Meanwhile at Raxus's mansion, the footsteps drew closer, Cassandra, Sakura, and Matilda knew the time for hesitation was over. With a shared glance, they sprang into action.
Sakura moved first, her body blurring as she shot toward the nearest guard, her claws outstretched. The guard barely had time to raise his weapon before she was upon him, slicing through his arm and knocking him to the floor with a brutal kick. Matilda, ever vigilant, fired a quick shot at another guard who attempted to lunge at them, sending him crumpling to the ground.
The remaining two guards hesitated, confused and scrambling to react, but Cassandra's slime shot forward with deadly precision. It wrapped around one of the men, pulling him into the air and suspending him with unnerving ease. He struggled for a moment before his body went limp, as the slime began constricting around his throat, choking the life out of him.
The remaining guard, terrified, took a step back, but it was too late. Sakura was already on him, her claws slashing through his chest in a brutal flurry of movement. He fell to the ground with a dull thud.
They had made quick work of the guards, but as the adrenaline subsided, a tense stillness filled the corridor. Cassandra's sharp eyes darted to every corner, sensing something far more dangerous lurking nearby.
Before they could even consider their next move, the air around them shifted.
A ripple, like the calm surface of a pond disturbed by an unseen force, began to spread through the air. It radiated outward, a blue wave of energy that shimmered with strange, otherworldly power. The temperature seemed to drop as the wave passed through them, the hairs on the back of their necks standing on end.
And then they saw him.
Xylar appeared from the shadows at the end of the corridor, his presence dominating the space. His eyes glowed with a predatory intensity, his movements eerily calm. As he stepped forward, the blue wave pulsed once again, expanding from him like a force field, bending the air around him with the slightest gesture.
Sakura's instincts flared. She crouched, ready to pounce, her claws bared. "We need to take him down before"
But before she could even move, the air around them froze. The blue wave rippled again, faster this time, cutting off their every escape.
Xylar's smile was cold and knowing. With a single step, he closed the distance between them, and the blue wave surged forward, a flood of energy that seemed to stretch out in all directions, pushing them back effortlessly.
Cassandra's slime shot out, attempting to entangle him, but the wave of energy simply rippled around it. She tried to leap toward him, but her movements slowed, as if time itself had been warped. The blue wave pressed in, suffocating the air around her, making it impossible to move at anything more than a crawl.
Sakura, too, felt the pressure. Her claws extended, ready to slash, but the moment she tried to strike, the wave expanded again, moving with a blinding speed that made her feel as if she was in slow motion. She felt a tug on her body, like she was being caught in a vice, unable to reach her target. Every movement she made was futile, her speed a mere shadow of Xylar's.
Xylar grinned, his power effortlessly keeping them contained. "This is futile," he said softly, his voice almost a whisper, but it was filled with an undeniable command. The blue wave pulsed once more, this time moving directly toward them.
They tried to resist, tried to fight against the force, but it was as if their bodies had turned to lead. No matter how they tried to push through, the energy overwhelmed them, holding them in place with an almost suffocating force.
Sakura's claws stopped inches from Xylar's throat, frozen in midair as if the very concept of movement had been stolen from her. Cassandra's slime was held at bay by an invisible wall, unable to reach its target, its tendrils curling aimlessly in the air like a trapped snake.
In an instant, Xylar's hand shot forward, faster than either of them could perceive, and he grasped both of them by the neck. The blue wave pulsed, and their bodies locked in place. Sakura, Cassandra, and Matilda were all immobilized in a paralyzed grip, unable to break free, their bodies and minds bound by an unseen force.
"You fought well," Xylar mused, his voice cutting through the tense silence. He seemed almost disappointed, as though he had expected more of a challenge.
With a swift, effortless movement, he flung them to the ground, their bodies colliding with a sickening thud as the blue wave dissipated.
Matilda, who had been standing nearby, rushed to help, but before she could take a step, the blue wave expanded once more, crashing into her with the force of a tidal wave. Her body went limp, her legs buckling beneath her as the energy crushed her against the floor.
Xylar's eyes flicked to the guards, who had been watching from the corridor, frozen in place by the spectacle. "Take them," he ordered coldly. His voice left no room for argument.
