The Silence of a Somber Day

Rising Waters

Tempest breathed out slowly, the noise near silent. His hand grasped a hand gun, finger settling on the cold surface of the trigger. His foot slid forward, his body weight shifting to inch forwards. The metal rooftop made some low groaning noises. Tempest wasn't worried. It sounded exactly like when birds plopped onto the landing for the night, to sleep or wait or poop. Tempest was doing the middle option.

Tempest didn't like waiting, but he understood the significance of it. Tempest knew that patience was a virtue that a hero had to afford sometimes. Jumping into danger wasn't just reckless, it was stupid and guaranteed failure. Tempest could afford patience, he couldn't afford failure.

Tempest gave a low chuckle. Technically, he couldn't afford anything. Tempest didn't work for pay like most heroes. He crashed with Clay at one of the apartment housing units in the Hero Association tower and ate that man's food.

"Are you in position?" Dream asked through the comms. This was the usual way of Tempest's missions functioning. He was Dream's sidekick, working alongside the masked clad hero instead of on his own. Last time was an easy mission, so Tempest took it alone, telling Dream to take the night off. Tempest didn't regret that choice, but he did ponder how it would have gone differently had he asked Dream to tag along.

"Overhead, ready for the next step," Tempest responded as he put his gun away into a pocket. He lowered his body until he laid flat on the rooftop. He pulled himself to the edge of the roof, lowering his upper body while keeping his legs on the roof. With his body folded, Tempest had an upside down view of what was happening inside the warehouse. Tempest pulled himself down as far as possible without falling off.

Men and women- no children- were walking around the warehouse. There was one guy in the center of the room, directing everyone on where they should move boxes and cargo. To anyone else, this looked like merchants burning the midnight oil. Tempest knew better. This was one of the facets of a large smuggling ring that circulated illegal goods from Hermitcraft, Cogchamp, and L'Manberg. If the speculation on the files were to be believed, what was being smuggled in was unregulated potions from Hermitcraft and what was being smuggled out was gunpowder to Cogchamp. The Heroes Association dispatched Dream and Tempest to deal with that nights shipment, hopefully capturing someone willing to strike a deal against the main corporation in exchange for a nicer sentencing.

"Ten men and women visible, seven males and three females. No visible weaponry, unknown status of powers," Tempest laid out the facts for Dream. He was about to continue when something caught his eye. In the corner, standing on some of the wooden crates, a teenager was sitting there in a... bee costume? Tempest's eyes widened as he looked around more, finding another child in a galaxy purple and white cloak. Tempest cussed when the two teenagers jumped into fighting.

"We have a problem. Two vigilantes arrived on scene and have initiated contact with the smugglers," Tempest told Dream.

A slew of muttered curses met Tempest's ears. When Dream chilled out, he told Tommy, "We move in, anyways. Stick to the plan. Try to send them all to Spawn. If possible, send the vigilantes there as well for the Heroes Association to deal with."

"Understood," Tempest said. Tempest kicked his legs in the air, flipping off the roof like he was doing a back bend. As Tempest fell, he put his hands together, a red shine glimmering around him as his descent slowed. Tempest hit the ground without feeling any pain. Tempest turned around, kicking open the door with his gun locked and loaded.

Everyone froze what they were doing to look at the intruder. Tempest's eyes peered through the mask before he shot the guy closest to him. The red bullet went straight through his brain, and soon he had dissolved into smoke that had sent him to Spawn. This made everyone spring into action.