Eko moved through the battlefield like a force of nature, her movements both graceful and lethal. Around her, monsters fell one by one, unable to withstand the fury of her power. Blood painted the ground beneath her feet as she pirouetted, the violence intensifying with each step. In that moment, she was in her element, her body moving with fluid precision as if the chaos around her were a choreographed dance. She didn't give a second thought to how many she slaughtered; each strike was purposeful, each movement deadly.

They stood in her way of protecting him. Matthew was not like her; he didn't hold the power of gods at his fingertips, and few could cope with these kinds of creatures. Her sole objective was to reach him, to ensure his safety amidst the carnage.

Eko maneuvered through the chaos with deadly precision, her powers slicing through the relentless onslaught of monsters and beasts blocking her path. Heads fell at her feet, the ground littered with the bodies of the fallen. Her focus never wavered, her resolve steel-hard, as she carved a direct line to him. Her eyes, fierce and unyielding, locked onto her target, and nothing could deter her from reaching him.

The only way out of this was at the cost of ruining this planet once and for all. She turned at the violent sound of Matthew screaming, her heart lurching in her chest. She watched as a heavy fist knocked him to the ground, and the sight spurred her on. Eko knew she needed to dispose of these youmas fast. With a swift flick of her sword, she plunged it into the belly of a beast, unleashing a surge of energy that sent the creature flying.

As she turned to check on Matthew, her eyes widened in shock. She saw him unleashing a massive energy blast toward Xero, who stood menacingly before him. The sheer force of the blast illuminated the battlefield, casting eerie shadows across the scene. Eko was stunned, her mouth dropping open in disbelief, her breath catching in her throat. "Fuck off! Ace?" she breathed, the revelation hitting her like a physical blow. Her heart pounded, and her hands trembled as she struggled to process what she was seeing.

***** *****

Gasping for air, every breath felt like fire in Matthew's lungs. He struggled to his knees, the ground beneath him spinning from the relentless assault. Summoning every ounce of strength, he pushed himself to his feet, his body trembling with the effort. His hands shook uncontrollably as he fought to regain his balance, the world around him a blur of chaos and danger.

With his heart pounding wildly in his chest, Matthew felt on the verge of collapse when a firm hand grabbed his arm, steadying him. He looked up to see Eko amidst the chaos, her face streaked with blood and dirt, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger, annoyance, and incredulity. He knew that look she was giving him—she was definitely not impressed.

"B-Babe?" Matthew wheezed, his voice barely audible. Eko shook her head, holding his battered, bloodied gaze. She allowed him a moment to breathe deeply, her eyes never leaving his as she studied him intently. The echo of magic pulsated around them, the energy palpable. She felt the magic flooding into her bones, bringing a summery crispness to the air that lingered and rippled across her skin.

Oh, Matthew was definitely Ace. There was no question about it now. Being this close to him was like a light switch turning on so brightly that she could feel him in every depth of her bones. The connection was undeniable, an electric current surging through her, igniting every nerve.

Before she could even check on him, breathe him in, scream at him, or maybe just hit him a little for good measure, they both sensed the presence of monsters ambushing them. Eko was hit first, knocked to the ground by the critters determined to keep her away from him. The impact jarred her, but she rolled with the fall and quickly got back on her feet. Her sword flashed in a deadly arc as she cut down the nearest youma, her movements swift and lethal.

Matthew barely had time to process the situation or help Eko when Xero suddenly reappeared, lunging at him with a shard in hand. Reacting swiftly, Matthew grabbed hold of the claw that held the shard, his heart racing as he grappled with Xero. However, Xero's strength was overwhelming, and he forced Matthew to the ground. Fear and desperation coursed through him as he struggled to regain control, his mind racing to come up with a plan.

As Eko rolled frantically to the side, she seized her sword and swung upward, cleaving through some of the monsters. Simultaneously, with her free hand, she released a blast of energy, hurling the remaining creatures away from her. Eko spat out some blood in disgust, her eyes blazing with fury as her body thrummed with energy. "Disgusting, feral... assholes," she muttered fiercely.

