The moment Solaris saw Ironjaw collapse, clutching the gaping, bloodied ruin where his metal jaw had been, something deep inside him broke. Titanstone's cruel sneer, the mangled body of his teammate, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness crashed into him all at once. Memories flooded his mind—flashes of his school trip, the museum crumbling, Zach buried under the rubble, and the unbearable weight of his failure to save him.
His breath hitched, his chest heaving as rage consumed him. His hands trembled, glowing faintly with energy, but this time, the light wasn't steady—it pulsed erratically, growing brighter and hotter with each passing second. His vision blurred, the world around him narrowing to just Titanstone, his mocking grin etched into Solaris' brain like a brand.
Then, something snapped.
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A guttural scream tore from Solaris' throat, his voice raw with fury and pain. His glowing hands erupted into fiery red energy, but this time, it didn't stop at his hands. The power surged up his arms, the heat so intense that it began to melt the asphalt beneath him. A crater formed where he stood, the ground buckling and cracking under the weight of his energy.
Titanstone, caught off guard by the sudden shift, paused. His cold confidence wavered as he saw Solaris' transformation. The boy's eyes were glowing red, but not with tears—they bled streaks of crimson, the energy radiating from him taking on a terrifying new intensity. His aura burned like a living inferno, wild and uncontained, his skin flickering with patches of molten red.
"What the hell...?" Titanstone muttered, his steel-coated body bracing instinctively. This wasn't the same boy he had been fighting moments ago.
Before Titanstone could react, Solaris vanished from his line of sight with a burst of speed, the ground beneath him shattering as he propelled forward. In an instant, Solaris was in front of Titanstone, his glowing fist burying itself into the steel behemoth's gut. The heat was unimaginable. Titanstone's body sizzled and cracked as molten energy melted through his steel exterior.
The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, blasting debris in every direction. Titanstone was hurled backward like a missile, crashing through multiple buildings before slamming into the side of a factory, which crumbled around him. Smoke and ash billowed from the wreckage, and for the first time, Titanstone didn't immediately rise.
Solaris stood in the center of the destruction, his fists still glowing red-hot, molten streaks running up his arms like veins of lava. His breathing was ragged, his teeth clenched so hard that blood dripped from his gums. He muttered something under his breath, his voice guttural and barely coherent, as if he were speaking through the haze of a trance.
"You... wanna.. fight...? I'll.. give... you... a.. fucking... fight... then.."
The words were drenched in fury, barely audible over the crackling of his energy. He wasn't thinking anymore—he was pure rage, his mind consumed by the desperate need to destroy the monster who had caused so much suffering.
From the rubble, Titanstone groaned, his steel body warped and partially melted from the impact. He struggled to his feet, coughing up blood. His confidence was gone, replaced by wariness as he stared at Solaris. This wasn't the same boy he had been toying with. This was something far more dangerous.
But Titanstone wasn't one to back down, even against impossible odds. He steadied himself, gritting his teeth as his steel form began to repair itself, albeit slowly. "Didn't know you had it in you kid.." he growled, his voice strained. "But I'm FAR FROM DONE!"
Before Titanstone could make his move, Solaris was already charging again, his body a blur of red-hot energy. Each step he took left scorched footprints in the ground, the air around him warping from the heat.
Titanstone barely had time to brace before Solaris struck, driving his fist directly into Titanstone's steel-coated chest. The blow landed with a thunderous crack, the impact cratering the ground beneath them and sending a molten shockwave rippling outward.
Titanstone roared in pain as Solaris' fist melted through his steel exterior, the searing heat corroding his once-indomitable armor. He swung a counterpunch, his steel-coated arm aiming for Solaris' head, but the young hero ducked with inhuman speed, his eyes burning with unrelenting fury.
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Without hesitation, Solaris pivoted, driving a molten elbow into Titanstone's ribs. The steel hissed and bubbled under the assault, chunks of liquified metal dripping to the ground. Titanstone staggered, clutching his side, but Solaris didn't let up. He grabbed Titanstone by the arm, the heat from his grip melting through the steel plating, and with a savage roar, twisted it with enough force to snap the limb clean off.
Titanstone howled in agony, his severed steel arm hitting the ground with a deafening clang. Sparks and molten metal sprayed from the wound as Solaris hurled the detached limb to the side, his molten aura flaring even brighter.
"IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD DOES IT?!" Solaris snarled, his voice guttural and animalistic.
