Rise of the Warlord, epilogue

Continued from:



Walkiria cursed under her breath as she looked down at the spot where the armored psychic warrior had been "killed" supposedly by her hand. The only thing that remained was a trickle of blood that dotted out a few feet back down the alley before disappearing altogether. She turned her head left and right, as if he would be crouched down lurking behind the nearby trash cans or parked cars, before giving a long sigh. He had managed to out-fox both she and Grendel and then escape to wreck havoc later at a time and place of his own choosing. The statuesque heroine ground her teeth together at the thought of having to deal with him a second time. As she looked back behind her the French cyborg was also scanning the area, the same look of irritation and anger on her features. She noticed Maia watching her and threw her hands up in resignation.

"He's gone and since we have no idea how long he was playing in our minds, we might have been fighting a shadow for the majority of that battle. My internal chronometer is telling me he has at least a three minute head start IF he pulled this stunt there at the end when it looked like we had him. If it was earlier.... Might he have taken to the rooftops again?" she said thinking about it.

"Or the sewers with the rest of the turds." Maia replied curling her lip, "Or he ditched his armor and is simply walking around, hands in his pockets."

Claire nodded and looked around futilely once more.

Maia watched her for a second more before speaking.

"Would you have really killed him for what he did to Olga?"

Claire nodded her response slowly, thinking about the henchmen of Ilsa's she killed for what they were about to do to Clemence. She shuddered at how simply she had come to her decision to use lethal force then and now.
"Yes I would have killed him. I am a soldier and I am...was an assassin. I wish I could say I was more like Olga in that I have forsaken killing but I would be deluding myself. I want more than anything to be like her in that regard. Noble enough to let even a murderer like the one we just fought live...but after what he did to her, I wanted nothing short of taking his life. I would hunt him down across the face of the earth and make him pay right now if I could. What about you Walkiria? Would you have killed him for that?"

The green clad heroine paused and thought about her answer before speaking.

"I honestly wanted to. I wanted to hurt him as badly as he's hurt her...but in the end I just wanted to bring him to justice. Not just for what he did to her, but what he did to all those innocent people at the airport terminal. I felt the same feeling when I lost control and crippled Genocide. I wasn't glad I did it...but she deserved it, all of it and more...and I wouldn't take any of it back. Even though I know it is wrong to feel that way”

Claire cocked her head to one side and frowned. “Is it really wrong to feel that way?”

Maia nodded. “Yes, I believe it is. At least I feel that way now. Look, I am new to this whole superhero thing myself. Power doesn’t equal experience. I have made my share of mistakes. Right after I got my powers and decided to use them to fight evil Ultrawoman escaped from some sort of dimensional trap. In the process she killed three friends of mine. People I had served with. People whom I had entrusted with my life in the past. I did things like we did in the Marines and in Spec. Ops. I went after her. I got the better of her and I hurt her. I hurt her bad. I wanted her to suffer like the widows and orphans she created were going to suffer. In my rage I did things to her I am not proud of. When I was done I tried to kill her. Who knew the skank could survive being thrown into a river of lava.”

“You were avenging your comrades. I am sure…” Claire started to reply.
“No, you don’t understand. These powers, these abilities can’t be used to seek revenge. Look at all the people who have suffered because of Ultrawoman’s attacks on either me or Olga. Part of her hatred for me is because what I did to her. Because I stopped looking for justice. I went seeking vengeance. I thought I could use the same rules I had always used in the military. But those don’t work here. They are more shades of gray and more innocents in the way. That is the lesson I have learned from Olga. How to fight the monsters without becoming one myself.”

Claire nodded as Maia’s words struck home.

“Look, I can’t swear I will always live up to my intentions. And I can’t honestly say there aren’t times when lethal or deadly force isn’t required. But it has to be the last resort and for the right reasons. I guess all superheroes have to determine where they stand, and how far they will go. I just know I am so glad I have Olga beside me. I can’t think of a better example of what a heroine really is.” Maia stopped, the emotional outpour had left her feeling drained.

Claire looked at her before looking back down at the ground.

"I want to be like you...like Olga...I want to make a difference in this city. I don't want to be what Ilsa made me. I want to help save lives and punish those responsible."

Maia walked over to her slowly and held out her hand.

"You're taking the right steps Claire. Olga's told me all about you: what you did during the war, how you were brought back...what you both meant to each other. What happened here today doesn't make you less human or less of a force for good. If anything it shows that Genocide never could strip away your humanity. You still feel guilt, remorse and love. I am glad you're on her side again and I would be proud to call you a friend."

Claire opened her mouth to speak, but no words formed. She grasped the hand extended to her, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Olga has a good woman in you Walkiria. I know that now. I know you will never fail her and that you will never lessen in your love for her. You and she make a beautiful couple and I would like more than anything to have you as a friend."

Both women shook hands and smiled as the sounds of police and emergency service vehicles began to get closer and closer.

"Go to her," Claire said, "go to her and make sure she's going to be alright. I'll scout around and see if there is any clue to his location. Besides...the police and I are not quite ready to shake hands."

Maia nodded and released her hand. "Take care of yourself Claire...and thank you."

Claire smiled, wiping away the budding tears from her face and bounded off into the alley, her cybernetic senses looking for anything to reveal what had happened to the Russian telepath.

Walkiria turned towards the more painful task of helping the woman she loved put the pieces of her life back together.

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The artwork here is once again provided by the amazingly talented skills of my good friend , who has been instrumental is helping me create these tales with his outstanding visuals and also with his imagination. Without his help there would be no Claire and that would be a loss to SSW's universe indeed.

Walkiria is the property and creation of , my other half who also helped edit this chapter of the tale, to which she has my thanks.

The mentioned Ultrawoman belongs of course to

Soviet Superwoman, Genocide, Voyevoda, Grendel and most of the story are my property and creations.

This takes place in