That darkness became fire, illuminating everything from water to nearby buildings, fallen ones that had tipped over when the crack in reality had spread, and ones that had managed to stay standing.

Napththa repeated the assault. Skadi became a silhouette in yellow fire.

Hands found handholds, and I twisted, still diving, but this time with my gun ready.

I put a shot into her, the entire gun shuddering like it was trying to tear itself apart as it spat out a golden ray, carving a furrow into Titan Skadi, like a gouge that might be dug into white hot armor with the right tool.

There were other capes on the battlefield. Ones who hadn’t been there for the briefing, but who were helping us out. They capitalized on the shot, pressing the advantage while she was off balance, and while a part of her was damaged enough they could maybe pry it off or dig in.

She disappeared, and I immediately searched for her location. Behind me? Above? No.

Down.

She was in the midst of that crystal landscape, where I could not fly without giving up my weapon. But I had anticipated that.

From high above, I aimed at her and placed another shot. Getting her attention, bringing her close. This time I threw my weapon, insofar as that was possible, and met the onslaught. Keeping her occupied.

I let her hit me, and used the momentum from that to meet my gun where it was still falling through the air. I found the handholds and stopped it from falling.

Gold text began to appear, when I really needed to focus. I kept track of my forcefield, gauged what I could get away with, and kept my gun out of her way. Every second I could do this was a second people were getting down there. Spreading out, looking for certain markers and target points.

Other capes joined in with my fight against Titan Skadi, and I took the moment to breathe, and to read the text.

NEMEAN AND OPHION INCOMING.

The Nemean Titan. Victor. I wasn’t even sure what to do about that. If I had one Titan dogging me like this and another who could knock me out and steal my capabilities if he got close enough, it wouldn’t be possible to mount a defense. Except they weren’t allied.

We had to keep them separated.

And then Ophion? Mr. Bough. The bio-manipulator.

With thousands of people at his mercy.

“We’ll manage,” I huffed, watching the capes keep Skadi occupied. “Because we’ve left ourselves no choice to the contrary.”

BELAY THAT, Kenzie communicated. TITAN STUFF IS GETTING CRAZY. MULTIPLE TITANS MOBILIZED. STRANGER TITAN IS CLOSEST TO YOU.

Interlude 18.z (Radiation)