(Kalemonath 6, 56 / 7:24PM)

Two weeks after the collapse of Ticia.

(Gwen) Who's this fellow?

(Benn) Don’t know.

Both Gwen and Benn looked at the sweat-drenched, dark-complected old teenager that was right in front of them, his arms motionless to gravity as his legs wobbled back and forth. Gwen and Benn noticed the amount of dandrum that riddled the teen’s burly shoulders.

(???) Please! You got to help me! I-I have nowhere to go…

(Gwen) Hmm …

Gwen tilted her head to the right as she placed her right hand onto her right cheek, her palms staining her skin with her calloused hands.

Benn, who put both of his hands onto his sides, hunched his back forward as he squinted at the old teen. Peering into the depths of the unwashed and hungry teen, he wrinkled his nose as the smell of body odor radiated from him.

(Benn) When was the last time you showered?

(???) I don’t know how long… but I need someplace to stay, e-even if it means being—

(Gwen) Do you want to be a soldier that bad?

Gwen slowly walked forward toward the dark-complected teen, her hands now on her hips as she swayed them back and forth, even though she didn’t have any curves to begin with.

Straightening her back and clearing her throat, she inhaled an abundance of air into her newly pink lungs, trapping the air as if it were a balloon.

(Gwen) Do you know how grueling it would be?

(???) I know that training would be hard … but if it means to survive, then…

The teen looked away onto the asphalt ground, panning his eyes away from the smug face that the freckled soldier pinned on him.

He stared into the cracks of the black road, tracing along the cracks as it eventually led up toward the boots of the woman in front of him. His mouth opened wide, the old teen curled his hands as he then looked up toward the freckled woman, his eyes making a fiery glare.

(???) Then I’ll be more and happy to do it.

Gwen glanced at the shark-human who continued to fold his arms at the teen.

Benn took a step to the left as he clicked his tongue. Focusing his full attention on her, Gwen let out a cheerful smile that reached toward the height of her ears.

(Gwen) Well, if you’re gonna to be a soldier for us, then we could put you on the list of candidates.

(???) Candidates?

(Gwen) We’re doing a little program. Even though you’ll be the oldest one in the bunch, I’m sure you’ll fit right in.

(???) Oh, okay …

Clasping both of her hands, Gwen tilted her head to the right, forming a feminine smile that caused both Benn and the teen to fluster.

Walking off toward a brown van that was fully loaded with ammunition and weapons, the teen pushed both of his heels off the ground, his body already in turmoil from the lack of food. Placing both of his hands on his stomach, he noticed the two soldiers staring at him in front, causing him to straighten his posture despite his abdomen feeling as if it might implode.

Tapping both of his lips, he looked toward the freckled woman who still eyed him.

(???) I could drive. I drove from my hometown to here in one day…

(Gwen) Hmm … sure, as long as you drive and let us do the heavy work, then it’ll be ok. What’s your name anyway?

(???) Oh, the name’s Miles. Miles Brown.

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(Lazaros) Well, looks like he wants a second round with you.

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Taking a few steps back, Lazaros placed his left hand into his right sleeve, having his sleeves covering both ends of his arms. By just seeing the way Jason readied his stance, Gwen turned her entire body to face his direction, her hands still enclosed into fists that didn’t let a single air sweep through them.

(Gwen) Once I deal with him … you’re next.

(Lazaros) Oh, don’t worry. If he doesn’t kill you, then I will.

Having her body in a lunging position, she readied her body as her feet were glued to the benevolent stone ground beneath her.

She kicked her right heel off of the stone ground, disappearing like an ant in the wind.

His eyes not able to perceive her speed, Jason put both of his forearms out in front of him, having them together to protect his face. By just protecting his face, the blackened flames that caressed his gray hoodie sleeves soon balled up to cover his entire body, the flames spreading outward until they came crashing down on him.

But this wasn’t his way of attacking himself, but rather a way to defend himself.

Once the flames leaped downward onto him, they molded themselves into a large black and ghostly ball, prisoning Jason like a blanket.

