The training field sprawled before them like an open palm, waiting to close into a fist. Tension buzzed in the air, making the hairs on Angelo's arms stand on end. From inside the mansion's large windows, Veronica watched them like a hawk eyeing field mice, her presence a weight on everyone's shoulders.

  Red and Blue took their positions on one side, facing the light twins who mirrored their stance on the other. Everyone's auras ignited simultaneously—Red and Blue's crimson and azure lights erupting around them like twin flames, while the light twins glowed with identical yellow halos.

  Forged energy began to crystallize over Blue's limbs, forming protective plates that clicked into place with mechanical precision. Red crafted his own armor, but where Blue's was sleek and practical, Red's bristled with wicked spikes that gleamed dangerously in the afternoon light.

  "How about you start us off, grandpa?" Zack called to Sol, his voice dripping with mockery.

  Sol ran his fingers through his silver-white hair, his usual playful smile twisting into something sharper. "Calling me grandpa because of my hair? Original." He shrugged, then hunched over dramatically, mimicking an elderly man. "Fine, I'll play along. Listen up, you disrespectful hooligans!" He cleared his throat with exaggerated effort. "On your mark! Get set! GO!"

  The light twins exchanged identical eye-rolls as Red and Blue launched forward, their movement cutting through the air like arrows. Suddenly, the field filled with copies of Zack and Zeke—dozens upon dozens materializing out of thin air until the entire area was swarming with identical twins.

  "What the actual fuck?!" Red skidded to a halt, slashing at the nearest Zack. His attack sailed straight through as if cutting smoke. "Goddamn cheap tricks!"

  "They're light Aurons—these are merely projections," Blue's scholarly voice cut through their mental link with perfect clarity. "Hardly surprising, though admittedly executed with impressive quality."

  Red ducked under a punch that came from seemingly nowhere, spinning around to find another copy bearing down on him. "Yeah, thanks for the useless physics lesson! Got any actual fucking suggestions before we get our asses handed to us?!"

  Blue sidestepped three consecutive attacks with fluid grace, his movements economical and precise. "Employ your energy vision. The authentic individuals should radiate with greater intensity than their illusory counterparts."

  They shifted perspective simultaneously, the world transforming into a landscape of colored light. The projections glowed like distant stars, but the real twins burned brighter—suns among their fabricated constellations.

  Red tracked one of the genuine twins, waiting until the last possible second to dodge a hook aimed at his jaw. He pressed his arm against the twin's chest, locking eyes with him. The twin's expression faltered, surprise flashing across his face as Red's predatory grin stretched wider.

  "Surprise, motherfucker," Red snarled before unleashing an energy blast at point-blank range that sent the twin flying backward like a rag doll.

  "Zack!" Zeke abandoned his attack on Blue, leaping to catch his brother before he could crash into the ground.

  Zack steadied himself, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "Not bad for an amateur." His face contorted with determination. "But we've danced with energy Aurons before."

  The twins straightened in perfect sync, their bodies flashing once with yellow light. To the naked eye, nothing changed, but in energy vision, they suddenly appeared identical to their projections—indistinguishable stars in a crowded sky.

  They converged on Red with devastating precision, their coordinated attacks leaving no room for escape. Each punch sent crimson particles exploding from his form like bloody fireworks.

  Sol turned to Angelo, his confident demeanor cracking with concern. "What just happened? They saw through the illusions a minute ago!"

  Angelo's jaw clenched tight, the muscle pulsing beneath his skin. "They've cloaked themselves in their own light illusion. Energy vision is useless now." His eyes narrowed dangerously, following every movement on the field. "They're targeting Red deliberately—they've identified him as the weak link. These twins are far stronger than they let on."

  Sol's fists balled at his sides, his silver aura flickering involuntarily with the desire to intervene. "Fuck," he muttered, the single word carrying all his frustration.

  Back at the inn, Neiva knocked on Lavvy's door, shifting from foot to foot as she waited. The door creaked open just enough to reveal Lavvy's face, drawn tight with caution.

  "Can I help you?" His voice emerged strained, his fingers clutching the doorframe.

