Bubble Boy

Interior – Central City – Day

The streets of Central City were bustling with life, people going about their business. Pedestrians walked quickly, avoiding the occasional street vendor, children laughed as they chased each other down the sidewalks, and cars honked in the usual chaotic rhythm. The city was calm, almost serene. The sun hung high, casting a warm glow over the skyline.

But that peaceful scene was about to be shattered.

Boom.

The ground trembled, and a sharp, deafening sound echoed across the city. The ground split open like a wound, spewing dark smoke and debris into the air. Then came the screams, terrified, frantic cries that rattled the very bones of the city.

The cause? Dravus.

A towering figure emerged from the smoke, covered head-to-toe in a grotesque mix of human blood and grime. His skin was normal, almost sickly human, and his eyes glowed with an unnatural, blood-red hue. His face was a mask of rage and malice, with a twisted, jagged grin stretching across his features.

He was a Xyphorite, a deadly scout sent from the same planet Starman hailed from, and he had only one purpose: to find and eliminate the long-lost prince.

"Time to clean up the bloodline," Dravus hissed, his voice like the screech of a dying animal.

With a single swipe of his hand, he sent a group of people flying through the air, their bodies colliding with buildings and streetlights as if they were nothing more than ragdolls.

The panic was instantaneous. People scrambled in every direction, pushing and shoving to escape the carnage. Cars screeched to a halt as drivers desperately tried to flee.

The city, once calm, was now gripped by terror.

Exterior – Central City – Street

The Bubble Crew had just wrapped up a small mission, but their usual carefree banter was cut short by the sudden explosion. Miguel, Jackson, and the others turned toward the chaos, sensing something was terribly wrong.

"What the hell was that?" Inferno growled, his hands igniting with flames. "Another villain trying to play hero?"

"No," Zeus said, his voice tight with concern. "That's something… different."

They rushed toward the source of the explosion. Their feet moved faster than the crowds could scatter, and soon, they were standing in front of the smoking crater that Dravus had left behind.

Dravus stood tall, surveying the destruction with a cold, cruel smirk on his face. His bloodstained suit gleamed in the sunlight, and his gaze locked onto the group.

"Well, well," he purred. "Fresh meat. Who are you fools supposed to be?"

"We're the ones who are going to take you down, bloodbath," Umbra said, stepping forward, his voice laced with determination.

The rest of the crew Inferno, Psion, Zeus , Garden Girl was ready but Bubble boy wasn't with. He was hanging out with his brother Eidolon.

Inferno cracked his knuckles, a blaze in his eyes. "You're in for a real ass-kicking, buddy."

"I've taken down bigger threats than you," Zeus added, his voice cold. "So don't think for a second we're backing down."

Annie rolled her shoulders, her plants swirling around her, preparing for whatever came next. "I don't know about you guys, but I think he looks a little underdressed for a fight. Maybe we should give him a makeover. One in the form of pain."

Dravus tilted his head, clearly amused by their bravado. "You think you can stop me? I am not here for you. I'm here for the prince. And you're all just in the way."

"Not gonna happen," Jackson said, his hands igniting with fury. "You're about to meet the firestorm."

The helicopter blades of news choppers above whirred as they hovered overhead, cameras zooming in on the unfolding chaos. News anchors and reporters in their studios were broadcasting live, showing the world the terror that had begun to unfold in Central City.

"We've got a situation here, folks," one of the reporters called out over the loudspeakers, the camera panning across the destruction. "A mysterious figure has appeared in the heart of Nightingale City, and from the looks of it, he's causing absolute chaos. What is his objective? We don't know, but it's clear, he's a force to be reckoned with."

And a evacuation order for Central city has been ordered Code Red.

Interior – Central City – Street – Moments Later

Dravus didn't waste a second.

With a single leap, the ground cracked beneath his feet as he launched forward, like a missile of flesh and hatred. He crashed into Inferno with an earth-shaking boom, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him into the side of a building. The impact dented the structure, spiderwebbing the wall around Jackson's flaming body.

Inferno coughed blood, flames sputtering. "Is… that all you got?"

Dravus grinned. "Not even close."

He twisted and hurled Inferno across the street like a broken toy, crashing him through two parked cars. The fire-wielder groaned, bones audibly cracking.

Psion tried to lift Dravus with her mind, sweat pouring down her face as her eyes glowed but he didn't budge.

"I felt that," he said mockingly. "Cute."

He surged forward, grabbing her by the arm and flinging her into a lamppost. Her body bent unnaturally on impact, and she collapsed, unmoving but breathing.

Exterior – Central City – News Helicopter Feed

The city was watching. Every citizen with access to a screen. Dravus was live on every major news network.

"…we're witnessing what can only be described as a massacre. The city is in total panic, the heroes we've come to admire are being torn apart and this… monster… he's toying with them."

Interior – Shadow's Mansion – High-Tech Hideout

Jace stood in the darkness of his hideout, eyes fixed on the screens showing the devastation. The image of Dravus standing over the battered bodies of the Bubble Crew flickered across his monitors.

He clenched his jaw.

"Arthur," he said into his comms. "Get the Starbreaker ready."

A panel slid open behind him, revealing a high-tech armored suit, sleek, matte black with glowing silver-blue lines and a glowing emblem shaped like a shattered star on its chest. This wasn't just a suit. It was built for one thing:

To kill a god.

"I hoped I'd never have to use this," Jace muttered. "But if that thing's like Starman… then we're gonna need every edge we can get."

Exterior – Central City – Street

Annie's plants lashed at Dravus, trying to entangle him. He ripped through them like paper, grabbing her by the leg and slamming her into the ground repeatedly. The pavement cracked. She whimpered, glasses shattered, green hair soaked in blood but she was alive.

"You're all so fragile," Dravus said, lifting her limp body. "Like clay."

Zeus struck him with a bolt of lightning so powerful it lit up the sky. Dravus didn't even flinch. He turned, eyes glowing red, and in an instant, cracked Zeus' jaw with a punch, sending him skidding down the road like a skipped stone.

Only Umbra stood now, shadows dancing wildly around him. He leapt forward, blades of pure darkness in both hands. He struck again and again. Fast. Desperate. Controlled rage.

Dravus caught his blades mid-swing.

"Interesting…" he said, then kneed Umbra in the stomach, shattering ribs. "But not enough."

He turned back toward Inferno, who was crawling toward Annie's body, coughing blood. Dravus lifted his fist, glowing with pure force the kind only a Xyphorite could generate.

"No," Inferno rasped. "You're not..."

Dravus brought his fist down but it never landed.

A metallic hand stopped him.

A figure stood between them, sleek, glowing, and unmovable. The Starbreaker suit gleamed in the smoke and fire.

Shadow's voice echoed through the helmet. "You lay another hand on them, and I'll show you what happens when you underestimate a human."

Dravus tilted his head, curious. "A toy?"

Shadow's suit pulsed. "A weapon."