On their way back, Bo and Val moved in silence. Exeo's voice broke through on the Mind Link communication, Val, we've got the images. Don't worry, we'll finish this.
Bo glanced at Val, noticing his red eyes flickering in the dark as they jumped from rooftop to rooftop. Without saying anything, Bo suddenly stopped and disconnected the link. Val halted as well, watching Bo in frustration, his eyes glowing. "What's the urgency?" he growled.
Bo's icy blue eyes glinted in the moonlight as he met Val's gaze. "Control yourself, Val. Exeo's right. We'll rescue them. Just stay focused."
Val's eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms. "I am in control."
Bo gestured towards Val's bloodshot eyes. "Not entirely."
Val clenched his teeth, his pulse pounding louder. He turned around, hiding his face and muttering, "Forget it. Let's go." But the red in his eyes only brightened.
Bo could feel the urge rising in Val, an echo of an older memory they both shared. A warning he knew couldn't be ignored.
---Flashback---
A loud explosion reverberated through the training ground as smoke obscured the figures within. Exeo and Bo held single-handed swords, poised to face Ember and Val, who wielded a spear and twin blades, respectively.
Ember turned to Val with a smirk. "Go all out, lil' brother."
Val's face twisted into a grin, and as his grip on the spear tightened, his eyes began to glow a blood-red. He launched forward, aiming directly at Bo, who prepared himself with a steely determination.
The clash was instant, brutal, and unrelenting. Sparks flew as Val's spear met Bo's sword, each strike sending vibrations through the ground, as if the very earth was reacting to their battle. Val fought with a reckless intensity, wielding his spear like a weapon of pure destruction. He spun, thrust, and lunged with a force that sent tremors through Bo's arms each time he blocked, his muscles straining with every parry.
For Bo, each dodge grew more difficult. Val's strikes came harder, faster, each one feeling like a hammer blow. Sweat dripped down Bo's face as he barely managed to sidestep a sudden sweeping arc, the spear slicing through the air inches from his chest. But Val was relentless. He laughed, the red in his eyes deepening with every swing, the gleam of bloodlust glinting beneath his eerie smile.
"What's the matter, Bo?" Val taunted. "Can't keep up?"
Bo gritted his teeth, pouring mana into his blade until it was coated in a shimmering blue aura. He spun and aimed a slash at Val's shoulder, but Val met him mid-strike, their weapons colliding with a crackling burst of energy. The impact jarred Bo's arm, nearly sending his sword flying. Bo noticed a drop of blood trickling from Val's left eye, the red glow intensifying, as if it fed off his fury.
Undeterred, Val pushed forward, each strike heavier than the last. He feigned a low thrust, forcing Bo to parry, only to swing back up with deadly speed. Bo barely managed to block it, his sword vibrating with the force. The two exchanged blows that blurred together, ice forming and shattering with each clash.
Suddenly, Val let out a guttural laugh, his spear igniting in a deadly black flame as he twirled it through the air. The black mist around him thickened, twisting around his body as if alive, amplifying the dark aura that now emanated from him. "It's been a while since I had fun like this!" he snarled, his voice tinged with mania. He lunged forward, and Bo sidestepped just in time, only for Val to twist around, striking with the back end of his spear. The blow landed squarely on Bo's side, sending him tumbling across the ground.
Bo struggled to stand, his vision momentarily blurred from the force of the impact. The surrounding earth was scorched, littered with shattered ice and patches of frost where his abilities had lashed out in response. He could see Val stalking forward, spear dripping with flames, his face twisted into a wild grin, his eyes almost glowing with an unholy red light.
This time, Bo didn't hold back. He released his ice abilities in a surge, summoning a cluster of ice shards that hovered in the air, their edges razor-sharp and glistening in the faint light. With a swift motion, he launched them toward Val, aiming to subdue him without causing permanent harm.
Val laughed as he deflected them, his movements fluid and ruthless. Each shard that came close was shattered by his spear or deflected with a quick flick of his hand. Bo's focus narrowed, but he could feel his strength waning. This isn't Val, he thought. It's the Void taking over.
In desperation, Bo formed a dense wall of ice between them, but Val merely laughed, his spear igniting with dark flames as he rammed it into the wall, cracking it down the middle. Bo braced himself as the wall shattered, shards raining down around them, and lunged forward, sword aimed for Val's torso. But Val sidestepped, catching Bo's arm and twisting it painfully, pulling him off balance.
"Too slow," Val murmured in Bo's ear, his tone sinister, before flinging Bo aside like a ragdoll.
Bo crashed to the ground, gasping, the edges of his vision darkening. He rolled to his feet, gritting his teeth as he pushed himself up once more, summoning the last of his strength. Behind him, a hundred ice spears materialized, hovering like frozen sentinels waiting to be unleashed. He aimed them all at Val, who merely grinned, the black mist coiling around him like a shadow.
Bo raised his hand, and with a single command, the spears launched forward. Val's face twisted into a smile, his own spear crackling with dark energy as he deflected the onslaught. Each spear that came close was shattered or melted by the intense heat of Val's dark flames, his laughter echoing in the empty field.
But Bo had anticipated this. As Val swung to deflect the last spear, Bo lunged forward, his blade aimed directly at Val's chest. In that split second, their eyes met, Val's blood-red gaze locking onto Bo's icy blue. Val's expression flickered, something human breaking through the madness.
Then, with a flash of cold light, Bo's blade struck. Val's spear intercepted, but Bo's ice-coated blade connected with Val's left shoulder, leaving a deep gash. Val's blood spattered onto the ground, and for a moment, his red eyes seemed to clear, a look of surprise flashing across his face. Then, slowly, the black mist began to fade, and Val's gaze softened as he staggered back, his spear falling to the ground.
Bo fell to his knees, gasping for breath, his sword slipping from his hands as exhaustion washed over him. The dark aura surrounding Val faded, the red in his eyes returning to their usual color. Bo reached out a hand, touching Val's face, feeling the warmth return as the last remnants of the Void dissipated.
---Flashback End---
Val clenched his fists as the memory washed over him. "Bo, I—"
Bo interrupted with a small smile, his blue eyes warm. "Don't apologize. That's why I'm here. If it happens again, I'll be there to pull you back." Val's eyes returned to their usual red, the tension slowly ebbing. With a small nod, he switched his link back on.
Immediately, Ember's voice burst through, laced with annoyance. Who told you two idiots to turn off your links?
Val and Bo winced. Ember's irritation followed them all the way back to the hotel.
Later that night, as they both tried to unwind, Val sat by the window, staring into the darkness.
Memories of blood and fire crept into his mind, memories he fought to keep buried. He knew Bo sensed his unease, but they said nothing, each lost in their own thoughts until sleep eventually claimed them both.
In the early morning, they found Ember waiting with a smug grin, who muttered with mock surprise, "Hope you two had a restful night, considering how close you've gotten."
Bo choked on his coffee, while Val rolled his eyes, muttering, "Enough already, Ember."
As they prepared to regroup with Exeo and Riggs, Bo and Val shared a knowing look. They both knew that when the time came, they'd rely on each other to keep the darkness in check—no matter the cost.