An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

The sounds of battle echoed under the streetlights. Shouts of pain mixed with the clash of weapons could be heard. Five figures were locked in a deadly struggle, and blood splattered across the ground.

The fight raged for nearly half an hour until the noise gradually subsided. The five figures lay motionless in pools of blood.

Under the dim glow of the streetlights, three of the black-clad assassins were confirmed dead. One’s neck was snapped, another’s chest pierced, and the last had bled out from a fatal wound.

Jovian and Boston were in no better condition.

Boston was soaked in blood. His body was riddled with deep cuts, some so severe they exposed the bone beneath.

Jovian wasn’t much better. His abdomen and shoulder were slashed. His right arm had been severed, and he was left in a pitiful state.

Boston coughed. After taking down the last assassin, he collapsed to the ground. He gasped for air as blood poured from his mouth.

His chest and abdomen were torn open, and his organs spilled out. He was pale, and his breathing was shallow and erratic. His life was slipping away.

“Boston… Boston!” Jovian cried out. He staggered to his fallen comrade’s side while clutching his own wounds.

He then tore strips of cloth from his shirt to try and stop the bleeding.

in there! I’ll get you to the hospital,” Jovian shouted frantically as he tried to lift Boston. But with only one arm,

said weakly, “I’m done for… You need to go while you still can. Take care of my wife and kids…

make it. We’ve been through hell together-Red Tombsea,

he struggled to lift Boston onto his back. Blood stained the ground as he limped toward the

to the side. His body turned limp, and he

Boston! Wake up!” Jovian shouted,

lay still as if he had simply fallen asleep. Jovian stopped in his tracks, and

deserved a peaceful life, but because of his involvement, he had been

over him. He regretted asking Boston for help. If only he hadn’t crossed paths with those wolves in human clothing. Maybe none of this would

through the

dozen masked assassins in black poured out. They quickly surrounded

fallen comrades and frowned. “You took out three of my

send you?” Jovian growled through

coldly. He

his command, the assassins lunged