Chapter 12: Never Return
Henry: "You heard him, c'mon!"
Henry speeds towards Breakdown. He manifests two of his tails and keeps them behind his back. Luke trails behind with dual plasma lances, now understanding his abilities better. Jace hesitates for a second before getting an idea. He draws his sword and grabs the blade with his left arm. Using Burn, he begins to warm up the blade until it glows a bright orange.
Jace: "Oh, that's fucking cool."
Jace swaps the hilt to his left hand and brings the blade down to the ground. He leans his torso forwards and blitzes into the fight with the molten-hot sword to his side. Ahead, Luke and Henry match speeds.
Luke: "Thread the needle? You're the thread, I'm the needle?"
Henry: "Don't be poetic. Layman's terms please."
Luke: "You attack first, then I follow up for the kill."
Henry: "You get to kill him? He's my boss!"
Luke: "Ex-boss."
Henry: "Okay, smart-ass. Follow up this!"
Henry plants a foot into the tile and with that, his tails fly past him and towards to Breakdown. Luke follows the tails as they all move unpredictably towards their foe.
Breakdown: "Cute."
One of Henry's tails strikes from above, but Breakdown clutches it within his hand. His body emits a soft, blue glow before tearing the tail apart from Henry. In Response, Henry coughs up blood and drops to a knee, grabbing his side and seething in pain.
Luke freezes in fear for a split-second before snapping out of it and crossing his arms together and forming a lance for each wrist. He goes for a dual outwards slash, but is greeted by a fist cracking his nose and sending him tumbling back into Henry. They crash together as Breakdown grabs Henry's other tails and drags the two clockwise, before swinging them a few rotations and colliding them into a wall.
Breakdown: "You should've stayed in line. Look at the chaos you've caused!"
Jace: "Hey!"
Breakdown whips his head towards the voice.
Breakdown: "That bionic brat..."
Jace: "If you need someone to pin the blame on, then you're looking at them!"
Jace grips his sword with both of his hands and leaps into the air again. Breakdown grits his teeth and raises both of his arms above his head. The slash connects and the flames disperse. Jace lands on his shoulder and rolls back to a standing position.
Henry: "Why is there no blood...?"
Breakdown: "That's all that strike could do?"
Breakdown lowers his arms, Both of them scratched up and steaming from the impact. His skin radiates that same blue glow from earlier. He steps toward Jace, each foot booming throughout the now eerily silent hall.
Luke: "We need to help him."
Henry: "Yeah? How? He did a fucking number on me."
Henry releases his hand from his side to show Luke the wound he's received.
Henry: "Our manifestations may just be that, but their pain is just as real. What we inflict on others? It can come back tenfold. So, what's your idea?"
Luke: "Fall back and rest. If necessary, you can catch me again if I'm sent back here faster than a bullet train, right?"
Henry: "Yeah, whatever. I'll catch the train, just save Jace already!"
Luke stands up and raises both arms above his head. He swiftly brings them back down to his chest. He's once again spawned two plasma lances around his fists. Breakdown turns around once he hears the consistent crackling behind him.
Breakdown: "You're trying that again? How do you plan on attacking me this time?"
Luke: "I plan on making you bleed this time."
Breakdown's eyes are filled with glee as a smile greets him from ear-to-ear. They both approach the center of the exhibit hall. Before he can react, Luke goes to stab a lance straight through Breakdown's chest. In retaliation, he grabs Luke's arm and twists around it to elbow Luke in the head.
He staggers a bit before shouting and trying to stab again. Breakdown simply strafes to the side as the stab misses completely. In a second, Luke's greeted by a knee to the chest. A loud crunch is heard as he gasps for air and drops to the ground. Breakdown places his oxfords on Luke's head and begins to add pressure to the foot. Luke plants his fists into the ground to resist the skull fracture.
Henry: "Don't you even think about it!"
Henry leaps out from the side and with the last of his strength, bites down on Breakdown's shoulder. He's unexpectedly repelled back as his teeth don't even get close to breaking skin. He hovers in the air for a second before Breakdown grabs his neck and dunks him into Luke. He dusts off his palms and stands proud over the brutality he's caused tonight.
Jace: "We're done!"
Breakdown: "What?!"
Jace points to Breakdown's suit.
Jace: "I almost roasted a marshmallow over that fire. Pretty impressive, right?"
Henry: "Stop playing around!"
Breakdown: "You pest! I expected your blood, not your stupidity!"
Breakdown rushes over to his suit. Jace continues to smile about his mischievous act, oblivious to the humanization of a freight train heading towards him. Breakdown passes by Jace and shoves him so hard he crashes into the other two.
Henry: "Caught the...train."
Breakdown: "Give me one reason to not kill you where you stand!"
Jace: "Rule 2."
Breakdown: "I didn't think you could actually do it!"
Jace: "Told ya it was impressive. Now, my questions."
Breakdown: "You didn't even wound me. Why should I let you ask me questions?"
Jace: "How about I ask just one, then we'll go and you can try to piece this event together?"
Breakdown: "I hate you so much right now. What's your question?"
Jace: "Are you the one responsible for the death of my dad?"
Breakdown: "That depends, did he an ability just like your friends, or was he just a random person?"
Jace: "Do you count being an engineer as an ability?"
Breakdown: "No. Whoever called for that hit must've had something personal they needed to sort out in private. There's your answer. You want my opinion? Give up your revenge plot now because you're walking into a territory you don't belong in."
Jace: "I don't plan on stopping until I'm dead. If that means arriving in your penthouse to dust your ass, then I'll do it. You'd be able to kill me then, wouldn't you?"
Breakdown: "About that, I plan on banning you three from Rose Rocks. If you step foot inside, you will be ruthlessly attacked."
Henry: "WHAT?!"
Breakdown: "What's the matter? You left my organization, clearly you don't want to belong in my lovely Rocks anymore."
Jace: "We'll find a way back to you. I'm climbing that ladder whether it's by choice or force."
Breakdown: "Neither of those options worked tonight. Now, there's the door. You can either run while you still have time, or security will arrive to unload magazines into your lifeless bodies once I leave this room. Ready? Go."
Breakdown throws his suit up shoulders and through his arms before adjusting his tie. His shoes clack against the tile as he begins to leave. The three shuffle to their feet and make a conjoined tackle through the exit door. Luke kicks it closed and they wander off into the night and eventually they find their way back to the tavern.