The Banshee In Seattle (Blog)

It has been months, since his invasion and claim of the city of Seattle and months later he still felt as alive and fulfilled as when he first started. The city has been laid to waste, nothing but debris and the lucky convienance stores, remained. Heroes have come, claiming to put his regime of terror to an end, but much like the mighty skyscrapers that once stood, they too have been stripped and crumbled. As for the villains looking to overturn his regime? They took a smarter approach, to hide in wait as they grow in number and power, but unknownst to them, Finis knows this. And as they grow, his power grows faster.

It was in this perpetual state of disorder that the Vengeful Vagabond thrived.

Occasionally, the skies thundered, a battle on the other side of the city commenced, a while a few survivors stopped and speculated, Finis himself continued to move forward. For in his mind, a target was nearby, a villain by the name of Shatterpoint acted as surveillance for the League of Villains that hid away from him, their eyes and ears. However, what was extremely important to The Spirit Of Unforgiving Destruction, was his power. A useful ability to see the bonds between atoms, and with that, everything around him. It would make patrolling the city, that much easier, instead of having to rely on the Cryo-Clones' delayed reports and drooling commentary.

Despite being in an apocalyptic state, the city remained silent for long periods of time, as if it were hold its breath for the final hooray, either a nuke or a godlike entity emerging from the sky to put it out of its misery once and for all. And in truth, Finis had wondered why neither of those has happened. During his walks, he saw nothing left that the Government would like to preserve, or in any logical reason, why gods didn't come pouring out the skies as they usually did. And if he had to pick one of the two to be his Armageddon, the latter would be best, as the powers that came with it would allow him to extend the reach of his philosophy beyond his current limits.

But back to reality.

The sounds of gunshots rang around the corner, the corner he was about to turn. And when he did, two hoodloms were fighting over.... something? He couldn't tell what it was, but what he saw from where he stood, they had no powers. Just common street thugs. He cleared his throat, and the world went silent as he commanded attention.

"Move out of my way..."

A brief exchange between the two, they recognized their ruler even in the rags he wore, and quickly scattered in opposite directions seeming to have forgotten the quarrel they had just a few moments ago. Like roaches. A parade of apologies left their lips, which grow quieter the further away Finis had gotten. And only a few meters in front of him is where the Shatterpoint, and his all-knowing sight hid. The building itself was half a skyscraper, one of the first that fell during the initial battle between him, the child and the American God. It still stood, in defiance of it missing a major portion of its support beams.

"Well, you're daring aren't you?" The words slithered from his cracked lips, twisted amusement and adrenaline rose up within him like a geyser ready to burst. And it did. The following words, were a mimicry the morals he had heard since his birth. An amalgamation of hatred and heretics, and it burst through with a roar of hatred. A cry of terror and cynicism that echoed for miles, a reminder of fear for those who wised to defy him."But fear not..."

He sat perched on rubble of a once great building, its former glory diminished but a support beam allowed enough height and cover for observation. It was serving Aiden well. He had entered Seattle through King County in the east three days ago in his search for O-Ma. His mother had begged him to stay home and not go back; he had promised that he was done with hero work.

He had broken that promise the last time he was in this city.

What remained of it that is.

So many heroes had fallen in Seattle in the last few months, the spark of hope had begun to extinguish and people have begun to give up all together. Less and less help was being sent to purge the villains and rescue the survivors who still remained in what had become a desolate wasteland. Guilt had eaten him from the inside out since the attack, but he expected someone to put an end to this. After three months it was clear there wasn't anyone coming to save the day. School was put on hold after the school bus Aidens class had taken on their field trip had failed to return to the school. They never came back. But Aiden hadn't forgotten about them, they took residency in his mind trapped there screaming at him begging for help. He should have stayed in the city, he never should have left. But he was there now, he would persevere, torch in hand to show that the flame had not died and that the people of Seattle were not abandoned.

Aidens focus was snapped down and to the left as he perceived movement below his vantage point, he gripped his mask and pulled it down his face, he spotted two individuals, both armed, dressed in rags, the first people he had seen since entering the city. Aiden cracked his neck and stretched his arms removing the fatigue remaining stationary had caused and inched slightly closer to the edge of his perch point. They were talking about food, something about the convenience store chains being the only way to get food and other necessities in the city and how those were quickly running low. A dark blue tendril of energy sprouted out of Aidens wrist and he silently attached it to where his feet were.

