Up North, the sky was darkening, in graying shades of blue. The celestial fabric was tinted on the horizon by a sunset, which bled pure golden light onto it.

Down South, this mesmerizing display was lost and streaked by numerous dirty clouds.

Cornered in the dangerous grasp of a dead end, three bums were peering frantically at their surroundings. They were searching for an escape, but there was none. Even if there had been, their assaillants would have caught up with them... Again. They had been roughened up already and had attempted to flee, unsuccessfully.

One of them, lisping from a chipped tooth, blabbered, "M-maybe we can come t'so an arran'zment..?"

"Another?" the youthful female voice bit into the air, mockingly.

She heaved her piece of pipe from her shoulder and violently ran it against a nearby brick wall, onto which it screeched discordantly. The movement made her crossbow bounce against her hip with a clicking sound, as it hung from her belt.

One of the two young men who accompanied her, whose role was to watch over the transaction, elaborated on her thought. The skinny individual remained propped against another wall, yet his dissatisfied voice reached the lowly criminals perfectly.

"You're already two months late on your last payment. We simply can't allow that."

The third man, a rotund and menacing character, lifted his own piece of severed pipe and stomped in the direction of the three cowards.

One of the indebted hoodlums scurried away, only for Hiedra to swiftly swing her bat off the ground and precisely into the imbecile's throat. Choking and stumbling, he was quickly back by his miscreant associates' side.

Her friend began beating the bum closest to him.

The clanging and thudding of Benzo's weapon echoed, each strike causing the fool's wheezing peer to flinch. The third one, with his broken tooth, was glaring at Silco despite the distance the latter kept between himself and the interaction.

Arms crossed, he merely enjoyed the show.

When Benzo's target lost consciousness, he timely turned towards the thug on his right, brandishing his bloodied and bent piece of pipe.

Incandescent fear blazed in the goon's eyes, replacing his contempt. They were wide and focused on him, now, rather than on the criminal he considered to be the boss of those he was indebted to.

Hiedra unexpectedly grabbed the bulky man's shoulder, sparing their victims from instant battery. She steered him away, as she stepped back to free the center of the alley.

The young woman taunted Benzo, "Let him have some fun."

Her tone exuded more mischief than the two weaker beings could bear; their nervous systems nearly imploded as soon as her words slithered to them.

Concurrently, a tall figure appeared amidst the fumes that veiled the only entry point into the alley.

Any relief the unfortunate blokes had felt was short-lived, but their dread only grew exponentially as the silhouette emerged completely from the filthy vapors.

Nothing in his face, or even his imposing stature, caught their attention.

They were overcome with terror at the sight of fists clad in cast iron gauntlets.

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