The ground trembled as the hole in the wall widened. Dust swirled in the air, choking the light. Vasa and Roach stepped through, cloaked in malice.
Ruko, the old patriarch of the Light family, tightened his fist. "I feared this would happen…" His voice trembled with regret. "Amari, when you arrived in Maximus, I sensed another presence lurking in the city. A power far too strong… but I ignored it. I told myself it was nothing." His eyes lowered. "This is my fault."
Amari clenched his fists. "No, Grandpa! This isn't your fault. If anything, it's mine. If I knew how to suppress my powers like the rest of you, they wouldn't have found us."
Roach sneered. "Tch. Enough with all this emotional nonsense. Time to wipe out the rest of the Light family."
He dashed forward, aiming straight for Ruko.
But Jack—Amari's father—stepped in, his super strength exploding in motion. His fist crashed into Roach's jaw with the force of a thunderclap, sending the black-robed man flying.
"Not on my watch."
Before Ruko could even breathe, Vasa appeared, his fist drawn back. But Crystal was faster. A blur of movement, and she stood between Vasa and Ruko, her fists raining down in rapid strikes.
"Too slow!" she cried, her blows slamming into Vasa's chest and ribs, forcing him back into Roach.
The two enemies smirked, brushing off the dust.
"It's time we stop playing around," Vasa growled. Their auras flared violently, power crackling in the air like lightning.
The Light family felt it instantly—the spike of energy so suffocating it shook their bones.
"This is bad…" Ruko whispered.
Roach reappeared in front of him, faster than before. His fist connected with Ruko's face, snapping his head back and drawing blood.
But the old man rose again, fury burning in his eyes. "You think I'm finished?" His body lifted from the ground, levitating. His hand clenched, and invisible force wrapped around Roach's throat, lifting him into the air.
Roach gasped, choking. But then—
"Behind you!" Amari shouted.
Too late. Vasa's fist drove into Ruko's back, slamming him into the ground. Blood sprayed from his lips.
"Grandpa!" Amari screamed.
Before Vasa could finish the job, Crystal blurred again, her foot crashing into his ribs. He stumbled, coughing, but only for a moment.
Crystal pressed her hands forward, her eyes glowing. "Turn to dust…"
Roach's arm began to crumble, grains of matter scattering into the wind. But his aura burst outward, fighting back. With a snarl, he ripped free, lunging forward and seizing Crystal by the throat.
"You witch!" His fist drove into her stomach, the air leaving her lungs in a choking gasp. Then he struck again, this time with enough force to launch her across the courtyard. She slammed into the stone wall, motionless.
"Mother!" Daniel cried, but Ruko raised a hand.
"We can't win this fight." His voice was heavy with finality. He turned to his grandsons. "You boys have to leave."
"No!" Daniel shouted, defiance burning in his eyes.
"Yes!" Ruko roared, blood running down his face. "Now!"
Jack stepped forward, eyes glowing faintly. Ruko spoke quickly. "Jack—your eyes. They can do more than send people to other worlds. You can send them anywhere. Anywhere in this world."
Jack's jaw clenched. "I'll need a moment to focus."
"Then I'll buy you one."
Ruko's aura flared, his body rising again as he charged the two enemies. Vasa and Roach rushed him, fists striking like thunder, but the old man refused to fall. His eyes glowed a burning green.
"You won't… touch them!" he roared.
In an instant, both enemies froze, their eyes wide. Ruko had dragged them into his mental realm—an empty void of nothingness.
But his body trembled. Thirty seconds… that's all I can hold them.
"That's all I need!" Jack's voice shook as his own eyes ignited, glowing black and green. He reached for Amari and Daniel, focusing every ounce of will.
The world began to distort around them, space bending.
Amari turned back just in time to see Vasa and Roach break free of Ruko's trap, their fists slamming into him, blood spraying. At the same time, Roach's other strike crashed into Jack, knocking him back even as his power surged.
"Dad!" Amari cried.
But Jack forced a final smile, his eyes burning brighter.
"Go."
And with that, the light swallowed Amari and Daniel.
The last thing Amari saw before the world warped was his father and grandfather falling, struck down together.