Mei felt the cold bite of steel around her wrists as Ethan roughly dragged her and Davis into the shadowed warehouse. Fresh grief and rage simmered within at this ultimate betrayal.

"Why are you doing this?" Mei demanded, glaring at her supposed guildmate. "Haven't I suffered enough loss?"

Ethan smiled cruelly. "Come now, Mei, did you really think I cared about your little broken heart? You're far more useful as leverage."

Mei struggled against her bonds. "Leverage for what? What possible scheme is worth such evil?"

Ethan laughed. "You'll find out soon enough. Or perhaps never, depending on how useful you prove."

He leaned in close, causing Mei to recoil. "This 'gifted' new ability to rewind time came in quite handy, removing those inconvenient morals holding me back."

Mei felt icy fear trickle down her spine. Ethan's treachery evidently went deeper than she realized. He was tampering with dangerous forces beyond his comprehension.

From nearby, Davis shouted, "You're completely mad, Ethan! When the guild learns of this..."

Ethan silenced him with a backhanded blow. "By then, it will be too late. My destiny lies on a higher plane than you insects can conceive."

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

As Ethan busied himself securing their bonds, Mei desperately tapped out a hidden text message to Booker with her power. Please find help...Ethan is unstable...urgent!

She had barely hit send when Ethan snatched the device away. "Tsk tsk, we'll have none of that now." He crushed the phone under his boot.

Mei sagged in despair. Had her plea made it through in time? And could anyone possibly stand against Ethan's twisted new powers? Only one faint spark of hope remained as darkness closed in - that Booker would find a way to come to their aid before all light was smothered. She had to believe somehow.

Ethan forced her chin up, grinning coldly. "How the mighty Flowers Guild has fallen. Reduced to groveling for mercy at the feet of greatness."

Mei spat in his face defiantly. "Sofia saw your false heart clearly in the end. I won't cower before evil."

Ethan merely wiped the spittle away, smile unwavering. "Your fire will dim soon enough. But I admire your spirit."

He turned away. "Try to rest while you can. We've much work ahead, and you'll need your strength."

Booker signaled the Spearhead Guild team forward as the compound housing the corrupted Phoenix Guild came into view. According to Mei's cryptic plea, Ethan had lost his mind and taken her and Davis hostage. They had to act quickly.

"Remember, Ethan can manipulate time, so expect surprises," Booker warned the team. "But we've trained for this - trust your instincts and watch each other's backs. We get in, extract the hostages, and get out."

Booker gathered his energies at their determined nods and blasted the front gates apart. Alarms immediately began blaring as they charged inside.

"Intruders!" shouted Phoenix members rushing to respond, but Booker and Selena laid them low with targeted spells and shield bashes.

"Keep moving!" Booker yelled, forging ahead. He could sense Mei's aura flickering somewhere up ahead. They were so close...

Suddenly, everything seemed to rewind in a blur. Booker found himself back outside the gates, the Phoenix troops untouched.

"Disorienting, isn't it?" Ethan said, stepping from thin air with Mei bound beside him. "Let's skip the tiresome battle this time."

Booker steadied himself and raised his hand, sparking with a mana blast. "Surrender, Ethan! Your corrupted guild can't stand against all of us."

Ethan smirked. "Can't it?" He snapped his fingers, and an army of Phoenix members appeared, weapons ready.

Mei shouted, "Don't listen to him! He's lost his mind!" before Ethan silenced her.

"Last chance - join my revolution or be crushed beneath it," Ethan warned.

Booker stood resolute. "Your only path is down. For your own sake, stop this madness!"

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "So be it."

At his command, the Phoenix forces attacked