The town was unusually quiet.
Most shops had already closed. Wooden shutters covered windows, lanterns dimmed one by one, and the streets slowly emptied as night deepened.
Nick parked the buggy near the town square.
"We split up and ask everyone."
Darven nodded.
For the next twenty minutes, they went from shop to shop.
"Did you see a blonde-haired girl in a pink floral dress?"
"A boy in a white shirt and black shorts?"
Every answer was the same.
"No."
"No idea."
"Never saw them."
With every rejection, Nick's frustration grew.
Eventually they reached the last street in town.
Only a few lights remained.
A small food stall was still open, its owner cleaning dishes before closing.
Nick approached him.
"Excuse me. Did you see a blonde-haired girl and a boy come through here from the lake?"
The old shopkeeper shook his head.
"No, son."
Nick sighed.
Another dead end.
As he turned away, something caught his attention.
Across the street stood a small club.
A man leaning against the wall smoked quietly beneath a lantern.
The moment the man noticed Nick and Darven looking his way, he quickly looked elsewhere.
Too quickly.
Nick's eyes narrowed.
Darven noticed immediately.
"What happened?"
Nick kept staring.
"That man knows something."
The smoker threw away his cigarette and began walking down the street.
Fast.
Almost as if he wanted to leave before they reached him.
Nick followed.
"Hey."
The man ignored him.
His pace increased.
Nick's suspicion instantly turned into certainty.
He stepped forward and grabbed the man's shoulder.
The man froze.
Slowly turning around, he forced a smile.
"Can I help you?"
Nick looked directly into his eyes.
"Have you seen a blonde-haired girl and a boy?"
"No."
The answer came too fast.
Too rehearsed.
Nick noticed something else.
Part of a tattoo was visible beneath the man's sleeve.
A familiar symbol.
His eyes sharpened.
Memories flashed through his mind.
The same mark.
The same gang.
The same men Eyrx had fought when he lost his pendant.
Nick immediately understood.
Darven saw the expression on his face.
"What is it?"
"He knows."
The man suddenly shoved Nick and ran.
"Run!"
Nick shouted.
Both immediately chased after him.
The narrow street erupted with noise.
The man sprinted through the darkness.
Nick followed closely behind.
"Stop!"
The man looked back once.
Big mistake.
Nick closed the distance instantly.
A powerful kick struck the man's ankle.
CRACK!
The man lost balance and crashed onto the street.
Before he could recover, Nick grabbed his collar and lifted him halfway off the ground.
"Where are they?"
"I don't know!"
Nick tightened his grip.
"Wrong answer."
"I swear!"
Darven stepped forward.
"Move."
Nick released him.
Darven grabbed the man's collar.
Then—
BAM!
A punch landed directly on his face.
Blood splattered onto the street.
"Tell us."
The man remained silent.
Another punch.
BAM!
Then another.
BAM!
The stubbornness slowly disappeared from his eyes.
People nearby stopped to watch.
No one dared interfere.
Darven raised his fist again.
The man finally screamed.
"Okay! Okay!"
"We took them!"
Nick's heart pounded.
"What did you do with them?"
The man coughed blood.
"They're in the warehouse outside town!"
"Our boss is taking them to the Fifth Realm!"
"Tomorrow's auction!"
"They leave tonight at midnight!"
Silence.
A dangerous silence.
Nick slowly released him.
For a moment he simply stood there.
Then he rubbed his forehead.
A cold smile appeared on his face.
"Once I find Eyrx..."
His eyes darkened.
"...those people are going to regret being born."
Darven nodded.
"We don't have much time."
Nick pointed toward the prisoner.
"Take him."
"He'll guide us."
The man immediately tried backing away.
Darven grabbed his arm.
Hard.
The prisoner nearly screamed.
"You're coming with us."
Minutes later they reached the buggy.
Nick sat in the driver's seat.
The captured gangster sat beside him.
Darven climbed into the back seat, keeping his rifle aimed directly at the prisoner's head.
The engine started.
The buggy raced through the darkness.
Neither Nick nor Darven noticed the covered carriage traveling on the road beside them.
Inside the carriage—
Vaeryn slowly opened her eyes.
Pain spread throughout her body.
Her wrists were tied behind her back.
Heavy ropes wrapped around her arms and legs.
A cloth was tightly bound over her mouth.
For several seconds she couldn't understand where she was.
Then the memories returned.
The smoke.
The ambush.
The warehouse.
She immediately tried activating her power.
Nothing happened.
Again.
Nothing.
A cold realization struck her.
Her power was sealed.
Outside the carriage, voices drifted through the night.
Familiar voices.
Vaeryn froze.
Nick.
She could hear Nick.
Her eyes widened.
The buggy was right beside them.
So close.
Yet neither side realized it.
Vaeryn desperately tried moving.
The ropes refused to budge.
She struggled harder.
The cloth cut into her cheeks.
Outside, Nick was discussing directions with Darven.
The carriage continued rolling forward.
A few more seconds.
And the chance would disappear.
Vaeryn bit down on the cloth.
Twisted her head.
Pulled with every ounce of strength she had left.
The knot loosened slightly.
Then again.
And again.
Finally—
The cloth slipped free.
Vaeryn took a deep breath.
Then screamed with all the strength in her lungs.
"NICKKKKK!"
Nerf slowly stood from the broken crates.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
A grin spread across his face.
