Elektra’s eyes locked onto Sabir as he staggered backward, still dazed from the earlier confrontation. Without any delay, she pounced forward, her electrified hand ready to grab him. But before she could reach him, a shadowy tendril lashed out, forcing her to leap back.

Cassius stood a few feet away, his expression darkening. “Not this time, Elektra,” he growled, his voice brimming with irritation. The surrounding shadows pulsed with his growing annoyance.

Elektra shot him a withering glare. “Always getting in my way,” she snapped, her voice laced with frustration.

Cassius didn’t waste time on words. His shadows erupted from the ground, black tendrils twisting and writhing like serpents hunting their prey. They darted toward Elektra with terrifying speed, seeking to ensnare her in their inky grasp.

Elektra moved with a dancer’s grace, her body a haze. She sidestepped the first tendril, feeling the cold rush of air as it narrowly missed her. From her left came the second one, yet she twisted her body, causing it to pass harmlessly over her shoulder. With each step, tiny sparks of electricity flared and left trails of light in her wake, cracking the ground beneath her with the force of her movements. The air buzzed with energy, thick with the scent of ozone as her power charged the atmosphere.

Cassius pressed his advantage, sending more shadows after her, each one striking with greater speed and force. They lashed out like whips, their edges sharp enough to cut through steel, but Elektra was faster. She ducked under one, then launched herself into a backflip, narrowly avoiding another that carved a deep gouge into the concrete where she had just stood.

In midair, she spun, her leg arcing out in a devastating kick. The electricity crackled around her foot, forming a lethal charge. Cassius had hardly any time to respond, raising a shadow just in time to absorb the impact. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the shadow, dispersing it into a mist of darkness. He staggered back, the power behind her strike catching him off guard.

But Elektra didn’t let up. She landed lightly on her feet, immediately launching into a sequence of swift kicks, each one crackling with electricity. The strikes came at Cassius from every angle—high, low, to the sides—forcing him to retreat, his shadows working overtime to block the relentless assault. Every impact sent jolts of electricity down his defenses, the dark tendrils quivering under the strain.

Cassius fought to regain control, directing his shadows to coil around Elektra and constrict her movements. He sent them snaking across the ground, trying to trip her up, while others shot out from above, seeking to crush her. But Elektra was still too quick, her body a blur as she flipped, spun, and kicked her way through the onslaught. Each time her foot made contact with a shadow, a burst of light illuminated the dark street, the sound of crackling energy filling the air.

Elektra saw an opening and moved in for the kill. She lunged forward, her leg whipping around in a powerful roundhouse kick aimed at Cassius’s head. But Cassius expected the move, his shadows forming a solid wall in front of him. Her kick struck the barrier with a thunderous crack, sending a spray of dark energy flying in all directions. The impact pushed Cassius back, his feet skidding across the ground, but he held firm, his eyes narrowing with determination.

With a roar, he unleashed a torrent of shadows, the tendrils thickening and multiplying, turning the surrounding area into a churning mass of darkness. Elektra’s eyes widened as she realized she was being surrounded. But instead of retreating, she surged forward, her body a whirlwind as she attacked with renewed vigor. She spun like a tornado; her kicks moving so fast they were almost invisible, each one accompanied by a burst of electricity that lit up the dreary morning clouds.

The battle became a deadly dance, each of them pushing the other to the limit. Cassius’s shadows slashed through the air, their movements wild and unpredictable, while Elektra countered with precision strikes, her kicks slicing through the darkness with lethal intent. Their fierce struggle scorched and tore the surrounding ground.

But for all of Cassius’s power, Elektra’s speed and agility were overwhelming. She pressed her advantage; her kicks coming faster, each one sending a shockwave through the shadows. Cassius could feel his control slipping, the shadows wavering under her relentless assault.

Then, with a surge of speed, Elektra closed the distance between them, her leg arcing in a devastating kick aimed at Cassius’s midsection. He barely had time to react, his shadows rising to block, but the force of her kick shattered the barrier, sending him flying backward. Cassius hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him, shadows dissipating around him like smoke.

Elektra stood over him, her chest heaving from the exertion, eyes blazing with electric energy. Cassius struggled to push himself up, his body aching from the beating he had taken. Temporarily, it seemed Elektra had the upper hand.

But Cassius wasn’t done yet. With a grimace, he forced his shadows to reassemble, pulling himself back to his feet. “Not bad,” he muttered, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. “But this fight isn’t over.”

Elektra smirked, readying herself for the next round, electricity crackling around her in anticipation. “Bring it on,” she challenged, her eyes narrowing with determination.

The fight was far from over, and both combatants knew they were only just getting started.

