The battlefield roared with chaos. Smoke curled through the splintered street, mingling with the lingering crackle of electricity. The last of the minions were down, their weapons scattered and smoldering — but the real threats had only just begun.
Kain’s breath came in steady, deliberate pulls. His muscles burned beneath the armored plates, the lightning still arcing along his form. Across from him, The Stormbound stood like a monument to destruction. The exposed lightning cores embedded in his body pulsed in time with the air, casting a harsh blue glow. Every breath the massive cyborg took sent faint ripples of static crackling around him.
Beside him, The Gilded Maw was a picture of control. Her golden armor gleamed, the elaborate patterns on her glaive pulsing with latent energy. Even the dust seemed to move at her will, swirling in deliberate patterns that distorted the air.
“You’ve had your fun,” The Gilded Maw called, her voice cool and mocking. “But this is where it ends.”
Kain shifted his stance, the hum of electricity beneath his skin answering the challenge.
Before a word could leave his mouth, The Stormbound launched forward. The earth cracked beneath his sheer force, lightning arcing from the ground as his fist hurtled toward Kain.
"Rude!" Kain called, as his instincts roared to life. armor flaring as he sidestepped, the massive blow smashing into the dirt where he’d stood. A burst of energy erupted from the impact, sending splinters and debris into the air. Kain barely regained his footing before The Stormbound followed up, a surge of lightning snapping toward him.
He caught it — barely. The charge slammed into his palms, forcing him to dig his heels into the shattered earth. His own electricity flared in response, crackling violently as the two forces collided. Sparks danced wildly, lighting up the twisted shadows of the street.
But it wasn’t enough. The Stormbound’s strength bore down like a mountain. Kain’s muscles strained beneath the weight of it, the electromagnetic currents grinding against one another in a brutal contest of power.
“Having trouble, little spark?” The Stormbound growled, his mechanical voice rumbling through the air.
Kain gritted his teeth. “Not even close.”
With a roar, he twisted the energy, redirecting the surge into the ground. The resulting shockwave cracked the dirt in a jagged line, forcing The Stormbound to stumble back just enough for Kain to break free.
But there was no time to recover.
The Gilded Maw’s glaive struck like a viper. She lunged, the golden weapon gleaming with a ripple of magic as it arced through the air. Kain barely raised his armored gauntlet in time, the blade scraping across the crackling plates with a burst of sparks.
The force sent him skidding back. She followed, her movements fluid and relentless, each strike flowing into the next like a choreographed dance of death. The illusions she conjured twisted the battlefield further, flashes of her form striking from impossible angles.
Kain’s mind raced. Even with his electricity surging, the weight of the fight bore down. Every block sent jolts of pain through his arms. Every dodge brought him closer to the edge. The Gilded Maw was pushing him — and she knew it.
But he wasn’t alone.
“Hey, goldie!”
A pink blur barreled through the air. Haley’s dragon form slammed into The Gilded Maw with a force that cracked the ground beneath them. The sheer weight of her presence sent the snake-like woman tumbling, but The Gilded Maw twisted mid-fall, landing with unnatural grace.
“Seriously, if I had a charm for every egomaniac with a staff,” Haley growled, clouds swirling beneath her as she hovered. “You’re not special, sweetheart.”
The Gilded Maw sneered, the illusionary flickers around her form multiplying once more. “You’re welcome to test that theory.”
But Haley was already moving. She charged, her claws glowing with vibrant pink energy as she crashed into the illusions. The false copies shattered on impact, but The Gilded Maw remained untouched, weaving through the wreckage with a serpent’s grace.
Meanwhile, The Stormbound regained his footing, his lightning cores glowing dangerously. “Enough games,” he snarled, raising both hands.
The air ignited. Bolts of searing blue lightning erupted in every direction, wild and untamed. Kain barely threw up a shield in time, the electromagnetic field humming as it absorbed the brunt of the energy. But the sheer force rattled him, the edges of the shield sparking violently.
