This isn’t good. 

The world listed beneath Maren’s feet, which added an unwanted difficulty to the whole ‘evade Imani’s attacks at all cost’ idea. Maren had focused most of her attention on the icicles and blades, but in her dizzied state, some cubes and spheres slipped past her notice. 

“Oof!” Maren grunted as a chunk hurtled into her stomach. Her feet found no traction on the icy floor, so she slipped back several feet. “Gonna feel that tomorrow.” 

“No, you won’t,” Imani breathed, striking with two blades. 

Maren threw the ice chunk aside, then ran into the attack. Imani must have grown used to Maren running away, since the blades struck far behind her. Maren leaped and kicked. The Cailleach blocked the strike with a chunk, but Maren shoved the shield into her. Imani stumbled back. Maren grew more water from her shoulder and wrist, then swung her arm as if to slap Imani. The water froze before it reached the terrorist, but the new ice shoved Imani away. 

Perfect. 

Maren had gotten turned around as she ran throughout the room. There was only one area Imani hadn’t frozen solid yet: the entrance. Too bad she needed to use basically the rest of her water to end this. 

Just push past it. 

Maren kicked Imani’s ice block away, then struck her in the sternum. Imani backed away and Maren pressed closer, delivering a few quick jabs and splashing Imani with water. 

Maren’s small streams froze, but now sweat was streaming down Imani’s face. Looked like she was finally feeling the heat. 

Imani leaped back. Apparently, she noticed what Maren had, as she ripped her long black cloak off and threw it aside. Her shirt and pants were also black. 

“That cloak made you distinguished,” Maren said. “Now you look like everyone else.” 

“So sorry,” Imani said. “Guess I’ll have to put it back on.” 

Imani began levitating ice. Maren closed the gap and struck again with both her feet and water. However, Imani didn’t lose focus. She blocked some attacks, taking others, all the while coalescing ice above her. Once gathered, Imani struck it down like a hammer. 

Ah, shit. 

Maren slid between Imani’s legs, avoiding the attack, but the shattering ice slammed into her back. 

“Gah!” Maren yelled, the sudden force sliding her across the floor. 

She hit the wall near the open door. In the large room behind her, long slithering lines of fire chased the two Ethereal Leaders in the air. 

Looked like Maren could expect no help from either Mav or JJ. 

Skin flaking, Maren sent a final, pressurized stream at Imani. The Cailleach froze it ten feet from her body, allowing her time to adjust its course despite the speed. She added it to the dozens of other pieces floating around her. She stepped closer, shaking her head. 

“My earlier offer was a one-time thing,” Imani said. “And you blew it.” 

“Guess so.” Maren said, sitting up. Her head lolled to the side. Man, what she wouldn’t give for a gallon or three of water. “But that’s alright.” 

“Made your peace with the Titans?” 

Not even close. “I was thinking of a very old adage. Something like ‘lost the battle, but won the war’ kinda thing.” 

“Doesn’t matter how skilled your boyfriend is, he won’t beat Asaka and Dearil.” 

Maren opened her mouth, but her lip cracked. Perhaps it was best to cut the banter short. Her head was beginning to pound and she needed to get away, quickly. 

“Look around.” Maren nodded to the frozen room. “And check the bombs. Doubt you’ll find many that are still working.” 

Imani investigated the room. Barely an inch of the surface wasn’t coated in ice. 

“That means nothing,” Imani said. “I can’t freeze the blast fluid inside the bombs.” 

“But you can freeze the water that gets inside, which makes the blast fluid useless.” Maren smirked. “It seems JJ can be a good listener when he wants to be.” 

Now Imani’s eyes widened, horror settling over what she’d done. She turned to look at the room again, so Maren heaved herself to her feet and fled. 

She couldn’t defeat Imani, but she didn’t need to die trying. She’d done what she’d set out to do. The rest was up to the boys. 

