The strange thing about these voices was that they were in different parts of his head and they were identical to his. He tried to stand up but his body quivered violently and he barely managed to stand up straight. His body temperature was rising and decreasing in instability. It felt like his skin had been poured with a bucket of boiling water. The voices in his head kept increasing. Some got louder but others just maintained their whispers.
The Finch now stood before him. ‘I’m surprised you’re still breathing,’ she said standing with her arms akimbo. ‘I guess that potion you drank turned out to be stronger than I thought. Well then…let’s finish you off, shall we?’ She grabbed him by his throat and she placed her other hand on his mask. ‘Maybe I should give you a kiss goodbye before I put you out of your misery.’ She began pulling on his mask.Brendan released a bellow of frustration, ‘Stop!’ he shoThere was not a sound that came from the two Versatiles as they stood facing each other. Murder was written on both faces. There was no human being in sight but only the path of destruction that had been carved by them both. The wind had even calmed down as if in fear of the two powerful forces standing inside it.The Finch blinked and just as she did, Brendan made his move…He ran towards her using his heightened speed. As soon as he stopped in front of her he began throwing punches and kicks.The Finch had no difficulty in blocking these blows, yet her expression was anxiety.He landed a punch on her jaw and she shook her head for a brief moment but quickly recovered and the fight continued.Fortunately for Brendan, the basic boxing moves he had been taught by Howard were coming in handy now. He had never been taught how to use his legs but he was doing the best he could, assisted by his unique speed. He would dodge one of her punches then retaliate
She nodded, ‘You’re not used to your powers yet so I doubt that you have tapped into this ability. Anyway, I’ve been keeping the scrolls for a long time…’‘How did you even manage to get your hands on them?’‘Magic.’‘If your magic is that good then why didn’t you mingle some herbs and brew a potion that could force me to join forces with you?’She chuckled softly, ‘My magic is the best but no matter how hard I practice, it could never force another creature to do my bidding. Anyway…Maglereto didn’t use the most of his intelligence and make the writings more complicated…’‘Why did you steal the scrolls?’‘I didn’t steal them only for myself. The plan was to study them then give them to other Versatiles to study.’‘Why not steal them only for yourself then?’‘That’s only because I believe
‘Gri-what?!’She blew on her bruised knuckles and as soon as she did, a green fire circled around her fist. ‘Now, puny hero..! Meet your fate!’ she roared then she threw her fist towards him.Brendan turned and used his heightened speed to run as fast as his two feet could carry him. The Finch however, was in hot pursuit.‘Accept death like your best friend…just like you did before, you scum!’ she shouted from behind him.As he zigzagged around buildings, he managed to throw a hesitant but quick and brief glance over his shoulder and he saw that her fist was still covered in the green flames and she was clearly catching up to him. He ran up the walls of a multi-storey building, thinking this would at least shake her off his tail, but he was wrong. In the split-second that he had reached halfway up the building, he jumped in a backward flip so that when the Finch was below him he went for her throat with his right hand.
Brendan stood right where he had been buried. His whole costume was covered in dust and smudges of blood by the arms of his leather jacket. His eyes were completely black in color, smoke spiraling inside them like a fog, like there was a darkness that had resurrected him from his grave.‘How can this be?!’ The Finch walked towards him with her eyes focused on him in astonishment. She began massaging her head, ‘You’re a figment of my imagination or…or a ghost. There is no way you could have survived the Dirty Fate fist…Yes, that’s true….you’re just a ghost…Sweetheart, you’re a ghost or a soul who lost his way to hell.’One would think that the Finch had gone mad as she walked slowly toward Brendan, her eyes closed, talking almost to herself like a schizophrenic.‘You couldn’t have survived the Dirty Fate fist…or maybe did they lie..? Or maybe there’s something I didn&rs
‘The Blind helper committed these crimes all by her…’‘I said I do not die alone!’ she repeated as she nodded in Samantha’s direction.He stared at the Finch, his eyes still consumed in black.‘This city owes me that girl,’ the Finch said.‘How so?’ he asked.‘Ask the proud daddy,’ she said, falling on her knees at the same time.Samantha’s mother looked at her husband. ‘What is she talking about, honey?’ ‘It’s a lie! Don’t believe her!’ A man within the multitude shouted.‘It’s true,’ Samantha’s father confessed, bowing his head and releasing his hands from Samantha’s shoulders.The multitude began to quiet down.‘Baby, I’m really sorry. I’ve always wanted to tell you but…’He was slapped hard on the cheek by his wife. Tears were in her eyes and Samantha
‘Is she going to die?’ he asked whispering too.‘Can someone dead speak through the phone?’ he asked rhetorically in impatience.He obediently nodded. He took one last look at his wife and daughter who were still in tears with their arms wrapped around each other. ‘I love you; both of you…very much,’ he said and then he ran off into the road until he was concealed by a building nearby.‘No!’ Mrs. Patricks shouted and began to run after him.Samantha followed too but Brendan called her back. She stopped after having run a few yards. Her face was bowed low and covered in tears. She turned her face towards Brendan, ‘That’s my dad!!’ she shouted at him. Her face was red with grief.‘The Marauder knows…he’s doing this for your own safety.’‘How is this for my own safety?!’‘Do not question his judgment, little girl!’ he snapped at he
‘And what is this…banishment?’ she asked him as her eyes wandered in search of any sign of life.‘More or less.’‘What do you mean, “more or less”?!’‘This is a lot better than being burned alive if you ask the Marauder.’‘Banishment is worse if you ask “The Samantha”! What am I supposed to eat or drink or let alone sleep…in the sand?’‘Do you really think the Marauder would bring you out here to die?’‘You tell me! I mean, it’s not like I know you.’His black eyes slowly simmered down to their natural blue. He pulled his mask from his head. ‘OH MY!!!’ she gasped. ‘Brendan! But…but…but how?!’ She was beyond horrified.‘Calm down and I’ll explain everything.’‘Calm down?!’ Her eyes widened, ‘How am I supposed to calm down with what I&r
‘But if this Pernicious is that strong then there’s nothing you can do about it. Just let it go,’ she pleaded with her face full of tears.‘I wish I could but this is where I was born. I am human before anything else. You saw for yourself what these Supreme Races can do. If I left the people of Bradwield to protect themselves then they’re just as good as doomed. Simon, Owen, Miss Putin, Mr. Benson…everyone will die, Samantha. I’m the only one who can protect them.’She wiped the tears from her eyes vigorously. ‘Promise you’ll come for me when you’re done.’He looked aside, pain and grief gripping his heart. ‘Promise me!’ she begged him.‘I can’t.’‘Why? Don’t you love me anymore?’‘Sam, there are possibilities that I will die or I could lose myself, my humanity to my power.’ He realized that every single word coming