Back in Lance’s house, Lucy stood firm, gripping her arnis sticks tightly as her chest heaved with every labored breath. Across from her, Sebastian snarled, equally winded.

  “Such a tiny body is pushing me back?!” he growled, his voice dripping with frustration. He lashed out with a vicious kick aimed at her stomach, but Lucy braced herself, her hardened stance absorbing the blow.

  “I’ve been groomed for greatness since I was a kid!” she yelled, her voice filled with determination. She surged forward, delivering a flurry of strikes with her arnis sticks, each hit landing with sharp precision. The final blow sent Sebastian flying backward, crashing into a piece of furniture.

  As he struggled to his feet, Sebastian’s expression darkened. Without a word, he opened his mouth unnaturally wide, and knives began to shoot out in rapid succession. Lucy twisted and ducked, blocking and dodging with incredible speed, but one blade found its mark, stabbing into her side.

  “AHH!” she cried out, staggering as more knives rained down. Despite her best efforts, several pierced her body, forcing her to the ground. Blood pooled beneath her as she lay still, her arnis sticks clattering to the floor.

  Sebastian stood over her, panting heavily. “Finally,” he muttered, pulling out a communication device. “I’ve taken down an unknown variable,” he reported. “I’ll bring her to the spot once I grab Anita. The boss is still dealing with the Wolf, who’s been attacking our boys. All we need now is the Fox.”

  Satisfied, he turned to look at Lucy’s lifeless body—only to stop dead in his tracks. She was gone.

  “What the—?” he muttered, stepping closer to the bloodied floor where she’d fallen.

  Before he could react, Lucy emerged from the shadows, clutching one of his own knives. She moved like a blur, slicing him relentlessly—over twenty cuts in quick succession. Sebastian let out a strangled gasp, his body collapsing in a heap.

  Lucy stood over him, breathing heavily, her blood-streaked figure trembling with pain and adrenaline. Her wounds were severe, but she quickly tore strips of fabric from her clothes and wrapped them tightly around her injuries, stanching the bleeding as best she could.

  She spotted Sebastian’s phone lying on the floor and snatched it up, her hands shaking slightly as she navigated to the most recent messages. Her eyes narrowed as she read the incriminating conversation:

  Sebastian: So we're still on the plan?

  Unknown Number: Yeah, the boss won’t know what hit him.

  Unknown Number: Bossing us around, naming us Shadowbane like he’s in charge or something.

  Unknown Number: We’re still meeting in Backdrive Grove.

  Lucy’s grip tightened on the phone. With a grim expression, she pocketed it and staggered toward the exit, her mind racing. This wasn’t just about surviving anymore—she had a mission to finish.

  In the forest, Devin snarled as he unsheathed his sword, the blade gleaming menacingly in the dappled sunlight. Without hesitation, he lunged at Arid, his strikes wild but forceful. Arid twirled his staff deftly, blocking each slash with practiced precision.

  “You’ll have to do better than that,” Arid said, his voice calm but taunting.

  Devin growled, swinging the sword in a wide arc. Arid ducked under it, the blade whistling just above his head. Seizing the moment, he leaped high into the air, his staff glowing with an emerald hue. As he reached the peak of his jump, green needles materialized around him, forming a deadly ring.

  “Try dodging this,” Arid said, his hands moving like a conductor directing an orchestra.

  The needles shot toward Devin like arrows. Devin’s eyes widened as he frantically slashed at the onslaught, deflecting some and narrowly dodging others. A few grazed his arm and side, drawing thin lines of blood.

  Arid landed gracefully, his feet barely touching the ground before he sprang forward, using the momentum to deliver a sharp kick to Devin’s face. The blow sent Devin stumbling backward, blood trickling from his nose.

  “Still standing? Impressive,” Arid remarked, spinning his staff in his hands.

  Devin spat blood onto the ground and growled. “You’re going to regret that.” He rushed forward again, his sword raised high.

