Aurora kicked the heavy door with a thunderous crack, splintering the wood as it slammed against the wall. The two henchmen on the other side barely had time to react before she was upon them, her speed a blur. A vibrant white cloud swirled from her hands, and from within it, the elegant shape of twin scythes emerged. Pearl shafts gleamed as the mirror-like blades appeared with a smooth, effortless motion, almost too fast for the eye to follow.
“Take a right after the hall,” Sumi’s voice crackled through the earpiece, calm and precise as ever.
Aurora didn’t respond; she was already moving, gliding through the dimly lit hallway. Rounding the corner another henchman lunged toward her, her angelic scythes lashed out, slicing through the air with a sharp hiss. The blade connected, and a scream tore from the man’s throat. His veins lit up with the same ghostly white hue as the cloud from which her weapon was born, pulsing beneath his skin before his body crumpled. As he collapsed, Aurora’s hand darted forward, snatching a small white orb that was ejected from his chest—a shadow of what he once was. He wouldn’t remember any of this when he woke.
Another henchman, a hulking brute wielding a steel pipe, charged at her. Aurora pivoted, her gaze snapping toward him. In one fluid motion, the pearl scythe in her hand extended, its golden shaft growing to full length as the shimmering blade sliced through the air. A flash of white lit up the man’s veins as he gasped, his consciousness slipping away. As he collapsed, Aurora’s hand closed around a small white orb, and without hesitation, she continued.
“Three more,” Sumi warned. “One behind you, two down.”
Aurora spun just in time to block a strike from the henchman behind her, her left scythe intercepting his blade with a metallic clang. The man barely had time to react before her right blade came down in a swift arc, grazing his side. His body convulsed as his veins lit up white. She caught his orb mid-fall, her hand already reaching for the next opponent.
“You’ve got stairs behind the next door,” Sumi instructed.
Aurora reached the wooden door tucked beneath the stairway and ripped it open. The scent of dryer sheets and mold clung to the air as she descended the narrow staircase, the dampness pressing in from every side. Her weapon swirled around her, its cloud-like form drifting through the humid gloom. Each time she summoned it, the vibrant smoke curled and twisted, moving in perfect sync with her swift motions, always appearing where her hand needed it most, poised to strike.
Another voice through her earpiece—it was Mal this time. “How’s it going down there? Riko is two minutes away.”
“Effortless,” Aurora whispered, her voice steady as she stepped off the last stair into the large dimly lit basement.
“You’re moving too slow,” Riko’s voice teased through the comms. “Want my backup or nah?”
“I don’t need backup,” Aurora her voice quiet.
Aurora stepped lightly onto the cold stone floor of the basement, her scythe dissipating into a swirl of smoke before reforming in an instant, ready in her hand. The space was dim, illuminated only by a few flickering bulbs hanging from the low ceiling. Crates and rusted metal shelves lined the walls, but her focus was drawn to a large iron door at the far end of the room.
“Stay sharp,” Sumi’s voice chimed in her ear.
Aurora smirked seeing two suited men with machine guns arrogantly staring at her.
“Wouldn’t be any fun if it wasn’t cliche.”
Without a word, the two henchmen’s guns rattled in an attempt to level Aurora, their hands vibrating as they fired. Without flinching, she snapped her fingers. In the same instant, sleek, silver armor burst from beneath her skin, covering her body in a gleaming set of plate and mail, reminiscent of a Valkyrie’s regal battle gear. The intricate detailing of the armor shimmered with gold and pearl tones, her shoulders adorned with sharp pauldrons, and her breastplate etched with the symbol of death. It all materialized faster than the bullets could reach her, deflecting the gunfire with a metallic ring as she stood unharmed.
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Her cold amused gaze turned toward the men, who were now frozen with fear. Another snap echoed through the dim room, and the very air seemed to grow colder, thicker… The once vibrant cloud greyed with the color of the oncoming storm.
The Pale Horse emerged.