(Jason’s thoughts) Hope this doesn’t break.

The light couldn’t escape nor enter inside the blackened flame ball, putting Jason’s sense of smell into overdrive as his sense of sight was withdrawn. Slumping down onto the pitch-black flame floor where he found comfort, he let out a soft chuckle from his mouth.

(Jason) Too easy—

But the light was bestowed upon him again, causing him to press his palms onto his eyes.

Soon after, the dimming heat that smoldered his gray jacket and pale skin ceased as he felt his butt slam on the stone floor.

With his shield ball gone, Jason crawled backward. He mustered out a low groan.

(Jason’s thoughts) Damn it! Is her power a counter against mine!?

Jason spread both of his hands outward, his palms facing the direction of the brightening freckled woman.

The flames soon returned to smoldering from his wrists to his shoulders, it wasn’t long before the blackened flames spread outward. Creating a circle with his power, the flames soon started to mold and transform quickly as the black humanoid creatures sprouted out from just the air alone.

(Jason’s thoughts) This is my trump card…

(Gwen’s thoughts) There’s more?!

Her left eye twitching, she saw the group of black humanoid creatures being resembled from the feet up. Bending the law of physics, imaginary black air was being cultivated by the power of Jasons’ hands alone, culminating his vast army that caused Gwen of all people to gulp.

Ten, twenty, thirty…

Her body still radiating her imminent light, it flickered for a split second as more than a hundred of them emerged like gas.

(Gwen’s thoughts) That’s gotta be 100 of these suckers. I need to wrap this up now.

All of their forms brushing the contents of the stone floor beneath their ghostly bare feet, Jason opened his eyes as he squinted against the blinding light in front of him. Having his finger barely pointing at Gwen, all of his creatures looked at the command that they were given, their all-white eyes staring into the abyss or to the soul.

(Jason) Kill her.

A bright light emerged from on top of Jason directly.

He dug his knuckles inside his eyelids. Putting down his hands to his sides, his breath soon hitched inside of his own throat, his nostrils flaring up from the sudden gush of air that he forced his body to take in.

As he saw Gwen high in the air, her body was still in motion as she reached the climax of her height.

(Gwen) There’s no escape…

Putting both of her hands down toward the unguarded Jason, he then cleared his throat as he pushed his entire strength onto the muscles of his neck. Spreading his feet apart from one another, he had his palms opened up followed by his face wrinkling up from the light that bestowed on him.

Followed by his trembling finger pointed toward the woman who was soon falling onto him.

(Jason) ATTACK!!

In an industrial-like fashion, the horde of ghostly black creatures soon piled on top of one another. With their bodies mingling, the dim blackened flames that sprouted out from their skin and bodies soon burned evermore. As long as their bodies were connected…

They could let the rest of their comrades climb on top of one another.

Seeing the cruel way that the horde was trying to reach her, Gwen placed both of her hands outward so that her palms were facing the horde. The glowing light forming on the ends of her palms, she straightened her body so that the horde were all lined up in one area.

And fortunately for her, her traveling speed of hitting the ground floor was soon upon her.

(Gwen’s thoughts) You will never take me out that easily.

Blinding light poured out of both ends of her palms, the light reaching down onto the cursed black shadows that made its hellish ghost bridge.

Upon being hit with the blinding light, all the rest of the black creatures soon let out a vocal tearing shriek that came from the soul, a one-second scream that sounded as if a baby was on the verge of death. Soon after, every single black ghostly creature that was in the vicinity of the attack faded away like blossoms in the late spring.

With his entire army of ghostly creatures gone, the only thing that he mustered up was a slight moan.

(Jason) … uh…

He soon scraped his knees against the cement, his legs giving out from the amount of strain that his body was already in. Since using blessings or curses requires a lot of stamina, one must push oneself to the very limits for survival.

But Jason didn’t let that thought sink in, as his eyes soon began to roll onto the back of his head.

