Powers Against The World

The silence did him no favors, as Jamal remained mute. Death was awaiting him, but yet he held some sadness for it all. Everything that he grinded for, achieved, and held dear to him was for nothing. Meeting the love of his life and starting a family with Ula was meaningless. Doing his best to keep his friends together after all these years was pointless. Achieving all his power was for absolutely nothing. The world lost him when he let himself go too far and there was no redemption arc, no last-second comeback, it was simply done.

"Now you see, now you see what I was trying to tell you." his shadowy self floated next to his side, never leaving, "This is what Youden has done to your people, he confused them past the point of saving. We held back still, and this was the outcome."

Jamal didn't make a sound, but a new emotion was slowly coming through him. It was subtle, but it felt as if some hidden build-up was beginning to leak out. He had never felt that way before, but it almost felt necessary to continue to be free.

"I still think we have a chance. If your friends can save you, we can get our revenge. Youden will finally understand, Jamal. You don't have to suffer anymore."

"You-" Jamal instinctively croaked out, although he was briefly shocked at his ability to talk again, "You're right."

"Don't you get it now! You need to stand up for yourself! You've let yourself be a punching bag for too long!" his shadow stared him down, looking at the man's body, "Ah, that's what we should have seen."

Looking at himself, Jamal's eyes widened, as patches of an extremely black red fire began to appear around him. Yet, his body was starting to feel good about it, instead of the usual fear or worry that initially occurred. It was beginning to kick in now.

"All we have to do now is wait and hope. Because if we get that chance, Jamal, we will make them all pay." his shadow practically cackled with joy, as Jamal's growing fire swirled around him faster and faster.

...

"Here they finally come." Brat sighed a sign of relief, seeing the incoming Viligantes of Power moving into the area. 

The group was holding sheets of paper, likely filled with valuable information, Lero could only assume, as he watched them enter the building. 

"I'll bring them up here, just sit tight." Brat assured him, before exiting the room.

Looking at the two fallen people, Lero couldn't help but be surprised of their current situation. He never thought that his reunion with Jamal would be in such a state, but that's just how it was with these people. Risking it all, just for the greater good, or at least that's what he hoped they were doing.

"In here." Lero could hear the boy's voice, as he checked to make sure he was nowhere close to that Alice woman.

"No more fighting, thankfully." Fonda huffed out, as she was the first to enter but no one else saying a word yet.

Based on their facial expressions, Lero could tell that some of the news they had found wasn't with the best of their interests in mind.

"Thanks for staying put." Hops nodded towards Lero, surprising the man with a rare sign of respect, before moving towards his girl.

"Anyway, now that we're all here the first thing we got to do is get Jamal stable enough so he doesn't die in the next few minutes. We've already spent a few of our moments taking our time to get here." Leon stated, before motioning to Hops, "Wake Alice up and have her take someone's energy."

Hops was in agreement from the start, as he gently began to caress her shoulders. It took a couple of seconds before her eyes fluttered open and took a good look around the room.

"Wha-, oh." she turned to see Hops staring at her, "You guys back already?"

"Yeah, but we need your help now. Lero." Hops lifted his hand to motion, "Come sit next to her."

"Real-" Lero was about to disagree with him.

"Now." the man's tone forced a quick gulp from the former prisoner.

The dusty floor caked his pants but Lero didn't even bother to complain as Hops began to grab at Alice's book. Even though she had some time to rest, it was only for a few uncomfortable minutes, as she could barely move her hands to flip the pages.

"Just tell him which page." Sera looked towards Jamal, who Alice hadn't even seen yet.

"Page 274, I think." she rubbed her head, before taking a look at his body. "Oh my powers!"

"Hey, hey, hey. It's fine." Hops grabbed her close, "I know you've done a lot for us, but focus on this, alright?"

"She's not a kid." Lero muttered to hide his thoughts, even though it forced a glance in his direction.

Hops just remained focused once again, as he flipped through looking for the exact incantation that she needed. The centuries-old book was still holding up, despite the wrinkly and aged paper, as he finally made it to the right number.

"Here it is. Lero, grab her hand, and her hand only." Hops slid his finger across the page so he was sure Alice saw where to read.