Its skeletal face twisted into an unnatural grin, with sunken eyes that glowed faintly of a sinister evil lurking within. The horse’s body, powerful and sinewy, gleamed a ghostly white its body sculpted from pure light. The unnatural sheen seemed to melt and drip like candle wax, a spectral substance sliding off its form and evaporating into the air. Black mist curled from its hooves with every step, thickening the air around it… a suffocating energy—an aura of death so heavy it pressed against the soul, a silent reminder that this creature was not of the living world. Its presence flickered between solid and ephemeral, an illusion of life unraveling before the eye.
Even before it charged, the terror had already settled deep in their minds. They would never escape the memory of this creature—not even in their dreams.
With a roar of unearthly energy, the Pale Horse charged. It moved with terrifying speed, its blackened hooves barely touching the ground as it raced forward. The air pulsed with dark power as it reached the men. In one violent motion, the horse’s spectral jaws ripped smoking shadow orbs from their chests, feeding on their very life force. The men collapsed, convulsing on the ground, their faces contorted in terror, their minds shattered by what they had witnessed.
The shadow orb had possessed them, weaving its dark tendrils through their very souls. When they finally awoke, they would find themselves in a dim, damp basement, disoriented and hollow, with no recollection of who they were or how they had come to be there. The details of their past lives would be nothing but a fading echo, swallowed by an all-consuming void. The haunting image of that ghostly steed would flicker in the recesses of their minds, a relentless specter that tormented their dreams, leaving them to wander the darkness with only the chilling awareness of their lost identities.
“I hate leaving ones like this,” Aurora said her voice now its natural tone.
“Sumi, I’m at the door,” she said, eyeing the lock.
“Give me a second,” Sumi replied, the sound of typing in the background. “There’s a security panel to the left. It’s linked to the door. I’ll override it.”
“Did you loot the bodies?” Mal joked over through Aurora’s earpiece he was trying to lighten the dark mood.
“Eat it noob” Sumi retorted knowing the joke was targeted at her. His joke was understood by his sisters, as Sumi’s instructions often sounded the same as when she was streaming first-person shooter(FPS) games online.
“There,” Sumi said. “You’re clear. But be careful, Aurora. This door leads to something deeper. Don’t let your guard down.”
Aurora placed her hand on the cold iron, and with a sharp push, the door creaked open, revealing another dark staircase descending even further below. She couldn’t see what lay at the bottom, but whatever it was, she was ready.
As she stepped forward, the grey cloud began to swirl once more.
“I never do.”
“10-4 Command out” Mal continued mockingly.
Aurora stepped into the dim, damp room, her armor faintly glowing in the low light. Her sharp eyes immediately caught sight of the children huddled in the corner, barely visible through the shadows. They were trembling, wrapped in ragged cloths, their faces pale with fear—not just from their surroundings but from the sight of Aurora herself, a radiant figure of war and death. Their wide eyes reflected the iridescent glow of her armor, unable to believe what they were seeing.
"I’m here,” Riko announced.
Aurora’s gaze remained on the children, her expression softening slightly, though her tone stayed firm. "Come down here, Riko. There’s too many to run back up through this building."
"You sure?"
Aurora nodded to herself, scanning the narrow exits. "Let’s port them out from here. It’s safer."
The children whimpered as Aurora stepped closer, her scythes dissipating into faint wisps of white smoke. "Don’t worry," she said in a low, steady voice, her golden eyes meeting theirs. "You’re going to be safe now."
The smallest child flinched, shrinking back further into the corner. Aurora crouched slightly, her presence still glowing but less imposing as she lowered her voice."I’m not here to hurt you."
Riko appeared beside her in a swirl of blue energy, her dark hair tousled and eyes sharp as ever. She glanced at the trembling children and then back to Aurora. "Let’s move fast."
Aurora nodded, her eyes never leaving the terrified group. "We’re getting you out of here," she assured them quietly.
Riko raised her hand, a soft glow gathering in her palm as the room around them began to hum with light. The children clung to each other, wide-eyed and shaking uncontrollably, but as the light enveloped them, their faces slowly gave way to the warm glimmer of hope.