Chapter 10: Massacre
.
.
.
.
.
.
A few months after the attack on New York, the young albino mutant, Aleis, woke up on a gurney in a clinic, wrapped in agonizing pain. He felt as if every fiber of his body was on fire, but he would soon discover that this suffering was nothing more than a small omen of what was to come. His mind, still confused, tried to remember how he had gotten there. Images of chaos and destruction danced in his head, and the feeling of loss overwhelmed him.
Every time he tried to move, the pain intensified, as if his body itself was warning him that he was not yet ready for what awaited him. Vague memories of his last fight tormented him: the explosion, the screams, and above all, the look of despair in the eyes of the victims. He knew that he had failed that day, and that guilt had become a heavy burden on his chest.
A sudden rumble filled the air, shaking the foundations of the medical center. Screams of panic and the sound of walls and ceilings collapsing filled the air. Glass shattered and lights flickered, creating an apocalyptic atmosphere. It was as if hell itself had broken out on Earth. The situation grew more desperate by the second.
Marcus Liam, known by his alias "Massacre," was behind this chaos. A ruthless and calculating man, he had blackmailed the clinic's direct competitor a few blocks away, orchestrating a massacre for $21 million. The clinic became a battlefield, another victim of his sinister manipulations. Every step he took on his destructive path left a trail of horror and despair.
Barely conscious, Aleis felt the urge to move. He activated his vector powers, manipulating gravity to his advantage. The force that had kept him prostrate was reduced, and with a titanic effort, he stood up. His body became lighter as the magnitude of gravity on him decreased. Even though he was not fully recovered, his instinct told him that he had to get out of there as quickly as possible. He knew that time was of the essence; the lives of others were at stake.
The echoes of the explosions and screams accompanied him as he walked with difficulty towards the exit. His blurred vision began to clear, and upon opening the doors of the medical center, the mutant found himself in a scene that could only be described as hell itself. Buildings on fire, bodies on the ground, and chaos everywhere. Survivors ran in terror, while sirens sounded in the distance, creating a symphony of terror.
The thick smoke enveloped him, obstructing his vision and making it difficult for him to breathe. In the distance, the criminal known as Massacre moved among the ruins, unleashing his relentless violence. Aleis, feeling the weight of the situation, began to control his vector powers, adjusting the gravity around him to move faster and more accurately through the wreckage. Every second counted, every move could mean the difference between life and death.
As he advanced, the mutant observed that the medical staff and patients still inside the clinic were trapped, terrified. He knew that his ability could be the key to saving them, but facing Massacre was a huge risk. He decided to act quickly, using his gravitational control to create a safe zone around the clinic, deflecting some of the falling debris. However, each step brought him closer to the inevitable confrontation with Massacre, who had already sensed his presence.
The albino staggered as he left the room. The pain was still lingering, but something deeper was pushing him forward: a mix of rage and helplessness. The walls of the clinic creaked around him, dust and debris falling from the ceiling as alarms blared with a deafening shriek. Despair surrounded him like a dense fog, but he couldn't allow himself to give up.
Outside, the chaos was even worse. Smoke filled the air, mixing with the smell of blood and fire. Screams of terror broke the atmosphere as patients and medical staff ran in all directions, trying to flee the disaster. Some didn't make it; lifeless bodies lay scattered on the floor, victims of Marcus Liam's violent attack, aka Massacre. The sight of death and destruction aroused an indescribable fury in the boy.
He only gritted his teeth, trying to contain the anger that was beginning to burn within him. His vector powers were still activated, and he could feel how the gravity around him fluctuated under his control, making him move faster, more agile, as if the air itself propelled him. It was a new, almost liberating sensation, but he knew he had to use it masterfully. As he moved forward, he caught a glimpse of the epicenter of the chaos: a tall, heavily built man, dressed in a dark suit and a metal mask that hid his face. His hands were stained with blood, and around him, bodies fell like dry leaves. It was Massacre, who walked with eerie calm through the shattered hallway, inspecting his work of destruction. The scene overwhelmed him, and hatred for the villain grew like an unquenchable fire inside him.
"Damn psychopath," Aleis whispered through gritted teeth, feeling like each word was a promise of revenge.
He felt the need to intervene, but he knew he was not at 100% strength yet. Despite his ability to manipulate vectors, his powers were still unpredictable, and the state he was in after the attack in New York did not help. However, he could not simply stand still. Lives were at stake, and every second counted.
As Massacre turned his head in his direction, the world seemed to stop for a second. The criminal's eyes, through the mask, seemed to pierce Aleis's soul, and for an instant, they both stood still, as if each was sizing up the other. The tension was palpable, and Aleis felt time stretching out, as if everything was in slow motion.
Aleis, still reeling, made a quick decision. He needed more time to recover, but he couldn't let Massacre continue his rampage without at least trying to stop him. With a mental impulse, Aleis manipulated the vectors around him to hurl debris in Massacre's direction. The fragments of wall and metal flew towards the criminal with inhuman speed, but before they hit, Massacre raised a hand, stopping the projectiles in mid-air as if they were nothing more than dust in the wind.
"Is that all you got, boy?" Massacre's voice was deep, laden with contempt. The confidence in his tone was unsettling, and Aleis felt a chill run down his spine.
Aleis stepped back, surprised by the ease with which he had neutralized his attack. He felt like he was in the presence of a demon in human skin. He had underestimated Massacre, and now he was in a dangerous position. The villain advanced towards him with deliberate slowness, enjoying every step. Massacre's confidence was evident; he was playing with him, and that infuriated him even more.
Aleis knew he didn't have much of a choice, but something inside him began to change. The pain he had felt when he woke up was now almost a vibrant energy, pulsing inside him. His powers were responding to his desperation. It was as if the very chaos of the environment fueled his strength, and that spark of power filled him with determination.
As Massacre approached, Aleis focused all his will on a single point. He felt the vectors around his body begin to spiral out of control, gravity fluctuating with such intensity that objects around him began to levitate or crush themselves into the ground. It was a sight that might have seemed terrifying, but to him it was a manifestation of his power in its purest form.
"Don't underestimate me," Aleis muttered, as a burst of psychic energy exploded from his body, creating a whirlwind of debris that danced around him like a storm.
The ground beneath his feet cracked, debris beginning to spin in a whirlwind around him. Massacre paused for a moment, perhaps surprised by the young mutant's emerging strength. Aleis didn't waste the opportunity. With a heart-rending scream, he unleashed all his power in one direction, sending a massive wave of energy towards Massacre.
The impact was devastating. The walls of the clinic buckled from the force of the explosion caused by his vector manipulation, and Massacre was thrown backwards, crashing into a concrete column with such violence that the entire building shook. However, as the dust began to settle, Aleis felt his heart sink. The criminal was not only still standing, but he was smirking behind his mask. That smirk filled him with even greater rage.
"You have potential, kid," he said, his voice echoing in the chaos of the surrounding area. "But you'll need a lot more than that to stop me."
Before the mutant could react, what appeared to be Massacre disappeared into the smoke, leaving behind a silent promise of more destruction.
.
.