As we sprinted toward the entrance of Refuge Zeta, I could hear the sounds of battle getting louder and louder. Gunshots rang out across the city, and I could see flashes of light from skills and spells illuminating the night sky. The smell of smoke and burning flesh was overpowering.
Red Masque's assaults continued in his pursuit — red blasts of energy illuminating the darkness around us as he tried to eliminate from above. I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding his attack, and returned fire with an orange Luminary Bolt from my hand. It hit him square in the chest, but his aura rippled with a brief red flash and he shrugged it off like it was nothing.
I gritted my teeth, feeling a sense of frustration and anger that I couldn't seem to make a dent in him, even with the power gained from my transformation. I'd put everything I had into the Luminary Beam I'd 'sucker punched' him with earlier, and he'd gotten back up none the worse for wear.
But I couldn't let that frustration consume me. I had to stay focused and keep my mind clear if we were going to make it out of this alive. We continued to weave through the streets, leaving streaks of light behind us as we made our way closer and closer to the entrance of Refuge Zeta.
"Assassination Art: Red Lotus!" Red Masque snarled, sending a flurry of fire-red knives hurtling towards us in a spiraling pattern.
Dawn Lily and I split apart, rolling to the side and narrowly avoiding the deadly attack. I landed on the ground and quickly sprang back to my feet, keeping my eyes locked on Red Masque as he descended toward us. His energy was wild and untamed, and I could feel his aura pulsing with dark intent. There was something wrong with him, something that went far beyond any normal kind of madness.
Dawn Lily and I shared a look, before we scrambled to our feet and jumped up a pair of fire escapes once again, bolting in separate directions. We reached the rooftop of a nearby building and sprinted across it, moving towards Refuge Zeta's entrance.
A pair of flying, chitinous, bird-like monsters with crystalline wings and heads shaped like eyeless spears swooped down towards us, screeching loudly as they flew.
"Solar Art: Radiant Barrage!" Dawn Lily yelled, unleashing a torrent of golden energy bolts from her bow. The bolts struck the monsters, exploding in a shower of fire and smoke that sent the creatures crashing to the ground.
We landed next to each other on the rooftop, taking a moment to acknowledge each other with a nod and catch our breaths before continuing on towards Refuge Zeta.
Red Masque was still hot on our heels, his energy surging with fury as he landed on the rooftop behind us. He charged forward, knives at the ready as he darted towards us with lightning speed.
But we weren't about to give up without a fight.
"Brace yourself on me, Dawn Lily!" I shouted as I slowed my pace and turned around to face Red Masque, my back to her. She nodded and quickly complied, wrapping her arms around me tightly.
I took a deep breath, focusing my energy as I prepared to face Red Masque head-on. A malevolent red energy pulsed around him, causing my skin to crawl as he drew closer. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins, but even that wasn't enough to calm the fear that was threatening to take over.
"Nocturnal Beam: Dark Wave!" I shouted, sweeping the ground with a dark wave of shadowy energy.
As I expected, he jumped over it with ease, his knives still at the ready.
But I didn't falter. I aimed broadly, channeling a massive burst of mana.
"Luminary Nova: Glorious Explosion!" I shouted, unleashing a massive shockwave of flaming energy that blasted Red Masque head on. He stumbled backwards, struggling to keep his balance as flames engulfed him. The explosion was so intense that it tore through the roof beneath us, sending debris and dust raining down below as my attack leveled the building.
The momentum of the attack sent Dawn Lily and me flying back, sailing through the air towards the general direction of Refuge Zeta. As we flew, I could feel the heat from the flames licking at my skin, the wind rushing past me like a hurricane. I could hear Dawn Lily's voice briefly screaming in my ear, but the sound was muted, like I was listening from underwater. It felt like everything was moving in slow motion.
But she oriented herself first.
"Solar Art: Descending Sunfall!" Dawn Lily yelled, using her quarterstaff to guide us in the air, creating a golden orb of light around us that cushioned our fall. We landed softly on the ground, rolling to a stop as the orb dissipated.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I spotted the familiar silhouette of Black Star waiting for us. He had his back against the concrete walls of the entrance, now wielding dual pistols blasting away at a small horde of zombies that had formed near the entrance, closing in on us. I noted that he’d improvised a brace for his leg, and he had a visible limp as he maneuvered around the broken fence and wreckage.
"Yo, took you guys long enough! Where's that iced tea I ordered? I'm dyin' here!" he quipped, reloading the pistols in a brief flash. Despite the insanity and danger of the situation, I couldn't help but smile.
"I'm sorry, sir! We didn't have time to stop off at a cafe," Dawn Lily replied sarcastically as she unleashed a rain of arrows, clearing the zombie horde.
Black Star shook his head disdainfully, holstering his guns back up into their holders. "That's alright then, just don't let it happen again," he said jokingly before turning serious once more. "So I'm assuming that explosion was my bro—"
He was suddenly cut off as a flutter and thud echoed through the air. We all looked up to see a figure slowly descending from the sky above, his pale blue eyes glowing in the firelight. It was Red Masque, and he had, of course, survived my attack unscathed. Black Star reacted instantly, rushing to stand in front of me.
