"It's empty..." Angelo murmured, his voice tight. He wasn't looking at the room with his physical eyes, but through the psychic link shared with his chaotic counterpart.

  "Fuck," Sol hissed, the single syllable heavy with frustration.

  Neiva peeked around Sol’s shoulder, her brows knit in confusion. "Why the long faces? Who were you expecting to find in a random motel room?"

  Sol paused, his hand resting on the doorframe as he surveyed the mundane exterior—beige walls, generic art. "No one in particular. It’s just... if the occupant knew Angelo, it might have been someone we’ve encountered before."

  Crimson smoke swirled from Angelo’s shoulder, condensing rapidly into Red. He sniffed the air loudly, nose wrinkling. "Plus, there’s blood on the carpet. Fresh-ish."

  Sol walked over, crouching near the dark stain Red pointed out. "Well, that narrows the suspect list down to literally everyone we’ve fought recently. Dray’s squad was leaking, and Dr. T’s robots were a mess."

  Blue materialized next, popping into existence with perfect posture and an air of superiority that seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room. "Indeed. However, consider the trajectory Ashley took during their retreat. It was not northward. Given their critical injuries, it is statistically improbable they would detour here and arrive ahead of us."

  Sol nodded, standing up and dusting off his hands. "Which leaves Dr. T. Maybe that woman we saw was related to the robots?"

  "Correlating the variables," Blue said, adjusting a pair of spectacles he had forged from hard-light energy purely for the aesthetic of looking smart, "the probability is considerable."

  Sol let out a long, weary sigh, running a hand through his hair. "On one hand, this is definitely something we should investigate. On the other hand... I really, really just want to get to SolThanor."

  Red’s mouth twisted into a grin that was all teeth and trouble. "Kehehe, why not both?"

  Sol blinked. "Huh?"

  Red spun around, spreading his arms like a ringmaster presenting his main attraction. "You know what this calls for, kids? Some good old-fashioned breaking and entering! Can you say it with me? Breaking! And! Entering!" He paused, waiting for applause that never came.

  Angelo rolled his eyes, physically pushing past his excited doppelg?nger. "That’s just his way of volunteering to handle the investigation here while we move on."

  "Oh. Right. Good idea," Sol agreed, catching on. "All we need is a name. Someone had to book this room." He glanced at the brass plate on the door. "Room three O seven."

  "Maybe you can sneak around the reception?" Neiva suggested, trying to be helpful. "There’s bound to be a computer with guest info. Like that time at the construction company, remember?"

  If Red could lose color, he would have turned stark white. His grin vanished. "No. No, no, no. Don't you dare put that evil on me. I still have nightmares about that place. Two-two-four-four. I remember the damn password to this day!"

  Sol looked at Blue, eyebrows raised.

  "He monitored a static room for hours until an employee vocalized the four-digit code," Blue explained with clinical detachment.

  "Hey," Sol grinned, tapping his temple. "Don't forget you’ve got REM now. You don't have to sit there physically. Just plant an anchor and you’re part of the action anywhere."

  Red scoffed, crossing his arms. "Guess you got a point, Pretty Boy. Fine. But it better not be boring, or you’re waking up with itch powder in your boxers."

  "Right, so that’s covered," Neiva said, clapping her hands together. "What’s the move? Head to SolThanor tonight?"

  Sol glanced out the window at the deepening twilight. "Nah. It’s late, and we’re running on fumes. I say we take a free evening for once and head out first thing in the morning."

  "Deal. Later," Angelo said instantly, already turning on his heel.

  "Haha," Sol laughed, watching him go. "That was quick. Where are you off to?"

  "The park," Angelo called back without stopping. "Energy fusion training."

  "Hell yeah!" Red cheered, taking off in a sprint to chase after him.

  "A splendid notion," Blue nodded, looking pleased at the prospect of testing more theories.

  Sol watched them go, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Wait," he called out, stopping Red in his tracks. "I thought you weren't 'helping' Angelo anymore?"

  Red skidded to a halt, nearly tripping over his own feet. "I—uh... That's..." He stammered, his bravado popping like a cheap balloon.

  Angelo stopped and turned, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

  "I'm doing this for my own reasons, okay?! Back off!" Red snapped, his face flushing as he dissolved back into mist and zipped into Angelo’s chest.

  Sol and Neiva chuckled as Angelo walked away, a ghost of a smirk touching the main body's lips.

  Five minutes later, the trio stood in a circle in the deserted local park. The air was crisp, smelling of pine and damp earth.

  "Alright, here’s the game plan," Angelo announced. "First, we armor up. I’m done getting blown off by my own attacks. Then, Red and I give the fusion another shot. Blue, you analyze."

  "It is what I do best," Blue noted, adjusting his glowing blue energy glasses again.

  "Why do you keep doing that?" Red groaned. "We don't even need glasses!"

  "A simpleton such as yourself could never comprehend the nuance of intellectual aesthetics," Blue replied smoothly.

