Chapter 36

Claudia held her Aura back from automatically healing her wounds. She barely had any left as is, and using what little she had would leave her a lot weaker than what she currently was. Her skin felt hot with burn marks, her clothes mostly burned away by Beodulf's fire. She had a broken arm dangling on her side, held on the shoulder by the other. Her face was bruised, bloodied, and she was limping. Her surroundings reflected her state. The nearby houses were half burned and destroyed. The streets cracked and shattered. A large crater had broken the main street in half. And at its center lay Beodulf, still awake, but unable to move. He was laughing despite his beaten state. He was a little worse than Claudia, his Aura likely spent. Their fight had been violent, destructive, despite the fact that it only lasted a few minutes. But in the end it had been Claudia who had won.

"I can't believe I fucking lost." Beodulf said when Claudia had limped her way to him at the center of the crater. For a long moment she considered killing the man. Be rid of a threat once and for all. But she shook her head. It would serve no purpose. If things go well today, and William succeeds in destroying the dome, Beodulf will be nothing more than a man.

"Not worth it." She started limping away. Beodulf kept on laughing behind her. She felt a raindrop land on her broken shoulder. Then another on her head, then another. She looked up at the sky. The clouds were dark, threatening a rain pour. She should've been feeling the cool wind against her skin, but the burns... God they hurt. Still, she had to save what little Aura she had.

She limped in the direction that Jake and the others had gone to hide. It didn't take long for them to find her and run to her air.

"Boss!" Jake and Zale lent her a shoulder. She thanked them, wrapping her hands around their necks for support.

"What news from the others?" She asked.

"They Royals were waiting for them too." Zale said. "Led by Heimdal. They are fighting at Imperial Square and from what Jake had gathered, we're losing."

"William?"

"He's stuck fighting Heimdal."

Damn it all. Claudia and Hendrick were supposed to be the ones to do that. 

"What now, boss?" Jake said. The raindrops were starting to fall more frequently. "What do we do?" Within seconds, rain started to fall. 

"I don't know." Claudia said. There isn't much they could do. Unless… "Let's go to Imperial Square. Jake, you can hack and car and take us there." It wasn't a question, she knew he could do it. His ability was that useful. "Perhaps Ada can replenish my Aura and I can fight again."

Jake nodded. "You got it, boss."

***

The fighting continued on at Imperium Square unabated, with chaos and destruction following the use of powerful abilities. All the while the sky darkened by rain clouds, rain falling heavily. Though Spectre had taken out a handful of Royals and lost two of their members, Narika and Ilios, the Royals were still winning. They just had more fighters.

Orion fought against a Royal on one side. He was winning, materializing a giant Aura hammer and bringing down a Royal who tried to use his ability to create multiple layers of large discs to cover himself. The hammer smashed through them all.

On another side, Sera was laughing. Her ability was to manipulate water, and it just so happens that it was currently raining. And with her ability amplified… She brought her hands up in the air and a large mass of water began to coalesce behind her in the form of a massive wave. Was she mad? William wondered. Does she aim to drown them along with the Royal she was currently fighting. A woman with an ice ability that William currently held to use against Heimdal.

Sera brought her hands down and the massive wave fell, threatening to drown all of Imperial Square. But the ice woman stopped it in its tracks, freezing the wave where it stood.

William noticed a truck suddenly pass over him, flying towards a Royal who was now the size of a house. His ability allowed him to grow in size. Hendrick had tether the truck to a nearby building. The Royal was in the middle. He tried to block the incoming truck but the explosion sent him stumbling back towards the building. He crashed through it, crumbling it.

"Seems no one's holding back." Heimdal said, looking around the Square. It was mostly destroyed by now. "But you," Heimdal gestured at William. "You have yet to go all out."

"Oh, I'm about to." William didn't want to waste his Aura on taking down Heimdal, but it seems he had little choice. He had tried to come up with an idea to get past him and get to Imperium, but with the Lord Ruler watching, he would not be getting far. No. He needed to beat Heimdal and hope for the best. There was no running away anymore. Heimdal had said it. Spectre's rebellion ends today. And from the looks of it, they will lose. William could find no way to destroy the dome. So, he decided to at least confront the Lord Ruler atop his tower. After beating his best Royal Knight. William already had an idea on how to do it, despite the fact that he could see every attack coming. And it required the combination of a few key abilities. 

First, by combining Sera's and the ice woman's ability, he created spiked icicles and shot them like arrows at Heimdal. He dodged it easily enough, but William wasn't trying to hit him, only keep him moving. Distracted. 

Next, William used the vines ability to immobilized, making sure Heimdal's focus was on dodging the icicles. Heimdal cursed under the rain when he fell into the trap. William used a good amount of his Aura hold the Royal Knight as he tried to break free. It took a lot. Heimdal was strong. 

Lastly, William used Arlong's ability to turn himself invisible, making sure Heimdal couldn't use any his eyes to dodge, forcing the use of his ability and waste his Aura. William unleashed hell. He started throwing Aura knives with Orion's ability, shooting spiked icicles, and lastly, raining down lightning bolt upon lighting bolts, using the rain to do double the damage. At first Heimdal dodged well enough, but his Aura started to rapidly spent, until he could no long dodge. The lightning did most of the damage, and had it been any other Royal, they would've been evaporated. 

