Chapter 13: No Equals - Part One 

What's this? A two-part chapter? That's right, we're in the endgame, so I figured it's time to get into the weeds a little. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter! As always, rated 16+ for violence, language, and a minor in peril. Enjoy! 

Photo credit: Government of Prince Edward Island (Flickr.com creative commons)

“Grenda's not in her room!”

Those words cut through Hunter like a blade. He jumped up, grabbing Red’s hand. He sent out Sun, the monkey king ready for anything. 

“Scout the building,” he ordered. “Keep an eye out for heroes, and try to stay out of sight!” 

“On it!” Sun nodded, racing for the door on all fours. He slipped out with a patient that was leaving with his arm in a cast. Hunter raced to the stairwell, with Red in tow. 

“Find Iris!” He called out to Marian before racing up the stairs. She nodded and raced off to find their other player. 

—

The door to the rooftop blew off its hinges, landing several feet away. Hunter and Iris poured onto the rooftop, looking around. They were followed shortly by Marian and the chief, who were flanked by Flaherty and Flannigan. Red and Medusa leapt from their decks, ready for anything. A malevolent chuckle burned their ears, and they turned to the source. Cal stood on the rooftop, grinning wickedly. He looked no better than Hunter had seen him an hour ago. To his left, Arthur dangled Grenda from the rooftop. He held her precariously, her legs swinging over traffic. She kept an iron grip on Arthur's wrist, doing everything she could to keep herself from falling. 

“Looks like everyone's here!” Cal gloated. “That saves me some trouble.” 

“What happened to your face?” Marian demanded, drawing her Taser. 

“He got hit by the ugly truck!” Grenda spat. Cal rolled his eyes. 

“Arthur, I don't think you're holding her tight enough,” he said dryly, ignoring the girl's barb. Arthur shifted his grip, keeping Grenda's mouth covered while still holding her up. The girl kicked feebly, doing everything she could to try and free herself.

“This isn't right, Cal!” Hunter pleaded. “Stop this!” 

“Let her go or we'll put you down, Calvin!” The chief bellowed, his gun drawn. 

“Calvin?” Cal’s demeanor faltered for a moment. His face contorted I to a hideous mask of rage. “Nobody calls me Calvin! You want me to let her go? You heard the man, Arthur! Let her go!” 

“No!” Hunter rushed forward. 

As Hunter rushed toward Arthur, the king took one last look at Grenda. A tear rolled down his cheek, and he looked away in shame. Then he released his hold on the girl. She screamed as she plunged over the edge, her hands reaching out for salvation. Hunter cried out as he reached for her, trying to grab her hand. She fell just out of his reach, falling toward the street below. 

“You monster!” Marian cried, and the police opened fire. Bigfoot appeared in front of Cal, a massive wall of meat shielding his player from harm. Hunter could only watch helplessly as Grenda fell. 

“Sun!” He cried at the top of his lungs. A rush of golden wind blew past them, and the monkey king appeared at his Player's call. In his hand, he held a squirming Grenda. Hunter cheered, pumping a fist in the air. Iris applauded as the monkey king landed, handing Grenda off to O'Hara. He barely caught the girl as she landed in his arms, surprised by her sudden appearance. Iris threw her arms around Sun and kissed his cheek. The monkey king grinned and joined Hunter as Little Red emerged from her deck. Iris joined them, her heroes emerging as well. Cal laughed. 

Houdini, Robin, and Beowulf emerged from their decks, ready at Cal’s command. Cal examined his fingernails with a wry smirk. Arthur and Bigfoot took their positions, squaring off with Hunter and Iris. Robin’s eyes fell on Marian, and he deflated visibly.

“My lady…” he murmured, a tear falling from his eye. Cal ignored him. 

“If you want to die so badly, I'm more than happy to oblige,” he taunted. “I'll beat you both, right here and now, and win this thing!” 

“Bring it on!” Iris declared, standing proud. Bigfoot unleashed a deafening roar, giving the police present a splitting headache. 

[Fight song: Through the Fire and Flames - DragonForce] 

The heroes selected their own opponents. Medusa drew her bow, firing at Houdini. The escape artist vanished, reappearing behind the gorgon with a flourish. Beowulf charged at Sun Wukong, sword held high. Sun parried the attack with his staff, then divided. One of them transformed into an ox, charging at Beowulf with a vicious attack. Then he transformed back and leapt away. Robin nocked an arrow and let fly, grazing Alice’s cheek as she shrank down. Alice retaliated, charging at Robin and nicking him with her blade. Houdini appeared behind Medusa, delivering a swift kick to her back. The gorgon staggered as Little Red leapt out of Arthur’s reach, keeping him on the run. Bigfoot threw a devastating punch at Bloody Mary, the spirit retaliating with her razor-sharp claws. Arthur charged after Red, pursuing her through the bedlam. 

Hunter could barely think in the chaos of battle. Seeing two Heroes fight was bad enough, but this was an all-out brawl of ten. He knew that Red wasn’t doing great - she hadn’t fully recovered from her fight with Sun, and Arthur was running her ragged. He decided to focus on defense for now, waiting for the opportunity to strike. In the meantime, he still had Beowulf to take back. 

