The air in the camp grew heavier as night settled in. The bonfires burned low, casting flickering shadows across the grounds. Most students were already getting ready for bed after the rafting trip, but Zack Lee wasn't feeling at ease.
Something about the day didn't sit right with him. Mira. She'd been acting off ever since she helped Zeus move boxes earlier, and Zack couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
He decided to look for her.
---
Zack wandered through the campgrounds, his boots crunching softly on the gravel. He passed the main lodge, then the cabins, heading towards the rear side where the warehouse was.
The door to the storage shed was cracked open, just a sliver of light spilling out.
Zack's gut tightened.
He crept closer, barely making a sound as he peered inside.
---
Zeus stood over Won Bin, his hands balled into fists, each strike landing with a sickening thud. Won Bin's face was battered, blood dripping from his nose and lip. But it wasn't just him.
In the corner of the room, Mira sat on the floor, her eyes wide, cheeks streaked with tears, hands trembling in her lap.
Zack's heart dropped.
"What the hell is going on here?" he whispered to himself, his voice tight with anger.
Before he could react, Zeus turned, his gaze cold and empty as he noticed the door crack open.
"What do you want?" Zeus sneered, wiping his hands on his jacket.
Mira's eyes widened, and she tried to say something, but her voice caught in her throat.
Zack didn't hesitate. Fury surged through him. He rushed forward, hands outstretched, ready to grab Zeus and throw him off Won Bin.
"Stay away from her!" Zack yelled, fists clenched.
Zeus barely moved. He simply shifted his weight, as if Zack were a fly.
Then, with a speed Zack didn't see coming, Zeus swung a brutal Muay Thai elbow straight into Zack's chest.
The impact knocked the wind from Zack's lungs, and before he could react, Zeus gripped his arms and twisted them, using the force to break both with a sickening snap.
Zack's body buckled, dropping to the floor in agony, unable to cry out from the pain.
---
But as Zeus approached for a finishing blow, a voice rang out through the air—sharp, commanding.
"Enough!"
Jalen Creed stepped into the warehouse, his face a mixture of cold focus and silent fury. He glanced at Zack, who was writhing in pain on the floor, and then turned his gaze to Zeus.
Without a word, Jalen leaped forward, moving faster than anyone could anticipate.
Zeus, overconfident from his earlier victory, threw a wide, brutal roundhouse kick aimed at Jalen's head.
Jalen's instincts kicked in.
With a fluid motion, he caught the leg, twisting it in mid-air before slamming Zeus to the ground with a perfectly executed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu takedown.
The warehouse fell silent. Mira gasped, wide-eyed, watching the shift in power in an instant.
Jalen stood over Zeus, his expression impassive. "You'll regret this," he said quietly, his voice deadly calm.
Zeus, now struggling beneath Jalen's grip, snarled. "You think you can take me down? You're just some pretty boy—"
Jalen tightened his hold, ignoring the insult. "I don't fight for fun. And I'm no one's punching bag."
Mira stood shakily from the corner, still in shock but relieved, her tears now hidden behind the veil of confusion.
Zeus was breathing heavily now, realizing he was no longer in control.
Jalen bent down to his ear, his words sharp: "You hurt people again, and I won't stop until you regret it for the rest of your life."
Zeus gritted his teeth. He wasn't used to being overpowered, especially by someone like Jalen.
With a final, contemptuous grunt, Zeus pulled himself out from under Jalen and staggered toward the door. "You got lucky"