Dray coiled his body like a panther preparing to strike, his form silhouetted against the darkening sky. Angelo's eyes widened as he took in the immediate danger, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

  "Sol, take Ashly! Red, handle Nova! Blue, you're with me—" Angelo's commands were cut short as Dray launched himself from the rooftop, shooting downward like a black meteor.

  Angelo reacted instantly, his energy wings propelling him away from the impact zone. Blue seized Neiva around the waist, his movements precise as he darted in another direction. Sol and Red dove sideways, narrowly avoiding the crushing force of Dray's landing.

  As Angelo had predicted, Dray changed course mid-air, his trajectory locking onto Angelo with predatory focus. The streets below filled with civilians, their faces frozen in terror. Angelo's voice boomed across the marketplace.

  "EVERYONE OUT! NOW!" The command held such authority that people scattered immediately, pouring from buildings like water from a broken dam.

  Dray closed the distance, his massive fire paw slashing through the air where Angelo's head had been moments before. Angelo twisted violently, barely ducking the attack. The paw continued its arc, ripping through a nearby house and sending debris raining down on the fleeing townspeople.

  Blue set Neiva down gently, his perfect posture never faltering.

  "I must implore you to remain at a safe distance," he said, straightening his non-existent tie. "Angelo requires my assistance against this formidable adversary." He said looking back.

  As Blue turned to leave, Neiva grabbed his sleeve, her bright eyes shining with determination.

  "Promise me you'll both be careful," she pleaded, her voice catching. "I just became an Auron—I can't lose my teachers on day one!"

  Blue's scholarly demeanor softened momentarily. "Your concern is duly noted." With that, he shot skyward, azure energy trailing behind him like morning mist.

  Neiva surveyed the chaos around her—injured townspeople, fleeing Cliffhangers, destruction spreading in every direction. She clenched her fists, blue aura flickering around her fingertips.

  "I may be a level one Auron," she muttered, "but I can still help!" She rushed toward the nearest injured civilian, newfound purpose driving her forward.

  Meanwhile, Red ducked into an abandoned house, his predatory grin stretching wide across his face.

  "Time to give metal-tits exactly what she deserves," he cackled, gathering crimson energy between his palms. The ball of light grew steadily, casting eerie shadows across the room. "Do I really need this much juice? Can't I just keep it pumping as I go?"

  "How the hell would I know?" Angelo's annoyed response echoed through their mental link as he barrel-rolled away from another of Dray's attacks.

  Red's face contorted with indignation. "Was I talking to you?! Idiot!"

  "Then why are you broadcasting it through our shared consciousness?!" Angelo shot back, his mental voice strained with exertion.

  "It's not like I have a private mental chat room, Mr. smartass!" Red snapped, but received no response as Angelo focused entirely on staying alive.

  "Whatever. This should be plenty," Red decided, his fingers shaping the energy with surprising artistry. "Come forth, my beautiful creation! The Crimson Puppet of Chaos!"

  The energy solidified into his puppet, complete with its disturbing clown mask. Red closed his eyes in concentration, and moments later, two crimson points of light blinked to life within the mask's empty sockets.

  Outside, Sol had assumed a defensive stance, his silver aura crackling around him as Nova and Ashly stalked forward. Despite her injuries, Nova moved with predatory grace, metal blades gleaming in her grasp.

  A rock suddenly sailed through the air, striking Nova squarely on the temple. She whirled around, fury blazing in her eyes—then froze in horror.

  There stood the Crimson Puppet of Chaos, blowing her an exaggerated kiss. Nova's face contorted with rage.

  "YOU AGAIN?! I'LL TEAR YOU APART PIECE BY PIECE!" she shrieked, abandoning all strategy as she charged the puppet.

  Sol chuckled, flexing his crimson gauntlets as he squared off against Ashly.

  "Always can count on Red for a well-timed distraction," he said, his easy confidence returning. "Ready to pick up our dance where we left off?"

  Ashly's eyes narrowed, her stance shifting subtly. "I hope you've said your goodbyes," she replied coldly. "This won't end like last time."

  They clashed in a blur of silver and orange, trading blows that cracked the air like thunder.

  High above the town, Blue finally reached Angelo, who was desperately evading Dray's relentless pursuit. Each swipe of Dray's black fire claws left trails of sticky flame that devoured whatever they touched, slowly consuming the structures below.

