Chapter 30: Vicious Battle!
Kara paced nervously in her room next to the closet, glancing occasionally at the clock on her wall. It was nearly noon, and her heart raced as she thought about the upcoming lunch with Kayn.
Ever since she met him at school, something about him had intrigued her. He was confident, smart, and incredibly skilled—far more than any ordinary teenager.
Though he had quickly become popular at school, he had taken an interest in her, which made her feel both nervous and special.
Taking a deep breath, Kara finally mustered up the courage to leave her room and head downstairs to the kitchen, where her mother, Eliza, was sitting at the kitchen table, glasses perched on her nose as she flipped through a gardening magazine.
Alex, her older sister, lounged on the counter, scrolling through her phone.
"Mom? Alex?" Kara started, her voice barely above a whisper.
Eliza looked up from her cup and smiled warmly at her daughter. "Yes, sweetie? What is it?"
Kara fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Um... I was wondering if you could help me with something. I... I'm going out for lunch with someone, and I'm not sure what to wear."
Alex raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile creeping onto her lips. "Someone? You mean Kayn, right?"
Kara's blush deepened, and she quickly looked away, focusing on the floor. "Y-Yeah... Kayn."
Alex grinned and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Is this a date, Kara? Are you and Mr. Mysterious finally going out?"
Kara's eyes widened, and she shook her head furiously. "No! It's not a date! We're just... we're just friends, okay? We're having lunch, that's all."
Eliza chuckled softly and stood up, moving to place a comforting hand on Kara's shoulder. "It's okay, Kara. There's nothing wrong with having lunch with a friend, even if it's a boy. And if it were a date, well, that would be perfectly fine too."
Kara bit her lip, still feeling embarrassed, but she nodded. "Thanks, Mom. I just... I don't want to overthink this. I just want to look nice, but not too nice, you know?"
Eliza smiled gently. "Of course, sweetie. Let's go pick out something that's just right."
Alex grinned, wrapping an arm around Kara. "Let's make you irresistible."
"Alex!" Kara groaned, but a small smile tugged at her lips.
Kara followed Eliza up to her room, with Alex trailing holding her arm, a smirk still on her face. Once inside, they could see Kara's bed already strewn with discarded outfits floral dresses, casual tees, skirts and more, not even counting the various clothes still in her closet.
The bed was already strewn with discarded outfits—floral dresses, casual tees, and a couple of skirts.
Eliza began rifling through Kara's closet, while Kara stood by the mirror, nervously twirling a strand of her blonde hair.
"So," Alex said, leaning against the doorframe, "where's he taking you? Some fancy place, or just a casual hangout?"
Kara shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. "He didn't say exactly. Just that it's a nice place he knows."
Alex's grin widened. "Sounds like a date to me."
Kara shot her a look. "It's not a date, Alex. I told you."
"Okay, okay," Alex relented, though the teasing glint in her eyes didn't fade. "But just so you know, if it were, he's a good choice. Mysterious, good-looking, and apparently a bit of a hero. What's not to like?"
Kara rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. She knew Alex was just teasing, but the truth was, she did like Kayn. More than she wanted to admit, even to herself.
"Here we go," Eliza said, pulling out a simple yet elegant outfit—a light blue blouse that brought out Kara's eyes and a pair of fitted jeans that flattered her figure. "This should be perfect. It's casual but still stylish."
Kara's eyes lit up as she looked at the outfit. "Thanks, Mom. This is great."
Eliza handed the clothes to Kara and gave her a reassuring smile. "You're going to look wonderful, Kara. Just be yourself, and everything will be fine."
Kara nodded, feeling a bit more confident. She quickly changed into the outfit and stood in front of the mirror, turning from side to side to see how it looked. Eliza adjusted the collar of the blouse and brushed a stray lock of hair behind Kara's ear.
"There," Eliza said, stepping back to admire her work. "You're all set."
Kara looked at herself in the mirror, feeling a flutter of excitement in her chest. She looked nice, but not too dressed up—just like she wanted. She turned to her mom and sister, her eyes sparkling with gratitude.
"Thank you, both of you," Kara said softly, her voice filled with sincerity.
Eliza pulled her into a gentle hug. "You're welcome, sweetheart. Have a great time."
"Yeah, have fun, Kara," Alex added, winking. "And don't worry too much about whether it's a date or not. Just enjoy yourself."
Kara smiled, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. "I will. Thanks, Alex."
As she left the house and started walking toward the place where she and Kayn had agreed to meet, Kara couldn't help but feel a bit giddy. Whether it was a date or just a lunch between friends, she was looking forward to spending time with Kayn.