He waited in patience until the pairs backs were turned from each other and in no mood for niceties he pounced on the thug below him catching him in the small of his back with the Omigios tendril and watched as he sailed in the air in a blur, bouncing as if attached to a bungee cord as his gun rested in Aidens hand.

I only need to talk to one.

"Jeremy behind you!" His comrade shouted to his partner in warning, the long barrel of his automatic weapon spun around in a hurry only to be halted by the heros wrist. Two orbs of striking emerald green light shined behind what was otherwise just pure darkness. Those eyes held no emotion and no mercy, his mouth guard beaten and battered curved upwards in a sadistic grin. He moved a bit closer until he and his hostage were basically nose to nose.

When he spoke his voice came out icy and metallic as if he was sliding nails down a chalk board,

It's been months since he'd saw another human, his days were spent within a bunker. A coward as the skies lit up with powers beyond his imagining. All he could do was hide in fear. However, when he left, finally after his weeks of hiding, he wished he stayed hidden. Ignorant to what the city has become heroes and villains have become one of the same to him. To take and destroy as they will, without thought of the consequences of their actions.

He spent his early days alone, reminiscing. Of what once was his life. The days of skater bros, and headbutt. The days of getting into trouble, and barely escaping the police. His morale dropped significantly, leading him into a depression. The lives of his friends

His family.

Lives that were forgotten, potentially erased simply by the powers of above. And he did nothing to stop it.

However, even amongst the dystopia that Seattle was right now. There was still hope. Two people, someone may call them thugs, but in the past few months, they have proven themselves as comrades in Dwayne own rock-hard heart. They protected each other. Desoite their lack of powers, they stood up when the times were getting tough.

They were his bros.

Returning from a robbery from a nearby convenience store, Dwayne carried food in a duffelbag, all perishables that were going to go bad anyways. But as he neared to where his friends were. He saw trouble brewing near his friends as their shouts of worry echoed. Jeremiah was pinned down by some monster in rags, and the other one, Lucas, held his rifle at the aggressor but hesitated to shoot, because Lucas was so close.

The scene caused Dwayne to freeze in shock. There it was, his friends were in danger. And it made him angry.

He ran, not away this time, but towards the man threatening his friends with inhuman speed. And the earth rose from the ground, hurling sharp shrapnel at him, and his skin hardened And as Dwayne neared, he drew a fist back with a quenchable rage, full intent of killing him where he stood. Hero or Villain

"GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU F###ER!!!!'

Danger. Behind!

He whipped around kicking Jeremy out of the way of the shrapnel before sending a blast of air pressure in Dwayne's direction. He reacted purely on instinct letting his powers direct him, his gaze turned to Dwayne and the uprooted ground causing an eyebrow raise from Aiden. What the hell? Some kind of terrakinesis? That armor looks durable. But maybe it has a weak spot.

The base of his spine vibrated as the stranger closed the distance quickly, fist drawn with the itch to kill. Aiden calmly ducked and bounced back in a few short steps. Smoke seeped out of the folds of his tattered costume enveloping the surrounding area in dark emerald smoke. His voice passed through the fog "I don't want to fight you. I'm here for O-Ma"

He slithered throughout the smoke as he plotted his next move, he needed to conserve as much strength as he could for the battles ahead, and if Dwayne couldn't be reasoned with he'd have to be taken down as quickly as possible.

@omega_finis

@aiden_james:

The attacker slithered out of the way of his attack and filled the air with some kind of smoke screen. First the tentacles, and now the ink shield? Was this man part octopus? It didn't matter, he needed for Jeremy and Luke to get out of the way, to not hurt them in trying to fight them. "Boss Bros, get the hell outta here! And let me know when you do?"

"Aye aye."

"Gotchu"

He waited in silence as the smoke covered surrounded him, then the sounds of shots fired into the air alerted him that they were far enough away. "Look, I don't know who this O-ma guy is." It was truth, he had only heard of Lucas talking about him in passing but never mention him in detail, only that he was the one responsible for the state of Seattle. "But I do know that you tried to put my friends in harm's way" The shrapnel started circulated within the smoke, dozens of pieces of earth wisping through the smoke screen at deathly speed, a tornado of debris. "So, I'm gonna bring the harm to you!"

"Wait." A voiced called out, it was Lucas. "All the kid needs to know is where O-ma is right?" He shouted from a distance, appearing to have gotten closer. The debris slowed to a still, as Dwayne was unsure how close his comrade was to the fight. "Listen, I'll tell you. But you're gonna promise that you didn't hear this from me, alright?"

