Between Light and Ruin

Chapter 16Helen stared at both of them, an almost disturbing grin stretching across her face.

"Those eyes..." Janice murmured. "They're exactly like yours when you transform."

Malick stood frozen, cold sweat running down his face.

"We Revenant hybrids are a rare species of mutants," Helen began, her voice steady but charged with emotion. "Apart from our mutations, we carry additional Revenant DNA in our genes, granting us immense power—but at a cost. If we lose control and give in to our darkest fears, we become something else. Something on par with Pale Lord-level Revenants."

She took a slow step forward. "That's why we're always hunted. People fear what they don't understand. And those who do understand? They use us—to prepare for the next war."

Janice opened her mouth to respond, but Helen cut her off.

"We're not here to fight you. Isaac needs our help—"

"If you aren't, I am," Helen interrupted, shifting into a battle stance. "No one is to interfere with their talk."

"It's two against—"

Janice never got to finish.

Helen dashed forward, slamming a punch into Janice's gut and sending her skidding down the dusty road. Before Malick could react, Helen spun, her kick landing squarely against his chest. He staggered back, struggling to regain his footing.

Helen flexed her fingers, adjusting her wrist as she watched them recover.

"Seeing someone like me makes me happy, kinda," she said. "Knowing you're not alone in this world. Too bad you're on the wrong side."

Malick steadied himself, his gaze darkening. "Seeing you reminds me of what I am… Thank God you're on the other side."

Black flames ignited around his body, swirling like a ghostly whirlwind. Each flicker of the fire carried an eerie wail, as if tormented souls whispered through the inferno.

"I'll fight with everything I have," he muttered under his breath. "I'll embrace the darkness inside me if it means protecting the people I care about."

A Few Days EarlierGiovanni sat on the balcony of his house, gazing over the bright city lights of Sierra. He inhaled deeply before exhaling in a slow, steady sigh.

The sound of footsteps behind him made him glance over his shoulder.

"You and Janice both complained about being exhausted. Shouldn't you be asleep?" he asked without turning fully.

"I just wanted to talk," Malick replied.

Giovanni let out a quiet chuckle. "I'm not too good at these emotional discussions."

Malick leaned against the railing. "How did you get this strong?"

Giovanni arched a brow. "That's a vague question."

"You once said you were on par with both the General and Isaac in their prime," Malick continued. "That makes you nearly a Dominion-class hero… and you're still young."

Giovanni's expression darkened slightly. He turned his gaze back to the city.

"Do you know the cost of strength?" he asked.

Malick remained silent

"Loneliness," Giovanni said, his voice quieter now. "You get so strong that you unconsciously drift away from people. Being labeled a Dominion-class hero might come with financial benefits and worldwide recognition, but for me… I just wanted to fulfill a promise I made to Eunice."

He exhaled, staring out at the city lights.

"I told her I'd live like a normal person my age—fall in love, get drunk, get laid, do all those things. But instead, here I am." He let out a dry chuckle before turning to Malick. "If you really want to listen to me… find a reason to fight. A reason to get stronger. And it shouldn't be something negative. If it is, you'll end up like Lucien… or like me."

Malick remained silent, absorbing his words.

"I can tell Janice holds a special place in your heart," Giovanni continued. "Use that. Gain power for the right reasons—not for revenge like I did, not for control or guilt like Lucien. But for love."

He leaned forward, his gaze sharp.

"But still… your mutation is one of the most dangerous I've ever seen. You need to balance how you use your abilities. Between your perception fragmentation, Purgatory flames, and the countless other insane powers you have, the more you use at once, the closer you come to transforming into a Revenant."

He met Malick's eyes.

"Focus on the ability with the most potential. Master it. Make it a part of you—before your power ends up mastering you."

Present Day"That hurt, you know," Helen said, wiping a smear of blood from her lip.

Malick didn't respond. He dashed forward, his fist coated in black flames as he drove a left jab into her stomach. Helen grinned, even as the impact rocked her body. Malick pushed forward relentlessly, landing blow after blow, each strike triggering small explosions that tore away pieces of her flesh.

Then the true horror began.

The aftermath of his flames set in—decay. Her wounds darkened, rotting as the fire died out. One final punch sent her hurtling across the battlefield, slamming into the dome with a sickening crunch.

Malick stood there, breathing heavily, the flames around him flickering before vanishing. His relief was short-lived.

Helen was already getting back up.

Her movements were slow, detached, but then she lifted her head, revealing a bloodied face stretched into a wide, unnerving grin.

"Your mutation is one hell of a powerhouse," she mused. "Destruction and decay… now that's a combo that fits my style."

Before Malick's eyes, her injuries sealed shut with a grotesque squelching sound, her body stitching itself back together as if his attacks had meant nothing.

"How is this possible?" he muttered, still catching his breath. "She doesn't even look affected…"

Helen tilted her head. "How about I make you feel the same pain I did?"

She was on him in an instant.

Her fist drove deep into his gut, nearly breaking through him. Malick gasped, coughing up blood. Helen grabbed his head and slammed him into the ground, shattering the earth beneath them, leaving a massive crater in the floor.

The temperature suddenly dropped.

Ice spread rapidly across the ground, catching Helen by surprise.

Before she could react, Janice came soaring in, her foot colliding with Helen's face, sending her flying. As Janice landed beside Malick, the glow of her finely-crafted ice armor gleamed over her body.

"You okay?" she asked, her breath steady.

"Yeah," Malick muttered, pulling himself back to his feet. His eyes flicked toward Helen, who was already rising once more.

"We have a serious problem," he said grimly.

Outside the ColonyIsaac and Lucien stood motionless, facing each other.

Around them, low-level Revenants froze in place, too terrified to move. They knew that the slightest wrong step meant instant death.

Both warriors panted in sync, their breaths slow and measured.

"Lucien, please… rethink this," Isaac said, his voice strained but steady. "This isn't right."

Lucien scoffed. "You don't understand, Isaac. I'm sick of your righteous preaching."

His fingers tightened into fists.

"I thought you were willing to die for your convictions. I am. And I will. But know this—" His eyes burned with unwavering determination. "Even if I have to manually pump my heart… force my nerves to move… I won't die until this world changes."

Isaac clenched his jaw.

Lucien exhaled. "Time to get serious."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metal bar. With a single press of a button, it elongated. The steel of the blade unsheathed, glowing with a brilliant blue hue. Holding the hilt, he separated the weapon into two swords and shifted into his stance, gripping both blades with lethal precision.

"It's time you died for real."