ERA of Challenge #8: Red-Havok

Challengers represent. I loved it man. You did me justice.

BFFs FOR LIFE

Johnny Turbo | Phanto
THE CHALLENGERS: Challenge Accepted
HONORARY MEMBER: WARE.gov (Said I couldn't officially join because I'm too good at PvP)

That was great, Red. Loved how you delved into the inner workings of the man that is Johnny Turbo.

((Love it! Love it!!))

haha JT lost to a old man :P pbbbbt , nice bit of story and glad to see the heroes are getting in on it .

PART II: THE HARD TRUTH
Six Days Ago
Striga Isle

The tournament had so far been a success for the heroes involved. Even with the defeat of Johnny Turbo early on, it had proven to be a blessing in disguise. Red was proud of his teammates, and rightly so. They had been risking their lives in order to see this mission a success. They always risked their lives, their line of work demanded it, but it wasn't common for them to masquerade as villains and be surrounded by thousands of dangerous criminals. Everyone was on edge, but still, able to compete.

There were two battles Red and his allies were involved in today. The first, was Rave Spider (as "Funk Tiger") versus Xanatos (as "Mr. Ice Guy"). That would undoubtedly make for an impressive match, even though Red was sure the winner would have been predetermined between the two heroes. The second battle involved Red-Havok himself, against the super villain Ripjaw.

Claude Jackson was a modern day pirate before he found a rare Coralax artifact, the Ripjaw Bone. When worn, this bone transformed Claude into the grotesque and hulking super villain Ripjaw. Red could never forget Ripjaw, or his crushing defeat at the monster’s hands, but that was some time ago. Nearly half a year since their first encounter, Red had since honed his skills. He had learned to overcome the difficulties of not fighting with his brother, and he had become overall, a much more efficient combatant as a result.

As it turned out, Red had nothing to worry about. He defeated Ripjaw, some would say with great ease. The match was extremely one-sided and Red used his smaller size and greater speed to his advantage. Ripjaw was defeated, and Red moved on to the next bracket. Following his match, Red was met by Foxy Ferret, who was undercover as The Malicious Mongoose. She brought to him some serious news.

“Red...” Foxy said softly

“What is it? Something wrong?”

Foxy looked at him, almost confused. “Didn’t you hear what happened to Grant?”

“I heard he defeated Ice. Why? Something else?”

“Athena has taken him prisoner. She’s torturing him. Teaching him a lesson she says.”

“What... why?” Red asked

“Because he refused to kill Xanatos.” Replied Foxy

“That isn’t even part of the rules. What right does she have to change them so suddenly?”

“I don’t know... it’s her tournament.”

“Was his identity compromised?”

“What?”

“Did he blow our cover?”

“That’s all you can think about? Our friend is being tortured, and that’s all you can say?”

“That’s not what I meant. I just mean... Phanto. We have to stop him.”

“Phanto. That’s all it’s been for the past few months Red. Phanto. Phanto. You’re obsessed with this Phanto! Why?!” Foxy cried “Our friend... his life...”

“Foxy. I didn’t mean it like that. Grant's life is important, but so is the mission.”

“Yes. But they’re not equally important Cade. Not even close.”

“...”

“This team is falling apart Red. Ever since we left Shade. Hell, ever since we joined Shade... we’ve been falling apart. This tournament Red. This tournament will destroy us.”

“...”

“You need to put this team back together!” Foxy yelled, hitting Red’s chest.

“This was never my team Foxy. We were just pawns used by Shade. And now? We’re just pawns used by Longbow.”

“You need to change that Red. You’re the only one who can.”

“That’s not important right now...” Red tried to say

“You know what? Before you left on that suicide mission... you were a leader! Ever since you returned, you’ve just been a follower. You’ve just been a pawn.”

Red was silent. Thinking hard about the words Foxy ferret had just said. They were true, and he knew it. Foxy started to walk away, then turned around and said “Oh and by the way. Your next match? It’s going to be against Rave Spider. If he lives.”

PART III: REBIRTH
Four Days Ago
Striga Isle

Just as Foxy said, Red-Havok met Rave Spider in battle.

