“Some would think it ironic that a hero with the power to see the future did nothing to avoid her fall. But knowing her fate and facing it with head held high — that’s what real heroes do, and that’s who Red Weaver was,” Mr. Kim read out loud. “It’s not as informative as the other two pieces you’ve submitted to us. It’s also a little too flowery, Sam...”

“This wasn’t like the Astoria fire or the Met incident, Mr. Kim. It’s about a self-empowered woman who chose to save a life instead of being afraid of death. It’s a story of guts and hope and love — the kind of story the world needs to read about,” Sam replied.

Mr. Kim turned his gaze back on the computer screen on his desk. He nodded a moment later. “With all the bad shit happening these days the world could use a little hope... Alright, we’ll make this today’s editorial feature.”

Afterward, Mr. Kim gave Sam the once over.

“You’re looking good, Sam. I guess the freelance life suits you.” He gave Sam the thumbs up. “But what’s in the duffel bag?”

Sam had wanted to head straight to the hospital after his discussion with Chiron, but his master insisted they visit Mr. Moonday’s shop first to prepare for a likely third encounter with the Trickster. And since they were off to Manhattan, Sam decided to drop by the Herald’s office at the corner of 8th Avenue and 38th Street to pick up his freelancer’s check. He figured he might need the extra cash for Mr. Moonday’s.

“Um...” Sam glanced down at his duffel bag which was full of his hero gear. No way was he getting caught with his pants down ever again. “It’s just exercise stuff...”

“Ri~~ight, exercise stuff...” Mr. Kim stood up and then placed both hands on his hips before giving Sam the stern glower of a caring uncle. “You do remember Ms. Weathers telling you to lie low, right?”

Yes, Sam did remember getting lectured by the super-hot and super-powerful Weather Witch about the risks of continuing his, as she called it, “Vigilante phase.”

“I’m actually headed to the hospital after this.” Sam quickly waved away Mr. Kim’s sudden concern. “I’m not sick or anything. I’m just going to visit Thunder.”

“Going to visit, Thunder, huh... Ri~~ight, I get it,” Mr. Kim winked.

“It’s not like that,” Sam insisted.

And although it really wasn’t, at least this time, the redness of his cheeks showed otherwise.

“I suppose you’ll really need your check for this visit.” Mr. Kim offered the slip of paper to Sam, but then refused to let it go when Sam tried to take it. “Now, don’t go doing anything I wouldn’t do... okay?”

He gave Sam another conspiratory wink before finally letting go of the check.

“By the way, stop by the 45th floor and say hi,” Mr. Kim suggested.

“No, thanks...” Sam was frowning now, “I’m not supposed to be here, remember?”

“Yes, I do recall saying you were fired, Samuel,” said a voice that caused exasperation to flit across Sam’s face.

He turned around, knowing full well that his grandmother was giving him her patented smoldering stare — and she was, at least in the beginning. Sam saw Marie’s face morph into an emotion that might have been ‘concern’ before shifting back into the stern-old-woman face he’d known all his life.

“Just passing by to say hi to Mr. Kim, Ma’am,” he said, and for the first time in the longest time, his voice hadn’t wavered in front of her.

Sam didn’t bother for small talk. Marie would just condescend to him or berate him or a hundred other things that would just annoy and sap his spirit. So instead, he gave Mr. Kim a farewell nod and then headed for the door of his office. Only Marie was standing in front of the door and didn’t look like she was in a hurry to step aside.

“Um, I need—”

“—are you going out to do something dangerous again?” she asked flatly.

“I don’t—”

“—Cut the satyr-shit, Samuel,” she said, her eyebrow rising. “I read my own paper, and I know far more about what’s going on in my city than what we print.”

Her eyes drifted to Sam’s duffel bag before fixing on his face, causing him to avert his gaze.

“Well?” she pressed.

“I...” Sam didn’t know what to say. No, he knew there was nothing he could say that would make her side with him. She never has.

“You’re not strong enough for this life, Samuel,” Marie insisted. “You’re not your father...”

The worst thing one could tell an orphan like Sam was that he wasn’t like the father he idolized. And with that old wound came anger and resentment Sam hadn’t felt since he’d left her home.

“You’re right... I’m not as strong as your son was,” Sam admitted.

Even angry, Sam didn’t fly off in a rage. He just wasn’t that kind of guy. Instead, he lifted Marie by the shoulders and dropped her as gently as he could to the right of the door.

“But it’s not just about strength... It’s about guts, and I think that I’ve got that in spades,” Sam explained.

He would have loved to have taken a picture of the surprised expressions both Marie and Mr. Kim displayed at witnessing his newfound strength. But, sadly, he was late for an appointment.

