Hayze: *offscreen* It’s okay. I’ll let you look.

Scarlett slowly looks over her shoulder to see Hayze standing down the hallway, holding the shadow crossbow. The bolt he fired into Scarlett has a rope of shadow connecting it back to Hayze’s crossbow; beneath it lies Hayze’s shadow extended into Scarlett’s, activating shadow paralysis.

Scarlett: *frustrated grunt* Damn you!

Aster: Hayze? What are you doing here!

Hayze: I had a bone to pick with this bitch, and I wasn’t leaving until I got even.

Aster: Well, you came at a good time, thanks.

Hayze: Now isn’t the time for thanks. You’ve got about 90 seconds before the paralysis ends, so use them wisely to take her down.

Scarlett: 90 seconds! There’s no chance! I control shadows myself; I cannot be contained by them!

Scarlett attempts to disappear into the shadows but can’t.

Scarlett: *grunts* (What’s wrong?! Why isn’t it working?!)

Hayze: There’s a reason why it’s called paralysis. It doesn’t matter if you have influence over shadows if you can’t move.

Scarlett: Release me!

Aster: He will, but only after I have my fun.

Aster ignites Scarlett’s entire body with flames.

Scarlett: AHHHHHHHH!

Hayze is forced to look away due to the fire’s brightness.

Hayze: (Damn, Aster’s going all out on her.)

Khaos: (He needs to.)

Hayze: (Huh?)

Khaos: (Even with us here, that vampire isn’t going to go down easily.)

Hayze: (I know she’s strong, but can she really take Phoenix Mode and Darkness Form on simultaneously?)

Khaos: (I can sense her powers of darkness, she’s got a lot of strength left. She must have just recently feasted.)

Hayze: (What are you saying?)

Hayze’s shadow paralysis begins to end.

Hayze: Aster! Back away!

Aster does as Hayze says, but he winces in pain as blood drips from his wound.

Aster: (This isn’t good, she’s got me in a terrible spot. I’m losing blood fast… we need this last attack to have put a dent in her.)

Scarlett is freed from shadow paralysis. The flames eventually extinguish.

Aster: (She’s still standing?!)

Scarlett’s wounds heal, however, much slower than last time.

Scarlett: Well, Hayze, I’m glad you arrived. It looks like I require another feast!

Hayze: Are you kidding me?!

Khaos: (Stay calm, she’s used up almost all her excess energy, and her wounds won’t heal anymore. Or at least not fast enough to impact the rest of this fight.)

Hayze: (Alright, then I’ll just take another shot at her.)

Hayze takes aim at Scarlett’s head.

Hayze: (She’s wedged between Aster and me, so she has to attack one of us, but not both. So if I shoot at her, I could draw her attention, and Aster can get her from behind. Is it a good plan? No, but it’s the best I’ve got.)

Hayze fires a bolt at Scarlett.

Aster: Hayze! Be careful!

Hayze: Huh?!

Scarlett dodges the bolt quickly and bursts towards Hayze.

Hayze: (That speed!)

Khaos: (Dodge, you fool!)

Khaos takes over control as Scarlett slices at Hayze. He blocks her strike with the crossbow.

Khaos: So you’re quick now, huh?

Scarlett: Yes, just like your death!

Scarlett attempts to bite at Khaos’ neck, but he uses shadow sneak to escape, leaving Scarlett with the crossbow.

Scarlett: *frustrated grunt*

Khaos reappears beside Aster and dispels the crossbow.

Aster: Good quick thinking there. She’s going to target you down to recover her strength.

Khaos: That’s fine. I can handle this from here. You should start heading for the exit.

Aster: Wh- what?

Khaos: You’re bleeding badly, and I can’t imagine that bodes well for your transformation sticking. You’re useless to me if you’re not on fire, so why don’t you head for the surface and get treated.

Aster: The only way I’m leaving this fight is in a body bag.

Khaos: *nasal grunt* Suit yourself.

Scarlett: Enough talk!

Scarlett uses her wings to take flight.

Scarlett: You two will die at my hand!

Scarlett flies towards Khaos and Aster.

