-Before Stryder arriver-

It was like the whole town was asleep. Not a sound, not a single light. I was starting to think this was pointless. Who does Stridiot think he is anyways!? Bossing me around. Like the enemy is just gonna be out in the open.

Just when I was about to turn around, an explosion broke the silence of the night. It puzzled me a bit, I'm sure if it wasn't dead silent I would've missed it. The sound was really soft. I turned toward it and saw puffs of smoke rising to the sky. But why were there puffs and not just a tower of smoke? It kinda reminded me of a smoke sig-

"Oh zeppelin that's a smoke signal. Hiya Bean! To the sign! Lower your speed and go invisible, this could be a trap."

I held onto the railing and Bean began to morph. The veins popped on his body, and his green skin became ashen in color. Once he was completely grey we took off. When we got close, the tower of smoke abruptly stopped. I scanned the area below as Bean descended down. There were three people running around behind a warehouse.

When I got right above them I could tell who they were. It was Alexis, Valentina, and some old dude with a mullet. Alexis was in handcuffs and Valentina was staggering back from the mullet guy. He looked like he had a gun pointed at her. He snatched Alexis by the hair with his free hand and yanked her to him.

I gritted my teeth, I can’t just run in yet.

"You stupid privilege tramp. This is my tool, and you can't have her." He snickered.

"She's not a thing! She's a person!" Valentina roared.

"Whatever, doesn't matter now. It's not like your dumb smoke signal did a damn thing. So let me show you what you get for not listening."

He started to laugh and turned his head toward Alexis. Then he clocked her in the face. She fell face-first onto the ground and he immediately stomped on her head. Next thing I knew I was shoving my hand into his face. The last thing I saw was the shock in his walnut eyes as I roasted him alive.

An explosion sparked from my palms and sent the trash flying back into the side of the building. Where he started screaming for his life. I dropped down to my knees and picked Alexis up.

"Hey, you okay!?"

She coughed and turned to face me. Blood was dripping down her nose, and her eye was swollen.

"Zack?" She mumbled.

"Yeah, it's me, it's me."

"Ahhh! It burns! It burns!"

I looked over and watched the guy I roasted spaze on the ground. Right, he wasn't dead yet. I needed to rectify that soon.

"Zack! You have to warn the others! They're here for-" Valentina cried from behind, but I stopped her.

"I know, we need to hurry up and get out of here. They’re trying to use you both as bargaining chips."

"I'm so sorry Zack.."Alexis sat up and stepped back from me. "I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Hey, calm down what are you talking about?"

"We don't have time for this right now. Pepper spray isn't gonna hold the dragon forever!" Val yelled.

"Val you just go! I don't deserve to after what I did!"

"No way!" Val demanded as she ran over to us.

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'You have a traitor.'

Icarus's words rang in my head.

"Alexis, you're the traitor aren't you?" I asked.

Her eyes started to shine as tears started to come down.

"Zack please she didn't-" Val started, but I stopped her.

"It's okay." I gave her a smile and moved my hand on her head. "I'm not mad, and I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you again."

She sniffled and she looked away from me.

"But why.."

I pulled her in and I kissed her softly. Taking a moment to enjoy how warm her lips were. When I pulled back. I could see her wide amber eyes staring at me in disbelief.

"You really think the mighty destroyer of worlds would be mad at such a little thing?" I chuckled. I felt gross, Stryders smiling face popped into my mind. His ignorant, naive smile. "A hero doesn't care about dumb stuff like that."

Suddenly I was reminded of the severity of the situation as a loud explosion sounded off from behind. I looked back and the door was on the ground, while the door frame was engulfed by blue flames. Elo stood in the doorway and glared at me with his puffy blue eyes. Geez, Valentinas got some guts to fight that.

"Val, take Alexis out of here." I stood up and started to walk toward Elo "I'll take care of him."

"Zack! No, you-!" Alexis cried.

"We don't have time for this, come on!" Valentina cried.

I continued forward and watched as Elo walked through the flames. He glared at me and I crossed my fingers. Summoning my vines under the ground.

"You're not allowed to leave!" Elo ordered.

I smirked and pulled my ring finger into my palm, creating a wide barrier of solidified air in front of me. Then I flicked my ring finger and created another smaller one to the left of me. I looked to my right and saw the dust from the ground pick up around something. Great, Bean must've caught on.

I had my vines at the ready, so I gave him a smirk. I turned around and pulled my pants down, then smacked my butt.

"Show me what you got Beta Leo!”

He snarled and charged me. I quickly turned around and hiked my pants up. My hand was held out waiting for him to crash. Just when he was about to leap at me, I saw him turn and jump right. Making him run headfirst into Bean!

