The three of them disappeared at the same time.
For a moment, the warehouse was empty.
Then—
BOOM.
Ryan appeared against a wall. The impact shook the entire structure.
Before he could regain his balance, Justin was already standing in front of him.
—Found you.
Ryan barely managed to raise his arm.
CRACK.
Justin's fist struck his defense. The magical barrier shattered. Ryan was sent flying, rolled across the floor, and came to a stop several meters away.
Jack appeared above him.
—Too slow.
Ryan looked up. Jack extended one hand. Purple energy gathered in his palm.
Ryan smiled.
—You already said that.
Jack's eyes widened.
A small metal box appeared in Ryan's hand. He opened it.
A balloon shaped like a duck shot out.
Jack stared at it.
—Balloons again...
The duck exploded.
BOOM.
The explosion sent Jack flying backward.
Ryan immediately got to his feet. Justin appeared through the smoke.
Ryan turned.
His fist collided with Justin's.
BOOM.
The shockwave shattered the remaining windows in the warehouse. Both of them staggered backward.
Justin looked at his hand.
Ryan did the same.
For the first time, they had both been hit with exactly the same force.
Justin smiled.
—Much better.
Ryan slowly adjusted his coat.
—I'm glad you're finally starting to have fun.
Justin disappeared.
Ryan did too.
The two appeared in the center of the warehouse.
Punch.
Block.
Kick.
Dodge.
Strike.
Each movement was faster than the last.
Ryan took a hit to the ribs.
Justin received an elbow to the face.
Blood.
Justin's head turned slightly. A drop of red fell to the floor.
Justin remained motionless for a second.
Then he smiled.
—You made me bleed.
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
—Do you want me to apologize?
Justin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
—No.
His smile grew wider.
—I want to return the favor.
Justin attacked.
Ryan raised a barrier.
BOOM.
The barrier shattered.
Another punch.
Ryan blocked.
Another.
Ryan retreated.
Justin kept advancing.
Ryan threw a punch.
Justin dodged.
Jack appeared behind him.
Ryan sensed the danger.
Too late.
CRACK.
Jack's kick struck his back.
Ryan was sent flying.
He crashed through a table.
Then a column.
Finally, he landed among the rubble.
Jack observed the result.
—Was that enough?
Justin smiled.
—No.
The two of them began walking toward Ryan.
—He can still get up.
Something began to move beneath the rubble.
Ryan placed one hand against the floor.
He slowly stood.
His mask was completely cracked.
A line of blood ran down his forehead.
Part of his face was covered in dust.
Ryan took a deep breath.
Then he began to laugh.
Justin stopped.
Jack did the same.
Ryan's laughter grew louder and louder.
—What's so funny? —Justin asked.
Ryan raised his head.
—You two.
Justin frowned.
Ryan pointed at himself.
—Look at me.
I'm covered in blood.
A loud laugh escaped his throat.
—My mask is broken.
Another laugh.
—My clothes are ruined.
Ryan spread his arms.
—And you think you're winning.
Justin smiled.
—Aren't we?
Ryan stopped laughing.
—No.
Jack watched him carefully.
Ryan slowly raised one hand to his face.
The mask began to move.
It wasn't the mask.
Something was happening to it.
The cracks began to close.
The dark material slowly spread across his skin.
The mask adhered itself to his face, as if it were melting.
As if it were becoming part of him.
Justin stopped smiling.
Jack narrowed his eyes.
The surface of the mask spread down Ryan's neck.
Then across his arms.
And over his hands.
A second skin.
A black, glossy skin bearing the same clown-like details.
The red smile appeared once again.
But this time, it seemed to be part of his face.
Ryan slowly raised his head.
His eyes glowed.
One green.
One yellow.
—Much better.
Justin remained motionless.
Ryan flexed his fingers.
—Now we're ready.
A flame appeared in his hand.
It wasn't red.
It wasn't orange.
It was black.
A dark fire that seemed to absorb the light around it.
Jack took a step backward.
—That wasn't in our reports.
Ryan smiled.
—Because you weren't supposed to know about it.
The dark fire spread.
Ryan hurled the flame.
Jack raised a barrier.
The dark fire struck the purple surface.
For a moment, nothing seemed to happen.
Then the barrier began to disappear.
Jack's eyes widened.
—Justin!
Justin moved.
The two brothers separated.
The dark fire continued advancing across the floor.
Wherever it passed, the darkness seemed to consume space itself.
Justin attacked from the left.
Ryan disappeared.
Jack attacked from the right.
Ryan disappeared again.
—Stop hiding! —Justin shouted.
A laugh answered him.
—Hiding?
The voice came from everywhere.
Justin looked around.
—Where are you?
A figure appeared behind him.
Justin attacked.
His fist passed straight through it.
The figure disappeared.
Another appeared.
Then another.
And another.
Jack slowly turned.
The warehouse was filled with Clowns.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
They all wore the same mask.
They all had one green eye.
And one yellow eye.
