Catastrophe

[Spindarene]

Leila ponders what August says about their gifts as she notices him changing with his powers. She'd always been doubtful about the idea of an afterlife, but now at the end with seeing the changes in August, part of her wants to be hopeful. She feels awkward when August praises her and her gift, but shyly accepts it. She tells him she hopes that this won't be the end for either of them.

[Shiola]

August smiles, and looks down at her hand in his. When she says that she hopes it isn't the end, he can believe it. He's glad he's not alone.

His skin is pretty much glowing at this point, the same way it was that day he'd been struck by lightning on the way home. He knew it wasn't long, now.

Says to Leila that he can hold on for a little bit longer, but only just. Asks her if she's ready.

[Spindarene]

Leila takes in the sight of August with awe, but still holds firmly onto his hand. She replies that she is ready.

[Shiola]

August returns the look of awe, and feels gratitude that they're together.

He stops holding back his Gift, and instead draws as much power as quickly as he can from the cameras, the wiring, and everything around them.

[Spindarene]

Leila's last sensations are of seeing August glow, feeling the heat and electricity on her skin and curling in towards him, still holding his hand, before she is incinerated.

[Shiola]

A bright flash erupted from August’s body, brighter than the light of the sun.

Anything in the room that could catch fire briefly erupted in flames, the few intact windows of the conference room shattering from the sudden massive burst of heat. It lasted for only a few moments as August faded, his being no longer able to contain the massive amount of energy he had become the conduit for. Leila immediately lost consciousness.

The moment his brain functions ceased, every molecule of August’s body instantly vaporized, along with much of the air surrounding him. Five gigajoules of heat, light, and radiation obliterated the room and everything in it, including Leila Merin.

The explosion ripped apart the top level of the Compound, blowing apart a corner of the building and exposing it to the open air; glass, concrete, and shrapnel rained down across the surrounding desert, a plume of smoke and dust following it into the sky.

August Hanlon’s dying cry thundered out across the desert.