ULTRAMagic Interval - Chapter 26
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In the early hours of the morning, Sebastian inspected his army of shadow constructs that waited silently in the valleys below Mt. Steady Rock. They all groaned and creaked, but remained still as they awaited their orders. Any sane man would have been disgusted by this sight of foul magic, but not Sebastian. He was quite proud of his work, a new personal best for him. Sebastian then gave an order in German, causing the vile army to lurch forward. 70 times 70 constructs began marching towards the city, unbeknownst to the residents who were still waking up.
Over at M.A.I.G. headquarters, Will was making his way over to the barracks. Marcus wanted to see him in uniform first thing in the morning. Contrary to Will’s more casual attitude towards duty, he did have a Liger Brigade uniform. The blame for him not wearing it could be attributed to Antares not wanting to turn Will into a soldier. Will yawned as he walked, having been kept up all night no thanks to a series of vivid dreams. Much of it was like his newfound ULTRAMagic was trying to teach him all that it could, only for all of it to be forgotten upon waking up. Two things stood out regardless: An entity of fire and metal Will knew was Blood-Wraith, and the other being a man in his mid 20s that gave off an eldritch feeling.
As he entered the barracks main building which was a bit chilly, the M.A.I.G. soldiers present could tell Will was nervous. Ones that were familiar with him gave him compliments and words of encouragement as he approached. It was greatly appreciated, leading to Will improving his gait a bit. Spotting Marcus brought that anxiety back, but Antares was also there, writing something down. Surely it was not going to be all bad.
“Alright, I’m here…” Will said with a yawn.
“Ahem,” Marcus immediately replied.
Will sighed. “Sir, Colonel, sir!” he responded with a salute.
“Better, Private Ford. Now since I’ve taken charge of protecting you, I would like to see where your current skills lie.”
That caught Antares’ attention, causing him to pause what he was doing. “Hey, wait a second! You better not be trying to recruit him…”
“And so what if I was?”
“Mark, he’s not fit for combat. I can say that without a shadow of a doubt.”
“And on what grounds do you make this assertion, Captain? You certainly seem to have no qualms sending him on missions.”
“He’s autistic.”
Marcus looked over at Will, who looked a little tense. “I see. Private, give me 20 pushups as a quick warm up.”
“Yes sir…” Will said as he got to it.
“Why did you…?” Antares questioned.
“He has trouble managing his emotions at times, yes?” Marcus inquired.
“Among other quirks.”
“Then some physical activity should help take his mind off things…”
As Marcus and Antares discussed Will’s mental state and record at the brigade, Faustus appeared in his usual flurry of sparks. “Hey, Sport. What are you up to?”
“Hold on… 18… 19… 20!” Will got up and dusted his hands off. “All done, sir.”
“Very good,” Marcus replied. “Feeling better?”
Antares smacked Marcus upside the head. “How about you open a psychology book, genius?”
“Did you just strike a superior officer?!”
“Yes, and I’ll do it again. This is one of the many reasons I don’t want Will in the military. None of you would know how to handle him.”
Faustus laughed. “Jeez you two… Oh, um, how do I put this next thing delicately?”
“What’s up, Faustus?” Will asked.
“Agreed,” Marcus added. “Is something the matter, Mr. Ashman?”
The fire devil took a breath with an anxious, smokey exhale. “I don’t want to alarm you guys, but Mayhem and Umuka have been in and out all morning. Something’s got them up in arms and I got a bad feeling about it…”
Antares slowly face palmed. “Not again…” The code red alarms then went off. “Speak of the devil…”
Marcus walked over to a command console to check the severity… only for his blood to run cold. “Level 5… Captain, Private, Ashman! Follow me to the War Room, now!”
This was the first time in a while that a level 5 code red had been initiated and it was a nightmare. M.A.I.G. helicopters were in the air in no time, getting a good read on the unfolding situation as soldiers from M.A.I.G. and GRENADIER were on their way to the city. The northwest quadrant had been invaded by shadow constructs. They were pouring into the streets, with the police barely being able to hold them back. This changed when the soldiers showed up, suppressing the constructs while evacuation efforts began.
Panic and confusion quickly set in for the citizens as EAS messages and emergency sirens sounded off across the city. The U.S. Military was on the way, but they needed time. At first there was a shelter in place order under a civil danger alert. Once more soldiers arrived, citizens were advised to wait where they were until military personnel arrived to help. M.A.I.G. did not want to evacuate the city as it would quickly turn into a crisis, but Sebastian’s barbarism made such measures a necessity for the survival of the populace.