  Blue unleashed a concentrated blast of azure energy at Dray's back. The attack struck true but seemed to vanish into the cape-like armor without effect. Dray didn't even acknowledge the hit.

  "Any brilliant strategies for countering this monstrosity?" Angelo thought desperately, narrowly avoiding another swipe that would have cleaved him in two.

  "Our initial priority must be elevation," Blue responded, his mental voice unruffled despite the chaos. "Not only will increased altitude protect civilians, but it will also deprive his flames of structural fuel."

  "Good thinking." Angelo immediately changed course, shooting straight up like a rocket. Dray followed, launching black fireballs that trailed through the air like miniature comets.

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  "Three o'clock! Six o'clock! Directly behind!" Blue called through their link, his position behind Dray giving him the perfect vantage point to track the incoming projectiles. Angelo twisted and turned without looking back, their shared vision allowing him to dodge with perfect timing.

  Dray's dragon-skull face twisted with frustration. He ceased firing and poured his energy into acceleration, rapidly closing the gap. Blue streaked upward, trailing just behind him.

  "What now?" Angelo's mental voice carried a note of genuine concern. "That sticky fire eats through everything it touches."

  "Your weapon appears to be our only viable option," Blue replied, his scholarly tone unchanged despite the dire circumstances.

  Dray caught up to Angelo, slashing with obsidian claws. Angelo twisted mid-air, avoiding each attack by increasingly narrow margins. He deployed an energy tendril, anchoring it to Dray's shoulder to execute a rapid direction change. The tendril began smoldering as black fire crawled up its length, but when Angelo dispelled it, the flames disappeared with it.

  "I doubt Mercy's Edge can withstand that corrosive fire," Angelo thought, anxiety building as his options dwindled.

  "I've formulated a strategy," Blue interjected, "but it requires your absolute compliance with my instructions."

  Left with few alternatives, Angelo gave a curt mental nod. As Dray closed in for what looked like a killing blow, Blue shot forward with startling speed, landing directly on Dray's face. Black flames immediately engulfed him, but Blue had encased himself in a thick shell of forged energy armor.

  Dray clawed frantically at his face, trying to dislodge the azure nuisance. When he finally managed to slash at Blue, his target dissolved into smoke, streaming away to safety.

  By the time Dray regained his vision, Angelo had vanished completely.

  "Where have you gone, Angel?" Dray twisted his head in every direction, his dragon-skull mask reflecting the fading sunlight. His eyes narrowed when he spotted a faint orange glow peeking from behind a nearby cloud. A growl rumbled from his chest. "I shall claim what is mine..."

  He shot toward the cloud like an arrow, claws outstretched for the kill.

  To his surprise, Angelo and Blue burst from the cloud together, both wrapped in gleaming energy armor that covered them from head to toe. But instead of Mercy's Edge, Angelo held an orange scythe while Blue wielded an identical azure one.

  They moved in perfect sync, their patterns impossible to predict as they darted through the air like birds sharing one mind.

  Dray spun to face them, his patience visibly thinning. "I've had enough of your dirty tricks." He pulled his head back, chest expanding. "Hellflame ROAR!"

  A massive stream of fire erupted from his mouth, barreling toward them with shocking speed. The regular flames should have been easy to dodge, and Angelo and Blue moved sideways in unison—only to watch in horror as the fire transformed mid-air into black tar that split into dozens of smaller streams, spreading like a fisherman's net to catch them.

  "Shit!" Angelo's mind raced as sticky fire closed in from all directions.

  "Catch!" Blue tossed his scythe to Angelo and surged upward, deliberately putting himself in the flames' path. The black fire latched onto Blue's armor, spreading rapidly, but he'd created enough of a gap for Angelo to slip through. Blue instantly dissolved into smoke, escaping the deadly flames that had almost consumed him.

  Dray nodded slightly, something almost like respect in his gaze. "I must confess, you're craftier than most Aurons."

  "Comes with the three-for-one package deal," Angelo replied flatly, not a hint of humor in his voice.

  Blue materialized beside him, quickly reshaping his energy into flying equipment before coating himself in protective armor once more. Angelo handed the second scythe back to him, and Dray's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

  "Now why would you prioritize saving that particular weapon?" Dray asked, his head tilted slightly.

