---Red---

The sun crests over the horizon, casting streaks of orange and gold across the clouds below us. I lean against the cold glass of the helicopter window, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. The vibrations of the engine hum faintly beneath my feet, a constant reminder of the miles passing beneath us. Yet my thoughts remain frozen, tangled in a storm I can't escape.

Domnik.

The name alone sends a wave of emotions crashing into me, each one sharper than the last. He's alive. He's alive, and yet... he isn't. Not really. Vermidia has him. His eyes-the way they flickered between fear and that horrifying purple glow-keep playing over and over in my mind. I should've done something. I should've saved him.

He was begging me for help.

My fist clenches against my side. The DragonsBreath rests sheathed at my hip, the weight of it familiar but hollow. What good is this weapon if I can't even protect the people I care about? I told myself Domnik was gone, and I buried the guilt so deep I thought it was over. Now it's all back, raw and fresh, threatening to tear me apart.

I press my forehead against the glass, closing my eyes as the sun's rays grow brighter. The warmth feels wrong. There's no warmth in what happened back there.

This is my fault.

If I had been stronger, if I'd found him first, maybe Vermidia wouldn't have gotten to him. Maybe he wouldn't be her pawn, her weapon. The thought of him trapped inside his own mind, fighting her control, is like a knife twisting in my chest.

I want to scream, to let out all the rage and helplessness boiling inside me, but I can't. Not here. Not with everyone else depending on me to keep it together. So I stay quiet, staring out at the rising sun like it has answers I'll never find.

"Red," Kylen's voice cuts through the silence, steady but concerned.

I glance back over my shoulder at him, just briefly. "What?"

"You've been staring out there for a while," he says, his tone soft but pointed. "You okay?"

I shake my head and turn back to the window. "No. I'm not."

Kylen doesn't push further, and I'm grateful for that. What could I even say? That I'm scared? That I'm angry? That seeing Domnik again feels like losing him all over again?

The sun rises higher, its light spilling across the cabin and catching the reflections of my teammates. They're all silent now, exhausted in their own ways, but I can feel the weight of their thoughts pressing against mine.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady the storm inside me. Domnik's voice echoes in my mind, fractured and desperate: "Red, please, help me..."

"I will," I whisper, so low it's barely audible over the hum of the helicopter. My fists clench tighter. "I'll get you back, Domnik. I swear."

The sun keeps climbing, indifferent to the chaos it illuminates. And for now, all I can do is stare, the fire in my chest burning hotter with every passing moment.

-

The helicopter touches down with a faint jolt, the hum of the rotors slowing as I slide the door open. The team files out, their boots crunching against the gravel of the deserted launch site.

Kylen glances around, his expression tense. "Claire, why are we at my NASA property?"

Claire doesn't hesitate, already moving toward the gate. "Because this was the only place I could think of to build our new home away from home."

Something feels off. There's an unnatural stillness in the air, a silence that puts me immediately on edge. As Claire scans the perimeter, her brow furrows. "This is weird. No guards. No personnel. Nothing."

Kat doesn't wait for answers. She pulls her bow from her back and nocks an arrow, her movements sharp and deliberate.

Keegan jogs to catch up, looking between us with confusion. "What's going on? What's with the weapons?"

Kat takes a slow step forward, her eyes sweeping the shadows. "Claire, the gate's unlocked."

My gaze shifts to the launch site in the distance. A massive ship looms there, its silhouette stark against the early morning sky. "Is that what we're here for?" I ask.

Claire doesn't answer right away. She stops mid-step, tilting her head slightly. "Do you hear that?"

The tension in her voice sets my nerves on fire.

Kat tightens her grip on her bow. "Yeah. We're not alone. There's something else here."

"Military?" Alyse asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Not sure," Claire replies, her hands glowing faintly green with poison energy. "Just keep your guard up."

We move toward the main building, the uneasy silence following us. Inside, the darkness is suffocating, broken only by the faint glow of a computer terminal at the far end of the room. Claire heads straight for it, typing rapidly.