“Kain!” Haley’s voice rang out. She broke free from the illusionary assault, but The Gilded Maw was already in pursuit.
“Go!” Kain’s voice was raw, the electricity surging through him as he pushed back against The Stormbound’s relentless charge. “I’ll handle him!”
Haley hesitated for a heartbeat, but then her eyes hardened. She dove toward The Gilded Maw without another word, the clouds beneath her parting like a storm.
Kain faced The Stormbound head-on, the heat of the crackling air making his vision swim. Every fiber of his being screamed to let go — to unleash the full force of his power. But he couldn’t. Not yet. Not with the thin line of control that barely kept the storm within him in check.
“Done chatting with your little girlfriend,” The Stormbound growled. His lightning surged once more, the storm building.
Kain’s fists clenched. The ground beneath him sparked, the hum of energy rising to a deafening roar.
He wasn’t backing down.
Not now.
I’ve fought plenty of people who thought size and strength were enough to win a fight. They always start the same — lots of posturing, lots of noise. But the thing about guys like that? They burn out. Eventually, all that brute force hits a wall.
But Stormbound?
No. He wasn’t just some oversized bruiser hoping to land a lucky punch. Every move, every spark from those damn generators, it all built on itself. I could see it now — the current arcing across his body wasn’t just for show. Every bolt fed straight into his frame, driving him like a machine on overdrive. The more power he drew, the stronger he became.
And I’d just given him plenty to work with.
“Not much of a talker, are you?” Stormbound rumbled, his voice distorted by the crackling static. The lightning danced along his arms, illuminating the twisted plating of his armor. “Smart. You’ll last longer if you keep your mouth shut.”
Oh, buddy. You clearly don’t know me.
I wiped the sweat from my brow, the sting of static crackling along my fingers. My armor hummed in protest, the lingering charge flickering across its jagged surface. It wasn’t just the fight wearing me down. Holding all that energy — it’s like keeping your hand on a live wire. Sure, I could store it for a while, maybe even throw it back at him. But the longer I held on, the more it burned.
And right now, my options weren’t looking too pretty.
He shifted his weight, that massive frame somehow moving with unsettling ease. His generators flared brighter. I could practically feel the force vibrating through the air, like a storm barely held in check.
Yeah. This guy’s a problem.
"What is Rico hiding." I called out absentmindedly
“Don't be a fool Rico’s shadow touches everything here. You think the Ashen Covenant keeps its secrets in plain sight? Maybe. Maybe not. But shadows love to cling to the old and forgotten.” Stormbound growled, his fists flexing as electricity coiled up his arms. “Now Last Chance! Lie down, let me drag you back to Rico, and maybe I don’t break you into dust.”
I snorted. “That’s cute. You practice that in front of a mirror?”
His eyes flashed. “Cocky little—”
I didn’t let him finish.
Lesson one: never give a guy like him the opening he wants.
I threw myself forward, feet slamming against the cracked earth. The electromagnetic charge that clung to my armor surged, giving me that extra kick of momentum. Stormbound swung wide, a brutal, thunderous arc — but I was already beneath it.
The air crackled as his fist missed me by inches, shattering the ground behind me. Debris scattered in a violent spray, but I kept moving. My body hummed with the stored energy, the current rippling beneath my skin. Every step sent a spark up my legs, keeping my momentum sharp, fast.
I spun low, planting my foot and letting the charge release in a burst. The pulse flung me into a slide, electricity trailing behind me like a comet. Stormbound’s eyes tracked me, but his bulk wasn’t built for finesse.
“Too slow,” I bit out, twisting just in time to land a heavy punch against the plating on his ribs. The electricity laced through my gauntlet, jolting through his armor on impact. Sparks erupted.
But he barely flinched.
Oh, great. Shocking the guy who eats electricity for breakfast. Real clever, Kain.
Stormbound’s arm came down like a hammer. I barely ducked in time, the air splitting with a sharp crack as the force of his missed blow sent a shockwave through the ground. The street buckled beneath us.
He was faster now. Stronger. That damn hum from his generators was getting louder.