Khaos: If you insist on staying, at least don’t get in my way.

Khaos creates his executioner’s blade and lunges at Scarlett; she blocks his slash with her claws.

Scarlett: More aggressive now, are we?

Khaos: You have no idea who you’re up against.

Scarlett: Oh really?

Khaos: Yes, Shadow Sneak!

Khaos sinks into his shadow; however, Scarlett also begins sinking into hers.

Scarlett: What the hell!

Khaos: Let’s take a trip to my world!

Khaos and Scarlett disappear into Khaos’ shadow.

Aster: (Wh- where did they go?!)

A portal opens on the surface; Ash steps out, followed by Alexis, Blair, and Saige.

Big Tank: That’s four more.

Paramedics walk over to the girls.

EMT5: Are any of you wounded?

Blair: Saige needs some attention.

Saige: And medical help.

EMT6: Here, place her down gently. We’ll take a look at her.

Big Tank and the lead officer approach Ash and Alexis.

Big Tank: Do you girls know where anyone else is?

Ash: I don’t know if Justus got out yet, but… Unfortunately, Silver Dollar didn’t make it.

Big Tank: Damn… poor bastard, that makes 5 dead.

Alexis: Who?!

Officer 1: Daniele Chase reported the deaths of Doorman and Fishface, and Big Tank here told us about Timber Man and Everyman. Your arrival leaves Vulcan, Exciton, Black Hollow, Lust, Paperboy, Hayze, and Phoenix as the only ones left inside.

Alexis: Does that mean Aaron got out?

Ash: And Justus?

Officer 1: Anyone I didn’t list or you don’t see here is at the hospital; I’m unaware of their exact conditions. But we’ll get everyone transported there soon. So just stay put and let the paramedics do their jobs.

Alexis and Ash: Right.

Big Tank and the officer walk off together.

Officer 1: How much time do you think we’ve got?

Big Tank: 30 minutes, roughly.

Officer 1: Well, Big Tank, this is the hardest part of the job, but in 25 minutes, we’re sealing that exit. We can’t let any nerve gas escape the facility. It doesn’t matter who is still in there.

Big Tank: I understand, do what you must.

The officer nods and walks over to his car. Big Tank looks back at the elevator shaft.

Big Tank: (They’ll make it, I know they will.)

Walker is waiting for more people to arrive at the bottom of the elevator shaft.

Walker: (I’m just missing Hayze, I think. Hopefully, he gets here soon.)

Walker hears footsteps.

Walker: Who’s there?

Ivy slowly comes into view. She looks slightly pale, and the bandaging on her wrist wound is drenched in blood.

Ivy: H- help…

Walker clenches his fist.

Walker: You…

Ivy collapses.

Ivy: *groans*

Walker approaches and looks down upon her.

Walker: Do you remember me?

Ivy looks up at Walker.

Ivy: Y- yes…

Walker: Good.

Walker opens a portal, and Ivy falls into it.

Walker: It’s about time you paid for what you’ve done.

Walker portals himself to the surface.

Big Tank: Huh? Walker? What are you doing? We still have heroes in there!

Walker: I needed to make sure this was safely delivered.

Walker opens a portal and drops Ivy on the ground.

Ivy: *groans*

Everyone is shocked.

Fatal: It’s her!

Alexis: Damn, we finally got her!

Ash: Look at her hand…

Alexis: Or lack thereof…

Blair stares at Ivy.

Blair: Wh- where’s Hayze?

Walker: I’ll leave her to you, Big Tank.

Walker uses his portals to return to the bottom of the elevator shaft.

Big Tank: Right. Medics!

Blair approaches Ivy.

Blair: Where is he?

Ivy: Huh?

Blair: You left him to die down there, didn’t you?!

Big Tank: Hey! Back away from her!

Ivy: N- n- no… I-

Blair: Then where is he?!

Ivy: I- I-

Blair covers her fist in magma armor.

Big Tank: Lady Lava, stand down!

Blair: I said: WHERE IS HE?!

Blair attempts to punch Ivy, but she instinctively protects herself with her push force, sending Blair flying through the air; she smashes into the debris of Scarlett’s house and is knocked unconscious.

