wave of energy washed over Mars, as the trio wore solemn looks.

Void felt like his skin crawled with ants, his body twitched as he felt sharp pinches.

Kabr took in a deep breath as he tweaked his visor.

"Looks like we're not dealing with a small number. Configure the signal to match our radar."

Pahanin swiftly reprogrammed the relay to coordinate with his microchip, "The frequency is matching. You'll see them now."

Void focused his vision as his radar lit up, hundreds of red dots scattered around mars.

'Is each of them an Ahamkara?' Void felt cold sweat roll down his back.

Kabr surveyed his radar, "Clusters packed into underground ravines. They're all hiding, the closest pack is five minutes from here. Let's strike before they can see us coming."

Immediately, he summoned his sparrow, and revved the bike, its thrusters roared.

Void brought out his own, "Ready", he jerked the handle as a neon light sparked.

"Let's go." Pahanin swiftly mounted his sparrow as he shot towards the nearest cluster.

"Don't fall behind kid." Kabr shouted, blasting off behind Pahanin.

Void immediately sprang into gear as a trace of neon light erupted, he ripped through the sandstorm, shooting towards them.

Like spears shearing through the storm, the trio cruised at breakneck speeds. Pahanin's riding skills could only be described as legendary.

The Martian terrain was rocky, uneven and crumbled under high speeds, however, Pahanin had not once slowed down, no matter what twists or turns came, he kept his pace.

'Talk about reaction time' Void felt strained to just keep up at speeds beyond sound, but Kabr and Pahanin seemed completely fine.

"Kid, can you hear me? We're close, hang in there."

Void looked towards Kabr as he waved a hand, picking up the pace to match Pahanin, Void took a breath as he wrung his accelerator fully, barely catching up.

A ravine came up ahead as the trio slowed down.

"We're here." Pahanin's voice echoed across the channel, he planted his foot in the sand as his sparrow skidded, drifting across as he stopped just before the edge.

Pahanin gazed at the abyss below, Kabr and Void braked to a halt beside him.

" Damn, I can't see a thing." Void squinted his eyes, but the ravine remained pitch black.

"It's probably just a trick." Kabr equipped his rifle again, feet lingering near the edge.

"We're going down, don't mess up the landing." He glanced to Void, and nodded.

Void gave a nod back, as Kabr dove straight into the Ravine, Pahanin followed, nimbly plunging to the depths.

Void equipped his own rifle, as he gave it one last reload.

-click-, swift as a phantom, Void leapt inside, nosediving to the bottom.

'It's pitch black, I can't sense anything.' His fall seemed to be go on for too long.

'Is this another mirage? No, I saw those two go in.' Void kept freefalling down into deep.

He tried to spread out his senses but it was like trying to catch his own shadow off-guard, impossible.

A minute had passed, Void felt a cool breeze brush past him, as he continued to plunge deeper into the ravine.

'I am close' Void instinctively pushed himself down, like a needle.

Void had seemingly lost his sense of balance, yet surprisingly he didn't feel it impossible to make the landing.

He smiled recalling his first death, 'Compared to that, this is nothing.'

Light gathered at the soles of his feet as he spread his arms to slow himself down, feeling the closer than ever, he swiftly kicked the air twice, an impulse rushed through him, as he softly dropped down.

A second later, he felt the firm bedrock as he gracefully landed on his toes, 'I guess captain's training wasn't all that useless..'

Void pressed his ears as he felt the comms static, but soon the channel seemed clear.

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He whispered, "It's me, if you can hear me, reply through the comms."

Although Void couldn't sense anyone nearby, Pahanin's comms channel was active, there was a slight hope that the network was still working.

" Its @#$@#$ .....I can ...@#$@#$ you. We are @#$@#$, we're separated, @#$$@ forward. @#$@#$ you soon."

A painful static buzzed through his ears. The message seemed far too distorted, but Void could decipher what he needed.

'Move forward'.

He stood up and activated his stealth, his eyes focused on his radar, a few enemies lined up ahead.

Void gripped his rifle, as he stealthily prowled the dark ravine. His figure molded with the shadows, his pupils glowed a faint blue.

It wasn't long before Void encountered it, a spiny serpentine husk, coiled around a boulder. Hollow eyes, and crystalline fangs, the creature hadn't noticed Void in his spectral form.

Void knew instinctively, it was an Ahamkara. Some eerie energy just seemed to spill out from the creatures aura.

'It seems miniature compared to the holograms. But how strong is it.'

He couldn't just take a guess. A single strike, if he couldn't finish it within that, Void didn't know how the Ahamkara would react.

His left hand still held the rifle, as his right palm seemed to conjure a dagger. Void felt his heart skip a beat.

The Ahamkara seemed to look above, in a trance. It looked towards the faint horizon, high above, as if it could read the stars.

Void stirred his light, as it coated his dagger, a thin streak on its edge. Taking a quick breath, Void was ready to pounce, yet his body felt...frozen.

Or perhaps, it was the world.

