The night roared around us. Fire and wind tangled as the helicopter banked hard over the burning train. My heart pounded against my ribs.
SK stood on the roof of the train, her scythe gleaming under the moonlight, like a reaper ready to harvest stars.
Without thinking, I ripped my harness free.
"Ryze, what the hell are you doing?!" my teammate shouted, voice sharp with panic.
"I'll make a distraction! Call for backup and rescue the girls!"
"Are you insane?! You can't—"
But I didn't let him finish.
I jumped.
The wind tore at my face as I fell, the world tilting in a blur of light and smoke. My body glowed faintly as my energy shield flared, slowing my descent. I extended my hand toward the train, summoning a burst of arcane energy beneath my boots.
"Energy block!"
A hexagonal plate of glowing runes materialized under my feet, solid for just a second. I kicked off it, leaping through the air — another block formed, then another, stepping stones of light through the sky.
SK's scythe swung up to meet me, the air splitting with a shriek.
Steel met magic in a thunderclap. Sparks cascaded like falling stars.
I landed hard, boots skidding across the roof. She stood opposite me, the moonlight dancing across her armor. Her eyes glowed behind the visor, calm and cold.
"So it's you," she said softly. "The Starlink sniper."
"And you must be SkyRealm's Reaper."
Her lips curved slightly. "You know the stories."
"I know enough."
We moved at the same time.
Her scythe cut the air with impossible speed. I rolled, the blade missing my chest by inches. I raised my rifle — Bang! — a shot of pure energy tore toward her.
SK deflected it with a twist of her weapon, the blast scattering into shards of light.
"You're quick," she said. "But not quick enough."
She swung again, and I raised my palm — another energy block flared to life, catching the blow. The shield cracked under the force, the impact shaking through my bones.
"I'll have to be," I muttered, and kicked the air.
The block shattered, launching me upward. I flipped in midair, firing round after round. Each shot sparked off her armor, forcing her back.
For a brief moment, I thought I had her — until she vanished.
A flash of movement — and pain exploded in my side. She'd reappeared behind me, her scythe grazing my ribs.
I gasped, barely catching myself on another glowing plate. Blood ran down my arm, hot and slick.
"Still standing?" she asked, voice unreadable.
"I've been through worse."
The wind howled between us, carrying the sound of gunfire from below. The battle for the train raged on.
The Resistance soldiers descended by rope, landing between the burning cars.
"Secure the perimeter!" the squad leader ordered. "Move fast — hostages first!"
They breached the cargo sections, clearing room after room.
"Sir," one of them called out, shining a flashlight over a crate. Inside were racks of heavy weapons, each marked with the crest of the Empire.
"These aren't regular mercs," the soldier muttered. "This is military-grade gear."
The leader frowned. "So the rumors were true… The Empire's involved."
They pressed forward. At last, they reached a locked compartment — and inside, huddled and frightened, were the kidnapped girls.
One of them — the red-haired mage — jumped up, pointing her staff at the soldiers.
"Don't come any closer!" she shouted. "If you're with them, I'll blast you!"
"Easy, easy," the leader said, lowering his rifle. "We're Resistance. We're here to help."
"Prove it!" she snapped.
He sighed, then reached into his vest and pulled out a glowing medallion — the Medallion of Gyla, a holy relic used by the Resistance to show peaceful intent. It shimmered, detecting no hostility.
The girl's eyes softened. "…Okay. I'll trust you."
"Let's move," the leader said. "We're running out of time."
As they guided the girls out, one of them looked out the broken window — and gasped.
"Is that—?!"
High above the train, amidst the chaos and lightning, Ryze was fighting the Reaper herself.
As the helicopter hovered above the wrecked train, the Resistance team watched the fierce battle unfolding above.
Ryze and the Reaper clashed in a storm of sparks and light, their silhouettes flashing across the burning sky.
One of the soldiers whistled under his breath. "Wow… Ryze's actually that strong?"
The team leader smirked slightly, eyes fixed on the fight. "Yeah. That's why they call her the Starlink Sniper."
He adjusted his headset, voice quieter now. "Back when she first joined the Resistance, most of us didn't believe she'd last. She wasn't a top player — just another Starborn trying to survive outside her world. But her aim…" He paused, watching as Ryze fired another precise shot that clipped the Reaper's helmet. "…Her aim proved otherwise."
The soldier nodded slowly, still staring in awe. "Guess she's one of us now."
Every breath burned. Every movement felt heavier. My energy reserves were nearly gone, but SK didn't slow.
Her attacks came like waves, relentless and precise. I blocked, dodged, and leapt, each motion pulling more from the dwindling spark inside me.
She's stronger than me… but she's not untouchable.
I focused, summoning a chain of light from my gauntlet. The glowing tether shot forward, wrapping around her scythe.
"Got you!"
She smirked and yanked — hard. The chain snapped like glass.
"Cute trick," she said, and vanished again.
I barely had time to react. She appeared above me, bringing her weapon down in a killing arc.
Bang!
My rifle fired instinctively, the shot grazing her helmet and knocking her off balance. I rolled, gasping for air. My head was spinning, the edges of my vision dimming.
Then I saw it.
The horizon ahead — a black rift tearing through the air. The Void.
The space between games. The place where data goes to die.
If we fell there, it was over. No respawn. No recovery. Just deletion.
"Void's close," I muttered. "Perfect timing…"
In the distance, I saw the helicopter lifting off — my teammates and the rescued girls onboard.
"They did it…" I whispered, smiling faintly. "Now it's my turn."
"Ryze! Get in!" one of them shouted over comms. "You'll die if you stay there!"
I looked up at the hovering gunship, its searchlight sweeping over me. I smiled, forcing my shaking legs to steady.
"Go," I said softly. "Get them home."
"Damn it, Ryze! You better come back alive!"
The train screamed as it broke apart, metal shrieking. Flames roared all around us.
SK turned toward the chopper, preparing to leap.
Not on my watch.
I hurled my chain again — this time around her waist — and pulled.
She spun, eyes widening. "Are you insane?!"
"Probably," I said, grabbing her and activating my gravity rune. "But it's time to end this."
The world inverted — and we fell.
Her scream and my laugh tangled in the wind as the train collapsed into the blackness below.