Prior to this encounter, Rave Spider had been taken captive by Athena, the tournament’s founder. Athena had with her at all times two gargantuan body guards aptly named Bia and Kratos. These two hulking men were once not so large. They were brothers, and hopeful members of the Warriors Gang. Unfortunately for them, they were refused membership, multiple times and even met with threats of death. This didn’t stop the brothers. Through illegal means, they obtained the drug known as Superadine. Using the drug transformed the brothers into the giants they are today. They gained fearsome strength and joined the Warriors through sheer force. Not long after, Athena selected them as her personal guard.

Bia and Kratos were both defeated in the tournament. Bia by Mr. Ice Guy (Xanatos) and Kratos met his defeat at the hands of Overcast (Nimbus). Despite this, the brothers were still needed to watch Athena’s person, and tend to any other tasks she demanded. Today, that task was torture. Rave Spider was captured, and tortured, in order to test his ‘warrior’s spirit’. The brothers were all too pleased to do so. They hated Rave Spider, known to them only as Funk Tiger. A ridiculous combatant, unworthy, they thought, of the title. His next match was to be against Ginzu, aka Red-Havok. They saw the combat prowess of Ginzu, and Funk Tiger alike. They surmised that a fair match between the two could literally go either way. So they saw fit to cripple Funk Tiger to the point where a victory would be out of the question.

During the battle, Funk Tiger and Ginzu fought, hard. Despite his injuries, Funk Tiger pressed forward, fighting through the pain. Red-Havok found it hard to battle his friend, especially after what Rave had been through, and what Foxy had confronted Red with days earlier. “Listen to me!” Spider said, beneath his feline mask “You can’t do this! You can’t hold back!”

Were those the words that triggered the incident?

Red sat alone in a room with Athena. He had won the battle, but seconds before he landed the finishing blow, something happened. Red-Havok lost control. This had happened once before, while on a mission with The Infiltrators. When faced with the prospect of killing, or sparing the life of the villain Cyborg Sinister, Red chose to kill him. “No...” Red thought “I didn’t choose.”

“So. Ginzu. That was an impressive display of power back there.”

Red was silent, still deep in thought.

“Would you mind explaining to me what happened?”

Red’s mind flashed again to the battle. Rave Spider pleaded with Red “You have to! We both have to! Do you think I want to do this? I don't. I didn't want to fight Ice Guy.” The images once blurred, started to become clear.

“Well?” Athena grew impatient. “I am waiting. What happened?”

Still, Red-Havok remained silent. Remembering the horrible reality of what transpired not long ago. “Finish it, we're both hurt. Finish it.” Rave Spider spoke, unrelenting “This is something that you have to do. You know? You have to win this.” The images were so clear “You have to win this, and find Phanto.”

Athena smashed her sword into the ground, it emanated with Dark Matter. Red snapped back to reality. “For the LAST TIME! WHAT HAPPENED!” Athena had enough. She wanted her answer.

The images, they wouldn’t stop overwhelming Red’s mind. Once again he saw Rave Spider, just before it happened. “YOU.” Spider called out “You were meant to lead this team. Challengers, we're the Challengers.” That was it. That is when it was triggered. Rave Spider yelled “Red, Red you're the reason I started doing this. You're the reason I became a hero.” This was it. The moment. “I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth!” Boom. “...Red?”

“I lost control Athena.”

“What do you mean? Explain!”

“I cannot. What happened during that fight was….” Shade Red thought “Was not my doing.”

“Then by whose hand?”

Red had to cover for himself. He couldn’t tell her the truth. The mission depended on it. He thought quickly “Funk Tiger.”

“You are telling me Funk Tiger did this to you? How is that even…”

Athena was interrupted. “He wields Dark Matter, not unlike yourself. This caused me to temporarily lose sanity.” Red’s mind once again flashed. He saw himself entering a berserker state, and stabbing Rave Spider repeatedly, over and over. Screaming wildly. “Red…” Rave muttered softly.

“I suppose that makes some sense Ginzu. Very well. I merely wanted to understand your sudden outburst of violence. In the previous rounds you managed to not use those deadly blades you carry. I was surprised to see you use them in such a manner, that is all.”

“I see. I apologize.”

“No need. You gave the crowd a show they will never forget. That is excellent. You’re the favorite to win this tournament you know? I hope this is true, because I would love to have you return next year.”

With that, Athena left the room, leaving Red-Havok alone with his memories. “You were meant to lead this team.” Red couldn’t stop thinking about the words his friend told him. Two days earlier, Foxy said something similar. “You know what? Before you left on that suicide mission... you were a leader! Ever since you returned, you’ve just been a follower. You’ve just been a pawn.”