  Arid dodged the downward strike with ease and slammed the end of his staff into Devin’s stomach. As Devin doubled over, gasping for air, Arid thrust his hand toward the ground. Thick vines erupted from the earth, snaking around Devin’s legs and arms, holding him in place.

  Devin roared in frustration, using his sword to slash at the vines. He cut through one, then another, but they kept coming, regrowing and tightening with every passing second.

  “Nature isn’t so easy to conquer,” Arid said, his eyes glowing faintly green.

  Devin broke free with a powerful swing and charged, but Arid was ready. He slammed his staff into the ground, and the earth beneath them rumbled. A massive root shot up, knocking Devin’s sword from his hand and sending him sprawling to the ground.

  Devin tried to scramble to his feet, but Arid conjured another vine. This one wrapped around Devin’s torso and yanked him high into the air, leaving him dangling helplessly.

  “Yield,” Arid commanded, his voice firm.

  Devin struggled, thrashing against the vine, but it only tightened its grip. Realizing he was outmatched, he finally slumped in defeat. “Fine. I yield.”

  “Who ordered you to capture me?” Arid demanded, his tone sharp and unyielding.

  Devin crumbled without resistance, his bravado vanishing. “I’m part of the Shadowbane gang. It was created by some girl... Althara Shadowbane,” he admitted, his voice trembling. “I’m the only one who knows her name. We’re not sure if she’s related to Merlin or your dead friend, but we’re planning to kill her tonight.”

  Arid’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  “She’s gotten us into serious trouble with the Gluttony Kingdom because of her underground casinos. If we don’t get rid of her, they’ll come for all of us,” Devin confessed, his words tumbling out in a rush.

  The mention of the Gluttony Kingdom sparked a memory in Arid. Mel had told them about the seven deadly kingdoms and their chaotic rule. “Where are you all meeting?!”

  Devin sighed, rolling his eyes as if the answer was obvious. “Backdrive Grove.”

  Without hesitation, Arid turned and sprinted toward the city, the urgency of the situation driving his every step.

  Elsewhere in the forest…

  Amara stood amidst a scattering of unconscious Shadowbane members, her knuckles bruised but her expression calm. Cassius approached her, his gaze flicking over the fallen bodies before meeting hers.

  “Guess they didn’t know who Akoni was,” he said, ruffling her hair with a hint of amusement. “You really need to tone it down sometimes.”

  Amara closed her eyes, leaning into his touch like a cat seeking comfort.

  “Let’s get you home,” Cassius said, offering her a small smile. They began walking away, leaving the defeated gang members groaning on the forest floor.

  One Shadowbane, barely conscious, muttered, “How are we supposed to take down Auroria with monsters like this running around?”

  At Backdrive Grove…

  Mel and Althara walked side by side, the tension between them masked by casual conversation. Althara glanced at her watch, her irritation barely contained. “What’s taking them so long?” she thought, her mind racing.

  Her gaze shifted to Mel, who was munching on popcorn without a care in the world. She had no idea the person beside her was the infamous wizard, whom she ‘married’ as a kid.

  As they walked, snow began to drift from the sky, the cold flakes dotting the air. Mel’s eyes lit up with childlike wonder. “Oh wow, it’s snowing!” he exclaimed, spreading his arms and spinning around.

  Althara tilted her head, watching him with mild amusement. She felt nothing from the cold, her wizard blood making her immune to the chill. “Don’t people usually get cold? Why are you so happy?” she asked.

  Mel grinned, catching a snowflake on his tongue. “Ah, because I don’t get cold. It’s a wizard thing,” he said, thinking nothing of revealing this detail.

  Althara’s eyes widened at the revelation. “You’re a wizard? Perfect. Now I have to recruit him,” she thought, keeping her expression neutral.

  Feigning casual interest, she replied, “I’m a wizard too... of sorts.”

