Unyielding

One mistake, one wrong step, and it could all be over. But Ciel knew—this was his time to act.

Reeves, a glint of madness in his eyes, grinned as he closed the distance. "You really think you can keep up?" His voice was laced with mocking amusement as he prepared to unleash another series of explosive punches. "Every step I take will blow you apart."

Ciel felt the heat rising in his chest, the raw power surging from deep within him. It wasn't just fire—it was a force, a crushing wave of energy that threatened to break through his control. "We will see."

Reeves was already hurling the explosion at him, the air around it crackling. Ciel's reflexes kicked in. A wall of ice shot up between them. The explosion slammed into it with deafening force, shaking the ground beneath him. He felt the pressure, the shockwave tearing through the air. He didn't have much time.

In a flash, Ciel moved, channeling wind magic. The gusts whipped around him like a storm. He shoved the wind forward, aiming straight at Reeves, but the madman dodged with ease. His hand erupted into another explosion, launching him forward with ruthless speed. Ciel barely managed to sidestep, but the blast grazed him, sending him skidding back.

Reeves chuckled, his voice dark. "A little faster than I thought. But it won't be enough."

Ciel gritted his teeth, his hand moving instinctively to cast another spell. "You don't know what you're up against," he muttered.

Reeves cocked his head, then smirked, "Show me then."

Just as Ciel began his next move, a sudden presence crashed onto the battlefield—Taku. The ground trembled as he slammed his ice sword into the earth, freezing everything around them. The ice spread rapidly, cutting off any escape routes, but also trapping them in a dangerous standoff.

"Looks like you're not alone," Reeves said, his grin widening.

Ciel didn't have time to respond. The fight wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.

***

In the midst of the chaos, Kou slid into position, his icy control tightening as he joined the fray. The three of them, each different in power but united in purpose, stood against the storm that was Reeves.

Reeves laughed. "Three against one? Not fair at all. But, fine, let's see what you've got."

Taku, with a quiet, cold fury, lunged forward. "You'll die here."

Reeves' eyes flashed with excitement. "Oh, I love it when they get all serious."

Reeves' maniacal grin stretched wider, the madness in his eyes a reflection of the chaos he thrived in. "You think you've won?" His voice was a sneer, dripping with contempt. "You really think you can stop me? Pathetic."

Ciel's jaw tightened. He was too serious to talk anymore. Every muscle in his body was screaming, the power inside him barely held in check, threatening to explode. He could feel the pressure building, the rage in his veins rising like fire. But he knew better than to let it consume him— Patience. They had to play this right.

Taku's eyes were cold as ice, his grip tightening around his sword, his breath slow but steady. He didn't need to say anything. He didn't need to explain what they were going to do. It was simple—destroy the threat. And that threat was standing right in front of them, smiling like he owned the world.

"You're outnumbered," Kou's voice cut through the air, quiet but sharp, like the edge of a blade. "Surrender now, and maybe—" His words were interrupted by Reeves' laugh.

"Surrender?" Reeves spat, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You think I'll just let you walk away? You'll regret this."

The temperature dropped in an instant. The very air around them seemed to freeze, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

Ciel didn't hesitate. With a flick of his wrist, the winds began to howl, a vortex of air spiraling around him. His eyes locked on Reeves, unwavering, as his body crackled with energy. He could feel the storm inside him—the raw, untamed power of wind and fire swirling together, threatening to consume everything.

Reeves wasn't stupid. He saw it coming. His hands raised, glowing with that destructive force that had decimated everything in its path. He hurled an explosion at Ciel, the air shimmering with the heat and violence of it. Ciel didn't flinch. "Not now."

The wind responded. Ciel twisted his hands, and with a deafening roar, the air around him exploded outward, redirecting the blast to the side. The shockwave tore through the ground, cracking the earth beneath them, but Ciel was already moving, his speed a blur as he closed the distance.

Reeves was fast, but Ciel had seen this before. He could handle it.

In a split second, Ciel lunged, his fist connecting with Reeves' side. The impact sent the man sprawling, but he wasn't out. Reeves rolled back to his feet with a snarl, his eyes wild.

"You're too slow!" Reeves screamed, charging forward with the same destructive force. Another explosion ripped through the air, and Ciel barely managed to sidestep, the heat grazing his skin. He could feel the burn of it, but he didn't stop.

Behind him, Kou and Taku were already moving in sync, their combined presence forming a wall of ice and fury. Taku's blade cut through the air, freezing everything it touched, while Kou's wind magic surged to meet Ciel's, amplifying the storm around them. The battlefield had become a cacophony of elements, a deadly dance of fire, ice, and wind.

Reeves was caught between them now, his movements erratic, but there was still that sickening grin on his face. "Three against one? How dull. But it's fitting, I suppose. Let's see who comes out on top, shall we?"

Ciel's heart raced. "This is it."

With a roar, he pushed the wind forward, sending a howling gust straight at Reeves, forcing him back. But Reeves was faster than Ciel had expected, his body crackling with another explosive surge of energy. The blast was blinding, but Ciel was already moving—his body a blur as he twisted through the air, the wind around him turning into a storm, blocking the explosion just in time.

In that moment, it all clicked. This was the opening they needed.

Taku and Kou moved like one, their coordinated strikes a deadly force. Taku's sword came down hard, freezing the ground beneath Reeves, while Kou's wind whipped into the blast zone, creating a barrier of force that pinned Reeves in place.

Ciel didn't waste time. He stepped forward, his hand outstretched. "This ends now."

Reeves responded with a mocking grin. "Not Really."

"Is this all you've got?" he taunted, his voice low and full of dark amusement. His hands twitched, energy crackling around him, as if daring them to bring it on. "You think you can stop me?"

Ciel's heart pounded in his chest, the intensity of the moment surging through him like a tidal wave. The storm he had unleashed earlier was still swirling around them, whipping through the battlefield, but Reeves wasn't giving up. He was far from defeated.

Ciel thought in his mind and said: "You're nuts.."

Taku's sword cut through the air, the cold, unforgiving blade slicing down with brutal precision. "We're not done," Taku said coldly, his voice as sharp as the ice that followed his every movement.

Kou's eyes burned with a fury that matched the storm swirling around them. He was quiet, calculating. "It's over when we say it's over."

Ciel said in a mocking manner: "You're the last person who should be saying that."

Kou didn't responded.

Reeves' eyes flickered, the energy around him growing unstable. He was on the brink of something—something that would either break them all or push him over the edge. "You're all fools," he snarled. "You can't hold me forever." His fists clenched, and a shockwave of power burst from his body, shattering the ice, sending cracks through the frozen earth beneath him.

Ciel felt it. A crackling surge of heat and destruction. Reeves was about to make his move, and it would be brutal.

Instinct kicked in. Ciel's hands snapped into a new position, summoning the winds with a sharp, forceful gesture. A cyclone of wind exploded from his fingertips, surrounding him in a shield of raw energy. The gusts slammed into the shockwave, but they weren't enough to stop it. It was too powerful.

Reeves smirked, clearly enjoying the chaos he was causing. "Not good enough."