Ice Queen (Part Six)

Luna

I grit my teeth, trying to shift my weight onto my good leg, but the pain shoots up like fire. My left leg is definitely broken. Caden stands tall in front of me, his broad shoulders shielding me from the Blues.

"Ladies, gentlemen, don't be shy!" Caden shouts, his voice booming like thunder. "Come at me, you bastards! You go after the kids? When I'm here, every one of you is turning into stone! COME AT ME!"

I try to push myself up again, my head pounding like a storm, but my body isn't ready. The vial with Rebe's blood is helping, but it's not enough—not fast enough.

"You know," Slick drawls, leaning on his katana with a smug grin. "I'd attack you, but I wouldn't want to hurt an old comrade."

Old comrade? His words make my stomach twist. What does he mean by that?

"How about you come at us instead?" Slick taunts, his tone mocking.

Before I can even begin to process what he's saying, Caden launches himself at them with a roar. "It'll be my pleasure to kill y'all!"

He's a blur, closing the distance in milliseconds using his Thunder Step. His first targets are the twins.

Caden's fists crackle with energy as he slams into them, his movements precise and brutal. One of the twins manages to dodge a punch but is immediately caught by a high kick that sends him flying into a lamppost. The other twin doesn't fare any better—Caden grabs him by the arm, twisting it until there's a sickening snap, and hurls him into a nearby car.

Slick watches the chaos unfold, his grin widening. "Still as feral as ever, aren't you, Caden?"

But Caden doesn't respond. He's already moving, his focus sharp, his strikes deadly.

I clutch my leg, frustration bubbling in my chest. I can't just sit here and watch. Not while Caden is taking them all on alone. Not while he's risking everything to protect me.

"Damn it," I mutter, forcing myself to sit up despite the searing pain. I've got to do something. Anything.

Caden's movements are sharp, precise, and terrifying, but I can see the toll they're taking on him. He's using too much energy—his Thunder Step is deadly, not just for them, but for him too.

From the rubble of the building, the giant stumbles out, drenched in his own blood but somehow still standing. His eyes lock onto Caden, burning with rage. He's dangerous, sure, but I know he's not enough to stop Caden. At least, not on his own.

The giant charges forward, his heavy footsteps shaking the ground beneath us. He doesn't even glance at me. I'm nothing more than a broken body to him, not worth the effort.

Caden pivots instantly, redirecting his focus to the hulking brute. The air crackles as he uses Thunder Step again. Damn it. He's pushing himself too hard.

"Did you think two hits were enough for Ginel?" a girl's voice calls out, sharp and mocking. My eyes dart to the source. It's the slender girl from Slick's group. Her smirk is unsettling, her eyes glinting with malice. "That's his whole thing—four sets of bones protecting his organs. You'd have to try a lot harder than that."

Caden doesn't respond. His body is already in motion, his lightning-charged fists aiming straight for Ginel's face. But her words stick with me. Four sets of bones? What the hell kind of monster is this guy?

Ginel swings his massive arm the moment Caden closes the distance with Thunder Step, but Caden dodges with ease, slipping to his blind spot. His movements are smooth, almost too fast to follow.

But then I see it—a blur of motion. One of the twins sprinting toward Caden at an alarming speed.

"Caden, watch out!" I shout, my voice strained.

Caden already saw him. The twin leaps through the air like a wild animal, mouth open, teeth bared as if he's ready to bite. What the hell is wrong with these freaks?

Before I can say anything else, the girl strikes. Her hand flicks forward, and her nails shoot out like curved blades, arcing through the air toward Caden.

My heart stops. He's completely surrounded.

Caden moves with precision, grabbing the twin by the face mid-air and using him as a shield. The twin's body absorbs the curved nails, a wet, sickening sound echoing as they pierce into him. Without hesitation, Caden hurls the twin like a ragdoll into a nearby wall. The impact sends cracks spidering across the surface, and the sound of the twin's body hitting the wall is enough to make me shudder.

In the chaos, I summon all my strength and cast Mirage, cloaking Caden and Ginel in an illusion. It's a risky move, especially in my condition, but I project an image of Caden being struck down in a brutal, bloody death. The sight is enough to momentarily confuse the enemies, their gazes flickering with twisted satisfaction.

Ginel swings a massive backhand, aiming to flatten Caden where he stands. But Caden is already a step ahead. He dives backward, quick as lightning, and clasps his palms together.

I know what's coming—the Piercing Shot. A concentrated laser of energy so deadly it can level just about anything.

"Caden, no—" I start, but it's already too late.

The energy blast tears through the air with terrifying precision. It doesn't hit the Ginel as I expected. Instead, it narrowly misses, grazing his armpit, and continues on its path.

Straight to the girl.

The beam catches her square in the forehead, cutting through with deadly accuracy. She doesn't even have time to react before her body crumples to the ground.

Fast. Strong. Calculating. Deadly. That's Caden—our leader, always three steps ahead.

But as awe-inspiring as his attack was, I know it came at a cost. Using this much energy is dangerous, not just for his enemies, but for him too. And the fight isn't over yet. 

Caden doesn't waste a second. He rolls to his feet, landing in a crouch. With a powerful leap, he launches himself at the giant, delivering a kick straight to his face. The impact is deafening, and the force is enough to send the Ginel sprawling to the ground, unconscious. Not dead, but out cold—Caden's precision never falters.

The Ginel's body thuds heavily against the frozen street as Caden strides forward, his steps deliberate and menacing. He stops beside the giant's head, his piercing gaze locked on Slick.

Slick doesn't flinch, but I can see his confidence waver for the first time, a flicker of doubt crossing his face.

Without breaking eye contact, Caden raises his left foot. The tension in the air is suffocating as he slams it down into the giant's face with brutal force. Bone crunches beneath his boot as he ensures the man won't be waking anytime soon.

Caden straightens, his cold eyes still fixed on Slick, daring him to make a move. His silence is louder than any words he could speak, a chilling promise of what's to come.

"That's the Scarlet Ghost!" Slick shouts, his voice dripping with a mix of fear and mockery. "But how could you do that to the twins? Didn't they remind you of you and Bruce?" He pauses, his grin widening as if savoring the effect of his words. "Don't you miss him, Caden? Well, I have a little something to share with you…"

Caden's body stiffens, his eyes narrowing.

Slick steps forward, his voice growing quieter but no less venomous. "He's not dead."

The words hang in the air, suffocating and heavy.

Without hesitation, Caden's body sparks with energy. In a flash, he uses Thunder Step, closing the gap between them in an instant. But as his fist connects, Slick vanishes, dissolving into a cloud of smoke. The laughter he leaves behind echoes like a haunting melody.

Caden freezes, his chest heaving as he surveys the empty space where Slick stood moments ago.

He turns to me, his piercing eyes locking onto mine. "Luna," he growls, his voice low and sharp. 

I need answers.