It was getting dark by the time they made it to the next warehouse that was supposedly abandoned near Asbestos, but it still bore the mayor’s symbol on its side. As they entered, both noticed the door was already unlocked. Ryan activated the night vision in his helmet and decided to split off from Kashi, eager to make himself useful. He began searching through the crates, only to find most of them empty or filled with scrap metal. Just as frustration started to creep in, a crunch beneath his boot made him freeze. Looking down, he spotted shards of what appeared to be shattered vials glinting faintly in the dim light.

  “I found something,” Ryan called out. Moments later, Kashi appeared, crouching to examine the fragments. Ryan instinctively stepped back, careful not to touch anything and avoid provoking Kashi. He was trying to follow Aaron’s advice to be more open and not let anger be his only personality. He needed to at least get along with Kashi which was hard and perhaps it was in the way he led. Kashi wasn’t ruthless with leading which was something Ryan was used to.

  “I can’t tell if it's just glass or if it was vials.” Kashi said standing up and he tilted his head up.

  “Then I guess we keep-” Ryan was cut off as Kashi grabbed his helmet and made him look up. “Oh.” There were jagged claw marks all over the wall and now that Ryan was paying attention, it appeared a fight took place. Splinters of wood were laying all over the floor from destroyed crates and there were more claw marks on the ground. Shrapnel appeared embedded in the sides of the wall. Ryan felt fear running through him. There was a creature that made large claw marks.

  “Be alert.” Kashi carefully moved forward, kicking the wood and metal scrapes around.

  Ryan stayed rooted in his spot, unable to move as memory came to mind. When his village was destroyed by a demon, the intruder tricked them pretending to be human, begging for help and they had let their guard down. That trust had cost them everything. The demon revealed its true form, a monstrous beast, and slaughtered their leader. It commanded its armored henchmen to round up the villagers like cattle. Ryan had barely escaped, fleeing into the forest.

  When he stopped to catch his breath, he saw claw marks slashed into the bark of a tree, the same jagged marks now scattered across the metal walls of the warehouse. He’d done a lot of research on demons during his time with the Elementals on anything, their powers, life, and their hierarchy for the Underworld. They were practically immortal and could only be killed with a special metal crafted in a dagger. Ryan hadn’t had any luck finding it.

  “I found a vial,” Kashi’s voice jolted him back to the present. Ryan blinked, shaking off the memory as Kashi approached, holding up another neon blue vial. “It seems someone was trying to destroy them.” Ryan took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. He couldn’t afford to spiral now. He gave a small nod and followed Kashi out of the warehouse.

  “I think we can check out Asbestos,” Kashi said as they mounted their hoverboards. “There’s a place I know, but we need to be careful. Please, Ryan, listen to my instructions when we get there.”

  “Okay,” Ryan replied, his voice steady despite the lingering unease. He clenched his fists tightly, willing himself not to lash out. For a moment, he even felt like spilling everything, sharing the pain that had defined so much of his life. But he stopped himself, scolding the thought away. He wasn’t weak.

  “No one cares where you came from, so just keep your head down and do what you're told.” The voice of The Elemental leaders hissed in his head. Kashi wouldn’t understand.

  As they approached, Kashi slowed down, and Ryan took in the bustling streets ahead. Unlike Amshire, this place resembled a lively market rather than a cold, modern city. Amshire, with its advanced technology and futuristic skyline, always carried an air of tension and hostility. In contrast, Eldamar was the smallest of the three cities, poor but grounded in a simple, humble way of life.

  But as Ryan dismounted his hoverboard, hooking it onto his back, something about Abestos felt... off. The lively crowd and vibrant market facade couldn’t quite mask the uneasy atmosphere that seemed to linger beneath the surface. People were quiet as they scurried around seemingly in fear, some with masks on and others not. They were masks of monsters and animals, some just covering people's eyes while others had it covering their lower half of their face.

  “Is this a festival?” Ryan questioned. He felt jumpier than he would like to admit. It just felt like a darker presence lingered on the city.

  “It appears to be.” Kashi said, looking around. A few glanced at them and Ryan noticed how their eyes seemed to plead with help. No one seemed to despise their presence, and he felt that it was a step up from Amshire. Ryan felt a weird prickle on his neck and glanced around and chalked it up to being on edge. Kashi began to move into the sea of people and weirdly enough they all parted, not in fear but seemingly like they were saviors of some kind.

