Saijew launched a flurry of punches and kicks, each one calculated to test Magnolia's reflexes. Magnolia blocked and countered where he could, but his movements were slower than usual.
"Keep up! You're moving like you're underwater," General Saijew barked.
Sweat dripped from Magnolia's brow as he dodged a strike and retaliated with a quick jab. Saijew caught his arm mid-swing and twisted it, forcing him to the ground.
"Again. Get up!"
Magnolia groaned but pushed himself back to his feet. They continued for hours, the sound of fists striking flesh and heavy breathing filling the room. Magnolia's movements became increasingly sluggish, his steps uneven. Finally, during a rapid exchange, he stumbled backward, dropping to his knees and gasping for air.
"Magnolia! What's wrong with you?" Saijew demanded.
Magnolia clutched his chest, struggling to catch his breath. "It's nothing. Just… give me a second."
"Nothing? You're gasping like a fish out of water. Let me see your chest."
"No. I'm fine—"
"That's an order. Show me."
Reluctantly, Magnolia pulled down the neckline of his shirt, revealing the jagged lightning bolt-shaped indent across his chest. The mark pulsed faintly, its edges glowing with residual energy that seemed to sap his strength with every beat.
"Just as I thought," Saijew muttered. "That's not just a scar. Baron didn't just injure you… he left something behind."
"I've been healing—"
"Healing? You call this healing?" Saijew scoffed. "You've been dragging yourself through this entire session. No wonder your contract's a mess."
He stepped back, arms crossed, and gestured for Magnolia to try again. "Show me your power. If you've got anything left, now's the time."
Magnolia raised a trembling hand, summoning his contract. A weak flicker of flame appeared in his palm before sputtering out completely, the energy fading as quickly as it formed.
"Pathetic." Saijew's gaze hardened. "If you can't rely on your contract, then you'll fight like a soldier. No more excuses. Get back up."
Magnolia wiped the sweat from his face and struggled to stand, determination burning in his eyes despite his exhaustion. "Let's keep going."
"That's more like it."
The session resumed, with Saijew focusing on refining Magnolia's movements, emphasizing endurance and precision to compensate for his lack of power. The General's relentless pace pushed Magnolia to his limits, but he refused to quit, his resolve hardening with every strike.
Meanwhile, in the ruins of the base, the children wandered cautiously through the wreckage, searching for any remaining clues.
"This place feels… off," Kibo murmured.
"Stay alert," Valentina warned. "We don't know if anyone else is here."
As they continued, the air grew heavy, and the shadows around them seemed to move unnaturally. Suddenly, a man and woman emerged from behind the ruins.
"This cruelty, such a sick Pharaoh," Calix muttered.
"I wonder how much they've endured," Valerie added, her voice laced with pity. The sight of the children struck them deeply.
"Who the hell are you?" Sous demanded.
Calix tilted his head. "Does it matter to you? I'll release you from your suffering."
"All of you, that is," Valerie said, her loving nature contrasting the ominous promise in her words.
Back at the training area, Magnolia collapsed to the ground, his body bruised and exhausted. Saijew towered over him.
"Again. Get up."
"I can't…"
"You will. Baron won't give you a break. Neither will I. Now fight!"
Magnolia groaned but pushed himself up, his determination slowly igniting as Saijew's relentless training forced him to adapt.
An hour later, the grueling sounds of fists meeting flesh and shouts of exertion filled the air. Sweat soaked Magnolia's shirt as he stumbled back from another sparring session.
"How… long are we going to do this?"
"Until you stop asking. Again."
Saijew's tone left no room for argument. Magnolia pushed himself up, his body aching but his determination stronger than ever. After what felt like an eternity, Saijew finally called for a break.
"Take five minutes. Then we move out."
Magnolia collapsed onto a bench, guzzling water and wiping the sweat from his face. Before the break was over, Saijew returned with another figure; Poison.
Poison's presence was striking. A slim but agile frame, his sharp features were offset by deep, piercing eyes that glinted with an unsettling, toxic energy. His jet-blackish-green hair framed his face like coiled shadows. His contract with the Egyptian goddess Serket gave him mastery over toxin, his very touch could bring either death or incapacitation.
"Heard you've been slacking, Magnolia," Poison taunted. "Guess it's my turn to see what you've got."
"You'll have your chance later," Saijew interjected. "We're moving."
He activated his artifact, summoning a shimmering portal. "Let's go."
The trio stepped through, emerging at the ruins of the base. The air was thick with the remnants of destruction, and the area was completely empty.
"What the hell happened here?" Magnolia muttered.
Saijew's sharp eyes scanned the area, quickly piecing together the scene. "It's been compromised. The children are gone."
He activated the earpiece connected to the Pharaoh. "Sire, we have a situation. The base was compromised. The children are missing."
The Pharaoh's voice crackled through the earpiece, calm yet commanding. "Understood. I'll dispatch the rest of the children to your location. I'll leave a few behind as lookouts. Find them and eliminate whoever is responsible."
"Yes, my lord."
As Saijew ended the transmission, Magnolia continued surveying the area, his hands clenched into fists. Poison crouched beside a broken beam, examining the damage.
"Whoever did this is strong," Poison observed. "I don't see any direct attack marks, but still…"
A shadow shifted behind them. Sous emerged from the darkness, his movements sharp and predatory. His demeanor was gone, replaced by the cold, cruel presence of something else.
"You're too late," he said, voice hollow. "They're already gone."
Before anyone could respond, Sous lunged at Poison, his strikes precise and unrelenting. Poison dodged the first attack, his reflexes quick as venom coursed through his veins, a testament to his contract with Serket.
