The team decided to head into town, but to get there,they'd have to pass through the forest at the dead of night. Phoebe didn't like that idea one bit.
They'd barely made it halfway when Phoebe's heart suddenly began to pound - once, twice - and then it felt like it dropped straight into her stomach. She gasped, clutching her chest as she fell to her knees, her breathing sharp and uneven. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to scream, but her voice wouldn't come. Her fingers dug into the sand, trembling.
"Phoebe!" Michael called out, rushing to her side.
Her body shook violently, twisting until Michael caught her in his arms, trying to steady her. Nas and Alexei closed in around them.
Then, without warning, the ocean stirred. A massive sea serpent rose from the waters, its scales glimmering silver blue under the moonlight. Its roar shattered the night. The creature's glowing eyes fixed on Phoebe in Michael's arms - and she felt it. A strange pull in her chest. The serpent's anger, its pain, its hunger - all of it burned through her veins as if it were her own.
Michael's wrist flicked, igniting the flame device strapped there. Fire burst to life in his palm and he swept his arm outward, forming a wall of blistering fire between them and the serpent.
"Nas! Take Phoebe — get her out of here!" Michael Barker eyes burning to match his flames.
Nas nodded, lifting Phoebe carefully as she tried to regain her breath.
"Remember what you were taught," Michael said, stepping forward. "First, coat your skin with mana — keep the elements from tearing your apart. Then let the mana flow into the element. Stay calm. Don't let your emotions rule you."
Flames began to crawl up his right arm, wrapping him in a faint blue-orange glow.
The serpent lunged.
Michael glanced at Alexei — just one look — and Alexei nodded in understanding. The two of them moved together like they'd trained for this a thousand times.
Alexei charged first, his skin hardening as he intercepted the serpent's open jaws, forcing them apart with a grunt.
"Now Michael!" He shouted.
Michael planted his feet, the sand shifting beneath him. His eyes flashed white for a moment as he drew all the fire inward, compressing it into a small glowing sphere at his palm. The color deepened — a blazing orange with a white-hot core.
He hurled it forward.
The explosion thundered across the beach. Fire surged down the serpent's throat, burning from within. It shrieked in agony, thrashing as blue-white flames erupted from its scales. The light painted the night sky like dawn before the beast finally retreated, vanishing beneath the waves with a final, echoing roar.
Nas started, wide-eyed. "When did he get this strong?"
Phoebe, still unsteady, managed a weak smile. "He's been training for a while now. Why do you think he quit martial arts?"
Michael's flames dimmed. His knees buckled, but Alexei caught him before he could fall.
"When did you get this strong?" Alexei teased, still breathless.
Michael gave a tired smile. "I've been training. But ... I'm still not strong enough."
He straightened and joined the others, sand sticking to his boots.
Alexei was about to suggest they move toward town when Phoebe shook her head.
"We can't. Something's coming."
"What do you mean?" Nas asked.
"When I connected with the serpent... I saw what it saw." She swallowed hard. "There are ships — like a dozen of them — rising from the ocean floor. Heading for the surface. They're ocean dwellers."
Michael's expression darkened. "They're not coming in peace, are they?"
Phoebe shook her head.
"Then we contact the Assembly " Alexei said.
"They're out of range. We're too far from the Benin metropolis," Phoebe replied, pulling out her phone — no signal.
Alexei cursed softly. "Then I'll go to town. I'll find every mage I can and bring them here. But you two —"
He paused, glancing down at his hands. His glow was fading. "My radiation charge is nearly empty. Once it's gone, I'm useless until sunrise."
"How long?" Michael asked.
"Not sure. Maybe a few minutes."
The air trembled. From the horizon, dark silhouettes broke the surface — massive ships, their sleek ocean dweller metal glinting under the moonlight.
Phoebe's eyes widened. "Scratch them. They're already here."
Alexei turned and sprinted into the forest. Above him, streaks of light cut across the sky — like shooting stars — followed by a deafening explosion that shook the earth. The war for New Orleans had begun.
Explosion thundered through the air, scattering dust and smoke across the forest edge. Alexei burst out from the treeline, eyes wide as chaos unfolded before him.
Supernaturals were everywhere — witches, mages, elemental fighters, elves — all defending terrified civilians as drop ships roared overhead.
From the largest ship, hundreds of armored soldiers poured out, their boots shaking the ground like a storm of steel.
