Acceleration

Chapter 33: Ashes of Our Heart

"Trust me," Liz said as she climbed out of her car, "that was the best. Dance. Ever."

Erin smiled and followed her up on the porch. She twirled, her green dress shimmering in the bright moonlight. He wrapped his arms around her and spun her like a princess.

"So prom was an absolute success?"

"A rousing one," she said as she kissed him. Erin smiled and set her back down.

"Get home safe, okay?" She hugged him tight.

Erin giggled. "I'll make sure not to get into any car crashes."

Liz waved as the image of her house vanished from his sight. He sprinted down the road, the lights of the midnight city shining across his vision. He slid under a semi-truck, leapt over a car, sprinted across buildings. His heart soared as he ran through the streets. His mother was right, the little things through the week didn't matter. His life was incredible. In fact... with his motivation, with his speed, he might be able to figure out a way to save Liz.

In an instant, his soaring heart crumbled to ash.

Erin felt the ribs under his body snap as something slammed into his side, sending him tumbling through a brick wall. A spout of blood flew from his nose as he climbed from the rubble. Sparks of red jumped along the street. Revnid stood in the road, the red detailing on his suit shining crimson. Erin stood and stared him in the face.

"You picked a bad time."

With a flash he was in his suit, throwing a right hook toward Revnid. The blow caught his doppelgänger's cheek, launching him backward. Revnid recovered, jumping off a car and grabbing Hypersonic, tossing him into the air. Erin landed on the building and sprinted up it, turning to see the other speedster hot on his trail.

Making it to the roof, Hypersonic leapt from the top rather than continue forward. Revnid seemed shocked under his mask as Erin poised both feet downward for a kick. His boots met the red bolt on his opponent's chest, and Revnid tumbled down the side of the building. Dust rose from the sidewalk as he slammed into the concrete. Hypersonic landed quickly, firing two jabs at the downed speedster. Revnid managed to dodge but failed to see the follow-up roundhouse coming to his head.

Erin noticed Revnid's arm snap back into place, fixing the broken bone given from the fall. Large sharp blades extended from Revnid's fingertips, slashing forward. Unable to move fast enough, deep cuts tore open Hypersonic's chest. He stomped on Revnid's foot, shattering a couple of toes underneath.

Hypersonic pushed his fist forward, pumping as much energy into it as he could. His Amped Punch landed, and a burst of blue electricity sent Revnid through a semi-truck. Erin quickly followed, picking up frying pans from the newly made hole in the truck. He brought one down on Revnid's head, leaving a comical imprint on the front of it.

Revnid swept his legs, grabbing his head and slamming it into the pavement. Blood gushed from the cuts on Erin's face, but they sealed rather quickly. The right lens on his mask had broken. He instinctively kicked at his opponent, but his doppelgänger caught his leg. In a page straight out of RAW, Erin found himself being spun into a pillar. A split went down his head, pain and blood sprayed forth, staining his suit. He hooked his heel onto Revnid's hand and broke his grip.

Erin turned to retreat. Not to run away, he strictly told himself, just to give himself time to heal the migraine that beat on his skull. His vision was flashing and his right eye was seeing strictly colors. He sprinted down the road before realizing-

The Lab. Jess had been working on repurposing one of A.G.E.N.T's anti-speed guns. Hypersonic turned the corner quickly, unable to stop himself when Revnid cut him off. His opponent knew his plan. Hypersonic tumbled as an Amped Punch blew one of his mask's wings clean off his head. All sound in that ear was gone, leaving a sharp whining in its place. He rolled away from the foot that came crashing down where his head used to be. Pumping his energy into his leg, he kicked Revnid in the shin. An explosion of blue and a snap—Revnid's leg bent unnaturally and he fell forward.