(Reverse Dimension Arc) Destruction is the Best Medicine

Andrew had left New York in a hurry. He knew for sure that Holocaust was going after his family to mess with him. The hero saw news casts on multiple channels of the destruction going on back in his home town. He was not going to just sit around and wait for the phone call, he was going to take action. Not packing much, Phoenix accompanied by Tyuki and Sean were driving full speed into Beantown. His parents lived in a small suburb outside of the big city called Dedham. There seemed to be a path of ice from the city all the way to his neck of the woods. "We're getting close guys." Andrew said, gripping Tyuki's hand a little tighter. For the first time in his hero carrier he was unsure of himself. This was no ordinary mission. This was his family, and this was personal.

"We are fighting Sean and that heroine Paine, I don't know much about her. Fortunately for us, we have the real Sean here with us." Andrew said turning to his friend and giving him a nod. "I know this Paine girl has ice powers, how well she can use them is beyond me, and I'd rather not find out."
Pulling into Andrew's neighborhood, it looked like a tornado had hit. "No." Andrew stepped on the gas and floored it down the street until he reach his cul de sac. His front door had been knocked down. "No fucking way!" Andrew said slamming on his breaks and almost ripping his door off the car getting out. He dashed full speed into his house "I'm coming guys." he thought to himself.

Right before he entered the door of his house he heard a familiar laugh. "Holocaust." Andrew said turning around. To see his evil counter part descending to the ground with black wings of fire sprouted. "Why are you here?" Andrew asked creating a white fireball in his hand, and preparing to throw it. " And why do you think it's ok to not only invade my planet, but to attack my home?"
Andrew finished his final question creating a ring of white fire around his feet.

Sean drew the katana from his sheath as he stepped through the door, Paine already attacking a young looking girl while he was supposed take care of the older male. He looked frail enough and Sean wouldn’t waste any time on him or would he? His feet moved and he easily bridged the gap between him and the man with only half his full speed, water forming a sort of barrier infront of him as fire washed over it and his hand shot out as it grasped the man’s neck and the other one let go of the katana and gripped his arm. There was the snap of bones as his arm broke, Sean still gripping it tightly as he let out a strangled curse, attempting to shoot a jet of fire from his mouth when Sean upped the pressure enough to make him choke. ”Yeah, struggle all you want but it won’t matter. It’s pointless pointless,pointless,pointless.” He pressed the man against the floor, a wild gleam in his eye. ”I’m going to take my time gutting you.” His hand on the useless arm moved as he did what looked like an attempt to disembowel the man when the blur of something dark red came into his peripheral vision. Sean kicked back as the blade barely missed him and standing before him was……him?

’Well,look what I have here.” Sean Collin snarled pointing the crimson colored katana dripping with his own blood at the copy. He would not let him help his sister, he would kill the young male here.

Phoenix didn't even have time to think. Only one instinct came over him, fight. He blasted the fireball directly towards Holocaust's stomach with full force. His follow up was leaping to the left, and pulling his katana off his back. With his free hand, he blasted a stream of fire at the evil version of himself. Phoenix had completely lost it and roared as his stream of white fire had widened and he was producing mass amounts of fire. "Stay the fuck away from them!" the hero roared, the house almost shaking. Turning his back The hero ran into the house.

Once inside the home he grew up in, he noticed everything was coated with ice. He let fire form around both his arms and began his hunt for the attackers. Andrew was almost a mindless shell right now. His body pushed him forward as if it's only function was to punish those who hurt his family. Once in the kitchen, he saw his younger sister on the ground.
Andrew walked over to his incapacitated sister. "Angie." Andrew said shaking her a bit. Her face light up and she looked like a kid on christmas morning. "Dad told us you weren't that Holocaust guy, dad told me you were a hero. I knew you couldn't hurt people like that." the fifteen year old said to him. Andrew put his hand on the ice restraining her. He created a small fire around the ice, and it melted off his sister. "You have powers too?" she asked with enthusiasm. "Too? What do you mean too?" he was cut off by Holocaust's fire blasting over his shoulder.

In the next room over he could hear the struggle between his companions and their enemies. Suddenly his dad went quiet. As he turned back to his sister it seemed Holocaust's fire had hit it's target. A hole was burned in Angie's stomach and she dropped to the ground. "Angie!" Andrew yelled putting his arms around his sister. Tears formed in her young eyes. "I don't want to die Andrew, I still haven't gone to prom, or gone to college, or gotten married. I'm too young to go." "Shut up Angie, you're not going to die I promise."
"I love you Andrew, I know we fight sometimes, but I love you." she said holding her brother tight in her arms.
Looking up through crying eyes, Andrew stared directly into the face of his evil self. "Are you happy yet?" he screamed. His sister began to fade out. "No! Angie stay with me please!" Andrew cried begging the child to not give up the fight. Everything seemed to be falling apart.

With Holocaust's last comment, the hero's eyes widened and his heart pounded heavily in his chest. He looked down at the semi-healed Angie and began to speak. "Angie, you have to run. I'll take care of mom and dad, you just need to get as far away from here as..." A blast of fire scorched past the hero. Turning his back to Holocaust he put Angie down. "Run!" he screamed as he made his body as wide a possible to protect his sister.
Holocaust was getting a kick out watching Andrew suffer, and Andrew was ready to end this all.
As he watches his sister run for the room with her parents instead of the door Andrew's heart sank.

