Josh Cruise lay on the cold, hard floor of the abandoned hotel, exhaustion finally catching up to him after the chaotic battle with Joomy McFonderlu. The walls around him seemed to blur as he drifted into a restless sleep, memories from his past swirling in his mind like a storm.

  In his dream, Josh found himself back in his childhood home. It was the night his father left them, the night that had haunted him ever since. The house was quiet, but there was a tension in the air that Josh, even as a child, could sense. He walked down the hallway, his small feet making no sound on the wooden floor. He reached the living room and saw his parents, his mother's back to him, and his father facing her, his expression hard and filled with something Josh couldn't quite understand at the time—fear.

  His mother's voice was calm, but firm. "You can't just leave us, Greg. You can't run away from this."

  His father's reply was low and strained. "I'm not running, Mary. I'm protecting you. If I stay, he'll find us. He'll kill us all."

  Josh felt a chill run down his spine. His father had never spoken like this before. The fear in his voice was something Josh had never heard. And then his mother's words cut through the air, sharp and clear.

  "Benito won't stop, Greg. You know that. Running won't save us."

  The name struck Josh like a bolt of lightning—Benito Garcia. The man who had become a myth in their household, a shadow that loomed over their lives, a name that was never spoken but always present. Benito was the threat his parents had been arguing about, the reason his father had left them that night.

  The scene shifted abruptly, pulling Josh into another memory, this one more recent, more painful. He was 18, sitting in the passenger seat of the car, his mother driving. They were on their way home from a late-night dinner, the road ahead dark and empty. He remembered the laughter in the car, the way his mother had been smiling, something she hadn't done in a long time. And then, in an instant, everything changed.

  The sound of screeching tires. The blinding headlights of an oncoming truck. The impact. The sound of metal twisting, glass shattering. His mother's scream.

  And then... nothing.

  Josh had relived this moment a thousand times, maybe more. He had traveled back to that exact point in time, desperate to change it, to save his mother. But no matter what he did, no matter how many times he tried, the outcome was always the same. The crash always happened. His mother always died.

  There was no counter to fate.

  Josh jolted awake, his heart pounding in his chest. The reality of his memories crashed over him, leaving him breathless. He had tried to rewrite that moment in time, to bend it to his will, but fate was unyielding, unchangeable.

  As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, the words echoed in his mind: There is no counter to fate. Benito Garcia had been a constant in his life, a specter that had shaped his family's destiny. And now, he realized, he would have to face that destiny head-on.

  But could he change it? Could he, for once, defy fate?

  The smell of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon filled the air as the group gathered around the long table in the hotel's dining area. George Francisco, their host, moved about, ensuring everything was in order. Despite the recent chaos, the morning felt almost normal—like any other day. The group exchanged small talk, their guards slightly lowered for the first time in days.

  Josh Cruise was quieter than usual, his mind still heavy with the memories from the night before. Lauri noticed his silence but didn't press him. She knew better than anyone when her brother needed space.

  William Dangerfield, on the other hand, was in a particularly good mood. "Nothing like a hot breakfast after a long night," he said, smirking as he poured himself another cup of coffee. His eyes flicked to Lauri, catching her smile, and he felt a warmth that he hadn't experienced in a long time.

  Lojan Mackimee, with his usual grin, leaned back in his chair, casually tossing a piece of toast into his mouth. "So, what's the plan today? We gonna sit around and eat or go kick some ass?"

  "Depends," Lauri said, teasingly. "You've been itching for a fight, Lojan?"

  "You know it," he replied, his grin widening.

  Josh suddenly stood up, interrupting their banter. "I'll be right back," he said, his voice low. He didn't wait for a response, already heading towards the restroom down the hall.

  Lauri watched him go, her brows knitting in concern. William noticed and nudged her lightly. "He'll be fine. Just needs to clear his head."

  "Yeah," Lauri said, though the worry didn't leave her eyes.

  In the restroom, Josh splashed water on his face, trying to shake off the lingering fatigue. He looked up at his reflection in the mirror, his mind drifting to the ticket—the lottery ticket that had caused so much trouble already. It was tucked safely in his jacket pocket, close to his chest, but it felt like a burning weight, a constant reminder of the danger they were all in.

  The restroom door creaked open, and Josh glanced in the mirror, catching sight of Illistancio da Vinci entering. The young Italian student's eyes locked onto Josh's through the reflection, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

  Illistancio broke the silence, his voice smooth, almost too calm. "Do you have the ticket on you?"

  Josh's heart skipped a beat. He had expected something like this, but not so soon, not in this way. He turned slowly, his hand instinctively moving towards his jacket, but he didn't answer.

  Illistancio took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "I'll ask you again, Josh. Do you have the ticket?"

  Josh remained silent, his mind racing. He didn't trust his voice to hide the fear creeping into his chest. His muscles tensed, ready to defend himself if it came to that.

  Illistancio's lips curled into a smirk, a knowing look flashing in his eyes. "You're making this harder than it needs to be."

  In an instant, the floor beneath Josh's feet lost all friction. He felt his balance slip as if the ground had turned to ice. His arms flailed as he tried to steady himself, but it was no use. He crashed to the floor, the impact jolting the air from his lungs.