He’s not slowing down. Because he doesn’t have to.
The realization hit like a punch to the gut. Every bit of energy I threw at him — every stray bolt, every burst from my armor — it wasn’t just useless. It was feeding him. The electricity wasn’t something he had to generate himself. He was leeching it. Converting it. Every time I fought back, I was handing him ammunition.
Alright, Kain. Time to rethink the strategy.
Stormbound’s grin widened. “That all you’ve got?”
I staggered back, chest heaving. My body was still crackling with residual power, the heat from the constant discharges starting to weigh me down. I could feel it — the way my muscles twitched, my nerves buzzing like a shorted circuit.
But I wasn’t done. Not yet.
“Still standing, aren’t I?” I shot back, forcing a smirk. “You’re gonna have to try harder than that.”
And yeah, that was mostly bravado. But the thing about bravado? Sometimes it’s just the shove you need to keep going.
Stormbound’s laugh echoed, low and rumbling. His fists clenched, the glow from his generators flaring brighter. “Fine by me.”
The air thickened with static. I could feel the storm building. He was about to go all in — hit me with everything he’d been storing up.
Perfect.
Because if he thought he was the only one with tricks, he was about to get a hell of a surprise.
The fight’s been dragging on long enough. My body’s starting to feel the strain, and I can tell Stormbound’s just getting warmed up. Every strike he lands feels heavier. Hell, his blows are like getting hit with a damn freight train, and that power of his? It’s growing by the second.
I’m dodging and weaving through his attacks, but the dude’s got speed now that I didn’t notice earlier. He’s drawing more power from the electricity I’ve been feeding him, and I’m starting to get a little too familiar with the feeling of being in over my head.
Yet I’m still moving. Still focused. Still alive.
His fist comes at me again, charged with electricity, and I barely manage to deflect it with my shield. I can feel the shockwave of it rattle through my bones. This guy isn’t holding back anymore.
“Damn it,” I mutter under my breath, narrowing my eyes as he lunges at me again. His movements are getting faster, more fluid, like the damn power’s transforming him.
I’m still catching my breath, but I’m starting to get it. Stormbound’s not just throwing punches. Every time he takes a hit, it’s like he’s absorbing the energy—amplifying his strength and speed, making himself tougher. He’s converting all that electrical juice into pure kinetic energy. The longer this fight goes, the more dangerous he gets.
Great. Just what I needed. A damn human battery charging up mid-battle.
I narrow my focus, watching him like a hawk as he pulls back, crackling with energy, about to unleash whatever hellish attack he’s got in store for me. He lets out a guttural roar and thrusts his hands toward me, gathering a massive burst of electricity. The air hums with the energy as it builds, and I know what’s coming.
A plasma ray. At this distance? It’ll fry me faster than you can say “overcharged.”
I’m about to get the hell out of the way, but then too late.
The charge in my body… it’s gone. My head goes fuzzy, my energy reserves completely drained. And that’s when the beam launches.
I brace for the worst. I know it’s over. He’s got me dead to rights. My body starts to go slack, and I curse under my breath. “Of course… just when I need it most, everything goes to shit.”
I close my eyes, thinking I’m done for.
But then something happens. I can feel it.
Instead of being obliterated, the beam hits me square in the chest—and my body does the last thing I ever expected.
Instead of dying, I starts to… absorb it. Like a sponge soaking up water. Every damn cell in me is humming, like they’re waking up all at once. I feel the heat and the energy flood through my body, racing through my veins, overloading every system. It’s like I’ve just chugged ten energy drinks all at once. And, man, if I didn’t feel like I could run a damn marathon now, I sure as hell feel like I could tear through a damn building.
And that’s when I notice it. My body’s glowing. No, not just glowing. I’m clad in plasma. Pure, radiant energy wrapping around me like my armor. My hands crackle with blue, electric fire, and the air around me hums with raw power.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” I mutter, looking down at myself. “Guess I just found my second wind.”