Titanstone stumbled back, his hulking frame visibly weaker as his steel exterior continued to melt away. He swung wildly with his remaining arm, but Solaris sidestepped the blow with ease, his movements fluid and calculated. In a blur, Solaris closed the distance again, delivering a brutal uppercut that lifted Titanstone off the ground. The molten heat from the punch carved through Titanstone's jaw, leaving a warped, half-melted crater where his face had been.
Titanstone hit the ground with a thunderous crash, the impact sending tremors through the earth. Blood and molten metal oozed from his wounds as he struggled to push himself up, his once-imposing presence reduced to a battered and broken husk.
But Solaris wasn't finished.
The young hero leapt into the air, his molten fists trailing streams of heat and light as he descended upon Titanstone like a meteor. He landed on Titanstone's chest, driving his knees into the steel titan with enough force to crater the ground further. Titanstone screamed as Solaris began pummeling him relentlessly, each punch melting away more of his armor and flesh. The smell of burning steel and flesh filled the air, a nauseating reminder of the destruction unfolding.
Punch after punch rained down, the molten heat from Solaris' strikes liquefying Titanstone's defenses. Blood and molten slag sprayed with each blow, painting the battlefield in grisly hues of red and orange. Titanstone's attempts to block or counter were futile; every movement was met with another devastating strike that melted through his remaining strength.
"ARE YOU HAVING FUN NOW?! COME ON GET UP!" Solaris roared, his fists hammering into Titanstone's chest, creating a cavity where the once-indestructible steel had been. The ground beneath Titanstone glowed red-hot from the sustained heat, his body sinking into the molten crater as Solaris' onslaught continued.
Solaris' molten fists continued their assault on Titanstone's chest, each devastating blow carving deeper into the steel titan's body. Titanstone's screams grew weaker with each strike, his once-imposing form now a shell of molten metal and blood.
"W-Wai-!" Titanstone rasped, his voice barely audible over the sound of Solaris' fists slamming into his chest.
But Solaris didn't stop. He didn't even hesitate. His mind was consumed by an overwhelming fury, his glowing red eyes locked on Titanstone's broken form with a singular focus.
"YOU WANT ME TO STOP?!" Solaris snarled, his voice trembling with rage. His molten hands moved to Titanstone's face, gripping his head with an ironclad hold. Titanstone's pleas turned to guttural screams as Solaris' burning thumbs pressed into his eyes, the heat melting the steel and flesh alike. The agonized cries filled the air, but Solaris only pressed harder, his lips curling into a manic grin.
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For the first time, Solaris wasn't fighting out of fear or desperation. He was enjoying it.
Titanstone's screams faded into silence as his face melted into an unrecognizable mass of slag and charred bone. His body went limp, his lifeless form sinking further into the molten crater beneath him. Solaris' breathing was ragged, his chest heaving as the glow around him slowly began to fade.
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He stared down at his bloodied hands, the molten metal cooling and hardening around his fingers. The realization of what he had just done began to sink in, and a wave of panic started to rise in his chest. This wasn't him. This wasn't who he was supposed to be.
"What... what did I just...?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
Before he could spiral further, a heavy hand clapped down on his shoulder. The weight was grounding, but the voice that followed was anything but comforting.
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"Now you get it, kid," Balor said, his voice low and dripping with dark amusement.
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Solaris turned sharply, his glowing eyes meeting Balor's smirking face. There was something deeply unsettling about the look in Balor's eyes—an ominous mix of approval and something darker, something twisted.
"I—" Solaris stammered, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He looked back at Titanstone's lifeless, mangled body, then at Balor, unsure of what to say.
"Don't overthink it," Balor said casually, his voice almost soothing in its coldness. "This is what we do. People like him don't stop unless you make them stop. You did what had to be done."
Solaris felt an odd sense of relief at Balor's words, though a part of him knew he shouldn't. The warmth of approval, the sense of validation—it felt wrong, but it also felt... good.
Balor's smirk widened as he noticed the conflict in Solaris' expression. "You've got the fire, kid. You just needed a little push to let it out. Welcome to the real fight."
Solaris swallowed hard, his hands trembling as the molten residue dripped to the ground. He didn't respond, his mind a storm of emotions as he processed what had just happened. A part of him wanted to reject everything Balor was saying, to cling to the idea that he was still a hero. But another part—a darker, quieter part—whispered that Balor might be right.
"Come on," Balor said, turning away and gesturing for Solaris to follow. "The others are waiting. We've still got a job to finish."
Solaris hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Titanstone's ruined body one last time before taking a shaky step forward. The glow in his eyes dimmed completely as he followed Balor into the wreckage of the battlefield, unsure of where he stood—or who he was—anymore.
