Continuation...
JESSICA
"Fire now!" I shout, urgency tightening my voice as I watch Alexander unleash his electric gauntlets on the man. But the electricity bends to him, coursing harmlessly across his body like water over stone. Hovering midair, his hands glow as he prepares to counterattack.
Daniel reacts instantly, unleashing a torrent of bullets from his machine gun, each round slamming into the man and forcing him back. Shards of glass explode in all directions as the wall behind him crumbles under the onslaught.
"Woohoo!" Daniel yells, a wide grin spreading across his face. "No one withstands my gun's energy! That's why I love it!"
I offer a quick nod. "Good job, Dan."
"Thanks, babe—uh, I mean, thank you, Jessica."
But the man rises again, undeterred. His eyes flare with raw power, and lightning snakes down his arms. Without warning, he releases a barrage of bolts. Daniel and Alexander dive right, but I hold my ground, crossing my twin swords in front of me, trying to deflect the electricity. Each strike drains me, the force of it sending shocks up my arms.
"Guys, I need help!" I yell, the desperation clear.
Alexander moves fast, hurling electromagnetic energy from his gauntlets, disrupting the man's focus just long enough for Daniel to join in with his gun, the combined force driving him backward, smashing more debris from the already fractured wall.
"Jessica, you alright?" Alexander reaches for my hand, pulling me to my feet.
I nod, breathless. "Yeah. Thanks."
But the man is already standing tall again, lightning still crackling around him. He raises his right hand, and an axe hurtles toward him as if pulled by an invisible force, landing with a solid *thud* in his grip.
Before any of us can react, we hear footsteps—the Ventures have arrived: Zetacode, Morinjo, John, and Menace.
"Interesting… So you're fast?" the man says, eyes locking onto Zetacode.
Zetacode steps forward, his voice sharp. "No. I'm faster. And who the hell are you?"
The man's lips curl into a smirk. "Oh, mortals haven't heard of me yet. I'm Trivium, god of Thunder, son of Ultron, and crown prince."
Morinjo steps forward calmly, his eyes narrowing. "Pleasure to meet you, Trivium. But taking something without the owner's permission—that's stealing. You should put that box back. Unless you want us to do this the hard way."
"And if I don't?" Trivium asks, the challenge hanging in the air.
Morinjo's expression hardens. "Then we'll show you."
In one swift motion, Morinjo's suit transforms—a formidable black armor, trimmed with intricate gold patterns. Tension swells in the room, thick as the air hums with energy. Trivium lifts his axe, eyes blazing, ready to unleash destruction.
Beside me, Path Finder steps forward, his muscles coiled with anticipation. Zetacode vibrates with barely contained speed, the air around him crackling. Menace notches an arrow, his focus sharp. John shifts, his form expanding into the hulking figure of the Lycon Wolf.
Then, the room erupts into chaos.
Path Finder leads the charge, hurling elemental forces at Trivium—massive stones, tendrils of earth, flying toward him with deadly precision. Trivium moves like a predator, his axe slicing through the air, deflecting each attack with fluid grace.
Zetacode blurs into motion, a flash of speed, his electrified punches hammering against Trivium's defenses. Sparks fly with each strike, the room alight with energy as the battle rages.
Trivium fights back, lightning bolts shooting from his hands, but he's overwhelmed by the relentless assault. For the first time, he struggles to keep pace.
Suddenly, Path Finder switches tactics. A burst of fire engulfs the battlefield, flames twisting in elaborate patterns as he controls the blaze. The heat becomes unbearable, waves of scorching air radiating outward, the entire area transformed into a blazing inferno.
Then, Trivium hurls his formidable axe towards Menace and me. The air crackles with danger, but with a swift pivot, we narrowly evade its deadly path. The tension rises as we plunge into close-quarters combat, the space between us and Trivium tightening like a noose.
Menace throws a powerful punch, his fist cutting through the air toward Trivium's face. But with a deft flick of his wrist, Trivium parries the blow effortlessly. I waste no time, pivoting into a side kick aimed at his midsection, but Trivium's defense is like iron—unshakable, unmoving. My foot collides with his arm, sending a jarring shock through my leg.
Suddenly, Trivium's fist strikes like lightning, landing squarely on my face. Pain explodes in my head, sharp and hot. My vision blurs momentarily as I stagger backward, trying to regain my footing.
"Jessica!" Menace yells, eyes wide with alarm, but there's no time to answer.
