The Ring

Anabella was the first to act throwing her gun at the hero known as Vampirica.

Vampirica slashed out, her katana in it's sheath, but still being used as a weapon slapping the empty gun into the air as she jumped forward.

"Jack you're a hero nut what do you know about her! Any weakness like a glowing rock or some other dumb s##t!" Anabella screamed throwing out a punch which the hero dodged. Vampirica slammed her weapon forward smashing it into Anabella's stomach making the woman gasp out.

"Not a lot!" Jack admitted rolling across the floor and swinging the bat he took from Shelly which was blocked. "She's a vampire themed superhero, but unlike normal vampires she can go in the sunlight and garlic does nothing to her! She used to be on this old timey superhero team too called the Subs but most of their members died to a villain named Homeless King! In fact I think her and Mister-Magical are the only two left and double M is retired! As for powers... Typical vampire powers like speed, durability and-" Vampirica swung out with her hand slashing Jack's back in two. He stared down at it with wide eyes. "And super strength... Well. Stake through the heart b###h!" He turned the bat over and slammed it down but the woman grabbed his arm stopping it in its track. "I am so sorry for using the b word please don't-"

She slammed him through the floor board as hard as she could smashing him down as the wooden floor shattered.

Shelly let out a scream at the chaos that was happening as she backed up in fear.

Anabella jumped back to her feet spitting out a broken tooth as she grabbed a wooden chair and swung it slamming it into Vampirica and throwing the vampire themed hero off of her teammate.

Jack groaned sitting up as he pulled himself out of the floor board but stopped when something caught his eye. It was a small black box. Like something a ring would be kept in. He reached out slowly holding it. The box was made out of metal and cool to the touch. He went to open it but jumped when Anabella grabbed him.

"Come on!" She screamed.

"Right." He slipped the box into his jacket as him and her crashed through the window jumping out of the store and making a break for it down the street.

Vampirica stood back up not even hurt. "You okay?" She asked slowly turning to look at Shelly.

"Uh... Yeah?"

"Good." And with that she stepped out of the store and onto the street holding her hand out. The floor beneath her began to cool down as ice exploded out and flew down the street! The ice sprung up and covered Anabella's leg making her slip and fall face down into the snow.

"Jack!" She yelled.

Jack stopped turning back to find her stuck in place, Vampirica hot on their heels as she began to run down the street towards them. He ran towards his teammate reaching out. And then... He grabbed the bag of jewels she had been holding.

"Have fun in prison!" He called out turning and leaving her.

"Oh you f##king asshole-"

Vampirica crashed into Anabella slamming the girl into the ground as she raised her hand up and smashed a fist into the womans head knocking her out in a single punch. She stood back up as slashed her hand out a large blade of ice firing off towards Jack who ducked into an alleyway dodging it. Vampirica ran forward turning around the corner of the alleyway and-

Came to a stop when she found it empty.

She looked around but there was no sign of Jack. No doors, or ladders he could have climbed either. In less then a second he had simply vanished from sight. Vampirica looked around for a second before slowly turning around and grabbing the unconscious Anabella. She pulled out her phone and began to call someone.

"Hey. It's Vampirica. I have a favor to ask."

***

Jack let out a pained sigh walking up the steps of the old worn down apartment that he lived in. It was at the poor section of Sakura City. Many of the Inns, and apartments were all run down and didn't look that good. Then again it was far better than nothing. He could be out on the street after all.

He reached up taking his mask off and stuffing it in his pockets. He then stuffed the bag of cash and jewels in his jacket as well.

He stopped in front of room 259 and slowly pushed the door open sliding into the room.

"Hey D##k! I'm home." He called out. "And I got the rent money so I swear to God my stuff better not have been thrown out!"

The inside was small and cramped. It wasn't a large apartment. Barely big enough to fit one person much less the two that lived there. Inside was a simple grey couch that was old and worn down, as well as a box T.V set that was resting on the cardboard box it had come in. The screen was very small. There were two mats on the ground for the beds, as well as a small and simple kitchen, and a bathroom. Dirty clothes were scattered everywhere, and near the end of the apartment was a balcony which had the doors taken off. A Table was outside where his roommate set working on a computer.

"Welcome back..." Nick Ale, his roommate said letting out a sigh as he worked on something. Likely fueling the gambling addiction he had as he played some gacha game. Nick was actually built fairly big. He had decent sized lean muscles. Like a swimmer and neat black hair and brown eyes. Like Jack he was about thirty give or take a few years. "Put the money on the counter and I'll pay off the rent. How was work by the way?" Nick used to be the star athlete of some football team. However he had been caught gambling on his own matches and was quickly kicked off the team. Now he works at some burger joint much to his humiliation, and he's constantly researching and betting on the stock market hoping to get all that money he once had back. Then when he does have money he wastes it on gacha games in an attempt to get waifus. Funny. Someone who used to be famous now being a nobody. Kids every where knew his name.

And now he's roommates with Jack Bravo...

"Ahh you know. Same old, same old. Nothing to big. I just work the night shift for Avalon-Mart." Jack said placing most of the cash on the table. His roommate didn't really know what Jack got up to in the middle of the night.

"Is it just me or do you look a little bruised up?"

"Oh yeah. Fell down some stairs."

"Clumsy much..."

Jack ignored his roommate as he took a seat at a corner of the room that was filled with many action figures and posters of superheroes. While Nick was busy wasting time and money on gacha games Jack was busy wasting cash on action figures.

