Lloyd POV
I couldn't tear my eyes away from the guy standing at the portal's entrance. The air crackled with energy, making the hairs on my arms stand up. The dim chamber seemed to shrink around us, its ancient stone walls covered in bizarre symbols. Who the hell was this dude? How did he know me? And more importantly, why did he want me dead? I wracked my brain but came up empty. This wasn't like with Elijah, where it took me a while to remember. I genuinely had no clue who this guy was.
Taking a deep breath, I caught a whiff of that sharp, electric smell mixed with the musty stink of the old room. I forced myself to calm down and smirked. Why was I freaking out? This had to be the guy who was supposed to kill me. Simple enough; I just needed to take him out first.
I got to my feet, brushing off the dust. Glancing around, I saw the Outcasts looked okay, but confused and on edge. Some gripped their weapons tighter, others shifted into fighting stances.
"Well, that was rude," I said, sizing him up. Lean but muscular, with a dangerous glint in his gray eyes and a nasty scar down his left cheek. His fingers twitched like he was itching to choke me out. "Don't think we've met. So who the fuck are you?"
The guy's jaw clenched, a muscle jumping in his temple. He glared at me like I'd ruined his life. "You were dead before we could meet," he growled, his voice low and rough. "Guess this is our first face-to-face."
I frowned, trying to piece it together. This guy was from even further in the future than me, so what was his problem? Then it hit me. I'd changed so much in the past, I must've screwed up the future too. Looks like I'd pissed off a lot of people.
"I get it," I said, trying to sound cool despite the knot in my stomach. "You want to kill me to stop me from becoming successful. Sorry, not happening."
He stepped away from the shimmering portal, moving like a predator. "Fine," he snarled, cracking his knuckles. "I'll just have to kill you again, you pathetic bastard."
I fired up my Destruction ability, feeling that familiar rush as purple energy lit up around my hands, casting eerie shadows on the walls. "Bring it on," I challenged, sounding braver than I felt. Behind me, I heard the Outcasts muttering, a mix of fear and determination in their voices. Some backed up, others moved closer, ready to jump in.
Just as the guy was about to show off his powers, Eddie interrupted. I'd almost forgotten about that idiot. His robes were a mess as he scrambled over to the man, bowing like a moron. I was kicking myself for not killing him earlier. Even the new guy – the Enforcer – looked disgusted.
"What should we do, oh great Enforcer?" Eddie asked, his voice quivering with excitement. "Want us to handle the other group?"
The Enforcer glanced at Eddie, then back at me, clearly pissed. A vein popped on his forehead as he growled, "Just stay out of my way." His fists clenched, glowing faintly. Looked like he had some serious power too.
"Don't sweat it, Eddie," I said, a plan forming as I checked on my team. The Outcasts had spread out behind me in a half-circle, looking scared but determined. They knew this was big, but they were ready to throw it down. "You handle my crew. I've got 'Mr. Enforcer' here. I meant it when I said I'd tear your group apart tonight."
The Enforcer stepped forward, nanomachines visibly rippling beneath his skin. "You've caused quite a stir, messing with time," he spat. "Did you think you could change your fate?"
I clenched my fists, feeling the energy pulse through me. "I'm still breathing, aren't I?" I shot back. "Besides, I'm not the only one playing with fire. Bringing you here could unravel everything."
The Enforcer's laugh was cold and humorless. "You have no idea what's at stake. But it doesn't matter. Your meddling ends now."
Without warning, he lunged forward, his arm morphing into a deadly blade with a metallic sheen. I barely managed to dodge, feeling the wind from his attack brush my cheek and slice off a few strands of hair.
Instinctively, I unleashed a wave of destructive energy, but the Enforcer's nanomachines formed a shimmering shield, absorbing the impact.
"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, his body reforming instantly, the nanites swirling like quicksilver beneath his skin.
I gritted my teeth, tapping into my Wielder ability – a power that let me temporarily copy and use others' abilities. A familiar pressure built behind my eyes as I accessed a stolen power—pyrokinesis.
Flames erupted from my hands, engulfing the Enforcer in an inferno. For a moment, victory seemed within reach. Then, through the flames, a silver tide emerged. The nanomachines had formed a protective cocoon, and as the fire died down, the Enforcer stood unscathed, a cruel smile on his lips.