Red left the tournament grounds, and sat on top a hill near a Grave Yard. He didn’t know why, but he was drawn to the place. He thought of the events over the past few days. Johnny, Foxy, Grant… everyone. What had they accomplished over the last six months? There were some victories, but also heavy losses. Some of which were brought by Red’s own hand.

The death of a villain.

The attempted murder of Phanto.

Mortally injuring his close ally.

This is not the man Red-Havok once was. As the sun set, Red looked toward the gravestones. So silent, and symbolic. He removed his Razor Scythes, sharp, claws that he had used as weapons for the entirety of his hero career. As he threw the weapons to the ground, Red spoke, aloud, to no one but himself. “I will no longer be a sword of justice. I refuse." He proclaimed "Instead, I will become a shield.”

Red watched the shadows move amongst the headstones. “Rave Spider. He called us The Challengers.” Red clenched his fists hard. “Shade, Slate, Athena, Phanto, Sebastian Kain... We WILL challenge them all.”

((Very nice. We need more hero entries))

((Oh snap. Red-Havok is gonna rough up some baddies! Awesome read!))

Thanks all.

hail yeah.

Johnny Turbo | Phanto
THE CHALLENGERS: Challenge Accepted
HONORARY MEMBER: WARE.gov (Said I couldn't officially join because I'm too good at PvP)

PART IV: INTERLUDE
Three Days Ago
Striga Isle


The tournament had almost come to an end. Now, all that was left was for Red-Havok to face down against his fellow teammate, Foxy Ferret. But Foxy was more than just a teammate. The two heroes had developed a close personal relationship over the last three and a half years. This fight could be the toughest one yet. Red was unsure if he would again lose control, and if he did, he knew Foxy didn't have the kind of regenerative capabilities that Rave Spider did. He had to be careful. He had to watch for the signs. As he looked at Foxy, across from him he knew one of them had to lose. He only hoped they would make it though this alive.

Athena was pleased. Her tournament had been a huge success, and it all came down to this. As she watched the two combatants she couldn't help but smile as she spoke. "You are at the point that every warrior dreams to achieve." She said, with the utmost pride.

"You will fight for me, here. And the winner shall be accepted into my clan." She paused and starred the two undercover heroes in the eye. "The loser will leave this island. This is no longer about entertainment. This is about pride."

She raised her blade into the air, the Dark Matter surged around it. "And proving who the true warrior is. Now..." Athena slashed the air in a downward arc, Dark Matter trailing behind it "Kill each other!!!"

And with that, the battle had begun. This is, unfortunately what it had come down to. Red prepared himself to engage Foxy, he feigned a hit which she easily dodged. Getting around behind Red she spoke, low enough for him to hear "Red..." Foxy half whispered and pointed to the nearby woods. She ran off, out of the spectator's view and Red followed after her. There, under tree cover she told Red her plan.

"If I lose purposely what of the weapon?"

Suspicious of their actions, Athena bellowed "Return to the center of the ring or I'll have you both killed!"

"I'll get you the weapon." Red replied to Foxy, confidently. "I promise."

"Then let's make this look good." Foxy said with a wink.

"Wait Jas.." Red grabbed her by the arm. "You don't have to worry. I won't lose it on you. I
won't let what happened with Grant happen again."

"I know, that's what the nectar was for." Foxy said with a smile, returning to the ring.

They fought, convincingly. Red took care to land legitimate looking blows, and Foxy did her best to 'sell' the pain. The fought, pretending to go back and fourth with each of them gaining the upper hand at different times. Finally, Foxy gave in and fell to her knees.

"Is she dead?" Some of the nearby onlookers wondered.

Athena saw everything, and was greatly impressed. "Good Ginzu, you've learned to channel your rage."

Foxy looked at Athena, and the others and adressed them all "Ginzu... a worthy opponent. I've looked for someone like you my entire life."

"And now that you've found me?" Red replied, playing along.

"I see that you're far stronger than I, take me in as your own. I forfeit to you and owe you my life in hopes you would spare me." Foxy looked Athena dead in the eye "If he can defeat me so easily I have no chance. Survival is what I do."

