//------------------------------// // Sting // Story: Brighter Horizons // by Destiny Chaser //------------------------------// Present Day Sunset Shimmer paced restlessly in the now deserted corridor outside of the white double doors that led into one of the many guest suites in Canterlot Castle, her ears pinned back in frustration and worry. Even though she had been away for so many years, the sights and smells of what was her home for most of her formative years were still quite familiar to her. It was late, Luna had long ago raised the moon and most ponies throughout the castle, save for the guards and a few night owls, were all sound asleep. But sleep was the furthest thing from the fiery unicorn's mind whose youthful appearance masked the weight of her years, a weight matched only by the growing sense of dread that hung within her gut like a millstone. Oh Flash, you brilliant...IDIOT. You should have let somepony go with you... Sunset spun back around as she continued her pacing. Of all the things I taught you, I had hoped that my stubbornness wouldn't have been one of them. The memory of Bright Skies' piercing, gut-wrenching scream and subsequent hysterics sent a shiver up her spine as she racked her brain for an idea. Something, anything that they could do to find out what had happened to Flash. She lifted a forelimb to rub her cheek which still stung from the slap she had received only minutes before. Her ears perked up as she snapped her head to the sound of one of the doors to the room opening. Twilight Sparkle stepped quietly out of the darkened interior and carefully closed the door behind her. The young alicorn turned to face her, appearing exhausted as she rubbed the bridge of her muzzle with one hoof. Sunset quickly stepped up in front her, anxious for answers. "How is she?" She whispered urgently, the low volume doing nothing to diminish the worry in her voice. Twilight sighed as she lowered her hoof and opened her eyes. "Heavily sedated. She's sleeping now, Luna is going to stay with her." Sunset nodded sadly before allowing her gaze to drop to her hooves. "And how are you?" Twilight asked, her voice and expression one of genuine concern. "Fine but, I think Rainbow Dash now hates me forever." She said as she rubbed her reddened cheek again. Twilight grimaced but shook her head. "No, she doesn't hate you she's just...distraught. She acted out emotionally." Sunset smirked at that. "Well, I'm sure my shouting match with her didn't do anything to soothe those emotions." "Even so, she was out of line to slap you like that. I'll talk to her once she's had a chance to cool off, I'm sure she'll apologize." Twilight said with a disapproving frown. "It can wait." Sunset sighed, "I probably deserved a lot worse." Twilight shook her head. "No Sunset!" She retorted, "You can't blame yourself for this. Flash knew the risks, he chose to go." Sunset nodded slowly in acknowledgement but said nothing. She remained silent for a few beats before saying, "Bright Skies. I've...I've never heard anypony scream like that." She said before raising her eyes back to her friend. "Any idea what could have happened to Flash to make her go into panicked conniptions like that?" Twilight shook her head, appearing as worried as Sunset felt. "Not a clue, but it can't be good. From what I've heard, Flash reacted in a similar way back when Tirek had gotten to Bright Skies." Twilight said with a slight shudder, her wings flexing slightly. "But maybe we will know more soon." "How?" Sunset asked, her eyes pleading. Twilight took a breath and exhaled before saying, "After Luna put Bright Skies to sleep, she explained to me a theory she has had for some time but has never tested." "And that is?" Twilight paused a moment to formulate the theory in her own words. "Because of the unique bond they share, she is going to try and access Flash's consciousness through his mother's." Sunset's eyes widened in surprise. "Has she ever done this before?" She asked, her voice hopeful. Twilight shook her head. "No, it has only been a theory of her's one she's never tested here, let alone interdimensionally. And for it even to have a chance of working, Flash would need to be asleep at the same time." Sunset nodded in comprehension as she glanced to the side in thought. "Well, Bright Skies could still feel him this whole time, so that means there's a chance that this could work." Twilight swallowed nervously. "But only if Flash is still, I mean-" Sunset shot her a vicious look. "Don't you even think it..." She snarled causing Twilight to lift a forelimb defensively in shock. Sunset's face immediately softened with regret, her ears drooping. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it that way. It's just..." She trailed off, looking to the side again as worry consumed her features once more. Twilight stepped up to her and rested a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "I know, we all love him too." Sunset sniffed and wiped a tear that was beginning to form in the corner of one eye. "Oh, I'm going to have such words for that blockhead when he gets back." She said with a humorless chuckle. Twilight smiled and raised a bemused eyebrow as she lowered her hoof back to the carpet. "You may have to get in line." She replied which caused Sunset to let out a more genuine laugh which Twilight joined her in. The two friends shared a brief embrace before they turned and began walking together down the corridor towards the royal pantry. "C'mon, let's go find Rainbow Dash. Knowing her at this time of night, she's probably trying to drown her worries