Chapter 155

Chapter 155

Amos marched past the screens, a small box in his hands. He frowned a little, his eyes shooting over to Da-Som who gave him an uneasy look. He exhaled through his nostrils and stopped next to a portion of wall that seemed innocuous at first. With a flex of will he urged the false wall to part and slide open, a portion of the lab hidden from the less trusted techs, students, and instructors revealing itself. On the other side, five figures stood with an eerie stillness. A light came on and he leveled them with a stare. They had once been dolls created by Forge Tactical. He had visited their labs numerous times since The Hague, exchanging notes and ideas with their top scientists.

These were the fruits of his own study. Five dolls remade with all the skills he’d acquired since the flash. I just hope I don’t have to use them yet. Just in case, though... He trailed off as he opened the case, revealing five long slightly rounded cards that had been plated on one side with that bone-colored white metal. He clicked his tongue and walked around the first one, glancing at the back of its neck where a slot just large enough for one waited.

“Are you sure?” Da-Som asked, “What if-”

Amos snorted, “I can handle it,” He said before he flinched and glanced at the screens. “Things are getting worse out there,” He scoffed, “They were going to film everything and doctor it up before releasing it to the public, nasty,” He muttered and looked back at the machine in front of him, “They’re going to regret not coming in prepared for a live-stream.”

He paused and blinked before looking at the screens again, lowering the box in his hand. He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow as the idea that struck him caused his heart to start thundering. He looked back at the dolls and began to slide the cards into their necks one at a time, e on Chunhua,” He murmured, “Give me a reason to do it. Put on a good show and I’ll make sure everyone sees,” He thought as he glanced at another screen where over a dozen faces were flush with anger.

Carla could really use it.

–

Chunhua trembled with rage, watching as that woman with the ashen hair stalked back and forth in front of the doors. “Black Lotus! Come on out!” She called, meeting her eyes. Chunhua set her lips into a thin line and held her ground before glancing past her towards the other two that were standing behind her comrades, just waiting for an excuse. Rouge, Axel, Canis, Bedrock, Crowley, she thought, searching their faces. Axel was bloody but defiant in his stare. Canis wasn’t faring well, she could die at any moment, and Crowley’s face was stricken. Rouge held her head high despite every attempt to push her forward towards the ground. Bedrock... Bedrock was half-dead from the looks of it.

The woman glanced over her shoulder at the others, following Chunhua’s stare and whipped her head back, eyes narrowed. Something tingled in the air and mana drew towards the woman as she took a step forward with a quick swing of her sword. The glass of the door shattered in front of Chunhua who didn’t so much as blink. Chunhua looked down at the glass and then up at the woman. That felt like my ability, Lillians. A cultivator? She narrowed her eyes as the woman smirked at her and rested her sword on her shoulder, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I think you need some motivation,” The woman said, “Come on out or-”

“Why?” Chunhua demanded. “Why don’t you face me here?”

The woman tilted her head and shrugged playfully, “You think I’m stupid? We know ASTA’s chief scientist is in there as well as all those students of yours. Who knows what kind of trap you guys have set,” She said before scratching her head and meeting Chunhua’s gaze with one eye open. She sighed, “Fine, have it your way,” She grunted, “Sir Ellis, how about the half-dead one? She’s almost done anyway,” she shook her head, “Nah, do the annoying earth guy.”

Behind her, the lanky man sauntered over to stand behind Bedrock, a small chime ringing out over her ears now that the glass was gone. Chunhua tensed, Shit! They’re going to- Ahead of her, the others whirled and tried to pull from their bindings only for the red light user to clench his fist and pull them back down to a kneeling position. He grinned at them and then at Chunhua. Ellis flexed his fingers and held up his hand before swinging back down to strike. Chunhua squeezed her eyes shut and cursed, Damn it! She swore before stepping out.

“Stop!” Chunhua barked.

Ellis froze and looked up at her, disappointment flickering on his features before he lowered his hand to his side and took a few steps back from Bedrock.

“What do you want?” Chunhua asked, her heart pounding in her ears.

“A duel,” The woman said, pointing her sword at Chunhua’s heart, “You and me, ‘World’s Strongest’. I want to know who’s better.”

Chunha gave her a flat stare, she didn’t have any choice in the matter but maybe she could set the terms. “No powers.”

The woman smirked, “That’s your choice,” She said with a snort, “Not something I’m going to abide by.”

Chunhua glared at her but didn’t dignify her with a response. She let out a sigh through her nostrils. She was more than strong enough without her abilities to handle most Light-Touched.. Even if this woman was powerful, she couldn’t use her powers, that’s what they wanted from her. She would never give them the satisfaction. She ground her teeth as she drew her sword and leveled the woman with a stare. “Your name?” She asked.

