He jumped over the edge and dropped. Gravity snatched him but he controlled the descent, his body a tight knot. The grappling line stretched taut above him, humming with tension.
His jacket whipped loudly at his back. He descended on the thin line, the handle dangling below him. The city's towers blurred past as he gained speed. He didn't just tumble through the air—he steered his weight, pivoting his hips to bring a heavy boot forward.
As the street rushed up to meet him, he kicked his right leg out, bracing for the bone-jarring impact he knew was coming.
The window exploded. Spant came through the glass like a wrecking ball. A storm of jagged shards followed in his wake.
Nyx glanced up through the chaos and grinned.
“Tha biggest bug of them all just made its entrance!” Nyx snarled, stabbing one with the burning end of torch made from a chair leg.
His boots led the charge and the heavy soles were ready to crush whatever stood in his path.
The creature burst apart and hit the floor as his stinger gutted it. His right arm a blur before he flicked his wrist, the wire disconnected from the metal anchor. The stinger in his left hand popped out. In three moves, before his feet touched the carpet, he recoiled the wire into the handle. A flick of his wrist. The line snapped forward, slicing through the air.
The cable threaded through it and kept going. The creature was dead before it could shriek.
He landed in a crouch. Glass crunched under his boots.
She jerked toward the sound—eyes wide for a fraction of a second.
Her shoulders loosened before she caught herself.
The scowl snapped back fast.
Spant paused, watching her, catching his breath.
“Do you have a fire extinguisher?”
“Why?” she asked, sweeping out an arm. “Don’t you like what ah’ve done to tha place?”
He vaulted over a charging swarnling. He slammed its head into the floor then buried a stinger deep into it.
“Get it. Use it.”
“Don’t bark orders at me,” she snapped, pulling the pin out of the fire extinguisher. “Why are you here? You should be downtown helping mah boy…” She caught herself. He looked at her. “Helping that man and his son.”
Was she about to call me her boyfriend? Spant thought. “They’re fine.”
Spant spun, a low sweep taking out two pairs of legs before he launched into a backflip. He straightened slowly. With a sharp flick of his wrist, Spant sent the handle into a high-speed rotation that turned the solid ironwood into a low hum.
“Next.”
***
The bigger swarnling backed away. It clicked looking around at the remaining of the swarm. It raised its front leg at Spant, as if pointing to him. The creature clicked. The click rippled through them like a signal. Every head turned at once. The swarnlings skittered towards Nyx, a few even flew.
“What did y’all do?” she asked. “They’re all after me, now.”
Nyx jumped back. The fire extinguisher fell to the floor. She landed on the wall behind her, and dug her claws into the wood.
“Ah need mah shadows,” she whispered.
“This all could have been avoided if you would have listened to me.”
“So, now it’s mah fault?”
Spant jabbed the handle against the floor. It telescoped into a bo staff. He planted it and bolted over the creatures. He swung it wide. The staff carved the air with a deep whump, as he landed in front of Nyx. He twirled the staff at a speed that could take a man’s head off. The ones in flight were cut in half by his staff.
“You knew Swarn was still after you.” Spant spat. “I told you to go into hiding.”
The dominant swarnling clicked again. But this click was different. Its eyes stayed locked on Spant. It ran towards Spant then stopped suddenly. The creature began to straighten. The undisciplined ones broke formation and charged. The clicking came faster. The floor creaked under the shift in its weight.
Nyx looked on with eyes wide.
“Not again. Just like tha night on tha bridge. Swarn did the same thing.”
“He wants what you took, LJ.”
Spant studied it as it unfolded to its full height.
“Round 2.”
“Your creator couldn’t beat me. What makes you think you can?”
His eyes flicked to her. He tossed Nyx the staff and cracked his knuckles.
“Why do you think you can’t use your powers? He found a way to neutralize them so you’d be an easy kill for these things.”
He remembered watching the restaurant video of Swarn spilling something on Lila Jean. That’s when Swarn neutralized her powers.
“I’ve got the big one.”
The large swarnling stilled. It made another click and its eyes turned blood red. It roared then charged at Spant.
Spant slammed his fist into its mandible.
“Silence.”
The thing swung. Spant leaned back.
“Do what you can with the rest while I keep it distracted.”
***
Spant slammed the dominant swarnling, silencing it, while Nyx tore through the remaining swarm. Antennae, legs, and goo flew in every direction, but she moved with predator-like precision.
Nyx heard the air leave the thing’s lung in a ragged uhn as her follow-through punch bridged the gap. Before it could recover, Nyx was already in her guard. Her gloved hand snaked out, seizing one of its legs.
“Ack!” she hissed when she realized how soft and squishy its body was to her touch.
“Y’all got me touchin’ filth. Ah’m gonna be sick.”
She hammered an elbow strike into the hollow of its collarbone. The force sent the creature stumbling back, its balance compromised by Nyx’s attack.
