The fog never lifted during their return, turning every step into an ordeal. It clung to armor and skin, chilled breath into clouds, and swallowed the landscape in shifting shapes. Reid trudged at the front, each muscle sore, the burn in his chest constant. The Bond stirred quietly, whispering now and then, feeding on his exhaustion. Mara followed close, glancing at him with concern, while Jorik brought up the rear, his silence sharp.
Twice, the fog became more than a trick of the eyes. Shadows moved, twisting into shapes that sprinted at them—small corrupted beasts, limbs bent at unnatural angles, eyes burning faintly. Holt's orders rang in Reid's head: conserve ammo. Steel was their only option. Mara met the first charge with a sweeping thrust of her spear. Jorik snarled curses as he bashed one with his rifle. Reid's knife flashed, but his movements remained human, hiding the instinct to let the Bond's speed flow freely. When the final beast fell, he crouched by the corpses, back to the others. Ash rose unseen, seeping into his hand and burning through his veins. He smothered the glow against the mud. "You hide me well," the Bond purred. "Keep hiding, little hunter."
The factory appeared from the mist like a ghost of old wars. Its walls bore scars; its roof sagged. Holt stood waiting at the gate, arms crossed, visor reflecting the dim light. "You killed it?" she asked. Reid handed over the Ash Beast's fang. Holt examined it, gave a single nod. "Impressive. But luck won't save you twice. Rest while you can. Tonight, we move again."
Mara offered Reid a faint smile. "You hear that? Impressive." Her tone teased, but her eyes stayed warm. Jorik brushed past, muttering, "Impressive doesn't mean safe."
Inside, rust and oil filled the air. Fires scattered across the floor fought off the cold but not the unease. Initiates whispered in clusters, some stealing glances at Reid. He sat alone, sharpening his knife, focusing on the rasp of metal. Holt approached later, visor gleaming. She demanded details. Reid gave her only what she needed, omitting essence, the Bond, the glow in his veins. She stared longer than necessary before leaving. "You lie well," the Bond chuckled. "Keep lying."
Sleep came slow, and when it did, it brought the void. Shadows rippled like water under his feet. Red lights pulsed overhead. Text burned across the darkness:
[Bonded Host: Reid Veylan]
Core Color: Red
Stage: Awakening (Tier I)
Essence: 4/10
Next Surge Threshold: 10
Bond Influence: Minimal – Unstable Growth
The Bond's voice wrapped around him like a chain. "Feed me. Grow stronger. Or I'll take the reins." Visions flashed: Mara screaming, Holt's visor cracking, himself tearing through allies. He woke gasping, chest aching, hiding the tremor in his hands as dawn broke.
The yard was silent under a blanket of fog, broken only by the distant creak of metal. Reid stood alone, breath visible in the chill, knife gripped tightly. Every muscle ached from the previous night, but the Bond's voice urged him on. "Again. Feel where the world bends."
He stepped forward. The air shivered around him. For an instant, the world blurred, then snapped back violently, throwing him to the ground. Pain shot up his spine. Blood streaked his upper lip. "Pathetic," the Bond hissed. "Do it again."
Hours passed. His attempts tore at him, each failure leaving bruises and fatigue. The mist thickened as though to watch him. Slowly, progress came. The steps became smoother. The tearing sensation dulled. The air seemed to part willingly as he slipped between points. When he collapsed, trembling and drenched in sweat, the Bond purred. "Better. Hide the glow, mask the burn, and they'll never know."
[Veil Step Progress: 20% Mastery]
Later, Mara found him leaning against a wall. "You've been out here all morning," she said, eyes scanning his face. Reid forced a tired grin. "Couldn't sleep." She hesitated but nodded, leaving him to his thoughts.
That night, Holt assembled them. "A stalker-class corrupted is near," she said. "Intelligent. Fast. You three—Reid, Mara, Jorik—track it. Do not engage unless forced." Her visor lingered on Reid, as if weighing something. He stayed calm, hiding the dread inside.
Jorik smirked. "Perfect. Bring the freak to find a freak." Mara snapped at him, "Enough," but the tension never eased as they moved out.
