Eko's fingers clawed at the grass, the damp earth slipping under her nails as she fought to draw in a breath. Each gasp felt like fire in her lungs, every heartbeat a painful drum in her chest. A high-pitched ringing filled her ears, blotting out all other sounds, turning the world into a whirl of white noise and flashing lights. Strong arms suddenly yanked her up, dragging her forward. Her feet stumbled to keep up, her vision swimming in and out of focus. She heard the distant echo of screams, the roar of flames, the crash of structures collapsing all around her.

"Everyone, MOVE!" Toni's voice tore through the chaos, raw and urgent. Eko felt the rough scrape of soot and debris against her skin, her face stinging where blood trickled down from a cut on her forehead. She glanced up, spotting Toni's wild eyes as he scanned their surroundings, his face streaked with grime and desperation.

Figures darted past them, silhouettes of people running, shadows against the backdrop of fire. Panic spread like a contagion. The sky was dark, smoke swirling thick and black, choking the air. The ferris wheel was an inferno, flames climbing its metal frame, casting flickering shadows over the carnage below. Ash fell like snow, coating everything in a fine, gray dust. The once-bright carnival now looked like the mouth of hell itself.

"M-Maddy?" Eko's voice cracked, barely a whisper in the midst of the chaos. Toni's grip tightened on her wrist, nearly dragging her along as he pushed through the fleeing crowd.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S DONE, BUT XERO IS HERE!" Toni shouted, his voice edged with terror. His head whipped from side to side, eyes wide as he searched for a way out, his breaths coming in sharp, ragged gasps. His words slammed into Eko like a blow, her mind struggling to comprehend. Xero—Madison—everything was spiraling out of control.

Another explosion rocked the ground beneath them, the shockwave sending people sprawling. Eko stumbled, but Toni's grip kept her upright. Flames licked at the stalls around them, the heat so intense it felt like it was peeling the skin from her bones. Smoke stung her eyes, each breath a struggle against the choking, acrid air. She coughed violently, the taste of ash bitter on her tongue.

Her senses began to sharpen, adrenaline cutting through the fog of pain and confusion. They pushed forward, weaving through the chaos, dodging falling debris and bodies. Every step was a battle against the tide of panicked civilians, against the terror clawing at Eko's insides. The world was unraveling around them, but she forced herself to keep moving, to press on.

They passed scenes of horror—desperate battles between soldiers and the marauding monsters that had emerged from the chaos. Youmas towered over the defenders, their grotesque forms wreathed in firelight, claws slashing and fangs gleaming. Screams filled the air, human and inhuman, blending into a symphony of terror and pain.

Eko gasped for breath, a sharp pain in her chest suggesting a possible broken rib or worse. She forced herself to focus, her vision clearing just enough to find Toni's eyes. He raised his hand, summoning a surge of energy that blasted the monsters advancing on them. The creatures screeched in agony, their bodies convulsing as the energy seared through them, sending them collapsing to the ground.

"Wh-where's Maddy?" Eko's voice came out strained and weak, barely audible over the din of battle. Her gaze darted across the chaos, searching for any sign of her cousin amid the devastation.

"Matthew went after her," Toni snapped, his eyes darting around for more threats. "He told me to get to you." He shoved Eko into a small clearing, the smoke and haze thickening, swallowing the sounds of battle.

Catching her breath, Eko stepped away from Toni, tears blurring her vision as she took in the devastation Madison had caused. She ran her hands through her hair, feeling the weight of the chaos and the screams that filled the air. Smoke choked the atmosphere, making it hard to breathe, and the acrid stench of burning wood and flesh clawed at her throat, turning her stomach.

Eko turned to Toni, who stood before her, fury radiating off him like a living thing. His eyes blazed, his jaw clenched so tightly it looked as if it might crack. He stepped closer, his finger jabbing toward her like a weapon. "She's done the moment we're back, Eko!" Toni snarled, his voice low and trembling with barely contained rage. "Do you hear me? Madison is fucking done! No more excuses, no more protecting her! She's a fucking liability now!"