"I admire her, her skill has been exciting to watch, but I suppose there is no contest, she just lacks the spirit to take you on."

"To survive I must learn his ways and walk with him until the day I can out match him, but until then my life is his."

"Very well. I will have my minions show you out." And with that, Athena made a simple gesture and Foxy found herself being escorted from the battle grounds. Smiling, Athena approached Red-Havok. "Come, Ginzu. We have much to discuss."

***

Athena led Red to the top of the island, there, they sat and talked in a makeshift Greek temple, overlooking the entire island. The could see the ocean, the docks, the caves, the battlegrounds. "I'm impressed by you." Athena told Red "Your lethal spirit...knows no bounds. Who did you take your orders from before me, Ginzu?"

"I am an assassin after all. I was employed by various individuals and for various reasons."

"You are...truly a living weapon. Like the sword I wield, you can inflict massive damage."

"Indeed. I wanted the prize, so I fought for it."

"Now that the Mongoose has been taken care of there is someone you have to meet."

***

Bia and Kratos escorted Red to another part of the island, still high above everything, but below the temple. Standing before him was a man in a dark purple cloak. Red knew who it was. With Bia and Kratos on their way out, Red approached the man he knew as Phanto.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"I'm used to it."

"I assume Athena told you who I am?"

"She mentioned it. It is very generous of you to front the grand prize."

"I'm not quite sure what you're talking about. I'm here of my own accord."

"Well then she did not inform me of the entire situation."

Phanto paced, back and fourth, finally looking at Red. "I want you to work for me."

Red shook his head "I don't work for anyone. I take on many jobs, from many employers."

"We're talking... REAL...BIG...STAKES HERE, Ginzu!" Phanto exclaimed "This ain't a lousy ****!"

"I see. Then talk."

Phanto continued to pace "This is an scheme with some REAL STAGE-WORTHY PROPORTIONS!"

"I'm listening."

"All this, pft, Athena's tournament." Phanto paced faster, making over dramatic hand motions "She can do what she wants, she likes to see men kill eachother, I won't take that away from her."

"Were you only interested in recruiting? Is that why you were involved?"

"Indeed, Ginzu! I wanted to take the winner under my wing! Back to Kain!"

"Kain?"

"Sebastian Kain, you idiot. Have you not been in the criminal underworld long?"

"I have heard the name. I didn't know you worked with him."

Phanto sighed, shook his head, adjusted his cape, and continued "There was a time...when I had all the ambition in the world, young Ginzu. When I sought to destroy the world and brand the panic that ensued of my own creation!"

"And now? You work to fulfill Kain's ambitions?"

"Indeed, I have learned to share...the limelight."

"That is so... unlike you." Red said, accidently letting his cover to drop. "Your bravado is well known."

"I cannot argue with you there."

"Where is Kain? Is he here? And If I am to accept your offer, I'm going to need to know his plans."

"You ask a lot of questions."

"I must. It is the nature of my .... profession."

"There was a time..." Phanto paced, flinging his cape this time "When I had thugs like you...lined up at my disposal. I sent them all marching into Bloody Bay, just to watch the panic. Just to watch...the devastation. But...I learned that day there are factors that even the greatest chess-master cannot control."

Phanto stopped pacing, and looked Red-Havok up and down, studying his posture "Tell me what you want Ginzu. You want power? You want weapons? You want money?"

"Aside from the grand prize?"

"Heh, you're an idiot if you think Athena's going to hand over her sword. She was incredibly grateful when Exadeus gave her it."

"I am interested in working with you and Kain, but I would need to know more before I make my decision."

"You know. After my plans fell apart. I figured I would be able to lay low, and return. But to my surprise, I was a very wanted man. By both Exadeus and Longbow."

"Is that all?"

"I came here on behalf of Kain, hiding because I was afraid some of Exadeus' men would be here. But I didn't really think...Longbow would have the balls to send someone."

"I'm not here because of Longbow."

"Of course not, you're here...for the prize. And to find out my plans."

"I won't be stopped. WE won't be stopped."

"You continue to surprise me. Playing a game I never thought you would be involved in. A game of deceit, a game of lies. Putting on faces that are not your own."

Red removed his Gunzu helmet, and threw it over the cliffside, revealing himself to Phanto as the hero he knew him to be. "I'm just getting started Phanto."

"Now that's what I call a REVEAL! Too bad I saw it coming."