He dashed throughout the smoke with inhuman speed and agility, letting his danger sense guide him where his eyes could not. The armored fighter ordered his friends to retreat from inside the smoke screen and this time Aiden followed his voice moving decisively, he cut to the side and moved behind the cover of debris. The sound of gunfire announced the safety of the gunmen and Dwayne spoke to him.

"Look, I don't know who this O-ma guy is."

A sliver of irritation flickered across his brow. Now I'm just wasting time, Dwaynes' voice came from the left so Aiden dived to the right sliding into a roll and taking cover once again.

"But I do know that you tried to put my friends in harm's way. So, I'm gonna bring the harm to you"

The flow of the smoke began to shift as a cyclone of concrete, dust and dirt began circling the epicenter where Dwayne resided. "I just want to put an end to this, and I have no doubt in my mind that you and your friends are victims of this as well...but I won't let you stand in my way."

He moved further to the right until he was at Dwayne's back, his fingers clenched and a noise akin to tv static filled the air, a loud crack ensued as a wave of emerald electricity propagated from his fist, expanding and stretching across his body, there was no more time to expend here, O-Ma resided elsewhere and these men didn't know his location.

I'll put him to sleep and let his friends take him away.

He prepared to burst through the rubble and deliver a winning blow but Dwaynes allies had different plans, the one he had tied up shouted from a few feet away.

"Wait."

"All the kid needs to know is where O-ma is right?" Listen, I'll tell you. But you're gonna promise that you didn't hear this from me, alright?"

The brewing storm that was Aiden's fist began to die down, the electricity faded until there was nothing but a slight sizzling in the air to mark that it was even there, Dwayne had also halted his attack and with the situation de escalated for the moment Aiden disappated the smoke and stood still showing he was of no danger, the tattered cape slung across his neck like a scarf billowed in the wind in waves, the only part of him that was moving.

"You have my word."

@omega_finis

@aiden_james:

"Sorry Dwayne, I don't want him hurting you man. You're tough but Octo-Boy here has something else up his sleeves. I can tell." Lucas spoke, while Jeremiah tried to figure out what the hell to do with the black tendril wrapped around his friend. The Red Stone Of Rebellion took a slight breather, his friends cared for him despite his recklessness. And he let his skin return to its natural texture. "No problem man, just tell him where the guy is and we'll go back and eat."

A deep breath, and Lucas began "I only know this because I've worked there before, this ..." He nodded towards the city. ".. happened. There was always a shady guy, just though he was depressed with bad lips. But he'd always call himself the One Man Army. Real edgy and pretty skinny, so you can see why I didn't take him seriously. He was a regular too. Just before midnight, he'd always come in. Every day too. And he came in that day too, before Seattle became Shittle."

Dwayne had heard this depressed guy in many of Lucas's stories about his past. But this felt much bigger than himself now.

"He came in that day, city turned into nothing but debris. I was bunked behind the counter, right? With the gun I have right now. And he started having this conversation with himself. Now I can't see who was with him, but I only heard the door open once and one pair of footsteps. So it's either that or he can talk to ghosts. He started to throw his feet up on the couch. And when he went to the bathroom, I bolted out if there. I wasn't gonna stay in there with that madman for any longer than I needed to. So if I had to guess where he'd be, it's at the Entropy, a bar downtown. "

Lucas told Aiden an address, Dwayne has been to that bar before. Must've seen Lucas before this happened but it never registered. Funny how things can make people see each other. "Great, now let him go before I pound you regardless." He couldn't help it, it was now his new nature to defend.

□□□

A man kneeled down, tears strolled down his face. His eyes looked towards the sky, the sun beaming down on him. Yet, they saw nothing. Not anymore. Finis kneeled next to the villain Shatterpoint, the new ability to view atomic bonds rested within himself. And with his new eyes, he could see through ways and inside the thinnest of cracks. Although the range was just as long as his normal sight.

You can't have everything. Not yet anyways.

"Hey, thanks for that. You really did me a favor there. Making yourself so easy to find and so slow to escape. I honestly thought you'd make me work for it. But I guess you'd wanted to go the easy way out."

Finis looked at the shattered villain, who could once see the beauty that once hid within the tiniest of spaced. The same villain who could now see nothing, surrounded by darkness and demise as his gifted was robbed from him. He sobbed from his blind eyes, tears that could've been as black as night.

