Lord Of Beasts

The stadium, once packed with thousands of roaring spectators, was now a fractured shell of its former self: cracked concrete, shattered glass, and torn metal strewn everywhere like the aftermath of a natural disaster. The only ones left were the hundreds of black-suited personnel moving with sharp precision, managing the chaos, tending to the injured, and sealing off what remained of the arena.

The ones responsible?

They were long gone.

Titan had vanished into the sky without a second glance, as if everything that had just happened was beneath him. Kaela had roared off on her bike, leaving nothing but the fading echo of her engine and the memory of her manic grin.

And Elara staggered beside Ethan.

Her arm was draped over his shoulder, her weight leaning heavily against him as he supported her with one arm wrapped around her waist. She was light, but in his current state, even holding himself upright seemed like a struggle.

Ethan’s MP was nearly drained, and his body ached from overexertion, but he forced himself to stay steady, taking most of her weight without complaint.

”You good?” he asked.

Elara gave a faint nod, though her steps said otherwise.

Her clothes were torn in several places, stained with blood and dust from the battle. Without a word, Ethan pulled off his hoodie and draped it over her shoulders, adjusting it so it covered as much as possible.

She blinked at him, slightly surprised, before giving a small, silent smile.

They began walking away from the ruined arena.

No rush.

No urgency.

Just... walking.

As if they hadn’t just witnessed and been part of the most insane night of their lives.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

The distant sounds of sirens and shouted orders filled the air behind them as the Association worked to clean up the mess.

Then Ethan frowned slightly.

”Wait...”

He slowed to a stop.

Elara tilted her head slightly, looking at him.

Ethan scratched the back of his head, glancing around.

”How are we getting home?”

There was a long pause.

Then, Elara gave him a look, a very simple, clear look.

*Why are you asking me?*

Ethan blinked.

”Fair enough.”

He let out a short laugh, shaking his head.

”Guess we’re walking then.”

And so they did.

They walked away from the wreckage, side by side, moving through dimly lit streets as if nothing had happened.

As if the city hadn’t just nearly been torn apart. As if two A Ranks hadn’t just gone to war. As if an S Rank hadn’t descended from the sky and crushed them both.

It was almost surreal.

Their steps eventually carried them toward the area where Mark had left his car earlier. Neither of them said it out loud, but they both gravitated there instinctively.

And then, they saw it.

The old car was still there, parked exactly where it had been.

Ethan stopped.

”He didn’t leave?”

That... wasn’t right.

Mark had stormed off earlier, clearly pissed and shaken.

Ethan had been relieved at the time, glad that Mark wasn’t around when everything went to hell.

But now he couldn’t help but be concerned again.

”He wouldn’t just leave the car...”

That thing was his pride and joy, and there was no way he would abandon it.

”Then where the hell did he go?”

Ethan’s stomach tightened slightly.

He scanned the area, suddenly more alert.

He hadn’t seen Mark among the evacuees or near the stadium.

’Don’t tell me-?’

So many others had been crushed beneath rubble and caught in the crossfire, so that very well might have happened. Just thinking about it made his heart skip a beat as he turned to rush back towards the arena and look for him.

But then, a large figure appeared in the distance, stumbling their way.

Ethan squinted.

”Is that-?”

The figure drew closer.

And closer.

Until...

”Mark?”

Ethan couldn’t decide whether to laugh or be concerned.

Mark staggered toward them, barely keeping his balance, his usual solid, imposing presence replaced with something far more... unstable.

And then it hit them.

The smell of alcohol, strong enough that it was noticeable from metres away.

Ethan blinked.

”You’re drunk?”

That alone was shocking.

Mark hardly ever drank, and yet here he was, clearly wasted, eyes half-lidded and unfocused as he approached. While the city had been shaking from the clash of A Ranks, he had apparently been at a bar, drinking to numb his mind.

Ethan stepped forward slightly.

”We good, bro?”

Mark didn’t respond verbally.

Instead, he just nodded and pulled Ethan into a rough, uncoordinated hug.

Ethan froze for a second before letting out a quiet breath, returning it with a pat on the back.

”Yeah. We’re good.”

Mark mumbled something incoherent against his shoulder, his grip tightening briefly before he finally let go. He was drunk, and probably not thinking straight, but for now, he wasn’t angry, and that was enough.

Beside them, Elara watched the interaction.

Her eyes softened slightly.

There was something oddly comforting about their brotherly, but odd, relationship. Not that her relationship with him was any less unusual.

She let out a silent laugh, shaking her head slightly.

Ethan stepped back, glancing at Mark.

”Alright, since you’re drunk, I’m driving.”

Mark blinked slowly.

”Since when did you care about the rules?” he slurred.

Ethan smirked.

”Since you started to drink like this.”

Elara shot Mark a firm look, crossing her arms slightly, also clearly against him driving, seeing as he could barely walk in a straight line.

Mark groaned.

”Fine.”

After a bit more grumbling and a half-hearted attempt to argue, he finally handed over the keys.

Ethan took them, and his eyes lit up.

He looked more excited now than he had in a while.

”Let’s go.”

He practically jumped into the driver’s seat.

Mark stumbled into the passenger side, while Elara carefully slid into the back, still wrapped in Ethan’s hoodie.

Ethan started the engine, and the raggedy car choked to life.

Mark squinted at him.

”Isn’t it more illegal since you don’t have a license? Or insurance?”

That caught Elara off guard, since she had been on the side of caution. And she was about to find out that it might have been safer if the drunken man drove them back.

Ethan shrugged.

”Ah, who cares?”

Then he floored it, the car shooting forward.

”Woah-!” Mark yelped, grabbing onto the dashboard. ”Take it easy on my baby!”

Ethan just laughed.

”Relax, I got this.”

”You do not got this!” he yelled, yanking the wheel slightly before Ethan hit something on the road.

In the back, Elara covered her mouth, silently laughing despite everything.

Despite the exhaustion.

Despite the chaos.

Despite the pain still lingering in her body.

For a moment, things felt normal: three people in a car arguing, laughing, and driving off into the night.

And just like that, they were gone, leaving everything behind.

But this wasn’t the end.

Not even close.

Because this crazy night was only the beginning, and everything that had happened - the fights, the deaths, the power on display - would spiral into something far bigger.

Something far more dangerous for all of them...