He still had a promise to keep. 

Medusa recovered from the kick and shot a death glare at Houdini. The look was so furious that it made him wince back, clutching at his shoulder. She fired an arrow at him again, this one grazing his other shoulder. Beowulf continued to rage against Sun, slamming his sword over and over again against the monkey king’s staff. The first hit sent Sun reeling, then he transformed into a turtle to absorb the next hit. Beowulf roared, his frustration mounting. Sun transformed back and swung his staff. Beowulf grabbed the end, but Sun kicked him in the face with a howling laugh. Robin found himself struggling with the tight quarters of the crowded rooftop and drew an arming sword. He fenced with Alice, when she suddenly grew to massive size. She perched precariously on the building edges, reaching down to grab Robin with a giant hand. She started to squeeze, crushing the archer’s ribs in her grip. Houdini leapt out of Medusa’s range, weaving between the other Heroes to escape the archer’s eye. He passed by Red, running the other direction to ferret out Arthur. Bigfoot roared loudly as he delivered blow after blow to Bloody Mary, each punch sounding like shattering glass. Arthur kept charging after Red, swinging his sword in a fashion that was almost comical. 

—

Alan finished putting his clothes on and secured his belongings in his pockets. He took the sheets from the bed and wrapped them into a makeshift rope. He thought about putting on his shoes, but decided against it, opting for bare feet. He opened the window and sat on the ledge, taking a deep breath. He steeled himself for the task at hand. He secured the makeshift rope to his wrist and began the dangerous climb. He shimmied as far as he could, then reached out. He could just barely reach a vertical gap in the exterior paneling. He made the risky jump, catching the crack with his other hand and planting his feet on the wall. He took a deep breath, his body crying out on protest. The exertion would normally be enough for him to quit, but he knew where his goal lay. He pulled himself up, moving his hands, then his feet. One foot, one hand, one foot, one hand. He grit his teeth as he pulled himself higher and higher, closer to his goal and further from safety. 

—

O'Hara and Marian watched in shock as the shadowy figures battled. Marian had never seen a battle like this from the outside, and O'Hara was so far out of his depth that he was quietly wishing he'd brought water wings. The splitting headache had subsided for now, letting him think clearly. And there was exactly one question on his mind. 

“Who do you figure is winning?” He asked Marian. She looked up at him, trying to keep a brace face despite her trembling hands. 

“It's hard to say,” she replied, crossing her arms. She stared at the formless masses, trying to pick out Robin from the faceless horde. She watched as the figure held by the giant form freed its arms and fired an arrow at its attacker. 

“Iris and Hunter have an advantage,” she said. “But Cal is terrifying. His back is to the wall, and he still has another hero in his pocket. No matter what happens, it's going to be close.” 

“You're afraid of him?” O'Hara asked. 

“There's nothing more frightening than someone with nothing to lose.” 

“I disagree,” O'Hara said. “I think there's nothing more frightening than someone with something to protect.” 

“You're scared of Hunter?” Marian raised an eyebrow quizzically. 

“I'm just glad he's on our side,” O'Hara admitted. Marian chuckled softly. She watched the fight, trying to pick out Robin again. 

“Go, Robin…” she whispered softly. The chief glanced at her, only barely hearing her words, but he couldn’t help but smile. 

Blows exchanged. Arrows flew. Hunter felt the sweat pouring from his brow. He didn’t envy Iris, running three heroes had to be even more of a challenge than just two. He glanced over to her, seeing the sweat beading on her face. Her eyes darted between three hands of cards, he could barely track her movements. She was coming up with new strategies on the fly, tempering them in the forge of battle, while Hunter stuck with tried and true. To think that just a week ago, he didn’t even know her name. Now, she was the coolest woman he’d ever met. 

Iris grit her teeth as she flicked between her cards. Her brain was in panic mode, Her eyes darted between cards and heroes, trying to read their movements and anticipate their attacks. Despite the danger she, Hunter, and all their friends were in, her mind couldn’t help but wander as her gaze fell on Medusa. 

—

The day felt like it was years ago, although it had only been a week. It had been a normal day, she’d woken up, gone to her classes on time. She never raised her hand to answer a teacher’s question, never spoke up. She ate lunch alone, as she always did. She brought her own food so she wouldn’t have to talk to anyone in the cafeteria. She took the opportunity to read as she ate, being careful not to make a mess of her books. Yet, she couldn't help but look out at the other students, eating with their friends, laughing together. She moved to stand, gripping the edges of her table as she began to rise. Then she let out a breath and sat back down. Not today… a classmate bumped into her, brushing her shoulder with his hip. He hadn't even stopped to apologize - it was like she was invisible. She saw the deck of cards sitting on the table as he walked away. They must be his, fight? She raised her finger and opened her mouth, but no words came out. The boy just walked away. Iris inspected the cards, curious about their blank faces, but she shrugged off the thoughts and stuffed everything back in her bag. It was time for class. 

She had no idea at the time that the man who so rudely bumped into her in the cafeteria had two Heroes in his possession. She had no idea that he'd grow to be the greatest threat she'd ever face. 