"Enrico," he addressed Black Star. "Get back inside the Refuge. This isn't your fight."
Black Star cocked an eyebrow, shaking his head as he walked forward. "Sorry, dude. But I thought I made it clear yesterday that I’m done taking orders and fetching coffee for you," he stated simply, crossing his arms. "Besides, your irrational obsession with Lux here has gotten way out of hand. This isn't you, Ricky. What happened to the good ol’ fashioned, cold, logical professionalism?"
Red Masque's gaze hardened. "This has nothing to do with you. I have a job to do. And you. Are in. The way."
"Maybe that's because I don't like the idea of you being a puppet, and being the puppet of a puppet," Black Star shot back. "You've always prided yourself on being in control. You need to see what's really going on here, man!"
Red Masque's gaze faltered for a split second, the briefest hint of pain flitting across his eyes. "I am in control, Enrico. I merely understand what needs to be done. Now, step aside.”
But Black Star didn’t stop. “All those years moving around. All those years sending me to these random private schools, doing your best to keep me out of the line of fire and training me to be resilient and strong. What was it all for, Ricky? Just so you can turn around and break the truce you called and be a hunted man for the rest of your life? Leave me alone with our deadbeat dad?”
Red Masque stared at him coldly, but Black Star just scowled, slowly marching in front of me up toward Red Masque. “They only leave you alone because you never go too far, you know. That and being a tough sonuvabitch to take down. Who’s there to take out a problematic Knight or two under the table. But this? This is different. You took out Midnight Blossom in the middle of a Calamity Truce! Surrounded by cameras, witnesses, and footage! And now you’re after, dare I say it, the first fucking friend I’ve made in years with an entire city’s worth of monsters crashing down our backs! Tell me, if you aren't possessed right now, what's up with your eyes?”
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"Enrico, I've always done what I thought was best for you. Always. You won't understand the weight of my responsibilities. This... is necessary." Red Masque said, each word carefully chosen, but there was a hint of desperation in his voice. “Everything I’ve done. It was to prepare you, to make you strong for what's coming. You wouldn't understand."
"No, Ricardo, you don't understand," Black Star shot back. "I spent half my life under your shadow and thumbs, surrounded by psychopaths, rapists, drug dealers, and human traffickers, knowing my brother is a coldblooded killer. Knowing I was being raised on blood money. You took in my mom when I was eight, and I’ll always be thankful for that, but you've made it clear that I've never been a true part of your world. I was a side piece, a project, an obligation, but dammit, I knew you cared about me in your own way. I've always known there was a side to you that I didn't fully understand, but you never let me in. Now, when the world is literally burning down around us, you’re still playing god! Give me one. Good. Reason. To step aside and let you come at her.”
Dawn Lily and I stood tensely by Black Star's flanks, ready to defend him if Red Masque made a move. But instead of attacking, Red Masque looked pained, conflicted even.
Red Masque let out a deep sigh. "I saw things, Enrico. Things you couldn't even begin to comprehend. That ritual years ago... I have never spoken of it, but it gave me these eyes. These eyes allow me to see what most never could. The color of peoples' auras, prescient visions, and the ability to pierce the veil of reality at key times. They've shown me a vision of what was to come on that fateful day, and have continued to ever since. A world overrun by monsters, where the weak perish and only the strong survive. I did what I did to ensure that you'd be one of the survivors.”
He turned to stare at me coldly, “Mortifera Nox used a mother… specifically her unborn child as the focal point for the ritual - an anchor to pierce through the veil protecting the world. The latent World System created by our ancestors. To tear it down and gain absolute power. That child... it was her,” he motioned towards me.
"Me? But... how?" I managed to croak out, feeling like I was punched in the gut. The world seemed to blur around me. “Why?”
“Your mother had a unique spiritual signature and Origin — one that you inherited. And that is the very reason why these monsters are here. Your existence is the anchor that binds them to our reality,” Red Masque's voice was filled with bitterness. “I had a chance to ensure it wouldn’t come to pass, but I was soft and let her get away.”
Black Star chuckled humorlessly, "So, let me get this straight. Your grand solution was to take out Lux, severing the anchor and saving the day? How noble of you, big bro. But there's one teensy tiny problem. If she’s the anchor and you remove her, who’s to say it doesn’t make things worse? You’re banking on a vision from these eyes that turned you batshit crazy and traumatized you for life. You're not making decisions based on logic anymore, Ricky. You're being led by chaos and fear."
There was a brief, tense silence as Red Masque looked from Black Star to me, and then back again. His blue eyes clouded with a mixture of anger and uncertainty. The tension was palpable, a standoff between brothers with the fate of a city hanging in the balance.
Red Masque's blue eyes seemed to shimmer for a moment, hinting at an internal battle. "You think you understand, but you don’t, kid! This is bigger than us. This is about the survival of the human race," he said with intensity. "I can't let sentimentality cloud my judgment. Lux... she needs to be eliminated to buy us all time."
