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Cal-State Viperial – Kenneth Rugby Field | 7:26 PM
The score is tied. Seconds remain. The air is electric.
The stadium roars—students rise to their feet, chants swelling beneath the floodlights.
James digs his cleats into the turf, eyes locked ahead. Sweat drips down his temple. He glances right— Wilmer nods. Left—Riley returns the gesture, and James locks in.
The ball snaps, and the scrum opens. Wilmer swings left with the ball and pitches it to James. James breaks away, tearing through defenders, lungs burning, heart thundering.
He stiff-arms one and jukes another. He can hear the footsteps behind him, the crush of cleats, the gasping crowds.
Ten meters. Five. He dives.
The final horn blares. The try line blurs beneath him.
Thunder erupts from the stands. His teammates rush him—but James barely reacts. He stands, calm, expression unreadable. He looks up at the sky and says, “Happy Birthday, Mom.”
***
Viperial Expo Main Stage | 7:30 PM
The crowd files into their seats as the grand finale begins. Ashley and Yvette sit in the front row—wide-eyed. Above them, digital banners ripple in the air, suspended like holographic streamers.
A host steps up to the podium and taps on the mic.
“Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the grand finale of the Viperial Expo! We have something exciting to show you all. Our team has been working around the clock to preview our latest work in renewable energies. However, first, let me introduce you to the man behind bringing this project together. Everyone give a warm welcome to Dr. Elias Mercer!”
Dr. Mercer walks onto the stage, waving as the crowd applauds for him. He shakes the host’s hand and adjusts the mic.
“Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we unveil the future. A breakthrough in energy unlike anything mankind has ever known. This is…the Luxigen Particle Accelerator.”
The curtains open, revealing the machine. The techs and physicists stay hidden behind the second curtain with the Luxigen Core.
On the catwalk, Marcus Shawne observes with narrowed eyes.
***
Crystal Palms – Willis’ Rental Properties | 7:46 PM
Tyson slows his truck in front of his grandfather’s property. The auburn modern home stands pristine—lavishly scarlet and grey against the deepening night.
He steps out into the cool evening air. A soft lighting system embedded along the edges of the tile pathway casts a subtle glow, illuminating each step with quiet elegance. The freshly cut grass flanks the walkway like a well-kept memory.
In his hand: the deed.
In his chest: pride.
He exhales, cracking a small smile,
“I’ll take care of it, Granddad.”
***
Viperial Expo – Backstage | 7:50 PM
“Fifteen minutes stable,” a tech confirms, eyes scanning the monitor.
Dr. Mercer stands in the shadows behind the curtain, watching the stage from a side panel. Out front, the host dazzles the crowd, using the particle accelerator to power a series of prototype inventions, each more impressive than the last.
But Mercer’s focus is elsewhere. He’s on the phone with Valerie Francis, demanding a status report.
“We’ve tested it again and again, Francis,” he says sharply. “I sent you those results. All at 100%, just like I promised. I’m back here now, reviewing the feedback loop—everything is still holding strong fifteen minutes in. There’s nothing you need to worry about. Just enjoy the show like everyone else.”
Francis, on the other end, still skeptical, replies:
“I’m looking at the data now… Okay. You’re right. Everything checks out—100% functionality across the board. Alright… I’ll leave you to it, I guess.”
She doesn’t sound convinced.
“Thank you, Iron Eye,” Mercer says curtly. “Have a nice night.” He hangs up.
Above him on the catwalk, Marcus Shawne leans over the railing. His alien senses had picked up the conversation. He calls down, “Are we clear?”
Mercer looks up and forces a grin, giving a firm thumb’s up.
“Of course!”
He turns to the technician at the Core’s terminal.
“Proceed to full power.”
The tech pushes the level forward. The Core begins to surge—its glow deepens from orange to a radiant, molten gold. A resonant hum grows louder, thrumming through the walls.
High above, Marcus watches as a faint pulse flickers on the Core’s surface—his hidden device now active. It transmits a signal to the armband beneath his sleeve.
His eyes narrow. A smirk curls at the corner of his lips.
“My time is almost here.”
