The forest was silent except for the crackling of Dakota's flames. Across from him, the three figures stood unphased, their cloaks billowing slightly in the breeze.
Dakota's fists clenched, his anger surging with each passing second. His mind swirled with memories of the past—the friendships destroyed, the trust shattered, and the love he lost. He took a step forward, his voice trembling with rage.
Dakota:
"How dare you ruin my life? You ruined the friendship between me and Ethan, the bond I had with the rest of my friends, and the relationship with my girlfriend! You took everything from me!"
The girl in the middle tilted her head, a mocking smile curling across her lips.
???:
"Oh, sorry, Dakota—or should I say, Michael—but wasn't it you who let yourself get manipulated? How is that our fault?"
Her words hit him like a blade. Dakota's flames flared brighter, the heat radiating off him making the air shimmer. His jaw tightened as he spat his response.
Dakota:
"Bitch, you're the one that manipulated me! You're the one that schemed and lied! How could it not be your fault?"
The woman's smile grew wider, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
???:
"Well, well. Let's face it—you're the one who fell for it. You're the one who let it happen. If anything, it's all on you, Michael."
The man to her left chuckled, his deep voice laced with mockery.
???:
"Yes, Michael. In your past life, you were considered a genius. But it seems even a so-called genius isn't immune to manipulation. How pathetic."
Dakota's vision blurred with rage, the flames around him exploding outward in a fiery inferno. His transformation began, his body enveloped in blazing light as his first stage of flame transformation took over. His eyes burned like molten lava, and his aura became suffocatingly oppressive.
Dakota:
"You bastards… You think this is funny? I'll show you just how much I've changed since then!"
Before any of them could respond, Dakota launched himself forward, his flames leaving a scorched trail in his wake. His fist collided with the man on the left, sending him skidding back into a tree. The force of the impact cracked the bark, but the man stood unharmed, brushing off the embers with a smirk.
???:
"You've got some fire in you, I'll admit that. But you're still out of your league."
The woman darted forward, her blade gleaming with a strange, dark energy. Dakota narrowly dodged her strike, retaliating with a wave of fire that forced her to retreat. The third figure, the smaller woman, appeared behind him in a blur of speed, striking at his back with a blade wreathed in shadows.
Dakota twisted, catching the blade with his flaming gauntlet and shattering it with a burst of heat.
Dakota:
"You'll have to do better than that!"
He slammed his fist into her, sending her flying across the clearing. The force of the impact left a smoldering crater in the ground where she landed, but she quickly rose, brushing off the flames with a smirk.
???:
"Not bad. But don't think you're the only one who's grown stronger."
The three figures began coordinating their attacks, their movements fluid and synchronized. The man came at Dakota from the front, his strikes calculated and precise. The smaller woman flanked him, her agility and speed forcing Dakota to stay on the defensive. Meanwhile, the leader of the trio watched with a calm demeanor, occasionally stepping in with devastatingly powerful strikes.
Dakota fought with ferocity, his flames blazing brighter and hotter with each passing moment. He landed hit after hit, forcing them back and leaving scorch marks on their cloaks.
Dakota:
"You think you're holding the upper hand? I've faced worse than you!"
The man chuckled again, even as he narrowly dodged a flaming kick.
???:
"You're strong, I'll give you that. But you're far too emotional. It clouds your judgment."
The smaller woman darted in, slashing at Dakota's side. He blocked her strike with a wall of flames, countering with a fiery explosion that knocked her back.
Dakota:
"Shut up! You don't get to lecture me!"
The woman in the middle finally joined the fray, her dark blade cutting through the air with precision. Dakota barely managed to block her strikes, the force of her attacks sending shockwaves through the clearing.
???:
"You're all fire and rage, Michael. But that's all you've ever been—an unstable fool who lets his emotions control him."
Dakota gritted his teeth, his flames surging even higher.
Dakota:
"Keep talking! Let's see how long you last against this 'unstable fool!'"
Despite his overwhelming power, Dakota began to notice something troubling. The three figures were strong—far stronger than he had anticipated. And worse, they weren't even fighting seriously.
Their movements were deliberate and controlled, as if they were testing him rather than trying to kill him.
Dakota:
"You're holding back."
The man smirked, his scarred face twisted in amusement.
???:
"And what if we are? This isn't the main event, after all. Just a little… warm-up."
Dakota's rage boiled over. He unleashed a massive burst of flames, the ground beneath him turning to molten rock. The explosion forced the trio to retreat, their cloaks singed and torn.
Dakota:
"You don't get to treat me like some kind of practice dummy!"
The leader laughed, her voice cold and mocking.
???:
"Oh, Michael. Don't be so dramatic. We're just enjoying the show."
The smaller woman stepped forward, her green eyes glinting with malice.
???:
"But if you're so eager to die, we can end this here and now."
The air grew heavy with tension as the three figures discarded their cloaks, revealing their true forms. Each of them radiated a dark and menacing aura, their power rivaling Dakota's own.
Dakota clenched his fists, his flames flaring wildly around him.
Dakota:
"You think I'm afraid of you? Bring it on!"
The leader smiled, her violet eyes glowing with anticipation.
???:
"As you wish, Michael. Let's finish this."
The three figures began channeling their energy, the ground trembling beneath their feet. Dakota's flames burned hotter than ever, his determination unwavering.
The battle was far from over.