'It's this feeling again', Void felt, weightless, but stiff. Nothing could move now, not even him.

It all grinded to a halt, yet Void could feel his right palm, or rather, his dagger.

'It's small, but there's movement.'

Void took a fraction of a second, as his thoughts aligned, 'Of course, so it's like this.'

Instantly, a thin coat of light spread around Void's body. 'Just as I thought', his legs twitched, as he plunged forwards, piercing through the frozen world.

The gears of time seemed to shift once more, Void moved at speeds beyond comprehension, he flickered above the Ahamkara. The creature sensing his power, seemed alarmed, seeing this crisis, it sought to hide.

It pulled the seams of space, to escape.

'As if I'd let that happen.'

Void's dagger cut through, as a swift strike sliced through the Ahamkara's head, a streak of purple light corroded the remains.

Its head rolled to the floor, as Void gently slid across to a halt.

"That's one down."

Void felt a blue screen pop up, as a notification appeared.

------------------------

Passive Perk Acquired: Time's Tempo (Imperfect)

Ability: On rare and random occasions, the world stops for a brief second, allowing you to move with it.

Remarks: "Guardian, the bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot"

* Skill can be perfected to be an active perk

-----------------------

'So this is what I've been feeling.' His thoughts lingered around the imperfect tag.

'If I could perfect this skill.' Void's mind raced with the possibilities, but it was no time to daydream. He shook his head and got back to his senses.

A glance at his radar showed a couple more Ahamkara lying in wait. 'It's possible they've sensed me, either way, I can't stop here.'

Void picked up the pace as he merged with the shadows once more. Stalking the ravine, he flickered like a phantom. The radar showed they were directly ahead, as Void snuck through to a cavern.

However, no Ahamkara were to be found. The cavern seemed empty. That was until he heard a voice, and it whispered to his soul.

~O Strange one, why must you hunt us. You and us are the same. Wanderers in this universe.~

The ghastly voice seemed to echo, as Void felt a shiver run down his spine, he looked up.

"Is it your hobby to hide like cowards? Or are you just scared for your life." Void smirked.

At his taunt, a few draconic serpents crawled down the roof of the cavern, dangling as they faced him.

An Ahamkara smiled at him, as it spoke, almost like it was reminiscing.

~O strange one, is life and death so different? Either way, we continue, drifting across times. Isn't that true?~

"If it's no different to you, then you wouldn't mind dying right?" Void immediately aimed his rifle, as he held down the trigger, hundreds of bullets shot towards them, as smoke built up in the cavern.

Seeing as the barrel went red hot, Void let go of the trigger. However, that wasn't the problem.

'Their energy is still here', Void frowned.

The smoke cleared a second later, revealing the Ahamkaras dangling, jovially staring at Void.

~O brother ours, do you truly not remember?~

~Brother mine, why must you forget everytime?~

~Clumsy brother~

~Brother~

Several voices resonated within the cavern, as Void felt a sense of oppression.

-----------------

! Warning: Host is being affected by an external energy

! Warning: Host is being affected by an external energy

! Warning: Host is being affected by an external energy

[ Host is recommended to use his light!!]

------------------

Void immediately felt nauseous, as the Ahamkara's slithered closer, with fanged grins, their bodies deformed, elongating like ophidians.

He noticed the system's warnings, and just as before, Void coated himself with a thin film of light.

'This pressure, it's wearing off'

Seeing as their cryptic ways wore off, the Ahamkara froze in place, eyeing Void. Sensing his dangerous aura they crept backwards.

"So normal bullets won't work huh." Void let go of his rifle as it transferred to his subspace, instead he unsheathed his saber.

The blade arced, now coated with a lilac aura. Void eyed the Ahamkara, he could see they were afraid. Afraid of his light.

He inched closer, knowing that they weren't as strong as they seemed. He recalled Ikorra's words.

"The weaker Ahamkara use deception." Void grinned.

"Since you bastards couldn't do any tricks, you're pretty weak huh."

His words made the Ahamkara's shift backwards, as they seemed to whisper in an unknown language.

However one spoke out.

~O brother mine, speak your wish, we shall grant it.~ It seemed hopeful as Void seemed to halt his steps.

"My wish? You wouldn't believe me if I told you" With those words, Void flickered.

Before the Ahamkara could get another word in, he clutched his sword, with a swift movement, he slashed through the cavern, as the lightning arced sending out a horizontal slice.

In one move, Void had dissected all their heads. He stood over their corpses, as he crept closer.

Void picked up the bones of the Ahamkara he had just killed, examining them closely.

----------------

Ahamkara Bones (Crafting Material)

Usage: Can be used to craft weapons or armor of all kinds.

* Upon crafting, there is a possibility of a cursed item being made.

------------------

Void squinted at the description, 'I will take that chance'

He collected all the bones in his inventory and walked away. Moving forward through the ravine.

Yet as his figure disappeared, a very faint whisper echoed, muttering away.

The Ahamkara's severed head twitched, it's eyes sparkling for a second, as it finally died down, embracing death.