in the Dusk
Dusk wrapped the highway in soft purple shadows, the air cool and thick with the scent of rust and distant rain. Tony walked between Lila and Elias, backpack straps digging into his shoulders, every step crunching on cracked asphalt that felt like walking on old bones. The settlement lights faded behind them, and ahead the road twisted through overgrown cars and vines, like nature was slowly eating the world back. Tony's mind raced with the new power humming inside him, a secret song waiting to burst out, but he kept it locked tight, focusing on the rhythm of their footsteps instead.
Lila glanced over her shoulder every few minutes, eyes sharp and worried, her hand hovering near the water skin at her hip as if ready to pull a flood from thin air. Elias walked with easy grace, the breeze around him whispering secrets only he could hear, his face calm but alert. Tony felt a little safer with them, like they were a small team against whatever the night might throw, but the quiet made his skin prickle, every rustle in the bushes sounding like trouble waiting to pounce.
Suddenly Elias stopped, head tilting like a dog catching a scent. "Something's coming," he murmured, voice low and tense. "Heat. A lot of it. From the overpass ahead."
Lila's face went hard, water already forming in tiny drops on her fingertips. "Raiders?"
"Worse," Elias said. "S-Class. I feel the air twisting around flames."
Tony's heart jumped, excitement and fear mixing in his chest like a bad tune. Before he could ask more, a low laugh echoed from the shadows above, and a figure leaped down from the overpass, landing with a thud that cracked the ground. The man was tall and broad, flames licking his hands like living gloves, his eyes glowing red in the dim light. He straightened up, grinning wide and wicked, teeth flashing white against his soot-streaked face.
"I am Darius Kane, Bale of Fire," the man declared, voice booming like a crackling bonfire. "S-Class hunter. And this road is mine tonight. Hand over your packs, or burn."
Lila stepped forward, water surging around her like a blue shield, her face fierce and ready. Elias raised his hands, wind whipping up dust into sharp blades. Tony stood frozen for a second, the words sinking in—this was an evil one, a raider who hunted survivors for sport, his flames hungry for everything in their path. Darius laughed again, flames exploding from his palms in roaring waves that lit the dusk like a twisted sunset, racing toward them with scorching heat.
Tony's fear turned to something sharper, a clear note ringing in his mind. He took a deep breath, hummed low and steady from his chest, the sound rolling out like invisible waves. The flames faltered, twisting in mid-air as if confused, their roar turning to a sputter. Darius's grin faded, eyes narrowing in surprise.
Before Darius could react, Tony clapped his hands once, sharp and loud. The clap echoed like thunder, vibrations slamming into the flames and the man behind them. Darius staggered back, fire snuffing out in puffs of smoke, his body shaking as the sound waves hit his chest like a hammer. He dropped to one knee, gasping, eyes wide with shock and rage, the mighty Bale of Fire brought low by a simple hum and clap.
Lila and Elias stared at Tony, mouths open in amazement, the wind dying down and water settling. Tony lowered his hands, breathing hard, a wild grin spreading across his face despite the shake in his knees. "That… worked," he whispered, voice full of wonder.
Darius growled, trying to stand, flames flickering weakly back to life. "What are you?" he snarled, face twisted in pain and confusion.
Tony stepped closer, heart pounding but voice steady. "Someone you shouldn't mess with."
Lila grabbed Darius's arms, water binding them like ropes. Elias called a gust to knock him flat, face-down on the asphalt. The evil hunter struggled but couldn't break free, his flames dying out completely under the pressure.
"We tie him up," Lila said, voice firm. "Leave him for the beasts. Or his own kind."
Elias nodded, pulling rope from his pack. "Smart. He'll think twice before hunting again."
Tony watched them work, the thrill fading into quiet relief. The road ahead looked a little darker now, but he felt stronger, the power inside him no longer just a secret but a weapon he could trust.
They finished quick, leaving Darius bound and cursing behind them. The three walked on, dusk turning to night, the highway stretching endless under stars.
No one spoke for a while, but Tony hummed softly to himself, the sound keeping their steps light.