The Equalizers

The protest was a chaotic sea of movement and noise. In the distance, a group of men with golden sun tattoos shaved just above their ears slipped into the crowd. Their eyes locked on a rival Cumulus gang member, and they moved swiftly toward the Abyssal Mouth to intercept him.

Nearby, Ged flexed his body, his muscles radiating an eerie blue light. He gripped the fishing rod tightly, channeling bursts of energy through his limbs and into the reel. The string unwound at an accelerating pace, each surge sending the hook plunging deeper into the foggy abyss below.

Shrouded in mist loomed his destination: a massive, beak-like mouth lined with serrated teeth. Small deposits of glistening green iron clung stubbornly to its jagged edges, like kernels lodged in teeth. Magnetic ball bearings, tethered to invisible strings, moved in a precise rhythm, scraping celestial iron from the deposits as if flossing the planet's teeth.

Ged's ball bearing dangled far from this surreal scene, his line barely halfway to the depths below. A bead of sweat formed on his forehead as he cursed under his breath, his eyes darting nervously to the chaos erupting around him.

The Golden Sun gang members closed in, confronting the lone Cumulus gangster. Their leader charged his fist with golden energy, fiery light coiling around his hand. With a devastating blow, he struck the Cumulus member in the back, sending him tumbling toward the pit below.

The Cumulus gangster furrowed his cloud-shaped eyebrows as he fell. Smoke blurred around his feet, slowing his descent with a hazy cushion. From his abdomen, he pulled a thorny, vine-like lasso and cracked it toward the legs of one of the Golden Sun members.

The lasso coiled tightly around its target, thorns digging viciously into flesh as it dragged the victim toward the pit. The remaining Golden Sun members reacted swiftly, grabbing their ally's shoulders and anchoring themselves in place. Their bodies hardening into tiny mountains as they resisted the pull.

A tense standoff ensued, the Golden Sun members struggling to untangle the vine while the Cumulus gangster used its tension to climb precariously back toward the pit's edge.

The violent exchange was a spark in a powder keg, igniting chaos between the protesters and rival gangs. Weapons were drawn, fists flew, and blood spilled as the melee escalated into a fiery clash over contested territory. Even bystanders were swept into the fray, colliding in a frenzy of fury and desperation.

Ged's carefully cleared space quickly disappeared as protesters and fighters alike stumbled into him. A hard shove to his back almost threw him off balance, threatening to send him plummeting into the pit.

"I have to leave!" Ged gritted his teeth, glancing at the fishing rod in his hands. "But this loss..." His grip tightened, and conflict danced across his face, the temptation of what lay below battling with his need to survive.

"I can't afford it!" His voice cracked with desperation. He scanned the rim of the Abyssal Mouth, his mind racing.

Nearby, one of Ged's body sorcerer neighbors, a man in a red flannel shirt, was frantically reeling in his fishing hook. From the foggy depths, a large chunk of celestial iron glinted on the hook, catching Ged's eye.

For a moment, the chaos faded. Greed surged through him, sharp and undeniable. The prize was too good to pass up.

Without hesitation, Ged sprang into motion. Activating his Goat Walk muscle ability, he angled his feet to grip the pit wall. His glowing calf muscles powered him as he took agile steps along the vertical slope, closing the distance in moments.

Not far away, the Cumulus gang member clung to his vine-like whip, his hands bloodied from the thorns. Gritting his teeth, he kicked up clouds to propel himself higher along the edge of the pit.

Suddenly, his grip faltered as a powerful foot slammed into his face. His whip flew from his hands, and he tumbled into the Abyssal Mouth below. A hateful glare burned in his eyes, locked onto Ged's silhouette as he plummeted to his demise.

Ged used the Cumulus gang member as a springboard, vaulting upward toward the red-flannelled man. Twisting mid-flight, he adjusted his trajectory and descended like a black blur. His fist connected with the man's jaw in a precise, ruthless strike.

The red-flannelled man staggered back, dazed, the fishing rod slipping from his grasp. Ged caught it mid-air and moved with practiced speed, leaving behind his own rod, he tangled his neighbor in its unwound line. The man struggled, his confusion giving way to fury as he slowly realized what had happened, but it was too late.

Ged darted into the crowd, the stolen rod in hand, his expression steeled with determination.

Behind him, the red-flannelled man slashed through the fishing line with his fingers, his gaze scanning the chaos. "Show yourself, you damn thief!" he roared. "I'll have you know I'm good friends with an Equalizer. You'll regret this!"

Ged had already merged with the crowd, his heart still racing from adrenaline, but his expression cold. The Equalizers were a force to be reckoned with, but Ged wasn't concerned. Created to let the weak seek justice against the strong, they rarely intervened without clear evidence. For a body sorcerer like the flannelled man, their help was notoriously hard to secure. Between his muscle-bound frame and his inability to see Ged's face, the man's threats rang hollow.

