The Rogues Of: No Man's Land

The team hit the ground hard after Dragon-Boy's technique launched them into the air. Dust and debris kicked up around them as they rolled across the rough terrain. Tao groaned, pushing himself up first, rubbing the back of his head.

Dragon-Boy, despite the rough landing, sat up with a huge grin. "That was AWESOME!" he exclaimed, pumping his fists in the air. "Did you see that?! We were flying!"

Sister Seraphina, brushing dirt off her robes, marched straight toward him with a scowl. "Reckless doesn't even begin to describe that stunt! What if we had been launched into a mountain? Or worse, straight into enemy territory?!"

Dragon-Boy blinked innocently. "Well, we didn't, so that's a win, right?"

Sister Seraphina's eye twitched. "That is NOT how logic works!"

Rex groaned, shaking his head. "I swear, you get more annoying every time you open your mouth."

"And you get angrier every time you breathe!" Dragon-Boy shot back.

Before another argument could break out, Tao clapped his hands together, grabbing everyone's attention. "Enough. We need to regroup and plan our next move."

As the group settled down, Tao spoke. "I think it's time I told you why I'm really after the Vault of Eternity."

The air grew heavy as he continued. "I don't belong here. Rex know's." His voice was steady, but there was something raw beneath it. "I was pulled into No-Man's Land by accident. I tried to...steal an artifact, something I didn't understand. Next thing I knew, I was here."

Sister Seraphina's eyes widened. "You were… transported here? You're an outsider?"

Tao nodded. "And if I don't find a way back soon, I might never escape. The Vault could hold that key."

A silence followed before Sister Seraphina spoke again. "So you're saying the rest of us are just here to help you go home?"

"No," Tao said firmly. "I know I'm not the only one who wants out. No-Man's Land is a death trap. You, Sister Seraphina, even you, Rex, you wouldn't be here if you had a choice."

Rex exhaled sharply but said nothing. Seraphina lowered her gaze.

Dragon-Boy, however, remained quiet, his usual grin absent.

Sister Seraphina turned to him. "And what about you? Why are you after the Vault?"

Dragon-Boy hesitated before his eyes darkened. "It's personal."

"For once, try not to be cryptic," Rex muttered.

Dragon-Boy exhaled. "The Vault holds something more than just treasure. It's connected to my past, to something my family left behind. I need to reach it, no matter what."

Sister Seraphina frowned. "You're serious about this?"

Dragon-Boy nodded. "More than I've ever been."

Tao studied him before giving a nod. "Then you're in."

Seraphina sighed. "Fine. But if he pulls another reckless stunt, I swear-"

Dragon-Boy beamed. "I knew you all loved me."

Rex groaned. "We regret this already."

The squad journeyed through the desolate wasteland before reaching their destination, Varkos, the city of criminals.

A sprawling labyrinth of broken buildings, neon signs, and underground dealings. Warlords ruled its streets, and survival was the only currency that mattered.

Oddly, as the squad navigated the chaos, no one paid them any attention. They even managed to grab food and drinks without a single confrontation.

Sister Seraphina furrowed her brows. "Why is no one suspecting us like usual?" 

They reached the far end of the city, where the map marked their next route, only to find it blocked off.

"What the hell?" Rex muttered. "This was supposed to be the way through."

A slow clap echoed behind them.

"You really thought you'd sneak through untouched?"

They turned to see a lone figure standing behind them. A tall, lean man with a wide-brimmed hat, a long coat, and a single glowing eye. His smirk was sharp as a knife.

"You've made quite a name for yourselves," the man said. "The Nepit has been whispering about your squad through the seas. You're hot property now."

Sister Seraphina's heart sank. "They know about us. Those dang cat's."

The man's smirk widened. "That's an understatement." He tipped his hat. "Name's Kane. Best bounty hunter in No-Man's Land. And your heads are worth a fortune."

Rex cursed. "We don't have time for this."

"You don't have a choice." Kane snapped his fingers.

Shadows moved. Dozens of mercenaries emerged from the alleys, surrounding them. Snipers took positions on rooftops. Heavy hitters wielding hammers and axes lined the streets.

Tao's fists clenched. "Damn it."

Kane drew a pistol, spinning it on his finger. "Now, be good little outlaws and come quietly."

Dragon-Boy grinned. "Or?"

Kane's eye gleamed. "Or we make this fun."

Rex cracked his knuckles. "I vote for fun."

With that, he lunged forward, fist colliding with the first bounty hunter's skull, sending him flying. The street erupted into chaos.

Tao ducked under gunfire, sweeping an enemy's legs and slamming him into the ground. Sister Seraphina unleashed divine energy and constructing it into shield's.

Dragon-Boy engulfed himself in flames, rocketing forward. He crashed into a group of mercenaries, knocking them aside like bowling pins. "How's that for 'coming quietly'?"

Kane chuckled. "Good. Let's see how long you last."

He vanished, reappearing behind Tao. The bounty hunter's gun fired, a near-silent shot. Tao barely dodged as the bullet grazed his shoulder.