The War Room was unbelievably hectic as many people were in and out, giving out orders, receiving intel, and coordinating any necessary rescue efforts. Reconstruction had begun on the main doors after Adrien’s destructive entrance, but these efforts were abandoned and the doorway was left in a stable, yet unfinished state. This actually made it easier for everyone to come and go. And it was a good call too, as the situation in the city kept escalating more and more as time pressed on.
Will was at the main table, watching the display screens relaying data on the evacuation. He could feel his anger building as he gritted his teeth, unable to do anything. “DAMN IT! LET ME GO HELP! I don’t want to stay here, I have the power to help now!”
“No, Private!” Marcus snapped back. “You are still the VIP and we have no idea what Sebastian is going to do in regards to you.”
“Damn it!” Will said as he kicked over an empty chair.
“Easy, Private,” Antares replied, trying to calm him. “I don’t like being cooped up here either, but let’s not lose our heads… not yet, at least.”
Trumna turned away from his screen. “Willems, the northeast quadrant is seeing a new wave of constructs. We need more troops now!”
“Roger that, Trumna!” Jurgen answered as he put his hand over the speaker of a phone. “Delta Force, FEMA, and Homeland Security will be joining us soon!”
“Excellent.” Trumna then brought up a video feed of Anomaly Containment. “How are things on your end, Dr. Arntz?”
“No problems here, Trumna.”
Reynard then had an idea that gave him a devilish grin. “Haha, Gerrit, how about we let some of the anomalies go for a little walk? You know which ones I mean…”
Gerrit cackled a bit. “Will do. Anderson, want to go say hi to your cousins?” he called out as the feed cut off.
Trumna sighed and groaned. “Pretty reckless, Rey…”
“EXCUSE ME!” Marcus exclaimed, clearly alarmed by that idea.
Reynard took a drag of his cigar to ease his nerves. “Don’t worry, Marcus. People are leaving in droves. If anyone sees them, we’ll just deny it or say it was some kind of experimental armor or robot. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll give them some money to stay quiet.”
“I don’t like your nonchalant attitude towards this, doctor…”
“Relax, jarhead…” Antares chided. “Reynard, where’s Sam, Buster, and Olivia?”
“My quarters.”
“Good. Vlastimir and Ekaterina?”
“They went with Zoltan to help out in the city.”
“Okay. Milan and Aelia?”
“Aelia is in the city and Milan is protecting the base.”
“Alright…”
“Antares, what’s the status of Sky Fortress Camelot?” Trumna cut in.
The captain groaned. “Stalled. Sebastian sent a small army of flying constructs their way. Colonel Aalders assured me they were on their way regardless.”
As Will continued to watch the situation unfurl, stewing in his own frustration, he felt his pants pocket warm up. It was Valentin’s card and a message was forming on it. “What the…?”
Faustus noticed this and tried to look at the card. “What’s the matter, sport?”
“Hey guys, check up on Solomon Grant Elementary.”
Trumna was a little confused, but pressed some buttons at his console. “Let’s see… SHIT!” He then pulled up a transmitter mic and pressed the button. “Squads 10, 4, and 7 get to Solomon Grant Elementary School immediately! A tipped fire truck is hindering evacuation!” This sent everyone into a panic as children were obviously still present at the school.
Will looked down and saw the card change again. “Hurry? Hey, Fuatus?”
“Already on it, sport,” he said as he went into his arm. Then as if by instinct, Will tossed the card and disappeared in a flurry of sparks.
Antares turned to face Will. “Good call, Private! Where’d you get that… Private? Private!”
Marcus looked around utterly confused. “He was just here!”
Jackson was in the doorway, a bandolier around his chest and a shotgun on his back. He had witnessed what had happened. “YOU IDIOTS! He probably just teleported to the school while you weren’t looking!”
Marcus felt his anger surge. “ARGH! Insubordinate… Damn it! Jack, you’re with me!” He then noticed Antares starting to follow. “No, Captain! You stay here, help the others, and keep the brigade up to speed!”
“Argh, fine!” Antares complained. “But you better bring Will back in one piece!”
