Syphon

Sensitivity Warning: Substance abuse, Suicide, Physical Violence, Gore

“Justice? What are you doing here?” I asked through my mask. I pushed down the bank robber as a multitude of bullets slid from my abdomen.

The floating robe and masked reverberated, “Mark Castry—“

“Justice I am literally arresting someone right now, keep my names out of your mouth,” I turned to the robber, “And you, if I find anyone who knows that name you will not survive.”

He nodded and went to speak before remembering I took his mouth, “you can have it back when I’m done with Justice.”

“Syphon, you have been judged,” the masked thing intoned.

“Judged?” I smacked my lips, “I’m a hero, I'm on your side, I’ve followed the code, for what have I been judged?”

“The execution of Fredrick Allistor.” I stumbled back.

“Freddy?” I found my footing, I stepped forward until I looking straight into the hollow robe of Justice, “I didn’t kill Freddy. He was my best friend and I honored his wishes. What happened wasn’t my fault.” 

“You siphoned his abilities and nine minutes and forty-two seconds later he was a shadow on a wall.”

“Freddy came to me begging me to take his powers from him.” I pulled back, stomped down the alley before turning my gaze back to them, “I refused, but he wouldn’t stop. He was ready to run to Selena to make his pain stop so yes, I siphoned his immortality. It isn’t my fault he had the misfortune of running into a drugged up Fireflash.”

“Fireflash knew Fredrick’s abilities were taken from him, before they met he was already bleeding from every orifice.”

My eyebrows scrunched, “Who found him first?”

“No one, at least no one who could cause that level of damage to someone like Fredrick.”

“So you think I stole his powers, beat him to a pulp and then let him walk off?” I laughed, “Even I know if you’re gonna fuck someone like Fredrick, you don’t let them get away.”

“We’re you aware that while Fireflash is inebriated it is difficult for him to summon his flame?”

I sighed, “No, Justice, I did not know a piece of lintak makes Fireflash soft. Why the fuck would I care about some F-grade villains weaknesses?”

“Other than the fact you believe he killed your best friend?”

I found my palm an inch away from the golden mask stopped by a slight imperceptible field of light, “I suggest you pick your next words carefully.”

“I apologize for the perceived slight.”

I pulled my hand back, “I found out Fireflash was an idiotic nobody and stopped, because I knew if I kept searching I would hunt him down and siphon his life away,” I leaned against a wall, “I promised Freddy that I’d never break the code, so I stopped myself,” then I squinted, “wait you said believed, did Fireflash not kill Freddy?” I was back in Justice’s face.

Justice pulled a tablet from his robe floating it in front of me, and a video started playing. A grainy and mute Freddy ran into frame bumping into a kitted Fireflash, a cape and all. Freddy was dripping, presumably blood while Fireflash stumbled up to him pointing and shoving him back. And in a burst of light Freddy was gone only a shadow on the side of the wall remained.

“All this does is show me how much Fireflash deserves to die for what he’s done,” I seethed, my heart pounding against my chest.

“That wasn’t Fireflash, he was too far gone to use his powers so effectively, especially when he can barely get it past two hundred Fahrenheit on a good day.”

“Then how did Freddy pop into some shadow?”

“You already know the answer to that,” Justice intoned with a wave toward the scattered bullets that vacated my body.

“I’m really not in the mood for games Justice.”

“Fredrick Allistor lived for many centuries, living and dying in many lands many times. Do you remember his story detailing his first death.”

“Of course I do, it’s the only death he cared to remember, everyone he ever loved at the time died in the ash and fire of Pompeii.”

“Yes, Pompei.”

I opened my mouth before glancing at the shadow in the paused video, “Wait, no, no, did I…” I couldn’t finish.

“In his final nine minutes and forty-two seconds of life Fredrick Allistor re-lived every single death he lived through.”

“I… killed my best friend?” Tears ran down my cheeks though I couldn't move to stop them. I couldn’t move any of me.

And then it spoke, “I’m sorry, but justice must be served.”

I threw my head toward it, “So what, you think I should rot in prison?”

“I think a jury will give leniency, seeing as you couldn’t have known your abilities would cause his death.”

“No.”

“Yes? It might be your fault but as in all matters of justice intent is important. You didn’t intend to kill him, a jury will see that.”

“That’s not justice,” I pulled my mind inward to where I could feel each power I’ve ever taken and brought Freddy’s immortality to the forefront. It swirled in a sandstorm of colors, a heart beating in the middle of it.

And I choked it into stopping until the sand fell into a dune and the heart shriveled to indistinguishable dust.

“Killing yourself won't bring him back,” Justice voiced, already seeing the blood swell from my previously healed bullet holes.

“I just told you I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from taking the life from Freddy’s killer, I won’t spend immortality staring at him in the mirror. At least this way his power can flow through the world again… along with the rest.” 

One after another I shoved power after ability out of my body as scars and burns long healed split open and returned to their original heat. As I felt my neck open I spared a smile for justice, “Well, I suppose you served your Justice.”

“This isn’t Justice,” The mask intoned as my head fell from my shoulders.