With the metallic taste of blood in her mouth fueling her rage and each heartbeat pounding in her ears like a war drum, her attention turned and fixated on Matthew. She barely noticed the chaos around her.

Xero had Matthew pinned to the ground, straddling him with a shard aimed at his chest. Eko quickly regained her footing and sprinted towards them, her mind solely focused on reaching Matthew. Gripping her catania staff tightly, she prepared to intervene. But in her tunnel vision, she missed the youma guarding Xero.

The creature swung and delivered a brutal blow to her jaw. The impact was immediate and devastating, sending her crashing down. Stars exploded in her vision as searing pain radiated through her skull, tearing a primal scream from her throat.

Gasping for breath, Matthew was caught off guard by Eko's piercing scream, the sound ripping through the chaos of battle. Distracted, he didn't see Xero's fist until it slammed into his face, knocking him backward onto the hard, yellowed earth. Pain exploded behind his eyes, his vision swirling in a haze of disorientation.

Struggling to regain his senses, Matthew blinked against the blur, trying to focus amidst the chaos. Through the pain, he saw Xero looming over him, a shard of jagged crystal gripped menacingly in his clawed hand. As Matthew attempted to rise, another crushing blow struck the side of his temple, sending him reeling once more.

Somewhere amidst the chaos, he could hear Eko screaming frantically. A horrendous scream pierced the air, spiking his anxiety as he feared she was being hurt. In his delirium, he barely comprehended the shard suddenly piercing his right shoulder, driving a wave of excruciating pain through his entire body.

He cried out, the sound lost in the tumult of battle, his world spinning as darkness threatened to engulf him. Another blow to his temple followed, a brutal assault that sent him reeling deeper into the white noise of near unconsciousness.

**** ****

Eko tried to stand back up after the swift kick to her ribs from the guard towering over her. The monstrous, purple beast, with demonic black eyes, leered at her, its fist nearly three times the size of her head. It crunched the yellow dirt underfoot as it advanced on her. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself back to her feet.

But the moment she diverted her attention to Matthew's scream, the guard reacted. With lightning speed, it lunged at Eko, its massive hand clamping around her arm. The pressure was immediate and unbearable, and with a swift, brutal motion, the guard twisted and snapped her arm. The sickening sound of bone breaking echoed in her ears, amplified by the chaos around them.

Eko's scream of agony pierced the air, raw and unrestrained. The pain was excruciating, a white-hot surge radiating from her shattered arm, shooting up to her shoulder and down to her fingertips. Her vision blurred with tears as she screamed up at him, "YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"

The guard released her arm only to deliver another swift fist to her face, sending her tumbling to the ground. Eko scrambled forward, clutching her injured arm to her chest. She couldn't feel her fingers, the pain overwhelming her senses. Desperation clawed at her mind; she needed to create some distance, to get out of this situation fast. Her breaths came in ragged gasps as she tried to think, to find a way to escape the monstrous guard closing in on her.

***** *****

With Xero's blows to Matthew's temple leaving him momentarily dazed, his world tilted dangerously as he struggled to regain focus. In that vulnerable moment, the creature ripped the shard from his shoulder with a vicious tug, causing Matthew to grit his teeth against the surge of pain that shot through his arm. Blood flowed freely, mingling with the dirt and sweat on his skin.

Undeterred by Matthew's pain, Xero, with a wicked smile, plunged the shard into the lower part of his abdomen with brutal force. Agony ripped through him like a torrent of fire, threatening to overwhelm his senses. The pain was so intense that it blurred his vision, every breath a struggle against the darkness that was clawing to pull him under.

Wheezing for air, Matthew barely registered Eko's frantic, vicious screams. She was in trouble, and if he didn't act now, they would both die on this god forsaken rodent filled planet. Summoning his last reserves of strength, he turned his attention to Xero. With a primal scream, rage surged through him, fueling his resolve. Despite his disorientation, he summoned his power, drawing on every ounce of energy he had left.

The energy crackled at his fingertips, a brilliant golden light pulsing with raw intensity. With a desperate roar, he unleashed the force, driving it into Xero's chest. The impact sent the talon beast sprawling backward, its grip on the shard loosening.

