Sand whipped across the beach, stinging any exposed skin as waves crashed against the shore with rhythmic fury. The ancient-looking wall Rorck had summoned from the depths loomed beside them, its massive shadow cutting across the beach like a sundial marking the end of days.

  Rorck stood with deceptive calm, his posture relaxed despite the power he'd just wielded. "What brings you down to my humble stretch of beach, Hugo? Perhaps you thought I'd be drained after forcing the ocean to behave itself?"

  Hugo's laughter rolled like distant thunder as he approached, his confidence as immovable as the wall itself. The wind caught his long braids, making them dance around his broad shoulders.

  "Perfect opportunity to take you out, wouldn't you say?" His smile never wavered, teeth gleaming white against his greying beard.

  Rorck closed his eyes, a small sigh escaping him. "I regret to inform you that no such vulnerability exists for the Enlightened Mode." When his eyes snapped open, they were once again windows to the cosmos, his golden aura exploding outward like a miniature sun.

  "What a shame." Hugo didn't flinch, his massive frame casting a long shadow across the sand. "Shame for you that NIL keeps your hands tied when it comes to me."

  "Quite so." Rorck's tone sharpened. "But perhaps you need a reminder about the self-defense clause? One scratch on my person would legally permit me to eliminate not only the immediate threat but anyone associated with it."

  Hugo held up his massive hands in mock surrender. "Settle down, Rocky. The rules are burned into my memory."

  "Then state your business." Rorck powered down, the cosmic light fading from his eyes as he studied Hugo's face. "Why seek me out?"

  "Word is you've taken quite a shine to our newest visitors." Hugo's friendly tone carried unmistakable menace beneath it, like a knife wrapped in silk.

  Rorck's eyes widened briefly—a flash of concern quickly masked. "What's your interest in them? Why does this group merit your personal attention?"

  "My right hand witnessed something rather unusual," Hugo replied, an easy smile spreading across his face. "And the timing struck me as... suspicious. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?"

  "Unusual how?" Rorck's voice remained measured, but his shoulders tensed slightly.

  "A fo—" Hugo covered his mouth, shoulders shaking with poorly suppressed laughter. "A fog monster." The words barely escaped through his amusement.

  "Fog monster?" Rorck's brow furrowed in genuine confusion. "I—no, I've encountered nothing of the sort."

  "Thought as much." Hugo sighed, disappointment evident in his posture. "I'll be on my way, then."

  As Hugo turned to leave, Rorck called after him, desperation creeping into his voice. "Please don't harm them! They're just good-hearted children!"

  Hugo paused, turning back with eyebrows raised in mock surprise. His smile returned with predatory swiftness. "Is a distinguished member of the Enlightened Society actually making requests on behalf of humans? Doesn't that constitute intervention?" His smirk deepened, like a chess player who'd just cornered his opponent's king.

  Rorck's jaw tightened, teeth clenching visibly. "No... as long it's not a threat or a command..." he muttered, each word dragged unwillingly from his lips.

  "Is that right? Lucky you." Hugo's casual tone dripped with satisfaction as he turned and strolled away, leaving Rorck standing alone on the beach, trapped between power and helplessness.

  Up on the cliff, the crowd had begun to disperse, though some lingered to marvel at the newly formed wall that now blocked the horizon like a mountain range born in minutes. Neiva sat on the ground, her eyes unfocused as she tried to process everything she'd witnessed.

  Angelo crouched beside her, his usually stern expression softened with concern. "You holding up okay?"

  Neiva blinked slowly, her gaze gradually focusing on his face. "I... sorry. That was just..." She shook her head slightly. "My brain's still trying to catch up."

  "Want me to carry you back to the inn?" Angelo's attempt at gentleness still carried its natural roughness. "Might do you good to lie down for a bit."

  "Yeah... that'd be good." Her voice came out small and distant. Angelo turned and crouched lower, allowing her to climb onto his back.

  "Heyyy! There you are!" Sol's voice rang out across the cliff as he jogged toward them, silver hair catching the light. "Did you see what just—" He skidded to a halt as he registered Neiva's blank expression. "What happened? Is she hurt?"

  She shook her head weakly against Angelo's shoulder.

  "She's had a rough go of it," Angelo explained, adjusting his grip under her legs. "Needs some time to process. I'm taking her back to the inn."

