Till I Collapse

Christan POV

"You know you don't have to keep checking up on me. I'll be fine Zenko, I'm already walking again," I tell her while she sits on my couch petting her cat Tama. "And why'd you bring your pet cat with you? Animals haven't been the friendliest to me." I told her as the cat then stretched. "She's pregnant Christan and I don't want to miss it. We had a close call the other day. But that was just a hairball," she said holding Tama up to show me she was indeed pregnant. "And why can't I come to check on you? You're hurt and it's because you were trying to protect me. It's the family motto to always repay debts. At least that's what Brother Bad tells me." She said as I slowly made my way over to the couch and sat down beside her but purposely away from Tama. 'It's not that I hate being checked out on, it's the fact that it's a kid. But I can't tell HER that. She'll really give it to me.' I thought to myself with a worried look on my face. "Is he at the Hero Association Headquarters again?" I asked her. "Yeah, he mumbled something about monsters and ran off in a hurry. It's really annoying sometimes," she said which made me think if she yells at Bad the way she does me. "Oh, he also said something over the phone last night, when he was talking to his bosses. Something about you and dragons. Do they think you're a dragon somethin'?" She asked me, looking confused as she mimicked a dragon breathing fire. 

'Dragon, huh. So that's it.' I thought as I explained it to her. "No, they don't think I'm a dragon. They labeled me as a dragon-level threat. It's something the association uses to determine how dangerous a monster is. There are five different threat levels. It starts from lowest to highest, from Wolf to Tiger, Demon, Dragon, and finally God," I told her which she seemed to understand. "But for now I'll just explain the dragon one. A dragon-level threat is a label they use on monsters that endangers multiple cities. Like Tanya." I finished explaining to her as she continued to pet Tama. "But you're nothing like that mean lady. You're not a monster like her. Even if no one else sees as a hero, just know I know your a hero." She said. 'While I appreciate the sentiment, it doesn't change how I'm seen.' I thought before I let out a sigh. "Thanks, Zenko. I appreciate it," I say as I lean my head back looking at the ceiling. "It's just that I get talked about by a lot of people. Both good and bad. But while critics are critics, nothing else matters to me but the respect of my peers." I told her before closing my eyes. "Your peers. You mean like Brother Bad and the other heroes, right?" I just gave her a curt nod before she continued. 

"Well he won't tell you but Brother Bad does respect you. He says you're tough and powerful," she said which made me smile a little. "Though he also said you're a stubborn big mouth that he wants to beat up. But don't worry, this time I'll protect you from mean old stupid Brother Bad." She said which made my smile disappear and get replaced by a slightly let down expression. "Uhh, thanks, I guess," I said, going to put my hand on Zenkos head but as my hand was about to make contact Tama suddenly you leaped up and scratched my hand causing me to bleed. I winced in pain as I pulled my hand back. "No, bad Tama. Christan is a friend. No scratching," She chastised the cat as it just hopped off the couch without looking back. "Sorry Christan. She is usually a lot nicer to people." She told me as I wrapped my bleeding hand in some bandages I had leftover "Yeah, yeah, It's fine. But I tried to warn you. They don't like me and I don't just mean Tama." I told her as I finished tapping myself. 

But then suddenly I felt something weird. Like I could sense multiple things surrounding us. 'Six of them.' It was coming from outside. "Zenko, stay inside for a bit. I gotta check something out front." I told as I put on a black compression shirt, grunting and groaning as I put it over my bandages. She looked confused at first before she then quickly got up. "Oh no, no, no! I know that look. You're gonna go fight some monsters ain'tcha? You're in no condition to be fighting. Don't be stupid. You'll get hurt again. So why are ya still going out there?" She told me. I let out a sigh as I turned back to face her. "Cause sometimes when you just feel tired, you feel weak but when I feel weak I feel like I want to just give up," I then grabbed hold of the door handle. "But I always gotta search within myself, I gotta find that inner strength. I just pull that out of me and get that motivation to not give up to not be a quitter, a failure, no matter how bad I want to just fall flat on my face and collapse." She looked dumbfounded by my explanation so I just smiled at her. "Just stay inside Zenko," I told her before I then opened the door to be greeted by six humanoid monsters.

"So you finally show your face, Vigilante," A guy with a big visor-like helmet that glowed blue, making him resemble a cyclops. "You're a hard man to find, our leader has a vast interest in you so we mean you no harm." He said as he looked to signal the others to stand down. 'So he's the one in control huh.' I thought before remembering what Tanya told me about her sending monsters my way. I clenched my fist at this thought. "You got a jacked-up way of showing it bud," I say as I see that they destroyed the still being constructed parts of the city. "I should just take you all down right now," I said as the furry red beast guy looked angry at my statement. "We talked about this Wildman, he's just trying to intimidate us. Just look at him," He said as they all stared at me as I stood there breathing a little heavy. "You look unwell. Are you by chance hurt?" The leader asked me. 'So my poker face was seen through, huh.' I thought as I remained quiet. "Based on your declaration earlier, you aren't going with us willingly. But to be absolutely clear, will you make it easy and just stand down?" He asked as I noticed the rest of his crew inching closer to me.

"How kind of you to ask politely while surrounding me." I sarcastically said with a half-smile on my face. "Wipe the smarmy grin off your face. You dare disrespect us. You're just another new toy. We, the X-Monsters are taking you with us whether you want to or not." A tall monster man that looked to be made of steel told me. The leader looked to be visibly aggravated by what he said. "So is this a thing now, the bad guys give themselves bad names," I looked around and noticed that most of them were back into battle stances. "Can't keep your family in check? Well, It doesn't matter that much, I made my decision the moment I came out here," I then leaped onto my building. "I'm gonna pummel each and every one of you." 

