Lr stories part 1: Power royale

Chapter 15: Daddy Issues, Part 3

The clearing was silent except for the faint rustling of leaves in the wind. Laurel stood frozen, staring at the monstrous figure of his father, Danny Benigine. The man he had vowed to kill. The man who had ripped apart his life, his family, and now, his heart.

Danny's eyes, wild and unfocused, locked onto Laurel. A flicker of recognition passed through them, but it was quickly buried beneath a wave of madness. His rock-covered body shifted, the jagged stones grinding together as his muscles tensed.

"Laurel...?" Danny's voice was a low, guttural growl, filled with confusion and something else—something that might have been regret. "Is that...you?"

Laurel clenched his fists, his entire body trembling with a mix of fear and rage. "Yes, Dad. It's me. The son you left behind. The son you—" His voice caught in his throat, choking on the words. "—you killed Mom."

Danny flinched at the accusation, a brief flash of humanity piercing through his crazed expression. "I...didn't mean to," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "The voices...they wouldn't stop. They told me...I had to..."

Laurel's heart twisted in his chest, torn between the child who once loved his father and the avenger who had sworn to end him. But there was no room for pity now. Not after everything that had happened.

"You don't get to blame the voices," Laurel spat, his eyes blazing with fury. "You don't get to make excuses. You destroyed everything! And now, I'm going to make sure you never hurt anyone again."

Danny's expression hardened, the brief moment of vulnerability vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. He straightened up, towering over Laurel like a living mountain of rock. "You think you can stop me, boy?" he growled, his voice dripping with menace. "You're just a kid. You've always been weak. Just like your mother."

The words hit Laurel like a physical blow, but he refused to let them break him. He focused on his rage, letting it fuel his power. His eyes began to glow, a searing red light building up behind them as he prepared to unleash everything he had.

But Danny moved faster than Laurel expected. With a roar, he lunged forward, his massive hands closing around Laurel before he could react. The rocks on his father's skin were cold and unyielding, crushing Laurel's small frame with terrifying strength.

Laurel struggled, his vision blurring from the pain, but it was no use. Danny lifted him into the air as if he weighed nothing, his grip tightening with brutal force.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" Danny snarled, his face twisted in a grotesque grin. "You wanted to face me? You wanted to kill me? Well, let's see if you have the guts to do it!"

With a sickening crunch, Danny began to pull. The pain was unimaginable, white-hot agony that tore through Laurel's body as his father's strength overwhelmed him. He could feel his bones snapping, his flesh tearing—every nerve in his body screaming in agony.

But even as his body was being ripped apart, Laurel's mind remained focused. He couldn't let it end like this. Not without taking his father down with him.

With a final, desperate surge of energy, Laurel's eyes flared with a blinding red light. He focused everything he had into one last, devastating blast—aimed directly at Danny's eyes.

The laser shot out, a searing beam of energy that sliced through the air and struck its target. Danny's roar of triumph turned into a scream of agony as the laser burned into his eyes, blinding him instantly.

Laurel could feel his father's grip loosening, but it was too late. His body was already broken beyond repair, his life slipping away with every passing second. He could barely breathe, let alone move.

But he had done it. He had stopped his father. The man who had caused so much pain—who had ruined so many lives—was finally defeated.

As Danny collapsed to the ground, his body convulsing in his death throes, Laurel felt a strange sense of peace wash over him. The pain was fading now, replaced by a numbness that was almost comforting.

He could see the sky through the trees, the sunlight filtering down in soft, golden rays. It was beautiful. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Laurel allowed himself to cry. Tears of pain, of sorrow, of relief.

As his vision darkened, Laurel's last thought was of his mother. He hoped he would see her again. That he could finally tell her how sorry he was. That he could finally rest.

And then, with a final, shuddering breath, Laurel Benigine died.

The screen flickered as the Announcers' voices filled the air, their tones somber but tinged with excitement.

Announcer 1: "Whoa, folks! That was one for the history books! Laurel Benigine and his father Danny—what a showdown! I don't think anyone expected that outcome!"

Announcer 2: "Indeed, a tragic end for both father and son. But that's the nature of the Power Royale. Only the strongest survive. We're down to 68 contestants, and things are only going to get more intense from here."

Announcer 1: "You said it! Stick around, everyone—this is far from over!"

The camera panned out, showing the blood-soaked clearing one last time before cutting to black.

To be continued...