The explosion swallowed everything.
Light erupted from the Advanced Unit's core, expanding outward in a violent wave that tore through the already broken structure. The ground shook as if the earth itself had cracked open, and the air became thick with heat and dust.
For a moment—
There was nothing.
No sound.
No movement.
Only white.
Impact
Nate didn't remember hitting the ground.
One second he was standing, bracing for the blast—
The next, his body was thrown through the air like he weighed nothing at all.
He crashed hard against something solid, pain exploding through his back and shoulders. The force knocked the air out of his lungs, leaving him gasping, unable to move for several seconds.
A sharp ringing filled his ears.
"…Jana…"
His voice came out weak, barely more than a breath.
Silence After Destruction
The explosion faded slowly.
Dust filled the air, thick and suffocating, reducing visibility to almost nothing. Pieces of the ceiling had collapsed, and the structure around them was barely holding together.
Nate forced himself up, his muscles protesting every movement.
"Jana!" he called again, louder this time.
No answer.
His heart started to race.
Searching Through the Ruins
He stumbled forward, pushing through debris and broken concrete, ignoring the pain spreading through his body.
"Lia!" he shouted.
A cough answered him from somewhere to his right.
"I'm here…" Lia's voice came, strained but alive.
Relief hit him for a second—but it didn't last.
"Jana?" he asked.
Lia didn't answer immediately.
And that silence—
It was enough.
The Worst Fear
Nate's chest tightened.
"No… no…"
He moved faster now, ignoring everything, his eyes scanning desperately through the dust-filled space.
Then—
He saw her.
Broken
Jana lay on the ground several meters away, partially covered by debris. Her body was still.
Too still.
Nate's heart stopped.
"No."
He rushed to her side, dropping to his knees.
"Jana! Hey—hey, wake up!"
No response.
Her face was pale, her breathing faint—almost impossible to notice.
And there was blood.
Panic
"No… no, no, no…"
Nate's hands shook as he carefully moved the debris away from her.
"Stay with me… please…"
Lia reached them, her expression darkening instantly when she saw the state Jana was in.
"She took the full impact," Lia said quietly.
Nate looked at her, his eyes filled with something close to desperation.
"Fix it."
Lia didn't hesitate.
"I'm trying."
Still Alive
Lia checked Jana's pulse.
"…She's alive," she said.
Nate exhaled sharply, relief crashing into him—but it wasn't enough.
"Then why isn't she waking up?"
Lia's expression remained serious.
"Because whatever that blast was… it wasn't just physical."
Nate frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Something Deeper
Lia looked at Jana again.
"That unit's energy wasn't normal," she said. "It interacted with the same system controlling her."
Nate froze.
"You're saying…"
"I'm saying it might have triggered something deeper inside her," Lia finished.
Not Over Yet
A low sound interrupted them.
At first, it was faint.
Almost unnoticeable.
But then—
It grew louder.
Nate's head snapped toward the source.
"No way…"
Through the dust—
A figure moved.
The Impossible
The Advanced Unit was still standing.
Damaged.
Cracked.
But not destroyed.
Its movements were slower now, less stable—but its core still glowed.
"System… compromised…" it said.
Then its head lifted.
"Target… still active."
No Time Left
Lia stood up instantly.
"We don't have time for this," she said. "We need to move—now."
Nate didn't move.
"I'm not leaving her."
"You don't have a choice!" Lia snapped.
A Decision
Nate looked at Jana.
Then at the approaching unit.
Then back at Jana.
His jaw tightened.
"…Fine."
He carefully lifted her into his arms.
"She's not dying here."
The Chase Begins
The moment he stood—
The unit moved.
Faster than before.
"Targets attempting escape."
"Engage."
Running with Everything
Nate ran.
Not perfectly.
Not smoothly.
But with everything he had left.
Every step sent pain through his body, but he didn't stop.
He couldn't.
Behind him, the sound of the unit closing in grew louder.
Lia ran beside him.
"This way!" she shouted, turning sharply toward a narrow passage.
No Escape
They turned the corner—
And stopped.
The path ahead was blocked.
Collapsed.
No way through.
Nate's breath caught.
"…No."
Behind them—
The footsteps stopped.
The unit had reached them.
Trapped
Slowly—
It stepped into view.
Damaged.
But unstoppable.
"End… sequence…"
Energy began to gather again.
Even stronger than before.
Lia's voice dropped.
"…This is it."
The Moment of Change
Nate tightened his hold on Jana.
Something inside him—
Snapped.
Not fear.
Not anger.
Something deeper.
Awakening
His breathing slowed.
His vision sharpened.
The pain—
Faded.
The world around him seemed to shift.
And for the first time—
He didn't feel helpless.
The Final Stand
He stepped forward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Lia stared at him.
"Nate… what are you doing?"
He didn't answer.
His eyes were locked on the unit.
Steady.
Focused.
Unbreakable.
The Beginning of Something New
The unit fired.
But this time—
Nate didn't move away.
He moved forward.