  "Uh huh," Red deadpanned.

  "Enough talk. Let's do this."

  The rest of the evening was a symphony of concussive blasts and fizzling energy. The park echoed with the sounds of their failures until the distant wail of police sirens forced them to call it a night.

  True Energy Fusion was still out of reach, despite Angelo's "flawless plan."

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  The next morning arrived with the relentless brightness of a headache.

  The Trinergy CampShip soared through the sky, a silver streak against the blue. Inside the motel, however, a small piece of Red remained behind. He had left a tiny, crimson marble of compressed energy stuck to the ceiling corner of the hallway—a silent, unblinking eye.

  High above, the CampShip began its descent.

  "Holy—" Neiva started.

  "—shit," Sol finished for her.

  Before them stood Mount SolThanor, a titan of rock and earth. But the mountain wasn't whole. A massive, perfect cylinder of empty space had been punched straight through its center, allowing the sky to peek through the other side. And at the mountain's feet lay the ruins.

  The Ghost Town. SolThanor.

  The ship touched down on a cliff overlooking the devastation. The group disembarked, the wind whipping at their clothes.

  Blue stepped forward, staring at the unnatural tunnel through the mountain. "What is your assessment, Solomon?"

  "Hm?" Sol glanced at him.

  "Do you have a hypothesis regarding the excavation method?"

  Sol rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing.

  "Of course you'd turn this into a nerd-off," Red muttered, crossing his arms.

  "I think," Sol said, ignoring the interruption, "it must have been an explosion from within the mountain."

  Blue shook his head. "Unlikely. The cut is too clean. It is more akin to a concentrated beam passing directly through the mass."

  "I thought that too," Sol admitted. "But the sheer diameter... The energy required for a beam that size? I don't know if even a Legendary Auron has that kind of tank."

  "Bullshit," Red spat. "Remember what the old dirt-man did back in Thunderclap? He stopped a literal tsunami by raising a mountain range out of the ocean!"

  "I’m not underestimating the powerhouses," Sol clarified. "But this is vaporization on a geological scale."

  "I say, who gives a fuck? Can we please stop analyzing the landscaping?" Red groaned.

  A mischievous glint sparked in Sol's eyes. "Alright. How about something more up your alley?"

  He clenched his fist. Instantly, his silver aura exploded into life. It wasn't the calm silver of metal or the fluid silver of mercury—it was jagged, crackling with millions of microscopic explosions that snapped and popped like firecrackers.

  "What is your intention?" Blue asked, though he looked intrigued.

  "A little competition," Sol grinned, the silver light reflecting in his eyes. "Let's see who can make the bigger crater. Me, or you three."

  "Hey!" Neiva jumped in. "What about me?"

  "Uh, sorry Neiv. Don't think force or metal manipulation are gonna help you win a blasting contest," Sol apologized with a shrug.

  "Sorry, Sugar-tits! Better luck next time!" Red cackled, flaring his own jagged red aura. "Alright, let's do this! Oh, wait—"

  He paused, remembering his surveillance. With a thought, he mentally checked the crimson marble he’d left at the motel. Still there. Still boring. "Okay, NOW I'm ready! Let's go, dorks!"

  Angelo sighed, but the competitive spark wasn't entirely absent from his face. He flared his aura.

  Blue stroked his beard, considering. "Hmm. I suppose this offers some empirical merit regarding our output capabilities." His blue aura joined the fray.

  "Alright. Ready... set..." Sol began.

  "Wait," Angelo cut him off. He looked at his brothers. "Think we can pack a greater punch with Trinergy Mode?"

  Neiva perked up. She’d never seen the full Trinergy transformation outside of life-or-death panic.

  "Aight," Red said, extinguishing his solo aura. "Here's my juice. Take it!"

  Angelo’s aura shifted instantly to a violent blood-orange. He felt the surge of power, but it wasn't enough.

  "Well?" Angelo looked at Blue.

  Blue sighed heavily. "Very well." He closed his eyes, attempting to merge his flow. Nothing happened.

  "What's taking so long!?" Red snapped.

  "Hold on, I am attempting to—"

  "Just copy how I do it!"

  "I wish to achieve the synchronization independently—"

  "Just copy me and learn from that, you stubborn nerd!" Red shouted.

  Blue gritted his teeth but relented. He tapped into the sensation of Red’s flow and mirrored it.

  Snap.

  Angelo’s aura dimmed for a microsecond before exploding outward in a silent shockwave. The chaotic orange settled into a serene, majestic silver. But unlike Sol’s crackling, explosive silver, this was fluid and alive, with veins of red, blue, and orange pulsing rhythmically beneath the surface like a heartbeat.

  Angelo examined his hands, the power humming through his veins.

  "Well, Neiva?" Red teased. "Which silver is sexier, eh?"

