Luka glanced around at the carnage, his eyes landing on Nina. "Who's this?"
"Nina," she said simply, wiping her blade clean. "I'll explain later. For now, we need to move. There are more of them coming, and we're running out of time."
Luka nodded, his expression serious. "She's right. We need to get out of here before They realizes we've taken Asahi."
As the group began to move, Fabio glanced at Asahi. "How are you connected to all of this?"
Asahi's gaze was steely, his voice firm , " I don't know either."
With that, the group disappeared into the shadows, their resolve stronger than ever. The battle was far from over, but they were ready to face whatever came next.
As soon as they escaped the jail, they saw something.
The cold wind howled through the outskirts of the city, Carrying with it the scent of blood and decay. The prison loomed behind them, a dark silhouette against the moonlit sky.
Fabio, Artur, Asahi, Nina and Luka stood together, their bodies tense, their weapons gripped tightly. They had made it out, but their ordeal was far from over.
Standing a few meters away, illuminated by the pale light, was the thing that has orchestrated chaos.
Ness Henderson, or rather what was left of him stood before them in his monstrous form. His human guise had melted away, revealing a grotesque figure. His skin was sickly gray, cracked and pulsing with dark veins. His eyes glowed with a malevolent red light, and his mouth twisted into something that could barely be called a smile.
"Enough running ", Ness said , his voice distorted, layered with something inhuman.
" Surrender now, and i promise i will make your death painless. "
Fabio stepped forward, gripping his bat tightly. " You think we'll just kneel before you? " He spat." Tell us who you are and what business do you have with us. "
Artur twirled his bat, rolling his shoulders.
"You must be really stupid to think we'd just give up. "
Ness chuckled, the sound vibrating through the air like a deep growl. " So be it. Then you will all die screaming except you, Artur Cruz."
"Eh? Why only me? " Asked Artur.
Everybody was shocked by the statement. Fabio looked at Artur with a doubt.
Without another word, Ness lifted his hand. A dark, crackling energy surged around his fingers before he slammed it into the ground. Instantly, jagged tendrils of black magic erupted from the earth, snaking towards them.
"Move! " Asahi shouted.
The group scattered just as the tendrils lashed out, leaving deep scars in the dirt where they had stood moments before. Fabio and Artur darted to the left, gripping their bats tightly, while Asahi and Nina sprinted to the right, their blades gleaming under the moonlight. Luka, ever the marksman, took a step back, raising his gun.
Ness snarled, his elongated fingers twitching as more magic surging from his body. He raised his other hand, conjuring a swirling mass of energy before launching it toward Luka.
Luka fired.
The bullet met the dark energy mid-air, causing an explosion that sent shock waves through the ground. Luka rolled to the side, reloading in one smooth motion. " I don't miss twice. " he muttered, taking aim again.
Nina was the first to reach Ness. Her speed was incredible, her movements fluid like a dancer's. She leaped into the air, her sword slashing down towards Ness's head.
But Ness caught her blade with his bare hand.
Asahi's attack came from the side. But this time, Ness wasn't fast enough. The blade slashed across his arm, black ichor spraying onto the ground.
Ness roared, tossing Nina away as he staggered back. But befor he could recover, Fabio and Artur were upon him.
Fabio's bat slammed into his side with a sickening crack. Artur followed up with a vicious swing to Ness's knee, forcing the monster to stumble.
"You pests! " Ness roared, unleashing another wave of dark energy. The sheer force sent all five of them flying back. Fabio hit the ground hard, pain flaring through his side.
Luka groaned, pushing himself up, "This guy is tougher than he looks. "
Ness straightened, his wounds already beginning to close. He grinned, sharp teeth glinting, " You are insects, and i am immortal."
Ness lifted both hands, and suddenly, the air turned heavy. The ground beneath them trembled, and from the shadows, more creatures began to rise.
Zombies. Dozens of them.
" As if this wasn't bad enough." Artur murmured, raising his bat.
Asahi wiped that blood from his lip and gritted his teeth. "We need to take him down, now. "
Nina nodded, " I'll cut through the zombies, you three focus on Ness."
Without hesitation, Nina sprinted down the horde. Her blade became a blur as she weaved between the creatures, cutting them down one by one. Luka provided cover fire, each shot precise, each bullet finding it's mark.
Meanwhile Fabio, Artur and Asahi charged at Ness.
Fabio swung first, aiming at Ness's head. The monster caught the bat mid-swing, but Fabio expected that. He twisted his body using the momentum to kick Ness in the chest. The force sent Ness skidding backwards.
"This is a strikers power. Football helped me keep up my body real good. " Fabio murmered to himself.
Artur followed up, landing two solid hits on Ness's ribs. Asahi moved in from the side, his twin blades cutting deep into Ness's shoulders.
Watching it, Fabio remembered something. He shouted immediately. " Aim at his neck! We should separate his head from the body. We should separate his spine and brain. We can do it! Charge at him with full force."
Everybody lifted their heads up.
Fabio shouted again. " Nina! Do the same thing with the zombies. "
Nina nodded, her blade sliced through the heads of the raising creatures. She smiles at the advantage she got.
But Ness was done playing.
With a growl, he unleashed a dark energy, knocking them all back again but this time with greater force. He didn't stop, he extended his hands summoning a massive orb if swirling black fire.
" Burn. " He whispered, hurling the attack toward them.
-TO BE CONTINUED.