Darkness.

By all means, Kai should be dead. He was shot in the chest, right where his heart was. Even he had accepted that fate. This was it. The end.

Was he okay with that? No. There was still so much left undone, so much he needed to do.

Then came the pain—not the sharp, unbearable kind, but a warm, tingling sensation in his chest. It was tolerable, almost surreal. Honestly, it wasn’t nearly as bad as he imagined dying would feel.

Then came the stench—rot, decay, something foul enough to make his stomach churn. A low, mechanical hum filled the air, steady and rhythmic.

Kai’s fingers twitched as he felt movement beneath him—a slow, shifting momentum. Something sharp poked at his back, making him uncomfortable.

Like an old ship left too long in a hangar, his brain struggled to boot up. His thoughts were sluggish, his body barely responding.

A face flickered in his mind. The man in the sunglasses. Only this time, the sunglasses were gone, revealing a face covered in burns and scars.

The same man who had watched him that first night. The same man who had attacked him in the Archive. The same man who had tossed him away like trash.

The trash chute! That’s where he was.

The humming of machinery grew louder, almost methodical. A soft buzz, gears grinding, then a loud metallic impact that sent vibrations rattling through his body. Then again. And again.

Kai wanted to sleep. He felt weak, probably from blood loss. He had been shot, after all. But the burning sensation in his chest wouldn’t let him. It wasn’t much different from when the strange liquid first entered his body.

The gears kept turning—click… click… click… BAM. Closer now.

Kai barely had the strength to turn his head, but his instincts screamed at him to move. Then something wet splattered onto his face, and the stench hit him immediately. His body reacted before his mind did. He rolled—just as a massive metal claw slammed into the spot where he had been lying. The world tilted sideways. He tumbled down a mountain of trash, picking up speed as sharp debris poked at his uniform. He threw his arms up, shielding his face as he crashed onto solid ground. The machinery kept moving, but the impacts sounded more distant now. Kai exhaled, his body going limp. Then, exhaustion took him again.

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Bodies — there were bodies of the security forces in the hallway they came in. Isaac didn't think, didn't look back. He just ran and ran out of the Archive.

He ran as fast as his legs would carry him, clutching the suitcase against his chest like a lifeline.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

He should have never brought Kai to the Archive. Now, Kai is dead.

The midday crowd in New Oliver was at its peak, something that, for once, worked in his favor. He wove between the masses, keeping his head down, his breathing quick and frantic. If he ran too fast, he’d draw attention. He stole a glance behind him and spotted a pair of patrolling androids. Their faces were an unsettling mix of metal plating and synthetic human-like skin, their glowing optics sweeping the crowd, scanning.

Isaac slowed his pace and stuck close to a group of pedestrians, lowering his head and doing his best to blend in.

No matter how much he tried to steady himself, the image of Kai getting shot wouldn’t leave his mind.

The bullet hole, dead center in his chest and blood seeping through his uniform.

Isaac swallowed hard, forcing himself forward. He had to get back to the Black Swan and report to the crew.

Eliana. She was going to be heartbroken. She would never forgive him for this.

The shuttle was in sight now, hovering just above the landing pad, preparing to descend. Isaac hurried, pushing through the last stretch of the crowd.

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Kai didn’t know how long he had been out this time. But when he woke, he felt different. The pain was still there—dull, lingering—but manageable now. Then, something nudged his face.

It was small. And alive. Quick, furry movements, poking at his cheek with tiny, curious touches. Kai blinked his eyes open and found himself staring at a small creature standing over him. The little thing chirped in high-pitched noises before scurrying away.

He slowly sat up, wincing. His chest still ached, but the crippling pain was gone. Instinctively, his hand moved to his chest, fingers tracing the hole in his uniform where the bullet had hit. Carefully, he pressed against the wound. Nothing. Just faint soreness. He lifted his fingers—only dried blood.

The liquid. That was the only explanation. It hadn’t just reformed his body once. It was inside him. Adapting. Healing - A symbiotic relationship.

The small creature was still circling his feet, chirping. Kai didn’t know what it wanted, but it didn’t seem hostile. He started to stand...

The distinct sound of a weapon’s bolt being racked froze him in place.

"Don’t move."

A soft, feminine voice came from behind him. "Turn around. Slowly." The voice was unnatural, like the speaker hadn’t used it in a long time.

Kai raised his hands, showing he wasn’t armed, and turned slowly, just as instructed. A bright light from the woman’s helmet blinded him. He squinted, trying to adjust his eyes.

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"What the hell…?" The woman muttered.

The light tilted slightly, no longer shining directly in Kai’s face. Now, he could see her more clearly. The woman was covered head to toe in worn overalls, thick fabric protecting her body. A gas mask and helmet sealed her face, concealing every inch of her skin.

Kai wanted to say something to ease the tension in the air, but before he could, the small creature suddenly stood up on its hind legs, its tiny ears perking up. Then, without hesitation, it bolted toward the woman, climbing up her suit and perching itself on his shoulder like it belonged there.

The woman tensed for a moment, her gaze locking onto Kai. She didn’t speak right away, as if deciding something, then finally muttered a quick, "Follow."

She turned and started moving at a steady jog, her rifle held in both hands, barrel pointing downward. Kai followed.

There was an undeniable nervous energy in the air, a tension Kai could feel pressing against his skin. Something was coming.