  “It feels unnatural,” Ryan finally said. “Why exactly are we here?

  “That’s because The Phantoms run this city and of course I want to check out a lab to really see what they're doing.” Kashi said. Ryan faltered.

  “What!?”

  “Keep your voice down.” Kashi hissed.

  Ran scoffed, feeling his annoyance creep in and attempted to to hold himself back from challenging Kashi’s plan. He focused on keeping his mouth shut and looked around trying to see what the vendors were all selling. Most looked like variations of food and poorly grown vegetables. Some booths were selling more masks and Ryan wondered what celebration was being held because it reminded him of a masquerade.

  His eyes locked onto a small girl who was sitting beside a booth, presumably run by her mother. She wore a cloak that engulfed her small body but what stood out to him was the purple veins that wore down on her face running down her neck and disappearing beneath the fabric. It was rather odd but then looking at other people, they all seemed to have purple veins somewhere on their bodies. He felt the same prickle again and looked behind him and he felt himself freeze.

  Among the crowd was a figure dressed in black clothes; their upper face was covered by a dark grey demon mask. Two black horns protruded from their head and red eyes bore into Ryan’s helmet. A breeze swept through, moving their long black hair and their tail whipped curled around their legs. Within a moment the figure teleported. It was a demon, and Ryan felt his anger flare because it felt familiar. It was mocking him.

  A hand grabbed his shoulder and Ryan snatched their wrist, whipping around to see Kashi. He immediately let go. “What's wrong?” He asked.

  “Nothing.” Ryan said, shouldering him and walking off. He didn’t even know where he was going but his hand itched for some type of weapon. His mind was screaming that the demon had to go and he needed to go after it, hunt it down and be useful. His remnant marking felt hot and itchy. He perked up hearing a loud voice realizing he stumbled upon a riot or meeting and kept close to an alleyway. A skinny man wearing a lion mask was standing upon a table preaching and he had purple veins running up his arms to his hands.

  “The full moon festival is upon us.” Ryan noted how the man’s voice shook. “We must celebrate and pick our sacrifice for our ritual. We must satisfy The Creator!” The crowd cheered but it felt like it was for show. He wondered what they meant and then a female was brought forth in gold chains and clad in black silk. Ryan felt sick all a sudden and then Kashi appeared next to him.

  “We need to go.” He said taking in the scene and seemed completely unbothered by it.

  What about-” Ryan started.

  “Let's go.” Kashi said leaving. No room for argument then.

  Reluctantly Ryan followed suit, unsure how to feel about what he just witnessed. The Creator? He’s never heard of anything or someone called that. It must have been what the festival was about. The thought unsettled him, sending a chill down his spine.

  They reached the edge of a forest that felt... wrong. The trees appeared sickly, though it might have just been the eerie way the moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting distorted shadows. As they pressed deeper into the woods, Ryan’s unease grew. His gaze darted around, scanning for threats, until finally, he summoned a pair of brass knuckles. The cool metal against his skin was oddly reassuring, soothing the burning sensation from his remnant marking. He rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers, shaking off the tension that clung to him like a second shadow

  Kashi was running his hand over the tree bark. “They're dying, it's like a gradient of death in these woods.” He murmured.

  ‘Where's the lab?”

  “Should be close.”

  Ryan wondered how Kashi figured this all out and how much he wasn’t telling the team but for now he ignored it. They found the metal hatch and Ryan looked around feeling like he was being watched again. “Just don’t touch anything.” Kashi said. He was fine with that, and they both left their hoverboards on the ground.

  “Sam,” Kashi said into the comm, “I think we found something, be on standby.”

  “Copy that.’ Sam said a moment later. With that, Kashi knelt, inspecting it and gave it a tug and surprisingly it opened. Kashi didn’t even wait and just jumped down a second later the sound of metal echoed. Ryan was half tempted to stay and stand guard until he heard what sounded like a roar in the distance. He jumped down without a second thought.

  “We're not staying long, are we?” Ryan asked.

  “No, it should be quick in and out.” Kashi said, walking down the hall into the lab area.

  “Woah.” There were rows upon rows of glowing vials in different colors set up on two large tables. Farther away he noticed the whiteboard with scribbles all over it and the computers and lab equipment set up to make potions. He took notice of the claw marks gouged into the metal walls that did not reassure him in the slightest.

