Heroes and Villains

She whirled around, causing several more feathers to flutter into the air as her heart skipped a beat.

The man in glasses was standing there, smiling darkly, his eyes completely hidden.

She took a step back, toward the door of the cafe, lowering her gaze to the ground and doing her best to hide behind her bangs.

"Hello, Mayhayla."

She continued backing up, biting her lip as she pressed against the cafe door. Better to be around other people... this time it was... being alone with this man wouldn't be good...

"They can't help you, Mayhayla. No one can." He smiled wickedly.

She still had her gaze on the ground, and so didn't see his smile. All the same, she shivered. "I--I don't want--any trouble with you. Please."

"That's quite unfortunate. Because I want your powers. And you have to die for that."

She looked up. "What? I don't-- You don't... No! You have powers of your own!"

"But I can't fly. Or summon storms. Or drain life. And my bones aren't as strong as steel."

She stared at him. "How did you know I could do those things?"

"Study and telepathy." He smiled darkly.

She fidgeted, gaze falling back to the ground. Without warning, she bolted and snapped her wings open, giving a powerful heave to launch herself into the air again.

A jolt of electricity shot out of the man's hand, sending her into spasms, making it impossible for her to stand, let alone fly.

Mahayla gave a sharp cry as she crumpled.

She was caught by an invisible force, and floated into a back alley with him.

She struggled against it, pleading for him to let her go as she did.

He pressed her against the wall, a knife floating off his belt. "I am sorry. You seem like a nice young girl."

She struggles to get away. As soon as he makes any kind of physical contact with her, he feels energy begin to drain at a very fast rate.

He never does make contact with her. It's all telekinesis. The knife tip presses against her forehead.

She freezes, staring at him. "Please, just let me go! You can't get someone else's powers 'cause if they die, so do their powers!"

"It's worked on the last dozen or so. You're no different." He smirks, and the knife begins cutting into her, just enough to sever the skull, not touching her brain.

She screams, loud, both in pain and in the hopes that someone will hear and come help.

He frowns and teleports with her to a basement somewhere. "Your bones are strong. This will take longer than usual." The knife keeps cutting.

She quiets somewhat into crying rather than screaming, still telling and asking him to stop.