The man didn't even say a word, as his rough skin was pressed against the top of her much softer hands. Some lotion would have helped him, but that was not a luxury he had at the moment. Lero could only watch as the woman was taking deep breaths before muttering her phrase. 

Instantly, Lero could already feel the power at work, as his fingers began tingling with a strange affection and tiredness. A yawn was quick to come out of his mouth, and his eyes already droopy made him want to stop so bad. But he knew he had no real choice in this at all, as the chant lasted a few more seconds before the woman stopped.

"Wow, much better." Alice spoke with invigoration, as she practically leaped off the ground, "Thanks."

Lero simply lifted his hand up in acknowledgment, although he was too exhausted to even stand back up. Of course, everyone was now focused at Jamal, whose limp body was lying on the ground in his damaged state.

"I should have enough power to keep him alive long enough for us to get him a lot better care." Alice kneeled next to him, as she placed her hand on his chest, "I'm not Heskins but I know this is really bad. I hope he makes it."

Everyone kept silent, as Alice closed her eyes and started focusing. A weak white aura appeared around her, as she began whispering another incantation in an attempt to heal Jamal, or at the very least, keep him alive. No one could predict the outcome of the situation, but it was all up to her to do something. Jamal had to come back, or it would all be over. 

.....

By now, Jamal's body was surrounded by those dark flames, and a twisted smile was on his face. All those years of built-up hatred were taking shape and now coming out of him. It was so hard for him to understand, but now it all made sense. All those years ago, his initial promise to help save Youden from his Academy days was limiting his actions. He didn't even realize it until now, but his mind wanted to do that, not his body. That was the only possible conclusion Jamal could have established with the changes happening around him, but he accepted it. 

"Do you feel it?" his shadow figure leaped around the area, "That soft pulse? They're here."

Jamal was a bit confused for a second, until he noted the fading white color entering the space. So the others did find him, the man's grin stayed. Great, his revenge could finally come.

"I don't think you'll be one hundred percent, especially without your finger, but no matter. We gotta do it." his shadow continued.

"Kill them all?" Jamal laughed with an unusual joy.

"The enemy, they must be stopped." his figure was beginning to dissipate, "But don't forget, let loose that power! We shall never hold back again!"

Jamal was already itching for this moment to come, as the white color got brighter and lighter. Let him show the world what they really did not wish to see. They let the uncontrollable animal loose, and the time to prevent it had long passed.

.....

"Okay, that's the best I could do." Alice shuffled back, her aura gone. "I'm going to save the little energy I have left for anything else we'll need."

Everyone could just nod at her response, as they continued to stare at Jamal. Her work didn't cover any of the visible wounds, so perhaps it was just transferring her stolen stamina into him, in an attempt to give him some type of life. It had to do something, as Jamal's body had yet to react after a minute had passed.

"Did, did you actually try?" Sera looked at Alice with a stern look.

"Yeah, it should have worked." Alice rubbed her head, "Unless-"

"He's gone." Leon sighed out, getting on a knee. "Fuck!"

The others were at a loss for words, unable to comphrend what this all meant. Jamal usually got himself in these situations all the time, and he always came back from it. But this, this was different. All that stress on his body and mind appeared to have caught up to him, and they failed him when Jamal needed them the most.

"I'm sorry, guys. I tried. I really did." Alice mumbled out.

"It's not your fault, I should have made sure he was good earlier." Hops kneeled next to his former friend's body, "There's so much I regretted too, and now this?"

"Who's going to tell her?" Brat awkwardly looked around, "She has to know."

"Bloody wh-" Lero muttered about, before even realizing in his exhausted state, "Oh, tumbling wackers, that's gonna be roughin' rough."

The room's aura was silent except for the occasional shelling and war activity outside. It was all over now, their best asset finished just like that. Who knew how to proceed afterward, they had to figure out now without, while telling their men the news as well.

"Welp, we can't leave him here." Fonda stood straight, emotionless.

"You're right." Hops wiped a tear from his eye, "We gotta move."

"No." a new voice alerted them.

Turning towards the sound, their eyes widened as they watched Jamal's mouth moving slowly, with steam leaking out.

