"What is it with people constantly trying to blow me up!" Hawkins yelled, emerging from the rock in a swarm of smoke.

Chunks of debris fell like meteors onto the cobblestones landing safely onto elongated pathways and shrunken rooftops. The living streets of Axis were quick to respond, narrowing the route and blocking off as much as it could to lessen the impact on the houses and the potential residents inside. Hawkins smiled, quietly thanking the city for all its work to lessen the damage.

They didn't want a major incident on their hands so Hawkins was grateful to see that Axis had chosen a mostly secluded spot full of rundown and abandoned alleyways. That didn't mean they weren't still important to it, they had steadily shuffled the more open houses outwards towards the borders of Beggars End and other less affected areas. Anything it couldn't move in time was protected with outerlaying walls created from scraps of wood and metal to lessen the impact of the collapse.

The Swarm however were not amused by the  defenses, cursing Axis along with their unlucky situation. Mantis thwacked Cull over the head for a second time, his stunned expression saying more words than he ever could. His sister, Rin sat on the ground coddling the young girl, Cricket who was completely unfazed by everything. Her unfocused stare made Hawkins shiver, looking away from the singing child. Rin's expression however was a stark contrast to her brothers. Cold and impassive yet he could see the sheer anger bubbling underneath the surface.

"But, how?" Cull said, incedulously. "You were out of Trait!"

Hawkins couldn't help but grin, dusting himself down nonchalauntly as if unfazed by the question. In reality, he was barely able to stand. But he needed to by time. His gaze flickered down to the seemingly solidified heap of rubble, smoothing the back of his hair absentmindedly as he looked for the signal within the rising dust cloud. Now.

"You're right. I was out of Trait." Hawkins said, shrugging as he sat down and made himself comfortable.

Cull sneered, brandishing a small flame in his palm much to the chagrin of Mantis.

"But he wasn't."

The mound of rubble suddenly began to shake with the wrath of the entire city, rising like a monster emerging from the deep. Hawkins grabbed two jutted out bricks, horn like sculptures as the monstrosity let out a tremendous roar. The Swarm's terrified expressions made Hawkins cackle with laughter as they were pelted with bricks and stone. Wood splintered were flung like raindrops as Cull attempted to bat them back with his flames but it was no use.

"Will you hurry up already!" A voice yelled from below.

There, beneath the rock and mud, drenched in dirt from head to foot was an extremely pissed off Sand Wraith. He was holding the entire weight of what was left of Odi's shop with a severely cursed leg and an exhausted dragon resting on his gnarled head. She was using her Shadow Trait sparingly to protect her friend and give some kind of life to the mound but Hack was shouldering everything else.

"I'm not a ruddy contracter! I'm at my limit, boyo!" Hack said, groaning with exertion.

His scales had turned the colour of a starlit sky, black ebbed into bright purple as etches of white tipped scars streaked across his forearms. Sand Wraiths were more than just sneaky. They were able to Agar with others in their clan, utilising their Traits while flaunting the power all Traited craved to have with their own kind. Unity.

Unlike Hawkins, Hack's Agar was miles away but he had not felt a niggling of an ache from his Trait in years. His leg however worsened with each step, reminding him to never forget that day. Hack let out a roar of outrage, causing the ground beneath him to swell in response as Hawkins artfully made his way across the back of the mound, the Swarm attempting to surround them on all sides and get underneath it. But Hack was rooted to the ground, submerged in earth and scales, thinking only of his kind and generous Agar who he missed every day.

"Lend me your strength to persevere, kiddo." Hack said, his eyes clamped shut as he felt for his limit and surpassed it.

Hack grit his teeth, his fangs and claws elongated simultaneously as the rock climbed up his legs encasing them in a shell of strength. His scales began to sharpen much like a Scale Shrieker's coat but they began to protrude outwards, protecting their Traited in a shield of crisscrossing lances.

His Armoured Transference was impenetrable, known only by the strongest of Sand Wraith's who valued being more than just being sly and sneaky. They knew their weaknesses and vowed to be strong not to save themselves but to protect what mattered. His friend.  His annoying apprentice and the crazy Agar he was partnered to.

"Hold on just a bit longer, Odi. We'll be out of here soon."

Another explosion broke through the brick like surface, Mantis' laughter filled the air as Hawkins continued to dodge as best he could. Cull's aim was getting sloppy. His expertly targeted explosions were attempting to wear down the monster mounds surface but it was steadily being replaced by the debris around it.

"Transference. Of course you're both pretty powerful for a bunch of Agars. A sneaky smoke bastard and disgusting lizard could never surmount to anything more than a temporary agreement." Mantis said, deducing their plan with her trademark sneer.

