Vicky's voice snapped Constantine out of his berserk state and made him turn and look at her, almost forgetting he was fighting for his life; Lucius saw his chance and lunged forward, his shadowy tendril piercing Constantine's body with a sickening thud. Constantine cried out in agony, staggering backward as pain shot through him.
"Constantine!" Vicky's voice rang out in panic as she witnessed the attack.
Before Lucius could strike again, his attention turned to Vicky, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "You're next," he hissed, moving towards her with murderous intent. Constantine St. John was in his grasp, so he didn't need her anymore. In fact, this could help break him.
But, in a flash of light, Marcus materialized, his aura enveloping him like flames. "Not today," he growled, summoning a protective barrier around Vicky just in time. Vicky's eyes widened in disbelief as the barrier formed around her, shielding her from harm. "Who are you people..." she breathed, her voice trembling.
Marcus turned to face Lucius, his expression a mix of rage and determination. "You won't lay a finger on her," he declared, his voice filled with fury. With a flick of his wrist, Marcus unleashed a powerful spatial attack, the very fabric of reality warping and twisting around Lucius with devastating force. "Take that!" Marcus roared, his eyes blazing crimson.
Caught off guard by Marcus' unexpected counterattack, Lucius stumbled backward, his shadowy form writhing in pain. Fear flashed across his face, and for the first time in a long time, he lost his composure. The battle raged on, with Marcus leading the charge against Lucius. "You can't win," Marcus taunted, his voice filled with confidence as he pressed the attack, sending spatial blades at a frantically evading Lucius. Lucius tried to counterattack but he couldn't pierce Marcus' barrier; the tables had truly turned on him.
Constantine watched in despair, seeing the woman he loves more than anything getting attacked by that monster while he lay there bleeding.
"You're planning to take a nap or something? Get up!" a high pitched feminine voice shouted. Constantine looked up and saw Jane sprinting towards him, holding an absurdly large warhammer.
Jane tossed a healing artifact to Constantine, feeling relief that he was alive – not that she'd show it. "This was made by Shift. Use it, it'll help," she urged him.
Constantine caught the artifact with a grateful nod, a surge of hope coursing through him as he clutched the small silver ring tightly in his hand. He put it on and his wound started to close, restoring his vitality; it didn't heal him all the way through, but enough to get back in the fight. The ring disintegrated after it ran out of aether.
However, this little exchange didn't go unnoticed by Lucius; seeking to distract Marcus and thin the herd, he launched an tendril against Jane. The world almost stopped. Marcus was being suppressed by Lucius; Constantine still hadn't regained his strength. Jane saw the attack coming. She was fast, strong and durable, she could dodge it; but she froze. This was her first real battle, she saw Darryl and Constantine laying bleeding and she couldn't even recognize what that freak was, he wasn't in any of the books, nothing on any mission she went to even came close to him. So, she froze, unable to process the situation around her.
However, as the shadow tendril hurtled towards Jane however, Kento appeared out of nowhere, springing into action with lightning speed. With a swift and practiced technique, he deflected the tendril away from her, letting it disperse.
"Not on my watch," he declared, his voice filled with cold anger as he faced off against a now surrounded Lucius, casting multiple illusions.
But Lucius was not about to be deterred. As Jane and Constantine regrouped, he sneered at Kento's attempt. "Illusions won't work on me, Outcast," he taunted, his cheery voice mixed with hatred.
Kento's jaw clenched with frustration, but he remained calm. "I don't need them to kill you," he retorted, his voice steady and unwavering. With a swift motion, Kento drew his daggers, the blades gleaming in the moonlight as he prepared to strike. With calculated precision, he launched himself at Lucius, his movements fluid and agile.
As Kento engaged Lucius in combat, Marcus seized the opportunity to usher Vicky to safety, his protective barrier still firmly in place around her. "Come on," he said, his voice calm but urgent. "Let's get you out of harm's way."
"B-but, Constantine!" she shouted.
"He'll be fine, the others will protect him. We'll explain everything later, I promise. Now, please come with me." He said. Vicky nodded and quietly followed him inside the apartment, which he proceeded to seal off with a barrier. Marcus looked at Darryl, passed out on the couch with a healing ring on his finger; he had retrieved him and brought him there before revealing himself.
He was worried; he trusted Kento, but he couldn't help but be afraid for him and the others. This thing they were fighting was not human, nor a mage. Unknown variables like that were a rarity. He also couldn't help wondering about who – or what – Constantine is. The abilities he showcased in that fight were simply unreal. Wondering what he might do next, Marcus focused on the battle, ready to intervene
Back on the rooftops, Kento faced off against Lucius, his daggers poised for attack. But as he lunged forward, he found himself stumped by Lucius' impenetrable shadow barrier, his strikes unable to hit their mark. With a frustrated growl, Kento leaped back, his mind racing as he assessed the situation. It was clear that his usual tactics wouldn't work against this man. He needed to try something different. Something dangerous.
Sheathing his daggers with a swift motion, Kento closed his eyes and focused his energy, reciting the incantation "Sensō no Kaze: Ōgama," under his breath. As the words left his lips, he opened his now crimson eyes, and a surge of power coursed through him, swirling green and black wind manifesting in the form of a large black scythe with a long, eerie green blade, in his hand.
With a grim expression, Kento gripped the scythe tightly in his hands, feeling its energy pulsing through him.
It was time for the real battle to begin.