Meanwhile, Mendoza and Cinder, who had been momentarily stunned by Cassius’s earlier attack, regrouped a short distance away. Mendoza clutched his side where Cassius had struck him, wincing slightly, but his focus was on the chaotic scene unfolding before them. “What the hell is going on here?” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Cinder, still catching her breath, looked around, her eyes scanning the battlefield. “This wasn’t part of the plan,” she hissed, her frustration clear.

Just then, Jai appeared in front of them, his face twisted with confusion. “How did the Hound find us?” he asked, glancing at Cassius and Elektra battling nearby.

“Mother luck just fucked us,” Cinder replied, her voice edged with disbelief. “Something went wrong. We need to get out of here now.”

Without wasting another second, Jai reached out, touching both Cinder and Mendoza. With a quick tap, he activated his teleportation ability. “Hold on,” he muttered, and in an instant, they vanished from sight.

Cassius saw the teleportation, his eyes narrowing in frustration. “No!” he shouted, trying to lash out with his shadows, but he was too slow. They were gone.

His momentary distraction proved costly. Elektra, seizing the opportunity, struck him hard with an electrified kick to the side. Cassius grunted in pain, stumbling backward as the shock coursed through him.

Before Elektra could press her advantage, a frantic shout cut through the air. “Sabir!” Samantha and Max were running toward their friend, their faces pale with fear and determination.

“You can’t just run off like that!” Samantha yelled as she reached Sabir, grabbing his arm to drag him away.

Max, panting heavily, added, “We’re supposed to stick together, remember?”

Elektra noticed Sabir slipping away and disengaged from her fight with Cassius. “You’re not going anywhere,” she said, her tone menacing as she charged toward them.

Samantha, realizing the danger, stepped in front of Sabir to block Elektra’s path. But Elektra was merciless. With a swift kick crackling with electricity, she struck Samantha squarely in the chest, sending a surge of energy through her body. Samantha cried out in pain before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

Max’s eyes widened in horror as he saw Samantha fall. Gritting his teeth, he summoned all the courage he could muster and rushed at Elektra. “Stay away from us!” he shouted, but his bravery was no match for Elektra’s skill. She effortlessly dodged his wild swing and delivered a sharp electric kick to his gut, knocking the wind out of him and sending him crumpling beside Samantha.

Sabir, filled with rage at seeing his friends hurt, charged at Elektra, his movements driven more by anger than skill. “Leave them alone!” he shouted, throwing a wild punch.

Sabir lunged at Elektra, but she was too fast, effortlessly sidestepping his wild attack. Before he could react, her leg snapped out quickly, her boot connecting with his ribs with a crackle of electricity. The force of the kick sent him stumbling back, pain exploding through his side as the electricity jolted through his body, making his muscles spasm uncontrollably. But even as the searing pain radiated through his chest, Sabir gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand.

In his mind, there was only one thought: “I can’t stop. I won’t let them take me. Not again. Not after everything.” The memories of his time with his friends, the hardships he went through to get back to them, the nights spent in fear, flashed through his mind, fueling his determination. He could almost hear Mrs. Norris’s voice, soft and kind, reminding him to be strong, to protect those he cared about. But the reality of the situation drowned her voice out, by the raw terror that gripped his heart as Elektra closed in on him again.

She delivered another electrified kick, to his stomach. The impact was like being hit by a freight train; the electricity surging through him, causing his vision to blur. He doubled over in pain, gasping for breath, but even as he tumbled to the ground, something inside him refused to give up. “I can’t let it end like this. I have to keep fighting.” The thought pounded in his head like a drum, even as his body screamed for him to stop.

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Elektra’s eyes were cold, calculating, as she watched him struggle to rise again. To her, this was just another task to be completed, another obstacle to eliminate. She delivered another brutal kick, this time to his chest, sending him crashing to the ground. His vision dimmed around the edges while the electricity surged through his veins, searing his nerves, causing his muscles to spasm uncontrollably.

But even then, Sabir forced his body to move. “Get up. Get up.” The words echoed in his mind, louder than the pain, louder than the fear. “I won’t let them win. Not again.” He struggled to his feet, his legs trembling beneath him, his body barely able to respond to his commands.

Elektra didn’t give him a moment to recover. She delivered a series of rapid, electrified kicks, each one landing with precision, each one pushing Sabir closer to the edge of unconsciousness. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air, and Sabir could feel his skin blistering where her electricity touched him. Despite that, he got up. “I have to protect them. I have to keep fighting.”

Cassius, watching the scene unfold, felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He knew he should intervene, should stop Elektra, but fear gripped his heart. This entire he was fighting half heartedly against Elektra. The fear of disobeying orders, the fear of what his superiors might do if he interfered, paralyzed him. Once already warned, he knew crossing the line again could have dire consequences. But as he watched Sabir rise again, his heart twisted with guilt and helplessness.