"Okay!"

"I wasn't fucking joking!"

Something inside Eko snapped. Her own anger flared up, burning as fiercely as the fires around them. "I said she's gone, alright!" she shouted, her voice slicing through the chaos like a blade, louder than she intended. "Do you think I don't know that? Do you think I haven't fucking thought about it?"

Toni's eyes narrowed, dark with fury and something else—betrayal. "If she gets anyone hurt or killed, that's on you!" he spat, each word hitting her like a blow. "That blood will be on your hands, Eko! You think you can live with that?"

"I know!" Eko's voice cracked under the weight of her own fear and guilt. Her hands trembled as she summoned her catania staff, the familiar weight grounding her. She met Toni's gaze head-on, her eyes blazing with a mix of defiance and determination.

"I know what's at stake, Toni. I'm not fucking blind," she said, her voice hardening. "But Madison is my cousin, my family. I can't just abandon her! We don't leave our own to die!" Her words were laced with desperation, a plea wrapped in defiance.

For a moment, Toni's expression faltered, his anger flickering with something else—fear, understanding, maybe even pity. But the tension between them was a living thing, thick and choking. "Then you better be ready to make the hard choice," he said, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Because if you hesitate, if you let your feelings get in the way, she's going to get us all killed. You know that will happen. Do you want Matthew dead because you kept protecting her!"

Eko tightened her grip on her staff, the firelight casting shadows across her face, turning her features into a mask of grim resolve. "No more hesitation," she vowed, her voice cold and steady, each word a promise forged in the flames of battle. "I'm going to do what needs to be done."

Toni's gaze bore into hers, his jaw set. "You better," he said, the words hanging heavy between them. "Because there won't be a second chance."

Toni's jaw clenched, his teeth grinding as he looked her over, gauging her readiness. "Now, are you good to fight?" he asked, watching as Eko spat blood from her mouth, her eyes burning with unspoken defiance.

"Not even close," she replied, shaking her head, eyes scanning the battlefield. Around them, the pandemonium escalated, monsters rampaging through the ruins, their roars mingling with the agonized screams of the fallen. The acrid stench of burning flesh filled the air, mingling with the metallic clang of swords meeting monstrous hides.

Toni nodded, his expression hardening. "We need to move. Xero's coming, and he'll be here for us." His eyes blazed with an inner fire. "This is our chance to end him."

Eko felt the weight of his words like a blow. Her body ached from the earlier blast, each step sending jolts of pain through her legs and back. The adrenaline rushing through her veins kept her moving, but the weariness was there, lurking just beneath the surface, ready to drag her down if she let it.

The consequences of this chaos would be severe. They had crossed a line, and there was no turning back. Lives had been lost, their world was burning, and Xero's presence meant the worst was still to come. Eko's heart tightened with the weight of what had to be done. Hell would be paid, and Eko knew she had a heavy debt to settle.

***** ****

"JASMINE, THE STUDENTS! GET THE OTHER SOLDIERS!" Richie bellowed across the field, his eyes darting frantically through the chaos. Mya had dashed off moments earlier to find Mackenzie and Sawyer, who had disappeared in the initial panic. The battlefield was a blur of movement, fire, and screams, making it impossible for Richie to tell friend from foe. Blood and dirt coated the ground, and the air was thick with smoke, making it difficult to breathe, let alone see clearly.

"ON IT!" Jasmine shouted back. Her vibrant pink hair, now matted with soot and grime, vanished into the fiery inferno of the festival. She moved with a sense of purpose, disappearing into the smoke like a shadow.

Before Richie could follow, Mya reappeared at his side, breathless. "Mac's home. She's in your bathroom," she said, gasping for air.

