The silence that follows the terminal's command is deafening. Aiden's pulse pounds in his ears, and his muscles tense as he assesses the situation. The darkened room is thick with the weight of uncertainty. He can feel Cyra's eyes on him, but he doesn't dare look her way. Not yet.
He needs to think. They both do.
The Hunters are still frozen, their confusion palpable. They don't know what just happened. Neither do Aiden or Cyra, but that doesn't matter. The game has changed, and they are in the center of it.
Aiden keeps his hand on the concealed blade, just in case. He knows that if things go sideways, they'll need to act fast.
Cyra breaks the silence. "What the hell is going on, Aiden?"
His eyes narrow, searching the room as if the walls might offer him some insight. "I don't know. But I don't like it."
The message on the terminal lingers in his mind: "Wraith. You have no choice now."
The words feel like a chain pulling at him, a reminder of his past. Of things he thought he left behind. The Reckoning, the game... the very thing that had consumed him before.
His thoughts race, but he can't focus. Not when the Hunters are still here, standing between him and any chance of escape.
One of the Hunters moves toward the door, his hand hovering over the control panel. The others remain alert, weapons raised, eyes scanning the dark corners of the room.
And then, the unmistakable sound of metal scraping against metal. The door locks into place.
"Lockdown initiated," a voice announces from the overhead speakers.
Aiden's heart skips a beat. "What the hell?"
The room feels smaller now, the air thick with tension. He can feel it—the weight of the walls closing in.
Cyra steps forward, her eyes never leaving the Hunters. "What do you want from us?" she demands, her voice steady despite the danger.
The lead Hunter finally speaks, his voice cold and mechanical. "We're not here for you. We've been ordered to bring in Wraith."
Aiden's stomach churns at the name. It feels like a distant memory—one he's tried to bury. But the truth is undeniable. The game is pulling him back in, whether he wants it or not.
"I'm not Wraith anymore," Aiden says, his voice low but firm. "I'm done with all of that."
The Hunter's expression doesn't change. He doesn't care who Aiden used to be. He only cares about the mission.
"You'll come with us, willingly or not," the Hunter states, his finger tightening around the trigger.
Aiden clenches his jaw. He's no stranger to threats. No stranger to being hunted. But this time, something is different. The air is thicker, the stakes higher. The Reckoning isn't just a game anymore. It's become a war, and Aiden is at the heart of it.
Cyra shifts beside him, subtly positioning herself between Aiden and the Hunters. Her eyes flick to the door, then to Aiden. She's weighing her options, calculating, waiting for the right moment.
Aiden meets her gaze, and in that brief exchange, they both know what needs to be done. They need to take control. Now.
Without a word, Aiden launches himself toward the nearest Hunter, his blade flashing in the dim light.
The Hunter reacts too slowly, his hand not fast enough to stop the strike. Aiden's blade sinks deep, disabling the Hunter before he can even pull the trigger.
In the same motion, Cyra dives for the second Hunter, her agility and precision a deadly dance. She disarms him before he even has time to react, the weapon skidding across the floor out of his reach.
The remaining Hunter hesitates, caught between his orders and the realization that this fight is no longer in his control.
"Run!" Aiden shouts, pulling Cyra toward the exit.
They don't wait to see if the Hunter follows. They don't have time.
The two of them burst through the door, leaving the Hunters behind. The hallway is dark and narrow, the walls closing in like the trap they've just escaped.
Aiden doesn't stop. He can't. Not until they're free.
But as they round the corner, a new sound echoes down the hall—a low hum, almost like a warning.
Aiden freezes.
The hum grows louder, almost deafening, until it reverberates through the walls. Something's coming.
He doesn't wait to see what. His instincts take over, pushing him to move faster, to push Cyra further ahead.
They reach a stairwell, but just as they begin to ascend, the ground shakes. The sound of heavy footsteps thunders behind them, growing louder with each passing second.
Cyra glances back, eyes wide with fear. "We can't outrun them. What now?"
Aiden doesn't answer immediately. He's thinking. The hum. The footsteps. It's all too familiar.
The Reckoning is pulling them back in, and this time, there's no escape.
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