Broker-Chapter 240

I really can’t believe you just said that, Ishtar sighed.

Far above everyone, looking down from atop that winding staircase made of hardened light, with the wind flowing around her, Sonya swayed her head left and right as the little tune started up across the battlefield. The mass of heroes and soldiers looking up at her, stunned by her arrival. She could even see the heroes gathered at the heart of the compound turning to face the strange new sight.

She savored the moment before rapidly tacking out a quick text in her head, shooting it off.

<Hey Babe, I’m back, Gonna run a little wild. Might wanna call a retreat. Dinner later? Gonna spoil you rotten. XoXoXo - Your Queen>

Really?

Sonya bounced on her feet as a grin spread across her face. Her fingers twitched, the claws on her gauntlets clacking dangerously. The might of cybernetic paragon wound up in her legs and as the merry ‘doot doot doot’ of the tune abruptly rolled over into hard rock drums and guitar, she took off like a rocket. The winged legionnaires she’d created shot off after her and she threw out a hand. "Chase off the heroes! I want Otis.”

“AS DECREED!”

‘This is your time to pay-’

Sonya planted her feet on the stairs and pushed off again, throwing herself into the air. “Kera!” she shouted, throwing out her hand. Down below, a bolt of lighting shot from the ground. She snatched it out of the air, the force pulling her hand up. She laughed appreciatively. "You’re stronger! I’m so proud!” she shouted as she rocketed towards the ground. Down below, the heroes were scattering as Otis took a fighting pose. Her eyes widened even more, her heart pounding, the thrill rising. "Hey Otis!” she shouted.

She watched his eyes narrow and stuck her tongue out in her helmet. "Your fly’s down.”

His expression twisted into one of disgust just as Blackrazor’s shadow wrapped around his leg and a knife shot from it into his thigh. He whipped his head down as Sonya brought Kera down in an overhead chop.

KRAKOW!

Otis staggered, his entire body stumbling forward as Sonya hopped over him with a whoop and laugh, landing on her feet and spinning into a gymnast bow, Kera tucked under one arm. She looked up and saw him turn, a snarl on his face as he launched off the ground with a startling amount of speed. She whistled and hopped back, batting his sword away with a spin of Kera. “Blackrazor!” she called and felt the chill of his shadow rush up her leg before latching onto her back. Otis’ eyes burned as Blackrazor’s shadow burst out, bolts of darkness darting towards him from black spots that swelled into being around her. She added to the barrage with her own spears of light. Otis backed off, sweeping his sword back and forth to swat away the attacks.

His fighting style is brutalist and simple, easy to deal with. The real danger comes from his monstrous physical attributes and invulnerability. I’ve tested it, by the way, Ishtar said, The mythic heroes are on their way as well, they won’t retreat without a good reason, even if Carla orders them.

Sonya smirked, Then all I gotta do is make a big enough scene.

Otis swept his sword out and pointed at her, opening his mouth for more monologuing. Sonya dipped into the warehouse and jerked her chin. A column of stone erupted from the ground and he pulled away from it, scoffing only for his eyes to widen as she appeared in front of him with a laugh. He planted his feet and brought his sword up and she snapped her hand down, grabbing onto the blade and pushing into a handstand. She brought her boot right back down onto the back of his head, knocking him forward.

She locked herself in place with her flight power, holding his sword still.

CLANG!

He hit his head against the flat of the blade.

She laughed and pushed off, launching into the sky as he whirled up to look for her and she came right back down with a pirouette. She threw Kera at the clouds part way through her spin as a new weapon formed in her hand, a curved blade made of light. Khopesh and Longsword clashed as her hair fluttered around her. She looked right into his infuriated eyes and snickered. "Have you met my friends, the trees?” she asked as sparks danced between their weapons. He tilted his head and squinted at her in confusion.

“What the f-”

She jerked her weapon down and to the left, sliding it towards his hand-guard with frightful speed. He reacted on instinct, human desire to defend his fingers even as rational thought would have reminded him the guard was there. He pulled his hand back and she twisted around him like a snake. "Allow me to…” she planted a hand on the ground and snapped out a kick. "Introduce you!”

BOOM!

Otis soared and crashed into the trees. Sonya threw out a hand and gestured. The foliage abruptly becoming discolored as tree-trunks turned white and their leaves turned a bright vibrant pink. She raised a hand and brought it down in a fist and the trees seemed to turn of their own accord. They raised their limbs and began wailing on something in their midst. She bounded back with a laugh, shooting off another quick text message in her head and winding up a portal connection.

