“Viktor? What is the meaning of this?” Zeke calls out to him. There’s panic in his voice.

  “Calm down. As I said, we need to talk.” Viktor says in a calm manner.

  “So why bring those two with you?”

  “Ben and Luther are here to make sure things go smoothly.”

  “Do not test my patience. There’s nothing to talk about? I am to be left alone. That was the deal.”

  Viktor stands, blocking their path home, while the other two fan out to surround Quinn and Zeke.

  “Things have changed, and we can no longer honor said agreement.”

  “What would be so important that made Bertus go back on his word?”

  “...”

  The slight pause is enough for Zeke to notice that something is off. The people in front of him are acting on their own beliefs.

  “He does not know you’re here, does he?” Zeke carefully watches Viktor’s reaction. His face shifts, confirming Zeke’s suspicions.

  “He will understand in due time why I had to take action now. As will you.” Viktor says this time, in a little more threatening tone. Quinn shrinks behind Zeke, never feeling so confused and tense before in his life. “There’s been a vision. One that showed us the face of the trigger that sets off the end of the world.”

  “What’s that got to do with me? You’ve sealed my powers; I can not help you even if I wanted to.” Zeke says, trying to make sense of all this.

  “Oh, but you can-” The two beings that came with Viktor inch closer, drawing their weapons and pointing them at Quinn. “-Your boy is the trigger.” Viktor’s face turns serious and spiteful.

  What? Me? I cause the end of the world? No, that’s crazy, they're crazy! Dad knows these assholes? Oh my gosh, he’s shaking. Quinn’s mind begins to race, asking himself a million questions.

  The veins pop on Zeke’s forehead. He no longer hesitates and takes a step forward.

  “You’re lying!”

  “Please, Zeke, you know better than anyone that I can not lie.”

  “No, but you also fail to tell the entire truth.”

  “Just hand over the kid, Zeke. Do not make this harder than it needs to be,” Viktor sighs.

  “Heh, make things difficult? Sure, let’s do something like that.” Zeke goes into a defensive stance, reading himself for any attack.

  “You fool,” Viktor whispers under his breath.

  Ben and Luther raise their spears and confidently charge Quinn. However, the angel once regarded as the strongest stands before them. He is a hero who alone defended the capital for days on end. Yes, Zeke has grown weaker than he used to be. It makes sense that they believe they could beat someone who has lost almost all their power. But an ocean is still an ocean, even if it’s a fraction of what it used to be.

  -Swoosh

  -Bang

  Zeke grabs Quinn by the shirt, pulling him behind him. Using his free hand, Zeke strikes Ben in the stomach. The force behind it is loud enough that Quinn swears he heard something shatter.

  At the same time, Zeke uses the momentum of his punch, spins, and kicks Luther, who blocks it with his spear.

  Both attackers are sent back a couple of meters.

  “Damn it, Zeke, stand down. Are you really going to endanger the lives of billions just to save one?” Ben asks, clutching his stomach.

  “He’s not just one life. He’s my son!” Zeke announces, with rage.

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  “What a disappointment. Love has made you weak. The old Zeke would have taken my head for even pointing my weapon at him.”

  Quickly regaining their composure, Ben and Luther once again charge, but this time they don’t ignore Zeke, the real threat that stands between them and their objective.

  Although the situation is anything but great, Quinn can’t help but be astonished by his father's movements. He just heard stories of Zeke’s glory days, so seeing his father fight like this, holding off two angels at the same time, only affirmed how amazing he is.

  Since most of their attacks are aimed at Zeke, all Quinn has to do is avoid the few attacks that sneak by. Despite being scared, he remains agile and relies on instincts to dodge life-threatening strikes.

  Zeke, on the other hand, is shining. Every thrust from the spears is either redirected or dodged; every opening, Zeke takes advantage of. To Quinn, he appears untouchable. At least for a while.

  Zeke starts to slow down and can’t keep up with all the attacks. Small slashes mark his body. First his thighs, then the torso and arms, and finally a few cuts on his cheeks. The wounds are getting deeper and near his vitals.

  But why? Were their attacks getting faster, or were there just too many coming in at once? Quinn knows that he can’t do nearly as well as his father, but for him to let up so quickly isn’t something a seasoned fighter would do.

