The corridor had gone eerily quiet after the first guard ran off.Only one remained — a tall, broad figure clad in heavy armor, visor glinting under the pale hallway lights.Layla stood at one end, Vorden at the other. The air between them buzzed with tension.
"Alright," Rayten muttered, cracking his neck. "Let's keep this quiet."
In an instant, his body shimmered and vanished. A faint ripple in the air was all that remained — silent as smoke.Layla steadied her breathing and extended her hand, feeling the familiar tingle of telekinesis bloom like a second pulse in her mind.
The guard shifted slightly, scanning the hall. His instincts flared — something was wrong.That's when a loud clang! echoed behind him — a metal bin, lifted by Layla's power, slammed against the wall. The sound bounced off the corridor walls in an echo.
"What the—?" the guard growled, turning toward the noise.
That single heartbeat was all Rayten needed.He reappeared behind the guard, one hand bursting into orange flame. The firelight danced against the steel armor like molten sunlight.He clenched his fist — and swung.
BANG!The hit landed squarely on the backplate, sending a shockwave of heat down the hallway. Sparks scattered like fireflies.
The guard stumbled forward but recovered fast. His gauntlet came swinging around like a hammer, but Rayten was already gone — fading back into invisibility.
"Bitch, now!" Rayten barked.
Layla felt a bit offendended by the change in Vordens attitude, but she didn't hesitate. The air around her shimmered as she thrust both hands forward — an invisible wave of force slammed into the guard's chest, driving him back a few steps. The man grunted, armor groaning under pressure.
"uhh.. he's a strong one," Layla whispered, a bead of sweat tracing her cheek.
Rayten appeared again, flames licking both his hands."He's pathetic," he said with a crooked grin.
He slammed both palms down, sending a stream of fire racing along the tiles like a living serpent. It coiled around the guard's boots, the heat distorting the air.
The man roared, stomping wildly to snuff the fire, but the blaze clung to him, crawling up his legs.
Layla raised her hand again — the broken shards of a flower pot lifted into the air, spinning like tiny daggers.
"Move!" she shouted.
Rayten dove aside just as she flung them forward.The shards slashed into the guard's visor and joints — the few weak spots in his armor — shattering glass and slicing through cloth.
Blinded and furious, the guard swung wildly. Rayten reappeared behind him, flames gathering in his palm — hotter, brighter than before.
"For what it's worth," he smirked, "you lasted longer than I thought."
He unleashed the blast — but before it hit, the guard vanished from sight.
"What the—"
Rayten's words cut off as agony erupted across his skin — tiny cuts slicing through his arms and chest. Blood streaked down his body, shimmering faintly, making his invisible form flicker back into view.
"What the hell—!" he gasped, stumbling.
A thin green needle gleamed between the other guard's fingers — the one in emerald armor. His expression was cold and cinical.
The sleeping agent spread fast. Rayten's vision swam. His knees wobbled.
"Damn you!" Rayten shouted, staggering as he turned toward the green-armored guard. "You hit me from behind, you coward!"
The larger guard was already here, after dealing with the two students, and fex failed to keep the guard at bay. . A massive fist slammed into Rayten's stomach, sending him crashing backward across the floor. He hit the ground hard, rolling several meters before stopping.
"Rayten!" Layla's voice cracked. "Damn it—what are we supposed to do if you're down?"
Her eyes darted wildly — and then hardened. With a scream, she unleashed everything.Every object in the corridor — chairs, shards, broken pots — lifted into the air like a storm. Then, one by one, they rained down on the two guards.
It barely made a difference. The debris shattered harmlessly against their armor.
"Let's deal with you first," the large guard growled, stomping toward her.
Just as his gauntlet rose to strike, a blazing fireball came hurling down the corridor — huge, fast, and bright as a comet.It struck his armor with a deafening crack. The flames didn't explode outward — they stuck, clinging like tar.
The metal began to glow a deep, molten orange.The guard screamed, thrashing, trying to peel it off. His armor melted into his skin until he finally dropped with a heavy thud, smoke rising from his chestplate.
The green-armored guard froze, every instinct on alert. His ability — a sleep-inducing toxin — wasn't meant for direct combat.Still, his beast gear made him fast, durable, dangerous.
He crouched low, scanning for the next threat—
And that's when a massive hammer of earth materialized midair and slammed straight into his helmet.
CRACK!He barely raised his arm in time to block, the sheer force shaking the ground. But before he could retaliate, invisible force wrapped around his limbs — telekinetic pressure locking him in place.
"Got him!" Layla hissed, gritting her teeth.
Fex appeared from the shadows, fingers twitching in strange, intricate motions. Thin crimson strings — nearly invisible — coiled around the guard's wrists and shoulders.
"Now!" Fex shouted.
Layla hurled the guard backward just as Fex yanked hard on the strings — slamming him headfirst into the wall. The impact burrowed straight through his visor and sent him crashing to the ground, unconscious.
The corridor finally fell silent. The smell of burnt metal lingered in the air.
Layla lowered her hand, panting hard. Her whole body trembled from the strain. Fex wiped his brow, muttering, "Well, that was fun."
Then his eyes narrowed. "Wait… who the hell threw that last fireball?"
From where Vorden had fallen, a faint outline began to shimmer.The shape slowly solidified, revealing a girl with short, blonde hair and a face that screamed pride.
"Well, well," she said, arms crossed, a smirk cutting across her face. "Can't believe I had to bail you out, Rayten."
Vorden groaned, half sitting up. "Vicky… you bitch!"
"I watched you get your ass handed to you by two glorified tin cans." Her tone dripped with mockery. "Honestly, i expected more from you Rayten."
Layla blinked in confusion why vicky was calling him Rayten but the another question came to her mind "Why are you here?"
Vicky flipped her hair with exaggerated flair. "Because, sweetheart, when my ticket to freedom is at risk, I don't just sit back. I'd show up and save the day."