The Debut of the Hero: Part Four

Samara ran after one of the tanks, her sword ready to strike as she closed the distance. The metal beast barreled through the streets of Centralia, firing at buildings and threatening countless lives. She leapt, plunging Mutterklinge into a precise spot. She couldn’t simply destroy its battery and risk an explosion. Luckily Riktar had taught her the more delicate place to strike, a central brain box which would shut it down.

Around her, screams and shouts and swords clashing rang out. Zero Hour terrorists were pouring through the streets.

The guards were handling them.

She had to handle the tanks.

“And then Tech Mind…” Samara said as she ran to where the next tank was.

Please, she thought. Keep them all safe…

*

It was only minutes earlier when her day had tilted off its axis.

“You killed my mother.”

Tech Mind lifted one of his legs, the steel tip gleaming in the sunlight as he glared at Mira.

“One of these right in the heart. To be fair, though, I was aiming for your father.”

Samara gripped Mutterklinge tightly, knuckles turning white.

“Whatever you’re planning, you won’t win,” Samara said.

“Well I planned on killing you and delivering a devastating blow to the monarchy, but your skillful block of my shot has indeed put some doubt into said plan.”

His grin widened as he leaned forward.

“So let’s change the game.”

The tanks roared to life and turned on the crowd. People began to scream and run as the magitech behemoths turned their guns towards them.

“Stop! How are you…” Samara shouted as she ran at Tech Mind, her blade raised. She slashed at his legs…

…and for the first time, the Hero's sword was blocked.

“How?” Samara stuttered, gazing between her sword and the spindly arms growing out of Tech Mind’s back.

“Ask the king. I’d tell you to ask his brother, but I already killed him,” Tech Mind said. “Now, where was I…”

He looked towards the path leading to the palace where the king, princess and the rest of the Willingham family were running. Riktar was behind them, the loyal guard dog, while Furion and Iline ran to join Samara.

“Ah. A point of decision. A fine moment of moral clarity. Listen well, Hero. I am going to go kill the king and his daughter. Possibly your family, too, if they get in my way. Now, you could try to stop me, getting into a fight with those two knights. You’ll probably beat me, too. Or, you could stop…”

An explosion echoed through the streets of Centralia, followed by screaming.

“…the tanks. My Zero Hour members are causing a bit of unbridled chaos as well. The king droned in his speech about you being able to stop one of those machines. I bet you’re the only hope those good people have before they start racking up some real damage. The guards will be overwhelmed with my men already. But if you leave…”

He pointed towards the castle.

“…I’m going after them.”

With a sudden mighty leap the villain cleared the three warriors standing before him, scrambling up the path towards the castle. Samara turned, beginning to follow him.

“No!” Furion shouted, grabbing her shoulder.

“My family is up there!”

“He’s right! Gods damn it, we need you down here! Please…Samara, Riktar is with them. The people need their hero.”

Another explosion. More screams.

The loudest of which came from Samara as she reluctantly followed the two knights into the city.

*

“What is he?!” Hunter bellowed as they entered the castle, the massive doors shutting behind them.

“He killed my mom. The terrorist from…” Mira started to say, shaking.

“How is he using magic?! People can’t use magic! We can only use weapons imbued with magic! How is the freak controlling the tanks?!”

“He is the weapon.”

The Willinghams turned to look at Riktar. His eyes were grim.

“I read the files on him and his…siblings. Long story short, the king’s brother, prince Briom, tried to create an artificial Hero. All off the books. Nobody besides his men knew. Those legs of his? The metal and wires run all through his body. It was…”

Riktar looked away from the family.

“A nightmare which I stopped after finding out about it,” Allius said. “After he killed my wife. He blames the entirety of the monarchy for the horrors inflicted upon him.”

“Great. Prefect. Wonderful,” Hunter ranted, pacing. “Now what?”

“The castle should be well protected enough to…” Riktar started to say.

One of the windows flanking the doors crashed inward as Tech Mind launched through it.

“Ah! The royal entryway! This brings back memories!” Tech Mind cackled as knights descended upon him.