Big Tank: Godammit! Medics help her too!

Sets of medics rush over to Ivy and Blair.

EMT7: She’s lost a lot of blood; we must get her to the hospital immediately.

Big Tank: She’s a criminal, so take one of the officers with you.

The EMTs place Ivy on a stretcher, and one of the officers handcuffs her hand to it. They rush her to

an ambulance.

Big Tank: How is Lady Lava?

EMT8: She’s got a few broken bones, but nothing too serious.

Big Tank: *sighs* I should have been more careful. That girl has a lot of enemies in this group.

Saige stares at the ambulance carrying Ivy as it takes off.

“ Ivy: Just kill me…

Saige: Why would I do that?

Ivy: Because I’d rather be dead than live through what will happen to me… “ - Episode 97

Saige: (Whatever Hayze did… he convinced that girl that she should want to live.) *nasal grunt* (You never really should underestimate him.)

Khaos and Scarlett are floating in a void of pure darkness; the only light shines from holes in the ceiling above them.

Scarlett: Where are we?

Khaos: I already told you, this is my world.

Khaos points above them.

Khaos: Those holes are the exits, a.k.a. the shadows being cast around us.

Scarlett: Why would you tell me this? I’ll just escape now, and this whole endeavor will have been pointless!

Khaos: Pointless? I only told you those were the exits because I know you’ll never reach them.

Scarlett: Why not?

Khaos: How many times do I have to say it?

Khaos lunges at Scarlett with extreme speed.

Khaos: This is my world!

Scarlett attempts to block Khaos’ strike again, but he’s too fast for her. His sword slices into her shoulder and embeds itself.

Scarlett: AHHHH!

Khaos: Hahaha.

Scarlett: Wh- where did all of my speed go!?

Khaos: It didn’t go anywhere. My speed relative to yours is so great that you feel like you’re moving slower. That’s the power of my shadow sneak; my speed while moving inside shadows is far too great.

Scarlett: *frustrated grunt*

Khaos: I’ll never let you escape this void alive!

Scarlett grinds her teeth.

Scarlett: (I don’t have time for this. It’s degrading, but I only have one card left!)

Khaos: Any last words?

Scarlett: I can tell you where Iota is.

Khaos: Huh?

Hayze instantly reclaims control.

Hayze: What?!

Scarlett: I know exactly where he’s been hiding out. If you allow me to escape, I’ll tell you everything.

Hayze: You’re lying; I know it!

Scarlett: I’m not; the sniper that lured you into Ivy’s trap the night of the honor ceremony was the same one that shot you during the Showcase Festival. I borrowed him from Iota.

Hayze: Huh?!

Scarlett: When Ivy killed you, she took the blue gem you were wearing and brought it to me. I bargained it to Iota in exchange for his warp gate user. He’s the one who freed Paul, Chad, and many of my other subordinates.

Hayze: (It all adds up, but…)

Scarlett: You want to bring him to justice, right? Well, this is your only chance. I swear I’ll go to the grave with this information!

Hayze’s grip tightens around the sword hilt.

Khaos: (Don’t listen to her! She’s just trying to save her own ass, you can kill her now! Do it!)

Hayze is hesitant, deep in thought, and ignoring Khaos.

Khaos: (How come he could take control from me that easily?)

Khaos grinds his teeth.

Khaos: (Don’t tell me…)

Scarlett gulps.

Scarlett: (If he says yes, I’ll stay true to my word, and he knows that.)

Hayze: No.

Scarlett: What?!

Hayze: We came here to take you down. This mission has nothing to do with Iota, so I will not abandon my objective.

Scarlett: *frustrated grunt* Then you are a fool!

Scarlett swipes at Hayze, but he dodges. However, this causes him to loosen his grip on the sword, and Scarlett kicks him off her.

Scarlett: You kids are such pests!

Hayze: No… we’re heroes!

Hayze charges at Scarlett and begins punching her repeatedly.

Hayze: I won’t let you leave!

Scarlett: YES, YOU WILL!