  Before he could react, Illistancio was on him, his hand darting into Josh's jacket pocket and pulling out the lottery ticket. Josh's eyes widened in horror as he watched Illistancio stand over him, the ticket now in his grasp.

  Illistancio's voice was laced with smugness as he tucked the ticket into his own pocket. "Thank you for making this easy."

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  He turned and sprinted out of the restroom, his movements swift and effortless as if the world itself was helping him escape. Josh scrambled to his feet, his shoes slipping on the frictionless floor as he tried to regain his footing. Panic surged through him, overriding the pain in his body.

  "No!" Josh shouted, finally finding his voice. "He's got the ticket!"

  Bursting out of the restroom, Josh dashed down the hall, his heart pounding in his chest. He saw Illistancio ahead, weaving through the hotel's corridors with alarming speed.

  "Lauri! William! He's got the ticket!" Josh yelled, hoping his allies would hear him in time.

  The hotel suddenly came alive with movement. Lauri was the first to react, her eyes narrowing as she shot out of her seat. "Josh needs us!" she called out, already charging towards the hallway.

  William was right behind her, his metal manipulation already at work as he prepared to block off any exits Illistancio might try to use. "That little thief isn't getting away!" he growled.

  Lojan cracked his knuckles, a grin spreading across his face. "Now this is what I'm talking about!" He leaped up, eager to join the chase.

  But as Josh rushed after Illistancio, a sinking feeling settled in his gut. This wasn't just about the ticket anymore. It was about the lengths people were willing to go for that 500 million dollars. It was about survival in a game that was becoming more dangerous by the second.

  And as he pursued Illistancio through the winding corridors of George Francisco's hotel, Josh couldn't shake the thought that, once again, fate was pulling the strings. But this time, he wasn't sure if he could change the outcome—or if he was doomed to fall victim to it.

  The hotel's corridors twisted and turned like a maze, the patterned carpet blurring under the frantic pace of the chase. Josh could hear his own heartbeat thudding in his ears as he sprinted after Illistancio, his mind racing to find a way to stop him. Behind him, he could hear Lauri, William, and Lojan closing in, but Illistancio was fast—too fast.

  As they rounded another corner, Illistancio suddenly skidded to a stop, turning to face them. He was breathing hard but still managed to flash a confident smile. "You should back off," he called out, his Italian accent tinged with a hint of amusement. "I don't plan to kill any of you, but you have no chance of catching me."

  Josh skidded to a stop as well, panting, his eyes narrowing. "You can't just take it and run! This isn't your fight!"

  Illistancio shrugged, holding the lottery ticket in his hand. "It's everyone's fight, Josh. We're all here for the same reason. You think you deserve this more than I do?" His voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge to his words.

  Before Josh could respond, Lauri and William caught up, flanking him. Lauri's eyes flashed with electricity as she glared at Illistancio. "You don't understand what's at stake here," she said, her voice cold.

  "I understand perfectly," Illistancio replied, his eyes never leaving Josh's. "But it doesn't matter. You can't reach me. I've made sure of that."

  Lojan finally arrived, his usual grin replaced by a more serious expression. "You're not getting away that easily," he said, cracking his knuckles. "You might be fast, but I've got all the time in the world."

  Illistancio raised an eyebrow, seemingly unfazed by Lojan's threat. "Is that so? Let's see how far that gets you."

  With a quick flick of his wrist, Illistancio removed the friction from the floor beneath them. Instantly, Josh, Lauri, and William felt their footing slip, struggling to stay upright. Lojan, however, took a step forward, his body seemingly unaffected.

  "You think a little slip is gonna stop me?" Lojan said, his voice steady. He lunged forward, aiming a powerful punch directly at Illistancio's face.

  But just as Lojan's fist was about to connect, Illistancio removed the friction from the air surrounding Lojan's hand. The punch, which should have sent Illistancio flying, instead glided harmlessly through the air as if slowed by an invisible force. Lojan's eyes widened in surprise as his fist floated uselessly past Illistancio's face.

  Illistancio's smirk deepened. "I told you—you can't touch me."

  Lojan gritted his teeth, trying to regain his balance. "You're just delaying the inevitable," he growled. "You can't run forever."

  "Maybe not," Illistancio admitted, his tone almost playful. "But I don't need forever. I just need long enough."

  Josh's mind was racing as he tried to think of a way to counter Illistancio's power. He knew they were at a severe disadvantage as long as Illistancio controlled the friction around them. He glanced at Lauri, who was already looking at him, a silent question in her eyes.

  "We need to outsmart him," Josh muttered, his voice low. "He's too slippery for us to catch like this."

  Lauri nodded, understanding his plan even before he fully formed it. "We'll have to lure him into a trap."

  William, who had been quietly observing the exchange, finally spoke up. "I can block off his escape routes, but we need to corner him first."

  Josh took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on Illistancio, who was watching them with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "Alright," he said, his voice steady. "Let's do this."

  But before they could put their plan into action, Illistancio took a step back, his smirk fading into a more serious expression. "I've given you a chance to back off. Don't make me regret sparing you."

