Before the building could collapsed on them, an enlightening presence could be felt.
Vibration could be felt from deep below.
It wasn't just light.
It was weight—a spiritual gravity pressing into their bones.
RUMBLE… RUMBLE…
The ground trembled, deep and violent.
Cracks began to split through the earth like veins, reaching outward in all directions.
CRACK-K-K!
Giant hands—massive and stone-like—erupted from beneath, shattering the ground and throwing debris high into the air.
The earth itself seemed to split in two, creating an abyss so vast it swallowed sound.
Then—like a miracle, or a threat—jagged rainbows burst forth from the crevices. Not soft or delicate—these were electric, cutting through the air like blades of light, charging straight toward Darling and the others.
Marshall saw it.
His eyes widened.
"Shit."
He dropped Darling instantly and vanished—teleporting away without hesitation.
Then—silence.
In a blink, everything returned to stillness. The broken ground mended. The wind calmed. The light faded.
Darling looked up.
Floating above them, framed by the soft light of a drifting sun, was a man—blonde, with wild hair that fluttered in the wind. His baggy pants danced around him, and at his side, a sheathed sword in all dark, flamed like a fire.
No aura. No force. Just presence.
Darling's focus snapped back—Grif.
He rushed toward him still impaled on the pole, his blood painting the debris red. Darling carefully pulled him down, pieces of his insides still clinging to the spike.
Grif's body was cold. Pale.
Darling dropped to his knees and summoned his golden wraps again, hoping—begging—they'd save him.
But just as the light started to glow—
FWOOSH!
A sudden gust behind him.
Darling's eyes widened.
He knew that sound. That presence. That voice.
"So, you took off the dampener, huh?"
He turned. Buddha stood there, red eyes glowing like twin suns, a wild grin stretching across his face.
Darling didn't hesitate—he ran to him and threw his arms around him.
"Please—Buddha! Heal him!"
Buddha blinked, caught off-guard by the embrace.
He stumbled back a step, then slowly placed a hand on Darling's head.
He felt the tears before he heard them.
He ran his fingers through Darling's hair gently.
"There, there…"
His voice softened.
"He's already healed, isn't he?"
Darling turned back—eyes wide.
Grif's chest…
The wound was gone. No blood. No hole.
He was still passed out, but breathing—peaceful.
"I—I didn't know I could do any of this…"
Buddha smiled and ruffled Darling's hair.
"You'll be able to do things far greater than this. You just gotta believe in yourself."
Darling nodded slowly, heart still racing. Then he pointed upward.
"Uh… the building?"
Buddha looked up casually.
"Huh? What about—"
CRUMMBBLLLEE!!!
The entire structure came crashing down toward them.
But then—silence again.
The dust cleared.
They floated—all three of them—inside a glowing bubble, hovering safely above the ruins.
Buddha chuckled, patting Darling on the back.
"Well… that was a close one, huh?"
Darling gave a shaky laugh.
Just as peace began to settle, the air around them shuddered.
A violent force struck from above—
SLAM!
Their protective bubble plummeted toward the earth, pressure piling on with each second.
WHUMPH—THUD—CRACK!
The bubble bounced, ricocheting off the ground like a pinball from hell, tumbling across the shattered landscape.
Inside, Darling and Grif were tossed like rag dolls, their stomachs giving up first.
"AAAGHH—!!"
They both vomited.
Miraculously, the bubble formed a slit, ejecting the mess mid-bounce before sealing shut again.
Buddha?
He was laughing, as if this was a carnival ride.
The chaos finally stopped. The bubble hovered mid-air again, trembling with residual energy.
Below them stood Marshall, eye half-shut, pressing his fists together like he was folding space itself.
The pressure returned.
Without a word, Buddha grabbed both boys by their wrists—
"Hold tight."
And hurled them skyward like cannonballs.
POP!
The bubble burst.
As they soared, a mysterious force gripped Buddha, pinning him in midair. He strained as invisible hands tried to crush him.
Down below, Marshall's fingers slowly parted—
his focus locked on Darling.
And in an instant—
FWOOOM!
Darling's body shot downward, faster than gravity, like a bullet toward Marshall's waiting hand.
He caught him mid-air by the collar.
SHINK!
A steel pole tore through Darling's throat.
Blood spilled down Marshall's arm.
But—
Marshall paused.
Something was wrong.
This face… wasn't Darling's.
Then—
Buddha appeared. Floating just in front of him, calm as a whisper, holding the real Darling by the back of the neck.
"Looking for this guy?"
A cocky smirk curled his lips.
Marshall's smirk faltered.
He flung Grif's limp body to the ground like trash.
Wink.
But before he could breathe again, Buddha's hand clamped around his throat.
"Your job was to protect him," Buddha growled, voice like thunder.
"Not stab a kid through the neck."
Marshall gasped as the grip tightened.
Then Buddha eased slightly, letting air in.
Marshall chuckled, eyes flicking to Darling.
"Hey, kid. You wanna know a little secret?"
Darling's gaze flicked between them, confused.