***
East Viperial High – Football Stadium | 7:53 PM
The East Viperial Hunters are dominating the Ember Valley Comets, 28-7, with 3:28 left in the second quarter. In the stands, Bruce bites into a cheeseburger as the home crowd erupts after a big defensive stop.
Next to him, Bradley argues into his phone.
“I told you I was busy,” he snaps. “I said I’ll call later; I’m trying to enjoy this damn game.”
Bruce raises an eyebrow. “She mad again? I told you she wasn’t yours, big bro.”
Just then, a girl on Bruce’s other side bumps into him. His burger tumbles onto his lap—then bounces to the ground.
“Yo!” Bruce shouts, glaring to his side.
The girl turns and locks eyes with him.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. That was an accident—my sister's on the phone, arguing with her boyfriend, and she smushed my face when I tried teasing them. Here, I’ve got napkins.”
She starts to wipe the stain off of his pants, but Bruce gently grabs her wrist and takes the napkin.
“You don’t have to do that. I got it, thanks.” He chuckles. “And your sister wouldn’t happen to be talking to my brother, would she? He’s arguing with his girlfriend.”
The girl laughs and playfully slaps his knee.
“Imagine. That’d be embarrassing if they were right next to each other and didn’t know.”
“Right? Hahaha. I’m Bruce. What’s your name?”
She shakes his extended hand, smiling.
“Amber. Nice to meet you. Are you a student here?“
“Not anymore. I graduated last year. My brother and I were on the team—just came back to support. You still in school?”
“No—ew. I graduated from Hearthstone a few years ago. My little sister and brother go here. He’s playing right now. Number three.”
“What?! Jamal Lewis is your brother? I practically taught that boy everything he knew. That’s wassup.”
“Oh really?” She smirks. “So I can blame you for his bad grades?”
Bruce laughs, raising his hands in defense.
“Nah, nah. You can’t pin that on me.”
“I’m kidding.” She glances toward the field. ”Halftime’s about to start. If you want, I can buy you another cheeseburger to make up for dropping it.”
“That’d be cool. We should go now to beat the rush.”
“My thought exactly. Come on.”
Bruce turns back to Bradley and nudges him.
“Watch my seat. I’ll be back. You want something from the snack stand?”
Bradley silently shakes his head, still arguing on the phone.
Bruce stands with Amber, and the two descend the bleachers, disappearing into the crowd—lost among cheering fans and lines of people returning to their seats.
***
The Strip – Z’s Billiards | 8:03 PM
The Strip is jumpin’.
Friday nightlife pulses through streets lined with bars, restaurants, and gentlemen’s clubs. Right in the middle sits Z’s Billiards—where a man crashes through its front window, halting the sidewalk crowd in their tracks.
Inside, chaos reigns.
Frank is a one-man wrecking crew, dealing vengeance for his fallen comrade. He slips a punch and counters with a brutal uppercut—his opponent crumbles instantly. Two more rush him.
One swings—Frank catches the punch and smashes a left overhand into the man’s face.
Crack. His jaw is broken.
The other throws two wild hooks—Frank ducks both and buries body shots into his ribs, rapid-fire.
He grabs the man’s head and slams it to the ground. Out cold.
Three bodies. One man standing.
Frank draws his pistol from his waistband, eyes burning.
“This is for J Baller, pussies.”
He cocks the gun.
But before he can fire—sirens wail in the distance.
Frank curses, hides the gun, and spits on one of the groaning men.
“Y’all lucky. If I ever see y’all again, it’s curtains. Eastside!”
He bolts for the back as red and blue lights strobe through the bar windows.
“Viperial PD—freeze!” An officer yells, bursting through the entrance.
Frank doesn’t stop. He crashes through the back door, feet pounding the pavement as two officers give chase.
***
Viperial Expo – Backstage | 8:15 PM
“Forty-five minutes in,” a tech calls out. “We’re losing harmonic stability.
Red lights blink. Alarms blare.
Mercer stiffens. “What changed?”
The tech replies, voice tight. “The inner energy we’ve been looping back into the core—it’s hyper-fueling itself. Output just spiked again.”
Up on the catwalk, Shawne checks his device and confirms the tech’s statement. He frowns, leaning over the railing.
