Magnolia stood frozen, his spear hanging loose in his hands. He could see Alexzander closing on Celina, and his body refused to move.
Alexzander noticed. His eyes slid from Celina to Magnolia's open guard, and he hurled the axe.
"Magnolia!" Valentina screamed, already running, already too late.
Celina threw herself between them. The axe struck her in the chest and knocked her to the ground at Magnolia's feet.
He stared down at her. Did I kill her?
Then: I was supposed to protect everyone.
Light gathered behind his eyes. Alexzander's red aura flared around the axe and ripped it free of Celina's wound, and it flew back to his hand. A spray of blood crossed the gap between them and landed across Magnolia's face.
His fingers rose slowly to his cheek and came away red.
Her blood. It's on me. I let this happen.
Alexzander planted the axe in the dirt and waited.
Valentina dropped beside Celina and pressed two fingers to her neck. The pulse was faint. "No. She's fading."
Amelia knelt at her other side, hands glowing over the wound. "Come on," she whispered. Nothing changed. The blood kept coming.
"Matthew, barrier," Valentina ordered, not looking up.
Matthew raised his hands and shaped a barrier against Celina's chest, pressing on the wound to slow the bleeding.
"Kibo, Emma, protect the scholars."
Kibo planted himself between the scholars and the fight, and Emma followed. The three scholars had gone silent. Hekai clutched his wooden box and stared at the blood on Celina's robes. Nefru was pale and frozen behind Kibo. Darius had dropped his sketchbook and couldn't stop shaking.
Magnolia lowered his hand from his face. His eyes returned to the red on his fingers.
I was supposed to protect everyone.
Why didn't I move?
Why did she have to protect me?
Why couldn't I protect her?
Valentina stood slowly and turned her whole attention on Alexzander. She was no longer thinking about the escort. She was thinking about the man who had thrown his axe at a boy without hesitation. She tightened her grip on her spear and stepped forward, keeping herself between him and everyone behind her.
I can't let him get any closer.
She glanced back. Magnolia hadn't moved, and the light behind his eyes was growing brighter. The boy who always rushed forward when someone needed help was standing still.
"Boss!" she shouted. "Come on!"
Magnolia didn't react. He couldn't hear her. The road, the scholars, Valentina, Alexzander, Celina, all of it slipped away until only one sound remained.
Fire burns everything.
Magnolia's eyes began glowing brighter as the light inside them spread further across his body.
Fire burns everything.
His fingers slowly curled into fists while the muscles throughout his body tightened.
Fire burns everything.
The light inside his eyes spread across his body, covering his skin with an increasingly intense golden glow.
Love.
Despair.
Hatred.
The three emotions collided inside him at once.
Then his entire body erupted with golden light, the sudden brightness becoming so intense that everyone nearby was forced to shield their eyes.
Valentina's eyes widened as the golden light suddenly consumed Magnolia's body.
"What…?"
She barely managed to speak before Magnolia disappeared.
He dashed past her with such incredible speed that Valentina couldn't even properly register his movement.
Valentina couldn't track him.
Nobody could.
She jerked her head toward the movement, desperately trying to follow where he had gone.
All she saw was a blur.
A golden trail followed behind it, cutting across the road so quickly that the movement appeared almost impossible to follow.
Then she jerked her head again.
Magnolia was already standing in front of Alexzander, his fist already moving toward the warrior before Alexzander could properly react.
The punch struck Alexzander directly, connecting with enough force to launch the larger warrior backward several yards.
The force launched Alexzander backward several yards before he crashed through a collection of rocks along the roadside, sending pieces of stone flying through the air.
Dust exploded into the air around him, temporarily hiding his body from everyone watching.
Valentina remained frozen for a moment, her spear still raised while she stared toward the dust cloud where Alexzander had disappeared.
She had never seen Magnolia move that quickly.
She hadn't even seen him cross the distance.
She had only seen the golden trail.
Magnolia stood in the middle of the road, his entire body glowing bright gold while the light surrounding him continued burning intensely.
His eyes burned with the same light.
And for the first time…
He wasn't thinking about whether he should fight.
He was thinking about what would happen if he didn't.
•••
Far away on the eastern road…
Ren was still fighting Cyclone, while Poison remained between the scholars and the battle and continued watching every movement of the stranger.
Poison remained between the scholars and the battle, watching every movement.
Cyclone suddenly disappeared, vanishing from Ren's sight so quickly that even his previous position became difficult to determine.
Ren's eyes widened.
"Where?" Ren asked.
A gust of wind suddenly swept past the group before Cyclone appeared beside Luna, his movement clearly intended to draw Poison's attention rather than attack her.
He didn't attack her.
He simply appeared close enough to force Poison to react.
Poison immediately moved toward Luna, his dagger already in his hand as he reacted to the sudden appearance.
"Don't touch her," Poison warned.
Cyclone smiled.
"That was the idea," he said.
Poison realized the mistake.
"Ren!" He shouted while turning around.
Cyclone had already reached Ren.
His leg struck Ren's side with enough force to send him several feet backward, causing Ren's body to crash hard against the ground.
Ren crashed against the ground before quickly attempting to recover, but Cyclone didn't give him enough time to regain his footing.
Cyclone didn't give him time.
Several daggers suddenly flew through the air toward Ren, forcing him to raise his arms in an attempt to protect himself.
Ren raised his arms.
The daggers struck his clothing and pinned him against a large boulder behind him, trapping his body against the stone while the impact shook the surrounding ground.
The impact shook the stone as Ren struggled against the weapons holding him in place.
Ren struggled against the blades.
Cyclone stood several meters away with his daggers ready.
"Got you," Cyclone said.
Ren looked toward him before suddenly hearing a sound that had nothing to do with Cyclone.
Then he heard something.
Stone cracking.
His eyes shifted upward as he realized that the bridge behind the group had begun collapsing from the repeated impacts of their battle.
The bridge behind the group had begun collapsing.
The repeated impacts from the battle had weakened the structure, causing large pieces of stone to slowly break apart above the scholars.
Large pieces of stone were slowly breaking apart above the scholars, falling toward the road as the structure continued losing its support.
The scholars looked upward in horror.
Menes froze as he stared toward the collapsing stone, his hands still wrapped tightly around the wooden box he had spent the entire journey protecting.
Seshat grabbed Tarek's arm while immediately pulling him away from the falling structure.
The entire bridge began tilting as more stone broke away from its supports, creating an increasingly dangerous gap above the group.
"It's falling!" Seshat shouted while pulling Tarek backward.
Ren immediately understood what was happening and looked toward his squad.
He looked toward his squad.
"Leave me!" Ren ordered.
Poison looked toward him.
"What?" Poison asked.
"Get the scholars out!" Ren shouted.
Poison immediately understood and turned toward the bridge before looking back toward Ren one final time.
He turned toward the bridge.
Then toward Ren.
Then back toward the scholars.
"Fine," Poison said while pulling several daggers from beneath his coat.
"But if you die, I'm blaming you," Poison added.
Ren gave him a brief look before answering without hesitation.
"Just move," Ren said.
Poison threw his daggers toward the collapsing structure, sending several blades directly into the stone supports.
Several blades struck into the stone supports of the bridge, embedding themselves into different sections of the collapsing structure while creating temporary points of support.
The daggers created temporary anchors.
The bridge stopped falling as quickly.
Ren looked toward Sofia.
"Sofia!"
Sofia immediately looked toward him.
"Slow it down!"
Ren commanded while pointing toward the collapsing bridge, trusting Sofia to understand exactly what he meant.
Sofia stepped forward and extended both hands toward the falling structure, immediately using her ability against the enormous weight above them.
The falling structure slowed.
Not stopped.
Slowed.
The weight was still too much, and Sofia's expression tightened as she struggled to maintain control.
Ren looked toward Luna.