“I’m not usually in the habit of giving dead people my name,” The woman said, checking her nails, “But if you must know, it's Dame Kant, a member of Lady Liberty’s Round Table. Though you can call me Heavenly Demon.”

Chunhua’s shoulders stiffened, Worse than a cultivator. She thought before taking a fighting stance. Her weapon held up before her as she shifted her weight. She wouldn’t be lured into using her abilities here, no matter what. Dame Kant held her own weapon out lazily, her head tilted as her eyes began to glow with a dark red light tinged with orange. She sneered before kicking off the ground in a flash of movement. One moment she was there, the next she was- Chunhua spun, raising her weapon and bracing herself as an attack came from behind and to the left. The strike pushed her back, her feet sliding against the ground as she met a pair of burning crimson eyes with her own black stare.

Please.

“The United States endorses the proposal,” Representative Harman said and gave her a small nod and she nearly felt her knees give out beneath her.

“All in favor?”

–

“You’re the strongest, aren’t you? If you’re the strongest, then no one can stop you, right? That’s the point! That’s what it means to be free in this new world!” Kant roared, throwing her arms wide. “Liberty has it right! The strong survive, the weak serve! Heroes go against the natural order of things!” She bellowed and started striding towards Chunhua while pointing at the cultists. “They’re here because they want to be! Because they know they serve a higher purpose. Us!” She roared, “Don’t you get it? We mythics are the future of mankind!”

Chunhua glowered at the woman from where she knelt, blood dripping from her body. Her vision wobbling. She frowned. You’re wrong. We have a responsibility. She thought as she tried to get up. Her heart sank as her leg trembled. What can I do? Even if I beat her, I still have the others to deal with. They could lash out and kill them as soon as it’s over. She bit her lip. She looked the woman in the eyes as she got even closer.

“Screw the rules, am I right?” Kant laughed.

Rules. Chunhua thought and looked down at her knees. Do I even deserve to call myself a hero? She thought about Sonya. About that day in her office. About what she’d done. About how much Sonya had given to a world that would never forgive her for saving it. About how every single day she struggled to compromise her feelings, her respect, and her desire to do what she needed to do and stop Ishtar, regardless of her intentions. Rules. The World’s Strongest? What a joke.

Her shoulders sank and the woman stood over her. What am I supposed to be? She thought. Who am I supposed to be?

‘Stand up little hero, that’s not all you’ve got, is it?’ Ishtar’s mocking voice sounded through her mind. A memory, a message, a challenge. Kant raised her weapon and snorted as Chunhua’s heart pounded in her chest.

Not even in the slightest, monster. Chunhua snarled back. I’ll be there. I’ll fight you every step of the way. I’ll be there for her and I’ll fight you. I’ll beat you. Somehow I’ll make it work. Because that’s what a hero does. They make the impossible possible.

Chunhua forced herself to her feet and got in Kant’s face. The woman leaped back, surprised as Chunhua held her sword out. “And that is exactly why I follow the rules!” She shouted, “Because if I’m the strongest, if I can do whatever I want, and I make that choice, then everyone behind me will know it’s okay to do the same! That it’s the right thing to do!” She bellowed. “So I’ll follow those rules, even to my dying breath!” She shouted and marched forward, weapon at her side, “Come, villain! Because that’s all you are, and all you will ever be!”

Kant bore her teeth and stalked forward in response, a sneer on her face, “Have it your way!”

BRRZZZT!

Both of them froze, Chunhua looked up, The intercom?

“Attention invading force. My name is Carla Mint of the Pandora Committee. I am asking you to lay your arms down immediately and surrender. This is non-negotiable,” That small woman said in a hard voice, “Respond at once.”

Kant snorted and raised her voice, “No!” She laughed and looked back to Chunhua.

“Very well,” Miss Mint said, “Then as acting Chairwoman of the Pandora Committee...” She began and Kant’s head whipped towards the building, her eyes going wide before looking back at Chunhua, “I hereby temporarily reinstate Lian Chunhua, Black Lotus and end her suspension until the time that all existing threats are dealt with,” there was a heavy pause, “Black Lotus!” she snapped with a commanding tone.

Chunhua felt something fall off her shoulders she didn’t even know was there, she stood up straight and squared her shoulders, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Yes Ma’am!” she barked with all the strength in her lungs.

“Do not hold back under any circumstances, bring them to their knees and show them exactly what the world's strongest hero is capable of!” Carla commanded and cut the signal.

To all the world around her, Chunhua’s eyes started to glow. The ground shook. The clouds moved. The earth cracked. She gripped her sword tight as she took a thunderous step forward, “Hero Black Lotus, on duty!” she rumbled as she raised her sword.