The woman ahead moved with expert precision, navigating the landscape as if she had done it a thousand times before. Kai realized he was sometimes stepping on solid ground, sometimes on piles of trash. The air was cool—not from any breeze but from the lack of sunlight filtering down here. It was the kind of cold that felt unnatural.

Kai still had no idea how the woman knew where to go. Even with his enhanced vision, he couldn't see clearly in the dim gray.

All around them, massive pillars stretched upward, disappearing into the haze above. There were buildings in the distance, scattered, abandoned, and in various states of decay.

The woman suddenly stopped, crouching behind what looked like a roadblock made of scrap metal and broken concrete. She motioned for Kai to join her.

Kai ducked down behind the cover, exhaling quietly. The air here was slightly better, but the stench of garbage still lingered. He glanced down, lifting his boot slightly, realizing he was standing on what used to be a road.

It was old, cracked, and covered in grime, but he could still make out the faded yellow lines that once divided the lanes.

A sudden air horn blared behind them, deep and mechanical. It sent a sharp pulse through Kai’s chest, and he instinctively pressed himself lower against the barricade.

Then came the thudding. Heavy stomps shaking the ground from where they had just come. Whatever it was, it was huge.

The woman and the small creature were already peeking over their cover, both watching intently. Kai joined them, cautiously tilting his head just enough to get a view.

At first, he couldn’t make out what it was. Just a moving shadow, obscured by the dust and dim lighting. But as it got closer, its shape became clearer.

A machine.

It stood tall, humanoid in structure but with a bulky, reinforced design that made it look more like a walking bunker. Its movements were slow, heavy. It was also dirty, with trash and stains covering its hull.

It came to a stop right where Kai had been standing moments ago. Then, a red light flickered on, a thin beam scanning the ground.

Kai stiffened.

The color of that light—it was the same deep, eerie red as the Watchers he had seen patrolling the skies the night before.

There was something that felt wrong about it, something sinister.

The machine stood there for a long moment, its red scanning beam sweeping across the area, searching for any trace of Kai. The low hum of its systems filled the air, each mechanical shift sending a faint vibration through the ground.

Kai barely breathed.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the red light flickered off. The machine straightened, its bulky frame shifting as it turned and began to walk back in the direction it had come from. Each step sent a heavy, rhythmic thud through the ruined streets, but at least now, it was moving away.

The woman exhaled through her gas mask, the muffled sound almost like a sigh of relief. She stood up, noticeably more relaxed now, then motioned for Kai to follow again.

They moved quickly but carefully, weaving through the landscape of decay. The further they went, the denser the buildings became. The woman took off her face mask and slowed her pace.

Kai scanned his surroundings as they walked. These buildings were old. Their architecture was a stark contrast to the sleek, modern cities he had seen before, buried beneath the ever-growing layers of Aurelia Prime.

Someone used to live here.

Kai followed the woman deeper into the dense ruins of the city, weaving through narrow alleyways. The further they went, the more tightly packed the buildings became.

The woman took a few sharp turns before stopping in front of a building that, at first glance, looked no different from the rest. The street here was narrow, barely leaving enough space for pedestrians, let alone vehicles.

Kai glanced up. A sign hung above the door, worn from age. The characters on it looked familiar, but not quite legible. It reminded him of the script he had seen in Chinatown, but slightly different. The letters were less complex, yet still carried traces of words he recognized.

The woman pulled on the door handle, and the wooden door slid open effortlessly. The small creature on his shoulder immediately leapt down and disappeared inside.

Kai hesitated for a moment before stepping in after her.

The interior was a stark contrast to the decayed city outside. It wasn’t big, nor was it luxurious, but it was clean, organized, and felt lived in. A single light illuminated the room. Somehow, she still had electricity.

The woman placed her rifle beside the door, then reached up, removing her helmet and facemask.

For the first time, Kai saw her real face.

The woman had sharp, angular features, her skin weathered and but not aged. Although not beautiful, she carried a likeable toughness in her.

The woman had been watching Kai the whole time, her gaze sharp, defensive. Kai kept his hands visible, careful not to make any sudden movements.

"You’re from the upper levels?" the woman finally asked. Her voice was clearer now.

"Yes," Kai replied.

"Seems like you've been shot," the woman said, her eyes briefly flicking to Kai’s chest.

"Yeah, but I’m okay now," Kai replied.

The woman paused, studying him for a moment. "Fine, if you say so. After all, you’re the only one I’ve ever seen survive coming down here."

"People come here often?" Kai asked.

The Woman dropped his overalls onto the ground and started folding them with practiced ease. "Sometimes. Mostly people who accidentally fall." She hesitated for a second, then glanced at Kai’s bullet wound again. "Or sometimes... murdered."

Kai felt a slow, creeping unease settle over him.

"But those that were alive all died from breathing in the toxic air of the waste," the Woman continued, "so you were really lucky to have survived that."

Kai wasn’t about to tell her that he could breathe in the toxic air because of the liquid inside him. Instead, he just shrugged, keeping that information to himself.

The room fell silent for a moment.

"My name is Derniere," the woman finally said. There was the faintest hint of a smile on her face, subtle but genuine.

"Kai," Kai replied. "And... Thanks for earlier, Derniere." He reached out a hand.

Derniere eyed him for a moment before gripping his hand firmly, shaking it once.

Kai took the chance to glance around again. Now that he was a little more aware, the place looked even more lived-in than he initially thought.

A thought crossed Kai’s mind, and he hesitated before saying, "Say, Derniere... you wouldn’t happen to have a shower, would you?”