"Stop being a baby, being blind can't be all that bad." The words, usually used for reassurance, dripped with mockery and tease. O-ma started up at the sky, seeing the bonds that make up the clouds and air. Beautiful, it truly was. "Normally, I'd kill you. Right here right now. Actually..."

Blood coated the walls, a man's head, a tear still streaking down his cheek, rolled across the ground lifelessly. "Now your misery is done. I'm so merciful aren't I?" He shook the blood off of his hand, and looked towards the ground below. "Boy... This is great."

He paid attention to every word, hanging onto them like a lifeline, any piece of information helped piece together the puzzle that would lead to Finis' downfall. He could hear the resounding fear in his voice and Aiden determined that he was not lying.

He started to throw his feet up on the couch. And when he went to the bathroom, I bolted out if there. I wasn't gonna stay in there with that madman for any longer than I needed to. So if I had to guess where he'd be, it's at the Entropy, a bar downtown. "

Once Lucas had told him the location of the Entropy bar Aiden gently flexed his wrist and the whip suspending him in the air gently set him back down on the ground. He picked up the gun and returned it to its owner, he also grabbed the food Dwayne had stolen and placed it back in his grip. He turned to the trio and fought a sad smile, maybe hope was alive in the city, they haven't given up yet. They were still fighting and surviving even when there was no reason they should. The firey resolve in his heart burned even brighter refusing to be extinguished.

"Keep surviving. Hopefully this won't last much longer."

Giving one final nod he moved onward in his journey

He kicked his movement into the next gear turning into a blur of green flashing light as he traversed the destroyed streets, turning the razed terrain into the ultimate parkour ground. He was making good ground, running across the occasional villain or civilian, unlike last time he didn't make any stops and no one he saw was fast enough to percieve him anyway. The closer into the inner city his found himself the more destruction he saw.

Buildings were still slowly crumbling and sinking into the ground riddled with bullet holes and smeared with what looked like blood. Craters and cracks in the road presented themselves as decorations for Seattle's new appearance. He stopped at what used to be an intersection to gather his bearings and plot his next moves, at a moderate run conserving his stamina he could make the trip to Entropy in 10 minutes or less; with no more interruptions this could be over within the day.

But that would be much too easy.

He couldn't see anyone so far but the sting in the back of his head told him someone was there. Hostility in its purest form, someone Aiden couldn't talk down. A real fight was on it's way.

"I know you're there."

@omega_finis

Within the darkness of the oddly upkept Izakaya-styled bar, a burly man sat in the corner behind him, a wall of missing person's flyers and flanking her were empty bottles of alcohol. "Trust me kid, I ain't hiding."He gradually emerged from his seated position, knocking down the bottles that weren't as empty with his large frame."Actually, I'm lookin' to be found." He stood at around seven feet and could more than possibly weigh over four hundred pounds. Draken started at the kid, in slight disappointment. "You aint one of his goonies, are ya?"

He let out a sigh of frustration, subsequentially filling the air with the smell of alcohol. But despite this drinking spree, Draken was completely sober at the moment. "Ya know, the League had me waiting in this hellhole for a week. And I first thought this was some vacation. A bar still operational and filled to the brim with drinks. That's Heavan in this hell of a city. But a week passed and nobody came by, I ain't find the man I'm lookin' for, and you show up talking about you know I'm here?" He put his hand towards his mouth, about to wipe the alcohol from his lips.

"What are you anyways? You look homeless, and you sound like you're in middle school? Eh, what does it matter, I've been sitting on my ass for a while with nothing to do. So who cares.." In the next instance, the man grew ten..

No.

Twenty...

No...

...Fifty times his own size! The bar crunched under the weight and size of Draken and with the hand he used to wipe his mouth, the hand that was now the size of a door frame, he swatted at Aiden with break neck speed, taking out the front wall of the bar as he did. "KEEP ME ENTERTAINED PIPSQUEAK!!!"

"Trust me kid, I ain't hiding."

His head and body snapped to attention and when he turned he saw the face to the voice. Tall, burly, ripped...a problem. A talkative problem. His monstrous size forced Aiden to look up at him and he was sure his own size didn't strike any fear in the Goliath. Draken's monologue continued in full effect and Aiden remained still in silent defiance. He hadn't journeyed here to chit chat with any ruffian who wanted to scrap with the hero.

"What are you anyways? You look homeless, and you sound like you're in middle school? Eh, what does it matter, I've been sitting on my ass for a while with nothing to do. So who cares.."