Can’t breathe. JJ’s hands trembled, his skin growing cold and clammy. How am I supposed to do this if I can’t breathe? 

Every time he moved the air, his lungs felt smaller. Whenever he took a breath, he seemed to suck in fire. His heart beat like an incessant drum, his eyes flitting about the room yet seeing nothing. Had he really expected to stand alongside these Titans among men? 

He had to. A small boulder was coming toward them and Mav was coated in frost. He couldn’t move himself quickly, or blow the rock to bits. And he was only here because of JJ. 

Paul’s peaceful body flashed before him. 

Winds twirled and JJ grabbed Mav from behind. The sudden twister surged them into the air. They floated at the same height Dearil and Asaka did. 

“Bring me close!” Mav roared, flames igniting in his palms. 

Muscles crying in agony, lungs pleading for oxygen, JJ propelled them toward the terrorists. The two dropped to the ground. 

“Flame Wake!” 

Mav threw his arm back, sending his fire into the twirling winds that held them aloft. JJ pushed his winds faster, shooting them over the terrorists. The fire reached down to the surface, trailing JJ and burning whatever they passed. 

The terrorists darted aside, avoiding the fiery tornado. Then, another small boulder hurtled toward them. JJ cut off the winds, taking as deep a breath as possible as they fell. 

“Keep us alive,” Mav said, hands still ablaze. Burnt and bruised, the two Ethereal Leaders stood in the room’s center. Asaka was throwing several boulders at them with his gravity, while Dearil’s eyes were closed, taking a deep breath. “And I’ll attack.” 

JJ clung to Mav and nodded. He couldn’t waste any breath on a reply. 

The first boulder struck. JJ whipped them away, then dodged another. Mav hurled fireballs, but Asaka used boulders as shields. JJ wished he could count their number, but he was too busy avoiding them to take stock. 

“Get me close!” Mav said. 

JJ tried, but whenever he got within twenty feet of the terrorists, a boulder careened along their path. JJ skirted around, avoiding the massive rocks. 

“On our right!” Mav yelled. 

A boulder which had been moving in one direction shifted in an instant, retracing its path. JJ moved his winds in that direction, but it was too late. The boulder struck, smacking them to the ground. 

What little was left of JJ’s air vanished. Blood pooled around them. More boulders loomed. 

“JJ. Get up.” 

Strange. Mav’s mouth wasn’t moving. And that didn’t sound like his voice. Who else could be talking? 

Sprinklings of golden light flitted above. “You can do this.” 

JJ held onto Mav like a vice and they shot forward. They were twenty feet from Asaka and Dearil, then ten. More boulders aimed for them. JJ veered left, right, circled back. The large rocks flew through the area, changing course suddenly by shifting time or gravity. Yet, with all of his air flinging them about, JJ brought Mav down between Asaka and Dearil. 

“Blaze Twister!” 

Mav spun, throwing fire from his hands. JJ followed his lead, twirling the winds and exploding the firepower. Asaka and Dearil screamed as the fire blasted over them. They vanished behind the wall of swirling flame, ten feet in diameter and reaching to the ceiling. 

“Let’s end it,” Mav said, squatting and making fists.  “One last blast, JJ!” 

Breathless, JJ reached skyward. The air screamed as the winds whooshed overhead. 

“Inferno...” A bright orange glow emanated from Mav’s body. 

JJ lowered his hand, clawing his chest over his heart. What he’d started in that Howin alley, he would end now. Even if it dragged his spirit from his lungs. 

Calling the heavens down to the surface, JJ saw not the tumultuous winds scattering hellfire, but instead a young boy, smiling with wonder and pride as he gazed upon his idiotic best friend whom he’d just tried to save, who’d just become a Wielder. 

“Wow!” Had been Paul’s first word after JJ’s interlink. “You’re gonna save the world!” 

And I start by doing this. 

Despite the heat, a single tear descended JJ’s cheek. 

Mav roared, “... Hurricane!”