"You remember how this went down last time? You threw me off a building."

"Yes."

"Don't think I won't get my payback."

"Payback, listen to yourself. Losing a sibling has really left you this broken? What are you going to kill me like Cyborg Sinister?" Phanto goaded. "Impale me on those "blades" you use to "fight crime."

"You don't know what you're talking about. I'm not going to kill you Phanto. Death would be a gift to you. You're going to rot in prison. End of story."

"I'll pass."

"You don't have a choice."

"None of us really do."

PART V: SHOWDOWN
Three Days Ago
Striga Isle

Phanto wasted no time in attacking Red-Havok. He did everything he could to gain the upper hand. He fought dirty. He always did. With an intricate series of hand gestures, Phanto summoned a group of decoys - humanoid constructs made entirely of hard light. They weren't real, but they certainly hit like they were.

Red dodged and weaved through the decoys, avoiding their attacks and pushed forward – towards the real target. “Impressive as always Havok but I’m just getting started!” Phanto said, and snapping his fingers the three decoys suddenly merged into one, much larger version. It lunged for Red who used it’s momentum to throw it directly into Phanto. “So am I”.

The clamor was heard around the upper spire of the mountain. Several of Athena’s guards saw the ensuing battle and rushed to alert their master. “Milady! We have a problem!” one of the Warriors shouted.

Athena turned her attention to the guards, a dissatisfied look on her face. “What?” She demanded.

“It’s Phanto, he’s fighting Ginzu, at least… we think it’s Ginzu. It almost looks like Red-Havok!”

Athena’s eyes widened at the mention of the name. Did she allow a hero to win her tournament? Very fast, the events of the last few days started to make sense. She grabbed her sword, the Dark Matter swirled around it. “All available Warriors to me!” she yelled. Not a moment after, the temple was flooded with Athena’s Warriors, the sun glinting off their helmets. “Follow me, we have deaths to deal.” She pointed her sword forward, down the mountain to the spot where Phanto and Ginzu fought.

“What a great throw Havok, but it will take more than that to stop me!” Red moved forward throwing a punch aimed square at Phanto’s jaw, but it didn’t just miss it’s intended target, it passed right through it. The real Phanto appeared behind him and laughed “You did NOT just fall for that!”

Without notice, Phanto was struck hard from behind. He tumbled forward landing on his face. He turned around to see Athena and what looked like almost one hundred of her Warriors. It didn’t matter how many there were, they were on Phanto’s side… or so he thought.

“Tell your ‘roid monkeys to watch where they swing those clubs Athena. I’m not your enemy.”

“Oh? Is that so? As far as I am concerned you are. I suggest you leave now, while I still allow it.”

Phanto looked at Red-Havok, who stood silent, and ready, listening to the exchange of words. “I will not leave without him.” Phanto said, pointing at Red.

“If you do not, you forfeit your life.” Athena replied.

“Red-Havok is mine!”

“You have ten seconds Phanto. Leave. Now!”

“Ten seconds.. wha!?” Phanto thought for a brief moment, and then looked at Red “Hey Havok!”

Red looked at Phanto, grimly.

“Don’t say I never did ya a favor!”

As the last word left his mouth, Phanto had conjured more decoys, so much in fact that it was now Athena and her Warriors who were surrounded. Without warning, they attacked!

“Kill them both!” Athena cried, sword raised in the air.

Red-Havok and Phanto looked at each other for a brief moment, both with a slight nod of understanding. They had an unspoken truce. For the time being….

The decoys and Warriors fought. For every decoy cut down, it seemed two or three would take its place. The warriors fought hard to protect their Queen, and their honor, but the odds were overwhelming. Athena moved through the crowd with such grace, the decoys couldn’t even touch her. Her target was Phanto. When the Dark Blade removed his head, the decoys would dissipate and Red-Havok, the man she knew as Ginzu, would fall next.

Decoys were scattered, and Warriors thrown from the cliff side, Athena was close, ready to land her killing blow. Instead the sword hit hard, against a shield. A shield that belonged to one of her men, but it was Red-Havok. He stopped the blade and saved Phanto’s live. The shield was cut in two. He had only delayed the inevitable, she thought.

“Favor returned Phanto.” Red said sarcastically.

“You are both fools! You’ll die here!” Athena snapped.

