Bubble Boy

Houston – Yuralis vs. Umbra, Inferno, and Psion

Smoke. Sirens. Screams.

But beneath it all, silence. The kind that came before a soul broke.

From the clouds descended Yuralis, smooth-skinned, red-eyed, and draped in a cloak that shimmered like a nebula. No flame. No thunder. No heat. Just presence.

"I am not a weapon," Yuralis said softly as her feet touched cracked pavement. "I am design. Final and perfect."

From opposite ends of the ruined skyline, three figures emerged.

Umbra, walking through shadows that bent unnaturally around him.

Inferno, trailing streaks of red heat with every step.

Psion, her third eye glowing faint blue, mind linking the trio.

"She's not like the others," Psion said, voice inside their heads. "She's thinking in multidimensional logic. Folding outcomes like origami."

"We still punch her, right?" Inferno asked aloud, flames building across his arms.

Umbra's expression was cold. "We stall. We don't win."

Global Newsfeed – Real-Time Comments

@LoneStarLastHope: Umbra, Inferno, Psion, Houston's heaviest hitters. Please hold the line.

@YuraWitness: Yuralis hasn't even blinked since she landed. Creepy calm.

@MentalLockdown: Psion's probably the only one who understands what she is. That's terrifying.

@TeamUmbra4Life: LET'S GO SHADOW KING!!

@WhereAreLegends: Troy. Jace. Anyone. Please.

The Clash Begins

Inferno made the first move. He hurled a solar flare the size of a city bus.

Yuralis raised one hand. The flare curved midair, then vanished.

"Heat obeys intent," she said. "Yours lacks clarity."

Inferno launched again, this time leaping with the fire, fists ablaze.

Yuralis tilted her hand against him, then redirected his momentum. He spun like a ragdoll and crashed into a gutted train station.

Psion struck next, eyes glowing as she launched a barrage of psychic blades. Each one coded with thought, memory, guilt, love.

Yuralis smiled, almost kindly.

"You project emotions like shields," she said. "Let me return them."

The blades reversed because of Yuralis blowing air at them, striking Psion instead. She screamed, overwhelmed by her own internal storms. Knees buckled. Mind frayed.

Umbra took the chance.

He emerged from Yuralis's own shadow.

Knife to the throat.

No hesitation.

The blade shattered.

Yuralis didn't move.

"You exist in absence," Yuralis whispered. "But I am the void's conclusion."

She backhanded Umbra into a skyscraper. Concrete cracked. Lights went out.

Global Newsfeed – Comments Mid-Fight

@PsionOverclock: Psion's breaking. Her own blades, what the hell kind of power is this?

@UmbraDive: He tried to throat-kill and FAILED. This isn't fair.

@InfernoManiac: Get UP, man. Burn her!! BURN HER!!!

@YuralisFan: She hasn't raised her voice once. And she's still winning.

@WeNeedBubbleBoy: If Troy doesn't move soon, no one will be left.

Standoff

Psion was on one knee, bleeding from the nose.

Inferno stood, barely, flames flickering in defeat.

Umbra dragged herself free from the rubble, eyes locked on Yuralis.

"We can't win," Psion muttered mentally. "But we can delay."

Yuralis observed them, amused. "Three flames flickering. Is this the best you offer?"

Umbra grinned. "No. But we're the fuse."

Inferno raised both hands. A ring of fire spread around the four of them, trapping her in a containment pattern created by Psion's thoughts and Umbra's shadow netting.

A prison of heat, thought, and dark.

"Interesting," Yuralis said. "You learn."

She stood still as the containment activated. Didn't even flinch.

"Your struggle earns you… five minutes."

Global Newsfeed – Reactions

@PsionInPain: THEY HELD HER. Even for five minutes. That's a WIN.

@YuraUnbothered: Bro. She let them. Like it was a tea break.

@HoustonHoldOn: Thank you, Umbra. Thank you, Inferno. Thank you, Psion.

@CountDownToZero: Five minutes for the rest of the world to wake up.

@BringBubbleBack: Where is Troy? Where is the Legion?

She breaks out after five minutes and destroy the trio and they all lay knock out on the ground.