"Fast," Tao muttered.

Kane smirked. "You have no idea."

The Fight Intensifies

The battle raged. The bounty hunters were well-trained, relentless, but the squad fought harder.

Sister Seraphina cut through their ranks, her holy energy burning like a cleansing fire. Rex tanked blows like a beast, his Primal Engine strengthening with each hit. Dragon-Boy danced through the battlefield, flames igniting everything in his path.

But Kane was the real problem. He moved like a ghost, phasing in and out, his bullets always a breath away from fatal.

Tao's heart pounded. They couldn't win this drawn out.

"We need to move, now!"

Sister Seraphina unleashed a holy wave, blinding their foes. Dragon-Boy roared, creating a wall of fire between them and the hunters.

They bolted for an alternate exit.

Kane watched them go, smirking. "Run while you can." As they disappeared into the shadows, his eyes gleamed. "This is only the beginning."

Tao's eyes darted across the map as they sprinted through the dark alleys of the criminal city. His breath was heavy, sweat clinging to his brow. The escape route wasn't there, at least, not one that made sense.

"There's no way out," he muttered, frustration lacing his voice.

The sounds of chaos followed them, heavy boots slamming against metal walkways, the shouts of mercenaries closing in. They were being hunted.

"Keep moving!" Sister Seraphina ordered, urgency sharp in her tone. "We can't stop!"

But they needed to. In the distance, a squad of bounty hunters approached like shadows in the mist. They weren't going to outrun them. Tao's gaze darted to the looming skyscraper ahead, a 500-story tower block. It was their best bet.

"There! Inside!" Tao pointed, leading them through the doors of the building. Rex and Dragon-Boy slammed the heavy steel doors shut behind them, barricading it with whatever they could find, tables, chairs, crates.

"We need another exit," Tao said, shoving the map in front of him again. His hands were unsteady. The tension was pressing in.

Sister Seraphina grabbed the map from his hands, scanning it herself. "I'll find it. Keep watch."

Rex and Dragon-Boy exchanged a glance before stepping deeper into the building. It wasn't abandoned. People, civilians, lived here. Hundreds, maybe thousands, occupying makeshift apartments carved into the massive structure.

Neon lights flickered from different floors, and the distant sounds of conversations, laughter, and television static filled the air. The deeper they went, the more they realized how massive the tower was.

"Yo, this place is crazy," Dragon-Boy muttered.

"Focus," Rex shot back. "We're not sightseeing."

Then, somewhere above them, an alert blared.

A bounty hunter's voice echoed through speakers attached to the building's exterior. "Attention, all residents. A group of dangerous fugitives is hiding within your complex. Lock your doors. Do not assist them. We have every exit sealed."

Tao's stomach twisted. They were trapped.

Sister Seraphina's hands tightened around the map. "Damn it," she whispered.

Then, footsteps. Heavy, deliberate. Approaching from the main entrance.

A slow, confident voice called out from beyond the barricade. "There's no way out. You're in my web now."

Tao stepped back, his mind racing. He recognized that voice.

Kane.

"You have two options," Kane continued, his tone as smooth as a blade sliding against a whetstone. "Come out quietly, and I'll make sure you're taken in alive. Resist? You die here. Simple."

Silence.

Then Kane's voice took on a cruel edge. "But maybe you need some convincing."

There was a shuffling sound, and then Kane pushed someone forward. A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the dim light of the tower's entrance. Tall. Pale. Eyes glowing red like embers in the dark.

Rex froze. His fists clenched.

Seraphina took a sharp breath, her entire body stiffening.

"No way…" Rex whispered. "It's him."

The figure smirked, sharp fangs flashing. 

Tao's brows furrowed. "Who is this guy?"

Sister Seraphina's voice was grave. "Morticia..."

The name hung in the air like a death sentence.

"The child-killer…" Rex added, voice tense with restrained fury.

 A monster from the past. A vampire assassin known for his brutality. And now, he was standing before them, fully grown, fully lethal.

Morticia tilted his head. "Sister Seraphina… it's good to see you. I was hoping we'd meet again."

Rex's knuckles cracked. "Sister...you know this guy personally or something.."

Morticia chuckled, stepping closer. 

Dragon-Boy blinked. "Wait, that's the guy you two are freaking out about? He doesn't look that scary."

Morticia's eyes snapped to Dragon-Boy, and in an instant, he vanished. No movement. No warning. One second he was standing still, and the next, he was behind Dragon-Boy, whispering into his ear.

"Say that again, little lizard."

Dragon-Boy's breath hitched. He spun around, swinging a fiery fist, but Morticia was already gone, appearing back near Kane like he had never moved.

"Damn," Dragon-Boy muttered. "Fast."

Tao's clenched his fist. "We're not surrendering."

Kane sighed. "I figured you'd say that." He snapped his fingers.

More footsteps. Dozens of them. The bounty hunters outside began forcing their way in, prying at the barricade, preparing to swarm the building.

Tao glanced at the others. They had no escape. No time.

They had to fight.