Becca paced in front of Axel's makeshift cave, her heels leaving faint trails in the sand.

The soldiers nearby remained vigilant, weapons drawn and eyes scanning the horizon.

Inside the cave, enforcers stood as a final line of defense, their hands twitching near their weapons.

The cave stretched deep beneath Neverport, its chambers designed for protection.

Yet, despite the safety measures, unease hung in the air.

Becca's new attire reflected her elevated status—a sleeveless blue dress adorned with golden jewelry. Her right arm glowed faintly with green veins, charged with the power of her druid ring. She held Axel's sword tightly in her left hand, her knuckles white with tension.

"BECCA!" A familiar voice broke through her thoughts.

She turned to see CJ and Philly jogging toward her, both fully armed.

Becca offered a weak smile, "Hey, guys. What's going on?"

"Just checking in," CJ said, resting his mace on his shoulder. He stood tall, radiating confidence.

Philly adjusted his glasses and nodded, "We're just...making sure you're okay."

Becca sighed and kicked at the sand, "Thanks for looking out for me. But I'm fine. Are you guys worried?"

Philly hesitated, fidgeting with his glasses, "A little. I mean, who wouldn't be?"

Becca turned away, walking toward the ocean. The waves crashed softly, their rhythm almost soothing.

She twirled a strand of hair absently and whispered, "Johnathan would laugh if he saw me now."

She kneel to pick up a seashell, "I remember hiding from bandits while he led the fight. He always made everything seem...so simple." Her grip tightened around Axel's sword, "But now it's just me." she said as she got upright.

CJ stepped up beside her, his expression softening, "Correction—it's just us." He raised her hand, lifting the seashell toward the sky. "Even if the odds are against us, we'll defend Neverport."

Philly joined in, help raising their hand with a faint smile, "The three of us have been through so much together. We were here when this place from nothing but a farm, for crying out loud. Now we're fighting angels and wielding magic. Together, we can take on anything."

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Becca managed a small smile, but her expression shifted when she heard a faint, ominous sound.

As she turned toward the sky, a pink fireball streaked toward them, striking the ground and sending a shockwave through the area.

Becca, CJ, and Philly were thrown to the ground, the heat searing their skin.

Soldiers froze, their weapons slack in their hands.

Above them hovered Jay, his body wreathed in roaring pink flames. His gaze was filled with contempt.

"You all disgust me," he bellowed, "You sold out to him—Kurtis, the butcher of the common folk, the destroyer of countless lives. Fine. If you stand with him, then you'll burn with him!"

Jay raised his arms, launching streams of pink fire at the soldiers below. Chaos erupted as men and women scrambled for cover, their screams lost in the roar of flames.

Jay's aerial advantage seemed to have the upper hand—until a figure dove from the sky.

Ivy, mid-transformation, descended like a hawk. Her claws tore into Jay's back, sending him spinning in the air.

Jay snarled, losing his focus for a moment, "You—how—"

Ivy didn't let him finish. She slashed at his chest before he managed to kick her away, forcing her to revert to her bat form.

Jay steadied himself, landing gracefully on the ground. Ivy landed shortly after, her claws gleaming.

"So, you want round two?" Jay growled, flames igniting around him. "Last time wasn't humiliating enough for you?"

Ivy smirked and gave him the middle finger, before transforming both hands into claws.

They circled each other, tension thick in the air.

Jay fired a fireball, but Ivy dodged it effortlessly, closing the distance between them.

She lunged, her claws aiming for his throat, but Jay caught her attack and twisted her arm behind her back.

"Gotcha," he snarled, charging a blast aimed at her back.

Ivy dissolved into her bat form, slipping free just as the blast hit the ground.

She tried to vanish, but Jay anticipated her move.

He detonated a fiery explosion around him, the shockwave sending Ivy sprawling. She hit the sand hard.

Jay loomed over her, flames licking at his fingertips, "That's for Silver—"

A stream of water slammed into him, sending him skidding back.

Becca stood firm, Axel's sword in one hand and her druid ring glowing in the other, "Lucky shot," she taunted, water pooling around her feet, "If you want to fight, come dance with me."

Jay laughed darkly, "I still have time before I turn this place to ash."

CJ and Philly stepped forward, weapons raised.

"You want her?" CJ growled, his mace glinting. "You go through us first."

Jay's flames roared brighter. "Fine. I'll enjoy watching you all burn."

Before he could act, Ivy stood, blood dripping from her claw hands. With a defiant smirk, she wagged a finger at him.

Jay's eyes narrowed. He stripped off his jacket, revealing three names on his right arm: King Kurtis, Axel, Becca. None were crossed out.

"JAY!"

A metallic voice called from behind.

Silver stood, her golden mechanical arm transforming into a blaster.

Jay turned, his flames dimming. "Why are you here? Pi ordered everyone to retreat!"

Silver flushed with anger, "And I ignored him! I figured you'd do something stupid, so here I am. Like it or not, I'm not leaving!"

Jay sighed, shaking his head, "No matter where I go, you'll always follow."

Turning back to Becca, CJ, Philly, and Ivy, his flames reignited.

The battlefield crackled with tension as he advanced, "Let's finish this."