"Haah... haah..." Carter panted, breath ragged and uneven. His left arm had been cleanly sliced off, blood streaming down as he dragged himself forward, searching for somewhere safe to recover.
He had been completely overpowered by the foes he encountered.
Not because they were stronger. If it were only a matter of strength and abilities, Carter knew he could have held his ground and returned safely.
But someone, or rather something, had destroyed his aether circuits.
He had never felt such pain. It was as if he had been killed twice and dragged back to life in the cruelest way possible.
His entire body trembled in agony, begging him to rest, to close his eyes just for a moment. But Carter understood. A dreadful realization had settled into his mind long ago.
If he closed his eyes now, he would not survive.