Around her, heroes were shouting, soldiers were fleeing. She threw her arms out wide and turned her head to the sky, blasting out a wave of her imperious presence. “HEROES! ISHTAR IS HERE!”

“RAAAAAAAAH!”

A flicker of gold. A crash. A blast of force. The trees toppled and Otis came barreling out with fury in his eyes. She kept her arms spread wide as if to invite him before making a thumbs up with one hand. She tilted her head and met his eyes before jerking her thumb down. He was half-way to her when he looked up and a bolt of lightning fell down on him once again. The electricity danced across the ground and back into her free hand. She twirled Kera again and rested her on her shoulder. Otis swayed, smoke rising off his body as he healed.

“Hey Blackrazor, gimme somethin’ flashy,” she said as she struck a pose.

Her henchman obliged, her shadow spreading down her back before lifting off her armor, bursting into a fluttering cloak that danced around her. She laughed. "How do I look Otis? Villain enough for you? I prepared all this for you, after all.”

Otis stood up straight and looked down at her over his nose, his eye twitching. “Irritating bitch…”

She shrugged at him. "Coulda just said no,” she said as he charged her again. She weaved left and right, narrowing her eyes and grinning as sweat dripped down her temple. Fuck he’s fast! She thought as another swing nearly grazed her armor. With a flex she let a hexagon of hard light form on its trajectory. His sword skipped before smashing through, its angle changing and hitting the ground hard. He let go of it with one hand and snapped it out, all light draining from the area around it.

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Her instincts screamed, but she rolled with it. Dropping into a sweep as Blackrazor in the form of her cape snapped up and wrapped around his extended wrist. Her shin caught his ankle and she pulled, spinning before slamming him into the ground.

Sonya, I sense-

Yup! More are coming’!

She opened a portal and dove into it like a fish, popping out into the air. Down below, Otis scrambled to his feet and roared at her as she raised her hand. Calculations complete. She reared her arms back and shoved them into the air, grabbing hard and pulling. Otis launched off the ground and she pulled harder, forcing the portal open faster, faster, faster!

“ISHTAR!” Otis snarled as he reached her eye level.

She snickered behind her helmet, raising a hand to her mouth as if trying to conceal it.

He tilted his head and squinted again, raising an eyebrow as a fist the size of the front-end of a semi-truck came at him from behind. His eyes widened and he spun just in time for her to hop out of the way, her arms behind her back. He took the punch to the face and body, the side of his head crumbling beneath the force. He flew across the field, hit the ground, bounced, and flew some more. She threw her head back and laughed before turning to the fists owner and raising her voice, using the drones speaker system to spread it.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE MVP OF TONIGHT'S PERFORMANCE! INTRODUCING…” she threw her arms up and used beacon, creating a pillar of light around her titanic comrade. Standing above everything, many stories tall, his body a mass of muscle, his face a horrific mix of octopus and shark, his eyes aglow with a furious red. He flexed his arms and roared, mist billowing from his mouth. “KINGSHARK!”

She darted up into the air as more heroes charged into the field through what was left of the forest, many of them struggling to get past the animated trees that were lashing out at anything that got too close.

How long can we keep this going? Ishtar laughed.

Sonya shrugged to herself, The worldpact let me have all the mana here, might as well use it.

Down below, Otis pulled himself from the divot in the ground made with his body and launched back towards her. She twirled Kera between her fingers and held one end up to her helmet like a microphone. "Oh boy! It looks like big man on campus Otis is back for more! But what’s this? It looks like Kingshark wants to join in! What’s he gonna do?”

Kingshark roared and charged, his massive feet shaking the ground. He reared his fist back again as Otis raised his sword over his head. The weapon shone with dangerous light just in time for the ground beneath Otis to rupture, water blasting out of it in a column of force. Sonya winced. "Ohhh! Sneak attack! Should have seen that one coming! But wait! Kingshark isn’t done now is he?”

“Ishtar!” a voice called out and she turned, looking down to see Black Lotus and Evergreen make their way onto the field.

She put her hand on top of one end of Kera. "Excuse you, I am hosting an exhibition match here!” She called back before pausing, her eyes narrowing a bit. She darted towards the ground and landed in a flash of movement as Kingshark threw up his arms and roared behind her, slapping Otis to the ground with his palm and then throwing punch after punch after punch into the ground like a machine. She stood before Black Lotus and Evergreen, a hand on her hip and Kera on her shoulder, Blackrazor billowing around her. She looked at Black Lotus’ face, She lost an eye.

