Logan dashed at Joshua, his right leg shooting forward in a sharp front kick. Joshua braced and blocked the impact with his forearms, the sound of the collision echoing in the air. He countered with a swift right hook aimed at Logan's ribs, but Logan caught it on his guard. Without pause, Logan twisted into a left axe kick targeting Joshua's head, but again, Joshua blocked it and retaliated with a straight punch toward Logan's face.
Logan leaned back, narrowly avoiding the blow, and skipped backward to put distance between them.
Joshua grinned, eyes still glowing a fierce emerald. "Looks like we're equal."
Logan gave a smug smirk. "Yeah... but I can't say the same for Jack and my brother."
Joshua's heart skipped. He turned his head and what he saw made his blood run cold.
Morgan stood with Jack slumped in his grip, one hand fisted around Jack's collar while the other mercilessly smashed into his face again and again. Blood sprayed with each brutal strike.
"Jaaaacckkk!!" Joshua cried out but Logan interrupted his focus with a brutal side kick to the ribs, launching Joshua backward and stealing the air from his lungs.
"I don't like it when you look at other people during our special moment," Logan growled, charging again.
He unleashed a vicious flurry of strikes. Joshua blocked, but the relentless assault forced him back, each blow echoing with deadly intent.
Meanwhile, Morgan looked down at Jack, bloodied and barely conscious. "The boss said I could kill him," he said, raising his clawed hand.
Joshua's thoughts spiraled. He's going to kill Jack, I've got to move!
Logan threw a straight punch. Joshua slipped it and, with a guttural shout, unleashed a monstrous overhand that cracked across Logan's face and sent him flying. Not wasting a breath, Joshua turned and sprinted toward Morgan.
Just as Morgan's claws descended, Joshua arrived, his fist crashing into Morgan's jaw with enough force to launch him off his feet and send Jack tumbling to the ground, safe. Joshua skidded to a halt, panting, and glanced down. Jack was still breathing.
But the victory was short-lived.
Logan and Morgan climbed back to their feet, blood oozing from their mouths.
Logan wiped his lips. "He's dangerous."
Morgan cracked his neck. "Then let's tag team him."
Their crimson eyes glowed brighter as they stepped into matching kickboxing stances.
Joshua took his stance again, blood trailing down his face. "So there's no honor here, huh? Then bring it."
They charged at once. Logan led with a right hand, Joshua slipped it and prepared to counter when Morgan's roundhouse crashed into the side of his head, staggering him. Logan followed with an uppercut, snapping Joshua's head back. Then came the combinations. A torrent of kicks, punches, and elbows rained down on Joshua.
Blood splattered across the ground.
Inside the Witch's Den, Franciele's knuckles whitened.
"My grandson... I have to do something." She stood, unsteady but determined.
"Don't be stupid, Franciele!" Crystal grabbed her arm. "They'll slaughter you!"
Franciele stared at her best friend and then collapsed to her knees, her eyes wide with horror.
Merlin watched from the alley, trembling. (Joshua… I want to help... but I'm scared. I'm really scared.)
Outside, Logan and Morgan unleashed a simultaneous right and left punch that cracked against Joshua's face. He started to fall but they grabbed him by his collar, holding him upright on his knees.
His green glow faded.
Then came the beating.
Blow after blow. Their fists smashed into Joshua's face with sickening rhythm. Blood painted their arms. The ground beneath them grew red.
Franciele rose again. "I don't care anymore. I'm not letting my only grandson die!"
Crystal tackled her, wrapping her arms tight. "I'm sorry… but I won't let you throw your life away. You're my best friend."
Merlin wept from the alley, paralyzed with guilt and terror. (I'm sorry… No. I have to move. I can't let my baby brother die!)
Logan and Morgan laughed as they beat Joshua mercilessly.
Then, a hand touched their shoulders.
"Come on, guys…" a drunken voice slurred. "I know you're… having fun… but this is going too far."
They turned.
Jessica stood there, barely able to stay upright, swaying on her feet, eyes unfocused.
They smirked.
In unison, they spun and drove their hands, shaped into blades, straight into her stomach.
Jessica gasped. Blood gushed from the wound, pouring to the earth.
Everyone froze.
Joshua. Jack. Merlin. Crystal. Franciele.
Jessica looked down at the twin arms skewering her, as if in disbelief. (Huh… how did this happen? Am I… dying?)
She looked up. Her eyes locked with Jack's.
"Jack… I love you…" she whispered, tears streaming down her face, a gentle smile curling on her lips.
Then they struck her again.
Two fists to the face.
Blood exploded into the air. Her body flew back and slammed into a wall with a thunderous crack. She slumped to the ground, her head bowed. Silent.
"Jessica!!! Jessica! Jessica…" Jack's voice grew softer with each cry. Reality gripped him like a noose.
Joshua's vision blurred. (I thought I was stronger… but I couldn't protect her… just like Amy.)
Jack shook violently. (I let the woman I love die… I'm trash. I'm trash. I'm trash.)
Joshua's grin twisted, blood dripping from his lips. Then he laughed, a horrible, broken sound.
"Hahahahaha… HAHAHAHAHA!!"
Logan stared. "What the hell is wrong with them?"
Morgan shrugged. "Beats me. Let's finish this."
As they approached, Jack's body began to shift.
Brown wolf ears sprouted from his head. A tail burst from his lower back. He trembled, still crying, as red light filled his eyes.
Joshua's teeth grew sharper. His claws extended. His emerald eyes blazed like wildfire.
(If only I had more power… I could have saved her…)
Jack and Joshua rose together.
One crying.
One laughing.
"I'M GOING TO DEVOUR YOU BASTARDS!!!" they screamed in unison.
Jack wept with grief, and Joshua grinned with madness.
Together, they faced their enemies, awakened anew.
And for the first time…
Logan and Morgan were afraid.