The Wastes swallowed them. Mist shifted around broken ruins, jagged walls marked with glowing claw scratches. The air reeked of burnt flesh. Reid kept his power restrained, moving with careful precision. The Bond hummed, "Closer. It smells you."
They found bone traps strung with sinew, claw marks arranged like warnings. Holt wasn't with them—only the three of them under a sky of shifting fog. Every noise was magnified, every shadow a threat. Reid's pulse hammered. "It's hunting you," the Bond whispered, almost gleeful.
Scraping echoed overhead. They froze. Jorik raised his rifle, Mara readied her spear. Reid held his breath. "Don't fire yet," the Bond said. "Let it come."
The fog parted, revealing a tall, twisted figure crouched on the wall. Its glowing eyes locked on Reid. Slowly, it tilted its head, studying him. [Predator Intelligence Detected] flashed across his vision. The Bond laughed softly. "It knows you. It knows me."
The creature leapt. Claws ripped stone as it landed, bullets sparked harmlessly, and Mara shouted as they scattered. Reid dodged, stepping with controlled bursts when unseen. Mist churned with chaos, steel and claws flashing. The Stalker hissed, gaze burning into him, then melted back into the fog. Dozens of faint eyes glowed in the distance, watching.
The Bond whispered with delight. "The hunt is not over. Hide me well, little hunter, or burn."
The squad pressed deeper into the ruins, where the buildings leaned like broken teeth and the fog thickened with every step. Each crumbling wall bore gouges that oozed a faint orange glow, signs of the Stalker's passage. The ground was littered with cracked bone and twisted scraps of metal, as though the creature collected trophies from its kills. Mara moved cautiously, her spear steady, eyes scanning the shadows. Jorik muttered curses under his breath, rifle shifting nervously.
Reid's heart pounded harder the deeper they went. The Bond's whispers were constant now, weaving through his thoughts. "It's watching you. It can smell the power you hide." He clenched his jaw and forced himself to breathe evenly, careful not to let the glow beneath his skin show.
The fog suddenly thinned, revealing an open courtyard surrounded by collapsed structures. Bones hung from ropes strung between pillars, and the ground was slick with a strange residue that reeked of corruption. The silence was suffocating. Mara's voice was a whisper. "This… this is its nest."
Jorik stepped forward and kicked a skull aside. "Creepy as hell." His voice cracked despite his effort to sound calm.
Then the scraping started. First faint, like nails across stone, then louder, circling them. Shadows moved at the edges of the mist. Reid's hand tightened on his knife. The Bond hummed with anticipation. "Let it come. Feed me."
The Stalker emerged from the fog, larger than before, its movements fluid and wrong. Its glowing eyes burned with awareness. It tilted its head, almost curious, then let out a shriek that echoed through the ruins. The air seemed to shudder.
It attacked without warning. Claws swiped toward Mara, forcing her to dive aside. Jorik fired, bullets sparking off its hide. Reid moved, slipping through the mist with short Veil Steps, careful to mask each one as human agility. His knife slashed at exposed seams, ichor spraying. The creature snarled, striking back with impossible speed.
The fight dragged across the courtyard. The Stalker used the environment, clinging to walls, leaping from shadows. Every time it struck, Reid barely avoided death, the Bond's whispers guiding his movements. "Left. Duck. Strike now." Pain burned through him with each hidden step.
At last, Reid saw an opening. The Stalker lunged at Mara, claws poised to tear her apart. Without thinking, he Veil Stepped—too far, too fast—and buried his blade deep into the creature's neck. The glow under his skin flared for a moment, unseen by the others in the chaos. The Stalker thrashed, shrieking, then collapsed in a heap of ash and ichor.
Mara scrambled to her feet, eyes wide. "Reid… you—"
He cut her off quickly. "It was luck." His voice was firm, hiding the truth. Jorik stared at him, suspicion clear but unsaid.
The Bond purred as the last of the creature's essence flowed into Reid unseen. "You hide me well. But they will see, sooner or later." The ash sank into his skin, the glow dimming.
The mist began to stir again. More eyes glowed in the distance, countless shapes lurking. The Bond laughed, low and cold. "They're coming. The hunt never ends."
Reid tightened his grip on the knife as the fog closed in.