Lost Haven, Maine - Little SicilyA pair of loud cracks reverberated all about the street outside the apartment building. The thunderous noise brought with it much trepidation within Chike. The trio maneuvered across the apartment, swiftness in each stride. For they all recognized those snapping sounds: gunfire. Automatic weapons, more than likely. Trouble was obviously afoot.
Chike, Eric, and Ceri crowded around the window, in an attempt to observe whatever situation was unfolding outside. A flash of red light meant that Ares had left the humans to their own devices, more than likely having a scheme of some sort or another to work on. Chike's attention was not focused on his master, however. His focus was on the scene before him.
The icy streets had just started to thaw. Piles of black snow clumped together at random intervals on each side of the street. Cold water rushed down the slightly sloping streets and into the sewer below. The Followers of Ares lined the street, staring in awe struck terror at the new arrivals. The ragged band of brigands and revolutionaries held each other, unsure if they should make a run for the many buildings around them. No one moved, however. It would seem they were all too terrified to even breathe, let alone move."Who are they?" A man asked, stumbling over his words in a whispered tone."N-No idea, man. Are they here for us?" Another man answered with more questions."Who else would they be here for?" A woman behind them growled harshly.
"Where is Doctor Eric Saxer?"The voice was obviously masculine, yet had a distinctly robotic edge to it. The individual's demand echoed throughout the street, and the crowd of people began to move back in a desperate and unorganized fashion. The ground itself seemed to shake, as the source of the voice stepped closer to them. In turn, the crowd retreated further.
"You will not be harmed; I will allow you to leave peaceably if you only tell me where he is." Chike could not yet tell who was speaking from his observation point. His accent, however, intrigued the Avatar of War.
"I'm going out there. Don't leave this room under any circumstances...Either of you." With that, the African warrior stepped away from the window. He quickly made his way out of the apartment and down the stairs, leaving Ceri and Eric alone."Who is he, Eric?" Ceri asked after a moment."My worst nightmare made reality." Eric replied darkly.
The door to the apartment building burst open as Chike flew out and into the street. His sword was once again at his side, spear and shield in hand. Polemos made his way to the center of the street, standing between the men looking for Saxer and the mob of frightened vagrants. With but a glance, Chike realized why Ares’ soon to be army quaked in their boots. A pair of dead bodies, a man and a woman, lay crumpled before an armored warrior. Their blood mixed with the dirt and snow, creating a crimson sea beneath the invaders’ feet. Unquenchable rage began to overcome Chike; Polemos fought for all he was worth to keep calm in the face of calamity.
"Who are you?" Polemos spoke loudly, his voice carrying with it a demeanor of great authority. He stood tall before the opposition, unafraid of their weapons.
"Who am I? The man asked, waving his arms theatrically.
"I'm Captain James Abrams, head of security at SuperIOR Incorporated and veteran of the Army Corps of Engineers; though, you can just call me CAPTAIN LIBERTY!" The metal man stood there his arms extended outwards as he let everyone take him in. To his side stood six other men. They wore far less flashy clothing - bulletproof vests, black combat fatigues, and a variety of military grade gear. They each clutched an assault rifle in their fists, pointing the weapons at Chike. They must have been the ones who killed those poor people!
Chike spun his spear around, pointing the spearhead towards the street below Liberty’s feet. He glared ahead at 'Iron Liberty,' rage filling his heart.
"Leave. Now." His words were few, but Polemos' meaning was clear for any who looked to his eyes: he was moments from attempting to end the lives of these...barbarians.
”Just hand over the fugitive and we’ll be on our way.” James yells back, lowering his arms.
”Doctor Saxer is one of my people now. You have no authority here.” Polemos growls, his temper about to boil over.
”Your ‘people?’ Captain Liberty sneers beneath his helmet, scoffing.
”I would hardly call your band of thieves and madmen a ‘people.’ Now, hand ov-” Abram’s speech was cut short when Chike sped forward, his feet off the ground.
”Murderer!” Polemos screamed, as his eyes turned a fiery red. There was nothing left inside but rage.
The group of veteran warriors had no time to react as the bloodlusted avatar was already on top of them. Chike impaled one of the troopers on his spear, tossing the man off and twenty feet, onto the top of a car. The other soldiers turned and opened fire; but they were too slow, as Chike brought up his shield and charged once more. This time, he used his shoulder as a battering ram, knocking one of the men back nearly forty feet into the wall of a nearby building with enough force to damage the wall rather severely. Moments after impact, Polemos twisted his body slightly and jammed his spear into the eye socket of another soldier. The man managed to scream before the weapon pierced through his head. The last three troopers began to back up, continuing to pour on the firepower. Yet they could not pierce any portion of Chike’s flesh. Now, Polemos stood face to face with Captain Liberty. James’ shoulder-mounted railgun tracked Chike’s every movement as the two stared the other down.
”You killed my men." Captain Liberty announced darkly.
”And you mine.”Chike answered back.
”RAAA!” Captain Liberty bellowed, as the jets on his boots and back activated, and he charged toward Polemos, who returned the bullrush with one of his own.
