Streets of Ravetham

As the arena prepared for the final showdown, Jason, known as Link Up, gathered his crew, the Breakers, around him. Dressed in his sleek exoskeleton, he leaned against a crate, a confident smirk playing on his lips. His eyes scanned the group—Bolt, Glitch, Patch, and Surge—all poised for action. This fight wasn’t just another competition; it was personal. His younger brother, Lost Stray, was a formidable opponent. While Jason could take him one-on-one, he wasn’t in the mood for a prolonged battle. Not today.

Jason chuckled, pushing off the crate and cracking his knuckles. “Alright, gang, listen up. We’re all jumping in for this one. Not because I can’t handle my little bro, but…” he paused, letting his grin widen, “…because it’s gonna take a hell of a lot more effort if I do it solo. That armor he’s got, you’ve seen it—it absorbs most of my blasts. And let’s not forget, the kid can take a beating. I’ve trained with him enough to know he doesn’t stay down.”

Bolt, leaning casually against the wall, raised an eyebrow. “Heh, I’ve seen him go a few rounds with you and the old man. Tough kid for sure. But you think we need all of us?”

Jason nodded, his smirk turning serious. “Yeah, all of you. Little bro’s no joke. Every time I think he’s down, he gets right back up. Usually takes both me and Dad to wear him out. So this time, I want it clean and fast. No messing around.”

Glitch grinned. “You know I’m in. Let’s see how well that fancy armor of his holds up against a bit of disruption.”

Patch, always the most silent of the crew, simply nodded, his mechanical hand flexing in anticipation.

Surge, the youngest and least experienced, shifted nervously but offered a small smile. “I’ll do my best, Jason.”

Link Up clapped her on the shoulder, giving her a reassuring nod. “Don’t sweat it, Surge. Just follow our lead.”

He turned back to the group, his grin returning. “Alright, remember the plan. I’ll hit him head-on, keep him distracted. Bolt, you take out the first opening he leaves. Glitch, disrupt that armor of his. Patch, you finish whatever’s left standing, and Surge—you’ll be there to sweep up. Got it?”

His crew nodded in agreement. They had fought together enough times to know how to dismantle opponents piece by piece, and even if Lost Stray was Jason’s brother, he was just another challenge.

On the other side of the arena, Lost Stray, Kaelen stood still, his breath slow and controlled. The arena was silent, the lights casting harsh shadows across the ground as he summoned his soul gun into his hand. The weight of it felt familiar, almost comforting. He could hear the chatter of the crowd, the murmurs of excitement building as the Breakers prepared to face him.

Kaelen knew how his brother operated. Jason always fought dirty, using every advantage he could get. And now, with his entire crew at his back, the odds were stacked against him. But Kaelen had a plan. Bolt would go first—he was the most dangerous in terms of speed. He needed to take him out quickly. Glitch would be next; she could disrupt his armor if she got close. Patch was powerful, but predictable, and Kaelen would hit him with a maximum burst of energy. That left Surge—she was inexperienced, the least threatening, and could be dealt with at the end.

Kaelen flexed his fingers around the handle of his gun, his eyes narrowing as he stepped into the arena. He could hear the hum of the crowd, the buzz of anticipation. His brother’s crew stepped forward, each one of them grinning confidently. Jason stood at the front, his cannon-arm already shifting into place.

Kaelen’s voice was calm, his gaze steady. “You sure you want to do this, Jason?”

Link Up laughed. “Oh, little bro, you know I love a good fight. But this? This is gonna be fun.”

The bell rang, and chaos erupted.

Jason charged first, his cannon firing off a barrage of energy blasts aimed directly at Kaelen. Lost Stray moved swiftly, his enhanced reflexes allowing him to dodge the blasts, his soul gun humming with power as he fired back, but Jason was already in motion, dodging the shots with ease.

From the side, Bolt moved like lightning. His speed was unmatched, and he blurred across the arena, aiming to hit Kaelen from his blind spot. But Kaelen had anticipated this. As Bolt closed in, Kaelen twisted, raising his soul gun and firing a shot infused with telekinetic force. The blast caught Bolt in mid-air, knocking him off his trajectory and sending him skidding across the ground.

Before Kaelen could catch his breath, Glitch was on him. She thrust her hand forward, her implants glowing as she sent a wave of disruptive energy toward his armor. Kaelen felt his armor pulse, the symbiote-like material reacting violently to the interference, but he held his ground. With a growl, he slammed his gun into the ground, creating a shockwave that disrupted Glitch’s attack long enough for him to leap back, gaining distance.

Patch was next, his towering frame barreling toward Kaelen with brute strength. Kaelen knew he couldn’t take Patch head-on, not without risking serious injury. But Patch was predictable. As Patch closed the distance, Kaelen focused his energy, channeling it into his soul gun. Just as Patch was about to strike, Kaelen unleashed a massive burst of energy, hitting Patch square in the chest. The blast sent Patch flying backward, his body slamming into the arena walls with a thunderous crash.

That left Surge. Kaelen turned to her, his heart steady as he prepared to end the fight. But Surge hesitated. She was young, inexperienced, and the fear in her eyes was evident. Kaelen almost pitied her.

But before he could move, Jason was back, his cannon aimed directly at Kaelen’s chest. “You think you can take all of us, little bro?”

Kaelen smirked, his soul gun charging with energy. “I’ve already taken most of you.”

Jason fired, but Kaelen was ready. He dodged the blast, his body moving with fluid precision as he closed the distance. He raised his soul gun, firing directly at Jason’s exoskeleton. The blast hit, sending a wave of energy coursing through the suit, causing it to spark.

But Jason wasn’t done. With a roar, he lunged at Kaelen, swinging his cannon-arm in a wild arc. Kaelen blocked with his gun, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through the arena. The brothers locked eyes, their expressions fierce, neither willing to back down.

Then, in one swift motion, Jason pushed Kaelen back, his cannon-arm glowing with a final, concentrated burst of energy. He fired, hitting Kaelen square in the chest. The force of the impact made Kaelen collapse to the ground, his soul gun falling from his grasp.

The arena fell silent as Kaelen struggled to get up, his body weak from the impact.

Jason stood over him, his cannon-arm still humming with power. “It’s over, Kaelen.”

Kaelen coughed, a grin spreading across his face despite the pain. “Damn…it.”

Don Cappo’s voice cut through the silence, announcing the winner. “Link Up is victorious!”