Marcus and Layla took the vanguard. The duo, getting used to the force of the hurricane, started accelerating towards the enemy. Almost simultaneously, they leaned forward, took one large step with all the force they could muster, and swung at the man from both sides.

Atlas put his bare left hand in the path of Marcus’s blade, stopping it with ease. His hands must’ve been somehow strengthened by the power of his legend as well, because the sharp edge didn’t even leave a trace on his skin.

With his other arm, he sent a punch in Layla’s direction. Her greatsword, met with the invisible shockwave, bounced back, pulling the woman with its weight.

She barely had time to stabilize herself, before she noticed the back of Marcus, flying in her direction. Layla quickly stepped to the side, let go with one hand from her sword, and used it to grab her friend’s shoulder, helping him regain his balance.

“Hey! Where is the other guy?” Their opponent looked around the field, but Edward’s figure wasn’t anywhere in sight…

The young warrior watched the battle unfold, hidden behind the corner of the pub. He wouldn't be of any use in the fight until his injuries healed a bit. Knowing that the enemy would likely try to take out a wounded opponent first, he got out of view the moment his friends grabbed the Legend’s attention.

The two other Marked were right back on the enemy a moment later. They threw out one attack after the other, but Atlas reacted too quickly. His hands blurred as they moved through the air, slapping away the blades before they reached him.

When the man turned towards Layla, Marcus managed to make use of the opportunity, dashing behind him. But before his sword reached the man’s lower back, a sudden wind pressure sent Marcus sliding back meters away. He grunted slightly, and spit some blood to the side.

That left Layla taking the brunt of the attacks. Everyone expected her to get sent flying by the first punch, but when the Legend sent a fist in her direction, she ducked right under it. It seemed as if she noticed the strike before it even happened. The same thing happened again, and then once more.

Just when they started thinking they have a chance, and Marcus was about to join the fight once again, Atlas spoke.

“Alright kids, that’s enough.”

The hurricane started flowing even faster. Before Layla managed to adjust, she got hit head on by the next attack, barely managing to put her sword before the oncoming fist. The last thing Edward saw of her was her figure flying through a steel container nearby.

Now that the wind has picked up some speed, parts of buildings and vehicles started being ripped away.

But the imposing Legend wasn’t done. He started throwing punches left and right, as if showcasing his martial prowess. Except each punch carried a furious shockwave behind it, devastating the nearby structures.

***

Edward crouched behind a heavy truck. The vehicle was already loaded to the brim, so it was one of the few things in the vicinity that wouldn’t be moved easily by the fierce winds the Legend kept sending in all directions.

The young warrior slowly limped over here over the course of the fight. By now some of the more grievous wounds started healing a bit. At least he could hold up his weight, and maybe even run for a short while, but he’d rather not try that just yet.

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Layla’s current state was still unknown. Marcus on the other hand, halted his attacks, and using his speed to his advantage kept running from one cover to another. His body was covered by numerous small cuts. Turns out a sharp wind is not just a figure of speech. At this speed, even the miniscule grains of dirt and gravel could cut skin.

Ed could see his friend was already on the brink. But other than the three of them, there was nobody else here that could even attempt to fight a Legend. That of course didn’t mean Edward thought they could win. Something like that would be foolish. But they must find some method to get away.

‘The chopper… the one we arrived in some months ago.’

‘It’s positioned on the outside of the base, and might be the only vehicle still functional. If we can stop this guy for a while and get there…that’s not a bad idea’

Now the question is if the evacuating soldiers didn’t already take it for themselves. Edward didn’t see anything fly away yet, but in all the chaos he couldn’t be sure.

Either way, they had to try it…

But it’s going to require the whole trio working together. He needs to get Marcus’s attention first, and do it without revealing his position on top of that.

Edward carefully and silently drew his blade. He wiped the dirt covering the metal, and pointed it out from behind the edge of the truck.

His friend was still in an urgent situation, While the young Marked kept dodging around the area, Ed tried to reflect light from his sword by angling it towards the sun.

He finally managed to make a ray of light hit the young warrior’s face. Marcus, noticing the cold glint of metal, turned his eyes towards Edward’s hiding spot.

Ed only sent one simple signal. He showed the number three, using his fingers.

‘Let’s just hope Marcus gets the meaning’

The brown haired youth turned away, bringing his attention back to the enemy. He jumped behind a heavy box of ammunition, avoiding another shockwave, and shouted from the top of his lungs.

“Layla! Get the fuck over here!”

Atlas looked around the field, admiring the destruction.

“She’s not going to hear you kid… That girl is already buried under the rubble.”

The Legend wound up his fist, and sent a powerful strike towards the young man’s hiding spot. The compressed air carved a small ditch into the ground, before hitting the box filled with ammunition.

Marcus reacted a moment too late. He jumped out from behind the cover, but the shockwave already reached it. The impact was strong enough to start a chain reaction, one bullet exploded after the other. The small amounts of gunpowder in each of them added up, generating a ball of fire. It sweeped Marcus off his feet, sending him flat on the ground, straight in the open.

“Well that’s it for you young man… I admire the effort.” The enemy rushed right for the lying figure. Edward wanted to jump out from his hiding spot, but he was too far to do anything.

The Legend’s fist was already flying forwards. Ed was paralyzed. He was panicking inside, but couldn’t move his body on the outside. He turned his gaze away, purely on instinct.

It sounded like a cannonball hitting the ground. But there was also another sound before it… A clear cling of metal.

A cloud of dust, kicked up from the ground during the impact, covered the fighters. It slowly started receding, revealing a bloodied woman, panting from exhaustion. She held a long graceful blade. Following the length of her sword, Ed noticed Atlas’s fist stuck in the ground.

“Hey… I think I heard somebody calling me?” Layla kicked the surprised enemy away, sending him a couple steps back. The first time any of them actually managed to hit the man.

Suddenly the Legend didn’t seem as invincible as a moment ago.

Marcus stood back up, following Layla and jumping at the opponent once again. Edward readied his sword in the meantime. Feeling his fighting spirit burn like hellfire, he stared furiously at the Legend. The moment Layla and Marcus give him an opening, would be the time to act…