School of Power

Mission Accomplished

Adora always hated stairs. She used to think that if you have the elevator, you should use it. His father used to tell her that she shouldn't have taken the elevator more times than the stairs, otherwise she'd get lazy. She actually thought, in the back of her mind, that he was right. But when on the said stairs there was an army of zombies, she had every right to be pissed at them. That was what she was thinking about while they were running up, followed by probably 40 zombies. The worst part was when on the topside of the stairs there were zombies as well. -Keep running- shouted Osborne from the ending side of their group: he and Anthony were holding back the zombies, with Avalon arrowing down the zombies behind so that the next to crawl would have fallen over their bodies. Nora was leading the way, checking on the next floor and killing the most of them, along with Adora, that was kicking the asses of every zombie that came out from every side Nora didn't check. But the zombies were gaining ground, and right after the 35th floor (the rooftop was the 50th), Heinrich had had enough: he told Anthony -Get ready- -Ready for what AAAA- screamed Banner right after, because Osborne had grabbed him, lifted him, and used him as a bowling ball and crashed a few zombies that were peeking out from the upper floor. -Zion, can you create a weapon?- he then asked to the young mage. The girl made a few movements through the air, and pronounced a few words in a magical language: a dagger made of light appeared through the air, and Osborne grabbed it with one hand -I'm sorry I couldn't do more- -Don't worry, I'll manage- he answered, before thrusting his hand in a near wall and pulling out a pipe to use as an ulterior weapon. He then proceeded to go wild on the few zombies that were getting closer: he bashed the skull of one with his pipe, then used the dagger to stab one through the heart and used the same movement to break right through, impaling the zombie behind through its eye. He was fast enough to pull his hand back before another zombie could bite him, and used the pipe to shatter said zombie's jawline in pieces. But the zombies were growing more and more. Avalon knew that, and she pulled out three electric arrows and used them to stun some zombies that were crawling through the windows of their floor: the alarm had probably drawn more attention that they originally believed. The stunned zombies, by falling back outside the building, were dragging some other monsters with them, splatting on the ground various meters under. Banner, that had now taken the role of leading member, was using his shield to push zombies away from his team members, along with Nora that was using debris of the building to wall up doors and windows to stop zombies from jumping them from more than a direction at a time. The barricades didn't last long, but were enough to buy the team some precious seconds, so that Adora and Zion could use respectively their brass knuckles and their magic to kill the closer zombies. They kept doing it for two-three floors, and Nora was actually surprised from how good their teamwork actually was, but the situation then turned over completely: she took a look outside a window, and saw that there was literally a wave of zombies, crawling one on each other, that was approaching the windows. There were hundreds of them. -Heinrich, we might have a situation here- shouted Adora, that had taken a look as well -Then Allen, bring them on the roof- -Are you sure?- asked Nora worried -Just do it!- he screamed before jumping up and reaching the side of the building where the zombies were piling up to break through. Nora nodded, and took Adora and Zion and ran to the rooftop, not without difficulties due to having to dodge the remaining zombies on the last floors that she didn't check. In the meantime, Banner, Avalon and Osborne had reunited and were back to back crashing zombies heads and pushing them away so that the others would stumble. The wave of zombies was getting closer and closer, and Avalon asked Heinrich -How do you think you can handle them?- -The only way I can- he stated back, and his hands started to warm up and shine. Anthony turned his head and saw Osborne growing literal fire on his hands, while was breathing deeply. Nora got back to them and froze, seeing what was happening: Heinrich turned his head to her and ordered -Bring them away, I'll reach you- Nora did it, out of panic more than obedience, and brought the two warriors to the other girls. Heinrich looked at the zombies all around him, and screamed. And fire was shot from his hands, burning the zombies on the stairs and literally making explode the wave outside the window. The group heard the noise and went near the edge, to witness an explosion that fried most of the zombies. Avalon took advantage of the situation and started to take out her grappling arrows from her quiver, binding other ropes she had in her equipment to the end of the wires contained inside of the arrows, so that they could get to the other roof safely. Another explosion opened the rooftop, and from the hole created Heinrich came out. But he was different: he had like a greener shade of skin color, and his eyes had a yellowish shade. Steam was coming out from his hands, and his lower side of the cape was on fire. He grabbed it and vanished it by squeezing the side on fire with his own hands, suffocating the flames. He then got closer to them, and Banner stated -So that's what you can do- he looked at his hands, and answered -Yes- -Why the hell didn't you do it before?