“The core’s drawing more than we’re supplying. It needs more power.”
Mercer blinks. “That’s not possible. We’re already at 100% output. We can’t give it more than we are right now.”
Shawne’s voice sharpens.
“I don’t think you’re listening. If we fail to give the core more power, it’s going to start running itself.”
Mercer turns, eyes locked on him.
“What do you mean by that?”
Shawne’s gaze is cold.
“I mean, we won’t have any control. So if we don’t harness that energy now… what happens next?”
A high-pitched whine begins to rise from the core. The alarms double in tempo.
“We won’t be able to stop it…”
***
Cal-State Viperial – Parking Lot | 8:20 PM
The scrimmage is over, and James is now in his car. It sputters—then whirs to life.
Wilmer rushes over.
“You still coming to celebrate with us?”
James daps him, “Sure. We earned it. You riding with Riley?”
Wilmer nods. “Yeah, we’re going to stop by my pad first—shower and shit. We’ll be ready in like an hour. You wanna come through?”
James lifts a photo from the passenger seat—a picture of his mom.
“Nah, I got some catching up to do. But—I’ll meet you there. Where are we going again?”
Wilmer’s grin softens. “Z’s. The Billiards spot right there on the Strip.”
James groans, face-palming. “Ugh. I hate being over there. But, alright. I’m still game.”
A horn blares behind them—Riley pulls up.
“What’s takin’ so long, asshole? We gotta go!” He yells.
Wilmer flips him off. “Dude! Shut up! I’m coming. See ya, James. Text us!”
Wilmer pats James’ car door and jogs to get in Riley’s car. As they pull away, James looks up.
A full moon beacons above. The stadium floodlights flicker.
James narrows his eyes on the stadium.
“That was weird…”
He shifts into gear and drives off into the night.
***
Crystal Palms – Willis’ Rental Properties | 8:23 PM
Tyson is now inspecting the neighboring property his grandfather left him—same modern design, but painted lavender and midnight blue.
He steps through the front door. In the living room, a large box sits waiting. On top, a handwritten note:
“Welcome to your new home, Tyson!”
—his grandfather’s handwriting.
Tyson’s eyes glisten.
“Haha. That man is something.”
He walks towards the box as he swings the door to a close.
***
Viperial Expo – Backstage Lab | 8:26 PM
“Power levels critical!” A tech shouts.
“We have to shut it down!” Mercer yells.
“Sir, a full stop now—at this rate of acceleration—could crack the containment field. We might rupture the core,” The tech warns.
Up above, Marcus checks his device—its progress bar stalling. Frustrated, he leaps down from the catwalk.
“No!” He barks from behind Mercer.
Mercer turns—shocked by Shawne’s evil, glowing eyes.
“We need more time to complete the extraction!”
***
East Viperial High – Football Stadium | 8:30
Halftime.
Under the bleachers, Bruce is making out with Amber, lost in the moment. He pulls back slightly, his fingers brushing the cleft in her chin. He smiles, gazing at her freckled bronze face, her hazel eyes locked on his.
“You’re beautiful.”
He leans in and kisses her again.
—
Up at the snack stand, Bradley approaches the counter, eyeing the woman behind it.
Hold up…no way.
“Keisha? Is that you?” He says.
The woman lifts her head. As soon as their eyes meet, she lights up.
“Bradley! Hiiii!” She beams.
“I knew that was you! Girl, how you been?” Bradley says.
He bends over the counter and pulls her into a hug.
She still smells amazing.
“I’ve been good, how are you?” She asks.
He pulls back slightly, still holding her hands.
“I’ve been good. Bruce is around here somewhere. How’s ya mom doin’?”
Before she can answer, a man behind him clears his throat. Bradley turns to see a long line forming.
“Ah, damn. My bad, Unc.”
He steps back and scans the menu.
“Let me get some popcorn and a soda. I’ll get out your way before these hatin’ ass folks start cryin’.”
He grins at Keisha.
“You look good as always. We’re gonna have to catch up!”
“Yes, we must! I’ll be here!” She says, smiling brightly
Bradley winks and flashes a grin. He steps aside to wait for his food.