"She's got Benny?" Richie asked, tapping his wrist in the thick smoke. The transformation began, his clothes shifting and shimmering as they became his battle armor. The metal gleamed in the flickering firelight, signifying he was ready for whatever awaited them.

"Does she go anywhere without that stuffed animal?" Mya replied, a wry smile flickering on her lips, despite the chaos around them. She tapped her own wristband, her combat gear materializing over her form in a flash of light.

"Where's Sawyer?" Richie asked, urgency sharpening his tone.

"He went to team up with the others to get more support down here," Mya answered, her eyes scanning the chaotic scene. The guttural roars of youmas echoed through the smoke, and shadows danced in the fiery glow. "I don't understand this," she continued, her voice edged with frustration. "How did they know where we were?"

"Madison's powers would have fluctuated," Richie explained, his voice calm and controlled, despite the madness surrounding them. "It's why we took it slow with you and Jaz when you first learned to control the crystals. We never trained anywhere near base or populated areas. Her lack of control must have sent up a beacon. Xero would've seen the disturbance miles away. This—" he gestured to the carnage around them, "—is why we never trained anywhere close to base or to people."

"So they're drawn to the crystals," Mya muttered, shaking her head as the gravity of the situation sank in. Her thoughts were interrupted when her gaze fell on a figure emerging from the smoke. Her breath caught in her throat. "Holy shit. Holy shit!" she gasped, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Richie," Mya whispered, grabbing his arm and pointing in the direction of the figure.

Richie's eyes followed her gesture, narrowing as he focused through the haze. "Is that fucking Jackson?" he asked, perplexed. Next to Jackson, who was dripping blood, stood another man, both of them standing eerily still amid the chaos, their eyes fixed intently on something in the distance, as if studying the battlefield.

"I've got a bad fee—" Richie began, his voice tinged with concern.

"Shut the fuck up, Richie! Jesus Christ!" Mya snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence. Without waiting for his response, she darted into the field of monsters, her figure disappearing into the smoky chaos.

"Just saying," Richie muttered to himself, shaking his head as he moved to follow her.

***** *****

"They're closing in on us!" Eko's voice rang out, urgent and sharp, cutting through the chaos like a knife. "This is worse than anything we've faced before!"

Toni watched as Eko unleashed a barrage of energy waves, each one slicing through the mass of monsters surging toward them. Her movements were precise, each strike executed with deadly accuracy. But no matter how many creatures she took down, more seemed to rise from the darkness, multiplying faster than they could be destroyed. The battlefield was bathed in bursts of white-hot light, monstrous shadows leaping and twisting in the eerie glow, turning the scene into a living nightmare.

A scream suddenly cut through the cacophony, high-pitched and filled with agony, freezing Toni in his tracks. His heart stuttered, his eyes snapping toward the source of the sound. It was a cry he knew all too well, a voice laced with raw fear that sliced through the roars and growls of the monsters.

"That's Jesse," Toni muttered, his breath catching in his throat. A cold dread settled over him, tightening his chest. Without a second thought, he surged forward, cutting through the horde with a newfound ferocity. Each swing of his weapon was a decapitating blow, monsters' heads flying from their bodies as he carved a path. "Jesse!" he bellowed, his voice thick with desperation. "Where are you?"

"Jesse!" Eko's voice echoed his, frantic and strained. She spun her staff, arcs of energy crackling as she struck down a youma that lunged at her. The tip of her weapon glowed with an intense light, pushing back the darkness with every strike. "Hold on! We're coming!" she shouted, her eyes darting through the battlefield, searching desperately for any sign of her friend.

**** *****

Sharp, bright arcs of electricity crackled along Madison's limbs, forcing a scream from the depths of her lungs. Her back arched, her body contorting in a grotesque parody of ecstasy. Her lips parted in a silent, agonized cry, each breath a desperate plea for the air that seemed just out of reach.

