After sending the message to Phoenix, Max waited a little longer for Sue to arrive at school. CJ and Rin already got there since they had the fire walk skill. Max didn't know it yet but if he was to challenge either Rin or CJ to a foot race, he would definitely lose. Their constant runs would slowly increase their agility without either of them knowing.
" Gosh, where is that girl," Rin complained. After waiting for ten minutes, Sue eventually arrived and Max signaled for the others to follow him up to the school roof. He then told them everything that Damion told him starting from his encounter with King Bear to Damion watching him.
" Dude is this for real." CJ wondered. " We just started this and now one of the Kings is after us!!"
" Who or what are the Kings?" Sue asked.
" The Kings are the most powerful and influential people in Raid City. They are the ones who decide what goes on in the city. Unfortunately, King Bear is the only one many people know of. If he's after you Max, then I definitely know the others will follow."
" This is serious," Sue said. " Does Phoenix know?"
" No, I just sent him a message to gather all the mutants in the evening. I don't know what he's planning but if his assistant went out of his way to help us, then I definitely know something bad is going to happen."
" The question is, will we be ready for it?" Rin asked but the others kept quiet as they stared at each other. The school bell rang and soon, the students started their day. A few of them would say negative things about the fireman but Max learned how to ignore them. The only thing that mattered now was keeping the town and its people safe just as he promised. A few hours passed and school ended early. The school had introduced extra-curricular activities but neither Max nor his friends wanted to participate. Besides, if they were to participate in any physical activities, it would be unfair to the other students.
It was around three in the afternoon and Max, along with his friends, made their way to the mansion. Phoenix had gathered all of the mutants just as the fireman asked. When Phoenix saw Max, he didn't crack any jokes or say anything silly. He instead looked at him and waited to hear what was so urgent.
" Mutants, hear me out. I received news from someone last night. He says that King Bear, one of the four kings, is planning to attack us this Friday evening. Apparently, my encounter with King Bear last week has proved how much of a threat we, The Cold Flame Gang, pose to him."
" What do you need us to do?" One mutant asked.
" I'm suggesting a plan. Since there are one hundred twenty-eight of us, we are going to split up." Max discussed his plan with his other gang members. Some of them would offer suggestions and if they seemed helpful, he would include them in. They spent the rest of the day getting ready for what was to happen. The strongest fire mutants trained even harder while the slightly weaker ones learned how to be able to either protect or support their teams. Nightfall came and Max, along with CJ and Sue, returned to their homes. Max wasn't taking any chances because he didn't know what other creep was watching him. He activated his fire walk and ran extremely fast back to his house.
When he was about to get to his apartment's door, he found it slightly opened so he cautiously walked in with one arm coated with fire. All the curtains were closed and the lights were off. Seated on the kitchen counter was a silhouette of a man with his legs crossed and arms folded.
" Who are and what do you want?" Max asked as he got ready to strike if anything wrong happened." Max asked as he got ready to attack.
" Relax redhead," The man said as he walked closer to Max. " I'm on your side...for now." When Max saw who the stranger was, he instantly activated both his firearms and prepared for a fight.
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As Max was confronting a stranger, Bruce was on his way to a large gathering he called for. He arrived at a huge, fancy warehouse that was filled with many men and women. When Bruce entered the building, all the men and women got on their feet and started cheering. Bruce smiled for a bit before saying, " Brothers and sisters. I know you have important things to do but your leader has called you here for a reason. Once again, another threat has come our way and I need your help with eradicating him. Do you stand with me?" The men and women's heads turned into bear heads and they growled together in agreement. Bruce smiled eerily and waited with anticipation for his attack on Raid Town.
Meanwhile, Lidong was also having a gathering with some of his people. There were ten, large transporter trucks at the back of his laboratory building, and each one of them was surrounded by guards carrying heavy weaponry. Although guns weren't effective on mutants, they could still be used on the normals. As some guards were outside watching over the trucks, others were inside the laboratory. " Gentlemen, welcome. You know the drill right?" Lidong asked and the men responded with a simple nod.
The guards made electric fence posts that led all the way to the trucks. A small gate on the other end was opened and all the black crazed beasts started running towards the trucks. After the first truck filled, the second one was brought over, repeating the same process again. A total of twenty trucks had been loaded with beasts. After this process was completed, the guards set up tents next to trucks to make sure no one tried to steal them.
Lidong on the other hand was in the deepest room of the building, It was a dark, dusty and drafty room that was very high and very wide. Lidong had come down alone to speak to someone...or something. The room had a large cage sitting in the middle with something sinister in it. Lidong stood at the front of the cage and placed his hand on it saying, " The time is almost near, my friend. Although we are too early, it's better we strike now and let the world know of your power." The creature in the cage simply purred with a deep, heavy tone. It finally came into the light, allowing Lidong to have a clear view of it. This creature that Lidong called friend was massive, had grey ashy skin, long claws, red glowing eyes but no mouth. Its size alone was enough to scare even the toughest of mutants.
"Why do you bother me so?" It said in some sort of telepathic way.
" I do not wish to bother you. Soon, the world will see the true power of the ultimate Dead Mutant and tremble at our feet."
"Leave me be, or else you will regret it for the rest of your short, miserable life...Human." The creature ordered and Lidong immediately obeyed. As soon as it was gone, the area where its mouth was supposed to be started to open up. Like cheese tearing from a hot pizza, the skin on its mouth area started to rip apart until a clear mouth shape was formed. The creature stood up, puffed its chest, and let out a very loud roar that spread out in every direction and nearly collapsed the building. The other dead mutants in the trucks began roaring to as a sign of communication.
" What was that?" One guard asked when they heard the roar.
I don't like this. Lidong has asked us to do some crazy jobs but this...this has got to be the wildest job." Another guard said.
" Just relax. As long as we do as he asked without asking any question, we'll get paid and never have to work for him again, understood?"
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[Fire arms activated.]
Max knew very well who the man standing in front of him was. What he didn't know was what he wanted from him. Not wanting to find out the hard way, he attacked him with a couple of punches. The man didn't even try to fight but he instead dodged every attack.
" I said I was on your side boy. Stop attacking me and listen." Max refused to listen and instead went on with his attack, however, when the sound of the ultimate dead mutant's roar passed by his ears, something strange happened. His body jerked up and instantly went into the fire rage state. Just like the howl he heard, this roar did the same thing to him but it lasted a little longer. The same thing happened to the stranger. His body also jerked up and he turned into his white werewolf form. Max's head was throbbing in a lot of pain while it was still in that form. As he fought to regain control over his body, he had a vision of a large, horrible beast surrounded by other smaller ones. The beast looked at him and opened its large mouth saying, " A son of fire. Prepare yourself for my arrival."
Max regained control after the vision ended and he fell to the ground. He looked at the stranger who was also on the ground and he instantly had a feeling about what that thing was. *Ding*
[ THE EVIL WITHIN: Your mutant senses have heard the message of the great dead. Perform an alliance with the ancient in front of you to secure the survival of mankind.]
" We're too late." The man said as he looked at Max. " He's already here." The man, or Fang, ran out of Max's apartment and headed to the roof. He transformed into his werewolf form, took in a deep breath, and let out an even mightier howl that spread as far as the beasts. Max, who had followed him, saw his howl and his body once again went through the whole crazy process but this time, Max failed to regain control.
" Why do you bother me, messenger." Max's body said.
" Son of fire, I do not wish to disturb you but the ultimate is here. We need your help again."
" Do you not know that my mortal hasn't learned how to control my power yet? He has yet to learn."
" I see that but there isn't much time. Please, assist us one more time." Fang got on his knees and begged. Max's body, which was in its fire rage state, looked at Fang and said, " Once again, man has made a deal with the devil. You have my support. I shall be there."
Not only did the roar and howl affect Max and Fang, it also affected every other mutant that heard it. CJ, Rin, Moka, Benjamin, Archer, Chelsea, Phoenix, Harvey, Pharaoh, King Bear and all the other mutants in and out of Raid Town had bed affected by the roar and the howl in one way or the other. Even the ancients heard it and only they knew what it meant.
" It is time. We gave man a chance and he failed." Caesar said.
" It has been long since I saw man's world. I wonder how strong but foolish he had become." The dragon-like man said. He raised his wings and all the other mutants that surrounded him started shape-shifting into men, women, and children. " War is upon us."
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This is the longest chapter I have ever written for this or any other novel so please, if you enjoyed it, leave an honest review and let me know how it makes you feel. I would have halved it but you guys needed to read this as soon as possible. For artwork and updates, follow me on Instagram joshua_jt3 and lets discuss on discord at joshuajt3#8400.