He charges again, fists raised. His punch is precise, determined—but Trivium anticipates it, swatting Menace's arm aside with a brutal efficiency. Before I can react, Trivium spins, driving both feet into my midsection with a thunderous dual kick. The impact is brutal, knocking the wind from my lungs and sending me crashing into the ground.
Gasping for breath, I force myself back up, every muscle screaming in protest. I throw a punch, fueled by desperation, but Trivium deflects it with ease, his movements as swift and fluid as they are deadly. He retaliates with a side kick, striking my face once more. My head snaps back, and I taste blood. Trivium's eyes gleam with power as he raises his hands. Lightning crackles in his palms, the deadly energy coiling around his fingers like living serpents. He hurls it towards me, a blinding torrent of electrical fury. I barely have time to react, raising my left arm, my bracelet glowing fiercely as it absorbs the onslaught. The force of it rattles through me, nearly knocking me off my feet. But Trivium doesn't relent. Each blast of lightning is sharper, more precise than the last, driving me back with each strike. My body feels heavy, fatigue pulling at every limb as I struggle to keep up, deflecting bolt after bolt. My breathing becomes labored, sweat dripping into my eyes.
"Come on!" I shout, more to myself than anyone, trying to rally the last of my strength.
I charge forward, unleashing a rapid series of punches and kicks, but Trivium is untouchable, parrying and blocking with maddening ease. Every move I make, he counters, each strike of his like a hammer on an anvil. His next blow catches me square in the chest, sending me sprawling onto the ground. My body aches all over, each breath a struggle.
Just as Trivium raises his hand for a final, devastating strike, a flash of green lightning arcs through the air. Zetacode appears in a blur, his emerald lightning wrapping around Trivium like chains, trying to drain his energy.
For a moment, hope flares in my chest.
But then, with a chilling smirk, Trivium absorbs the lightning, his body glowing brighter with each second. He turns to Zetacode, eyes alight with cruel amusement.
"What the hell?" Zetacode stammers, disbelief in his voice.
"I told you," Trivium says coldly, his voice laced with menace. "I am invincible."
-He unleashes a savage storm of lightning, aimed directly at Zetacode. Each strike takes its toll, wearing him down, slowing his movements. Zetacode stumbles, every bolt draining him further.
"Stop, Trivium! You're killing him!" I scream, desperation clawing at my throat.
But Trivium doesn't stop. His eyes are cold, focused entirely on Zetacode as he rains down his deadly bolts, determined to reduce him to ash.
LEONARD
Just when it seems all hope is lost, my mind flashes back to the past. My mother's smile, fading as cancer consumed her. The gangsters who left Daniel beaten and bleeding because I wasn't fast enough. My father's final moments, struck down by a villain I couldn't stop. All those memories hit me at once.
And then… voices.
"Stand tall. Show the world what you're made of," my mother whispers.
"True friends never give up, even when it's hard," Daniel's words echo in my mind.
"You've survived hell. No excuses—rise above it," Bonnie's fierce resolve floods my senses.
It's like lightning in my veins. My body, drained moments ago, surges with newfound energy. Every memory fuels me, pulling me up, defiance burning in my eyes.
"Impossible," Trivium mutters, his confidence wavering for the first time.
But I don't waste time. With a smirk, I channel the blue and green lightning within me, combining their power into a devastating torrent. Trivium's face twists in shock as the energy slams into him, sending him crashing through the wall.
He slumps to the ground, unconscious.
Breathing hard, I stand over him. "Thank you for the energy," I say, my voice steady but tinged with satisfaction.
JESSICA
A few tense minutes pass before Path Finder and Menace emerge from the Alabaster room, carrying the precious cargo between them. As they step into the light, Mr. Smith and the rest of the team greet them with a mixture of relief and gratitude, acknowledging their efforts in securing the Alabaster box.
"It's all yours now. Guard it with your lives, Ventures," Mr. Smith emphasizes, his voice heavy with urgency.
Path Finder furrows his brow, uncertainty flickering across his face. "Are you sure we should take this, Mr. Smith? Isn't your organization better equipped to protect it?"
Mr. Smith's grim expression speaks louder than words. "No, we can't. You saw what they did—took out our agents and tore through our facility."
Path Finder nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. "If that's the case, then we'll take on the responsibility. Zetacode."
Zetacode steps forward, his expression resolute as he accepts the Alabaster box from Path Finder. Mr. Smith wastes no time, immediately instructing the pilot to prepare for departure.
"Take them to the tower," Mr. Smith commands, his tone leaving no room for hesitation as the team prepares to safeguard their precious cargo at all costs.
To be continued...