They were all smiling.
Justin looked around.
—Illusions.
Jack remained focused.
—Yes.
Ryan appeared among them.
Or at least, it seemed like he did.
—Exactly.
Justin unleashed a burst of purple energy.
Dozens of figures disappeared.
But another hundred appeared in their place.
Jack began attacking.
One.
Two.
Ten.
Fifty.
Every time he destroyed an illusion, more appeared.
Ryan was everywhere.
His laughter echoed throughout the warehouse.
—Ladies and gentlemen!
The brothers looked around.
—Welcome to the show!
The thousands of Clowns raised their arms at the same time.
—I hope you enjoy the performance!
Justin roared.
An enormous purple explosion destroyed part of the warehouse.
The Clowns disappeared.
Silence.
Justin breathed heavily.
Jack looked around.
Nothing.
—It's over.
Justin smiled.
—We found him.
Jack slowly raised his head.
Ryan stood in front of them.
Only one.
Justin smiled.
—Now we have you.
Ryan tilted his head.
—Do you?
Justin attacked.
Ryan raised his arm.
The punch connected.
But Ryan didn't move.
Justin's eyes widened.
Ryan grabbed his fist.
—Was that all?
Justin tried to pull free.
He couldn't.
Ryan tightened his grip.
CRACK.
Justin screamed.
Jack immediately attacked.
Ryan released Justin and ducked.
Purple energy passed over his head.
Ryan spun.
He struck Jack in the abdomen.
BOOM.
Jack was sent flying.
Ryan disappeared.
He appeared behind him.
Another punch.
Jack crashed through a wall.
Justin attacked again.
Ryan turned.
The dark fire appeared.
Justin tried to protect himself.
The flame struck his barrier.
The purple protection began to burn.
Justin retreated.
—What the hell is this?!
Ryan walked toward him.
—My fire.
Isn't it obvious?
Justin unleashed a blast.
Ryan opened an invisible door.
The energy disappeared inside it.
Justin froze.
—What...?
Ryan closed the door.
—Storage space.
Jack returned.
Blood ran down one side of his face.
—I understand now.
Ryan looked at him.
—Oh?
Jack smiled.
—You can't just store objects.
Ryan remained still.
Jack extended both hands.
—You can store attacks too.
Ryan smiled.
—Very clever.
Justin appeared behind him.
—But you can't store everything.
Ryan turned.
Justin struck.
Ryan blocked.
The impact caused the floor to collapse beneath them.
Justin smiled.
—We're figuring you out.
Jack attacked.
Ryan dodged.
Justin attacked.
Ryan took the hit.
Blood.
Again.
Ryan staggered backward.
The brothers began advancing together.
Now they were coordinated.
Every attack.
Every movement.
Every defense.
Ryan took one hit.
Blocked another.
Dodged a third.
But with every exchange, he was forced farther backward.
Justin laughed.
—We're cornering him!
Jack smiled.
—He's losing.
Ryan fell onto one knee.
Justin raised his fist.
—It's over.
Ryan stared at the floor.
Blood dripped from his face.
One drop.
Then another.
Ryan began to laugh.
Justin stopped.
—Again...
Jack frowned.
—Why are you laughing?
Ryan slowly raised his head.
His eyes were glowing.
—Because...
Darkness began spreading behind him.
One figure.
Then ten.
Then a hundred.
Thousands of Clowns appeared once again.
But this time, they weren't simply illusions.
Each one carried a weapon.
Some held balloons.
Others had dark fire burning in their hands.
All of them were smiling.
Justin stared at the army.
For the first time, he didn't look amused.
Ryan stood.
The second skin of his mask completely molded itself to his face.
His red smile seemed wider.
Ryan spread his arms.
—You thought you were winning.
Thousands of Clowns raised their weapons.
—You thought you were tiring me out.
The balloons floated toward the ceiling.
—You thought you had me cornered.
The dark fire began to burn.
—But I was only waiting.
Justin clenched his teeth.
Jack looked around.
Ryan took one step forward.
Every Clown took exactly one step forward as well.
BOOM.
The entire warehouse was engulfed in dark fire.
Justin and Jack prepared themselves.
Ryan began to laugh.
One laugh.
A hundred laughs.
A thousand laughs.
Thousands of voices laughing at the same time.
Then Ryan spoke.
His voice once again became that monstrous mixture of hundreds of voices.
—This night is far too beautiful...
The twins looked up.
Ryan slowly spread his arms.
—Don't you think?
The thousands of illusions smiled.
Ryan tilted his head.
—Because this will be the last night you ever see.
A pause.
His smile grew wider.
—You will never see the sun again.
Silence.
Justin and Jack's eyes glowed with purple fury.
Ryan raised one hand.
Thousands of animal-shaped balloons began rising into the air.
Dogs.
Cats.
Bears.
Rabbits.
Elephants.
All floating around the two brothers.
Ryan smiled.
—Welcome to the final act.
And then...
All the Clowns attacked at once.