The sky cracked open as thunder rolled through the dead plains
Rain fell hard cold biting into Aya's skin
She didn't stop
Didn't flinch
Rewrite Edge strapped across her back humming with silent power
Then she felt it
The air bent
Footsteps not real but echoing
Six figures emerged from the static veil each one wrapped in corrupted armor laced with rollback sigils
They wore no faces only helms carved with ancient code
The leader stepped forward holding a twin-spear forged from failed updates
Shardbearer
You walk with forbidden fire
Aya kept moving eyes fixed
I walk to end it
The hunter tilted his head
Zerach is not doom
He is correction
Aya drew the Rewrite Edge and the rain hissed against it
Then I correct the correction
The first hunter lunged
She dodged low spun and sliced his leg off clean
Data poured out like blood
The others moved in a blur
Aya danced between strikes every motion precise every breath a calculation
One came from above
She blocked with her shoulder and slammed her blade through his chest
Another tried to grab her from behind
She shifted her weight and flipped him over her hip snapping his spine midair
The leader finally moved
Faster than the rest
His spear clashed with her blade sending shockwaves through the field
He struck three times each one aimed at vital points
Aya parried all three and countered with a rising slash
The spear shattered
His helm cracked
You don't understand he gasped
Zerach is the next stage
Aya's eyes burned
Then the next stage dies
She drove the Rewrite Edge through his core and let the code unravel
The others dissolved into glitch static without their anchor
The rain kept falling
Aya stood alone again blade dripping with data
But the pulsing grew louder
Zerach knew
The seal trembled
And war had begun