One Month and Eleven Days Later
The cold wind blew across the docks, carrying the scent of salt and rusted metal. High above the shipping yard, perched atop a towering crane, Isabella Knight and Gale watched the scene below. The dim lights flickered against the vast sea of containers, and figures moved in the shadows—some armed, others caged like animals.
A human trafficking ring.
Her blood boiled at the thought.
Flashback – {The Investigation Begins}
It started as a routine patrol, another night of hunting down criminals. She and Gale had intercepted a van, expecting petty thieves or smugglers. Instead, what they found made her sick. The back of the van was filled with people—bound, gagged, and terrified.
The kidnappers had panicked when they were caught, begging for mercy.
"Let us go, and we'll tell you everything!" one pleaded, his voice trembling.
Isa crouched before him, her glowing eyes sharp as knives. "You think you have a choice?" she asked coldly. "I'm giving you two options. Speak now and keep your suffering to a minimum, or I can make sure you beg for death before I'm done."
Fear gripped them. The truth spilled out.
They were collectors, snatching men, women, and children off the streets to be sold to the highest bidder. Some were harvested for organs. Others became test subjects in illegal experiments. And the young girls? Sold into a fate worse than death.
Isa's fists clenched so hard her nails bit into her skin. She wanted to kill them on the spot.
But rage without strategy was useless.
Instead, she gathered intel. Every shipment, every contact, every location they had. It took weeks of tracking, planning, and preparing. She trained relentlessly, sharpening her magic and combat techniques. And yesterday, her final preparation had been completed.
Flashback – {A Fierce Battle and a New Power}
The private training grounds at the Knight estate were filled with the sounds of battle. Isa and Gale, both in human form, clashed under the moonlit sky. Their movements were a blur—Isa's fists striking fast as lightning, Gale's defenses unshaken as steel.
She ducked under a sweeping kick, countering with a palm strike charged with wind magic. Gale smirked, deflecting it and twisting to sweep her legs. She leaped over him, flipping mid-air and landing gracefully.
"You're getting better," Gale admitted, shaking off the residual force of her attack.
Isa smirked. "I have to. Otherwise, I won't be able to kick your ass."
Gale lunged forward, his fists engulfed in a light aura, signaling his own enhancement magic. Isa met him head-on, weaving between his attacks and striking back with speed enhanced by wind magic. They exchanged blows in a dance of precision and strength, neither giving an inch.
Then she saw her opening.
Channeling electricity through her fists, she surged forward, aiming the final blow—
"Master," Sai's voice interrupted through her earpiece.
She barely stopped her punch before it landed square on Gale's chest.
"What is it?" she asked, annoyed at the interruption.
Sai's voice carried a hint of excitement. "I've completed the development and testing of your new armor."
Isa's irritation vanished, replaced by curiosity. "Show me. Now."
Before her, a cube appeared, metallic black with silver linings. On each of its six sides, different-colored gems pulsed with energy.
Sai explained, "The armor is in a dormant state. Do you wish to activate it?"
Isa smirked. "Of course."
She reached out, her fingers grazing the surface. The cube liquefied, wrapping around her body like living metal. In seconds, it solidified into a sleek black suit with silver detailing. Gems embedded in her gauntlets pulsed with elemental energy—red for fire, yellow for light, green for earth and nature, blue for wind, lightning, and weather, dark blue for water and ice, and violet for darkness.
Her mask covered half her face, her hood settling over her head like a shadow.
Phiel's voice chimed in, "Congratulations on obtaining a new and stronger armor."
Gale grinned. "Not bad. Now you just have to learn how to use it properly."
Isa flexed her fingers, feeling the power thrumming through her new suit. "Oh, trust me. I'll learn fast."
Present – {The Raid Begins}
Back at the docks, Isa's voice was calm as she spoke into her comms. "Sai, do you have a scan of the area?"
"Affirmative," Sai responded. "There are fifty armed hostiles. The captives are in the western sector—fifth green container and sixth red container."
Isa's gaze locked onto Gale. "Our armor is bulletproof. You take the north, I'll take the south."
Gale cracked his knuckles. "Finally. Let's have some fun."
They melted into the shadows, moving like ghosts.
The first guard never saw it coming. Isa appeared behind him, snapping his neck in one swift motion before he could make a sound. Gale, on the other side, slit a man's throat and dragged his body into the darkness.
But stealth never lasted long.
A guard turned the corner, spotting Isa. "Intrud—!"
She silenced him with a well-aimed fireball, engulfing him in flames before he could alert the others. But the damage was done.
Alarms blared.
"Guess we're doing this the loud way," Gale muttered.
Isa smirked. "Wouldn't have it any other way."
They exploded into action, magic and martial arts intertwining in a deadly display. Isa sent a bolt of lightning crashing through multiple enemies, then closed in to engage others in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Gale tore through them like a beast, his enhanced strength making him unstoppable.
Bodies fell. Screams echoed. Blood stained the ground.
Then, the leader emerged, holding a little girl at gunpoint.
"Not another step!" he barked, pressing the barrel against her temple. "I'll kill her!"
The girl, no older than six, trembled, tears streaking her rosy white cheeks. Her platinum-blonde hair framed her round face, and her big blue eyes were wide with fear.
Isa and Gale stilled, their fury burning beneath their calm exteriors.
The man sneered. "Drop your weapons."
Isa subtly gathered lightning magic in her palm. Before she could strike—
The leader began to twitch violently. His eyes rolled back, his body convulsing as his blood vessels bulged unnaturally. The gun fell from his grip, and the girl scrambled away.
Hovering behind him, a drone whirred.
Sai's smug voice came through. "No need to thank me."
Isa smirked. "Good job."
She knelt, pulling the girl into a warm hug. "It's okay now. The bad guys are gone."
The girl hiccupped through her sobs, clinging to Isa desperately.
After freeing the captives and healing their wounds, Isa prepared to leave. But as she turned, the little girl called out, "Big sister, what should I call you?"
Isa paused. Then, with a small smile behind her mask, she answered, "Call me Shadow Valkyrie."
And with that, she disappeared into the night.