Olivia bounced lightly on the balls of her feet. Around her, the crowd quickly sensed what was coming and began backing away, forming a wide ring around the two women. Amy stood calmly, hands folded behind her back.

  A radiant yellow glow began to shimmer around Olivia as she surged essence around her body.

  Without warning, Olivia shot forward. She twisted her body and snapped a roundhouse kick aimed squarely at Amy’s head, but her foot passed through with zero resistance. Amy didn’t move. She just smiled.

  Olivia used the momentum of her spin, pushing off her planted foot and launching herself into the air. She snapped the same leg back in a vicious backwards kick towards Amy’s chest. Again, it phased right through her.

  Landing, Olivia unleashed a storm of punches, but every strike went through Amy’s body.

  Olivia backed off with her brow furrowed. Her hand flicked up, and with it she tried to slam Amy with a pulse of kinetic force.

  Still, nothing. Amy stood unfazed.

  "The fuck?" Olivia said, tilting her head in irritation. "You gonna be boring and not fight?"

  Amy sneered slightly. "Alright." she said softly, and then, she finally moved.

  Her hands rose up into a boxing stance. Olivia wasted no time. She surged forward with a sharp straight kick, but again, her foot passed cleanly through Amy. In the same instant, Amy leaned in and launched a hook that slammed into Olivia’s side.

  The impact echoed across the mall. Olivia’s body skidded sideways, her shoes scraping loudly against the polished floor. She winced, gripping her side.

  Amy didn’t let up.

  She was already on her again, throwing a lightning fast straight punch. Olivia ducked, her head weaving just out of range. But Amy followed up with a second strike, a sharp right that smashed into Olivia’s face.

  Her head snapped back. Blood burst from her nose as she stumbled. She steadied herself and lifted her head again, grinning through the blood.

  "Damn," she said, voice thick, "you hit hard."

  She pinched one nostril closed and blew sharply out the other, splattering blood onto the floor.

  As they squared up again, Olivia caught sight of movement from behind Amy. Arden officers had begun to move in, their boots stomping in a coordinated rhythm. They carried rifles, and their expressions were blank.

  They formed a semi-circle behind Amy, boxing Olivia in. The back of her body nearly pressed to the wall.

  One of the officers stepped forward, holding a long, sheathed weapon. A white curve protruded from the sheath. He bowed a little and offered it to Amy.

  Amy took the weapon, fastening it at her hip. Her fingers wrapped around the handle, and she slowly unsheathed it with a soft mechanical hiss.

  The blade was curved, white as bone, with edges glowing in a soft pink light that pulsed like a heartbeat.

  Amy raised the blade and pointed it at Olivia.

  Her smile didn’t fade.

  "So," she asked. "What’re you going to do now?"

  Olivia inhaled sharply through her bloodied nose and cast a quick glance down below at the floor. Her lip curled.

  "I’m gonna kill all of you." she said, voice rising like a snarl.

  Then she lifted one foot, her essence flaring around it, and slammed it down.

  The floor cracked violently. The shockwave burst outward like a ripple. A spiderweb of fractures spread beneath her feet, and the entire floor gave way.

  With a roar of splintering steel and collapsing stone, the ground caved in, dropping Olivia, Amy, and the Arden officers with her as the level crumbled and fell.

  As Olivia plummeted through the collapsing floor, she snatched a chunk of falling rubble mid-air. Her essence flared through her arm, as she hurled the stone at Amy.

  The piece of debris rocketed forward, its speed multiplying with every meter. It smashed into the side of Amy’s head with a thunderous crack. Stone exploded on contact.

  But Amy didn’t so much as flinch.

  She turned her gaze back to Olivia as she fell. Still, Olivia noticed it. Her phasing wasn’t automatic. Amy had to activate it.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  They crashed down into a storage hall, an industrial expanse of steel and concrete packed with shelves and containers. Olivia landed atop a high metal rack, her feet skidding against the grating as she caught herself.

  Amy didn’t have the same grace. She plummeted and slammed hard into the concrete below.

  Olivia didn’t waste the opportunity.

  She dug her fingers into the shelf’s edge, tore it loose, and dragged the entire structure down with her as she jumped off the side. Mid-fall, she shifted her weight and hurled the shelving unit straight down onto Amy.

  A wave of metal and debris clattered against the floor in a violent heap.

  Olivia landed softly nearby and watched. For a moment, it was still. Then slowly, Amy stood, phasing and rising through the wreckage.

  Around them, other Arden officers stood. Their rifles raised quickly. Gunfire lit up the room.

  Olivia vanished in a blur of yellow light.

  The closest officer didn’t even register her until her foot connected with her chest. The officer shot backwards into a shelf, denting the steel.

  Olivia danced between the bullets, weaving and bending like liquid. Another officer raised his weapon. Olivia surged forward, ready to drop him, but Amy appeared phasing straight through the officer, her blade already swinging.

  The curved sword slashed across Olivia’s thigh.

  A hot wave of pain burst up her leg. Blood streamed down her pants as she jumped back. Amy didn’t give her space.

  She leaped forward, sword flashing. Olivia barely dodged. The pink-glowing blade hummed as it missed by inches.

  Olivia kept moving, but a few stray bullets from a nearby officer caught her attention, just enough for Amy’s sword to carve a jagged slash diagonally across her torso.