  Mel nodded, deciding to throw her off his trail. “Yeah, I’m from the North Valley,” he said, pointing vaguely to a nonexistent location.

  Althara nodded thoughtfully, her sharp mind already spinning plans. “A fellow wizard, huh? Interesting.”

  Unbeknownst to them both, the delicate snow falling around them foreshadowed a storm that was fast approaching.

  Back in Solstice City, the chaos of the battle was deafening. Lance, Jake, Anita, and Clyde huddled behind Bimoth, watching in awe as he tore through the Shadowbane members like they were mere ants. Each swing of his massive fists sent enemies flying, their bodies hitting the ground with earth-shaking force.

  Shadowbanes charged at him in waves, wielding swords, chains, and magical attacks, but nothing seemed to faze him. A chain wrapped around his arm, only for Bimoth to yank it with such force that the wielder was flung like a ragdoll into a wall. A fireball struck his chest, but he brushed off the embers with a flick of his wrist, stepping forward as if nothing had happened.

  One Shadowbane leapt from a rooftop, aiming for a sneak attack. Bimoth caught the man mid-air, holding him up by the collar. “Pathetic,” he muttered before hurling him into a group of his comrades, scattering them like bowling pins.

  Anita couldn’t tear her eyes away from the destruction. “When we saw Bimoth in the Fox Bearrington suit, we thought maybe he’d help us fight. But this? He’s not just helping—he’s decimating them.”

  “He’s not just a tank,” Jake added, his voice trembling. “He’s a former king! This isn’t just strength—it’s a statement. He’s showing them what happens when you cross someone like him.”

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  Anita glanced nervously at Bimoth’s back, watching as he advanced with terrifying purpose. “But what are they supposed to do against a beast like this? The only person who could go toe-to-toe with him is Melanthius... and he’s not here.”

  A Shadowbane member summoned an earth golem to block Bimoth’s path. The massive construct loomed over him, roaring as it swung a colossal fist. Bimoth caught the blow with one hand, his muscles bulging with sheer power. With a guttural roar, he ripped the golem’s arm clean off and used it as a club, smashing the construct to pieces in a flurry of strikes.

  The ground trembled beneath him as he turned to the remaining Shadowbanes. “Is this it? Is this all you’ve got?” he bellowed, his voice echoing through the city streets.

  After defeating the waves of attackers, Bimoth wiped the blood from his chest with a calm, deliberate motion. His gaze flicked toward the group, his voice steady yet commanding. “We gotta go pick up Mel. Let’s move.” Without hesitation, the others piled into Mel’s car, following Bimoth’s lead as they sped off toward Backdrive Grove.

  Meanwhile, back in Backdrive Grove, Melanthius was immersed in the peaceful simplicity of snowflakes. The soft crunch of snow beneath his feet was a far cry from the chaos he’d faced. Althara watched him from a nearby bench, idly squishing the teddy bear she held.

  “They’re taking forever,” she murmured, tapping her communication device. “Guess I’ll call a few guys. I want to see what this guy is hiding.” Her sharp gaze lingered on him as she whispered, “Soft,” almost to herself.

  Moments later, three Shadowbane gang members appeared, their footsteps crunching over the snow. Althara sat up straighter. “Oh, they’re here,” she muttered, clutching the teddy bear tightly as the scene unfolded.

  Mel turned, holding snowflakes in his palms, when he noticed the trio approaching him.

  “There he is—the guy who’s been taking out our boys,” Mitchell growled.

  Mel blinked, a hint of realization crossing his face. “Wait, the Shadowbanes... I forgot about them.” He turned to glance at Althara, who was deliberately looking away while squeezing the bear.

  Mel sighed, walking past the group. “I’m sorry, alright?” he said, trying to avoid escalation.

  But Jeff grabbed the tail of his fox costume, yanking him back. “Nah, sorry won’t cut it,” Alexander sneered.

