### NITAROR
Mint felt a wave of anticipation. His eyes were fixed on Ray. Ray was landing gracefully on the surface. The sight was not just delightful but was hypnotic. Mint turned his attention to Jacob. "Level 2 is awesome," he told Jacob. The words hinted at his admiration.
At that instance, Jacob roused his sword. Its blade glistened with unearthly light in hand. The atmosphere buzzed with energy. Mint instinctively sprang backward. It was a reflex rooted.
Under a red dim sky, stood Keys and Ray side by side. They gazed fixedly at the Dementia Warriors' gathering. The scene before them was both chaotic and mesmerizing. Warriors sat atop massive rocks aloofly. Silhouettes contrasted sharply with the twilight sky. Others encircled rocks shadow-like, expressions stern and resolute.
Jacob stood in the foreground. Alone with a sword held solidly in hand. Figure of singular determination. He seemed not at all bothered by the surrounding chaos. Eyes moved across the horizon in search of any sign of threat. Behind him, Mint was intensely focused on the unseen task. His intent was veiled in secrecy. Preparing for the challenges ahead was intense and palpable. The air is ripe with tension. The warriors were ready to face whatever came their way.
Jacob brought an end to the tense silence. It wrapped around the arena. His voice rang with immense confidence. "Wassup, Keys right?" he asked. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. He surged forward. "You're a big deal of D-Gamma, correct? I'm itching for 1v1. Let's see what you've got!" With a determined stance, Jacob propelled himself. He went toward Keys. The thrill of battle lit his spirit.
By Jacob's side, Ray leaned in. He had a playful smirk. "Enjoy," he quipped. Then he effortlessly teleported. It was near a colossal rock that loomed in the distance.
Keys was unfazed. He merely responded with a soft "hmm." It seemed like he was considering the challenge. Meanwhile, on the opposing side of the arena, Ray was already doing his thing. He was deftly dispatching two opposing warriors. This was done with swift precise elbows to necks.
Jacob pushed on. His heart was racing. He flipped his sword with skill. The sword blade shone ominously in the light. His aim was a forceful downward strike at Keys.
Keys' swiftness shocked Jacob. He sidestepped the attack. A slight smirk curled on his lips. "I believe you are searching for one-on-one hand-to-hand combat." Keys taunted. His eyebrow raised. "Why introduce a weapon to the mix?"
Jacob wasn't one to be easily provoked. He counterattacked. A swing of his sword. His voice was steady. "Who dictates that one-on-one must disregard weapons? Your weapon is in play too!"
Keys chuckled. He elegantly dodged yet again. With the speed of an eye's blink, he was gone. Then he reappeared. This time behind Jacob. He had a playful yet serious attitude. His finger pointed to his head. He indicated a spot.
Jacob was startled. His instinct caused him to step back. He turned. Keys were there. Keys are still poised. His finger was directed towards his head.
Ray savored chaos. His laughter resounded like a war cry. One by one he disposed of warriors. His motions were fluent and precise. "Eight are gone" he shouted. There was a whisper of satisfaction in his voice. He then vanished from view. He teleported to the surface with learned ease.
Upon landing a figure emerged. This figure sent a shiver down his spine. Standing in front of him was a symbiote. Its body was a dark, liquid-like mass. It appeared to shift and writhe as if it had a life of its own. Shadows swirled around it. They twisted and turned and seemed to take on forms. The creature moved like viscous ink flowing. It moved through the air effortlessly. It avoided both light and attack with inexplicable grace. It was supernatural in its movements.
The air appeared to crackle with energy. Deku was a shapeshifting symbiote. He regarded Ray. A mixture of curiosity and intrigue-filled Deku at the sight of Ray. "Wow interesting," Ray remarked. A playful grin spread across his face.
"Hey black liquid man wassup?" he called out. His voice carried a light-hearted tone. The tone belied the tension that surged between them. Deku's form shimmered momentarily. It was similar to a ripple across dark water, before he steadied himself. His liquid mass pulsed. It was an almost sentient entity.
The entity reflected Ray's playful demeanor. As he stood still a spark ignited within him. He extended a hand. In an instant, the liquid that composed Deku's being began reshaping itself. It flowed and twisted into a sinuous appendage. The appendage surged forward. It glided through the air like a shadow in motion. Despite his stillness, Deku commanded the mass. He did this with an effortless grace. Deku directed the mass towards Ray. It carried an ominous intent.
Ray's smile faltered for a moment. A liquid hand reached out. It surrounded him in a sleek, dark embrace. The embrace encompassed him from all directions.
### DEMENTIA
## CENTER ROOM
A fax machine's whir pierced the quiet. Its sound filled the air. Four pages sequentially slid out. Their edges sharp and slightly warm, came to rest in a neat pile. A woman approached. The machine's sudden activity piqued her curiosity. She then grasped the papers. Their crispness was intriguing. She flicked through the pages swiftly. Her eyes scanned the text.
One of the pages caught her attention swiftly. The header was bold. It commanded attention. "Variant Information: Ray" it read.
"O-Okay," she murmured. Her brow furrowed. She processed the significance of the document. This was not any set of papers. This was vital information. It was a precursor.
She straightened herself. Her mind was now racing. It was flooded with implications. They were implications of what she had just read. She needed to inform a senior.
She stands and starts looking for his seniors. She found them so she called out, "Sir. The variant information has come. It's about Ray."
To be continued...