Michael, Phoebe, and Nas rushed forward to meet them. Michael's hands blazed with arcane light. Phoebe's water cracked the air, and Nas wove between them — fist and legs a blur of martial precision.
He tried to summon his magic — nothing. The energy withing him refused to answer. Still, he fought on, raw physicality replacing spellcraft. But the soldiers were faster, stronger, and endless in number.
The line broke.
Then the forest came alive.
Bolts of energy screamed through the air as mages emerged from the shadows, Alexei leading the charge, eyes burning with resolve. He had convinced them to fight. Their power crashed into the invading Force, the battlefield erupted into balance once more.
But the sky betrayed them.
The "explosives" that had fallen into the city split open, releasing pods — each carrying Ocean Dwellers soldiers in sleek, living armor. The supernaturals who remained behind to protect the city suddenly found themselves outnumbered again.
From above, a jet streaked across the sky and unleased a torrent of fire. Missiles struck true, clearing a path through the oceanic horde. Then —
A man leapt from the jet.
The ground cracked where he landed.
He rose slowly, the earth trembling beneath him. His eyes burned like twin suns, and heavy black chains coiled around his arms. His skin glowed faintly red, veins pulsing with molten heat. Scars crisscrossed his body — one deep mark slashing from his chest to his left eye. Curly black hair fell across a face half-shadowed, half-hellfire.
A predator's grin spread across his lips.
"You're leaving this to me?" He said over his shoulder. "Why do I get stuck cleaning up small fries?"
Above, the jet swung towards the shoreline, strafing the enemy ships. But the Ocean dwellers retaliated. From the sea, a massive wall of water rose and slammed forward.
Only for a single flick of a lighter to cut through it.
The fire that followed split the sea itself.
A brown-skinned man descended from the jet, landing with impossible grace, as if the wind itself had cradled him. He was handsome in an unassuming way: dark eyes, a carefully trimmed goatee, and an immaculate twelve-inch afro that swayed as he straightened his coat.
"Dad!" Michael shouted.
Justin didn't reply. He struck a pose instead — adjusting his collar, pretending not to hear. Deep down, he was busy thinking of how to look even cooler in front of his son.
The ocean dwellers struck again, but with Justin in the fight, morale surged. Fire, water, and lightening tore through the battlefield.
At the shore, three ocean dweller generals emerged. One led the attack in the city; the other two approached Justin's position.
A single blow sent Justin crashing back.
Michael dashed to help, but another soldier intercepted him — flinging him aside like paper. Nas countered immediately, his kick landing with bone-breaking force.
"Go!" Nas barked. "Help your dad!"
Justin rose slowly, burshing dust from his coat.
"Stay back, Michael."
Wind carried him. His lighter flickered open. The ocean dweller general smiled cruelly, conjuring spears of water that orbited his body.
"You surface dwellers broke the treaty," the general hissed. "You'll drown in your arrogance."
Justin smirked. The lighter snapped — click — and a storm of flame answered.
___
Nas turned suddenly — a scream.
A girl's voice.
His heart clenched. Phoebe?
He sprinted through the smoke, the sound guiding him deeper into the ruins. His eyes flared blue, his body reacting before his mind caught up.
He found her.
Not Phoebe — but a stranger. A girl with platinum-blonde hair matter by blood and dirt, eyes the piercing blue of the sea itself. Her skin glowed a warm but deep earthy brown, her white oversized shirt torn and streaked with crimson. She kicked and cursed at the ocean dwellers dragging her through the mud.
Even bleeding, she was fire.
Nas didn't hesitate. His leg whipped forward, heel connecting with the soldier's jaw before the man could register the attack.
The next blow came faster. Then faster still. Bone shattered beneath his strikes — fluid rhythmic, deadly.
When the last soldier fell, the girl glared at him, breathing hard.
"You're not useless after all." Nas muttered
She rolled her eyes. But before she could retort, a distant howl echoed through the ruins.
Her bravado vanished.
"They're coming" she whispered. "I shouldn't have run. It was a mistake to leave home."
Nas was already walking away.
"Hey! Where are you going?" She shouted, limping after him.
He didn't answer.
"You're seriously leaving me, you insufferable piece of shit?" She yelled again, half teasing. "Cute little me?"
"YES!" Nas snapped. "Now shoo! I need to find my friends!"
He waved her off — but she kept following anyway.