This thing was toying with them.

Muzazi gritted his teeth as he continued to swing his twin Radiants, deflecting and destroying the countless blades that poured forth to attack. It wasn't just him that was the target -- the swords continually tried to weave past his defenses and strike the unconscious Aguta and del Sed, as well. His attention was divided as far as it could be while retaining competence -- if he let something else distract him, it could spell disaster.

And in a situation like this, it was very difficult not to be distracted.

A new sky had lowered over the district, a barrier of white feathers that covered this entire abandoned section of the city, sealing it off. Innumerable red eyes stared inwards from the surface of the dome, flicking around independently, no doubt performing reconnaissance for their master. If Muzazi wasn't mistaken, that massive being wreaking havoc off in the distance was part of the Hive of Malkuth, too.

Just like this thing.

Praetorian Five giggled loudly to itself as it floated high above the battle. “This is so fun!” it laughed, in a voice that matched its childlike stature. “Hey, hey, are you scared, are you tired, are you dying? Come on, come on, tell me… I really wanna know! Hey, hey, tell me! Just tell me, okay?! I wanna know! Hey, hey!”

Muzazi's blood boiled. Was that grating voice part of the enemy's strategy as well? If so, it may very well have been working.

Rufus fired off another beam of incandescence -- but with the distance between them, it was child's play for Praetorian Five to swoop around it once more. Giggling again, it wagged an admonishing finger at the Nebula below.

“Ah, ah, ah!” it said mockingly, deploying another wave of swords. “You already tried that, remember? Already tried it, already tried it! Do you have sand for a brain? If it didn't work the first time, or the second time, or the third time, it's not gonna --”

A voice echoed across the rooftop, cutting off the Praetorian’s mania.

“Unchained.”

Praetorian Five stopped talking. It went silent. Actually, no, that wasn't true -- it did let out a choking noise as its limbs twitched, as if it were being held tight in a massive and invisible fist.

Because that was exactly what was happening.

Muzazi turned his head to look at the opposite side of the roof… and there -- as he'd half-expected, half-dreaded -- was the implacable form of the man called Mereloco. He strode calmly across the roof, arms limp at his sides, his dispassionate gaze fixed upwards on the immobilized Praetorian.

Is he here to kill me too? Muzazi wondered. No, he has a bounty on him, same as me.

In that case… why…?

“Untoward,” Mereloco said, ignoring the confused looks from those around him.

Gravity had a new master here. The roof began to shudder and tear beneath his feet, strips of concrete peeling away to form the steps of a floating staircase -- so that Mereloco could ascend towards his prey. As the burly man grew closer and closer, Praetorian Five twitched, attempting to escape. A huge group of thralls moaned as their bodies were crushed and fused into one jagged greatsword -- the weapon firing at Mereloco with the speed of a bullet.

The man from the past just caught it in his teeth.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Slowly, as those who had just been fighting now watched dumbfounded, Mereloco shattered the weapon in his mouth… and swallowed the shards. As if the deadly implement was just a snack, he consumed it down to the hilt, which he tossed over his shoulder. For the first time since he'd arrived, the man blinked.

“Yummy,” he said humourlessly.

Praetorian Five was dead a second later. A massive punch, infused with Aether and enhanced by Unchained, utterly destroyed the top half of its body. Red Aether leaking from its form, the tiny corpse dropped to the ground far below.

Mereloco followed a second later, the roof shaking as he landed right before Muzazi. Their eyes met.

“Why?” Muzazi breathed.

“You said a lot of bullshit back there,” Mereloco said simply. “You can't die yet.”

Muzazi blinked. Was that meant to explain anything? As Rufus ran over to provide uncertain aid -- stopped by the subtlest shake of Muzazi's head -- Mereloco's dull eyes drifted over Muzazi's shoulder to lock onto the horizon.

“We need to deal with that,” Mereloco nodded. “Can you fight?”

Muzazi followed Mereloco's gaze to the shining titan raining destruction down on the city. He was right. Without a doubt, that creature was the one who had erected the bright barrier around the district, trapping them all inside. Even if they could safely take off, right now they had no way of getting the ship out of here.

That thing had to go, then.

Muzazi took a deep breath… and ignited another Radiant from his hand.

“Yes,” he said, pushing for his words to be true. “I can fight.”

----------------------------------------

The new Guardian Entity -- Kyūso -- appeared in a rage of discordantly flashing Aether.