"Luna, everyone together!" Ren ordered while pointing toward the scattered recruits and scholars.
Luna immediately understood and raised her hands as vines erupted from the surrounding ground, wrapping around the recruits and scholars before pulling them toward one another.
Her vines erupted from the surrounding ground and wrapped around the recruits and scholars, pulling everyone toward the same position beneath the unstable structure.
The group gathered beneath the unstable bridge as Luna continued controlling the vines around them.
Luna's feet lifted from the ground as her vines pulled everyone together, keeping the group suspended slightly above the road.
Ren finally looked toward Sous.
"Sous!"
Sous turned toward him, remaining almost completely calm despite the collapsing structure surrounding them.
"Reflect it."
Ren commanded while pointing toward the collapsing structure, trusting Sous to redirect the force away from the group.
Sous's expression remained completely calm as he raised one hand toward the collapsing structure.
The force from the falling bridge suddenly changed direction.
The entire group was launched forward as the redirected force sent them flying away from the collapsing structure.
The scholars screamed as they were carried through the air, their bodies held together by Luna's vines while the road rapidly disappeared beneath them.
Poison grabbed onto one of the vines while keeping his dagger secured, holding himself in place as the group continued flying forward.
Abraham held onto Menes while keeping the older scholar from losing his grip on the wooden box.
Sofia pulled Seshat closer while maintaining her balance against the violent movement caused by Sous's ability.
Luna controlled the vines while keeping everyone together, her concentration remaining focused despite the enormous distance they were traveling.
Sous remained calm even as the entire group flew forward.
They traveled an enormous distance before finally approaching a distant checkpoint along the eastern road.
Ren remained behind, he was Pinned against the boulder.
Alone.
Cyclone stood several meters away while slowly watching Ren struggle against the daggers that had pinned him in place.
The dust slowly settled between them as the sounds of the fleeing group disappeared into the distance.
Cyclone slowly raised both daggers.
Ren tightened his grip against the weapons pinning him in place.
Neither spoke.
The fight had finally become personal.
Poison kept his eyes toward the battlefield for another moment before finally turning toward the remaining route.
"Everyone, move," he spoke while stepping between the scholars and the battlefield.
"Ren told us to leave him."
Poison looked toward the others as they began moving.
"We finish the mission first."
He continued forward without looking back, forcing himself to trust that Ren could survive until help arrived.
The scholars followed closely behind the recruits, still shaken by everything that had happened on the road.
Seshat kept one hand around Tarek's shoulder while repeatedly checking him for injuries as they continued toward Babylon.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" She asked.
Tarek shook his head while rubbing dust from his clothing, although his breathing remained noticeably heavier than before.
"I'm alright."
He answered quickly.
"What about you?"
Seshat checked herself before shaking her head, reassuring him that neither of them had suffered anything serious.
"I'm fine," she answered.
Abraham walked beside them while carefully inspecting everyone else, using his analytical instincts to identify injuries nobody had noticed.
"Everyone should be able to continue," he said.
Luna walked silently beside him.
Sous remained beside Sofia with an unreadable expression, neither of them showing much reaction to the fact that Ren had stayed behind.
Poison noticed both of them but said nothing.
The final checkpoint soon appeared ahead of them, guarded by several Egyptian soldiers who immediately recognized their uniforms.
Beyond the checkpoint stood Babylon's massive outer walls, rising above the surrounding desert with countless structures visible behind them.
The sight should have brought relief, but nobody celebrated because one member of their squad was still missing.
Saijew stood near the checkpoint waiting for them, his arms folded while his eyes immediately searched through the approaching group.
"You made it," he spoke.
Poison stopped several steps away before giving Saijew a short nod.
"Ren didn't."
His voice remained controlled, although his eyes briefly shifted toward the eastern route behind them.
Saijew's expression hardened immediately as he stepped closer to the group.
"Where is he?" He asked.
"He got separated fighting an unknown man," Poison answered while gesturing toward the eastern road.
