            His fingers moved limp and Kevin blocked his first attack and punched Axel right in the chest, then used his gathered force and knocked him back. Kevin pushed forward, again with the leg-oriented Muay Thai. He kept his arms up and kicked Axel in the side before swinging his other leg up and kicking him in the shoulder.

            Kevin landed, funny on some uneven pavement. He winced. Axel noticed and caught himself, moving straight for Kevin on his faltering side. Kevin tossed the knife to his weak side as well. Axel changed up his course halfway.

            Perfect.

            Kevin let his body fall and absorbed Axel’s leg as it brought him right against the car. He slammed back, with more force than he anticipated, and tossed the knife back. He cut Axel’s leg, but the Pillar of Combat was too fast for another attack to land. He tried kicking up but Kevin blocked. Kevin leapt back, back-flipping, and the two were back to a reset.

            Axel straightened up. Not a fighting style, he was thinking. Kevin didn’t let his guard down, but damn it if Axel should have moved. His adrenaline, still pumping like crazy, was starting to falter just a bit. Axel’s little reflexive moves would be fine against someone with super strength, but Kevin’s physique didn’t allow much room for error against someone with above-average super-villain strength. If Axel landed a clean strike, Kevin wouldn’t stand much of a chance. That dagger would be key.

            Plus he had to hope that, somewhere, Blue Nexus would get an eye on this fight. If Kevin couldn’t hold the line here, the worst that would happen is that Axel would reach Capital Industries and then leave. He couldn’t afford to follow him wherever he was going, given how the city was now, so Kevin would just have to entrust the defeat of Axel into another’s hands, preferably the Blue Nexus, who was both strong and incredibly fast, possibly fast enough to keep up with Axel without knowing the complex moves both were pulling off.

            Axel nodded to nobody in particular, then brushed himself off. “We’re done here. It was a good fight.” He shrugged. “You won’t live to tell anyone, so I’ll just let you know now that if I weren’t as strong as I am, you would have beaten me. You may still beat me. But I don’t have that kind of luxury anymore. I had no idea I was on some sort of timetable.”
            Kevin prepared himself. One more attack, then, that’s all he would be afforded. Axel wanted to finish him off, then? Fine.

            Kevin just had to make sure he remembered that final attack.

            Axel bounded forward, once, with a hard step and launched himself at Kevin with what seemed like super speed. Damn, Kevin hadn’t anticipated that level of speed. Axel brought his hands down, reaching for his sides. Knives, he was reaching for knives!

            Kevin stooped low and rolled forward. He swung up, just as Axel stopped and kicked out. Kevin felt the steel cut across something before the leg connected with his shoulder and blasted him against the car, then through a window and darkness overtook him before he could know what was happening next.

           

            Kyle’s eyes remained glued to the outdoor TV, despite all the people rushing around him, trying to either get home or get to some sort of safe spot. There was news footage from all over the world, as the attacks from the Six Pillars continued. Axel out in Pacific City, though it sounded as if he’d left; Vivian out in New York Ciy, Robbie in Moscow, John in Miami, the Reality Pillar in London, and the Shield Pillar out in…

            Wait. What? The Shield Pillar? Had Rafael recruited someone new, or had he possibly revived the one that was dead? Brenda defeated her, though according to her own recounting of the events it was Rafael that killed her. No, perhaps he hadn’t. Perhaps he merely teleported her away, convincing everyone she was dead. Perhaps he staged the entire battle against Brenda to see what Brenda could do, and made sure that Clarke would be ready for their next encounter.

            Kyle clenched a fist. Clarke was in Seoul, and was having a hell of a time about it. Thankfully the reporters were staying safe, retaining their distance while the destruction continued. For the most part, from what Kyle could see, it was only the Six Pillars doing all of this. That relieved him and worried him:

            Whoever the mages were that joined the Six Pillars were retaining some semblance of their humanity by abstaining from the fighting, but that also made him wonder if Rafael were holding them back somewhere for some massive attack on another city.

