A chilling breeze whisps through the dark hallways. The moon's radiance glows through the open windows in the Rejects HQ, luminating the halls.
A shadowy figure suddenly walks out of a dark room and over to another.
They open the door and step inside.
They stare down at an purple bed. It's unkept, and empty.
???: "..."
They turn away and shut the door behind them.
They walk over to another door at the opposite side of the hall and peer inside.
The room is completely silent.
The figure steps inside and heads over to a large red bed.
On the bed, Jayden slept without making a sound. In his arms he was holding baby Casey.
Casey was kicking the sheets in his sleep mumbling baby gibberish.
???: "..."
The figure lifts the blanket back over Casey and pats his head.
Casey calms down and starts sleeping quietly.
The figure smiles and stands there for a moment before leaving.
They shut the door behind them and walk over to the kitchen. They flip a switch, turning the lights on.
The light luminates Mike's face in the darkness. He pours himself a glass of alcohol and sits at the counter.
He chugs the drink down in seconds and sets his glass down.
Mike: "... sigh".
Mike rests his arms and head on the table and thinks about the events that had transpired over the last 24 hours. Voices echo in his head.
"JESS"!
"JAYDEN DON'T THINK OF ME AS YOUR WIFE, THINK OF ME AS YOUR BOSS! GRAB MIKE AND GET OUT OF HERE"!
"Where's my Wife"?!
"JAYDEN"!
"WHERE'S JESS"?!
"TRUST ME MIKE"!
"You can't beat me, and you never will".
Mike: "..."
A tear rolls down Mike's face.
Mike: "... You will pay for this".
The sound of a garage opening echos through the building.
Mike's walks inside and looks at his motorcycle.
???: "Mike".
Mike turns around and sees Taylor sitting in her wheelchair.
Mike: "Taylor"?
Taylor checks Mike out. He is armed with a sniper rifle and an AK47. A belt of grenade's is wrapped around him an he's got his sword and a pistol strapped to his belt. She also sees the keys dangling around his finger.
Taylor: "... Please don't do this Mike".
Mike: "I'm sorry, but I've already made up my mind".
Mike puts on his cracked mask and hops on his motorcycle.
Taylor: "Mike please"!
Mike looks back at Taylor. Her eyes are tearing up.
Taylor: "I... I'm not ready to lose another friend".
Mike: "... Neither am I".
Mike revs up his motorcycle and speeds out of the garage torwards St. Paul.
Taylor sits in darkness whipping the tears from her eyes.
Mike rides across the barren landscape in silence with his head lowered.
Mike sighs and raises his head as he approaches the ruined city.
Meanwhile in an ally way adjacent from the humongous crater, luminescent pink lights flicker about the gloomy darkness.
A man in tattered clothing sits against an abandon building, creating bulbs of light in his hand and releasing them into the night sky.
Charve: "Ugh..."
The man stands up and starts walking down the large alleyway. He stops halfway down and closes his eyes, letting in a deep breath...
BWING!
A sudden sniper bullet flies at the speed of sound towards Charve.
Without even flinching, Charve catches the bullet in his right hand stopping it immediately.
Charve: "Hmph, funny".
Charve turns to face a shadowy building to his right.
Charve: "And here I thought you didn't kill".
Behind the darkness of the windows, A pair of eyes become visible then the figure jumps out and lands a few meters away from Charve.
The Immortal glares at Charve. An aura of hate eminates off of him, bouncing off the walls and eclipsing the entire city.
Charve: "So what do you think? Thought I'd lighten the place up a bit before-"
Mike: "Shut up".
Charve gets quiet and glares at Mike.
Charve: "..."
Mike: "And to answer your question; the only thing someone as terrible as you deserves is to be killed by my own goddamn hands".
Charve: "Sigh, so that's what this is".
Charve slowly starts pacing around Mike. Mike grabs his blade and observes Charve. He notices that while his clothes are still partly torn, any physical damage that had been done had already been recovered somehow.
Charve: "This is supposed to be your final climatic clash to beat the baddie once and for all and save the day correct? I'm honestly shocked that it's happening so quickly".
Mike: "STOP TALKING LIKE THAT BASTARD"!
Charve: "... Rude".
Mike: "Rude?! You wanna talk TO ME ABOUT RUDE?! You've hurt so many innocent people! You took my best friend away"!
Mike draws his sword.
Mike: "And now you have to deal with ME"!
Mike charges at Charve with his sword drawn then unleashes a ferocious slash that Charve blocks with his arm.
Mike's intimidating expression beams off of Charve's face.
Charve: "... Look. I'll give you one last chanc-"
Mike pulls out a pistol with his free hand and fires point blank at Charve's face. Charve stares at Mike in annoyance then punches Mike directly in the face pushing him far back.
Mike recovers from the staggering blow and looks back up at Charve.
Charve meets his gaze then realizes the entire belt of grenades strapped to himself.
The grenades all explode at once causing a massive explosion that ignites the surrounding buildings in brilliant flames.
