Kingdom Gone

WAX OFF

24 Days Until Rapture

We all stood on Sam's ridiculously large lawn, between her house and the shore of Lake Lake.

"1 vs 3 sparring practice." I say, sword unsheathed. "No guns, but arrows, lightning, and of course bionic arms are allowed. First team to knock everyone on the opposing team down for ten seconds wins the remaining slice from last nights pizza. Ready?"

The three girls look at each other, then Nijah shrugs. "A chance to beat your ass to to the ground? Always."

"I believe you were the one on the ground last time we fought."

I visibly see Nijah's teeth clench as they take their stances.

I laugh. "On three. One-"

Nijah charges right out the gate, Sam right behind her.

"Alrighty then."

My sword clashes against Nijah's bow, both weapons creaking. I duck under Sam's metal arm, kicking out her legs, dropping her. I grab Nijah's wrist and pull her into a headbutt unexpectedly, causing her to fall to her knees. She lashes out with her foot but my jacket absorbs the blow. I slap my hands against both sides of her head, the sound overwhelming her heightened hearing and she drops too. Sam's suddenly back on her feet, her arm now a blade of her own. I parry each of her swings, sparks flying from our weapons. I feel the strength behind each attack, and Sam's not playing around.

Boom. Flash. Thunder.

The lightning strike was like catching a grenade with my shoulder, the jacket's harness absorbing the volts, but the concussive blast sent me flying. I kip up back to my feet, but feel Nijah's bow crack against my spine right after, making me reel right into Sam's bionic fist. Even with the jacket, it felt like a semi truck hit me right in the chest. My feet leave the ground, my whole body flipping through the air, until I land face first in the shallows of Lake Lake.

* * *

I flex my arm.

That was the first time I used this thing in a combat situation. And it felt great.

"He's not out of the count yet, girls." Nijah says as she stands between Circe and I, still grimacing. I look and see that she's right, Jason already on one knee, half submerged in the water. I look at Circe.

"I think it's time to hit him with the double whammy." I say, arm unfolding to reveal the plasma cannon. She nods, hand already dancing with that gorgeous blue electricity. I aim my arm, the contact lens in my right eye syncing up, a green circle appearing around Jason.

Nijah shoulder's her bow. "Let him have it."

We fire.

* * *

I do the only thing I can do.

I lift my sword. I press my forearm against the back of the blade to absorb the impact, but it barely helps. The beam of plasma and the lightning converge on my blade, blue electricity traveling up and down the sword as the metal begins to glow red. It suddenly becomes night, as the two bright forces make the sky seem pitch black. The water around me begins to evaporate, my feet digging into the dry sand of the lake bed. My entire body aches as I try to hold, but eventually I cave, the combined forces send me skidding across the water.