Previous: Superpower, Post 1
(Content Warning: Violence, Gore)
(Content Warning: Violence, Gore)
Her
power flowed outward in a rapidly expanding bubble, the boys barely
escaping its grasp as they fell through the doorway. They turned to
look back after landing in a tangle on the lush, crimson carpet but
the bubble encapsulated the doorway and slid together, forming a
thick, flexible film that covered over the opening completely. From
Audrey's perspective, the boys were frozen in time, with the most
absolutely absurd looks on their faces. The bubble expanded a few
feet more down each direction of the corridor, covering a total of
about a half dozen yards or so in distance. As it passed a candle
sconce on the wall, the flame went still for a moment and then began
flickering normally again once the edge of the barrier was past. The
boundaries of her chronospatial bubble were extremely difficult to
pierce from either side once it was set. Typically, only defeat
(her's or her enemy's) would weaken the structure and allow her to
return to normal spacetime. Until it set, however, it was as easy to
pass through as a soap bubble. Just...one that didn't pop.
Two
of the House Guards had done just that. They stood unmoving just
inside her perimeter, decked out in their traditional black tactical
gear and creepy blank, black face masks. Except, Audrey didn't think
these were House Guards at all. They weren't equipped with their
standard issue Tase Pistols, for one, and, for two, their stance was
all wrong. These guys were ready and aware. And were those Phaser
Blades?
The
Not Guard nearest slid the handle of her weapon free of her belt as
she gracefully launched forward in a headlong charge. She fingered
the activation trigger on the handle and twin, sparkling blue,
humming, five inch blades of energy sprang into existence anchored in
place above the blackened hilt. Yep, that was a Phaser Blade. So
invested was Audrey in watching the deadly energy weapon cut a bright
blue arc through the air that she didn't notice the other Not Guard
and his hurled handful of shuriken. They landed easily and
unobstructed directly into her left pectoral, near the clavicle. She
frowned down at them, knowing they'd need to come out very soon.
She
sidestepped almost without thinking as the blue blade flashed by.
Her hand lanced out and easily hooked the hilt with the tip of her
finger, matching her attacker's speed, pace, and momentum
instinctively. She pivoted and, grunting, flung her wounded side arm
up, over and ahead of her attacker, hand outstretched and reaching.
The mostly decorative diamond patterned grip slid freely from the Not
Guard's grasp, flipped end over end, and landed reversed in Audrey's
overhanded catch. Consequently, the Not Guard got herself planted
face first onto the twin points of the Phaser Blade. She didn't even
have time to gasp in surprise.
The
other Not Guard did, however, seem to be registering surprise in his
hesitation so Audrey decided to take full advantage of the lull.
“So,” she said almost nonchalantly or, at least, more
nonchalantly than she felt, “Ninjas, huh?” The dead ninja's
brains began to sizzle and drip out onto the hardwood floors. The
remaining Not Guard Ninja recovered himself enough to fall back into
a defensive stance. Aubrey thought it might be best to give herself
a minute though. After all, she had all the time in the world.
Yanking the energy dagger free, she began to use it to dig out the
shuriken. As they fell to the floor, she gave him a lopsided grin.
This time, she did hear him audibly gasp and maybe even throw up in
his mouth a little. “Why is it always frickin' Ninjas, man?”
Grunt. Clink.
The
Ninja's guard lowered just a fraction. “And what's with the Phaser
Blade this time? Your Masters decide they couldn't have my power for
themselves so they...what...want to make sure no one can have it
ever?” Grunt. Clink. The Ninja took a step backward and pressed
a hand against the bubble wall. It didn't even flex.
“Sorry,
pajamas, there's only one way out of here.” Clink. The Ninja
audibly whimpered before the cackling blade found its way into his
still beating heart.
The
bubble sprang up and popped almost instantly in the doorway that lead
back out into the corridor. It dissipated the way children's bubbles
do but didn't leave any residual film. It was just suddenly there,
this big gelatinous presence, and then it was gone. Jane and Herman
pulled themselves off of one another and up off of the floor and
found that Audrey was not where they had left her. Instead of
standing in the middle of the hall cracking her knuckles, she sat
akimbo against the far wall half asleep. A dead guard with a melted
facemask lay horrifically in a puddle of her own blood and brains
between them and the boys could just see the bloody, limp arm of the
other guard at the edge of the doorway.
Audrey
seemed to rouse and take notice of them. Mumbling to herself, she
rose and started into the study. Jane was particularly amazed that
she didn't seem to be hurt at all, though he did take notice of the
several new long, glowing scars near her clavicle. None of her other
scars were still glowing but these new ones pulsated with the same
heat and light that they saw earlier. He wondered why.
Herman
saw too but didn't seem too interested.
“Alright,
let's nab this thing and blow this popsicle stand,” Audrey quipped.
Herman
nodded and moved toward the desk. “Okay, my turn.”
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