"Ja-, Jamal?" Hops muttered.

"Reattach my finger, if you can." his eyes weren't open, but the remaining fingers on his right hand were slowly feeling around the space.

Everyone moved as Alice understood the request as she grabbed the wrapped-up finger from Brat. Getting to his side, she motioned for Hops to get behind her.

"Some more energy please," she asked for him.

"You'll need a lot more," Jamal added, puffing with each breath.

"Huh?" Leon was confused, "What do you mean?"

"Stop asking questions and hurry up." the injured man added, more steam coming out of his mouth.

No one said another word, as Hops laid a hand on her shoulder while Alice muttered a set of chants. The other members surrounded the trio and watched as tendons and muscles began to connect with his destroyed pinky, as new skin began to grow out of the mushy parts. As nasty as it looked, one couldn't help but feel impressed at this woman's potential with the book's assistance. 

After a couple of moments, the finger almost looked like nothing had happened to it beforehand, although it was much paler than the rest of his skin. Jamal was quick to test his control of the lost body part, satisfied with her efforts.

"Thank you all. Without you guys, I would be dead for real. You all just don't know when to quit." Jamal huffed out.

"Ight, let's just go quickly then. We've been here long enough." Hops was about to grab him, until Jamal coughed for him to stop.

"No, y'all need to leave now." Jamal chuckled, as they could see flashes of fire spark around him.

"What do you mean?" Leon was confused, as the group watched Jamal slowly lift himself to a standing position.

His body looked like literal hell, with most of his clothing ripped into shreds, except most of his pants, and the scarring and other injuries visible on every part of his skin. The worst thing about it all was that despite all that pain, his eyes couldn't even open all the way, as any visible part they could see was bloodshot red. 

"Alice, I need you to teleport or send a message to every one of our troops to leave the western half of the city, right now." Jamal was twitching as he spoke, his dark flames swirling around his legs. 

"Wh-" Alice wanted to know the reasoning behind this request.

"Don't ask questions. I'm keeping it together for as long as possible." Jamal had to put a hand against the wall. "Hurry up now."

Everyone just looked at her, to which Alice simply nodded at the favor.

"I don't have the energy to teleport many people, so I'll just send a quick message for them to retreat to our former positions." Alice held her book open, before finding the right words, "Here I go, you all will probably hear it too."

Everyone remained silent, as Alice concentrated on her exact words and area of reach before beginning her message.

"If you are hearing this, and recognize my voice, you likely know who I am. We need to retreat back to our former positions immediately, as a powerful assault is coming our way. Please wait for further instructions as soon as the Viligantes return." her thoughts pierced through their minds, and likely thousands of others.

"Good." Jamal started to laugh, clutching his head.

"Something's up." Leon muttered to Brat, who nodded in agreement.

"Now, you all need to teleport away from the city and lie low for a couple of hours. Preferably with our own men."

"Jamal, are you okay, for real?" Sera looked unease, "I know you went through what I can't even imagine but this doesn't seem like you."

"No, you don't understand." he was holding his head tighter, leaning against the wall with more of his body, "Leave now."

"I do-" Hops interjected before Jamal let loose.

"I said back up!" Jamal hissed out, the fire around him a near pitch black. 

No more words were said, as it was truly clear as to what was actually going on. The man had lost his mind, and letting all his trauma build up into whatever terrible form this was. The man's fire already covered his entire body, and it was hard to tell if he was even there if it wasn't for the shape of his body remaining. His eyes weren't even visible anymore, as he was still transforming among them. 

"I'm finna kill you all," Jamal muttered, although his figure was shuffling around in the corner.

"Yeah, it's time to dip." Hops grabbed Alice towards him, as some of the others were quick to follow.

"So this is it then," Leon could only shake his head, before placing a hand onto Hops, "Just be ready for the worst y'all."

Alice had started her final chant of this entire ordeal, as Jamal's figure looked towards the group. Where his hands should have been, were replaced by long claw-like figures and streams of fire trailing behind him. No longer himself at this point, Jamal gave out a final war cry before charging towards his friends.

"Wai-" Fonda raised her hands up in defense before her entire group disappeared from thin air.