"Buddha… what's he talking about?"
Buddha stared at Marshall, then at Darling.
A long pause.
Buddha released Marshall.
The demi-divine's hand loosened, and Marshall collapsed to his knees, coughing as he clutched his neck.
"Cough—cough—"
"You know, Darling…"
Marshall's voice was hoarse but sharp.
"I've always wanted to push the man to his limits. But he always runs away."
He raised his gaze toward Buddha.
"Isn't that right… TRUE?"
Buddha didn't answer.
He simply looked away.
"No," he said flatly.
"I'm a demi-divine being. I don't have limits."
Marshall raised a single finger.
"Demi."
Buddha smirked.
With a snap of his fingers, Grif's limp body floated into the air, suspended above them.
"Whatever," Buddha muttered.
"I'm done here. Taking this one into custody."
From Buddha's back, two massive wings unfurled from his trapezius.
Two smaller wings followed, bursting from the muscles around his lats—elegant, terrifying.
He leapt, catching Grif mid-air, cradling him effortlessly.
With a gust that shattered the nearby windows—
BOOM.
—he vanished into the skies.
Darling rushed to Marshall, helping him up.
"You're… not gonna kill me, right?"
Marshall smiled faintly.
"Not in this sorry state, kid."
Darling gave a nervous chuckle, his wraps coiling around Marshall for support.
"So," he said curiously, "what's the secret you were gonna tell me?"
Marshall lifted a finger to his lips.
"Shh. Just between us."
Darling leaned in.
Marshall suddenly tore a strip from Darling's wrap, jabbed a piece of rubble into his palm, and scrawled something in blood.
Darling watched.
"Buddha is not trustworthy."
Darling raised an eyebrow.
"You sure?"
Marshall nodded, grinning through the pain.
"Just ask him where your si—"
FLASH.
In an instant, they were teleported.
Gone was the ruined city.
Now, they stood in a high-tech lab, clean and humming with power.
Grif floated inside a healing tube, energy pulsing around him.
Darling turned—and froze.
May stood there, white lab coat draped over a warm turtleneck, arms crossed.
"Mr. Houdini," she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Haven't you caused enough trouble today?"
Marshall sighed. He dropped his head and lifted his wrists in surrender.
"Just get it over with, Tess."
May walked past him, rolled-up magazine in hand—
SMACK!
Right across the wrists.
"You're not under arrest."
Marshall blinked.
"...Fired?"
May shook her head.
"Just go home."
Marshall shrugged and started walking.
"Alright. Cya."
At the doors, a man in a sleek helmet and black suit awaited him.
"I tried," Marshall muttered.
The man nodded, gave him a shoulder pat, and stepped inside.
As the door sealed—
BONK.
May flung the magazine, nailing the helmet.
"OW! What was that for?!"
"You sent the most unstable guy in the company to protect Darling!?" she snapped, rubbing Darling's hair.
The man shrugged.
"He was excited. I figured… why not."
He knelt down to Darling's level, eyeing the sucker in the boy's mouth.
"How're you holding up, kid?"
Darling gave a big thumbs-up.
"Glad to hear it."
He pinched the boy's cheeks affectionately.
"So… how's the other one doing?"
May nodded toward Grif's tube.
"He'll be fine. Might take time."
The man stopped playing and stared at Grif quietly.
"What do we tell his parents?"
May looked down, twisting the toe of her shoe.
"He doesn't have any. Just like you guys, Axel."
Axel tapped his helmet.
"You mean… playful?"
May cracked a smile.
"No. Foster."
Axel sat beside them, quiet for a second.
Then turned to her.
"So, you gonna take care of him?"
May looked flustered, then at Darling.
"I don't know."
Axel took off his helmet, revealing a mop of messy blonde hair.
"You're already taking care of Darling. Might as well take the duo."
He smiled and pointed toward Grif.
"Or I can do it. But I won't be around much. Eventually, the kid'll be on his own."
Darling stood up suddenly, facing Grif's tube.
They both looked at him.
"Take him out of there," Darling said softly.
May blinked.
"Darling… he needs that tube to heal."
Darling nodded.
"I know. Just trust me."
He raised his wraps—they began to glow with radiant light.
May rushed to her desk, slammed a button—
HISSSSS
—the tube hissed open.
Darling stepped forward, wrapped Grif's body gently, and the wraps pulsed with healing energy.
Grif stirred.
Eyes fluttered open, half-lidded.
Darling helped him sit upright.
"What's going on…?" Grif muttered, dizzy.
"You've been out for a while," Axel said, crouching beside him.
Grif looked around, blinking at the unfamiliar lab. May waved.
Then—
PINCH.
"You guys look so adorable!" Axel teased.
Grif scowled.
FWWW—THWMB!
His fist flared red-hot—he socked Axel in the face, burning his cheek.
Axel collapsed to the ground with a grunt.
"I don't like this guy, Darling."
Darling and May both burst out laughing, laughter echoing in the sleek, sterile lab.
~END OF CH 4