The Pastor falls.
He hits the ground. Limp. Unmoving.
Knocked out.
Kiro stands over him. Breathing steady. Fists still crackling with residual lightning.
He looks down.
KIRO:"It's done."
He flexes his fingers.
"And I got my money back."
The air shifts.
A low hum. Then a roar.
An airship descends from the clouds. Massive. Black. Silent except for the wind tearing around its hull.
Troops pour out. Dozens. Armored. Armed.
And then
A robot steps forward.
Tall. Sleek. Blue optics glowing.
Its voice is calm. Mechanical. Final.
ECO:"I am here to take you in, criminal."
A pause.
"By the law, you are under arrest."
Kiro doesn't move.
He looks at the robot.
Then at the troops.
Then back at the robot.
KIRO:"Arrested? By you?"
He laughs.
"Never. You tin can."
He cracks his neck.
"Who do you even work for?"
ECO:"Nobody."
Its optics narrow.
"I work for myself."
A pause.
"Now stand down."
KIRO:"Then who are you?"
ECO:"You can call me... ECO."
In that second
Kiro dashes.
Fist pulled back. Lightning surging.
He swings
ECO parries.
Punches.
Kiro flies backward.
Slams into rubble.
ECO:"I told you to stand down."
Kiro stands his ground. Lightning still crackling around his fists. He points at ECO.
KIRO:"I don't know who you are ECO, tin can, whatever."
He grins.
"But you're picking a fight you're going to lose."
VEYRA (over comms):"Kiro! Hurry up! We have to go! This place is heating up!"
MEANWHILE — ON THE GROUND
Aurora runs toward Raiji's location.
Debris everywhere. Smoke thick in the air.
She's almost there
*BANG. *
A blade of wind slices past her.
She dodges barely.
She looks up.
A woman stands before her. Sword drawn. Wind swirling around her.
Eva.
Raiji is nearby. Exhausted. Leaning on his blade. His body is battered his fight with the Paladin has drained him.
He looks up.
Sees Eva.
His eyes narrow.
RAIJI:"Who might you be?"
He forces himself upright.
"New challenger?"
He takes a stance.
"I accept."
Aurora moves.
Staff out. Gauntlet glowing.
She swings EMP blast aimed at Eva's back
Eva doesn't turn.
A gust of wind erupts.
Aurora is thrown backward.
Hard.
She crashes into a wall.
Slides down.
AURORA:"What was that?"
Raiji looks at Aurora. Then back at Eva.
RAIJI:"Aurora. Can you stand back from this one?"
He grips his blades.
"I've got it."
AURORA:"No. You're obviously tired from your fight. Allow me."
RAIJI:"No."
His voice is firm.
"I claim dibs. It's my honor as a swordsman."
A pause.
"If it was Kiro, it'd be different. But me?"
He takes out both blades.
"It's pride."
Eva watches. Calm.
Her sword is drawn. Wind coils around it.
EVA:"I knew it was you."
She steps forward.
"From the city. You're here again."
Her eyes harden.
"Why work with criminals? I have to bring you in. Your friends too."
A pause.
"So stand down."
Her voice softens just slightly.
"You took out the Paladin. Let's call it water under the bridge. I don't like him personally either."
Raiji slices the ground.
Tests his blades.
RAIJI:"Get ready."
He dashes forward
Flame slice.
Eva dodges.
Wind slice.
She parries.
He blinks tries to get behind her
She's already turned.
Fire slice.
She blocks.
Wind blows the flames back at him.
They burn his arm.
He stumbles.
She parries again wind upward kicks him down.
Then draws wind upward.
Strikes like a dragon descending.
Raiji hits the ground.
Doesn't move.
Eva wipes dust off her uniform.
She pulls out a digital panel. Taps it.
EVA:"Sending cyber sealers and locks. Cleanup crew too."
She takes out a cube.
Throws it.
It lands near Raiji.
Expands.
A purple shield encases him.
Aurora steps forward.
Staff in hand. Gauntlet glowing.
AURORA:"My turn."
She studies Eva.
"I assume you're no cube user. That never worked on me."
A pause.
"But you're in my zone now."
She dashes.
Staff swings EMP blast.
Eva knocks it back with a simple wind slice.
Casual.
Aurora jumps places a device.
Jumps again another device.
Again.
Then she stops.
Plants her staff into the ground.
Wind gathers around it absorbed.
She dashes.
Clean hit.
EMP blast connects.
Eva flies backward.
She recovers fast
Faints
Sword moves.
Wind on her legs.
Fast motion.
Hit to Aurora's lower body.
Aurora flies upward.
Eva activates her attack.
Massive wind gust.
It roars coming for Eva.
Eva takes her sword.
A green dragon of wind swirls around her.
She blocks the gust.
Fully.
Then strikes.
The dragon slams into Aurora.
Sends her upward.
Crashing down.
Hard.
Eva lowers her blade.
She looks at Aurora.
EVA:"Second one down too."
AT GROUND LEVEL
The General walks closer.
His boots crush rubble. Lightning flickers across his shoulders.
He looks up at the sky the split clouds, the fading rain.
GENERAL:"Did you see that?"
He gestures lazily.
"Dark One. They're having fun."
He takes a deep breath. His nostrils flare.
"The smell got stronger. I don't know who it is at this point."
He inhales again
His eyes turn red.
GENERAL:"That wind gust. That lightning. The one that split the clouds."
He grins.
"The rain clouds."
The Dark One walks beside him. Calm. Unbothered.
DARK ONE:"He seems strong. So stay away."
His voice is flat.
"Allow the Air Force and Army to take them."
They walk past a collapsed building.
Rubble shifts.
The Paladin stands up.
Burned. Bruised. But standing.
His healing is slow but it's working.
He sees the General.
Recognition flickers in his eyes.
PALADIN:"You... you look like the Generals of the Syndicate."
The General stops.
He doesn't turn.
He just looks at the Paladin over his shoulder.
GENERAL:"Stand down."
He sniffs the air.
"You smell weak. And boring."
The Paladin dashes.
Blade drawn. Fast.
In a flash
Lightning comes down from the sky.
from a cloud.
not from General's hand.
It strikes the Paladin's back.
He stops moving.
Falls forward.
The General keeps walking.
Doesn't look back.
The Paladin lies on the ground.
His inner voice races.
Inner Thought: "My healing... healed fully. Still took a while. Still have stamina."
A pause.
*"But one strike from this guy..." *
He feels his chest.
*"My heart got hit." *
His eyes widen.
*"He knows the body. How it works." *
He tries to move.
Can't.
*"I can't take him." *
He falls.
Face down.
Defeated.
The General keeps walking.
Lightning arcs between his fingers.
GENERAL:"Let's bring war."