Hawkins rolled to avoid her air blades, scrambling onto the ground only to lob a brick at her head. Mantis deflected it with an air shield, her chilling grin was telltale enough that her attempt at angering him was working.

Well, where's your partner now, Smoky? Got lost somewhere?" she grinned, knowingly.

Hawkins eyes narrowed, his Trait struggling to stop itself from streaming out from his palms. He clenched his fists, encasing them in Trait and asked the question he'd been holding onto for hours.

"What did you do to Wisp?"

Mantis raised a questionable eyebrow, shrugging her shoulders once. Hawkins aimed a punch at her head which made her chuckle, dodging it as she sliced his cheek with an air dagger.

"Nothing his new friend Fidget can't save him from. Poor little Wisp. They both had no idea what they were getting into. Messing with our boss isn't exactly a good idea for a cute lil' Agar like him."

Hawkins snarled, his Trait pouring out from all directions as he tried to strangle the wretched Swarm with his smoke tendrils. Mantis cut through them easily as she produced another dagger out of condensed air and thrust it towards him.

"She's lying!" Odi cried out. "She's just trying to distract you!"

Hawkins dodged just in time, forcing Mantis back as they grappled on the moving rubble structure, lashing out at one another as Mantis sprung away from him towards the rest of the awaiting Swarm.

"You're not the only one who's an Agar." She called to him, slinking behind her newly armed comrades.

The Culverin Twins had managed to summon their grimoires. Polar opposites of the same Trait, Cull's grimoire was charred, once a blazing red now forever marred by an uncontrollable heat. It was like his entire grimoire was aflame. His sister Rin was no different, smog clogging up the air as she forced her brother's firepower towards her. Her  dark grey grimoire was rimmed in a bloody border of red, snuffing out the fuel of her pages one by one until there was no Trait left to control.

"You're outnumbered, Mediator. Regardless of how much Trait you got back thanks to that disgusting lizard over there; you can't beat all of us at once. We'll get that grimoire off you, alive or dead." The twins called out together, combining their efforts with a sweep of their hand.

The twins fired off giant blast of flame not unlike the Overtaken he had faced a few days ago. But this time Hawkins was prepared. He could feel the searing heat scorch the ground below and hoped that his companions were alright. With a last bit of luck, Hawkins ran across the uneven back of the mound and leapt into the air, twisting backwards while leaving a small thread of Trait behind.

He gripped the edge of the steadily melting ground with his feet and abseiled down the mound of rubble, landing awkwardly onto the broken pavement below. The sudden boom of an explosion gave him just enough time to shroud himself in Trait before the mound turned to lava. Despite the twins aiming for the centre of the mound, miraculously it was still there.

"They missed." Hawkins said, eyeing the blackened surface of the rock skimmed by flame as molten rock threatened to trickle down off the edge.

The top of the mound was untouchable now for those without Fire Trait, nothing but steaming piles of slag. But just as every overconfident arsonist before them, they blamed anyone but themselves. Mantis had slyly expanded the air making it more volatile but not every Traited could handle such a sudden change in atmosphere, especially without being told. Not only that but they had forgotten the most basic rule when creating a fire this large.

Hawkins smiled, looking up at the slowly rising sun as he breathed in the soot covered air. Picking himself off the ground, he searched for a cigarette and slowly walked over to the steaming pile of rocks. A few of the stragglers were still alight so Hawkins warily leaned towards the smouldering pile of pebbles for a light.

He could hear the rushing of feet attempting to go around the monster mound but he was in no rush to reveal himself just yet. The Fire Traited twins fought all the way up the burning hunks of rock their feet blazing with fury. Hawkins guessed from the elfs absence that Mantis had more than likely gone around to avoid being burned alive. He could hear them clear as day despite the crackling embers embedded in the rock. Normally it would be far too hot to remain near such a large force of magma for so long but Hawkins continued to walk along the Trait filled path as if he was walking home from a long day at work.

He stretched, wringing his hands together and making his way steadily towards the so called group of formidable Enforcers. He was obscured by the Trait but never blinded by it. He knew exactly where everyone was now the Culverin Twins had provided him with what he needed. Mantis footsteps became erratic, quick and slow as if stumbling her way around the sudden shrouding Trait. Hawkins couldn't help but laugh, deciding to reveal himself to the Swarm lost in their own creation.

"Tell me, Mantis. Do you know what Fire creates?"

Hawkins grinned, looking up at the two oblivious Traited as the thought finally clicked in their head.

