Topside, Xander and Nyra fought to reach Aria, climbing down into the pit through layers of collapsing ice tunnels. The further they descended, the more unnatural it became—like the land itself was rejecting them.
"We don't have much time," Nyra shouted. "That energy's spiking!"
Below, Aria dodged another blast, this one fracturing a column of black ice behind her.
"I don't want to fight you, Kael!"
"You're already losing," he said, eyes glowing with untamed chaos.
But then something shifted.
When she called his name, he flinched.
Just for a second.
"Kael," she said again, slower this time. "Not Subject Zero. Kael."
He stopped moving.
She stepped closer. "I remember something… A sound. Like crying. It wasn't a lab alarm. It was you. Wasn't it?"
Kael blinked. His glow flickered.
Then—Xander dropped in behind Aria, weapon drawn.
"Step away from her!"
Kael's eyes snapped back to fury.
And just like that, the brief window closed.