“Stop, Elektra!” Cassius’s voice rang out, filled with desperation. “You’re going to kill him!” But his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Elektra’s focus was entirely on Sabir, her strikes growing more brutal with each passing second.

Sabir’s mind was a haze of pain and determination. Every nerve in his body was on fire, every breath felt like a battle in itself. “I have to keep going.” But his body was failing him, the repeated electric shocks sapping his strength, leaving him vulnerable. But as Elektra’s foot connected with his side again, sending another jolt of electricity through him, he felt his legs give out, his vision narrowing to a dark tunnel.

But even as he fell, even as his consciousness slipped away, Sabir’s thoughts were on those he cared about. “I can’t stop. Not yet.” He hit the ground hard, his body convulsing from the electric shocks, his mind teetering on the edge of oblivion. But he still tried to get up, his arms shaking as he pushed against the ground, his willpower the only thing keeping him conscious.

Elektra looked down at him, her eyes narrowing as she prepared to deliver the final blow. But in that moment, something in Sabir’s mind snapped. The world around him seemed to slow, his pain fading into the background as a deep, primal force surged within him. His vision blurred, and everything became distant, like he was watching from somewhere far away.

Cassius’s voice was a distant echo in his ears as he screamed for Elektra to stop. But Sabir didn’t hear him. All he could feel was the overwhelming need to protect, to fight, to survive. “I won’t let them win.”

Elektra ignored Cassius, her focus solely on Sabir. With one final, devastating kick, she sent him sprawling to the ground. Sabir lay there, his body twitching from the electricity coursing through him, his mind on the brink of awareness.

As Sabir’s consciousness slipped further into the abyss, the world around him dissolved into a void of blackness. The searing pain, the acrid smell of burnt flesh, the chaos of the fight—it all faded away, replaced by an eerie, almost tranquil silence. He experienced a weightless feeling, as if his body had been cast adrift in a vast, endless ocean, but there was no water, no waves, only the sensation of floating in an infinite expanse of nothingness.

The obscurity was calming, enveloping him like a comforting cloak. His mind, which had been a chaotic whirlwind of fear, anger, and confusion, stilled, the noise and turmoil ebbing away as if pulled by an unseen tide. He was free here, unburdened by the weight of his struggles, the relentless assault on his body, and the heavy chains of his past. The pain that had consumed him just moments ago was now a distant memory, dulled by the calm that enveloped him.

In the depths of this nothingness, voices echoed. They were faint at first, like whispers carried on a far-off breeze, barely discernible. But slowly, they grew clearer, their tones soothing and hypnotic, wrapping around his consciousness like a lullaby. The words were indistinct, their meaning lost in the haze, but the message was clear: “Let go. Sink deeper. Let everything slip away.”

The voices seemed to come from all around him, yet from nowhere at all. They were both familiar and alien, their gentle murmurs tugging at the edges of his awareness. They urged him to surrender, to give in to the darkness that cradled him. The promise they offered was alluring—an escape from the endless suffering, the relentless pain. Here, in this void, there was no need to fight, no need to endure. He could simply drift, weightless and serene, forever untroubled by the harsh reality of the world he had left behind.

Sabir felt himself beginning to sink, his consciousness dipping lower into the abyss. The more he let go, the more peaceful it became. The deeper he sank, the more distant his pain and fear seemed. It was as if he was being gently pulled into the depths of a warm, inviting sea, where he could finally rest, where nothing could hurt him anymore. The darkness was soothing, whispering promises of eternal peace, and Sabir wanted nothing more than to lose himself in it completely.

His thoughts slowed, the last remnants of his awareness slipping away like grains of sand through his fingers. The voices became his only anchor, guiding him down, down into the endless black. His body, once a source of agony, now felt distant and unimportant, a mere shadow on the edge of his consciousness. The only thing that was important was the darkness, the sweet, comforting darkness that offered him release.

“Just let go…” the voices crooned, their tones soft and inviting. “Sink deeper… Let yourself drift away…”

Sabir’s mind floated in that tranquil void, free from the burdens that had weighed him down for so long. He could no longer remember why he had fought, why he had struggled to hold on. None of it seemed to matter anymore. All that mattered was the darkness, the blissful, all-encompassing darkness that promised an end to everything.

And so, Sabir allowed himself to sink further, his last thoughts dissolving into the void, his soul surrendering to the peaceful embrace of oblivion.

“Cassius, look what I’m about to do!” Elektra shouted. He turned to see her standing over Sabir, her hand crackling with energy as she got ready to strike one last time. The final blow.

“No!” Cassius screamed, his voice filled with panic. He rushed forward, trying to stop her, but before he could reach them, something extraordinary happened.