  Neiva twisted a strand of bright red hair around her finger, her green eyes trailing sideways. "Sorry to bother you, but I fell asleep, and now everyone's gone." She glanced down the empty hallway. "I'd ask someone else, but..." She gestured vaguely toward the rest of the inn. "They'd probably just ignore me like I'm an NPC or something."

  Lavvy's eyes darted back and forth as he calculated. "If she was asleep this whole time, she might not be caught up with them about me yet," he thought, relief washing through him. After a moment, he stepped back, waving her inside with a forced smile. "I actually do know where they went. It's quite the story—you might want to sit down."

  "Oh, okay..." Neiva entered cautiously, perching on the edge of his bed. Her gaze fell on his half-packed belongings scattered across the room. "You're leaving already?"

  Lavvy's hand twitched toward his suitcase before he caught himself. "What? Oh, no, I simply haven't had time to unpack everything properly."

  "Right, tsunami and all..." Neiva nodded awkwardly, glancing around the room. "So where are my friends? You said you know something?"

  "Indeed." Lavvy paced the small space, his expensive coat swishing with each turn. "We were in the lobby, engaged in quite pleasant conversation when..." Sweat beaded along his hairline as he continued pacing, his thoughts racing. "What should I do? The mission's already compromised. But this could be a rare opportunity to salvage it. I could take her hostage—we'd have leverage against Angelo."

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  "When what?" Neiva prodded, leaning forward.

  "When two identical young men appeared." Lavvy's fingers fidgeted with his coat buttons. "Twins, actually."

  "Twins?!" Neiva jumped to her feet, her face paling. "Were they wearing noose tattoos? Could they be the light twins Josef warned us about?"

  "I couldn't say for certain." Lavvy shrugged, his shoulders too stiff. "I'm not familiar with local gang symbolism. But they challenged your friends to some sort of duel."

  "A duel?!" Her voice cracked with alarm. She rushed to the window, peering out as if she might spot them in the street. "We need to find them! Who knows what kind of boss battle they've walked into!"

  Behind her, Lavvy's expression darkened, his hand hovering near his pocket as indecision warred across his face. "Who knows when they'll be back," he thought frantically. "And if they return to find her missing from their room, they'll break down my door with auras blazing." Sweat dripped down his temple as panic set in. "I need to decide fast - time is working against me...!"

  Back on the training field, Red threw his arms up in a desperate cross-block, shielding his face as punches rained down from what seemed like every direction. The hits came so fast they sounded like drumbeats against his body. Blue darted across the field trying to help, but each time he lunged for what he thought was a real twin, his hands passed through empty air.

  Red's patience snapped like a dry twig. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" he roared, his voice cracking with rage. Dozens of crimson energy tendrils burst from his body like angry snakes, thrashing wildly in all directions. They carved deep grooves into the ground, tearing up chunks of earth and grass, but the twins' projections just flickered as the energy passed harmlessly through them.

  "This is bad," Blue's worried voice echoed in their shared mind-link. "Angelo, he's burning through his energy reserves at an alarming rate. His physical form will begin deteriorating if this continues."

  Angelo's jaw tightened. "Red!" he called through their connection, his tone sharp as a blade. "Calm down before you tear yourself apart, you hothead!"

  "AAAARGH!" Red continued his frenzied attack, his tendrils whipping around him in a deadly crimson tornado.

  Angelo pressed harder, his mental voice cutting through Red's chaos. "RED! I have a plan, but you need to get it together! NOW!"

  The tendrils froze mid-slash, still writhing in the air like living things. Red's chest heaved with exertion. "What is it, you useless bastard?!" he spat back, his fury barely contained.

  "Use my Aura Area technique," Angelo instructed, his mental voice steady despite Red's insults. "The suspended energy particles will react when they touch something physical. You'll feel exactly where the real twins are when they move through your area."

  Red's eyes widened with sudden understanding as Blue's scholarly voice joined in. "Of course! Brilliant deduction, Angelo. Our reaction window will be considerably diminished, but this could significantly alter the probability of success in our favor."

  Red and Blue moved in perfect sync, stretching their arms wide with palms open. The unexpected movement made the real light twins exchange wary glances. Crimson smoke poured from Red's body while azure mist flowed from Blue, both expanding outward until they formed thin clouds that colored the air around them—like standing in tinted fog.

