Ethan and Evelyn arrived at their destination, transported swiftly by Ethan's gift. As they approached the target building, Evelyn steeled herself, anticipating the possibility of Mira invading her mind again, a violation that always left her with a searing headache.
The people under Evelyn's mind control encircled the building, silently awaiting her command. With a quick gesture from Ethan, his gift transported them both to a nearby rooftop. Evelyn crouched low, scanning the scene below. Every criminal, including the masked man's guards, had fallen under her influence, their will bent to hers.
The masked man would likely realize something was amiss soon. To preempt his suspicions, Evelyn commanded the group below to fabricate a convincing lie that would divert his attention from the unfolding situation. Simultaneously, she issued an order to his guards: approach him and establish physical contact, bringing him under her control. If they succeeded in this seemingly simple task, it would secure a significant victory.
"Have you found Mira yet?" Ethan asked, his eyes fixed on his small laptop as he scanned their surroundings with meticulous focus.
"If she's that important to you, then he's keeping her somewhere else. Selene is probably with her," Evelyn said, her tone steady. She informed Ethan that she had gained nothing useful from the guard's memories. Acting quickly, she gave an order that split the guards assigned to tag the masked man. Those who broke off moved with purpose, searching for Mira, Selene, and the trident Evelyn had glimpsed in her mind.
As soon as she mentioned the trident, the psychic link between her and Mira flared to life again. The world around Evelyn seemed to hush, the noise of the crown-who was pretending to act naturally- fading to a mute hum. Though acutely aware of her surroundings, Evelyn's focus shifted inward. In her mind, she saw Mira caged alongside an unfamiliar man. Mira's lips moved, and Evelyn read the message with chilling clarity: "behead the intruder."
Evelyn felt a wave of relief, no headache followed her brief exchange with Mira. Turning to Ethan, she asked, "Is the masked man the intruder?"
He nodded, but curiosity flickered in his eyes. "Why do you ask?"
Evelyn repeated Mira's silent message, her tone steady: 'Behead the intruder.' Then, meeting his gaze, she pressed further. "Do her words have anything to do with what you mentioned about her at the pub?"
Ethan nodded again, though uncertainty lingered in his expression. Meanwhile, feedback from the masked man's guards revealed the locations of Selene and the trident. Mira's whereabouts, however, remained a mystery.
Evelyn rose from her crouched position, stretching her stiff legs. "The masked man is with Vanessa and Clara," she announced. "Release everyone in the other buildings."
After issuing the order, she commanded those under her control to open fire on the now-empty buildings once the captives had been rescued. As for Vanessa and Clara, Evelyn trusted they could handle themselves.
The captives were escorted outside by the masked man's guards, all under Evelyn's control. Guards armed with melee weapons stepped aside while the gunmen took their positions. The sound of their movements was soon drowned out by the deafening roar of gunfire ripping through the buildings. Constructed using someone's gift, the structures had fewer rooms than typical buildings, making the bullets' destruction all the more devastating.
The masked man eventually heard the commotion outside, his frown deepening beneath the mask. He cursed under his breath, casting a scornful glance at the exhausted girls before him. With a sharp motion, he discarded his gun on the desk and strode toward the door, his footsteps heavy with mounting regret.
He had envisioned this land as a haven for those who shared his ideals—others who opposed the so-called heroes. Yet, as chaos unfolded outside, he couldn't escape the realization that his approach might have been fatally flawed.
The criminals who had occupied this place before the masked man arrived had varied interests. While some opposed the heroes, the majority were driven by motives far beyond petty hatred. According to what Evelyn knew, most of them had fled after the masked man took over. Ethan had explained earlier that he stayed only because of his friends—he had nowhere else to go.
The masked man clenched his jaw, seething with anger as he stepped outside. His worst fear was unfolding before his eyes—his own people were destroying his creations. Without those structures, there would be no organization. Without the organization, he would be powerless against the heroes. His entire agenda would crumble into nothingness.
The flickering muzzle flashes illuminated his mask, casting shadows that mirrored the horror in his eyes. 'You will all pay for this!' he bellowed, his voice echoing over the chaos.
