Shadows of Yesterday

The safehouse lights dimmed low, casting long shadows that flickered across the walls like restless ghosts. Lira sat cross-legged on the floor, the glow of the holo-screen painting her face in cold blue hues as she began to speak.

"I wasn't always a ghost," Lira murmured, voice heavy with memories. "I was part of the syndicate's inner circle — one of their top tech operatives."

Her eyes darkened. "At first, it was about power, control… promises of a future shaped by our hands."

Aeris leaned in, captivated by the weight behind her words.

"But then…" Lira's jaw clenched, "they started experimenting on people. Mind control, memory wipes — turning humans into puppets for the NeuroNet. I saw friends vanish, replaced by soulless shells."

Kael's fists tightened at his sides.

"I tried to warn them, but dissent meant death. I barely escaped — left with nothing but this." She lifted a small, cracked data shard.

Vex exchanged a glance with Aeris. "If Lira's telling the truth, we have more than just a fight on our hands — we're up against monsters."

Lira's gaze met Aeris's, fierce and unwavering. "And monsters can be destroyed. But only if we strike at their heart."

Outside, rain drummed steadily against the windows — a relentless rhythm that echoed the storm gathering inside their ranks.

Aeris swallowed hard. The stakes had never been clearer. The past was catching up, and their future depended on facing it head-on.