in dessert." Sunset smirked. "Yeah, if Celestia left her any." Twilight's lips twitched as she suppressed her own smirk, the two friends continuing on together in silence. Princess Luna stood motionless on an ethereal plane of blue light. Above her, a starscape of the night sky stretched endlessly in all directions. The breathtaking sight might have been impressive for anypony, even her. But none of this held her attention at the moment. Rather, all of her focus was on the young human who sat on the edge of the plane, his back to her as his bare feet dangled freely over the endless void of stars. Flash's dream form was wearing a sky-blue t-shirt and white shorts, an outfit he used to wear all of the time when he was a child. The Lunar princess knew that Flash was aware of her presence, but he had yet to speak to or even look at her, a far departure from the usual deference that he always showed her and her sister despite their familiarity and friendship with him. She was willing to wait though. The present situation would require a delicate approach. Her powerful vision could clearly see the fracture points that had begun to form in the aura of his psyche and heart, a careless move or word now could prove disastrous. She didn't have to wait long. "How's mom?" Flash asked softly, still not looking at her as he gazed aimlessly into the star-filled void below him. Luna's heart ached for him as she could sense his pain. "She shall be fine, I believe. I placed her into an enchanted sleep before she could harm herself." Flash nodded and whispered a nearly inaudible thanks. Luna dared to take a step closer to him. "And what of you, dear Flash?" "What about me?" He replied, his voice neutral, nearly devoid of emotion. Luna frowned, her face filled with concern as she saw his aura darken further. "Thou hast been hurt," She paused before continuing, "In more ways than one. Pray, tell us, what happened?" Flash shrugged but still didn't look at her. "I got shot. I was careless. If it wasn't for Sunset's spell warning me, we wouldn't even be having this conversation right now." Luna slowly took another step forward. "I was not speaking of the injury to thy flesh, what has happened to thy heart?" Flash smirked a little to himself as he noticed that she had slipped back into her olden airs, something he knew that she only did when she was upset. Ever since her return, she had been working on adopting a more modern dialect. He sighed, silent for another beat before he finally spoke. "Do you remember Luna, what you said to me that one time about not forgiving?" The princess nodded solemnly. "I told thee that, 'Unforgiveness is as a poison, young Flash, that one drinks whilst hoping the other shall die." Flash nodded in acknowledgment. "Forgiving Discord was probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life up till now. Hating him...it almost ruined me." Luna took another step forward so that she was right behind him now, staring down at him. "And who do you struggle to forgive now, my friend?" She whispered. Flash swallowed as he raised his head slightly. "Myself..." He replied as he finally turned his head and looked up at her with baleful eyes. "How can I forgive myself?" Luna gazed at him sympathetically, her glimmering eyes conveying all of her concern and affection for him. Flash looked away again. "I did what I was supposed to do, I did my duty. But..." "But what, dear one?" Flash held his head in his hands. "If I did what was right, then why...WHY does it hurt so much?!" He shouted as he angrily shook his head from side to side while holding it in his hands. "Why can't I reconcile this? Why do I STILL see his wretched face?! It's not like he was some innocent child, he was SCUM! So why?! Why do I?! What do..." Luna moved quickly, settling down next to him as she drew a strong wing around his shoulders and pulled him to her side, resting her chin atop his head. He stiffened, trying to resist her embrace for a just a second before relenting and leaning into her warm neck. Without him even telling her, Luna now understood what had happened. The events replayed so clearly through his mind and with such violent force that she could both see and sense them in her own. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." She whispered, trying as best she could to give him comfort. His emotions were a strange cocktail of sorrow, rage, and guilt. "I'm a freaking soldier," Flash muttered after a few moments. "If I did the right thing, I should be able to acknowledge that and get over it. But here I am, whimpering like a foal. I'm weak..." Luna responded by tightening her hold on him before she spoke. "Oh Flash, we should never be surprised if we are weak. None of us are as yet complete. But this, this is not weakness." She lifted her chin off of him as he looked up at her, his face longing for answers. She gave him a sorrowful smile. "Though you did no wrong, it does not change the reality that it remains a dreadful thing to have to do. I would be far more concerned if such a deed was not troubling you. You may be a soldier, but that is not who you are." Flash glanced away in thought as he soaked in her words, unsure of how to respond. For all of the long discussions he and Luna had had in the past, talks on ethics and philosophy, on situations precisely like the one he found himself in now, he never really considered what it would feel like to actually experience it. He had always assumed that so long as he knew what was right, he could deal with any situation, no matter how grievous. He sighed before speaking. "All my life, I've