He ignored him choosing to back track to something he had said previously, "What's the League?" His question also went ignored as he watched Draken rise into the air his size and mass expanding to impossible levels, the building he was in crumbled under his form. He struck with deceptive speed and precision forcing Aiden to roll to the side to avoid being crushed; exiting the somersault on his hands he pushed off the ground into the air shooting a whip of energy at the base of Draken's face. If successful the vigilante would yank himself up while activating his flotation ability sending him skyrocketing upward at breakneck speed with the laws of gravity no longer of any relevance. Aiden let go of the Omigios line and let momentum do its job as he neared Drakens face.

His let his body flow into a series of back flips as he began transferring more power into his legs, until he reached the underside of Drakens chin, to which he reared back his right leg and let loose a kick that sent what was left of the bar scattering in the storm of wind possibly lifting Draken along into the sky as well. If he could throw him off balance and into the sky where he had a greater advantage he could end this quickly and move on.

@omega_finis

@aiden_james: Wham!!

Excalibur's kick landed into the muscular chin of the Wall Of Human Muscle, upon impact the air exploded with a Shockwave that decimated the building further. But instead of flying upwards, Draken looked down at the kid with a smug smile. Once again larger than he was an instant ago. "Damn kid, you got some real power there huh? He licked his lips, blood spilling from his mouth. "But you wanna see real power?" ndril of muscle would wrap itself around Aiden's striking fist, locking it in place with a death grip.

"I'LL SHOW YOU POWER!!!" With the force of ten trains, Draken would deliver a meaty fist into the solar plexus of the Green Symbol Of Hope. Usually the force would launch someone way with break-neck speed, but with the tendrils in place, now spreading further seeking to absorb his entire arm, Draken was still in range. "I got a lot more coming for you!" He would deliver another fist into the kid's gut if it connected, it would be followed by another. He hopped to continue this as long as he needed to into order for the kid to either submit or die.

"The League may be pissed but hey, who gives a shit right? I'm havin' fun!!" With a boastful laugh, he'd continue his assault. Unknowns to both a them, a black tattered cape wiped around lifelessly in the corner of a building.

8?😳

@omega_finis:

Bring it on😈

"But you wanna see real power?"

Aiden's arm was locked in place preventing any quick movement and he stopped pulling after a moment realizing he was stuck instead opting to go partially limp, he couldn't waste more energy then he could afford to expend and so with a grit of his teeth he offered no resistance as Draken launched blow after blow into Aidens small defenseless body, after the first shot the world was spinning and after the fourth Aidens body was completely limp; yet the muscular goliath didn't stop there and Aiden began to lose count after about a minute of Draken drilling punches into his body.

Eventually the punches came to halt and while his body appeared lifeless and empty he was anything but, his danger sense had allowed him to effectively play possum while he worked to protect himself, as every punch that Draken had thrown closed in on the hero Aiden would momentarily push his body to use one hundred percent of his power allowing his enhanced durability in that state to absorb the worst of the blows for him as one of his other powers worked on overdrive to prepare for what was next. Excalibur's lifeless body began to twitch, starting from the arm Draken had pinned and ending with Aidens' eyes shooting open; emerald energy pulsing from the edge of his irises.

'This should be enough' the hero speculated as he sat up in the air and yanked his arm free from Drakens unyielding grip, what the villain couldn't know was that he was a terrible matchup for the emerald warrior, his goliath strength only served to further empower Aiden and every disgustingly powerful punch he served to Excalibur only enhanced Aidens stockpile of energy giving him the power he needed to put this villain down. His own strength would be his downfall. Kicking off the arm that was holding him he dropped to the ground flexing his fingers before lifting his head to Draken and uttering quietly "How many hits was that do you think? 15? 18? I lost count after a while." He took a step forward, boot cracking the concrete beneath his feet and he lifted his head to stare Draken before vanishing in a display of speed that hadn't been there before, Aiden had been worried about expending to much power before he had reached O-Ma and Draken had solved that problem for him, he'd take him out with his own strength, rest for the night and continue in the morning. The only obstacle in his way at the moment was towering above him. But not for much longer. Aiden reappeared at the base of Drakens neck raising his fist a malicious grin blossoming on the edge of his lips "But don't worry I've got them all right here... He aimed at the center of his temple for a crippling strike, letting his fist heat up with immense pressure he drew back flinching at the reverberation of the sonic cone expanding as his fist reached the epoch of its power. This punch was a potential death blow and Aiden knew it but he didn't care anymore; sometimes it couldn't be helped. With no hesitation or remorse Aiden returned every punch Draken ruthlessly unleashed on him in one earth shattering punch.

