Levi put Nora's empty mug into the sink using one of his feathers. "And that's how I met Relampago."
Nora was lounging on the couch, finally at ease. "So, wait. You're telling me that you fought some of the strongest heroes when you were younger than me?" She didn't seem to believe it.
"That depends, I don't actually remember how old you are." Levi took a final sip of his tea, a little sad to finish the drink.
"I'm sixteen. But that's beside the point."
"I wasn't much younger than you are now. And I wasn't really fighting them, it was just a lucky chance to spar with one of the greats. I did lose to be clear." He stood up from his chair and walked his own cup to the sink. Sunlight no longer passed into the room telling him it was getting late. "It's time for you to head home."
Nora sighed on the couch. She didn't want to go. That surprised him, he'd gotten the impression that she wasn't fond of him. Most people weren't after getting to know him. Maybe he filled some kind of role in her mind as a tragic hero or something. He wasn't anything like that, at best he was a lucky man who'd happened to earn a position far higher than he ever should have found.
"Sir. I still don't understand why you picked me."
Levi had turned the faucet; he felt the lukewarm water roll over his callused hands as he cleaned the few dishes in the sink. He thought about what Nora had said, and decided on how he would respond. "Do you need to know?"
"I guess not."
"Just try your best. That's all." He flicked the water off his hands before drying them. The doors to his cupboards squealed as he pulled them open and returned the mugs. "You really do need to be going now." He turned to say something more when a short flash of light bounced off the window. He'd been in the kitchen across from the glass wall, and had only noticed the light by chance. The sound of whatever made the light hadn't reached him yet, but his body was already reacting. The light in the window was growing, and it was growing quickly.
Four of Levi's feathers shot through the window sending shards of glass raining down towards the earth below. He ran forward and leapt out into the frigid night air. He could clearly see the object that was jetting towards him. It was a mote of flame that was aimed directly at him. He twisted his body in the air and spread his wings into a wide parasol. The many layers of metal that comprised his wings rapidly spun into a shape that could block the oncoming fire. He released his Lumes and coated his wings in an even layer that would hopefully withstand the flames.
Not a second later - not even a tenth of a second later - the fire collided with his wings. He'd spread the metal as far as he could, reaching almost the width of the tower, but still he saw tongues of fire lick around the edges of his barrier. The heat of the flame raged behind him, but it didn't reach through the metal. He felt pieces of his wings bend and his body was pushed forward, but he didn't break. Pulling the wings close to his back, he spared a glance in the direction the flame had come from. He couldn't identify its source. There was no indication of whoever had created it.
Whoever had attacked, they might do it again. Levi didn't doubt that they would. He drifted back into his apartment through the shattered window. He'd need to get that fixed. Nora was up on her feet, but to her disappointment the excitement had passed.
"What was that?" She demanded. Her legs were shaky. It made sense, had Levi not noticed in time the strike would have killed her and likely destroyed most of the building. It was the type of attack that only someone skilled with Lumes and their deviation could manage to create. Rogues like that were trouble.
"Nora, you need to go now." He kept his eyes locked on the horizon. Another light joined the many on the horizon. "I'll explain later."
Without another word he flew into the air straight towards where the light had flashed. Like a bullet he flew, a single target he was aimed for. The flame that moved towards him was smaller than the first. He pulled four of his largest feathers to protect him from the oncoming fire. His body ripped through the center of the flame creating a deadly firework in the night sky. He didn't slow. His body gained more and more speed. Faster and faster. To the naked eye he was invisible. And then he found his target. His wings burst open in rapid motion, like a blooming flower. Air caught by the metal was compressed with such force that it shattered all the windows of the abandoned building he found himself in front of. His target didn't have time to run. Levi saw him preparing to scurry away. Too late.
Levi slipped through the nearest window like a phantom. His wings scraped against the sides of the frame, and his heel connected with the assassin's chest. He reinforced his leg with Lumes. If he hadn't the fragile pieces of his body would have snapped like wood beneath an axe. His target hadn't been as prepared.
Their body bent unnaturally and then flew forward into a concrete pillar. A second later Levi was on them, flipping their broken body over. "Who are you?" He asked in as calm a voice as he could manage.
His target was unconscious. He felt their neck for a pulse, for a moment he was sure that the man was dead, then he found it. Weakly fighting he felt blood still pulsing beneath their skin. They would survive.
Levi pulled his phone from his pocket. It turned on. Lucky. He had expected the device to be broken. Not hesitating, he called the Watch dispatcher. A few words later and he hung up.
The other Watch members were slow to respond as always. A full half hour passed before anyone arrived. It was all such sloppy work. Paramedics did their best to get to the dying assassin and preserve the fading life. They weren't the ones Levi found himself frustrated with.
No. The ones he felt his anger kindled towards were the lazy members of The Watch. They were supposedly his peers. That made him feel sick. The two that had been sent to assist him showed up chatting. Hammer and Python were their code names. Levi wasn't fond of either of them, but he forced himself to be professional. "I already handled it. You can go home."
The shorter of the two - Python - spoke first. "Are you sure about that Raptor?"
Levi cringed at his pseudonym. He hated it and the memories it came with.
"Yes." He gestured to the paramedics wheeling away the assassin.
Hammer walked over to the paramedics stopping them with his oversized arm. He rashly inspected the unconscious body, leaving some kind of mark that would prove he'd shown up. Then deciding on a token phrase, he stated. "Well done, I'll give you a favorable report."
Levi clenched his fists. Idiots. Other 'heroes' were one of the few things that genuinely irked him. Hammer was the one that should have been asking for a favorable report. Levi didn't give them any kind of glimpse into his thoughts. "Thank you."
Python had walked up to the window Levi had flown in through and traced her fingers over the scrapes. "Good work." She nodded and gave Levi a faux smile. "I'd love to show you how grateful I am some time."
"I'm alright. Is your contractor here?" He asked the question to make them uncomfortable. Python didn't react, but he saw it get to Hammer.
"She's not. I could get you into contact with her later."
"That's alright. I trust you guys can handle the rest." He said then leapt to one of the empty window frames. "I'll be sure to leave a report of your work tonight." Th final words spilled from his lips as he jumped out the window and glided into the night.
He didn't rush.
No. He glided slowly intentionally, feeling the cold air brush against his skin. He flew higher, and higher and higher. Air grew thin around him.
Stars grew clearer around him and the buildings turned to specks on a model thirty thousand feet below. It made it easier to clear his head. No noise, no chaos. Just open air. He didn't know how long he levitated in the heavens. But it wasn't long enough.
When he finally drifted back to his apartment - gliding in through the shattered window - he found a message waiting for him. Nothing more than a letter that had been slipped onto the glossy surface of his kitchen island. A crisp signature marked the front, letters in a language Levi didn't know, but an arrangement he did. His contractor had finally replied.
One of Levi's feathers darted over to the letter and pushed it over the edge of the island. Two others caught it and then flew it back to Levi like a leaf being swept down a stream. He took it and tore it open, there was no need to be dainty. As always there was no more than a few sentences on the unblemished paper within the envelope.
Meet in New York City in two weeks.
Bring your apprentice.
P.S Peter's back.
His heart paused. No. That was impossible. Peter was dead. His old friend was dead. He was sure of it. He was sure of it…