wanted to do this." He said. "When I signed up, and all through my training, I made peace with the reality that there might come a day where I would have to take a life. A monster, a changeling, All-Maker forbid, a pony. Tartarus, I tried to kill Tirek." Luna felt him shudder at the memory. "...but..." "But not thy own kind?" Luna finished for him. Flash eyes flicked to her briefly as he nodded slowly. "I never expected to ever even see another human, let alone have to...kill, one. Especially after only a handful of hours after seeing my first one." He paused a moment before meeting her eyes once more. "I was so excited to be given the opportunity to see my own kind, so eager to learn about them. But all I've done in the short time I've been here is break and destroy. It's like I'm no better than the ones I've had to fight..." Those words cause the Lunar Princess to wince. Luna tilted her head down slightly so that she could look directly into his eyes. "You are nothing of the sort, Flash Skies." She said with a bit more sharpness than she intended, but she wished to drive home her point. "Any brute can kill, because he cares little for the value of life. But a good soldier, a strong soldier does. He loves it, treasures it, and will only take it when he must protect it. Tis' indeed, a terrible burden to bear, but bear it he does so that others will not have to." Flash recognized those words, it was very similar to what she had said to him when she had gifted him the enchanted vambrace he now wore. He looked down and sighed. "I know, it's just that I...I just feel so adrift. I don't know how to come back from this." Luna reached out and gently touched a hoof to his chest. "By not doing it alone, my friend; and by remembering who you are." The human remained silent so she continued. "You are fierce in thy passions, young Flash, but possess a benevolent heart. You care for others, your desire is to protect them. And while it is true that we can never return to being exactly as we were before such an experience, it doesn't have to change the reality that you are still a good person Flash." Luna said as she then placed her hoof under his chin to raise his face back to her own, her expression a curious mixture of both compassion and determination. "Don't lose that." Flash's eyes narrowed as he felt a flicker of hope beginning to rise within him. Luna noticed this and decided to press forward in this line. Just a little more..."You have seen much foulness in thy home-world within a very short time my friend, and my heart breaks for you." She leaned forward and briefly touched her soft muzzle to his forehead in a simple gesture of affection. She leaned back and smiled warmly at him, "But, do not let it consume thee. Rather, let it temper thy virtue, and resolve to rise above it." Flash's eyes widened slightly as the beginnings of a smile began to form on his face. He almost wanted to laugh as a familiar mantra came into his mind. "...Don't let it change you, except for the better." He muttered to himself, shaking his head slightly in amusement. Luna smirked slightly. "Always the stoic, your mother taught you well. Remember that my friend. Remember who you are and where you come from." Flash finally gave a small, if sad smile. "Always easier said than done, though." Luna loosed a small chuckle as she gave an exasperated roll of her eyes. "Yes, unfortunately that is always the case. Only through sacrifice and suffering do we grow in virtue." She winked at him, "I shall let thee know if I ever find an easier way." Flash managed a smirk at that. "You'd better, otherwise I'm telling the night guard that your favorite color is pink." Luna glared at him in a teasing manner as her lips formed a pout. "Don't think that I won't drop thee in the castle moat, little human." They both stared at the other in mock tension before sharing a small laugh together. Flash leaned in and hugged her which Luna returned. She felt some relief as she saw the colors of his spirit beginning to settle into a more healthy hue, though still tinged with some grey hardness. He was far from whole, but she felt confident that he would recover from this. It would take time, along with much love and support from his familiars. "Thank you Princess, I really needed that." "Of course," She said as the embrace ended. "But I still want you to meet with your division chaplain when you return, is that clear?" Flash nodded. "Oh, you can count on it," He said with a dry chuckle. "And thank you for taking care of mom," He said, looking a bit guilty. "Could you please tell her for me that I'll be alright? I can't reach her with my mind over there." Luna nodded, "I shall, but what will you do next?" She asked, her speech regaining her modern dialect. "You are still injured, you should come home now." Flash sighed again as he shook his head. "No, I can't. Not yet. There's someone who still needs my help. Once I get her to safety, I'll come back to rethink my strategy with the others." "How long do you think that will-" Luna was cut off as a blazing orange and red sun suddenly exploded into existence in the sky above them, shattering the star-scape with its burning glow. The entire dreamscape began to burn away like tissue paper in a fire as Flash was abruptly pulled from his sleep. "Flash, wait!