The impact was still echoing through the abandoned building.
Ryan rose from among the rubble. His mask had a small crack, but it still covered his face. In front of him, Justin and Jack approached calmly, as if they had barely begun warming up.
Ryan did not wait any longer.
He disappeared.
A second later, he appeared several meters away, at the entrance of a larger warehouse he had prepared hours earlier. The runes were already active. The traps were ready.
The twins followed without hesitation.
Justin landed with a smile.
—Changed the scenery?
Jack looked around.
—Interesting.
Ryan positioned himself in the center of the warehouse. Silence stretched for a few seconds. Purple energy floated around the brothers. Ryan's runes glowed faintly on the columns and the floor.
The air seemed to vibrate.
Ryan was the first to move.
His hand disappeared inside his coat.
Justin smiled.
—Another barrier?
—Another rune?
Jack tilted his head slightly.
—Or are you finally going to fight?
Ryan did not answer.
He pulled out a weapon.
It was not an ordinary handgun.
The barrel seemed to be designed in the shape of a grotesque smile. Small red lines on the grip imitated a grinning mouth. On one side, a metal plate displayed the image of a laughing clown.
Justin blinked.
—Well.
Jack examined the weapon.
—That's new.
Ryan slowly raised the handgun.
—No.
His voice was calm.
—This is old.
Justin smiled.
—Then I suppose we should be careful.
Ryan pulled the trigger.
BANG.
The shot tore through the air.
Jack disappeared.
The bullet struck a column...
And exploded.
A small rune had been engraved onto the projectile. The blast sent fragments of concrete flying in every direction.
Jack appeared behind Ryan.
—Too slow.
Ryan turned.
Jack threw a punch.
Ryan blocked.
BOOM.
The impact sent him staggering backward.
Justin immediately appeared on the other side.
Ryan raised the gun.
BANG.
Justin dodged.
The bullet grazed past his face.
But Ryan smiled.
—That's what I wanted.
The bullet changed direction and came back.
Justin spun around quickly.
CRACK.
It struck a purple barrier and knocked him backward.
—Magic ammunition?
Ryan spun the gun between his fingers.
—A small modification.
Jack appeared in front of him.
Ryan fired.
BANG.
Jack blocked the projectile. The bullet remained suspended.
For a moment, Jack smiled.
—Is that all?
Ryan raised one finger.
—No.
The bullet exploded.
Jack was sent flying through a wall.
Justin let out a laugh.
—Jack!
Ryan turned toward him.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
Justin moved between the shots, advancing with purple energy surrounding him. The bullets bounced off his barriers. He reached Ryan and threw a punch.
—I got you!
Ryan disappeared.
Justin struck empty air.
Ryan appeared behind him. A small metal box fell to the ground.
Justin looked at it.
—What...?
Ryan snapped his fingers.
The box opened.
A rabbit-shaped balloon shot out.
Justin froze.
—A balloon?
Ryan smiled beneath his mask.
—Yes.
The balloon floated toward Justin. The rabbit had a huge painted grin.
—This is ridiculous.
The balloon exploded.
BOOM.
Justin was sent flying.
Ryan raised his handgun.
—But effective.
Jack emerged from the rubble. His expression had changed.
—Clown.
Ryan slowly turned.
—Yes?
Jack raised one hand.
A massive blast of purple energy tore through the warehouse.
Ryan jumped.
The explosion destroyed several columns.
He landed on a metal platform.
Justin immediately appeared and struck the structure.
CRASH.
Ryan fell.
Jack was already waiting.
A kick sent him sliding several meters across the floor.
Ryan raised his weapon and fired three times.
The bullets changed direction in midair.
The brothers looked at each other.
—Now!
They split apart.
The bullets collided with one another and exploded.
Smoke filled the area.
Two figures emerged from the smoke and attacked at the same time.
The battle became frantic.
Punches.
Barriers.
Explosions.
Runes.
Purple energy.
The warehouse began to collapse.
Ryan took a blow to the abdomen and doubled over.
Justin smiled.
—We got you!
Jack appeared behind him.
