Close Nemesis

Chapter Fifty: Stepping Up

XALIR:

After Laiva spirited me back home following our argument on Garbatrak, I still felt pretty weak despite Oppugnant supplying me with rest of my powers she had stolen. I wanted to go to bed, so that's what I did.

Even though I woke up minutes ago, I'm still lounging on the comfortable Plassilmavern satin mattress. I think I've recovered from my hangover. However, I do feel votterflaers fluttering around in my stomach. I am worried about Laiva. Her

She's definitely going through something, and I wish I could help her. But she's losing touch with herself, and I'm worried she might snap.

I finally leave my bed twenty minutes after waking up, and after I walk downstairs, make myself a fresh wake juice and sit by the TV, I flick the news.

A news desk appears in front of the TV. Two news presenters-a Podplanatan and an Occosian Namuhsolian-sit behind the desk. The white light that borders the image of the desk and the news presenters is the only give away that they are holograms.

An image of a grey dirt flat below Occos II's lavender sky appears on the board behind the two news presenters.

"The CBD of Occos II's capital has mysteriously vanished following a flash of blue light. A witness says that she spotted a silhouette belonging to Oppugnant before the incident. Other establishments around Occos II are worrying if Oppugnant will do the same to them."

With a click of the red button at the end of the remote, the TV turns off. I walk back up to my bedroom and pull open the crinkled grey holo-curtain.

Once, I could see the city of Entrek from my window.

Now, all that remains of the city is a flat of grey earth.

I know what I have to do. There's only one person who can stand against Oppugnant. And that's me.

I look below the silver windowsill, finding my armour. I pick up my curved helmet, and stare at its black eyes.

"Xalir, what are you thinking?" a familiar voice asks.

I turn around, finding Zieré standing by my bedroom door. Her legs are crossed, and her posture is leaned. Her fur is still as grey as I remember it. The naked skin of her human like noses that sit parallel to each other add contrast to the soft texture of her fur.

She blinks affectionately towards me, and I blink back.

"I need to stop Laiva. She's gone crazy. I have to kill her. It's what she wants.

"I know," Zieré whispers. "But, if it's what she wants, then maybe you shouldn't kill her. You can't appease a villain."

I shake my head, showing Zieré my Rotcetorp helmet.

"No. She won't stop killing innocents until she attracts my attention. I have to stop her. I have to end this."

Zieré nods, before being enveloped in a flash of blue light. TeleVisore takes her place, and I gasp in shock.

"Yes, Xalir. I'm TeleVisore. Now, put your suit on. I'll teleport you to the marsh. There you can fly up and make your entrance."

"What about you?"

TeleVisore purses their lips sexily. "I'm going back to Teglyo. I have to give superpowered individuals a sanctuary."

I nod in reply. "Alright, then."

|\

I march through the marshlands, wearing my Rotcetorp armour proudly.

I can't sit idly by while Oppugnant causes chaos.

I need to act.

I need to fight.

I arrive in the flat left by the wake of the main suburb's disappearance. Oppugnant hovers above the grey soil, waiting for me to destroy her. Rainbow light reflects off the mirror visor as it catches the orange light from the Occosian sunset. The sky will soon become a dark purple, but I'm going to kill Oppugnant regardless of whether it's night or day.

"Either you kill me, or more will fall!"

"You're not thinking straight, Oppugnant!" I exclaim. "Stop doing this. You're not a hero! You're just a person."

Of course, I know my efforts are fruitless.

Even with my charming charisma, Laiva won't listen. I feel as if she is being consumed by Oppugnant.

As she stands in her suit, I realise that I have to kill her.

Silver tears well within my eyes. I can't do what I'm about to do. But I'm a hero, and heroes make hard calls.

I push flames towards Oppugnant, who blocks it with a plasma shield.

"Come on! You have to be better than that!"

Oppugnant teleports away, and suddenly, I feel a punch against my arm.

A flash appears in front of me, and I find Oppugnant facing me once again.

"See, I have Nygyl's time powers!" Oppugnant remarks.

"It just looks like TeleVisore's powers!" I exclaim dryly, before levitating a chunk of earth and tossing it at Oppugnant.

Oppugnant falls down, and I use this as an opportunity to project lightning towards her chest disk. It wraps around her, and the device crackles. Her armour disappears, and I see Laiva on the ground. Pink blood drips from her cut lip, and she stares at me blankly.

"Kill me!" she demands. "I don't want this power. I don't want this galaxy to have any more superpowers. If you kill me, peace will be restored."

I sigh, and aim my hands towards Laiva's head. I close my arms push flames towards her. Then, I open them as a flash of blinding light appears, and then, I find charred ground where Laiva stood.

Nearby, I find TeleVisore, whose green eyes stare towards me. Her silver pupils reflect the green light of her square eyepieces, and I smile towards her. She can't see it. But it still feels good to smile knowing that Laiva's not dead.

"Where's Laiva?"

"I teleported her away. It's about time that we teleport away as well. We'll meet up with Lygor and Shenelda on Namuhsolia. We'll take them to a distant galaxy. Then, we can plan our next move."

"Sounds like a plan," I remark stalely.

"Has anyone told you that your voice is really crackly?"

"Has anyone told you that you have a romantic voice?"

We chuckle. Then, we teleport away.

Goodbye, Occos.