The escalation was instantaneous. A chaotic brawl erupted as Quinn unleashed a devastating gale, sending the initial wave of attackers tumbling backward. Beside him, Vorden's hands crackled with energy, discharging a searing bolt of lightning.
Watching from the sidelines, Grazer narrowed his eyes. The Graylash family? No, that can't be... but if I can make him an ally—or better yet, a prisoner—the reward for delivering him off-planet would be a king's ransom. A darker thought crossed his mind, but it was interrupted by the sounds of clashing metal.
Ray and Michael expertly maneuvered their mechs to shield the others, but the Scavengers were relentless. Three attackers lunged from blind spots, focusing their fire on the mechs' joints. Despite their reinforced plating, the continuous barrage began to take its toll.
Suddenly, an individual with orange hair stepped forward. His blade glowed with a blinding white light as he brought it down in a vertical arc. The energy sliced through the heavy armor like paper, dismantling the mechs in a single stroke. The machines groaned and collapsed, sending Ray and Michael stumbling into the dirt.
Meanwhile, Sarah and Amy fought back-to-back with spear and shield. They struggled to read their opponents, who cycled rapidly between wind gusts, earth pillars, and corrosive acid sprays. The Scavengers weren't just fighting; they were herding them.
"These guys won't stop," Sarah gasped, her breath ragged. "We can't hold out—"
Then a faint, silver flash caught her neck—a shallow prick, barely a scratch. Sarah's eyes instantly rolled back as she collapsed. Amy lunged to catch her, but felt a sharp sting against her own skin. She fought the creeping numbness, forcing her legs to stay locked, barely holding on, when a mocking voice drifted from the shadows.
"I am surprised that you didn't black out this instant. In that case I'll just have to overdose you."
In a blur of motion, more needles found their mark.
Amy's body stiffened; her eyes bled into a glowing, hypnotic purple. She remained frozen in a defensive crouch, like a living statue.
Meanwhile Erin was a whirlwind of steel, her speed matching the elite attackers of the scavenger faction. She parried a heavy blow, using the momentum to deliver a punishing uppercut with her hilt. Though the blade was deflected, the impact landed true.
Sensing the closing circle, Erin spun in a wide radius, unleashing the ability of the Devil fly scimitar .
A crescent-shaped wave of red energy spread out, the shockwave shattering the lead attacker's sword and severing his reaching hands. As he let out a scream of agony, Erin stepped in to finish the fight—only to feel a cold prick at the nape of her neck.
Her movements turned to lead. She collapsed, clawing at the earth as an eerie sensation flooded her nervous system. When she finally looked up, her eyes, too, were glowing a vacant purple.
--
Quinn's dominance over the low-level grunts forced the Scavenger Guild to shift tactics. Grazer watched in disbelief as Quinn mirrored Vorden's style, conjuring fire in his right hand and lightning in his left.
"I thought the blonde was the anomaly," Grazer muttered to his subordinate, Julius. "But this one... how is he wielding multiple abilities at once?"
Grazer signaled his team to hold position. "Julius, take the blonde.I'll take on the stronger one."
He gave a subtle nod to the empty air beside him before vanishing in a blur of speed.
He closed the gap instantly. "Leave him!" Grazer roared, a twisted grin on his face. "He's mine."
"So, you've finally decided to join the fray," Quinn countered, his eyes tracking Grazer's movements with preternatural precision.
Quinn realized his opponent was likely wearing Advanced-tier gear, or higher., because of the unnatural speed and strength. Conversely, Grazer was stunned; Quinn was dodging his strikes without the aid of any visible beast equipment.
Grazer leaped back, drawing a golden long-edged sword that shimmered in sync with his armor. "You're capable, boy. Let's see how you fare against a master."
Quinn shifted his mindset.
Fighting humans was always vastly different from fighting beasts; humans used traps, intellect, and underhanded tactics.
While the latter used their force strength.
As Grazer swung, Quinn rolled under the arc and slammed his palm into the earth. The ground surged upward, launching Grazer into the air.
"Earth manipulation too?" Grazer snarled, twisting in mid-air to land gracefully.
Quinn didn't answer, instead fired a barrage of compressed earth bullets.
Grazer simply raised his left hand. The bullets froze in mid-air, trembling under an invisible force.
"Telekinesis," Quinn whispered.
With a flick of Grazer's finger, the projectiles shot back at double the speed. Quinn threw up a stone wall just in time to absorb the impact. During the momentary distraction, Quinn's Dragon Eyes pulsed. He sensed a distortion in the air and lunged to the side.
Using his water ability, Quinn unleashed a high-pressure spray into the "empty" space. The water coated an invisible figure, his coat slipped away while revealing the person.
"How did you see me?" the lady gasped, scurrying back to Grazer's side.
"Forgive me, Boss," the subordinate muttered.
Quinn stood his ground, looking at the trio of Grazer, Julius, and the lady.
"You should stop now," Quinn said boldly. "You don't stand a chance against us."
Grazer let out a dark, guttural laugh. "Really? Well... why don't you look around?"
Quinn turned, and his blood ran cold. Standing behind him were Erin, Sarah, Amy, Michael, and Ray. Their weapons were raised, their faces expressionless, and their eyes glowing a haunting, vibrant pink. They was no tinge of emotion on there faces as they stood there as his new enemies.
Quinn instantly threw his gaze around, and stumbled to find vorden lying in the ground, crying and muttering in ragged breaths--Caser... Caser...please... Wake up!
What did you do to them Quinn said, his blood boiling.
"Well, are you dumb,I just used my ability to turn them against you, as for the blonde, he might be taking his time but he should be soon joining the fray.