**** ****

Eko, with her good hand, backed up again, a dagger now materializing in her grip.

"Come on, you piece of shit, I will fucking gut you!" she snarled, spitting the blood from her mouth toward the purple behemoth of a creature. Her eyes blazed with defiance, even as the pain from her shattered arm radiated through her body.

Neither of them expected the radiant light piercing through the swirling sandstorm of the battlefield. The ground trembled as Xero was sent flying into the distance, the force of the impact creating a shockwave that momentarily stunned them both.

Eko's focus snapped back to the monster looming before her, but she was caught off guard by the echoing sound of an energy ball hurtling through the air. The explosion was instantaneous. The creature's head exploded in a gruesome shower of blood and gore, spraying viscera and bone fragments across the battlefield. Eko gasped, her eyes wide in shock as the warm blood splattered her face.

She blinked several times, trying to process the sudden turn of events. When the shock momentarily subsided, she looked up and saw Matthew. His body was a battered, bloody mess, yet he fought to roll onto his stomach and push himself to his knees. Each movement was a Herculean effort against the weight of his injuries, his face contorted with pain and determination.

The sight of him struggling to rise, drenched in blood and sweat, ignited a fierce resolve in her heart. With that, she staggered toward him urgently, her emotions a whirlwind of love and frustration because all of this was set in motion by her cousin. 

****** *****

Through the haze, Matthew finally caught sight of Eko. She was staggering and swaying amidst the chaos, equally bloodied and battered, yet her figure was a beacon amidst the turmoil.

Their eyes locked, and Matthew staggered toward her. Eko, with her good hand, brushed aside some matted hair, feeling the sweat cling to her skin. Her bones shook from the relentless assault, but despite the physical agony, it was the weight of guilt that pressed down on her, knowing Madison's actions had set this devastating chain of events in motion.

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, she limped forward, desperately needing to reach Matthew. Her broken arm clutched to her chest, her knees threatened to buckle under her weight, and each step felt like an agony coursing through her body.

Studying Matthew, she hated the way he inhaled sharply, the pain evident in his strained exhale and the tremble of his body. He clutched his waist, blood flowing down his hand, blood flowed from his shoulder, and blood mixed into his hair. Bruising marred nearly every inch of his exposed skin.

Shaking her head as the weight of it all consumed her, she tried to rush forward as best she could in her limping state. When she collided with him, her arm wrapped around his waist, and she felt his arm hoist her closer, his head burying into the crook of her neck.

"E..ko," he whispered, his voice trembling.

She could barely hear him, and only when he pulled back did his eyes search her own, filled with a pain that matched hers.

"B-babe... fuck, look... at you..." Matthew's voice was ragged, filled with unbridled anger as he grasped her chin, pulling it toward him, probing and assessing the extent of her injuries. He tisked as he took her in, fury simmering at the sight of her state.

Eko winced at the pressure on her bruised skin but met his gaze, seeing the worry reflected in his eyes. He tilted her chin further, urging her to acknowledge the damage done to her. "You should really see how you look," she murmured softly, a note of anguish in her voice because he looked a hell of a lot worse than she did.

"Few cuts," he wheezed, trying to mask the severity of his injuries with a strained smile.

Eko's eyes, however, told a different story. They darted to his shoulder, where dark blood seeped steadily from a gaping wound, staining his clothes and skin a deep crimson. Her gaze then traveled down to the left side of his abdomen, where a jagged steel shard protruded, half-buried in his flesh, the surrounding tissue swollen and angry. The sight of his injuries, stark against his pale skin.

With her good hand, she grasped the shard firmly, her heart pounding. Her eyes flicked up to meet his. "This is gonna hurt, babe," she warned, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides.

Matthew nodded, his jaw clenched in anticipation. "Fuck, just do it. Then we need to get the hell out of here," he ordered, knowing his body would heal the wounds. Once he caught his breath, he could focus on healing the glaring injuries marking his girlfriend's body.

"W-we can't stay here, babe. Do you understand me? We're going to be fucking slaughtered if they get us."

