Leaping from one building to another at lightning speed, her figure was but a blur in the night. So fast that even the tight blue and white spandex of her suit were rendered invisible to the naked eye. DuraBelle came to a stop right in the middle of a roof, her foot landing with padded and practiced silence, her ears and the luscious crimson locks barely moving an inch. The kind of grace that only years of experience could give.

“Is it a bit too on the nose to be a leaping rabbit, though?” she asked herself, stretching and holding back a grin. A hand went down her hair to make sure her long ears stayed down, the other making sure no crease in her suit was out of place, all while keeping her attention on the deal going at street level, in the alley right next to her. Once she was sure it was all in place, she crouched next to the edge, staying out of view as she looked at her targets.

A large group of men moved boxes from one truck to another, all of them wearing the same black armor, spikes and serrated edges across their silhouettes while leaving not even an inch of skin show through, their species therefore a mystery. All of them held different kinds of weapons, from small swords on their hips and backs to guns of varied calibers. Likely the same kind of weapons they were smuggling. The only one that looked different was a tall dragon standing aside, overseeing the operation. His armor was far more ornate, shining as if recently polished and lined with modest onyx runes that almost seemed to glow in the dark. A long cape billowed behind him, and a long halberd rested in his hand. His reptilian face was exposed, revealing the ebony scales and long, sharp horns.

The Darkshards… DuraBelle was familiar with this gang, a lot more than she would like to. Rumored to be Mal’Dradarii fanatics, they engaged on pretty much anything the creatures they blindly idolized allowed them to. They didn’t stop just at smuggling weapons, she had heard some factions would go as far as slave trafficking. A despicable sort, every single one of them. The world would undoubtedly be a better place with all of them behind bars. It was an easy decision after that.

With one final stretch, the rabbit held on to the edge of the building, pushing herself over and into the void. A second of free fall had her hair flowing wildly behind her, and unlike the roof landing, she decided to show all her strength with a strong impact on the ground, leaving a small crater on her wake and a shockwave that sent nearby Darkshards flying, cars tumbling from the strength. That should be enough intimi-

“Fire!”

The burst of several guns filled her ears and she covered her head instinctively, even though the bullets bounced harmlessly off her skin. The loud explosions of the shots were a bigger threat than the actual hits could ever hope to be. So much for intimidation tactics, she thought as she ran through the bullet rain, hitting the nearest mook and tossing him to the wall, leaving cracks on it. Her hands reached for a pair of gun muzzles that she bent out of shape, their owners tossed towards their companions with enough force to knock them all out.

Once they realized guns were a lost cause, the remaining men took out the bladed weapons hanging off their waists. Suddenly, DuraBelle was in front of several serrated blades, what little light there was from outside the alley bouncing off their ebony surface. They moved with surprising speed and coordination, surrounding the rabbit in mere seconds, blades up as they rushed from multiple directions. Internally, she gave them props just for being this organized, right before crouching just in time for all of their swords to clash together. She took the chance with a sweeping kick, sending them all flying high in the air, falling to the ground with heavy thuds and the clanking of their many discarded weapons falling next to them.

With nothing but pained grunts between them, DuraBelle and the dragon stared at each other fiercely. Even from a distance, she could tell the reptile was growing tense under the armor, his fingers gripping the lance tighter. On the other hand, she was feeling quite optimistic with her chances.

“Of course, the rank and file wouldn’t be enough to stop a pro, right?” he said with a smirk that betrayed the rush of confidence he was feeling. Where it came from, DuraBelle had no way of knowing, but it made her doubt for half a second. That was all the dragon needed to hold his spear up, not giving her time to react as he started twirling it around at incredible speed. The ebony blade vanished from how fast it was flying around his body, slicing the air with enough speed and power that she heard the whooshing sounds. With every twist, the dragon took another step, creeping over her way, never letting a single inch around him exposed or defenseless. And the closer he got, the taller and more imposing he looked, giving credence to all those tales about how terrifying dragons could really be.