Bean fell back into the wind wall and for the first time ever, I saw the air crack like glass behind him. I didn't hesitate and summoned my vines around Elo, and flung him toward me.

"I see you didn't take the bait! But that's okay!" As he came in close I leaped forward and slammed my palm into him, and let a huge green explosion loose. Sending him flying back into the wall. "Don't underestimate the wizard of the Alley. You think you can just run past me?"

I started walking toward him and dispelled the solidified air, then summoned more vines to wrap around him. Steam seeped off of him as he struggled to break out.

"I'm on board with Leo. You suck. Bean, go tell the others what's going on."

"Master Zack, is that really wise?"

"Yeah." I snapped my fingers, and the vines around Elo erupted into red flames. "These are my enchanted vines, they're fireproof. I definitely can't move him from this position without risk. These vines aren't as flexible. So I'll hold him here while you get the others."

"Right." He agreed.

I heard the gross slushing of his body as he shifted back into normal flight mode. Then I felt the huge gust of air as he leaped into the sky.

"So, before I kill you." I walked over to him and kneeled down, then tapped my palm with my ring finger and summoned a small air shield in front of my face. "Tell me what you did to make Alexis betray us."

I moved the vines slightly so he could talk, and he immediately shot fire at me. The air shield protected me and I just waited till he was done. Once he finally came to a stop, he started laughing hysterically.

"S-she had the only natural reaction to this situation. You'd betray your friends too if you knew what you were up against."

"Man, you really are lesser Leo. What? You're gonna cower in fear your whole life?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin as I heard someone behind me start clapping.

"Excellent work Wizard of the Alley. Truly stupendous. You managed to fulfill my wishes even before I asked for it."

I turned around, and I felt my heart start to race. There stood a man in a dark suit, with bright blonde hair. Blonde hair. This must be Jormungand.

Alexis's beaten face and tears came to mind. He caused all this to happen. I held out my hand and rapidly shot fireballs at him. But they all just exploded halfway to him. I solidified the air in front of me and protected myself from the recoil. Once the smoke faded, I saw a much more spikey Elo standing in front of Jormungand.

He must've cut the vines with his body. Damnit! No, I won't lose here. I'll beat them both before Stryder and Leo get here. I'll make them pay for what they did to Alexis!

I pointed toward them and glared, summoning fire over my arm.

"You're gonna pay for what you did to her."

"Hmm? Why are you blaming me for what that poor girl's father did?" Jormungand asked.

"Her what!?"

"That man whose face you've disfigured. He was the one who forced the poor girl. Why not kill him first?"

"Tch, you think I'm gonna fall for tha-"

"He is no liar! My father would never dirty his hands with something that trivial." Elo snapped.

My eyes widened at that. I looked over to the guy, I hadn't even noticed he was still whining on the ground.

"No, that's not enough." I looked back at them. "You sent Elo after my friends, and then let this douche bag beat her!” I crossed my fingers, letting my vines shoot out from the ground around us. "I'm gonna kill you!"

I jumped up and solidified the air, then I darted to Jormungand.

"Father, can I handle him, or get the girls!?" Elo yelled.

"Let the girls go. They've served their purpose. Let's play with our friend for now."

I jumped off the plate and rocketed myself toward him with my fire. I summoned a cocoon of Vines around Elo, and then created air plates between him and his father. As I came down to Jormungand, I went to blast his eyes with fire. But he just stepped out the way as I shot. I added more firepower and cushioned my fall. Then turned to blast at him again.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Elo slice through the vines and start darting toward me. Damn, the air plates definitely won’t hold. I shot fire below and rocketed myself into the air. I dispelled the air walls and recreated one below my feet. I looked back to Jormungand and I forgot how to breathe. A gigantic golden fireball zoomed toward me! I solidified the air in front of me and summoned my vines to wrap around me.

My body was shaking, If that thing hits me I’m gonna die! I heard glass shattering, that must've been my solid air. I felt an intense heat grasp at my skin, then it was like a truck rammed into me! I went flying back as the blast exploded against my vines. Then it felt like a sledgehammer slammed into my back. I went flying and crashed into the ground.

Did that freak of nature punch me when I went flying!?

"You should be grateful. You got to see what a real fireball looked like before you died, Destroyer of worlds." Jormungand chuckled.

My head was spinning and I wanted to throw up. No, It's not over yet. I solidified the air beside me and pulled myself up on it.

"That's cute, you think that was something." I chuckled as I stood up. I stumbled back and looked up at him. "Now, time for me to show you what the destroyer of worlds can really do."