Before Sam walked out of Mr. Kim’s office, however, he glanced over his shoulder and added, “You’ve got eyes and ears all over the city, so maybe when you hear about what happens next, you’ll finally be proud of me...”

Later, Sam arrived at Mr. Moonday’s Magical Armaments and Apparel feeling like he’d already slain his dragon for the day. Even the frosty greeting he received, which was so similar to his first visit, failed to sour his mood.

“Mr. Moonday,” the pumpkin-haired salesclerk in the Thunder-themed pantsuit gave Sam an eye roll when he walked in, “the bum’s back.”

Unlike his receptionist, Mr. Moonday was quite happy to see Sam again. He grilled Sam about his gear’s performance the entire way down to his sublevel workshop where he was eager to show the young hero the special equipment that Chiron had asked him to prepare.

“These Stasis Bands,” Mr. Moonday placed a pair of shiny bronze handcuffs into Sam’s hands, “will tether any medium level teleporter or phaser in place and keep them from activating their powers.”

“Time limit?” Sam asked.

“One minute charge,” Mr. Moonday replied.

“So all I have to do is slap one of these things on his wrists—”

“—or ankles,” Mr. Moonday interjected. “People always forget the ankles.”

“Right, ankles,” Sam repeated. “So I slap it on him and he can’t pull off another vanishing act on me even if I’m not touching him?”

“Well, it’s more complicated, really... Quantum mechanics details how matter-waves move at subatomic—”

“—yeah, I got it, sir,” Sam lied. He knew Mr. Moonday’s explanation would have gone way over his head. “So, um, about the other thing...”

“Yes, yes...” Mr. Moonday rummaged around his worktable. “Aha!”

He pulled out a black case from the shelf underneath the worktable and brought it up so Sam could see what was inside it.

“I know you have a preference for hammers, Mr. Shepard, but your request was short notice... Still, I think you’ll find this will do the job nicely,” Mr. Moonday said.

The three-foot wooden handle was engraved with Nordic runes, one of which Sam recognized — a kind of triangle flag shaped symbol with the flag at half-mast — as the ‘thurisaz’ or thorn rune which he knew either meant protection or violence. It was probably the latter as Sam was pretty sure that this same rune also symbolized Thor.

“I’ve recently been experimenting with mythical powers from other pantheons,” Mr. Moonday explained, “and I’ve discovered that Norse blessings make for powerful elemental weapons.”

“But the head’s bronze?” Sam confirmed.

He was referring to the extremely sharp piece of metal attached to one end of the hand-axe he’d just picked up.

“Enchanted bronze forged in the classic Greek style,” Mr. Moonday corrected. “Along with the added elemental attribute supplied by Norse runes, this axe can shred through even a Boar’s thick hide.”

Sam had seen how effective Thunder’s powers were against the cannibal Boar, and he thought to take a page out of her book since he couldn’t rely on her to fight beside him this time.

ITEM: Thorn Axe QUALITY: Rare TYPE: Weapon [One-handed Axe] DESCRIPTION: A bearded axe forged by the legendary Mr. Moonday. The combination of Norse and Greek design uses the benefits of both cultures' ability to enhance a blade’s sharpness to create an axe that can cut through stone like it was butter. BOONS: Attack Speed +2, Critical Chance +5%, Critical Damage +1, Lightning Elemental Damage +1, Lightning Elemental Coating increases Stun Chance by 5%.

I know you’ve got the reflexes for it, but dual-wielding isn’t as easy as they make it look in the movies, kid, Chiron warned.

“I know, but my fists weren’t enough for that cannibal... I need an edge,” Sam replied in an undertone.

He hefted the axe in his left hand and took a few practice swings. A flash of blue would spread across the edge of the axe blade’s edge every few swings.

“It’s seriously well-balanced... feels just right in my hand too,” Sam concluded. “I’ll take it.”

Turned out Sam’s paycheck from the Herald was just enough to help his remaining drachma pay for the Thorn Axe, Stasis Bands, and settle his debt for the grappling bracers, leaving his wallet just enough for next month’s rent.

Sam thought things were looking up, but then his eyes caught sight of the hundred inch screen on Mr. Moonday’s wall which was currently tuned to ANN. There was an aerial shot of an area Sam was pretty familiar with. Thick black smoke billowed up to the sky.

A biting chill rose up Sam’s spine after he read the words on the prompter, Queens is burning!

---

EXTRA STUFF (artwork)

There was a poll on Patreon for the next character art feature, and the winner was Crow-Man. I'd like to share the line art sample by #LUH's cover artist, OKAZE_Arts, with everyone here. Also, f you want to see the final, full-colored version, it'll be available on Patreon.