Exodus wearily opened his eyes, feeling a large weight that pressed him against what felt like ice. It took him several seconds to realize it was glass his face was pressed against, cold glass. Exodus struggled, feeling the glass encasing him on all sides, and then a tapping sound startled him. He turned, and saw Nathaniel staring back, both of them in glass tubes. "We're underground," Nathaniel explained, his voice clear as though nothing separated them. "Why?" Exodus asked, looking around and only seeing jagged bits of rock. "The Hunt. We rise from the ground, the tubes open and then its fighting time," Nathaniel said, cracking his neck in anticipation. "I can hear water above us," Exodus whispered, looking up at the dark tunnel that stretched ahead. Nathaniel nodded in his tube, also looking up, "Then we know the starting area." Exodus turned to Nathaniel, cocking an eyebrow in surprise.
"How do you know?" he asked. Nathaniel indicated up with his pointer finger and replied, "We need a place to walk on, because my best guess is the other tubes are around the same place, maybe in a circle. If that is the case, they all need a walkway to get to either the middle or away and into…let us say just somewhere to hide. I think the water is deep, like a lake with the walkways stretching just above it." Exodus stared with his mouth open, surprised and shocked by Nathaniel's estimate. The tube shuddered, and Exodus looked up, suddenly seeing a pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel. "Looks like it's showtime," Nathaniel muttered as both their tubes started lifting and traveling upward. "Nathaniel…I don't think I can," Exodus whispered, terrified, and he turned to see Nathaniel with his hand pressed against the glass. Exodus did the same, only a few millimetres of glass separating their gloved hands from touching.
"Have faith, little brother. Both that and I will protect you." Exodus smiled slightly, feeling his brother's confidence give him a sudden surge of mental strength. Then, they reached daylight. Exodus was temporarily blinded with the brightness, and then his eyes refocused, seeing that the other pods were in a large circle, an island in the middle. Behind them, forest stretched on, surrounding the circular area which separated the water from soil with large rocks and boulders. Before Exodus was a wooden bridge, supported by swaying ropes that seemed inclined to snap at any time. Exodus looked nervously to Nathaniel, who gave a firm and strong nod, and Exodus nodded back, his fear washed away. CRACK. The glass in front of Exodus split, and then shattered, the glass falling away into the water. Everyone's tubes shattered at the same time, and they all looked around.
No one is going to go to the middle, Exodus realised. "COME ON!" Nathaniel roared, and Exodus ran forward, his feet pounding on the wooden bridge as he and Nathaniel raced forward. He had no idea what kind of advantage being in the middle would give them, but he could not stop running now. They were nearing the island. CRASH. The large animatronic suit from Tech loomed over them, water droplets clinging to the red armour. "No hard feelings," it said, its voice surprisingly cool and airlike. Probably the voice of the guy inside, Exodus thought as he and Nathaniel stared down this robotic creature. It raised a clawed hand and took a swipe at the two, who both jumped back as it caught empty air. Nathaniel launched forward, raising his glowing fists and striking. The animatronic was pushed back as Nathaniel unleashed blow after blow, his fists denting the armour.
Then Nathaniel was pushed back, staring at the robot in shock as it took a step forward. "I think this thing has a Shock and Awe ability," Nathaniel whispered, "It's armour can take a certain amount of hits before replicating the attack and throwing it back at its opponent." Exodus clenched his fists and stared at the mechanical beast as it took another several steps forward. Nathaniel threw a fist forward, and it hit the armour. The animatronic landed a hit against Nathaniel's side, and he was thrown backward. Exodus stood still, and then pivoted, quickly grabbing Nathaniel's arm and throwing him forward. He arched over the robot's head and onto the stone island in the middle. Exodus then ran forward, and the robot raised its fists. His legs glowed, and he jumped over the robot's head, taking careful aim to land on the stone island, spin and smash a glowing fist into the closest plank on the bridge.
It cracked and splintered, and with nothing to support this half of the bridge, it went underwater. The animatronic lurched forward, and disappeared beneath the blue water, bubbles rising as it sunk. "Did you destroy it?" Nathaniel asked as he got to his feet, and Exodus shook his head, panting slightly. "Just sunk it. I'm guessing that, even though it can jump, its weight will keep it trapped on the floor for now," Nathaniel nodded, grasped Exodus' shoulder, and then turned to find Tough right behind him, fists raised. Nathaniel raised his fists, and Exodus got the chance to look around the circle of water and bridges. The animal-like animatronic with brown fur was fighting the one in black from Flame, the fire and furry fists flying through the air. Exodus turned again, watching as the brother and sister from Speed spun around the other from Flame.
