The darkness opened in the middle of a Fallen squad.
David stepped out of Shadow Step with his Claw Gauntlets already extended.
The nearest soldier had barely turned his head when David's right arm swept across his neck.
The claws passed through flesh and bone.
His head separated from his shoulders, and his body collapsed before the soldiers beside him understood what had happened.
David was already moving.
He drove his left gauntlet straight through the chest of the second Fallen, the metal claws punching through armor and emerging from his back.
The soldier gasped.
David ripped his arm free and turned toward the third.
"Human!"
A blood-forged blade flashed toward his face.
David ducked beneath it and drove his claws upward through the soldier's throat.
Blood sprayed across his uniform.
The Fallen staggered backward, clutching at the wound.
David didn't watch him fall.
Another soldier charged from his right, swinging a curved crimson sword.
David raised his injured arm.
The blade struck his gauntlet, sliding across the metal before cutting into the exposed flesh of his shoulder.
Pain shot through him.
His wounded leg nearly buckled.
But David stepped forward instead of retreating.
His claws tore across the soldier's chest, opening his armor from shoulder to waist.
The Fallen collapsed.
Four bodies lay scattered across the grass.
David stood among them, breathing heavily.
Blood dripped from his gauntlets.
His shoulder throbbed where Vireth's spear had pierced him. The wound in his leg burned with every movement, and fresh blood was running down his boot.
He looked toward the northern battlefield.
More Fallen soldiers were advancing between the low hills.
David started walking.
The northern front had become a sprawling battlefield of shattered stone, scorched grass, and broken military formations.
Human soldiers fought to hold the remaining territory while the Fallen pressed forward beneath the darkened sky.
Crimson blades flashed against energy swords.
Blood-forged weapons struck reinforced shields.
Farther north, the roars of surviving creatures echoed across the plains as military units continued their final sweep.
The Fallen had been ordered to secure Greyfall before the planetary conversion could be completed.
But something had entered their lines that none of them had expected.
A wounded human cadet.
And wherever he went, Fallen soldiers died.
David approached another squad moving toward the eastern ridge.
There were seven of them.
Their leader noticed him first.
"Human! Identify yourself!"
David kept walking.
The soldier glanced at his torn uniform.
Blood covered his shoulder, his leg, and both arms. His blond hair was matted against his forehead, and his blue-gray eyes remained fixed on the soldiers ahead.
"He's wounded," another Fallen observed.
The leader raised his sword.
"Take him alive. The Blood Ascendant wants prisoners."
Two soldiers moved forward.
David watched them approach.
"Shadow Step."
System:
Shadow Step — Activated
David vanished.
"Where—"
He reappeared beside the first soldier.
His claws swept across the Fallen's throat.
Before the body fell, David turned and drove his gauntlet into the second soldier's chest.
The remaining five recoiled.
"Spatial Gift!"
"Surround him!"
Three rushed forward together.
David met them without slowing.
The first thrust a blood-forged spear toward his chest.
David twisted aside, but the spearhead sliced across his ribs.
He caught the shaft beneath his arm and pulled the soldier toward him.
His right gauntlet struck once.
The Fallen dropped.
A sword cut across David's back.
His body lurched forward.
For a moment, his injured leg threatened to give way.
The soldier behind him raised his weapon again.
David turned and drove his claws into the Fallen's face.
The sword fell from lifeless fingers.
The third attacker tried to retreat.
David caught him before he had taken three steps.
One strike.
Another body fell.
The two remaining soldiers stood frozen.
They had watched five of their comrades die in seconds.
One looked at David's bloodstained uniform.
"He's barely standing..."
David turned toward him.
The soldier stumbled backward.
"Stay away!"
David advanced.
The Fallen swung desperately.
David allowed the blade to scrape across his gauntlet, stepped inside the soldier's reach, and drove his claws through his chest.
The final soldier dropped his weapon.
"Wait!"
David looked at him.
The Fallen backed away, both hands raised.
"Please! I surrender!"
David's expression didn't change.
He stepped forward.
The soldier turned to run.
David caught him from behind.
The seventh body fell into the grass.
Silence settled over the ridge.
David stood alone.
His breathing was ragged.
Blood ran down his arm and dripped from his fingertips.
He looked toward the distant flashes of crimson light.
Somewhere ahead, Vireth Kael'tharyn was still fighting.
David began walking again.
I AM:
"David."
He didn't answer.
I AM:
"Stop."
David continued forward.
The ancient voice followed him.
I AM:
"You must regain control."
David stepped over a fallen soldier.
Ahead, another group of Fallen was moving between two shattered rock formations.