  Mitchell raised his hands, electricity crackling between his fingers, and fired a lightning bolt. Mel dodged with a graceful flip, tugging his mask back into place.

  Jeff lunged to elbow Mel in the ribs, but Mel sidestepped, retaliating with a kick to Jeff’s face. His movements were swift and fluid, spinning to knock Jeff to the ground. Mel’s hands never left his mask.

  Althara leaned forward, her eyes widening. “He’s holding the mask on. What’s he hiding?” she thought.

  Mel countered the others with swift precision, landing cloud-like kicks that left trails in the air.

  Althara’s sharp gaze narrowed. “He’s a skilled fighter... better than most.”

  Suddenly, a distant voice shouted, cutting through the tension.

  “Melanthius! THAT’S A LADY NAMED ALTHARA SHADOWBANE! SHE’S HERE WITH THE SHADOWBANE GANG!”

  It was Arid, sprinting toward Mel with at least a hundred Shadowbane members chasing him.

  Mel froze, his wide eyes darting toward Althara. She sat rigid, her face equally stunned.

  Flashback

  The guard chuckled as he gently set the little girl down. With an excited hop, she made her way to Melanthius, who sat quietly at the cafeteria table, spooning his soup.

  “Uh, hello?” she said, tilting her head, her wide purple eyes shimmering with curiosity.

  Mel stared at her as if she were an alien from another planet. “Are you… the moon?” he asked, his voice timid.

  Her cheeks flushed, and she puffed out her chest. “I’m not the moon!” she bellowed, startling Mel enough to make him flinch.

  “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, staring back into his bowl. “You remind me of it. You’re shiny.”

  Her breath caught, her heart fluttering at the innocent words. “I… I’m Althara,” she managed to say. “My dad’s looking for a job. We’re, um, lower class.”

  “I’m Melanthius. Call me Mel. My dad was Merlin Shadowbane.”

  Her jaw dropped. “As in the overlord who conquered kingdoms?!”

  Mel simply nodded, unbothered.

  Althara’s boldness returned, and she climbed onto the table, plopping down in front of him. “From today on, we’re together!”

  Mel tilted his head. “Together?”

  “Yes!” she said with childish conviction, pulling a rubber band from the floor and pretending it was a ring. “From now on, I’m Althara Shadowbane! You may now kiss the bride!”

  Present

  Bimoth, Lance, Clyde, Anita, and Jake arrived in Mel’s car, bursting out and running toward him as the massive wave of Shadowbane members surged closer.

  “Mel!” Anita yelled, her voice breaking as she doubled over to catch her breath.

  Althara rose, locking eyes with Anita. She walked toward her slowly, her expression unreadable.

  “Been a long time, little sister,” Althara said, reaching to button the top of Anita’s shirt.

  The group erupted into a cacophony of gasps and shouts.

  “WHAT?!”

  Anita froze, a tear sliding down her cheek. “You…” Her voice cracked as she stared at Althara, her older sister. Memories she’d long buried rushed to the surface.

  Althara continued, her tone biting. “So all of Andraka Liu’s daughters ran away from that sick man, huh?”

  Anita began to sob, clutching at Mel’s arm. “Mel, I… I’m sorry,” she choked out.

  Mel’s eyes filled with betrayal. “Anita? You’re one of Andraka Liu’s daughters? That’s what Henry had on you? That’s why I went to that kingdom? Got tortured for?!” His voice rose with each word, his hurt cutting deep.

  Anita leaned into him, desperate for comfort. “Mel, please. You have to understand…”

  But Mel stepped back, shaking his head. “I thought we were best friends.” His voice trembled as he glared at her.

  "Wait, you’re the one who said we were married when we were kids?!" Mel exclaimed, his eyes widening with disbelief. Althara raised a finger, the rubber band from that distant memory clearly visible.