Scarlett catches Hayze off guard by repelling him with a Soulvania that quickly fades.

Scarlett: (I have to leave while I have the chance!)

Scarlett moves toward the shadow exits, but Hayze recovers and chases after her.

Hayze: (Why am I not catching up?!)

Khaos: (Because you’re inexperienced with moving in this world!)

Hayze: (What?! Why didn’t you tell me?!)

Khaos: (You’re the one who abruptly took control from me!)

Scarlett and Hayze reappear in the hallway.

Scarlett: *sigh of relief* Freedom…

Aster looks confused.

Aster: Where did you guys go?

Hayze: That isn’t important, but we have to kill her right now.

Aster: I know, but she’s still so powerful even after everything we’ve thrown at her. How can we beat her?

Hayze: Since when did you lose your confidence?

Aster: Huh?

Hayze: The Aster I fought a couple months back would have never spoken those words. Did losing to me really shake you that badly?

Aster smiles.

Aster: *nasal grunts* That match had no result, but it taught me a lot. I’m confident, but I know when the deck is stacked against me.

Hayze: Maybe against you, but what about us?

Aster: What are you getting at?

Hayze dispels the executioner’s blade and creates the dark crossbow again.

Hayze: Remember our final attacks during that fight?

Aster: Yeah…

Aster realizes.

Hayze: You ready?

Aster: You know it!

Scarlett’s shoulder slowly heals.

Scarlett: (This battle is testing my patience, and I hate that!)

Hayze: Hey, bitch!

Scarlett: What did you say!

Hayze aims a dark bolt at Scarlett.

Hayze: Take this!

Hayze fires the bolt at Scarlett.

Hayze: You’re up, Aster!

Aster: Got it!

Aster coats the bolt with his fire.

Hayze and Aster: Devastating Darkfire!

Scarlett laughs and leaps in the air, dodging with ease.

Scarlett: You really believed I couldn’t avoid that?!

Hayze: First rule of strategy.

Aster rockets towards Scarlett, with his flames bursting behind him like a rocket blasting off.

Hayze: The first move is always a fake.

Aster: Phoenician Impact!

Scarlett is unable to dodge due to being in midair.

Scarlett: (They tricked me!)

Aster collides with Scarlett in a fiery explosion.

Scarlett: AHHHHHHH!

Hayze covers his eyes due to the blast’s blinding light.

Hayze: (Did we get her?)

Hayze catches his breath as the smoke slowly clears.

Khaos: (Why the hell are you winded? You’ve barely even got a scratch!)

Hayze: (I’ve been using your quirk for far too long, between this fight and the one with Ivy, plus the time it took to get here, I’m at my limit.)

Khaos: (Fool! You should have taken the time to recover.)

Hayze: (If I did, Aster might have died.)

Khaos: (*frustrated grunt* Whatever.)

The smoke clears, Aster is unconscious, and Phoenix Mode has ended.

Hayze: (There’s Aster, now where is she?)

Scarlett is nowhere to be seen.

Hayze: (No! What?!)

Khaos: (Behind you!)

Scarlett bites into Hayze’s neck from behind, paralyzing him.

Hayze: Wh- what?

Scarlett’s skin is charred in many spots; her other claw gauntlet has been destroyed. She looks visibly exhausted.

Scarlett: You should have never given me a smokescreen to hide in.

Hayze: How did you recover from that attack so quickly?

Scarlett: I didn’t… *pained grunt* I powered through the pain and agony of that blast because I knew if I did, I’d catch you off guard.

Hayze: Powered through? I didn’t know villains had that kind of conviction.

Scarlett: I’m the hero of my story. I have a dream, and I will actualize that dream. I may have been pushed to the edge here, but I can still achieve my goals as long as I live on. I had to defeat you two fools if I wanted to survive this day, so I was willing to push through any amount of pain to get to you and end this.

Hayze: Dream, huh? Turning everyone into vampires is really that important to you?

Scarlett: Having an S-Rank quirk is like living in hell. You aren’t treated as a human being but as a danger to society. You have fewer rights than everyone else simply because you were born “too powerful.” I was looked at as a freak because of what I am, and if I made everyone like me, then I wouldn’t be different anymore. I’d just be Scarlett.