I grin, not sure if I should be terrified or impressed. The plasma energy is still flowing through me, strengthening me, and damn it, I feel it. I feel unstoppable. Like I can take on anything now.
“Think you can keep up now?” I call out to Stormbound, my voice dripping with a confidence I didn’t have a few seconds ago. “Because now, I’m the one with the power.”
And damn it, I’m ready to show him exactly what that means.
The plasma surges through me, humming like a live wire. Every muscle’s thrumming, every nerve crackling with raw energy. It’s like the entire world sharpened — I can feel the air shifting, every heartbeat in my chest pounding in rhythm with the current.
Stormbound stares at me, eyes wide. Yeah, buddy. That’s the look. The oh shit realization that he just gave me more juice than he could handle.
I don’t wait.
I launch forward, the ground splintering beneath my feet. The plasma wrapped around me ignites the air, leaving streaks of light in my wake. Stormbound barely has time to react before my fist crashes into his chest. The impact sends a wave of electricity crackling outward, and the plates of his armor buckle. Sparks fly, and a web of cracks spreads across the dark metal.
He staggers, but I’m already on him. Another punch, this time to his shoulder. The force twists his body, and a massive chunk of armor tears free, exposing the frail frame beneath. Pale, sinewy muscle clings to thin bones — he’s not the monstrous juggernaut he wanted me to think he was. Without all that armor and tech bolstering him, he’s just a hollow shell.
“Not so big now, are you?” I growl, driving my knee into his gut. The shockwave rattles the air, and he coughs, his glowing cores sputtering under the strain.
But I’m not done. Not even close.
I grab him by the arm, plasma still crackling along my limbs. Stormbound tries to pull away, sparks flaring at his fingertips as he summons another surge of electricity. Too late. I twist, yanking him through the air like he’s nothing. He slams into the nearest wall, the force leaving a crater in the cracked concrete.
“Come on!” I bark, the adrenaline thrumming in my veins. “Where’s all that power now?”
He tries to rise, but I’m already on him. My next punch hits home, and another burst of plasma tears through his chest plate. More pieces of his armor crumble away, exposing more of that frail frame. He’s panting now, those lightning cores dimming. But I can feel it — the energy surging in me, starting to flicker.
The glow around my body isn’t as bright. The plasma clinging to my armor begins to waver, like a flame struggling against the wind. I can feel it slipping.
But not yet. Not until I’m done.
I drive my fist into his face, the impact sending him stumbling. The sound of cracking metal and bone echoes through the street. Stormbound’s head jerks back, but somehow he stays on his feet. His remaining armor sputters, glowing runes dimming one by one.
“Stay down,” I growl. But he doesn’t.
He staggers forward, his breathing ragged. His limbs shake, but the stubborn bastard refuses to fall.
“Fine,” I snarl, squaring up. “One more.”
The last of the plasma hums around me, clinging to my limbs in faint ribbons of blue light. Every pulse of energy left in me surges to my fist, crackling like a thunderstorm caged in my bones. Stormbound’s hollow eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I swear I see it — fear.
Good.
I launch forward, twisting my whole body into the punch. The air splits with the force of it. The plasma crackles one final time as my fist connects with his jaw. The impact ripples through the street, a burst of light and electricity erupting like a miniature storm.
Stormbound crumples. His body hits the ground like a wrecked machine, the last sparks of his artificial power flickering out. His armor lies in ruins, shattered pieces scattered around him. All that’s left is the frail man beneath it, unconscious, his breathing shallow.
And me? I’m still standing. Barely.
The plasma that had cloaked me is gone. My limbs feel like lead, the surge of energy nothing more than a memory. My breaths come ragged, and a dull ache seeps into every muscle. But I won’t fall. Not yet.
I shake the lingering static from my fingers, the last few embers of electricity crackling away. “Hope you enjoyed the show,” I mutter under my breath, staring down at the motionless Stormbound. “Because that was a damn one-time performance.”
Then, with the dust settling around me and the street eerily quiet, I let out a shaky breath and take a step back.
It’s over.
For now.