"Finally!"

I couldn't believe our luck: Richmond was actually still in one piece…and surprisingly quiet.

"Freak, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

I nodded as I parked the car in front of the Virginia State Capitol building and motioned out the window for Adam and Krista to pull in next to us.

"Yeah, it's way too quiet."

"So, think that one of those guys is here somewhere?"

"If I had to guess: yeah, proba—"

"Hey fuckers, what's taking you so long!?"

I glanced around at that and eventually saw another one of those Order of Light members strolling towards us from down the street.

"Aw hell."

"So, since this is one-on-one, how about you, cowboy?"

The guy asked—no, told—as he pointed at me just as we got out of our vehicles. He couldn't have been any older than his late twenties with auburn hair and those same creepy eyes that all the others had.

"I've been watching you punks since you took out Sylph. And I have to admit, frankly I'm impressed. I mean, you guys tore into each of them. You skewered Sylph like he was a piece of meat. You made Nixe scream like the little bitch she was and literally cooked her alive…and don't even get me started on what your little Keyblade Master did to Uriel. It's been a long time since I've seen such a wonderful display of violence."

I blinked a few times, trying to make sure that I was hearing this guy right before whispering to Daniel.

"And you call me a freak."

"Well, let's not waste any more time. Start playing your music and come at me, cowboy."

I just stood there staring at him for a moment before I felt myself grin a little as I realized that I'd be the one to take this sadist down. I leaned into my car and pressed play—turning the volume all the way up.

' Bar Fight, week night

You don't look right, poor mite, no bite '

"Hey, where's your weapon, anyway?"

' Wake up, first light

This is what we live and what we see... '

I swear that when Adam asked that, the guy just grinned and held his hands out in front of him—both hands catching on frickin' fire as the fire formed into a pair of armored gauntlets.

"Right here, bitches."

"Hey, ready to dance?"

He gave me a kind of twisted look.

"Of course. Let's see what you can do against me: Brenton, the elemental master of Fire."

I just grinned a little as I decided to mock him.

"Well, come on then, bitch."

' Dance club, strip light

Get drunk, no sight, watch it ignite

Live it up tonight

Nobody really cares, but it's not for me... '

I saw him twitch just a little at that and took my chance—drawing and firing my pistol in an instant and watching as he just walked towards me—

"Oh, come on!"

—while each bullet that I fired literally began melting in mid-air as it got within a foot of him. I holstered the pistol and drew Red Queen instead as I decided to test something. I kicked off with my right foot as I rushed him—muttering a NulBlaze spell under my breath—and tried to slash him only to stop and start screaming as my hands blistered from the sheer heat emanating from him.

"Seriously, a NulBlaze spell? You thought that would protect you? Wrong!"

"Argh!"

' So raise your glass my son

We're telling everyone '

I tried to say something—anything—but I couldn't as he wrapped his hands around my throat and just let the heat cook me. I tried to fight against the pain, before a single thought popped into my mind: Blizzara. A moment later, a layer of ice began to form over Brenton's body and I managed to break free from his grip—muttering Cure spells over and over to heal the damage to my hands and throat.

"Shit, that's cold!"

I grinned just a little as my voice began to come back—even if it was raspy as everything.

"That's…what you get."

' Living in everyday combat

Day to day commuter riot

Shot down, dancing in the DMZ

(And we) '

I was back on him before he could even finish thawing—muttering a Blizzara spell and encasing Red Queen along with my hands inside it. I swung for his side and watched as my spell began to thaw the instant that it came into contact with his flame shield—but the spell held out. The sword dug into his side and he let out a yelp as it carved deep. I wrenched it free just as the last of my spell wore off and barely managed to pull away in time—only receiving some minor burns on my hands.

"How'd you like that?"

"Whoo!"

"Go Dustin!"

' Walk on, streets on fire

Caged in with razor wire

Shot down, living in the DMZ

Living in the DMZ '

"Guess that I don't have to hold back now. I'm really going to—"

"Augh!"

"—enjoy this!"

