ʜᴀʟғ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ʙʟᴇᴡ ᴜᴘ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴋʜᴀᴏsᴋɴɪɢʜᴛs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ɪᴛ.

"sʜᴏᴏᴛ. ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟs ᴀʀᴇɴ'ᴛ sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴇxᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ᴜɴʟᴇss ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴍɪɢᴏᴅ. ɴᴏᴛ ɢᴏᴏᴅ. ɪᴛ ᴍᴇssᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʙʀᴀɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴏʏs ᴛʜᴇɪʀ sᴀɴɪᴛʏ sʟᴏᴡʟʏ. ᴊᴀᴍᴀʟ! ᴀsɪ! sʜᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴇʏᴇs." ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ. ᴋʏʀɪᴇ ᴄᴜʀsᴇᴅ. "ғᴏʀɢᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴄᴜʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ. ᴡᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴜs. ɪ'ʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴀɴ ɪʟʟᴜsɪᴏɴ. ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ, ᴛʀᴀɴsᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴜs ᴛᴏ ᴋɪɴɢᴛɪʟʟɪᴜᴍ." ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ. "ᴏɴ ɪᴛ." ʜᴇ ᴄʟᴏsᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴇʏᴇs, ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇɴᴛʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ sɴᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʜɪs ғɪɴɢᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴋʜᴀᴏs. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴇɴᴀɢᴇʀs ᴅɪsᴍᴏᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ sᴛᴏᴏᴅ ғɪʀᴍ.

ᴋʜᴀᴏs ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ ғʀᴇᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ ᴄʜᴀɪɴs ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴏsᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜɪs ᴛʜʀᴏɴᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴛᴀʜɪᴇᴍᴀɴs sᴀᴡ ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜᴇᴇʀᴇᴅ. ᴋʜᴀᴏs sɴᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʜɪs ғɪɴɢᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛs ʙᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴏɴᴇ sᴛᴇᴘᴘᴇᴅ ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ. ᴋʜᴀᴏs sᴍɪʀᴋᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ sᴀᴛ ᴏɴ ʜɪs ᴛʜʀᴏɴᴇ, ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇʙᴇʟs ɢᴀsᴘᴇᴅ. ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ sᴛᴏᴏᴅ ғɪʀᴍ. ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜɪs ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ᴋʜᴀᴏs ᴛʜᴇʏ ғᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ? ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴅ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ ɪɴ ʜɪs ʟᴇɢɪᴏɴ. ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʟʟs ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴍᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴏᴍ, sᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ғɪʀᴍ. ᴍᴀᴅ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ ʀᴏsᴇ ʜɪs sᴡᴏʀᴅ. "ғᴏʀ ʟᴏʀᴅ ᴋʜᴀᴏs!" ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ɢʀɪɴɴᴇᴅ. "sᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴɴᴀ ᴅᴏ ᴛʜɪs ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ. ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ ɪs ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇ!"

ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ᴛᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴍᴏᴏɴ ᴍᴇᴅᴀʟʟɪᴏɴ ɴᴇᴄᴋʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪs ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ. ʜᴇ ɴᴏᴡ sᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴡᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴀ ғᴜʟʟ sᴜɪᴛ ᴏғ ᴀʀᴍᴏʀ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ʜᴇ ʟᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴀ ʜᴇʟᴍᴇᴛ. ʜɪs ᴄʜᴇsᴛ ᴘʟᴀᴛᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ᴇɴɢʀᴀᴠᴇᴅ ʟᴏɢᴏ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴄʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴏᴏɴ. ʜɪs ᴅᴀʀᴋ ʙʟᴜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ʟᴏɢᴏ ɪɴ sɪʟᴠᴇʀ. ʜᴇ sɴᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴏғ ᴋʜᴀᴏs. ʜᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴀᴜɴᴛʟᴇᴛs ᴏɴ ʜɪs ʜᴀɴᴅs. ʜᴇ ʜᴇʟᴅ ᴜᴘ ʜɪs ʟᴇғᴛ ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ 7 ғᴏᴏᴛ ᴇʟᴇᴄᴛʀɪᴄ ʙʟᴜᴇ ᴡʜɪᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ ғʟᴀᴍᴇs ᴀᴄʀᴏss ɪᴛ. ʜᴇ ᴄʀᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴡʜɪᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴄ ᴏғ ғɪʀᴇ ғʟᴇᴡ ᴏғғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜɪᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪᴛ ᴍᴀᴅ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ. ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜʟʟ ᴏᴜᴛ ʜɪs sᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴋʜᴀᴏs ʙᴇʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴅ. "ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴄʜᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ, ᴍᴏᴏɴ ᴛɪᴛᴀɴ. ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴇᴀᴘᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇ."

"sɪᴍᴘʟᴇ. ᴍʏ ᴍʏsᴛɪᴄ ᴇʟᴇᴄᴛʀɪᴄ ғɪʀᴇ ʟᴀɴᴄᴇ. ғᴀsʜɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ᴋɪɴɢᴛɪʟʟɪᴀɴ ᴡᴀɴᴅ."

ᴍᴀᴅᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴘᴜʟʟᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ʜɪs sᴡᴏʀᴅ. ᴡɪᴄᴋᴇᴅʟʏ sʜᴀʀᴘ ᴅᴏᴜʙʟᴇ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇᴅ sᴡᴏʀᴅ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇᴅ. ʙʟᴏᴡ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʙʟᴏᴡ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʙʟᴏᴡ. ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴘᴀʀʀᴇᴅ. ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ғᴀᴋᴇᴅ ʀɪɢʜᴛ, sᴡᴜɴɢ ʜᴀʀᴅ ʟᴇғᴛ, ᴋɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ sʜᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ғɪʀᴇ ᴛɪʟʟ ʜᴇ ᴅɪᴇᴅ. sᴀᴠᴀɢᴇ. ʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴘ ᴏғ ʜɪs ᴡᴇᴀᴘᴏɴ ᴀᴛ ᴋʜᴀᴏs.

"ɴᴏᴡ!"

ᴘʀᴇᴅᴀᴛʀᴏɴ ᴘᴜsʜᴇᴅ ᴋʜᴀᴏs ᴏɴᴛᴏ ʜɪs ᴛʜʀᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴs ᴛʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ. ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ᴄʀᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴋɴᴜᴄᴋʟᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴍɪɴɪ ɢʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴘʟɪᴄᴀ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴏɴ ᴍᴀᴛᴇʀɪᴀʟɪᴢᴇᴅ. "ʟᴇᴛ's ғɪɴɪsʜ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ, ᴇᴛʜᴇʀ." ᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴜɴʟᴇᴀsʜᴇᴅ ғᴜʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀɴ ᴇxᴘʟᴏsɪᴏɴ. ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴜsᴛ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ, ᴋʜᴀᴏs sᴀᴛ ᴜɴʜᴀʀᴍᴇᴅ, ʟᴀᴜɢʜɪɴɢ. ʜᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴛʜᴇʀ. "ғᴏᴏʟ!" ᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ғʀᴏᴡɴᴇᴅ.

"ʏᴏᴜ'ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʟɪᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ, ʙᴏʏ."

"ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ."

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ sᴛʏɢɪᴀɴ ʜᴇʀᴏ, ᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴇɴᴅᴇᴢ."

ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ sʜɪғᴛᴇᴅ. ᴄᴏʟᴏʀs ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴡᴀs ᴜᴘsɪᴅᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ. ᴛɪᴍᴇ sᴛᴏᴘᴘᴇᴅ.

ғᴏʀ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ.

ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ.

ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴋʜᴀᴏs.

ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ʟɪғᴛᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʟᴀɴᴄᴇ. "ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ! ɪ sᴇᴇ ᴍʏ ᴅᴇsᴛɪɴʏ. ɪᴛ's ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴡ. ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴡᴀs ʏᴏᴜɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴘʜᴇᴄʏ ᴡᴀs ᴜɴᴄʟᴇᴀʀ. ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ ɪ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ sᴛʏɢɪᴀɴ ʜᴇʀᴏ ɪs ᴏɴ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ! ɪɴ ᴊᴀᴘᴀɴ ᴅᴇʟɪʙᴇʀᴀᴛᴇʟʏ sᴇᴘᴀʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ᴛᴏ ʜᴏʟᴅ ʜɪᴍ ʙᴀᴄᴋ. ʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ, ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ɪs ᴡᴏʀᴛʜʏ. sᴇᴀʀᴄʜ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴀᴋɪᴏ!"

ᴋʜᴀᴏs sᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜɪs ғᴜʟʟ ʜᴇɪɢʜᴛ, 250 ғᴇᴇᴛ ᴛᴀʟʟ. ʜᴇ sɴᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ's ʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴀʟғ.

"ɴᴏ!!" ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ʏᴇʟʟᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ ʀᴇʟᴇᴀsᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇᴀᴘᴏɴ ᴘᴜsʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʙᴀᴄᴋ.

ᴛʜᴇʏ ғᴏᴜɢʜᴛ. ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ʟᴀɪᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғʟᴏᴏʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴅʀɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʀɴᴇʀ ᴏғ ʜɪs ʟɪᴘ. ᴀ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴀʀᴍ, ᴛᴡᴏ ғʀᴀᴄᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ ʀɪʙs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ sᴡᴏʟʟᴇɴ ᴀɴᴋʟᴇ. ʜᴇ sᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʜɪs ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴡᴇᴀᴘᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴜᴘ. ᴜsɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴏғ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ɪɴ ɪᴛ, ʜᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ғᴏʀɢᴇ. ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴀ ɴɪɴᴊᴀ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ 12 ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴏʟᴅ.

sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅs ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇs. ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇs ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʜᴏᴜʀs. ᴛʜᴇɴ, ʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ɴᴏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ. ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ sɴᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʜɪs ғɪɴɢᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ. 2 ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇs ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ sᴛᴇᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ. ᴀᴋɪᴏ.

ʜᴇ sᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪᴍᴘᴇᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴡᴇᴀᴋ sᴍɪʟᴇ.

"sᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜʏ ʜᴇʀᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ғᴇᴀʀ."

"ɢʀᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢs, ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ. ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴏғ ᴀ ʜᴇʀᴏ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ'ᴍ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʜᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀɴ ғᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ."

"ɪ'ᴍ sᴜʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇ ʜᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀᴇ."

ᴀᴋɪᴏ's ᴄᴏᴍʀᴀᴅᴇs ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏʀᴛᴀʟ. ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴋʜᴀᴏs. "ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ʜɪᴍ ᴀᴛ ʙᴀʏ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ. ғᴏʀɢᴇ. ᴡᴇ ᴍᴜsᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴀʀᴄʜᴀᴍɪᴜᴍ. ɪ ʀᴇǫᴜɪʀᴇ ᴍᴇᴅɪᴄᴀʟ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ."