Legion the imposing figure, cloaked in darkness, materialized behind the fragment like a mesmerizing act of illusion.

  With a single, gloved hand, he effortlessly lifted the fragment, as it obediently sprang from the ground to be ensnared within his grasp. Unlike his two comrades, his hands were concealed by thick black gloves, devoid of any exposed skin.

  That move reminded them of Zod’s ability. Zod should have attempted to pull the fragment to himself with his mind, but his anxiety forbade him. It may have not worked that time. He remembered the Commander’s words, they were to kill the Harbingers, not get fragments.

  "This is what you desire," Legion spoke with a voice that resonated with an amalgamation of tones. "Come and claim it." His final words reverberated through the open space, even though they were out in the open.

  No. They didn’t want the fragment.

  The five teens set their eyes on their target. It was not the shimmering golden chunk held in Legion’s hand. It was him himself.

  As his dark silhouette vanished from their sight, along with the fragment, they glanced around, only to discover a sixth shadow positioned at the center of their formation, compelling them to look skyward.

  With a nimble leap, they evaded his descent, just before his feet collided with the ground, causing a resounding crash. The impact sent a fierce gust of wind, accompanied by a barrage of sharp gravel, hurtling in every direction.

  Tee strained to peer through the dissipating dust cloud, when a peculiar sound emanating from the shifting gravel caught her attention. Her gaze followed the chain seeping black fire, tracing its way back to Legion, who now stood in the sunken recess of the earth.

  Tee and her comrades encircled the foe, positioned atop the rim of the crater, launching their swords and exploiting the advantage of higher ground.

  With a swift, circular motion of his whip, Legion effortlessly deflected their onslaught, causing their blades to scatter. From the whip, tendrils of black fire oozed, unleashing scorching waves of heat that forced them to instinctively duck, narrowly avoiding its searing touch.

  As Tee regained her footing and peered down into the crater, the absence of the hooded figure was disheartening.

  Hovering above their heads, Legion assumed a stationary position in mid-air, as if standing on an invisible fifth-floor of a building. From his vantage point, the five of them appeared like frantic insects, scurrying about, searching for their elusive shadow.

  The bone-chilling chuckle from above reverberated through the air, seeping into the very fabric of one's being. It was a sound that invoked dread and sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it.

  "He's above us!" Miko's scream pierced the air just as they lifted their heads, their vision filled with his shrouded darkness against the blinding sun.

  Raising one hand, he conjured a smoky trail beneath his palm, which swiftly solidified into a gleaming silver pole. With a deft motion, he sent the elongated end hurtling through the air towards the tiny insects.

  It was not their own swift movements that caused Tee and her comrades to crash and tumble over the jagged terrain. It was the blinding speed at which he swung the metallic pole, leaving them no time to react or evade its path.

  Struggling to push herself up from the ground, Tee felt a searing line of pain blaze across her upper left arm, as if set ablaze by the pole. Clenching her jaw tightly, she fought against the pain that clouded her senses, forcing herself to focus on the scene before her.

  Through the charred fabric on her arm, the sight of her steaming blackened skin caused her eyes to widen in disbelief. She blinked repeatedly, yet the persistent agony reaffirmed the harsh reality of her injuries.

  Another piercing scream jolted her attention away, only to witness Kie crashing into the ground, while the dark figure materialized above Saeda.

  Summoning her resolve, Tee summoned a sword, sending it spinning through the air with the intention of striking Legion’s massive head. However, before it could reach its intended target, something round and solid collided with her back near her waist.

  "Ah!" Her body collided with the ground, the coarse gravel pressing into her skin as she rolled. The throbbing pain intensified at her hip, searing through her senses as she came to a halt on her right side. The burn on her left arm continued to ache, a constant reminder of the battle's brutality.

  The searing pain that coursed through Tee's body was unlike the burn she had previously endured. That time, it was a jarring impact, as if something hard and round had struck her with force. Was it a kick? Were his shoes forged from cold, unyielding metal?