Ged's thoughts had already moved on. The chaos of the protest churned around him, but his focus lingered on his discarded fishing rod.

"Some people are just too wasteful," he muttered, shaking his head.

A small smirk tugged at his lips as he slipped deeper into the crowd, letting the turmoil cover his tracks. But as he glanced over his shoulder, a prickle of unease crept over him. The rising tensions of the protest gave him a bad feeling, a sense of foreboding he couldn't shake.

The crowd's fury boiled over. Reports of deaths spread rapidly, anger and desperation thickening the air. Body sorcerers retaliated with brutal force against those around them. Protesters were shoved aside in waves, many trampled underfoot as the chaos spiraled out of control.

Ged didn't linger to witness the inevitable. He pressed forward, weaving through the unending waves of people. The press of bodies and the deafening roars of anger felt suffocating, but he pushed on. With so many angry people in one space, without intervention, a catastrophic loss of life was certain.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Thunderous drums boomed across the city, their deep, commanding beats reverberating through the masses.

A cold wave of clarity rippled through the crowd. Weapons were lowered, tempers cooled. Like a parent forcing quarreling children into uneasy compromise, the violence ebbed, replaced by tense, hostile stares.

Even the rival gang members faltered. Moments earlier, they had unleashed their most vicious strikes, but now they hesitated, dropping their weapons. Some hastily covered their faces, retreating into defensive postures, sensing the impending storm.

From beneath the city's stone roads, red and blue flying saucers emerged, their smooth, gleaming forms hovering ominously around the Abyssal Mouth.

Body sorcerers descended from the saucers like otherworldly beings, suspended in bright yellow beams of light.

"I figured the Peacekeepers would show up eventually," Ged muttered, his tone flat. "Those higher division government authorities never like anything getting out of control." Relaxing his stance, he stopped pushing forward and stood still, resigned to wait for the inevitable.

The yellow beams scanned the masses like searchlights. When they found a troublemaker, the beams froze them mid-air in a glowing halo, rendering them weightless. Flailing helplessly, the captured individuals spun slowly, as though adrift in space.

Several gang members, too slow to hide or reckless enough to keep fighting, were caught in the lights, their bodies dangling like marionettes.

Suddenly, a new beam of light appeared at the crowd's center. Within it stood a towering body sorcerer as large as a mountain arrived above everyone, his figure awe inspiring like divine light. Gasps and murmurs of awe rippled through the crowd.

"The Abyssal Mouth is now closed to the public."

"Prepare to be dispersed immediately."

"City Governor... I can't believe I get to see him." people whispered, pointing at the giant man in reverence.

Ged remained unmoved, his expression flat.

The City Governor reached into his abs and pulled out a metallic faucet. Fixing it into his palm, he turned one of its knobs. A waterfall of shimmering, illusory water gushed out, cascading onto the crowd below.

Though intangible, the torrent moved with immense force. It swept protesters and bystanders alike in an invisible flood, scattering them far from the Abyssal Mouth.

In seconds, the crowd vanished, carried off by the unseen flood. Only those trapped in the yellow beams of light remained, suspended in glowing halos, awaiting harsh punishment from the authorities.

Ged was among those caught in the currents. He tumbled through the uneven stone streets, gritting his teeth and flexing his body to absorb the blows from the jagged rocks beneath him. After being carried nearly half a kilometer from the Mouth, he grabbed onto a spire, halting himself at last.

The shouts and clamor of the protest were now distant echoes. Ged's shoulders relaxed slightly. As he tested his bruised limbs, he realized he'd escaped largely unscathed. Surveying the vacant streets and toppled spires, he noted other washed-away protesters in varying states of disrepair. Letting out a sigh of relief, he acknowledged his luck.

Scanning the area for enemies or acquaintances, Ged ensured there were no immediate threats before rising to his feet.

A wry smile tugged at his lips. "Looks like I got lucky this time," he muttered, savoring the rare sense of relief.

Reaching into his body, Ged felt for his newly acquired goods. His fingers brushed against the stolen fishing rod, and a satisfied grin spread across his face.

The sleek black handle gleamed with a polished finish, and as he tested the mechanism, he noted it could release and retract at twice the speed of his old rod.

"No wonder that rich idiot snagged celestial iron so quickly. With a rod like this, fishing is easy," he muttered, his tone laced with begrudging admiration.

Hefting the green celestial iron clustered on the magnetic ball bearing, Ged let his grin widen. "Not bad. This'll trade for a month's worth of vials from Resh."

Brushing the dust from his clothes, Ged carefully navigated away from the stone spires. With his spoils secured, he was eager to leave the city behind.

"This place looks like I got dragged through the Sixth Sector," he mused, recognizing the repetitive spires. "For now, I'll head toward the outskirts and see if I can find his new hideout."

With a new goal in mind, Ged moved quickly, his steps purposeful as he left the city center. He maintained a brisk pace, but as he neared the city's edge, his stride faltered. Hanging in the sky, a glowing red handprint insignia cast its ominous light, a silent warning to all.

