When humanity is threatened only the super-powered might of the Toronto Maple Leafs can be counted on to save the day. All over the continent small seeds of chaotic force have been seeking to control the powers of the National Heroes League. The battle to save the planet is on, and it is fierce.

Auston Matthews races through the streets of Chicago, little more than a blur to those he passes. Not that the people out this night are paying the racing Maple Leaf any sort of attention. They aren’t even giving any mind to Chicago Blackhawks hero Patrick Kane, which is unusual since the locals have a great deal of love for their champion. This night, however, there is something else taking focus from the two heroes.

A monstrous spectral hound, four headed and forty feet at the shoulder, stalks the Chicago night and terror ripples out in its wake. The beast is searching for something, keeping one of it’s heads sniffing the ground while another is kept up high to sniff the air. The other two heads snarl and snap at anything that gets too close. People, trees, cars, anything, and it is these two heads that have Auston and Patrick occupied.

The Leaf and the Hawk keep pace with the hound, staying just a step or two ahead and clearing the innocents from its path. Auston likes Patrick, every time they work together is a total blast and this time is no exception. It’s hard not to smile as Patrick steps between the hound and a jogger, he flips off the dog then pokes it in the eye and spins the jogger out of harms way. It all happens in between strides, so fast that only Auston can see. His approach is a little more direct. Running at the creatures shoulder, Auston runs forward and punches the beast any time it tries to snap at anyone.

Even through the fun Auston can’t help feeling like something is extra strange about the situation. So far the giant dog has made two circuits around the city and has been punched in the jaw a few hundred times, not to mention poked in the eye and whatever else Patrick has been doing to amuse himself. Yet not once has the hound paused in it’s task to so much as snarl at the heroes.

“Maybe we should be trying to stop this thing.” Patrick says, as if reading Auston’s mind.

“Got any ideas?” Auston asks.

“One.” The Hawk summons his astral blade and slips in front of the hound, slicing off the head on the right as he passes to the left.

The hound skids to a halt and turns, finally, to face the irritating heroes.

“So now what?” Auston asks.

The hound lunges before Patrick can reply. Auston leaps above the charging beast while Patrick just charges right back.

“Kill it!” Patrick bellows. His sword gleams in the night as the spectral blood sizzles from the heat of the blade but does not burn away. That same foul ichor seeps from the wound at the hounds neck and is melting everything it falls on.

Patrick and the hound meet in a titanic crash. The Hawk plunges his glowing blade deep into the gushing neck wound and avoids two of the three remaining heads. The third gets a grip on Patrick’s shoulder and starts to shake hard. It’s likely that the hound means to shake Patrick apart, we will never know. Before the hound even moves it’s head back one time Auston lands his own attack.

Trusting that Patrick is going to handle the heads  Auston decides to keep the beast immobile. Gravity gives the Leaf a bit of extra momentum and the hound is completely distracted by Patrick. When Auston slams into the back hip of the creature he shatters ethereal bone, he hits it so hard. He also unleashes his light, sending the beast cartwheeling into the side of a bus. Patrick is thrown clear before impact.

“All yours.” Auston says.

Patrick grins and gives a small nod of thanks before he approaches the now crippled monster. If he feels any pangs of pity for the pathetic beast he does not show it as he methodically slices off the remaining heads.

“That was fun.” Patrick says to Auston as he dismisses his astral sword back to the ether. “Come back anytime.”