The orange glow in Karauro’s eyes burned hot. His hands stayed locked around the tendril—nearly eroded away—yet he dragged himself closer, using pain like a bridge back to sanity.

  FALSE CROWN!

  For the first time, Wraith felt the instinct to withdraw. The air thickened—charged.

  Wraith shoved Karauro back before contact could happen.

  Blood oozed from him—red, then black, then vivid orange—hissing as it struck the ground and smoked.

  Nera froze.

  That wasn’t the person she expected him to be.

  Purple tendrils snapped out again—two spearing toward Karauro’s face.

  Karauro ripped off his helmet and clubbed them down.

  His eyes flickered bright orange.

  Nera surged to his side—then stopped dead at his glare.

  “Back off.” His tone sharpened, furious.

  “Karauro!” she shouted, teeth clenched. Then softer—almost pleading. “Why…?”

  Karauro’s grin widened as his gaze slid past her—back to Wraith a few meters ahead.

  Two monsters in human guise.

  Wraith held the open yard.

  Behind Karauro, Spine mercs held the barricade line—Roy posted there with his rifle trained, jaw tight.

  Others covered angles.

  Off to the flank, Val moved like she belonged in the shadows.

  Karauro’s wire snare snapped tight.

  He slung forward like a missile—bled the speed using his boot thrusters.

  Aimed for Wraiths legs with Pulse claws.

  Wraith reacted instantly.

  Spines shot from the ground.

  Karauro jolted aside in a stuttering burst—one spike grazing his cheek.

  ---

  Wraith’s eyes flicked past Karauro—toward Roy on the barricade.

  " Val, gonna watch all day?" His mind projected into Val.

  “On it. Geez, everyone’s so tense lately,” Val replied.

  A pinprick of black fluid flicked from her fingers.

  Her body sank into a dark pool.

  A puddle burst open where the pike landed, behind Roy.

  Val’s crimson eyes glinted. Her arms snapped up, claws driving towards him.

  —until bullets ripped into the rise of her grin and forced her back down.

  Nera’s cybernetic eye sparked vivid violet.

  “Yeah, no,” Nera smirked, locking eyes with Val. “We’re not those kinds of mercs.”

  Her boot thrusters flared.

  Nera cut in fast—cyber arm-blade scything across Val’s space to keep her off the barricade—then a clean palm strike—slammed Val’s stomach and sent her skidding back.

  Val’s grin didn’t fade. “Funny. Your pup’s leaking wrong.”

  Nera didn’t flinch. “Back off. He’s not Monarch’s.”

  Val tilted her head. “So, you do know.”

  Nera answered with shots fired from her pistol.

  Val’s ichor swelled into a heavy club, slammed it down.

  Nera blocked with her cybernetic arm—impact jerking her servos, a faint spark snapping as she was knocked back a step.

  She slid, boots gouging dirt.

  ---

  Across the yard, Karauro’s gaze snapped to Val.

  YOU LOTS ARE LIKE MAGGOTS!

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  The voice screeched.

  She widened her eyes, as if listening.

  Then reality slammed back in.

  ---

  Karauro fired another snare.

  He shot under Val’s elevation as the dark pool lifted her just enough to keep distance.

  Something spilled from his fingertips—black to red to orange—splattering Val’s bare legs.

  It burned.

  Val screamed.

  Karauro whipped her away with the pull—fast, brutal, like a vine snapping taut.

  Wraith’s counter hit like a trapdoor.

  Spears punched up from below—impaling Karauro everywhere.

  Nera’s jaw clenched. / “No!”

  She launched toward Wraith—blade slicing in.

  Wraith staggered.

  The spikes shattered against Karauro as he barely caught himself upright.

  He staggered— / —but didn’t drop. / Not yet.

  Val lurched to her feet, heaving.

  Her scorched leg refused to heal.

  Her eyes flared red.

  Karauro hunched—steam spilling from his mouth with a deep, animal growl.

  Then he dropped to all fours.

  Dark slick Ichor flowed over him.

  Orange dripped from his mouth as a dog-like snout formed—teeth plated…glowing brighter like a charge-up.

  Karauro surged for Val, armor scraping as he sprang to her level.

  Wraith sprang onto the wall Karauro had just left. Purple tendril yanked at his ankles.

  Val collapsed her pool into claws and wrapped Karauro’s torso—trying to crush him.

  But her own material… scorned her.

  It crawled upward.

  Karauro leapt and tackled Val in midair.

  Together, they fell.

  Nera didn’t wait.

  She threw an Electrical Disrupting Pulse grenade at Wraith.

  The blast slammed him down.

  Nera lunged—high kick snapping up—

  Wraith caught her leg and seized her helmet.

  It began to crack.

  Burnt oil and metal seeped in.

  ---

  Across the yard, Karauro’s jaws locked around Val’s throat—Val shielding herself with a thin, hardened layer of her own.

  Val choked out, “Wraith, stop!”

  Karauro bit down anyway.

  His teeth clashed against the solid layers—sparks spitting like grinding steel.

  Wraith’s grip loosened as he turned his head.

  The purple matter around him vibrated low—angry.

  Nera kicked off and shot backward, thrusters flaring, ripping free before he could cinch tighter.

  Her head snapped to Karauro—crouched low, that orange glow faint under the slick coating him.

  Is that the strain? The cyan room flashed in her memory.

  Karauro crouched low.

  Wraith drove a purple foot into the earth.

  Spears struck Karauro—forcing his jaws off Val.

  Wraith lunged—one hand gripping a serum, the other yanking Karauro by the hair.

  “You’ll thank me later for these chains, vermin!”

  Layered voices crawled from Wraith.

  He popped the vial and poured it down Karauro’s throat, sealing it with purple seep—

  —then kicked Karauro hard in the stomach, sending him sprawling near Nera.

  ---

  Spine mercs fired bullets towards Wraith, who picked her up.

  Val bloomed a protective dome.

  Wraith glanced back at Karauro—writhing as the orange began to fade.

  “Not ready yet,” Wraith said, voice heavy with certainty.

  He and Val soared toward the glass ceiling…

  Energy surged across it in bright veins, heat shimmering as it burned spore mist.

  —and they ripped through the shield.

  Wings burst from Wraith’s back.

  They vanished into the horizon.

  Nera moved to Karauro as he leaned into her chest, groaning, trembling like he could still force himself to stand.

  He tried to yank himself free.

  His teeth pulsed with sharp pain.

  He straightened anyway—shoulders back out of habit—letting go of her hand.

  “I’m—fine.”

  Nera caught his hand again.

  His fingers tightened around hers—too tight.

  “Then why are you trembling so—” She cut off, sensing something wrong.

  A dark drip fell to the dirt between them.

  Karauro shivered. His knees buckled.

  Then his body locked hard— / —and he started to seize.

  Nera caught his weight before he hit the ground—then froze.

  Karauro's fingers locked around her glove, then went slack.

  His left eye throbbed, orange seeping further into the iris with each pulse…

  His jaw clenched, teeth twitching. A wet, gasping breath tore out of him.

  “N-Nera,” someone called from behind her.

  “Karauro. Focus on me,” she said, forcing steadiness into her voice as she shifted him onto his side.

  Whren moved in close, scanner up—then froze.

  “That’s not a typical seizure,” she whispered. “Something’s hitting his nervous system… could be a side effect from the strain flare.”