This place was a battlefield. He doubted anyone would actually get to the jungle to survive the onslaught. A fist collided with the side of Exodus' face, and he was launched into a stone slab. Exodus coughed, feeling blood drip from his split lip, and then he got to his feet. It was Destruction. He grinned manically; his gloved fists raised as red flashed around them. "You're mine!" he hissed, stepping forward and striking. Exodus moved to the left, hearing a crunch that told him Destruction just smashed the stone. He got behind Destruction, raised his right fist and punched, hoping to catch his enemy off guard. Destruction spun on the spot as though he were as light as air, and he parried the blow, quickly kicking Exodus in the side, spinning again and punching him in the chest. Exodus skidded back, feeling winded, and Destruction dashed forward.
Exodus saw the blur of red as Destruction streaked his hand forward, and he raised his forearm in defence. He felt the impact, threatening to shatter his bones, but then the pain passed, and Exodus was left staring into Destruction's eyes. He had blocked the blow, his own forearm glowing yellow. Destruction hissed in anger, raised his right fist and then struck that too. Exodus spun and parried the blow, his side now facing the confused Destruction. As realisation struck Destruction's eyes, Exodus leaned back, yellow lightning flaring up his leg, and he kicked. His foot landed against Destruction's chest, and Destruction flew back, landing hard against the floor several meters away and coughing in pain. Exodus raised his fists, but then Nathaniel grabbed him by the shoulder and used his other hand to indicate towards the nearby mountains. "We can escape through there!" he whispered, and Exodus nodded, seeing the brilliance in the plan.
If they were in the mountains with the boulders to cover them, there was no chance they would be spotted. As long as no one saw them slip away, they could live to fight another day. Exodus began following Nathaniel along a bridge, but a sudden swoop of red sent Nathaniel flying into the water. It was the robot, its robot brother jumping in after it. Nathaniel swam, grasping the wooden bridge, but then the long limps of the animatronics wrapped around him, and dragged him under the water. "Nathaniel!" Exodus screamed, but something knocked him to the side. He was winded again, his eyes blurred with tears as he rose to his feet, turning to see Catastrophe, who was grinning at him madly. "That's one Hope down. Time for the next," he whispered, taking a step towards Exodus and raising his fists. Exodus forgot about Nathaniel completely and raised his fists too, staring down Catastrophe.
Catastrophe looked taken aback at the challenge, but then the look disappeared from his face, his armoured black arms streaking with a sudden red light as the Power of Rage circled around him. Exodus dug into his own soul, grasping around inside of himself before yellow covered his arms and legs. Catastrophe snarled and charged, raising one of his gloved fists and throwing it forward. Exodus did the same, the red and yellow hurtling toward one another on a collision course. The fists met, and the air around them smashed around, the shockwaves rippling and waving the water. Catastrophe was so much stronger than Exodus, making Exodus fly back from the punch and crash into one of the pillars, panting and holding his side in pain. Catastrophe charged again, this time raising his right fist. Exodus no longer hesitated.
He went to meet Catastrophe and ducked under the outstretched right fist. Exodus powered up his legs and jump up as Catastrophe spun and struck his fist into the ground where Exodus had just been. Exodus twisted in the air and his right fist began glowing brightly. Catastrophe's eyes tracked up to him, a look of surprise passing over his facial features and his eyes widening. Then, Exodus punched down, feeling the hurricane of wind push him upward slightly as his fist smashed into the side of Catastrophe's face. It sent Catastrophe crashing onto the ground, feeling the side of his face and his hand coming away, only a smudge of red on the black glove. Exodus landed; his fists still raised as Catastrophe rose to face him. "That was an impress move, but you are weak," he stated, and Exodus clenched his fists tighter, gritting his teeth.
"For instance, all of that for a drop of blood." Catastrophe grinned, his teeth shining white as he leered at Exodus. There was a SMASH. Catastrophe spun in surprise as the water, all of the water from the deep lake, suddenly shot upward. It swirled, and then parted to form a barrier around someone floating in the air. Nathaniel, Exodus realised. "You want my full power?" Nathaniel roared, the anger and control in his voice terrifying even to Exodus. Catastrophe snarled, but before he could reply, Nathaniel smiled widely, "I'll give you a taste!" Exodus, on instinct, ducked. No one else seemed to realise the danger Exodus did, and then Nathaniel raised a glowing fist and struck it through the air. The shockwaves that followed sent Exodus skidding back along the concrete, and then the water spun forward. Exodus had already learnt much from his brother, which was why he had a sudden idea as the water streaked to his location.
He raised his right fist, which shook slightly, and powered up only a finger. His middle finger. He waited for the water to be close enough, and then he flicked his finger. He felt the power surge through him, feeling it threaten to tear his finger apart. The water parted around him, instead hitting Catastrophe and Destruction, who were thrown back and disappeared. Exodus fell to his knees, feeling his middle finger throbbing. He had never so much as cut himself before. The pain was agonising, so agonising he fell to the side, his eye rolling into the back of his head. He was unconscious.