"Oh sh-"

Hawkins clapped his hands together, dispersing the smoke in one fluid motion and gathered it between his fingertips. Mantis face dropped as the Mediator flung it outwards, creating hundreds and hundreds of sentient smoke trolls all around the three.

It was an army of Wisps. The biggest family gathering you'd ever seen but it was actually multiple copies of Hawkins Agar, created by the masses of smoke the very Swarm had created with their fire blast. They tried swatting them away with Trait, grabbing them, lashing out at them but still they remained. They cuddled and clung to everything they could reach, picking up blocks of wood and playing with them only to whack their enemies over the head with it.

"What did you do!" Mantis screamed, trying to stop the Wisp clones from pulling at her hair.

Hawkins fell about laughing, tickling one of the many smoke trolls under the chin as it disappeared with a pop only to produce fifty more who was just as curious to meet the new friends in their warpath. The twins scrambled away from the squealing Wisp family, desperate to climb down and evade such a mob of cuteness.

"Damn you, Hawkins!" Mantis said, her daggers struggling to slice through the smoke only it to cut right through and reform again.

Hawkins merely returned the shrug, darting away from the smothering blobs of Trait and towards the front of the rubble steadily shifting behind them. Mantis attempted to grab him as he passed but the friendly smoke blobs took that as a challenge and created dozens of teeny appendages and started giving her high fives to hook their little fluff hands onto. Shaking them off, the Swarm attempted to chase after him, growling in frustration as she shoved the stumbling twins out of the way as they scrambled to turn and to do the same.

"That sneaky bastard is mine!" Mantis screeched, attempting to conjure her grimoire from thin air.

But the smoke trolls were making the air too dense, bit by bit the oxygen was becoming clouded with smog. It would be impossible for an Air Traited to do anything with this unclean air but the fact there were two blundering hotheads behind her made things even worse. Hawkins discarded his cigarette and ran round the corner leading to the front of the pile once again. He barely spotted a resting Cricket leaning against a wall of flats, still singing the same soothing melody.

"Now Hack!" Hawkins roared at the top of his voice, fumbling with the lighter in his pocket as he thrust it up into the air and opened the cap.

The mini Wisp clones retreated at once from the cloying Swarm and returned into their masters lighter like a vacuum as Hawkins threw up the same smoke wall from before. The exhausted Mediator barely had time to hide before the sea of rock came crashing down. With a guttural scream, Hack finally let go of every pebble and sent the remains of Odi's beloved shop straight onto the awaiting Swarm below.

It was like a dam finally breaking as the astounding effort of the lone Sand Wraith slammed against the steadily rising houses barricaded by flat roofs and expertly planned pillars. The living city of Axis had seen how hard Hack had fought to keep such a beloved building standing and responded in kind. All to keep the people safe and crush those who dared to harm a single brick with their Trait.

Hack dropped to his knees like a stone, his scales now an ashen grey. He was supported by a steadily growing dragon who was covered in an array of plaster and chalk dust. Odi wrapped her snake like body around her friend and gently hoisted him up onto her back. Hack shook all over, his arms and legs still rigid from the position he was holding for so long.

Hawkins wanted to rush over to his mentor but he steadily hobbled over to them, attempting to catch his breath and make sure no other sneak attacks were about to happen. But Cricket did not stir, transfixed on her own lilting voice. The duo of Mediators finally reunited, embracing tightly despite the utter exhaustion they all felt. Odi moved her withered neck over to hug them all, shivering in shock after such a battle.

"Di-did it work?" Hack said weakly, his scales slowly returning to a pale lilac.

Hawkins let out a laugh as they all suddenly burst into hysterics. He felt the tears running down the Scale Shriekers cheeks and onto his ragged jacket. She was full of emotion but still continued to support them however she could. Odi belonged out in the night sky, her scales shimmering against the moonlight as Hack clung to her back with everything he had. They were all completely spent.

Hawkins slowly let go of Odi, turning around to look up at the ever changing streets around them before sliding onto the ground. The only sound was the sound of their heavy breathing, resting against a dragon twice their size with nothing but a nice breeze to cool them down. The ravaged earth and sharp, scaldingly hot stones was not a nice place for a rest but Hawkins didn't give a damn. He lay back against Odi and pulled his jacket closer, sighing with relief as the air continued to rise in strength.

His eyes snapped open at once, fear filling his entire body as his gaze caught the young girl still standing there, singing and waiting, waiting and singing in a continuous loop. Hawkins tilted his head, trying to think of a reason as to why in Hell's name would a street girl like that still be there. His blood went cold as he slowly looked towards the steaming pile of rubble. Except. That wasn't steam.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me." Hawkins said, attempting to take cover with whatever Trait he had nearby.