__________________________________
The city skyline of National City was illuminated by streaks of blue and red, fire and electricity arcing through the air as Kayn, now Harbinger, flew toward the source of chaos.
Down below, a towering Alien brute was wrecking havoc in the streets. The creature stood at least ten feet tall, it had muscular frame with orange skin, claws sharp enough to carve through concrete, and teeth that glistened with a toxic green substance dripping from its fanged maw.
Kayn's eyes narrowed, from what he had seen, this alien had the basic SuperHuman Strength, and a terrifying acidic or poisonous spit that could melt through walls in seconds.
Civilians screamed and fled as the alien hurled cars into the air, its long tail swinging through the air with bone-cracking force.
Landing silently a block away, Harbinger assessed the battlefield. He relayed the information mentally to Violet, who was guiding first responders remotely.
The alien's attention was locked onto the helpless people. A hulking mass of raw power versus innocent lives. The beast roared and began to inhale, preparing to release its toxic breath.
Harbinger didn't waste a second, his body launched forward in a blur of speed, faster than the eyes could possibly track, appearing in front of the alien just as it released its poisonous spit.
With a sharp gesture, Harbinger erected a barrier around himself, the toxic cloud sizzling against the invisible shield. He retaliated instantly with a savage uppercut, his hand glowing with crackling energy. The punch connected squarely with the alien's jaw, sending the creature hurtling into a building with a thunderous crash.
Not giving it time to recover, Harbinger surged forward, crashing through debris and rubble as he grabbed the creature by the throat, his glowing eyes reflecting his fury.
He slammed the creature into the ground with enough force to crack the pavement, sending shockwaves across the street. The alien howled, clawing at Harbinger, but its blows barely registered.
"You're in my city now," Harbinger growled, his voice a low rumble as he forced the alien's head into the ground, cracking the asphalt beneath it.
Kayn ignited his hand with flames, viscously burning the Alien's neck and leaving it screeching in pain. The alien thrashed, its tail whipping violently around, but Kayn dodged each strike effortlessly.
It inhaled deeply again, trying to unleash another wave of poison, but this time Harbinger was ready. He released a shockwave of energy from his hand, stunning the alien just long enough to land a flurry of precise, brutal punches right in the face.
Each punch reverberated through the streets like a shockwave, Kayn's ferocious flurry smashing the Alien's head deeper and deeper into the concrete floor, leaving it bloody and bruised.
The alien's roars growing weaker with each strike. Blood—a sickly green color—splattered across the surrounding area and Harbinger's suit, which was protected from being melted bu the magical enchantments.
The alien, desperate and beaten, attempted one last, desperate attack. It opened its mouth wide, planning to bite down on Harbinger's next punch with its venomous fangs.
But before it could make contact, Harbinger's hand closed around its throat with a vice-like grip. With one fluid motion, he threw the creature into the air, sending it flying higher and higher into the sky.
Then Kayn flew up, landing a ferocious punch in the air that created a sonic boom, flying around whilst continuously punching the creature before sending it crashing into the ground in an abandoned industrial area.
"Enough," Harbinger said coldly. With a flick of his wrist, a glowing restraint device materialized in his hand. He slapped it onto the alien's wrist, the device expanding to bind its arms and legs together in unbreakable bonds.
The alien hissed, its poison leaking from the sides of its mouth as it snarled up at him. But it was over. The fight had been brutal, but Harbinger had barely broken a sweat.
A few moments later, the sound of familiar footsteps approached. Harbinger looked up as John Jones, walked towards him, other members of the D.E.O soon behind surveying the area.
"Impressive, as always," John said, his deep voice resonating with calm authority. He glanced down at the unconscious alien before turning back to Harbinger. "The situation could've been much worse. You handled it perfectly."
Harbinger straightened, brushing off some debris from his cloak. "Another day, another alien trying to tear up my city," he replied dryly.
John's lips curved into a slight smile before he gestured toward the restrained creature. "I'll take it from here. We've almost finished the prison. AEGIS has been efficient in its construction. This creature will be one of the first to be housed there."
Kayn nodded, he was the one who was funding the prison, so of course he knew its construction status, but he didn't say that, the other D.E.O agents didn't need to know.
As they spoke, Kayn's earpiece buzzed, and Violet's voice cut through the silence. "Hey, you've got twenty minutes before your scheduled appointment with Kara. Just a reminder."
Kayn smirked slightly, glancing at the alien one last time before looking at John. "Well, duty calls."
With that, Harbinger turned and shot into the sky, leaving the wreckage behind as John secured the prisoner. As he soared through the air, his mind quickly shifted to his next meeting.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone