Kaelen stepped out of the police station, the cold morning air hitting him like a slap. The heavy doors of the Ravetham Police Department clanged shut behind him as he walked out, the tension still radiating from his every step. Loren was right beside him, her usual calm and composed demeanor contrasting sharply with Kaelen's simmering anger. The streets outside the station were buzzing with activity, and it wasn't long before they were intercepted.

A reporter—a Kenku with a shock of bright blue feathers and a piercing gaze—swooped down upon them, her avian features sharp and alert. She was petite, with sleek, black feathers and wide, intelligent eyes that gleamed with cunning. Her clothes were a mishmash of worn professional attire, giving her the look of someone who had been running from one story to the next without a break. Around her neck hung a press badge that read "Gale – RBC News."

"Kaelen! Kaelen!" Gale cawed, her raspy voice cutting through the noise of the street. Her wings flared out slightly in excitement as she darted in front of him, a microphone thrust into his face before he even had a chance to react. "Are the rumors true about you having charges of attempted murder against our beloved Justice Guild member Cygnus?"

Kaelen recoiled from the microphone, pushing it away with an annoyed grunt. His hand came up reflexively, shoving it out of his personal space, but Gale wasn't deterred. She moved closer, her head bobbing in that bird-like way, her sharp beak clicking as she launched her next question with pointed precision.

"What about the rumors that you're responsible for the recent turf war between Bankhands and Don Cappo?"

Kaelen's jaw tightened. His fists clenched at his sides as the reporter's barrage continued, the tension building in his body with every pointed word. The mention of Cygnus pushed him closer to the edge.

Gale, sensing his mounting frustration, went for the kill.

"And what about her?" Gale's eyes shifted briefly to Loren, her beak clicking with amusement. "Is she your maid? And How does it feel, Kaelen, to be taken down by Delphinus so easily?"

That did it.

Kaelen snapped.

"Fuck you!" he roared, his voice echoing down the street as heads turned toward the outburst. His face was twisted with fury, and his violet eyes burned with raw emotion. "Fuck the RPD! Fuck the Justice Guild, and especially fuck Cygnus! You're all full of shit!"

Caught off guard by his explosive reaction, Gale froze for a moment, her beady eyes wide with shock. The microphone trembled slightly in her hand, and for the first time, she seemed unsure of herself. But her hesitation was brief, and within seconds, she had recovered. She stepped back, her wings folding neatly behind her as she turned to the camera crew that had been filming the entire exchange.

"And there you have it, folks," Gale announced, her voice now smooth and professional, though there was a smug satisfaction in her tone. "Kaelen has just confessed to everything. It's all true—the attempted murder charges, his involvement in the turf war, and using his drug money to bail out of jail." She gestured toward the fuming half-elf as if presenting him as Exhibit A. "This is Gale, reporting live for RBC News."

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Kaelen had already started walking away, his face dark with rage. Loren, ever the picture of composure, stepped in front of him with a calm, knowing look. She placed a gentle hand on his arm, urging him forward, away from the cameras and the prying eyes of the public.

"Let's go," Loren said softly, her voice a balm to Kaelen's frayed nerves.

They hurried to the Audi, the street still alive with the echoes of Kaelen’s outburst. Once inside, Kaelen gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white, his breath ragged. Loren, ever composed, pulled out his phone and handed it to him.

“You should check this,” she said, her tone unreadable. “Someone’s been trying to contact you.”

Kaelen glanced at the screen. Two messages. The first was from Warptor, confirming his meeting with Zagoth at 6 PM. The second was from his adopted—or was she now his stepmother?—a relationship that still confused him at times. Her message expressed concern, telling him she’d seen the news and reassuring him that the story they were painting was ridiculous. It didn’t calm him much.

As Kaelen pulled into the parking lot of the Midnight Mirage Motel, his eyes locked onto a figure standing near a truck. Vex, or Hot Fire, as he preferred to be called, looked different—more dangerous. He was clad in battle armor catching Kaelen’s attention immediately.

Kaelen parked the car and told Loren to wait inside, but before he could get out, she handed him his wolf helmet. Embarrassed, he quickly slid it on, feeling the familiar hum as it activated. The orange jumpsuit he was wearing clashed with the sleek design of the helmet, but it covered him all the same.

As Kaelen approached Hot Fire, he noticed the new runes glowing on the man’s flesh, pulsing with arcane energy. Whatever power-up Vex had gotten his hands on, it was dangerous. The air around him seemed to crackle with heat.

Without warning, Hot Fire summoned blue flames into his hands—no longer the usual orange ones Kaelen had seen him use before. This time, it was different. Stronger.

Before Kaelen could react, Hot Fire unleashed a stream of flame, not in short bursts, but a continuous torrent of burning energy. Kaelen barely had time to raise his telekinetic shield, the invisible force trembling under the pressure of the heat.

He tried to catch Hot Fire’s eyes, hoping to charm him and de-escalate the situation, but Vex was careful, never giving Kaelen the chance. The heat around them intensified, waves of unbearable warmth radiating from the fire. Sweat beaded on Kaelen’s skin as he was forced back.

From the corner of his eye, Kaelen saw the motel manager sprint out with a shotgun, but upon seeing the superpowered battle unfolding, he quickly retreated back into the office.

Hot Fire’s power surged again, the intensity of his flames growing, forcing Kaelen further toward the edge of the lot. His telekinesis was faltering, unable to hold the fiery barrage for much longer. Summoning his soul gun to his hand, Kaelen began charging up a supercharged shot, using his blood as fuel. The weapon glowed with crimson energy, humming as it reached full power.

Hot Fire noticed the shift and realized he needed to act fast. His eyes flicked toward Kaelen’s Audi—Loren was still inside. Without hesitation, Vex aimed his flames at the car, the torrent of blue fire racing toward the vehicle.

A surge of panic shot through Kaelen. Whether out of fear for Loren’s safety or a sudden instinct to protect his car, Kaelen leaped in front of the flames, firing his charged shot just as the two forces collided in a violent explosion.

The blast sent both men flying backward, Kaelen hitting the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him. The blue flames danced in the air before dissipating, leaving only the acrid scent of smoke behind.

Kaelen struggled to his feet, his vision blurry.