Seven Steps to Becoming a Superhero

Zack hoped this was a good idea. He needed to keep Dirk Saber off-balance. Zack was pretty sure Dirk Saber had left his father lying in a pool of blood on his kitchen floor. Having Knightbrand turn up at his class yesterday seemed to pinch a nerve, at least from what Rachel told him. Now it was time to tighten the noose around Dirk Saber’s neck. Fortunately, chasing down a supervillain with his victim should accomplish just that.

Perhaps Zack would get lucky and Saber would tip his hand.

In any case, it didn’t matter. They both wordlessly streamed down the rooftops, chasing Icer, who remained one step ahead of him. Zack found it much easier to navigate the labyrinthine structures of Innshadow’s rooftops in the Knightbrand armor, with its boot jets allowing him to soar easily above the rooftops.

Then again, he also remembered Blake’s warnings - that most fliers avoided practicing up here simply because of all of the sharp-looking spires as well as stony gargoyles and spiky serpents hanging off the building. Zack kept his focus as best he could, desperately trying not to get skewered on anything. He remembered Innshadow University was a hospital back in the 19th century, but he wondered what kind of patient would be comforted by the sheer number of black stone monsters draining water from the rooftops.

“When was the last time we worked together?” Dirk Saber suddenly asked. “Chicago? Was it 2020?”

Zack desperately searched his memory. Dirk was testing him, but Zack knew his dad worked with just one job last year, if he could only remember where. Fortunately, his father teamed up with other heroes so infrequently it was a pretty short list.

“It was three years ago,” he said confidently. “Memphis. You must be getting old if you can’t remember that far back.”

Dirk didn’t laugh. He simply nodded. “You’re chatty today.”

How was that chatty?

Was Zack actually being too chatty, and more talkative than his father would be in this case? Was he opening himself up to more risk of being exposed as a fraud?

Or was Dirk simply being sarcastic?

He had no way of knowing which was true, so he simply decided to button it up and keep his focus on the flying part. Everyone knew Knightbrand was the strong and silent type, and he doubted Dirk Saber was any exception. Besides, it required just as much concentration to avoid smashing into a gargoyle.

Icer, for his part, kept mercifully out of reach during their pursuit. His icy trail made it easier for him to slide across the rooftop with ease, and even if he came up short, Zack watched as he used his icy gauntlets to grip the nearest rooftop and climb back up. Every now and then he shot an errant blast of ice at him or Dirk, but it was more intended as a distraction more than anything else.

Good. I don’t need him getting caught too early. That would unravel this whole thing.

Unfortunately, Dirk came to realize the very same thing.

“This is taking too long and getting us nowhere,” he said. “I feel like the punk is just toying with us?”

“Then what do you suggest?” Zack replied through the Knightbrand modulator, hoping it didn’t come off as too “chatty”?

“We split up,” Dirk said. “I keep on the foot chase. You fly ahead and try to cut him off.”

Zack wanted to argue that splitting up was never a good idea in horror movies, but he knew that probably wasn’t something his father would actually say. Instead he just nodded.

“On it,” he said.

Zack hated the idea of taking his eyes on Dirk. It also meant taking off the pressure, but it was the most logical way a superhero would act in the circumstances, and arguing it would likely be out-of-character to argue the last point.

The Knightbrand armor powered ahead, with Zack still comfortably inside. He scanned the rooftops for any sign of Icer.

Should he try to reach out to the supervillain and let him know there was a change in plans?

Because that would look really natural if he got caught in the act.

Besides, it’s just as likely Icer would try to attack him, to play out whatever grudge match he had against his dad for whatever this was about.

He decided the best course of action would be to circle the buildings as best he could and tell Saber he lost him in the forway.

That would pose the least risk to his investigation.

The only problem was he had to make it look convincing. If he was spotted flying around on the other side of campus, he’d look lost and incompetent, two things he couldn’t afford right.

Zack dodged and skirted around several gargoyles as he blasted across the corner of another one of the buildings. He could see several onlookers with their pocket phones held up to capture the action. Zack considered waving for the cameras, but he never actually saw his Dad doing the same thing. Dad never really played for the cameras. He was always straight to business and then heading home to catch the rest of the game over Brewskies. If he acted out of character, it could throw more suspicion his way.

Zack decided it was probably best to retrace his steps. He hadn’t seen any sign of Icer - or Dirk Saber - which was likely for the best. He moved back towards the more familiar-looking buildings, when suddenly he spotted tracer fire streaking high into the night.

Zack flew closer. It wasn’t actually tracer fire. It was ice blasts, shooting in all directions.

Dirk Saber had engaged Icer.

This could be bad.

Looming into the sky, Zack saw Icer rush forward with a makeshift icicle as a weapon. He used it to ward off several of Dirk Saber’s attacks, but Saber had drawn one of his Omegium blades, and cut through the icicle like it was nothing. Icer managed to get a kick into Saber’s midsection before forming another icicle to try to ward off DIrk Saber’s attacks.

But it was a losing battle.

Icer held his icicle in a distinctive blade grip, with the sharp point of the icicle pointed down away from his fist. He charged forward and made several slashes at Saber, but the fight effortlessly dodged his slashes without a second thought. After a few dodges, Saber responded with a counter of his own, knocking the icicle from Icer’s grip. In response, Icer shot a blast of ice towards the fighter, forcing him to somersault out of the way. Zack expected Icer to run away, but instead he was surprised to see the villain launch forward with several brutal blows to Dirk’s side.

It took a lot of bravado, but Zack knew it was all for nothing.

Sooner or later, Icer would fall, just like he had. Icer was putting up a hell of a fight. He tossed the icicle at Saber and then used it to deliver several targeted blows to Saber’s side.

Where the hell had he learned that?

He had picked Icer because he was a joke, but apparently the guy had some moves.

The problem was, “some moves” wasn’t going to be enough to bring down one of the best fighters in the superhero community.

He had to end the fight somehow. He drew closer, making his presence known.

“Stand down!” he said. “It’s over, Icer.”

He really hoped it was, but by entering the fight, he was distracting Dirk Saber, and that was enough for the time being.

“Not over my dead body,” Icer yelled. “But I’ll settle for yours.”

And with that, Icer shot a thick blast of ice towards Zack. He hadn’t counted on Icer making a direct attack, but it caught him right in the shoulder. Zack yelled out. He could feel the blast penetrating his armor, as his right shoulder felt cold and then numb.

Icer paid dearly for the attack. Dirk Saber took full advantage of the distraction, launching into a complex attack with his sword before striking Icer in the side of the face, leaving him clearly dazed and open to the final blow.

This was bad. This was all bad.

Zack then noticed he was sinking. Several claxon alarms begin to whine within his armor.

Icer’s blast had done something.

And now he was sinking through the air.

Zack’s last view was of the ground approaching as he fell out of the sky and gravity took over.