Will was a little distorted after traveling through a chaotic tunnel of light. Fortunately it was not too bad, allowing him to head over to the soldiers across the road. Things were not good as school buses were being held up and some students were still at the school entrance. The younger children were crying in terror as the teachers and available soldiers did their best to calm them. It nearly made Will cry, but he maintained his composure and headed towards the slow, ongoing jacking of the fire truck.
Just as he made it over, Will noticed a shadow construct running towards the soldiers. “LOOK OUT!” He shouted as he got in between, shooting a concentrated jet of white hot fire from his palm. As the construct burnt to cinders, the fire truck was tipped upright with a massive thud.
One of the M.A.I.G. soldiers who had been on the other side of Will patted him on the back. “Nice shootin’, Private Ford! But Jesus, you shouldn’t even be here right now!”
“Sorry, Corporal Collins, but something told me to come here as soon as possible…”
Just then, Mayhem ran up, panicked and bruised. “YOU ALL NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!”
“Mayhem, what’s wrong!?” Faustus asked as he half-manifested out of Will’s right arm.
“That bastard Sebastian had his constructs go around to the jails and turn whoever they could into one of them! There’s an entire horde on their way here right now!”
Major Johnson of the GRENADIER troops got out his binoculars as a massive roar was heard way off in the distance. “OH GREAT! Here they come!” He turned to the teachers and students. “BACK INSIDE RIGHT NOW! MEN, LOCK AND LOAD!”
Faustus looked back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. He then had an idea. “Wait, I got it! Mayhem, form a barrier around the school the best you can!”
“On it!” Mayhem went over and slammed his fists together. A glowing, transparent purple circus tent formed and enveloped the front of the school.
“Johnson, get your men behind the truck!”
“Just what in the Sam Hill do you think you’re doing!?” he demanded to know.
“JUST DO IT!” Faustus then turned his attention to Will. “Champ, I got a technique that can wipe out that entire horde, but we need to do a full merge…”
“WHAT!?! BUT WE WENT BERSERK LAST TIME!” Will pointed out in a panic.
“I KNOW. But that was then and this is now! I believe in you, Will.”
“But, but…!”
Faustus growled and pointed at the rapidly approaching horde. “Look, it’s either us or the school. Pick one!”
As black smoke billowed from Will’s neck, he took a deep breath, and roared “FINE, LET’S DO IT!” with fight in his voice.
In a flash of fiery light, a great demon appeared in Will’s place. It was all red, ferocious, and could be best described as an alien dinosaur that stood upright. The horde was drawing ever closer as Will and Faustus roared, breathing a great amount of smoke and ash. They sounded like a volcanic eruption in the process. The area then heated up like an oven as arcing electricity ignited the smoke and ash into raging fire. Once ready, the demon tilted its head back and then cocked it forward.
A giant, focused beam of intense energy shot from his mouth, creating an immense torrent of destruction. It hit the horde dead on, utterly destroying them, and razed the streets down to the soil. It was a sight beyond the wildest imaginations of the students that witnessed it. Upon the attack ending, the demon split apart into Will and Faustus. The two looked exhausted as they collapsed to the ground.
Collins went and helped Will up, supporting him with his shoulders. “You okay, Private?”
“Woo, yeah… thanks, Corporal…” he sounded a little lightheaded, but he would be fine.
Collins laughed. “Ladies and gentlemen, Private William Ford of the Liger Brigade!”
As everyone cheered and applauded, Will gave a weak wave. “Don’t mention it… Faustus, what was that?”
“Volcano Breath, ha,” Faustus said as he picked himself up. “I’ve been working on it ever since Akaya kicked our butts back at the academy…”
Mayhem then sensed something and looked up. “ABOVE YOU, LOOK OUT!”
A group of shadow constructs had leapt down from the nearby buildings, but something caught them before they could make it to the ground. “TRIPLE RESONANCE TECHNIQUE: IRON LOTUS!” three familiar voices called out.
First came Vlastimir, coated in armor made of his dragon’s blood. He got into position and lifted Ekaterina up into the air. With a roar, he kept her in the air so she could spin like a ballerina, decimating any construct caught in her flurry of bladed ribbons like it was a work of art. Vlastimir then gave another roar, pushing the remains of the constructs up further. As he caught Ekaterina like they were in a dance, another woman flew in and created a sphere of purple fire. Burning like a magnificent star, it quickly turned what remained of the constructs to ashes.