-" Luna's eyes snapped open as she jumped to her hooves in the dark bedchamber, breathing hard. A sharp contrast to the slow, steady breathing of the pink mare lying asleep on the mattress before her. Bright Skies' face was twisting into a grimace even now. Dread clutched at the Lunar Princess' heart as she attempted in vain to rebridge the connection, but it was no use. Sunset's spell had abruptly pulled Flash from his sleep, a spell that she knew only began to activate in the presence of malicious intent. Luna quickly turned and bolted from the room, placing a soundproofing spell on the doors behind her before she tore down the corridor like a gale-force wind, the pounding of her diamond-hard hooves like a roll of thunder. She shouted as she ran, the unbridled might of her voice causing stone to flake off the very walls. "SUNSET SHIMMER!!!!" Ella's heart pounded as she watched the now four large men in dark coats stand outside of the room Flash was in as they prepared to enter. Three more had gotten off the 2nd elevator to join Damian and the other two who had arrived on the first one. One of them now had his gloved hand firmly clamped about her mouth as he held her firmly with her back against his wide chest. He was the one who had grabbed her after she had flung her phone at Damian's face in a desperate attempt to run back to the room and alert Flash. It had almost worked, her move causing him to flinch as he moved to dodge it. But before she could move more than two paces or even scream, the man now holding her had seized her, his powerful arm almost choking her out. All she could do now was watch helplessly, praying that Flash would somehow wake up. She knew that he was strong, but he was also still hurt; and these guys were about to get the jump on him. Ella wanted to reach for the switchblade that was in her front-right pocket, but the thug holding her had his other hand tightly gripping her wrist. They're learning. She snarled inwardly. Using silent communication, the four men arranged themselves on either side of the door-frame as one of them pulled out a keycard for the room. Ella twisted against the man's grip who simply tightened his hold, giving her a shake. Damian glanced sidelong at her and smirked as he looked back to watch their progress. It had been fairly easy for them to gain access to the hotel. One of the men had produced an extremely convincing federal ID and warrant to the man at the front desk for the young couple who had checked in. That along with an envelope crammed with what must have been a very substantial amount of cash, judging from the look on the concierge's face, to cover any "damages" that might occur when apprehending this dangerous suspect, obtained for them the immediate location and access they needed. What confused Damian now were the instructions Telson had relayed to them after they had informed him that they had already captured Ella. He had directed Damian and Mike, the man currently holding Ella, to position themselves by the exit at the far end of the hall and that they were to be ready to move as soon as they had given Flash a chance to see them with her. The exit led to a stairwell that connected directly with the parking garage ten stories below. It's like he expects these guys to fail. He thought, which seemed impossible considering the present situation. But then again, the 'impossible' seemed to be the order of the day. Damian didn't even think about objecting to the order. Fear was driving them all now. Fear of death, fear of the Mistress. The only consolation Damian had now was the hope that he might still have his chance at having a little 'fun' with Flash once they had him. He would see to it that he did, the thought making him smile sadistically to himself. He turned his attention back to the other four men about a hundred feet away. They nodded to each other before the one with the card unlocked the door, allowing the four of them to file into the room in one swift and silent movement. For the span of a few heartbeats, there was nothing but silence. Suddenly there came the sound of a loud thud, like a chair being knocked over followed by the sounds of grunts and struggles. Ella held her breath, her heart hammering away in her chest. C'mon Flash... A second later, all three of them flinched as one of the men came flying backwards out of the room, impacting the wall of the corridor with enough force to cave in the plaster. He appeared rattled, but otherwise fine. He shook his head to clear it as he staggered back to his feet just in time to meet the tangled mob practically falling out of the doorway. The three larger men were currently in a desperate struggle to keep their grip on Flash who, incredibly, was managing to stay on his feet despite having one of the huge goons on his back as well as one on either arm. The man on his back had his arm locked around Flash's neck, keeping all of his weight on him as he kept his other hand clamped over his nose and mouth with a chloroform rag. The one who had been knocked down then sprang forward, driving his fist into the young man's gut as hard as he could while grabbing onto his left leg, causing Flash to finally drop to one knee. The group swayed from side to side under the young man's unnatural strength and for a moment, it seemed that they might actually succeed in subduing him. Ella saw Flash look up, his eyes full of anxiety; that was, until he caught sight of her. In the space of a heartbeat, she saw that anxiety replaced by a burning anger, an anger so intense that it actually frightened her a little. Get em' kid...His brow furrowed as a blue light temporarily illuminated his eyes. Snapping his head to his right arm she heard him utter a muffled growl as he focused with all of his strength, pulling his arm forward and twisting his wrist inward to the utter astonishment of the man heaving