But his words were met with no mercy. Under Evelyn's command, the guards turned their weapons on him, opening fire without hesitation.
A trident materialized in his hands, its surface gleaming with an otherworldly glow. With a desperate upward swing, water erupted from the ground, forming a thick, shimmering wall before him. The bullets fired in his direction slowed as they hit the water, their momentum sapped until they dropped harmlessly to the ground.
The masked man thrust the trident forward, propelling the wall of water toward his attackers in a powerful surge. Just as it was about to crash into them, he froze the water mid-motion, transforming it into an imposing barrier of ice.
The ice wall surged forward, forcing the attackers to retreat as the masked man prepared his next move. Evelyn's gaze shifted, catching sight of Ethan guiding the exhausted captives away from the chaos. A small chuckle escaped her lips. "Nice," she murmured.
Turning her focus back to the battle, her expression hardened. In a voice both soft and chilling, she issued a command that sent a shiver through the air: "Get me his head."
Her words carried an eerie weight, resonating throughout the city. The contrast between her innocent appearance and the sinister command, delivered in a sweet, almost melodic tone, made the moment all the more unsettling.
The masked man locked eyes with Evelyn, who stood atop the rooftop like a phantom orchestrating the chaos. 'This is all your fault,' he growled, his voice thick with fury.
At her command, the attackers discarded their guns, opting for melee weapons to confront him directly. As the ice wall shattered into glistening shards, the crowd surged forward, weapons raised and resolve unwavering.
The masked man tightened his grip on the trident, bracing himself as the mob closed the distance. Every step they took seemed to echo his mounting dread, yet he stood firm, ready to face them head-on.
Evelyn perched at the edge of the rooftop, her legs swinging lazily as she watched the battle unfold below. Swords and machetes clashed against the masked man's trident in a cacophony of steel and chaos. He moved with precision, parrying blows and countering with deadly accuracy, but his gaze kept flickering upward—toward her.
Catching his glances, Evelyn flashed him a wide, taunting smile. The sight only fueled his anger, his movements becoming sharper and more aggressive.
Despite his skill, the sheer number of attackers was overwhelming. He was holding his ground for now, dispatching them with ease, but the prospect of facing more than five hundred opponents was daunting. Fatigue was inevitable, and he couldn't afford to show weakness—not with Evelyn sitting there, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The masked man let out a furious scream, swinging his trident in a wide horizontal arc. An icy crescent erupted from the weapon, cutting through the battlefield with devastating force and leaving a trail of blood in its wake. As the attackers stumbled back, reeling from his brutal assault, he leaped into the air. Using the trident's power, he propelled himself forward on a surge of water, aiming directly for Evelyn.
Mid-flight, his eyes widened in shock. Below him, the people under Evelyn's control were sprinting toward her with inhuman speed. Their movements were mechanical, their bodies pushed far beyond natural limits as they carried out her command with unwavering obedience. Many had likely never run this fast before, and the strain on their bodies was evident. The aftermath, he realized, would be devastating—serious, perhaps permanent damage awaited them once her control was lifted.
"What did she do to them?" he growled, his voice seething with anger. Mid-flight, he shouted the question again, his rage surging as his gaze flicked to Evelyn. Her only response was a wider, taunting smile, fueling his fury even further.
As he closed the distance, Evelyn leaned forward, her expression calm yet mocking, and deliberately let herself fall from the rooftop.
The masked man's eyes widened in disbelief. "What is she doing?" he muttered under his breath, cursing as he reached the roof. He conjured sharp icicles in front of him, his mind racing. Glancing down at Evelyn's plummeting figure, he gritted his teeth and launched the icicles one by one toward her.
But Evelyn's serene smile remained, unshaken, as if she reveled in his frustration. The sight sent a fresh wave of agitation coursing through him.
Evelyn reappeared on the rooftop of the building adjacent to the one where the masked man stood. The moment he spotted her, his frustration erupted. With a swift swing of his trident, he unleashed an icy crescent in her direction.