When the second woman landed, everyone cheered and applauded once more. That entire display was a thing of beauty. Will took a second to process all of it and was stunned once he realized it was Sam who did that last attack… except, she seemed different now. Her hair had gone dark purple like the night sky, she had increased in muscle mass, and had a demon’s tail. She was also clad in black and purple armor and wielded a claymore with a blade nearly as dark as the void itself.
“SAM?” WIll exclaimed.
“The name’s Morrigan Devilfay, boyo,” she giggled as she indicated for Collins to hand him off to her.
Mayhem dissipated the tent and walked over. Having Morrigan show up and seeing the school be able to evacuate alleviated a great deal of his worry. “Good show, Morrigan. Just in the nick of time too. What an amazing technique that was…”
“Hey, don’t look at me, that was all Vlastimir and Eka’s idea.”
Vlastimir cackled and danced around like a gremlin, very proud of himself. “All in a day’s work.”
“If only Leif, Blood, Tusk, and the others could’ve seen that…” Ekaterina remarked just as an open-roofed BTR pulled up.
“WILL!” Jackson called out as he hopped out of the truck. “ARE YOU INSANE?”
Marcus also hopped out and ran over. “PRIVATE, THAT WAS DANGEROUS AND OUT OF LINE.”
Collins stepped forward, getting in between Will and the Colonel. “Colonel, sir! Private Ford and Faustus saved the entire school with their magic.”
“He did?” Marcus looked around, noting the trail of destruction. He then looked at Faustus who nodded in response.
“Anyone got some food?” Will asked. “I’m starving…” he said with a groan.
“Ah, I see,” Marcus remarked as he straightened out his uniform. “Well done, William. Well done indeed. The school is in your debt. As the great General Gough Huxley once said; What is bravery without a dash of recklessness? Soldiers, return to your evacuation duties. The rest of you: We shall rendezvous with Zoltan and Aelia and regroup from there!”
Will groaned again, causing Faustus to chuckle. “Anyone got a granola bar?”
“Don’t worry, we got a few MREs here in the truck,” the driver of the BTR answered.
“Very good, let’s get moving then,” concluded Marcus.
Next: Chapter 27
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Master Post - Patreon
In the early hours of the morning, Sebastian inspected his army of shadow constructs that waited silently in the valleys below Mt. Steady Rock. They all groaned and creaked, but remained still as they awaited their orders. Any sane man would have been disgusted by this sight of foul magic, but not Sebastian. He was quite proud of his work, a new personal best for him. Sebastian then gave an order in German, causing the vile army to lurch forward. 70 times 70 constructs began marching towards the city, unbeknownst to the residents who were still waking up.
Over at M.A.I.G. headquarters, Will was making his way over to the barracks. Marcus wanted to see him in uniform first thing in the morning. Contrary to Will’s more casual attitude towards duty, he did have a Liger Brigade uniform. The blame for him not wearing it could be attributed to Antares not wanting to turn Will into a soldier. Will yawned as he walked, having been kept up all night no thanks to a series of vivid dreams. Much of it was like his newfound ULTRAMagic was trying to teach him all that it could, only for all of it to be forgotten upon waking up. Two things stood out regardless: An entity of fire and metal Will knew was Blood-Wraith, and the other being a man in his mid 20s that gave off an eldritch feeling.
As he entered the barracks main building which was a bit chilly, the M.A.I.G. soldiers present could tell Will was nervous. Ones that were familiar with him gave him compliments and words of encouragement as he approached. It was greatly appreciated, leading to Will improving his gait a bit. Spotting Marcus brought that anxiety back, but Antares was also there, writing something down. Surely it was not going to be all bad.
“Alright, I’m here…” Will said with a yawn.
“Ahem,” Marcus immediately replied.
Will sighed. “Sir, Colonel, sir!” he responded with a salute.
“Better, Private Ford. Now since I’ve taken charge of protecting you, I would like to see where your current skills lie.”
That caught Antares’ attention, causing him to pause what he was doing. “Hey, wait a second! You better not be trying to recruit him…”
“And so what if I was?”
“Mark, he’s not fit for combat. I can say that without a shadow of a doubt.”
“And on what grounds do you make this assertion, Captain? You certainly seem to have no qualms sending him on missions.”
“He’s autistic.”