“No one dies today.” Red replied, and moved in close with a precise hit to Athena’s wrist she dropped her sword. In shock, she tried to punch Red, who side-stepped and kicked her in the back of the knee. Athena fell, landing on the newly wounded leg. Red didn’t hesitate to strike Athena with a heavy handed chop to the base of her neck – made even more deadly by his armored gauntlet. Athena fell unconscious to the ground. Red picked up her sword, and fled the battlefield.

“H... Hey!” Phanto yelled. “Come back here! You *******!” Phanto flew after Red, his decoys disappeared instantly. The remaining warriors gave chase.

Red ran down into the island’s cave system. It was a long and winding path. Never quite sure where he was going, he continued forward putting distance between himself, Phanto, and the Warriors. The caves were filled with all kinds of villains, trolls, family mob members – some of whom tried to fight Red, but all of whom ran when they found out who it was they picked a fight with.

As Red turned a corner, he came face to face with the gigantic Minotaur, Julio. The beast roared, hunched over and prepared to gore Red. Havok raised the sword and prepared to defend himself, but Julio suddenly stopped in his tracks. A green force bubble formed around his head. The beast could no longer breathe. It stumbled in the passage way, slamming into walls and swinging wildly at anything it came across before falling over, unconscious.

“Thanks for the save Foxy.”

“You look like you needed it.”

“Here, take the sword.” Red handed the blade to Foxy. “Get out of here.”

“There’s a bunch of Warrior goons after you. I should stay.”

“It’s okay. Go. Longbow will be here any minute and they’ll bring the others. I can handle this. You need to bring that sword back to your father.”

With hesitation, Foxy finally agreed to leave. “Okay, good luck!” With a quick kiss on the cheek, Foxy vanished and Red continued down one of the cave’s many corridors with Phanto and the Warriors now closer than ever.

Finally, Red recognized his surroundings. He remembered this part of the cave. When he and his team were first allowed access to the island they had registered at a makeshift kiosk to his left. To his right another hallway, with another left, and one more right there was a dead end, that is where he would face Phanto. He stalled in the hallway, allowing Phanto to catch up. At the first sight of him, Red continued towards the dead end, Phanto followed just like Red knew he would.

As he entered the room, Red turned around, ready to face Phanto. Not a few moments later, Phanto entered, hovering slowly. “Poor choice Havvy-boy… poor, poor choice. Unless you wanted to die in a big empty room. Then I guess you chose wonderfully!” The Warriors finally caught up with the two and began to run in the room. Phanto glanced behind, noticed about thirty of them running in. “You left me with these guys. You dick. Remember earlier you mentioned something about payback?” Phanto faded from sight, as the Warriors rushed Red.

This was an all too familiar situation: Red-Havok against a hoard of enemies. In the past, Red had found himself against usually far greater odds. He also had his brother to rely on. The two of them, working in tandem would decimate groups like this without a second thought. As Red leapt into the fray, he hit a Warrior with a hard strike to his face. Another was kicked, and yet another kneed in the gut. This is what Red-Havok was created for. Though upon his creation, he was intended to be a weapon for evil, Red had found his own way as a weapon for good. He fought hard, against the Warriors, their numbers shrinking by the second. The adrenaline and excitement overwhelmed him. He hadn’t felt like this in a very long time. Though he faced a very real possibility of death, Red-Havok couldn’t help but feel alive.

Phanto watched as Red-Havok destroyed the thirty-man-strong Warrior guard with ease. “I’m so ******.” Phanto thought. Staying invisible, he hovered closely behind Red, hoping to get the drop on his enemy.

“You think catching me will change something, Havok?” Phanto asked, blinding Red with a bright purple flash.

“You wanted the end Phanto, you're going to get it!”

“I'm going to KILL YOU, HAVOK!” Again, Phanto summoned a decoy army that simultaneously attacked. Red fought against the decoys, their numbers thinning and growing by the minute. Down the corridors, he could hear sounds of battle. He could hear the voices of his allies. It wouldn’t be long now.

“Enough tricks!” Red yelled, knocking decoys in every direction, one of them landing hard on Phanto, knocking him out of the air.

“You spend all this time chasing me, only to die here. It really is, kind of sad.” Phanto spoke, words full of disdain. “You're a true tragic hero, Havok.”

