Andrei clenched his fist—staring into the black region.
"So?"
Dimitri approached from behind.
"So what?"
Andrei turned to him.
"Is your head finally in the game?"
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"…Yeah."
Andrei's voice was quieter than usual.
"I don't want to be helpless against those things again."
Dimitri's expression softened slightly.
"Good."
He continued forward.
The Black stretched beneath them—endless, shifting slowly like a living sea.
"You know," Dimitri said casually, "the Black is more predictable than you think."
Andrei looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
"You focus too much on the creatures themselves."
Dimitri raised his hand, revealing his gear—
A heavy black brace extending from his wrist to his forearm, layered with dark metal plating streaked by faint lines with a dull red glow that lights up as flames form in his palm.
Instead of forming a weapon—
They shifted.
Compressed.
Expanded.
Even forming into a flower.
Andrei blinked.
"The Scarlet flames aren't just fire."
The flames reshaped again.
This time into thin threads circling Dimitri's fingers.
"They're extensions of your body."
The threads condensed—
Forming claws.
Then dispersed again.
"Your Gear just gives shape to your hue easier."
Dimitri looked toward him.
"But the flames themselves are far more malleable than you think."
Andrei stared for a moment.
"…Teach me."
Dimitri laughed.
"So serious all of a sudden."
Then—
"Fine."
The next day—
The two crossed into the Black region alone.
Not deep enough for military patrol routes.
But far enough that the defense line was barely visible behind them.
"Control first," Dimitri said.
"Power comes after."
Flames flickered around Andrei's bracer.
Unstable.
Trying to take shape.
"No."
Dimitri shook his head.
"You're forcing it."
He raised his own hand again.
The flames moved instantly.
Smooth.
Natural.
"Think of it less like controlling fire…"
The flames curved around his arm.
"...and more like moving another limb."
Andrei frowned slightly.
Another attempt.
The flames shifted—
Then collapsed.
"Tch."
"Again."
Andrei inhaled slowly.
Focused.
The flames emerged once more—
This time lasting longer.
Not perfect.
But stable.
Dimitri nodded slightly.
"Better."
Then—
His expression changed.
Subtle.
Sharp.
Andrei noticed immediately.
"What is it?"
Dimitri looked toward the distance.
Several black creatures moved across the surface below.
Not unusual.
"Let's handle them."
Dimitri said as he moved in.
Suddenly—
The number multiplied.
Then more.
And more.
Andrei frowned.
"That's… a lot."
Dimitri didn't answer immediately.
The horizon shifted slightly.
No—
Moved.
His eyes narrowed.
"…No."
The creatures weren't wandering.
They were heading somewhere.
Fast.
The Black beneath them churned violently.
And then—
Andrei saw it.
An endless mass stretching across the distance.
A tide.
His breathing stopped for a moment.
"Dimitri…"
"We're leaving."
Immediate.
Cold.
"Now."
The seriousness in his voice sent a chill through Andrei instantly.
The two turned sharply—
Accelerating toward the defense line.
The tide behind them surged forward violently.
Too fast.
Way too fast.
Dimitri glanced back once.
Then cursed quietly.
"At this rate…"
Andrei looked at him.
"What?"
Dimitri's jaw tightened.
"They'll hit the border before we do."
Silence.
Then—
"Shit."
Several creatures suddenly broke away from the tide.
Their bodies twisted violently—
Black wings erupting from their backs.
"They're airborne!" Andrei shouted.
"Keep moving!" Dimitri barked.
The creatures closed the distance rapidly.
One lunged.
Flames exploded outward as Dimitri tore through it instantly.
Another rushed from below.
Andrei reacted faster this time—
He swung.
Forming a blade from the flames mid-swing.
The creature split apart.
But more kept coming.
"Dimitri—!"
"Listen carefully!"
His voice cut through the chaos.
"If you overload your board, you'll get a massive speed boost."
Another creature crashed toward them.
Dimitri destroyed it immediately.
"But it'll stall out afterward!"
"How long?!"
"About thirty minutes!"