back against it with both hands. "Hold him, dammit!" The one on his back snarled. What happened next occurred with such speed and ferocity that one could scarcely believe that the young man had ever been in any actual danger. Flash unexpectedly reversed the direction of his arm, causing the man holding it to stagger. He put a foot forward to regain his balance and right into the path of the twin golden blades that suddenly snapped out from under Flash's sleeve which proceeded to nail the man's foot to the floor. The man gasped in pain, his grip loosening, resulting in him being punished further by the armored forearm that proceeded to smash him in the face with enough force to break bone; the man withered to the floor. Without pausing, Flash's now free arm swung inwardly as the blades retracted, the base of his palm connected brutally with the jaw of the man holding onto his leg. Teeth went flying with an audible crack as the man was jerked to one side, rolling senselessly along the floor. Damian gaped at the sudden turn of events as he heard Mike snarl, "Let's move!" They both immediately backed through the door, not even bothering to look behind them as they moved down the stairs as quickly as possible, dragging Ella with them. The final two men didn't even have time to react as Flash heaved himself to both feet, his back arching as he unleashed a powerful electrical discharge that sent both of them flying into the wall and ceiling with a deafening crash. Now free, he staggered forward and collapsed against the wall, gasping and panting as he coughed to clear his airway, his head swimming from the fumes of the drugged rag. Flash looked up as he heard the door at the end of the hallway close. He shook his head in an attempt to clear his double-vision. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to stand up straight, ignoring the pounding in his head and the agonized moaning of the few men around him who remained conscious. Flash tightened his grip so hard that his fingernails nearly cut into his palm, his temper rising like the buildup to a volcanic eruption. "Bucking...ANIMALS!" He screamed as he shot forward, rocketing towards the door at a terrifying speed. Ella struggled viciously against her captors, doing everything she could to slow them down. "Get offa me ya' ugly mook!" Mike shook her hard as he barreled down the stairs two at a time. Damian ran in front of them, constantly checking over his shoulder as they made it down to the fifth landing and turned. Ella thought the fear plastered on his face was so utterly satisfying despite the ugliness of the situation. Mike tightened his grip, struggling to move efficiently before almost falling down the stairs as Ella arched her back and managed to kick off the side of the handrail. He growled at her. "Shut up you-" They had made it to the third to last step when suddenly a loud crash was heard coming from the stairwell far above above them. They all heard it clearly despite the fact that the carpeted stairwell muffled most sound. A thump was heard, followed by another, and another, and another. Each successive impact grew ominously louder and louder as the force behind them drew nearer and nearer. Ella was the first to realize that it was the sound of feet hitting each separate landing as Flash leapt down the full length of each staircase, not even bothering to run. Just as they began to resume their movement, a blur appeared over them as a body jumped and twisted mid-air before landing with a final thump on the next landing in front of them. Flash rose slowly to his full height, fists clenched, teeth bared in barely contained rage. His eyes were narrowed to slits, he did not look happy. Hell yeah. Ella thought with a smirk. For the second time that evening, Mike gulped nervously; the first time had been in the presence of the Mistress. Damian blanched as he froze, unable to move as fear seized hold of him. This was no ordinary kid, or human being of any kind. He was not of this world, and he was a killer. "Boo..." Flash growled in a low voice, his hand shot forward faster than the eye could follow. Before Damian could react, Flash had seized the front of his leather jacket and with irresistible force, yanked him forward, tossing him into the wall behind him. Stars exploded in Damian's vision as he slammed full-frontal into the drywall covered concrete before collapsing to the carpeted landing, completely dazed. Mike proved a bit more clever and shoved Ella forward hard towards Flash, forcing him to catch her. He followed up at the same time with a powerful haymaker aimed right at the young man's face, shouting as he swung. He tasted victory as it solidly connected to his right cheek-bone, snapping his head sharply to one side. It was a fantastic punch, one with all of his weight put behind it. It was a blow that could've cracked a two-by-four, the kind of punch that would have flattened even a heavy-weight boxer. He might as well of poked him. Mike gaped as the young man turned his head back and scowled at him, a red-mark appearing on his face as if he had received no more than a slap. Flash kicked forward hard with his heel into man's left knee, causing it to hyper-extend 90 degrees in the opposite direction. Mike didn't even have time to scream as Flash followed up by seizing him by the throat he fell forward and slamming his head into the wooden bannister. Damian squinted up from the floor just in time to the see Mike's massive, unconscious form fall on top of him, pinning him to the floor. Without pausing, Flash seized Ella by the hand before turning to