Third POV

The spiky monster quickly launches a barrage on Christan, but Christan easily dodges and attempts to counterattack. He lunges towards the spikey monster but he is forced to dodge again because of Wildman's attack. His claws were inches from Christan's face, only grazing his face. Wildman is completely lost at how he was able to dodge his attack. 'That was close. Too close. Those claws aren't normal.' Christan thought as Wildman's attack is quickly followed up with a volley of metallic feather rain from the monster with metal wings, which Christan also manages to dodge. Like his comrades, the winged fighter is surprised at how his attacks are being read so easily. 'I'm underestimating them. They may be a dysfunctional family but their attacks are coordinated perfectly. Hiding each other's weaknesses while emphasizing their strengths. A well-oiled machine.' Christan thought while looking at the metal feathers impaled into the ground. "This is an easy win. He's outclassed." The girl monster with a brown streak in her white hair said as she removed her gloves. "Absorption, he's defeated monsters of the same caliber as us. Do not get sloppy around this one." The leader told her. 

"Yeah, yeah. I know how special everyone thinks he is. That's why I'm so into taking him down." She said before tapping the leader on the face. Then a second later her eyes began to glow blue the same way the cyclops "eye" did. Before a blue blast shot from her eyes but Christan barely dodged her but as the blast was going past him a circular shadow appeared above him. He jumped backward out of the way of a wrecking ball that was dropped on him from the metal monster. However, he wasn't looking where he was going and ended up inches from being impaled by a spike to the back of the head. But he moved at the last second getting in a punch in on the spiked monster. However, he was pierced by a metal feather in the leg at the same time, slightly making his leg buckle. The spiked monster follows up with another spear-like spike and manages to cut Christan's arm. 'I can't keep doing this, too much is happening at once. They're all centered on that Cyclops guy. Whenever I get close the others will just be waiting to unleash death blows.' Christan thought as his advances were stopped by the girl monster standing in his way and was then hit by another metallic feather in his side and hit by the wrecking ball used by the metal monster knocking him back.

And just as he was sent reeling, a large feather flung at him from behind but failed to injure Christan a third time. "For someone being knocked around, he's got good instincts. Maybe he is as special as they say." The monster with bird wings said as he flew above the battered hero. "Stop being impressed with him! Don't give him time to think!" Their leader shouted to them before they continued their assault. 'These two are usually launching mid to long-range attacks,' Christan thought as he continued to struggle to maneuver around the multiple attacks. But eventually, he was hit. Impaled in the back by two feathers, dropping him to a knee for a moment. 'This is bad. If I keep moving like this that bird and spike monsters will open fire.' Christan thought as he was caught off guard by the girl monster coming up from behind him and putting her hand across his face. He felt like he was being drained of power so he quickly took a swing at her but she dodged it before blasting him in the face with fire. "The hell?!" He said as he backed up and stared at her holding fire in her hands. "So you can produce fire. I wonder why you haven't used it up till now vigilante." Calling him by that name infuriated the barely conscious hero. In his anger, he lunged for her again but she easily evaded. 'Crap, I can't let myself get sloppy and lose sight of the other-.' Christan's thoughts were then swiftly cut off by a hard punch from the female monster. 

"Someone's got a temper. That last punch gave me a little insight on what's going on in that head of yours," she told him before getting in his fighting stance. "As you can probably guess, with one little touch I can take other people's abilities and a few of their memories. It usually knocks people out if I touch 'em' but you're holding up, for now." She told him as he whipped the blood from his mouth. Just then her allies began to surround Christan again. 'They're boxing me in. And I don't have the strength to dart through 'em. As I am now, I won't be able to dodge feathers, spikes, laser blasts, and wrecking balls. And to top it off I can't think straight.' Christan thought as he continued to breathe heavily while the group suddenly stopped advancing. The leader then spoke. "This is your final opportunity to stand down. My eye follows your every move. If at any point you had threatened any of my family's lives, I would've blown you away. Whenever I want I could turn you into roadkill," He told the hero. "You seem surprised about the situation you're in. Well, that's tough luck. Everyone here has been classified as Demon-level threats who have taken down our fair share of heroes individually. But as we are now we are nothing short of unstoppable. Together we are the true God-level threats." The leader told him as his eye began to glow again. But this statement only got a laugh out of the young hero. 

"God level, huh," he lightly chuckled to himself with a cheeky grin on his face. His hair draping over his eyes with white strands. "Anyone else think that's funny? It's crazy how you think that's true. In all of the history that I know, there has not been a single God-level threat. However, if one did exist, it wouldn't be a rag-tag group of misfit minions." Christan coldly told them hiding his fatigue behind his smile. 'I can't keep my eyes open….and I'm getting dizzy. Must be what the girl was talking about earlier.' He thought before he asked them a question. "Out of curiosity, who is your leader? I have someone in mind but I want at least a confirmation." The leader then told him of their leader. The great Gyoro Gyoro. He went on to explain that he is the top authority of the Monster Association. He was going to continue but Christan cut him off. "Never heard of em'. Am I supposed to care?" His cold words struck a chord with the X-Monsters, particularly Wildman. "I'm done hearing this man talk down to us while we have him on the brink of defeat. Monic, I'll take all of the blame, please let us teach this white-haired bastard a lesson." Wildman, along with the rest of the X-Monsters we're determined and eventually, the leader gave them a nod. 

'I'm not backing down here. I can't. I'm sick of being that guy. Tanya gave me a hard reset. So I'll take advantage of that. This is just level one. But I'll keep going till I reach the final boss.' he thinks to himself before snickering. 'I guess I'll have to chew them up and spit them out and show these demons why I'm dragon.' Christan was so caught up in thought that he didn't notice T-City News helicopters beginning to fly high above the battle.