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The squad of guards moved hastily through the ruined streets, their boots crunching on debris as they rushed toward the chaos surrounding Titanstone's location. Among them was Daniel, his face hidden beneath the stolen guard's helmet, his body tense with every step. He kept his head low, hoping not to draw attention as he walked among the heavily armed men.
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Suddenly, the air crackled with an unsettling energy. Before the squad could react, Rust Reaver emerged from the shadows, her piercing gaze burning through them. Her metallic tendrils writhed and sparked around her, radiating an aura of pure rage.
"Where the hell were you idiots?" she snarled, her voice like nails scraping against steel. Her eyes scanned the group, landing on Daniel for a split second before moving on. "Titanstone is out there fighting, and you're dragging your feet?"
One of the guards hesitated before responding. "W-We were sent as reinforcements, ma'am. We're en route now—"
Rust Reaver's tendrils lashed out with a sudden burst of speed, slicing through the air and wrapping around the man's neck. His words turned into a gurgled scream as the metallic appendage tightened, crushing his windpipe before tossing him aside like garbage. The remaining guards froze, their weapons trembling in their hands.
"You were supposed to be protecting our assets!" Rust Reaver barked, her voice rising. "Do you even realize what's happening right now? The prisoners from the warehouse were taken! Taken by those Syndicate bastards!"
The guards exchanged uneasy glances, none of them daring to speak. Daniel, doing his best to stay inconspicuous, kept his head low and gripped his rifle tightly, his palms sweating inside the gloves.
Rust Reaver took a deep breath, her rage simmering just below the surface. "Titanstone can handle it himself, so it's up to us to fix this mess. And trust me, if any of you screw this up again, you won't live to see another day." Her tendrils snapped and sparked, emphasizing her point.
One of the braver guards spoke up. "What do you want us to do, ma'am?"
Rust Reaver turned sharply, her eyes narrowing. "We're going after the Syndicate. If they're rescuing the prisoners, they'll probably be heading for the factory."
As she began to move, the guards reluctantly followed, their pace quick and their fear palpable. Daniel stayed at the back of the group, his mind raced, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions. Relief had washed over him when Rust Reaver's furious tirade revealed that the Syndicate had rescued the people from the warehouse—including, he hoped, his wife and son. But now, a new dread had taken hold.
The factory.
He had abandoned the workers there, left them to die as the guards stormed in. Guilt gnawed at him, but the fear of never seeing his family again had outweighed his conscience in that moment. Now, fate had conspired to lead him back there, alongside a vengeful Rust Reaver and her guards. He exhaled quietly, trying to steady his nerves. The news gave him a glimmer of hope—the Syndicate might be heading to the factory. If he could find them there, he might have a chance to reunite with his family.
But the risk was enormous. Rust Reaver was unpredictable, and she wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who slowed her down. If Daniel tried to slip away now, he'd be caught for sure. He had to play his cards right.
As they were on their way to the factory, Daniel's mind churned with a plan. He had to find a way to break off from the group, to position himself where he could help—or at least not get in the way—when the Syndicate arrived. For now, all he could do was march alongside the guards and hope the Syndicate would show up soon.
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The evac team's arrival at the factory was swift and surgical. The remaining N.E.M.E.S.I.S. forces stationed there were no match for them, especially with the strike team drawing the bulk of their attention elsewhere. Sky Rider darted through the air on his hoverboard, taking out the final turret with a well-placed blast. Nox moved with precision, silently dispatching the last few guards in his usual efficient manner.
But when the dust settled and the team reached the factory's entrance, the true horror of the scene hit them like a freight train.
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The pile of corpses at the gate was grotesque, a mound of twisted limbs, chunks of flesh, and rivers of blood that stained the ground beneath it. The workers who had tried to escape during the riot had been mowed down mercilessly, their bodies left as a grim warning to any others who might think about rebellion. The stench of death was overwhelming, a sickly mix of iron and decay.
Vis froze, her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the grisly scene. Her mind struggled to process what she was seeing, the sheer scale of the massacre numbing her senses.
Sky Rider, usually so cocky and composed, was visibly shaken. He removed his helmet, leaning against the wall as he heaved, vomiting onto the ground. "This is... this is beyond messed up," he muttered between gasps. His face was pale, his usual confidence stripped away by the reality of what lay before them.
Nox stood a few steps back, his expression unreadable beneath his helmet. But his body language betrayed him—his hands clenched tightly at his sides, and his posture stiffened with barely contained anger and disgust.