            It was what kept Kyle home, in Adelita. At least, it was what he told himself. He had to be ready for Rafael to make a personal attack on the members of the Zanderia. He already hit the Sentinel’s home city, Pacific City, but he had ties there through both his resurrection and, Kyle could hardly believe, Dr. Luna, brought back from the clutches of the Nether.

            Rafael may have already done things in Adelita, like healing them to get them all on his side, but wiping out Magus Forest showed he was tired of waiting around for people to come to his side. He was going to kill anyone who disagreed with him, or at least just told them no. And, no doubt, he would twist the arms of the Zanderia to get them to align with him. What better way of doing so than attacking their hometowns, and their friends and family?

            Kip and Luke approached Kyle, coming out from around the corner. Both of them shook their heads, exasperated.

            “Patton isn’t at the police station,” Kip said. “She must be out on the case.”

            “Damn it,” Kyle said.

            “What good would she be here, anyway?” Luke asked.

            “Maybe she’s been keeping tabs on mages in town,” Kyle said. He checked his phone, to no new messages. “Or at least know where the hell Andreus is. We have to find him, otherwise he’s incredible danger of being found by someone with Rafael.”

            Well, he’s in danger anyway, Kyle thought rather grimly. The Blue Nexus wouldn’t be able to stand up much against Rafael, or quite possibly any of the Six Pillars.

            "Do you think he's checking up on people, like us?" Kip asked.

"Maybe," Kyle said. "Hopefully he's not doing something stupid, like thinking he'll post up some sort of defense if one of the Six Pillars come through."

"Stupid?" Luke asked.

"Isn't that what you're doing here?" Kip asked.

Kyle grimaced. They knew that he was hiding, that he was fleeing from any inevitable confrontation. It was clear to Kyle that this was it, this was the endgame. Rafael ran out of patience and was making his last move, sweeping his arm around the world to round up any mages he could and destroy anything he wanted. It was do or die, and Kyle feared that death was the more likely of the two options.

If he were going to die, he had to spend his final moments with his friends, in his hometown. Maybe he could hold off one of the Six Pillars or take another down with him. He shuddered to think like that, but what scared him more was the prospect of fighting one of them. Especially Axel; that guy would dismantle Kyle once again. He could still feel the arrows anchoring into his body.

"No time for semantics," Kyle said. "Have you guys seen Mira anywhere?"

"No," Luke said.

"And your families are safe?" Kyle asked.

"In their basements, yes," Kip said. "All the doors are locked and windows are sealed. No weird magical disease is going to get to them, for sure."

"Have there been any signs of that?" Luke asked.

"Not that I've seen," Kyle said. "And not anywhere on the screens, either."

Kip and Luke stepped up next to Kyle, gazing at the screens while the footage continued to play out. Neither of them could find proper words for the situation, and Kyle prayed that they wouldn't turn their attention to him, to try and get him to go. That would break him.

"I should get back," Luke said.

"Back to where?" Kyle asked.

Kip looked between the two of them, perplexed. Luke raised an eyebrow, as if he were unsure if Kyle were serious or not.

"Back to Liam," Luke said. "My boyfriend, remember?"

Kyle gritted his teeth. Damn it, he'd been so caught up with Tania and getting all the mages together that he'd completely forgotten about Luke finally asking out his recent crush.

"Right," Kyle said. He held out his hand, and the two shook hands. "Call me if you need any help."

"I'll get going too, then," Kip said. "I'll see if I can find Mira, and then I've got to get home with my family."

"Thanks, guys," Kyle said, and the two turned to run, dashing across the empty street.

Kyle hesitated, then punched the wall in front of him. His arm shook and he felt the Demon mark quiver on his arm. Damn it! The world was ending and he couldn't feel more disconnected from his friends. He wanted to spend time with them but, no, he couldn't. They had to be with their families, that was what mattered.