Poison grinned. "You're feisty. Let's see how long you last."
He countered with a series of fluid movements, his fingers glowing faintly green as they exuded a poisonous aura. He parried Sous's attacks, forcing him to backstep.
"Magnolia, stay back. Poison can handle him," Saijew ordered.
Magnolia watched in awe as the two clashed. Poison's agile movements like a serpent's strike, Sous's attacks brutal and unrelenting, his other side giving him a terrifying edge.
"Is that all you've got?" Poison taunted. "I expected more from someone so angry."
Sous didn't respond. Instead, he unleashed a surge of energy, his strikes growing faster and more vicious. Poison narrowly avoided a blow aimed at his throat, retaliating with a swipe that left a faint green streak across Sous's arm.
"Gotcha," Poison smirked.
Sous faltered for a moment, his breath heavy, but instead of retreating, he grinned, a twisted, malicious expression. "You think a little poison can stop me?"
Saijew stepped forward. "Enough. Magnolia, you and I will handle this together. Poison, take the portal and regroup. We'll find the children."
"Yes, sir." Poison vanished into the portal, leaving the battlefield behind.
…
Ren scoffed, crossing his arms. "Don't tell me I have to save your butt again."
Poison rushed into the room, his expression tense. "General old man Saijew made me come back to get all of you. Sous is on a rampage."
Sofia's eyes widened in shock. "He's what?!"
A couple of tears slipped from her eyes before Amelia gently wiped them away. "Don't worry. We'll get him back, with your help."
Luna stepped in front of them, turning her gaze to Emma, who lingered in the shadows at the far back. "Well? You coming, Emma?"
Emma, who had been silent until now, glanced up at Luna's call. Her sharp eyes flickered with hesitation before she let out a small sigh. "Y-yeah."
Pushing off the wall she had been leaning against, she adjusted herself before stepping forward. Though her expression remained composed, the slight tension in her shoulders betrayed her concern.
Ren glanced between the group. "So what's the plan? We just charge in and hope we don't get obliterated?"
Poison shook his head grimly. "Sous isn't himself right now. If we go in unprepared, we're as good as dead."
Sofia clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. "Then we better come up with something fast. I won't let him stay like that."
A tense silence filled the air before Luna stepped forward with a determined nod. "Then let's move. We don't have time to waste."
…
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Magnolia was locked in battle with Sous, who was already in a weakened state.
"Remember your training!"
General Saijew barked.
"Use his strength against him if you want to live!"
Magnolia took the advice to heart, analyzing Sous's movements carefully. As Sous charged forward, Magnolia dodged swiftly, planting his foot in front of Sous's landing area. The maneuver sent Sous crashing to the ground.
Sous recovered instantly and retaliated with a brutal headbutt, knocking Magnolia down. Without hesitation, he leaped high into the air, ready to end the fight.
Magnolia reacted just as fast. Springing to his feet, he flipped to the side and propelled himself upward. Catching Sous mid-air, he placed his hands on his back and forcefully slammed him into the ground.
The impact created a massive crater, shaking the already devastated battlefield.
General Saijew exhaled.
"That should be the last of whatever that was. We need to take him back to the Pharaoh."
Magnolia caught his breath. "General, what was that?"
Saijew shook his head. "Truthfully, I have no clue."
He picked up Sous's unconscious body, and they stepped through the portal, reuniting with the mixture of winners and losers. As Saijew placed Sous on a nearby table, his gaze swept across the group.
"Where's Matthew?"
he demanded.
The others exchanged uneasy glances. Luna frowned.
"He was just here a minute ago."
From the corner of their eyes, they saw the Pharaoh enter the room with Matthew by his side. In his presence, everyone knelt. With a single lifted finger, he motioned for them to rise.
Neitiqerty Siptah smirked. "Now, who do I thank for this?"
Saijew didn't hesitate. "Magnolia and Poison. They did this."
A heavy silence followed. The Pharaoh's piercing gaze swept across the room before settling on the two warriors.
"Impressive,"
he mused, his voice smooth yet weighted with authority. He took slow steps forward, observing Sous's unconscious form before turning back to them.
"But tell me... was this victory by skill or by luck?"
Magnolia straightened his posture and met the Pharaoh's eyes.
"Skill."
Poison, standing beside him, remained silent but nodded in agreement.
The Pharaoh chuckled softly, though there was an edge to his amusement.
"A bold answer. One I hope you can back up in the future."
He lifted a hand slightly, and a few royal guards stepped forward, gathering around Sous.
"Take him to the healers. I want him restrained until we understand what happened."
The guards nodded and carefully lifted Sous, carrying him away. The tension in the room remained thick.
Luna crossed her arms. "So... what do we do now?"
The Pharaoh's gaze darkened.
"Now, we wait. And while we wait, we prepare. If whatever afflicted him remains, it won't be long before we face it again."
A chill ran through the group. They all knew this wasn't over.
"I want to see him,"
Sofia said quietly but firmly.
The Pharaoh studied her before giving a small nod.
"Fine. But you won't be alone."
One of the guards stepped forward, but Sofia shook her head sharply.
"He's my own kin! I don't need protection."
Without waiting for permission, she strode into the room alone, leaving the rest behind.
Ren exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.
"Great. So we fought our hearts out, and now we're just supposed to sit around?"
Poison shot him a look.
"If you'd rather take on whatever that was again right now, be my guest."
Ren glared but said nothing.
Matthew, who had been quiet, finally spoke.
"...It wasn't normal. Whatever happened to Sous, it wasn't just rage. There was something else inside of him."
His words sent a ripple of unease through the group.
The Pharaoh's expression turned grave.
"Then we must find out what."