40. P O W E R : Finality

PART II.

"Too late, too late," Lyssa croaked with a laugh as she dug her claws into Zill's leg. "Give me your Wonder, boy. This world will soon belong to the darkness."

Zill threw his head back and let out a howl of agony—

—but his power did not leave him.

Lyssa frowned. "Eh?"

Zill lowered his gaze once more, his entire body practically turning into green fire. His Chimeros mark burned black over his eyes, and an unending scream of pain erupted from his mouth. Without a second of hesitation, he stomped on Lyssa's wrist, severing her hand from her arm and setting himself free. Then he shot forward like a bolt of lightning, snatching 01 out of Cameron's hand and passing Fisi with a gust of air so powerful it made the Dark Celestial stagger.

Fisi blinked, startled by the sheer speed and force of Zill's attack. Then he recoiled with a cry as a black mark appeared over his already-existing scars. "NO!" he shrieked.

Cameron let out her own screech of agony as fire erupted from her body yet again, charring her flesh. She reached out a hand and began to call out for her weapon—

—but she was beaten to it.

"Phoenix."

Cameron watched through red eyes as Safiya's sword sped out of her hand and into Zill's, alighting with white fire that mixed with his own flames.

Zill teleported in front of Fisi and dropped 01, lifting the hyena god into the air by the throat with one hand. "This is YOUR fault," he hissed, the power of his voice making the Tower shake again. "YOU did this! You KILLED JACK!!!"

"Yes," Fisi rasped, the grin returning to his face as he looked down at Zill. "Yes, I did. And his sacrifice will be meaningless in the end." He grabbed Zill's arm with both hands, letting out a mad cackle.

"AAAARGH!" Zill dropped Fisi and stumbled backward, clutching his blackened wrist. The flames had died where Fisi had touched him, rendering that part of his exoskeleton cracked and partially decayed.

"Not even a burst of resurgent power can save you now, Avatar!" Fisi sneered at Zill. "You'll need more than a flesh wound to stop—UNGH!"

Fisi grunted as Cameron's massive clawed hand slammed his head into the rooftop entrance.

"He," Cameron growled gutturally, her body in half-raptor mode, "is NOT the Avatar." She held out her other hand without looking. "PHOENIX," she snarled.

Fisi rolled his eyes as the Sword of the Phoenix made its way into Cameron's grip. "Oh, please."

Then he touched Cameron's hand with a claw.

Cameron let out a saurian screech as her entire hand disintegrated, leaving a blackened stump in its place. She stumbled away from Fisi, dropping the Sword of the Phoenix and clutching her wrist.

"Well done, Predator," Lyssa said with a grin as her two halves reattached, and she stood up on her feet. "Now I require some protection. My Avatar brings the Wonder, and I MUST have it."

"Everyone, heads up! Artemis got past us and is heading up to the Tower's roof!" Nathan suddenly cried, his voice ringing in the heroes' ears. "Zeus is pinned down by god-hunters, and I'm cornered by the Masked!"

"I'm on my way, Nathan!" Orion shouted in response. "Someone stop Artemis!"

"I can... handle her!" Cameron forced out through gritted teeth. "Phoenix!"