I feel the full effect of the blast as I fly through the air and land on the ground. There is so much momentum that I can't stop myself until I hit a rock.

The effect of it makes me de-morph, leaving me helpless on the ground.

I try to rise, but realise that I have sprained my leg. I bite my lips to prevent myself from screaming.

I can hear the scrunch of boots on rock as Dark Knight is walking towards me.

I reach out for the ruby ring lying on a ground, just out of my reach.

Dark Knight steps on the thing which turned to dust.

He grabs my throat and lifts me off the ground, shaking me roughly.

This enemy is something which is stronger than all that I have fought before.

His pincers pierce into my skin, drawing blood. I gasp and throw my limbs to escape from his stranglehold.

"Surrender," he threatens.

"Never," I reply, even as I can feel the venom coursing through my body.

"Last chance," the cold voice whispers.

I glance around and see him standing in the dark alleyway. My eyes plead to him. He stands and shakes his head.

"You traitor," my scream shatters the stillness of the night...

I sat up on my bed, panting. I was drenched in sweat and my heart was fluttering.

"It was nothing. It was just a dream," My mind seemed to convince me.

"It wasn't a dream," I said to the empty room, "it was a remnant of my worst nightmare coming true. The worst defeat, the worst fate. I had lost my super!"

I had lost 'Firewings', the leader of the "Firebirds', the group dedicated to protect the citizens of Corinth from harm.

We combat the forces of evil, signified by the 'Dark Warriors', headed by the 'Dark Knight'.

I eventually got out of bed. My head felt heavy and so did my limbs. Today was going to be the biggest decision of my life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walked into the den, which was glowing orange due to the fire burning in the fireplace. Every eye in the room turned to me, each ready with its own set of unspoken questions.

I faltered on the step to the stage. I could feel the eyes on my back.

"People, brothers and sisters of this secret society," I addressed the gathering, "I am extremely sorry to inform you that we still haven't got any trace of our leader, the majestic 'Firewings'. He is presumed to be dead. So the decision rests on you as to what we will do next."

I lowered my eyes and dutifully stepped back from the microphone, surveying the crowd. I didn't feel a lump in my throat as I should have felt.

A hush fell across the entire room followed by a few strangled cries.

And then suddenly everyone began discussing in low whispers. I could feel the tension in the air rising.

Finally a man got up from the crowd and came forward. In a grand manner, he knelt down before me as a sign of surrender.

Following him, I could see one by one, people dropping down on their knees.

I stood baffled, unable to fathom what the situation was.

Finally the man raised his head and met my eyes, "The quest for the leader will go on. But we cannot run without a 'Firewing'. Would you do us the honor of being the 'Firewing' in absence of Stephen? "

I didn't know what to say. They want me to be the new leader.

Should I accept the offer? Wouldn't it be betraying him?

My mind went blank for a moment. But in that blank, an image seemed to form in my mind...

I'm de-morphed, a helpless subordinate, being choked and poisoned by the villain...I'm pleading for help.

He had seen the strength of the enemy. He shakes his head and starts backing off.

"Please help me. I'm dying. You just can't leave me," I choke.

"The enemy is strong. Sometimes we need to make small sacrifices for the greater good," the words from him had burned a hole in my heart.

I know that I will die. Whether I choose to stay inert or fight. This brings a new zest in me as I flip my legs up.

Bringing them down on the neck of the dark fighter. My boots tightens its grip on his neck and I feel his stranglehold loosening.

I immediately snatch his gun, kick him squarely on the chest and fire the gun.

The laser rebounds off the sword of the 'Dark Knight' and to my utter horror, hits the retreating figure of the man. He immediately goes up in flames.

I take advantage of the momentary distraction to fire my gun again at the unguarded chest of the dark one.

As he burns, I rush to help my comrade. But I find nothing but a gleaming firestone ring on the ground.

I feel dizzy due to the spreading venom. My limbs turn blue and I drop to the ground, unconscious.

"We need you," the scream of the crowd broke my reverie.
In a trance I walked up to the chamber where the fire ring was kept.

I looked at the crowd. My gaze was met by expectant eyes.

My hands shook as I reached for the ring. Surprisingly, I had no regrets.

I looked at the wondrous thing and deftly slipped it on my ring finger. A surge of power lit up every nerve of my body. I could feel the power exuding to the surroundings, forming a golden halo.

People dropped on their knees, involuntarily. The power made them bound to me and now they would show their loyalty to me.

This ring is a powerful charm. Once you get this, no member of the team can refuse to obey your orders. The field of energy actually modifies their thought process.

"Rise," I said, as all of them stood up.

Suddenly there was a commotion in the crowd and a man pushing and jostling through he crowd, came forward, pale and out of breath.

I looked at the man and recognition flooded immediately.

"Stephen," I gave a dry smile.

My hero was alive, hale and hearty except for a few scratches. I felt for the bandages and the dressings around my neck.

Suddenly the throbbing pain, which I had been ignoring, came back. And with it came back the anger and the frustration.

"Ivy," he acknowledged, "Thank God, you've got my ring. I was afraid that I had lost it. It's so nice to see you alive."

Blood boiled in my veins. I wanted to scream a million things, but kept quiet as I looked at the hall full of people, who had a lot of expectations from me.
They never cared for him.

Without the power ring, he was none other than an ordinary human. The field that bound us was not encompassing him.

"Yeah, sure. I'm as alive as you. So what do you want now," I narrowed my eyes.

"Why, I want my ring and my power back, girl," he said holding out his hand.

I came down from the podium, stood near him and slapped him hard.

"Get lost," I screamed.

"You can't deny your chief," he shouted, red-faced.

"I'm the new chief and I won't ever take advantage of my subordinates like you did. So I request you to leave before I order you to be kicked out," I replied calmly.

He pounced on me.

I caught him midway and without any single effort, tackled him to the floor and he was dragged out by my team, shouting and cussing.

I dropped to the chair, utterly exhausted. I was the leader, and nothing could stop me from being the hero.

All the events of the past kept flashing before my eyes. How the coward used to send me before himself in every battle and used to watch from the back, until I had neutralized the threat somehow.

Then he used to jump in and finish off the enemy, earning all the admiration, while, I, who took all the blows for him, was ignored and shunned as a sidekick.

I had accepted everything as fate, for a long time. But it broke all limits that day, when the enemy was powerful, he had left me to die.

His words had cut deep, "Sometimes you need to make small sacrifices..."

For him, I was just a small sacrifice. A pawn in his game, a subordinate, a sidekick.

But now no more. I was the leader and I would change destinies. My fate and my destiny were finally in my hands.

I chuckled to myself, touched the ring to my temples and muttered, "Magical source, Fire Force."

And as the beautiful golden-red spandex and cape came to adorn, I saw myself morph into a leader, who was a definition of power, not of oppression.

1500 words completed!

A/N Written for the #sidekicked contest by superhero

Thanks to everyone who is reading this... Dedicated to KashishBelikov Pipigrin tanuandchamp
The people who mean a lot to me....