Empyrean Iris Story Collection Vol. 4

Iron Storm

Outside war still raged, they could hear it thrumming through the walls and into the air , but for now they were safe, no more creatures scuttled from the walls, and the body of the void mother had already begun to dissolve, crumbling to ash at the feat of the massive, armored warrior carrying its shining spear.

The townsfolk huddled together, children and mothers at the middle, teenagers surrounding them, mixed evenly with the elderly population while strong, young, or experienced adults held the outer line . They were a grizzled and bedraggled lot despite their ideal having lasted less than seventy two hours , but the hollow eyes of the children was enough.

The figure turned to look at them a soft glow emanating from its body, and despite its size and imposing nature there was something soft and reassuring about the way it moved. As it walked towards them the air was filled with a sudden sense of calm. Children stopped whimpering, bodies relaxed, grips while still firm, no longer shook.

"Who are you?" Someone asked, an anonymous voice in a sea of faces.

In response the visor and helmet retracted backwards over the face, and what remained of the city crowd gasped in shock and surprise.

"You!"

"How, why are you... here?"

"That is a bit complicated."

***

The surgical room was dead silent for a single moment as the heart monitor went flat, an entire team of doctors standing in a wide circle and staring at the monitor as Krill stood at the head of the room. Up in the observation windows a hundred, students family and others stood in shock and concern. Krill's usually steady hands shook as he stepped away from the body.

He had killed him.

He had killed his best friend.

The other doctors surged forward, finally breaking the silence, reaching out to touch the waiting body. Lord Celex held out a hand, "Wait!" but it was too late, one of the doctors reached out to place a hand on Adam's arm and suddenly yelped in pain, drawing his hand back in shock and confusion.

Another doctor did the same hand going red from the heat.

It was just then that Adam's body began to glow, the skin on his face and hands most visible. ON his body the clothing he wore began to smoke. With shock one of the doctors raced out of the room searing for a fire extinguisher while the others drew back in confusion. Behind him, the heart machine flickered beeped, and then began to shed sparks. All around them light began to flicker, and then with a sharp pop and a sudden shedding of sparks the room went dark.

Dark accept for the figure sitting I the middle of the room.

Voices rose in confusion, the doctors backed themselves into the walls as the body began to seize. First it was the fists and the leg both flexing violently. Golden light spilled from his skin past the dark shadow of veins now prominent in his forearms which strained against the restraints that bound him in place. The surgical chair groaned, and then his upper arm restraint sapped, followed closely by the others.

His hands gripped the seat now, back arching while his head was held in place.

Where his hands gripped the seat metal deformed and bent under his hands .

All the lights had gone out but the room was lit as if by mid-day.

Krill was the only one who hadn't yet backed away. Even Celex had taken a minute step back.

Krill reached forward hands flailing in confusion as he tried to figure out what to do. He didn't dare touch Adam, but the cranial vice was beginning to moan with the effort of holding him in place. If he were to tear those pins out, he could break or fracture his skull. Just as he thought this, Krill watched in shock and surprise as the cranial pins holding the vice in place, dropped one by one to the floor, pushed out of the head by some inexplicable force.