Jackson, the architect of this nightmare, watched her suffering with a twisted sense of satisfaction. His eyes glittered with malice, mirroring the electric sparks that danced across Madison's skin. Hate radiated from him, a palpable force, as though he could channel his venom into every bolt of energy that tore through her body.

"The crystal pulsates," Jackson murmured, his voice unnervingly calm amidst the chaos. "I can feel it. It's here," he said, as if speaking to the very energy coursing through Madison's veins, his gaze sharp and predatory.

Madison's vision blurred with tears as she tried to blink them away, her mind a fog of pain. She had overexerted the crystals, pushing them beyond their limits, and now they were betraying her, refusing to respond. Helpless, she was trapped at the mercy of the madman before her. Jackson's laughter, cold and taunting, echoed around her. His eyes glowed with a malevolent red, like the eyes of some hellish beast.

He stepped closer, his presence oppressive, looming over Madison like a dark shadow. "Has the crystal been with you this whole time?" Jackson's voice was soft, a mix of curiosity and malice. "I can sense its power, but it's not on you. How peculiar. A power so immense, yet so elusive."

With a sudden, violent motion, Jackson's hand clamped around Madison's throat, fingers digging into her skin. Electricity surged from his touch, paralyzing her, rendering her muscles useless. Madison's scream tore through the air, a sound so raw it seemed to vibrate through the very ground beneath them. Her back arched again, her body writhing under the onslaught, lips trembling as the scream turned into a strangled gasp for breath.

Out of nowhere, Matthew lunged, a blur of motion as he collided with Jackson, knocking him aside with the force of his charge. Bloodied and bruised from the ambush that had separated them earlier, Matthew was like a force of nature, his eyes burning with a mix of rage and desperation. With a clenched fist, he slammed it into Jackson's face, the impact resounding with a sickening crunch. Jackson was sent sprawling to the ground, and Matthew seized the moment to grab Madison's arm, yanking her toward him.

Madison, trembling and weak, stumbled behind Matthew, her hand clutching her bruised throat. Each breath was a struggle, a shallow, painful gasp that tore at her insides. She clung to Matthew, her eyes wide with fear and pain, watching him stand between her and Jackson, his body coiled like a spring, ready to unleash violence. 

Slowly, Jackson rose from the ground, a twisted smile spreading across his lips. He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, unfazed by the blow he'd taken. "Matthew," he said, his voice dripping with mockery, as if the punch had been nothing more than a mild inconvenience. He laughed, a cold, hollow sound that sent a shiver down Madison's spine. "I've got your attention now."

Shoved behind him, Madison could only watch as Matthew stepped forward, closing the distance between himself and Jackson. There was no backing down now. Jackson had chosen his side, and anyone who wasn't with them was against them.

**** ****

Eko and Toni skidded to a stop, their breaths coming in ragged gasps, hearts pounding in their chests. The scene before them was a horrifying tableau of chaos and blood. Aiden was already crouched beside Jesse, his face set with grim determination as he tried to save her. He had tightened his belt around her upper thigh, a makeshift tourniquet to stem the flow of blood that gushed from a deep, horrific wound.

Jesse's face was pale, her skin slick with sweat, her breaths coming in short, ragged bursts. Each exhale was laced with pain, a raw, gut-wrenching sound escaping her lips. Her eyes were squeezed shut, tears streaking down her cheeks as she fought against the agony. Her leg was a grotesque sight: the bone had pierced through the skin, jagged and slick with blood, and the raw muscle was exposed to the air. Her hand gripped desperately at her waist, where a dagger was still lodged, each nerve ending screaming in agony.

Aiden's hands were slick with blood, his face a mask of fear and concentration as he held the belt in place. His fingers trembled slightly, betraying the panic he was trying to suppress. Jesse's screams seemed to cut through him, each cry of pain tightening his expression, his jaw clenched in frustration and helplessness.

"Jesse, look at me! Look at me!" Toni dropped to his knees beside her, his voice breaking through the haze of pain and fear. Anger and concern rippled through him, his eyes locked on Jesse's pale face. Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused and glazed with pain, but she found Toni's face, a flicker of recognition breaking through her delirium.