Hayze: S-Rank… I’ve… heard about the laws surrounding those quirk users. I- I’m sorry you had to live like that.

Scarlett: *nasal grunt* After everything I’ve done, with your death moments away, you apologize to me? You are a strange one, Hayze.

Hayze: Our situations were different, but I know what it was like to be alone, and nobody deserves that, not even you.

Scarlett is quiet for a few moments.

Scarlett: Goodbye.

Scarlett starts drinking Hayze’s blood.

Hayze: *groans*

Scarlett: (Once I absorb his energy, I should have enough power to escape and-)

Suddenly, Scarlett is ripped off of Hayze by seemingly nothing.

Scarlett: What?!

Hayze: Huh?

Scarlett tumbles against the ground. Hayze keels over, pale and nauseous.

Scarlett: How did you do that?!

Black Hollow: He didn’t do anything.

Black Hollow uncloaks beside Hayze.

Scarlett: No!

Exciton: I think you mean yes.

Exciton is standing down the hall from Scarlett alongside Vulcan and Lust.

Vulcan: We finally found you.

Scarlett: (No! I was so close!)

Exciton: How about you leave those two alone.

Exciton tabs his foot; out of nowhere, a line of clear crystals burst from the ground and barrel toward Scarlett.

Scarlett: AH!

Scarlett disappears into the shadows to dodge the attack; she reappears further down the hallway from all of them.

Exciton: Sneaky, sneaky, but dodging won’t get you anywhere.

Vulcan: Exciton, this is my fight.

Exciton: Oh, come on, Vulcan! Don’t give me that right now. We’re on a timer here.

Vulcan: All the more reason for us not to get in each other’s way.

Lust runs up to Hayze.

Lust: Are you alright?

Hayze: Yeah… I’m fine, just a little light-headed.

Black Hollow: You two should have retreated with everyone else. Why were you fighting her?

Hayze: If Aster and I didn’t do what we did, she would have been long gone. I don’t regret a thing.

Exciton: Speaking of Aster, he’s alive, right?

Hayze: As far as I’m aware.

Black Hollow: Lust, perhaps you should bring Aster and Hayze to the surface. I’m unsure how long we have left before the gas goes off, but we must get them out of here.

Lust: Should I really leave you guys?

Vulcan: Despite their conditions, these two did an excellent job weakening her. I’ll dispatch of her, and we can all escape with enough time on the clock.

Hayze: Don’t kill her…

Vulcan: Hm?

Lust: What are you saying, Hayze?

Hayze: She knows where Iota is… we need to capture her.

Vulcan: Iota? So she is in cahoots with him.

Scarlett scoffs.

Scarlett: I told you I’d take that information to the grave!

Exciton: We’ll see how an immortal fares with a life sentence, then.

Scarlett: You’ll never take me!

Vulcan steps forward.

Vulcan: All of you stand back.

Vulcan begins oozing lava from his hands, forming into a bull.

Vulcan: You’ve fought provisional heroes until now, but let’s see how you handle the number one hero!

Vulcan’s lava bull charges at Scarlett.

Scarlett: *frustrated grunt* Damn heat quirks!

Scarlett takes flight and soars over the bull; she soars toward Vulcan.

Scarlett: Don’t underestimate me!

Lust: Smile Cannon!

Lust fires a smile cannon, but Scarlett dodges midair.

Black Hollow: Her speed is impeccable!

Exciton: We’ll see about that!

Exciton points both of his hands at Scarlett.

Exciton: Crystal Burst!

Exciton fires a barrage of crystals from the palms of his hands at Scarlett, the storm fills nearly the entire hallway, but Scarlett is able to bop and weave through the attack.

Hayze: (She’s already adapted from the fight with Aster and me!)

Scarlett: I’ll kill all of you!

Black Hollow: Not on my watch!

Black Hollow disappears.

Scarlett: (Where did he go?!)

Black Hollow: You can’t dodge what you can’t see!

Black Hollow reappears and grabs Scarlett by the ankle. He spins her around in a circle before throwing her down the hallway.