  "I was just a stupid kid back then," she admitted with a half-hearted shrug. "Now, I work under the Gluttony Kingdom. I need money—lots of it—to overthrow them. I thought you were dead," she finished, her tone heavy with regret.

  Mel winced, his head throbbing as everything crashed down on him. Bimoth, sensing the rising tension, brushed past Mel with a sigh. "It's alright, Mel. Don’t worry," he reassured, trying to remain calm. "Althara, you’re going straight to prison for attacking our people." He extended his hand, expecting to immobilize her with ease.

  But Althara wasn’t fazed. In an instant, she shot a swirling cloud of energy at his outstretched hand, and a sickening crack echoed through the air as his arm was broken. Bimoth’s eyes widened, shock and pain crossing his face as he stared at his shattered hand.

  Before he could react, Althara leapt forward, delivering a swift knee to his face with an almost brutal precision. His jaw nearly unhinged from the force, and he staggered backward, eyes wide with disbelief. What kind of strength is this?

  With no time to recover, Althara yanked off her shoe and began mercilessly pounding Bimoth with it, each strike laced with an overwhelming power. The shoe seemed to pulse with crackling cloud magic, sending waves of energy through the air.

  Lance’s voice cracked with alarm as he shouted, "T-that’s Mel’s cloud magic!"

  Bimoth, unable to withstand the relentless barrage, was sent flying into a tree, crashing through it with a deafening thud. The ground shook beneath him, leaving the others in stunned silence as the realization of Althara's strength hit them all.

  "Get her!" Lance shouted, charging toward Althara with a series of concealed cloud attacks. But she dodged each one effortlessly, her movements fluid and graceful.

  "No magic, huh?" Althara taunted, smirking. "But it looks like you’ve got some tricks up your sleeve. Did Mel teach you that?" With a wicked grin, she mirrored his hidden cloud techniques and unleashed a barrage of strikes, her cloud-infused blows landing hard against Lance’s body. He was sent flying, slamming into a bench, leaving deep bruises in her wake.

  Before anyone could react, she shifted focus. Clyde charged, only to have the edge of Althara’s shoe slice across his shoulder. "AH!" he cried out in pain. Without skipping a beat, Althara leapt into the air, spinning mid-flight, and kicked Clyde with brutal force, sending him crashing into the same bench where Lance lay.

  Althara turned toward Mel, locking eyes with him. She raised her hand and forced him to meet her gaze. "Dear old hubby," she mused, her voice dripping with a mix of mockery and bitterness, "If you had been with me in our childhood, maybe I wouldn’t have turned out like this. I found the Shadowbane Medallion in the ruins of a fallen kingdom, and it etched itself into me." She revealed the medallion, which glowed like a tattoo across her skin.

  "I’m taking Anita with me now," she declared coldly, reaching for her.

  Jake stepped forward, blocking her path to Anita. "S-stop," he pleaded, his voice desperate. "You have no reason to attack us. Anita’s made real friends here. Are you really going to take her away from us?"

  Althara raised her foot, poised to strike. "Yes," she said bluntly, her voice unwavering. She swung it down toward Anita, but before the kick could land, Mel sprang into action, throwing himself in front of her. The impact was bone-crushing, and he slammed into the ground with sickening force.

  Althara raised her foot again, ready to strike again, but Mel reacted quickly, summoning a cloud barrier that intercepted the blow. He gritted his teeth and rose to his feet, his cloud magic swirling around him. With a deep breath, he transformed the barrier into a mass of swirling cloud energy and punched Althara in the stomach with it. The force sent her flying back, but she landed gracefully, as if the blow had never fazed her.

  Mel stood up, his expression focused as he ripped off his wolf costume, revealing the raw intensity in his eyes. He walked over to Anita and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I understand if you had to lie," he whispered, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "We all keep secrets. It’s how the world works. But it’s not my fault I got trapped in your web of lies."

  Anita buried her face in his chest, tears flowing freely as her pain poured out, each sob shaking her to the core.

