The distortion merged with the electric insects, and all of them disappeared. Every stag beetle Jareth’s blade cut through had ceased to exist. He jetted towards Eric and swiped through the beetles that attacked him.

Meanwhile, Altera had activated the Fehu rune. She dazzled through the sky and stopped when she was flying next to Ragna.

The stag beetles followed Altera, and once all the remaining insects were close in space, a sphere of water appeared. It swallowed the stag beetles and forced them to discharge. The construct heated up as the insects unloaded their energy into it. The water bubbled and dissolved into steam.

All the constructs were gone.

Ragna activated the Hagal rune. Ice stakes shot from the ground under Gerard’s feet, but he released another burst of electricity from his boots. It shattered the ice and propelled Gerard into the sky.

Altera and Eric used the moment to their advantage. They summoned projectiles made of ice and blood and shot them at Gerard.

“Altera, you’ve taught Ragna to use runes? You know that’s capital punishment, right?” He threw his arms to his back, and more electricity traveled over his skin. It extended outwards, covering his body like a set of armor. It repelled the projectiles, evaporating them to steam. “Do you trust her that much that you’re willing to throw your life away?”

“Of course, I do.” Altera shook her head. “No. As much as I want to trust her, as much I want to …” Altera hesitated. She summoned a wave of shards and shot them at Gerard. “It doesn’t matter. Teaching them runes was the only way to ensure their survival.”

“And if she was guilty, a traitor to Midgard. Would you still throw your life away for her survival?” The shards evaporated the moment they touched his lightning armor.

“What does it matter?” Altera asked. “Good or evil, everyone has the right to live, the right to obtain happiness. As a future Valkyrie, I’ll dedicate my life to the protection of everyone. Even if Ragna were a traitor, I would’ve given my life away to protect her.”

“I see. You’re a hero, all right.”

Jareth pointed his arm at Gerard, and flames streamed out of the tube attached to it.

Gerard shrieked and raised his eyes. The energy that had boosted him into the sky faded away. Gerard fell.

Ragna smiled, and ice stakes shot from the ground.

Even with his armor on, if she continued to pour out Mana faster than the electricity melted the ice, the stake should reform and break through.

Gerard tilted his head, glancing at Ragna’s constructs. He stretched his arms backwards, and the armor disappeared. All its energy converted at the palm of Gerard’s hands into spheres. He shoved them into the stakes.

Before they could reach him, the spheres pulverized the ice.

Ragna beat her wings. The Fehu rune Altera had drawn with Eric’s blood flickered and increased her speed. She unsheathed her saber and attacked the falling Captain.

Gerard covered his arm with lightning and raised it in front of his body.

Ragna swung her saber, but then she pulled out her seax. Gerard’s eyes widened, and her swing stopped. At the last moment, the electricity traveled to the Captain’s boots, pushing him further into the sky.

She missed Gerard’s head and chest and stabbed him in the trunk. The rune on the weapon flickered, poisoning him.

Gerard gasped. Ragna pulled out her seax and slashed him with both weapons at once. Blood splattered on her face, and Gerard crashed to the ground.

A barrage of ice shards and blood bulleted manifested in the air and torrented at Gerard. Razor disks buzzed out of Jareth’s other hand. They spun in the air and hit their opponent at the same time as Altera and Eric.

Dust swirled in the air. Ragna flew backwards and increased the distance to the impact point.

It would be great had they defeated Gerard, but none of her past opponents got down easy. She would risk being in his range for a full-frontal attack.

“Huh, that one was close.” Gerard stood up and smiled. Lighting had covered his body.

Thunder drummed in the distance, and Ragna looked up. Dark clouds had infested the sky, winds howled over the streets, and the rain started to pour. At once, torrented masses of water from above, pounding on the grounds like heartbeats.

Ragna grimaced. “This can’t be a coincidence, can it?”

Altera gulped. “I knew that Captain Donnerschlag can control electricity, but it seems that his true scope is beyond that.”

Gerard smiled. “My Fylgja “The loud ride” allows me to manipulate electricity. But it also gives me dominion over the weather. To correct your masked friend, I’m not just like a storm. I am the storm.” Lightning struck from the sky at Ragna. “As a hero, I’ve no choice but to fight the enemies of justice.”

