WILDFIRE

Nyx, Echo, and Razor were the only ones who went out, leaving the rest of the Clan in the hideout. The base was quiet, save for the faint hum of Cipher's equipment as he scanned through their systems.

Something felt off. A flicker of interference, a gap where there shouldn't be one.

Cipher frowned. His fingers flew over the keys, trying to pinpoint the anomaly. Then, his eyes widened. "Wait... something's wrong."

Myst, sitting nearby, stiffened. A pulse coursed through her—an instinct, like an echo from XENIS-IS. "They're in trouble."

The Clan barely had time to process her words before Cipher confirmed it. "They're off-course. The tracker on their Xen-Links isn't matching their planned route."

A sinking feeling settled in Myst's gut. Without hesitation, they grabbed their gear and moved out, racing to catch up with their lost members. The Clan don't even have time to lock Myst back in the hideout.

By the time they reached them, it was too late.

The Ascended had been waiting.

The ambush struck.

Shadows erupted around them, enhanced figures moving at speeds beyond human capability. Razor barely had time to draw his knife before an Ascended knocked him off his feet, sending him crashing into Echo. Nyx had already disappeared into the chaos, his whereabouts unknown.

Blaze's gun fired off a rapid burst, but the bullets barely slowed their attackers. One of the Ascended closed the distance in an instant, slamming him into a rusted pillar hard enough to dent the metal. He coughed blood but still tried to aim—before a boot crashed onto his arm, sending his weapon skidding across the ground.

Cipher's fingers were in constant motion against his Xen-Link, trying to distract the enemy system, but even those barely stalled them. "Damn it!"

A metallic blade slashed through the air—Shade barely blocked it in time with his own weapon, sparks flying as metal clashed. He gritted his teeth, his injuries making it harder to hold his ground.

Myst ducked as a strike nearly took her head off, instincts sharper than before. She lashed out, twisting to avoid a blow, but an iron grip clamped around her wrist before she could react.

A surge of electricity shot through her body, locking her limbs in place. Her vision blurred and her breath caught in her throat. Every nerve in her body screamed in pain, the shock short-circuiting her enhanced reflexes.

She struggled, but it was pointless.

The Ascended had come for her. And they had won.

The last thing Myst saw before darkness swallowed her was the flickering lights above—and the distant, unreadable expression on Nyx's face, just before he turned away.

The moment she was dragged away, the Clan erupted.

Flux surged forward, desperation in his eyes as he quickly ran to follow. "Let her go!" he roared, but a brutal strike sent him sprawling.

He scrambled back up, blood dripping from his lips, but another Ascended seized him, forcing him back. He fought viciously, raw emotion behind every movement, but the enemy was relentless.

Razor twisted against the grip of an opponent, snarling as he swung his knife in a wild arc. "Damn it! Myst!" he shouted, but she was already too far, vanishing into the shadows with her captors.

Echo's breath came in ragged gasps, his usual humor absent. "We have to stop them—Cipher, do something!" His voice cracked, frustration laced with panic.

Cipher's hands flew over his interface, but he gritted his teeth. "They're jamming everything. I can't get a fix—"

A sharp cry from Blade cut through the chaos as he was thrown against the wall, his wound bleeding through the fabric again. "We're losing this fight! We need to—"

"We need to get her back!" Flux's voice was raw, but another surge from the Ascended forced them into retreat. The realization was bitter, agonizing.

Razor slammed his fist on the ground as the remaining Ascended disappeared with Myst. "They planned this! They knew we'd come."

Cipher was already typing furiously, his expression dark. "This wasn't a random attack. They were never after us—they were always after her."

Blaze wiped blood from his mouth, eyes burning with anger. "They just took her like it was nothing."

Flux stood apart from the others, jaw clenched, barely keeping himself together. He didn't speak, didn't react—his gaze was locked in the direction Myst had been taken, a silent promise burning behind his eyes.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of movement—a figure slipping away into the shadows. His stomach twisted as recognition hit him.

Nyx.

For a split second, their eyes met. Nyx's expression was unreadable, but he didn't hesitate. He turned and disappeared, leaving the battlefield behind.

Flux clenched his fists, fury and confusion clashing in his chest. "Fuck you, Nyx."

Myst was gone.

The Ascended had taken her. And the Clan had barely survived.