Another scream tore from her throat, her body jerking as her hand clutched at the dagger in her stomach. Eko stood in front of them, her back to the group, eyes scanning the smoky battlefield for any signs of youmas lurking among the flames. Her staff was raised, ready to strike at any threat that might try to take advantage of their vulnerable position.

Jesse moaned, her head lolling to the side. "It hurts... so much," she whimpered, her voice barely a whisper.

"I know, Jesse. I know," Toni said softly, his hand moving to brush a strand of hair from her face as he quickly assessed the rest of her injuries. His heart twisted at the sight of her pain, but he forced himself to stay calm, to think clearly.

"I need to get her help!" Aiden said, his voice tight with urgency as he looked directly at Toni. "I've secured her leg, but she needs help!"

Toni glared at Aiden, gut-wrenching hatred flaring up inside him. The fact that Aiden—Jesse's on-again, off-again boyfriend, the guy who had broken her heart time and again—was here with her before he was, grated on his nerves. Gritting his teeth, Toni shoved aside his jealousy and turned his full attention to Jesse, the red-haired woman who meant more to him than anything.

"Jesse, look at me! Look at me!" Toni commanded, his voice strong and insistent. Jesse's eyes fluttered open, her gaze unfocused and glazed with pain, but they found Toni's face, a flicker of recognition sparking in their depths.

"You... c-came?" she whispered, her voice faint and slurred. "o-oh mama, lo-ok at... the b-butterflies everywhere."

"She's hallucinating," Aiden said, his tone clinical, trying to maintain control over the situation. Toni nodded, his eyes scanning Jesse's injuries with growing urgency.

A deafening boom echoed around them, and Eko fired a blast of energy at the youmas advancing through the smoke. The haze provided little cover, but Eko stood firm, her stance defensive, guarding the others as best she could. Jesse let out another agonizing scream, her body convulsing in Toni's arms. His heart clenched in frustration and helplessness, the jealousy he felt toward Aiden making his blood boil.

Eko turned her head slightly, her eyes flicking down to see the pool of blood spreading beneath Jesse. "How is she? What's happening?" she shouted over the noise of battle. "Can we move her?"

"Mon chérie, look at me," Aiden coaxed, his voice softening as he tried to soothe Jesse's panic. He leaned closer, his eyes searching hers for a sign that she was still with them.

"Dagger to the stomach," Toni said, his voice strained. "I think she's broken some ribs, too. She'll need surgery for her leg." Panic surged as he saw Jesse's eyes start to flutter shut.

"Hey!" Toni snapped, grabbing her chin to force her to focus on him, his voice sharp with desperation. "Don't you fucking close your eyes!"

Aiden's hand shot out, gripping Toni's wrist, yanking it away from Jesse's face. "She's hurt, Toni! Be careful!" Aiden snapped back, his own frustration boiling over.

"And she's bleeding internally! If she falls asleep, she could die!" Toni growled, his eyes blazing with fury and jealousy.

The two men glared at each other, the tension between them palpable, the battlefield chaos almost forgotten in the face of their clash. Jesse's weak moan broke the standoff, her body slumping against Aiden's chest.

"I'm taking her to get help; she can't stay here," Aiden declared, beginning to lift Jesse more securely into his arms. Her scream tore through the air as he moved her, pain shooting through her body.

"You're not taking her anywhere!" Toni snarled, stepping directly in Aiden's path, his fists clenched, his expression a mask of possessive rage.

Aiden held Jesse cradled in his arms, her fingers clutching at his shirt as she whimpered in pain. The way she clung to Aiden, sought comfort from him, twisted the knife of jealousy deeper into Toni's heart. It was a stark reminder that, no matter how much he cared, he was just her friend—her family. Aiden was the one she turned to, even if he wasn't right for her.

