The intersection ahead had become a supernatural warzone. Behind an overturned delivery truck, a sorcerer in a torn hooded leather jacket crouched next to an ally in a royal blue hoodie clutching a bleeding slash wound across his gut.

The sorcerer's hands weaved complex patterns of crystallized moisture in the air. With each gesture, salvos of knife-shaped icicles materialized and launched toward his opponents, forcing them to scatter. The frozen projectiles pierced through concrete and metal with terrifying ease, leaving frost-rimmed holes in whatever they struck.

Facing him were five young men in all black wearing balaclavas and red camouflage armbands, their movements displaying the practiced coordination of a crew that had fought together before. They spread out in a semicircle, their source weapons – gleaming swords of various designs – humming with barely contained energy. The leader, distinguished by red marks on his balaclava, raised his blade high. The others matched his stance in perfect sync.

"Light them fuck boys up!" the leader shouted. Their synchronized sword slashes released waves of crimson energy that converged on the truck. The sorcerer barely managed to raise an ice wall before the combined attack hit, the resulting explosion sending shards of ice and metal raining down across the street.

Jelani watched from a distance keeping the scooter moving tight to the sidewalk, Kamari clinging tightly to his back, two more radiants emerged from an alley to join the sorcerer. One wielded gauntlets that crackled with electricity, while the other carried what looked like a silver baseball bat wrapped in glowing purple sigils. The gauntlet-user slammed his fists into the ground, sending a wave of lightning dancing across the pavement toward the sword-wielders. They leaped back, but not before one caught the surge full force, his body convulsing as he collapsed.

"Marcus is down!" one of the masked radiants called out. Their leader swore, then barked out new positions. They moved like a practiced unit, two breaking left while two went right, trying to flank their opponents. The sorcerer responded by raising ice barriers on both sides while the bat-wielding radiant was already in motion swinging his bat towards the masked radiants. Where he swung his bat sound waves emanated forward that smacked into one of his targets with concussive force.

The battle quickly devolved into pure mayhem. Sword slashes filled the air with destructive energy waves, while lightning and ice turned the street into an elemental disaster zone. Store windows exploded inward from the concussive force of missed attacks. A parked car caught in the crossfire flipped end over end before crashing through the front of a convenience store.

Overhead, a news helicopter circled like a vulture, its camera capturing every moment of destruction for viewers safe at home. The chopper's searchlight swept across the scene, momentarily highlighting figures running from nearby buildings – some clutching stolen goods, others simply trying to escape.

"There's a vortex break coming!" Jelani shouted at a group rushing past him. "You need to get out of here!" But his warnings fell on deaf ears. The looters were too focused on their opportunities, while those fleeing were already running as fast as they could. Block by block, the city was descending into a special kind of hell where supernatural combat and human desperation collided.

Kamari clung to Jelani, his small body trembling with each near miss. The need to protect this kid, to ensure his survival, burned in Jelani's chest with an intensity that surprised him. He didn't need to be awakened to be strong, to save a life. He could do this. He had to.

But the odds stacked against them with each passing second. The monsters were now only a few blocks behind them, he could see the silhouettes of skeletal hound-like creatures mixed in the back, tearing through anyone too slow to escape. Ahead, the radiant battle had left the street choked with smoke and debris. The path Jelani had planned to take was now blocked.

"Fuck," he cursed, coughing as acrid smoke filled his lungs. Then, a memory sparked – a side street they'd passed earlier. It led back towards the monsters but could get them to an outbreak shelter a couple of miles away if he could haul ass in a straight shot towards it.

"Change of plans, Kamari," Jelani called over his shoulder. "We're taking a detour."

"Okay," the boy replied, his voice small but trusting. "Thank you for helping me when everyone else left."

Jelani's throat tightened. Unable to find the right words, he simply nodded and said, "I got you, little man."

They swerved down the side street, narrowly avoiding a group of skeleton hounds loping on all fours over a few bodies. Jelani's heart raced as he leaned forward in an attempt to push the scooter to its limits, praying they'd make it to the shelter before the monsters closed in.

Jelani maneuvered through some side streets and managed to narrowly swerve between an overturned truck blocking a street. He emerged on the other side with Kamari to a familiar area that was surprisingly empty. Ahead should be their straight shot to safety. Just as hope began to bloom in his chest, Jelani found himself facing an impossible sight. The street ahead was cut off by a wall that shouldn't exist. The scooter sputtered and died, leaving them stranded in eerie silence.

"What's going on?" Kamari asked, his eyes wide with fear as he looked back towards the sounds of destruction.

Jelani frowned, checking his phone's map. "Fucking scooter died! Shit! And this wall... it shouldn't be here. The street should go through."

"Maybe they put it up recently?" Kamari suggested. "For construction or something?"

Jelani shook his head, approaching the wall cautiously. As he reached out to touch it, his hand passed through the solid-looking surface. Both he and Kamari gasped in surprise.

