I looked at the man and felt a weight settle in my chest. Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.
"Nate, is it?" Roth asked, his voice calm. Too calm.
I stood slowly. "Wren, we need to go."
She looked up at me, surprised, but didn't argue. I took her hand and started toward the door. We were nearly there when Uncle Vince stepped in front of us.
"Hey, hey, kid. What's going on?" he asked. "You barely touched your cannelloni."
I forced a tight smile. "I'm really happy for what you did here. Don't worry—I'll pay for the meal—"
"You never need to pay here," Vince said firmly. "But why are you running off so fast?"
"Because that man…" I glanced over my shoulder. Roth was watching us, expression unreadable. "He's not who he says he is. He's done terrible things."
Vince looked confused. "Come on, he can't be that bad. He gave us the money to keep this place open after your mom passed."
"I know. And I'm grateful. But I also know what he's done since. I'm sorry, but I have to go."
Outside, I tried to steady my breathing. My heart was hammering, not from fear—but from fury.
"Nate," Wren said, concern in her voice. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just… I need to get you home. Something came up."
She nodded, not pushing. "Alright. Let's go."
We rode in silence, the wind too loud to talk. Once we reached her place, I pulled off my helmet.
"Sorry again," I muttered.
She stepped closer. "Don't be. It was a great night… even with the weird ending."
I leaned down and kissed her, holding onto that warmth for just a second longer than I needed to. Then I rode like a bullet through the city, pushing my Honda past 100 mph. I kept trying the emergency channel to Nest, but she wouldn't respond. That scared me more than anything.
I reached The Lantern, my ribs still aching from the Crucible fight. I didn't care. I threw on my suit piece by piece, locked my armor in place, grabbed my silk coils, and climbed to the tallest building I could reach.
I didn't hesitate.
I dove off the edge, cape expanding into wings, wind slicing around me. The city blurred beneath my boots as I glided toward the restaurant.
When I landed on the rooftop across from Vince's place, Roth was already outside. 6'5", dressed sharp again, shaking Vince's hand like they were old friends.
I dropped into the street behind him.
"What do we have here?" Roth turned, his voice heavy with a low, vibrating hum.
"I'm the one who's going to stop you, Roth Vex."
He smiled like a father amused by a child. "Touched by the gods, just like me."
Then something changed. His dark skin brightened with heat, veins glowing orange like molten metal. Ash flaked from his arms. His clothes burned away in slow ribbons, revealing skin like obsidian glass.
"What are you?"
He spread his arms. "Gifted. My power comes from Cindarok, the Ashen King. God of fire."
"So you hurt people and call it divine?" I snapped.
"You'd see it that way, under your god's wing. But this world doesn't need protectors, Nate. It needs purifiers."
He glanced at Vince. "You should go inside now."
Vince hesitated. "Yes, sir," he said, disappearing through the door.
I launched at Roth, wings flaring open, silk snapping out toward him. But he didn't dodge. My fist connected with his jaw. I followed up—jabs to his throat, kicks to the ribs—but his body crackled with heat, my blows hitting something harder than steel.
He backhanded me. I flew into a dumpster with a crash. Metal bent around me. My breath left my lungs.
"Pathetic," he said.
I rushed again, driving a knee into his leg. He stumbled. I went for the jaw, and this time drew blood. Just a little.
"That's more like it," he said, grinning.
But then he grabbed my head. I struck him again—nothing. He slammed me down so hard I saw stars.
"Crucible told me how your fight went," Roth said, cracking his knuckles. "Useful intel."
He kicked me. I slid across the street like a ragdoll.
"You wear pain like armor. But pain is a cage. You've never left it." He walked slowly toward me. "You fight like a boy clawing at ghosts. I am meaning. I am chosen. You cling to discipline like it's noble. I burned mine away. What's left is pure. Refined. Perfect."
He lifted me by the throat.
I punched. Nothing. He caught my arm and snapped it. Pain flared through me like wildfire. I screamed.
"Good," he whispered. "Show me your pain."
He leaned in. "You are but a moth. I am the flame. And I will burn your world to the ground."
Then he dropped me.
"Not tonight," he said. "You'll live, so you can watch everything fall."
He turned and walked away, his body still glowing. Ash trailed behind him like smoke from a god's pyre.
I crawled to the nearest alley. Blood dripped from my lips. My body screamed in agony. I tapped my comms, activating the emergency ping.
"Nest… please…" I whispered. "I need you."
Then, darkness.