Spant gave a single approving nod.
Nyx caught her breath and wiped her mouth.
“Ah hate bugs!” she screamed.
“Good. Use that hatred to your advantage.” Spant barked.
He caught one of the creature’s legs as it swung at him. The dominant swarnling bucked violently in Spant’s arms as he tightened his hold. He paused and waved a finger.
The swarnling eyes widened and it didn’t move. Spant twisted his wrist and the leg snapped into two. The creature screamed.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Nyx mumbled to herself but didn’t let up. She moved with the predatory grace of a storm. The swarm tried to reset their feet. She surged forward. She didn’t just strike; she disassembled. A series of fast blows—elbows to the abdomen, a few sharp jabs with the staff to parts she hated to think about—reduced much of the swarm to a fumbling mess.
Nyx staggered back. She dropped the staff. Her hands flew to her ears. The scream halted the swarm, but brought her to her knees. "Mah ears!" she screamed.
The bigger swarnling concentrated its scream at Nyx.
Spant glanced at her as she collapsed to the floor.
“LJ.”
The swarm skittered over her, pinning her to the floor. The bigger swarnling screamed at her, forgetting Spant entirely. Seizing the opening, Spant wrapped an arm around its neck from behind, gloved fingers digging in until it went silent.
Nyx screamed as the swarm bit into her, her fingers shaking as she tried to lift them. Goo covered Spant’s hands as the swarnling’s legs flailed and it lifted from the floor. Nyx’s screams were cut off beneath the swarm.
Spant gritted his teeth. A crack at the center of the creature’s head popped. Goo leaked from it. Spant boots dug into the carpet as he repositioned them. The swarnling let out one last scream as its body split down the center.
Nyx was barely conscious when she remembered her whistle.
‘Tha swarm song….’
Her fingers trembled as they found the pocket in her jacket. The swarm rose and fell as one with her every move. She pulled it out of her pocket and a swarnling bit her neck. She dropped the whistle. Through the heap of swarnlings, she grabbed her whistle, blood streaked on her face. "Please… work," she begged, blowing into it..
Spant charged towards the pile. Both stingers popped from his hands.
“Hold on LJ. I’m here...”
He heard the faint whistle. The sound speared through his skull. Every muscle locked.
He dropped hard, his head striking the floor with a dull crack.
The swarm covering Nyx stopped moving.
Her gloved hand broke through the heap. Then the tattered sleeve of her jacket. She slowly rose using her elbow as support. She gripped a brick in the wall and pulled herself up. Nyx remained hunched over, breathing heavy. Her clothes were torn in spots.
She looked at the dead heap of swarnlings. She held the whistle to light, smiled and kissed it.
“Y’all saved me. That ovah grown bug, Spant,” her voice trailed off.
She saw him cradled on the floor next to the creature he killed.
“Spant!”
She dragged herself towards him. She slipped on his staff.
“What happened to y’all?” she asked, reaching for his shoulder. He only grunted. Her eyes glanced from the pile of dead swarm and back to him.
“Tha whistle,” she said softly. “It… it worked on you too?”
She blew into it again and his body convulsed.
***
She started to move him.
“Wake up.” She strained to roll his body over. Her shoulder popped. She grabbed it and looked around the room. Her apartment was wrecked. The new furniture—shattered.
“Ah just got all of this.”
She kicked him in the stomach. He grunted.
She covered her mouth with her trembling hand and froze. She stepped back.
“Ah… Ah’m…”
Nyx staggered forward.
“Ah got to get… out of here.”
She ran towards the broken window. She jumped out and dropped. She tried to cast a shadow. She screamed as she remembered she couldn’t cast.
“Ah fahgot!” she screamed.
Spant’s finger twitched. He pulled his knees under him.
“L…LJ.”
Her screams were fading. He could still hear them. He staggered to his feet. He ran to the window. Nyx was falling at a high rate of speed.
He jumped out of the window and streamlined his body.
“LJ!”
Nyx heard her name shouted through the wind. She looked up and saw Spant right behind her.
“Stop flapping your wings.” Spant told her.
He reached for her ankle. The wind shifted and her leg moved with it. He missed by inches.
“Hold still!” he told her.
A metal line sailed over the rooftop. The whining sound coming from it made Spant look back. He smiled.
“I got you covered, Spant.” Link’s voice said through the comms.
Nyx’s jacket flapped over her head. She began spinning out of control.
“Ah’m gonna hurl.”
Spant snatched the wire and Nyx’s ankle, stabilizing her as they fell fifty feet. She screamed in pain; he tightened his grip. ‘Be thankful you’re alive,’ he said, shifting his grip to her lower leg.
Heat bit through his gloves as the wire tore against his grip.
“How are y’all goin’ tah get us out of this?”
Spant shifted his weight and angled his body upright. He shifted upright and kicked hard toward the wall. He used his momentum to aim her body.