"He's extremely fast."
Abraham stepped forward after Poison finished speaking.
"The uniform he was wearing looked similar to Greek military uniforms," he explained.
"He fought Ren alone?" Saijew asked.
"Ren told us to leave," Abraham answered.
"He ordered us to separate and focus on reaching Babylon."
He spoke evenly.
"He cared more about the mission than himself," Poison added while crossing his arms.
Luna lowered her eyes further while quietly holding her hands together.
Sous remained emotionless beside her.
Sofia stood beside him with the same expression.
Saijew noticed their reactions immediately and understood what each of them was refusing to say.
"You did the right thing," he spoke.
"Where exactly is Ren?" Saijew asked while turning toward Poison.
"He's right before the second checkpoint," Poison answered while pointing toward the distant route.
"There's a half-collapsed bridge there."
Saijew stared toward the road for only a moment before turning his attention away from the group.
"I'll handle it," he spoke.
The recruits froze for several seconds because none of them had ever witnessed Saijew move with that kind of speed.
Poison's eyes widened slightly while he stared toward the empty road where Saijew had been standing.
Abraham adjusted his glasses.
"I've never seen him move like that," he admitted.
•••
Alexzander slowly pushed himself out from the crater created when Magnolia's golden punch sent him through the rocks.
His armor was damaged across several places, while blood continued running down his face and arms from the impact.
Despite his injuries, Alexzander raised one hand toward the sky.
"Return."
His voice remained steady while a red aura suddenly surrounded his body and connected directly with the distant weapon.
The axe immediately tore itself from the ground before flying through the air toward its owner.
Alexzander caught it with one hand before raising the weapon above his head, causing the red aura surrounding his body to expand rapidly.
The wounds covering his body began closing almost instantly while his breathing returned to normal.
Valentina stared at him with disbelief before tightening her grip around her spear.
Alexzander lowered his axe while rolling his shoulders.
Valentina suddenly rushed forward before thrusting her hand toward him.
A compressed bullet of water shot from her palm at extreme speed, aimed directly toward Alexzander's face.
Alexzander's swung his axe across his body and blocked the projectile, causing water to explode outward across the battlefield.
The moment his attention shifted toward the attack, Valentina threw her shield high into the air above him.
Alexzander's looked upward while following the shield's trajectory.
Valentina slammed her spear into the flooded ground while forcing water upward around the battlefield.
A massive cloud of water formed above them, spreading across the sky before beginning to collapse toward the ground.
Alexzander's raised his axe again while preparing himself for another direct attack, completely unaware that Valentina had changed the battlefield itself.
The water crashed down across the ground and spread rapidly around Alexzander's feet, disrupting his balance with every movement.
Valentina jumped upward while reaching for her shield, catching it before landing directly onto the rushing water beneath her.
She placed one foot onto the shield while using the flooded ground like a moving path, rapidly surfing across the battlefield.
Alexzander's swung his axe toward her.
Her spear struck his shoulder immediately afterward, forcing him to turn his body and follow her direction.
Alexzander's attempted another attack from the opposite side, but Valentina redirected the weapon with her spear before sliding away across the water.
The water constantly disrupted his footing while Valentina used the shifting surface to control where their fight could happen.
Alexzander'd swung again.
Alexzander's stumbled backward before catching himself.
"You're directing my movement," he spoke.
Valentina continued circling him across the water while keeping her shield beneath her feet.
"You finally noticed," she answered while lowering her spear toward him.
Alexzander's laughed quietly while tightening his grip around his axe.
"Acceptable," he admitted while adjusting his stance.
Valentina rushed forward again while Alexzander's prepared another strike, but neither noticed Magnolia slowly recovering behind them.
Magnolia remained motionless for several seconds.
His breathing slowly steadied as the golden light surrounding his body faded completely.
Magnolia lifted his head.
He tightened his fists while taking one step forward, forcing himself to move despite the fear still inside him.
protect everyone, protect, protect!