"My turn," he growled.
Before I could react, he charged, launching a brutal onslaught. His limbs transformed into an arsenal—blades, hammers, spears—each strike pushing me further onto the defensive. I conjured shields of energy, but they shattered under the relentless assault, sending shards of energy scattering like broken glass.
Blood trickled from my nose, the price of using Wielder. My vision blurred, fatigue weighing down my limbs. I was losing ground, and the realization sent a jolt of panic through me. I needed to end this fight before it escalated further.
"Enough of this!" I shouted, my voice hoarse. "We need to take this outside before we destroy everything!"
The Enforcer paused, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "You think you can run?"
"Not running—strategizing," I shot back, my mind racing. "I don't want my people caught in this crossfire."
With a reluctant nod, he stepped back, allowing me to lead the way. We burst through the front doors of Foresight Industries, the cool night air hitting me like a refreshing wave. The moon hung high above, illuminating the street as we squared off in an open space, the tension palpable.
"Now, let's see what you've got," the Enforcer sneered, his body shifting into a defensive stance.
I took a deep breath, channeling energy into my palms once more. "You asked for it."
What followed was a brutal clash of powers. The Enforcer unleashed a barrage of projectiles, nanomachines darting through the air like deadly missiles. I conjured shields of energy, but they shattered under the relentless assault, sending me staggering backward.
"You can't run forever," the Enforcer taunted, his voice echoing through the night. "Your future ends here."
I knew he was right. My body was failing me, the constant use of Wielder taking its toll. But I couldn't give up. Not when I was so close to changing my fate.
With a roar of defiance, I charged at the Enforcer, channeling every ounce of energy I had left into one devastating attack. Our powers collided in a blinding explosion of light and nanomachines, the shockwave sending debris flying.
When the dust settled, I found myself pinned to the ground, the Enforcer looming over me. His arm had morphed into a wicked blade, poised for the killing blow.
"Any last words?" he asked, a cruel smile playing on his lips.
In that moment of desperation, I reached for my last resort. The bracelet on my wrist, seemingly innocuous, began to pulse with an otherworldly energy. I felt a chill run down my spine as I prepared to unleash something I barely understood.
"Abyssal Devourer," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.
The world plunged into darkness. A horrifying screech filled the air as the bracelet expanded, transforming into a writhing mass of void-black tentacles. The Abyssal Devourer, in all its terrifying glory, erupted from my wrist.
Tendrils of darkness shot out, wrapping around the cultists scattered throughout the area. Their screams were cut short as they were dragged into the abyss, their very existence consumed. The air grew heavy with the scent of ozone and something older, something that didn't belong in this world.
The Enforcer's eyes widened in fear for the first time. He tried to retreat, but the Devourer was faster. A massive maw materialized from the darkness, clamping down on his arm with lightning speed. There was a sickening crunch, followed by an agonized howl.
When the darkness receded, the Enforcer stood there, staring in shock at the stump where his arm had been. The nanomachines sparked and fizzled, unable to regenerate what had been taken by the abyss.
"You fool!" the Enforcer roared, clutching his severed limb. "Do you have any idea what you've just unleashed? That thing will destroy everything—past, present, and future!"
I struggled to my feet, my body on the verge of collapse but my spirit unbroken. "I did what I had to do to survive."
The Enforcer's face contorted with a mix of pain and fury. "This isn't over. Get rid of that abomination, or what's left of the future won't be worth saving."
With that, he turned and limped away, disappearing into the chaos of the battle still raging between the Outcasts and the remaining Chronos Ascendants.
As the adrenaline faded, the full weight of what had transpired hit me. The Abyssal Devourer, now sated, shrank back into its bracelet form around my wrist. The Chronos Ascendants were decimated, consumed by the very power I had unleashed. I had survived, and changed my fate—but at what cost?
I looked down at my hands, still trembling from the battle. The prophecy of my death had been averted, and I had completed the second part of the examination. But the Enforcer's warning echoed in my mind. What had I truly unleashed?
As I stood amidst the destruction, victory felt hollow, overshadowed by the uncertain future that lay ahead. I'd won the battle, but something told me the war was far from over. And the price of victory? That remained to be seen.