  Angelo casually threw his scythe over his shoulder. "Sentimental value. It was my mother's."

  "Ha! Good one!" Red's voice echoed through their mental link as his puppet continued battling with Nova, reattaching pieces of itself even as she hacked it apart.

  "The Angel of Death moonlights as a comedian. How delightful," Dray said, irritation bleeding through his mocking tone.

  "Now!" Blue commanded internally. Angelo's eyes widened in response, and they both launched forward at incredible speed.

  Caught off guard, Dray hesitated for a split second before shooting toward them, black flames swirling around his claws. As they approached each other, Angelo suddenly slowed, hurling his scythe with the built-up momentum. The weapon spun like a buzzsaw, connected to him by a smoky tendril that he could control. Blue, meanwhile, maintained his advance, moving on a direct collision course with Dray.

  Black tar extended from Dray's arms like deadly tree branches, catching Angelo's scythe and dissolving it within seconds. Blue twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the same fate, though some of the black flames caught his own weapon.

  Suddenly, silver light cracked through Blue's burning scythe, revealing Mercy's Edge hidden inside. Dray's eyes widened in shock as Blue drove the blade deep into his shoulder, then kicked him downward with tremendous force. Before the black fire could spread to his body, Blue dissolved into smoke once more, streaming back to safety inside Angelo.

  Dray crashed into the ground, one hand clutching his bleeding shoulder. "So that's why!" he growled through clenched teeth.

  Angelo landed a few feet away, Mercy's Edge gleaming in his hand as he towered over the wounded Dray. His voice dropped to that dangerous, quiet tone that had made his reputation.

  "Heed Death's messenger's warning, for you will receive it only once," he said, each word falling like ice. "Change your heart, surrender, and you will be spared. Otherwise, your brother awaits."

  Dray pressed his flaming hand against the wound, cauterizing it with a pained grimace. "I shall cherish this scar from a worthy opponent."

  Angelo's eyebrow twitched in confusion. "What's this? And here I thought you despised me."

  "You are mistaken," Dray replied with surprising calm. "I do not harbor a grudge against you for claiming my brother's life."

  "Then why—" Angelo began.

  "We knew the risks. Flint as well," Dray interrupted, a hint of pain creeping into his voice. "He died a proud Infernian, with no regrets. You were merely the instrument of his demise, not the cause."

  "Then why seek revenge?!" Angelo's composure cracked, years of hatred bubbling to the surface. "Haven't you people inflicted enough pain and suffering already?!"

  "Because he was still my brother." Dray's eyes filled with fierce purpose. "To allow his death to go unpunished would bring shame to his memory. As his only living family, it is my duty." The black flames intensified around him, responding to his emotions.

  Both warriors' expressions hardened, bodies tensing as they prepared to resume battle.

  Meanwhile, across town, Neiva grunted as she lifted a massive boulder off a fallen Cliffhanger's leg. The man howled in pain as pressure released from his crushed limb.

  "There you go," she said, setting the boulder aside with a look of wonder on her face. "Wow, this thing feels super light when I use my aura! Like carrying a cardboard box instead of a rock!"

  "I know, right?" rumbled a deep voice like distant thunder.

  Neiva squeaked in surprise, nearly dropping the boulder as she jumped. A booming laugh filled the air behind her.

  She spun around to find a mountain of a man standing there, flanked by a pretty woman and two identical men. His massive frame blocked the setting sun, casting her in shadow.

  "Well, if that isn't the cutest squeak I've heard in a while," the voice continued. He turned his head slightly and called over his shoulder "Is she one of them?"

  "W-who are you people?" Neiva stammered, taking an instinctive step backward.

  Jess poked her head out from behind the giant. "No, boss, this isn't one of the attackers. She's with those newcomers."

  The large man—clearly the boss—looked from Neiva to the injured Cliffhanger she'd been helping, then surveyed the mostly empty street. His lips curved into a calculating smile.

  "So you're out here putting your life at risk to help those around you? Even the likes of us, hm?" He stepped closer, crouching down to meet her worried gaze. Despite the gentle motion, he still towered over her. "It's your lucky day, sweetheart. Lead the way and point me at the enemy."