Soon his body suddenly disappeared from where he had been standing.
Alexzander barely turned before Magnolia struck him directly beneath the ribs, launching him high into the air again.
Valentina looked upward in shock while Magnolia followed Alexzander into the sky at impossible speed.
Magnolia struck him from the right before immediately appearing on his left and attacking again.
Alexzander attempted to defend himself, but Magnolia continued moving faster than his eyes could properly track.
Another strike sent Alexzander toward the opposite side while Magnolia followed instantly and struck him again.
The final blow sent Alexzander crashing toward the ground with enough force to create another massive crater.
The impact caused the flooded water covering the battlefield to explode outward before rapidly evaporating from the intense heat.
Steam filled the battlefield while the remaining recruits and scholars stared toward the crater in complete disbelief.
Valentina slowly lowered her spear.
Kibo remained frozen beside Emma while Matthew stared toward Magnolia with the same stunned expression.
Emma covered her mouth.
Magnolia's golden body began returning to normal as the remaining light around him faded away.
His eyes closed before his body slowly began falling from the air, completely unconscious after forcing his unstable power beyond its limits.
Valentina immediately rushed forward and caught him before he could hit the ground.
"Boss!" She shouted.
Magnolia remained completely unconscious while his body hung limp in her arms.
"Emma, move everyone," Valentina ordered while turning toward the scholars.
"Use your contract and get us to the next checkpoint."
Emma nodded quickly while activating her contract, causing wind to gather beneath the group.
Amelia remained beside Celina while continuing to stabilize her injured body.
"She has to come along," she said.
Valentina looked toward her before giving a firm nod.
"Then keep her alive," Valentina answered while carrying Magnolia toward the scholars.
•••
Far away at the half-collapsed bridge, Cyclone remained standing across from Ren while the battlefield continued falling apart around them.
A red aura suddenly spread across Cyclone's body, causing his smaller wounds to close almost immediately.
Cyclone looked down toward his arms while flexing his fingers.
"Interesting," he muttered.
Ren pulled himself free from the daggers that had pinned him against the boulder, tearing his damaged clothing away from the weapons.
His shirt and outer clothing were visibly whipped and torn from the battle, while dust covered his arms and face.
Ren wiped the blood from his mouth before immediately looking toward Cyclone again.
Cyclone smiled while lowering his stance, ready to continue their fight.
Ren suddenly disappeared as the surrounding light flashed brightly enough to blind Cyclone for several seconds.
Cyclone covered his eyes before realizing what Ren had attempted.
"Ah, that again," he said.
Ren appeared behind him with his weapon raised, preparing to strike before Cyclone reacted much faster than expected.
Cyclone pushed Ren away a few feet then slammed both fists into the ground with tremendous force, causing the surrounding earth to shake violently beneath Ren.
The sudden impact launched Ren high into the air while fragments of stone and dirt scattered across the battlefield.
Ren twisted his body while falling, desperately trying to regain control before seeing a large boulder directly beneath him.
His eyes widened while realizing he was about to hit the stone face first.
A blur suddenly appeared beside Cyclone before slicing across both of his arms with impossible speed.
Blood immediately poured from Cyclone's wounds as the unknown attacker caught Ren before he could hit the boulder.
The blur stopped beside the collapsed bridge before slowly revealing Saijew standing there with Ren secured safely in one arm.
Saijew lowered Ren onto the ground before turning toward Cyclone.
"Why are you here?"
He asked sternly while standing between Cyclone and Ren, his hand resting near his weapon as the battlefield fell silent.
Cyclone stared at Saijew for several seconds before rotating his injured arms in a wide circular motion.
The friction generated by the movement rapidly sealed the wounds across his arms, stopping the bleeding without restoring the damage underneath.
Cyclone flexed his fingers before staring directly toward Saijew, a grin slowly forming across his face.
"The Crimson Dragon," he spoke.
"Who knew you'd arrive," Cyclone finished while lowering his stance.