Now defenseless, Novilunium had no means of absorbing the trio's relentless advance. The vehicle smashed into him with a bone-crunching impact, the unyielding metal frame pulverizing his body. The sickening crunch of bones echoed into the night, followed by the wet squelch of limbs crushed beneath their wheels as they roared over him.

  Driver: "Wanted to help, Virno?!"

  Without missing a beat, the driver slammed another button on the dashboard. A massive turret hissed and clicked as it rose from the back of the vehicle -- this one wasn’t automatic.

  Driver: "Turn that freak into a strainer!"

  Virno scrambled toward the turret, his hands fumbling over the unfamiliar controls.

  Virno: "I'll try...!"

  Noting the hesitation in his voice, the driver barked out instructions.

  Driver: "Just grab the handles and squeeze when you’ve got him in your sights! The damn thing’ll handle the rest."

  Virno clutched the padded handles, aligning the crosshairs on Novilunium’s mangled form. He squeezed the trigger. The turret roared to life, belching steam as it fine-tuned its aim with eerie precision. The barrel spun faster and faster until a torrential hail of bullets screamed through the air, peppering the fallen figure.

  Driver: "Hah! Just like that...!"

  As they tore further down the road, Ballo’s face glistened with sweat, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His hands wove frantic, glowing patterns in the air, conjuring another shimmering shield around them. But it was clear -- he was tiring.

  And then came the voice.

  Novilunium: "S-STOP..."

  The words clawed through the night, low and guttural. From the ground, his shattered body began to rise, limbs grotesquely contorted, bones crunching back into place. Black smoke poured from him like a living thing, wrapping him in a swirling shroud as he floated after them.

  Ballo: "Faster. We must go faster...!"

  Driver: "We go much faster, and this thing’s gonna rip itself apart!"

  The vehicle rattled violently, its frame groaning in protest as it barreled forward far beyond its design limits. But the driver didn’t ease up -- not even a little. Clavia’s invention was holding together by sheer will and metal, but Novilunium wasn’t about to let them escape.

  Virno: "Guys... He’s trying something!"

  Virno kept the turret locked on their enemy, but Novilunium’s form began to blur. The smoke thickened, coiling tighter around him. His speed surged, and in a blink, he shot upward, disappearing into the night sky like a shadow melting into darkness.

  Ballo: "What? What’s he doing?!"

  Driver: "Is he... retreating?"

  Virno: "No. No, he isn’t -- WATCH OUT!"

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  Novilunium streaked back down from the sky, faster than before. The black cloud collided with Ballo’s shield with a deafening crack, shattering the barrier like glass. The impact sent shockwaves through the vehicle, leaving them utterly exposed.

  But Ballo was ready.

  Ballo: "BACK OFF...!"

  He thrust his hands forward, releasing a blast of grey energy just as Novilunium lunged for Virno. The magic struck true, sending Novilunium spiraling off course -- but not far enough. The creature crashed into the front wheel with bone-breaking force, shattering it into pieces.

  Driver: "OY, OY OY!"

  The vehicle lurched wildly, veering off the road and into a dense thicket.

  Virno: "This fucker just won’t go down... It's like the turrets are barely scratching him!"

  Novilunium staggered, dazed by the collision, but not stopped. Virno seized the moment, unloading another barrage of bullets into the writhing cloud of smoke. The rounds tore through the fog, disrupting his shape -- but not slowing him.

  Driver: "Shit -- I can’t control this thing!"

  They careened through the forest, the driver wrestling with the wheel as they dodged trees by mere inches. The vehicle groaned under the stress, its suspension buckling as bolts rattled loose and metal screamed in protest. They were no longer steering the machine -- the machine was dragging them along for the ride.

  Ballo: "Enough! No common means can stop this monster. I'll end this -- right now."

  His voice was a low growl, filled with grim resolve. As he spoke, Ballo’s palms ignited with a blinding white glow, so intense it seared the very air around him.

  That luminous aura was all too familiar to Virno...

  Virno: "BALLO, DON’T YOU DARE!"

  But Ballo didn’t stop. His skin blistered beneath the radiant energy, the light eating into his flesh like fire. His face twisted in pain, but his focus never wavered.

  Ballo: "I do not recognize this foe, Virno... but he is no weaker than Lacerbus. We cannot risk it --not when we’re this close!"

  Virno: "Then let me try! Please!"

  Virno’s voice cracked with desperation. He reached for the necklace at his chest, clutching it tightly.

  Virno: "There’s one thing we haven’t tried yet. The necklace -- it’s imbued with your magic, right?! It worked against Lacerbus... it has to work now!"

  For a moment, Ballo hesitated. His arms trembled, the white light flickering as he wrestled with the choice. Then, with a sharp exhale, he let the spell die. Smoke curled from his scorched palms as he nodded.

  Ballo: "My magic could barely touch Lacerbus after he transformed... but you’re right. We have nothing left to lose -- I’ll assist you...!"

  Virno raised his hand, and the necklace dissolved into a flurry of glowing grey particles. They coalesced in his grip, solidifying into a gleaming silver blade. The familiar weight settled into his hand, grounding him as Novilunium surged toward them again, a black mass of smoke and shrieking rage.

  Virno: "Breathe... Breathe..."

  His chest rose and fell in deep, measured breaths. The world narrowed to a single point: the incoming shadow of Novilunium. Just before the creature reached them, Ballo unleashed his magic -- a grey bubble of energy enveloped Novilunium, slowing his movements to a crawl. The tendrils of smoke thickened, clawing at the edges of the barrier, but inside, his grotesque body faltered.

  Novilunium: "LET ME ENGULF YOU...!"

  The creature let out a guttural roar and released a burst of smoke within the bubble, obscuring his form completely. But Virno didn’t hesitate. He committed to the strike, his blade slicing through the dense fog. The moment the silver edge met resistance, he pushed -- felt it bite through flesh, sinew, and bone.

  Novilunium: "ARGHHH!"

  A severed arm spun out of the cloud, hitting the ground with a sickening thud. Novilunium’s body crashed after it, writhing as the smoke began to dissipate... But the victory felt hollow. Virno’s hands trembled as he realized the truth -- he’d been aiming for the creature’s head. He’d wanted to end this. But Novilunium’s sudden movement had thrown off his aim... All he’d managed was to wound him.

  Virno: "Damn it... couldn’t finish the fucker. But that’ll buy us some time, at least...!"

  The driver’s voice sliced through his fleeting relief.

  Driver: "Time...?!"

  There was a sharp edge of panic in their tone now.

  Driver: "Have you seen where we’re headed?!"

  Virno whipped his head around, his heart plummeting as his gaze shot forward.

  The trees thinned, revealing the nightmare ahead. A sheer cliff loomed out of the darkness, its jagged edge only seconds away. The ground seemed to vanish beneath them, an abyss yawning wide, ready to swallow them whole...