"She is my girlfriend!" Aiden shot back, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and urgency. "I'm getting her medical help right now, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" His grip on Jesse tightened protectively, his eyes daring Toni to challenge him.

Jesse's voice was faint, her words a barely audible murmur of pain and confusion.

"Take her and go," Eko commanded, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Get her back to base. Our doctors will handle it. Toni, we need to move."

Toni's jaw tightened, his eyes burning as he glared at Aiden. "Keep your eyes on her!" he warned, his voice filled with an unspoken threat.

"Like I'd let anything happen to her," Aiden shot back, his tone defiant. Without another word, he rose to his feet, Jesse held securely in his arms. He turned and sprinted into the haze, his form quickly swallowed by the smoke and shadows.

Eko watched Aiden's retreating figure, then placed a reassuring hand on Toni's shoulder. "She'll be okay," Eko said, her voice steady. "They'll set her leg, and she'll heal. You know that."

Toni nodded, his gaze still locked on the spot where Aiden had disappeared. A mixture of worry and frustration gnawed at him, but he forced it down. Eko split her Catania staff into long, gleaming swords, the blades catching the light as she moved forward, disappearing in a flash of magic to engage the youmas terrorizing a group of civilians up ahead. Grinding his teeth, Toni turned and followed Eko into the fray.

***** ******

Matthew's electricity shocks were more than just physical—they were the embodiment of his inner turmoil, rage given form. As his fingers tightened around Jackson's throat, they became conduits for his fury, channeling raw, crackling energy into the man beneath him. Each surge of electricity ripped through Jackson's body like venom, sending waves of excruciating pain through his nerves. With every pulse, Matthew's anger grew more palpable, a visceral display of his intent to dominate and destroy.

Purple and white flashes of electricity lit up Jackson's face, each bolt illuminating his contorted features. Another jolt sent him into a violent convulsion, a blood-curdling scream tearing from his throat. On his knees, Jackson's body shivered uncontrollably, sweat mingling with his tears as it dripped from his face. His voice, raw and filled with agony, echoed across the battlefield like a haunting siren, carried by the wind to all corners of the chaos.

Madison stood nearby, unable to tear her eyes away. Horror gripped her, rooting her to the spot as she watched the brutal scene unfold. Matthew's eyes flicked toward her for a brief moment, and she saw something terrifying—something cold and calculating. The malice in his gaze, the sheer pleasure he seemed to derive from Jackson's suffering, sent a shiver down her spine. Her hatred for him deepened in that instant, not just for what he was doing, but for the sadistic joy he took in it. The cruelty in his actions made her sick, and she knew she had to get her cousin away from this insidious monster.

There was a twisted satisfaction in Matthew's expression, the blood-stained smile that curved his lips revealing a side of him that Madison found utterly revolting. He was enjoying this, relishing each scream, each jolt of pain he inflicted. This wasn't just about power—it was about feeding the darkness within him, a darkness that Madison realized was deeper and more insidious than she had ever imagined. Her skin crawled as she watched, the revulsion churning in her stomach like a sickness.

Every fiber of her being screamed at her to run, to get as far away from him as possible. But before she could move, she saw Matthew's chilling smile widen. He leaned closer to Jackson, his face inches away from the man writhing in agony.

"Scream louder," Matthew commanded, his voice a low, menacing growl laced with a sickening kind of pleasure. "Make them all hear you."

Jackson's cries grew more frantic, each one a desperate, high-pitched wail that sliced through the air. His voice was hoarse, but the pain amplified his cries, making them echo across the battlefield. Matthew's eyes glittered with dark amusement, feeding off the fear and chaos he was causing.

"I want them to fucking hear what I will do to them," Matthew taunted, his voice dripping with malice. His grip tightened, sending another pulse of electricity through Jackson's body, making him convulse violently.

"He's... going... to k-kill you," Jackson gasped between fits of hysterical laughter, his voice barely audible over the pain that wracked his body.