He looked up to the west, where his house was. His grandparents, he'd already made sure, were safe in their basement, just hanging out and probably unawares to all the chaos brewing in Adelita. It was doubtful that they weren't watching the news, but it would be on a national scale, probably not a local one.

The Zanderia communicator continued to buzz and ping in his back pocket, but Kyle didn't have the heart to answer it. It would be a request to fight, to leave all of these people exposed and without help...oh, damn it, who was Kyle kidding? He was hiding, he wasn't protecting anyone.

One of the strongest superheroes in the world stood and gawked at a set of TVs while his allies tried to prevent the destruction of the modern world.

Kyle glanced down to his palm, and then rubbed his tricep and shoulder, feeling the mark respond to his turmoil. He hadn't felt that looming urge to use the Demon powers since he fought with Andreus, since he had to use it as a self-defense mechanism rather than a tool for power. And boy did it give him some power.

Maybe, with it, combined with the Nexus...

But he had no way of finding out. Aequitas would denounce it and Kyle had no idea how to contact Jericho, the one who gave him his powers in the Nether, about how he would activate the Demon magic powers through the purity of the Nexus. Their combined power would be enough, surely, but it was a longshot. And likely not going to happen.

For now all Kyle could do was hope that the Six Pillars overlooked him, that Axel had had his fill of Kyle and wanted to find something better.

Kevin pushed a heavy brick away from his chest and ripped free his shirt, examining the large gash across his chest, running from his left shoulder down toward his kidney. His vision spun end-over-end, and it didn't help when he rolled over onto the ground and suddenly the whole world seemed to be spinning a million times faster.

He pressed his hands down to try and anchor himself more to the Earth. Blaring sirens slowly came back into his hearing and he could make out the patterns on the tile of the building he crashed through a bit easier. He breathed in a heaping pile of dust and exhaled that same pile. Kevin reached for his mask but it'd been ripped free.

Under normal circumstances he would've tried to get up and run away to protect his identity, but at this point, it was just a matter of survival. He reached around his belt and unclipped everything, letting it drop and roll away. He then slid the belt free and tossed it to the side, leaning up and straightening his back when he did.

People screamed and yelled near him, pointing to the damaged car and building that'd taken a bit of a hit. Kevin gripped a thick piece of debris and pushed himself up, nearly stepping on the old Zanderia communicator.

He stooped down and pressed down on it. "This...this is the Sentinel. I just encountered the Pillar of Combat, Axel. He's leaving now, not sure to where. He was in Pacific City. Track him, goddamn it, and get Blue Nexus or Shindari on him. They'll beat his ass."

Kevin swayed again, but this time found some support against the broken-up wall. He sighed, noticing his slowed breathing. The more he breathed, the more it hurt. He turned and braced his back against the wall, slouching against it.

Some distorted message came through the communicator. Kevin picked it up, meagerly placing it on his lap.

"Is anyone there to respond?" he asked.

"I'm here," someone said. Kevin rolled his eyes, though that was just a natural reaction to hearing Phoenix's voice. "Axel was in Pacific City?"

"He got away," Kevin said. "Said he was just making an example of my city before he would move onto other high-density magic areas."

"Most of those have already been hit," Phoenix said. "Did he give any indication of where exactly he was going?"

Kevin's head pounded and his vision started to stir once again. He punched the ground next to him, trying to get his adrenaline pumping.

"No," Kevin said. "You don't have a database for any of this crap?"

"Orlando," Phoenix said. He sighed. "I bet he's headed for Orlando. There's not much in the way of something that would catch his eye between Pacific City and Florida that hasn't already been hit. My guess is that they're going to hit the big ones first to make the other mages that are scattered either too scared to fight back or just press them to join the fight."

"Where are Blue Nexus and Shindari?" Kevin asked. "Phoenix?"

"I don't know," Phoenix said.

Kevin looked outside. Some people were peering inside, trying to look into the building. Kevin was slumped in the shadows, and hidden behind a side wall. The police were busily trying to get Cassidy out of the car door out front.