  “Oh,” Kashi said. “I guess we got our answer.” Ryan watched him go over to the scattered papers and files.

  Ryan stayed back; his eyes drawn to the deep claw marks etched into the walls. They were unsettlingly familiar, almost identical to the ones in the warehouse. He felt a chill creep down his spine, they weren’t just similar; they had to be connected. His thoughts were interrupted when something else caught his attention: a strange, shifting black mist coiling near the edges of the room. Before he could react, a blur of motion shot out from the hall. The figure slammed into Kashi with brutal force, sending him sprawling to the ground. The file he’d been holding flew across the room, landing out of reach.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  Ryan’s breath caught as the figure straightened, towering over Kashi. The dim light revealed its features: horns curling like a jagged crown around its head, framing a face shrouded by long, black, mane-like hair. Its glowing purple eyes locked onto Ryan, sharp and predatory, as a low, guttural growl rumbled in its chest. The demon had a “human” form.

  It snarled but the sound turned into a sharp hiss of pain as Kashi twisted his body and drove a dagger into its leg. The demon barely flinched. It glanced down, its expression more irritated than pain, before yanking its leg free and sending the blade clattering to the ground.

  “You don’t belong here,” it growled in a deep, gravelly voice, its tone dripping with malice. The gray shadows around it seemed to ripple, almost alive and that made Ryan's heart pound in his chest. It couldn’t be. Ryan clenched his fists, summoning the brass knuckles to his hands. He could feel the remnant marking burning against his skin. Memories of his village, his family, the claw marks on that tree, it all crashed down on him in a wave of raw emotion. The way his village had burned, nothing to be remembered by, like it never existed. Every muscle in his body tensed, but the fury building inside him outweighed his fear.

  “I’m going to kill you.”

  The demon’s lips curled into a wicked grin before it laughed, its tail flicking lazily. “I’d like to see you try.”

  “Warden, stand down.” Kashi called out. “Do not engage, for Divine sake that's Carnage!” The demon kicked Kashi back into the wall, silencing him.

  “Let the boy fight.” Carnage hissed.

  Ryan ignored the command and lunged, aiming his knuckle squarely to Carnage’s chest. Carnage sidestepped effortlessly, its claws slashing through the air. Ryan barely avoided the strike, twisting his body at the last second, but the sharp tips grazed his side, tearing through his bodysuit and drawing blood. The sting only fueled his anger.

  “You’re quick,” Carnage mocked, its voice dripping with condescension. “But not quick enough.”

  Ryan growled and lunged again, this time faking a strike to the demon’s torso before swinging upward toward its jaw. The blow connected, sending Carnage’s head snapping to the side. For a moment, satisfaction flared in Ryan’s chest until the demon turned back to him, its grin widening.

  “Not bad,” it said, almost amused. “But you’ll have to try harder than that.”

  Carnage countered with a brutal swipe, its claws raking across Ryan’s arm. He cried out, stumbling back as crimson seeped through his sleeve. His breathing was ragged, but he refused to back down. His remnant mark was burning.

  He darted forward again, throwing a flurry of punches, each one faster and more desperate than the last. Carnage dodged most of them with ease, but a few strikes landed on its body. The demon’s expression shifted, irritation flashing across its face.

  “You’re persistent,” Carnage growled, its tone now laced with menace. “But the way you're going, it’ll get you killed.” Ryan’s strategy flew out the window when he saw the demon. It needed to die. His movements were sloppy, driven by pure rage rather than strategy. Carnage caught his fist mid-swing, its claws digging into his hand. Ryan gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out as the demon tightened its grip.

  “I wonder,” Carnage mused, tilting its head, “what drives someone like you to fight so recklessly? Is it pride? Fear? Or something else?”

  “Fuck off.” Ryan said through gritted teeth. Ryan yanked his hand free with a burst of energy from his marking, stumbling back and cradling his injured hand. His vision blurred slightly, but he forced himself to stay upright.

  “Oh, how I wish to make you better,” Carnage said, his eyes dilating. “I’d love to experiment on you.” The demon lunged; its claws aimed directly at Ryan’s chest. Ryan barely managed to block with his brass knuckles, but the force of the blow sent him crashing to the ground. Pain shot through his body, and he was unable to rise and Carnage pinned him with his boot. He leaned down, putting all his weight on it and Ryan struggled to breathe properly. He heard something crack.