He turned toward them.
I AM:
"David. Listen to me."
The soldiers noticed him.
One pointed.
"There's a human coming!"
Their commander drew a blood-forged longsword.
"Kill him!"
David lowered his shoulders and charged.
The first Fallen met him with a downward strike.
David slipped beneath the blade and tore his claws across the soldier's stomach.
He spun toward the next attacker, driving his gauntlet through the side of his neck.
A third soldier struck David across the wounded shoulder.
His arm dropped.
Pain burned through his chest.
David staggered.
The Fallen saw his opening.
"Now! Finish him!"
Three soldiers rushed him.
David stepped forward on his injured leg.
The pain nearly brought him to his knees.
He forced himself upright and slashed through the first soldier's throat.
The second thrust a spear into his side.
David caught the shaft before the point could drive deeper.
He pulled the soldier toward him and struck with his other gauntlet.
The Fallen collapsed.
The third managed to land a heavy blow against David's ribs.
David stumbled backward.
His breath caught.
The soldier raised his sword for another strike.
David lunged.
His claws pierced the soldier's chest.
He pulled them free and turned toward the remaining Fallen.
They hesitated.
One took a step backward.
Another looked toward the bodies scattered around them.
"What is he?"
David advanced.
"Fall back!" their commander shouted.
But David was already among them.
A claw strike opened one soldier's throat.
Another fell with his chest torn apart.
A third tried to escape around the rocks.
David caught him before he reached the other side.
The commander stood alone.
His sword trembled in his hand.
"You're insane!"
David looked at him.
The Fallen rushed forward with a desperate shout.
David caught his sword arm, drove his claws into his chest, and let the body fall.
He stood among the dead, swaying slightly.
His wounded shoulder hung lower than the other.
Blood ran down his side.
His breathing had become shallow, but he kept his gaze fixed toward the northern front.
I AM:
"David. Enough."
David started walking.
I AM:
"You cannot continue like this."
He ignored the voice.
I AM:
"Your body is failing. You must stop."
David stepped over a broken spear.
I AM:
"If you continue down this path, all will be lost."
David stopped.
For several seconds, he stood motionless.
Blood dripped from his Claw Gauntlets into the grass.
The sounds of battle carried across the plains.
He looked down at his hands.
He remembered Nyra's fingers resting against his cheek.
Her faint smile.
The way her hand had slipped from his.
His jaw tightened.
"I've already lost everything."
Then he continued toward the fighting.
I AM:
"David..."
He didn't respond back.
Farther south, Gamma Squad lay scattered across the bloodstained grass.
The dark clouds remained unbroken overhead, casting long shadows across the battlefield.
Then a faint light appeared above June.
It wasn't sunlight.
The pale radiance descended from somewhere beyond the clouds, forming a narrow column that surrounded only his motionless body.
It carried the same ancient presence that had once filled the Ancient City, though this light was far smaller, barely wide enough to encompass a single person.
The surrounding grass remained dark.
June Kade remained motionless beside Mira.
His uniform was torn, and a field dressing had been secured around his wounded shoulder.
The light settled gently over him.
Then a familiar voice reached him.
I AM:
"June. Wake up."
His fingers twitched.
The voice came again.
I AM:
"June. You must wake up."
June drew a sharp breath.
His eyes opened.
For several seconds, he stared at the pale light surrounding him.
Then he recognized the voice.
"I AM...?"
He tried to sit up.
Pain shot through his shoulder.
"Ah!"
He collapsed back against the grass, breathing through clenched teeth.
"Okay... that's definitely broken."
He carefully moved his arm.
The pain was terrible, but he could still feel his fingers.
"What happened?"
I AM:
"There is little time. You need to help the others."
June blinked.
"The others?"
He turned his head.
Mira lay nearby.
Her ash-brown hair was tangled against the grass, and her twin blades rested several feet from her hands.
June struggled upright.
"Mira?"
She didn't answer.
He looked farther across the battlefield.
Commander Vance lay unconscious near a broken section of stone.
Lucian was lying on the grass with a blood-soaked dressing wrapped around his side.
June's stomach tightened.
"Lucian? Commander?"
He tried to stand.
His legs trembled.
He caught himself with his good hand and pushed upright.
"Where's Cass? Where's David?"
I AM:
"David has lost control."
June froze.
"What do you mean?"
I AM:
"He is moving toward the northern battlefield. You must contact your command."
June looked toward the distant fighting.
"David's out there?"
I AM:
"Your friends need immediate assistance."
June turned back toward Mira.
Then he saw someone lying farther away.
Silver-white hair spread across the grass.
Pink-tipped strands moved gently in the wind.