Marcus looked over at Will, who looked a little tense. “I see. Private, give me 20 pushups as a quick warm up.”
“Yes sir…” Will said as he got to it.
“Why did you…?” Antares questioned.
“He has trouble managing his emotions at times, yes?” Marcus inquired.
“Among other quirks.”
“Then some physical activity should help take his mind off things…”
As Marcus and Antares discussed Will’s mental state and record at the brigade, Faustus appeared in his usual flurry of sparks. “Hey, Sport. What are you up to?”
“Hold on… 18… 19… 20!” Will got up and dusted his hands off. “All done, sir.”
“Very good,” Marcus replied. “Feeling better?”
Antares smacked Marcus upside the head. “How about you open a psychology book, genius?”
“Did you just strike a superior officer?!”
“Yes, and I’ll do it again. This is one of the many reasons I don’t want Will in the military. None of you would know how to handle him.”
Faustus laughed. “Jeez you two… Oh, um, how do I put this next thing delicately?”
“What’s up, Faustus?” Will asked.
“Agreed,” Marcus added. “Is something the matter, Mr. Ashman?”
The fire devil took a breath with an anxious, smokey exhale. “I don’t want to alarm you guys, but Mayhem and Umuka have been in and out all morning. Something’s got them up in arms and I got a bad feeling about it…”
Antares slowly face palmed. “Not again…” The code red alarms then went off. “Speak of the devil…”
Marcus walked over to a command console to check the severity… only for his blood to run cold. “Level 5… Captain, Private, Ashman! Follow me to the War Room, now!”
This was the first time in a while that a level 5 code red had been initiated and it was a nightmare. M.A.I.G. helicopters were in the air in no time, getting a good read on the unfolding situation as soldiers from M.A.I.G. and GRENADIER were on their way to the city. The northwest quadrant had been invaded by shadow constructs. They were pouring into the streets, with the police barely being able to hold them back. This changed when the soldiers showed up, suppressing the constructs while evacuation efforts began.
Panic and confusion quickly set in for the citizens as EAS messages and emergency sirens sounded off across the city. The U.S. Military was on the way, but they needed time. At first there was a shelter in place order under a civil danger alert. Once more soldiers arrived, citizens were advised to wait where they were until military personnel arrived to help. M.A.I.G. did not want to evacuate the city as it would quickly turn into a crisis, but Sebastian’s barbarism made such measures a necessity for the survival of the populace.
The War Room was unbelievably hectic as many people were in and out, giving out orders, receiving intel, and coordinating any necessary rescue efforts. Reconstruction had begun on the main doors after Adrien’s destructive entrance, but these efforts were abandoned and the doorway was left in a stable, yet unfinished state. This actually made it easier for everyone to come and go. And it was a good call too, as the situation in the city kept escalating more and more as time pressed on.
Will was at the main table, watching the display screens relaying data on the evacuation. He could feel his anger building as he gritted his teeth, unable to do anything. “DAMN IT! LET ME GO HELP! I don’t want to stay here, I have the power to help now!”
“No, Private!” Marcus snapped back. “You are still the VIP and we have no idea what Sebastian is going to do in regards to you.”
“Damn it!” Will said as he kicked over an empty chair.
“Easy, Private,” Antares replied, trying to calm him. “I don’t like being cooped up here either, but let’s not lose our heads… not yet, at least.”
Trumna turned away from his screen. “Willems, the northeast quadrant is seeing a new wave of constructs. We need more troops now!”
“Roger that, Trumna!” Jurgen answered as he put his hand over the speaker of a phone. “Delta Force, FEMA, and Homeland Security will be joining us soon!”
“Excellent.” Trumna then brought up a video feed of Anomaly Containment. “How are things on your end, Dr. Arntz?”
“No problems here, Trumna.”
Reynard then had an idea that gave him a devilish grin. “Haha, Gerrit, how about we let some of the anomalies go for a little walk? You know which ones I mean…”
Gerrit cackled a bit. “Will do. Anderson, want to go say hi to your cousins?” he called out as the feed cut off.
Trumna sighed and groaned. “Pretty reckless, Rey…”
“EXCUSE ME!” Marcus exclaimed, clearly alarmed by that idea.
Reynard took a drag of his cigar to ease his nerves. “Don’t worry, Marcus. People are leaving in droves. If anyone sees them, we’ll just deny it or say it was some kind of experimental armor or robot. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll give them some money to stay quiet.”
