Protectors- Consequence

Chapter Thirteen: Veil of Shadows

Wraith coated both arms in shadows, feeling a rush of strength as she leapt at Noctum, aiming to punch the Chrysalis. Zachary followed closely behind, switching between the forms of a peregrine falcon and a minotaur. Utilising the insane speed of the falcon, which had been enhanced tenfold to 3000km/h by the Chrysalis shard within him, Zachary appeared above Noctum, taking his minotaur form as he bore down on the vigilante. Noctum swung around and their fists met midair, a booming crack rolling through the night. Zachary's skin was blown off of his arm instantly, leaving only a bloody mess of bone and muscle. Noctum struck him in the stomach next, but Wraith gripped his arm, holding him from doing any real damage. 

Zachary healed swiftly, transforming again into his humanoid dragon form as he and Wraith both swung powerful attacks, coated in Aura and shadow at Noctum's heart. The two fists collided with the Chrysalis, but to no avail. Noctum burst into a horrifying roar, his punches wild and powerful, knocking the two away as he took off, pursuing Wraith. His fist formed into a glowing red ball, and as it hit Wraith, Shaine felt all shadow being blown apart, leaving only her, almost sliced in half by the power of the punch,

"Damn it all!" Zachary roared, "we can't win at all at this rate,"

"We are going to die," Wraith stated, barely pulling Shaine's body back together, "that attack basically killed my host, and I doubt that she will be waking up for a while,"

The blood red sky struck a chord of finality through Zachary, as if it was truly to be the end of the world. But then he remembered his friends, Spirit, lying unconscious nearby, Shaine, potentially killed by the attack, Noctum, who hadn't been himself for a very long time, and all the others he had formed bonds with throughout his life, only for them to be snatched away by the cold embrace of death,

"Don't forget about me," A young voice interrupted his train of thought, "cos I've had enough of all of this shit,"

A coin whistled through the air, rebounding from the ground where it had landed and flying at Noctum. He raised a hand, lightning fast, to protect the Chrysalis, and the coin bounced off the impenetrable skin, rebounding towards Zachary. He kicked the thing back at Noctum, putting all of his effort into it, and the coin hit the Chrysalis bang on. It cracked a tiny bit, driving Noctum backwards, but in retaliation, he began to charge a powerful blast of Aura. He flung it at Damien Burns, but the young man did not make to dodge, merely flicking his coin back at the energy. The impact was staggering, but both forces stopped midair, with the coin falling to the ground and the Aura dissipating. The coin ricocheted into Noctum's chest again, pushing him back slightly,

"Now!" Zachary commanded, his voice urgent,

He and Wraith began to hit Noctum with all they had, lightning and shadow slamming into the vigilante's body as the coin continued to whistle through the air, cracking the Chrysalis again and again. The vigilante tried to fight back, but his openings were small. Zachary tried to punch him in the face, but Noctum moved forward, head butting the fist and breaking it open, blood and bone showering his face. In the split second he created with this, he lashed out, grabbing Wraith by the face. He felt the skull crunch slightly under his fist before he wound up his arm, throwing Wraith with immense speed into a skyscraper, which collapsed upon her, the faint screaming of the leftover people within muffled by the horrible sound of breaking glass and concrete,

"Die!" Damien roared, flicking his coin once more, but Noctum avoided it, and the thing hit Zachary in the chest, blowing a huge hole through him,

Noctum dashed forward, but Damien's hidden teleporter activated, a newer model that didn't use portals. He appeared at the peak of a tall building, his coin once again sent speeding towards Noctum, who avoided it as he climbed rapidly, appearing before Damien with such speed that the young man was flung from the building. The coin bounced off the building and into the back of Noctum's head, discombobulating him slightly as Damien teleported again, his coin landing in his palm as he landed next to the three unconscious fighters. Zachary was beginning to heal, but the other two were truly out cold, and Damien knew that he would not be able to win alone. Then he thought of Crimson,