When he was only a couple feet away, he planted himself down and sent a powerful swing aimed at the rabbit’s neck. The blade hit cleanly against DuraBelle’s flesh and the impact caused it to shatter in pieces, leaving only a bare pole on the dragon’s hands as he kneeled down, eyes closed as he struck a pose on the ground.

“Wow,” was all the unimpressed rabbit could say, watching the dragon’s forehead tense up with a nervous frown.
Next thing he knew, he was flying across the alley and slamming hard against his group’s van, upside down and leaving an impressive, body-shaped dent on it.

“Well…” she looked around the alley one last time, seeing only faceless goons, most of them out cold. The few that were still conscious could only groan in pain, unable to move anymore under the weight of their armor. “That was disappointing, actually,” she lightly kicked the air, bored with her mission done. Other than a few cracks on the walls, there was no collateral damage, so at least that was a plus.

“And we wouldn’t want to disappoint. Not when prey comes at last.”

That deep, dark, slightly distorted voice sent a chill down DuraBelle’s spine. She whipped around and instinctively knew she wouldn’t be fast enough. Yet, nothing happened… Nothing except her coming face to face with a newcomer, a tall man in a jet black armor that was somehow darker than the night surrounding him. It was lined and adorned with golden details, and a crimson cloth acted as cape and loincloth. A sinister draconian helmet covered his face, long ebony horns over his brow, leaving his identity a complete mystery.

He was sitting atop one of the vans, leaning slightly forward, hands crossed over his lap and looking at her with what she could only figure was interest. His face being covered was one thing, but his entire body language seemed perfectly practiced, not letting a single hint of his thoughts out. Even standing in front of her, the rabbit couldn’t fully feel his presence, making her wonder if he had been here the entire time, just watching her fight.

“With that outfit, you must be the big bad wolf,” she took a fighting stance, her wight on one foot forward, arms raised to block whatever he might throw her way. He wasn’t like the others, she could tell with just one glance. There was an aura to him that got her hackles to raise.

“Not quite a wolf. But then again, you’re not quite red riding hood. But yes, you can call me the ‘big bad’ if such labels help you.”

She was about to say something- She wanted to say something! But the only thing that left her mouth was the air being pushed out of her longs as a stream of dark energy sprouted from the ground beneath her. The familiar, long and thin shape of five clawed fingers closed around her torso and a giant dark hand lifted her off the ground, rising far above the buildings. It curved downward in the air and the rabbit was slammed hard on a rooftop, leaving yet another crater on it, this one far larger than the last. So much for collateral damage…

The figure of that mystery armored man appeared against the night sky, floating down, his cape billowing in a manner than DuraBelle had to admit looked quite imposing. His feet silently fell on the edge of the rooftop, standing in perfect balance, no need for assistance. No magic to speak of, just his own natural skill. In his hand, there was now a curved black sword, sleek and simpler than the jagged weapons the other Dark Shards were using. In other words, practical and effective. Unlike the goons that relied on their image to intimidate others, this was an enemy with actual skills.

“My apologies for being this rough, but strong first impressions are important. Wouldn’t you agree, young lady?” he said and the grasp on his blade tightened. DuraBelle managed to jump back up and retake her stance, but all the lion did was bow. Rather profusely, at that, yet leaving no room for a surprise attack. Whatever he did, he never let his guard down, and with a bit of a chuckle he made it clear that he was mocking the hero. “I am the leader of the Darkshards, the Sorcerer Lord if you may, and the gentlemen you took care of back down are my underlings. I must thank you for that, it was quite an eye opener regarding how much stricter our recruitment process should be from now on.”

“Can I convince you of turning yourself in to repay me?” but all he had to say to that was another chuckle. “Couldn’t hurt to try, right?”