Eko took a deep breath, nodded, and without another word, began the countdown. "Three, two..." With a swift, decisive motion, she yanked the shard from his abdomen.

Matthew's scream tore through the air, raw and agonized, his body convulsing with pain. She immediately pressed her hand against the wound, summoning her energy to close it as best she could. Her palm glowed with a soft, ethereal light, the warmth of her magic seeping into his torn flesh, knitting the wound together.

The golden glow pulsed, each wave of light coaxing the damaged tissues to mend, while Eko's brow furrowed in concentration, sweat trickling down her temple as she channeled every ounce of her power into healing him.

Wide-eyed and suddenly lost for words, Matthew watched the energy pulsating around them, a warm sensation filling his chest. The realization hit him like a freight train

"Fuckkkkk offfff, you're fucking with me, right?" His steel-blue eyes locked with her sky-blue gaze, searching for the truth. "S-snow? ARE YOU FUCKIN' SNOW!?"

Eko's fingers danced around his wound as she healed him, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. "I guess your smart mouth finally got you stabbed, huh?"

"Pft," Matthew rolled his eyes, "like that hasn't happened before."

He shook his head, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on him.

"I guess all of this defeats the purpose now, huh?" Eko continued, a grin on her face as she locked eyes with him. "You know, how I kinda wanted you dead in the ground and all."

Matthew managed a weak, strained laugh, the sound filled with both pain and relief. "N-Now's your chance," he wheezed. "Y-You can just leave me here. I can just b-bleed out and we'll call it a day this way."

Eko's expression softened, a rare vulnerability surfacing. "You think I want that?" Her voice was almost a whisper, laden with unspoken emotions. "Maybe I just wanted you to see things differently."

The sincerity in her words cut through Matthew's defenses. For the first time, he saw something beyond their rivalry—a glimpse of the person she truly was. Afterall he knew Eko and he knew her intentions and with Snow now her alter ego, a lot of things were clicking into place.

"Anyway," Eko grinned, "I can't kill you when I love you, you dumbass," shaking her head she continued to concentrate on healing his wound.

Both of their hearts thudded with a new awareness. The world around them seemed to hold its breath, the energy pulsating in time with their own heartbeats. In that instant, everything felt different—charged with a potential neither of them hasn't seen before.

"So, you still l-love me even as A-ce, huh?" Matthew said with a cocky edge, breaking the silence despite the blood staining his teeth as he coughed uneasily. Eko hated that he could still manage that grin, even in this state, but she couldn't help smirking back at him.

"I can still leave you here, smartass," she retorted, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

He smirked, then his tone turned serious. "Seriously, Eko! W-what the fuck? How the... h-how did we manage this?"

Eko shrugged, equally bewildered. "I'm as surprised as you are, babe. This whole situation is just insane. Utterly fuckin' insane!"

With the wound mostly healed, enough to stop the bleeding, Matthew grabbed her wrist resting on his waist. "The u-universe has some seriously sick s-sense of fu..ckin' humor," he exhaled, shaking his head as a new concern filled him. He reached out to grasp her arm that was still tucked to her chest.

"Broken," she muttered in annoyance. "I know what you need to do," she said, eyeing him with frustration.

"Good," he replied with a devilish smile. "Take a breath, Snow," he warned. Without waiting, he snapped the bone back into place, knowing their crystals would expedite the healing process and she would soon regain full mobility in her arm.

Eko let out a blood-curdling scream, the sound reverberating through the streets. "You fucking ASSHOLE!" she yelled, her voice raw with pain. "FUCK, FUCK!" She stepped back, cradling her arm as the bone began to knit together, the sensation of healing tingling up and down her limb.

Matthew watched her, a mix of sympathy and determination in his eyes. "Sorry, babe, but it had to be done," he said, his voice softening slightly. "I also know what your like with this."

Eko glared at him, tears of pain and anger brimming in her eyes. "You could have warned me," she snapped, though the anger was already beginning to fade as the pain lessened.

"Yea well maybe that's for being fucking Snow," he smirked at her, his eyes glinting with a mix of mischief and affection. "Being a downright pain in my fucking ass for the past twelve years!"

