The dust settled, with the faint crackle of fire reverberating through the shattered roadway as Lee lay splayed, his body throbbing and depleted of energy. His breath came in weak gasps, and the ragged clothing clung to his ravaged form. Darris loomed over him, his frightening silver skull mask glistening in the wavering light of the broken streetlamps. Then he began carefully removing the mask.

  His expression was one of smug satisfaction, lips curling into a smirk as he studied Lee like a predator toying with its prey.

  “You know,” he began, his voice smooth and mocking, “I expected more from the so-called ‘Skull Mask.’ All the stories, all the hype... and this is what I get? A pretender with no control over the power he wields.”

  Lee gritted his teeth, forcing his arms to push against the ground. But his body refused to cooperate, the strain of the battle leaving him utterly spent.

  Darris took a step closer, his boots crunching against the broken asphalt. “I have to admit,” he continued, his tone almost conversational, “you’ve done a decent job keeping your little secret. Hiding in plain sight, blending into the crowd... but it won’t last.”

  Lee flinched at the innuendo, his breath quickening.

  Darris squatted, his face just inches from Lee's. "Do you believe you are untouchable? That mask of yours can shield you from anything. "But here's the thing..." He tapped the IPC logo on his armour. "We don't need to know who you are yet. All we need is time. It's time to untangle the web you've constructed. It's time to monitor your moves, allies, and every error. And when do we do it?" He smirked, his eyes full of hate. "That mask will come off for good."

  Lee's jaw tightened, fury seething beneath the surface despite his powerless situation.

  Darris drew in closer, his voice lowering to a bitter whisper. "Your identity is a house of cards, Skull Mask.

  Lee forced himself to meet Darris’s gaze, his voice hoarse but defiant. “You don’t scare me.”

  Darris chuckled, the sound low and menacing. “Oh, I don’t need to scare you,” he said, standing and looking down at Lee with a predator’s grin. “Fear is for the people you’re trying so desperately to protect. The ones who will suffer when we expose you for what you really are a fraud.”

  A small flame of strength sparked somewhere deep inside him. It wasn't the blazing power he possessed at his prime, but a frail, flickering strength a relic of his link to the Skull Mask. He closed his eyes, using all of his strength to block out Darris' taunting and the anguish that was destroying his body.

  "Focus just enough..."

  A faint crimson glow began to pulse from the fractured pieces of his mask, spreading tendrils of energy throughout his body. The Scarlet Shadow Cape came back to life, torn and faded yet serviceable. The Mystic Trench Robes reappeared as a faint trace over his torn clothing, its emblems faded but intact.

  Darris hesitated, bending his head with modest interest. "What is this?" Is there still a spark left? He crossed his arms, his confidence unshakable. Go ahead, Skull Mask. "Show me what remains of your so-called power."

  Lee clenched his teeth and pushed through the pain and shame. He let out a guttural roar, causing the Skull Mask's remaining power to ignite. A shockwave exploded from his body, creating a whirling cloud of dust and debris that enveloped the roadway.

  The unexpected blast took Darris off guard, causing him to protect his face from the swirling debris that blurred his eyesight.

  Lee seizes the occasion.

  Summoning the Skull Blade in its most dimly lit form, a mere ghost of its former brilliance, he swung it in a sweeping arc, cutting through the air with a loud, crackling sound. The blow was not intended to damage Darris, but to clear a passage through the mayhem.

  Lee flung himself into the shadows with what little power he had left, disappearing into the veil of dust and smoke. The Scarlet Shadow Cape billowed weakly behind him as he vanished into the maze of the city's alleys.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  The dust dispersed, showing an unharmed Darris, his attitude unwavering. He looked into the distance, where Lee's presence had disappeared, and the faint noises of his withdrawal echoed off the ruins.

  A smirk crept across Darris’s face. “Run while you can,” he said coldly, his voice cutting through the silence. “But your existence is mine now. The world will know soon enough.”

  With deliberate steps, Darris turned and began to walk away, the silver aura of his Skull Mask armour fading as he discarded it. His human face, now exposed, twisted into a self-satisfied grin.

  Lee lurched down the shattered street, his knees barely supporting him as the dim glimmer of the Skull Mask's power flickered and vanished. The once-bright flames of defiance were becoming smouldering embers, threatening to die beneath the weight of his injuries.

  A passageway steeped in darkness brought a glimmer of optimism. He staggered into it, leaning on the moist brick wall for support. His fingers fumbled with the phone, and his palms trembled as he dialled Maya's number. With the gadget pushed to his ear, each ring seemed to last forever.

  Finally, her voice cracked through the receiver, filled with anxiety. "Lee? "What is wrong?"

