When Thomas had swung with full force Kuro didn't blink, Sledge and Lillian, however, were speechless at the destruction caused by a single short man. All the buildings down the street leading to the plaza, which Emilia had been launched down, had their fronts blasted in and had sand blown about. Worse, Emilia's power had reminded Lillian of a certain day better left repressed. Her hands shook and sweat beaded on her forehead as she fought back memories. After a moment Kuro stood and beckoned them the rise as well. "We're going now," he ushered as they stepped out into the burnt and blackened plaza. "Things are going to get really loud so cover your ears," he pointed in the direction of the bikes. "When I say, we start running as fast as possible, don't stop or look back." Lillian and Sledge gave nervous nods and turned towards their objective while covering their ears.

The whole world seemed to shake and the night sky for just a moment grew darker as a crack and boom resounded in explosive volume from behind. The moment they could hear again Kuro spoke, "Go. " They took off, Lillian's short legs doing their best to keep up with Kuro and Sledge as they ran down a street of panicked residents. Sounds like lightning continued in volume as flashes of red or moments of darkness repeated themselves over and over again.

They reached a four-way intersection with a high density of people busy in scared confusion when Kuro stopped them. In each of the corners were tall tan yellow buildings that were all things considered, in pretty good shape. They were beside one of such buildings when Kuro raised his gloved hand and a drop of red fell on Sledge's arm. He glanced up for a moment but paid it no further mind as Lillian wiped the cool sweat from her brow with a quivering arm.

Kuro pointed out into the moving crowd, "Look there," he directed, "see those three in the hoods?" It took them a second but both Lillian and Sledge nodded noticing the trio of velvet heads. "Turn away if you have a weak stomach, really." They averted their gaze and heard a momentary sound like tearing fabric and something else that had a sort of sickening squelch to it. Screams echoed through the intersection as people ran away with horror across their faces from a bloody mass in the center. Kuro continued through the now clear intersection with Sledge behind him, both ignoring the mess on the ground. Unfortunately, Lillian made the mistake of gazing on the six halves of three vertically severed men and their bloody innards which had spilled out on the sandy street. She threw up on the spot. A panting Sledge stopped and turned around, waiting for her to catch up.

"You okay?" he asked.

"N-no," she stuttered. "T-they're-" Kuro cut her off.

"Forget about them," it was a bit of an order. "We need to hurry."

"What exactly happens if we don't," queried Sledge with obvious anxiety in his voice.

"You want to get hit by lightning?" he asked far too flatly before turning and taking off again. Lillian was struggling to keep up but they could see the desert beyond the city now. The lightning-like sounds rang out still, increasing in frequency and volume while causing severe tremors. They had a clear shot, sprinting it didn't take long for them to get out of the city and reach a fin-like ridge in the sand. Lillian turned to see a sight that was simply terrifying in her blurring vision. Brilliant it the night flashes of red lightning cracked down causing violent explosions of crimson, visible from where they stood. There was something else too, arcs of another form of lightning almost unnoticeable against the dark sky due to their similar color. There was more to them though, as every time it struck it caused a strange phenomenon, appearing to suck in the light caused by the more pronounced red as if breathing it in. As Lillian and Sledge looked they noticed more of the black in comparison to the red. As for every two flashes of red, the dark, light-absorbing cracked down twice. Needless to say, unknowable damage had been and would be caused further.

Kuro dipped behind the ridge and walked back up with two silver bikes that to Lillian and Sledge, looked nothing at all like any form of bike. He pressed a button on both their rears popping out a hinge mechanism and attached their tails. He seemed not to give no attention at all to the chaos viewable in the city as the two stared in terror and awe. "This is what I mean by the gate, " he said pulling their attention back. "Once you two are through here you'll be on your way to a proper explanation," he went to the front of one bike and tapped at a little screen panel between the handles. After a moment, a blue circuit board pattern spread across both bikes, and in cubic chunks their shape began to morph, sections slipping past each other and forming a silver doorway shape big enough for two to pass through. "We didn't come this way because, well, it tends to be highly noticeable," he explained. They now knew why Thomas had said not to overthink it. There was clicking for a moment before the gate began emitting an electrical buzz prior to sparking to life. The air itself cracked like glass and fell away inside the gate revealing a quaint little room with white walls, a little table, empty aside from a steaming mug beyond. There was a smell of metal and ozone as the air around the gate cracked further, reaching as high as an old tree and out to both sides. What's more, both Lillian and Sledge felt a minor static shock as the gate had opened up and unseen by them their marks let out a soft light in response. "Gates like this aren't common, they're highly expensive due to the amount of Kinuon in them and use so much energy candidates can notice them for miles. Thus why we didn't come here through this just in case. Kiyene had a gate like this specially made as a convertible for anything along the lines of extraction."