The swirling winds broke through the rock like paper, sending it scattering into dust as it whipped away the remnants of the battle before and made the area anew. Mantis barely stood upright, completely frazzled as she dragged Cull up by the arm, his flames petering out by the force of the typhoon that was blocking his sister from moving any closer to her charge. Rin's arm was fused shut by the molten rock, acting like a makeshift cast as matted blood clung to her hair.

"You." Mantis croaked, pointing at Hawkins with enough accusation to make a dragon flinch.

Hawkins squinted against the dust, rapidly nudging Odi awake as she stared at the Swarm first with wide, uncertain eyes before they narrowed into cold, determined ones full of conviction. The Scale Shrieker stood to her feet, slowly shifting her weight so Hack remained drowsy but upright.

"So that wasn't enough, huh?" Odi said simply, her claws dragging against the smooth silt.

Hack cursed, knowing that look in her eyes as he poked Hawkins with his tail before dragging him backwards with it. The Sand Wraith clamped his hands over his ears as Hawkins hurriedly did the same. Odi watched as the Swarm regrouped beside Cricket, steadily waiting to see the flicker of Trait beneath their fingertips and let out an earth shattering roar.

The Swarm bent over in agony, Mantis' hold over the typhoon now broken as the twins clung to their grimoires for dear life. The noise eventually subsided but the sheer magnitude of the riging in their ears did not. They struggled to pick themselves off the ground as one by one they rose to the challenge and silently acknowledged their opponents.

With a savage flick of her wrist, Mantis summoned her silvery sky blue grimoire into view as the Culverin Twins brandished there's in front of them. In the quiet gloom of the deserted square, Hawkins took out his notebook and shook away the dust, making sure the black grimoire that had nestled beside it did not fall out again. Odi let out a snarl, shadows curling beside her protectively as Hack removed his claws from his head and clicked his fingers.

All grimoires were now present and accounted for. But the Swarm had no intention of playing fair.

Their grimoires opened with a flash of crimson light as Odi snarled in frustration, leaving Hawkins clueless as to what was going on. They had no more tricks to play. All of their strategies had failed and none of them could contact their Agars for backup. Hawkins felt a cool chill creep up the back of his neck. Just because they had no Agars with them...didn't mean the Swarm couldn't call theirs.

"Oh sh-"

Hawkins swore as the tables were turned once again. Three Agars surfaced from the swirl of white hot flame, chained to their masters will as fire became paws and air became long thin appendages. The Mediators waited for the flames to subside to find out which poor creatures had succumbed to the strength of their Traits.

"I think they're from...Nocturus." Odi breathed, marvelling the rarity of seeing such creatures out in the open.

Two brightly blazing wolves flanked the Swarm from both sides, their maws spewing with ember, teeth and claws as they melted the ground beneath them with a single touch of their massive paws. The left wolf was a little larger than the other, its dark brown fur sparking brightly with coils of red hot flame matching its amber fangs. The other, lithe looking and more muscular had the same build but sported a russet red coat the colour of sunrise, coils of Trait wrapped around their legs.

Firestep Wolves usually roamed the north side of the Archrock mountains, deadly fast and ferocious to any creature who crossed their territory without permission. They were often mistaken for spirits or even demons like their dark furred kitsune cousins the Spiritwalkers but both clans were as territorial as ever. The likelihood of one ever agreeing to an Agar contract was about as improbable as a Sand Wraith's scales turning pink.

"No. Not just that, Odi." Hack said, his voice cold. "They've been forced into a contract."

Odi's bright, dewy eyed look turned sour at the thought of a new discovery being tainted by the harshness of others. The Firestep Wolves growled in retaliation towards those who opposed their masters despite the countless scars they had seared across their back. The wolves had no choice in the matter. But neither did the Mediators.

Mantis barked orders at the twins as they struggled to keep the two Agars focused on the three in front of them. They had their grimoires tight to their chest, their wicked Trait snaking its way around their own imprisoned Agars as they fought to gain what little control they had.

"Blaize, surround them!" Cull called out to the red wolf, it snapping at its leg before standing to attention.

"Hazard, get that dragon!" Rin demanded, lashing out at the hesitant brown wolf.

The two took one last glance at each other before charging into the fray. Odi, reared up onto her back legs as Hazard barrelled onto the top of Odi's head, giving her no time to react as Blaize stopped her from moving backwards by spooking her from behind. Hack tried to help but all he could do was fling pebble after pebble and hope that the beasts got dust in their eyes.