It had been created by recording and altering the rats that had scurried through this building, and it had taken form from them as well. They were bound together tightly with a lattice of strings like a full-body fishnet, their squirming bodies forming a vaguely humanoid shape. Half-a-dozen tails writhed through the air as a gruesome ‘face’, while jaws and teeth were stretched out to form rudimentary ‘fingers’.

Slowly, as if realising for the first time that it was alive, the monster spread its arms wide -- and arched its back to such a degree that its head faced the ceiling, its body forming a grotesque right angle.

“Interesting, very interesting,” Black Dog chuckled, looking over its shoulder at the floating monstrosity. “Do you like what I did with the face? Gnarly, huh?”

Morgan said nothing. He just drew his Fog-sword back, preparing himself, eyes resolute. He’d only faced Guardian Entities personally once -- when he was keeping the Crimson Carnival away from Muzazi's match -- but he knew they could display absurd abilities.

They weren't to be --

“They're not to be taken lightly, right?” the Black Dog finished.

Morgan's eyes widened in alarm.

“Haha, I got you, didn't I?” Black Dog cackled, screwing a pointed finger against its temple. “That's exactly what Wu Ming would expect you to think. You're so predictable, you know that?”

It sighed, running a hand over its face.

“Anyway… enough games. Time to finish this. Guardian Enti --”

“Guardian Entity,” a voice interrupted. “Shamichoro.”

The Black Dog turned its head -- and in the next moment, that head was shredded apart. Metal strings lashed out of the darkness, again and again, so fast that the Dog had no time to regenerate before the next attack came. Within a couple of seconds, the Black Dog was just a pile of diced shadows on the ground, its newborn Guardian Entity floating impotently above it.

The last man Morgan Nacht had expected to see marched out of the darkness, shamisen in hand.

Nael Manron.

Their eyes met. “Huh?” Morgan said.

“You're Muzazi's sidekick, right?” Nael grunted, strings still attacking the pile of darkness on the ground. “I guess you're here too.”

What are you doing here? Morgan wanted to say that, but no… there were bigger concerns. His gaze flicked back to the decimated Black Dog.

“Be careful,” he said. “Normal attacks won't --”

“Won't kill it, I know,” Nael grunted. “But if I keep going like this, I can stop it from moving, right? I was watching -- I know you've got a way to damage it. Finish it off while I keep it busy.”

Just like that? The last time they'd ‘met’ -- for lack of a better word -- they'd been bitter enemies in battle. Now Manron just expected them to join forces without a second thought?

Well… Morgan thought. Actually, I'm kind of into that.

As Shamichoro continued to disassemble the regenerating carcass of the Black Dog, Kyūso finally leapt into action. The rat-man kicked off of empty air, squealing and screeching as it moved to strike Nael with its gnarled fists.

“Shamichoro!” Manron barked. “Bachigawa!”

Nearly instantly, the metal strings of his Shamisen wrapped around Manron’s body as armour -- and he deflected Kyūso’s punch with a kick of his own. Sparks flew in every direction as tooth met metal. That didn't slow the Guardian Entity down, though -- before those sparks could even hit the ground, it was already launching another attack, and Manron was immediately moving to block it.

“Move it!” Manron barked, his voice echoing from within his armour. “You've got seconds!”

Right, right. Now that Manron was occupied with Kyūso, there was nothing stopping the Black Dog from regenerating. It was do or die time.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Morgan charged towards the growing pile of darkness, the shape of his Fog-sword shifting in his hands.

F! A!

New tendrils of Fog emerged from his shoulders, surging towards the blade of his now-massive weapon.

I! A!

As the twin streams of Fog flowed inside the hollow blade, Morgan altered them, prepared it like a chef prepares a dish.

C! A!

And as he leapt over the last obstacle and plunged his blade into the black mass…

I! A!

…he used the final ability, the one that would finish this…

L! A!

…

…

…

…and nothing happened.

Morgan blinked. “Huh?”

The grin of the Black Dog reformed. “Lengthwise Guillotine.”

Instantly, Morgan was launched backwards, a cruel gash opened up all the way down his torso. Blood sprayed from his wound and his mouth twice -- once, as he was struck, then again as he hit the wall, leaving a sizable dent. Lights danced in his vision. Nausea pulled at his throat.

What had happened? What was happening? What was going to happen?