Eko's face furrowed in annoyance, her anger bubbling to the surface. Without thinking, she stepped forward, fists clenched tight, and punched him hard in the shoulder. The force of the blow sent a shockwave of pain through Matthew's body, causing him to stagger back, clutching his wounded shoulder.

The moment her fist connected, Eko's heart lurched. She hadn't meant to hit him so hard, especially not where he was already injured. The sight of him reeling in pain made her regret the impulsive action, but her frustration still simmered beneath the surface.

Matthew's face twisted in agony, his breath hitching as he tried to steady himself. "Fuck, Eko!" he gasped, his voice strained clutching his shoulder now. "What the hell was that for?"

His snarky attitude only riled her up, "that's for being Ace! For being a fucking pain in MY ass!" Eko screamed at him nonetheless, "you cocky, fuckin' arrogant, stupid asshole! Twelves years I've had to put up with your shit!"

Her violent outburst brought a wry smile to Matthew's face. "Fuck, this is going to take some getting used to," he chuckled, though the humor did little to mask the tension in the air.

Eko rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips as she glared at him. "While I'd love to continue this, babe," she said, stepping forward and extending her hand toward him, "one of us—I'm not naming names—has gotten us into some serious fuckin' trouble again. We need to get the fuck out of here. We're not safe, and you and I both know that."

Matthew exhaled knowing that wasn't even the half of it "They're going to come at us harder. They won't get another opportunity like this with me. Just for full disclosure, they haven't managed to get an upper hand like this for years."

She nodded even if her heart pounded wildly, a frantic drumbeat echoing the fierce urgency within her. The urge to protect him, to shield him from further harm, surged through her, driving her into another level of determined anger. Even if he was Ace, even with all the complicated history and confusion, Matthew was still the love of her life. That simple, unassailable truth burned bright and clear in her mind. She would do anything to keep him safe.

She stepped to him, her fingers intertwining with his in a firm, resolute grip. She then pulled his other arm around her neck, her hand sliding securely around his waist as they hobbled forward together. His weight leaned heavily on her and each staggered step underscored how severe his injuries were, and the sight of his pain cut deeply into her heart.

"Can you transport us anywhere at the moment?" she asked, urgency lacing her voice.

"I'm fried right now. What about you?"

Eko's eyes narrowed, a hint of humor in her words. "Fried from healing your sorry ass."

He chuckled slightly, then coughed, swallowing the blood in his throat as he scanned the wasteland of Creon for any signs of life. "It'll be fine, babe. We've been through worse."

Eko tightened her grip around his waist, her expression confused. "What has been worse then this?"

"Kippax, remember?" He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"You had your ass handed to you then as well," Eko laughed, a hint of affection in her voice. "Have you ever thought you're the common denominator for pissing people off? Like, has no one actually questioned your sanity besides me?"

"I've gotten us this far, haven't I?" He looked down at her, a fond smile playing on his lips. "For the record, you're going to be pushed so much harder when we're home. Your sloppy tactics need serious work. And we need to talk about the way you butcher these creatures. Is it some sort of cathartic release for you? You bloody fuckin' psycho."

Eko smirked, the banter between them a familiar comfort. "You're still a dick."

"You're still a pain in my ass," he quipped back, his smile widening despite the pain.

"Not my fault this time," Eko replied, feeling his weight lean on her a bit more. She glanced down at his abdomen, noticing the blood still seeping through his fingers, and looked back up at him, her eyes betraying her worry. She had never seen him this badly injured, not in all their years together. Not with everything they had done together as Snow and Ace; it had never been this bad.

His skin was pallid, almost translucent, and the deep gashes and bruises that marred his body weren't healing as they normally should. She knew they could fry their crystals, which meant their healing times were delayed, often leading to scars. But this felt different. She could see the tremors in his hand, the way his breath came in ragged gasps every so often, and it terrified her deep down.

But he would be okay; they were always okay. He was Ace and she was Snow. They had this. They always had.

"Matthew, fuck... you know that I am so sorry about this shit fight, right?" she said, her voice breaking, whether it was the right moment to say it or not. "About Maddy?"