Black Star's face twisted with incredulity. "So, you're saying, instead of trying to help her, trying to find a way to figure out and sever this connection or whatever the hell it is, you decide to just eliminate her? And you thought I'd just... stand by and let you?”
"It's not that simple!" Red Masque's voice cracked. "You think I haven't thought of that? She might be the key, but she's also the lock. I’ve consulted sorcerers, magicians, and scholars who have studied the System inside and out. None could guarantee her death wouldn't just accelerate the invasion, but one thing was for certain. The nature of the breach indicates that every moment she's alive, they gain a stronger foothold.”
I took a deep breath, thinking it over quickly. Then, I stepped forward.
"Okay then, let’s make a deal. Red Masque, if you truly believe I'm the cause of all this, then work with us. Help us figure out a way to reverse this. We’ll go back to your base, access every bit of information you have. Work with the Knights. I'd rather know if I’m some cursed beacon and find a way to end it than run from it. But we do this together."
"Sienna!" Albert shouted in response, "That's insanity! I won't ever accept you just... throwing away your life like that!"
I shook my head, firm in my decision. "I'm sorry, Al. But if the world is going to end because of me, then I have to do something about it. I can't just run and hide, hoping that everything will be okay. And besides, I trust Black Star and the Knights. We can do this."
Red Masque seemed taken aback by the offer. But he hesitated, which was a good sign. Maybe, just maybe, we could find a middle ground and work together to stop this apocalypse.
His eyes flashed dangerously as he mulled over my offer.
A premonition suddenly struck me. A feeling of sheer terror clawed at my chest, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimpse of a world overrun by monsters, destroyed cities, and corpses piled high. It was a bleak and hopeless sight, and I felt a wave of despair wash over me. Red Masque tensed up as well, and he suddenly stumbled, grabbing at his head.
Something was wrong.
Black Star rushed forward to catch Red Masque as he started to fall. "Ricky, what's happening?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. "Are you okay?"
Red Masque shook his head, trying to clear the sudden vertigo. "I-I don't know. Something's not right," he muttered, his eyes wild with fear. "There's too much interference. I can't... I can't see anything clearly."
"What do you mean? What interference?" I asked, my own fear rising within me.
Red Masque shook his head, his eyes unfocused. "No, something's wrong. I can't... I can't see anymore," he muttered, his voice strained. "It's like someone's blocking me, something..."
The ground began to rumble, and the sky lit up with an eerie bluehue. A deep, bone-chilling roar echoed throughout the city.
…And a chill raced down my spine as I realized it came from right behind us.
I quickly spun around, only to be greeted with the 'remains' of the Juggernaut. Red Masque had bisected the massive, muscled humanoid by the waist, but its arms twitched and writhed, and it floated into the air, emitting shadowy tendrils that snaked toward the ground and formed legs. Then, its waist began to flatten and expand.
I gasped, my eyes widening in surprise. The Juggernaut's waist had split into a portal, which opened up, revealing a beautiful but strange landscape of swirling lights and colors.
But its eyes. The way the blue 'eyes' of the beast glowed would haunt me for the rest of my life. The glowing eyes were like beacons, beckoning the monsters that had come to invade our world.
Then, without warning, the creature's arms fell off, before sprouting shadowy tendrils lashed out toward Black Star which stretched out, reaching for Black Star. He stumbled back in shock, hissing in pain as he tripped over his lame ankle. I quickly drew my Blade of Illumination and rushed for him.
I was too slow.
In a blink of an eye, Dawn Lily and I were thrown back by a powerful gust of wind. Black Star had been grabbed by the tendrils and was being drawn into the portal, screaming for help.
Red Masque, however, was there in an instant, intercepting the tendrils and single-handedly forcing them all off with a flurry of slashes and stabs, his moves so fast he seemed to barely touch the creature.
We watched in horror as Red Masque struggled to free Black Star from the tendrils’ grasp. The beast thrashed wildly, causing tendrils of wispy darkness pulsing outwards that smashed against walls and buildings, sending rubble flying everywhere. Pieces of rock slammed into nearby cars and shattered windows, but we were too focused on Red Masque to take notice.
In one graceful spin, he severed the tendrils trapping Black Star and grabbed onto his collar. With an impressive burst of speed and agility, he spun Black Star around and tossed him away from the creature in midair toward me, out of harm's way.
But the beast wasn't finished yet. Its eyes glowing brighter and brighter, it suddenly lurched forward and Red Masque was forced to twist away, turning midair.
Just as he was about to escape, the creature reached out with its remaining tendrils and impaled him throughout his torso in midair, violently lifting him up and causing his mask to shatter and clatter on the floor.
"SOMEBODY HELP HIM!" Black Star shouted in panic and anguish as he scrambled to his feet.
Red Masque gave us one last look, a weak smile on his face as the creature stared at him through its terrifying blue eyes. His last words of comfort were barely audible...
"Star… I'm still here ... I…I won't let this world fall. I promised."
Then, the tendrils dragged him into the Juggernaut’s torso as the portal closed, and Red Masque disappeared from sight, leaving no trace of him behind.