Chapter 8: Blood of the Legacy

 📍 Location: GOC Outpost Convoy, Arctic Route 14

Three days after their beach break, Black Echo was urgently deployed by Gorge Copper. A GOC convoy transporting a classified relic was ambushed. No response from the guards. No survivors. Only one signal was broadcast before blackout:

"It's speaking… It's not supposed to speak…"

🚁 Scene 1 – En Route

Inside the VTOL dropship, the atmosphere was tense.

Nick (stretching):

"Arctic routes, man. Couldn't we have gotten sent to tropical chaos instead?"

Emma (loading her plasma clips):

"Quit whining. This was a Conical-level convoy. Someone wants what's in that box."

Lucas (reading the mission brief):

"No signs of external portal activity. Which means… this wasn't an attack. It was a breach."

Nick (frowning):

"Meaning?"

Lucas (looking up):

"Something was already inside."

📍 Scene 2 – Arctic Convoy Ruins

As the team disembarked into the frozen mist, the remnants of the convoy were twisted and scattered across the snow—armored vehicles torn apart, deep claw marks slashed through steel.

Emma (kneeling by a body):

"This was fast. Efficient. No hesitation."

Nick (drawing his blade):

"Then neither do we."

They moved deeper into the wreckage—when suddenly—

CLANG… skrrrch…

A large shadow slid through the fog. The mist split open.

A Type 3 Neuroxin, humanoid but jagged in movement, walked upright. Its face had no mouth, only a thin glowing slit across the jaw. Its claws were long and whip-like, stained black.

It was wearing part of a GOC uniform.

Lucas (eyes narrowing):

"That thing… mimicked one of the guards."

Type 3 – Norr:

"Return… the Key… Millar…"

Emma (spinning her blade):

"Lucas, it knows you."

Nick:

"Of course it does. Everyone wants a piece of Mystery Millar."

⚔️ Scene 3 – Fight Begins

Lucas dashed forward first. With a flash of light, his Forge ability activated—he tore a long metal pipe from the wreckage and transmuted it into a twin-bladed glaive mid-run.

He slid beneath the creature's claws and slashed upward, sparks flying as steel met alien hide.

Norr twisted unnaturally, launching a kick—but Lucas blocked it, spun his glaive into a staff, and swept its legs.

Nick (shouting):

"Lucas, duck!"

Nick activated Berserk—his eyes flared yellow, muscles bulging unnaturally. He leapt like a beast, slamming Norr into a transport truck with a thunderous roar.

Emma vanished—literally. Her Assassin mode cloaked her completely.

Norr recovered and slashed—right where Emma reappeared mid-air and jammed a dagger into its neck.

Screeeeech!

The creature howled, its voice distorting into multiple tones. A second mouth opened on its back, and it fired a shockwave of energy, launching Emma and Nick into the snow.

💥 Scene 4 – Turn of the Tide

Lucas (panting, watching it regenerate):

"This one's smarter. Adaptive."

Norr (mocking):

"Your blood… was hers. It sings to me."

Lucas (coldly):

"I'm nothing like her."

Forge flared again. This time, Lucas jammed his hand into the ground—and the snow itself turned into fine crystalized shards, forming into a shuriken disc launcher. He spun and fired five glowing discs that sliced through Norr's outer limbs.

Nick (from behind):

"Tag in!"

He tackled the stunned Neuroxin, fists like hammers, snarling. Emma zipped in from behind and slid a timed EMP mine onto Norr's spine.

BOOM!

The mine exploded—crippling the creature long enough for Lucas to hurl his glaive directly through Norr's heart.

It twitched. Screamed. And fell still.

🧩 Scene 5 – Discovery

As the body twitched its last, Lucas stepped forward and pulled a small cube from inside its chest.

It pulsed faintly, covered in runes. He felt it vibrate in his palm.

Emma:

"What is it?"

Lucas (quietly):

"…The Key."

Suddenly, his earpiece crackled. Gorge Copper's voice came through:

Gorge:

"Millar. Secure the relic. Don't activate it. And listen carefully..."

Lucas:

"Yes, sir?"

Gorge (pause):

"That Key was last held by your mother."

Emma and Nick turned to look at Lucas—but he didn't react. Not outwardly.

Nick (softly):

"Lucas…"

Lucas (flatly):

"Mission complete. Let's go."

🌀 Final Scene – Elsewhere...

In a vast alien hall of flesh and light, Xenno stared into a portal projection.

Watching Lucas.

Xenno:

"He's found the Key. Good. The melody begins again."

A new voice spoke behind him—a tall silhouette with fire burning in his eyes.

??? (deep voice):

"And the other one? The girl?"

Xenno (smirking):

"She'll follow him. She always does."

to be continued...