The Helios Hotel’s service entrance reeked of grease and cleaning chemicals. The dim overhead lights flickered, their feeble glow reflecting off the metal carts and crates lining the narrow corridor. Lawrence stood poised at one end, his breathing controlled, his stance firm. Across from him, Faraday stood with a crooked smile, his pale skin almost luminous under the flickering lights.

“You’re persistent,” Faraday drawled, his voice carrying an edge of amusement. “But we both know how this ends.”

Lawrence remained silent, his EchoFlux sharpening every sound, every vibration around him. He could feel Faraday’s confidence, his predatory hunger radiating like a pulse.

Faraday moved first, his speed blinding. One moment he was still; the next, he was lunging forward, his fist slicing through the air. Lawrence ducked low, feeling the rush of displaced air above his head. He twisted his body, driving a sharp elbow toward Faraday’s ribs, but the vampire twisted, avoiding the strike with inhuman grace.

“You’re fast,” Faraday admitted, his tone almost impressed. “But you can’t outrun me forever.”

Lawrence’s jaw tightened. “Who said I’m running?”

He extended his hand, channeling his Arkamon Flux. The copper-colored energy flared to life around his fingers, crackling faintly as it spread across his arm. It was warm, alive, and steady, wrapping his body in an aura of protection.

Faraday paused, his eyes narrowing at the glow of the energy. “So you’re finally taking this seriously.”

Lawrence didn’t reply. Instead, he surged forward, his Flux-enhanced fist striking toward Faraday’s chest. The vampire sidestepped, but Lawrence adjusted mid-swing, his fist grazing Faraday’s side with enough force to send him skidding a few feet down the corridor.

Faraday hissed, the sound more animal than human, as he steadied himself. “Arkamon Flux,” he muttered, almost to himself. “I wondered if you had it in you.”

Faraday launched forward again, his speed unmatched. Lawrence barely managed to block the flurry of strikes, each one sending shockwaves through his arms. His Flux shield absorbed some of the impact, but the force still pushed him back, his boots sliding against the tiled floor.

“You’re strong,” Lawrence grunted, swinging a knee toward Faraday’s midsection. The vampire blocked it with ease, countering with a sharp elbow that grazed Lawrence’s temple.

“But not strong enough,” Faraday finished, his smile widening.

Lawrence ignored the taunt, his EchoFlux buzzing in his mind. He grabbed a nearby service cart and shoved it into Faraday’s path. The heavy cart slammed into the vampire, but Faraday caught it mid-air, twisting it with a grunt of effort and hurling it aside.

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“I’m getting tired of your tricks, Lawrence.”

“You’ll just have to deal with it,” Lawrence shot back, grabbing a broken pipe from the floor. He channeled his Flux into the metal, watching as the energy coated it, turning it into a weapon.

Faraday lunged again, and this time Lawrence met him head-on. The pipe struck Faraday’s arm with a resounding crack, forcing the vampire to retreat a step.

Faraday snarled, his composure slipping. “You’re wasting your time. Your friends upstairs won’t survive much longer.”

The words stung, but Lawrence didn’t let them show. He couldn’t afford to. His mind raced, picturing Kyon and Sia locked in their own battle above. They were capable fighters, but the odds were stacked against them.

He had to end this quickly.

Faraday’s movements grew more erratic, his strikes coming faster, harder. Lawrence blocked and dodged as best he could, but the vampire’s strength was relentless. A sharp blow caught his side, sending him stumbling into a stack of crates.

Faraday laughed, advancing slowly. “What’s the matter? Losing focus?”

Lawrence gritted his teeth, his hand tightening around the Flux-coated pipe. “Focus is the least of your worries.”

He hurled the pipe toward Faraday, the energy propelling it like a missile. Faraday swatted it aside, but the distraction gave Lawrence enough time to dart to the side, grabbing another makeshift weapon—a heavy tray from a cart.

Channeling his Flux into the tray, he flung it like a discus. It struck Faraday square in the chest, the impact driving him back into the wall.

Faraday snarled, his patience wearing thin. “You think cheap tricks will save you?”

“No,” Lawrence said, his voice cold. “But they’ll keep you busy.”

The fight raged on, the narrow corridor serving as both a battleground and a trap. Lawrence used the tight space to his advantage, forcing Faraday into predictable patterns. But it was a battle of attrition, and Lawrence knew he couldn’t keep this up forever.

Then, it happened.

The air shifted. It wasn’t a sound or a movement, but a feeling—a deep, resonant hum that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

Faraday froze mid-strike, his head snapping up. His expression shifted, the confidence in his eyes replaced by something colder.

Lawrence felt it too. The Arkamon Flux within him pulsed, responding to the surge of energy that now filled the air. It was overwhelming, a force so immense it seemed to press against his very soul.

“Kadir,” Lawrence murmured under his breath, his grip tightening on his makeshift weapon.

Faraday’s eyes narrowed, his movements cautious now. “You feel it too, don’t you?”

Lawrence didn’t answer. His EchoFlux buzzed at the edge of his awareness, a warning and a signal all at once. The energy wasn’t just powerful—it was deliberate, focused, and terrifying.

Faraday took a step back, his earlier bravado wavering. “What is he doing here?”

Lawrence’s jaw tightened. He knew exactly who was coming, and the weight of that knowledge was both a relief and a burden. Kadir’s presence meant reinforcements, but it also meant the stakes had just skyrocketed.

The hum grew louder, more intense. Even Faraday, with all his supernatural arrogance, seemed unnerved by the growing pressure.

The walls seemed to vibrate, the faint flickering lights dimming as if bowing to the sheer force of the approaching power.

Faraday’s gaze flicked to the exit. “This fight’s not over,” he said, his voice low. “But I won’t waste my time with you if he’s here.”

Lawrence took a step forward, his Flux crackling around him. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Faraday hesitated for a fraction of a second, then darted backward, retreating into the shadows.

Lawrence stood alone in the corridor, his breathing heavy. The energy in the air remained, growing stronger with each passing moment.

Everyone in the building would feel it now—the hunters, the vampires, even Kyon and Sia. It was a force that couldn’t be ignored, a harbinger of something far greater than the battles they were fighting.

The Surge.