The spectacle had caused the others to stop their fighting for a moment to watch as Heimdal got nuked by multiple ability at once. Afterwards, he had to let go of a few abilities to keep his Aura ignited. Arlong's was one of the abilities he had let go, the invisibility wearing off as it did so.

Heimdal fell on knees, coughing blood. A few Aura knives still embedded on his arms and legs, blood running out the wounds. His Aura still burned within him, less potent now, the fire had gone from a bonfire to a torch. To be fair though, that torch was still enough to compete with any regular Royal.

William himself was also almost spent. He felt exhausted, tired. But still strong enough to keep going. "GAVIN!!!" He yelled, the old man's clones would hear.

"HOLD HIM!"

Three of Gavin's clones appeared and locked Heimdal in a tight hold. Heimdal tried to break free, and was almost successful, if not for William running over and freezing the man in place, leaving his head free. 

"I got him." One of Gavin's clones said. "You go do your thing."

William nodded, though he didn't know what he was supposed to do. Beat Heimdal meant little if the Lord Ruler was watching. Without thinking, he rushed towards Imperium, using Elek's electricity to run faster, and Ilios cohesion to run up the building wall, hope the Lord Ruler won't nullify his ability and make him fall to his death. He ran up the wall, fast as he could, the floors rushing under his feet. He reached the floor where the Lord Ruler was and kept going. With any hope, the man king of Royals will follow him to the roof of Imperium.

***

Johnathan followed Wren down the hall, passing a pair of Royals who were heading to the elevator, likely to join the fight at Imperial Square. They made a turn at the end of the hallway, and went through a secured door. The room was dimly lit. Large man-sized tanks, rows upon rows of them, filled the space inside. Tubes attached to the incubator tanks ran through the floors, connected to a large machine at the far end of the room. 

This was the place, Johnathan realized. This was where the Lord Ruler extracts people's Aura to fuel the source of the dome's creation.

"It's behind this wall." Wren said, running a hand through the wall behind the large machine. "There's only one Royal with the ability to walk through walls, and is the only one who can really get through without… well without making a mess. Step back."

"What are you-"

"Today, the dome will be destroyed, John." Wren said as he summoned one of his Aura animals. A spider. It crawled up the wall. "By the time the Lord Ruler finds us out, it'll be too late. Hopefully."

"Alright." Johnathan wasn't too sure about this, but he had promised Lady Ada. She had gone to keep her brother busy while he and Wren took out the dome.

The explosion was small. The wall broke, crumbling down, leaving a hole in the section where the spider had been. Wren wasted no time and walked through. Johnathan followed him. He had never been here, had only heard Lady Ada and those Spectre people talk about it. But actually seeing it. The source of the dome. It was like they had said. An ability. And the used was a decrepit woman. She was sitting on a throne-like chair with many tubes attached to her skin. Right behind her was a large spherical machine filled with a golden liquid. Aura.

"Hello, boys." 

At first, Johnathan thought it was the woman who had spoken, but the voice was male. A man walked out from behind the throne-chair.

"Symvasi." Wren said.

The Royal Knight was a slender looking man, dark of skin with long black hair tied into a ponytail. He stood like a general, feet slightly ajar and hands clasped behind his back. "When I warned the Lord Ruler about you, he didn't believe me. He didn't want my ability used unless there was proof. Despite what you may think, he is a great man. A reasonable man. And yet you all still conspire to destroy all that he's built. Tell me, Wren, Johnathan, what does that say about you."

Wren pointed behind him. "Why don't you go ask the people inside those tanks back there?"

"Sinners." Symvasi shrugged. "They refused to cooperate and conspired against their Lord Ruler." He paused, looking at Johnathan. "Much like what you are doing right now. Regardless, this is as far as you go. You're coming with me."

Shit. Johnathan looked at Wren. "So, what now?" Symvasi was a Royal Knight, third in command of the Lord Ruler personal guard, and though his ability wasn't as destructive as Beodulf's, or as useful as Heimdal's, he was still a powerful opponent. With powerful Aura, and with top fighting skills, there was no way they were going to get past this man. Johnathan doubted that Wren was even allowed to fight him.

Wren simply shrugged. "Guess this is as far as we'll go." He turned to Johnathan and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Seems we failed. You go with him." He looked at Symvasi and nodded, then turned back to Johnathan. "I'll go and tell Lady Ada." He started to fix Johnathan's suit, adjusting the tie, the jacket. But before Johnathan could ask what the hell he was doing, he took something from his pocket. A syringe. The amplifying serum Lady Ada had given Johnathan at the stairs. "Good luck, eh." He tapped Johnathan's shoulder, smiling.

"So it was his own sister that planned all of this." Symvasi said, shaking his head. "You will tell me all about it on our way."

