Week 43.2 – The Final Gambit

Previously: Digger and Twain launched their final attack against the Ghost, with Digger destroying the crystals while Twain absorbed the energy released. And now…

Looming over Twain was a man in the uniform of the Czar’s palace guards. His eyes were rolled back in his head, and a nimbus of blue energy  formed the familiar image of the Ghost. “I’ve won,” said the Ghost as the guard lunged at Twain.

“Not even close,” Twain said as he kicked the guard back and rolled to his feet. Digger erupted from the ground again, releasing more energy which Twain drew into himself. He felt himself grow, as if the energy were inflating him like a balloon. He was almost ten feet tall now. After Digger disappeared below the earth again, Twain said, “You couldn’t beat the Czar when you were in Yi Fan, and I’m more powerful than he was. How can you hope to beat me with this security guard?”

“I don’t have to beat you,” the Ghost whispered in his ear as the guard lurched forward again. Twain reached out to grab him, but rather than dodge the hand, the guard simply pressed something against Twain’s palm.

A tiny shard of blue crystal.

Mocking laughter filled Twain’s head. Lightning jolted through his nerves, and his fist closed around the crystal. He lost all strength and fell limp. Except that his body was still standing. He could barely see through the crackling blue nimbus surrounding him, could barely hear above the howling of the whirlwind surrounding him.

[blockquote type=”blockquote_quotes” align=”left”]The thing would be upon them in a few more steps. Shin’s finger tightened on the trigger of his service revolver…[/blockquote]The ground shook as Digger burst out of the ground once more, and Twain instinctively absorbed the energy, growing ever larger. “Yes,” the Ghost said, “feed me all of it! Who needs a cave full of crystals when I can possess the body of the strongest creature on Earth?”

***

Police surrounded the market in Tianjin where the savage creature was conducting its rampage. They were under orders not to engage until local heroes Tiger Strike and Cloud arrived to confront the super-powered menace, but it seemed as if they might not have a choice. The creature did not seem content with merely destroying traders’ stalls. As the crowds fled, he followed. He was now drawing dangerously close to the cordon, close enough that Sergeant Shin could see that there was an old woman somehow trapped inside the thing.

He didn’t want to shoot the woman, but soon there might be no choice. The thing would be upon them in a few more steps. Shin’s finger tightened on the trigger of his service revolver.

And then a fog rose up around the creature. Shin heard shouts of anger as the thick cloud flashed from within, like a miniature thunderstorm. The creature stepped out of the cloud, but it flowed forward to surround him again, and a moment later, the lithe form of Tiger Strike bounded into the cloud.

Shin waited for the sounds of an epic struggle, but there was nothing. Moments later, the cloud dispersed. Shin could see Tiger Strike standing over the prone form of the old lady, who was moaning feebly.

The monster was gone.

Will Digger figure out that he’s just making the world’s worst enemy more powerful, or is he having too much fun blowing stuff up to care? Don’t miss our next episode!

To read from the beginning, click here…