A Vigilantes Story

The Forgotten Man

Maximus Romanoff

The air was still thick with energy as I stood in the aftermath of our battle. My heart raced, the adrenaline slowly fading as I surveyed the ruined battlefield. The space was nothing more than a wreck of debris, shattered concrete, and scorched earth. Riley's psionic force fields had torn through the rocks, exploding them immediately. Scarlett's vines still writhed aimlessly, searching for an enemy no longer there.

Regan stood a few paces away, breathing heavily, her hands still clenched into fists, bruised from where she'd repeatedly punched Riley's force fields. Scarlett and Daniel were side by side, tending to each other's wounds. Riley herself, the newest member of our team, was standing with her arms crossed, as if evaluating us all over again. There was something about her, something that made me uneasy even now.

But there wasn't time to dwell on that. I had something more pressing to take care of.

"Everyone, stand back," I called out, my voice louder than I intended, but the weight of what needed to be done pulled at me. I needed focus, pure, uninterrupted concentration. The others obeyed without question, stepping away from the center of the destruction.

The energy in my veins buzzed with magic as I summoned it forth, feeling the familiar pulse of blue light igniting at my fingertips. I raised my hands toward the fractured buildings and closed my eyes. My mind stretched out, connecting with the threads of creation that swirled around me.

Slowly, carefully, I began the delicate task of weaving everything back together. The scattered rubble lifted off the ground, trembling in the air before slotting back into place. The cracks in the concrete floor smoothed over, the scorch marks vanished.

Every piece had to be perfectly restored, no trace of the battle could remain.

Our house transformed back to its original state, clean and untouched, but there was one final step left. I had to bring the park that surrounded our house, before anyone noticed the destruction we had caused.

I could feel my magic stretching thin, but I wasn't done. With a deep breath, I extended my hands, and the faint glow of my magic surrounded all of us: Hope, Regan, Scarlett, Daniel, Riley, and myself. There was a slight tug in my gut as reality folded around us, transporting us through space.

In a blink, we were back at the haunted house.

It still looked as eerie as ever: an old Victorian manor tucked away in the shadows of the park. The wind rustled through the trees, carrying with it the faint whisper of leaves, and the faint glow from the streetlights barely touched the edges of the property. The house seemed almost alive, as though it held secrets in every corner.

We landed just outside, the familiar creak of the iron gate echoing through the quiet.

"Great... back home," Regan muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. "We've seriously got to find a less creepy place to live."

Scarlett nodded in agreement, though she didn't say much. Her eyes were still flicking toward Daniel, who was eyeing Riley warily. We all had our suspicions, but right now, trust had to be earned slowly.

I exhaled, shaking off the remnants of the spell, but before I could say anything, I felt a familiar tingle at the edge of my consciousness, a shift in the air around us. Someone else was coming.

A sharp crackle of energy split the air, and suddenly, a figure materialized in front of us.

Newt. Oh my god. I thought to myself. How could we forget about him. I felt so bad for him, while no one else.