章節 79: Chapter 79: Orion Williams
Kansas, USA
"Taken it upon yourself? Are you… really suggesting that you have your own secret prison? A place where you hold those you consider guilty, stripped of their right to a fair trial by their own people or government? That's not justice… It's a dangerous abuse of power." Poppy Hughes's voice could be heard on a portable radio.
"A dangerous abuse of power?" Atomic said. "Men like Igwe are never going to face true justice from their governments. Men like Igwe never do. His power and influence are too significant. If he were to confront his own country's authorities for his crimes, it would only be a matter of time before he found a way to evade judgment or escape accountability."
"Be that as it may, this isn't your decision to make, Atomic," Poppy said sharply. "It's the law's responsibility to determine guilt, not yours. You have no right to choose who ends up in prison, especially not in some hidden facility of yours, God only knows where!"
"And there it is… right there for the whole world to see," Orion Williams said, holding his radio up to his ear.
Orion, a young man of about 22, sat perched on the rooftop of an old barn, his long black hair cascading over his striking green eyes. In one hand, he held a small portable radio. The sky above was deepening into twilight, and the air was thick with anticipation as he prepared to listen to the unfolding drama.
"Now then… let's see how a giant topples," he mused.
However, contrary to his expectations, the interview featuring the hero known as Atomic did not tarnish his reputation as Orion had anticipated. The interviewer, skilled in her craft, navigated the conversation masterfully, pushing Atomic to defend his controversial methods. To Orion's surprise, Atomic's responses were measured and articulate, offering insights into his rationale that, while not flawless, resonated deeply.
Despite the initial tension, the hero managed to convey his convictions convincingly, ultimately winning over both the interviewer and perhaps the audience. Orion settled back, contemplating the unfolding narrative and realizing that sometimes giants don't fall; they adapt and evolve.
"…no, I don't think so," Atomic replied. "When we talk about 'the world,' what we're really talking about is people. Deep down, I believe people are fundamentally good. We all have incredible potential for kindness and positivity. We just have to see it for ourselves. I… I see my powers as a means to help others tap into that potential," he said, his words imbued with sincerity. "My gift isn't just for me; it's for anyone who needs it and my support."
"Bleh… well, that was corny," Orion muttered, rolling his eyes as he reached up to switch off the radio. He had no patience for whatever fluff piece was coming next. With a casual flick of his wrist, he sent the radio sailing through the air, where it landed with a soft thud in a nearby haystack. "Now then, let's wrap things up here."
Without a moment's hesitation, he leaped off the barn's roof, plummeting more than twenty feet. Rather than crumpling to the ground, Orion landed in a well-practiced crouch, the earth beneath him yielding slightly as it easily absorbed the impact.
"Can you believe it?" he exclaimed, his voice echoing off the barn's wooden walls. "Somehow, that goody-goodie Atomic is still heralded as a hero! Even after he admitted to using super drones and running a secret prison! How is that any different from the Nevada facility he took down? What a hypocrite!" The words dripped with mockery as he strode into the dimly lit space, shaking his head in disbelief. "Sure, maybe his prison isn't quite on the level of that Nazi camp our good old Uncle Sam was operating, but you all see my point, right?"
His only response came from the muffled yells echoing from the shadows and the rhythmic clanking of chains.
"See? You get what I mean," Orion said, lifting his gaze to behold a young woman enveloped in a shimmering purple aura as she floated within the barn. Her ethereal glow contrasted starkly with the harshness of her surroundings. "Still, I really should be grateful to Atomic… He was the one who liberated all those imprisoned mutants. Now they're out in the world, free to reclaim their lives. Free for me to find."
The young woman, Abbie, shot Orion a fierce glare, her eyes brimming with venomous hatred as she struggled against the unforgiving shackles that bound her. The cold steel chains coiled tightly around her neck and arms, anchoring her firmly to the unforgiving cement floor beneath her, where they were locked with a resolute finality.
Her only means of defiance lay in the brilliance of her aura, which pulsated with intensity, casting a vibrant glow around her. Yet, frustratingly, she was stifled by a gag that silenced her voice, preventing her from unleashing the curses that brewed within her.
"Now that the interview is over, we can get back to our business," Orion said as he walked past three withered corpses.
The corpses belonged to two young men and a woman. Their muscles and skin appeared to have been sucked dry, leaving a leathery ghost of what used to be people. But what stuck out the most were the large, gaping holes over their chests. Exposing dried flesh and broken bones.
With a smile that betrayed the situation, Orion extended his scarred left arm. His flesh began to shimmer and morph as he did, transforming into a smooth, obsidian surface that glinted under the warm, orange glow of the barn's overhead lights. The dark sheen captivated the light, reflecting the vivid energy radiating from Abbie, creating a mesmerizing interplay of brightness and shadow.