The masked man didn't stop there. As the crescent tore through the air, he leaped after it, closing the gap between the buildings with ease.
Evelyn stood her ground, her expression as calm as ever. In her hand, she held a sword taken from one of her controlled followers below, its blade glinting in the faint light.
Her smile didn't falter—it grew, teasing and deliberate.
The sight made his blood boil. Every time she smiled, it was like a dagger to his pride, an unbearable mockery that sent his rage spiraling out of control. It was as if Evelyn herself was his kryptonite, her mere presence unraveling him.
"Never underestimate teenage girls," Evelyn taunted with a smirk, her voice carrying a teasing edge.
Before the icy crescent could touch her, she vanished once more, leaving the masked man standing on the rooftop, his fury boiling over.
"Coward!" he roared, his voice echoing across the rooftops. It wasn't pain but pure frustration that fueled his cry. "Face me fairly, if you dare!"
Evelyn's voice, calm yet biting, answered from somewhere unseen. "Fair fight? Are you stupid? You're holding a weapon that can control the sea, and you expect fairness from me?"
Before he could process her words, a sharp, searing pain ripped through his chest. He looked down, eyes widening in disbelief at the blade protruding from him.
Evelyn stood behind him now, hands gripping the hilt of the sword she had driven through his back. Her smirk hadn't faded; if anything, it had grown colder. "Fairness is overrated," she added, her voice soft yet laced with menace.
Evelyn stepped in front of him, her gaze steady and mocking. "How does it feel? A blade in your chest? Too bad it only lasts a second," she said, her voice dripping with contempt.
The masked man's eyes widened as he looked up at her, confusion clouding his fury. But before he could react, the scene shifted.
He blinked and found himself back on the previous rooftop, facing Evelyn, who now stood smugly across from him on the neighboring building. Panic flashed through his mind as he hastily looked down at his chest.
To his disbelief, there was no wound. He ran a hand over his chest, searching for any trace of the blade, but found nothing. No pain, no blood—nothing at all. It was as if the entire event had been a cruel illusion.
His breaths came quick and shallow as realization dawned: she had toyed with him, and she was enjoying every moment of it. Evelyn's smile widened, her expression taunting.
Evelyn strolled to the edge of the roof, her movements deliberate and calm. She gazed down at the chaos below before shifting her sharp, confident eyes to the masked man.
"You're outnumbered," she said, her voice steady, almost casual, as though the outcome had already been decided. She pointed to the trident in his hand. "With that, you could drown everyone here. There's only one way in and out of this place, and you know it. Yet, you chose not to."
Her tone hardened, a subtle edge of disdain creeping in. "I don't care what your reason is, but it's clear as day—you need those people. Whatever your agenda, it falls apart without them."
She stepped back, her lips curling into a knowing smile, letting her words hang in the air like a challenge.
The masked man frowned behind his mask. "What do you want?" he demanded, his voice laced with frustration.
Evelyn didn't flinch. "What do you desire?" she asked calmly, tilting her head slightly. Her tone was almost curious, as though she truly cared about his answer. "Think about it carefully. If your desires don't have any meaningful purpose, I won't be able to help you."
Her composed demeanor made him pause. A memory flickered in his mind, and a smirk spread across his concealed face. He thought he had finally gained the upper hand.
"I have the vampire and the goddess," he shouted, his voice echoing with triumph. "What are you going to do now?"
Evelyn tilted her head again, her expression unreadable. She tapped her temple with a finger, as though mocking his supposed advantage. "I already know where they are," she said lightly, her voice carrying a note of indifference. "You should forget about them and focus on your own situation right now."
Her gaze sharpened as she continued. "The reason I couldn't get to you through your guards was because of that mask on your face. It protects your eyes from me. And guess what, I am the only one who can take control of someone through direct physical contact.
Her words landed with chilling precision, stripping away the confidence in his smirk. Evelyn stood firm, her calm but cutting remarks dismantling his bravado piece by piece.
His grip on the trident tightened, his knuckles whitening as he silently cursed her, seething with barely contained rage.