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Instead of answering Randall, Dennex chose to speak only to Cisco. ‘Kill Louis first, or he’ll use his metal to protect the others. These men were chosen to fight you, so you probably won’t have a natural advantage over any of their powers.’

Their intentions were clear enough now, and as he was already outnumbered, Cisco decided it wouldn’t be wise to keep waiting for them to attack him all at once. He would make the first move.

The primary reason why Cisco needed the area clear of all bystanders was because of his own ability. Dennex had instilled in him very early on that it was never to be used around normal people. Even low levels of exposure could prove fatally toxic. When it came to servants, however, Cisco would of course require a bit more potency.

Held behind his back, Cisco’s arms melted as his flesh converted to fluorine, finding hydrogen atoms in his skin to bond with. Hydrogen fluoride was a colorless gas--invisible--which made it seem like his arms were quietly dissolving into nothing. The hydrogen-fluorine reaction was not normally so silent, but he had enough control to keep it muted.

Dennex was gracious enough to blabber on a bit more while Cisco worked. ‘You’re right, of course,’ he said publicly. ‘We probably stand no chance against you. You will have to forgive my friend, Cisco. He is rather hot-tempered. Brash. You understand. But he will listen, assuming you guarantee--’

On contact with tissue, the hydrogen fluoride decomposed into hydrofluoric acid. Cisco hadn’t infused it with his soul so as not to alert the other reapers to its presence, but it had an extremely pure acidic concentration, which was plenty strong enough for Cisco’s purposes. The three servants doubled over in agony. The gas destroyed their corneas, and the acid boiled their skin, filling the corridor with pungent fumes.

Cisco dove headfirst into the gas without concern. It was his own fluorine, after all. He could control how--or even if--it reacted with his body. The only worry was that someone else could instigate a violent chemical reaction with it, but that would be a rare thing, and the Vanguard wouldn’t likely send someone who would needlessly increase the risk of collateral damage. And besides, the three men were rather preoccupied at the moment.