“No one's dying today Phanto, but you will meet your defeat.” Red jumped in the air, and flipped forward, landing closer to his enemy.

“Meet my defeat like what happened to Sinister?” Phanto asked, flying back up in the air, out of Red’s reach. “Never pegged you for a murderer. You're as fake as Deceiter.” Jumping on the wall next to Phanto, Red spring boarded off, launching himself in Phanto’s direction, tackling him to the ground. “How does it feel to be at the end of your rope?”

The body he tackled dissipated on impact with the ground. It was a hard light decoy, one looking exactly like Phanto. “I don't know, you tell me.” The villain spat.The voices of his allies got closer. Red knew he had to finish this. “You never thought this day would come.” Red continued to chase Phanto around the room.

“I'm sure you never thought you'd be an only child.” Phanto said, laughing hysterically. “Shit happens.”

“I'll hit you extra hard for that one.” Havok remarked, clenching his jaw. Phanto continued to avoid Red, from high in the air. Red had enough. “All you can do is run, and perform your cheap tricks. How about you fight me?” Red stood still, baiting Phanto to attack. He expected, as usual, an attack from behind. Phanto fought dirty. He always did.

The heroes entered the room at the end of the tunnel. As they fought their way through, they kept following the sound of Phanto and Red’s battle. The could hear their voices, echoing through the caves. Xanatos, Nimbus, Rave Spider, Total Justice, Azure Tracer, and Luficia arrived, to see Red holding Phanto by the neck of his large purple hood. "Here's that extra hard one!" Red-Havok hit Phanto with such force that he flew backwards, his mask cracked down the middle. He landed a few feet from the heroes, mask snapped in half and unconscious.

“No ****.” Rave Spider remarked concerning the “extra hard” comment Red had made.

Luficia ran over to her friend “Red-Havok! Are you alright!?”

“I’m fine. Finally dealt with this… *******.”

Nimbus walked forward, congratulating his old ally. "You made quick work of him. It's been a long time coming."

“No kidding.I assume things went to hell on the outside?”

“Nothing we couldn’t handle.” Total Justice smirked.

“Deceiter set us up, but we're okay.” Rave added.

“Deceiter? The one from the list?”

Rave Spider nodded. “He was impersonating Slate, yeah.”


“Apparently he was the one who killed Casey.” Nimbus replied, angrily. “He's been playing us all along.”


“Slate's dead. Yeah, we got played big time.” Rave said gravely.


“Xanatos, do you know if there are more Longbow reinforcements inbound?”

Xanatos shook his head. “All of them are dead. Wiped out by rioters on the island.”

“Damn.”

“Athena?” Tracer inquired, katana in hand.

"She's been taken care of. I got the weapon. Foxy took it somewhere safe." Red answered, looking back down at Phanto. “We better take this guy to the Zig.”

Rave Spider closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly. “Something tells me the Zig isn't going to hold him forever.”

“Nowhere will hold Phanto forever.” Added Xanatos.

Luficia asked, wide-eyed “But... you guys will stop him when he tries this again, right?”

“It would be smarter to just kill him, but I am the minority in that opinion.” Tracer commented, grim as ever.

“No Tracer. No more loss of life. Even if you don't agree, it's not up for discussion. He may deserve it. But it won't be by our hands.”

“It was a statement not a suggestion.” Tracer said, while opening a packet of skittles. “A suggestion would have been a wasted effort. This way however I can at least say I told you so later.”

Rave Spider looked at Red with full admiration. "That's the Red-Havok I've been chasing my whole life."

“That is the Red-Havok I know.” Nimbus said in agreement.

“His punishment is for a courtroom to decide.” Xanatos said, as the room silenced, the heroes listening to his every word. He was, after all, an inspiration to them all. “We're just the delivery service.” He continued. “And today ...Justice just got FedEx'd!”

The heroes shuffled their feet, unsure on how to let Xanatos down gently. They all decided keeping quiet would be better off. Red-Havok broke the silence. “We should see if any Longbow survived, if so, help them and see if they have some transport back to Bricks.” Red then picked up and slung Phanto over his shoulder. "Nimbus, keep and eye on this guy while I walk him out will ya?”

“Sure Thing.”

“We'll secure a transport for Phanto and meet up at the old Frontline HQ. There’s something I want to talk about.”

(Nice man. Very entertaining and detailed.)

thanks a lot man!