The air cackled with an untamed tension,  Anthony was gripping his shears tighter in his grasps - each of them coated with a rather raging amount of dark and crimson colored flames on each of his shears respectively. He was face-to-face with Gravitas who had a smug look pasted on his face. 

Gravitas raised his hand forward and boldly claimed his victory,  though he was just trying to coy both of his opponents not to summon Trace who had beaten him once before. ”Give it up,  young urns! Even Trace couldn't save you from me! ” His voice was filled with false confidence.  He's not too dumb to underestimate his opponent.  He had seen this young man before,  his master would surely not be happy when he'll learn that this boy is their enemy. 

Gravitas' eyes also wandered on the cat-person standing behind Anthony,  pupils slit like a ferocious tiger and his gauntlets both charged with pink energy.  He also heard about this guy - he had found accounts testifying those power blows each of his fists could throw. 

A tight frown etched on his lips.  He was trying to think and also convince himself that he had the upper hand.  He was more experienced than them.  He just needed to observe their moves and use it against them,  that's it! 

Gravitas imbued his hands with mana and leaped forward to attack Anthony.  He wouldn't use his magic first - he needs to know their capabilities first.  Anthony was quick on his feet and dodged the attack.  He twirled his torso and lunged one of his shears toward 

Gravitas who in turn called forth a shield made of his green mana, effectively absorbing the impact of Anthony's attack.  A bead of sweat trickled down Gravitas' temple yet he needed to act all tough. He was already cursing under his breath,  he never expected that these guys are good. 

”Not bad! ” Gravitas grinned but deep inside him,  he despised it.  It must be just luck for this bastard to be this swift. 

He was still absorbed by his thoughts that he didn't expect that Aegir,  the one with the gauntlets, would also attack him after Anthony;  slamming his magic coated fist into the shield he made,  effectively breaking it into pieces. Gravitas stumbled backwards with a dazzled expression on his face. 

The cat-man's attack didn't stop there,  he went to bombard him with an array of attacks,  each more deadly than the last.  Gravitas could only dodge,  using his anti-gravity magic on his own body,  lowering it - enough for him to dodge without tripping or falling. 

It's such luck for him to be able to steal such power against someone he had fought before.  A wicked grin etched on his face.  After he'll beat these two - he'll make their powers his own and he's sure he'll be unstoppable! 

”What's wrong? I never thought I could get back with you with this! ” Aegir coyly muttered, shaking his head;  sharp long blades resembling claws sprang from his gauntlets. Aegir's orbs shone in silent fury - recognizing Gravitas as someone he knew. A tight line drew itself across his lips. 

That very person who hurt him and led his master to him. 

It was a brief moment where Aegir realized who this person was.  The realization made his skin crawl.  The memory was still fresh to him how this bastard made fun of his misery and dragged his bloodied body in the pavements.  It was his eyes full of malice and the headless coiled snake tattoo he has that made him easy to distinguish. 

Aegir was breathing heavily,  his chest spasmed.  Maybe it was because of the burning sensation he was feeling,  prompting his adrenaline to rush as flashes of memories kept on showing one by one. 

Maybe it's God's will for him to be here right now where he could finally defend himself against this enemy. 

”What a surprise! I might be so insignificant that your rotting brain has forgotten all about me.  ” There was amusement in his voice;  an incredible warmth spread throughout his knuckles  which probably already turned white. 

Gravitas' eyes slightly gape by the words he had heard.  This cat-folk knew him? He tried to look at Aegir intently,  trying to remember where he saw him.  Gray long hair and forest green eyes—he had killed a couple of them but who survived till this day? 

Is there any one of his miserable victims which was graced with luck to get back at him? He doesn't remember because in his eyes,  they're just a bunch of objects... toys to appease his boredom. 

For Anthony,  who also felt a little shock on what he heard - it took him a couple of seconds to process what he heard.  It was a brief look on their enemy that he too realized who it was. 

