DEEP SPACE BATTLEFIELD

Explosions rippled through the void as ships clashed in a violent ballet of destruction. Plasma fire streaked across the blackness, lighting up the remains of shattered vessels, broken fighters, and drifting bodies. The evac ships surged forward, engines roaring as they pushed toward the safety of deep space.

But safety was a lie.

They were still trapped.

Markus gritted his teeth, gripping the controls of his fighter as another wave of enemy ships closed in.

"Hold formation!" someone yelled over the comms. "We need to clear a path for the evac—"

BOOM!

The transmission cut out as the ship was torn apart by cannon fire.

"Shit!" Markus snarled, rolling his fighter as debris shot past him. His heart hammered, ears twitching as his targeting system locked onto an enemy squadron. His tail flicked once—then he dived.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Three ships gone in a blink.

"Markus, ease up!" Kai's voice crackled through the comms, calm but firm. "You're flying hot."

"I'm fine."

He was not.

BOOM.

Kai took out another.

A beat of silence.

"…Alright," Kai muttered. "I trust you."

Boom.

One of the Mars massive 300 meter civilian carriers took a direct hit—its shields flickered, then collapsed as the vessel ruptured mid-flight, scattering hull fragments and bodies into the void.

A Mercury cruiser veered sharply to protect its fleeing transports, intercepting a barrage with its own hull. The explosion rocked through the convoy.

"They're targeting the civilians!" Kai's voice burst over the comms. "Someone get that ship OUT of their line of fire!"

From his cockpit, Markus watched in horror as another evacuation shuttle burst into flame, spiraling out of control before vanishing in a white flash.

Back on the ZENITH, the bridge was in chaos. Takashima was barking out orders, his voice sharp over the alarms blaring through the command deck.

"Status!" Takashima snapped.

"Most of the ships are taking damage!" a lieutenant shouted back. "They're running on forty percent right now!"

Takashima's jaw tightened. "How much longer until we can form the portal?"

"Three minutes… at minimum." Takashima's voice dripping with urgency.

"Make it happen in two."

"…Yes, sir!"

Takashima exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple before pressing down on his comms.

"You guys better get here in like… right now!"

Vayne's voice came through, dry and full of stress.

"WELL, WE'D LOVE TO—BUT…"

Outside, a massive enemy fleet had just arrived.

Fighters swarmed in, their formations tightening around the evac ships like a noose. Dozens. No—hundreds. Magic fire rained down from all directions.

"They seem to really want us dead!!"

Takashima sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Okay… I'm sending you support."

He slammed a button, switching channels.

"Markus, Kai! Now!! Go, go, go! Lock onto these coordinates!"

Markus and Kai's screens flashed—new coordinates appearing on their HUDs.

"Let's go," Markus said, gripping the controls.

"Right!!" Kai responded.

Their ships shot forward, engines burning hot as they zipped toward the new coordinates, cutting through the battlefield like lightning.

ZENITH - MEDBAY

Inside the medbay, the rest of Angel Squad lay in various states of injury, hooked up to medical scanners, their bodies recovering from the brutal fight on the surface. The air was thick with tension, the steady beeping of monitors the only sound at first.

Then—

CRASH!

A medical tray went flying as Arnik slammed his fist into the wall, his body trembling with frustration. His knuckles burned from the impact, but he didn't care.

"Useless," he muttered, his voice sharp with anger. "I'm completely useless."

He gritted his teeth, his fists clenching. "I should be out there. I should be fighting. Instead, I'm in here, doing nothing."

A sudden SMACK echoed through the medbay.

Rose's fist collided with his jaw.

Arnik's head snapped to the side, his lip splitting slightly from the impact. He turned, rage burning in his eyes—until he saw her glare.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself," she snapped. "You think throwing a tantrum is gonna change anything?"

Arnik didn't respond, breathing heavy, but Rose wasn't done.

"You're the first mutant, Arnik. Do you honestly think your mutation is gonna do a damn thing in space? What, you gonna punch a battleship?"

Arnik's ears burned with embarrassment. His fists clenched at his sides.

"You're right…" he muttered. "I'm just—frustrated that I couldn't help my teacher."

His nails dug into his palms as he exhaled sharply. "Those demon users… they're strong. And I have a feeling those weren't even his strongest."