  Never before had she faced opponents who would stoop so low, aiming their attacks so close to her butt. It was evident that he had deliberately targeted that vulnerable spot, capitalizing on his towering height.

  With a surge of rage, Tee clenched her teeth, summoning the strength to rise to her feet. It had become personal now. As she stood, a sword materialized in both of her hands, her grip tightening despite the pain radiating from her left upper arm.

  Her eyes widened, fixated on the looming threat, and she held her breath, attuning herself to every subtle nuance, ready to sense his next move. She was going to make him bleed.

  In a blur of movement, he materialized near her once more, but with a swift and forceful slash, she aimed her sword to sever a limb. He skillfully evaded the attack, retreating just in time, causing her blade to cleave through nothing but empty air.

  His dark silhouette blurred, appearing and disappearing near Tee and her comrades as they launched their assaults. However, his agility and uncanny reflexes allowed him to effortlessly dodge their every strike. It grew increasingly frustrating, attacking at air, feeling like blind beggars grasping in the dark.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Just as the thought of their futility crossed Tee's mind, she felt a brutal blow land against her left cheek, sending a tooth spiraling out of her mouth. Her body spun clumsily on her feet, twirling twice before she drove the tip of her sword into the ground, desperately seeking stability to prevent herself from collapsing.

  As her gaze fell downward, the world swirled in disorienting circles, and one eye beheld a blurred vision of her surroundings. Her heart skipped a beat at the crimson splatters of blood staining the light gravel near her sword.

  Another drop trickled from her face, a harsh reminder that she was bleeding. With so many parts of her body throbbing with pain, it became a daunting task to discern which injury was the most severe.

  A palpable stillness hung in the air, an eerie absence of movement that sent a shiver crawling up Tee's spine. Raising her gaze, she took in the sight of her teammates, blood streaks marking their hairlines and trickling from their noses. Grains of gravel clung to their faces, mingling with dark red scratches. Like her, they panted heavily, their breaths labored and ragged.

  Suddenly, a deep voice cut through the silence, causing her nerves to jolt and her senses to heighten. "Don't tell us you've grown weary?" he taunted, his figure rooted in place, casually tossing the fragment in his hand like a plaything. "It has been far too long since we've had someone to indulge in. Living beings that bleed true blood and taste genuine pain..."

  In the midst of his chilling speech, the collective determination surged within them, propelling each of them to unleash their swords upon his head. That time, they didn't dare to approach him.

  However, before their blades could draw near, his elongated pole reappeared, swiftly transforming into a gleaming silver sword. With incredible speed, he whirled around, generating a cyclone-like whirlwind from his own body, causing their swords to collide with the tempest and be propelled back towards them.

  Tee, unable to complete her swing, instinctively employed her sword as a makeshift shield. But her defense was short-lived, as something hard struck against it, forcefully wrenching it from her grasp.

  "Ah!" A cry of pain tore from her throat as the muscles in her right shoulder screamed in agony, dislocating from their rightful place. The sword spiraled through the air, while the soles of her boots grated against the gravel, forcefully pushing her back.

  Undeterred by the torment coursing through her right shoulder, Tee valiantly battled on, summoning a sword with her remaining hand. The burn on her palm pulsed in sync with her wounded arm as she drove the blade deep into the unyielding ground, anchoring herself against the relentless onslaught of the adversary's raging tornado.

  Her grip tightened around the hilt, her feet planted firmly on the earth, seeking stability amidst the storm. Loose strands of her white hair whipped across her face, lashing at her skin with the sting of a thousand tiny whips, while sharp gravel bombarded her sword, creating metallic clangs that reverberated through the air like an orchestra of steel.

  The once-immaculate bun that had restrained her hair threatened to unravel, strands breaking free from their confinements. As if sensing her resilience, the tempest abruptly ceased its relentless assault, leaving the hooded adversary standing motionless, his face concealed within impenetrable darkness.

  Within the stillness that followed, Tee's right arm hung grotesquely, dislocated from its socket, unleashing waves of searing pain that reverberated through her entire being. Tears welled in her eyes as she fought for each gasp of air, her body trembling with the aftershocks of the shock that threatened to overwhelm her.

