Ashes of the Keep

The tunnel trembled under my hands as I crawled through the pitch-black darkness, the darkness feeling like it was cutting me. Metal supports dug into my palms; the stale air reeked of rust and fear. Behind me, the fortress shook violently—alarms blared, distant explosions rocked the corridors, and I could almost feel the self-destruct sequence pulsing through the walls. I closed my eyes and forced myself to breathe steadily.

Rafe's hand found mine in the dark, a wave of comfort I hadn't realized I needed. "This way," he murmured, his voice low, pulling me sideways into a smaller shaft. Nico's footsteps followed—lighter, more careful. We were a trio of shadows slipping past collapsing steel.

Then, a crash: concrete above us splintered, showering us with dust. The tunnel groaned. I suppressed my panic and pushed forward, my heart pounding. We emerged in a service crawlspace with a low ceiling and dim red lights swinging overhead. Rafe tapped a code into a rusted panel; it clicked open, and we spilled onto a maintenance catwalk.

I got my first real look at the compound's inner workings: coils of wiring, hissing steam vents, corridors branching off in every direction. The east wing was ablaze behind us—a bright orange visible through the grated floors. We needed another exit.

Nico checked his holographic map. "A spiral stairwell to the surface—Sector B. Twelve levels up. It's our only chance."

I nodded and pulled my jacket tighter. The chip in my pocket vibrated with the stolen data—the codes I needed to dismantle Devlin's organization. The true Elyra's secrets were even more incendiary than the burning building.

We climbed. First level, second—footsteps echoed from above. I froze against the wall as two armed contractors hurried past, scanning for threats. Rafe held his breath, then pulled me onward.

"We're close," Nico whispered on level seven. The stairwell widened into a service elevator shaft. The rusted elevator car hung open, wires severed. We would have to climb.

I caught Rafe's eye. "I'll go first." I hauled myself up onto the edge of the car. Steel rails snaked upward. Every vibration through my sneakers sent waves of adrenaline through me.

My world narrowed to my fingertips, the distance to the roof, and the roar of fire far below. I pulled myself up, Rafe and Nico right behind me, their hands slick with sweat.

On the roof, the neon sky was filled with sirens. The compound was a ring of flame and smoke, glass panels shattering like screams. Beyond lay the city—cold towers shimmering in the predawn light.

Then a shot rang out and ricocheted off metal. Nico stumbled. I spun around.

A turret—an automated gun emplacement—fired into our corner of the roof. Red laser dots flickered over my chest. The old system must have flagged our IDs as hostile after the lockdown. We needed to shut it down.

Rafe yanked open a maintenance hatch by the turret's base. "The control panel's in there—cover me."

I crouched behind a vent as bullets tore into the concrete. Nico knelt beside me, returning fire in rapid bursts. Sparks flew off the turret's barrel. Rafe disappeared into the hatch.

Seconds stretched on. Then Rafe's gloved hand emerged, slamming a lever. The turret clicked off. Silence fell, broken only by our ragged breaths.

I stumbled over. "What's the status?"

He slid out, a lopsided grin on his face. "Hot wires fried. It's dead."

Before I could reply, a familiar voice echoed from below: "Stop right there!"

It was Adrian—Adrian's silhouette in the smoke, backed by half a dozen guards. His face was a mix of anger and relief.

"Elyra," he called out. "You found the old service hatch." His gaze flicked to Rafe and Nico. "Allies or enemies?"

I straightened up, pulling the chip from my pocket. "This is why he betrayed us." I flicked the chip's holographic projection into the air. Blueprints, audio logs, Devlin's signature orders shimmered between us.

Adrian's jaw tightened. "He can't be alive." He looked at Devlin's face in the logs. "But he is. And he ordered your execution."

A beat of silence—then the hatch railing vibrated. Heavy footsteps were above us. The real danger was still on the roof.

"We don't have time," I said. "If we don't get off this roof, we'll die in the explosion."

Adrian's eyes darted skyward. Then he nodded. "Agreed. I'll cover the rear. Get to the east side. Extraction is waiting."

Rafe stepped forward. "I'm not letting you face Devlin alone."

Adrian's breath caught—surprise, maybe relief. "We'll do it together."

Our unlikely alliance formed in an instant. Adrian snapped a silent order to his guards: stand down. He handed me a handheld detonator. "Time's up."

A distant rumble—the compound's core reactors were going critical. The rooftop vibrated beneath us.

"Go!" I shouted. We sprinted across the slick surface toward a damaged helipad on the east edge. Smoke swirled around our boots. The city beyond was waking up to our escape.

A whine in the sky: a gunship patrol swooped low, searchlights cutting through the air. We dove for cover beneath a broken antenna, bullets scraping the base.

Adrian slammed his fist into his comm. "I don't care who ordered you—you're under my command now! Pull back your patrols!"

Static. Then the wing fell silent—the gunship banked away.

"Thanks," I said, panting. "Couldn't have done that without you."

His eyes softened. "We're partners. Always were."

Nico pointed toward the helipad. The helicopter's rotor blades sliced through the dawn air, ready. "That's us."

I glanced at Rafe—scarred, fierce, loyal. "You coming?"

He smiled, pulling me close. "Always."

Together, we made the final sprint. The pad's scorched surface rumbled beneath our feet. Adrian yanked open the helicopter's door.

Inside, the chopper's heat and noise pushed back the smoke. Rafe and Nico climbed aboard; I followed last.

As the blades lifted us skyward, I looked back: the fortress dissolved into ash and flame, a phoenix of steel and fire.

Below, the city held its breath.

In my hand, the shattered ID chip glowed—proof of my past, key to the future.

And on the wind, a single thought took shape:

The Construct lives—and now, so do I.

As the chopper turned toward the city skyline, my comm crackled with a single, chilling word I never expected to hear:

"Elyra… we have a problem."