That night, Iris returned home and threw her bag on her bed. The cards spilled out, but she didn't even notice. She'd turn the deck in at the lost and found tomorrow. She sat at her desk and turned on her computer. It booted up without a sound, silent and unnoticed. There was a knock on her door, and a redheaded girl poked her head through. 

“Hey, Irene, May and I are gonna go clubbing! Wanna come along?” She offered with a grin. Iris stared at her roommate for a moment, before finally finding words. 

“I have homework,” she said softly. The redhead barely listened, checking her phone instead. 

“Shoot, gotta go! Good luck with your paper, Irma!” She waved as she headed out, slamming the door behind herself. Iris flinched at the sudden noise, alone with her thoughts. 

“My name is Iris,” she said softly, to nobody in particular. She sighed and set back to her work. 

As Iris worked on her paper, she couldn't help but glance at the replica statuette of Athena on her desk. She smiled faintly and turned the statue. At least the goddess of wisdom could understand her. She sighed softly, not noticing the blank faces on the cards changing behind her. The wind suddenly whipped up in her room, scattering papers. She stood to close the window, but to her surprise, it was already closed! In the reflection, cast against the night sky, she saw the visage of a tall woman in a long white dress standing on her bed. She turned to see the intruder, when the hissing of snakes startled her. She gazed up in awe at the statuesque woman standing on her bed, her head crowned in a halo of snakes. Her skin was a pale gray, her eyes golden with slitted pupils. Iris recognized her immediately and averted her gaze, fixing her eyes to a spot on the wall. 

“Iris,” Medusa declared, staring down at her. “I am your Hero.” 

“This must be a mistake,” Iris protested weakly. “You’ve got the wrong girl.” 

“There is no mistake,” Medusa said. “I have chosen you. Within you beats the heart of a warrior. Fight by my side, command me, and together, we will be Unmatched!” 

—

That night had changed everything. Iris had gained so much more than she ever thought possible, all because of Medusa. She planted her feet squarely, her will to fight renewed. She ordered Medusa forward, her movements an elegant dance with the escape artist. Beowulf rushed by her, slamming his sword against the shell of Sun’s giant turtle form. He bellowed in anger as Sun split once more, surrounding Beowulf with clones. Robin broke free of Alice’s giant grip and fired an arrow, the impact staggering the giant woman. He leapt to the ground and rolled, though he faltered when his gaze fell once again on Marian. He knew she couldn’t see him properly, but he still smiled. Alice turned and slammed her foot down on Robin, he had to use all his might to keep her from crushing him into the rooftop. Houdini appeared, leaving a network of mirrors around Medusa. The gorgon averted her gaze, rushing back from Houdini and his trap.  Little Red kept up her pace, her red cape trailing behind her. Alice’s foot fell in the way of her run, so she veered sharply across the roof until she was in front of Hunter. She panted as she looked up at her Player. He nodded to her with a smile. She grinned back. Bigfoot pummelled on Bloody Mary, helpless without a reflective surface to vanish into. Iris saw the mirror trap for Medusa, and a plan formed in her mind. Mary vanished into the mirrors, then lunged at Bigfoot with her distended arms, clawing at him. The mirrors cracked, and he roared in agony. King Arthur continued his wild charge, racing across the rooftop at Little Red. He held his sword high, the blade of mighty Excalibur crackling with energy. 

—

Alan had reached the end of his rope. Quite literally - there was no way he could climb any higher without untying the safety line from his wrist. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, but he needed to go further. He had to push it. He gripped the crack tightly with his hand, while his free hand worked on untying the line. The rolled sheet fell away, swinging from the window as Alan hung from the gap. He took a deep breath and pressed against the wall. He flung himself up with his legs, catching the crack. His arms felt like lead, but he couldn’t stop now. He climbed until he finally reached the roof. One final obstacle. He gripped the edge of the roof and prepared to haul himself up. Could his arms make it? He closed his eyes and put as much focus as he could into it, hauling himself up onto the roof. He let out a shaky breath, letting out the air he'd been holding. He needed a moment to rest, but he couldn't make too much noise. He had a new obstacle to overcome now. 

—

Hunter froze as he saw Arthur charging Red with his sword held high. Red followed his gaze, turning to see the king bearing down on her. Her face turned to a mask of fear and dread, as time seemed to slow. Little Red would be the first casualty of this battle? No, Hunter wouldn't allow it… he couldn't allow it! He rushed forward, past his cards, as Hunter raced in front of Red. His life flashed before his eyes as he pushed her aside. Even King Arthur seemed surprised, but his momentum was too great - he couldn't stop. He could only watch in horror as his blade bore down on the Player. Hunter stood with his legs planted firmly, his arms spread wide, shielding Red from the attack with his body. Every eye turned to him as the king's blade buried itself in his shoulder. Little Red let out a cry of alarm as Hunter took the hit that was meant for her. 

With that, another chapter done. We're almost finished, so be sure to have a read when the next chapter comes out next week! As always, you can support my work at my ko-fi:

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As always, donations here go toward supporting all of my projects, including more Rising Legend! See you in the next chapter!