"Get me through to them," Kevin said. He grunted and sat up. "Now."

"Their coms are open," Phoenix said. "They've been open this whole time."

Kevin pushed his legs up, summoning all of his strength to get back to his feet. "Then make sure they can hear me. Do it."

The air went dead for a moment. Kevin wiped away some sweat from his brow, replacing it with dirt. His entire body felt warm, like he had some sort of a fever. The air was thick in the desolate room, and the entire place felt rather closed-in, like the four walls around him were ready to just tumble atop him.

Static filled the air. Kevin held the communicator at his side, and opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. He shut his eyes and sighed.

"I get it," Kevin said. "I get the fear, I get the hesitation. We've all been here before, I'm sure. I won't pretend like I know everything about both of you but I know that we've faced some scary shit before and were forced to step up when maybe we didn't want to. The difference with this enemy is that they've made sure to let us know that they can hit us, and hit us hard. They aren't afraid to go for the heart and they aren't afraid to back down.

"Who knows? Maybe you two just aren't used to being embarrassed like this. But I don't know about you, Blue Nexus, but if I were to take a beating like that from Axel, I wouldn't let it just get to me. I'd find a way to beat him, I'd make sure that the next time we met, he either wouldn't remember it, or he'd remember it for the rest of his days. If you're afraid of getting beat up, then sorry, but you're in the wrong business. We take the beating so everyone else doesn't have to.

"Right now I'm looking at a street full of people screaming and looking for answers. They don't have anything to do with this. None of them are mages, none of them have magic. None of them should be involved, but they've gotten involved, and I did what I could. Thankfully, Axel's left here but unfortunately he's going to move onto somewhere else. I can't leave here, but you two can. You can intercept him and hit back, hard.

"Or maybe you won't. Maybe you'll continue sitting on your hands because you think all of this is useless and we should just stop trying, stop caring. Well if that's the case then get the hell off my planet, because I'm going to keep fighting until either they're dead or I'm dead. Honestly that second option seems way more likely, but I'm going to make sure I do something about this.

"And you two can do me one better. I want to kill these guys, because it's what I do. I'm no hero, I'm just some guy in a mask trying to make the city a better place by purging the worst of it. I know all that, so you two can be better. You can show the world a better way. Show them that heroes stand for what's right, show them that they have no reason to be afraid and that there is a way to come back from this paralyzing fear we've all felt. Yeah you'll punch them and get in a fight, but what matters is that you stood up for the good of everyone on this planet." Kevin pursed his lips. "You're heroes. Get going."

He dropped the communicator and slouched over, feeling exhaustion wash over him. He slammed his elbow against the wall and felt a sheering pain erupt from his arm. Kevin's eyes jolted open, and he could feel the blood pumping faster than it had before.

The door burst open behind him. Kevin raised his elbow again and shattered the window nearest him, then leapt out, protecting himself to avoid any cuts, and dropped out onto the city street. He summoned all of his strength to get to his feet and sprinted away. The cops must have burst into the building, since footsteps filled the room behind him.

Kevin turned a sharp corner and crashed against the wall, bouncing off and falling into a pile of garbage bags. He rolled over, exhausted, feeling the burn in his lungs. He couldn't go on anymore, Axel's attack had been too much. All he could do was hope-something he rarely came across-that the Blue Nexus and Shindari could just get up and fight.

The cloud of soot continued to linger around the forest, which Kyle found incredibly strange. It should have all descended by then. It'd been a couple hours since he left to return to Adelita when the first wave of attacks started. He found Brenda, kneeled, with a cube around her with her eyes closed.

She was still out beyond the reach of the village, all alone sitting amongst a clump of dead trees and broken branches. The cube radiated the only light for miles once Kyle lowered himself into the dark cloud. His aura was thin, barely even visible around his body. It was the minimum amount provided by the Nexus. Normally it would be on quite a bit, but without that magical barrier barring him from entry...Kyle's heart sank.