Pulling out his phone, he texts his brother:
Where you at?
***
Viperial Expo Main Stage | 8:39 PM
The host is beginning to lose steam. Several prototypes are now acting unpredictably—overpowered, glitching, and reacting in ways they weren’t programmed to. Lights flicker overhead. Technicians begin slipping in through the curtains, rushing toward the backstage area.
Ashley notices.
“Eve…we need to leave.”
Yvette frowns. “Why? What’s going on?”
Ashely’s voice sharpens.
“These lights keep flickering, and the staff looks off. They’re nervous. Why are they so nervous? I don’t like it. We should go.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Yvette replies, waving her hand. “It’s just a glitch. That happens with science stuff. They’ll fix it. We’re on the brink of history.
Ashley’s jaw clenches.
She doesn’t move.
***
The Strip – Alleyway | 8:43
Frank crouches behind a broken wall in an alleyway parallel to the Strip, waiting for the heat to die down.
Red and blue lights flash in the distance. His fists still drip blood. His heart pounds.
He’s safe—for now.
Then the streetlights blow out.
***
Viperial Expo – Backstage Lab | 8:44 PM
Shawne now mans the terminal, frantically trying to relieve the accelerator’s rising demands. But the system is too critical.
He snatches a tech with one arm and slams him toward the terminal.
His voice explodes.
“Tell me what’s happening!”
The tech trembles, barely able to speak.
“The core’s power has amplified itself! It’s self-sustaining—we can’t stop it! It’s going to blow!”
Shawne’s eyes widen—furious, desperate.
“What? NO! I have to get my father’s POWER!”
Suddenly—Mercer bursts through the curtain, sprinting toward the podium.
Ashley stands.
“Eve—get up!” She yells, yanking Yvette to her feet.
Mercer grabs the mic, voice booming over the system.
“Everyone out! Evacuate the floor—now! The core is going to blow!”
Screams erupt. Panic floods the auditorium.
Ashley pulls Yvette into the aisle, shoving past chairs and stampeding guests.
And then—
KRATOOOOOOOM!
A dome of golden-white light explodes from the accelerator.
Everyone in the backstage lab—including Shawne—is vaporized. The stage disintegrates. The crowd vanishes in an instant.
Ashley throws her arms around Yvette as the dome envelops them.
A shockwave of energy, heat, and electricity erupts outward, toppling buildings within a five-mile radius. It tears through the city, claiming thousands of lives in seconds.
Across Viperial City:
—The Surge slams into James in his car, causing him to crash. His body seizes, golden light bursting from his chest.
—The blast hits Crystal Palms. Tyson is launched through a wall of his home as a power line snaps and crashes into the structure, electrocuting him.
—At East Viperial High, Bruce is hurled into the bleachers at immense speed, a blue energy trail streaking behind him. Bradley spontaneously combusts—face screaming in flame.
—On the Strip, Frank is buried beneath collapsing debris.
Back at the Expo:
Ashely floats above the ground, silent—wrapped in a violet field of psionic light. Her cousin lies safely below her, protected.
Thousands die.
But somehow—six survive.
***
Washington D.C. – Olympus HQ | 9:03 PM
PRIME Director Wilson Savage watches in silence.
Beside him, Francis stands with a hand over her mouth.
Live aerials show the crater where the Expo stood. The city lies in ruin. Reporters weep. Civilians scream.
Francis whispers, barely audible.
“What did we do?”
Savage narrows his eyes.
“Prep the jet. We go—now.”
He turns and walks away.
Francis remains frozen, voice almost breathless:
“My God…”
***
Ground Zero | 9:16 PM
Marcus Shawne crawls from beneath burning debris—half of his human form incinerated, revealing his alien side.
His eyes now glow purple.
The core explosion had given him exactly what he wanted.
“Finally.”
He looks to the sky as police choppers sweep overhead, scanning the wreckage for signs of life.
Just before one of their spotlights locks onto him—he leaps away.
Unseen.
Unnoticed.
THE END
Did you enjoy Birth of the Warriors? If so, check out the next series!
The Surge: Aftermath
Need to rewind the chaos? Catch up on Birth of the Warriors—it’s the previous story.