And there's only a single thought that keeps on running in his mind... It was the same person who brought harm to Aegir and plans to hurt them now. 

As if it was almost automatic,  his face soured. 

”I get it now, ” Anthony uttered,  almost a whisper; his voice were filled with resolve - this fight will also make this bastard pay on what he did to them before, there's no way he'll call his uncle now - he wants to beat this guy on his own together with Aegir.  

A knot formed in his eyebrows as if he was savoring the memory where he saw this person.  On how he... nearly killed Aegir.  It made Anthony's stomach churn.  He propelled himself forward - striking Gravitas with his shears. 

The shears, his weapon, extended as he lunged. Gravitas, unfazed, responded with a surge of dark green energy dancing behind his back. Two grotesque, headless snakes materialized from it, their hard and scaly bodies wrapping around Anthony's shears with an iron grip.

Panic surged through Anthony as he tugged at the weapon, but the snakes held firm. Gravitas's cold, venomous hiss echoed in the air. "Don't get too full of yourself, young man!" Gravitas was becoming a little irritated.  These bastards have the guts to play with him! 

The shears began to weaken, the magic within them fading rapidly. Desperation gushed through Anthony, but before he could succumb to despair, Aegir sprang into action. A serpentine ribbon of light unfurled from Aegir's form, striking at the headless snakes with blinding speed. The ribbon glowed an ethereal pink as magic coursed through it, a counterforce against Gravitas' dark energy.

”My master is not your only enemy! ” Aegir's body glowed intense pink - signifying the amount of energy he's mustering. “I am right here too! ” Aegir added.  A low hiss could be heard;  penetrating over Gravitas' power,  it felt like something being melted with an acid.  The crimson glow gleaming on each snake's scales began to fade bit by bit. 

Gravitas' eyes widened in shock as he realized his control over the snakes was slipping. Aegir, with a silent determination, wrested control of the creatures, freeing Anthony's shears. In a swift, fluid motion, Aegir used the ribbon to ensnare Gravitas' legs, sending the villain crashing to the pavement with a thud.

Aegir couldn't help but to chuckle,  it felt bad wanting revenge but he remembered it was what had transpired to him before - being toyed with by this bastard.  But the circumstances have changed now. 

Gravitas tried his best to be free from the ribbon enslaving his foot but with no avail.  Aegir raised his ribbon;  dragging Gravitas without mercy.  His face grazed the floor.  ”Do you remember this? ” Aegir questioned him with a cold voice. 

Anthony couldn't help but to stare in awe at how cool Aegir looked right now,  he even felt that he wasn't needed here but instead of feeling disappointed,  his heart was beaming in pride. 

Aegir was no longer a cry baby like before.  He's still a little vixen but he's more dangerous now. 

Gravitas was trying to break free,  his body wiggling.  He growled in frustration as anger coursed through him.  Right now,  all he wanted to do is to kill them. ”Venom Curse! ” he yelled,  calling forth two creatures from the ground.  They have slimy bodies with green skin. There were also notable scales spreading through their bodies. 

They have huge mouths with sharp sets of teeth.  They all looked menacingly towards Anthony and Aegir.  ”Kill them! ” he ordered,  gritting his teeth. 

Anthony was quick to react and brandished his weapon,  ready to attack and help Aegir.  But Aegir was way faster,  consecutive claw attacks was met by Gravitas summon,  enough for it to penetrate its scales. 

Green blood spurted from their wounds as they moaned in pain.  But Gravitas' face still looked smug - confident that his summon will rejuvenate and use their poison against Aegir. But it never happened,  his summons stayed still.  

It happened so fast when his own summons turned against him with the look that he wanted them to have against their enemies. With a panicked look on his face - he began to cancel his summon with his magic but it was an impossible feat.  

”What did you do?! ” Gravitas' voice was a little hysterical,  almost a squeak, even;  his palm was wet with cold sweat.  