He stared at one of the dolls. The one of Full Monarch brushing it softly before sighing. He reached back into his jacket and pulled out that black box rubbing it softly.

"Whats that?" Nick asked boredly looking over. "A ring?"

"A gift." Jack lied clicking it open softly. He was a bit let down when he discovered that inside of the box was a ring. He had been expecting a little more. The ring would likely be worth something at least. It was a solid red ring and almost warm in his hands. It didn't seem to be made out of metal but actually something like rubies. By like a single ruby. Like someone turned a ruby into a full on ring. "I wonder why it was hidden under the floor board at that old run down shop..." He sighed playing with it between his fingers and slipping it on softly. "Oh well. Maybe I can sell it. It does seem to be pretty so-"

Flames exploded out of Jack's ring finger catching the wall on fire as Jack and Nick stared with wide eyes. Jack's finger twitched causing more flames to pour out.

"What the hell!" Nick yelled suddenly jumping up.

"Holy s##t!"

Nick ran over to the sink grabbing a cup and filling it with water as more and more flames spewed out of Jack's finger. Jack himself fell back in a panic as he tried to get the ring off. As soon as he did the flames stopped pouring out and Nick doused the wall in water steam feeling the room!

"What just happened!" Nick screamed.

"I have no idea!" Jack yelled back, as he stumbled away from the ring staring at it with wide eyes.

"Did freaking flames pour out of your hands?"

"N... No... I... I think it was the ring."

"The ring?" Nick looked down finding the ring on the ground. He reached out for it slowly.

"Don't-"

"Relax..." Nick's finger brushed it and his eyes went wide as he yelled in pain and fell back holding his fingers to his chest. His fingers burned as if he dipped them in magma the tips of his fingers straight up gone and the flesh turning black. He cried out in agony as he ran to the sink and dipped them in cold water. "Oh God, oh god!"

"That... Doesn't make sense..." Jack frowned watching his roommate. "It burned him when he touched it. But if it's really that hot then why isn't the carpet on fire or anything else burning?"

"Who gives a s##t! Call someone!" Nick screamed.

Jack stared at his roommate for a moment. "Come to think of it... I wasn't getting burned by the fire... What if... I think I can hold it?"

"Jack no-" Jack reached down picking up the ring expecting to feel pain like Nick had but nothing happened. The ring remained in his hand. Only a little warm. Nick stared with wide eyes. "What? It's not burning you?"

"I think... This might belong to a superhero..." Jack said letting out a nervous laugh out of fear and confusion.

Nick slumped to the floor pulling his fingers out of the water. They were badly burned and not in good shape. "I... I think I need to go to the hospital. Listen." He groaned sitting up. "I don't know what the hell that thing is but get it the hell out of this house! When I get back that thing better be gone!"

"Yeah..." Jack allowed the ring to play around in his fingers a little more. "I think I'll return this..."

***

Meanwhile...

Outside of the destroyed store a black car pulled up. The door opened as an old man stepped out.

"Shelly! I came as soon as I heard! Are you alright?"

"Y... Yeah Mr. James." Shelly nodded stepping out of the store and gulping. "I... I'm so... So sorry." She said a few tears coming out of her eyes. "They took all the money and the jewels and I couldn't stop them-"

"You're okay, you're okay." The old man said hugging her. "It's fine. As long as you're not hurt. I'm just glad a hero was here to help."

"Y... Yeah... That woman saved me." Shelly nodded. "She knocked out one of those criminals but the other one got away. Afterwards she called the cops and they're on their way here to check out the store while she's taking the person she captured to Nightshade Prison. I called you as soon as soon as I could."

The old man nodded his head. "I see... Well... I'm glad you did." He said giving her a smile. "Besides. It's not so bad. This store... Well it hasn't been doing to well for a while now." He said giving a sad sigh but also a smile. "I think it's about time I close it down for good. I'm so happy you're okay though."

"Y... You really have to close the store."

"I think I will..." He said nodding slowly as he walked into the mostly destroyed building looking at all the damage. "It had a good run but all good things do have to come to an end after all-" He suddenly went dead silent as he stared at the flooring where a small hole was. The same hole he had hidden away something for later. "...Shelly..."

"Yeah James?"

He bent down towards it. "I... I don't suppose that... You found a little black box in here and picked it up did you?"

"No? Why? I honestly didn't even know that was here sir? I think I remember one of those goons taking it. The girl called him Klarc I think? Why? Was it anything important?"

James gritted his teeth as his fingers brushed part of the flooring. "Damn it... If this is broken then that would mean the runes on it are gone as well..."

"Runes?" Shelly asked blinking a few times.

James stood up. "It's only a matter of time before 'he' figures out where it is. We need to hurry. I should find Vampirica and tell the cops about this at once before it's too-"

The sound of a car pulling up could be heard.

"Oh good. That must be the cops!" Shelly said turning.

Shelly and James stepped outside and came to a stop.

It wasn't the cops.

There was a slick black limo that rested there. Stepping out of it was a man in a black business suit with slick black hair and a light black beard as well as a cane. Several other men in large brown trench coats stepped out. These men were covered from head to toe in their clothing and wore hats and masks covering all of their skin off.

"Hello." The mysterious stranger said giving a smile. "It's been a while right... Mister-Magical?"

"Jaded Blue..."

Shelly blinked a few times. "Uh... I have no idea whats happening..."