Black Lotus reached for her sword and Evergreen raised her hands, snow forming around her in a whirlwind. Sonya released Kera and Blackrazor, the two of them taking shape at her sides. She crossed her arms as the ground shook beneath their feet. Kingshark was still wailing on Otis like a man possessed.

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“Enough, release him and call off your winged monsters,” Black Lotus snarled.

Sonya tilted her head. "Are you gonna make me, heroes? You’re in no shape to fight me.”

“WE ARE!”

Bluestar, Bandit, Lifesaver, John, BLF, more heroes stepped out, readying themselves even as she could see the exhaustion plain on their faces. She popped her neck and raised her hands in an exaggerated shrug. "Come on…” she said. "...what's a few dozen more exhausted heroes gonna do? If I were you-”

BANG!

Something streaked past Sonya and she looked down to see Otis slide across the ground to Black Lotus’ feet. She turned her head and shot Kingshark a frown. "I was monologuing!” she shouted.

The mighty titan who had crushed nearly all of Liberty’s compounds and stood like a literal boss monster over the surrounding area raised his hand to his head and scratched it.

S O R R Y

She sighed and shook her head. "Kids, you know how it is, right?” she said with a chuckle and looked up to Black Lotus who was scowling at her. At the woman’s feet, Otis pulled himself together, literally. He rose, his clothes torn, but his body unblemished as he scowled at Ishtar. He pointed his sword in her direction as the other heroes looked at him. She looked at his sword and then up at his face before snorting. "You’re invincible, but can that head of yours really take any more beatings? I’ve splattered you a couple times already. You can’t stop me and I can’t hurt you, we can keep this going forever if you like.”

Otis panted. "I won’t forgive you.”

Sonya’s smile faltered behind her helmet.

Imperious came out next.

She blasted her presence out in a tidal wave, even Blackrazor and Kera backing off a step as she raised her head high and looked down at him. The lesser heroes gathered collapsed. Evergreen and Black Lotus readied to attack. More portals appeared in the air as Sonya channeled Heavenly Legion. “Forgive me?” she asked. "I think we both-”

“ATTENTION! THIS IS HANDMAIDEN REPORTING FOR PANDORA HIGH COMMAND!”

The voice carried over everyone. Sonya pulled imperious back and smirked, letting the moment go. She wasn’t gonna let him get to her. Guess it’s over, Ishtar said.

So it would seem, Sonya said.

“FULL RETREAT! WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED OUR GOAL. I HAVE DELIVERED LIBERTY TO HEADQUARTERS. REPORT TO YOUR EVAC POINTS!”

Black Lotus glared at her and she waved a dismissive hand in response. "Looks like momma Chairwoman wants her kids to come home. Enough playtime for you.”

“I can win!” Otis snarled and Black Lotus grabbed him by the shoulder. He moved to wrench himself free before looking back and meeting the hero’s eyes. He dismissed his sword.

“You did well, Otis. You and Harbinger are the heroes of the day,” she said and looked up to meet Ishtar’s eyes. Ishtar floated up into the air and crossed her legs, resting her elbow on her knee and her chin on her palm as a throne of hardened light appeared beneath her. She kicked her feet lazily for good measure.

Black Lotus’ scowl went dark as she looked at Kera, Blackrazor, and the approaching monolith that was Kingshark. She turned back to Ishtar. “Are you going to let us leave, Queen of Villains?”

“Oh, I got what I wanted and then some,” Sonya said with a snicker. "Run, little heroes. You can come back later to clean up your mess. I heard another dungeon broke on your watch.”

“THIS ISN’T OVER, ISHTAR!” Otis roared and turned away, marching into the trees as Black Lotus and Evergreen moved to stand in her way. The other heroes around them shouted as well, all of them raising their agreement.

“He’s right!”

“We’re bringing you down!”

“We beat Liberty, we’ll beat you!”

Sonya tilted her chin up. "Bring it on, little heroes! I’ll be waiting!”

“Retreat!” Black Lotus shouted and the heroes scattered, racing to where Euclidia’s portals were likely waiting. Sonya raised a hand and the Legionnaires turned away from their pursuits, gathering around her before retreating into their own portals as she lowered herself to the ground and landed on her feet.

The marshy woodland where Liberty had hidden her main compound was a scorched ruin, animate trees wandering about and wailing on anything that got too close. Bodies scattered across the battlefield. Sonya felt a small pang in her chest that she embraced before letting out a relaxed sigh. "It’s over.”