Morgan's vision cleared, just for a moment, just in time to see Black Dog's fangs lunging for his throat, and all those questions were answered at once.

Oh. I'm dead. I'm dying. I'm going to die.

“Hachiman!” Nael roared.

Death was robbed by mere inches as a swing of the Guardian Entity's spear intercepted the beast, sending it flying back as it dodged the followup. As Nael and his Hachiman stood defensively in front of the downed Morgan, the Black Dog landed beside its own Guardian Entity, which returned to a floating position behind it.

“You're pretty fast,” Black Dog smirked. “But you wasted your one chance. Both of you are dead now.”

“You say that…” Manron replied, his own Guardian Entity flipping its weapons in its hands. “...but you're keeping your distance, aren't you? After all… you know what Hachiman can do.”

Black Dog chuckled. “You think that scarecrow frightens me, little man? You've already used its ability on me once -- and lookie lookie, I'm fine now. Why would I even be worried?”

Hachiman’s ability -- the one that had nearly spelt the end of Muzazi. Morgan remembered it well. At Manron's command, that Guardian Entity could launch an unblockable, undodgeable attack. As far as Morgan knew, there was absolutely no way for the target to avoid being hit by that attack. The best anyone could hope for was to mitigate the damage.

Of course… Black Dog wasn't an ordinary target. The level of damage that attack could do against it might as well be nothing, considering it could just pull itself back together right afterwards.

But Nael Manron knew that too. That was why -- visible only through the slightest seam in his armour -- a smirk spread across his lips to match that of his adversary.

“True,” Nael said. “Hachiman can't do much against that half-assed body of yours. Of course…”

His red gaze flicked upwards.

“...the same can't be said of your lackey, there.”

Hachiman adjusted its aim, just slightly… and locked right on to Black Dog's own Guardian Entity, to the Kyūso that floated behind the beast. Black Dog's eyes widened. A snarl poured from its throat.

“Wait!” it barked.

Nael Manron did not wait.

“Guardian Entity!” he roared. “Hachiman!”

The warrior of straw and flame thrust its spear forward into eager space, the blade crackling with Aether and potential… and the room was plunged into silence. For a moment, nobody spoke. For a moment, nobody moved.

And then…

…Nael Manron collapsed to the floor, a massive hole opened right up in his gut.

“Wait,” Black Dog repeated, but now giggling -- mocking -- as it looked down at the fallen warrior. “Wait, wait, wait, wait! Ha! Don't do it, please, I beg of you! Not Hachiman!”

Still laughing, it sauntered over, pressing its foot against the back of Manron's head and forcing his face into the dirt. He groaned softly, at the edge of consciousness. His fingers twitched as his armour unpeeled and fell limp to the ground beside him.

“Bastard…” he hissed, his eyes glassy and fixed on empty space.

As Nael drifted into a lethal sleep, the Black Dog's joyous gaze slid back up to Morgan, still embedded in the wall.

“Now…” it growled. “Your turn.”

----------------------------------------

Praetorian One sang, and the world shattered.

Blez Peshi. A building was demolished in a screeching chorus.

Capture Ball. A gang of Crimson Carnival leftovers were trapped and left to suffocate in the sky.

Field of Naught. The attacks and projectiles that came close crumbled into salt -- weak, weak, far too weak.

Eater of Hearts. The corpses formed through righteous slaughter streamed up into Praetorian One's body, fuelling its wavering lifeforce.

Mourning Star. Feathers collected before the Praetorian's index finger until they formed a perfect white sphere -- and when that was fired at a building, all that remained was a crater of glass.

IT IS NOT ENOUGH.

Dead Eyes. Along with revealing the names of those Praetorian One looked at, it also maintained a constant record of those it had killed. Over the last few minutes, the names of the deceased had flowed into Praetorian One's mind, a chorus to the slaughter. Samuel Sentzmann’s name was yet to appear.

It watched with the eyes from its wings, twisting them this way and that to get a better angle. It watched with the eyes from the firmament above, crimson gaze unblinking. And yet, it did not see him. That man was nowhere to be found.

Praetorian One screamed.

APPOINTMENT!

DO YOU THINK YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME?! VILE SINNER! UTTER HEATHEN! SHRINK NOT FROM MY GAZE!

