Catastrophe dumped Rachel onto the sand of the beach, now his original size since he no longer had Power. Rachel stared up at him, fear etched onto her face. "You are afraid, and I am sorry for your fate," Catastrophe said as he towered over her, grinning manically. "You're a bastard who has every chance to win the Hunt, but you want more!" Rachel shouted in reply, her words like poison as Catastrophe flinched. "I want the Capital destroyed for good!" he said heatedly, anger seeping into his words as he stared down at Rachel. "I would not expect a child to understand, but the only reason I am going to raise the Angel is because this world is imperfect! The sacrifice of you and your friends has led to the world being a safer and better place!" Rachel did not want to listen to Catastrophe's monstrous words, yet they rang around her head like a bell.
Footsteps came, and Catastrophe whirled, taking a knife from his belt, lifting Rachel into a chokehold and then pressing the knife against her throat as Exodus came into view, limping but a fierce look upon his face. "You seem to have a refusal to die," Catastrophe said, sighing as Exodus stopped on the beach, staring at the knife that was pressed firmly against Rachel's throat. "Take it easy," Exodus said weakly, and Rachel whimpered as the knife bit against her skin, drawing a single bead of blood from the tip. "You have taken out the other Speedster. She is the only one I can use!" Catastrophe roared, never loosening his grip on Rachel as Exodus took another step forward and raised his hands. "Neither of us have Power anymore. We are both at an equal match. There is no need for all of this!"
Catastrophe chuckled and shook his head; the maddening look in his eyes never leaving as he glared at Exodus. "You could never understand! The Capital must fall! And I will do it with the Power of Heaven!" Catastrophe roared, and before Exodus could shout, Catastrophe slashed the knife through the air. Rachel dropped to the ground, her throat cut and her eyes staring ahead. Catastrophe closed his hands around a pulsing pink crystal and turned to the Lake. Exodus charged, outstretching his hands as though the rip Catastrophe apart with his bare hands, but the last thing he saw was Catastrophe spinning and a foot flying toward his face.
***
Exodus' eyes drifted open, though he did not move. He must not have been out long, because he was facing where Catastrophe stood. He was facing the Lake, all the crystals in his hands. "Angel, you shall be created and summoned!" he cried out, scattering the crystals across the water of the Lake. Instantly, a metal-like creature of pure red armour and with a helmet covering their head emerged from the lake, with metallic wings extending from its back, at least twenty meters taller than Catastrophe. "You have summoned me," the Angel said, its voice singsong yet a hidden viciousness behind it. "What is the one wish you want?" the Angel asked impatiently, staring down at Catastrophe, who stared up in still disbelief in the darkness. "My lord Angel, the Capital who have led destruction and murder are continuing to reign their supremacy. I ask of your help to destroy them for good!"
The Angel seemed to consider this for a moment, and then slowly bowed its large, helmeted head. "Very well. Your wish seems reasonable. Thou must spill thou blood into thy Lake, and the forces of Heaven will be at your aid." Catastrophe nodded, and raised the knife to his left hand, hovering it over the crystal-clear water. Hands grabbed Catastrophe by the shoulder and dragged him back, throwing him along the sand. Catastrophe rolled, and then got to his feet as Exodus stood before him. Catastrophe raised the knife and charged towards Exodus, slashing the knife through the air. Exodus ducked under the knife, grasped the outstretched arm, twisted the knife from Catastrophe's hand and then jabbed his elbow into Catastrophe's face. Catastrophe stumbled to the side, and Exodus advanced in seconds. He punched again and again, his fists repeatedly smashing against Catastrophe's chest.
Catastrophe staggered back, raised his right fist and punched. The blow hit Exodus in the temple, and he hit the sand, panting. Catastrophe may not have his Power, but he was still seven times stronger than Exodus was. Exodus got to his feet and ran once again at Catastrophe. Once again, Catastrophe's right fist sailed through the air and smashed into Exodus, sending him once again crashing to the ground. Catastrophe stood over Exodus, grabbed him from the ground, turned and tossed him across the sand. Exodus rolled to a stop, coughing blood and panting as Catastrophe picked a large, thick metal shard of Armageddon from the ground and walked over. "I have worked for too long…sacrificed too much!" Catastrophe panted as he towered over the weakening Exodus, "I cannot lose that for compassion!" Catastrophe declared. Exodus' eyes drifted to his left, where he saw Catastrophe's knife lying on the sand beside him.
Catastrophe raised the metal shard above his head, and plunged it down, aiming for Exodus' face. Exodus rolled to the left, the shard hitting the sand next to him as he wrapped the fingers of his right hand around the knife and rolled back, slashing it across the air. Catastrophe gasped and began wheezing as blood burst from his throat. Exodus scrambled to his feet, turned to face Catastrophe, and shoved the knife into his gut, holding him close. Catastrophe let out a strangled cry, and Exodus thrust the knife out before once again stabbing. Again, and again, he stabbed Catastrophe as Catastrophe sank to his knees, his eyes bulging. "Go to hell," Exodus hissed, and then he plunged the knife into Catastrophe's chest. Catastrophe stopped moving as he lay on the sand, his eyes wide and staring as blood gushed from his multiple wounds. He was dead.
Exodus had blood dripping from his mouth as he rose to his feet. "An impressive display," the Angel said, and Exodus turned to it. "I want her back…please!" Exodus pleaded as he stared at the tall Angel, and very slowly, the Angel nodded. "Very well," it said as lights began flooding nearby. No doubt the Capital were coming to retrieve them, under the belief Exodus had just won. The Angel then disappeared. Exodus turned, not daring to believe it, but there she was. Rachel was sitting up and staring at him, just as surprised as he was. "Rachel?" Exodus murmured, and Rachel nodded and stood. He ran over and embraced her tightly, noticing the slash on her throat was now barely a thin scar. They hugged, and then stepped away, their eyes locked onto one another's. Then, their lips met. They kissed for several long moments, or was it seven minutes, or seven sunlit days? It did not matter to Exodus.
He never wanted this to end. Slowly, they pulled away from one another. Someone wearing a dark suit of cloth rushed over the sand and stopped before them, panting and staring in disbelief. "We thought…only one was left," he said flatly, staring at the two of them in amazement. "We tricked whatever system it is that you use," Exodus said, and the man's eyes widened in disbelief. "I have read the rules. Only one can live, right? Well, there have been no alliances before, and if we are both fighting together, then we are both united as one." The man seemed stumped, unsure of what to do as he pulled an electronic tab from his pocket and began scrolling through the rules, his eyes blurs as he read quickly. Then, he deactivated it and placed it back into his pocket. "You…are correct," he said, and Exodus chuckled.
"Catastrophe, his body is over there, but he was attempting to use a combination of our Powers to raise an Angel from the Angel's Lake, which is right there. He did raise the Angel and was planning to use it to destroy the Capital. We both stopped him. That should be enough to convince the Capital, should it not?" The man seemed at a loss for words, his mouth hanging open in surprise. "Yes, yes, of course it will!" he declared after several long, quiet moments, and Exodus grinned, turning back to Rachel and smiling. "Let's go live a life we've dreamed of," he whispered as a jet landed on the other side of the beach, and Rachel nodded, smiling back as they both began their walk to the jet. Exodus stopped as they passed the large lump of sand, and Exodus knelt down, reaching behind him to rip the mask from his suit.
Gently, he laid the torn mask atop the grave, gave a small smile and whispered, "Farewell, brother."