  From her window in the mansion, Veronica leaned forward, her fingernails digging into the wooden sill. Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "That crimson fog..." she whispered, recognition flashing across her face. "Could it be the same as my captured monster?"

  The light twins hesitated for a moment before resuming their attack, apparently deciding the colored mist was harmless.

  "Red," Blue's mental voice carried unusual intensity, "if retribution is what you desire, I suggest you follow my tactical approach."

  A predatory grin spread across Red's face as he crouched lower, ready to spring. "After you, blueberry. Let's make these bastards bleed."

  Blue leapt closer to Red, his azure-tinted air following him like a loyal shadow. When he stood beside Red, the two colors merged where they touched, turning the air a soft violet—as if the oxygen itself was charged with their combined power.

  "They're coming," Blue whispered, his eyes widening as he felt the twins enter their Aura Area.

  The twins converged on Red from opposite sides, moving so fast they were barely visible. At the perfect moment, Blue jumped forward, his hands shooting out to grab both twins' wrists. With precise movements, he twisted just enough to redirect their momentum, sending them crashing into each other.

  "Energetic Fissure," Red muttered, his grin widening into something monstrous. The ground beneath the falling twins cracked open as crimson energy tendrils erupted from below, stabbing upward like spears through the broken earth.

  The twins cried out in pain as the tendrils slashed across their bodies. Their matching yellow auras flickered like dying lightbulbs as they stumbled backward.

  But they didn't have time to mend their wounds, Red and Blue closed in on them, forcing the light twins into a defensive position.

  A rare smile tugged at Angelo's lips as he watched from the sidelines. Beside him, Sol's shoulders relaxed slightly, hope returning to his eyes. The tide was turning.

  Back at the inn, Neiva paced Lavvy's small room, her fingers tangling in her bright red hair. "But we haven't done anything wrong since we got here!" Her voice rose with panic as she turned to Lavvy. "What possible reason could they have to think we're threats?"

  Lavvy threw his hands up, exasperation painted across his face. "How could I possibly know? I'm merely the messenger here."

  "I need to find them!" Neiva rushed toward the door, her hand reaching for the knob.

  Time seemed to slow for Lavvy as he watched her. "It's now or never," he thought, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. "I must decide..." His courage faltered for a moment, doubt flickering across his face before his expression hardened like cooling metal. "For my liege," he whispered, the words seeming to steel his resolve.

  "What did you say?" Neiva asked, turning back toward him.

  Before she could fully turn around, Lavvy lunged forward. His hands clamped down—one over her mouth, the other around her waist—with expected strength for someone his size. Neiva's eyes widened in shock as she thrashed against his grip, her screams muffled by his sweaty palm.

  They crashed into the dresser, sending a lamp toppling to the floor. Lavvy dragged her across the room, his breath coming in desperate gasps as he struggled to keep hold of her. With one hand, he grabbed a cloth from his suitcase and forced it over her mouth, tying it behind her head.

  "Stop fighting!" he hissed, his face red with effort as he wrestled her onto the bed. He grabbed zip ties from his bag pocket, binding her wrists together with trembling fingers, then her ankles.

  Tears streamed down Neiva's face, her muffled cries barely audible through the gag. Lavvy avoided her eyes as he hefted her over to the closet, swinging the door open with his foot.

  "MMMMMPPPHHHH!" Neiva screamed through the gag, her body twisting desperately as he shoved her inside. The last thing she saw was Lavvy's face—a mix of guilt and determination—before he slammed the door, plunging her into darkness.

  Lavvy stumbled back from the closet, his expensive coat now rumpled and stained with sweat. He wiped his forehead with a shaking hand, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The thumping sounds of Neiva throwing herself against the door made him flinch, but he didn't move to open it.

  "The deed is done," he muttered, straightening his coat with trembling fingers. "Now to contact the girls. They'd better be here quickly." He fumbled with a communication device, nearly dropping it in his haste. "Please don't be incompetent, just this once," he pleaded to the empty air as he dialed.

  Neiva's muffled cries and the dull thuds of her body hitting the closet door continued behind him, but Lavvy's resolve didn't waver. The line connected with a soft click, and he took a deep breath before speaking.