It was also that moment when a flash of memory welcomed his sight.  It was that of a poor victim he once had.  He was saved by someone that day and he failed to kill him - that man exactly looked like the cat-person he's up against right now and the man who saved him was also with him. 

Gravitas' felt the need to escape from this situation - he might die here! Gravitas' true colors were revealed during this fight - he was ruthless only when faced with people weaker than him but he's a downright coward when he's up against enemies that could be on par with him. 

-

Hale appeared on the teleportation device set on one of his bases.  The place was in full havoc,  there were lots of dead people lying on the bloodied floor and all of them were his people.  The once pristine base was now a show of macabre painted with a dark shade of crimson.  

Hale's hands were shaking violently,  fueled by anger bubbling inside of him.  His jaw clenched tightly as his malevolent aura were released populating the already grim place,  it spread like wildfire; eating away what it touched.  The dead bodies lying on the floor disintegrated into dust.  Spark ignited causing shadows of blazing fire against the backdrop of chaos.  

His lips were quivering as he spoke the name of someone he thinks is the root cause of all of these.  It was full of disdain,  burning like acid against his tongue,  “Artemisia... ” he let out a low roar.  He repeated her name again,  this time louder,  voice gruff as anger bubbled inside his heart. 

The desire to kill her surged in his veins.  She thought of this well,  enough to catch him off guard and infuriate him.  He will make her pay the moment he sees her today,  he'll finish her and use her dried up corpse as a decoration to his room. 

His steps were heavy as he walked,  ready to join in the fray of the commotion.  He knew that those bastards were still here.  There's no way that they were able to finish his men in a short time... or if he found out that they were weaker - he'd slay them with his own hands.  He doesn't need someone useless. 

He kicked the bloodstained metal door,  sending it flying outside in half.  He heard no sound but the occasional heavy breathing from people. There were still some of them that were still alive.  

He gritted his teeth when he found many of his men bested in the fight.  Many of them were gravely injured,  being healed by their healers.  His men immediately sensed his presence,  their faces pale in fear of what would become of them, especially the expression written on their master's face that were comparable to a demon,  veins were visible and eyes bloodshot.  

”What happened here? Your life will depend on your answers! ” Hale bellowed,  his dark aura made it impossible for his men to breathe.  They each hold on their throats;  coughing.  It felt like someone's grip was on each of their throat and sooner,  their necks would eventually snap. 

Someone,  who suffered the most coughing blood but Hale didn't even bother;  he didn't care if this person would die at any minute.  One of his soldiers almost crawled to his side.  ”Master... Artemisia attacked together with the other protectors! ” Hale's eyes widened.  He never expected that those bastards dared to join hands.  What made them willing to work together? 

“Where are they? ” Hale's voice was cold.  It's unfortunate that they had their way but if he successfully finished one of them,  their souls are very valuable to revive his pawn for his plan. 

His lackey shook his head.  ”They already left.  They were quite so sure that you were coming here,  master.  As if they already anticipated everything, " he paused,  ”A woman... she told us you will lose more than this tonight.  ” His face was quite unsure,  he didn't have the slightest idea what it meant but for Hale whose heart skipped a beat,  his insides were screaming at him that it only meant one thing. 

They had outsmarted him! And their target was never this place but his farm! Hale's jaw tightened,  seconds later his hands were now around the guy's neck.  His lackey struggled desperately,  digging his nails on Hale's skin but Hale was far stronger than him. 

”All of you are useless! ” An angry roar erupted on his throat.  It was swift and a snap could be heard.  All of his other men trembled as they kept their heads low.  A hiss could be heard as flames eat away the dead guy's skin to crisp.  Hale discarded the body away like it was some sort of trash. 

“Gather all of you! We will march to the farm! ” He commanded his legion.  He didn't wait for them to reply to his demands,  a large crimson magic circle appeared on their feet;  making them slowly disappear until none remained in the place. 

Hale wouldn't let Artemisia and the Raven fully ransack his farm! He'll make sure that they won't be seeing the light of the day tonight. 

