The Spectrum Force Volume Two - Heather Ray (intellectual books to read txt) 📗

him, "How do we stop it?"

"Open fire!" Keith decided, hovering a few paces in front of the team. He released burning light energy in the highest intensity he could muster. The beams plowed into the creature's face, and was immediately supported by equally powerful beams of orange, blue, yellow, and green.

"Being a superhero is easy!" Matt marveled as the monster slowed in its tracks.

Then, the creature opened its maw, releasing a heaving shriek that forced the entire assembly of heroes to cover their ears in pain.

"Ah!" Tamara shouted, "It's even louder

from this end!"

"Look out!" Matt cried, throwing his hands toward the ceiling. Unwittingly, he created a flat field of tangible energy, which served as a shield to gather the falling debris and protect the heroes below.

"How'd you do that?" Jocelyn asked, bewildered, "You made light into a physical substance."

"I don't know," Matt confessed, "I just... wanted to block the debris."

Jocelyn smiled beneath her mask. "Then let's try that

! We'll push it backwards! Everybody, fire tangible energy waves!"

She then flew forward, outstretching her arms and legs in an X shape. Her entire body emitted a glowing orange aura, fainter than the searing beams of energy she had wielded earlier. The energy formed a disk, blocking the entire tunnel like a door.

She then pushed her arms forward, sending the unyielding wall back towards the monster.

The monster howled again, its voice muffled by the wall between them. It then rammed its head against it, causing Jocelyn to release a grunt of exertion as she slowly descended to the tunnel floor. She trembled with effort, her orange aura fading.

"It's... too strong," she whispered shakily.

"Then we'll lend a hand," Tamara stated, her outstretched arms focusing her own energy. Faint yellow energy flooded forth, blending with the orange field to create a wall of swirling yellow and orange color.

"Amazing!" Matthew gasped, extending his own hands. He marveled at the green energy, which swirled together with the orange and yellow in a frenetic dance.

Keith watched quietly as the monster continued to fight against the shield. However, he did perceive the glisten of the mucus trail left from the monster's trek through the tunnel. It glinted in the multicolored light emitted from the force shield.

"It's working!" he declared excitedly, "Look! The jelly the monster left is helping us! It's lubricated the tunnel, gliding the thing back."

He then turned to his best friend. "On the count of three, we both cut loose. The double-whammy will be harder for the worm to struggle against."

The Blue Enforcer nodded, his clenched fist smoking with focused blue energy. "I'm ready."

Keith then turned back to the monster, standing beside Jocelyn on the ground. Craig took position on Jocelyn's other side.

"One... two... three!"

The two young men added their energy to the shield, causing the monster to shriek in frustration as it slid back the way it came.

Chapter Eighteen

"Spectra?" Rachel called, her fear mounting. She knew so little about the powers of their alien comrade... what if she didn't survive such a hit?

The hole cut through meters of earth, rock, and iron. That meant the blast that struck the Denebian was mighty indeed.

Rachel sighed quietly, focusing her attention to herself. She then weakened her glowing energy aura, allowing her to fall to the ground gently.

The last thing she wanted was to attract too much attention, and the glowing purple aura she emitted would certainly do just that.

"Spectra!" she called again, peering through the darkness. Her visor did grant her the ability to see clearly in even the darkest night, but even with this enhanced vision Spectra was not in sight.

"I must be doing this wrong," Rachel decided, looking back at the hole. "This hole is dug at an angle, meaning Spectra would've been thrown east. But I don't see any sign of destruction!"

Rachel frowned anew, running in the direction of Spectra's assumed flight. "She should've crashed into this building... or even through

it! But there's not even a scratch."

Rachel then recalled her first encounter with the alien sorceress.

"My species are telepathic, but only for communication purposes."

The Purple Enforcer pressed her fingertips to her forehead. *Spectra? Can you hear me?*

After a few moments of silence, a familiar presence entered her mind. *Yes, Rachel, I hear you.*

Rachel instantly sighed in relief. *Where are you?*

Her answer was delivered by a bright light behind her. Rachel whirled around in surprise, and stared as Spectra materialized beside her. Spectra favored her with a small smile, but Rachel gasped at her appearance. All her exposed skin was scratched and bruised, blotching the pale color with rich purples and reds. Also, blood seeped from cuts on her arms and face, and reddened her pure white uniform.

"Are you okay?" Rachel gasped.

