Chapter 42 protocol : Riven vs Silas, Part Two

The streets under the dome was broken. Stonehad turned to sand, craters ripped the ground apart. Smoke rose from fire and lightning still burning in the distance.

Riven stood on shaky feet, his body covered in blood and cracks of Red Judgement glowing like veins across his skin. His dagger was still in hand, but his grip trembled.

Silas walked out of the smoke, untouched. His body was marked with red cracks where Riven had struck him before, but they closed as he moved, sealing like wounds that refused to stay open. His grin was sharp.

“You’re strong, boy. But I can’t be killed that easy.”

Riven spat blood unto the ground.

“Then I’ll just keep hitting you until you break.”

Silas raised both hands. Fire roared from one palm, lightning from the other. He slammed them together, sending a storm of burning thunder straight at Riven.

Riven used Flash. He blinked past the storm, appearing right in Silas’s face, and punched with everything he had. His fist, wrapped in Red Judgement, smashed into Silas’s jaw. The impact echoed like an explosion.

For the first time, Silas staggered back.

But only for a second. His black clouds rushed forward, wrapping around Riven’s arm and burning his flesh.

Riven screamed, but instead of pulling back, he leaned in closer and slammed his dagger into Silas’s side. Red Judgement spread again, crawling like fire over his body, cracking more of his skin.

Silas grabbed him by the throat and hurled him across the field. Riven hit the ground hard, rolling until he slammed into a broken slab of stone. He couldn’t breathe. His chest ached.

Still… he stood.

Behind him, Lucy and the others clenched their fists, but none of them moved. Their eyes burned with worry, but they trusted him. This was his fight.

Riven closed his eyes. He could feel it—the power of Red Judgement, deeper than he had ever used before. It wasn’t just a weapon. It was fury. It was fire. And if he lost control, it could burn him away with Silas.

He opened his eyes. Crimson light burned in them.

“I’ll end this with one strike.”

He planted his dagger into the ground and spread his hands. Red Judgement covered his whole body, brighter and brighter, until his skin looked like it was glowing molten red. The ground shook beneath him.

Silas watched, lightning crackling across his arms.

“So. You’ve been saving something. Good.” He raised his fists. “Show me.”

Riven roared, charging forward. His body blurred, faster than Flash had ever carried him before. Red Judgement wrapped his fists, his legs, his chest—everything. He was a storm of crimson light.

Silas swung first, a fist covered in fire and lightning.

Riven met him head-on, his own punch blazing with the strongest Red Judgement he had ever unleashed.

The collision tore the battlefield apart. A red explosion swallowed the dome, shattering stone.

The shockwave got to Kira and the others but Kira blocked it with are sword as it expanded thirty feet inside the dome

When the light finally faded, Riven stood in the center, chest heaving, his arm still glowing red.

Silas was on one knee, his body torn with cracks, red light leaking from them. His skin slowly began to close again, but this time slower. Much slower.

Silas coughed once, then laughed.

“You’re the first… to hurt me this much.” He rose to his feet, towering, still grinning through the damage. “But I’m not finished.”

Riven tightened his fists, though his whole body screamed with pain.

The battle wasn’t over.

Not yet.