Scarlett: *frustrated grunt*

Exciton: Nice work, BH. You got around her speed like it was nothing.

Vulcan: *nasal grunt* You did alright.

Exciton: Don’t be mad that Black Hollow did better than you! There are no cameras around!

Vulcan: Shut it!

Vulcan transforms his bull into a serpent.

Exciton: Vulcan, those attacks won’t work with her speed. You need to adapt your strategy.

Vulcan: I’m aware of that, but my options are limited with all of you here and this restricted space we’re fighting in.

Exciton: She’s already learned how to work around my crystalline attacks. My guess is she studied hard to fight all of us.

Lust: We did surmise that it was her plan from the start to take on all of us herself.

Exciton: Black Hollow, she’s probably already figuring out how to counter your invisibility, so I’d be careful on your next strike.

Black Hollow: Will do.

Scarlett collects herself.

Scarlett: (Which of them should I take on first? I’ll try my hand with Exciton. My speed is all I need against him!)

Scarlett holds up her hand, and black fog begins to emit from it.

Scarlett: I will not take all of you on at once!

Lust: Soulvania!

Exciton: Look out, everyone!

A Soulvania starts to form. Hayze holds his hand up and creates a Soulvania as well.

Hayze: Not happening!

Vulcan: Huh?

Black Hollow: What’s going on?!

The two Soulvanias collide and dispel one another.

Scarlett: NO!

Lust: You can use Soulvania?

Hayze: Yeah, because I “survived” one of her bites. It’s how she gave all of her subordinates the power.

Black Hollow: Well, that was very useful.

Vulcan: Trying to chicken out of our fight, Vampire? I won’t let you!

Vulcan prepares his serpent to strike.

Lust: Vulcan, wait one second.

Vulcan: Hm?

Lust: We have to play this smart. There may be four of us, but we’re fighting in a confined area. She’s got tremendous speed, and if we stray far from Hayze, she can use Soulvania to trap one of us and force a one-on-one fight.

Vulcan: That’s fine. I can take her.

Lust: What happens if she stalls you until the gas triggers?

Vulcan doesn’t have a response.

Lust: Time is of the essence, so we try to take away her speed and make this a more straightforward fight for all of us.

Black Hollow: And how do you suppose we do that?

Lust pounds her chest once.

Lust: Leave it to me!

Exciton: Wait, no! I don’t like the sound of that!

Lust starts charging up energy.

Scarlett: (What is she doing?!)

Vulcan: Stop what you’re doing!

Exciton: Lust! You don’t have to!

Lust: Smile World: Cumbia!

Suddenly, everyone starts to feel… euphoric.

Black Hollow: Oh…

Exciton: My…

Vulcan: GOD!

Scarlett: Wh- what is this?

Lust: Let the love in the air take control and bring joy to all!

Exciton, Black Hollow, and Vulcan fall to one knee.

Scarlett: No… don’t… tell me… this is…

On the surface, everyone else is feeling the same way.

Sydney: Uh… wh- what’s going on?

Fatal: I- Uh… I don’t know…

Daniele has a panicked expression on her face.

Tyson: Daniele? Is something wrong?

Daniele: Oh, no! It’s Ms. Lust’s Cumbia!

Tyson: H- her what?

Daniele: It’s her ultimate attack. She overcharges the libido of everyone inside a 1 block radius of her!

Tyson: Uh… what?

Daniele: Everyone’s about to feel amazing for the next minute!

Tyson: Awesome!

Daniele knocks Tyson out.

Daniele: Serves you righ- oh god!

Suddenly, everyone climaxes.

Daniele: OH GOD!

Officer 1: I haven’t felt this good since Janeane left me!

Big Tank: Damn you, Lust!

Sydney: NOOOOOO!

Alexis: I can’t say I expected this when I woke up today...

Scarlett falls to her knees.

Scarlett: ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!

Lust’s attack ends.

Lust: There, now her stamina is sapped!

Vulcan: Did you really have to do that?

Exciton: Ugh…

Hayze: (Again with this shit…)

Vulcan gets back to his feet.

