Continuation...
The first Scar charges, its guttural roar echoing off the walls. It's fast, almost too fast, but Morinjo meets it head-on, his sword intercepting the attack. With a swift counter, he drives his blade deep into the creature's stomach. It collapses, twitching as its life drains away. ONE down, SIXTEEN left. Morinjo pulls his sword free, readying himself.
"Leave, or face my wrath," he commands, his voice cold and unwavering.
Two more Scars attack in unison, their blades slicing through the air. Morinjo is quicker, slashing one across the throat and driving his sword into the other's gut. TWO down, FOURTEEN left.
"Leave, or face my wrath," he repeats, more forceful this time.
Three of the beasts lunge at him, but Morinjo is a blur of motion. He dodges, deflects, and counters with deadly precision, leaving the creatures bleeding and broken on the ground. THREE down, ELEVEN left.
"Leave, or face my wrath!" The words are a growl now, a promise of what's to come.
Another Scar attacks, its strikes relentless. But Morinjo deflects each blow, his movements a lethal dance. He carves through the alien, then spins to strike down two more. SEVEN down, FOUR left.
"Leave, or face my wrath!" His voice is a storm, ripping through the air with raw, unbridled fury.
The last of the Scars circle him warily. Morinjo stands his ground, his eyes narrowing. The first alien makes a move, but Morinjo drops it with a single, brutal kick. He's relentless, slicing through the next, and when the final three rush him, he cuts them down with one fluid motion.
"You're a badass," I say, my voice weak but filled with awe.
"You okay?" Morinjo asks, concern flickering in his eyes.
"I'll be fine… just protect me, please."
"Sure." He removes the alien helmet from my head, revealing my pale, sweat-drenched face. "What about the machine?"
"The system isn't connecting. There's no signal."
"Oh my God… So, what are we gonna do?"
"I don't know. I'll keep trying. I'll let you know if it connects… Damn it, they're coming again."
Twenty more Scars are barreling toward Morinjo, brandishing short swords with perpendicular handles. Without hesitation, Morinjo sheathes his sword and hurls a smart disc at them. It arcs through the air, decapitating ten of them before returning to his hand like a boomerang. Then, with a swift movement, he throws another device. It lands in the midst of the remaining aliens and explodes, the blast so powerful that it rattles my bones. But I don't have time to wince. I crawl closer to the system, fighting against the blinding pain and the loss of blood. Morinjo buys me precious seconds, battling the remaining aliens with everything he has.
"Leonard, hurry up! Finish this now!" Morinjo's shout is laced with urgency, the weight of our lives hanging in the balance.
The pain is excruciating, my body screaming for rest, but I push on. I tear off the alien mask, my vision blurring as I refocus on the system. Minutes stretch into eternity as I struggle to make the connection. Finally, I glance up, just in time to see Morinjo standing amidst the carnage, victorious.
"Please, God… I need a connection."
MORINJO
Just as I think we might have a moment to breathe, Menace, Black Cardinal, and John appear. My stomach sinks as they move into position, preparing to attack.
"Joseph? Jessica? What the hell are you doing? Why do you want to fight me?"
"You are brave," Menace says, his voice icy, "but against us… you're in over your head."
I sheathe my sword and lay down my dagger, but I'm not surrendering. My fists clench, muscles coiled like springs. I'm ready.
"I don't care who you are, or who you think you're with," I growl, my voice low and dangerous, "you will not menace Leonard or me."
"John," Black Cardinal says, ignoring my words. "Get angry. Help us if we can't bring him down."
"Alright."
Menace and Black Cardinal charge, their footsteps heavy, each one sending a shiver through the ground. Their speed is disorienting, a blur of motion that makes my head spin. But I force myself to stay calm, waiting until the last possible moment to react. Menace strikes first, his punches quick and ruthless. I dodge, just barely avoiding the hits. Then Black Cardinal swings a spinning kick my way, and I narrowly evade that too.
As I back up, I catch sight of John—no, Lycon Wolf now. His transformation is rapid, grotesque. His eyes burn red, skin green and rippling, his nails extending into lethal claws. Fangs protrude from his mouth, ears lengthens and sharpens. The beast inside him is unleashed. Menace and Black Cardinal are on me again, giving me no time to think. I dodge a barrage of punches, then deflect Menace's spinning kick with a quick step to the side. But Black Cardinal is already coming at me, her roundhouse kick aimed at my head. I duck, narrowly escaping the strike. Menace's fury grows, mirrored by the intensity in Black Cardinal's eyes. They've met their match, but they're not backing down.
"Please," I say, desperation creeping into my voice. "I don't want to hurt you. Try to remember who you are. You're heroes, like me!"
In the dim light of the arena, tension thickens the air as I square off against Menace and Black Cardinal, their reputations as deadly warriors preceding them. Menace's voice cuts through the silence, cold and taunting.
"You should have fled when you could... Prepare to regret crossing the Riot League."
Before I can respond, Menace strikes first, his roundhouse kick cutting through the air with a sharp whistle. I dodge just in time, but he's fast, following up with a barrage of punches aimed at my stomach. I twist away, but he catches my left leg, yanking me off balance and sending me crashing to the ground. The impact rattles my bones, but I force myself to roll back to my feet. No time to recover—Menace is already there, a brutal kick connects with my face. My vision blurs with the sharp sting that shoots through my skull.
Gritting my teeth, I rise, barely avoiding the next swing. Black Cardinal steps in, fluid and deadly, her fists a blur as she aims for my head and body. I block her punches and kicks, but she's relentless. A spin kick slams into my side, sending me stumbling. She tries to follow up with a jab to my face, but I deflect it just in time. I retaliate, throwing a punch of my own, fast and hard. Black Cardinal dodges with practiced ease, countering with a sharp smack across my face, followed by an uppercut that knocks the wind out of me. My chest burns, but I force myself to stay upright. Menace is back in the fray, launching a rapid series of kicks. I evade the first few, my reflexes kicking in as I parry and duck. But he's relentless, pushing harder, faster. My muscles strain with the effort of keeping up. I manage to land a side kick on him, but he dodges at the last second, countering with an elbow aimed at my face. I catch his arm and knock it aside, only to be met with a powerful kick under my nose that sends me reeling.
I swing a roundhouse kick at Menace's head, but he deflects it, his own kick slamming into my chest with the force of a sledgehammer. The blow sends me spinning through the air, and I crash hard onto the ground. Pain explodes in my back, radiating up my spine, leaving me gasping for breath.
Struggling, I get to my feet again, but Menace is already on me. His triple front kick comes at me like a battering ram. I sidestep the first two, but the third catches me in the chest, the impact reverberating through my body. I'm barely standing when Black Cardinal launches herself at me. Her double front kick lands square in my gut, doubling me over in agony. She tries to follow up with a spinning back kick, but I manage to block it at the last second.
I can't catch a break. Menace's voice, dripping with arrogance, rings in my ears.
"I told you, you should have fled when you could. Now, you're regretting crossing the Riot League."
Black Cardinal circles me, drawing a sword from her back, her eyes cold and calculating.
"When we're done with you, we will devastate your partner."
My breath comes in ragged gasps as I force a grin, defiance flaring in my chest. "My partner?... You know, I'm not yet defeated."
Menace smirks. "Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not. You have no idea whom you're dealing with."
In the dimly lit arena, the air is electric with tension as I face off against Menace and Black Cardinal. The faint light flickers off their steely eyes, and the anticipation is palpable.
To be continued....