A familiar Summon

Guardian's Chamber

The Guardian's Chamber glowed with its usual soft, celestial light, its walls shifting with gentle currents of energy like the inside of a living star. Kira and Decibolt stepped inside, the portal sealing behind them with a low hum.

Hakim stood in front of the main console, frustration etched across his features. "We've searched every sector of the city," he said, arms folded. "And the tracker still hasn't detected any shards. We're nowhere close to collecting them all."

The Guardian's voice rolling through the chamber like distant thunder. "That's because the shards weren't scattered across Singapore alone. The Shattering projected them across the world." Its gaze shifted, glowing. "Singapore holds the most because it was the epicenter. But the rest... far beyond your borders."

Kira exhaled sharply. "So now we have to travel to every single country and fight a bunch of summons?"

"Stop complaining," the Guardian replied, the air vibrating around it. "One country at a time. Your first destination... England. Teleport to the capital and begin your search there."

Kira exchanged a look with Decibolt—half annoyance, half resignation. "Fine."

The air twisted, the portal opening like a circular wound in space. Together, they stepped through.

England – London – 3:34 PM

London greeted them with a wind that smelled of burned metal and damp stone. Charred buildings lined the streets. Abandoned cars sat frozen mid-traffic, blackened by scorch marks. The sky itself seemed bruised, stained by leftover smoke.

Molecular Girl—Kira—took in the devastation. "Whoa... this place is a wreck."

Decibolt knelt, brushing a finger over a cracked, scorched street tile. "Scorch marks everywhere. Something big happened here."

"Let's just get this over with," Kira muttered, tapping her tracker.

Decibolt scanned the display. "Three shards forty-five degrees southeast. One thirty-six degrees southwest." He paused. "Wait... the southwest one is moving. Someone must have found it."

"Then that's our first stop," Kira said. "We circle back for the others."

Their hover bikes roared to life, engines humming against the silence of the dead city. They sped down the desolate road until a lone van appeared in the distance. Kira raised a hand, signaling it to stop.

The van rolled to a halt. A weary woman lowered her window.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice tense.

"We think you might have something of ours," Kira said, projecting an image of a glowing shard from her Galaxom.

The woman frowned. "I've never seen anything like that in my life."

Decibolt tapped his Galaxom, scanner flashing. "My tracker says it's inside your van."

"Then your tech must be broken," the woman snapped. "Because I don't have anything like that."

Decibolt's tone sharpened. "My tech is never wrong. So you can hand it over... or we'll take it."

The woman's hand twitched near her phone. "If you don't let me go, I'll call the police."

Kira lifted a hand, stepping between them. "There's no need for that. Just—give us a second."

Decibolt shot her a look. "What are you doing? The shard's in there."

"I know," she whispered. "But this isn't our city. We can't just threaten people. The shard could've fallen into her van without her realizing it."

The woman sighed. "You're wasting my time."

Kira softened her voice. "We're sorry. But... why is this place so deserted?"

The woman studied them, as if weighing their sincerity. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No," Kira replied. "We're Singaporeans."

"That explains a lot." She glanced down the empty road. "London wasn't always like this. It used to be the pride of England. Then a man and his servant—one who controls electricity and lightning—destroyed it. Most people are too terrified to leave their homes."

Kira raised a brow. "Then why are you out here?"

"My name is Joanne," she said. "Former Deputy Mayor. Now I deliver goods to that ruthless man to keep the remaining population safe."

Kira folded her arms. "How about this. We check your van. In return, we'll take down those villains for you."

Joanne hesitated... then nodded. "Fine. Go ahead."

Kira climbed into the van, sifting through boxes until a quiet glow pulsed from beneath a tarp. She pulled out the shard, its golden light dancing across her face.

"Found it."

Joanne's eyes widened. "I—I don't know how that got there..."

"It's fine," Kira assured her, hopping out. "Just take us to those villains. We'll handle the rest."

Joanne's eyes filled with relief. "Bless you both."

They climbed into the van. The engine groaned as she drove toward the city's edge.

