Power Trip.
The city lights below flicker as I stand alone on the rooftop, a sense of detachment enveloping me. I've been avoiding everyone, hiding from my own reflection. The changes in my body are impossible to ignore now. My hands have turned into claws, my spine juts out more prominently with each passing day, and my tail, though still forming, slithers behind me with a life of its own. The radiation is a deep, unsettling blue, casting eerie shadows and making me appear like a ghost from some nightmare.
I'm haunted by my reflection. The protruding spine, the jagged skin, and the tail that seems to writhe with a mind of its own, all of it marks the gradual loss of my humanity. I'm caught between the urge to embrace these changes and the fear of what they mean. I need answers, but more than that, I need control.
Tonight, Titan's meeting is a stark reminder of the tension simmering beneath the surface. The team is gathering, and I can't shake the feeling that everything is spiraling out of control.
Inside V8 headquarters, Titan stands at the head of the briefing room, his stern demeanor cutting through the low murmur of conversation among the team members. His gaze is cold and unyielding as he addresses the group.
He seems more cold today, easily provoked.
"Listen up," Titan's voice commands attention. "We've got a critical mission tonight. We need to neutralize Ernesh before his plans come to fruition. I expect everyone to be on their game."
Aria, Flint, and Lumina nod, their faces showing a mixture of determination and concern. The atmosphere is tense, with everyone acutely aware of the stakes involved. Titan's focus is solely on the mission, but there's an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with Rhan's recent behavior.
He's disgusted.
In a secluded corner of the room, Rhan stands apart, his body barely contained within his uniform. The changes in his appearance are becoming more pronounced, with his skin completely taking on a jagged texture, his spine protruding sharply, and his tail visibly extending from his lower back. The blue radiation that emanates from him creates an almost ethereal glow, marking him as a figure of increasing concern.
Titan's eyes lock onto me, and I can't avoid the inevitable confrontation. He strides towards me, his expression a mix of frustration and authority.
"Velocity," Titan's voice cuts through the room, and I flinch at the tone. "You've been slacking. You a liability, and it's affecting the team. What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Fuck.
I try to steady my voice, but the growing pressure in my chest makes it difficult. "I'm doing my best, Titan. My powers are...they're out of control."
Titan's eyes narrow, and he takes a step closer, his presence imposing. "Your best isn't good enough. You're a danger to everyone around you. I can't afford to have you dragging us down."
The tension in the room escalates as Titan's reprimand continues. His demeanor is unforgiving, his frustration evident. The team members exchange uneasy glances, sensing that the situation is reaching a breaking point.
Aria, Flint, and Lumina watch from a distance, their concern growing as they realize the gravity of Titan's words. They can see Rhan's struggle, but Titan's focus remains on discipline rather than empathy.
I try to argue, but the words get caught in my throat. The reality of the situation hits me hard. "I'm trying to control it, but it's not easy. I need—"
Titan cuts me off, his voice growing colder. "You need to get your act together, or you'll be a bigger problem than Ernesh."
I can see the harsh determination in his eyes, and it makes my blood run cold. Before I can respond, Titan's expression shifts, and he turns abruptly, his mind clearly made up.
He left the briefing room, the way he floated out was menacing, scary. His aura felt off, he was about to do something drastic.
Meanwhile, Rhan, devastated by the confrontation, watches as Titan floats away. His mind is a whirlwind of confusion and anger. The thought of what Titan might do next is unbearable.
...
The world blurs around me as I push my speed to its limit, racing through the cityscape with a fury I've never felt before. Titan's words echo in my mind, fueling my desperation. My heart pounds against my ribs, a raw, unrelenting beat that matches the surge of radiation crackling around me.
I need to reach them first.
The sight of my family flashes before me, driving me forward. I have to get to them. I have to stop Titan. But as the city lights streak past, I know I'm racing against something I can't outrun. Titan is faster, more powerful—an unstoppable force.
Despite my best efforts, the distance between us closes. Titan's silhouette looms ahead, a dark omen against the city's glow. Panic grips me as I see him nearing my home, and the cold, dreadful realization settles in: I'm not going to make it in time.
