An Earned Victory

Alan grabbed Jarvis by the throat and dragged him with his momentum into the ground and kept his ability activated and continuously dragged him into the ground while breaking it upon impact.

He jammed his face into the ground and showed no mercy, Although he was low on energy he kept his skill intact and moved on, not a second later his green aura started to flicker as his energy started to consume away, but this was not gonna stop him as he screamed on while punching him as well. Jarvis was in a confused state and in addition to Alan's continuous punches he started to have a concussion and the stolen energy from Barry made it impossible for him to get back up.

Alan's energy had almost worn off but that couldn't be said for his determination as now an icy blue wrapped around him, this indicated Gabriel's energy that he gave, and some moment later, It changed to sea blue indicating Shelby's energy and at last, he came to a stop with Jarvis completed underground, as he barely opened his eyes.

Alan was not over yet as he was reminded how he tortured his friend and as well Ray, Barry's friend. He barely raised his hand and punched Jarvis, once again, once again. Jarvis at this point was bleeding heavily and one more punch would end him. Alan didn't care one bit as he gathered his tiny bit of energy to throw one last punch, but before he could he heard a sharp sound from behind him as Barry sprinted his way to grab his hand before he could land the punch.

"Stop, just stop or he'll die.", said Barry while calming Alan and making him get off of Jarvis.

"He deserves to die after what he did we shouldn't show him mercy", argued Alan.

"And would that make us any different from them?" answered Barry.

Alan immediately quieted down as he fell on the ground for extensive use of energy. He went towards the others and helped them back to their feet and also Hazel was now free from his spell as he was too weak to control it. They altogether made their way toward Barry who was standing in front of Jarvis's unconscious body. Everyone was confused as to what to do now as they would most likely not leave him be as he would seek revenge, they decided to ask Barry for his opinion but he didn't reply and instead stood still and quiet waiting for something.

And just like he predicted Jarvis's body soon started to fade away into a shadowy figure which later vaporized in the air and disappeared. All four of them were shocked as they didn't know this could happen but one man wasn't shocked, it was Barry as he knew what would have happened.

"It's the shadow curse, a curse that is applied to everyone who works under the leadership of the shadows. Jarvis was maybe once a random guy in desperate need of help and stumbled upon the leader and accepted his offer to work under his security but with the curse of course. I didn't know this until when I was in the war and one of my comrades deserted the field as he had accepted the deal with the shadows not because he was in danger but because he was in need of new power as the thought he was not enough to standout and was misjudged by everyone, so he committed a war crime and as a warrior, I had to take action and, killed him. After his death, I sat on a tree hidden near his body seeing his brother cry but his death was unavoidable as he would have turned out just like Francis. I watched as his body crumbled away and then I learned about this curse.", narrated Barry while tearing up.

Barry moved his face away from the group as he signaled them to follow him back home. They had a pretty slow journey with Barry carrying Hazel and Shelby and Gabriel assisted him by having his hand around their shoulders, The two doctors also followed them. After a tiring journey, they finally made their way back to the light residency and as the gate opened they saw something they didn't expect.

Barry, Alan, Gabriel, Hazel, and Shelby, the renowned heroes who had just emerged from an incredible battle, walked wearily down the main street. They were slightly bruised and battered, their costumes bearing the scars of their valiant effort.

Word of their triumph had spread like wildfire, and the city's inhabitants had gathered to express their gratitude. As the heroes approached, cheers erupted, filling the air with a deafening roar of admiration and appreciation.

A sea of smiling faces welcomed them, young and old alike, holding signs and banners with heartfelt messages. The heroes couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and renewed strength coursing through their veins.

Barry, with his superhuman speed, was the first to reach the crowd. Children clamored around him, eyes wide with awe, as they asked for autographs and posed for pictures. Barry obliged, flashing his infectious smile and making each child feel like they were the most important person in the world.

Each one of them walked through the celebration with people cheering and shouting their names with the title "hero" on it and finally, they were escorted to a resting place where they were to stay and replenish their energy until they were asked about their mission to store information for any next battle.

The hotel's resting place for mission-accomplished individuals was a tranquil oasis nestled within the bustling city. A spacious lounge welcomed them, adorned with plush sofas and soft, dimmed lighting. The air carried a soothing fragrance, providing a refreshing respite from the outside world. Gentle instrumental music played in the background, creating a serene ambiance that enveloped the weary heroes as they sank into the comfortable seats, their muscles relaxing with every passing moment.

Alan immediately went into a room and jumped into his fluffy bed and in a few moments, immediately went to sleep. Seeing him Barry wasn't going to back out and followed his steps as well, meanwhile, the three went to the food aisle to get a plateful of cuisine to fill their hunger and they sat on the comfy sofa to enjoy the meal.

A few hours passed with all of them relaxing in their comfy palace before a lady walked in carrying a message.

"Dear, warriors who have just returned from the mission, the master would like to meet you all, Thank you."