With a single kick on the ground, DuraBelle leaped all the way to the villain, fists reared back. He dodged the feint without effort and the rabbit skidded back to the ground, sending a roundhouse kick that he had to bend down to avoid. Out of balance, the armored man fell off the rooftop and his foot pressed against the wall instead, keeping himself upright against it. He swung his sword, his movements quick and direct, and DuraBelle managed to block them with her bare forearms. There was enough force behind them to push her back, however, and a few steps was all it took for her foe to get back on the roof proper, pushing her back towards the middle.

She didn’t trust a sorcerer’s blade to remain just a regular sword for too long, and blocked each and every swing with precise timing, keeping it away from any vital spot. But the man was fast enough that he left her no openings, putting them at a standstill. Her best bet was to jump forward and reach for the sword, holding it in place by the blade and pulling it out of the way. At that exact moment, his free arm thrust forward, sparks already forming at his fingertips. DuraBelle went for his wrist instead, pulling his arm and the incoming spell out of the way, only for nothing to come out of his hand. He was the one pulling up, one foot on the rabbit’s stomach pushing her away and freeing himself out of her grasp.

To think she had fallen for a feint of his own… The sorcerer had taken the chance to float out of the building again, hovering a few feet off the ground, the wind making his cape envelop him like a pair of burning wings. When it spread open, his hands were pushed together in front of his chest, the onyx jewel on his breastplate shining a powerful purple. DuraBelle only had time to gasp before a beam of raw magic energy burst out of her enemy’s armor, hitting her squarely on the chest. She tried resisting the impact, pushing herself forward, but the beam was powerful enough to send her all the way to the other side of the roof and off the building, sending her flying across the street and crashing against the brick wall of another building.

The spell went on for a few more seconds, its mighty pressure hitting her hard enough that, by the time it was over, her body simply peeled off the wall and fell unceremoniously on the street, cracking the asphalt. For an entire second, the rabbit couldn’t move any of her muscles, but it wasn’t the first time she faced a strong enemy, and her body recovered right away, never failing her. With another groan, she pulled herself back up, pushing through the rubble and stretching her shoulders.

“Ow,” was all she had to say, more out of annoyance than anything. She checked her body not for wounds, but hoping that her suit hadn’t torn anywhere. The city was getting wrecked with this fight, so she didn’t need to add indecent exposure to the list.

From the other side of the street, the armored sorcerer floated back down, his cape once again billowing behind him, landing with a bit of a flourish. DuraBelle wondered if he was doing that on purpose.

“You’re so exceptionally resilient, I’m still trying to decide if it’s terrifying or absurd. Either way, I must admit I’m amazed,” a compliment… He didn’t seem the type to give them freely, so she wasn’t sure how to take it. “I have heard of you before, young lady. The up and coming superheroine that has been interfering with the Darkshards’ operations lately, busting our deals and sending so many of my men to the hospital.”

“I bet it must hurt to have so many of your plans ruined in quick succession,” she declared with a bit of a smirk, hands on her hips and standing straighter. “And it’s about to hurt for real now. So I suggest you give up now, while you still have the chance. I know magic users like you, you’ll run out of mana eventually, and once you do, it’s over. Strong as you may be, you don’t stand a chance against me in a proper fight. Do what’s best for yourself.”

“Oh! Oh, don’t get me wrong, you’re ultimately little more than a thorn on my side,” that actually got a jump out of DuraBelle, but she tried not letting it show. “What you call ruining was nothing more than minor delays and setbacks. Our operations have barely suffered anything thanks to your efforts. And while I agree with you that you would undoubtedly win the moment I run out of mana, you simply won’t stay conscious long enough for that.”
“Awfully cocky, aren’t we?”

“Saying that makes you quite a hypocrite, little girl,” no sooner he said that, the rabbit felt a vein pop on her forehead. Both hands, still on her hips, tightened up and his jaw clenched to keep a few choice words down. Meanwhile, the man’s shoulders loosened, and he looked down for the first time, letting out a sigh that sounded almost dejected. “I’ve committed countless atrocities in my life and I regret not a single one of them. If the world wants to label me as ‘evil’, I will accept such name. As long as I can achieve my ambitions, I will take and do almost anything. But even I have a code of honor, and I will not tarnish it by harming a child.”