  “You should’ve known better than to enter a demon's lair.” Carnage said, pulling out a dagger from his sleeve. “I’ll make sure your death is quick.”

  Kashi from nowhere slamming his dagger into Carnage’s neck who screeched in pain backing off. “God you're so stupid I’m going to kill you myself.” He muttered, positioning himself between Ryan and Carnage.

  “I had it.” Ryan snapped but focused on not bleeding out. He uncorked a vial of healing potion Sam always made them take and downed it. The bleeding stopped.

  Carnage pulled the dagger from his neck, throwing it across the room. “Enigma, not even you can make me bleed.”

  Kashi rolled his shoulders. “I sure as hell can try.” Carnage lunged first, its claws slicing through the air. Kashi ducked under the strike, countering with a swift slash to its side. Except Carnage twisted his body, also tearing into Kashi’s bodysuit drawing blood on his side. The wound looked deep unlike Ryan’s. Carnage’s claws raked Kashi’s prosthetics making it spark.

  Kashi danced away holding his side, but Carnage was quicker. He used his leg to kick Kashi into a table, vial breaking everywhere. He shot his hand out throwing the metal shards, but Carnage discarded them with the shadows. They clattered uselessly to the ground. Gray tendrils erupted from the ground, writhing like serpents as they ensnared Kashi and Ryan.

  “Enough of the games, I’m tired.” Cranage drawled.

  Ryan hoped Sam was on his way with the team. He really messed up and watched as Carnage walked away searching through papers that had spilled on the floor. He lazily spun the chair around before unlocking some of the drawers. He pulled out the neon blue colored vial and connected it to a medical instrument of sorts. It locked, clicking tight before he pointed the needle at Kashi and walked over. Ryan thrashed, pulling at the shadows. He felt utterly useless. I’m sorry, Ryan thought as Carnage plunged the needle into Kashi’s neck.

  In an instant, Carnage was hurled into the wall with a thunderous crash, the stone cracking under the sheer force of the impact. Another demon in human form emerged from the shadows, its presence commanding and menacing. It snarled and Ryan recognized it as the one from the market. Ink black shadows slithered in and the gray shadows released and he immediately made his way over to Kashi who was still bleeding.

  Carnage snarled, shaking off the debris as he staggered to his feet, his violet eyes blazing with fury. “What do you think you’re doing?” Carnage growled, his voice dripping with venom, but the other demon didn’t respond. It simply stood there; its red eyes locked on Carnage with an almost predatory stillness before it attacked with a sword.

  “We need to get out.” Ryan said, searching for Kashi’s vial and managed to get him to drink it. The bleeding slowed and he cursed silently because it wasn’t enough.

  “Get the file.” Kashi rasped out. He was confused before he hurried on his hands and knees to the file. He picked him up making their way down the hall.

  “I forgot how light you are.” Ryan said, looking at the ladder, a predicament. “How am I-” Ryan started but Kashi cut him off.

  “You go up first, I’ll be fine, it’ll be easier for you to pull me up.” Ryan hesitated but put the file in his mouth and climbed up the ladder. He grabbed Kashi’s hand and hauled him up ignoring the snarls from below as he cradled him to his chest. They were going to be fine but the guilt he felt was weighing down on him. “We're closing on your location.” Sam’s voice rang through the comm.

  “Roger,” Ryan managed to get out. “We're moving and I'll confirm location.”

  “Copy.”

  Ryan secured Kashi's hoverboard to his back and stepped onto his own, taking off into the night without so much as a glance behind him. Kashi had gone far too quiet, and every second of silence gnawed at Ryan’s nerves.

  “Hey,” Ryan muttered, shaking him gently as they sped through the dark. For a moment, there was no response, and his chest tightened. Then, a faint whine escaped Kashi's lips, barely audible over the wind. Relief flooded through Ryan, though it was short-lived. The alleyway behind the cluster of old shops came into view, dim and deserted. Ryan landed the hoverboard smoothly and crouched to set Kashi down against the wall, careful not to jostle him too much. He yanked off his helmet, letting the cool night air hit his face before gently removing Kashi’s.

  Kashi’s face was unnervingly pale, his usual sharp features softened by the eerie stillness. His eyes, half-lidded, were impossibly dilated, dark pools that seemed to look through Ryan rather than at him.