  Every exhale escaped her nostrils like a scorching blast, draining her of the precious energy that remained. She existed in a living nightmare, longing to unleash a primal cry of despair. Tetra's happy visage flickering in her mind, reminding her of the unthinkable.

  Summoning the very depths of her resolve, Tee cast her bloodshot gaze upon her teammates, her right arm rendered useless and her hope teetering on the brink of extinction. Continuing the fight had become an impossibility. Instinct surged through her, demanding escape from that accursed battleground.

  But just as she readied herself to flee, the dark figure materialized before her, an imposing obstruction barring her path to freedom. A reflexive flinch betrayed her terror, her widened eyes mirroring the depths of her dread.

  Acting on pure instinct, she wrenched her sword from the ground and swung it with all her might towards her imposing foe. Yet, in a display of effortless skill, he raised his elongated metal sword, halting her strike mere inches from his shrouded head.

  Determination etched lines across her furrowed brows, her lips twitched with an unyielding resolve, and her trembling gaze remained locked on the abyss concealed beneath the depths of the hood, revealing no trace of a face or mortal identity.

  "Impossible," she whispered, the words a fragile thread of disbelief woven with an unwavering defiance, her voice carrying the weight of her shattered expectations.

  The others, witnessing Legion’s motionless stance, summoned their last vestiges of strength, hands firmly grasping their swords, poised for a final stand. But before their weapons could even leave their grip, Tee's sword was ruthlessly wrenched from her desperate grasp, executing a breathtaking spin in the air before crashing into the unyielding ground, a stark symbol of their dwindling hope and the overwhelming power of their relentless adversary.

  Hopelessness clouded Tee’s expression as she instinctively raised her hands before her face, bracing for the impending assault on her defenseless body. Only one hand moved, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the adversary's feet disappear from her line of sight. With disbelief etched across her features, she dared to look up.

  Why did he leave when he could have finished her?

  The motives of this mysterious figure eluded her, shrouded in a veil of uncertainty. Her searching eyes froze, fixing upon the sight of Miko standing alongside the adversary.

  Channeling her speed to make fast attacks with her sword, yet, her every attack was effortlessly deflected by the adversary's single hand, while the other remained firmly clasped around the fragment.

  The fragment.

  Kie’s plan to use the fragment to lure the opponent seemed to work. Miko had his full attention. That was her chance.

  A fire ignited within Tee, her teeth grinding together as she summoned yet another sword, determination etched upon her face. With a single step forward, doubt crept into her mind, threatening to unravel her resolve. Her attacking the adversary in that state?

  Her gaze darted around, searching for her allies amidst the chaos. Kie struggled to rise, his body wracked with pain. Saeda knelt, surrendering to her own exhaustion, her hair obscuring her defeated expression. Zod had vanished from sight.

  Dammit! It has to be her.

  She could attempt to slip behind the adversary unnoticed. Even if he spotted her, it would provide a distraction, an opportunity for Miko to strike.

  Her thoughts bolstered her wavering confidence as she forced herself into a sprint towards her nemesis. Biting down on her lower lip to suppress the searing pain radiating from her right shoulder, she vowed to push through.

  Just as she raised her sword, poised to cleave through his back, a strange and dangerous notion sprang into her head. In her split-second sprint, the unspeakable trickled into her thoughts.

  What if she mutated into a Xenosapian right then and there? Would her mutated form be enough to vanquish that abomination known as Legion? The allure of a bloody revenge and the intensity of her pain made the prospect of transforming almost enticing. But she quickly realized the horrific price she would pay – her own life.

  "No!" she inwardly exclaimed, vehemently rejecting the self-destructive path. A surge of newfound anger coursed through her, lending strength to her left hand as she delivered the mightiest swing she had ever mustered.

  She refused to die; she was going to murder that freak.

  Yet, her sword abruptly halted upon contact with his back. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the blade that could slice through solid metal with ease, unable to leave even a mark on his flesh.