The chase ended in a dead-end alleyway.
The fugitive Scion skidded to a halt, one hand pressed against the cold marble wall that cut off his escape. His chest heaved, shoulders rising and falling with every ragged breath.
Behind him, Marcus and Lucius slowed, panting in the darkness. For a moment, nothing stirred but their labored breathing. Then, the man exhaled slowly, turned, and faced them.
A silence stretched, heavy and unbroken.
His eyes glowed darker than before—a dangerous sign.
"Shit," Lucius muttered.
The Scion had advanced. Somehow, during the chase, he'd broken into Stage Four.
As a Scion climbed their pathway, they gained more than combat strength. Their appearance shifted, their lifespans stretched, and without fail, their eyes darkened. Crimson at Stage Three, ruby at Stage Four, and this man's eyes were weary, but unmistakable.
Luckily, with my Gold Stage Three Loki Pathway paired with my Bronze Stage Two Helios, I'm basically Bronze Stage Four. Still…
Lucius's gaze flicked to Marcus, who was only a Gold Stage Two Helios Scion. He had no chance here.
And I can't protect him. My Loki abilities trick and mislead, but they're not built for a straight fight. At best, I can save myself.
"Marcus," Lucius said at last.
His friend frowned. "What?"
"I'm sorry."
In a blink, Lucius vanished from sight, reappeared behind him, and struck. Marcus collapsed unconscious and fell gently into Lucius's arms. Eyes never leaving the criminal, Lucius laid him down.
The man hadn't moved. Only a flicker of confusion crossed his face.
"Let me move him," Lucius said evenly. "Then we continue."
"Fine…"
Lucius carried Marcus to the edge of the alley, out of immediate danger. When he returned, the Scion still stood rooted, strangely calm.
Tilting his head mockingly, Lucius spoke, "Tell me, why does a promising Helios Scion torch his own temples? Burn his own people?"
The man's face twisted into something foul.
"You don't know a thing. The atrocities they've committed…" His words faltered as his eyes narrowed on Lucius. "Or maybe you do. You're the prince of this nation."
Lucius's lips curled faintly, but before he could answer, the man roared.
"If you're one of them, I'll kill you for their sins!"
His ruby eyes flared, spitting fire. Twin beams tore through the air, faster than before.
Lucius dropped low. The beams screamed overhead, ripping into a building behind him with a deafening crack. Stone shattered, and dust rained down.
The criminal was already there, fist an inch from Lucius's jaw.
Expecting it, Lucius drew a blade from beneath his cloak. Steel hissed through the air, cutting for the man's hand. But before it could sever flesh, the Scion leapt back.
Oh no, you don't.
Lucius hurled the blade at his chest.
The man's eyes blazed, and searing beams erupted to meet them. The instant they struck, the blade dissolved like smoke.
Confusion flickered across the man's face.
Too late.
Lucius was already behind him. His fist cracked into the back of the Scion's skull, sending him hurtling toward the street.
But before he hit the cobblestones, fire roared into life. Not bright like the sun, but darker, twisting, and more cruel. Trickster flames of hell.
The man's chest lit gold. His feet slammed down, stopping just short of the inferno. With a blinding flash, light exploded outward, flooding the alley.
Lucius's vision went white. Heat crushed against him, and instinctively, he cloaked himself in his own trickster flame.
They don't have to burn… not unless I want them to.
He grit his teeth, holding fast as the air grew hotter, heavier.
When his sight cleared, the flames were gone, and Lucius froze.
The man now stood at the alley's end, smirking. At his feet lay Marcus's limp body, and a dagger glinted at his throat.
Shit.
The bastard had won.
The whole fight… it had never been about killing. He'd only been stalling, maneuvering, forcing an opening, and Lucius hadn't seen it. Inexperience betrayed him. He'd misread the battle and misused his powers.
Erupting into laughter, the Scion pressed the blade closer. A thin line of blood welled against Marcus's skin.
"So that's your trick! That damned illusion—I thought I was losing my mind, but no. You broke the gravest law!" His laughter rattled the walls. "How amusing! The prince of Helios defies his own god! Do you hear that, Helios?"
Panic surged in Lucius's chest. His secret was exposed, and Marcus's life dangled on a knife's edge.
But beneath the fear, something else stirred.
Confidence.
Straightening, Lucius met the Scion's gaze. The man's grin faltered as he pressed the blade harder.
"Move, and your friend dies."
lifting his hands slowly, Lucius closed his eyes. His voice came steady, calm.
"I won't move. And I don't think you want to kill him. He's a lowborn Scion. Not even from the higher academy."
A smirk tugged at Lucius's lips.
"Your vendetta against Helios? I share it too."
The blade wavered.
"This nation has spat on me since birth. A 'shitty prince.' My mother despises me. My father would execute me if he could. I hate the endless wars they wage."
The man snarled. "So what?"
Lucius's eyebrow arched. His smirk sharpened.
"So…" His voice cut like steel. "I want to burn it to the ground. And I want your help."
His words sounded like sweet honey to the wanted man. A prince had the potential to be the most powerful being in a kingdom. The potential to leave Helios in ruin. Maybe it was the fatigue of constantly being on the run, or possibly it was just the soothing tone oozing from the young Prince, but in that moment, he lowered the blade from Marcus's neck.
"I…I trust you."
Lucius took one step forward, and while the man flinched, he did not try to harm Marcus.
"All right, we need to get out of her…"
"Agh!"
Suddenly, two laser beams spiraled down from the rooftop, piercing the criminal's stomach, forcing him to collapse. Clouded in shadows, cloak drifting in the wind, he stood—their aspiring team captain.
His brows were furrowed, and his teeth gritted.
"Three down."