Showdown! The Best of the Best

Chapter Six

Bob's eyes adjusted to the darkness fairly quickly, but he could still feel his skin prickling with fear as he crept through the inky woods. He felt somewhat reassured that Toph would be safe, after all, he'd heard her rock wall go up. But what about himself? He had no idea what he was up against.

Briefly, Bob pondered his family. They had to be worried about him, most likely wondering where he had gone. He closed his eyes tightly, his face warping in grief. He could just picture them back home, wondering where he'd gone. How would this affect Dash, Vi, Helen...Jack-Jack?

Bob stopped dead in his tracks. Just ahead, even through the Stygian darkness of the woods, he could see something moving. A chill ran up his back, tickling his neck. The tableau in front of him was like something out of a horror film:  it was a massive shape, covered in fur, with two piercing yellow eyes that stabbed the darkness like headlights. The hideous thing's breath steamed in the air as it emitted low, bestial grunts. 

Bob feared that he knew what this thing was. But he didn't want to admit it to himself.

"A...werewolf?" Bob whispered.

Two darts of yellow flashed toward him, and the giant, bipedal wolf-thing opened its jaw, its lips pulling back to reveal white razors. On two legs, it crept toward Bob through the underbrush. It was bigger than he was, both arms the size of small tree trunks. Its body was rippled with muscle, dappled with scars that were indicative of its status as an apex predator.

"Oh, damn it all..." Bob cursed.

As a final gesture of challenge, the werewolf reared its head back, and let out a feral sound Bob hadn't been expecting:  a roar, not a howl, shot upward toward the sky. Taking the challenge in stride, Bob sprung toward the beast with gladiatorial vigor. The rabid creature swung with its deadly claws, but Bob managed to block its swing with a forearm, headbutting it in the chest.

His head swam immediately, the force of his collision with the predator bringing vertigo. The wolf stumbled back a few feet, hissing with boiling hatred at the defunct superhero. Not five seconds passed before the werewolf rushed him yet again, throwing up dirt and ripped grass in its wake. 

This time, Bob was too slow, even if only barely. He attempted to sidestep the wolf's swipe, but the claw on its index finger caught him in the shoulder. It cut him deep, almost to the bone. Bob groaned in agony, stumbling away from his aggressor. He could already feel blood trickling down what was left of his uniform. He gritted his teeth, turning to face his enemy.

"You need a stick to fetch, Fido!" Bob shouted. 

The wolf gnashed its teeth and advanced again in response.

This time, Bob was more prepared. With all of his Herculean might, he dodged a double swipe from the werewolf, wrapping his arms around its chest like a boa. Screaming in equal parts exertion and struggle, he lifted the wolf fully off of the ground. Feeling adrenaline being pumped into his veins with every passing moment, Bob suplexed the animal several feet through the air. Colliding with a tree trunk, the animal whimpered in anguish.

Sweat dappled his forehead, but Bob grinned. 

Unfortunately, the wolf was not as winded as Bob had anticipated. With an ear-splitting cry, the animal pelted toward him yet again. This time, Bob was more unprepared than he'd been before. He only managed to step back just enough to avoid being disemboweled. Still, the wolf's claws raked open his side. Immediately, massive waves of pain brought him to his knees. He hacked blood onto the ratty coat of leaves on the forest floor.

Even in the midst of mortal combat, images of Violet and Dash flashed through his mind. He wondered if he would ever see his kids again. Would they ever again battle evil as a super-family? Would he ever feel the warm embrace of his wife again? Would he get to see Jack-Jack grow up?