24.1

Worm, Chapter 24.1 Summary:

The smoke-choked air of New Delhi was thick with the chaos of Behemoth’s attack. Weaver, struggling to navigate the burning city, could only contribute minimally with her roasted, dying bugs. She flew in straight lines, assessing the situation from various vantage points. The streets were flooded with panicked civilians, the fires spread, and the situation worsened.

She guided her team, the Chicago Wards, through a shortcut in a building, punching a hole with his piledrivers. Weaver pressed the rookies to explain their powers. Annex, a breaker and shaker, could merge with nonliving material and warp space. Golem could create and control constructs out of materials he touched. Cuff was a metallokinetic, and Grace, a melee fighter, wore PRT-issue chainmail.

Cuff was panicking, especially after a nearby lightning strike, terrified that her metal costume made her a target. Weaver reassured her, stating that Behemoth’s lightning didn’t follow regular channels, but Cuff remained unconvinced.

Weaver, using her swarm, scouted the area, noting the different types of bugs. She realized the Wards, with four shakers out of six, had strong battlefield control capabilities. They decided to meet up with the Undersiders, hoping to find a synergistic strategy.

They encountered a crane and decided to create a lightning rod. Annex and Cuff distorted the metal, creating a flattened blob, while Golem shaped a disk for the spire. Tecton explained that he had intentionally drafted this team for their synergy, aiming for a specific goal rather than versatility, inspired by the Undersiders’ effectiveness.

They constructed a massive hand-shaped spire, a lightning rod meant to draw Behemoth’s attacks. It worked, attracting several lightning strikes, boosting morale and giving them a sense of contribution.

They reached the Undersiders, who were collecting wounded Indian capes. Grue was defensive, focused on dealing with the injured. Tattletale was at the command center with Accord, and Citrine, Foil, Parian, and Ligeia were elsewhere, putting out fires and providing protection.

A massive shockwave caused buildings to collapse, signaling a shift in the battle. The smoke cleared, revealing Behemoth’s rampage. Legend and Eidolon fought him, but the Endbringer targeted the lightning rod, then turned his attention to spreading fire with his dynakinesis.

Regent and Imp bantered, their usual dynamic a stark contrast to the grim situation. Grue and Weaver shared a brief moment of connection, a silent acknowledgment of their shared history and the current crisis.

They decided to focus on rescuing the wounded, using makeshift sleds pulled by Rachel’s enlarged dogs. Weaver helped a burned child, a stark reminder of the human cost of Behemoth’s attack. The lightning rod tilted, damaged, and Behemoth fell, struck by a powerful blow.

A figure hovered where Behemoth had stood. Weaver contacted Defiant, demanding to know who it was, as Alexandria was supposed to be dead. The chapter ends with the mystery of the new figure and the ongoing chaos of the Endbringer battle.