“Listen up…that stemata is a powerful one. He can summon storms and direct lightning like he’s a damn God. Just listen to me and you’ll be fine.”

“Is this about Adri, Gutter? Because she wouldn’t want you to destroy everything that the gang has worked towards, you ungrateful child.” As Don Matteo was speaking, the clouds above us began to gather and circle.

“You know damn well that Adri didn’t want the gang to become this! The West Triad was made to balance the offset of the lack of order. You guys became the oppressor! It’s all your damn fault she died!”

For the first time, Gutter let go of that sly, intimidating demeanor and showed genuine hatred for the man standing in front of him. This Adri person must’ve been as important to him as Ori is to me.

“You wretch…” Don Matteo raised his left hand towards the sky. When he did, electricity began to form and dance around his gauntlet. When he did, he moved his hand in my direction. I was fully prepared to dodge a lightning bolt as soon as Gutter told me to, but it never came.

In a split second, Matteo changed his direction and moved his hand toward Gutter. Not soon after, a bolt of lightning came down on him.

“GRAH!” However, Gutter dodged the lightning bolt just in time.

“I forgot about that damn future sight of yours…” Matteo pointed to Gutter who was still dodging. He couldn’t change his direction so even if he knew what was coming, he couldn’t change his future. Because of this, I jumped in the way to try and redirect the lightning but this time the lightning didn’t come from the sky, it came from his own gauntlet.

“Strike…”

A sudden and quick blast of lightning came towards me and knocked me back towards a wall. As the impact went through my body, my head drooped down, my vision became hazy, and I couldn’t even move. I used the majority of my strength to lift my head.

The moment I did, I was met with Don Matteo’s black gauntlet.

“GAHHHHH!” I gritted my teeth as I was punched through the wall, parts of my helmet cracked and got torn off, and my limp body hit a table and fell onto the wooden floor. I was slowly recovering, but my vision returned to seeing Gutter, Ori, and Gollie fighting Matteo, but slowly losing ground.

Ori and Gollie were providing cover fire and Gutter was going toe to toe with Matteo. He was able to land hits, but they weren’t as effective as Gollie’s. In turn, Matteo wasn’t able to land blows on Gutter because of Gutter’s stemata.

That is until the next instance of the fight.

Matteo was able to block the incoming shots from Ori and Gollie and as he did, his gauntlets began to glow a faint blue and traces of lighting started to surround them.

“Look at that, Gutter. I don’t even need a stemata to do what you do.” Don Matteo then threw a punch at Gutter’s stomach and then another toward his face. As Gutter reacted to each hit, strikes of lightning could be seen coming out of the other side of his body as he was sent flying.

“Gutter!” Gollie holstered his pistol and jumped to catch Gutter, who was heading straight for the lake below them if it wasn’t for him intercepting.

“Our pistols are useless! You couldn’t tell us that he can absorb the impact for his abilities?” Ori said.

“I’ve just heard about that stemata from others. I’ve never seen it in action until now, so I don’t know the finer details.”

“Give me a second. I’ll come up with something.” Ori began to tap the side of her gun.

I can’t just sit here and do nothing! I’ve had enough rest. If I don't get up, everyone will lose against him. Now’s the time. I have to activate my stemata!

“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” I screamed as I got back up on my two feet and charged at Matteo. As I did, I drew my training pistol and rushed towards him. With each step I took, I pulled the trigger.

And each time I pulled the trigger, nothing happened. What am I doing wrong? What am I missing?

With no options and with me quickly closing the distance, I pistol whipped him across the face. However, it wasn’t enough. His face was the only part of his body that moved and it didn’t even seem to affect him. He just turned his face to me, showing off the wound I made that barely broke his skin.

“This is your ace-in-the-hole, Gutter? He stands no chance. ”

Before I could react whatsoever, he grabbed me by the face and lifted me off of my feet.

“He can’t even use a stemata. Let me show you just how hopeless your situation is…”

Don Matteo slammed me into a nearby barrel and as soon as I crashed through, I was submerged, fighting to get out and get air. In my frenzy of trying to overpower him and not drown, I saw static flashing around the gauntlet that wasn’t holding me. He was gonna fry me to death and there wasn’t anything I could do.

Before he could though, Gollie used all of his might to tackle him to the ground. As the two were rolling around brawling, I got out of the barrel And coughed out all of the water that went down the wrong pipe. What are we gonna do? This guy is way stronger than I thought! How are we supposed to handle someone like him?

“I have a plan, Holy Red! Listen up!” I looked over to Ori, and she had a mischievous look on her face. What is she cooking in that mind of hers, I wonder…

Ori

Once I told Gutter and Arno the plan, they were completely on board and got into their positions. Gutter rushed in to help Gollie. As he did, the two tried to work together to overwhelm Don Matteo. But there’s a difference in our strategy. Something that’ll surely help give us the edge in this fight!

“Head left!” Gutter shouted to Gollie and he quickly caught on and moved his head to the left just in time. As he moved, Matteo punched that area Gollie was not even seconds prior. Seeing this opening that was created, Gollie utilized it and punched Matteo across the face. Though it did barely anything, it’s proof that the first part of my plan can work.

Although Gutter has a strong stemata, he’s not strong enough to defeat Matteo. Gollie and Arno are the closest in strength to him, but they’re missing something to get that edge.

It’s coordination!

If we combine all of our greatest strengths, we can do it! We can defeat him!

“Right leg! Left arm! Back! Block!”

Gollie followed each instruction to perfection and successfully dodged each of Don Matteo’s attacks. The both of them were dodging and landing blows and before Matteo had a chance to adjust to this new fighting style of theirs, they both latched onto each one of his arms. With that, the second part of my plan has been completed. It’s time for the final act!

Arno!

As if right on cue. As if he could hear my very thoughts, Arno launched himself from the roof of the watchtower and had both hands on his pistol, trained and ready to shoot Don Matteo. You can do it, Arno! This is your chance! If you don’t, we’ll lose. That’s what’s racing through your mind, right? The lives of everyone here!

“Blazing Soul!”

Blazing Soul? What even is that?!

Arno shouted those words before pulling the trigger. And once he did, just like those times before, nothing happened. Just like before, my plan failed.

“A sad attempt!” Don Matteo shouted as he sent a massive static shock throughout his body using both of the gauntlets. It seemed that it was giving him complete immunity to the voltage he was sending out while also doing damage to those around him. Even though I was standing so far away from all of them, my hairs were standing as a reaction to his attack. Gutter couldn’t keep up and ended up losing his grip as well as his consciousness as he collapsed onto the floor. Gollie on the other hand had a stronger constitution. He was still holding on, but barely by a thread.

With one of his arms now free, he aimed it straight for Arno.

“I still have gas in the tank for one more…” He muttered.

We lost! There’s nothing anyone can do! If Matteo lands this shot, he’ll just beat us with brute force! Arno, what are we going to do?!

“HA!” Arno threw his training pistol at Don Matteo.

He threw his training pistol at Don Matteo…

The pistol went flying through the air and hit Don Matteo right in the head, forcing him to cock his head back and recoil in pain. As he did, he began to lose his balance ever so slightly and as a result, Arno saved his own life.

zzzzzzzzzz-PANG

The gauntlet he had aimed at Arno was off by just a hair as we all witnessed a lightning strike that definitely would’ve killed Arno fly right above his head and into the sky. Arno took that opportunity and used the gravity from his jump from the tower to put more power behind his blow.

“GRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Arno sent a resounding punch into Don Matteo’s stomach and sent him crashing into the lake. As his body submerged into the water, waves were made in the lake that reached far out into the distance. Gollie’s eyes widened at the sight of this. I don’t blame him. We can’t be responsible whatsoever for anyone’s death.

“Arno, go make sure he’s alright!”

“It’s Holy Red!”

“Arno, there’s no one left conscious that doesn’t already know. Just go get him.” I rolled my eyes.

“Sure…” Arno slouched before going into the lake to get the defeated Don. The battle was over. And we were the victors.

Arno

After I got Matteo out of the lake, we lined up everyone and tied them, including Gutter. When I asked Ori about tying up the guy that helped us, she mentioned that he’s too much of a liability. When we finished tying everyone up, Ori took the gauntlets off of Don Matteo’s unconscious body, put them back into that black suitcase they were in, and handed it to me.

“We’ll turn this into the authorities at zone one when we get the chance. This entire zone is compromised, so we can’t turn it into the police force here.”

“Got it!” I nodded in agreement.

“So the plan moving forward is to just meet at the train station, right?” Gollie asked.

“Yeah…that is the plan.” Ori said.

While Ori and Gollie began to discuss the plan, I looked over to Gutter who was just waking up. The first thing he did was dart his eyes between Don Matteo and the suitcase I had.

“I don’t suppose you’ll let me have that. It’s an heirloom, in a way…” He muttered in a defeated tone.

“I can’t do that. This belonged to someone before you.” I said. I feel bad, but rules are rules.

At this moment, I briefly remembered that outburst he had during our fight.

“Who’s Adri?” I asked him, and it took him some silence before mustering up the will to say “Don Adrianna. She was the Don before me…and she was like a mother to me. When Baxton took over, Adrianna was the only member in the triad to object vehemently against the gang joining the governor. They didn’t like that, so they killed her and tried to convince me that she turned traitor. I knew the truth though…”

After he said that, I couldn’t help but keep quiet. I was very lucky that I ran into Ori after the Fall of Haustoria. If I didn't, some adult would’ve probably taken advantage of my strength. The place turned into a free for all after the fall, sadly.

“Come on, Arno. It’s time to leave.” Ori called me over as she and Gollie got back on the boat.

But enough about the past! We gotta keep looking toward the present.

I took off my helmet for a brief moment and I told the Don known as Gutter. “We all live in the same country, so don’t be afraid to call us CTs when you’re in trouble!” I flashed a smile his way.

I then put the helmet back on, hoisted the suitcase over my shoulder, and turned around. I can’t wait to meet up with everyone again! I’m sure the others are already done with taking care of hideout B.