  "Of course," Sol nodded quickly, concern replacing his excitement. "I'll come with you."

  Red and Blue retreated into Angelo's body as the group made their way back through the still-buzzing town. Minutes later, they pushed through the inn door and headed straight to their room, where Angelo gently deposited Neiva onto her bed.

  "I'm not dying or anything," she murmured, draping an arm across her eyes.

  "No, but shock's still a real thing," Angelo replied matter-of-factly. "Take an hour. Let your head clear."

  She nodded silently, the movement barely visible beneath her sheltering arm.

  Sol pulled Angelo aside, lowering his voice to barely above a whisper. "What actually happened up there? She looks like she's seen a ghost."

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  "Not entirely sure myself," Angelo replied, glancing back at Neiva. "That Rorck guy is definitely Enlightened Society. Before he vanished, he told her something. Whatever it was hit her hard."

  "So my hunch was right," Sol muttered, his detective instincts visibly humming beneath his skin. "Wonder what business an Enlightened would have with Neiva specifically?"

  Angelo shrugged, the movement cut short as Red and Blue materialized beside them in twin swirls of crimson and azure smoke.

  "Forget all that detective nonsense!" Red's eyes burned with manic excitement, hands gesturing wildly. "Did you SEE what that cosmic freak did? He pulled a fucking mountain range from the ocean floor like he was plucking daisies!"

  "The demonstration of capability was indeed extraordinary," Blue agreed, adjusting his non-existent glasses with scholarly precision.

  Angelo crossed his arms, giving them both a pointed look. "Look at that—you two finding common ground. Maybe there's hope after all." His expression darkened as he glanced toward the window. "But yeah, he's got all that power, and what does he do with it? Saves the town so they can continue living under the Cliffhangers' boot."

  "Classic Enlightened Society paradox," Sol said, leaning against the wall. "All that power handcuffed by their own rules. No wonder public opinion on them is so divided."

  Red's trademark grin spread across his face like a crack in ice. "Man, all this enlightened bullshit makes me miss that street preacher Orin! Now that was quality entertainment watching the cops drag him away!"

  Blue's posture stiffened with visible disapproval. "Only you would find amusement in a man's grief. Your capacity for empathy remains remarkably stunted." His scholarly tone dripped with disdain.

  Angelo rubbed his forehead, irritation flashing across his face. "Next time I see Rorck, I've got more than a few words for him."

  "Save your breath," Sol countered, shaking his head. "Criticize all you want, but NIL binds him completely. Nothing you say will change what he can or can't do."

  "I must confess a certain sympathy for their philosophical position," Blue mused, gazing thoughtfully out the window. "The burden of such power necessitates extraordinary restraint."

  "Of course you'd think that!" Red snorted, jabbing a finger toward Blue. "With your whole 'I'm merely an impartial observer, do not mind my presence, I am simply documenting the proceedings' routine."

  Blue turned away with a dignified huff. "A simpleton of your intellectual caliber could never comprehend the nuances of such ethical complexity."

  "What did you just call me?" Red's eyes flared crimson, energy crackling around his clenched fists.

  To everyone's surprise, Blue's scholarly facade cracked as his expression turned cold and hard, his eyes glowing with piercing ice-blue light. "A simpleton. Did I perhaps employ terminology beyond your comprehension?"

  Angelo sighed deeply, rubbing his temples as if warding off a headache. "At this rate, we'll be old men before we ever master Trinergy."

  Blue's eyes faded back to normal as he straightened his posture, hands clasped formally behind his back. "On the subject of Trinergy," he said, clearly trying to defuse the tension, "I believe I've discovered our missing component."

  He glanced at Red, adding with careful precision, "Assuming, of course, that Red is willing to cooperate."

  Red uncrossed his arms with a dramatic eye roll. "Don't pin this all on me. Just spit it out already." His crimson energy flickered out and died.

  Angelo and Sol exchanged knowing glances, silently agreeing that staying quiet and letting them work through this was the smartest move.

  "When I observed the whirlpool earlier," Blue continued, gesturing with precise movements, "it occurred to me that rotation might be the key. We could use circular motion to increase pressure while simultaneously mixing our energies, maintaining stability throughout the process."

