Ivar dives into the water, struggling to hold on to Luka, who struggles against him as they push through the water. Luka breaks his arm, freeing it from Ivar’s grip before his claws emerge and he slashes into Ivar. Ivar pushes through the pain, struggling and surfaces, tossing Luka into a large rock as they emerge on a rocky shore.

Luka takes in a deep breath as Ivar focuses on him taking an offensive stance.

“I have to admit you got me, Fishman. Had you taken me down deeper, you might’ve drowned me?”

“Oh please. We both know that wouldn’t have worked on you. You were barely breathing before I brought you into the water.”

Luka nods. “Yeah. I don’t need to breathe much personally. It’s just a bad habit this body has, sadly. Wish I could break it.”

“So, something is wiggling around in there?”

“Yeah. Do you want to find out?”

“I’d rather not.”

“Your loss!” He lunges forward, bearing his claws at Ivar, who dodges the attack. “I’m gonna slice you to bits and eat you raw!”

Ivar leaps away from him. “How about we don’t. You’re not my type, to be honest.”

“Don’t care!”

Luka charges in with Ivar, dodging his attacks. He waits, watching, but barely able to keep up with his foe. The Piece in his chest channels all the power it can muster to his limbs for him to keep pace with his monstrous foe. Luka’s growing agitation reflects as his attacks grow wider, wilder, and more chaotic. His slashes scratch into the surrounding stone, cutting everything around the pair. With Ivar watching, knowing one mistake or misstep would be the end of him.

“Come on, fight back!” Luka yells.

As he does, he swings wide, missing Ivar completely and opening himself to an attack. Seeing his chance, Ivar steps into the attack and channels all the power he can into his fist. He launches a powerful open-palm strike directly into Luka’s chest, sending him flying back and leaving an indent that breaks away the bones around his chest.

Luka crashes into a large stone, coughing out blood as Ivar pants, every muscle in his arm screaming out at once. Before either could do anything, a flaming object falls from the sky above.

“Now’s our chance!” The two yell at once.

Tan and Faye fly down from above at top speed, their bodies light with flames as they crash down onto Luka. The pair implant him into the ground as they leap back and join Ivar. The flames coating their bodies, dying down as they look at him.

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“See,” Faye says.

“We’ve been practicing,” Tan says.

Ivar smirks. “I can see that. But tone down the fire. I don’t want to dry out.”

“Oops,” Tan says.

“Our bad,” Faye says.

Before anyone can relax, Luka moves. His body moves unnaturally as if something puppet'd it up from the hole in the ground. Forcing the broken battered body to move against whatever instinctual will it has left. The wounds bleed an odd black ooze that coats the body as Luka steps forward.

“You got me there. If I were a simple human, I would’ve probably died from that. My fault for exposing myself like that.” He says without his mouth moving an inch.

The portions of his face dangle oddly, his eyes unmoving and white, his mouth gaping open, and his skin shifting. Something burrows itself underneath his skin as the three watch on, confused.

“What’s happening?” Tan asks.

“He smells wrong,” Faye says.

Ivar nods. “Be ready for anything. This thing isn’t human, whatever it is.”

Luka laughs as his body changes. An extra pair of pitch-black limbs erupts from his back as his body stretches to grow taller. His mouth flies open, with a large pair of bug eyes erupting from underneath his skin. The creature known as Lula towers over the three as he reaches down for them.

“Now let’s keep our fight going! I’m having fun!”

He charges ahead, swiping at the group as they dodge his attack. Ivar dives into the water with Tan taking off into the air. Faye runs around on land, dodging his attacks and leaping into the air. Tan swoops down and grabs her as Luka reaches out for the pair. His hands extend and grow as Tan flies, avoiding his grasp.

“I owe you for earlier, birdy. Come down and let me show you how thankful I am for your attack.”

“No thanks!” Tan yells.

She flies high and then throws Faye down towards the ground. Faye curls into a ball as flames erupt from her body. She charges past his extended hands and smashes into his face, kicking off of it and sending out a wave of flames as she does. Luka steps back in confusion towards the water with Luka shooting out of the waves. He leaps into the air and then comes down hard on Luka’s back.

Luka screams out in pain as he collapses with something inside of his body cracking. “What… what did you…”

“I broke your spine. Even if this body isn’t yours, and is being moved against its will, it can’t move if there’s no connection to the lower half. I am wrong?” Ivar asks.

He collapses on top of the elongated Luka as Tan and Faye rush down towards him.

“Ivar!” The two yell in unison.

“What did I tell you two about the flames?”

“Sorry.” They say in unison.

“No…. this won’t be the end. I’ll just take your bodies instead!” Luka yells as something crawls out of his mouth.

An inky black thing slithers out from the inside of Luka. It turns towards the three, focusing its buggy eyes on them. A multitude of limbs extend from its body as it charges ahead only to stop. It squirms and shakes uncomfortably before letting out an odd groan.

“Those flames! That light!”

Tan and Faye look at each other and charge ahead. The flames around their bodies grow stronger and brighter as the thing stares at them in fear. Scared and squirming, it breaks away from Luka’s body and flees into the darkness of the forest. Luka’s body deflates, going flat as the three stand on top of the stretched-out skin that was once Luka.

“Um…” Ivar stares down. “You know what I said about the flames?”

“Yeah.”

“I take it back. Please bring it closer and keep it hot. I don’t care if I end up half-baked. I don’t want that thing coming near me again.” He says.

“Agreed.” The two say in unison.