sprint down the stairs, "Let's move!" Ella didn't even have time to respond as she did her best to not trip as Flash quickly led them further down the stairs, towards the parking garage where they had parked their car. They quickly reached the bottom which led to a tan metal door with a small square window providing a limited view into the parking garage. "Flash, wait!" Ella said as he grabbed the handle and yanked it open. He glanced back as he pulled them through the open door. "Not now-" Time seemed to slow down as Flash's hand was abruptly torn from her grasp with such violence that it yanked her forward, causing her to fall to the cold hard pavement. Ella barely managed to break her fall, scraping her hands on the concrete as she heard a loud crash and the sound of breaking glass. Looking up and to her right, Ella's breath caught in her throat as she saw Flash slowly extracting himself from the crumpled rear door of a grey sedan. He quickly stood up, only to sway before falling back down. He shook his head, a dazed expression on his face as bright-red blood began to trickle from his left nostril. She couldn't believe it, He's actually...stunned! Not really wanting to know what could hit Flash, someone with practically preternatural strength that hard, she reluctantly turned her head and looked to her left. Ella gasped as there in the well-lit garage, she now saw the enormous man wearing a pitch black suit and bright-green tie towering over her. He was huge, easily six foot-five and probably 270 lbs at least of perfectly proportioned bulk. His powerful muscles were easily visible through his clothing as he rubbed his right fist with his left hand. His chiseled face was plainly accented by his close-cropped black hair which was styled with a flat-top cut. In a way, he could definitely be considered good looking, though in the same manner a polished sword could be called good looking. Beautiful, but radiating a deadly purpose. He looked down at her with his pale-blue eyes for a second before looking back up towards Flash. Flash shook his head as he tried to regain his focus. Nopony had ever hit him that hard. Not Rainbow Dash, not Big Mac, not even Tirek. He felt a little sick as a wave of nausea swept over him, he knew it was likely a concussion. Falling forward on his hands and knees, Flash looked up at his towering opponent as a little fear began to creep into his heart, fear of the unknown. His head was swimming now more than ever, and he knew that his speed and reflexes were deteriorating. He considered attempting to charge a lightning bolt, but felt too unfocused to do so. Even if I could, I can't risk hitting Ella. Buck, I should just grab her and run... The mysterious man seemed to sense his intention as he made a move to grab her. Ella responded by tucking and rolling to the side in order to get out of his reach. Flash clenched his jaw, his rage granting him a burst of strength as he sprang forward from all fours, launching himself towards his opponent like a loaded spring being released. Telson smiled as his target took the bait, he waited the half-second it took for his smaller opponent to close the distance before throwing his massive fist forward to meet him head on. Flash balked at the man's unexpectedly quick reflexes as in an instant, he went from being on offense to being put on defense. He crossed his right arm in front of his left, taking the hit on his armored forearm, the impact jarring him so hard that his teeth hurt. Bloody Tartarus he's strong! Flash barely had time to react as his opponent thrust kicked at his gut. He managed to twist his torso so that it was only a glancing blow, but one that still knocked him sprawling onto this back. He immediately kicked to his feet only to have to duck and roll forward, just getting under another massive swing. Spinning around, he managed to speed up and threw a hard right, catching the man on the left side of his face with a loud smack. He followed up with a left, but the man easily caught it with is right hand. Flash responded by quickly punching low with his right, but was grabbed again by the other's left as the man then crossed Flash's arms, locking them in place. Thinking fast, he agilely flipped sideways, uncrossing his arms with the intention of following up with a thrust kick of his own but found himself beaten to the punch as the man's heel crashed into his abdomen, knocking him back once more. Sucking up the pain, Flash struggled to regain his footing as the huge man was on him again, unleashing a flurry of intense and precise blows that he only just managed to dodge or block; and even when he did block them, the feedback from the deflected impacts rattled his very bones. It didn't help that the man's height gave him a much longer reach. Flash managed a few return hits of his own in the rapid exchange of blows, but they didn't seem to phase the behemoth too badly. On top of that, he was quickly realizing that of the two of them, this man was clearly the more experienced warrior. The only advantage Flash still held for the moment was his speed, and that was fading fast. Even though they had only been fighting for a handful of seconds, at the speed they were moving, it felt like hours. His reflexes were slowing from the combined effects of his injuries and the drugging while the big man's were as fast as lightning, and getting faster. This man was different, unlike any opponent Flash had ever faced before. It wasn't just his strength and skill, he was so completely focused: calm and collected, with a relentless, singular determination that seemed