Sabir’s body spasmed forcefully, and his eyes snapped open. But they were no longer the familiar gold—they were glowing white, devoid of any pupil or iris. Cassius froze in his tracks, staring at Sabir in utter disbelief.

“What the—” Elektra began, but before she could finish, Sabir moved with a speed that defied reason. In a split second, he was in front of Cassius, his fist connecting with Cassius’s solar plexus in a powerful blow.

Cassius doubled over, the air knocked out of him as pain exploded in his chest. He stumbled back, struggling to breathe, his mind reeling from the sudden attack.

Elektra’s eyes widened in surprise as she noticed the sudden shift in Sabir’s demeanor. His once dull gaze now burned with an intense, otherworldly glow. Before she could fully process the change, Sabir moved, swiftly, with a remarkable precision that was nearly supernatural.

He ducked under her first kick, his body fluid and quick, as if he had become one with the surrounding shadows. Elektra pivoted, aiming a second kick, shrouded in electricity, at his midsection, but Sabir was already gone, sidestepping her attack with ease. He retaliated with a sudden, brutal flurry of punches, each one more precise than the last. His fists moved like lightning, targeting weak points with a deadly accuracy that sent shockwaves of pain through Elektra’s body.

“What the hell…?“What the hell...?” Elektra thought, her heart racing as she had to defend herself. She blocked his strikes, feeling the power behind each blow. Her heart raced as she was forced into the defensive against Sabir, who had transformed into a far more dangerous person than she had expected.

Despite the ferocity of his attacks, Elektra couldn’t resist feeling a surge of excitement. Finally, a new challenge worthy of her skills. She gritted her teeth, her mind sharpening as she matched his speed, her body becoming a haze of movement as she deflected his punches. But even as she held her ground, she could sense that this wasn’t the same Sabir she had encountered before. There was something darker, more primal, at work within him.

Sabir’s movements were relentless, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next. He spun around her, landing a blow to her ribs, then another to her side. Elektra staggered back, a grimace twisting her features as she absorbed the impact. The force behind his punches was incredible, far beyond what she would have expected from someone like him. She barely blocked a follow-up punch aimed at her jaw, her arm tingling from the sheer power of the hit.

But Sabir didn’t stop. He pressed his advantage, his fists moving with a precision that was almost surgical. Elektra was on the defensive, forced to rely on her speed and agility to stay ahead of his onslaught. He weaved in and out, his strikes faster than she could expect. Each time she thought she had a read on him, he shifted direction, coming at her from a new angle, his white eyes glowing with an eerie, unearthly light.

For a moment, it appeared Sabir might overpower her. But just as quickly as it had started, the tide turned. Sabir’s movements grew sluggish, his strikes losing their initial ferocity. The glow in his eyes flickered, dimming as if a fire within him was being snuffed out. His breathing grew labored, his once-fluid attacks becoming clumsy, driven more by desperation than control.

Elektra noticed the change instantly. “He’s losing steam,” she realized, her predatory instincts kicking in. She didn’t hesitate. As Sabir faltered, she seized the opportunity, shifting her weight and launching herself at him. Her leg shot out in a powerful, electrified kick, her foot crashing into his chest with brutal force.

Sabir’s body jerked violently as the electricity coursed through him. The impact sent him flying backward, his back slamming into the ground with a heavy thud. The energy that had filled him moments before vanished, leaving him sprawled out, the fight completely drained from him.

Elektra landed gracefully, her chest heaving as she looked down at Sabir’s prone form. His eyes, once glowing white, were now dull, his body unmoving. The excitement in Elektra’s eyes faded, replaced by pure disappointment. She had won—but the strange power that had briefly surged through Sabir lingered in her mind.

Before she could follow up, a group of hunters in different uniforms appeared, drawn by the commotion, representing their guilds using colour. At their head was Noah, his expression dark and determined, as his long blue overcoat fluttered in the wind. “Elektra, stand down,” he ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos like a knife.

Elektra paused, her eyes shifting from Sabir’s unconscious form to the hunters now surrounding them. She glanced back at Sabir one last time, seeing him collapsed on the ground, his body limp and unresponsive.

“It was just getting interesting,” she muttered under her breath, stepping away from the fight.

Noah’s gaze followed hers, lingering on Sabir before he turned back to Elektra. “You’re going to have hell to pay when we get home,” he said, his tone angry and harsh at first. He looked over at the unconscious Sabir with a sinister smile. “But a good job, nonetheless.”

Elektra sighed, her electric aura fading as she reluctantly stepped back. “Yeah, whatever,” she replied, her tone dismissive. But as she turned away, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of anticipation, wondering what had just awakened inside the boy named Sabir.