And you can have them all back!"

@aiden_james:

As his opponent went limp, Draken’s pride grew along with his muscle growth. He struck his opponent harder and faster. Drilling his fist into the boy’s body until his flesh molded accordingly, envisioning the prints left behind after each punch.When he stopped the barrage of blows, he admired his work at the seemingly lifeless body. However, the sense of pride quickly faded as he felt the slightest twitch in the fibers of his muscles. It wasn’t a spasm as he had first thought, but the boy’s arm beginning to move. Then twitch became a burning sensation as streaks of pulsating crimson energy.

“Huh?” A simple utterance embodied his confusion. He had thought he’d finish the kid off. The scumbag kept coming back, and before the hulking figure could react. Aiden was already on the move. Draken looked down at the boy, as he escaped his grasp, ‘What the hell just happened?’ Was his only thought as he stared down at Aiden, he couldn’t hear the exact words the man

uttered underneath his breath, but by the growing smirk. The disrespect was still felt. He stepped forward, the intention to silence the child, before he was suddenly struck. The feeling of a hurricane placed within his jaw became overwhelming. And only in the next instant, did his world become black.

The force threw his body back with unyielding speed, soaring backwards with speeds that almost rivaled that of light, towards the Izakaya, threatening its obliteration.

Danger: Front

Aiden’s alarm came before the action, the danger suddenly presenting when it wasn’t there before. The body suddenly stopped, as if it wasn’t moving in the first place. “You’re the one causing the ruckus? Making everyone all squirmy and jumpy, huh?” A sinister voice, dripping in malice and familiarity emerged from behind the immobile figure. Holding onto the nape of Draken’s neck, Finis stepped out from behind. A malicious grin that’d make the devil gravel crept across his face.

“No need to be so alarmed, for I am here!!”

The Vengeful Vagabond drug the limp body behind him, unphased by the speed it came at him with. He approached the body, the danger only coming closer. He stepped forward in complete silence, until he was finally within the hero's striking range. “Word on the street says you’re looking for me.” The muscles from Draken’s body began to slither into Finis’s own, accepting him. He stole the man’s ability, however, instead of becoming larger, he became denser. He then leaned over him. “You put on a pretty good show there, putting down the U.E’s guard dog like that. Making my job easier.” He let go of the corpse, now only a skeleton within a bag of skin.

“I can guess you’re here to put a stop to my reign. But perhaps you could help me, and appeal to you sense of righteousness, or territory or whatever at the same time.” He put his hands within his pockets, as he got even closer. “Or swing. Use your tentacles, or whatever else you used on him. And let’s see how far that takes you.”

Aiden watched as Drakens body spun away from him spiraling in the sky and vanishing into the smoke that rose from the destruction of the blow. The boy watched with interest wondering if Draken would somehow be able to get back up from a punch like that, he was waiting until he heard the resounding thud of the giants body hitting the ground to walk away but to his surprise he didn't hear anything; just the whistling as Drakens body soared through the sky then Aidens head started aching, a shooting migraine pulsing through his temple as at the same time Draken had just stopped moving halting in the air as if all momentum had been sucked out of him. 'Danger again?

Aiden's eyebrow raised and he took a few steps forward to try and get a better view but the smoke obscured most of his vision; only after a few seconds did he start to understand due to the growing pain in the back of his head unlike any sort of warning he had sensed before, it seemed like his head was exploding, it wasn't just a threat to himself he felt but a threat to everything; malice in it's purest form, stronger than any he had sensed from anyone else before save for one...Aiden forced his eyes to peer through the smoke as he realized that he and Drakens fight had drawn the attention of the very person he was looking for.

“You’re the one causing the ruckus? Making everyone all squirmy and jumpy, huh?”

Emerald eyes met red and Aiden didn't take a second to look away staring the villain down as he drew closer an inkling of rage flaring in the corner of his mouth, he was holding Draken by his nape like a prize piece of game that he had stumbled upon in the wild and despite the fact that he had been Aiden's enemy only seconds before the hero still felt a tug of anger at his heart strings from the inhumanity of it the smile on Finis' only serving to light a fire in his heart. A hiss of breath escaped out of his mouth "Put him down." he said taking a step forward but before he could move any closer he witnessed the muscles from Drakens physique get drained from his body like a Capri sun being sucked dry. Excalibur's mouth set into a hard line as Omega transformed before his eyes, his body molding Drakens powers into his own affording him a better body rippling with muscle and power tossing the deflated corpse with aloof detachment. Fists clenched at his sides Aiden rolled his shoulders back while lifting his neck to look up at O-ma glaring at him unflinching he took a swift breath as he tried to calm his anger, he hadn't expected to see him so soon but the ruckus him and Draken caused had led him right here.

