The city lights blur past the car windows as Alyse drives us back to Smith Tower. My body aches in ways I haven't felt in years. Dreadwind-or whoever he is-hit harder than anyone I've faced in a long time. I roll my shoulder, wincing as a sharp pain shoots down my side. Alyse notices.

"You're hurt," she says, her voice soft but firm.

"I'm fine," I mutter, leaning my head back against the seat. "Just need some air and time to think."

Alyse doesn't respond right away, but the tension in the car is thick. I can feel her worry as much as I can feel the heat from the DragonsBreath resting on my lap. The fight keeps replaying in my mind. His power, his precision-he wasn't just strong. He knew me.

We pull up to Smith Tower, and before I can step out of the car, Claire is already waiting in the entrance. She rushes to my side the second I climb out, her eyes scanning me like a hawk.

"You look like hell," she says, folding her arms. "What happened?"

"I don't have time for this," I reply, brushing past her. The adrenaline is wearing off, and exhaustion creeps into every muscle.

"Well, too bad," Claire says, following close behind. "You're bleeding through your armor. Sit down and let me check you out before you keel over."

I glance at Alyse, who looks just as insistent, and reluctantly drop into one of the lounge chairs. Claire kneels beside me, her hands already glowing faintly as she prepares to heal the worst of my wounds.

"This isn't just some run of the mill villain, is it?" Alyse asks, her arms crossed.

"No," I admit, exhaling heavily. "He called himself Dreadwind. And he has the Darkblade."

Claire freezes mid-motion. Her head snaps up, eyes wide. "The Darkblade? You're sure?"

"As sure as I am about the DragonsBreath," I say. "That sword-it's impossible to mistake."

Before anyone can respond, the news playing on the television catches our attention. A reporter stands at the racetrack, the wreckage from the meteor still smoldering in the background. The headline flashes across the screen: "Alien Battle at Indy Speedway: City in Panic." The reporter goes on about how the U.S. Space Force has locked down the area.

Claire's lips press into a thin line. She stands abruptly and taps on her wristband. "I'm calling the team again. Everyone needs to hear this."

-

Minutes later, we've all made our way to the penthouse. The living room fills with familiar faces. Kylen arrives first, still in his repair gear from the lab. Dylan walks in next, clearly still running on adrenaline from his earlier training with Hail. Keegan shows up last, his usual relaxed demeanor replaced with quiet intensity. Kat sneaks in behind him, her mind still clearly racing with deep thought, she's been researching something, it's written all over her face.

"Where's Hail?" Dylan asks, glancing around.

"Probably at a bar," Claire mutters, her tone sharp.

"We don't have time to wait," I cut in. "This isn't about him. It's about Dreadwind and what he wants."

I stand, gripping the back of the chair to steady myself. "Whoever he is, he knows me. He came here for the DragonsBreath, and he's not going to stop until he gets it. That and somehow, he had the Darkblade."

"Wait," Dylan says, frowning. "Why does he want the DragonsBreath? And where did he get the Darkblade?"

"I asked him," I reply. "He didn't answer. But he knew how to use it-like it belonged to him."

The room falls silent as everyone processes what I've said. Then Kylen speaks, his voice calm but heavy. "If he has the Darkblade, that means someone gave it to him-or he took it from Domnik. Which also means that somehow he got here from Amerei. Either way, this is bad."

"No kidding," Keegan adds, leaning against the wall. "And if this guy's as strong as you're making him sound, we've got a bigger problem on our hands than just him coming after you. This makes three possible daem running wild."

"Red," Kat interjects, "you went out there alone. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking I didn't have time to call for backup," I snap. "He showed up out of nowhere, and people were in danger. What was I supposed to do? Stand around and wait?"

"You could've died!" Claire's voice rises, frustration breaking through her usual composure.

"At least I wasn't drowning in a bottle like some of us," I fire back without thinking.

The room goes dead silent. Dylan shifts uncomfortably, and Alyse looks away. Kylen's expression hardens, but he doesn't say anything.

"You want to repeat that?" Hail's voice cuts through the air like ice as he steps into the room.

I meet his glare, my own frustration boiling over. "You heard me."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Enough!" Claire shouts, stepping between us. "This isn't helping. We need to figure out who Dreadwind is and what his endgame is-not tear each other apart."

Hail's gaze lingers on me for a moment before he turns and storms out of the room.

As the tension lingers, Alyse rests a hand on my shoulder. "Red," she says quietly, "we'll figure this out. Together."

I nod, though my mind is already racing ahead. Dreadwind isn't just some villain. He's something more-something personal. And if he's willing to destroy a city to get to me, I need to be ready for his return.

---Kat---

Alyse stretches, her voice carrying a soft edge of weariness as she leans against the back of the couch. "It's been a long day," she says, glancing at the group. "We should all get some rest. We're going to need it."

There's a chorus of nods, murmured agreements, and the shuffle of tired bodies heading toward their rooms. Dylan gives a small wave before disappearing upstairs, and Claire follows, her steps lingering as if reluctant to leave. Red leans against the doorframe, his face shadowed in thought, before he finally turns and retreats to the roof. The sound of the balcony door sliding shut echoes faintly.

But I'm not ready to call it a night. Not yet.

Keegan slouches into the armchair across from me, looking every bit as tired as everyone else, though he's trying to hide it. He reaches for his guitar, his fingers absently strumming a few quiet chords, but I cut him off before he can settle in.

"Don't get comfortable yet," I say, standing and crossing my arms. "We've got some sleuthing to do."

