8.02

Legend, a powerful hero, addressed a room full of capes, both heroes and villains, gathered to battle the monstrous Endbringer, Leviathan. He grimly informed them that one in four would die in the upcoming fight. Leviathan, the second of the three Endbringers, possessed incredible speed, durability, and hydrokinesis, making him a formidable foe. He had already caused catastrophic events, like the sinking of Newfoundland and the devastating tidal waves in Kyushu, Japan.

Legend emphasized that Brockton Bay was a “soft target” due to an underground aquifer beneath the city, which Leviathan could manipulate, potentially causing the city to collapse. The strategy was twofold: keep Leviathan contained and constantly under attack, and inflict enough damage to force him to retreat.

Armsmaster, a technologically-inclined hero, distributed armbands designed by Dragon. These devices displayed the wearer’s location, Leviathan’s last known position, and allowed for communication and emergency pings. He stressed the importance of following the orders of the Protectorate, who had trained and planned for this scenario, and then other experienced Endbringer fighters.

The capes were divided into groups based on their abilities:

• Front line: Those who could withstand Leviathan’s attacks or deploy expendable fighters, led by Alexandria and Dragon. * Hand-to-hand combatants: Those who could harm or hinder Leviathan in close quarters, led by Armsmaster and Chevalier. * Backup defense: Those who could use forcefields, telekinesis, or other powers to disrupt Leviathan’s movements or mitigate wave damage, led by Bastion. * Movers: Fliers, teleporters, and speedsters tasked with rescuing the fallen and providing support, led by Myrddin. * Long-ranged attackers: Led by Legend himself.

As Legend organized the groups, a massive wave struck the building, forcing an immediate evacuation. Strider, a teleporter, transported everyone to a street outside, now flooded by the receding tidal wave. Leviathan, a thirty-foot-tall, reptilian creature with immense strength and speed, stood amidst the wreckage of the Boardwalk. His body was covered in scales, and his featureless face was marked by four cracks that housed glowing green eyes. He moved with a disturbing grace, his long tail lashing behind him, leaving a trail of water in his wake.

As Leviathan advanced, Legend shouted a warning, and the Endbringer dropped to all fours, charging towards the assembled capes with terrifying speed. Before anyone could react, he plowed through their lines, leaving a trail of blood and water in his wake. The armbands began to display the grim toll: Carapacitator down, Krieg down, Iron Falcon down, Saurian down…