*CLA-CLANG CLA-CLANG!*

A series of discordant metal screeches reverberated from the trash-can lid. The lid wobbled violently in Theodore's grip—almost escaping from his grasp. His panic spiked, causing him to lash out, thrusting his metal pipe quickly in retaliation.

*Crunch*

The metal pipe penetrated an inch into the right vortex man's throat, blood squelching out.

"Asdck!" all he could produce was a choking noise.

The vertex man on his left already responding with a dual thrust, aiming at Theodore's head. Theodore lifted the trash-can lid last second to block the attack.

*Cla-clang*

*Thump*

The metal trashcan lid tilted due to the force, smacking Theodore right in the left eye, who had held the shield too close to his face. Wincing in pain, he still opened his eye. Thrusting wildly, the metal pipe fortunately hit the vertex on one of the two regions of its compound eyes.

*Crush*

The metal pipe easily crushed the delicate structure, causing blood to gush out.

"AHH!" The vertex screeched.

Theodore gave into his instinct. He unleashed a fierce push kick, but instead of causing the alien to be sent to the ground, it launched Theodore back a few feet crashing against the floor. Getting to his feet quickly, he momentarily scanned his surroundings to see the horde that had amassed. Feeling the impending doom weigh on him—he made a break for the wall.

*Vroom-Vroom-Vroom*

He heard multiple hoverbikes around him but in his deep panic, he ignored them

"I'm so close~."

He dropped his weapons and swiftly bent his legs, loading as much force as he could muster. Pushing off the ground, he jumped an astonishing three-feet off the ground, more than able to latch onto the wall. Pulling himself up with urgency, he hooked his fingers into the fence. Progressing up the fence with just his hands.

*VR-VR-VROOOM!*

The sound of the hoverbikes blended into a hurricane. Panic flared within him. As they neared—he attempted to dodge them by lunging to the right.

*VRRRR!*

A hoverbike shot past him, tearing through the space he once was.

*BANG!!*

But there were simply too many of them. As a different hoverbike crashed into him—his head snapped back, the unbearable force causing even his bones to creek.

"Ugh!" an agonized moan momentarily escaped his lips.

The front of the bike had pulverized Theodore's body and so too did his body to it, the two practically fused together. His arms jolted like a marionette cut from its strings, as the ascent of the bike that was once climbing the wall slowed. The activation of the reverse thrusters and the brakes, quelling the aftermath of the murder. The driver turned it around, driving back down the wall to the crazed mob. Theodore's consciousness flickered, fading at the edges, he felt a foreboding heat emanate from alien crevices now torn into his body.

'N—'

*Thunk!*

He did not have enough time to finish that thought, as the vertex driving the hoverbike delivered an impact that rattled his skull.

*Kachunk*

The sound of a blade retracting was painfully clear to Theodore. A hot red curtain veiled not only his vision but also his face. His mind embracing a giddy daze.

'Oh shit, he stabbed me in the head, didn't he? I'm so dead but why… do I feel so calm? They say you're supposed to feel cold when you're dying but I've never felt warmer… haha, who the hell am I even joking with? Aah well, I tried my best to live I guess. It just didn't work out. It's not that bad. I had no one anyway.'

Theodore's consciousness began to succumb to the beguiling darkness.

"No! Leave my brother alone!" a child's voice rang out in the car park.

'Huh?' 

After Theodore's passing thought, his consciousness resumed being consumed by darkness. The hoverbike reached the ground while a small group of vertex were already reveling in his demise. But inconceivably enough,cutting through the chaos-an oldly resonant voice rang out this time.

"Brother!"

He recognized this voice...

"BROTHER!!!"

Theodore's entire being shook. His eyes snapped open in an instant. His vision able to make out the familiar silhouette of a young boy, synchronizing with the spirit stirring voice. Humanoid silhouettes enveloped the vertex, who seemed to be tormenting him. Their laughing voices and silhouettes causing venomous rage to well up inside of Theodore.

'Brother!'

"UUGHH," Theodore released a deep building growl in response.

An emotion he did not remember blazed inside of him. Making him feel like his very soul was burning. Unbeknownst to Theodore-his body released small wisps of steam. Furthermore, his body inexplicably started to gradually get up on its own-the nearby vertex looking on in disbelief.

"HAA!" a deeper, more primal growl escaped Theodore.

He vehemently exerted his broken body to move, debilitating pain erupted from every corner of his ailing body. His scream in the face of the deafening tempestuous storm drowned out the mind-numbing pain. Broken and beaten Theodore's body leaned up against all odds.

*Thud!*

Theodore felt a fresh assault to his cranium, but it seemed to be less grievous than the last. This time however, there was an object lodged in there. 

"Brother!" the silhouette called out beseechingly.

The searing pain only fueled the fire.

"I'm not going to let them hurt you." He said in a dangerously dark tone.