At the Mansion

The iron gates creaked open as the van rolled into a courtyard lined with cracked cobblestones and half-dead hedges. A man stepped out onto the balcony above, sneering.

"You're late," the Summoner barked.

"The van ran out of—" Joanne began.

"Spare me." The Summoner narrowed his eyes. "Maybe I should call my servant out."

Joanne swallowed hard, but her inner voice spat pure defiance. Go ahead. I'd love to see him try.

"Oh?" the Summoner said, amused. "Growing bold, are we? Very well. Zaps!"

The sky darkened in an instant. A vortex of yellow smoke spiraled overhead before a jagged bolt of lightning tore downward. It struck the courtyard, materializing into a human-shaped figure armored in crackling blue and gold electric energy and a face mask with lighting blot design.

"Zaps," the Summoner commanded, "teach this old hag a lesson."

"This will be over in a flash."

A whip of electricity shot out—only to explode in midair as a sonic blast cut through it.

Joanne stumbled back. "H-how did you—"

Decibolt stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "If I were you, I'd leave. Things are about to get intense."

The Summoner's eyes blazed. "Whoever you are... you'll pay for this. Zaps!"

"On it, boss. Electro Ball!"

His arm swung forward, and a brilliant orb erupted from his palm. The sphere shrieked through the air before detonating against the ground, a shockwave blasting dust and sparks across the courtyard. The heroes scattered, their silhouettes cutting through the rising haze.

Decibolt slid to a stop, brows lifted with casual confidence. "We've seen all his tricks. This'll be easy."

But Zaps was already upon him. The lightning-born summon surged forward in a burst of crackling speed, his fist steaming with raw voltage. He swung. Decibolt reacted instantly, vaulting over him with an acrobatic snap and firing a sonic blast downward. The wave struck Zaps squarely, hammering him into the stone.

"Quadruple Sonic Disc!"

Four glowing disc screamed outward from Decibolt's hands, slicing the air with surgical precision.

"Electro Spear!"

Zaps answered with a spear of lightning, the weapon tearing through the discs and shattering them in a burst of fractured sound. Before the light had even faded, Kira lunged in—her body twisting into a whirlwind of momentum—but Zaps caught her leg mid-spin. With a violent, whiplike motion, he slammed her into the ground, the impact sending a ripple through the courtyard.

She barely had time to gasp before he hurled her upward and blasted her mid-flight with an Electro Ball. The explosion sent her tumbling across the stones.

"Electro Bullet!"

Zaps unleashed a storm of rapid-fire bolts. Decibolt took the brunt of the barrage, the blows folding him to the ground.

The Summoner smirked. "Nice one, Zaps."

Decibolt pushed himself upright, wiping grit from his cheek. "Just to be sure—do an SCS."

Molecular Girl's eyes flashed as she scanned the summon. "Category: Elemental Manipulator. Combat Power: 614."

Decibolt clicked his tongue. "Not weak, then. But we still know his moves."

Zaps grinned, sparks coiling tighter around his body. "Do you? Electro Zaps Attack I: Lightning Speed!"

His form blurred into a streak of shimmering electricity, unleashing a blinding sequence of punches and kicks. Decibolt countered with equal ferocity.

"Sonic Step!"

They met in a furious exchange, each impact flashing like tiny supernovas. The courtyard rang with the clash of sound and lightning until both were forced back, panting from the strain.

Zaps straightened, a dangerous grin spreading across his face. "You matched my speed... but can you match this? Electro Zaps Attack II: Electro Light Bomb!"

A massive orb of energy erupted between his palms and hurtled forward.

"Gravitational Kinesis Attack II: Anti-Gravity Beam!" Kira shouted.

The beam ripped the explosive sphere upward, hurling it into the sky before she leapt up and shattered it with a kinetic punch. Fragments of sparking energy fizzled out as they fell.

Decibolt lifted both arms. "Dual Gigantic Sonic Disc!"

Zaps raised his own hand. "Amping the voltage? Then so am I."