Keegan's fingers pause on the strings, and he raises an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Sleuthing? This late? Thought we were calling it a night."

"We can sleep when we're dead," I reply, grabbing my jacket. "Or, you know, when Dreadwind decides to show up again and make it so. I'm not waiting around for him to drop another bombshell on us."

Keegan sighs, setting the guitar down with exaggerated reluctance. "Alright, Spectra. What's the plan?"

"We're hitting the crash site," I say. "Space Force might have locked it down, but I'd bet my bow they didn't find everything. Someone needs to look at it with a fresher pair of eyes."

"And those eyes are ours?" he asks, standing and cracking his neck. "Sounds like fun."

I grin. "Suit up, Voidstrider."

---

The streets are quiet as we approach the crash site. Keegan's van is parked a few blocks away, and we've been careful to stick to the shadows. The U.S. Space Force has cordoned off the area with floodlights and guards, their vehicles forming a tight perimeter. It's a fortress-for them, at least. For us? Just another challenge.

Keegan adjusts his scarf, his dark eyes scanning the scene. "So, what's the move, boss?"

"We go quiet," I whisper, notching an arrow and pulling my hood tighter over my head. "I'll take the east side, slip in through the alley. You-"

"Make myself useful, I know," he interrupts, smirking. He opens a small void portal at his feet and pulls out...a grilled cheese sandwich. He takes a bite, grinning through the mouthful. "Fuel for the mission."

I roll my eyes. "Just don't get caught, Voidstrider."

Keegan salutes with the sandwich, then disappears into the shadows. I shake my head, smiling despite myself, and move toward the alley.

The crash site is a mess of scorched earth and twisted metal, the aftermath of Dreadwind's dramatic arrival. My boots crunch softly against the debris as I creep closer, staying low and out of sight. The guards are methodical, their patrols predictable, and it's almost too easy to slip past them.

I crouch near the crater, my eyes scanning the ground. There's something faintly shimmering in the dirt-a fragment of metal, glowing faintly with a strange energy. I pick it up, holding it carefully. Madium. Has to be. But why does it feel...different?

Before I can examine it further, Keegan's voice crackles softly through my earpiece. "Spectra, heads up. We've got company."

"Space Force?" I whisper back, tucking the fragment into my pouch.

"Yup," he replies. "And they're not happy about uninvited guests."

I glance up, spotting a pair of guards moving toward my position. Time to move.

"Meet me at the rendezvous," I say, slipping back into the shadows.

"On it," Keegan replies.

-

We regroup a few blocks away, the crash site safely behind us. Keegan's grinning as usual, holding up a small device. "Got this off one of their scanners. Figured it might tell us something interesting."

"Good," I say, showing him the fragment of Madium. "And I found this. Whatever Dreadwind's up to, it's connected to this. We need to figure out how."

Keegan nods, his expression briefly serious before the smirk returns. "Back to the Tower, then? Unless you wanna grab some celebratory tacos first."

"Tacos later," I reply, already heading toward the van. "Let's go."

---Dylan---

I lean back against the armrest of the couch, watching as the tower's lights dim one by one. Alyse is curled up on the other end, her knees tucked under her chin, staring silently at the skyline. The moonlight filters through the wide windows, painting her face in pale silver.

For a long moment, neither of us speaks. The hum of the city outside fills the silence, broken only by the occasional creak of the building settling. I know what's bothering her-Red's fight earlier with that... thing. Whatever that armored guy was, he left more than physical damage behind. The weight in Alyse's shoulders is proof enough.

Finally, I break the silence. "You're thinking about him, aren't you?"

She looks at me, startled, but doesn't deny it. "He's reckless," she says quietly. "I get why he's so... driven. But he doesn't stop to think about what it does to the rest of us. What it does to me."

I nod slowly, giving her the space to vent. Alyse is usually the calm one, the one holding everything together when the world starts falling apart. Seeing her like this-frustrated, vulnerable-it's not something I'm used to.

"I mean, how many times has he run off alone? How many fights has he picked without a second thought?" Her voice rises, then drops again as she pulls her arms tighter around herself. "One day, he's not going to come back, Dylan. And I don't know if I can watch that happen."

Her words hit me harder than I expect. "Red's tough," I say, trying to sound more confident than I feel. "He's been through worse, right? Shit, he fought through hell to get you back, literally. He'll figure it out."

Alyse shakes her head. "That's not the point. He's so focused on Dreadwind-or whatever his name is-that he's going to start losing sight of everything else. Of us." Her gaze drops to her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. "It'll be like nothing else matters to him anymore."

I scoot a little closer, lowering my voice. "You're not wrong, but... I don't think he sees it that way. For Red, this is personal. He's carrying a lot more than he lets on."

Her eyes lift to meet mine, searching for something I'm not sure I can give. "And what about you?" she asks. "What would you do if it were me out there, throwing myself into danger?"

The question catches me off guard. "I'd follow you," I say after a beat. "No question. And I'd do whatever it takes to make sure you came back."

Her expression softens, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "I don't want to lose anyone else, Dylan. Not him. Not you."

"You won't," I say firmly. "We're in this together, Alyse. Whatever happens with Dreadwind, Red, or anything else, I promise-I'll be here."

She leans into my side, and for a moment, the weight of the day feels lighter. I wrap an arm around her, letting the silence speak for both of us. Somewhere in the distance, the city continues its restless hum, but up here, it's just us. And for now, that's enough.