Vulcan: Anyway, it’s time for us to end this.

Black Hollow: I didn’t like Lust’s idea, but it seems to have worked.

Scarlett is breathing heavily.

Scarlett: (I’m low on energy again! Don’t tell me I’m about to lose because of a fucking orgasm attack!)

Exciton: Vulcan, Lust is right. We don’t have much time; we must work together for one last finisher.

Vulcan scoffs.

Vulcan: Whatever, just follow my lead.

Exciton: Ready, BH?

Black Hollow: Of course.

Exciton: Good, then let’s put a stop to this psycho bitch.

Scarlett slowly gets to her feet.

Scarlett: (I’m almost out of time! I need to escape!)

Scarlett starts running away.

Vulcan: Hey! Don’t you run from me!

Black Hollow: I’ve got this!

Black Hollow cloaks and chases after Scarlett. With her speed decreased, he can get in front of her and block her path.

Scarlett: *frustrated grunt* Why are you heroes still fighting?! There’s not much time left! We’re ALL going to die at this rate.

Exciton: We’re not concerned with that.

Scarlett: What!

Exciton kneels down and places both of his hands on the ground. Suddenly crystals appear from the ground beneath Scarlett and imprison her.

Exciton: The hero’s job is to stop the villain. We can worry about the rest after.

Exciton turns to Vulcan.

Exciton: Finish her.

Vulcan: Don’t tell me what to do.

Scarlett: You’re a bunch of fools! If you die here, then how will your adoring public react? Colossus’ death already sent crime rates skyrocketing! Do you really believe 4 more top 5 heroes dying will help that!

Vulcan: It was a mistake for us to allow one man to profoundly impact our society. There will always be heroes, but not the same people. Even if a hero dies, someone should always be waiting in the wings to replace them.

Vulcan coats his fists in magma.

Vulcan: Whether that’s in our generation.

Vulcan looks back at Hayze and Aster.

Vulcan: Or the next. We must be ready to protect the public with our lives.

Vulcan approaches Scarlett; she struggles to break free of Exciton’s bind.

Scarlett: (I can’t escape! I’m too weak!)

Vulcan: You’ve caused enough harm and suffering, so it’s time the strongest hero put you in your place!

Vulcan winds back a punch.

Scarlett: (NO!)

Vulcan: Magma Overdrive!

Vulcan begins repeatedly punching Scarlett over and over again.

Scarlett: AHHHHHH!

As he bashes Scarlett to a pulp, Vulcan’s punches smash, melt, and destroy the crystal prison.

Vulcan: (I may not be Colossus, but that doesn’t matter, as long I get the job done!)

Vulcan finishes his barrage with a downward punch, slamming her into the ground and knocking her out cold.

Vulcan: Done.

Exciton: Good work, but we need to start moving.

Exciton picks up Aster and hoists him over his shoulder.

Exciton: Black Hollow, grab Hayze.

Vulcan picks up Scarlett, and Black Hollow grabs Hayze.

Lust: We need to move now!

The four heroes begin following the green arrows as fast as they can.

Black Hollow: How much time do we have?

Exciton: Hopefully enough.

On the surface, the lead officer is staring at a timer on his phone; it ticks down to 0.

Officer 1: *frustrated grunt* Dammit! Seal it off!

Many men and women wearing hazmat suits start running to the elevator shaft with their equipment. Everyone besides Big Tank and Walker has been taken to the hospital.

Walker: Dammit…

Big Tank: We still have hope.

The heroes continue running through the hallways.

Hayze: *groans* (We’re not gonna make it… we’re too deep in the facility, and there’s probably only a few minutes left.)

Khaos: (Hm…)

The hazmat team completely seals the exit.

Officer 1: I’m sorry, but there’s no way out now.

Walker: I should have gone looking for them.

Big Tank: No, you would have just died too. I’ll contact their agencies and schedule a press conference to announce their deaths.

Inside the facility, the lights inside the hallways turn red, and a loud siren starts to go off.

Exciton: Shit!

Lust: We’re out of time!

Vulcan: *frustrated grunt* Dammit!