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Rex’s heart pounded as white flames erupted around him, the searing heat threatening to consume everything in its path. He tried to find a way out, but the flames closed in from all sides, trapping him inside Natalia’s deadly palace. The world narrowed around him, his mind racing as he prepared for the inevitable.

Suddenly, a barrier of dark flames formed around him, shielding him from the onslaught. “Rex,” a familiar voice called out.

“Malin!” Rex shouted, his voice strained with panic. He turned to see her standing tall, flames flickering around her as her body formed a protective barrier. “What are you doing!? Stop using your power—protect yourself, not me!”

Malin’s eyes were calm, a soft smile tugging at her lips despite the immense strain on her body. “No, Rex,” she said quietly.

The world shifted in an instant. The battlefield disappeared, replaced by the quiet hum of an old train car. Rex found himself sitting opposite Malin, the gentle rocking of the train contrasting the chaos he had just escaped. The soft chatter of Amelia and Griffin, staring out the window at the passing landscape, filled the silence. In the far corner, a shadowy figure wreathed in dark flames stood, looming silently.

Rex’s heart sank as he looked at Malin, her expression distant. “Why didn’t you protect yourself, Malin?” His voice was soft but carried the weight of his pain.

Malin’s gaze softened, her voice filled with resignation. “Because keeping you safe is all that matters. I want you to keep going, Rex. I’m done fighting.”

Rex clenched his fists, frustration boiling beneath the surface. “You don’t have to do this. We can still fight—together. Don’t leave me to fight this alone.”

Her sad smile returned. “I’m sorry, Rex. I just… I can’t keep going. I’ve reached my limit. You have to be the one to move forward now.” Her voice faltered, but she held steady. “I’m sorry… for leaving you. Again.”

Rex shook his head, his voice thick with emotion. “You’ve never left me, Malin. From L.A. to now, you’ve always been by my side. You’ve made me stronger, better. I’ll carry that with me, always.”

The memory of Malin’s final moments with her daughter flashed in her mind. She could still feel her daughter’s fragile body in her arms, using every bit of her flux energy to keep her alive just a little longer. “Mommy, I’m so cold,” her daughter had whispered through her tears.

Malin’s heart broke all over again. “It’s okay, baby,” she had cried, her voice shaking. “I’ve got you. You’ll be warm in my arms.”

That memory faded as Malin’s body crumbled, the flames that had once been her strength flickering and dying. Her body turned to ash before Rex’s eyes, scattering in the wind as if she had never existed.

“Rest in peace,” Rex whispered, his voice barely audible. He knelt beside the spot where she had stood, his hand clutching the empty air where her warmth had once been.

But there was no time to mourn. Natalia still loomed in the distance, her power an unrelenting force. As Rex stood, his sorrow gave way to cold resolve. He would not let her sacrifice be in vain.

Out of the smoke, Hanako emerged. Her face was etched with glowing markings, her body radiating power. She was no longer the same—something had changed in her. Rex could feel the surge of energy from her, the power she now wielded was far beyond what she had before.

“Rex,” Hanako called out, her voice calm but filled with determination. “Let’s end this.”

Rex nodded, his eyes locking on Natalia. “Yeah, it’s time.”

Before the palace fully formed, a different battle was playing out.

“Akira, you’re going to be okay!” Hanako cried, desperately trying to heal her brother, but the wounds wouldn’t close. The energy around him was fading fast.

“Hanako…” Akira rasped, barely able to speak. “You need to transform… into your Demi-human form. It’s the only way…”

“No! I can’t! If I do, I’ll have to—” her voice broke, trembling. “I don’t want to eat you, Akira. I can’t do it.”

Akira’s eyes, filled with a weak but unwavering resolve, looked into hers. “You remember the blood pact we made with Rex, don’t you? We promised never to leave his side. If you eat me… you’ll become stronger, and Rex will have what he needs to win. I’m doing this for him, and for you.”

Tears streamed down her face. “I can’t. I can’t lose you like this…”

Akira smiled weakly. “Do it… not for Rex… for me.”

With her heart breaking, Hanako transformed into her fox form. Her eyes glistened with sorrow as she opened her mouth wide and devoured her brother, honoring his final wish.

Back on the battlefield, Hanako’s power surged, and she charged at Natalia with renewed strength. Both she and Rex moved faster than ever before, their forms blurring across the battlefield as they teleported and struck with ruthless precision. Natalia could barely keep up with the speed of their attacks, her eyes darting wildly as she struggled to anticipate their movements.

“She’s even faster now,” Natalia thought, her mind racing. “The power she gained by consuming her sibling has made her nearly unstoppable…”

Before she could react, Hanako and Rex appeared on either side of her. Hanako’s claws raked across Natalia’s torso, while Rex delivered a devastating kick to her neck, sending her crashing through the city’s ruins.

As Natalia struggled to rise, Rex teleported, retrieving his sword in a flash. With a cry of fury, he charged at her, his blade gleaming as he swung down with all his strength.

Natalia’s sword appeared just in time to block the strike, their blades clashing with a deafening sound that shook the entire city. The force of their attacks was so powerful, it caused the very solar system around them to tremble.

“I have to end this,” Natalia thought, her eyes narrowing with deadly intent. “I have to kill Rex Jones, no matter what.”

But Rex’s mind was somewhere else, locked in a memory of Malin’s voice.

“It’s not just about power, Rex,” she had said. “Your palace is a reflection of your ideals. It’s about shaping your beliefs into reality.”

The memory faded, and Rex’s determination crystallized. His mind was clear.

“My belief… is that every life is forged from its beginning, and I was born into this endless cycle of killing and survival. But now, I choose my path,” Rex thought, his resolve hardening.

With newfound strength, Rex created a hand symbol. “Eternal Forge Palace,” he whispered.

A dome enveloped them, the sky above turning dark and red. Natalia stood in dark, swirling water, her eyes wide as she realized what was happening. In the center of the palace, a blazing forge lit up the darkness, casting a harsh light over the battlefield.

Rex formed an injector in his hand and stabbed it into his body. His flux energy roared to life, his wounds healing rapidly as his power surged to new heights.

This fight wasn’t over yet. As rex created a new sword Malin sword was in his hand. “I’m going to end this fight like the way you wanted to end it Malin,” rex said.