A storm-charged Electro Ball streaked forward, colliding with the two mammoth discs. The impact erupted into a thunderous explosion that swallowed the battlefield in thick smoke.

From within the cloud, a voice cut through the chaos.

"Surprise!"

Zaps lunged, but Kira intercepted him, catching his leg with surgical precision. She slammed him down, swung him left and right like a pendulum, then hurled him skyward.

"Full Body Repulsion!"

A blast of force rippled outward from her, smashing Zaps back into the dirt.

"No one intercepts my spin kicks and walks away," she said coldly.

Zaps pushed himself up again. She advanced, unleashing a barrage of rapid punches that hammered into his skull and jaw. She uppercut him—but Zaps ignited his body mid-strike, electricity shocking her arms and forcing her back.

"You've got skill," he said, shoving her away. "But mine are better."

He conjured several Electro Spears and sent them whistling toward her. Kira slammed her palms together, forming a glowing Molecular Wall that absorbed the projectiles before she tore chunks of stone from the earth and flung them like missiles.

Zaps dashed between airborne slabs, hopping from one to the next before vaulting off the last.

"Fun's over. Electro Zaps Attack IV: Thunder Strike!"

A colossal bolt tore through the sky and speared Kira midair, sending her crashing to the ground in a violent burst of light.

"Sonic Storm!" Decibolt roared.

A tidal wave of sonic force smashed into Zaps, hurling him across the plaza.

The Summoner snapped, "Enough games, Zaps! Finish this!"

The summon nodded. "Then let's crank the voltage to maximum. Electro Zaps Attack VI: Sparkling Zaps! -mega thunder storm"

Storm clouds erupted overhead. Zaps rose into the air, electricity surging wildly around him. A tornado descended, capturing the heroes and dragging them upward as lightning rained down relentlessly.

Both heroes screamed through the wind.

"I—I can't—take much more!" Kira strained.

Decibolt gritted his teeth. "I... I have an idea. Supersonic Decibolt!"

His aura detonated around him. The air warped.

"Ripple Portal!"

The portal swallowed Zaps whole, ejecting him high above into the storm he had created.

Zaps laughed. "I'm immune to lightning, fools. You've only given me front-row seats to your defeat!"

Decibolt steadied himself. "Immune, maybe. But Sparkling Zaps makes you the perfect conductor."

Every bolt from the storm converged on Zaps at once.

He screamed, unleashing a desperate blast. "Final Supersonic Ripple Blast!"

The beam tore downward—only for the storm to break, dropping him out of its path. The blast missed.

Decibolt cursed. "Tch. I can't fire another until it recharges."

Kira landed hard, skidding across the stones. She rose, aura glowing fiercely.

"And what made you think you're the only one who can finish a summon?"

She amplified her gravity, accelerating her fall. She struck the ground like a meteor, power surging through every muscle.

"Kinetic Punch Barrage!"

She pummeled Zaps relentlessly, her fists raining down like a storm of their own. With a final leap, she soared above him—

—and brought her heel down in a gravity-enhanced kick.

Zaps exploded into yellow smoke and vanished entirely.

The Summoner froze. "Impossible!"

Kira flicked her fingers. A ripple of force struck him, and he slapped himself unconscious. She casually retrieved the shard from his pocket.

The Deputy Mayor rushed forward, trembling. "Thank you! Thank you! Is there anything else I can do for you? Just letting you search my van wasn't enough."

"There is, actually," Kira said.

Broadcast Station

Kira stood before the live camera, her expression firm.

"If you see any of these shards," she announced, "please contact the number below."

When the broadcast ended, she exhaled. "Thanks for letting us use the international broadcast station."

"It's the least I could do," the Deputy Mayor replied. "You saved our city."

Decibolt stretched his shoulders. "Guess it's back to the shard hunt."

"Wait," Kira said. "Why stick together? You go north, I'll go south."

"Works for me."

She paused, then raised a brow. "And by the way... you could've used your Ripple Portal to get us out of that lightning storm."

Decibolt let out a dry huff. "Altering space is kind of hard when sparks and gale-force winds are trying to erase your face."