  "So what, we just spin the energy around while we're mixing it?" Red pressed, his fingers twirling impatiently in the air. "That's your big breakthrough?"

  "Indeed." Blue nodded with scholarly confidence. "I believe this approach warrants experimentation."

  "Fine," Red conceded, trying to sound indifferent despite the spark of interest in his eyes. "Let's hit the beach again." He glanced at Angelo. "You coming or what?"

  "Huh?" Angelo blinked, pulled from his thoughts. "You two go ahead. I'll grab something to eat and join you later."

  "Whatever." Red shrugged and headed for the door. As he yanked it open, he nearly collided with someone standing outside, hand raised as if about to knock.

  "My, my!" The stranger adjusted his expensive coat with a cheerful smile. "I was just about to announce myself."

  "Lavvy?" Sol stepped forward, Angelo and Blue moving beside him. "Did you need something?"

  "Ah, Sol!" Lavvy beamed, gesturing dramatically toward the room next to theirs. "Just wanted to share the wonderful news! The innkeeper gave me the room right beside yours! What delightful coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

  Red's casual demeanor suddenly shifted. His eyes narrowed, and his usual wild grin twisted into something predatory. "Hey, fatty," he said, voice dropping to a dangerous purr. "Didn't your mama teach you lying's rude? Maybe I should stab you, see if you deflate like a balloon."

  Everyone froze, the hallway suddenly thick with tension.

  "What the hell, Red?" Angelo grabbed Red's arm and yanked him backward. He turned to Lavvy with an apologetic grimace. "Excuse us." He dragged Red back into their room, slamming the door behind them.

  Lavvy's smile wavered, his eyes wide with confusion. "Did I... say something to offend him?"

  Sol pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. "Sorry about that. He's our resident wild card."

  Inside the room, Angelo shoved Red against the wall, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard. "What was that about? You just met the guy!"

  Red's grin never faltered. "Not my fault he's a bad influence on me."

  "What?" Angelo's brow furrowed, confusion clear on his face.

  "The guy's bloodthirsty!" Red said, almost bouncing with excitement. "And it makes me bloodthirsty-er! Like candy to a kid!"

  Angelo's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "You're saying this guy is dangerous?"

  "All I know is he's hungry for violence." Red licked his lips like he was savoring the thought. "Makes me want to join the party. Been too long since I've let loose."

  "Who even is this guy?" Angelo glanced toward the door, where the muffled sounds of Sol and Lavvy conversing drifted through.

  "His name is Lavvy..." Neiva's weak voice came from the bed, where she'd been silently recovering. "Me and Sol met him earlier. Said he was a geologist... wanted our help at the mine..."

  Angelo turned and pulled the door open, cutting through whatever conversation was happening. "Sol, could I borrow you for a moment?"

  "Of course," Lavvy replied with a cheerful wave. "I'll wait in the lobby regarding what we discussed, Sol."

  Once Lavvy disappeared down the hallway, Sol stepped inside and closed the door. "What's up?"

  "That friend of yours is trouble." Angelo's tone was flat, leaving no room for argument.

  Sol's eyebrows rose skeptically. "I mean... he's a bit of an oddball, sure, but aren't you jumping to conclusions?"

  "That's not it." Angelo crossed his arms. "Red gets violent around him."

  "Isn't that just Red being Red?" Sol glanced at Red, who waved cheerfully – the gesture somehow making him look more sinister, not less.

  "Allow me to clarify." Blue stepped forward as Angelo nodded for him to continue. "Red functions as what we might call an 'Empath' – he possesses the ability to feel the emotional states of those around him."

  "You're joking." Sol's disbelief was written across his face as he crossed his arms.

  Blue sighed. "I assure you, I am not. If you recall our encounter with Josef at the mine, Angelo immediately recognized he posed no threat. This was because Red had informed him about Josef's emotional state."

  Sol's eyes widened as the implications sank in. "No way... So that's how..."

  "It's true," Angelo confirmed, his expression deadly serious. "I once made the mistake of dismissing Red's warning about someone's true intentions." His eyes grew distant, haunted by the unbidden image of a smiling blonde housewife standing in her doorway. "I paid dearly for not listening."

  Sol turned toward the closed door, his mind visibly racing. "Who is that guy, then?"

  The air in the room grew heavier as the question hung between them, unanswered.