Across the room, Aika was still asleep, completely unfazed by the entire exchange.

Rose sighed, shaking her head. "Well, no shit. But sitting here sulking about it ain't gonna make you any stronger."

Arnik exhaled again, slower this time. She wasn't wrong. But deep down, something still gnawed at him.

Just how much stronger were the enemies waiting for them?

Markus and Kai finally reached the evac ships, their fighters gliding in fast to cover them.

But… it seemed like they didn't need the help.

One of the evac ships was flying erratically, swerving through the chaos in a way no standard pilot could manage. It dodged plasma fire, cut dangerously close between enemy formations, and spun at the last second to avoid a missile lock.

Markus squinted. "…Hah. Crowne must be flying that thing."

Kai let out a slow breath. "That explains a lot."

"Man, he's good…"

Their comms crackled.

"Sorry, boys! But we got this!" Crowne's voice rang out, far too smug.

"A heads-up would be nice," Markus muttered.

"Listen! We still need your help!" Crowne said. "One of those warships is hammering our evac ships—we won't last long unless you take it out!"

Markus' targeting system locked onto the enemy warship in question. It was positioned just above the fleet, slowly advancing while raining down heavy plasma fire on the struggling ships. Smaller fighter squadrons swarmed around it, covering its weak points and preventing any clear shots from the evac defenses.

"You must be crazy if you think we can take that thing down," Markus snapped.

"Actually, you can," Vayne's voice cut through the comms.

Markus and Kai exchanged a look.

"The Angel Squad ships are equipped with a very strong magic crystal within their core. Along with an incredibly powerful missile," Vayne continued.

Kai adjusted his glasses. "What kind of missile?"

Vayne's tone was casual, like he wasn't about to suggest something insane. "One that can rip a warship in half."

Markus grinned. "Alright, now we're talking."

"There's just one catch," Vayne added. "It's very close range. So good luck."

Markus' grin faltered. "…What?"

"FYI! Aim for its underbelly!" Vayne said before cutting the channel.

Kai sighed. "Figures."

Markus flexed his fingers over the controls, rolling his shoulders. "Well. No point in overthinking it."

Kai nodded. "Let's not miss."

They punched their thrusters, diving straight into the swarm.

Markus and Kai shot forward, weaving through the chaotic battlefield as enemy fighters scrambled to cut them off. Plasma fire lit up the darkness, streaking past their cockpits as they barreled straight for the warship. The sheer size of it loomed like a floating fortress, its massive cannons glowing with each pulse, raining destruction down on the evac ships.

"Kai, you got a plan?" Markus asked, rolling hard to avoid a missile lock.

"Of course," Kai muttered. "Try not to die before we get there."

"That is the plan!"

The warship was heavily fortified, its hull reinforced with layers of armored plating. Its underbelly—the weak point Vayne mentioned—was partially exposed, but dozens of enemy fighters patrolled the area, their sleek ships forming a deadly blockade. Swarms of drones zipped between the fighters, scanning for threats and relaying targeting data to the warship's main guns.

Markus gritted his teeth. "They're not gonna make this easy, huh?"

Kai's calm voice came through. "Then we'll make them move."

Markus smirked. "Now that's what I like to hear."

They split up.

Kai dove low, hugging the warship's side, while Markus looped around, drawing attention.

Enemy fighters latched onto Markus immediately, plasma bolts tearing through the air around him. The sharp alarms in his cockpit screamed as he twisted through the madness, narrowly dodging another salvo of fire.

"Guess I'll be the bait!" Markus grumbled, flipping his ship into a tight corkscrew as another fighter locked onto him. "Kai, tell me you're getting close!"

"Almost."

"Not the answer I want, buddy!"

Kai's ship weaved through the battlefield with surgical precision, his targeting system running through calculations as he approached the warship's underbelly. The missile was primed and ready—he just needed an opening.

"Markus, I need a clear shot," Kai said.

Markus narrowed his eyes, analyzing the formation of enemy ships. "Got it. Hold tight!"

He pulled a hard turn, letting his pursuers get closer—then suddenly slammed his thrusters, cutting speed instantly. The violent deceleration sent his ship lurching forward, throwing off the enemy's tracking systems.