Raga spread her wings, and with the Fehu rune, she danced around the bolts and evaded them when Gerard’s armor disappeared. He pointed his fingers at Ragna, and another bolt of lightning released from them.

Crap. Ragna’s eyes widened. She couldn’t evade the attack in time.

A figure jumped in front of Ragna. The lightning struck it, and the person landed on the street.

Ragna looked at the individual who had saved her from Gerard’s eyes and gasped in shock. “Ray?”

“Ouch.” Ray winked and rubbed the ashen spot on his chest. “That kinda hurt.”

“Who the Hel are you?” Gerard asked.

“I’m a monster. That’s all you need to know.” Ray’s face became serious as the edges of his mouth dropped. “I’ve heard you call yourself a hero. Know that walking the path to be a hero of justice can be dangerous and lead one to ruin.”

“Don’t worry.” Gerard’s grin vanished, and his voice turned into a somber tone. “A hero is all I can be.”

Ray nodded. “Then let me the monster a hero shall fight against.”

“Fine with me.” Another lightning strike shot out of Gerard’s fingers.

Gerard raised his leg. Electricity concentrated around his muscles, and he dropped at kick at Ray.

Ray jumped backwards, landing next to Ragna.

“Why are you helping us?” Ragna asked.

Ray smiled. “Isn’t it in the nature of a monster to fight heroes?”

Ragna narrowed her eyes, giving him a blank look. “You’re totally lying, but if you wanna fight him, I’m not gonna complain.”

“Great. I’ll keep Gerard occupied.”

Lightning strikes fell from the sky, and Ray leaped forward. He evaded the strike when a bolt hit him in the chest.

Ray groaned, and the second set of symbols on his chest flared up.

“You sure are tough.” Gerard clapped his hands. Lighting pulsated from the motions, snapping at Ray like the mouth of a snake.

Ray leaped out of the way. His claws and fangs sharpened to a beast’s, and his speed increased.

Gerard shot a bolt from his fingers and hit Ray’s chest. But Ray didn’t slow down, his body refusing to show any reaction. He jumped in the air, threw his arm, and slashed Gerard’s chest with his claws.

Gerard screamed, and Ray’s fang tore into his flesh. Gerard rattled his body, trying to shake him off. He raised his hand like a sword as electricity encircled his skin like a buzzsaw and let it fall.

Ray let go before the attack connected and jumped backwards.

Gerard turned to his left and widened his eyes. “What?”

Ragna and Altera dashed through the sky from opposite sides. Both swung their weapons and struck their opponent at the same time. Ice started to grow over the wounds, and within a second, it had frozen Gerard’s limbs and immobilized him to the ground.

Eric summoned a blood cocoon and wrapped it around Gerard’s body Jareth blew at the same time a fire stream on the ground. Flames rose from the ground, creating a ring that surrounded Gerard.

“You’re trapped.” Ragna pointed at Gerard. “There’s nothing you can do anymore. So, give up.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Gerard grinned. Electricity buzzed out of his face, and he burst out of the cocoon. Lightning built up under his boots. Gareth jumped out of the ring and looked at Ragna’s group.

Both sides stared at each other. Their breaths and groans mixed with the thunder drums over their heads when the ringing of sirens overshadowed any sound.

Gerard raised his hand. “This battle is over. If you have even a shred of honor, then you know what you’ve to do. I give you my word as a Valkyrie that I’ll leave you be for forty-eight hours after the situation’s resolved.” He looked at Altera. “It wouldn’t be fair to keep this a secret any longer from you. The world believes that you died on the Verne. Captain Fran has declared you a failure. Even if you proved that you’re alive, your allegiance with Ragna Griffin means that you failed the mission to capture her.” He frowned. “I’m genuinely sorry, but you’re Bragi’s over. You’ll never become a Valkyrie.”

Altera’s weapon dropped from her hand. She stared at Gerard as he walked away and shook her head.

“Altera.” Ragna reached to her.

“If you want to ask if I’m okay.” Altera turned around, showing Ragna her back. “I’m not. But that doesn’t matter right now. If the sirens are ringing, it means something is coming from the Lost City. We’ve to stop it before it destroys the AT-Shield.”