  No. The answer is clear—something that has always been in front of him. Since before he was born, Zeke has been getting weaker.

  At some point, Quinn surpassed his father in both speed and endurance. He also remembers that, when he really focused, he could be physically stronger than Zeke. The small burst of explosive energy he exerted was enough to win a few arm wrestling matches, nothing more, but even then, those moments made Quinn realize Zeke wouldn’t last much longer.

  Dad can’t hold on. But what can I do? Do I fight with him? No, as I am right now, I’ll just get in his way. There has to be something I can do… Ah, I know. Quinn’s eyes light up.

  Though Quinn’s strength isn’t always on par with Zeke’s, his speed, on the other hand, has completely surpassed his father’s. What took them thirty minutes to walk, Quinn is confident he could run in less than three.

  Quinn quickly turns and, using all the strength he could muster, dashes back towards Amber City. Quinn isn’t strong enough to help, but there are plenty of people who will be, just a few kilometers back.

  “Quinn, stop!” Zeke is wrestling with Ben over the weapon when he sees his son take off. He shoves the spear’s bar onto Ben’s head, knocking him back. Zeke gains a weapon and evens the playing field.

  Zeke can hold off those two angels until he gets back. Quinn was sure of that. However, there aren’t just two attackers.

  Quinn didn’t even last 3 seconds before Viktor blitzed past him, kicking him in the side. Quinn barely manages to react in time to block the attack. In the end, he is sent towards the trees, smashing through 2 of them before a sturdier third tree finally stops him.

  Quinn’s left arm is shattered, along with his hopes of getting help. He was ignorant in thinking that just because Viktor had been idly standing in place, he would continue to do so and would simply let him run. A stupid mistake that he won’t have the chance to make twice, as Viktor slowly approaches him.

  “Viktor, stop, damn it!” Zeke pleads, rushing towards Quinn.

  Luther thrusts his spear into Zeke’s back. The head comes out the other side, stopping Zeke in his tracks.

  “Where are you looking? Your fight’s right here.” Luther says as he retracts the spear from Zeke’s back.

  Zeke is able to hold off Ben and Luther from reaching Quinn; however, the opposite is also true. The two can keep Zeke away from Viktor, who is about to murder Quinn.

  Viktor jumps toward Quinn, launching a punch at his face. Quinn rolls out of the way just before it connects. Viktor’s fist hits the tree, causing it to topple over.

  Quinn is laser-focused on the enemy in front of him. Every cell in his body is urging him to run, beg for mercy, anything to stay alive, but he knows there is no stopping Viktor. He’s come too far to stop now. He has every intention of killing Quinn here and now.

  Quinn only has disadvantages. He’s not as strong or fast as Viktor, and on top of that, he is down an arm. His left arm is a tangled mess, still healing from the previous kick. Despite that, he knows he has to focus and overcome this mountain if he has any hope of survival. But once again, that hope is crushed.

  Viktor vanishes from Quinn’s sight, only to reappear behind him. Quinn turns and channels all his strength into his fist. He swings at Viktor’s stomach, but Viktor effortlessly swats it aside. Despite being the aggressor, Quinn ends up with a broken wrist.

  Quinn screams in pain. Viktor grabs his throat, silencing him. Viktor then lifts Quinn and readies another attack.

  “I’m sorry,” Viktor says with a solemn face. Quinn’s eyes are filled with nothing but fear as Viktor thrusts his hand into Quinn’s chest, ripping his heart out.

  “NO!” Zeke, on the brink of death himself, cries out as he witnesses the scene before him. His son is lying on the floor next to his beating heart that should be inside him. Seeing Quinn hurts him more than the damage Ben and Luther did to him.

  “It had to be done. It’s over; there’s no reason for this pointless battle to continue. Cherish the family you have left. Do not throw your life away for revenge and live a long mortal life.” Viktor calmly says; however, his words fall on deaf ears as Zeke continues to stare at his motionless son.

  “Should we just kill him?” Ben asks.

  “No, we completed our mission to stop the end of the world, not to kill everyone who stood in our way. Let’s leave.”

  Viktor starts leading them out, only to stop and quickly turn to an intense, eerie pressure coming from Quinn.

  “Impossible,” Viktor calls out, his face a mix of anger and confusion.