Primordial Rage

Nova sidestepped another fireball, its searing arc singeing the air as he lunged toward the water manipulator. The strength manipulator charged, his bulk a thunderous blur, but the water manipulator was quicker, conjuring a shimmering barrier of liquid that rippled like a shield, deflecting Nova's advance.

The alley pulsed with chaos, the air thick with the stench of scorched stone and sweat. Nova's daggers gleamed, their edges hungry for blood. They think they've got me cornered, he thought, his lips curling into a feral snarl. They're fucking wrong. Another fireball roared from the rooftop, and Nova dove, rolling across the cracked pavement, the heat grazing his back. He sprang to his feet, eyes locked on the water manipulator, whose smug grin faltered under Nova's unyielding stare.

The strength manipulator swung a meaty fist, aiming to crush Nova's skull. Nova ducked, the wind of the blow ruffling his hair, and countered with a vicious slash. His dagger bit into the man's forearm, tearing through muscle and sinew. Blood sprayed, a crimson arc that splattered the grimy wall. The man howled, clutching his arm, but Nova was already moving, his body a coiled spring of lethal intent.

The water manipulator thrust his hands forward, the shield collapsing into a torrent of razor-sharp needles. Nova twisted, his reflexes honed by desperation, evading most of the barrage. A single needle grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood that stung like venom. He gritted his teeth, the pain fueling his rage. You'll pay for that, bastard.

Another fireball screamed down, and Nova vaulted over a rusted dumpster, the flames exploding against its side, showering sparks. He used the cover to close the distance, daggers flashing as he aimed for the water manipulator's throat. The man yelped, conjuring another watery shield, but Nova was faster. He drove his blade through the liquid, the resistance like cutting through molasses, and nicked the man's collarbone. Blood bloomed, staining the water red as the manipulator staggered back, his face pale with shock.

The strength manipulator roared, charging again, his wounded arm dangling but his other fist swinging like a sledgehammer. Nova sidestepped, letting the man's momentum carry him into a concrete pillar. The impact cracked the stone, and the man grunted, dazed. Nova seized the moment, plunging a dagger into the man's thigh, twisting it to maximize the agony. The scream that followed was raw, animalistic, echoing through the alley like a death knell.

Not enough, Nova thought, his blood singing with vengeance. They hurt Elesch. They die slow. He yanked the dagger free, blood gushing, and kicked the strength manipulator's knee, buckling it with a sickening crunch. The man collapsed, his face contorted in pain, but Nova was relentless. He grabbed the man's wrist, wrenching it until the bones snapped, each crack a symphony of retribution. The manipulator's screams grew hoarse, his body trembling as Nova loomed over him, a specter of wrath.

A fireball erupted nearby, forcing Nova to dive again, the heat blistering his skin. He rolled, coming up behind the water manipulator, who was frantically trying to summon another barrier. Nova didn't give him the chance. He hooked an arm around the man's neck, yanking him back, and drove a dagger into his shoulder, pinning him to the ground. The manipulator gasped, his hands clawing at the dirt, water spilling uselessly from his fingers.

"You thought you'd win?" Nova hissed, his voice a low growl, dripping with malice. He twisted the dagger, grinding it against bone, savoring the man's choked cries. "You don't get to walk away."

The strength manipulator, crawling now, tried to rise, his face a mask of blood and desperation. Nova stalked over, dodging another fireball that obliterated a stack of crates, the wood splintering into a fiery rain. He grabbed the man by the hair, jerking his head back, and slashed his other dagger across the man's chest, shallow but precise, letting the blood seep slowly, prolonging the torment. The man's eyes widened, pleading, but Nova's were cold, unyielding.

No mercy for trash.

The water manipulator writhed, still pinned, his breaths ragged. Nova knelt beside him, his dagger tracing lazy patterns across the man's chest, each cut deliberate, shallow enough to keep him conscious, deep enough to burn. "You hurt her," Nova whispered, his voice a blade of its own. "You don't get to die quick." He carved another line, blood welling in its wake, the man's screams muffled as he bit his own lip to shreds.

