The city was falling apart.
Buildings crumbled like toys, and the monster kept slithering through the streets, its slimy body smashing everything in its path. Those glowing yellow spots on its sides pulsed like tiny suns, shooting beams of poison light that lted stone and turned people purple as they dropped dead.
Chaos was everywhere—screams, smoke, and the stink of death filled the air.
Luna stood in the middle of it all, her heart pounding. She wasn’t the strongest fighter. She knew that. Compared to Luther or even Selena, her skills were basic. But she had her divine power. It wasn’t much, just enough to make barriers and heal small cuts, but right now, it was all she had. And she wasn’t going to let these people die without a fight.
"Move! Get to the western gate!" she yelled, her voice hoarse from shouting. A group of kids ran past her, their faces streaked with tears. She threw her hands up, and a shimring golden wall of light appeared just as one of the worm’s beams blasted toward them. The barrier shook hard, cracks forming in the glowing surface, but it held.
The kids made it to safety.
She stumbled back, her knees shaky. Sweat dripped down her forehead. "Co on... hold it together," she muttered to herself. She could feel her energy draining fast. Each barrier took a chunk out of her, and this monster wasn’t slowing down.
It twisted its massive head—if you could call that ugly lump a head—toward her. Its body scraped against the ground, tearing up cobblestones like they were paper. One of its glowing spots flared brighter, and Luna’s eyes widened. "Oh no, you don’t!"
She thrust her hands forward again, summoning another golden barrier. The beam hit it full force, and the impact knocked her off her feet. She crashed into a pile of broken wood, sharp edges digging into her back. Pain shot through her, but she gritted her teeth and pushed herself up. Blood trickled down her arm from a cut, staining her sleeve red.
"Luna!" Vess’s voice ca from sowhere in the chaos, but Luna couldn’t see her through the dust and smoke. She waved a hand weakly. "I’m fine! Keep helping the others!"
The worm let out a low, rumbling growl that shook the ground. It was angry now—or maybe it just noticed her. Either way, it slithered closer, its slimy bulk towering over her.
Her heart raced, but she didn’t run.
She couldn’t.
Too many people were still trapped behind her, running for their lives.
"I’m not letting you win," she said, glaring up at the monster. Her hands glowed again, brighter this ti. She poured everything she had into her divine power, pulling from deep inside. A massive golden do ford around her, big enough to shield the street behind her. "Co on, you ugly slug! Try !"
The worm didn’t hesitate.
Three of its glowing spots lit up at once, and beams of yellow light slamd into her barrier. The force was insane—like a hamr smashing glass. Cracks spread across the do instantly, and she felt the strain in her bones. Her legs wobbled, and she dropped to one knee, but she kept her hands up, pushing back with all her will.
"Not... yet..." she gasped. Blood dripped from her nose now, a sign she was pushing way past her limit. The barrier flickered, but she forced it to hold. She could hear people screaming behind her, guards yelling orders, and the sound of more buildings collapsing.
She had to buy them ti.
The worm reared up, its body curling like a snake about to strike. Then it slamd down, smashing its weight into the barrier. The golden light shattered like a broken mirror, and she flew backward, hitting the ground hard.
Her vision blurred. Pain exploded in her chest—probably a cracked rib or two. She coughed, tasting blood.
"Get up," she told herself, her voice barely a whisper. She clawed at the dirt, forcing her body to move. The worm was coming again, its slimy maw opening to reveal rows of jagged teeth. Another glowing spot flared, and a beam shot straight at her.
She rolled to the side just in ti, the light sizzling the ground where she’d been. Heat burned her skin, and she cried out as the edge of the beam grazed her leg. The wound turned black and stung like fire, but she bit her lip and stood anyway, leaning on a broken wall for support.
"I... won’t... stop..." she panted. Her hands glowed weakly now, flickering like a dying candle. She raised them one last ti, summoning a small barrier—just big enough to cover herself. It wouldn’t stop the worm, but maybe it’d slow it down.
The monster lood closer, its shadow swallowing her. She could feel its hot, stinking breath as it opened its mouth wider. This was it. She’d given everything, and it still wasn’t enough. Her arms trembled, the barrier fading. "Sorry, everyone..." she whispered, closing her eyes.
A loud BOOM shook the air.
Her eyes snapped open.
The worm’s head jerked back, a dark streak slashing through its side. Black smoke poured from the wound, and the creature screeched—a sound so loud it made her ears ring. She blinked, trying to focus through the pain and exhaustion.
There he was.
Luther stood on a pile of rubble, his sword glowing black with that creepy dark mana he rarely used. His clothes were torn, blood streaked his face, but his eyes burned with that cocky fire she knew so well. He ca back—just when she thought it was over.
"Miss ?" he called, smirking down at her.
She let out a weak laugh, relief flooding her. "You’re... late, idiot."