The two collided, their kinetic energy cancelling each other’s out. Chike’s spear glowed green with Hephaestus flame, as he attempted to stab Liberty’s joints. The armor held, however, allowing Captain Liberty to land two calculated jabs to Chike’s nose. Unfaltering, Polemos shield bashed Captain Liberty, who stumbled back a few feet. Polemos sprung forward with a flurry of stabs to the front armor of Captain Liberty’s suit. Put on the defensive, James brought up both arms to protect his face. The spear seemed to do only minor damage to the suit before Captain Liberty’s railgun fired. Polemos, unable to react in time, took the full force of a tungsten spike straight to the forehead. Chike was sent careening into an apartment building, the force of the attack demolishing the building and piling the rubble on top of Polemos. Chike burst forth moments latter, appearing unharmed. He bullrushed Captain Liberty once more. This time, the captain had other plans. Stabilizers from James’ boots stabbed deep into the concrete, and small jet-boosters appeared from compartments on Captain Liberty’s arms. As Polemos approached, Captain Liberty landed a powerful uppercut, sending Chike flying into the clouds above the battle. Massive chunks of material tore from the street and nearby buildings, as well as a number of cars and trucks, went flying from the sheer force of the attack. The bystanders, being sufficiently far away, only felt the wind caused by the attacked. They ran for cover from the falling debris, however.
Captain Liberty shot up into the air to continue his attack on Polemos. As he entered the cloud cover, however, he was ambushed. Chike flew out of a cloud and threw a powerful haymaker, smashing Captain Liberty right in his black faceplate. The mecha man went flying away, disappearing in the clouds. Polemos flew quickly in pursuit of the metallic fiend.
Lost Haven, Maine - Sherman SquarePolemos finally caught up to Captain Liberty when they came near Sherman Square. The titanium ruffian was spinning out of the control, flailing in a vain attempt to gain control. His jump jets appeared to only make matters worse as he was unable to control his flight path easily, meaning that he was unable to maneuver effectively in the air. Polemos, however, could turn on a dime. Such airborne agility was useless to Chike now as he tried to reach Captain Liberty before he crashed into something; so that he could wail on him, of course. Polemos was not thinking of the civilians right then. Chike, far too slow, couldn’t reach James before he collided with the side of a skyscraper, smashing through a billboard and glass panes as he ended up in the middle of some poor soul’s office space. People screamed, running in horror as Captain Liberty staggered to his feet in the middle of a destroyed cubicle. Chike soon followed him into the building through the hole James had created.
”I will flay you alive for what you’ve done!” Polemos roared, too far gone to think rationally. Such was the curse of Ares.
”Wait, we’re surrounded by civilians-” Captain Liberty tried to plea to his attacker, but the bronze brute would not listen. Chike rushed down Captain Liberty, throwing a flurry of wild punches. The Ugandan had lost his spear and shield when he was launched into the sky earlier. James brought up his hands and attempted to parry as many of the punches as he could, but the task proved too difficult as Chike managed to crack the armor’s outer shell. James thanked whatever gods may be for the alien materials in his armor as Chike wailed on him.
”Enough!” Captain Liberty grappled Chike, sending hundreds of thousands of volts of electricity into the Avatar of War. Polemos cried out in distress and pain, slamming through a nearby wall. Captain Liberty held on despite this, pulling Chike out of the building and into the air.
”Let me go!” Chike roared, breaking free of Captain Liberty’s grip. Enraged, Polemos grabbed Captain Liberty and chucked him at the ground. James slammed into an intersection, sending cars and concrete flying. A crater, about twenty feet in diameter, was formed. Polemos floated down towards Captain Liberty, who struggled to his feet. People stopped all around to watch the battle unfold. The sound of a helicopter’s blades slicing through the air announced the arrival of a news chopper. Sirens could be heard approaching rapidly as Chike’s feet touched the uneven ground.
“Your life is over.” Chike said.
”L-Look around you.” James returned, clutching one of his arms, sparks scattering from open-wiring. Chike did so, his sanity returning to him. Terrified faces in every direction, as fields of people stood on in horror as an armored hero, clothed in the colors of Old Glory, stood defeated before a bloodlusted tyrant.
”What..?” Chike looked back to James.
”No. I’m not the evil one. You are!” Chike bellowed, clutching his palms into fists.
”Then why are they so afraid of you?” James said, so that the crowd might hear him.
”You turn them against me!” Polemos roared once more, his eyes steadily returning to their red, angry form.
”You did that yourself." With a wordless cry filled with Hate, Polemos dashed toward Captain Liberty once more. This time, however, a tungsten spike, fired from James’ railgun, intercepted Chike. The attack threw Polemos off course who went flying out of the crater and crashing into a pair of onlookers. Chike stood to his feet, as people ran for their lives.
BREAKING NEWS!These words flashed before every television screen currently on in Lost Haven. An image of Jeffery G. Haroldson appeared before them. He sat, hands folded, before the camera. He had perfectly cut salt-and-pepper hair and a brand new blue suit to his name.”This just in, a pair of metahumans are destroying Sherman Square! Channel 65’s own Mary Belfast is on the scene. Go ahead, Mary.”
“Thank you, Jeff.” A young, red haired woman stood in front of the scene of the battle, holding a microphone. She appeared apprehensive.”We don’t know the circumstances of this encounter, but what we do know is that the two combatants appeared ten minutes ago. The fight seems contained to Sherman Square for now, but one question remains in our minds: Where are our city’s so called ‘heroes’?” The reporter seemed to step away from the camera, which panned to follow the unfolding battle. It was obvious the Greek-esque man had the upperhand, but the American patriot seemed to be holding his own for as long as he could.
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