“I don’t like your nonchalant attitude towards this, doctor…”
“Relax, jarhead…” Antares chided. “Reynard, where’s Sam, Buster, and Olivia?”
“My quarters.”
“Good. Vlastimir and Ekaterina?”
“They went with Zoltan to help out in the city.”
“Okay. Milan and Aelia?”
“Aelia is in the city and Milan is protecting the base.”
“Alright…”
“Antares, what’s the status of Sky Fortress Camelot?” Trumna cut in.
The captain groaned. “Stalled. Sebastian sent a small army of flying constructs their way. Colonel Aalders assured me they were on their way regardless.”
As Will continued to watch the situation unfurl, stewing in his own frustration, he felt his pants pocket warm up. It was Valentin’s card and a message was forming on it. “What the…?”
Faustus noticed this and tried to look at the card. “What’s the matter, sport?”
“Hey guys, check up on Solomon Grant Elementary.”
Trumna was a little confused, but pressed some buttons at his console. “Let’s see… SHIT!” He then pulled up a transmitter mic and pressed the button. “Squads 10, 4, and 7 get to Solomon Grant Elementary School immediately! A tipped fire truck is hindering evacuation!” This sent everyone into a panic as children were obviously still present at the school.
Will looked down and saw the card change again. “Hurry? Hey, Fuatus?”
“Already on it, sport,” he said as he went into his arm. Then as if by instinct, Will tossed the card and disappeared in a flurry of sparks.
Antares turned to face Will. “Good call, Private! Where’d you get that… Private? Private!”
Marcus looked around utterly confused. “He was just here!”
Jackson was in the doorway, a bandolier around his chest and a shotgun on his back. He had witnessed what had happened. “YOU IDIOTS! He probably just teleported to the school while you weren’t looking!”
Marcus felt his anger surge. “ARGH! Insubordinate… Damn it! Jack, you’re with me!” He then noticed Antares starting to follow. “No, Captain! You stay here, help the others, and keep the brigade up to speed!”
“Argh, fine!” Antares complained. “But you better bring Will back in one piece!”
Will was a little distorted after traveling through a chaotic tunnel of light. Fortunately it was not too bad, allowing him to head over to the soldiers across the road. Things were not good as school buses were being held up and some students were still at the school entrance. The younger children were crying in terror as the teachers and available soldiers did their best to calm them. It nearly made Will cry, but he maintained his composure and headed towards the slow, ongoing jacking of the fire truck.
Just as he made it over, Will noticed a shadow construct running towards the soldiers. “LOOK OUT!” He shouted as he got in between, shooting a concentrated jet of white hot fire from his palm. As the construct burnt to cinders, the fire truck was tipped upright with a massive thud.
One of the M.A.I.G. soldiers who had been on the other side of Will patted him on the back. “Nice shootin’, Private Ford! But Jesus, you shouldn’t even be here right now!”
“Sorry, Corporal Collins, but something told me to come here as soon as possible…”
Just then, Mayhem ran up, panicked and bruised. “YOU ALL NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!”
“Mayhem, what’s wrong!?” Faustus asked as he half-manifested out of Will’s right arm.
“That bastard Sebastian had his constructs go around to the jails and turn whoever they could into one of them! There’s an entire horde on their way here right now!”
Major Johnson of the GRENADIER troops got out his binoculars as a massive roar was heard way off in the distance. “OH GREAT! Here they come!” He turned to the teachers and students. “BACK INSIDE RIGHT NOW! MEN, LOCK AND LOAD!”
Faustus looked back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. He then had an idea. “Wait, I got it! Mayhem, form a barrier around the school the best you can!”
“On it!” Mayhem went over and slammed his fists together. A glowing, transparent purple circus tent formed and enveloped the front of the school.
“Johnson, get your men behind the truck!”
“Just what in the Sam Hill do you think you’re doing!?” he demanded to know.
“JUST DO IT!” Faustus then turned his attention to Will. “Champ, I got a technique that can wipe out that entire horde, but we need to do a full merge…”
“WHAT!?! BUT WE WENT BERSERK LAST TIME!” Will pointed out in a panic.
“I KNOW. But that was then and this is now! I believe in you, Will.”
“But, but…!”
Faustus growled and pointed at the rapidly approaching horde. “Look, it’s either us or the school. Pick one!”