“Cover your eyes. You’re going through that window.” he said as he let go of her ankle.
“Wait!” she shouted. “Ah’m not ready.”
Nyx pulled the jacket from over her head. She was seconds away from crashing. She pulled her legs into her body. She crashed through the window. She went through a plastered wall before settling into an empty hallway of the building.
While outside, Spant’s grip on the wire slipped.
“Spant!” Her stomach dropped as he slipped.
His first snatch of the wire missed. He fell fifty more feet before catching the wire. His body slammed into the concrete wall. He was still shaky from the whistle.
“Spant!” Link yelled. His fingers gave way. His body crashed through the balcony railing.
***
She started to move him.
“Wake up.” She strained to roll his body over. Her shoulder popped. She grabbed it and looked around the room. Her apartment was wrecked. The new furniture—shattered.
“Ah just got all of this.”
She kicked him in the stomach. He grunted.
She covered her mouth with her trembling hand and froze. She stepped back.
“Ah… Ah’m…”
Nyx staggered forward.
“Ah got to get… out of here.”
She ran towards the broken window. She jumped out and dropped. She tried to cast a shadow. She screamed as she remembered she couldn’t cast.
“Ah fahgot!” she screamed.
Spant’s finger twitched. He pulled his knees under him.
“L…LJ.”
Her screams were fading. He could still hear them. He staggered to his feet. He ran to the window. Nyx was falling at a high rate of speed.
He jumped out of the window and streamlined his body.
“LJ!”
Nyx heard her name shouted through the wind. She looked up and saw Spant right behind her.
“Stop flapping your wings.” Spant told her.
He reached for her ankle. The wind shifted and her leg moved with it. He missed by inches.
“Hold still!” he told her.
A metal line sailed over the rooftop. The whining sound coming from it made Spant look back. He smiled.
“I got you covered, Spant.” Link’s voice said through the comms.
Nyx’s jacket flapped over her head. She began spinning out of control.
“Ah’m gonna hurl.”
Almost, Spant thought as he reached for her leg again.
He grabbed the wire with one hand and Nyx’s ankle with the other. They were still fifty feet above the lower floors when he grabbed it.
She screamed out in pain.
“Y’all’re crushin’ mah ankle.”
“Be thankful you are alive,” he said, shifting his grip to her lower leg.
Heat bit through his gloves as the wire tore against his grip.
“How are y’all goin’ tah get us out of this?”
Spant shifted his weight and angled his body upright. He shifted upright and kicked hard toward the wall. He used his momentum to aim her body.
“Cover your eyes. You’re going through that window.” he said as he let go of her ankle.
“Wait!” she shouted. “Ah’m not ready.”
Nyx pulled the jacket from over her head. She was seconds away from crashing. She pulled her legs into her body. She crashed through the window. She went through a plastered wall before settling into an empty hallway of the building.
While outside, Spant’s grip on the wire slipped.
“Spant!” Her stomach dropped as he slipped.
His first snatch of the wire missed. He fell fifty more feet before catching the wire. His body slammed into the concrete wall. He was still shaky from the whistle.
“Spant!” Link yelled. His fingers gave way. His body crashed through the balcony railing.
Back in their apartment’s monitor room, Zayden shouted Spant’s name into the comms. He received no response from Spant. He snatched the headset off his head and rose from the chair.
“Dad.”
Zayden ran into his room. He snatched a hoodie from his closet. His fingers trembled as he reached for a mask he’d made long ago. Zayden ran out of the apartment and onto the fire escape. A crawler flew high above him.
As Link climbed down the back of their building, Spant struggled to his feet. The impact of his fall shattered the glass door. Shards cracked beneath his boots as he staggered inside.
Spant collapsed to the floor, inside the apartment.
“Spant,” a soft voice said.
His eyes slowly opened. Zayden was kneeling over him.
“Zay… Link…?” He stopped himself, realizing he couldn’t call him by his real name with who might be around. Pain spiked and he passed out again.
Link let out a nervous sigh. He pulled on Spant’s arm. His arms trembled from the strain.
“Come on big guy,” he said. “You are as heavy as you look.”
Link looked up. He heard sirens heading towards the building.
“I think the fire department is finally on their way.”
He yanked Spant’s arm harder.
“You have to get up.” His hand slid off Spant’s arm. The momentum tossed him into the wall behind him. The loud thud woke Spant.
Relieved, Link smiled. He crawled to Spant.
“The police are on their way. We have to go.”
Spant raised up on his elbows. Link slid his shoulder under him. Spant steadied his other hand on a dresser near them.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“Where else would I be?” Link asked as Spant leaned onto him.
“Let’s go. Those sirens are getting closer.”
Spant stood and groaned.
Link walked ahead. Spant grabbed the hood of Link’s hoodie.
“We are definitely talking about this.”