They turned down another street lined with broken buildings, their steps unsteady. The wind howled through the skeletal remains of what once were homes and shops, the eerie sound of desolation echoing in their ears. Dodging past some of the creatures that lingered after the chaos, they moved as quickly as they could manage. The creatures' sunken black eyes tracked their movements, curiosity and malice glinting in the afterburn of the orange sun.

"You know that, right? About Maddy?" Eko muttered again, her voice barely above a whisper.

Matthew tightened his grip around her waist. "You're safe," he answered bluntly. In truth, he wanted to scream at her for what had happened and was boiling with anger towards Madison. But for now, he focused on getting them out of there and making sure he kept the woman beside him safe.

Eko knew when to drop a subject for later. She wanted to keep him talking. "So, what did you do this time? What have you gotten yourself into? I mean, fuck, Matthew, babe. Why do they want to literally kill you!?"

"Surprising as this is, you aren't the only one that wants to deck me," he smirked through bloody teeth down at her.

Eko glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow mischievously. "You're never going to stop being a dick, huh?"

He grinned, but their focus shifted as an eerie silence blanketed the streets. They knew from experience that silence in such circumstances was seldom a good sign. As history told them, silence was rarely golden.

Matthew grinned, but the atmosphere suddenly shifted as an eerie silence fell over the streets. They knew from experience that such silence was a harbinger of danger. Silence in these moments was never a good sign.

Their footsteps echoed ominously in the oppressive quiet. Eko's senses were on high alert, her eyes darting to every shadow, every corner. The weight of the silence was suffocating. Matthew's grip on her tightened, his jaw clenched in anticipation of what might come next.

"Stay close," he whispered, his voice barely audible in the heavy stillness.

Eko nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. The desolate landscape around them seemed to close in, the ruins of the city standing like silent sentinels. The creatures that had been stalking them were nowhere to be seen, adding to the unnerving tension. Every nerve in her body was on edge, ready for the next threat to emerge from the shadows.

They turned another corner, and the silence shattered with a distant boom. Eko's heart skipped a beat, the sound reverberating through the empty streets. She glanced up at Matthew, his expression grim and wide-eyed, mirroring her own shock.

Their grip on each other tightened, breaths coming in shallow gasps, when an enormous explosion rocked the ground beneath them. Chaos erupted, the sheer magnitude of the destruction overwhelming their senses.

With an earth-shattering roar, the ground quaked violently. Matthew and Eko stood paralyzed, watching as the horizon glowed a menacing orange, flickers of crimson and gold dancing in the distance. The firestorm roared towards them, an unstoppable beast of flames and fury.

It moved with a terrifying speed, devouring everything in its path. Buildings crumbled and disintegrated in seconds, their skeletal remains turning to ash. The flames twisted and turned like serpents, their tongues licking the sky, casting eerie shadows that flickered with malevolent life.

Eko's breath caught in her throat as the inferno approached, an unbearable heat searing through the air, threatening to consume them. Matthew's grip tightened around her waist, anchoring her to the moment. The world around them blurred into a chaotic swirl of destruction and fire, the deafening roar of the blaze drowning out everything else.

The sky above was blotted out by a thick, black haze, interrupted only by the fierce glow of the flames. The firestorm's relentless advance was a tidal wave of heat and destruction, devouring everything in its path. Instinctively, they clung to each other in a desperate embrace, bracing for impact. Time seemed to slow, each heartbeat echoing loudly in their ears.

"Don't let go," Matthew whispered, his voice trembling with terror, clutching Eko tighter.

The ground beneath their feet grew hot, the temperature rising to a fever pitch. The firestorm swept over them, but they were powerless against the overwhelming force of the blast.

The pressure mounted, crushing their chests, and before they could react, a relentless sonic boom of a wave engulfed them. Swallowed whole in a destructive surge of sound and fury, their bodies were thrown through the air, the intense force tearing them apart.

All they could hear over the drowning of their own screams was the agonized wail of the air itself as it burned around them, a harrowing symphony of destruction that seemed to last an eternity. The pain, the heat, the fear—all of it melded into a singular, all-consuming sensation.