  With that, he turned and sprinted down the corridor, his movements smooth and effortless as if he was gliding on air.

  "After him!" Josh shouted, but as they all rushed forward, the frictionless floor beneath them made every step a struggle. They were moving at a fraction of their normal speed, and with each passing second, Illistancio was getting further and further away.

  Lojan was the only one who seemed unaffected by the lack of friction, but even he was having trouble landing any hits. Every punch he threw slid harmlessly past Illistancio, who dodged with ease, a look of concentration on his face.

  The chase continued through the twisting halls of the hotel, the tension growing with each passing moment. Josh could feel the weight of the situation bearing down on him—if they lost the ticket now, everything they had fought for would be for nothing.

  But despite their best efforts, Illistancio remained out of reach, his powers making him nearly untouchable.

  The hotel's dimly lit corridors seemed to stretch endlessly as Illistancio da Vinci sprinted through them, the Power Lottery ticket clutched tightly in his hand. The sounds of Josh and his allies' frustrated efforts echoed behind him, but each step they took on the frictionless floor only put them further behind. For a moment, it seemed as though Illistancio might actually succeed—his escape all but assured.

  But in a world like this, nothing was ever certain.

  Illistancio glanced over his shoulder, smirking as he watched Josh, Lauri, William, and Lojan struggle to catch up. He felt a surge of confidence—until he noticed something strange. Josh was gone. Just moments ago, Josh had been leading the charge, desperate to retrieve the ticket. Now, he was nowhere to be seen.

  The sudden absence of their leader sent a chill down Illistancio's spine. He knew Josh was crafty, but this was unexpected.

  Before Illistancio could react, a sharp pain shot through his side. He gasped, stumbling forward, as the world seemed to tilt around him. His eyes widened in shock as he looked down to see a blade—a mystical sword—protruding from his body.

  "W-What...?" Illistancio's voice trembled as he spun around, coming face-to-face with Josh Cruise, who was standing behind him with a determined expression. The once-absent young man had appeared out of nowhere, his sword now embedded in Illistancio's side.

  "How... how did you...?" Illistancio stammered, blood dripping from his mouth as he struggled to make sense of what had just happened.

  Josh pulled the sword free with a quick, precise motion, letting Illistancio drop to his knees. "I saw this happen already," Josh explained, his voice calm but tinged with sorrow. "I rewound time and repositioned myself. But the events can't change, so no matter what I did, this moment was always going to happen."

  Illistancio's eyes flickered with a mix of pain and fear. "So... I was fated to lose?"

  Josh nodded, his grip tightening on the sword. "You were fated to try and fail. It's not about winning or losing—it's about the choices we make in between. And you made your choice when you stole the ticket."

  Illistancio's breaths came in ragged gasps as he slumped against the wall, his vision blurring. He looked up at Josh, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders. "I don't... I don't want to die," he whispered, his voice filled with genuine fear. "You can... you can just take the ticket. It's not worth it anymore... not to me."

  Josh hesitated, his heart pounding as he considered Illistancio's plea. He looked down at the ticket that Illistancio had dropped, the crumpled paper stained with sweat and blood. It would be so easy to take it and leave Illistancio to his fate. But that wasn't who Josh was—not deep down.

  With a deep breath, Josh sheathed his sword and took a step back, his expression softening. "I'm not going to kill you," he said quietly. "You can go. Just... don't try this again."

  Illistancio blinked in disbelief, his body trembling from the pain but also from the realization that Josh was sparing him. With shaky hands, he pushed himself to his feet, wincing as he did so. "You're... you're letting me go?"

  Josh nodded, though his eyes were hard. "You said the ticket isn't worth it to you anymore. So leave. Before I change my mind."

  Illistancio didn't need to be told twice. Clutching his side, he turned and staggered down the corridor, moving as fast as his injured body would allow. He glanced back once, a mix of gratitude and fear in his eyes, before disappearing around the corner.

  Josh stood there for a moment, watching him go. The adrenaline was starting to wear off, leaving him feeling drained and heavy. He bent down to pick up the ticket, his hand trembling slightly as he did so. This small piece of paper had caused so much pain, so much chaos.

  Behind him, Lauri, William, and Lojan finally caught up, their faces a mix of relief and concern.

  "Josh," Lauri said softly, stepping forward. "Are you okay?"

  Josh nodded, slipping the ticket into his pocket. "Yeah. I'm okay. Let's just... let's just get out of here."

  William looked in the direction Illistancio had fled, his brow furrowed. "You let him go?"

  "He wasn't going to fight anymore," Josh replied. "It wasn't worth it to him. And honestly... it wasn't worth it to me either."

  Lojan grinned, his usual humor returning as he clapped Josh on the back. "You've got a good heart, kid. But next time, maybe don't let the guy who tried to kill you walk away."

  Josh managed a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Next time, I won't have to."

  With that, the group turned and made their way back through the hotel, the weight of the lottery ticket heavy in Josh's pocket. The road ahead was still long and full of challenges, but for now, they had won a small victory. And in a world like theirs, sometimes that was enough.

  To be continued...