"He'll do that." Wren said. "I'll take my leave now, Lord Symvasi. If you don't mind. It's not like I can do anything anyway. I'm still under the influence of your ability, annoying though it is." With that, Wren left, walking out through the hole in the wall, disappearing in the room with the incubator tanks.

Johnathan turned to Symvasi. She he fighting him? The thought vanished almost instantly. He's no match for a Royal Knight. "So, I follow you then?" He said instead.

"You do indeed."

***

They had found a car, a small vehicle that had escaped the destruction brought by Claudia's battle with Beodulf. Jake used his ability to hack it, placing a hand on it. The car unlocked itself and its engine turned on. Claudia let Zale help her get in, opening the door for her and easing her onto the back seat. Maya joined her while Jake took the passenger seat.

"Guess I'm driving." Zale said, getting on the driver's seat and closing the door. Rain splattered the roof and ran down the windows blocking visibility. Zale turned on the windshield and slowly drove in the direction of Imperial Square. He kept a slow pace, turning a street. The streets were empty, it seemed no one wanted to drive in the rain. It could be that, or it could be that all of High Tier district was aware of what was taking place today. Hendrick was to blame for that, mostly. The Lord Ruler had probably ordered every Royal and upper class Commoner to stay out of the streets today. The rain helped enforce that order.

"Holy shit." Jake said.

"What? What is it?" Claudia said, wincing in pain as she shuffled in her seat when Zale made another turn.

Jake turned around and showed her his cell-phone. "I hacked some of the cameras of those who're recording the fight at the Square. Keeping track of the fighting. And it looked like Will managed to do the impossible! He beat Heimdal."

"Will beat Heimdal?" Claudia repeated. A part of her didn't find that too unbelievable really, if you thought about it. William's ability was overpowered, and very few could win a fight against him if he had multiple abilities to choose from. Claudia was sure that right now, Imperial Square was like a buffet of abilities for him. "How did he do it?" The other part of Claudia told her that Heimdal's ability was difficult to deal with. If it had been in the hands of a regular Royal, then maybe, but Heimdal wasn't any Royal. He was a strong fighter, and strength of a Royal was usually represent by their Aura. Claudia's ability, for example, would do little in Jake's hands. Jake didn't train his body, so his Aura wasn't as potent, or vast, as hers. Most powerful ability required a lot of Aura to pull of their full extent. William, though he could hold many abilities, it required a lot of Aura to combine and use them. So how had he done it? How had he beat a man that can anticipate every attack.

"As far I can tell," Jake said. "He bombarded Heimdal with multiple abilities."

"You have a video?" 

Jake nodded. He handed Claudia his cellphone and she took it. Before she could press the button to watch it, a flash of red light zoomed by her. A laser. It had missed her by inches. She dropped the cellphone, pain rippling through her. She had to Ignite her Aura to heal some of her wounds, there was no other way. 

"Shit!" She heard Zale say as he lost control of the car and it began to spin in the wet steet. It came to a stop in the front yard of a house.

"The hell was that?" Maya said.

"Another ambush." Jake said. "Royals." He paused, looking at Zale. "Oh man. That's not good."

"What?" Claudia said, worried. "What is it?" She didn't have to guess much. She noticed the hole in the driver's seat left by the laser. It had gone through Zale's seat and through the back seats, and probably out the back of the car.

"I'm fine." Zale said, leaning and turning around to look at Claudia. A fist sized hole had burned through his left shoulder. "You girls alright?"

"Zale… you…"

"I'm fine." He repeated. "The lazer went right through and cauterized the wound for me. Hurts like hell and I probably wont be using this arm, but I'll live."

Fuck. "What are we dealing with Jake?" Claudia asked. She had healed most of her worst wounds, but her Aura was spent. She had maybe enough to heal the cutting of her finger, but not her arm.

"Three Royals, heading towards us." Jake said. "What do we do boss? I don't think I can take on three."

"It's ok Jake." Zale said. "He should be here any moment now."

"Who?"

"Out of the car!" The voice came from the street. A Royal. It was like Jake had said. Claudia could see them now, standing in the street, under the rain. The middle one raised a hand and his palm started glowing red. "Or I shoot again."

Claudia recognized that ability. X-Laser. A superhero turned Royal. A traitor with a dangerous ability. Claudia was about to open the door to get out but Zale stopped her. "No need. Let him shoot."

"Are you insane!" Maya snapped.

"Trust me. I called for help, and he said he's here." Zale pulled out his cellphone, waving it with a smile.

"Fine!" X-Laser said. "You asked for it." He brought his other hand out, it also started to glow. Two beams of red light shot out from both his palms, but they hit an invisible barrier. An Aura barrier. It had surrounded the car. Claudia saw a figure walked out from behind her to stand between the car and the Royal, his back to Claudia. But she knew who it was. His ability was a giveaway. Obex. The Guardian of High Tier. She had regretted not including him on the Spectre Assault team for fear of him alerting the Lord Ruler, but it didn't matter. Hendrick had done worse.

Obex looked over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Claudia's. "Time Witch."

She nodded and smiled. "Guardian."

"You guys stand back. Three Royals is not a problem I can't deal with."

Claudia nodded.