Broken Knights (Gifted Academy #4) - Michelle Hercules Page 0,100
age and the fact that he requires a cane to move. One of the soldiers turns his attention to him, saluting the man as if he was a general.
“Everything ready for phase two?” the old man asks.
“Yes, Master. All explosives have been loaded in the trunks.”
“Good, good. I don’t want one brick left standing in any of the Norm and Fringe neighborhoods.”
“Fringes too? Jonathan’s orders were to concentrate on Norm-populated areas,” the soldier argues.
“Yes. That was the original plan, but there have been new developments.”
I wonder if he’s referring to me destroying all the lightning-glass reserves.
“We’ll lose the Fringe support if we turn against them now.”
“They have served their purpose. And yours is not to argue with me. There’s no sense delaying the inevitable. It’s time for the Idol race to reign supreme.”
His hatred snaps my self-control. I’ve heard enough. It’s showtime.
I pull the shadows into me, revealing myself.
“Is it though?” I cock an eyebrow.
Several curses erupt among the soldiers, but none of them attempt to attack. They can’t while they’re trying not to soil themselves. I have everyone present in my grip save for the old fuck. The one they called master.
Slowly, I make my way to him, grinning. The man holds his cane with both hands, stooping over it. He watches with me with curiosity but not fear.
“So, you’re the one behind all this,” I say.
He lifts his chin higher, defiantly. “I was expecting you.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
“He told me my life would end at the hands of a traitor.”
I narrow my eyes to slits. “Who did?”
“The god I serve, the one who shall be free before this is over. Chaos.”
I grab the man by his neck, lifting him off the ground and letting my shadows slither free to cover the vermin’s body. “You’re one of his minions, then.”
The old man begins to laugh. “Just like you are.”
“You’re wrong. I serve no one.”
“Ah, the arrogance of the young. Go ahead, kill me,” he goads.
There’s no fear in his eyes, only malice. I feel like he’s manipulating me to do something I shouldn’t.
“What’s the matter, Fringe scum? Can’t do it? It must be the blood of that whore mother of yours.”
My rage takes over, clouding everything. I squeeze his throat harder, crushing it as if it were made out of butter. His blood spatters, covering my hand right before I drop him. He flops on the floor like a fish out of water. I watch him with detached curiosity as he slowly suffocates in his own blood.
The head of the Neo Gods is dead, and yet I don’t feel an ounce of satisfaction. This was too easy. And Jonathan Kent isn’t here. Killing him would have been way more interesting, but Rufio or Bryce probably want the pleasure for themselves. It doesn’t matter. Without his boss and resources, smoking him out will be only a matter of time. I glance around, noticing I killed every single soldier around while the master was distracting me. Damn it. Who’s going to set up the explosives now?
Someone behind me shouts, and then a scorching blaze comes barreling my way. I turn into smoke, rising out of its path. Two more Neo Gods have come out of the elevator and boldly decided to attack me. I should end them on the spot, but their arrival is providential. I have a final task for them.
I land in front of the trucks filled to the brim with explosives, and then I tone down my powers.
“It seems you missed,” I taunt them.
Both Idols are fire elementals, level thirteen and fourteen respectively. I don’t know if pretending to be an Idol will fool them, especially considering the carnage I already left in my wake.
“Where are your accomplices?” the tallest of the duo asks.
I shrug. “Gone.”
“So they left you behind, huh? They should have checked the rest of the facility. Can’t expect much from a bunch of dumb fucks.”
His companion glances at the crumpled form of their boss, surrounded by his own blood. “They killed the master.”
Both men twist their expressions in anger before attacking me with everything they’ve got. Perfect. Their fireballs converge, becoming a beauty of destruction. Like before, I turn into smoke and zoom out of its path. It hits the trucks that were behind me, setting off a massive explosion that pulverizes not only the Neo Gods’ facility but also the entire mountain. I continue my ascension to avoid the cloud of debris that quickly forms.