Chapter 107: The Magnum War Part 7: Resurgence

Romaine's POV

Thunder, rain, gears, all these sounds filled my mind as they echoed in the compact elevator space. Hanging over either shoulder were my cousins, both burned to the point of being nearly unrecognizable.

I couldn't stop them. The intrusive thoughts just wouldn't go away. "Maybe if I was strong enough to protect them", "Maybe if I was smart enough to figure it all out", "Maybe if I had brought them back sooner"

Sharply shaking my head, I chose to focus on the matter at hand instead of my deep-seeded regrets. The elevator doors graced my presence by opening, revealing me to the dark interior of the lab.

"Bloody hell. What happened? All the communication systems got cut off" the Prince questioned, rushing over in shock.

"We were ambushed and got separated." I stated, hastily carrying the two into the medical lab, "I managed to take them both out, but I was too late. Where's Cass?"

"She went off to fight Overdrive. I'll take care of them for now."

The Prince ditched his normal high-class get-up for a more humble doctor's outfit. I watched as he ran basic tests on them one by one.

"Are you sure the two Hunters didn't follow you?" He interrogated

"I said I took them out. Trust me, they won't bother us ever again."

Giving me a hostile glare, he continued his examinations before breaking the silence once more.

"Are you saying you killed them?" The volume and tone of his voice dropped, showing his clear disapproval

"I'm saying, I did what was necessary to win."

"Romaine, you're dodging the question. What did you do to them?"

"Alkali's brain was forcefully shutdown and Mortar's spine was shattered. We'll be fine."

"You do realize you just robbed those two men of their lives, don't you?"

"They're bad guys. If they weren't prepared to die they shouldn't have chosen to be criminals."

"Yes, but that doesn't give any one us the right to~"

"Well they shouldn't thought about that before they killed my mother!"

My short outburst echoed through the room, followed by deafening silence. My counterpart refused to look me in the eyes, probably out of disappointment of what I've become.

"They didn't kill your mother, Romaine. It was Black Zero."

Not knowing what else to say, I walked out of the room.

Upon resting in a chair to collect my thoughts, I felt the entire place shake for a whole 5 seconds.

"An earthquake?" I thought out loud.

No. I've felt this before; from my Time Remnant's memories. It's finally started.

I rushed outside, finding that the once orange-painted skies were now pitch-black and covered with storm clouds. Everything around me was pale.

"I'm running out of time."

There was only one clear option: run. My legs took off toward the still standing city, fearing the images I witnessed in my Time Remnant's version of the Great Speedster War.

"I have to save them. I have to save them. Everyone. I have to." I don't even recall saying these words out loud, my lips simply chanted whatever thoughts were going around in my head.

The cold isolated drops of rain slid down my suit as I ran; leaving behind my blue tinted trail.

Cassandra's POV

All I needed to do was buy Taylor some time to recover. But I quickly realized that simply stalling wasn't going to get me anywhere.

"Think Cass, think!" I stood a safe distance away from Overdrive, clearly even more irritated at my last maneuver. "Taylor, are you going to be okay?"

In an attempt to respond, all she could muster together was a groan.

"Her healing factor isn't going to be able to cut it. Looks like I'm on my own for this one."

"I'm getting tired of all the games, Princess." he irked, "When will you stop being stubborn and just give up?"

Using my Future Sight, I preempted him sprinting up to me for an attack and was able to avoid it.

"I'll stop when I win." I responded, kicking him in the side.

Grabbing my neck faster than I was able to react, Overdrive held my oxygen-deprived body body close to his.

"Your little circus tricks can only take you so far." As he whispered those words, the menacing look in his eyes grew even darker - slightly resembling what I imagine Black Zero's would look like.

Scaling the high standing walls of the highest building nearby, Overdrive held me by the face and dragged me across the hard concrete at high speeds. To say I was in pain would be an understatement.

"This is what real pain feels like." He chuckled, tossing my damaged body onto the roof of the building, "Be honest with yourself. You're not strong enough for this. And you never will be."

Fighting against my own nervous system, I planted my anxiety-ridden hands firmly onto the ground.

"You're wrong..." The pain quickly began to overwhelm me. My vision became blurry as my mouth spilled with blood.

Overdrive was evidently now growing impatient of my stubbornness. I struggled to get back up to my feet, and only ended up getting kicked over in the abdomen.

"Stay down." He commanded

My mind became too clouded and infested with negative thoughts to use my Future Vision. Bells wailed in my ears endlessly. My lenses wouldn't focus, all I could see were doubles.

Overdrive towered over me, staring down as if I was mere garbage beneath his feet. Without even a hint of sympathy or remorse, he simply nudged my body over the ledge with his foot; ultimately sending me plummeting downwards hundreds of feet.

"Night night, Princess." his last words to me were drowned out by the screams in my heart.

All my senses were blank at that point, every part of me numb. I knew I had to move to save myself but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Around half way down, I started reliving some of my best and worst memories.

"It was a good run. Not too bad at all." My heart finally felt a sense of relief, accepting my fate.

I simply closed my eyes and embraced the long desired feeling of peace. Not knowing what awaited me on the other side.

Not realizing it at first, I'd actually fallen into the arms of someone else; not really having a chance to find out before everything went completely black.