In the Ashes

Ringing.

That was the first thing Luca heard. A sharp, high-pitched whine in his ears, drowning out everything else. His body felt weightless, like he was floating—or falling.

Then came the pain.

Searing, burning pain in his ribs and back. His mind struggled to focus, to piece together what had happened.

The explosion.

His eyes shot open. Smoke curled in thick tendrils around him, swallowing the warehouse in a haze of destruction. Fires crackled in the distance, illuminating twisted metal and shattered wood.

Groaning, he pushed himself up, coughing violently as dust and smoke filled his lungs. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to scan the wreckage.

"Rayna…"

Her name left his lips in a hoarse whisper. He needed to find her.

A shape stirred nearby, half-buried under broken crates. Luca stumbled forward, pain screaming through his body with every step. He dropped to his knees, gripping the wooden planks and tossing them aside.

Beneath them, Rayna lay motionless.

His heart clenched.

"Rayna! Hey, hey—come on." He cupped her face, ignoring the dirt and blood smeared across her cheek. "Open your eyes."

For a terrifying moment, she didn't move.

Then—

A weak groan escaped her lips.

Relief crashed over him like a wave.

Rayna's eyes fluttered open, dazed and unfocused. "Luca…?"

"Yeah, it's me." His voice was rough, but steady. "You okay?"

She winced, shifting slightly. "Feels like I got hit by a truck."

A strained chuckle left him. "Close enough."

He helped her sit up, glancing around. "Where are the others?"

As if on cue, a voice called out.

"Still alive… barely."

Julian.

Luca turned to see him limping from the wreckage, Vaughn supporting him with one arm. Both of them looked like they had been through hell—cuts, burns, and bruises covering their bodies.

But they were alive.

Luca exhaled, tension easing slightly. "Where's The Hunter?"

Vaughn's expression darkened. "Gone."

Luca's jaw clenched. He should have known. The Hunter wouldn't go down that easily.

"We need to move," Julian said, wincing. "Before the fire spreads."

Luca nodded, pulling Rayna to her feet.

But as they turned toward the exit, a low, metallic clank echoed through the warehouse.

They froze.

From the smoke, a shadow emerged.

A figure.

Luca's breath caught.

No.

It couldn't be.

But it was.

The Hunter, bloodied yet standing, stepped forward—his presence as imposing as ever.

His lips curled into a dark smile.

"Leaving so soon?"