- Adora asked with her eyes wide open -But he did that- interrupted Zion, realizing that the thing she did see when Heinrich saved her from the zombie was true. Heinrich inhaled deeply, and answered -Yeah. I scorched Octavius's body right after you ran away, to stop him. And to answer you, Wayne, I can't do that because the more I do, the more I risk to lose control. My powers are not completely safe, not yet al least- -Now that's why you were such a dick- said Adora all of a sudden. Heinrich looked at her more surprised than offended, and Nora put her hand on her mouth trying not to scream. -You wanted to go with your friends because they know about your condition- she continued, and Heinrich mimed a little applause -Very smart indeed, Wayne- -Ah come on, what's with this sudden coldness?- -What do you mean?- -Now I'm just "Wayne"? What happened to the time were you called me Adora?- Osborne turned his back on her and got closer to Avalon, that was finishing preparing the ropes. -I never called you that- -Yes you did!- -No I didn't- -Yes you did!- she continued hysterically, and Avalon could have sworn she had seen Heinrich smile a little from the situation. -Do we have the situation under control?- asked Anthony while looking down the streets -Well, now at least we have some minutes to rest- replied Osborne looking down the streets, before kneeling on the edge to take a breath. Adora got closer to Zion, that was sitting near the edge, and the two of them sit quietly. It was like the time had stopped, right after all of that chaos it looked like it was a dream to have time to rest a little. So, obviously, this couldn't last. Noises from zombies that had survived were starting to rise from the hole on the roof, but that wasn't the problem: a winged figure was flying through the sky, projecting a shadow over the group. -You've got to be kidding me- said Nora looking at the figure: it was a green and black figure with wings, an helmet with the resemblance of a bird's head, but the side of the mouth was missing, denoting a mouth open over the normal human limit. It was definitely a corpse, and had talons on his hands and feet. -The Vulture...- whispered Heinrich when the creature was getting closer. -Adora, help me!- ordered Avalon, and the Wayne girl pulled out her grappling hook in order to create a new way to get to next roof. But the creature had to have heard them, and dived down at them: Avalon dodged jumping aside, while Adora showed her incredible flexibility by bending over Matrix-style, with the fangs of the zombie passing near her head, before the monster flew back over in the air, ready to fly down back at them again. -Ok, we need to go fast- said Heinrich, before the zombies inside the building started to rise up and lunge at them. The Goblin's son ran back at them and drop kicked the first one, pushing it that far that it basically did a bowling strike with the zombies behind. At the same time, the Vulture lunged back at them, but this time, Banner was ready: Nora ran and pulled Zion out of the Vulture's grasp, and Anthony jumped right into its way, and activated the shield. Right after the shield formed, he used it to uppercut the flying zombie, pushing back the creature and crashing it into a wall nearby. -That won't be enough- stated Avalon harshly, before firing out two of her modified arrows on the next rooftop, creating the beginning of a bridge to cross the street from that height. Adora was ready to fire her grappling hook as well, but with the side of her eye she saw the Vulture, coming out from the wall Banner sent him to crash, that had started to fly right at the ropes. That creature was probably smarter than they had thought, and she needed to stop it before it cut out the ropes. So, in a fraction of second, she took a decision: she pointed at the Vulture, and fired. The point of the hook flew through the air, and pierced through the Vulture's body. -Got you, big bird- she yelled with a smile, a smile that soon vanished when the Vulture started to pull her: she had barely the time to think "Oh fuck" before she was pulled off the edge and through the air -Adora!- Zion screamed from the rooftop, and she shouted back in answer -Just go! We'll meet at the rendezvous!- she wasn't sure she'd have made it, but she had an idea: a bad idea. She started to climb the rope of the grappling hook, dodging in the mean time the buildings: -Oh fuck!- she screamed right before running on a wall in order to not crash on it, and then used the momentum to jump, reaching the Vulture: she was on its wings now, and she pulled out two little bat-shaped blades and stuck them in its shoulder, screaming -Okay grandpa I'm going to use you for a ride- and started to ride him through the sky, twisting the blades to guide it, in direction of the Daily Bugle. She could just hope that her friends could reach her in time. 