Right into Aidens' hands.

I can guess you’re here to put a stop to my reign. But perhaps you could help me, and appeal to your sense of righteousness, or territory or whatever at the same time. Or swing. Use your tentacles, or whatever else you used on him. And let’s see how far that takes you.”

Aiden gripped his fists into balls and his first thought was to throw a punch at Omega, but he knew if he did that, he wouldn't stop until every bone in his body was shattered, his anger would carry him away; cause him to slip and make a mistake and knowing now that Finis' could steal the powers of others he knew mistakes could easily spell his doom, and in turn Seattles. "You've had your time. You had your time in this world to do more, to be better and you threw it all away, the choices to become a monster are all far more fun and simpler than to become a hero and yet there couldn't be a bigger difference in effort between the two. You've already lost...sitting here in your hell slinking around trying to convince everyone that deep down the world is just as gloomy and dark as it is in your heart but it's not. People are still here, still hoping...still surviving, helping each other. Still being heros. Even the villains are are banding together with regular people to help each other live You rule over nothing but rubble, and even that's going to be taken from you." At the tips of his fingers energy began to sparkle and he took a few steps back before lifting an armored finger and pointing it at Omega accusingly.

"Whatever made you human is long gone, and I mean this when I say that I'm sorry...I'm sorry for whatever pain turned you into this monster and I truly hope your next life is better than this one, but I refuse to believe you have a soul within that beating heart, whoever you were before this is long dead...

His power flared, enveloping his body in an aura of arcing lightning, his hair standing on ends the bright light from the electricity shifting his curly green locks into a blue mop of static electricity. Teeth gritting together he screamed BUT I STILL HATE YOU FOR MAKING ME DO THIS!! NO LIFE SHOULD BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, BUT I WON'T LET SOMEONE AS EMPTY AS YOU DRAIN THE HOPE OF THE PEOPLE!...THAT'S WHY I WON'T LOSE! SO BRING IT ON!!"

@omega_finis

@aiden_james: :

"You want me to bring it on?"

Morale. at its purest form. The hope for a better future even in the gloomiest of times. However, he knew at this rate, it wasn't going to become enough for him. His eyes sharpened in an unkempt manner, as his smile twisted into malice. This wasn't an expression of frustration, despair or anger. This is simply the expression of a joyful man. "No need for your apologies, genuine as they seem. I'm quite happy with where I am." The One Man Army took another step closer to the Emerald Hero, now only a few inches away. The newly erupted cyan lightning that cloaked the boy, tried to sweep across Finis's own body, but dissipated as if it were nothing but a dream."You're in no shape or form my ideal target. You're hope is tainted with anger, in which you confused with determination. Killing you, and stepping on your corpse has no value to me as of right now. It'd be like kicking a dog. No. . I want you to do one thing. And one thing only. I want you to save people" In the face of the young hero's righteous rage, Finis laughed manically. Before his voice dropped to the deathly seriousness it usually carried.

"See, I want you to try and save the city I destroyed. To try and rebuild morale from the immoral. To build up people's emotional defenses. I want you to become a hero. Prove that hope isn't empty, warm the Grinch's heart and make it three times bigger."

A subtle shift emerged in Finis's power, not through the fancy flash of flame and brimstone, but in the slight crack in the stone underneath is feet. "I want you to take care of the Villain's League with me. Worms that have been practicing true evil in silence, and I want them gone. I'm sure for reasons different then yours. I want you to feel the satisfaction of overcoming despair and evils, experience the joy and love from the people you've saved. Because Seattle isn't my final goal, but a stage for a game. If I wanted it gone. . ."He snapped his fingers front of Aiden, and several explosions went off in the distance. Bringing down the Izakaya Bar behind him, and obliterating its neighboring buildings. ". . . I would've."

His eyes looked downwards at him, the madness that surrounded him, suddenly vanished. He stilled looked every bit of rugged, and every bit of evil. However, his next question was genuine. "So, are you going to be the hero for me? And prove to the world that perhaps Morale can win? Or do you want me to end you now? And send you back to your mother or father, in pieces as shattered as their dreams?"