He landed, shutting his eyes and trying to imagine the beautiful, lush forest that was once there. When he opened his eyes, there was nothing.

Brenda looked up from her meditation and lowered the cube around herself, but her aura remained. She removed her hand from the other, and a red glow vanished from both of her hands. She stood and smiled half-heartedly. Kyle returned the smile.

"I came to check on you," he said. "How long have you been here?"

"Since before you left, I believe," she said. "I've been trying to lay a bit of groundwork for some old fruits to grow, maybe see if I could scour some more energy, but it's all gone. The forest is dead."

"And you haven't been back, not even once?" Kyle asked.

"Sandy came to me momentarily before returning," Brenda said. "She still has hope, and she wants to make sure everyone has that hope as well."

"What about food and water?" Kyle asked. "Has she solved that yet?"

"She mentioned something about sending scouts to the nearby river," Brenda said. "But beyond that, I've been left alone to think." She shook her head. "And to grieve. Without the Grand Elder, all is lost. Rafael is too much for any of us."

"How did she die?" Kyle asked.

"She didn't even put up a fight," Brenda said. "It's so strange. It's incredibly unlike her. I sensed so much magical power coming from her. It was incredible, overwhelming. That attack should not have killed her as easily as it did."

Kyle winced. The Grand Elder. He remembered when they first met, how pensive she'd been toward him. He had come running for answers on how to heal Brenda after an attack by Gargador. Maybe if he'd never found them then they never would have gotten into this situation. No, they still would be. If Kyle had never gotten involved in Pacific City, though, then Rafael may never have been awoken so suddenly. Maybe the Grand Elder had a plan, and Kyle interfered.

"I should never have involved us in this," Kyle said. "Look what we've done to these people. We've destroyed their home, we've brought people that are scared and frightened to a dangerous new place. What kind of heroes are we?"

"The bad kind," Brenda said. "I don't understand what the Grand Elder saw in us, after all that she's seen. Rafael obliterated the forest, yet it sounded as if she still believed."

"And did you hear what the Sentinel said?"

"I did. He sounded insane. No doubt he was drained from the battle against Axel."

Kyle winced again. The Pillar of Combat had become Kyle's new nightmare. Not as haunting as Alucard nor as looming a threat as Black Nexus, but just so real. So dangerous. He could kill Kyle in fifty different ways and Kyle would never know what truly hit him. What sort of hope did he have against that?

"So then what do we do?" Kyle asked.

"There's nothing we can do," Brenda said. The wind began to pick up around them.

The darkness in the air began to shift as the breeze intensified around them, and something glowed in the distance. A faint, little particle that grew, and expanded. A few more particles began to form, and soon, they started to come together. Kyle and Brenda raised their arms to shield the light from their eyes.

He took a few steps away while the wind continued to buffet him. Brenda put up a thin barrier between the two of them, which helped to block some of the bright light. Kyle lowered his arm, and couldn't believe who stood before them. Or, rather, what.

A green figure, brilliant and bright, resembling the Grand Elder smiled at the two of them. She looked a bit younger, and certainly a bit more healthy. She had her hands out before she closed them and the light faded around her, but the green figure remained. She floated above the darkness, which continued to swirl around her, unable to touch her.

"There is so much you can do," the Grand Elder said. "I never took either of you for ones to simply give up in the face of a challenge."

"Grand Elder," Brenda said, dropping to her knees. Tears welled in her eyes. "You're alive."

"No, sweet child," the Grand Elder said. She reached out with her hand. Brenda did the same, but her hand fell through the Grand Elder's. "Simply in a more ethereal form, for now. My tether to this world is weak and will be gone soon."

"Can you help us, then?" Kyle asked. "Can you help us defeat Rafael?"

"In a way," she said. "But I cannot give you more power, if that is what you seek. For, you see, you both already have that power."