Andrei's expression changed.
"That's insane!"
"Do you want the city overrun?!"
That shut him up instantly.
Dimitri grabbed his shoulder roughly.
"Go notify the defense line."
"What about you?!"
"I'll slow them down."
Andrei hesitated.
For half a second—
That was all it took.
Another creature appeared above him.
"DAMMIT, ANDREI!"
Dimitri intercepted it violently.
Black fragments scattered across the air.
"Get your act together!"
His voice cracked like thunder.
"This is the job we signed up for!"
Another wave approached.
"Hurry so the damage stays minimal!"
Andrei clenched his teeth.
Then—
Activated the overload.
The board beneath him screamed.
Scarlet light erupted behind him as he launched forward violently.
Everything blurred.
Wind tore against his face.
Too fast.
Way too fast.
But he didn't stop.
The defense line appeared ahead.
Soldiers immediately reacted to his approach.
Andrei practically crashed onto the platform.
"TIDE—!"
His breathing staggered violently.
"Large-scale tide approaching from the east!"
Silence.
Then immediate movement.
Veterans rushed forward instantly.
No hesitation.
"How far?"
"Close!"
One of them cursed.
"Move!"
Boards launched into the air one after another.
Andrei grabbed a replacement board immediately.
"I'm going too."
"You overloaded already," one veteran snapped.
"I'm fine."
Lie.
But he didn't care.
They moved.
Fast.
The veterans collided with the tide head-on.
Andrei froze briefly at the sight.
It was slaughter.
Not battle.
Veteran Specialists tore through the Black creatures with terrifying efficiency.
Entire sections vanished beneath overwhelming hue output.
Explosions.
Lightning.
Steel.
Flames.
The tide's numbers dropped rapidly.
But Andrei wasn't looking at them anymore.
"Dimitri…"
He broke away.
Searching desperately.
Scanning the battlefield below.
Nothing.
"DIMITRI!"
He yelled even louder this time but no answer.
Then—
"...!"
His eyes widened.
Far beneath him—
Too close to the Black surface—
A familiar figure struggled violently against black creatures.
No—
Andrei's breathing stopped.
"DIMITRI!"
Flames erupted instantly—surging around him.
He descended violently.
The creatures turned—
Too late.
One strike.
The flames consumed one of completely.
It writhed briefly—
Then burned away into ash.
Andrei reached Dimitri immediately.
His left arm was gone.
Blood covered his side.
But two more Black creatures stood in front of them.
"You idiot…" Dimitri muttered weakly.
Andrei ignored him.
A sudden shift and crack, and in an instant another of the creatures was dead.
"Cauterizing him!"
A specialist yelled at they approached.
His flames wrapped around the wound desperately.
Cauterizing.
Stopping the bleeding.
The smell of burnt flesh filled the air.
Dimitri gritted his teeth—
But didn't scream.
Andrei exhaled shakily.
Then—
Warm liquid ran down his face.
A nosebleed.
His vision spun slightly.
"Damn…"
His knees weakened.
Dimitri looked at him briefly.
"Backlash."
His breathing was uneven now.
"You overloaded the board…"
A weak laugh escaped him.
"…then overcharged your Gear right after."
Andrei wiped the blood quickly.
"I'm fine."
"Sure you are."
Dimitri forced himself upright slowly.
One arm hanging uselessly at his side.
"Come on."
The veterans had already pushed the tide back considerably.
The remaining creatures retreated deeper into the Black.
Two injured Specialists would only slow things down now.
Dimitri wrapped his remaining arm around Andrei's shoulder.
Andrei supported him immediately.
Slowly—
Carefully—
The two rose higher into the air.
Retreating together.
Hospital
The room was quiet.
White walls.
Soft light.
A rhythmic beep echoed faintly nearby.
Andrei's eyes remained closed.
Still unconscious.
Dimitri sat beside the bed silently.
One arm missing.
Bandages wrapped tightly across his body.
For once—
He wasn't smiling.
He looked toward Andrei briefly.
Then leaned back slowly in the chair.
"...You did good, lil bro."