Retsuki stood and stretched his glowing arms, his movements deliberate, almost ritualistic. He glanced at the three sleeping forms around him-Marten curled into himself, Verena's fists clenched even in sleep, and Alitha, her breath shallow but steady. The room was heavy with the ghosts of their shared nightmares, their exhaustion palpable.
He thought of the Warden patrols that could sweep through this area at any moment, their timing unpredictable. It wasn't safe here, not for them, not for her.
Retsuki's thoughts:
"What was Alitha going to tell us? She'll need to rest first. I'll remind her once we're there."
Moving as quietly as a shadow, he began to lift each of them, one by one, into his arms. He carried Marten first, who muttered in his sleep, his brow furrowed as if his dreams were battles he couldn't win. He placed him gently on the cot in their hidden safe house, tucked away beneath the ruins of an old library.
Next was Verena. Even in sleep, her body resisted his touch, stiff and unyielding. As he carried her, her lips moved, whispering unintelligible words, broken fragments of some distant argument she could never win.
Finally, he returned for Alitha. Her body felt lighter than he expected, her frame weakened from the torture she'd endured in the prison. He hesitated for a moment, staring down at her face. Even bruised and worn, her features were resilient, a beauty he couldn't fully articulate.
Retsuki's thoughts:
"I'll carry you all if I have to. I'll be the strength you've lost until you find it again."
The safe house was dimly lit, the glow from Retsuki's form casting long shadows across the cracked walls and scattered debris. The air was thick with dust, and the scent of old books lingered faintly, a reminder of what this place had once been.
When they stirred awake hours later, Retsuki sat at the center of the room, his back straight, his expression unreadable. His eyes were fixed on Alitha.
Retsuki: "You're awake. Tell me now. What was it you overheard?"
Alitha hesitated, her hands trembling slightly as she pushed herself upright. Her voice was low but steady, each word carrying the weight of her experience.
Alitha: "The Unitary Code isn't just about control. It's about changing people. Their minds, their biology-everything."
Her words hung in the air like a curse.
Alitha: "They're running experiments. Genetic manipulation, psychological conditioning. They're not just forcing compliance; they're erasing humanity. Empathy, individuality, free will-all of it. They're creating a new species, one that can't resist, can't even imagine rebellion."
Verena's eyes widened, and she pressed a hand to her mouth.
Verena: "They're... rewriting people? Turning them into something else?"
Alitha nodded, her voice shaking now.
Alitha: "I heard them say it was 'the next step in evolution.' They think emotions are weaknesses and that individuality is chaos. They want... blank slates. Tools. The experiments have already started. Some of the Wardens-they're not even fully human anymore."
Marten slammed his fist against the wall, his voice raw with anger.
Marten: "How far does this go? How many lives have they stolen?"
Alitha looked away, unable to meet his gaze.
Alitha: "Thousands. Maybe more."
As the weight of her revelation settled over them, Marten was the first to speak.
Marten: "We can't let this continue. We have to hit them where it hurts-the data hub. If we destroy it, we'll cripple their ability to enforce the Code."
Verena nodded, her voice hard and determined.
Verena: "It's risky, but if we don't act now, they'll erase everything that makes us human."
Retsuki remained silent, his gaze flickering between Alitha and Marten. He felt a storm building inside him, a mix of rage and something deeper he couldn't name.
Later that night, as Marten and Verena argued over the logistics of their plan, Retsuki found himself alone with Alitha. She sat in the corner, her arms wrapped around her knees, staring into the dim glow of his energy.
Retsuki: "Alitha... what they did to you..."
She looked up, her eyes meeting his. The strength he always saw in her was gone for a moment, replaced by raw vulnerability.
Alitha: "They tried to break me. But they didn't. Not completely."
He moved closer, his form pulsing faintly as he touched her hand.
Retsuki: "You're stronger than they'll ever be. And you're not alone."
Her hand tightened around his, and the tension between them ignited at that moment. She leaned forward, her lips brushing against his, and then she kissed him with a desperation that spoke of everything they'd lost and were fighting for.
When they broke apart, she rested her forehead against his, her voice a whisper.
Alitha: "You give me hope. Even when it hurts."
The following day, Marten caught Retsuki alone, his expression dark.
Marten: "I know what you're feeling. But this isn't the time for it. They'll use it against you. Against all of us."
Retsuki's glow flared, his voice sharp.
Retsuki: "You think I don't know that? You think I don't understand what's at stake?"
Marten stepped closer, his tone harsh but filled with concern.
Marten: "I'm saying it because I've seen it happen. They'll dig into your mind, find what you care about most, and tear it apart piece by piece. You can't let them see her as your weakness."
Retsuki's voice softened, but his resolve remained unshaken.
