Kyani

A new storm brews as the last Kaiyo elite spirals down from the sky, approaching the rooftop with a blue streak sparkling a final resistance against the Ikari threat. Ryker and Azura watch together as Kyani flies down to the rooftop and plants her boots at the surface, glancing up at the two as they stand next to each other.

Kyani finds the crown of the Queen beneath the glowing diamond on her chest. She analyzes the threat that killed her team and the name of the Reaper. She looks back to the city, watching the timer plastered everywhere, and observes that there are only five minutes until the fireworks launch. She encloses her metal wings and glares at the two in disappointment.

"Kyani," Azura calls to her last elite, "You betrayed me."

The black guardian watches them with a soft growl emitting from her helm.

"I gave my life to you," Kyani finally speaks, "We all bled for you and the Kaiyo. He's a danger to you, Azura."

Ryker watches both of them as the tension builds with the wind again. Azura steps back into his chest. "I was never meant to rule."

Kyani stares at Azura with outrage, but her reaction hides her fury. She turns back to the clock as it counts down to four, the city roaring in terror and demanding redemption. While the gleaming neon blurs against her helm, she pulls her handgun out of its holster.

"No one was," the elite whispers. She aims at the two and holds her position across the rooftop and both outcry in defense. Letting their voices fade into the breeze, the last Reaper discharges a bullet to soar at the two bodies in front of her, and the whole world freezes to watch the result.

Kyani holsters her weapon as Azura's body falls to the ground. Ryker drops his jaw with the gravity that brings Azura to her death, a river of blood running down her temple. The crown falls out of her hand when they make an impact on the surface, and it bounces to be crushed by the boots of Kyani. She looks up, finding Ryker with the metal orb still resting in his hand, waiting to be released.

"You missed me," Ryker whispers, distracted from his mission with the Queen fallen at his feet.

Kyani stares. "I wasn't aiming for you."

Ryker raises his brows. "You're not here to kill me?"

"No," she answers. He throws his arms up in response, scoffing to the stars.

"What was this all about, then? Why did you send all your soldiers to kill me if you're not here to do it now?" Ryker bites at metal.

"There's no reason to. You've lost everything. You took the Kaiyo down, soul by soul, and now you're here to burn the evidence. I won't let you," she defends. He turns the orb in his palm, waiting for the right moment to let it go.

"You killed your Queen," Ryker calls out with a few glances to the scarred corpse below, "You betrayed her."

"I returned the favor. She only brought you here so she could hand you the crown," Kyani smashes the crystal accessory below her again, "She could never get enough of you. You always knew how to bleed through the cracks of a broken girl. You took her to the garden so you could crush the petals of the rose like you did her heart. You wanted the thorns to paint her body the same color as the flower. Why?" Kyani attacks.

Ryker rolls his eyes. "This isn't true."

"Because you believed she wasn't good enough," she cuts him off, "She believed that, too."

"How do you even know any of this? You're not her. Whatever lies you pulled through that thick glass over your face aren't real," Ryker growls as he steps down and closer to the elite. She gives him a hidden glare, raising her hands with discretion.

She feels the bottom of her helm and drags her thumbs below her jaw. Waiting for a soft click to brush the static noise of the wind, she drags the helm off of her head and reveals her identity.