out of this world. A perfect warrior. No matter what Flash threw at him, he kept coming. He didn't threaten or taunt, he just kept coming. He didn't snarl or yell or even look angry, he just. Kept. Coming. Flash knew that he was in big trouble and had to find a way to end this fast. Drawing upon his reserves, he put on a burst of speed. Ducking under a fast cross, he spun and kicked with all the strength he could muster, feeling elation as his foot connected solidly with the man's gut. The man grunted as he was knocked back 8 feet and slammed into the side of a parked white panel-van, denting the sheet metal. Flash pressed his attack, launching himself forward with a flying knee aimed right at the man's chest. The man quickly crossed his arms in front of him, just in time to partially block it as he was ferociously knocked back against the van again, denting it further. Flash flung his right elbow up hard at the man's jaw only to be blocked by a forearm and knocked back by a quick right-jab to the face that snapped his head back. Tasting blood, Flash threw his left arm up just in time to block a devastating right haymaker. Reacting on instinct, he wrapped and trapped that arm while simultaneously grappling him under his left arm. Twisting and heaving with all his might, Flash managed to flip his massive opponent over and towards the pavement. The man made a hard landing but still managed to slow his impact at the last moment by gripping onto Flash's left arm. He shockingly sprang back to his feet without any delay while still holding onto the boy's arm as his left hand shot out and clamped hard around his throat. Flash panicked as he felt the crushing grip immediately cut off his airway. He grabbed the man's thick arm with both hands in a fruitless attempt to break his grip. The man held him at arm's length for a second, nearly lifting his feet off of the ground before yanking him forward towards his face. Looking him straight in the eye, Flash saw him smile slightly before he was thrust up into the air before being brutally choke-slammed into the pavement with enough force to crack it. Flash's entire world went white with pain. Mind-numbing, bone-bending pain that ripped through every fiber of his being as the air forcefully rushed from his lungs. He couldn't move. He couldn't breath. He couldn't even see straight as red, grey, and purple clouded across his vision, his heart pounding in his head. His hands felt like dead fish as he feebly pounded on the hand still clamped firmly around his neck, the last of his strength ebbing away. No...not now... Just as he felt himself about to surrender into the black-embrace of unconsciousness, the pressure around his neck suddenly vanished as he was released. Air never tasted so sweet as it rushed back into his lungs in great, coughing gasps, his vision still blurred with tears as Flash felt someone grabbing under his right arm, trying to pull him to his feet. "Flash get up! Get up NOW!" Ella screamed as she gripped under his arm with her left, her right hand holding her switchblade in an overhanded grip out in front of her. With her help, Flash managed to get back to his feet as she draped his arm across her shoulders so that he could lean on her. Blinking tears from his eyes, he saw the large man standing about six feet away. He had a small, shallow cut on his left cheek that he reached up and touched curiously with his right hand. He glanced from the small about of blood on his fingertips to Ella. Surprisingly, rather than appearing angry, he actually looked somewhat impressed; he raised an eyebrow at her as if he were merely scolding a child. Ella had kept her distance as she watched the two super-humans clash. Her first instinct, of course, had been to run. Rather than give into that reaction, she brutally crushed it. Something had risen up in her heart when she saw that Flash was in serious trouble, something powerful, more powerful than her fear or even her sense of self-preservation. It was at that moment that she had made up her mind: no more. She was done running, and she was certainly done looking out only for herself. This kid, no, this man, for that is what he was, was definitely worth fighting for, perhaps even dying for. I won't leave him again... She glared at the huge man with righteous fury, her lips fixed in a snarl as she kept the tip of the knife pointed at him while she angled herself between him and Flash who she knew was only barely conscious. "Flash, c'mon, we gotta go...snap out of it!" She yelled as the man lowered his hand, the corner of his mouth raised in a bemused smile. Flash suddenly lifted his arm off of her shoulders as he staggered back out in front of her. The twin blades of his hidden vambrace snapped out from under his sleeves. Equestrian rules of engagement stated that he was not allowed to use weapons against an unarmed opponent unless he felt that his life or the life of another was in danger. And at that moment, he never felt more certain about anything than in his entire life. "Ella run..." He said as he tried to steady himself. "What?!" "RUN!" "No." "RUN!!!" He screamed at her, his voice echoing throughout the garage as he even pushed back against her with his left hand. "BUCK THAT!!!" She screamed back, adopting one of his own swear words as she took up a supporting position with her knife. If their lives weren't in peril, Flash probably would have laughed in surprise. Instead, he allowed himself a grim smirk as he kept his eyes locked on his opponent who after taking note of his weapon, took a threatening step forward. Even though he