Ch - 78 Conflicted emotions?

In the parking lot of S.T.A.R. Labs, the cold night air crackled with tension. The man in yellow, standing tall, was illuminated by streaks of lightning coursing through his suit. Across from him stood Barry Allen, the Flash, his heart filled with anger. Beside him, Swayam had assumed a fighting stance, his eyes locked on the man in yellow, calculating his next move.

The man in yellow, the self-proclaimed Reverse Flash, smirked, his eyes gleaming with malevolence. "Two against one," he taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You really think this changes anything?"

Barry, his chest heaving, remained undeterred. "We're stopping you tonight."

Swayam stayed silent, his mind racing. He had the power to end this quickly—he knew that. His strength, speed, and abilities far surpassed what anyone in this fight suspected. But revealing his full potential could draw unwanted attention from Eobard Thawne, a genius and a time traveler. If Thawne realized the threat Swayam posed, it could change everything.

Without warning, Reverse Flash lunged first, his body a blur of yellow lightning as he charged at Barry. In a split second, Swayam intercepted him, throwing a carefully measured punch that knocked Thawne back but wasn't strong enough to truly harm him.

Reverse Flash chuckled, staggering slightly but quickly recovering. "Not bad, but I expected more from you, Shadow." He straightened, eyeing Swayam, unaware that he was holding back. "Is that all you've got?"

Swayam met his gaze with a neutral expression, concealing his true power. He didn't respond, instead darting forward to engage Thawne in a flurry of punches and kicks. They clashed in a whirlwind of motion, with Swayam continuing to hold back, creating the illusion of struggle.

As the fight raged on, Barry joined in, but Thawne quickly shifted his focus. In an instant, he was in front of Barry, delivering a brutal punch that sent him flying into a nearby car. The vehicle crumpled under the impact as Barry collapsed, gasping for air.

Swayam winced inwardly but maintained his facade, moving slower than his true capabilities, allowing Thawne to land hits that looked more damaging than they felt. He needed to keep up the illusion of barely managing to hold his own.

"Pathetic!" Reverse Flash sneered, turning back to Barry, who struggled to stand. "You think you can stop me, Barry? You'll always be too slow!"

Thawne rushed toward Barry, preparing to deliver another devastating blow. But suddenly, the air heated up, and a whooshing sound filled the lot. A stream of fire erupted between Barry and the Reverse Flash, forcing Thawne to halt.

Swayam's eyes darted to the source of the fire. There stood a man in black clothes with shoulder length long messy hair, whose body was radiating with intense heat, flames licking at his skin, his long hair blowing in the wind. His eyes burned with a mix of emotions as he stepped into the fray, his body glowing with fiery energy.

"Ronnie!" Caitlin and Cisco, who had come out of S.T.A.R. Labs, exclaimed in disbelief.

But Ronnie didn't respond. Instead, he lifted his hand, and a torrent of fire shot toward Reverse Flash, forcing him to retreat. Caught off guard, Thawne stumbled back as the flames seared the ground, leaving scorch marks on the asphalt.

"You…" Reverse Flash hissed, glaring at Ronnie. But before he could react, Ronnie unleashed another wave of flames, narrowly missing Thawne as he sped out of range.

Swayam took advantage of the distraction and rushed to Barry's side, helping him to his feet. "You okay?" he asked, his voice low, though his eyes remained focused on the Reverse Flash.

Barry nodded weakly, bruised but determined. "I'll be fine. We have to stop him."

Before they could move, Ronnie turned toward Caitlin and Cisco. His eyes locked on Caitlin, filled with a familiar yet distant look.

"Ronnie?" Caitlin said softly, her eyes full of complicated emotions.

For a moment, the fire surrounding Ronnie flickered as his expression shifted between recognition and detachment. His face held emotions that were hard to decipher—conflict, pain, and something deeper.

Reverse Flash, momentarily stunned by Ronnie's unexpected appearance, quickly regained his composure. Seeing Ronnie lost in thought and in a dazed state. Reverse Flash looked at Barry, sneered at him, while completely ignoring Swayam's existence, he spoke in a voice full of arrogance and hostility and said, "This isn't over," with venom dripping from his words. "Our race is not yet done. See you soon, Flash."

With that, he sped off in a blur of yellow lightning, vanishing into the distance.

"Don't look for me again," After Reverse Flash left, Ronnie also opened his mouth and hoarsely said to Caitlin with his voice heavy with emotion. Without waiting for a response, Ronnie's body ignited fully, flames consuming his clothes as he took to the sky, leaving behind a trail of fire. He soared above the parking lot, disappearing into the night.

Caitlin stood in place, her eyes filled with complicated emotions.

As the smoke cleared and the heat from the battle dissipated, Swayam let out a slow breath. He had played his part, concealing his true strength and keeping Eobard's suspicions at bay. But as he glanced at Caitlin, whose face was filled with turmoil, he realized the cost of that night's battle had been far greater than anyone anticipated.