Chapter 19: Time, Stop, Part 2

Storm jumped from rooftop to rooftop, calling Angel on his cellphone. The device was paired wirelessly with his earbuds he'd purchased earlier.

"What happened?" Angel asked, confused as to what they should do.

"We need to leave. Now! You guys got your things with you?" As Storm asked this, both Rena and Angel ran back to where they were, as they didn't really run very far.

As they took their bags, a large panther-like creature burst through the building in front of the two, hitting the wall of another building. As it stood, it crept towards the two slowly, a black liquid dripping from its body. There was also some black smoke emanating from the creature. Its eyes were small and white, blank and devoid of all life, but it was very much alive. Rena and Angel stood in shock, trying to figure out where this creature came from and what it was.

"We've got a problem-!" Rena yelled through the phone.

Storm stopped and looked behind him, seeing a building nearby where he just was collapse.

"Damn it, guys," he said, running back quickly, lighting sparking over his body.

Angel and Rena dropped their things and began to run from the panther like creature, as they didn't want to get cornered by the beast and soldiers. The creature noticed immediately and began chasing after them, pouncing away. Storm stood atop another building and, seeing this, instantly jumped over to the creature, impaling it with his wingblade. The creature shook him off instantly, and he hit a building wall. The creature stared at Storm, walking over closely, prepared to pounce yet again.

"Rrgh, fine," Storm muttered, summoning multiple wingblades, impaling it with them.

He then jumped atop the creature's back, impaling the creature with another wingblade and running a powerful current of electricity into its body.

The creature was stunned for some time and fell over to the ground. Storm took this opportunity to run, and the girls ran with him as well.

"If that didn't knock it out or kill it, I don't know what will!" Storm said, running with the two.

"Rena! Where the hell is this place that we can leave, already?" Storm asked. Rena replied quickly.

"We'd either need to use the car, run, or buy some time and get on the ship!" she said, Storm groaning.

"Damn it, Rena!" he yelled.

Angel stopped the two from running. Storm and Rena looked over to see a group of soldiers, armed and ready to shoot at them. Rena instantly called out "BETA!" and a giant translucent neon green arm defended the three, reflecting the bullets back at the firing squad.

The soldiers immediately ran for cover, avoiding their own gunfire. The creature from before had jumped through the building, striking Rena's Beta. Before it could harm them, it was knocked back by Rena's ability with the same force. However, this caused a reaction, and Rena and the others were knocked in the opposite direction.

While in the air, Rena summoned another arm, grabbing Storm and Angel and taking her free hand and smashing the buildings in front of her. Landing on the ground, she panted, her arms shaking.

"Rena, are you alright?" Angel asked, getting up and helping Rena up. Rena nodded quickly, barely able to answer.

"Yeah, yeah-I'm fine-" she said quickly.

"Are you? Why are you shaking?" Angel asked, as Storm got up.

"You pushed yourself too hard, damn it," he said to Rena. Angel began to question this.

"Wait, what do you mean?" The three began to move again, Rena able to run with them, stumbling, but keeping up her pace.

"Whenever Rena summons arms, or other body parts, her "Beta" power is incomplete. It's like an extension of her body. She feels that pain in her arm and the more pain, the bigger a shockwave she can create." Storm explained. Angel looked to the girl, and Rena shrugged.

"Why're you guys getting worried? I'm fine!" she lied, panting and trying not to swing one of her arms.

"Your arm hurts like hell, Rena. Don't be stupid," Storm said to her, getting to another sky ship.

"Anyway, we need to go. Get on, guys. The ships are leaving," he told them. Angel helped Rena onto the sky ship. Multiple people getting on out of fear for their own safety as there was a monster roaming around the city. The vehicle filled quickly, and the ship took off. Storm looked over the edge, sighing in relief that they escaped.

"Wait, where's this thing going?" Storm asked the two, worried for a moment.

Angel stood and began to walk to another part of the ship, turning to Storm as she did so.

"I'll go ask," she said, passing through the crowd quickly.

Nodding once, he sat next to Rena who panted from exhaustion and pain. She winced from the pain, groaning quietly, knowing that Storm was next to her.

"You alright?" He asked.

She didn't look at him, instead, she turned her head away, so he couldn't see her face. He put a hand on her back, trying to comfort her. This only made her feel worse, the woman sighing.

"-I'm sorry," she said to him.

"You haven't done anything wrong. What's up with you?" he asked Rena, but the girl shook her head.

"Look, I was trying to joke around and stuff earlier-but I can't avoid this. I left you. I left you with 'our queen'. You could've died and I just-ran. You're always helping me-it wasn't fair to you," she sighed, looking down to her crossed legs.

Storm was quiet for a moment.

"Hey, listen, there's nothing wrong. I came down there on my own accord and if I died, that's that." Storm said.

"But-still-I--" Rena said, but Storm interrupted her.

"There's nothing anyone would be able to do about it," he said to Rena. She looked at him, he grinned in return.

"You're too forgiving. That kindness could get you killed someday-but thanks," She said, now sitting with her knees to her chest. Angel then returned with good news.

"Hey, we're going to Ragnite. I've been told that's the name of the city on the other side of the country." Rena grinned, nodding.

"That's where we'll find the machine," she said with a smile, before a black hooded figure approached them.

"Excuse me," he said.

Storm noticed him and stood up. Rena was turning to see who they were looking at, only to be knocked out by the man, who had hit the back of her head. Storm and Angel looked at the man in surprise; however, the man didn't attack them; instead, he spoke.