Rafik soared through the air, the wind roaring past his ears, eyes locked on the suited guard barreling toward him. As they collided midair, Rafik grabbed hold of the man, using their momentum to tear open the sleek, armored suit with brute force. Sparks danced from the exposed tech within—the core now vulnerable.
But the guard wasn't going down without a fight.
A blade shot from the guard's wrist, thrusting upward toward Rafik's face.
Rafik jerked his head just in time. The blade missed his eye by inches but scraped across his cheek, slicing skin and drawing blood. Scarlet droplets beaded, suspended for a split second in the air, before gravity pulled them down—splattering directly onto the exposed core.
"Stupid!!" Rafik growled, fury flashing in his eyes.
With a burst of focus, a shimmering wing of ice sprouted from Rafik's back. It unfurled in a swift, graceful arc, catching the air and guiding him downward. He maneuvered it with precision, not just to soften his own landing—but to position for the finishing blow.
As he descended, the blood-soaked core of the guard shimmered with the residue of his wound. Rafik reached out, his fingers twitching with elemental control. Instantly, the droplets of blood began to crystallize—freezing into razor-sharp shards of ice.
With a flick of his will, they shot inward, impaling the core from the inside.
"And that's the way it goes!!" Rafik shouted as he and Trey landed on the ground.
Trey was already grinning, admiration and adrenaline written all over his face. He slapped Rafik hard on the back.
"Damn, two for two, Rafik!!"
The celebration was brief. Trey's smile faded as reality kicked back in.
"The issue now is how we're going to reach Monet and the others."
They both looked around, eyes scanning the skies and ruined horizon. Suddenly, Rafik narrowed his eyes.
"Do you see what I see, Trey?!" Rafik pointed upward.
Trey blinked, puzzled. "Uhhh, I don't see anything."
"A letter is literally floating in mid-air!!" Rafik insisted.
Trey stared harder, still nothing. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head on the floor?"
Rafik ignored him and reached out, grabbing the letter.
Trey looked genuinely concerned now. "Bruh, are you sure you're okay?" He placed a hand on Rafik's shoulder.
A whisper echoed in the void.
Suddenly, Trey's body shuddered with energy.
"What the—" Trey yelped as his body began to distort, folding into itself and vanishing in a blink.
"Fuckkkkkkkkk!!" he cried, voice trailing off as he was pulled through space.
Rafik gasped as the energy surrounded him too, and in an instant, the world around them shifted.
"Oh my!" Rafik said, spinning slowly in awe.
They were no longer in a battlefield or a collapsing ship. They were standing inside a massive, elegant mansion. Chandeliers swayed gently from a high ceiling. Velvet drapes lined the walls. It was peaceful—eerily peaceful.
"Where are we?.." Trey asked, eyes wide, scanning their surroundings.
Movement caught their attention.
Dozens of them—Percenters they had helped free—walking calmly through the halls, alive and safe.
"Rafikkkkkk!!" a voice screamed from above.
Rafik looked up just in time to catch Monet as she leapt from the staircase, throwing her arms around him. She broke down instantly, her body trembling with relief.
"We thought... we thought..." she sobbed against his shoulder.
"Nah, we made it!!" Rafik said, gently placing a hand over her head.
"Monet!!..is that you!" Trey called out, his voice cracking with emotion.
She turned, tears in her eyes.
"Yeah it's really me, Trey... it's really me!!" she said, wrapping her arms around him too.
Trey's voice trembled. "I thought you were—"
"Dead... yeah, second time hearing that today." Monet laughed, wiping her eyes.
Becky appeared at the edge of the room, arms crossed.
"So what happened to the ship?" she asked, suspicion still in her tone.
Rafik sat down on one of the lush couches, exhaling.
"They flew away... they almost took us with them... but we were able to escape."
Becky nodded grimly. "They'll be back for sure—Dawn doesn't handle failure well."
Rafik looked around at the faces of the freed, the tired, the angry—but above all, the survivors. He clenched his fist and raised it high.
"Let them come... we don't need to hide——we don't need to be afraid. This time there're no sneak attacks... this time we're ready."
A roar of voices echoed around the mansion.
"Yeahhhhhhh!!" the freed Percenters shouted, hope rising like a storm behind their cheers.