June stopped breathing for a moment.
"No..."
He stared.
Nyra lay on her back, her face pale beneath the darkened sky.
Her uniform was soaked with blood.
June stumbled forward.
"No, no..."
He broke into an uneven run.
"Nyra!"
Pain tore through his shoulder with every step, but he barely noticed.
He dropped to his knees beside her.
"Nyra?"
He reached for her hand.
Her fingers were still.
June looked at her face.
"Hey..."
His voice trembled.
"Come on. This isn't funny."
He touched her cheek.
"Nyra?"
There was no response.
He checked for a pulse.
Waited.
Moved his fingers.
Checked again.
His eyes filled with tears.
"Oh, no..."
He shook his head.
"No, Nyra. Please..."
He looked at the dressing over her chest, then at the blood beneath her.
His breathing became uneven.
"Please don't..."
The words caught in his throat.
June bowed his head.
Tears fell onto the grass.
He remembered Nyra laughing at something he'd said during their night in the city.
He remembered how she'd threatened to leave him behind if he made one more joke during training.
He remembered her standing beside David, smiling as they talked about their summer plans.
June covered his mouth with his good hand.
"Nyra..."
I AM:
"June."
He didn't answer.
I AM:
"I know this is hard for you."
June squeezed his eyes shut.
I AM:
"But the others... you must save them."
June slowly lifted his head.
He looked toward Mira.
Then Lucian.
Commander Vance.
All three lay motionless.
His breathing shook.
For another moment, he remained beside Nyra.
Then he wiped his face with his sleeve.
"Yes..."
He swallowed.
"You're right."
He carefully lowered Nyra's hand onto the grass.
"I'm sorry, Nyra."
June forced himself to stand.
He reached for his communicator.
The device had been damaged during the fighting, and its display flickered when he activated it.
"Come on..."
He adjusted the frequency.
Static crackled.
"Command, this is Cadet June Kade of Gamma Squad. Do you copy?"
Nothing.
June pressed the transmission control again.
"Command! This is Gamma Squad! We need an emergency evacuation!"
More static.
He looked toward his friends.
"Come on, somebody answer!"
A voice finally broke through.
"Gamma Squad, this is Command. Identify your location and status."
June nearly collapsed with relief.
"Sector A-08! Southern plains, east of the western ridge! Multiple critical casualties!"
He took a shaky breath.
"Commander Vance is down. Three squad members are unconscious, and another..."
His voice faltered.
He looked toward Nyra.
June swallowed hard.
"One confirmed fatality."
There was a brief silence.
"Gamma Squad, confirm. Commander Elara Vance is among the casualties?"
"Yes! She's alive, but she's badly hurt! So are the others!"
June looked toward the northern battlefield.
"And David Wyn is missing from our position. Castiel Nightvale too."
"Understood. Your coordinates are confirmed. Emergency extraction is inbound."
June tightened his grip on the communicator.
"How long?"
"Approximately two minutes. Medical personnel are preparing for immediate casualty evacuation."
"Two minutes?"
June looked at the wounded.
"Make it faster!"
"We're moving as quickly as possible, Cadet. Maintain pressure on major wounds and keep the casualties stable."
June took a breath.
"Understood."
He lowered the communicator and hurried toward Mira.
"Okay, guys..."
He knelt beside her.
"Help's coming."
He checked her pulse and breathing, then examined the wounds Castiel had already dressed.
Mira remained unconscious.
June carefully adjusted the dressing and made sure she was lying where she could breathe freely.
"You're not allowed to die on me, Mira."
His voice trembled.
"Not today."
He moved to Lucian.
The red-haired cadet lay motionless, his face pale from blood loss.
June checked the dressing around his side.
"Lucian?"
No response.
He checked his pulse.
Still there.
June pressed carefully against the dressing where blood had begun soaking through.
"Come on, big guy. You've survived worse than this."
He tried to smile.
It didn't last.
He looked toward Commander Vance.
"Just hold on."
June hurried to her side.
He checked her breathing and the dressings covering her wounds.
The commander was still alive.
June adjusted the bandage around her shoulder and remained beside her, keeping pressure where the bleeding was worst.
He looked back toward Nyra.
His eyes filled again.
But he stayed where he was.
The others needed him.
And for the next two minutes, he would do everything he could to keep them alive.
Farther north, the Fallen were beginning to retreat from a narrow stretch of broken terrain.
Not because the human military had broken through their position.
Because something was killing them faster than they could organize a defense.
David moved through the shattered rocks with blood covering both gauntlets.
A Fallen soldier swung a sword toward his neck.