The guards moved hesitantly, their faces pale as they rushed forward to collect the incapacitated women. Xylar's gaze lingered on them for a moment longer, a calculating gleam in his eyes. He turned to leave without another word, the blue wave vanishing with him as he retreated into the shadows, leaving behind only the remnants of his overwhelming power.
The women lay there, motionless, their bodies weak and their minds clouded. They had been cornered, their hopes dashed by the insurmountable force of Xylar's power.
And just like that, the mission had gone horribly wrong.
But just then Cassandra felt a tingle at her fingertips, a strange sensation that spread through her veins like a silent wave. The residual slime from her alter ego, Bobbles, was reacting in an unfamiliar way. Her body shivered, as if it recognized something familiar, yet foreign at the same time.
The air around them seemed to hum with energy. The sudden feeling grew stronger, a pulse that reverberated through the room, as if the universe itself were trying to speak. "What is that...?" she muttered under her breath, eyes widening as she scanned the area, searching for the source.
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
---
Zafron had arrived.
A golden figure slammed into the scene, his form a blur of energy and raw power. He crashed into Xylar, knocking him out of the way with a resounding crash, sending him sprawling across the floor.
The force of Zafron's presence was overwhelming. The three women, standing around the unconscious Xylar, couldn't help but freeze at the sight of him. His glowing golden eyes, his divine energy radiating from him like an unstoppable force, left them in awe.
Cassandra's gaze locked onto him, her body instinctively reacting to the intense energy he was giving off. Just like Mara, she was equally shocked. The last time she'd seen Zafron, he was different. But this—this was something else entirely.
Zafron scanned the room, his golden eyes softening when they landed on the women. "Are you all okay?" he asked, his voice rich and commanding.
His eyes flickered to Cassandra for a moment longer than the others. There was something there—something unspoken between them. His mind couldn't help but wonder what they were all doing in the undercity. He didn't get a chance to ask, though.
Before he could speak, Cassandra quickly answered, her voice low and firm. "No time for questions. We came to rescue you. But it seems like you're done with your nap... at a very convenient time."
Zafron nodded, glancing over his shoulder towards the door. "We have to leave. Now."
Before anyone could respond, a figure staggered into the room—Xylar, his energy wavering but clearly not finished yet. He stood up with a roar, glaring at Zafron.
"No one is going anywhere!" Xylar declared, his voice filled with authority.
Zafron sighed, turning back to the women. "Give me a minute," he said, his tone unwavering.
Then he focused his attention on Xylar, his golden eyes burning with fury. "You dare lay your hands on my wives?!" His voice was a low growl, like a god's wrath being unleashed.
In an instant, he shot off toward Xylar, moving faster than the eye could follow. Xylar immediately released his wave—a powerful surge of energy that should have been enough to stop anyone in their tracks.
But Zafron, unfazed, broke right through the blue wave, slamming into Xylar with a force that seemed to shake the very air.
Xylar was stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief. 'What... the hell is this guy?!' he thought, his mind racing. This—this was the bounty. This was the prize he had come to the undercity prison to collect! He hadn't expected this level of power, though. He had underestimated Zafron.
Zafron, too, was lost in thought as the fight unfolded. 'This power... it's incredible. I feel like a god. Nothing can stop me now,' he marveled internally. The strength coursing through him was unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
Xylar staggered back, looking up at Zafron with a mix of shock and fear. Who was this man? What kind of power had he unleashed?
Before they could exchange any more words, another figure entered the scene: Raxus, the undercity's leader. He stepped into the room slowly, his crystal staff in hand, looking at the wreckage with a bored expression.
"What is all this ruckus?" Raxus asked sluggishly, his voice filled with irritation. "If anyone destroys my marbles, they'll pay for it."
Xylar, recovering slightly, stood and pointed at Zafron. "This is the slime boy," he said, his voice tinged with frustration.
Raxus raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on Zafron for a moment. "Oooh, looks like he got a new shine to it," he said with a smirk. "What kind of crystal empowerment did you use? I didn't know my miners were already digging up such powerful crystals."
Zafron's gaze hardened. "You're in my way," he said, his voice filled with cold intent.
Raxus looked at Zafron as he charged toward him. The speed Zafron was moving with was beyond anything Raxus had expected. His eyes widened slightly, but the smug grin remained on his face. This was going to be interesting.
But before the clash could happen, everything seemed to slow for a split second—the calm before the storm.