"Looks like an Equalizer is out on duty. I guess I spoke too soon about my luck..." Ged muttered, his tone heavy with irritation.

This sight wasn't uncommon, but Ged typically avoided these stations. Today, he chose to walk boldly through, unwilling to delay. However, as soon as he spotted the Equalizer casting his light, regret gripped him.

"Of all people, that bastard Wattkinz had to be out patrolling today."

Ged loathed his meddlesome ways.

Wattkinz was a man of harsh discipline, uncompromising in his judgment. Having known him since his miserable childhood, they have always had a tenuous relationship. To Wattkinz, rules were absolute, and anyone who stepped out of line deserved to be hammered back down.

And Ged was his favorite nail.

Beneath the glowing handprint, a colossal man loomed, several times Ged's size. His trench coat stretched awkwardly over his massive frame, unable to fully conceal his bulk. A lit cigar glowed between his lips, and his mirrored sunglasses reflected the trembling figure in front of him.

"Please!" the bloodied man wailed, stumbling forward. "Mr. Equalizer, I didn't mean to take my physique above regulations. It was a genuine mistake!"

Wattkinz didn't respond. He simply grinned, his cigar bobbing slightly as though savoring the man's agony.

"Shut up, you power-hungry degenerate," Wattkinz rasped. "We don't need your tyrannical beliefs here on Blue Eagle."

The man's broken legs finally gave out, and he crumpled to the ground. Wattkinz shaded him like an oak tree, his shadow swallowing the smaller man whole. The man passed out from fear, slumping into unconsciousness.

Taking a puff from his cigar, Wattkinz didn't even glance at the fallen man before calling out, "Little brother Ged," his gravelly voice cutting through the air. "Why are you ignoring me? Up to no good again, I assume?" He smirked.

Ged halted, forcing his expression to remain neutral. "You're on duty. Why should I bother you?"

"Duty?" Wattkinz scoffed, his grin widening. "This? Hardly. I always have time for my beloved brother."

Reaching into his abdomen, Wattkinz pulled out a white capsule, which hissed open and unfolded into a sleek mechanical hatch. With casual precision, he nudged the unconscious criminal inside with his foot.

Turning back to Ged, Wattkinz's gaze sharpened. "I heard the protest at the Abyssal Mouth turned into a riot," he said, his tone mockingly curious. "I hope you behaved and didn't stir up any trouble."

Ged shrugged. "I didn't do anything."

"Nothing?" Wattkinz laughed, his scar twisting with amusement. "Maybe my delinquent brother is finally turning over a new leaf. Perhaps we should celebrate."

Suddenly, the handprint insignia buzzed. A light flickered over Wattkinz's sunglasses, causing him to frown.

"Hold that thought." He continued to speak, "We'll have to finish this another time. Apparently, I'm needed elsewhere." He began wheeling the capsule away, its metallic wheels clattering softly on the stone street.

He paused, glancing back at Ged to lock eyes one final time.

"Don't think you can hide your physique away from me," he said, his voice cold and unyielding. "I know what you're trying to do, but it's impossible."

"Not everyone can become a Celestial," he continued, his tone hardening further. "Don't go chasing something you have no ability to achieve. Try to find at least one thing that brings you peace, even if it means settling for less."

As he moved on, the wheels clacked softly in his wake. Over his shoulder, his voice softened.

"It would be nice to actually see you happy for once..."

Wattkinz's broad back and sculpted muscles loomed large in Ged's vision, a silent display of authority and power that gnawed at him.

"You think I'm miserable?" Ged muttered, his glare hardening. "That's because I am."

A sharp pain stabbed at his chest. He inhaled deeply, steadying himself. "I know my dreams are impossible. But I don't care."

"For me, stillness itself is torture. So what's the point of settling for less? Happiness be damned."

He clenched his teeth, his resolve solidifying like steel. Turning away from Wattkinz, Ged strode toward the city's outskirts, each step a declaration of his unyielding defiance.

Out of the city, he left the scene behind and set his sights on finding Resh's hideout.

Walking through the fields of stone, he paused periodically to press his palm against the ground, sensing the resonance. Each time it turned cold, he adjusted his path, searching elsewhere.

Finally, the resonance warmed beneath his hand, guiding him to an inconspicuous stone grotto. The plain exterior gave little away, but Ged knew he was on the right track.

Activating his muscle ability, his traps glowed bright blue as his arm spun like a drill. The ground crumbled beneath his effort, and after digging deep, the floor gave way, and Ged dropped into a crystalline cave bathed in hazy, red-tinged light.

Ahead of him, a glowing sign hung over what appeared to be a nightclub bar: "The Hidden Olympian."

Its entrance was flanked by two massive body sorcerer bouncers standing stoically behind a red velvet rope, their eyes scanning the space with quiet intensity.

Ged allowed himself a small smirk. "Found it."