The city didn't get quiet anymore.
Not after the train.
Not after the fires.
Not after the destruction.
It just… waited.
Aria stood on the rooftop again, the night wind brushing against her suit as she stared into the distance. Lights flickered across buildings, sirens echoing faintly somewhere far away.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
She could feel it now.
Her power.
Not broken.
Not unstable.
Complete.
"…finally," she whispered.
Behind her—
A soft step.
"You're getting used to it."
She didn't turn this time.
"…you always watching?" she asked.
VEX stepped beside her, his gaze already on the city.
"I observe," he said.
Aria glanced at him.
"…that's a weird way to say it."
He ignored that.
Instead—
"You've improved," he added.
That caught her off guard.
She blinked slightly.
"…wait—you just gave me a compliment?"
"It's an observation."
She smirked faintly.
"Still counts."
A small silence settled between them.
Then—
VEX's tone shifted.
Slightly.
More serious.
"But you're still distracted."
Aria frowned.
"…what?"
"In training," he said. "Your timing slips. Your reactions delay—just a second."
She looked at him.
"…you notice too much."
"It's my job."
She exhaled quietly.
"…it's nothing."
A pause.
Then VEX said:
"Fix it."
His eyes didn't leave the city.
"Distraction gets you killed."
That—
Landed.
Aria didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she looked at him for a second longer than usual…
Then looked away.
"…I won't mess up," she said.
Before he could reply—
It came.
A sound.
Deep.
Violent.
A roar that didn't belong in any normal world.
Both of them turned instantly.
Smoke rose in the distance.
The ground trembled slightly beneath their feet.
"…there it is," Aria said.
VEX's gaze sharpened.
"Not like the others."
Another roar followed.
Louder.
Closer.
Aria didn't wait.
She jumped.
Dropping from the rooftop and landing hard before sprinting toward the chaos. VEX followed—silent, controlled.
When they arrived—
Even Aria slowed down.
"…what is that…"
The creature stood in the middle of the street like a nightmare.
Huge.
Deformed.
Its body looked like it was breaking and rebuilding itself at the same time. One arm was massive, dragging across the ground, veins glowing violently beneath cracked skin. Its back pulsed, spikes forming and snapping back into its flesh.
Its face—
Barely human.
Distorted.
Wrong.
It roared, smashing a car into a building with ease.
People screamed, running.
"It's stronger," VEX said.
"No kidding," Aria muttered.
The creature's glowing eyes locked onto them.
Then—
It moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Aria stepped forward.
"Stay behind—"
"I decide that," VEX replied.
She didn't argue.
The creature swung—
Aria blocked—
The impact slammed into her, forcing her backward as the ground cracked beneath her feet.
"…okay—yeah, that's strong!"
Before she could recover—
Another swing.
She dodged.
Barely.
VEX moved in.
Fast.
Precise.
He struck the creature's side with a clean, calculated hit—targeting a weak point.
It reacted—
But instead of slowing—
It adapted.
Its body shifted.
Muscle tightening.
Hardening.
It turned—
And struck.
VEX raised his arm to block—
CRACK.
The sound was wrong.
Too sharp.
Too real.
VEX's body was thrown back, crashing into a nearby wall.
Aria's eyes widened.
"VEX!"
He hit the ground hard.
His arm—
Bent slightly wrong.
Not broken completely.
But damaged.
Bad.
The creature roared again, turning back toward Aria.
Angrier now.
Stronger.
Her expression changed instantly.
Cold.
Focused.
"…you just made it worse."
The creature charged.
Aria moved—
Not back—
Forward.
She met it head-on, their clash shaking the ground again.
This time—
She didn't get pushed back.
Her power surged cleanly through her body.
Controlled.
Sharp.
She dodged its next strike, stepping inside its range—
Punch—
Direct hit.
The creature staggered.
Not much.
But enough.
She followed—
Kick—
Another hit—
Movement flowing now, faster, cleaner.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Behind her—
VEX pushed himself up slightly, gripping his injured arm.
His eyes stayed on her.
Watching.
Analyzing.
She was different now.
Better.
The creature roared again, slamming both arms into the ground.
The street shattered.
Debris flew everywhere.
Aria jumped, flipping over the attack before landing behind it.
"…too slow," she muttered.
It turned again—
Swing—
She ducked—
Counter—
A clean, powerful strike to its core.
This time—
It reacted.
Its body destabilized for a second.
Energy flickering across its veins.
Aria noticed.
"…that's it."
Weak point.
She moved again—
Faster now—
Stronger—
Every step precise.
Every hit intentional.
The creature tried to adapt again—
But she didn't give it time.
Final movement—
She stepped in—
And drove all her power into one devastating strike.
Impact.
The ground cracked.
The creature froze—
Then collapsed.
Heavy.
Still.
Silence followed.
Aria stood there, breathing hard.
But steady.
In control.
She turned immediately.
"VEX."
He was already trying to stand.
She rushed over.
"…your arm—"
"I'm fine," he said.
He wasn't.
She grabbed his arm lightly.
"…that's not fine."
He pulled it back slightly.
"It's functional."
"…barely."
A pause.
Then—
"…you didn't hesitate," he said.
She blinked.
"…what?"
"In the fight," he continued. "You adapted."
Aria looked at him for a second.
Then away.
"…someone had to."
A small silence passed.
Not awkward.
Just… there.
Then sirens grew louder in the distance.
People started coming back.
Recording.
Watching.
Aria stepped back slightly.
"…you should go," she said.
"So should you."
She hesitated.
"…you'll be okay?"
"Yes."
She frowned slightly.
"…you're stubborn."
"And you talk too much."
She almost smiled.
Almost.
Then—
She stepped back.
"…see you," she said.
VEX didn't reply.
But his eyes followed her as she disappeared into the night.
—
The next morning—
The school was loud again.
News spreading.
Students talking.
Phones out.
Aria walked through the hallway, adjusting her bag slightly.
Then—
She saw him.
A boy.
Walking past her.
Normal.
Quiet.
But—
His arm.
Wrapped.
Bandaged.
Slightly stiff.
Aria slowed down.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…wait…"
Something felt—
Familiar.
Too familiar.
She turned slightly, watching him walk away.
"…no way…"
Her heart skipped.
Just once.
And for the first time—
She wasn't thinking about a fight.
She was thinking about someone who she had soft spot for .