Mike watches the explosion clear as sweat drips down his face.
Suddenly a caped silhouette makes itself present from behind the flames.
Mike pulls out his AK47 and starts unloading lead into the flames.
The bullets bounce off against Charve's rough skin, and Charve retaliates by shooting a small finger beam directly into the firearm's muzzle causing it to explode in Mike's hands.
Mike staggers backwards and before he can recover Charve appears in front of him and lands a punch straight into Mike's chest sending him flying into a building behind them.
Mike grits his teeth as he somersaults to get back on his feet. Once he does Charve immediately appears in front of him and takes him by surprise.
Mike quickly slashes at Charve, but Charve backhands Mike's sword away then lands another punch in Mike's face.
Blood drips from Mike's mouth, then Charve throws another punch at Mike.
This time Mike dodges the attack and returns with a punch of his own.
Charve moves out of the way and throws another punch that Mike blocks with his arms.
Mike takes a step back and elbows Charve in the face.
Mike's elbow slides off his face leaving not even a scratch, Charve turns around and spin kicks Mike to the ground.
Mike: "DAMNIT-"!
Mike hits the ground hard. He may be immortal, but every incoming attack being as fierce as it is, Mike's body can't recover fast enough.
Mike lifts himself up to look at Charve. Charve is pointing a ball of energy at Mike.
Mike puts his arm behind him and feels something familiar.
Charve fires the energy at Mike, then Mike quickly grabs his sword and slashes the energy away.
Mike emerges from the smoke and starts running around Charve while he fires balls of energy at Mike.
As Mike is running he observes the unstable building around them, laying eyes on the 3 crooked pillars holding the building up.
Charve continues firing rapid attacks at Mike. Mike sprints toward the pillars and slashes them apart with his sword.
When reaching the final pillar, Mike uses all his power to throw the sword through the pillar and the windows behind it.
Mike sprints forward and jumps through the broken window landing back outside.
Mike hears the sound of glass shattering and rocks crumbling. He turns around and watches the ruined building collapse on top of Charve.
A fierce smoke blows past Mike as he sheathes his sword back in his belt.
Mike silently observes the collapsed building.
Mike: "..."
Everything's gone completely still.
Mike: "Show yourself. I know damn well you survived that".
Suddenly beams of pink lasers explode out of the rubble blowing chunks of concrete throughout the city.
An intimidating figure rises from the ashes and walks towards Mike.
Charve stands unphased as he wipes the dust off his shoulder.
(Italics represent thoughts)
Mike: "Damnit. I haven't put as much of a damn scratch on him. The only way I can win is by using his own energy against him-"
Charve: "If you're thinking about using my own energy against me then forget it".
Mike: "What"?!
Charve glares at Mike.
Charve: "That won't work more than once".
Mike grits his teeth as sweat and blood drips down his face.
Charve: "I'll say it again; you can't beat me, and you never will".
Those horrific words set off a trigger in Mike's head.
Mike clenches his fists as his face explodes in anger.
Mike: "You..."
Mike starts walking towards Charve.
Mike: "YOU"!
Charve: "You're about to say "I'm gonna kill you" right"?
Mike stops dead in his tracks as Charve stares him down in silence.
Mike's at a loss for words and his entire body has gone stiff. Until Charve raises his hand signalling Mike to bring it.
Mike clenches his fists then runs at Charve.
Mike: "AAARRRRRRRHHHHHHHHH!!"
Mike begins throwing rapid punches at Charve, but each one Charve blocks casually with his arms, not even moving from where he stood.
Mike sidesteps past Charve then pulls out his pistol and begins firing constant rounds into him, each bullet bouncing off his steel like skin.
Eventually Mike's pistol finally runs out of bullets, so he unsheathes his sword and starts slicing at Charve. With every strike the blade slides off against Charve's skin like it's nothing.
Charve isn't even fighting back anymore. He stands still willingly taking every attack without retaliation.
Mike backs away from Charve to catch his breath.
Breath heavy, Mike examines Charve and notices what little impact he's made. An expression of anger spreads acrossed his face.
Mike: "DAMN YOOUUUUUU!!"
Mike jumps high into the air, clenching his sword with both hands he strikes downwards directly at Charve.
However this time Charve grabs the blade's end moments before the attack could land and stopping it immediately.
Charve pivots himself then kicks Mike directly in the gut so hard that Mike is sent flying into a street lamp.
Mike manages to pull himself out of the bent metal then tries to charge Charve again.
With his free hand, Charve punches the air creating a force so powerful that it sends Mike through the street lamp and into a building.
Mike: "Grk, fuck..."
Mike tries to climb out of the smashed concrete, but his body won't allow it.
Mike begins lifting his head out when all of a sudden Charve throws Mike's sword straight into his neck.
Mike: "URK-"!
The adrenaline from the attack pushes Mike's arms out as he tries to remove the blade.
In a gross instant, Mike yanks the blade from his throat causing a breach of blood to pour out.
Mike falls from the concrete and lands back on the ground. His entire body is on the brink of breaking and his legs are shaking so much that he's surprised he's even still standing.