  “Fuck…” Ryan whispered under his breath. His hands hovered uncertainly, unsure of what to do. The guilt weighed heavier with each passing second. He sat across from Kashi, leaning against the opposite wall. His head fell into his hands for a moment before he looked up, his voice trembling. “I was such a fool,” he admitted, his words barely above a whisper. Kashi didn’t respond but Ryan kept talking, his voice thick with regret.

  “I should’ve listened to you,” he said, forcing himself to meet Kashi’s half-vacant gaze. “I thought I could take Carnage, but I underestimated his strength. I was reckless. I let my anger cloud my judgment and now look where we are.” Kashi’s head rolled slightly to the side, a faint breath escaping him. Ryan shifted closer, desperate for any sign that his words were reaching him.

  “I’m sorry,” Ryan said, his voice breaking. He stopped himself, frustration and shame knotting in his chest. “I was wrong. And now… now you’re paying for it.” He ran a hand through his hair, trying to steady his spiraling thoughts. Kashi stirred faintly at the sound of his voice, his head turning ever so slightly toward Ryan. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. The sounds of motorcycles approached, and Ryan looked up.

  Sam hurried over, medkit in hand, with Vixen and Aaron trailing close behind. His steps faltered when his eyes landed on Ryan, his brows furrowing at the state he was in.

  “Shit, okay,” Sam muttered, crouching down and reaching out instinctively. Before his hand could make contact, Ryan shifted away, shaking his head and gesturing toward Kashi.

  “He needs it more than me. Take him back,” Ryan said firmly, his voice strained but resolute. Despite the blood staining his clothes and the pain radiating through his body, he refused to be the priority. Sam hesitated for a moment, his left mechanical eye looking over Ryan before he looked at Kashi and nodded. Without another word, he scooped Kashi up in a careful but urgent motion and clicked a device teleporting back to the base, leaving a faint rush of air in his wake.

  Aaron stepped closer, his expression a mix of concern and frustration. “What the hell happened? You look terrible.” He said, his tone softening despite his words.

  Ryan let out a bitter laugh, wincing as the movement jarred his ribs. “Feels like it too,” he muttered. “A lot happened… demons happened.” He gave the file Kashi found to Vixen.

  “This is what Kashi wanted,” Ryan said, his voice hollow. “You should probably look it over.” Vixen took the file without a word, her sharp eyes studying Ryan briefly before she stepped back, sensing he needed space.

  Aaron knelt beside him, his presence steady and grounding. “Ryan, what’s going on?” he asked, his voice quieter now. “You’re clearly not okay. Talk to me.”

  “I saw the demon that attacked my village, and I messed up again.” Ryan said. Aaron’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t interrupt, letting Ryan continue. “I thought I could handle Carnage, and I didn’t listen to Kashi. I let my anger get the better of me and now look at what happened.” Ryan’s voice cracked slightly as he gestured toward where Kashi had been.

  “You fought Carnage?” Ryan nodded. “You made it out alive,” Aaron said, his tone firm but kind. “And so did Kashi. That counts for something, doesn’t it?”

  Ryan shook his head, frustration flashing in his eyes. “Barely. Kashi’s hurt because of me. He trusted me, and I let him down.” He clenched his fists, the motion pulling at his injuries, but he didn’t seem to care.

  Aaron placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. “You’re not perfect, Ryan. None of us are. It’ll be ok. I’m glad you're not dead.” Ryan’s throat tightened at the words. For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond. Finally, he nodded, though the weight of guilt still clung to him.

  “We need to regroup,” Vixen said from nearby, her voice calm but laced with urgency. “This file is incredibly valuable, and Ryan needs medical attention.” He felt like he didn’t deserve it and should suffer instead. Aaron rose, holding his hand out to Ryan. “Come on. Let’s at least get you inside before you collapse out here.”

  Ryan took his hand and winced at how much his body ached and Aaron helped him on the bike. He was ready to leave the chaos behind for the night and gripped Aaron tight as they headed back to the base. The city lights blurred in the distance, and Ryan’s mind raced. A good start, he thought to himself. I need to figure out my anger, before it destroys everything. For now, though, he had to trust that at this moment, this quiet ride with Aaron, would give him the clarity he needed. He could fix this. He had to.