Protectors- Wrath of The Stranger

Chapter Seven: The Grand Design

"Why is the sky still red?" Spirit asked, as the entire group looked around the empty street, senses of dread set in their stomachs, "guys, what is happening?"

"Back to back," Noctum commanded, and the six complied, forming a hexagon as they trusted each other not to let their guards down,

It was Shaine who spotted it first, the convulsing body of Kinetic, left visible by a stray Aura attack blasting through the buildings between them. He had regenerated his arm and legs, his body thrashing as he chanted ancient words in the Egyptian language. They didn't need Apis' universal translator to know what was happening, as The Stranger's contingency plan had begun to work. Kinetic broke free of the shadow that held him, the sound of the chanting stopping as he faced the ground, having landed on all fours. Then he stood slowly, the red armour that covered his body scraping against the road. Faster than they could even comprehend, Kinetic had lunged past the group, his blade slashing Noctum's jacket, but unable to break his skin. He dashed around the group, barely even a blur, each person calling out as soon as he approached, attempting to avoid the blade killing one of them,

"We need to seperate if we're going to do anything about him!" Grayson roared, the whistling of the usurped wind almost drowning him out, "On three. One, two, three!"

They burst apart, Grayson spinning out of the way of Kinetic's attack, but he wasn't fast enough. Although Spirit had just healed his leg, Kinetic's blade had shattered his kneecap, severing the leg in one swift motion. Grayson yelled out, but Kinetic was already next to Noctum. His punches moved so incredibly fast that, as a result, they were heavy and powerful, knocking Noctum down easily, before the God of Speed took off towards Spirit, arriving before she could blink. Wraith tried to knock Kinetic back, but the man completely avoided the attack, running them both through with blades before stepping back to admire his handiwork. That's when Zachary grabbed him from behind, putting Kinetic in a headlock, lightning pouring into the armour to try and kill the murderer. Kinetic took off, arriving back with Zachary's bloody mass in tow just over seven seconds later,

"You finally understand my backup plan," Kinetic spoke, "come, there is so much for me to explain,"

"You used the speed you gave him back to control him," Noctum stated, his eyes burning with massive flames as he stood, "Apis, you snake,"

"It was always a contingency, but now my power is beyond your comprehension!"

Spirit triggered a time-stop, but Kinetic zipped out of the way, watching as the Protectors were frozen, all but Spirit,

"If I remember correctly," Apis murmured, stepping into the area,

He was not instantly frozen, able to walk around the area at what to him was a leisurely pace, but to others would be a speed beyond speed. He estimated that his godlike essence was making Kinetic faster than ever before. He allowed time to flow before he wiped them out, he had some things he wanted to explain, as a last favour to the man who had killed him. He screamed as his armour grew more spiky blades, a spiky carapace of crimson blades,

"I have to explain something to you," Apis announced, calling the attention to him, "Kinetic was never the God of Speed, he was the God of Acceleration, growing faster over time. He didn't understand that in his fractured mind, but now I'm here, and I understand, I am the ultimate God of Acceleration,"

Noctum realised that Apis was right, and he knew that without a miracle, they wouldn't be able to defeat The Stranger in the body of Johnathan Stone. Noctum gestured for them to get back-to-back again, knowing that Kinetic would pick them off easily if they didn't,

"I can beat him," Simon said confidently, "I'll just need a little bit of time,"

"We don't have any!" Grayson roared, as one of the hundreds of lethal blades tore his intestines to shreds as Kinetic bolted past,