"Had to take care of so pests," he said, jumping down to stand between her and the worm. The monster thrashed, clearly pissed off now, but he didn’t even flinch. He twirled his sword and faced it head-on. "Rest up. I’ve got this."
She slumped against the wall, her body screaming in pain but her spirit lifting. She held the line. She did her part. Now it was his turn to finish it.
He cracked his neck, grinning like a madman as the giant worm lood over him. Its slimy body glistened, those glowing yellow spots pulsing with poison energy. The thing was massive—way bigger than anything he’d even seen before—and that just made his blood pump harder.
"Finally," he muttered, gripping his sword tighter. "Sothing worth hitting."
The worm didn’t waste ti. It reared back and shot a beam of yellow light straight at him. He laughed—a wild, unhinged sound—and dove to the side, the beam sizzling past him and lting a chunk of the street.
He rolled to his feet, eyes glinting with excitent. "That all you got, you oversized slug?"
Luna, slumped against the wall behind him, coughed weakly. "Hey... don’t be stupid..."
"Stupid’s my specialty," he shot back, not even glancing at her. His focus was locked on the worm. It thrashed, smashing its tail into a building and sending bricks flying. He darted forward, legs pumping with dark mana, and slashed at its side. His sword bit into the slimy flesh, black smoke hissing from the cut. It screeched, twisting to snap at him with its jagged teeth.
"Oh, you’re mad now!" He cackled, ducking under the bite and stabbing upward. The blade sank into its underside, and more smoke poured out, but it didn’t go down.
Instead, it swung its massive body, forcing him to leap back or get crushed. He landed in a crouch, grinning ear to ear. "Yeah, that’s it! Hit harder!"
It’s glowing spots flared again, and this ti, two beams shot out. He twisted mid-air, one beam grazing his arm—burning through his sleeve and leaving a nasty black mark.
He hissed, but the pain just fueled him. "That’s the stuff!" he yelled, charging again. He swung his sword in a wide arc, dark mana trailing behind it like a shadow. The blade carved a shallow gash along the worm’s side, but it still wasn’t enough to stop it.
He wasn’t winning—not even close—but he didn’t care. The thing was tough, fast, and an, and that’s exactly what he wanted. His heart pounded like a drum, adrenaline buzzing through him.
"Co on, you ugly bastard! Push ! Break ! I wanna feel it!" His voice was manic, almost pleading, as he dodged another beam and slashed at one of the glowing spots. The spot cracked, leaking green ooze, but the worm just roared louder and slamd its head down.
He barely rolled out of the way, the ground shaking under him. He popped up, panting, sweat dripping into his eyes.
"Yes! YES! Keep it coming!" He was tweaking hard now—every muscle twitching, every nerve on fire. This was his drug, his high. A fight that could actually test him, maybe even kill him. He loved it.
The worm lunged, jaws wide, and he t it head-on. He jamd his sword into its mouth, wedging it between those nasty teeth. The blade glowed hotter, dark mana pulsing, and the worm thrashed, trying to shake him off.
He held on, laughing like a lunatic. "You’re mine, you hear ? Mine!" His arms strained, his boots skidding on the ground, but he didn’t let go. Black smoke filled the air as the sword burned deeper into the monster’s flesh.
For a second, it felt like he might actually do it—like he could rip this thing apart with his bare hands. His eyes glowed faintly, that dark mana seeping out of him in waves. "I’m just getting started—"
A loud attack cut him off.
Arrows rained down from the rooftops, peppering the worm’s body. Fireballs followed, exploding against its slimy hide. His head snapped up, and he saw them—hunters. A whole squad of them, decked out in fancy gear, leaping into the fight like they owned it. One guy in a shiny breastplate shouted orders, waving a glowing spear.
"Focus fire on the weak points! We’ve got it now!"
The worm screeched, distracted by the new attackers. Luther yanked his sword free and stumbled back, his grin vanishing. "What the hell?" he muttered, watching as the hunters sward in. A girl with twin daggers darted past him, slashing at the worm’s tail.
Another guy summoned a wall of ice to block a beam. They were good—organized, efficient, boring.
"Get outta here!" He snapped, his voice sharp with irritation. The dagger girl glanced at him, confused. "This is my fight, you idiots!"
"City’s in danger, kid," the spear guy barked back, not even looking at him. "We’re saving lives. Step aside."
"Step aside?" His eye twitched. He gripped his sword so hard his knuckles turned white. "I don’t need your damn help! I had this!"
The worm thrashed again, one of its beams blasting the ice wall to shards. The hunters didn’t flinch—they just kept attacking, working together like so perfect little team. Luther stood there, chest heaving, his high crashing hard. The thrill was gone. These clowns had ruined it.
"Fine," he spat, sheathing his sword with a loud clank. "You wanna play heroes? Have at it." He turned on his heel and stord off, kicking a chunk of rubble so hard it shattered against a wall. "Bunch of glory-stealing assholes..."
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