  Olivia recoiled, then tried to counter by throwing her fist at Amy’s face. But Amy’s blade moved faster.

  Her fingers were sliced off. Blood gushed from the torn stump of her right hand.

  She jumped back again. Her leg, her chest, her hand—it was bad. But her eyes didn’t show panic.

  As another officer took a few shots at Olivia, she moved. She charged Amy head-on, yellow essence blazing through her body. Her plan was set.

  Amy saw her and pulled back her sword. As Olivia neared, Amy thrust it straight forward.

  The blade pierced clean through Olivia’s abdomen. Amy narrowed her eyes and wondered why she hadn’t tried to dodge.

  Olivia clenched her jaw. Her arm cocked back, most of the essence in her soul funnelled into her left fist. The air around it distorted as she launched her punch.

  The fist struck Amy’s side, and an explosion erupted. The concussive shockwave blew flames and debris outward, tearing shelves from their bolts and hurling officers off their feet. Amy was launched back, engulfed in fire, vanishing into smoke and metal.

  Olivia stumbled.

  Her arm hung limp, wrapped in smoke. She exhaled, then used kinetic force to blow the smoke away. Her arm was mangled, with her skin torn and her bones cracked.

  Calmly, Olivia used kinetic energy to snap the bones back into place. She gritted her teeth, then reached down and grabbed Amy’s sword still buried in her stomach.

  With a sharp yank, she pulled it free. Blood spurted out. She dropped the sword and looked ahead.

  Her jaw clenched. Amy was already walking back.

  Her clothes were half destroyed. The right side of her body was torn open, revealing a glinting mess of mechanical insides. Wires, metal, strange internal tubing.

  The wound was healing as she walked.

  By the time she reached Olivia, it was gone. Not even a scratch remained.

  Amy stopped and tilted her head.

  "What are you?" Olivia asked, her voice dry.

  Amy cracked her neck, the sound loud and unnatural. "All peacekeepers are cyborgs," she said casually. "We don’t feel pain. We regenerate from anything."

  She looked Olivia over and added, "It looks like you’re losing."

  Olivia didn’t respond right away. She stood still, blood dripping from her side, leg trembling.

  Then she looked up, narrowed her eyes, and said, "Hey."

  Amy raised an eyebrow.

  "Do I look dead to you?" Olivia asked.

  She stomped her bleeding leg into the floor and took a stance, arms up, aura flaring again.

  "I’m still standing. The fight isn’t over."

  Amy’s smirk grew sharper, wicked. "I see."

  She shot forward without warning. Olivia barely had time to brace. She stepped back and unleashed a kinetic blast to keep Amy at bay, but it passed right through the peacekeeper.

  Amy’s fist slammed into Olivia’s gut, cracking ribs instantly. Olivia’s breath caught in her throat. A second blow smashed her shoulder, and before she could even register the pain, a third hammering strike collided with her forehead.

  Her shoes burned as she skidded backwards.

  Amy followed, relentless. She closed the distance and launched another punch. Olivia tried to step back, but her body was too slow. The fist crashed into her chest and sent her flying again, the breath torn from her lungs.

  She hit the ground and rolled. Blood smudged the metal beneath her. Groaning, Olivia tried to move, but Amy was already there.

  Amy stepped in calmly, towering over her. She leaned down, almost curious, her fingers glowing faintly pink.

  Her hand passed through Olivia’s thigh, and then suddenly solidified inside. A wet, horrible sound followed.

  Amy ripped Olivia’s thigh bone straight out, blood spraying from the wound.

  As Olivia clenched her teeth, Amy stood tall, holding the long, blood-slick bone like a trophy.

  She looked down and said flatly, "You probably won’t be standing anymore without this."

  She tossed it aside with a lazy flick.

  Then she stepped over Olivia’s broken body and crouched again, hand hovering just over Olivia’s face.

  "I didn’t really have that much fun," Amy admitted. "But I’ll give you a quick death at least."

  She began lowering her hand but then a low rumble echoed from above.

  Amy paused.

  A moment later, the shriek of twisting metal roared through the chamber.

  A hover-car crashed down through the open hole above them. It spiraled in, then slammed onto the floor, skidding violently across the room.

  Sparks sprayed. Shelves collapsed. The car ground to a halt in a storm of debris.

  Amy stood up straight, one eyebrow raised. The car’s door hissed open. From within, a figure stepped out.

  Amy’s eyes widened in recognition. "Owen Walters?" she said with a crooked smile. "I can’t believe you’re here."

  Her gaze shifted past him and she saw other figures emerge from the car.

  Katherine. Grace. Jason.

  Amy laughed softly. "Oh, this is great. The whole gang’s here."

  But when she looked back at Owen, she stopped. His lips were moving.

  He muttered the words like a sacred vow.

  "I am a Crusader. Embodiment."

  A pulse of radiant light exploded outward. A black robe with golden trimmings materialised over Owen.

  Owen took one step forward, and instantly vanished. He appeared a moment later right in front of Amy.

  Amy tried to move, but her body wouldn’t respond. Owen’s fist was already pulled back. Then it launched forward.

  Owen’s fist buried itself into Amy’s face, his knuckles crunching into metal and bone. The impact launched Amy backwards with a thunderous detonation.

  She flew, her body shattering the sound barrier as she was hurled away like a meteor.