  Althara’s gaze locked onto Mel once more, and he met her stare without flinching. "So, are we getting a divorce then?" he asked with a grin, his tone light despite the tension.

  Althara inhaled sharply, then exhaled, her eyes narrowing. In an instant, she sent a barrage of rain bullets shooting at him, each one crackling with raw power.

  Mel didn’t hesitate. He inhaled and exhaled in turn, summoning his own counterattack—rain bullets shooting from his own hands, colliding with hers in midair.

  Althara darted toward him, her body moving with lethal precision. Mel threw a hidden cloud kick at her, but she met it with a kick of her own, landing a solid hit to his face.

  "Ow!" Mel groaned, clutching his throbbing cheek. "How many people was I hitting with that?! It really hurts!" He winced, rubbing his face as the tension in the air hung heavy around them.

  Shieka watched the chaos unfold from the background, her eyes wide with excitement. “This is the juiciest thing I’ve ever seen,” she commented with a grin as Mel was sent flying toward her.

  Mel staggered, looking frustrated as he landed in front of Shieka. “You’re embarrassing me,” she groaned. “You should use Goldman’s magic. It’s technically yours, after all. You can’t use your black lightning without risking self-harm, and sadly, my electric webbing’s too weak.” She gave him a pointed look. “She knows your cloud magic, and probably has more experience with it than you.”

  Mel glanced at his black-gold arm, his fingers tightening around it in defiance. He stood up, eyes locked on Althara. With a snap of his fingers, a sword made of gold materialized in his hand, only to retract it moments later. “No,” he muttered, his voice low but resolute. “I’d rather die than use his magic.” Cracking his back, he steeled himself for what was coming.

  Arid rushed forward, grabbing Althara from behind, trying to slam her to the ground. But with a swift turn, Althara delivered a devastating hidden cloud kick, knocking him back. She smirked, brushing herself off. "These kicks are cool as hell, but they’re painful to use. Melanthius’s body is different from mine, like it was honed for him." she said, her tone light despite the fight.

  Mel seized the opening, charging at her with determination. He pressed his electric webbing against her chest, unleashing a palm strike that surged with energy. Althara’s body convulsed as she screamed, electricity coursing through her. "More than one magic?!" she gasped in disbelief. In retaliation, she unleashed a brutal palm strike of her own, infusing it with her cloud magic. Mel’s body was engulfed, his skin burning from the intense pressure of the clouds. His scream echoed as he struggled to free himself.

  Summoning what little strength he had left, Mel created some distance, fending off several shadowbanes that tried to attack him. He gritted his teeth as he fought, trying to stay focused despite the pain.

  “Althara!” one of the shadowbanes shouted. “Can we finally take him down?!”

  “Hurry up!” another barked impatiently.

  Althara glanced at them but didn’t immediately respond. "It’s alright! I’m just reuniting with—"

  Before she could finish her sentence, a new voice cut through the tension. "Althara… I hope you know your shadowbanes are planning to betray you." Lucy ran onto the battlefield, breathless, holding up Sebastian’s phone to prove her point.

  Devin immediately stepped forward, anger flashing in his eyes. "She’s lying! That could be photoshopped!" Without warning, he swung a punch at Lucy, knocking her to the ground.

  But before he could retreat, Althara grabbed his fist mid-punch, her grip tightening with an icy fury. “What the fuck?” she growled, staring him down with a look of disbelief. Devin took a step back, unsure of what to make of her sudden reaction.

  In a flash, Devin’s panic seemed to overwhelm him. He pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed it directly into Althara’s face. She recoiled, momentarily blinded, but before she could recover, he swung a massive sledgehammer into her face with full force. The sound of the impact rang out, and Althara’s body faltered for a moment, the world around her spinning from the unexpected attack.

  “ALTHARA!” Anita screamed, her voice breaking with panic as blood began to stream down Althara’s face, painting her hair and clothes in crimson.