knew that he was probably about to die, he felt strangely calm and determined. "Come on...mother-bucker..." Flash growled as he grit his teeth. He knew at this point, that he absolutely couldn't win. It was taking everything he had just to stay on his feet. But he wouldn't give up, no. He would make this freak pay dearly for his prize. At that moment, the door that he and Ella had come through earlier suddenly swung open about ten feet away on his left. Damian stepped out and blinked as if he had just stepped into the sun as he took in the scene. Flash glanced at him for a split second; Telson moved. Flash didn't even have time to curse his distraction as his opponent crashed into him with the force of a mountain. Ella tumbled to one side as the pair barreled by her. Flash swung his right arm down in an attempt to slash at the man who responded by catching his wrist while also using his other hand to grab hard onto the upper portion of his left arm. Flash drew his head back in a last ditch attempt to headbutt his opponent when the man suddenly darted his own head forward and clamped his jaws onto the side of his neck. Time stopped as Ella couldn't comprehend what she was seeing. What.... Flash screamed. He screamed and he screamed until his voice gave out. It was a scream that didn't even sound human. It was primal, beastial even, one filled with shock and desperation. It was like the crying out of an animal after it had been seized in the jaws of a predator. It was more than pain, it was a cry for survival, a scream of death that chilled her to the very marrow of her bones. Flash thrashed about like a pinned rabbit as he began to make incoherent sounds, lashing out with his left knee once, twice, three times with incredible force into the man's solar plexus before the man finally released him and stepped back, wiping some blood from his lips. Flash fell to the pavement. He immediately sprang up, only to fall back down again. The twin blades retracted as he hopelessly tried to push himself up with his hands before falling to his side, twitching and spasming uncontrollably as his body would no longer obey his commands. Bursts of bright-blue electricity began to curl, pop, and spark off of his convulsing form as if his body were a blown capacitor that could no longer hold its charge. Ella covered her mouth in horror as Flash desperately looked up at her, tears streaming down his bloodied face. His wild eyes were filled with fear, fear and confusion, his face pleading pitifully with hers for help. She wanted to throw up. With the last of his strength, she saw him mouth 'run' at her before his eyes rolled back into his skull. He twitched once and was completely still. For a second, no one moved, and all was silent. Ella couldn't even breath as it felt like her very heart had stopped beating. She wanted to move, wanted to rush to his side but her body would not respond to her will. Time started moving again as the large man began to calmly reach down towards him as if the unimaginable horror she had just witnessed was perfectly normal. Ella uttered a wordless scream as she flung herself at the man blade-first, attempting to plunge it into his side. He effortlessly caught her arm as if she were no more than an afterthought, neatly plucking the knife out of her hand with his fingertips before casually tossing her to one side. The young woman rolled to distribute the impact as she fell. Getting to her hands and knees, Ella threw herself over Flash's prone form, raising her right arm while glaring defiantly up at the monster looming over her, prepared to bite and scratch if that's what it came to. "Don't you touch him!" She shrieked as the man paused. He tilted his head to one side as he considered her, his face not unkind. He appeared somewhat confused, frowning as if he were seeing something for the first time and needed a moment to think. Telson looked up as their large, black SUV roared up next to them with a squeal of rubber, his last man behind the wheel. Damian trundled up next to him and looked down at Ella. He looked a bit bewildered himself before he quickly snapped back to the to the present and grinned at her. "Time to go, sweetheart." He sneered as he began to reach for her with his good hand. To Ella's shock, the big man swatted him away with the back of his hand, nearly knocking him over. Damian shot him an enraged look, "What the hell are you-" But immediately clamped up as Telson glared at him before looking back at Ella who looked up at him, breathing hard. He nodded once at her, "You have courage, small one." He said softly, speaking for the first time. Ella blinked in surprise, the man's voice was smooth and strong, with no hint of the cruelty that she was expecting; it had something of a noble character to it even. He smiled, "And for that, I will give you a choice. Come quietly, and I promise you, that as far as I am able, I will allow no harm to come to you, this I swear." Ella's jaw dropped partially in response to his words as he continued. "However, if you choose to resist, well..." He gestured to Flash, "I'm afraid that it will be less than pleasant for you, my dear." Honestly, it was the last thing on earth that Ella expected to hear and did not know what to make of it. On the one hand, she wanted to tell him to go to hell. But on the other, for some strange reason that she could not explain, she believed him. She looked hard into his pale blue eyes and could see no deception, no animosity. If anything, she could see some strange kind of respect. He graciously offered a huge hand down to her, "Come."