Darkness swirled around Kindliker Kluckson as he struggled against the webbing, his body trembling with fear and exhaustion. The sticky strands held him tight, sapping his will to fight. William and Angelo were both trapped beside him, their faces grim as they fought in vain to break free. But Kindliker couldn't focus on them—his mind was drifting, pulled back to a time long before he ever set foot in the Power Royale.
The schoolyard was a cruel place, filled with laughter and jeers that seemed to echo endlessly in Kindliker's head. He was 13 years old, awkward and weak, a perfect target for the older kids who loved to torment him. Today was no different.
"Hey, loser!" one of the bullies sneered as he shoved Kindliker to the ground. "You think anyone's ever gonna care about you? You're just a waste of space!"
Kindliker's glasses flew off his face, clattering on the pavement as the bullies closed in. He scrambled to his knees, reaching out to grab them, but another kick sent him sprawling. The pain was sharp, but it wasn't just the physical hurt that made him want to cry—it was the truth behind the words. He really was a loser. No matter how hard he tried, nothing ever seemed to go his way.
"You're never gonna amount to anything!" the ringleader laughed, towering over Kindliker. "You might as well just give up now!"
The other kids joined in, their taunts blending into a cacophony of insults that filled Kindliker's ears. He curled into a ball, trying to block it all out, but the words pierced through his defenses like knives.
"I just want them to stop," Kindliker whispered to himself. "I just want to be left alone..."
Back in the present, Kindliker's heart pounded in his chest, the memories of those days bubbling to the surface with painful clarity. He felt small again, weak and powerless, trapped in a web that was more than just physical. Delton's web wasn't just holding him down—it was suffocating him, drowning him in his own self-doubt and fear.
The announcers' voices buzzed in his ear, distant but somehow still present.
"And it looks like this could be the end for our contenders!" Announcer 1's voice boomed. "Delton's web is unbreakable, and these three are running out of options!"
"But there's something in Kindliker's eyes," Announcer 2 observed, his tone more serious. "Could it be that this loser finally has something left to prove?"
Kindliker squeezed his eyes shut, trying to push away the voices, the memories, the pain. The web tightened around him, and he could feel the despair creeping in, the same despair he had felt all those years ago. But this time, something was different.
"No," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "I'm not that kid anymore. I'm not weak."
A surge of anger swelled within him, fueled by years of pent-up frustration and bitterness. He was sick of being the joke, sick of always being the one left behind. He had come this far, survived this long—he wasn't going to give up now.
"I'm not a loser," Kindliker growled, his voice gaining strength. "I'm not a waste of space!"
His pulse quickened, and he could feel something stirring deep inside him, a power he had never truly understood or embraced. The webbing that had felt so suffocating just moments before began to loosen, the strands quivering as if reacting to the shift in Kindliker's resolve.
The air around him crackled with energy, and suddenly, with a flash of realization, Kindliker understood. His power wasn't just about nullifying others' abilities—it was about taking control, about not letting anything or anyone hold him down.
"I'm not worthless," he said, louder now, as the webbing started to disintegrate around him. "I'm... enough."
With a final shout, Kindliker unleashed his power, a wave of invisible force radiating out from his body. The webbing that had ensnared him, William, and Angelo vanished into thin air, the sticky strands dissolving like mist. The oppressive weight lifted, and for the first time in his life, Kindliker felt truly free.
William and Angelo gasped as they fell to the ground, freed from Delton's trap. Kindliker stood in the center of the clearing, breathing heavily, but with a new light in his eyes.
The chapter ended there, the fate of our heroes hanging in the balance once again.
To Be Continued...
YOU ARE READING
Lr stories part 1: Power royale
Action*Power Royale* is a high-stakes battle royale set in a sprawling, shrinking arena the size of Rhode Island. Contestants, each endowed with a unique superpower, fight for a $1 billion prize. As the arena contracts, the pressure mounts. The story foll...
