EX CLASS AWAKENING: THE GOD OF SONGS

Rain of ice

The train wreck lay quiet now, the six wolf-mutants scattered like broken toys across the gravel. Tony's heart still hammered from the fight, but the new creature—the one that used to be human—stood tall in the moonlight, claws flexing, second mouth hissing on its throat. The pack circled it, growling low, welcoming their newest member.

Lila stepped forward. "Stay back," she said, voice calm but iron-hard.

Tony and Elias moved behind her without a word. The air around Lila began to change. It grew colder, sharper. Tiny beads of moisture lifted from the grass, from the puddles, from the very breath they exhaled. The humidity in the night air thickened, then pulled toward her like iron to a magnet. She raised both hands, fingers spread, and the water answered.

It came fast.

Droplets from every direction rushed in, spinning into a tight, swirling sphere above her palms. The sphere grew, darkening, until it was the size of a basketball, then a beach ball, then bigger still. The air itself seemed to squeeze, moisture condensing so quickly that frost crackled along the edges. The sphere turned solid—sharp, glittering, hundreds of ice shards packed so tight they looked like a storm cloud made of glass.

Lila's eyes narrowed. She thrust both hands forward.

The sphere exploded outward.

Thousands of ice shards rained down in a single, brutal wave. They fell straight and fast, silent except for the soft whistle of air parting. The shards hit the mutants like arrows from heaven. One wolf-thing took three through the chest and dropped without a sound. Another tried to run; shards punched through its legs and skull, pinning it to the ground. The newly turned mutant snarled, raising clawed arms—only for a dozen glittering spikes to drive through its torso, lifting it off the ground before it crumpled in a wet heap.

The rain lasted five seconds.

When it ended, the pack lay still, bodies studded with ice that glittered like cruel diamonds under the moon. Blood steamed in the cold air, mixing with frost on the gravel. The train wreck looked even more broken now, frost creeping up the rusted sides like white mold.

Tony stared, mouth open. Elias let out a low whistle.

Lila lowered her hands. The last few stray droplets fell from her fingertips and shattered on the ground like glass. She exhaled, shoulders dropping a little, but her face stayed calm.

"That," Tony said, voice hushed, "was incredible."

Elias nodded slowly. "You pulled moisture from the entire clearing. Even from our breath. I've never seen Aqua of the Sea used that clean."

Lila gave a small, tired smile. "Took practice. A lot of it. Water's everywhere if you know how to feel it."

They stood there for a moment, catching their breath, the cold still biting the air. Tony kicked at a piece of ice; it cracked under his boot with a satisfying snap.

Then came the thud.

Heavy. Deliberate. From the far side of the overpass.

They turned as one.

Darius Kane stepped out of the shadows, flames licking lazily along his arms. His wrists still showed rope burns from earlier, but the ropes themselves were gone—burned away. He looked bigger in the moonlight, shoulders broad, chest carved under a torn shirt, every muscle standing out like it had been cut from stone. His face was handsome in a dangerous way—sharp jaw, dark eyes, a scar running across one cheek that only made him look better. Fit didn't cover it; he looked like someone who could bench-press a car and then smile while doing it.

"Come on," Darius said, voice deep and amused. "Did you really think a little rope would hold Bale of Fire?"

Lila's water coiled again. Elias's wind sharpened. Tony felt the spark in his chest flare.

But Darius raised both hands, palms out. No flames. "Easy. I'm not here to fight. I came to talk."

The three of them stayed tense. Darius took one step closer, eyes flicking between them, lingering a second longer on Lila and Elias.

"First," he said, nodding toward the frozen mutants, "nice work. That ice storm? Clean. Precise. You pulled water from the air itself, condensed it mid-flight, and turned it into blades. Most S-Class would've needed a river or a lake. You didn't even break a sweat." He gave Lila a slow, appreciative grin. "Beautiful."

Lila's cheeks went pink despite herself. Elias shifted, wind tightening around him.

Darius chuckled. "Relax, wind-boy. I'm not blind. You two look good together. And honestly?" He looked between them, grin turning sly. "If you ever want company, I don't mind sharing the view. Or joining in."

Lila flushed deeper. Elias coughed once, looking away, ears red.

Tony blinked. "Uh… what?"

Darius laughed, loud and warm. "Kid, relax. I'm just saying life's short in this world. Might as well enjoy the scenery." He turned fully to Tony then, eyes narrowing with real curiosity. "But you… what are you?"

Tony met his gaze, heart thumping. "Someone who doesn't like bullies."

Darius studied him for a long moment. Then he nodded once, like he'd decided something. "Fair enough."

He crouched beside one of the frozen mutants, poking the ice with a finger. The shard cracked but didn't melt. "You want to know why they turned?" he asked, voice quieter now. "The one that used to be human?"

Tony nodded slowly.

"Mutants aren't born," Darius said. "They're made. Anything—animal, plant, person—takes in enough Resonance energy, it changes. But there's a faster way." He pointed at the torn body. "If a mutant eats enough of something—takes a real chunk—the victim starts changing too. The energy transfers through blood, through flesh. One bite can turn you. That's why we burn the bodies when we can. Or freeze them. Or scatter the pieces so nothing gets a full meal."

He stood up, brushing ash off his hands. "That's the rule out here. Don't let them feed. Don't let them spread."

Tony looked at the frozen corpses, then at Darius. "Why tell us?"

Darius shrugged. "Because you're interesting. And because I owe you for not finishing me earlier." He gave a crooked smile. "Plus, I like a good show."

He turned to leave, flames flickering back to life along his arms. "Watch yourselves. The road's long, and not everyone talks before they burn."

Then he walked into the dark, leaving only the smell of smoke behind.

Tony, Lila, and Elias stood in silence for a moment.

Lila finally spoke. "He's… a lot."

Elias snorted. "Yeah."

Tony looked at the frozen mutants, then at the road ahead.

"Let's keep moving," he said quietly.

They did.