David ducked and drove his claws through the soldier's chest.
Another attacked from behind.
The blade struck David's wounded leg.
He stumbled.
His knee touched the ground.
The Fallen raised his weapon again.
David caught his ankle, pulled him off balance, and drove his gauntlet upward.
The soldier fell beside him.
David forced himself upright.
His vision blurred.
For a moment, the battlefield tilted around him.
He steadied himself against a broken stone pillar.
His shoulder burned.
His leg barely supported him.
Blood had soaked through what remained of his uniform.
But the crimson flashes ahead were growing brighter.
Vireth was close.
David pushed away from the pillar.
"David!"
The voice came from behind him.
He kept walking.
"D!"
Castiel emerged from between the rocks.
His grey-white hair was disheveled, and his uniform was torn from the battle with Vaerik.
He stopped when he saw the bodies scattered across the ground.
Then he looked at David.
"D..."
David continued forward.
Castiel hurried after him.
"David, stop!"
He stepped around him and planted himself directly in his path.
David halted.
"Move, Cass."
Castiel stared at him.
Blood covered David's face and arms. His wounded shoulder hung awkwardly, and his injured leg trembled beneath him.
"Look at yourself!"
David said nothing.
"You're barely standing!"
"Move."
"No!"
Castiel held his ground.
"You're going to get yourself killed!"
David looked past him.
Castiel stepped sideways, blocking his view.
"D, listen to me. June, Mira, Lucian, and Vance are still back there. They need help."
David's expression remained empty.
Castiel searched his face.
"They're all badly wounded, D. I don't know how much longer they can hold on. We need to get back to them and contact Command before it's too late."
David looked toward the northern battlefield.
Castiel followed his gaze.
Crimson light flashed above the distant ridgeline.
He knew who David was searching for.
"D, please. Think about what you're doing."
David shifted his weight.
His injured leg buckled slightly.
Castiel instinctively reached forward, but David steadied himself before he could touch him.
"Move, Cass."
Castiel shook his head.
"No. Not until you listen."
He gestured toward the northern plains.
"Whitefall is almost complete. The military has nearly finished clearing the remaining creatures."
David stared at him.
"If we finish the conversion, the Fallen have to withdraw. The treaty will force them off this planet."
David didn't answer.
Castiel stepped closer.
"Come with me, D. We can end this together."
For a moment, David looked directly at him.
Castiel recognized the face of his best friend.
But the expression was different.
There was no calculation in his eyes.
No quiet determination.
Only exhaustion and something Castiel couldn't reach.
"Do what you want, Cass."
David looked toward the crimson flashes.
"But he dies."
Castiel felt his stomach tighten.
He knew exactly who David meant.
Vireth Kael'tharyn.
The Blood Ascendant.
Level Forty-Five.
"D..."
Castiel shook his head.
"You can't beat him, D."
David looked back at him.
"I don't care anymore, Cass."
Castiel went still.
David's voice remained quiet.
"He dies or I die. Doesn't matter."
For a moment, Castiel couldn't speak.
He remembered David laughing with Nyra.
He remembered the two of them sitting together in their dorm room, arguing over training schedules and academy assignments.
He remembered David promising that Gamma Squad would make it home together.
Now his best friend stood before him, bleeding from wounds that should have left him unconscious, speaking about his own death as though it meant nothing.
Castiel swallowed.
"David, don't do this."
David's gaze drifted past him.
"Please, D."
David slowly raised his trembling hand.
Castiel recognized the movement.
"D, wait!"
"Shadow Step."
System:
Shadow Step — Activated
Darkness gathered around David.
Castiel lunged forward.
"D!"
His hand closed around empty air.
David vanished.
The shadows collapsed into the space where he'd been standing.
Castiel stumbled and caught himself against a broken stone.
For several seconds, he stared at the empty ground.
"D..."
The wind moved through the shattered rocks.
In the distance, the battle continued.
Castiel straightened slowly.
He looked toward the northern battlefield.
David was heading straight for Vireth.
A Level 10 cadet against a Level 45 Blood Ascendant.
Even if David hadn't been wounded, the difference between them was overwhelming.
In his current condition, Castiel knew what would happen.
He clenched his fists.
There was still one way to save his friend.
Whitefall.
The military had nearly completed the conversion. Only the remaining qualifying creatures stood between them and victory.
If Castiel could finish the mission, the treaty would force the Fallen to withdraw.
He looked once more in the direction David had disappeared.
"I'm not losing you too, D."
Castiel drew his Shadow Blade.
"Shadow Veil."
Darkness gathered around him, swallowing his outline until he vanished completely.
The hunt begins.