—And we haven't even started yet.
Ryan lifted his head.
—Haven't you?
He disappeared.
He appeared above Jack and fired at the floor.
The explosion launched Jack into the air.
Ryan raised both hands.
Several boxes opened.
Dog-shaped, bear-shaped, cat-shaped, and even a small elephant-shaped balloons began floating around the brothers.
Justin looked up.
—No way.
Ryan moved one finger.
—Yes way.
The balloons exploded one after another.
The warehouse filled with smoke.
Then purple energy expanded.
A shockwave destroyed all the remaining balloons.
Ryan stepped backward.
The brothers appeared together.
Justin was smiling.
Jack wore an utterly cold expression.
—Your tricks are over.
Ryan raised his handgun.
—How disappointing.
Justin let out a laugh.
—I thought you were stronger.
Ryan remained motionless.
—And I thought you two would be more interesting.
Justin's smile disappeared.
Jack took a step forward.
—Careful.
Ryan tilted his head.
—Or what?
Jack stared at him.
—When you fought a manifestation of our Lord...
You won.
Justin smiled.
—We have to give you that. That manifestation was powerful. Far more powerful than any human should have been able to face.
Ryan remained completely still.
Inside, his mind was working.
So they're finally talking about it.
He already knew that the Purple Entity was asleep. He had gathered enough fragments of information to understand that much.
But he did not know how much the twins knew, nor exactly what the Entity meant to them.
And, above all...
He did not know what would happen when it awakened.
That was why he did not correct their assumptions.
He did not reveal how much he knew.
He wanted to listen.
He wanted to learn.
Justin continued.
—But it doesn't matter.
Ryan tilted his head.
—It doesn't?
Jack smiled.
—Our Lord is sleeping.
—Waiting.
—Recovering his strength.
Justin raised his arms.
—When he awakens...
Everything will be different.
Ryan remained silent.
Then he asked:
—And you expect to awaken him?
The brothers began to laugh.
—No.
Jack slowly shook his head.
—He will awaken when the time comes.
Justin added:
—We simply wait.
Ryan slowly lowered his weapon.
—I understand.
Justin smiled.
—Is that all?
Ryan remained still.
Then he answered.
—Very well.
The brothers looked at each other.
Ryan raised his head.
—In any case...
A strange energy began to surround him.
His voice changed.
For an instant, it sounded as though hundreds of people were speaking at once.
—A sleeping loser won't help you here.
Silence.
The smiles disappeared.
Justin and Jack's eyes turned cold.
Ryan had gotten exactly the reaction he wanted.
Justin disappeared.
Ryan raised his weapon.
BANG.
The bullet struck a purple barrier.
Justin appeared in front of him.
—Don't you ever speak about our Lord like that again!
Ryan blocked his punch.
Jack appeared from behind.
A kick sent Ryan crashing through a wall.
Ryan landed among the rubble.
He slowly got back to his feet.
The crack in his mask had deepened.
He put the gun away.
Justin smiled.
—Are you surrendering?
Ryan slowly shook his head.
—No.
He extended both hands.
The runes throughout the warehouse began to glow.
One.
Two.
Ten.
Twenty.
The entire building began to shake.
Jack's eyes widened.
—What did you do?
Ryan raised his head.
—I prepared this place.
A smile appeared beneath his mask.
—Remember when you said this game would end tonight?
Justin and Jack looked at each other.
Ryan extended one hand.
Every rune activated.
BOOM.
A massive barrier surrounded the warehouse.
The doors and windows were sealed.
The floor began to glow.
Justin looked around.
For the first time...
He appeared genuinely surprised.
Ryan spoke.
—Welcome.
His eyes glowed.
—Now we can finally begin.
Jack slowly smiled.
Justin began laughing again.
The purple energy intensified.
Ryan's magic responded.
The entire warehouse began to tremble.
Three hunters.
Two brothers.
One Clown.
And a battle that had only just begun.
Ryan slowly clenched his fists.
Justin and Jack assumed fighting stances.
For a moment...
No one moved.
Then...
All three disappeared at the same time.