Retsuki: "She's not my weakness. She's my reason to fight."
Marten shook his head, frustration etched into his features.
Marten: "Just don't forget-reasons can become chains."
Later.
The room was dimly lit, the flickering glow of a single, worn-out lamp casting jagged shadows across the walls of the hideout. The air was tense as Retsuki stood at the center of the room, his electric energy pulsing faintly beneath his skin. Marten and Verena leaned over a makeshift map of Yorktun, its corners curling from age, while Alitha sat silently in the corner, her face pale but her eyes sharp.
Retsuki's voice cut through the oppressive silence.
Retsuki: "Then we're going to Yorktun Government. The central data hub."
Verena's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing.
Verena: "The central data hub? Are you insane? That place is a fortress. It's not just guarded-it's a technological labyrinth. We don't even know where the server cores are. You're talking about walking into a death trap."
Marten: "She's right. It's suicide. We don't have the firepower, the workforce, or the intel to pull this off. We barely made it out of the prison, and you want to take on the heart of their system?"
Retsuki's fists clenched, sparks of energy crackling around his fingers.
Retsuki: "It doesn't matter. That's where it all leads. The experiments, the Code, and the erasure of everything that makes us human come from there. If we don't destroy it, nothing we do will matter. They'll rebuild stronger than before."
Verena: "You think we don't know that? Do you think we're not aware of what's at stake? But this plan-it's reckless! You're not thinking about the lives we're risking-"
Retsuki: "I AM THINKING ABOUT THEM!"
The room fell silent, Retsuki's voice echoing off the walls like a thunderclap. His glow intensified, casting eerie, flickering light across the others' faces.
Retsuki: "All you do is yell. Yell and argue because you think I don't understand. Because I'm not like you. Because I'm not human."
He turned to Marten, his voice a mix of anger and anguish.
Retsuki: "You think I don't feel fear? I don't know what it means to lose people. You look at me, and all you see is a weapon. A tool. Something that can be broken and replaced. But I bleed, Marten. Maybe not like you, but I bleed."
Marten's face hardened, but he said nothing.
Retsuki's eyes flicked to Verena, who looked away, her jaw tight.
Retsuki: "And you-don't think I didn't hear you back at the prison. 'You bear a face you stole.' 'Paragus is gone.' Do you think I don't know that? Do you think I asked to look like this, to carry the shadow of a man I've never met? I am NOT Paragus's son!"
The glow around him flared violently, the room trembling with the force of his outburst. Dust rained down from the ceiling, and the lamp flickered precariously.
Retsuki: "I'm not him, Verena. I never will be. But I was created to finish what he started. And I will. With or without your help."
Marten: "You don't get it, do you? It's not just about strategy-it's about survival. If we lose you, this entire fight falls apart. You're the symbol, Retsuki. Without you, the people have nothing to believe in."
Retsuki: "So what do you want me to do, Marten? Hide? Sit in this crumbling hole while the Upbringers tighten their grip. I won't do that. I can't."
Verena: "And what happens when you fail? When your 'sacrifice' leaves us worse off than before? Do you even care about the consequences? Or are you just trying to prove something-to yourself, Paragus, and us?"
Retsuki stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous.
Retsuki: "I care about ensuring they don't win. Do you think I'm doing this for approval? For some warped sense of validation? I'm doing this because I'm the only one who can."
Verena's voice rose, her frustration spilling over.
Verena: "And that's exactly why you can't rush into things like this! You're not just fighting for yourself but for all of us. Stop acting like you're invincible. You're not a god, Retsuki."
Retsuki: "I never claimed to be. But maybe if you stopped treating me like a ghost, like some shadow of Paragus's son, you'd see me for who I am. I am not him. I will never be him. But I am here and won't stop until we end this."
Alitha, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, her voice calm but firm.
Alitha: "We can't keep tearing each other apart. If we do, the Upbringers have already won. Retsuki's right-we have to hit the data hub. But we can't go in blind. We need a plan, and we need to trust each other."
Her words cut through the tension like a blade. Marten sighed, running a hand through his hair.
Marten: "Fine. We'll do it. But we're doing it smart. We gathered intel, found weak points, and struck them. No heroics, Retsuki. If we lose you, it's over."
Verena crossed her arms, her expression unreadable.
Verena: "You want to go to the heart of the beast? Fine. But don't expect me to stand by and watch you burn yourself out. If we're doing this, we're doing it together."
Retsuki nodded, his glow dimming slightly as he regained his composure.
Retsuki: "Together, then. But make no mistake-we're going to tear their heart out. And we will show them that no matter how hard they try, they can't erase what makes us human."
The group exchanged tense glances, the enormity of their task sinking in. The path ahead was difficult, but a flicker of unity sparked among them for the first time in days.