"It's... an illusion," Jelani realized, a chill running down his spine. Who would create something like this right now? He pressed a finger to his lips, signaling Kamari to be quiet, and they cautiously stepped through the false barrier.

What they saw on the other side made Jelani's blood run cold. A group of masked radiants stood in the middle of the street, engaged in tense conversation with several radiant enforcers – cops who had awakened and typically worked to catch rogue radiants. The enforcers wore all-black military gear, enhanced by translucent holographic knight armor over key areas.

Jelani pulled Kamari behind a nearby car, straining to hear the conversation. A gruff-voiced man with a bald head and scar over his left eye seemed to be arguing with the masked radiants about casualties. "We need this to look bad, but not terrible," he was saying. "You know what'll happen if you go too far."

One of the masked radiants, a dark-skinned man with glowing red eyes and plaited braids visible beneath his black balaclava, shifted uncomfortably. Jelani's mind raced, trying to make sense of what he was witnessing. This was clearly something that wasn't supposed to be happening.

Suddenly, a shuffling sound came from behind them. Jelani turned to see another masked radiant emerging from the illusory wall, fresh from battle. The newcomer's eyes widened as he spotted Jelani and Kamari.

"Who the fuck are you?" he demanded, his voice rising in alarm.

In an instant, all eyes were on them. Jelani's fight-or-flight response kicked in, and he chose flight. Grabbing Kamari's arm, he vaulted over a nearby fence into an alley, running as fast as his legs would carry them.

But they never stood a chance. In a blur of motion, a radiant moving with superhuman speed cut them off, grabbing both Jelani and Kamari before they could react. Seconds later they were being shoved back onto the street in front of the enforcers.

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"Who are you?" the lead enforcer demanded, his eyes cold and calculating. "What are you doing here?"

Jelani's mind raced, searching for a plausible explanation. "We were just trying to pass through," he said, fighting to keep his voice steady. "Escaping the vortex break. That wall isn't supposed to be there, so we thought we could just go around..."

The enforcer's expression darkened. He exchanged a look with one of his subordinates before muttering, "This is why we use logical illusions. The street shouldn't even exist from their perspectives. They should've given me someone with a sound-canceling spell at least."

A young woman with freckles and curly hair tied back in a ponytail mumbled an apology, her face flushed with annoyed embarrassment.

"How long were you there?" the enforcer asked, his tone making it clear he was really asking, "How much did you hear?"

Jelani hesitated, weighing his options. The enforcer cut him off before he could respond.

"It doesn't matter," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "You've already seen too much. This could blow everything." His gaze hardened as he delivered the chilling verdict: "We have to take them out."

The atmosphere grew tense, the weight of the enforcer's words settling over the group like a suffocating blanket. One of the other enforcers, a medium brown skin man in his early thirties with a wide nose bridge and a low buzzcut, stepped forward.

"Sir," he said, his voice careful but firm, "Can’t we just detain them? Make sure they don't speak until the full plan is realized."

The lead enforcer's face twisted with frustration. "I know none of us want to do this," he spoke in a forced, neutral tone. "But you all know how serious it is that this operation goes well. None of us can afford a leak."

Jelani's mind raced, desperately searching for a way out of this nightmare. He took a deep breath, forcing his voice to remain steady as he spoke. "Look, I swear we can keep our mouths shut. We're just two guys trying to survive out here. We ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. I honestly don't know enough about what you're talking about to make any conclusions. We just got here a few moments ago."

For a fleeting moment, it seemed like his words might have an impact. The enforcer's expression softened slightly, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. But then a sharp beep from his digital watch shattered the moment. The man glanced at it, his features hardening once more.

"I'm sorry," he said, though his tone held no real remorse. "But we can't take that risk."

Panic surged through Jelani. He stepped in front of Kamari, shielding the boy with his body. "Fine," he said, his voice trembling despite his best efforts. "But at least let the kid go. He's innocent in all this. He doesn't deserve—"

"No one here deserves this," the enforcer cut him off. "But sometimes, hard choices have to be made for the greater good." He turned to the masked radiants. "Use guns. Make it look like regular violence, not connected to radiant business."

The red-eyed radiant bristled. "Why do we have to do it?" he demanded.

The enforcer fixed him with a menacing glare. "Because I said so," he snarled. "Now do it!"

Jelani felt a wave of anger wash over him, momentarily drowning out his fear. He looked at Kamari, saw the terror and defeat in the boy's eyes, and something inside him snapped.

"You fucking cowards," he spat. "You bitch ass niggas wake up with all this power, and become lapdogs for the system? Out of all the things yall should be prioritizing, yall decided to terrorize the city you live in?!"

His words hit a nerve. The masked radiants shifted uncomfortably, exchanging uneasy glances.

Jelani pressed on, his voice dripping with contempt. "You're really gonna kill two niggas in cold blood? For what? What even is this grand plan that requires making the city worse?"

The group remained silent, the weight of Jelani's accusation hanging heavy in the air. The red-eyed radiant stepped forward, drawing his gun with a steady resolved hand.