He pushed himself off the blood splattered hoverbike, stumbling a bit.

"How can this be possible?" a vertex mumbled.

"What… is he?"

The vertex mutually voiced their confusion.

Theodore turned to face the familiar silhouette on his left. It was only a few feet away from him. He started limping towards it. His eyes smouldered with such intensity that the nearby vertex faltered.

"Leave… him… alone!" he verbalized loudly.

*Vroom*

*Crash*

The vortex hoverbike driver seized the moment to crash into him.

Theodore-who was hypnotized solely by the familiar silhouette, was rammed into. Thwarting his advance towards the silhouette.

"Uhh." a weak groan emanated from him.

Turning to face the helmeted vertex driver, Theodore's visage resembled that of a raging demon.

Crippling shock and fear exploded from the vertex driver. In a panicked fright-he started driving again.

Theodore,holding onto the hoverbike with his left hand, pulled the knife from his own head and plunged it into the driver's neck with speed no dying man should possess.

*Cachunk!*

He felt it poking through the vertex's neck; blood flowing down his hand. The driver held his now punctured neck in his hands-causing the hoverbike to come to an abrupt halt. Tensing his arms, Theodore pushed himself off the hoverbike onto his feet. He realized he was further away than last time but all those hateful vermin were around his brother. He staggered towards the group of rage inducing silhouettes.

"What the hell are you?" a vertex uttered in horror.

Theodore snarled.

"Your death!" he spat scornfully.

The vertex began to converge on him as a crowd, attempting to surround him. Yet he kept walking unfazed, his eyes scanning for the familiar silhouette.

A vertex man lunged forward from behind Theodore-swinging a metal bat overhead gripped with all four hands.

*VRR!*

The bat audibly tore through the air. An instant before the man had committed to the swing-Theodore took a fluid sidestep to his left.

*WOOSH!*

The air from the incoming bat rustled Theodore's hair. The power of the swing caused the vertex to stumble forward, arriving near Theodore's right side. When the vertex had come to their senses-Theodore's rising left fist was already inches away from the vertex's stomach. Some onlookers had missed his movements too.

"RAA!" Theodore roared.

*BANG!*

*Crunch!*

Theodore's uppercut traveled an inch into the vertex's unprotected solar plexus, his waist and shoulder having twisted maximally upwards and his back outstretched. An audible crunching noise assaulted everyone's ears as the vertex's blood splattered around Theodore's arm, the vertex's face contorted in agony.

*Thump!*

Theodore's legs kicked off of the ground-his whole body shooting up to the vertex's head inhumanly quick. His right hand disappearing to the back of the vertex's head.

"HA!" Theodore exerted.

*BANG!*

*Squelch!*

His left knee had slammed into the center of the vertex's face-driven to the brain with the assistance of his right hand.

*Thud*

Theodore landed on the floor. Blood shooting out like a geyser from where the vertex's face had been, his arms going limp to his sides. As his body collapsed to the floor-Theodore spun clockwise violently, his features becoming blurry.

"HAA!" his war cry scorching emotion this time.

*BANG!!!*

*Squelch*

Theodore's right spinning back kick blasted into the vertex's chest-caving it in and sending him careening backwards.

*Bang*

The vertex's body plummeted with excessive force, sliding a few feet away after the crash.

Turning his head back to the stunned crowd, his eyes scoured them, seeing more living silhouettes that made his blood boil. He stepped forward, gesturing a taunt, wagging his blood-soaked left hand back and forth, an evil smirk adopting his face.

"Who's next?" he challenged menacingly.

"…"

The vertex men felt crushing dread constricting their lungs-their hearts beginning to palpitate agonizingly. They who had once been so sure of their dominance, now trembled.

"What's wrong? I'm just a pathetic mortal, after all." He remarked, overflowing with mockery.

The silence was piercing. Theodore sneered.

"The price for making my brother suffer... must be paid with your lives!" he sentenced vehemently.

"I MUST KILL YOU AALL!!!" His voice thundered, projecting his warping rage.

A primal terror they had never felt splintered their being-causing the vertex to scatter frantically in all directions.

"Don't run, you cowards!" Theodore called out indignantly.

His body postured up to run.

"Brother!" the silhouette wailed.

Knowing it was hopeless to chase after them, he approached the silhouette.

"It's OK now, I promise I won't let anyone hurt you ever again"

He walked to the silhouette-his face softening with care and concern. He hugged the silhouette. Closing his eyes-his anger faded and so did his strength. Darkness finally filled his consciousness as his body collapsed to the floor.

"Jerry! Who is that guy? Why is he calling you brother?" an adolescent and clearly beaten boy asked shaking with adrenaline.

"I don't know. He thought I was calling for him when I was calling for you. I think he's crazy?" the younger boy replied with child-like innocence.

"Must be. Let's get out of here Jerry."

"Ok brother."