Fighting Spirit (The Final Barrier)

The War Part IV (Sapphire's Cry)

Ennui's eyes narrowed as she thought

"This many souls being pulled towards the ritual isn't coincidence.....They must be using the souls as an energy source" she frowned "Ramona we have to stop them before they finish the ritual" she said jumping on Jhalok's back. "I just hope we can make it in time" she said. Looking off into the distance she wasn't sure how far away they were teleported, much less how fast they could get there.

Gabriel and Sofia were even further away still left uneasy by how quickly they killed Michael.

"Now that you say it out loud, it is weird; he didn't use "Black Ice" once in that fight" Gabriel thought a bit as he paced "Is it a trick?" He asked no one in particular. Sofia shook her head

"I don't know but, maybe we can find some answers heading to the others" she said. Gabriel nodded

"Sounds like a plan" He entered his awakening as did Sofia before flying off in the direction of the others.

Meanwhile Kevin and Sapphire started towards Jiu and the ritual, But before they could take more than a few steps, the air around them seemed to shift—something was coming.

Wayne, still crouched on the ground, began to laugh. It was a deep, guttural sound that made Kevin's heart sink.

"It's too late," Wayne whispered, his voice filled with something dark, almost triumphant. "She's back."

The shadows around them thickened, swirling into an oppressive fog. The atmosphere grew colder, and a chill ran down Kevin's spine. He spun around, his eyes wide, and felt the electric charge in the air intensify. Sapphire tensed beside him, their instincts sharp.

Out of the shadows, a figure emerged.

It was her.

Kevin's heart stopped as he saw the familiar silhouette. Their mother. But as she stepped fully into view, he realized with horror that something was terribly wrong.

Her once warm and kind face had twisted into something almost unrecognizable. Her eyes, which had always been soft and loving, now gleamed with a malevolent light, glowing red at the edges. Her smile, once gentle, had curved into a cold, wicked smirk, and her very presence seemed to suck the life out of the air. Her skin was pale, unnaturally so, and her energy seemed to be just as pale.

"Mom..." Kevin whispered, his voice barely audible, as disbelief and shock gripped him.

She tilted her head, her eyes locking onto Kevin with a twisted affection.

"Kevin, my sweet boy," she said, her voice sickly sweet, but laced with venom. "Look how much you've grown."

Wayne stood to his feet, his face bright with hope.

"I told you, Kevin," he rasped, his eyes glistening. "She's back! She's really back!"

But Kevin could only stare, frozen in place. This... this wasn't their mother. Not anymore.

Her gaze shifted to Wayne, and her smile softened slightly, though there was still something deeply unsettling about it. "My dear Wayne," she cooed, stepping toward him. "You've done so well, my precious son."

Wayne collapsed into her arms, a sob of relief escaping him. "I told them, Mom. I told them you'd come back."

Kevin's hands tightened into fists, electricity flickering at his fingertips. He could feel it—this wasn't right. The person standing before him might look like his mother, but she was no longer the loving woman who had raised them. She was something else now—twisted by whatever dark forces had brought her back.