Jelani's heart sank as he realized the futility of his words. "They're used to doing this all the time for lesser stakes," he thought bitterly. "This probably means nothing to them."

The lead enforcer cleared his throat. "It's... unfortunate," he said, his tone detached. "But there probably won't be a formal investigation into what happens here. Not with everything else going on." He seemed to be speaking more to reassure his own people than to address Jelani and Kamari.

Then, turning back to Jelani, the enforcer's voice took on a strained, almost pained tone. " I know your generation looks at us as monsters," he said, his eyes meeting Jelani's, "but this is truly for the greater good. We need control of this city, and to get there, it'll require tough calls." He paused. "I'm actually doing you a kindness. It's better this way than being torn apart by some vortex spawn. You wouldn't have made it far anyways."

The red-eyed radiant stepped closer, his gun raised. Jelani stood there, frozen, his mind struggling to process the surreal turn of events. Just hours ago, he'd been doing his job, trying to survive. Then he'd saved a boy's life. And now... this?

Two shots rang out in quick succession.

Jelani flinched at the sound, his body tensing for pain that didn't come. Instead, a small, choked gasp from beside him pierced the air. He turned, his eyes widening as he saw Kamari crumple to the ground, blood blossoming on his chest.

The sight snapped Jelani back to the cruel reality of the moment. He stared at the boy, his face a mask of shock and disbelief. His mind felt oddly detached, as if watching the scene unfold from a great distance.

Kamari's eyes were already glazing over, his small body shuddering with each labored breath. Jelani stood motionless, unable to look away from the dying child, a strange numbness settling over him.

Two more shots cracked through the air. This time, Jelani felt the impact. Twin points of fire erupted in his chest, the pain so intense it nearly brought him to his knees. He stumbled backward, struggling to breathe as blood filled his lungs.

The enforcer's voice seemed to come from far away. "Get to work," he was saying, a slight tremor in his words. "Tighten the illusion range. Make it believable and isolated to this block."

Jelani collapsed to the ground, the world growing hazy around him. He could hear the radiants and enforcers moving away, their footsteps fading into the distance. The silence that followed was deafening.

Minutes passed, though they felt like hours to Jelani. He was still alive, still conscious, trapped in a nightmare of pain and disbelief. How had it come to this? His whole life, snuffed out because of one decision he could never have known would be the wrong one.

"Someone... someone will help us," Jelani said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. But even as he said it, he knew it was a lie.

The minutes stretched on. Occasionally, Jelani would repeat his hollow reassurance. "Help is coming. Someone will find us." But all they heard were distant explosions, screams, and sirens that never drew closer.

As the light faded from Kamari's eyes, Jelani felt something inside him crack. He bit down hard on his lip, drawing blood as he fought to maintain his composure. All his hopes, all his dreams – was this how they would end?

Finally, alone and dying, Jelani allowed himself a moment of vulnerability. He felt sadness attempt to overwhelm him and almost wet the corner of his eyes but he forced it down with practiced effort. His breaths came in short, controlled gasps as he struggled to contain the storm of emotions threatening to break free.

"If I had awakened," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "they wouldn't have been able to touch us. I could have fixed this whole fucked-up world if this fucked up system had just given me the chance to awaken."

Jelani lay there, blood pooling beneath him, his mind racing through the events that led to this moment. He'd been doing his job, just trying to survive in this chaotic world. Then he'd saved a boy's life, only to end up here, bleeding out onto the concrete.

As the reality of his situation sank in, a surge of fury welled up inside him. These motherfuckers, these so-called protectors, had gunned down an innocent child and a young man just trying to survive. For what? Some twisted notion of the greater good?

"Kamari!" Jelani called out, his voice hoarse and desperate. "Kamari, can you hear me? Stay with me, little man!"

But there was no response. The boy lay still, his eyes open but unseeing.

"YOO ANYBODY OUT THERE!" he screamed furiously, his voice echoing off the uncaring walls around him. "Somebody help us.."

But only silence answered his plea. The distant sounds of chaos and destruction seemed to mock his cries.

"If only I had power," Jelani growled, his voice thick with anger and frustration. “I could have made a difference. I could have protected us, changed things. But instead, I'm dying here, weak as fuck."

His fury burned hot for a moment longer before slowly fading, leaving behind a hollow emptiness. Jelani closed his eyes, ready to give in to the encroaching darkness.

Suddenly, a faint green glow penetrated his eyelids. Jelani's eyes snapped open, and he saw it – the same neon green eye-shaped ripple from earlier, hovering in the air before him.

As he watched, the ripple expanded, transforming into a small vortex of swirling emerald energy. The sight was mesmerizing, drawing Jelani's gaze despite his pain and fatigue.

Then, to his astonishment, a holographic green scroll materialized in front of him and rolled open, hovering in the air like some kind of important notice. Words began to form on its surface, glowing with an otherworldly light:

"Will you enter the trial of the bond breaker and take a chance at awakening real power?"