The enemy ships overshot him, their formation scattering as they adjusted too late.

Markus seized the moment, locking onto their confused ships and unloading a barrage of fire. Three fighters exploded instantly, their flaming wreckage spiraling toward the warship's hull.

"Now, Kai!!"

Kai's finger hovered over the trigger. The targeting reticle flashed red.

Boom.

The missile launched, streaking toward the warship's exposed weak point.

The enemy fighters realized too late.

A massive explosion tore through the warship's core, fire and energy ripping out from the inside. A secondary blast erupted, sending flames and shrapnel spewing into open space. The entire ship shuddered violently, its engines flickering as its structure collapsed from the inside out. The gravitational pull of the explosion sucked in the nearby drones, their fragile frames getting torn apart as they were caught in the shockwave.

Markus whooped as he barreled away from the destruction. "Hell yeah!!"

Kai's ship pulled up beside him, his voice as steady as ever. "Direct hit."

The warship imploded in a final, deafening detonation, sending debris scattering in every direction. The remaining enemy fighters scrambled, disoriented as their flagship was reduced to nothing more than wreckage floating in the void.

The evac ships were finally in the clear.

Markus let out a deep breath. "Alright. That was badass."

Kai sighed. "And reckless."

"You say that like it's a bad thing!"

Their comms crackled.

"Nice work, boys," Vayne's voice came through. "Now get back before you get yourselves killed."

Markus grinned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "On our way."

Takashima stood at the center of the bridge, watching the battlefield through the massive viewport. His hands were clenched behind his back, his usual sharp gaze locked onto the tactical display. The portal was nearly ready, the countdown ticking down, but they weren't safe yet.

Takashima exhaled sharply. "Status report."

"We are on the way…"

"Good. I'm starting the portaling!!"

Takashima turned, barking orders to the crew. The energy levels on the main display spiked, the ship's systems humming as the portal began to form. The countdown was ticking down—there was no turning back now.

"Make your way to the portal!" Takashima's voice snapped through the comms.

Markus yanked his controls, shifting his ship toward the swirling vortex ahead. "On it!"

Kai adjusted course beside him, thrusters flaring. "If we live long enough to get there."

The portal loomed ahead, a massive tear in space swirling with unstable energy. The evac ships were already funneling in, disappearing one by one into safety.

Almost there.

Then—alarms blared.

A swarm of enemy fighters burst from the wreckage, magic cannons flaring as they moved to intercept.

"Tch. Of course they're not gonna let us waltz in," Markus muttered, twisting his ship into a roll to avoid a surge of arcane fire. The air crackled as a bolt barely missed his wing, the raw energy distorting the space around it.

"We push through," Kai said, already adjusting his targeting systems.

"Easy for you to say."

The enemy fighters moved like a pack of wolves, cutting off every escape route. Glowing spell sigils flickered across their ships as they charged up for another barrage.

No choice.

Markus jerked his ship, barely slipping through a web of crackling magic. He spun his fighter into an inverted roll, coming up behind an enemy pilot before firing—boom! A bolt of compressed energy ripped through its core, sending the ship spiraling into nothingness.

Kai, always precise, lined up a clean shot and pierced through two enemy ships in one blast. The magical energy erupted upon impact, sending shockwaves through the debris.

"Seven," he muttered.

Markus clicked his tongue. "Not keeping score right now."

"Because you're behind."

"Shut up, Kai."

The battle blurred into a storm of explosions and shifting formations. Markus twisted through the chaos, rolling between enemy fire as he sent another fighter crashing into a wrecked warship. But for every one they destroyed, more replaced them.

Too many.

"Kai, this isn't working! We're getting boxed in!"

Kai didn't respond immediately. Instead, his ship drifted just close enough—for a brief second, their cockpits passed alongside each other.

Markus met his gaze.

Kai's face was unreadable as always, but Markus saw it—the tension in his grip, the way his jaw clenched ever so slightly.

They were in trouble.

Then the air shifted.

Something blurred past them.

Fast. Too fast.

An enemy fighter cut through the battlefield like a phantom, weaving between explosions like it had no weight, no hesitation. Markus barely had time to react before it twisted—coming straight at them.

His eyes flicked to the cockpit.