-

A little bit far from the chaos,  Saint was just staring,  his eyes wide in terror while he sat there on the cold and blood stained floor. It felt like his sense of smell went numb that the scent of blood didn't bother him anymore.  He turned his head to the side; witnessing how Anthony and Aegir fought their enemy.  Saint's heart was constricting and his body cold,  as if he got an ice bath. 

He was eager to watch a true fantasy fight before his eyes but now seeing it in flesh was an experience he never knew he would detest.  His hands were trembling as his heart was telling him—shouting even,  that he is like the victims trapped into this place...powerless. 

It was certainly a bad idea for him to insist on being here. 

He now realized how fragile he was here,  one wrong move and he will surely break. His legs were heavy but it was itching for him to run,  to get away from this place before it's too late. 

He didn't know how much more could his eyes bulge nor how much longer would he stop himself from peeing.  Right before his eyes,  he saw a vampire with long black claws tearing its way towards an elf's flesh.  Fresh blood seeped through from the wound as a howl of agony escaped from the elf's lips.  The vampire was one of Anthony's allies but still Saint couldn't bring himself to accept seeing blood.  He felt his stomach churning as if there was a storm brewing in there.  Bile rose up to his throat until he found himself throwing up. 

He cowered,  pushing his body backwards;  a low whimper escaped from his mouth when the elf's body dropped in the ground,  inches away from him. His throat felt like it was being choked when he saw its eyes staring back at him. 

Saint mustered all his courage to stand up and run as fast as he could,  away from all of it—where blood was nowhere to be seen. 

His lungs were burning up from exhaustion as he leaped through the halls.  There were blood stains everywhere and fallen occupying the floor but he didn't dare to even give a glance at them.  He wants to escape from all of these. 

His heart was bursting with emotions.  All of them were too intense for him but it is not the adrenaline he had hoped for... it's those emotions—fear,  anguish,  anger... all of those that are unpleasant,  pressuring him until he ran out of breath.  His eyes stung,  tears falling freely.  He wanted to live after all of this. 

It's the only thing he hoped for. But hope is a sly bastard - it took away anticipation and turned them to the suffocating feeling of desperation. 

Saint's feet felt like it was glued down on the spot,  his throat ran dry - too dry that he couldn't swallow.  Standing face to face with him was a tall figure.  It only took one hand wrapped around Saint's arm that he felt pain spread to his system.  The grip was hard and if the person chose to increase their strength,  it'll be easy for them to rip it away. 

Two angry red pupils made Saint's face pale.  His heart was thumping hard yet his mind couldn't think straight.  

”It's you... ” It was Dr. Gregory's eerie voice that made Saint's skin crawl.  It was way familiar.  He had heard it before and those eyes... it was in his nightmares. 

Dr. Gregory's clawed hands made its way around Saint's neck,  choking him.  Saint's eyes went wide as he desperately tried to remove the hand away and breathe.  The doctor lifted him up on the ground,  gripping his neck tighter so that he felt that it might break sooner. 

This was the moment where he remembered who he was with.  If only he had listened to them... If only he stayed out of this like Vin and Anthony ordered him to. 

A drop of tear slid to his eye but there was no mercy on the Doctor's face.   Just as he was about to snap Saint's neck, a searing pain shot through his hand. His limb, along with Saint, fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"You won't harm my friend, you fiend!" Anthony's voice echoed, his tone filled with seething anger.

The Doctor recognized the voice immediately. A wave of disbelief washed over him, like a frigid blast of wind. He glanced down at his severed limb, engulfed in a violet flame. It was the Raven's signature. His mind was screaming at him. 

'It cannot be! This might be a joke! This isn't true! ' 

Slowly, he turned to face his attacker.

Both men were frozen in shock. Their eyes met, widening in disbelief.

"No... it can't be you," the Doctor stammered, his voice barely a whisper. He shook his head multiple times as he repeated the same sentence over and over again.