"Good," Matthew replied, his tone cold, unyielding. "Let him come. I want them all to come, so we can end this right now." His fingertips crackled with energy, forming a pulsating orb of deadly light. In an instant, he released it, sending a powerful shockwave of electricity through Jackson's body. The force of it was so intense that Jackson's screams reached a fever pitch before abruptly cutting off, leaving a deafening silence.

The lethal surge's glow cast an eerie light on Madison's face, illuminating her wide eyes with flickers of purple and white. She stood frozen, unable to tear her gaze away, as the life drained from Jackson's eyes, his body slumping lifelessly to the ground.

Matthew turned, already strategizing their next move. He gripped his sword, ready to lead Madison to safety and cut through whatever stood in their way. But as he faced her, he was met not with relief or gratitude, but with a look of horror and disgust that stopped him cold. Madison's hand struck his chest, her palm pressing hard against him, stopping him in his tracks. Her eyes were wide, glassy with rage, and the venom in her gaze made Matthew's blood run cold.

Madison's eyes blazed with fury, her voice a sharp, venomous whisper. "You're a monster, Matthew. That's all you've ever been, and all you'll ever fucking be. You don't even see it, do you? You're so obsessed with my cousin, so convinced you're saving her, when in reality, you're the chains around her neck, dragging her deeper into this nightmare. Her grief binds her to you like a fucking leash, and you keep pulling her back into the dark every time she tries to breathe. The only way any of us can escape this hell you've created is if you die right here, right now. I'm doing this for everyone—for what's left of humanity. You think killing you is a choice? No, it's a goddamn necessity. Your death is the only chance we have for any kind of freedom, the only way the world stands a chance of healing. People like you, Matthew, are a disease. You're a plague, and the only cure is to cut you out."

The battlefield, already teetering on the edge of chaos, seemed to hold its breath. Madison's words carved through the noise like a knife, their weight pressing down on Matthew, suffocating him. The hatred in her eyes was a mirror reflecting back his darkest fears, every word a blow to his confidence, to his sense of self. The air around them thickened with the promise of violence, the kind that leaves nothing but ashes behind.

"Mad—" Matthew tried to speak, but his voice cracked, the ground beneath him feeling like it was crumbling away.

"Don't fucking say my name!" Madison's scream was a feral roar, her power sparking violently, sending a searing jolt of energy across his chest. "There's no hope with you! No love, no light—only misery, destruction, and endless fucking pain! You should have been killed before you ever had the chance to destroy everything you touched! That woman—the one who gave you those cursed crystals—she should have seen you for what you are. A parasite. A plague. She should have given them to someone who would have used them to save lives, to bring peace. But instead, they went to you. You, who only brings death."

Every word was like a hammer blow, crushing Matthew under the weight of his own guilt, his own failures. Madison's words were stripping him bare, exposing the festering wounds he tried to hide, the darkness he fought so hard to control. Her rage was a mirror to his own self-loathing, her accusations echoing the doubts that haunted his every step. The confidence he'd held, the sense of purpose, crumbled in the face of her unrelenting fury.

And then, as if Madison's fury had summoned him, a figure materialized beside her, stepping out of the shadows like a nightmare brought to life. Matthew's heart skipped a beat, his blood turning to ice as his eyes locked onto Xero. The man's presence was suffocating, a void that sucked the warmth out of the air around them. A slow, wicked grin spread across Xero's face, his eyes glittering with dark delight as he took in the scene, his expression one of twisted pleasure at the chaos he had nurtured.

"Do it, child," Xero murmured, his voice a smooth, serpentine whisper that cut through the tension like a knife. Each word was coated in malice, dripping with the promise of death. The sound slithered into Matthew's ears, sending a shiver crawling down his spine, a chill that settled into his bones like frost. "Kill him. End it."

This was no longer just a confrontation; it was a reckoning. 

Ah, fuck.