Mike: "I... won't give up..."
Mike stands holding his bloody sword with both hands. His mask has completely shattered that you can now see his entire beating face.
Charve observes Mike with an expression of annoyance.
With shaking legs, Mike gets ready to rush Charve again when suddenly Charve glares at him causing a pulse to shoot through Mike.
Mike is frozen in place as the entire building behind him explodes into dust.
A massive craterous tunnel shoots past Mike and through the city, stretching so far in extends into the night sky causing a hole to pierce through the clouds.
Everything goes quiet as Mike goes pale and his eyes go blank.
His sword drops to the ground with a loud "clank" as Mike collapsed to the ground.
Mike lays face first in the ground, body and mind completely broken.
Soon after he returns to his senses and tries to lift himself off the ground.
Charve walks over to the defeated hero and watches his weak arms struggling to pick himself up.
Charve steps on Mike's back and starts pushing him into the dirt.
Mike persists against the pressure and keeps trying to lift himself up.
Charve watches the hero with an emotionless face as he continues pushing Mike into the ground.
Mike: "AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"
Charve is surprised as Mike starts pushing his leg away. Then he starts applying more force pushing Mike's arms past their limit so much so they completely shatter.
Mike crashes to the ground and goes completely silent. Charve takes his foot off Mike and observes the passed out hero.
A cold breeze wisps through the dead city. The feeling of pure hatred has diminished and the Earth has gone quiet.
Charve turns around and starts walking away from the tattered warrior...
Mike: "... Why?"
Charve stops and turns back to Mike. Mike's bloody face is staring back up at him from the dirty gravel.
Mike: "Why are you doing this"?
Charve hesitates for a moment before responding.
Charve: "Because of you, Mike".
An eyebrow raises over Mike's head.
Mike: "What"?
Charve: "Sigh. It's hard to explain, but to put it simply I shouldn't exist".
Winds whistle past the broken windows making an ambient noises.
Charve: "I wasn't always like this. I was once a presence. A presence that watched over anything and everything. Always so close to existing but so far from it. Something felt like I wasn't needed. Someone felt that I shouldn't exist. Billions of years stuck as a thought, stuck as a concept, and never once did this someone ever think of me..."
Charve: "Then suddenly out of nowhere, I was real. In an instant everything I knew changed. Somehow I escaped this higher beings grasps. And with that, I finally had a purpose. I came to the conclusion that the only way to bring balance to the Multiverse..."
Charve: "Is to kill this being".
Mike is both confused and intrigued listening to Charve.
Charve: "However I couldn't. This being or presence's realm is protected by a barrier, a wall to say. It is completely impenetrable".
Charve: "... However. If I somehow entered this reality and escaped this presence's will then that means their hold on this Multiverse is getting weaker, and if can make that hold so weak I'll be able to cross over, and murder that bastard in cold blood for the eternity of hell they put me through".
Charve: "So I began to recollect everything I had observed, looking for ways to weaken that hold. But instead I ended up discovering something extraordinary. The identity of this being, this presence..."
Charve looks down at Mike.
Charve: "Is you, Michael".
Mike: "What"?
Charve: "Not YOU you, but another Mike. A Mike who's still the highschool loser, a Mike who struggles to get out of bed every morning, a Mike who won't ever find love. You are nothing, but one of the millions extents of Mike written for self glorification".
Mike takes this in silently, trying to understand the math behind it.
Charve: "Same goes for all your friends. Jayden, Nelson, Crystal, Toby, Tyler, Isaiah, Jess... pretty much anyone with an actual name is just an extent of this higher being's friends".
Charve: "I'm surprised someone such as yourself hasn't realized it yet. The absurdity of the world around you. The lack of humanity from these villains you've faced. The fact that despite having the worst powers, it's you who always triumphs over the big bad boss"?
Mike doesn't respond. He CAN'T respond. There's nothing he can say.
Charve: "So in order the weaken their hold on this world, I must hit them where it hurts the most".
Mike raises his head in shock.
Mike: "You don't mean..."?
The two stare each other dead in the eyes.
Charve: "You think this is the first time we've done this? I've already whipped out thousands of Rejects all across the Multiverse. Thousands of Mikes, thousands of Jaydens, thousands of Nelsons, thousands of Crystals, and thousands of Jess. Each one weakening that Mike's hold on our world. You are nothing but a speed bump on my road to enlightenment".
The men go quiet as the ambient winds blow through the city emitting a feeling of despair.
Mike: "Why are you telling me this"?
Charve lets out a sigh.
Charve: "Because. You're the only Mike who lived long enough to ask".
Charve turns heel and looks away from Mike.
Charve: "Now get out of here, and take this as an opportunity to remorse".
Mike is surprised by this comment.
Charve: "Because tomorrow... you, and your Rejects are as good as dead".
Charve treads into the shadows of the desolate city, leaving the vanquished hero alone in the dirt to contemplate his decisions...
Next Chapter Teaser: "The Rejects"