"I will be," she assured her, shaking her head with embarrassment. "I underestimated the Phlegnin. Apparently, Phaedra has made some... alterations to the species. This creature has the ability to spew fire of an incredible intensity. It knocked me clear through the tunnel!"

"How did you... survive it?" Rachel asked quietly.

"It did hit me directly, but I was able to buffer by trip through the tunnel wall magically," Spectra revealed. She then winced slightly. "Still, I am far from unscathed."

She then clutched her forehead. Rachel hurried to her side, and steadied the weakened warrior. Her breath caught in her throat when she noticed the incisions on her back.

Clearly, Spectra's back had taken the brunt of the damage.

"Also, my translator has been damaged beyond repair," Spectra revealed.

Rachel gasped in surprise. "But... I can understand you!"

Spectra nodded. "The Spectrum Stones give all of you the ability to communicate clearly to all known species. Your masks are equipped with the data chips that are used in the translators, offering you instant translation of any language, both what you hear and what you say. I can understand your speech as clearly as my native tongue."

Rachel's eyes widened. "Amazing."

"Also, the stones grant you limited telepathic abilities. You all can communicate with each other as you and I have. When synched, you can project your thoughts to one another as naturally as verbal speech. When not synched, you can still channel your thoughts through the stones, enabling communication to any or all of the Enforcers."

"There's... so much to this," Rachel marveled quietly.

"Yes," Spectra conceded, "That is why training is of the utmost importance, to familiarize all of you with all of your abilities."

"So, where'd you go?" Rachel inquired, "You just vanished!"

Spectra smiled, turning her attention to her silver belt. "I have the emergency teleport as well," she revealed, "I pressed it once I was able to move my hands, which was after the fireball that hit me evaporated. Fortunately, I didn't collide with anything once I reached the surface. I was unconscious until your telepathic call roused me."

Spectra winced again as her grip tightened on her silver staff. "How goes the fight?" she asked, "Where are the others?"

"In the tunnels," Rachel responded, "We're trying to get the monster above ground, so there's more room to maneuver. There's an empty construction site nearby, and they're steering the monster there."

Spectra nodded, a small smile on her lips. "An excellent strategy. Show me the location, and I will open the way."

Chapter Nineteen

The Purple Enforcer streaked through the night sky, flying high to hopefully avoid too much attention. She cradled Spectra in a bubble of purple energy, allowing the sorceress to reserve her powers for the task at hand.

"There it is," Rachel called, lowering both to the ground. In mere seconds from their takeoff, the two heroines stood at the hole which would eventually become Langstrum Alps' newest shopping center. Spectra swept her scrutinous peach gaze across the area, nodding thoughtfully.

"Yes... plenty of room for a battle, and distant from any residences. We are in the business district, meaning there shouldn't be any people to either witness the battle, or be harmed by it."

Her peach irises vanished again, leaving milky eyes glowing with power. Spectra then turned her gaze to the ground, faint white energy gleaming from her eyes. "Where is the tunnel?"

Rachel tapped her visor, activating the X-ray vision mode. She too stared at the ground, flying above it to scan beneath the construction site. She finally paused near the street. "Here!"

"The Spectrum Force is moving slowly, as they are fighting the full strength of the Phlegnin," Spectra noted, casting her gaze at the tunnel towards the east, "I don't see them yet, so they are still a bit distant. I have time, then."

"Time for what?" Rachel inquired.

In answer, Spectra held her silver staff with both hands, grasping it tightly. She rose from the ground, and landed just where the tunnel stretched beneath.

"This!" she declared, holding the staff forward. It began glowing profusely, causing sweat to drip from Spectra's forehead. She clenched her teeth with the effort, her hair crackling with the energy she mustered.

Rachel watched mutely as a beam of blinding white energy leapt from the tip of the staff, crashing into the ground. It drilled through meters of earth and rock, but made little sound.

Spectra trembled with the effort, her body floating into the air. She flew in a circle, cutting through the ground the entire way. At the lengthy crack she created, a strong white glow flashed.

Spectra then fell to her knees, panting heavily. Rachel hurried to her side, kneeling on the ground next to her. She managed to pull her incredulous gaze from the glowing circle to the exhausted sorceress.

"Now what?" she inquired.

"Now... I lift it," Spectra answered hoarsely, struggling to her feet. Rachel watched helplessly as Spectra turned her milky white gaze to the glowing circle she dug into the ground.

She lifted her arms while tightly grasping her staff. In response, the entire staff flashed with ivory energy, invoking a similar glow