The silence thickened as Team Unknown held their positions just outside Spectre's inner stronghold. The soft, rhythmic hum of security sensors pulsed through the walls, mingling with the faint scent of blood and charred metal. Ember's voice crackled over the Mind Link, a dark edge in his tone.
Hold positions. Spectre's mine.
In HQ, Dr. Lewis and the operators watched the feed, the intensity in their eyes a testament to the respect and anticipation they held for the lethal Bellator brother about to confront their target.
Val, Bo, Riggs, and Fon exchanged glances, each of them feeling the electric charge in the air as they awaited Ember's move.
Ember pushed through the final door, his form a dark silhouette against the dimly lit chamber. Inside, Spectre stood waiting—a towering figure clad in armored plating that seemed to absorb the shadows, his face obscured by a dark mask. He radiated a formidable presence, but Ember moved forward without hesitation, his mask concealing a deadly smile.
The two figures faced each other, the air thick with tension. Without a word, Ember lunged forward, his Purple Fire blazing to life, casting an eerie glow that painted the room in violent shades of violet and crimson.
Spectre reacted immediately, swinging a massive armored fist that cracked through the air. Ember dodged with fluid precision, his body twisting as he drove his flaming fist into Spectre's side. The impact sizzled against the armor, scorching through the outer layer and sending a shower of sparks across the floor.
Spectre let out a guttural growl, lunging forward and delivering a rapid sequence of punches that cracked the concrete floor with each miss. Ember evaded, each step calculated and deadly, his form a blur as he moved in and out of Spectre's reach, his own blows striking with unrelenting force.
Back in HQ, the operators watched in awe as Ember's relentless assault continued. Each strike left cracks in the walls, dents in the steel, and deep gouges in the floor. Dr. Lewis's eyes narrowed, impressed by Ember's mastery, even after years of absence.
Spectre swung again, this time catching Ember's arm and slamming him against the wall with a bone-crunching impact. The wall buckled, fragments of concrete raining down as Ember braced himself, letting out a low, menacing chuckle.
"Is that all you've got?" Ember sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.
Spectre snarled, tightening his grip, but Ember twisted, shoving his other hand, engulfed in Purple Fire, straight into Spectre's shoulder. The flame hissed and sizzled, eating through the armor with a sickening crackle, as Spectre let out a muffled scream.
Ember ripped his hand free, leaving a charred hole in Spectre's armor as he pulled back, his fingers dripping with blood. He took advantage of the opening, driving a brutal knee into Spectre's gut, the impact lifting the massive figure off the ground before he crashed back to the floor, leaving a cratered dent.
"Stay down if you value whatever life you think you have left," Ember taunted, his voice echoing in the chamber.
But Spectre staggered back up, blood trickling down from under his mask. He let out a feral roar, surging forward with renewed rage, his fist barreling toward Ember with enough force to shatter concrete.
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Ember caught the blow with his own, the two forces colliding in a bone-jarring impact that sent shockwaves through the room. The walls groaned under the pressure, cracks splintering outwards as Ember drove his knee into Spectre's ribs, his Purple Fire igniting on contact, eating through flesh and metal alike.
Blood sprayed across Ember's mask, the hot, metallic tang filling the air as he twisted, delivering a vicious backhand that sent Spectre sprawling. The enemy's blood painted the floor in dark, sticky pools, glistening under the flickering lights.
Bo and Riggs, crouched near the edges of the dimly lit chamber, watched with a mixture of awe and unease as Ember squared off against Spectre.
The air was thick with tension, and every move Ember made was sharp, precise, and devastating. Bo's hand tightened on his weapon, and he exchanged a look with Riggs, both of them fully aware that what they were witnessing was the return of a legend in action.
"Man…" Riggs muttered, barely audible, eyes fixed on the relentless assault before him. "This… this is unreal."
Bo nodded, a shiver running through him as Ember's next blow sent Spectre sprawling, the sound of bone meeting metal reverberating through the room. Blood sprayed across the floor, and Ember's mask-covered face tilted with a terrifying calm, surveying his opponent with unyielding focus.
Every brutal strike, every calculated move left an impact that Bo and Riggs could practically feel resonating through the ground beneath them. The walls around them shook with the force of each blow Ember delivered, and for a moment, both of them understood why Ember's name had become synonymous with fear among their enemies.
"Three years…" Bo whispered, eyes wide as Ember's flames erupted in a savage arc. "And he hasn't lost a damn step."
As Ember twisted, striking Spectre with a sickening crunch that left him staggered, the brutal mastery displayed before them left no doubt. Ember was in his element, and the scene was as awe-inspiring as it was terrifying. Bo and Riggs stayed in their positions, transfixed, taking in every moment of the ruthless battle unfolding before their eyes.
The rest of the team, as well as in HQ via live feed, watch Spectre clawed at the ground, trying to pull himself up, but Ember was relentless. He stomped down, his boot cracking into Spectre's spine with a sickening crunch, forcing the enemy back to the floor, face-first into the blood-soaked concrete.
"Should've stayed down," Ember hissed, leaning over him. He lifted Spectre by the collar, pulling him close, his voice a low, deadly whisper. "You think you're worthy of facing me? Pathetic."
With a swift motion, Ember slammed Spectre back down, his body convulsing as he struggled against the unrelenting assault. Ember's hand ignited once more, the Purple Fire flaring as he pressed it against Spectre's chest, the flame searing through his armor, burning deeper with each second. The flames twisted and danced, licking at Spectre's flesh, feeding off his soul with a horrifying intensity.
Spectre's screams filled the room, raw and guttural, his body thrashing as he tried to escape the burning agony. Ember held him down, unyielding, his eyes gleaming with a cold, sadistic satisfaction as he watched the life drain from Spectre's eyes.
In HQ, Dr. Lewis watched the display, his face set in a mixture of respect and solemnity. This was the true power of the Bellator brothers—the brutality, the unyielding precision that made them legends.
Finally, as Spectre's movements slowed, Ember pulled his hand back, watching as the last flickers of life faded from his eyes. He stepped back, his chest heaving, his gaze cold and unfeeling as he surveyed the bloody, broken figure before him.
The silence that followed was thick, almost suffocating, the room still echoing with the remnants of Spectre's final screams.
Ember's voice came over the link, calm, but carrying a dark satisfaction. Target eliminated. Moving to extraction.
In HQ, the team sat in stunned silence, each of them processing the brutal display of power they'd just witnessed. Val's expression was unreadable, a flicker of pride glinting in his eyes as he nodded, acknowledging his brother's lethal skill.
Dr. Lewis's voice cut through the silence, steady and composed. Acknowledged, Ember. Extraction point marked. Return at your discretion.
As Ember and the team began their withdrawal, the blood-soaked chamber stood as a grim testament to Team Unknown's deadly prowess, a warning to any who dared stand in their way.
And somewhere in the shadows, the memory of the Bellator brothers' brutality lingered, a chilling reminder that some legends never fade.