Chapter 22: The Breach’s Edge

The breach-chasm glowed, mist curling as Kai landed hard—stone warped beneath him, aging and reforming, the stash's light dim but fierce in his grip. His mark flared, aging his arm—veins bulging, skin sagging—before snapping back, the toll carving deeper. The airship's hum echoed above, muffled but closing, relic-bolts piercing the mist.

Lena rolled beside him, her dagger up—her bandaged arm shook, her eyes sharp. "Still on us—bastards don't quit," she growled, dodging a bolt—stone twisted, dust swirling reverse.

Markus hit the ground, his cane cracking—his aged leg trembled, breath short. "Breach's unstable—time's loose," he rasped, nodding at a rock aging to dust, then solid again.

Quiet woman steadied Tali, the frail girl gasping—her gray hair caught the glow, her hands empty but clenched. "It's pulling," Tali whispered, staring at the chasm's heart—light pulsed, a hum like a heartbeat.

Kai stood, the stash burning—his mark sparked, syncing with the breach. "Kael's here—somewhere," he said, his voice hard. The airship's bolts rained—time bent, stone shattering.

"Fight or run?" Lena snapped, slashing a bolt mid-air—dust burst, her arm steady.

"Fight," Kai said, raising the stash—its light flared, dimming fast. He slammed it down—time cracked, a wave blasting up—the airship reeled, hull aging, but his arm withered, skeletal, snapping back with a sting.

A voice cut through—Kael's, cold, sharp, from a comms relay in the mist: "You'll burn out, Voss—stash's done." Laughter echoed, taunting, close yet untouchable.

"Shut it," Kai snarled, his mark flaring—time bent, searching, but Kael's signal danced, elusive. The airship stabilized, bolts doubling—stone warped, the breach humming louder.

Quiet woman dodged, her knife slashing—bolts grazed her, aging her coat before snapping back. "He's baiting—again," she said, pulling Tali clear.

Markus pointed ahead—a ledge loomed, the breach's lip, glowing fierce. "There—his trail," he rasped, staggering forward.

Kai's stash flickered, his arm trembling—Kael's taunt burned, Mara's ache sharper. "Move," he said, leading them—the airship roared, the breach pulling, chaos mounting.

The relic-bridge flickered ahead, a shimmering span over the breach's heart—time twisted its edges, stone aging and reforming, the stash's light dim in Kai's grip. His mark flared, arm withering—skeletal, trembling—before snapping back, gray hair spilling into his eyes. The airship loomed above, its hum deafening, relic-bolts cratering the chasm's lip behind them.

"Go!" Kai roared, shoving Lena toward the bridge—her dagger flashed, her bandaged arm steady as she sprinted, boots skidding on warped stone. "Cross—now!"

Markus limped after, his cane cracking—bolts grazed him, aging his leg further, snapping back slow. "It's failing—won't hold!" he rasped, his breath short, eyes on the bridge's flicker.

Quiet woman hauled Tali, the frail girl stumbling—her gray hair whipped, her voice a gasp. "It's—it's breaking," she stammered, the breach's hum pulling, glowing mist swirling below.

Kai's stash pulsed, faint—his mark burned, time bending as he swung at a bolt—dust burst, but his legs aged, buckling, snapping back with a groan. "Hold it together!" he yelled, catching up—the bridge shimmered, a thread in the chaos.

Lena hit it first—stone warped beneath her, aging, reforming—she cursed, steadying. "Move—fast!" she snapped, waving them on—bolts rained, the airship's shadow blackening the glow.

Kael's voice echoed again, sharp, taunting: "Too late, Voss—enjoy the fall." Laughter rang, comms relay glinting in the mist—close, untouchable.

"Shut up," Kai growled, his stash flaring one last time—he slammed it down, time cracking—the bridge stabilized, but his arm withered again, skeletal, trembling. "Go!" he barked, shoving Markus forward.

Quiet woman dragged Tali across—stone twisted, the breach humming louder, pulling like a tide. Markus staggered, his cane slipping—Kai caught him, pushing him over—the airship fired, bolts cratering the lip, dust exploding.

Kai hit the bridge last—time warped, his steps aging, snapping back—the stash dimmed, its light a flicker. They reached the far side, trapped—ledge narrow, breach glowing below, airship above. "We're out," Lena panted, her dagger up, eyes fierce.

"Kael's close," Kai said, his voice hard, meeting their gazes—Markus's grim nod, quiet woman's steady grip, Tali's frail resolve, Lena's glare. The bridge flickered out, the stash dying—time was gone, but the fight wasn't.