“I am not a child!” she finally burst out, slamming her foot with enough strength to crack the street further. “I am a full-fledged hero, and I won’t let you say otherwise!”

“That is exactly what a child would say,” there was cold finality to those words that made the rabbit freeze for a moment. “You are strong, and if you keep going the way you have so far, you have a bright future ahead of you. So bright, in fact, the smarter thing would be to eliminate you right here, right now. Keep you from becoming a threat. But in the end, you’re just a little girl playing hero, and I have my pride. So leave this place, stop interfering with my operations, and we won’t go after you,” after that, his voice took an even darker tone, with an echo behind it that DuraBelle knew wasn’t part of the distortion from his helmet. “But persist on your feeble attempts at stopping us, and even that pride won’t keep me from showing you my full wrath.”

He was right. From the beginning, DuraBell could tell that the man was far stronger than most foes she’d faced so far. Even with the powers she trusted more than anything, she wasn’t as confident in her victory as usual. One false move, one second of doubt on her part, and it was over, and doubting was exactly what she was doing right now. Perhaps he was right, and taking his deal wasn’t the wrong choice. Get stronger, strong enough to defeat him, to stop them for real down the road…

And what until then? What would happen with all the deals she had stopped, with all the lives she had saved so far? She would just let the Dark Shards continue to take the town over, street by street, until they had everyone under their thumb? All while she lived in shame, training over the meager hope that maybe, just maybe, one day she might be strong enough to win without difficulty. No. She knew from the beginning that being a hero would be difficult, and that even then she would have to stand up against adversity.

“It sounds like you’re the one who doesn’t get what’s happening here,” she didn’t know when her hands had fallen limp to her sides, but her fists were now firm and she took her familiar stance, staring straight at him. The armored man looked at her with disappointment so palpable, she could even feel it through his helmet, but she didn’t care. “The one thing heroes are the best at is persisting. I won’t fall for your tricky words, and I sure won’t negotiate with criminals. Especially ones as vile as you.”

“…At the very least, I commend your conviction,” the sorcerer said just as his shoulders tensed back up, and his blade rose between them. “Foolish as it may be. But it is a pity, having to put an end to such a promising young life.”

The sword was another faint, but the rabbit saw through it this time. A beam of energy shot from his free hand and DuraBelle blocked it with a hand, rushing across the street to meet the armored man. Every step she took, the beam turned even stronger, the sorcerer putting more power into it, forcing the hero to use both arms just to stay in place. It was nothing like the previous one, and she realized just how much he had been holding back before. But this was exactly the kind of adversity that heroes had to go through. To overcome…

With a burst of renewed strength, her arms spread open with enough strength to disperse the beam, the sorcerer’s hand shooting back from the shockwave. It was visibly shaking, and the sorcerer looked back in shock and anger. The defenseless instant DuraBelle had been waiting all this time. She rushed to him and threw a punch that he barely managed to dodge, but they were locked on her pace and the sorcerer was the one dodging and blocking her attacks with his sword, never getting the room to cast another spell. She had the upper hand right away, her enemy barely able to keep up, his breathing starting to grow coarse as she pushed him to his limit.

One swing of his sword was too slow and didn’t block her attack. Her punch went through his defenses, aimed straight at his chest, and he only had time and instinct to cast a thin barrier between them. It broke in an instant and he was sent flying back across the street, skidding down the asphalt and falling to his knee, holding his chest. The man was audibly gasping, trembling, and while she had broken a sweat, DuraBelle was still in top condition, ready to keep going.

“Invincible…” the armored man declared with a dark inflection to his voice. DuraBelle’s long ears stirred slightly at the word, but she didn’t break her stance as her enemy stood back up. “That’s what my men had been calling you all this time. And I was quick to dismiss them every time. I see now just how much I underestimated you. But let us see…” his hand rose again and a beam of even stronger energy than ever burst out, but DuraBelle once again blocked it. “Let us see how invincible you really are!”