The next day, Kael and his team were assigned to patrol E City. Along the way, they encountered several minor Knights of the Dark Light and engaged them alongside other available heroes. The battles were brief but relentless, leaving little time to rest. By high noon, an emergency alert echoed through their communicators—the facility was under attack once again.
It quickly became apparent that the Knights had been waiting for Charlie to leave the area. Her overwhelming strength and blazing speed made her a threat they were unwilling to face head-on. Once the news reached them, Kael immediately ordered Charlie to head to the facility ahead of the others, while he and the rest of the team would follow using transportation support.
Charlie ran as fast as she could, pushing her body without hesitation. But when she arrived, the scene before her made her freeze. The facility was filled with dead bodies—fallen heroes scattered across the ground. Nearby, several civilians lay collapsed, still alive but unconscious. The air felt heavy, suffocating. When Kael and the others finally arrived, they too bore witness to the devastation.
It was clear now.
The Dark Light had crossed a line.
Kael and the team rushed toward their collapsed relatives, desperately trying to wake them, calling their names over and over. There was no response. Panic crept in—slow, silent, and terrifying. Then, suddenly, a man stirred nearby and stood up, brushing himself off as if nothing had happened.
Dark Knight:I was starting to get worried you wouldn't show up, but looks like I'm going to have a higher body count today.
He laughed.
Before Charlie could react—before she could even think—she lunged at him. Instantly, the man raised his hand in front of them, stopping her cold.
In an instant, they were all dragged into an interdimensional space. The surroundings warped unnaturally, the air heavy and distorted. The man's voice echoed through the void.
Radhan: I am Radhan. My power allows me to transfer as many people as I desire into my Domain. Here, your powers are meaningless. You are nothing more than humans—prey for me to slaughter.
And it was true.
Charlie tried to move, tried to summon her strength—but nothing responded. Her powers were gone. Radhan smirked as he raised his hand and formed a massive dragon, constructed purely from his imagination. Without hesitation, he sent it charging straight toward them.
Just as all hope seemed lost, Kael stepped forward.
He calmly removed one of his gloves and reached out. The moment his hand made contact with the dragon, it vanished—erased into absolute nothingness. The space fell silent.
Radhan staggered back, confusion washing over his face. He launched several more attacks in panic, but Kael advanced steadily, erasing everything he touched. Fear finally overtook Radhan, and as he stumbled backward and fell, his concentration shattered. His ability deactivated, and reality snapped back to normal.
Trembling, Radhan stared at Kael in horror.
Radhan: H–How did you do that? What in the hell are you?
Kael did not answer.
Instead, he stepped forward, reaching out—ready to wipe Radhan out of existence entirely. But just before his hand could touch him, Diego shouted his name.
Kael froze.
He snapped back to himself, pulling his hand away. Fully conscious again, Kael stepped back and turned to the others, allowing them to decide Radhan's fate.
Some of the heroes spoke up immediately.
"He killed our friends and allies," they said. "He deserves death."
But one hero stepped forward—Donny. He shook his head and said calmly-
Donny: Death is not suitable for him. Not yet. He do not deserve death. But he deserve fate worst than death.
The heroes descended on him without mercy—cracking and dislocating his joints, electrifying his body, beating his face until it was reduced to pulp. His screams faded into hoarse gasps as his body was left broken and crippled beyond recovery.
Finally, Donny stepped forward.
For the first time, he revealed his ability. With a single, devastating punch, he drove Radhan deep into the ground, fusing his body with nature itself. The earth embraced him completely, embedding him within its core.
The planet would sustain Radhan, feeding him nutrients to keep him alive.
But he would never move again.
Never speak again.
Never use his power again.
The WHA conducted medical examinations on the unconscious patients and confirmed their suspicions—they had been afflicted by an unknown dark power. Determined to understand how it worked and how to remove it, Kael and his team were ordered to visit Ice Box and interrogate Herald.
On the way, Diego finally broke the silence.
Diego: Back there… were you controlling your power?
Kael shook his head.
Kael: No. What happened was pure anger. I let it control me.
After a brief pause, he continued, his voice steady but honest.
Kael: I won't let that happen again. Next time, I'll control it instead.
Diego: Will there be a next time?
Kael exhaled.
Kael: Possibly. But when it does… I'll need you to help me. Remind me who I am. Keep me grounded.Will you?
Diego:Gladly.