"Watch my back," she says, her voice clipped. "You see that ship out there? That's our space station." She points out the window, but her eyes stay on the screen.

I take up position near the left-side door, scanning the shadows. Kat stands guard at the entrance we came through, her bow ready. The room feels like it's holding its breath.

"This place gives me the ick," Hail mutters, his voice low.

"Tell me about it," Kylen agrees, his hand hovering near his weapon.

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"Almost done," Claire says, her fingers flying over the keys. "And... there. We have clearance to launch. They just need a name."

She glances back at me, expectant.

I think for a moment before replying. "K. For Knights."

"Space Station K," Claire confirms, a small smile breaking the tension for a moment. "Let's get out of here. This place gives me the ick too."

Alyse chuckles softly, though her posture is still tense.

We start toward the exit, but I hesitate at the threshold, glancing back into the room. Something's wrong. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end.

And then, a voice cuts through the silence like a knife.

"Red..."

I spin around just in time to see him-Dreadwind. He's a massive figure in the darkness, his presence suffocating. The Darkblade gleams in his hand, catching the faint light of the terminal as he charges toward me.

Before I can react, he swings the blade with brutal force. It connects with my side, the impact throwing me across the room. I crash into the wall, pain exploding through my body as I collapse to the ground.

"Red!" Alyse's voice is sharp with panic, and lightning crackles from her hands as she fires at him.

Dreadwind sidesteps the attack effortlessly, raising a hand. A concussive blast of sound erupts from him, sending Alyse and the others flying through the doorway and into the pavement outside. The door slams shut behind them, sealing us in with a metallic hiss.

"Time we had a chat," Dreadwind says, his voice deep and warped by Vermidia's influence. "Just the two of us."

I hear the pounding of fists on the door, muffled shouts from the team as they try to break in. But they're locked out, and I'm on my own.

Blood trickles from my side where the Darkblade struck me, warm and sticky beneath my fingers. I force myself to my feet, leaning on the wall for support.

"What do you want?" I ask, my voice low and strained.

Dreadwind tilts his head, a cruel smile spreading across his face. But it's not really him-it's her. Vermidia's voice pours from his mouth like venom. "I've already found everything else I need. The last thing I want is that blade of yours. You're going to give it to me."

"Domnik, please," I say, desperation creeping into my voice. "Fight this. I can't... I can't kill you. I can't lose you again."

But there's no recognition in his eyes, only the cold glow of Vermidia's control.

I draw the DragonsBreath, its familiar weight steadying me as I prepare for the fight of my life. My hand moves to activate the Madium armor at my ankle, but before I can, another wave of sound crashes into me, slamming me into the floor.

Every bone in my body screams in protest, but I grit my teeth and push myself up. My vision blurs, but I can see Dreadwind advancing, the Darkblade raised for another strike.

I tighten my grip on the DragonsBreath, the fire in my chest igniting despite the pain. If this is how it has to be, then so be it.

"Let's finish this," I growl, and the battle begins.

"You always were stubborn."

I don't respond. There's no point- Domnik isn't in there. Not anymore.

Dreadwind lunges, closing the distance between us with terrifying speed. The Darkblade comes down in a sweeping arc, its weight threatening to cleave me in two. I sidestep and counter, swinging the DragonsBreath upward. Our blades collide with a deafening clang, sparks erupting from the clash of madium.

Before I can press the attack, he slams his free hand into my chest, releasing a concussive blast of sound. The force sends me skidding across the room, my back slamming into the wall. My vision blurs as the vibrations rattle through my body.

I push off the wall, gritting my teeth. Flames coil around my hand as I thrust it forward, sending a roaring fireball in his direction. Dreadwind dodges, the flames licking the edge of his armor but not slowing him.

"You'll have to do better than that," he sneers, his voice carrying an unnatural resonance.

He swings the Darkblade again, its edge trailing dark energy. I parry with the DragonsBreath, the force of the blow reverberating up my arm. I twist, pivoting to the side and slashing at his torso. The DragonsBreath grazes his armor, leaving a glowing scorch mark

He growls and retaliates, this time unleashing another sound blast from his blade. The air ripples as the wave of energy rushes toward me. I roll to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack as the wall behind me crumbles from the impact.