Hawkins tried to form a noose to pull the wolves off them but Mantis was too busy flinging dagger after dagger at him to try and distract him. A flicker of silvery light passed through his smoke for a moment before disappearing, sending Hawkins sprawling onto the ground only for a Firestep Wolf to land straight on top of him. Blaize or Hazard, he didn't know which attempted to bite at his face as the helpless Mediator threw up his arms to protect himself but the wolf was soon met with a jaw full of rock.

Hack grumbled, slinging a variety of slabs at anyone he could reach along with a few well placed expletives. Odi continued to grapple with the brown wolf sending up a flurry of shadows only to wither away at the sheer force of the flames. Hawkins balled his fists, his Trait rising in fury at the thought of Agars being mistreated like this. True he had been distant and cold to Wisp but this? This was barbaric.

This wasn't an equal, willing partnership. It was tyranny between a cornered animal and a desperate Traited. Sure, he had used Wisp to help him detect Trait on occasion but he was always asked first. The Enforcers methods required the Agar to be tethered permanently to their grimoire, an unstable power source which can barely hold the flames of one person, let alone two. This was what the Truant curse had caused. Imprisonment of Agars all to try and keep hold of what Trait they had left.

Hawkins smoke soon swarmed Hazard as his flames dimmed long enough for Odi to drag him off her back and into his comrade. Blaize yelped at the sudden change of direction only to be rescued by a stray gust of wind and brought straight back into their path again.

"If they're from the Ironthorn Forest as I suspect...then I'd bet Hawkins yearly supply of cigarettes that the stick thing you just saw is a Thyraxian." Odi yelled, spotting the same silvery light from minutes ago.

Hack shuddered, folding his arms to hide his nervousness.

"I really hate bugs."

Hawkins couldn't help but snigger, lashing out at Blaize with a smoke whip as Mantis continued to block any stray attacks from hurting the twins. Hack continued to press on as he clung to Odi as best he could, pinning Hazard down with his projectiles. The shadows clung to Blaize's fur, her howls of agony causing Hazard to call out to her but neither could break free and the twins were running out of ideas. Without much of an option Mantis allowed her Agar to visibly join the battle.

"Thea, free those blockheads!"

Mantis let out a stream of Trait, allowing her Agar to resurface like a petal in the wind. Her Agar, Appolothea was a leafy looking sylph with long, willowy legs and large pincer like appendages which retracted from her hands. She was a mantis wind spirit, graceful but calculating as she artfully sent the rocks pinning Hazard spiralling into the air as they cut through Odi's cloying Trait with ease.

"Master?" Thea said, quietly as if she wasn't quite satisfied without a verbal recognition.

Mantis gave her a brief nod before she flitted away and waited for her Traited to decide what actions to take next. She threw up a quick air shield as Hawkins made a vain attempt to finish things but Odi called him back as the Swarm leader planned her next move.

"You two, call your Agars back. I'll settle this myself. You have enough Trait to fight back on your own don't you? Well, do it!"

The Culverin twins obliged, ordering the two Firestep Wolves to return and wait behind them as they dodged smoke bombs and gathered what Trait they could from each other. Hack slid off Odi's back as she shrank to meet the Thyraxian head on as they swarmed around the conjuring of Traits as the Twins sent pinpoint explosions all around the battlefield, giving Hack and Hawkins a lot of ammo to work with.

Smoke met Earth as Earth met Fire and exploded into thousands of shards, ripping up the ground beneath them as Air sent the crumbling pavement straight back only to meet a barrier of smoke as Hack forced the earth together and flung the heated hunk of rock straight back again. It was a never ending game of cat and mouse, neither side giving an inch until Odi resized at the wrong moment and a tornado of Air Trait sent her flying.

Cull managed to dive out of the way but his sister received the full brunt of the attack as Mantis was caught by the tail and went slamming into the wall, right where Cricket was standing. She was sprayed with a variety of brick and dust as Mantis groaned in pain, unaware of anything going on as he Agar hid within her shirt sleeve. Hawkins hand was over his mouth as he struggled to process what had just happened. Odi was a few metres away, mostly alright bar a few cracked scales but that wasn't what he was worried about.

"Do you hear that?" The jittery Mediator whispered to his mentor, eyes glued to the scene in front of him.

"No. Of course not." Hack snapped back, still worried for Odi but more concerned about the unstable Fire Traited in front of him.

"Exactly."

The feeling of dread washed over them in a green haze as Hack realised his mistake. The person they should have dealt with all along was now awake and fully aware of the situation. The Swarm had stopped rigidly in their tracks, their Agars whimpering in fear at the sudden arrival of their real ace in the hole. Cull clung to his unmoving sister, shaking as Mantis' seething expression suddenly faltered at the sight of an acid green haze rising from the young girl.

Cricket had stopped singing.