"So you still have some fight left in you."
Eyrx wiped the blood from his lips and stepped forward.
His fists tightened.
"I'll make sure you regret touching Vaeryn."
The warehouse fell silent.
Both men stared at each other.
Then—
They moved at the same time.
Eyrx rushed forward first.
A punch shot toward Nerf's face.
Nerf tilted his head and dodged.
Eyrx followed with a kick.
Nerf blocked it with his arm and countered with a low sweep.
His foot smashed into Eyrx's leg.
Eyrx lost balance and nearly fell.
Pain shot through his body.
Still, he forced himself back up.
Without hesitation, he drove a punch straight into Nerf's jaw.
BAM!
The impact echoed through the warehouse.
For a moment Nerf simply stood there.
His vision blurred.
The room spun.
Then anger flashed in his eyes.
"You little—"
He charged.
The fight exploded once again.
Punches.
Kicks.
Elbows.
Palm strikes.
Wood shattered around them as they exchanged blows.
Neither side gave ground.
Nerf formed dozens of glowing bubbles around his hands.
The bubbles shot forward like bullets.
Eyrx dodged left.
Then right.
Then rolled beneath another attack.
A bubble struck a wooden pillar.
BOOM!
The pillar exploded into splinters.
Eyrx's eyes widened.
"So that's your ability."
Nerf smirked.
"Too late to learn now."
More bubbles flew toward him.
Eyrx jumped over one.
Backflipped away from another.
A third exploded behind him.
Heat washed across his back.
The warehouse shook.
Smoke filled the air.
Still the fight continued.
Five minutes.
Then ten.
Both fighters were breathing heavily.
Both were injured.
Both refused to stop.
Finally Eyrx gathered all his strength and launched a powerful spinning kick.
CRASH!
Nerf flew backward.
His body smashed through a barrel.
Wood exploded everywhere.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
For several seconds he couldn't move.
Eyrx dropped to one knee.
His vision darkened.
His body screamed for rest.
But before he could recover—
Nerf suddenly grabbed a large shard of broken glass.
He rushed forward.
Eyrx barely looked up in time.
The glass came straight toward his throat.
Instinct took over.
He caught it with his bare hand.
The sharp edge pierced his palm.
Blood poured down his fingers.
Pain exploded through his arm.
Eyrx gritted his teeth.
Then punched Nerf directly in the face.
BAM!
Nerf staggered backward, spitting blood.
Nearby gang members stepped forward nervously.
"Boss!"
"Let us help!"
Nerf raised his hand.
"No."
His eyes remained locked on Eyrx.
"I won't lose to a child."
The men immediately stepped back.
Nerf smiled coldly.
"Let's end this."
He inhaled deeply.
Then spoke.
"Bubble Blast."
A giant bubble emerged from his mouth.
Before Eyrx could react, the bubble expanded and completely surrounded him.
Eyrx slammed his fists against it.
Nothing happened.
The bubble didn't break.
Then—
BOOM!
An explosion erupted inside.
Pain tore through his body.
His ears rang.
His vision blurred.
His legs almost gave out beneath him.
The world tilted sideways.
For a second he thought he would collapse.
But then—
Nick's voice echoed through his mind.
"No matter how strong your opponent is..."
"Never think you're weak."
"Fight until your last breath."
"Use your brain."
"Don't focus on defeating them."
"Focus on finding a way to win."
Eyrx slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze shifted.
Toward the floating containers.
His power.
The green energy still floated safely inside the protective bubbles.
A plan formed.
Immediately.
Nerf noticed his stare and laughed.
"What's wrong?"
"Looking at your power?"
Eyrx said nothing.
A gang member approached and grabbed his arm.
"Boss, should we tie him again?"
Eyrx lowered his head.
Silence.
Then another memory surfaced.
A voice.
A lesson.
"Never step back from a fight."
Suddenly—
Eyrx's eyes snapped open.
The gang member froze.
The next second—
CRACK!
Eyrx kicked directly into the man's knee.
The man screamed and collapsed.
"What?!"
Nerf's eyes widened.
Eyrx sprinted.
Not toward Nerf.
Toward the containers.
Nerf immediately understood.
"No!"
Eyrx jumped and grabbed both floating jars.
His fingers wrapped around them.
The green energy pulsed inside.
Hope flashed across his face.
Then—
Nothing happened.
The protective bubbles remained intact.
Nerf relaxed and laughed.
"You can't open them."
Eyrx glared.
Nerf slowly walked forward.
"The bubbles only disappear if I allow it."
He pointed at himself.
"Defeat me first."
"Then maybe you'll get your power back."
Eyrx tightened his grip on the jars.
His breathing became heavier.
The situation looked hopeless.
Then—
THUD!
A deafening crash echoed through the warehouse.
Everyone turned.
The entire back wall exploded inward.
Wooden planks flew across the room.
Dust filled the air.
Gang members stumbled backward in shock.
A buggy burst through the destroyed wall and slid across the warehouse floor.
Its headlights illuminated the room.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Eyrx saw two familiar figures.
Nick.
Darven.
Standing beside the damaged buggy.
Nick stepped forward slowly.
His eyes scanned the warehouse.
Then landed on Eyrx.
A dangerous smile appeared on his face.
"Looks like we arrived on time."
Eyrx couldn't stop himself from grinning.
For the first time that night—
He no longer felt alone.