Titan reaches Rhan's home with a predatory grace. The house is eerily silent, the once warm and welcoming place now a scene of unimaginable horror. Titan's eyes gleam with ruthless determination as he stands amidst the devastation he's wrought.
Rhan arrives moments later, skidding to a halt just outside the shattered doorway. His heart sinks as he takes in the nightmarish scene before him.
The sight that greets me is a living nightmare. My heart stops, a cold, paralyzing fear gripping me. My little brother Token is held high, his small frame trapped between Titan's gauntlets. Titan's grip is merciless, and I can only watch in horror as Titan squeezes, the life force slowly being crushed out of him. Token's eyes widen in terror, and I can't move, frozen by the agony of seeing my brother's last moments.
"NOOOOO!" I scream, but the sound is swallowed by the devastation. Titan's gauntlets close tighter, and with a sickening crunch, Token's body goes limp. The small, innocent face of my brother is now a haunting memory.
My father lies on the ground, a grotesque hole through his chest. His eyes are open, staring vacantly at the ceiling. The blood pooled around him tells a story of a brutal and swift end. My mother is nearby, her body similarly marked with a fatal wound. Her face is frozen in an expression of shock and pain, a heartbreaking contrast to the warmth and love she once embodied.
The scene is a brutal testament to Titan's ruthless ways, his evil. The room is littered with the remnants of a family's life, now reduced to blood and anguish. Titan stands amidst the wreckage, his expression unreadable, as if he's performed a necessary task rather than a horrifying act.
"Now do you see what happens to liabilities? Velocity?" Titan's voice had a tinge of insanity behind it.
Rhan's arrival brings no solace, only a deeper pain. Titan's actions are a cruel reminder of his power and lack of mercy, a display of dominance that leaves no room for doubt about his willingness to cross any line.
The rage that floods through me is white-hot, a scorching inferno that consumes every thought, every ounce of control. My transformation, which had felt so surreal and distant, now becomes a tangible, visceral presence. My claws lengthen and sharpen, and the blue radiation around me intensifies, casting a chilling light over the devastation.
My spine protrudes more sharply, a painful reminder of the beast I'm becoming. My tail, now more defined, lashes with a life of its own, reflecting my internal chaos. The blue glow of my radiation flickers wildly, mirroring the tumult inside me.
My jaw was unhinged, hanging unnaturally, my spine breaking out of my skin like a dinosaur's, my skin completely enveloped by the scales.
With a roar of anguish and rage, I charge at Titan, my speed and fury unleashed. But deep down, I know this isn't just about fighting Titan anymore. It's about vengeance, about reclaiming something that was stolen from me. My family.
Titan's demeanor remains cold as Rhan's fury erupts. The contrast between the monstrous transformation and Titan's composed facade is stark. Titan meets Rhan's charge with a mix of practiced precision and indifference, his attacks cold and calculated.
The battle is a clash of titans, a brutal display of power and loss. Rhan's transformation is nearly complete, his form a nightmarish figure of jagged skin, protruding spine, and razor-sharp claws. The intensity of his radiation creates a dangerous, unpredictable battlefield.
The violence of the fight is relentless, a chaotic ballet of destruction and rage. Rhan's attacks are fueled by his grief and anger, each blow a manifestation of his profound loss. Titan, for all his strength, is met with a fury he did not anticipate, and the battle becomes a brutal test of endurance and willpower.
In the heat of the battle, I lose myself in the violence. My emotions are a storm of pain and anger, and my powers, now nearly uncontrollable, add to the chaos. The blue radiation around me crackles violently, a reflection of my shattering mind.
As Titan and I clash, I can feel the full extent of my transformation, my claws rending through the air, my tail lashing out with an unpredictable ferocity. Every attack is a release of the anguish I can't otherwise express, and each hit I land is a small victory over the emptiness and rage that consume me.
I don't know how long the battle lasts, but it feels like an eternity. Each moment is a blur of movement, pain, and the harsh reality of what has been lost. Titan's strength is formidable, but so is my desperation. The fight is far from over, and as the final confrontation unfolds, it becomes clear that the path ahead is one of darkness and vengeance..