  "The Skull Mask...is no longer a secret. He knows, Maya. "Darris saw me."

  There was a lull in the conversation before Maya spoke again, her voice calm despite the obvious anxiety. "Where are you now?" Can you continue moving?"

  Lee slipped down the wall and stooped low, saying, "I think so." "But I need to know where I'm going." "He is not going to stop."

  "Listen to me carefully," Maya continued, her tone crisp and forceful. "There is a safe home near the Havel Bridge. It's an old warehouse with a green-painted door. Taz and I will see you there. Don't let anyone see you on the way. "Go now."

  He finished the conversation, bracing himself for the road ahead. Every step towards the warehouse was agonising, his body rebelling with each one.

  The warehouse was as unremarkable as Maya had described, hiding behind layers of industrial filth. Lee pulled open the green-painted door, the hinges squeaking as he staggered in.

  Maya and Taz were already there, looking relieved and alarmed when they spotted him. Maya ran to his side, assisting him to a chair, while Taz shut the door behind them.

  "What happened out there?" Maya asked, her voice filled with equal parts fear and irritation.

  Lee winced as he shifted in his chair. "Darris pulled everything apart. He knew what I was about to do before it happened. He was not simply attacking me; he was demolishing me.

  Taz crossed his arms, his jaw tightening. "That's what happens when you're not fully prepared, Lee. You're lucky you came back alive."

  "I didn't have a choice!" Lee retorted; his voice rough with fury. "If I hadn't faced him, who would have?"

  Maya put up a hand to quiet them both before turning to her laptop, which was set on an improvised table.

  "Darris isn't just anyone," she said as she started typing. "I have been researching the IPC's best agents, and he is at the top of the list for a reason. He's one of their most skilled hunters, specialising in eliminating renegade dangers like you."

  Taz interrupted the pause, his tone stern. "Perhaps it's time to stop. Go underground and keep out of sight until everything blows over."

  "No," Lee said firmly, his voice firmer than it has been since the war. He pushed himself to sit up straighter, groaning with agony. "I am not running. I am not hiding. If I do that, Darris will win. The IPC wins. They will keep coming, hunting everyone they perceive as a danger. "It will not end with me."

  Maya looked up from her laptop, her brow concerned. "Lee, you are in no condition to face him again. Even at your best, you could barely hold your footing."

  "I know," Lee said, his stare unflinching. "But I am not going to let him dominate the story. If I confront him on my own terms, I might yet have a chance."

  Taz shook his head and paced the room. "It's suicide, Lee. You need to think about this."

  "I am," Lee said gently. "This is the only way." If we run, we will lose everything. "If I fight, we have a chance to stop him."

  "Breaking news: exclusive footage that will rock the nation to its core. The notorious vigilante known as Skull Mask is no longer a mystery. "Viewer discretion is advised."

  Maya tightened her grip on the control as the video switched to blurry images of a battle-scarred Lee. The video depicted his transition, with his human form enveloped in a red light and changing into the Skull Mask. The once-mythical character was now exposed, shorn of obscurity.

  Lee's heart sunk as his face appeared on the screen, accompanied by the big, flashing text: "LEE BECKTON: THE SKULL MASK REVEALED."

  Lee's knuckles became white as he grabbed the armrests of his chair. His brain was filled with fear.

  Darris' words lingered in his mind: "Fear is for the people you're so desperately trying to protect."

  Maya's words drew him out of his spiralling thoughts. "Lee, we must act now. The IPC will not squander time. They'll come for you and us.

  Lee returned her stare, his eyes hardened with purpose. "This does not alter anything. "I'll still fight."

  Taz shook his head, his voice full of disgust. "You are delusional!" Do you not see what is happening? They are painting a target on your back, as well as ours by association! You can't battle the IPC or the entire world's judgement."

  IPC Headquarters

  Darris reclined back in his chair, his silver skull mask lying on the table in front of him. His human face was arrogant, and his black eyes glittered with glee as he drank from a crystal tumbler of whisky.

  "It's poetic, isn't it?" he observed, addressing no one specifically. "The famous Skull Mask was reduced to simply another name in the system. His obscurity was his most powerful weapon and now it's gone."

  The gentle hiss of the automated doors signalled the entrance of Amir, the IPC's chief. His imposing bulk filled the room, as did his fine suit, which was perfectly fitted. His face was an inscrutable mask, with only the smallest trace of acceptance in his penetrating eyes.

  Amir approached the table, his eyes shifted to the halted show. "You have done well, Darris. "The exposure alone is more valuable than a thousand arrests." He put a sleek black folder on the table.

  "The directive is clear. The search for Lee Beckton begins immediately. We want him removed. The world will watch as we dismantle him piece by piece, demonstrating that he is unnecessary."