Another fireball forced Nova to roll away, the ground scorched where he'd knelt. The rooftop assailant was relentless, but Nova's focus was razor-sharp. He returned to the strength manipulator, who was dragging himself toward the alley's exit, his breaths labored, his body a canvas of pain. Nova stomped on the man's wounded thigh, eliciting a scream that tore through the night. He knelt, pressing a dagger to the man's ribs, slicing slowly, methodically, each cut a calculated agony. Blood pooled, dark and viscous, as the man's pleas turned to whimpers.

Nova's eyes flicked upward, catching the flicker of another fireball. He dove, the flames grazing his arm, leaving a blistering welt. He cursed under his breath, his rage a living thing, clawing at his restraint. The water manipulator, still pinned, tried to summon another shield, but his strength was fading, his movements sluggish. Nova ripped the dagger from his shoulder, only to plunge it into the man's hand, pinning it to the ground. The manipulator's scream was a broken, guttural thing, his body convulsing as Nova leaned close, his breath hot against the man's ear. "Feel that? That's what she felt."

The strength manipulator lunged, a desperate last effort, his uninjured arm swinging wildly. Nova caught the wrist, twisting until it cracked, and drove his knee into the man's gut, forcing the air from his lungs. He carved a slow, deliberate gash across the man's abdomen, the blood seeping in a steady stream, each movement precise to prolong the suffering. The man's eyes rolled back, his body shuddering, but Nova wasn't done. He wanted them to feel every second of their failure.

Another fireball exploded nearby, shattering a window, glass raining like jagged tears. Nova rolled, his body a blur of motion, and came up beside the water manipulator. He grabbed the man's hair, yanking his head back, and sliced a thin line across his throat, just shallow enough to avoid a quick death. Blood trickled, warm and steady, as the man gurgled, his eyes wide with terror.

Nova's voice was a venomous whisper: "You fucked with the wrong one."

The strength manipulator was barely conscious, his body a wreck of blood and broken bones. Nova dragged him to the center of the alley, propping him against the wall like a trophy. He carved slow, deliberate patterns across the man's arms, each cut a testament to his rage. The man's screams had faded to moans, his strength sapped, his will broken. Nova stepped back, dodging another fireball that scorched the ground, and turned to the water manipulator.

The man was crawling now, his pinned hand torn free, leaving a trail of blood. Nova stomped on his back, pinning him face-down in the dirt. He drove a dagger into the man's calf, twisting until the muscle shredded, the scream a high-pitched wail. "You don't get to run," Nova snarled, carving another line across the man's back, blood pooling beneath him.

The rooftop assailant launched another fireball, but Nova was ready, diving behind a pile of debris, the flames licking the air. He emerged, his daggers slick with blood, and returned to the strength manipulator. The man was fading, his breaths shallow, but Nova wouldn't let him slip away yet. He sliced across the man's thighs, slow and deep, the blood flowing freely now, each cut a deliberate act of retribution. The man's eyes fluttered, his body trembling on the edge of oblivion.

Nova turned to the water manipulator, who was gasping, his body a ruin. He knelt, pressing a dagger to the man's cheek, carving a slow, curving line that wept red. "This is for her," he growled, his voice thick with rage. He drove the dagger into the man's side, twisting it to grind against bone, the man's screams fading into choked sobs.

Another fireball roared down, and Nova rolled, the heat searing his skin. He rose, his chest heaving, and surveyed the wreckage of his enemies. The strength manipulator was slumped, his body a tapestry of blood, his breaths faint. Nova knelt, slicing one final, slow cut across the man's throat, deep enough to ensure a lingering death. The man gurgled, his eyes dimming as life seeped away.

The water manipulator was still, his body broken, blood pooling beneath him. Nova drove both daggers into the man's shoulders, pinning him like an insect, and carved a final, deliberate line across his chest. The man's eyes flickered, his breath a weak rattle, as Nova stood, his rage sated but unquenched. They paid, he thought, wiping the blood from his blades. The alley was a graveyard, the air heavy with death, as another fireball lit the sky, and Nova prepared for the next fight.