Focusing my energy, I channel fire into the DragonsBreath, the blade igniting with a fiery glow. I charge, slashing downward with all my strength.

Dreadwind blocks, but the force of the attack drives him back a step.

"Is this all you've got?" he taunts, but I can hear the strain in his voice.

I summon more flames, letting them engulf my free hand. With a sharp motion, I hurl a stream of fire at his feet.

The flames surge upward, forcing him to leap back.

Seizing the opportunity, I rush forward, slamming the hilt of my sword into his gut. He stumbles, and I slash again, this time catching his arm. The Darkblade wavers in his grip, but he steadies himself and retaliates with a wild swing.

The blade clips my shoulder, and pain flares as blood seeps into my armor. I grit my teeth, the heat of the

DragonsBreath coursing through me as I swing again, aiming for his side.

Dreadwind blocks and counters with a powerful soundwave, the force sending me crashing into the floor. I roll onto my back, gasping for air as the vibrations threaten to tear me apart.

"Give up, Red," he says, looming over me. The Darkblade glows with dark energy, ready to strike. "You can't save him. You never could."

His words cut deeper than his blade ever could, but I push the doubt aside.

With a roar, I slam my fist into the ground i, a wave of fire erupting outward.

The flames surge around him, forcing him to retreat.

I stagger to my feet, flames swirling around the DragonsBreath as I raise it once more. My body aches, every movement a struggle, but I can't stop. I won't.

Dreadwind charges again, his blade a whirlwind of dark power. Our swords clash in a frenzy of strikes and counters, the room echoing with the sound of battle. I weave fire into my attacks, each swing of the DragonsBreath leaving trails of flame in its wake.

He counters with sound, his blasts tearing through the air and forcing me to keep moving. But with each strike, each block, I see him falter.

"This isn't you, Domnik!" I shout, my voice hoarse. "You're stronger than this! Fight her!"

For a moment, his movements falter, the glow of Vermidia's influence dimming in his eyes. But then, with a snarl, he slams the Darkblade into the ground, unleashing a shockwave that throws me across the room.

I hit the wall hard, the DragonsBreath slipping from my grasp. Dreadwind stalks toward me, the Darkblade raised for the killing blow.

"This ends now," he says, Vermidia's voice echoing through him.

Summoning the last of my strength, I raise my hand. Flames burst forth, engulfing him in a fiery explosion. The force of it sends both of us flying, the room shaking from the impact.

I try to rise, but Dreadwind is already on me, his shadow eclipsing the faint light from the terminal. With a vicious thrust, the Darkblade plunges into my chest.

A searing pain tears through me as the blade's dark energy burns into my core.

My ribs feel like they're fracturing under the force, and my heart feels like it's being squeezed by an invisible vice.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance," Dreadwind says, his voice cold and venomous.

He yanks the blade free, and a fresh wave of agony courses through me.

Blood spills from the wound, soaking the floor beneath me. My hand instinctively moves to clutch my chest, but the damage is done.

Before I can react, he grabs my wrist.

His grip is like iron as he rips the Madium Claw from my hand, the device slipping free effortlessly. My body is too weak to resist, my vision swimming as I watch him place the claw over his own hand.

Then he kneels, picking up the DragonsBreath from the floor beside me. The sight of him holding both the Claw and the blade-the weapons meant to protect our world-twists something deep inside me.

"You were the last obstacle," he says, his tone laced with Vermidia's cruel influence. "Now nothing stands in the way of my Spawn. They will spread unchecked, consuming this world and everything beyond."

He steps closer, his silhouette looming over me as he tilts his head, letting Vermidia's voice resonate through him.

"The plan I enacted so many years ago is finally complete. Give Chronos my regards... and my good riddance."

The weight of her words crushes me as much as the pain in my chest. I grip the wound, trying to hold myself together, but my strength is fading fast. My vision blurs, the world dimming around me.

This can't be the end. It can't.