He did it?

The armored man straightened, his glowing blade raised as he assessed Sunny with new interest.

"Interesting," he said, his voice carrying a hint of genuine surprise. "What are you?"

Sunny didn't answer. His breath came in ragged gasps, the temporary power thrumming beneath his skin. 

That attack had taken more out of him than he expected.

'I can't waste time talking,' he thought. 'Fifteen minutes. Less now. I have to make every second count.'

He charged forward, channeling the newfound strength into his legs. His speed surprised even himself—he moved like a blur across the ice, closing the distance to the man in an instant.

His fist, empowered, crashed into the attacker's chest plate. The impact resonated through the chamber like a gong, sending cracks spider-webbing across the dark metal.

Pain shot up Sunny's arm. It felt like punching a brick wall, even with his enhanced strength.

The attacker grunted—the first sign of real discomfort—but recovered quickly. His gauntleted hand shot out, grabbing Sunny by the throat.

"Unexpected," he said, lifting Sunny off his feet. "But ultimately futile."

With a casual flick of his arm, he hurled Sunny across the chamber. He slammed into the ice wall with bone-breaking force, the impact sending shards of ice raining down around him.

He slid to the floor, tasting copper in his mouth. The temporary power cushioned what would have been a killing blow, but agony still radiated through his body.

'Get up,' he commanded himself. 'Get up now.'

Across the chamber, Nyx's eyes fluttered open. Pain lanced through her skull, her vision blurry and red-tinged. She tried to move, but her body refused to cooperate.

The sound of combat drew her attention. Through the haze of pain, she saw movement—a figure, smaller than the armored attacker, getting thrown against the wall with devastating force.

'Porter?' she thought, confused. 'What the hell is he doing?'

She watched as Sunny, impossibly, pushed himself back to his feet. Blood streamed from a gash on his forehead, staining his face crimson. His chest heaved with labored breaths. Yet he stood, fists clenched, facing the armored man.

'Why isn't he running?' she wondered, bewildered. 'He should be gone by now.'

Sunny spat blood onto the ice. His temporary enhancements were burning through fast, but the [ICE VEIL] skill remained untapped. He focused, calling upon it.

A shimmering, translucent barrier of ice formed around him like a second skin, glistening in the blue light of the chamber.

The attacker paused, curious. "More tricks?" he asked, readying his sword. "Show me."

Sunny didn't wait for an invitation. He dashed forward again, weaving to the side as the attacker's blade whistled through the air. He ducked under a horizontal slash, the sword passing so close he felt its chill against his scalp.

Drawing on [ENHANCED AGILITY], he spun inside the attacker's guard and delivered three rapid punches to the cracked chest plate.

The armor fractured further under his assault. The ice veil around his fists intensified with each blow, crystallizing into jagged spikes that tore at the weakened metal.

But the attacker was far from beaten. With lightning-quick reflexes, he grabbed Sunny's arm mid-punch. 

He twisted violently.

Sunny screamed as his shoulder dislocated with a sickening pop. The armored man used the hold to slam him face-first into the ground.

The ice cracked beneath him. Blood spurted from his nose and mouth, and stars danced in his vision. His ice veil shattered on impact.

'I can't beat him,' he realized, desperation setting in. 'I just need to buy time. Get the others out.'

Nyx stared, frozen in disbelief, as the porter—the weak, insignificant porter—traded blows with an opponent that had decimated their entire team in moments.

'Was this the same boy?' she thought, watching as Sunny, despite clearly losing, covered in blood, struggled back to his feet yet again. There was something in his movements, in his desperate determination, that resonated with her in a way she couldn't explain.

Sunny's mind raced frantically. 'I'm going to die. I should run.' The thought flashed through his mind like lightning. 'No,' he countered immediately. 'The quest. Save at least one of them.'

The armored man approached slowly, savoring the moment. "You have potential," he said. "Shame it ends here."

Sunny glanced around wildly. Nyx was conscious now, he realized. Her eyes were open, watching him. Brynn was stirring as well, groggily pushing herself up from where she'd been thrown.

'Maybe they can escape if I distract him longer,' he thought.

He had one last trick—another Essence Burn. He could feel the power fading fast, but enough remained for one more attack.

"Hey, asshole," he called, straightening despite the white-hot pain in his shoulder. "You hit like a cleanup crew rookie."

The taunt worked. The armored man's posture stiffened with irritation. He surged forward, his blade a silver streak aimed at Sunny's heart.

Sunny gathered the last of his borrowed power into his good hand. The chaotic energy sphere formed, larger than before, unstable and writhing with volatile power.

'This is going to hurt,' he thought grimly.

Instead of throwing it, he held the Essence Burn until the last possible moment—until the attacker's blade was inches from his chest.

Then he slammed the orb directly into the cracked chest plate.

The explosion was blinding. A shockwave of raw power erupted between them, sending both flying in opposite directions. The armored man crashed into one of the pillars holding the chained woman. Sunny was thrown back, skidding across the ice until he collided with something soft.

Nyx grunted as his body slammed into hers. Through the ringing in her ears and the spots dancing across her vision, she grabbed his shoulders.

"Are you insane?" she hissed, shaking him roughly. "What were you thinking?"

Sunny could barely focus on her face. The temporary enhancements were fading fast, leaving only pain in their wake. His dislocated shoulder screamed in agony.

"Have to... save someone," he mumbled, blood bubbling between his lips. 

She watched him with a new kind of look in her eyes, "Dammit, why are you doing this now. Run, save yourself."

Across the chamber, the armored man was rising, his chest plate now a ruined mess of twisted metal. Beneath it, a glowing sigil pulsed with angry red light.

"Enough games," he snarled, all pretense of amusement gone. "You die now."

"Porter!" Aria's voice cut through Sunny's fading consciousness. She had regained her footing, her rapier held ready despite her injured leg. "Get Nyx out of here! We'll hold him!"

Lina stepped forward, her staff blazing with renewed energy. Brynn, bloodied but standing, hefted her hammer beside them.

The heroes were back in the fight.

'They're alive,' Sunny thought through the haze of pain. 'Maybe... maybe I did it.'

Then the world went black.