Vis shook herself out of her stupor, forcing herself to focus. She stepped forward, her voice trembling as she called out into the factory, hoping against hope that someone had survived. "Is anyone there? Please, if you're alive, let us know!"
For a moment, there was only silence. Then, faint rustling came from the pile of corpses.
Vis's heart skipped a beat as she watched, her breath catching as figures began to crawl out from beneath the carnage. A woman covered in blood and grime emerged first, her eyes wide with terror. Behind her more followed, each one battered and broken, but alive.
"They... they killed everyone," the woman stammered, her voice shaking. "We saw them coming, so we hid... we hid under the bodies... We had no choice..."
Vis knelt down to help her, her hands trembling as she reached out. "You're safe now. We're here to get you out of this hell."
Sky Rider wiped his mouth, his expression hardening as he straightened up. "How many more are inside?" he asked, his voice steadier now, though the edge of anger was unmistakable.
Another man pointed toward the factory interior. "Some of us made it deeper inside when the shooting started. I don't know how many... but there might still be others hiding."
Vis nodded, standing up and looking at her team. "We need to move quickly. There could be more survivors in there."
Nox was already heading toward the factory entrance, his silent determination speaking louder than any words. Sky Rider followed, his hoverboard humming faintly as he hovered over the blood-soaked ground.
Vis turned back to the survivors, her voice soft but firm. "Stay here. We'll get everyone out."
The woman nodded, clutching Vis's hand tightly as tears streamed down her face. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
After tending and comforting some of the survivors for a moment while the rest of her team searched the factory, Vis froze mid-step as a voice, dripping with mockery and malice, echoed through the factory.
"Looks like I was right!" Rust Reaver's raspy tone reverberated through the desolate space as she stepped into view, her metallic tendrils writhing behind her like snakes ready to strike. Behind her, a squad of N.E.M.E.S.I.S. guards fanned out, their weapons gleaming under the dim industrial lights. "You should've left with the others, Syndicate scum. Coming back for this sorry bunch?" She gestured to the survivors huddled behind Vis. "It's gonna cost you more than you can afford."
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Vis stood her ground in front of the survivors, her forcefield flickering faintly as she prepared for the inevitable. The survivors behind her shuffled nervously, their fear palpable as they glanced between her and the advancing enemy. She narrowed her eyes, stepping closer to the survivors, her forcefield expanding slightly to shield them. "You'll have to go through me first," she said coldly, her voice steady despite the pounding of her heart.
Rust chuckled, tilting her head. "Oh, don't worry. I intend to." She gestured with one of her tendrils, and the guards behind her raised their weapons, aiming them at Vis and the huddled survivors.
"Go deeper into the factory," Vis whispered urgently to the survivors. "Find Sky Rider and Nox—tell them what's happening. Go now!"
The survivors hesitated, but as they began to move toward the corridor behind them, Rust's tendrils shot out, smashing into the roof above the passage. The ceiling crumbled, debris raining down and blocking the only exit. Dust filled the air, and the survivors screamed as they backed away from the ruined corridor.
Rust grinned, her voice mocking. "Oh no, you're not going anywhere. We're gonna have ourselves a little party, right here."
Vis gritted her teeth, extending her forcefield further to encompass the workers. "Stay behind me," she said firmly, her voice leaving no room for argument. "I'll keep you safe."
Rust's tendrils lashed out, testing the edges of Vis's barrier. Sparks flew as the metal met the shimmering field, but it held firm. "Cute trick," Rust sneered. "But how long can you keep it up? Let's find out!"
The guards opened fire, bullets ricocheting harmlessly off the forcefield. But Vis could feel the strain immediately. Protecting this many people under such sustained fire wasn't easy, and Rust knew it.
"Just give up," Rust taunted, her tendrils slamming into the barrier again and again, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. "You're outnumbered, outmatched, and frankly, you're in the way, bitch."
Vis ignored the taunts, her focus razor-sharp as she reinforced her barrier, stepping forward to draw their attention away from the survivors. The guards fanned out, trying to flank her, but she adjusted the forcefield's size and position, keeping everyone protected.
But Rust wasn't done. She extended her tendrils, curling them under the barrier and tearing at the ground beneath it, trying to destabilize Vis's footing. Vis stumbled slightly, her concentration faltering for a moment, but she quickly recovered, reinforcing the barrier and slamming it downward like a shield, pinning Rust's tendrils to the ground.
Rust hissed, retracting the damaged tendrils and glaring at Vis. "Impressive," she admitted, her tone begrudging. "But you're still just delaying the inevitable!"
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