Chapter 27: Into the Lion's Den
The sky was bruised with thunderclouds.
A silent hovercraft slid through the air, cloaked in stealth mode, gliding like a ghost over Vira's hidden stronghold.
Inside it—five people armed with more courage than certainty.
Nira. Elira. Rhea. Kael. Luca.
A team bound by more than just revenge. They were here for someone none of them had met—Jude, a forgotten name, now a symbol of why they fought.
And yet… something darker waited inside those walls.
---
The Drop Zone
"Two minutes," Luca called, adjusting his headset. "Security blind spot opening now."
Kael grinned, holding tightly to his grappling launcher. "Time to knock on the devil's door."
The hovercraft tilted.
Elira glanced at Nira, their eyes locking for half a second. No words were needed.
They leapt.
Wind screamed around them as they descended, landing on the rooftop with soft, practiced rolls. The moment their boots hit the concrete, they were already moving.
No alarms. No resistance.
Too easy.
That was the first warning sign.
---
Ghost Corridors
Luca guided them through the maze of metallic hallways, using stolen codes to deactivate doors and scramble cameras.
"Left turn. Thirty feet. Security node ahead," he whispered.
Kael slid forward, planting a micro-bomb on the panel. A quiet click. No explosion—just sparks and a hiss. The door opened.
But the hallway beyond was cold. Far colder than it should've been.
Rhea stepped in first, eyes narrowed.
"This isn't climate control," she murmured. "This is something else."
They pressed forward. As they turned the corner, the lights flickered—
And on the wall, drawn in something black and sticky:
> WELCOME BACK, NIRA.
Her breath caught.
It was in her own handwriting.
But she'd never been here.
Had she?
---
Jude's Cage
They found him in the sub-chamber—exactly where Vira had shown.
Jude lay unconscious, chained to the wall by a collar humming with green energy. His wrists were raw from trying to pull free.
Nira rushed to him.
"Jude," she whispered, falling to her knees. "Please wake up…"
But before her fingers could touch him—
The chamber sealed.
Doors slammed shut. Red lights ignited.
A voice echoed overhead:
> "You've arrived, my star."
Vira's voice.
> "You should've run."
Suddenly, the lights turned white—and someone stood at the far end of the chamber.
A girl.
Barefoot. Dressed in silver threads. Hair as white as snow. And eyes—
Black. Completely black.
No soul. No hesitation.
> "Nyx," Elira whispered. "She's real."
---
The Battle Begins
Without warning, Nyx moved.
Faster than lightning, she struck Kael, sending him flying into the wall with a sickening crack.
Rhea opened fire—but the bullets turned to ice midair, shattered by a flick of Nyx's hand.
Elira lunged, blades drawn.
Metal clashed against frost as Nyx caught her in mid-spin and threw her like a ragdoll.
Nira stepped forward.
"It's me you want," she said.
Nyx tilted her head, expression unreadable.
"No," she whispered. "I want what you refused."
Nira's hands began to glow faintly, frost gathering on her fingertips. But this time, she didn't flinch.
"I'm not the same girl from that lab," she said. "And you're not the monster they made you."
Nyx paused.
Then smiled.
"I'm not a monster," she whispered.
"I'm your mirror."
---
Power Unleashed
Nira screamed—and the entire chamber exploded in frost and light.
Ice tore across the floor, surging toward Nyx.
But Nyx didn't run.
She raised her arms—and countered.
A pulse of black frost met Nira's blue, the collision forming a cyclone of cold so intense it shattered the chamber walls.
Rhea pulled Jude to safety as Kael groaned, barely conscious.
Elira pushed herself up, coughing.
"Nira—!" she shouted.
But Nira was locked in a battle that no one else could touch.
Nyx's powers were raw, unstable. Like she was unraveling as she fought. Bits of her skin cracked like porcelain, revealing shadows underneath.
"You're dying," Nira gasped.
Nyx smiled through the madness.
"We all are."
---
Elira's Awakening
Seeing Nira falter, Elira's heart cracked open.
She gritted her teeth and ran forward—toward the storm.
Her body burned. Veins glowed blue.
> No… not now…
But it was too late.
Power erupted from her like a star going supernova. Her scream tore through the air as her body lifted off the ground, surrounded by blinding light.
Nyx faltered.
For the first time, she stepped back.
"You…" Nyx whispered. "You're one of us."
Elira didn't respond. She raised her hand—and the light struck Nyx full in the chest.
A shockwave shattered the chamber.
When it cleared—
Nyx was gone.
So was Elira.
---