It... it can't be.
Lukas.
Alive.
Actually alive.
…
…
He looks different.
Older.
One of his eyes glows a faint yellow, and he looks blind in the other One, with a Scar running across his right eye. His arms and neck are covered in tattoos, He's bulkier too.
But it's him.
And he's standing there with one boot propped up, arms crossed, head tilted like he's trying to pose for a comic book cover.
What the hell is that stupid pose?
"Nope," I mutter to myself, feeling lightheaded. "I've lost too much blood. This is it. I'm hallucinating. There's no fucking way this is real."
Then he pulls a face.
Like a kid who's been rehearsing an entrance for months and just realized nobody's giving a fuck.
From somewhere behind him, a woman starts laughing—loud, unfiltered.
"Told you that was stupid," she says between breaths.
"Shut up!" Lukas snaps, spinning around and grabbing her by the shoulders like she's a broken vending machine. "You ruined it! This was my moment!"
She just laughs harder.
He starts mock-shaking her. She nearly falls over from giggling.
That's when it hits me.
Yeah.
No way my brain is creative enough to hallucinate this level of Brainrot.
This is real.
"Lukas… is it really you?"
He stops.
The woman is still chuckling beside him, but his attention is entirely on me now.
He turns. His expression changes—just slightly. Like someone flicked a switch inside his chest and the lights came back on.
Then he grins.
That same crooked, dumb, warm-ass grin.
"Hell yeah!"
My throat tightens. I can't move. My chest is caving in. My mind's still racing, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing, but my body already knows the truth.
He's here.
He's really here.
Lukas.
"So what, you just gonna stand there with your mouth hangin' open like a bitch, or are you gonna give your big brother a hug?"
I try to move—then wince. My leg. Right.
He looks down and sees the bleeding.
He looks at my leg.
"Right, right, right, my bad, guess that gaping hole in your thigh's kinda killin' the vibe."
I start laughing.
Can't help it.
He rushes over, and we pull each other into a hug.
He hasn't changed a damn bit.
We break the hug, and I look him in the eye.
"How the hell are you here, Lukas? You died. After the docks exploded. We searched for days. Nobody found anything."
He smiles again—but this one's smaller. Worn.
"You see, my good friend… my death," he says, gesturing with dramatic flair,
"…was greatly exaggerated."
Right then, I hear footsteps.
The armored figure that tore through Chem Enforcers like tissue paper steps forward, visor still glowing.
I tense up, ready to reach for my pipe—even half-dead.
Then she removes her helmet.
"Area's clear, boss," she says flatly. "But we shouldn't stay here long."
And my brain does a full double-take.
She's… human.
A girl. Around my age. Strong jaw, serious eyes.
Damn.
She hot.
I did NOT expect that.
"Great," Lukas says, turning to me. "Ekko, this murder machine right here is Eleanor, My enforcer. And a good friend."
She gives me a sharp nod. Quiet. Controlled.
"Lots of Daddy issues." He Chips in, and she makes a shy face before putting her helm back.
Then, the other Woman—the one who'd been laughing—walks up behind Lukas, and he continues the introductions.
"And this, is my Uber."
THWACK.
She punches him in the back of the head. Hard.
"Okay okay, sorry! This is Elizabeth. Pain in my ass, but a damn good friend too," he says, rubbing the spot she hit.
"Pleasure to meet you, Ekko," she says, smirking. "Lukas talked about you a lot."
I nod—but I'm still completely lost.
"Lukas… seriously, what the hell is going on? Who are these people? Where the hell have you been?"
He exhales
"Right… where do I even start?"
He lifts a finger, eyes glinting with some mix of pride and leftover trauma.
"There were explosions. Lots of explosions. There were also titties, big titties, but they were splicer titties so no no, those were bad. Also there was of Fire, and Ice, and Swarms of bees, and there was This huge Guy in a scuba suit, eleanor's dad and we were fighting against this Army of derranged mutants, and there was this German scientist, who kept yapping about the children and yada yada."
"It was EPIC man, Lady Gaga was there too I think, you had to be there to see It, the greatest Fontaine in history vs the greatest Fontaine of today."
Silence.
I blink.
"…what?"
Before he can say more, Elizabeth chimes in, arms crossed, expression half-smile, half-pure judgment.
"Don't mind him, He got hit so much in the head these last few years, His Autism reached levels never before seen in Human history."
I Look between them.
"What?!"
"Why do I feel like i'm missing some Very important context?"
Lukas Just shrugs.
Before I can say anything else, the air shifts again—a low humming sound in the distance.
I turn.
Hoverboard engine. Fast.
Scar.
"EKKO!"
He shoots into view, landing hard a few meters away. His boots skid across the cracked pavement. His eyes scan the area—me, Lukas, Eleanor, Elizabeth… and a lot of dead Chem Enforcers.
"What the hell—?"
He stops.
Just stares.
"...What."
"It's fine," I say quickly. "They're with me."
He blinks. Looks at the blood, the bodies. Looks at Eleanor.
"With you," he repeats, like he's trying to solve a math problem with a hammer.
"Scar," I say, gesturing. "This is Eleanor. That's Elizabeth. And the glowing-eyed idiot with the tattoos…"
I glance at Lukas, who gives a little wave like this is the world's most awkward family barbecue.
"That's my brother from another Mama, Lukas."
Scar doesn't say anything.
Doesn't move.
Just squints.
"...You're shitting me."
"Nope."
"Lukas Fontaine is dead."
"Apparently not."
"Are you sure that's him?"
"Trust me," I mutter, "nobody else is that retarded."
Lukas snorts, crossing his arms.
"You talking a Lot of shit for someone with a bleeding asshole in his thigh."
I grin.
Scar, still unsure, steps forward a little. He eyes Lukas with caution, like he's waiting for him to transform into a demon or something.
And honestly? I can't blame him.
Then, Eleanor steps forward slightly, visor glowing, and Scar instinctively shifts back.
"Dude," he hisses to me, "why is there a deep-sea killing machine standing next to you?!"
"Long story."
"There's chunks of people everywhere, Ekko."
"Yeah. That was… Her."
"…Coolcoolcoolcool."
He looks down, sees the dimensional tear still shimmering behind us like someone took a knife to space.
"That normal too?"
"Not remotely."
He exhales.
"We gotta move. Silco's men will be swarming this place any second."
He's right.
We have maybe five minutes before this becomes a warzone again.
But before we can leave, Elizabeth walks toward the rift—casually, like she's just heading to the market.
"I've got to go," she says to Lukas. "Someone's gotta watch the anchor while you're out here playing savior."
"You remember the plan?"
"Yeah. Don't die. Don't use drugs. Screw Viktor's Plans like there's no tomorrow."
She pauses.
"And if you need me…"
"I'll call you."
She nods.
Then, without another word, she steps through the tear and vanishes.
Just like that.
Gone.
The rift seals itself behind her with a low pulse—like a breath being held.
Lukas doesn't react.
Eleanor stands silent beside him.
I'm still reeling.
He looks at me.
And his smile fades.
"So… about that fire in the distance," he says quietly.
"Wanna tell me what you've been up to, Ekko?"
My throat goes dry.
"Shit."