STF Facility — Audrey's Lab
Kite stood frozen. His breath caught in his throat.
There, in front of him—Audrey lay crumpled on the floor, blood pooling beneath her from a gash across her back. Standing behind her was a tall figure cloaked in a white hood, his presence cold and unnatural. In his hand, he held a long white chain—its edge slick with fresh blood.
"You!" Kite's voice shook as he extended his hand, blue energy coalescing at his fingertip, the start of a Flashlight charge.
But the figure didn't flinch. Instead, he grabbed Audrey by the collar and lifted her limp body, holding her between them like a shield. Kite's eyes widened in panic. He immediately dispelled the charge.
"Who are you?! What do you want?!" he barked, voice trembling with fury.
The hooded figure gave no answer. Only his harsh, distorted breathing echoed in the tense silence.
Then, suddenly—
Audrey was thrown at him.
Kite caught her, barely steadying himself—but it was a trap.
The figure was already lunging forward, delivering a vicious kick to Kite's ribs. Kite curled around Audrey and took the full blow on his back, crashing into the wall with a grunt.
He's trained…
Gritting his teeth, Kite lifted his hand again.
"Twenty percent should be fine."
He fired a burst of Flashlight energy—quick, sharp bolts. The first few missed, but the fifth one struck the intruder's shoulder, forcing a grunt of pain. The figure staggered, clutching his wound—but then paused.
Something changed.
He went still for a moment, like he had received a silent order… then vanished in the blink of an eye.
Kite stared at the empty space.
Gone.
But Audrey—he turned his attention to her bleeding form—was still alive.
And everything else… was wrong.
---
Noble Heights — Holland Residence
Ryenne had expected danger, but not this.
As soon as she stepped into the kitchen, a shadow moved behind her. Without hesitation, she swung her heavy suitcase into the intruder's side. The hooded figure was knocked off his feet, crashing into the furniture.
More began flooding in—some through broken windows, others through places. Ryenne snatched a kitchen knife and hurled it at one of them. It struck home, burying itself in the attacker's chest.
One down.
Her suitcase clicked open, revealing the black sleek rifle inside. She took aim with practiced precision and fired—three quick shots. Three enemies fell, lined up by fate or foolishness.
A fourth tried to flank her from behind.
She spun and cracked his skull open with the rifle's stock. Blood splattered the wall as he dropped like a sack of meat.
Panting, Ryenne scanned the bodies.
But before she could breathe, something whipped through the window—a chain, glowing faintly.
It wrapped around her with a violent snap.
She struggled. The harder she resisted, the tighter it pulled.
Realizing she was losing, Ryenne stopped. Her eyes burned with frustration as the chain yanked her through the broken window, dragging her into the night.
Kite…
---
STF Facility — Main Hall
Kite carried Audrey in his arms, desperate to find help—but the hallways were empty. Not a single voice, not a single soul. The entire facility felt… abandoned.
Then—
BOOM!
A deafening blast tore through the corridor. Fire and debris surged. Kite turned just in time to shield Audrey, and the two of them were thrown back by the explosion.
Dust filled the air. The floor beneath him cracked.
His vision swam.
"Audrey…" he coughed, reaching for her.
She didn't stir.
He looked ahead.
Half of the STF facility—gone.
Vaporized.
Where the heart of their operations once stood, now lay rubble and fire.
A crushing silence fell. And in it, all Kite could feel was the heat of the flames, the weight of his failure, and a rising sense of dread.
A war had begun—and he hadn't even realized it.