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"How the on earth did the bikes turn into that thing though?" asked a confused Sledge. Kuro shrugged.

"Kinuon is nothing short of magic, think of it as such," was the only explanation he got.

___________

"You're pretty good," admitted Thomas. Everything within a three-block radius had been completely leveled to smoking piles of concrete and metal including the remaining vehicles. Stars dotted the sky now though none were dumb enough to have hung around to see them. "I haven't been able to reverse your logic either."

"I am simply here to kill," responded the man as a massive arc of red lightning shot off his hand. Thomas evaded by a whisker only to continue talking.

"You're Trem Kysor aren't you?" he asked as he swung his sword from far too far away to hit, instead it flung a strike of lightless black lightning in a semi-circular shape.

"Yeah," he returned a strike that singed Thomas's coat cast light on his notably relaxed features. Thomas stopped for a moment and took account of the burned fabric on his shoulder.

"Damn it, that's annoying," his expression aided truth to his words. "I might just pay you back for that." Trem cocked his head in cool anticipation. The light emitted by Thomas's markings intensified as he stepped forwards only to push off faster than what should be humanly possible. However, it was still within the answerable range of Trem's reflexes when he swung his blade and was deflected by a burst of crimson, although barely. Unnoticed to them another man in velvet materialized seemingly out of nothing besides an unmoving Emilia and picked her up. He looked over at the conflict between the two for a moment before once again fading into the sand and night with a beaten Emilia.

Thomas leaped back. "If I'm being honest I have no reason to fight you here," he explained. Trem shrugged, "Unfortunately I have reason to fight you, Thomas Kiyene. Scarlette seems to acknowledge your strength, so," he explained.

"That's not really a reason is it?"

"It's not so simple."Thomas raised his blade, pointing it at his head.

"Are you sure," there was a dead seriousness to his tone that Trem didn't clue in on and instead nodded. Thomas smiled in mischievous malice.

"Seeing as you are stronger than Emilia it would be unfair if I only went all out on her." Trem took up a fighting stance as Thomas's candidate mark increased in luminosity. His straight black hair began to turn ash white as the air shook in anticipation. "Still," he continued, "it's your mistake." Trem only saw him take a single step before in a white flash he was slammed into the sky as he felt his ribs crack from the instantaneous hit. He had not yet even reached the peak of his accent when in another flash Thomas was ten feet above him and readying a kick that with a thunderous impact shoot him back into the ground like a bullet. Thomas himself landed moments after with a thud and watched Trem struggle to get back up on his feet. "Wow, that's impressive," he said with legitimacy. "Can we stop now though?"

"What…," he coughed, "...are you?"

"Oh? There's no way Scarlette is wary of me without knowing that answer to that. She hasn't told you about the game yet?"

"Game?" Trem spat.

"Interesting, what about Kinuon or crowns?"

"What on earth are you talking about?" responded a confused Trem as he failed to so much as sit up.

"I see, I'll take my leave now." With but a wave he turned and leaped off with full strength clearing the entire decimated street in a single burst. He continued, passing bewildered and terrified civilians as he made his way through crumbling towers towards the gate. Finally, he thought, if Scarlette held knowledge of them then it was safe to guess her motivation. Moreover, if she knew what the game was in truth she was likely of similar origin as the brothers. Thomas chuckled, he was hopeful of future prospects. "This could be fun," he muttered under his breath. He also acknowledged the possibility of her being of notable strength. A familiar masculine voice spoke in his head; It appears things have begun moving, she is likely an Akuma as well, it said in almost warning. But we finally have a lead, he responded in the same manner. Thomas descended upon the others who waited in front of the gate. A shaking Lillian and shaken Sledge were still incomprehensibly gazing upon the cracks of the gateways in frightful bewilderment as Kuro stood checking the time on a silver watch wrapped around his wrist.

"Now then," started Kuro, "let's be on our way."