“Split up! Run, your highnesses!” Riktar shouted, drawing his sword. He turned to face the terrorist, his expression grim but set. “O ENCHANTED BLADE, GIVE ME THE UNYIELDING STRENGTH OF METAL! I CALL UPON YOU, IRON WILL!”

Riktar’s skin instantly hardened, a thick layer of enchanted metal sliding over his flesh as the sword Iron Will flowed with energy.

“This ain’t no damn Mother Blade, but I’ll sure leave those fancy arms of yours with one hell of a repair bill!” Riktar roared as he leapt at the terrorist slaughtering the other knights.

“This way, Willinghams!” Allius shouted, grabbing Alec and leading them towards a side passage. “Riktar is right. We must split up. Once Samara engages with him she will defeat him. If we separate it makes his chances of finding all of us far less likely before she does.”

“All of us. But he might find some of us,” Hunter said.

“Alec, guide your family down this hall. It leads to the stable where the magitech carriages are. Get your children to safety while we…”

“No. I…Hunter, can you lead the girls there?” Alec asked, grabbing his son’s shoulders.

“Where the hell are you going?”

“The magitech center. If he is controlling the tanks…look, magitech runs on a signal which mana crystals put out. I think I can identify the deviant one he is using and cut it off. If your mom didn’t have to worry about those tanks, she could get here faster. Might even screw with him while I’m at it.”

“I do not like this,” Allius said. “It is dangerous, separating yourself from your children. All to risk…”

“All due respect, your majesty, this is not a risk. My wife is out there. My children are terrified. And, to be frank, I am a genius. I will do this. I will save them.”

Allius gazed into the man’s eyes, then nodded. “Go. Quickly. Who knows if more Zero Hour remembers have infiltrated the castle.”

Alec knelt and hugged all of his children at once. “Be brave. Listen to Hunter. Okay?”

“Be fast, Daddy,” Violet said through frightened sniffles.

“I will be. Go.”

Hunter grabbed Rose’s hand. She grabbed Lily’s hand, who grabbed Daisy’s, who grabbed Violet’s.

“I’ll escort them to the stable, then take a separate carriage,” Mira said. “I assume you’ll be taking the hidden…”

Her father pressed a finger to her lips.

“I love you. I promise you, nobody else falls today.”

Mira nodded, hugged her father, and disappeared down the hall with the other children, leaving behind two fathers separated by class but sharing the same horrific ache.

*

Furion finally managed to melt through the armor of the magitech tank into the mana circuit core. He held up one hand while his other gripped his sword, Valiant Inferno, tightly. A ball of hot explosive mana appeared in his hand, and he quickly chucked it into the hole.

“Boy do I wish I could make a bigger boom to ensure…”

The top of the tank erupted into a small pillar of fire. The treads ground to a violent halt and fell silent. Furion pumped his fist in triumph.

“Never mind, adequate explosion. Hey sis, you taken down your tank yet?” he asked, tapping on the mana wave communicator in his ear.

“I’m having a bit of trouble, bro! Lots more of these terrorists around here! But I have at least kept it from making more progress!” Iline said, slashing a sword wielding Zero Hour terrorist with her frost covered blade, Winter’s Morn. The frozen fountain in the square vibrated and cracked as the tank shot at another building, its treads iced solid and immobile.

“Samara! How are you doing?” Furion asked as he ran through the streets towards where he last heard an explosion.

“Well, I’ve finished with my fourth tank. Am I making good progress?” Samara’s calm voice asked.

Furion paused his run, leaning against a light pole.

“Fourth freaking…where are you now?”

“Um…near the dress shop Mira took me to once!”

“I don’t know where your favorite dress shop is!”

“Starlight Ave, probably! You noticing a pattern here, bro? Where the tanks seem to be heading?”

“Yeah. I am. Samara, the tanks fanned out initially, but they’re all heading in one direction. Biggest thing in their path is Sister Elebeta’s Hospital. My best guess, the hospital is their target. Get there now and…”

“Already on my way!”

Samara sprinted through the streets, quickly dispatching any Zero Hour members she saw as she made her way towards the hospital, lamenting how Hero powers didn’t come with super speed.

“Attacking a hospital…I promise you, mom is coming to save everyone…”