Under the flickering light, Yuri and the swordsman circled each other in the cramped corridor, a battlefield etched with scars.
Bone screamed against steel as their blades met, the shockwave cracking the walls, sending tremors up the staircase. The swordsman, a blur of motion, slashed. Yuri parried, twisting into a dual-sword stance.
"You know," the swordsman said, his eyes wary, "we both believe we're the heroes. To each other, we're just villains."
Yuri's gaze hardened. "I disagree. I know what you do here. Detention, experimentation... that's not right. I'm still the good guy."
The swordsman considered him, then vanished. An instant later, a searing pain ripped through Yuri's shoulder. He slammed against the crumbling wall, dazed.
The swordsman loomed, blade poised. "Maybe. But we protect our world. I've seen enough alien movies. Your kind never comes in peace. A being with atomic levels of energy? We'll do whatever it takes to defend ourselves."
His sword hovered at Yuri's neck. "I'm not just going to kill every alien in this building. I'm going to hunt you all down. End you."
He struck. A shimmering bone shield erupted just in time.
"What are you going to do to my kind?" Yuri growled, his voice a frigid snarl. With a savage roar, he slammed the swordsman into the ground. Concrete shattered, blood oozing from beneath the shattered mask.
"What will you do?" Yuri snarled, slamming the swordsman down. Concrete shattered, blood splattering. The swordsman's red eyes, teary, pleaded, "No..."
Yuri's boot came down. A sickening crunch. "Blasted humans." Brains and blood sprayed the steps, a gruesome tableau.
He snapped his head towards Bakari, just as Snowflake lunged, Bakari slumped and vulnerable. "No!" Yuri roared, moving to intercept.
But as he reached Bakari, an explosion ripped from Bakari's core.
Snowflake recoiled, conjuring an ice wall. The flames devoured it, sending Snowflake and Yuri flying.
From the inferno, Bakari emerged, his very being transfigured. His wounds hissed and sealed, flesh knitting with unnatural speed. Bakari's eyes blazed with an intense, fiery glow – twin suns burning with untamed power.
Unnatural heat radiated from his hand, warping and melting the metal of his prosthetic arm, the limb twisting and distorting under the searing temperature.
Bakari's hair seemed to defy gravity, hovering around his head in a wild, flaming crown, the strands flickering and dancing as if fueled by an internal inferno. A pulsing, heated sun mark glowed on his chest, its radiance matching the intensity of his transformed state.
From the inferno, Bakari emerged, his very being transfigured. His wounds hissed and sealed, flesh knitting with unnatural speed. Bakari's eyes blazed with an intense, fiery glow – twin suns burning with untamed power. Unnatural heat radiated from his hand, warping and melting the metal of his prosthetic arm, the limb twisting and distorting under the searing temperature.
Bakari's hair seemed to defy gravity, hovering around his head in a wild, flaming crown, the strands flickering and dancing as if fueled by an internal inferno. A pulsing, heated sun mark glowed on his chest, its radiance matching the intensity of his transformed state.
He clenched his remaining fist, feeling the heat building within his palm. Flames coiled and danced around his fingers, pooling into a molten orb of pure, searing energy.
In a voice that sounded like a blend of his own groovy timbre and a celestial, booming echo, Bakari exclaimed, "What in the name of Christ just happened to me? Am I... alive?"
He raised his heated arm, a chuckle rumbling from his chest. "This is my father's authority. I finally manifested it - about time!"
Memories of battle flooded him. *Where is he?*
His gaze locked on Snowflake, hunched and charred.
The intoxicating rush of celestial energy coursed through him. "So, you aliens do have powers," he taunted. "You're like us - energy source and ability. Ha! We thought you just had energy and didn't know how to wield it. Scratch that. I'm going to kill you myself."
Bakari raised his hand, pointing at Snowflake. He paused, brow furrowed, as if trying to understand his power.
"No," he said, voice uncertain. "I will be the one to kill you ."
Flames coiled at his fingertip, building into a fiery mass. Bakari stared, fascinated and unnerved.
"Let's see what this can do," he muttered.
With a tentative mental command, Bakari launched the blaze - a massive fireball screeching through the air. He watched, eyes widening at the sheer force.
*I can't believe I'm doing this,* he thought, awed and trepidatious. *I need to learn to control it.*
Snowflake reacted instantly, unleashing a torrent of frost.
Fire and ice collided in a cataclysm. The force reverberated through the building, walls buckling, ceiling beams snapping. The ground trembled, threatening to destroy everything.
Bakari, fiery and powerful, teetered on the edge of collapse. His eyes dimmed, the orange fading. His fiery form flickered, died, leaving only the scorched remains of his prosthetic arm. He fell to his knees, panting, exhausted.
"Bakari!"
He glanced up. Yuri ran towards him, black cargo pants clutched in his hand.
Yuri thrust the pants forward. "Seems like that's what it took for you to manifest your authority."
Bakari took them, sliding them on with a weary sigh. Zipping them up, he glared at Yuri. "That's a cruel way to manifest it. At death's door? Absurd." He stared at the pants, puzzled. "Where'd you get these?"
Yuri retorted, "You're worrying about the wrong thing."
Bakari sighed. "Yeah... I wish I had Mother's-"
A rumble echoed. From the gaping elevator shaft, four figures emerged.
The boys turned.
The first was a young man, dark hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, scars crisscrossing his face, weary determination in his eyes.
He raised a fist, his voice ringing. "Great, more of them. We are getting out of here, I promise you that."
Bakari, despite his exhaustion, felt the faint hum of celestial energy emanating from them.
The second was a young woman, curly hair pulled back in a high ponytail, a prominent scar across her lip.
"Wait, wait," she said, stepping forward. "I think they're like us." She sized up Bakari and Yuri, cautious curiosity in her eyes.
A warm smile spread across her face. "Hi," she said.