And then he saw him.

Satsujin.

Their eyes met through the glass.

He was smiling.

BOOM!

A blast of twisting gravity magic tore through Kai's left wing.

His ship lurched violently, alarms screaming as the frame shuddered from the impact.

"Shit—!"

Kai fought against the spin, struggling to stabilize, but his ship was badly hit. His left wing was barely holding together, arcs of magical energy crackling across its surface as the enchantments holding it intact began to fail.

"Kai!!" Markus shouted, his heart hammering.

Kai exhaled sharply, regaining just enough control to stay airborne. "Not good."

Markus' grip tightened around the controls as he looked ahead—Satsujin was still there, still watching.

Then, without hesitation, Satsujin's ship flickered—vanishing and reappearing in an instant, right behind them.

For the first time, Markus felt it.

They might not make it.

Kai's hands were tight on the controls, his vision blurred from the constant warning lights flashing across his screen. His ship was barely holding together, every movement dragging against him like he was flying through quicksand. The left wing was failing—no, it was gone. The arcane stabilizers were fried, sparks flickering across the cracked plating.

His magic core was overloading. The whole damn thing was seconds away from tearing itself apart.

Markus's voice cut through the comms, strained. "Kai!"

Kai didn't respond. His focus was on one thing—getting back.

He yanked the throttle forward, pushing his ship past its breaking point. The engine groaned, struggling under the sudden burst of acceleration, but it obeyed.

The portal was right there.

The moment his fighter hit the event horizon, everything lurched. The swirling mass of energy warped around him, dragging him into the transition point, space folding in on itself as he crossed through.

Then—BOOM!

His ship burst out the other side, the sudden shift in gravity throwing off what little control he had left. The Zenith's hangar bay rushed toward him at an alarming speed.

No time to slow down.

The landing gear failed to deploy.

His ship slammed into the hangar floor, skidding across the reinforced metal plating in a shower of sparks. The left wing ripped off completely, spinning off to the side before crashing into a stack of supply crates.

The ship twisted, the nose grinding hard against the surface before finally slamming into a support beam with a metallic crunch. The entire hangar shook from the impact.

Silence.

Smoke hissed from the wreckage. The hull groaned as it settled.

For a moment, nothing moved.

Then, the cockpit hatch burst open, and Kai stumbled out, barely catching himself on the side of the wreckage. His breathing was ragged, his glasses cracked from the force of the landing.

But he was alive.

And Markus was still out there.

Markus was almost there.

The portal was right in front of him, the swirling energy pulling at his damaged ship as he pushed his engines to their limit. Just a little more.

Then his cockpit flashed red.

Lock-on detected.

A warning alarm blared.

His blood ran cold.

Satsujin's voice crackled through the comms, smooth and amused. "Say hi to Mom and Dad for me."

Markus's breath caught.

Damn it!

Click.

The shot fired.

Markus knew it was coming—he had no choice. He had to act.

He yanked the controls, shifting the ship's angle just as the plasma bolt ripped through space, seconds away from impact.

Boom.

As soon as Markus made contact with the portal, the shot hit.

And it wasn't pretty.

The entire back half of his ship detonated on impact. The force threw him forward, the energy of the portal colliding with the shockwave of the blast. Metal and fire burst outward, pieces of the hull splintering apart as the remains of his fighter were sent spiraling into the abyss.

Satsujin didn't follow.

He didn't need to.

 ***

The bridge was tense, the only sounds coming from the low hum of the ship's systems and the faint crackle of static over the comms. Everyone was locked onto the main view-port, watching the portal with bated breath.

Arnik stood frozen, fists clenched at his sides. He had barely breathed since Kai came through in that wreck of a landing. But Markus… Markus was still out there.

Aika, still half-dazed from her injuries, sat upright, rubbing her eyes. "He's coming, right?" she murmured, voice groggy.

"He has to be," Rose muttered, arms crossed, but even she couldn't hide the tension in her voice.

Then, the portal flared.

"MARKUS IS COMING THROUGH!!!" someone shouted.

A collective breath of relief passed through the room.

Arnik exhaled sharply, his shoulders dropping. "Tch. About time."

Then they saw it.

The relief turned to horror.

.....Wreckage.