Her friends were screaming at her figure disappearing in the distance, before Osborne got their attention back -Guys! We'll meet her at the Bugle, and if she's not there, you'll go away and I'll go looking for her, but now we have to go! Zion, create a bridge to help us run to the other rooftop!- the others calmed down, more or less, and Zion started to say the words for the enchantment. She stopped for a second to say -It's going to take me a while- -We don't have a while- answered Heinrich while he and Anthony were holding back the zombies and Avalon with the help of Nora was finishing to tie the knots, but it was clear that Zion wasn't going to make it. That's when Heinrich glared at Anthony and told him -Go to her hand calm her down- before smashing the head of a zombie. Anthony looked at him, and just nodded, before leaving his position and running to Zion. She was on the verge of tears, her enchantment wasn't working, and then she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Anthony, that looked her in the eyes, and just smiled telling her -You can do it-. That made Zion feel in peace, for a second. The dangers, the zombies, Heinrich screaming while bashing them with his bare hands, all of that seemed far away. She inhaled, and made her movements: a bridge made out of light took form in the air. -Yeah!- she screamed, before the two of them instinctively hugged. After a second, they separated and turned red a little. -That was adorable guys, but we need to run away- interrupted Avalon before running on the bridge. -Okay go, I'll hold them- shouted Heinrich, before charging his hands with fire and shooting it towards the horde of the zombies before him. The group started to run, and they were reached right after from Heinrich: his skin was greenish now, and his hands were turning into claws. He was breathing deeply, but he made a gesture as he wanted to say "I'm fine". The team kept running to the Daily Bugle, and after ten minutes of parkouring from one rooftop to another, they reached its roof. -Okay- painted Anthony looking around -Where is Adora?- -Right here!- a scream was heard from somewhere in the clouds, and a few seconds later a semi-destroyed Vulture with two bat-shaped blades crashed on the rooftop. Adora was on board and she extracted the blades calmly, she cleaned it over its body and then jumped from it. -When are we going to get beamed up?- asked Nora to Heinrich; he just looked at the notepad and replied -In a few minutes- he then looked at Adora and the destroyed body of the Vulture, and said -Well done, Wayne- -Oh come on- she replied -Now you're doing it on purpose- -What? I just complemented you- -Yeah, but you called me Wayne- -That's your last name- -But you called me Adora before!- -Please don't make me regret of complementing you- -Too late, I already have- he sighed and just stopped answering her, with her smiling at him, happy to having success at getting him mad. That happiness stopped right after, because the streets were being filled again with zombies crawling all over each other, climbing the walls of the Bugle. -Oh come on, how the fuck is that possible?!- asked Adora, more annoyed than worried -Your crash may have attracted more attentions than we thought- answered Avalon. She checked her quiver and stated -I don't have any more explosive arrows-, Heinrich shrug his shoulders and murmured -I can handle that- -No you can't- said Nora. He turned and looked at her dead in the eyes, but she didn't avert her eyes -You already have done too much. You may lose control- -We have no choice- -There's always a choice-. Banner just activated his shield again, and Zion was done with that. She was done with the fear, she was done with the zombies and she was done with having the others sacrifice themselves for her. She had barely made a few enchantments in the entire mission, and it wasn't enough. But she was done. She felt something breaking inside of her, and she started to float. Nora and Heinrich stopped to argue and looked at her along with the others. She shouted an enchantment, with her voice amplified by her determination, and she literally lifted the building near the one they were on, and then threw it to the horde, wiping all of them out. She screamed at the throw, and her eyes were glowing purple, before landing back and calming down. All of the others were looking at her, and she smiled timidly -I did it...- -YES YOU DID!- screamed Nora hugging her, with Adora following her as well. Anthony was smiling, and Avalon and Heinrich were impressed. He looked at her and said -Impressive, Zatara. Maybe you're more like your mother than I thought- she smiled at the ground turning red, since a compliment from him was basically rare as a white mosquito. Right after, the teleport opened, and they saw the school on the other side. -Well, we did it- said Heinrich calmly -Mission accomplished- and they all went right through it.