Red eyes twitched and flicked around independently all over One's body, mirroring its fury -- and, then, just as quickly, they all returned to serenity. Its mood was so changeable right now… how curious. Was this the psychology of a blessed one?

OH… YOU'RE ATTACKING ME? I HAVEN'T EVEN DONE ANYTHING, AND YOU'RE ATTACKING ME?

Praetorian One raised a hand and casually blocked the blast of light surging towards it. The attack had been quite impressive -- in its new form, Praetorian One was the size of a building, and yet the blast would have sufficed to break the skin had it struck. Which brave warrior was this?

It twisted its head-wings in the direction of the attack, pupils shrinking as they zoomed in on the source.

AH… THERE YOU ARE.

ATOY MUZAZI!

The loser of the Dawn Contest stood atop the roof of the Alyn Grace Memorial Shopping Centre, blade of light raised as he slowly collected the force required for another attack. It was too late, though. That first chance had been his last chance.

What with the radiance of the canopy, Praetorian One hadn't noticed the Full Moon charging up his first Radiant Almighty, but now the sinner had no such leeway. One pointed a lazy finger in the direction of its target, a gaggle of feathers gathering into a single point before the digit.

CHOKE ON GOD'S LIGHT AND DIE.

Praetorian One tapped the point -- and a blast of heavensfire surged forward, crossing the distance between One and Muzazi in barely a second.

The sinner had been ready for it, though. Just as fast, he dodged to the side -- and someone else leapt in to receive the blow. A red-haired man holding a massive shield -- a shield that the blast of light slammed into, scattering in every direction as it pushed against him.

Dead Eyes. Rufus von Frostburn.

OH…?

Even if that shield was sturdy enough to block Praetorian One's attack -- which it wasn't -- it's wielder surely wouldn't be. He'd be sent flying, and that shield -- that puny, impotent shield -- would slip from his grasp. Any defenses -- if any even existed -- would be failed by those operating them.

Any second now…

…

Any second now…

…

He wasn't going flying.

Instead, von Frostburn stood firm -- deflecting the light as it poured forth, even as cracks formed in the rooftop around him. What was this? How was he withstanding the attack?

Praetorian One narrowed its eyes and observed further, observed closer. Purple Aether shimmered all around the man, holding him in place, holding him steady. A spell of enhanced gravity.

Mereloco.

Providence was truly on the side of Praetorian One this night. Every single person it wanted dead were presenting themselves with such convenience!

----------------------------------------

“That…” Morgan choked blood, limbs splayed out around him, half-buried in the wall. “That ability…”

“You've figured Kyūso out, haven't you?” Black Dog grinned mirthfully as it advanced, Kyūso floating over its shoulder. “There's a good boy. Wu Ming was right about you -- you do catch on quick.”

Morgan narrowed his eyes -- more to keep his vision clear than anything else. If Black Dog had managed to avoid that unavoidable attack, then there was only one explanation. Hachiman struck its target without exception. Morgan had no doubts about that.

In that case…

“Your… your Guardian Entity…” Morgan gasped out the unfamiliar parlance. “It lets you change the target… of other abilities. If I had to guess… it redirects any enemy ability within range… makes them target the user instead…”

That explained what had happened to Morgan, too -- why Light hadn’t worked before. L worked by targeting one of Morgan’s Aether constructs and altering it into an explosive flame. If the target for that ability was redirected to Morgan himself, it obviously wouldn’t work.

“Ten out of ten! Nael Manron's attack is indeed undodgeable and unblockable. I mean, weren't you watching? He wasn't able to dodge or block it at all!” Black Dog clutched its stomach as it laughed boisterously -- and then, suddenly stopped, its eyes dead. “And now, like I said… your turn.”

“Fuck you.”

The Black Dog paid no mind to the insult. Instead, it simply threw its arms out, unleashing a wave of discordant Aether -- flickering between various ghastly tones -- that crawled across the room. Morgan's heart skipped a beat in his chest. Morgan's sweat turned ice cold.

One by one, all around Morgan, white towers of what looked like bone rose out of the floor. He trembled as he looked at them. He knew these.

“I…” he forced out. “Ba… a… Bastard… J…Just…”

“They’re called restrainer towers,” Black Dog explained needlessly. “I'm told this gets messy if I don't use them. Best to follow the manual in such cases… don't you think?”

Morgan’s eyes widened -- and space warped as if to mock his horror.

“String Theory: Black Hole.”