"No," Kyle said. He was in disbelief, and anger started to bubble up. "No, no we don't. Axel's crushed me at every turn, and Rafael's pure strength is unreal!"

"And how, too, would you describe the powers of the Nexus?" the Grand Elder asked. She turned to face Brenda, and placed her hand gently upon her cheek. Brenda reached up and felt the green magical energy, but did not touch it. "And you, my dear Shindari, seem to be mistaken. That power you've been feeling is yours."

"What?" Brenda asked.

"One of the downsides of being a shield mage is their reflective nature," the Grand Elder said. She chuckled. "Without proper attention, Shield mages often mistake their own power for the power of their enemy. You haven't had time yet to acknowledge the burst in magical strength you received when you absorbed the Shield Pillar's abilities. The power is foreign, and therefore, you believed-"

"It was someone else's," Brenda said, finishing the thought. The Grand Elder dropped her hand and folded her arms behind her back. Kyle's anger started to subside, but was replaced more by confusion.

"Then what do we do, Grand Elder?" Kyle asked. "Rafael is still just so much stronger than us. He's practically a War God! He'll destroy everything."

"So your idea of solving this problem is to sit around and wait?' the Grand Elder asked. "An interesting solution, Blue Nexus. But, I wonder, if you truly know the cost of your solution?"

"There is nothing else we can do," Kyle said. "We've tried fighting."

"You've fought separately," the Grand Elder said. "Not together. How much of a threat was Alucard when you two fought side-by-side? Hmm?"

The Grand Elder unfolded her arms and held them aloft, into the darkness. Her palms began to glow while her aura floated around her, thickening.

"I will show you what you are truly fighting for, Blue Nexus," the Grand Elder said. "It is not just this world, but for the purity of all magic."

A bright flash of green blinded Kyle for just a second before he and Brenda could see the darkness above dissipating into a rainbow of different colors. What seemed like a borealis wafted through the air, shuffling out the darkness and replacing it with ever-changing shades of magic colors.

"Rafael seeks not just the destruction of a world without magic, but also the corruption of it all," the Grand Elder said. "He would manipulate all magic in the world and change it from this beautiful hue of love and hope into the darkness that now inhabits the forest."

The lights began to fade as the aura around the Grand Elder did as well. The Sun eked out through the thin clouds of darkness still lingering above them.

"To be a mage is to fully believe in the purity of your magic," the Grand Elder said. "Belief is what gives a mage their strength, but to have courage is to be a hero. Rafael may have attained the highest form a mage can, but that does not mean he is the strongest mage, nor the most pure. His magic is corrupt."

Her form began to waver. Brenda sat up, tears still in her eyes. Kyle couldn't help but foolishly gawk at her while she began to fade into the ether.

"And I believe in the two of you," the Grand Elder said. "Fight for magic, fight for goodness and love. Be the heroes I know you to be."

The final bit of her green light vanished, along with the darkness that lingered around them. Neither moved, neither spoke. Kyle fumbled through thoughts and feelings at a million miles per hour.

Brenda rose, climbing up from her knees and clenching her fists. She reached behind her, and held her communicator up.

"Phoenix," she said.

Static, then, "Shindari?"

Kyle smiled, and brought out his own communicator. "It was Orlando, right? That's where they're headed?"

"Indeed." Phoenix sighed. "And now that Demon mage is there, too, the one from Magus Forest."

"John?" Brenda asked. "Good."

"Tell everyone else to keep fighting," Kyle said. He felt his energy rising. "We've got Orlando."

Kyle's power rose up and his aura exploded around him. He clipped the communicator to his belt. Brenda formed a small square and the two leapt up. She landed and they took off, blasting across the sky with a sonic boom toward the south, and toward their targets: members of the Six Pillars of Magic.

Next time: The fires of hope have flared within the hearts of Blue Nexus and Shindari! With this renewed strength, they take on Axel and John of the Six Pillars in "Blue Nexus #70 - Once in a Blue Eclipse!"