As black smoke billowed from Will’s neck, he took a deep breath, and roared “FINE, LET’S DO IT!” with fight in his voice.
In a flash of fiery light, a great demon appeared in Will’s place. It was all red, ferocious, and could be best described as an alien dinosaur that stood upright. The horde was drawing ever closer as Will and Faustus roared, breathing a great amount of smoke and ash. They sounded like a volcanic eruption in the process. The area then heated up like an oven as arcing electricity ignited the smoke and ash into raging fire. Once ready, the demon tilted its head back and then cocked it forward.
A giant, focused beam of intense energy shot from his mouth, creating an immense torrent of destruction. It hit the horde dead on, utterly destroying them, and razed the streets down to the soil. It was a sight beyond the wildest imaginations of the students that witnessed it. Upon the attack ending, the demon split apart into Will and Faustus. The two looked exhausted as they collapsed to the ground.
Collins went and helped Will up, supporting him with his shoulders. “You okay, Private?”
“Woo, yeah… thanks, Corporal…” he sounded a little lightheaded, but he would be fine.
Collins laughed. “Ladies and gentlemen, Private William Ford of the Liger Brigade!”
As everyone cheered and applauded, Will gave a weak wave. “Don’t mention it… Faustus, what was that?”
“Volcano Breath, ha,” Faustus said as he picked himself up. “I’ve been working on it ever since Akaya kicked our butts back at the academy…”
Mayhem then sensed something and looked up. “ABOVE YOU, LOOK OUT!”
A group of shadow constructs had leapt down from the nearby buildings, but something caught them before they could make it to the ground. “TRIPLE RESONANCE TECHNIQUE: IRON LOTUS!” three familiar voices called out.
First came Vlastimir, coated in armor made of his dragon’s blood. He got into position and lifted Ekaterina up into the air. With a roar, he kept her in the air so she could spin like a ballerina, decimating any construct caught in her flurry of bladed ribbons like it was a work of art. Vlastimir then gave another roar, pushing the remains of the constructs up further. As he caught Ekaterina like they were in a dance, another woman flew in and created a sphere of purple fire. Burning like a magnificent star, it quickly turned what remained of the constructs to ashes.
When the second woman landed, everyone cheered and applauded once more. That entire display was a thing of beauty. Will took a second to process all of it and was stunned once he realized it was Sam who did that last attack… except, she seemed different now. Her hair had gone dark purple like the night sky, she had increased in muscle mass, and had a demon’s tail. She was also clad in black and purple armor and wielded a claymore with a blade nearly as dark as the void itself.
“SAM?” WIll exclaimed.
“The name’s Morrigan Devilfay, boyo,” she giggled as she indicated for Collins to hand him off to her.
Mayhem dissipated the tent and walked over. Having Morrigan show up and seeing the school be able to evacuate alleviated a great deal of his worry. “Good show, Morrigan. Just in the nick of time too. What an amazing technique that was…”
“Hey, don’t look at me, that was all Vlastimir and Eka’s idea.”
Vlastimir cackled and danced around like a gremlin, very proud of himself. “All in a day’s work.”
“If only Leif, Blood, Tusk, and the others could’ve seen that…” Ekaterina remarked just as an open-roofed BTR pulled up.
“WILL!” Jackson called out as he hopped out of the truck. “ARE YOU INSANE?”
Marcus also hopped out and ran over. “PRIVATE, THAT WAS DANGEROUS AND OUT OF LINE.”
Collins stepped forward, getting in between Will and the Colonel. “Colonel, sir! Private Ford and Faustus saved the entire school with their magic.”
“He did?” Marcus looked around, noting the trail of destruction. He then looked at Faustus who nodded in response.
“Anyone got some food?” Will asked. “I’m starving…” he said with a groan.
“Ah, I see,” Marcus remarked as he straightened out his uniform. “Well done, William. Well done indeed. The school is in your debt. As the great General Gough Huxley once said; What is bravery without a dash of recklessness? Soldiers, return to your evacuation duties. The rest of you: We shall rendezvous with Zoltan and Aelia and regroup from there!”
Will groaned again, causing Faustus to chuckle. “Anyone got a granola bar?”
“Don’t worry, we got a few MREs here in the truck,” the driver of the BTR answered.
“Very good, let’s get moving then,” concluded Marcus.
Next: Chapter 27
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
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