With a mischievous grin, Orion's fingers elongated, transforming into menacing, razor-sharp daggers glinting in the dim light. "Now this is quite the impressive ability," he taunted. "I doubt your friend will object to me using it, especially considering he's… well, dead."
Abbie's gaze drifted toward the lifeless form of Damien, her boyfriend, now nothing more than a shadow of the vibrant man he once was. A wave of grief crashed over her, and she began to sob, her heart breaking as the weight of loss settled in her chest.
"Actually, you should be thankful," Orion said as he grabbed the chain that connected to her neck. "Before, I had to cut my target's chest open with a knife so I could stick my hand inside. It wasn't pretty, and it got really messy. But now? It's gonna be so much easier thanks to your boyfriend's mutation."
Orion dragged Abbie down into the cold, unforgiving earth with a swift, powerful tug. She let out a sharp gasp as her body collided with the ground, the impact jolting through her like a thunderclap. The gag that had muffled her cries slipped from her lips, landing limply beside her.
"P-please… don't kill me," Abbie wheezed, her voice a strained whisper. Pain radiated from her chest, where her ribs throbbed fiercely, each breath sending searing waves of agony coursing through her body.
"Ah, stop your whimpering," Orion hissed, yanking Abbie by her hair and forcing her to her knees. He raised his obsidian arm with an iron grip, casting a long shadow over her trembling form. "Listen closely, Abbie. Tonight, I'm feeling generous enough to reveal a little secret." His green eyes burned like furnace flames, piercing through the oppressive darkness. "The world reveres Atomic, doesn't it? They worship him like a deity. But they're blind fools, too lost in their adoration to see the truth—he's just as grotesque as the rest of us. He feigns the role of a hero, babbling endlessly about the good in everyone. But beneath that polished surface? He's rotten to the core."
Orion's grin twisted into something feral, a wicked glint dancing in his eyes as Abbie's fear saturated the air like thick smoke. "But let me tell you what I believe," he spat, every word dripping with venom. "When the hour of reckoning strikes, he will shatter, revealing the emptiness behind his mask. He will plummet to our depths, just like the rest of them. Because let's not kid ourselves—nobility is a lie. Nobody is truly good in this world. He's just a charlatan masquerading as a savior. I will be the one to reveal the stark truth, to rip away the blindfold from the world and expose their false idol for what he truly is!"
"Please… stop. I-I don't want to die," Abbie said as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I don't-"
Abbie wasn't allowed to finish as Orion stabbed his sharp obsidian hand through her chest, sending blood splattering to the ground. Shifting his obsidian arm back to normal, Orion's scarred hand sliced apart to reveal swirling tendrils that immediately dug and burrowed throughout Abbie's body.
Despite her broken ribs, Abbie screamed.
"Did you even listen to me? Ah, whatever," Orion frowned, but his expression quickly morphed into one of ecstasy. "There it is!" He yelled in glee.
Abbie's wide eyes fluttered shut, surrendering to an unimaginable fate as her skin began to grey, withering away like autumn leaves caught in a bitter wind. Her flesh shrank and thinned, revealing the stark outlines of her bones beneath, a haunting testament to the life that had once animated her. In mere moments, the vibrant essence of Abbie disappeared entirely, leaving behind a lifeless husk, her body transformed into a desiccated mummy.
With a satisfied sigh, Orion summoned his tendrils back to himself, feeling the familiar power surge through him as he reformed his scarred hand. He cast aside Abbie's corpse like a discarded object, dismissing the remnants of her existence with a flick of his wrist. Closing his eyes, he focused intensely, summoning the energies that coursed within him.
After a few tense moments, a purple aura enveloped his body, shimmering like a cloak of starlight against the dark canvas of the night. With an eerie and beautiful grace, a skill that he had stolen from Abbie herself, Orion began to ascend. A wicked grin spread across his face as he burst through the barn's roof, shards of wood falling away beneath him as he soared into the expansive sky.
Now free, the world lay sprawling below him, and he dashed through the air, weaving between clouds and stars. The thrill of flight ignited a fire within him, a reckless joy that filled his being as he twisted and turned, reveling in the intoxicating sensation of power. Eventually, he came to a halt, suspended in midair beneath the brilliant glow of a full moon that bathed him in silver light.
"And now… I can fly as well," Orion murmured, holding out his arms to embrace the night. He inhaled deeply, savoring the energy surge coursing through his veins. "Just wait for me a little longer, Atomic. Just a little longer…" The promise hung in the air, filled with ambition and anticipation, as he plotted the next chapter of his ascent.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票