'He's mad. Completely insane.' Finis' behavior had thrown Aiden for a loop, he had expected the villain to engage him in combat but instead the situation flipped on its head. The villain wanted him to save people, it was unsettling enough that the wild untamed energy protruding from his body flickered out of existence, he looked at Finis astounded his eyes discs of cold fire, his head cocked to the side in disbelief.

"See, I want you to try and save the city I destroyed. To try and rebuild morale from the immoral. To build up people's emotional defenses. I want you to become a hero. Prove that hope isn't empty, warm the Grinch's heart and make it three times bigger."

"I don't see how that's any different than what I'm doing right now. This citys' biggest problem is standing right in front of me." Finis was starting to lose Aidens' attention, the previous look of shock was gone replaced with a cold indifference, this was nothing different; just a madman's ramblings. Under O-Ma's feet the crumbling of concrete could be heard yet Aiden's eyes never left his adversaries'.

"I want you to take care of the Villain's League with me. Worms that have been practicing true evil in silence, and I want them gone. I'm sure for reasons different then yours. I want you to feel the satisfaction of overcoming despair and evils, experience the joy and love from the people you've saved. Because Seattle isn't my final goal, but a stage for a game. If I wanted it gone. . .. . . I would've."

Excaliburs face went blank for a moment as he processed the proposition, 'the one I fought earlier, he said something about a League. Same group I'm guessing. That guy wasn't a League of Heroes type for sure. But there's no way he really thinks I'm going to ally myself with him right?' For half a minute Aiden sat there glaring at Finis as he attempted to piece together the right words to say, finding nothing Aiden chose the most fitting reaction for what this situation called for...his mouth widened into a smile and he burst out laughing, a nice chortle that didn't stop for a while, when he finished he wiped his eyes and snickered once more before responding to Finis "Sorry, it's just you used the words true evil as if you aren't grouped into that category with them." He shook his head and shook off a smile "You're no different than any villain I've ever come across only you have this faux nobility attached to you. I don't care about overcoming despair, or experiencing joy that's not why I'm here. You murdered a lot of people. My friends included, all of those deaths don't just go away, real heroes aren't born from some self righteous sense of nobility, it's personal pain, that rage, the sense of hopelessness and loss that you never want anyone else to go through. This is personal to me... I hate you. That's why I'm here, you've gotten far too comfortable in your delusions."

Turning his back from O-Ma he walked a few feet forward and stared at the skyline thinking about something deeply, there was a long silence before Aiden spoke again "Crazy or not I'll humor you, point me in the right direction and I'll take the villains down, but if you think you're going to use me to steal those peoples powers you're sorely mistaken. If I even get a hint of you in the area-and I will- then whatever the hell deal this is is off. If you can't deal with that then I'm ready to end this all now."

"What say you O-Ma?"

@omega_finis

Genuinely opened this thinking it said banshee in the sheets

This entire thing is awesome keep it up PLEASE

We still got a lot to do lol

@aiden_james:

Evil. He did not deny it. What he did was evil in someone's eyes or many people's eyes. Destruction was evil. Murder was evil. Violence was evil. He was evil. Aiden's words were met with a stoic glare as Finis was not here to argue with words. Hope and Morale was his target, not whether or not he was evil. Only difference was that his 'evil' was nondiscriminatory, the great equalizer of class, race, and social status. A true meritocracy built on the back of despair and his relished in it.

"If you can't deal with that then I'm ready to end this all now."

Finis tilted his head. The malice left him, instead appearing as if Aiden asked a hard math question. instead of threatening to end his life. "How will you do that?" He wanted him the boy to think about it. Hard."Your neurons are firing. Lighting up when I mentioned the League, so you're already intrigued. So, I won't waste either of our time then." He took a seat in front of Aiden, legs crossed and hands on his ankles. "They're thataway." He pointed behind him with his thumb. "Little bunker top, they got it pretty hefty. Innocents are in there, too. As well as your school friends, so I'd say be careful if they matter to you."

"You'll see what I mean when I say true evil. You'll realize annihilation isn't the worse you'll deal with."

He pushed himself off of the floor, cracking his back before turning around and sultering off. "Oh, and keep your morale up. If you continue that route, you'll soon realize that the ends justify the means and well. . ." He ended the statement with a shrug. Before, he left. Aiden would see Finis's head sharply turn before suddenly charging direction, vanishing as if slipping behind a curtain.

@aiden_james: Yes, yes we do.