I stumbled backwards—nearly dropping my sword—as I felt the scorching hot gauntlet dig into my stomach. He'd managed to move so fast that I hadn't even seen it coming. I got my balance back just in time to receive a bone-cracking right hook to the face followed by a rib-cracking punch to the chest. I went down screaming—mentally trying to conjure up as many Cure spells as I could manage—and barely managed to roll to the side in time to avoid another punch. I managed to stand back up after a moment and jabbed my sword forward—muttering another Blizzara spell just as he went for a kill strike and managed to skewer his right shoulder—

' Time's up, let's go, all that we know

Release tension, you're my hero

After dark, terror in the town high street '

—only to smell my hands already smoking as I quickly wrenched the sword out of his shoulder and muttered another Cure spell. I took a few shaky steps back and muttered another Blizzara spell—my vision suddenly beginning to blur as I did so—only to notice that it didn't work. Shit!

"Heh, looks like you're all burned out."

I really didn't like the grin on his face.

' And I know you can't stop full throttle

Get involved mate, broken bottle

(Invasion) Panic on the cold concrete '

He took a few slow steps towards me before sending a wave of heat towards me that I barely managed to jump out of the way of—watching with wide eyes as it melted part of the Capitol building behind us. I glanced back at him and decided to do one thing that I hadn't planned on.

' So raise your glass my son

We're telling everyone... '

I ran for the front door of the building and rushed inside as quick as I could—trying to get away from the front door. Somehow, I knew instinctively that even if this guy was a sadist…he still wouldn't hurt Krista, Adam, or Daniel unless they either intervened or he managed to kill me. Whichever came first.

"Come out; come out, wherever you are."

' Living in everyday combat

Day to day, commuter riot

Shot down, dancing in the DMZ '

I held my breath as I heard his footsteps approach and swung as hard as I could—catching him in his bad shoulder and cleaving a deep gash even as the flesh on my hands began to boil.

"Is that all?"

I coughed as his fist dug into my chest and felt my insides beginning to smoke as he suddenly kicked me to the far side of the room. I felt something in my lower back snap as I hit the far wall but I managed to get back to my feet regardless.

"You're quite a little spit-fuck, aren't you? Too stubborn to die. My favorite kind!"

' (And we)

Walk on, streets on fire

Caged in with razor wire

Shot down, living in the DMZ '

He came at me again, but this time I managed to dodge his punch and returned with a swing of Red Queen that busted the gauntlet on his left arm and took off a few of his fingers too. Even with my hands burning and the Queen herself smoking, I swung again—opening up a gash in his lower abdomen and watching as he suddenly became conscious of the fact that that his own guts were leaking out. I took my chance and went in for my kill strike—only to miss as he dodged and quickly cauterized the gash on his abdomen.

He came back at me—cracking another rib with one well-placed punch—while I tried to ignore both the pain from the punches and the fact I was literally being burned alive by his flame shield.

' Living in the DMZ

Living in the DMZ

Living in the DMZ '

I felt his punches slow for just a moment and swung my own punch—nearly yelping with relief instead of pain as it connected with his jaw and dazed him. I felt myself nearly grin a little as I gripped my sword with both hands once again and swung as hard as I could—managing to hit the built-in Exceed system perfectly—

' Right... Yeah...

Let's go '

—and hitting him right in the neck and managing to cleave it about half-way down his chest. I sighed with relief as I felt the heat beginning to fade away and nearly collapsed to the floor in exhaustion.

"Hah…haha…I actually did it."

After a few moments, I finally managed to dredge up enough strength to stumble back towards the front door and into the congratulating arms of, well, everybody.

' Living in everyday combat

Day to day, commuter riot '

"Damn freak, you look like hell."

' Shot down, dancing in the DMZ

(And we) '

"And I feel like it…but…I managed to win."

' Walk on, streets on fire

Caged in with razor wire '

"Dustin, man, are you all right?"

' Shot down, living in the DMZ

Living in the DMZ '

"Yeah, I'm all right. Just…a little crispier than I'm used to."

' Oh yeah, oh yeah

Living in the DMZ '

"Dustin, you're burnt everywhere and—"

' Oh right, oh yeah

Living in the DMZ '

"Krista, I'm okay…though, I could stand to have a couple of Cure spells used on me if you don't mind."

' Don't think you're safe 'cause it's not over...

Don't think you're safe 'cause it's not over... '

"No problem! Just give me a second."

' Don't think you're safe 'cause it's not over...

Don't think you're safe 'cause it's not over... '

"Thanks…I'll just faint now, okay? Okay…"

' Don't think you're safe 'cause it's not over...

Don't think you're safe 'cause it's not over... '