His vision blurred again just the same as last time, and his back soon slammed onto the harsh cold stone that welcomed him in, his hoodie not even willing to protect his bones and skin. His mouth agape, he couldn’t let the air from before set into his pink lungs, creating rasping groans from his trembling vocals.

(Gwen’s thoughts) This time … I’ll finish him…

Like a bullet in the wind, Gwen sped through the air like clockwork, her body already reaching where Jason was currently injured. Having her right leg having enough speed and momentum to mimic a metal guillotine, she aimed her sights right where his neck was, the air around her burning up as she then made contact with—

A hand grabbed the tip of her heel.

(Lazaros) Hey, aren’t you supposed to be the good guys here?

Gwen widened her glowing eyes as she saw the only person who could block a simple burning kick.

Her body remained still in the air, her breath quickened as the glowing light from her body soon began to flicker. Controlling her breathing, she soon brought the same brightness back to her own body.

(Gwen) What?

(Lazaros) Where’s that joyous personality of yours? Don’t tell me you ditched it just for this fight alone.

Putting down his right hand that grabbed the helm of her heel, Gwen then pulled back her right leg. Having both of her feet down on the ground, she laid her hands right by her sides as well as letting her entire body feel as if she was doing a marathon.

Taking a step back from the nonchalant Lazaros, she straightened her back to appear taller than him.

(Gwen) Only just for you …

(Lazaros) Hmm … I suppose you could take the news well, correct? I mean, you did want to know what happened to that spiky-haired elf.

Placing his right hand onto his chiseled and clean-shaven face, he rubbed his cheekbone back and forth along where the bone sprouted out. By having his fingers relax under the partially wrinkled skin, he had his left hand down to the ground as his knuckles felt the cold air brushing against his porcelain skin.

As for Gwen, the light from her body soon radiated more as she took a right step forward. Her body and soul juggling with the emotions of both nervousness and anger, she clenched her stomach as well as perked her ears up at the same time.

(Lazaros) Well … Jason did end up fighting him in a 1v1, but that Jerry fellow was too weak to even swing a sword. Jason didn’t kill him, hehe, only just beat the living lights out of him.

(Gwen) … Did you kill him…?

Drool started to pour out from the corners of her mouth, her body clenching up like a rabid dog that found its meek prey.

Her body was on the verge of erupting in a ball of light that could rival the sun, her flickering glow ever increased as she spoke with him.

Lazaros however didn’t beat around the bush, as he curled up the crevices of his lips up to the height of both of his ears.

(Lazaros) His girlfriend did. She’s the one that you’re all trying to defeat right now. Small world, right?

A deafening silence took hold of the stone room that they both were in.

Not even a tap of water or a movement of a muscle was enough to break it.

Her body remained still, her body soon dimmed as if a star was in the middle of its cycle. With her entire body not even able to push herself forward, the only thing that she could do was pucker up her lips.

(Lazaros) If you want proof, here’s his sword.

Using his right hand, he pulled out a sword that was tucked away inside of his right hip. Having his fingers wrapping the grip of the sword, he then threw it down onto the cold cement ground, dismay of disrespect that puckered up Gwen’s lips even more.

Looking down to the floor, she saw the engravings of the sword latched onto its metal, two words that were carved by none other than Jerry himself.

(Gwen) …

(Lazaros) No hard feelings. It’s ok if you want to scream or—

A glowing fist thrust upon his chiseled right cheekbone.

Almost having his right hand catch the thrusting hand, he didn’t even have enough time to prepare for the catch. The crevices of his eyes widened in slow motion, the burning light that caressed the left cheekbone of his old wrinkled face…

Sent him flying through the air at breakneck speed.

As for the girl who thrust her fist at the old man, she sharpened her glaring eyes. Her body radiated a yellow-reddish color, the change of it flickered intensely as she steadied herself on the stone floor that blistered her feet.

(Gwen) Die…

In an instant, the entire building around them dented the pillars that held the underground electrical room, as…

The fight between the two strongest forces commenced.