"NO!" Phoenix screamed as she turned the corner and he heard the icy laugh of Paine. Time seemed as if it stood still for a moment, then reality snapped back into place. Andrew turned back to his evil counter-part and fired the most ferocious blaze he could muster up. Creating a wall of fire between the evil doer and himself, he dashed for the room with his family. Sean was fighting his evil self, and Tyuki was squaring up with Paine. His father laying almost limp on the floor in a pool of blood, and his mother hiding from the monsters. Angie was no where to be seen. She appeared from behind him holding a large knife.

"Angie you gotta get out of here!" the worried hero exclaimed. "No! This is my family too, and I'll help keep them safe!" Andrew saw the will in her eyes and felt awful that such a young girl had to face such a monster.
When he turned to his mother he dropped to his knees and hugged her. He pulled back and saw a look of horror on his mother's face. Turning his head slowly, he saw an unthinkable sight. Holocaust had impaled Angie with his sword and her once willful eyes had begun to slowly become lifeless. The hero couldn't even yell. His sister dropped to the floor and blood began to spill from her opened wound.

Dashing at Holocaust he had only one thought on his mind. It was a thought that he had never imagined to be in his head. For the first time in his life, he lusted for the blood of another man like a junkie for their drugs.
Holocaust's death was the fix Andrew suddenly craved and it became almost uncontrollable. With a blast of white fire some of his house caught ablaze and he couldn't see the man he longed to end.
Turning back to his sister, he dropped to his knees, ashamed. "You promised Andrew. You promised you'd keep me safe." she said blood spewing from her mouth. She began to cry. "What's the other side like Andrew? I'm so scared to die!" she said beginning to choke on her own blood. Andrew's once bloodthirsty look became that of her older brother once again. "I'm so, so, sorry Angie. All I ever wanted to do was keep the innocent safe and I couldn't even keep you guys safe." he said as a tear ran down his cheek.

Taking off his favorite necklace, he put it around Angie. "I'm not gunna lie to you and tell you you'll make it out of this, but I can tell you, we will be with you on the other side soon." he said kissing his sister on the forehead. "I love you Andrew, you were the best brother I could have ever asked for." as she breathed her final breath of life. "I love you too Angie" the hero said as he began to sob. Her small body couldn't take it anymore. Andrew put her down and closed her eyes for her.
"Rest is peace, I'll see you soon."

He turned back to his crying mother. "Andrew, look out!" she screamed as another attack went shooting by Andrew. When Andrew's attention was elsewhere the evil Paine had grabbed the mother of Phoenix. A look of pure rage came across the hero as he pulled his sword off his back. With a quick swipe to Paine's arm he slashed with all his might. Now his attention turned back to a blaze of fire.
He leaped to the side, blasting his own fire down at the black flames. "You don't understand who you just pissed off." Andrew said before turning to make sure his mother was alright. His heart stopped. His mother laid limp on the floor. A blast of fire had connected with her head and finished her.
Holocaust made his way out of the house as Andrew chased him down. The evil doers flight was too much for Andrew to keep up with. He dropped to his knees at the front door in defeat. He then remembered there was one person he could still save, his dad.

He ran quickly back to the living room before seeing his dad taking deep breathes almost dead. "Dad! Stay with me!" Phoenix cried out to his only remaining family member. "Relax pal, and listen. I don't have a lotta time left." the father said creating a ball of fire in his hand. Andrew's eyes opened wide as he realized what his sister was talking about before. "You're like me dad?"
"No, you're like me. Now listen." his dad said with his signature smile. "You can beat this guy. Don't feel guilty about what happened here today. You are a hero Andrew, maybe the truest one this world has ever seen. Things are going to get dark. It's up to you to bring some light to these people. You'll see us again one day, but for now the earth needs you. Keep fighting. And always know, your mother and I are so proud of the hero you have become, Phoenix." his father said with a wink and took his final breath. "I love you pal."

Andrew sat holding his father in his arms as the duo took their leave. "I love you too dad." the young man said standing up. He was broken, and Holocaust had succeeded in creating a blood thirsty monster. Wiping his eyes and looking down at his fallen loved ones he clenched his fist. "He will pay for what he did. I promise." The house was now starting to completely catch fire. Andrew quickly carried the corpses of his family out of the blazing foundation of what he once called home. He walked back inside the house to take one final look. The fire danced across him as he took a picture of his family off his wall.

News reporters gathered around looking at the dead family, and to the beaten Phoenix. One by one, they shot questions at him. "How do the Talons plan on responding to this, and what can we expect from you Phoenix?" One of them asked. Andrew took in a deep breath, and exhaled. The cool September night made his breath visible. "Those monsters will answer for their crimes." The mob went silent. "Now this is a message to you, Holocaust. Wherever you are. Wherever you are hiding. I promise, you can expect me. There isn't a crack on this planet small enough for you to hide. I'm coming for you., and when I find you..." The hero paused and took another deep breath. "You will realize the mistake you've made. I've sworn my life to protecting these people and I'll be dammed if I'll let some half rate version of myself harm them. Remember this face." Phoenix said undoing his mask. "See you soon. That is all."

Walking through the mob of press, he made it back into his car. Sean and Tyuki both respectively entered the vehicle as well. Andrew put the key in the ignition and put the car in drive. Looking in his rear view mirror he saw the press starting to scatter. He then let out what he had been holding in and a few tears streamed down his cheeks. "I can save everyone else's family, but I can't save my own. I know how this has to end, and I'm sure you both do as well. When I finish this..." Andrew stopped. "You'll know what to do Sean." Phoenix said looking his fellow Talon in the eye. The remainder of the car ride back to New York was silent.
((End of Topic))