An explosion rocked the world and sent Liam staggering for footing. His mind churned as he tried to understand what was happening. Turning towards the source of the sound he found the side of the bank missing, a gaping hole left in its place. As the concussion of the blast still rocked the street, a new threat was emerging. Fragments of the destroyed wall were raining outward as sharp blades of shrapnel. Officers caught near the explosion dove for cover as their cars were shredded like paper. Shards of rock lodging themselves in anything they flew into.

As quick as it started, it was over. A deafening silence hanging in the air where chaos had reigned a moment before. Liam was still processing the scene when Ullr sprang into action.

With a simple “Go!” Ullr brought the team out of their collective stupor. Jumping into action, they rushed forward. Gladius and H-Bar sprinting for the front of the building. Intent on saving the hostages from Cat’s Cradle. The rest of the team followed Ullr toward the black void that used to be a wall. They had the more straightforward job of stopping whatever was causing the explosions. If it was Cowls, they had to bring them down. The academy had drilled it into the students’ minds. In a situation like this, where a Cowl was an active threat to civilians, Heroes had to step in and stop them. Preferably using non-lethal force, but all options were on the table.

As the team ran towards the new entrance, police officers were sprawled all around them. Some lay in the fetal position trying to gain what little protection they could. While others were in heaps. Thrown from where they’d been a moment before like rag dolls. Liam couldn’t get a close assessment of their condition, as he ran by, but his HUD informed him it wasn’t promising.

Seeing the officers on the ground Ullr spoke in a cold voice, “I’m allowing lethal force. Take down whatever caused that explosion.”

Liam and Skip both responded with an affirmative as they neared the hole in the wall.

There was a quiet, almost inaudible, twirling sound as a small camera lense crept open on Liam’s suit's shoulder. The small device would record everything going forward. Allowing Liam to review the fight later and improve his combat prowess. Alternatively if any Cowls escaped Liam would have a video of them to help The Hunt bring them to justice.

Ullr reached the hole first as Liam’s suit confirmed the camera was recording. Without waiting Ullr darted inside, his enhanced abilities propelled him forward at incredible speed. The rest of the team caught up and were about to follow him in when there was another explosion, this one softer than the first. If an explosion could ever be described as such.

A brown and gold blur flew past the hole and crashed into the far wall of the bank. Liam spared a look at Skip, asking with his eyes what that’d been. His older teammate ignored the question and darted through the hole. With a wince Liam followed, it wasn’t like he’d wait outside while the others fought.

Once inside Liam oriented himself to the new situation. To one side he found Ullr, pulling himself up from the ground. Ullr must’ve been the flying blur Liam saw from outside. Anything able to do that to Ullr was something Liam wanted to avoid.

Looking back around, Liam found Skip standing in front of him. With a straight back, he stared down three people on the other side of the room. Liam moved forward and joined his teammate, ready to provide whatever assistance was needed.

Those opposed to Liam didn’t blink as the Heroes arrayed themselves. In the center was a large man in a forest green tank top, muscles bulged along his exposed arms. His raven black hair was slicked back as a confident smile flitted across his face. A thin mask covered his eyes, but Liam could feel the man’s stare boring into him. The look promised pain.

On the left was a small figure, only coming up to the large man’s waist. The person was wearing a gray hoodie far too large for him. With the hood pulled up, leaving the person’s face hidden in shadow. The hooded figure gave off the feeling of someone who was often lost in the crowd.

Last was a lanky woman wearing a faded red shirt. Her sleeves were rolled up to the elbow. With her entire face covered by a gray mask, dirty blond hair falling behind it. As the woman’s gaze shifted between the two Heroes her long hair waved down her back.

Seeing the two new arrivals the woman darted forward, trying to gain advantage of the Heroes momentary confusion. With the distance closing her hands morphed, elongating until they became sickenly shaped blades of flesh. It was a sight that’d live with Liam in the coming nights. Bringing with it horror and nightmares.

Being able to change the shape of your body was a rare ability for a Super and one that signaled strength.

As the arm blade woman rushed across the room, Ullr, who’d just managed to stand back up, threw a piece of broken wall at her. As if the incoming projectile was nothing, the woman continued to run forward, heedless of any danger. At the last moment she raised one of her former hands and cut down. The fleshy blade met the rubble with a sickening wet sound as the former piece of wall was sliced in half. The horrid sound sent a wash of cold dread rushing up Liam’s spine. Seeing how easily the blade cut through the wall Liam knew he had to stay out of arm's reach of that woman. Those blades could damage his suit or cut straight through it. And Liam wasn’t inclined to find out which it was.

Seeing the rubble deflected with ease Ullr grabbed a nearby chair with one massive hand. Picking it up he sprinted towards lady arm blade. Holding the chair in front as some kind of makeshift battering ram. As the two collided Ullr pushed the chair forward, intent on throwing the woman off balance. But the women had other ideas as her thin weapons sliced through the chair as if it wasn’t even there. The remnants of the chair flew harmlessly by as she readied to continue the attack.

A quick follow up kick caught arm blade off guard. Ullr hadn’t been able to put his full force behind the blow, but it was enough to send her flying. The woman crashed through a door on the far wall, throwing splintered wood in all directions. Ullr was already giving chase before the woman had even landed on the other side. Intent on keeping the upper hand in the fight.

With Ullr and sword arm gone, that left four people in the room. Liam and Skip on one side. Staring down their counterparts on the other, as both sides weighed their next move.

The small person in the hoodie was the first to act, having seen the vicious exchange from a moment before, the person backed up into a corner of the room. However, the defensive stance Liam expected didn’t come. Instead the person in the hoodie continued to move backwards as his body dissolved into the wall. Leaving nothing where the person had been a moment before.

Skip moved a second later. Taking a step forward and then was gone. Leaving without a word to Liam. No information on where he was going or what the last Cowl was capable of. Liam could only assume Skip was chasing after the person in the hoodie as he had given no other clues. That left Liam and the muscular man, alone in the room. The thrill he’d been feeling vanished, succeeded by a sinking feeling in his stomach. He had no backup for this fight. His first real one, where getting hurt was the least of his worries.

The man opposite Liam laughed as he looked around the now empty space. “Looks like I get the new guy all to myself. Source was it?”

“Yes. And your name is?”

“Don’t worry about it, you won’t have time to use it after today,” the Cowl said as he rolled his shoulders. A toothy grin spreading over his face as he continued, “Too bad you had to fight me on your first time out. I won’t go easy on you.”

“Not the way I see it. Taking down ‘Mr. Roids’ on my first day will be a great start to my career,” Liam said. Trying to sound as confident of the coming fight as his opponent. Though even to his own ears his bravado sounded hollow.

“You know it’s not very smart to insult someone who is about to beat you senseless.”

“I doubt you-” Liam said, but was interrupted by the large man rushing forward.

The distance between the two closed in a fraction of a second. Scrambling to defend himself, Liam settled on using his staff. Without knowing the man’s powers Liam wanted to keep some space between them, which was something a staff excelled at. Tapping his staff on the ground the end held aloft lit up. Crackling blue electricity arched around the collar. Dancing a clear warning for people to stay away. A warning this opponent ignored as he continued to dash forward, if anything, increasing his speed. Regardless of the shock awaiting him.

Taking a defensive stance Liam prepared for the coming bullrush. As the distance closed to mere feet, they both attacked. The staff arched forward. Rushing to meet the man’s chest. A moment before they connected there was a thundering boom.

The staff was torn from Liam’s hands as it was sent spinning by some invisible force. Flying towards a nearby wall, the staff became an impromptu javelin. Contact a moment later left Liam’s heart sinking as the distinct sound of cracking metal filled the air. He wasn’t able to check now, but he was sure the staff was broken. Whether he could still use part of it during the fight or if it was a lost cause was yet to be seen.

The force that tore the staff away had been strong and something Liam wasn’t prepared for. With a start Liam realized the power he’d just seen was the explosion from before. His opponent wasn’t just any Cowl. He was the one who’d wounded several officers for no clear reason.

Still off balance from the recent explosive force Liam tried to reorient himself. Just as he was finding his footing he saw the large man’s fist coming in again. Angling straight for his chest. With no time to dodge he only had one option left. Throwing his arm forward in a sloppy jab the suit's fist lit up in flames. A burning metal hand raced out to meet the large Cowls fist. Right before impact, there was another explosion, sending Liam’s entire arm flying to the side.

Taking advantage of the glaring opening the large Cowl punched at Liam’s exposed chest. As the attack was coming Liam turned his body to the side, trying to deflect the incoming attack. But the big man was faster than he looked, his fist crushed into Liam’s armor. However, this strike lacked the explosive force of the previous one.

The blow sent Liam stumbling back barely avoiding crashing to the ground. The suit had done its job. Dampening the attack so there was only a slight pain in Liam’s chest. His opponent wasn’t as lucky. The big man was shaking his hand, clearly in distress, one of his fingers bent at an awkward angle. Smiling despite himself Liam was glad the suit was made of such strong armor.

“Are you going to beat yourself up attacking me? That would save me some time,” Liam said. He couldn’t help but taunt the man. The explosive force from the Cowl would be an issue, one Liam was still figuring out how to tackle. But, with his adrenaline pumping, he used this moment to gain some control over the fight. Hopefully upsetting the Cowl and tricking him into doing something stupid.

“You talk a lot for someone with no experience,” the tall man said, grabbing the dislocated finger, he pulled it back in place. Only a small grunt escaping his lips during the procedure.

With a gulp Liam took the moment of calm to glance at his staff. Please be usable Liam thought as he spotted it. The thing was lying on the floor, snapped in two as if it was a broken stick. That would take a lot of time to fix, Liam lamented. It wouldn’t be any more help today. Liam made a mental note to increase its strength in the next iteration, strong enough not to leave him in this situation again.

Stretching his head to either side the tall Cowl stalked forward again. Using the limited distance between them, Liam fired a tear gas grenade from his suit's chest. The grenade bounced toward the Cowl as it emitted its debilitating gas.

With his suit's filtration system, Liam wouldn’t be impacted by the gas. The Cowl, missing that equipment, would face it alone. With a little luck Liam’s opponent would be out of the fight in a matter of minutes.

What Liam saw next was worse than he feared. The Cowl paid the gas no mind. Walking into the cloud without the slightest hint of being impacted. Not good, Liam thought as the Cowl kicked the grenade out of the way. With a shattering of glass the grenade flew through a window. Bringing its smoke to those outside.