  Neiva looked between Sol—crackling with lightning-like destruction—and Angelo—radiating absolute, tri-colored stability. "Ooohh... don't make me choose," she groaned, genuinely conflicted.

  "Enough," Angelo said. "This isn't a fashion show."

  "Cut the crap, we both know you dreamed of having a silver aura since you were five!" Red laughed.

  "Haha, alright, alright. Are we ready?" Sol stepped up to the cliff edge. "Rules are simple. One shot. You take the right side of the hole, I take the left. Biggest crater wins."

  "Ready?" Neiva stepped forward, raising her hand like a race starter. "GO!"

  The air pressure dropped instantly.

  Sol cupped his hands, his Darkness element compressing into a blindingly bright, violent silver sphere. The ground beneath his feet began to fracture.

  Next to him, Angelo mirrored the stance. But his sphere was different—a calm, swirling vortex of three colors contained within a silver shell.

  "Hmmmmmm," Angelo hummed, the strain visible in his neck muscles.

  "Come on, Angie! Put some more oomph in it! If we lose to Pretty Boy, I’ll never let you hear the end of it!" Red shouted.

  Sol was sweating, silver lightning arcing off his shoulders to strike the rocks around him. "Ha..." he huffed. "Big expectations... huh?"

  "Go, go, go! You can do it!" Neiva cheered, hopping from foot to foot.

  Angelo gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of the Trio’s combined will into the sphere.

  "Move, Neiva," Blue commanded.

  "Yeah, you're in the blast zone!" Red added.

  "Oh! Right!" Neiva scrambled back to safety.

  "TAKE THIS! HIYAAAA!" Sol bellowed, thrusting his hands forward.

  "TRINERGY BOMB!" Angelo roared.

  BOOM.

  The recoil knocked both Aurons backward, their boots skidding through the dirt. Two streaks of light—one jagged, one fluid—tore across the sky, disappearing into the distance toward the mountain.

  They waited. And waited.

  Neiva blinked. "Uh... What if you both accidentally aimed inside the hole—"

  Pop-pop.

  Two tiny puffs of smoke appeared on the mountain face, flanking the massive tunnel. Dust drifted lazily on the wind. It looked like someone had thrown two firecrackers at a skyscraper.

  Silence reigned on the cliff.

  Everyone squinted.

  "I think mine's bigger," Sol said, uncertainly.

  "Damn," Red whispered. "What kind of monster made that big-ass hole if this is all we could pull off?"

  The reality of the power gap settled over them like a cold blanket.

  "Guess we have to go there to measure it," Angelo said, his aura flickering out.

  "Aight, back to the Redmobile Three-Thousand!" Red declared.

  "Aren't you supposed to be on spying duty?" Angelo asked, wiping sweat from his forehead.

  "Oh. Right. Let's see here and—" Red froze. "Woah."

  Through the "eye" of the crimson marble, Red’s perspective shifted.

  The hallway was empty, save for one figure standing directly below him.

  It was the bellboy. The same odd figure they had passed earlier. His eyes were squeezed shut in that unwavering smile, yet his head was tilted back, "staring" directly up at the corner of the ceiling.

  "What do we have here?" the bellboy mused. His voice was soft, melodic, and terrifyingly calm.

  One second he was on the floor. The next, his face filled the vision of the marble. He had snatched it from the ceiling with speed that defied logic.

  "Woah-woah-woah? How he'd do that?" Red yelped in the real world.

  Inside the vision, the bellboy turned the marble over in his fingers. "Looks like some kind of hardened energy-based substance," he muttered. "Must be the work of an evolved Auron. But why stick it here?" He glanced back at the ceiling. "Hmm... Very odd. Very odd indeed."

  He shrugged and slipped the marble into his sleeves.

  "Nope. Nope. Abort!" Red panicked. He focused his will, dissolving the marble into microscopic particles. He guided the energy out of the bellboy's sleeves, up through his collar, and out a nearby vent.

  "Welp. Consider that bullet dodged," Red exhaled, returning his senses to the cliff.

  "Dodged my ass," Angelo barked. "You saw how suspicious he got! Why didn't you notice him coming earlier?!"

  "I was focused on this stupid competition, okay?!" Red shouted back.

  "Where were your amazing multi-tasking abilities then, huh?"

  "Who cares?! I fixed it! Lay off!"

  "Alright, alright!" Sol stepped between them, hands raised. "From what I gathered, Red got made, but he fixed it. Let's leave it at that, okay?" He locked eyes with Angelo, his expression serious. "We have bigger problems."

  Angelo huffed, adjusting his jacket. "Whatever. Let's get out of here."

  They boarded the CampShip without another word. Their auras hummed to life, and they lifted off.

  Minutes later, they touched down at the edge of the ruins.

  The wind howled through the empty streets. Windows stared back like hollow eyes. This was the place that had been dead for over a decade. The place that might finally hold the answers to the shadow war that had consumed their lives.

  SolThanor, at last.