Chap 150: Cataclysm

In a separate part of the dim space, the voices reached Saeda, who was locked behind a glowing energy orb. As she awakened, her eyes snapped open, glowing with brilliant blue light, and she gasped in surprise. She fell to her knees, and the orb shattered on contact.

The impact of the explosion and her protective energy orb had thrust her deep into the tunnel walls, leaving her disoriented in this dark, unfamiliar environment.

Although not pitch dark, the light in the space did not come from the tunnel walls. Saeda noticed fine red particles floating in the air, similar to those at the park. They were remnants of the recent explosion, yet strangely, she couldn’t sense any energy despite the debris in the air. The sight of the small balls of burning light gliding through the darkness reminded her of the park—the event that had turned the sky blood-red along with the setting sun.

The thought of the Harbingers being nearby sent shivers down Saeda’s spine. She wondered if they had caused that explosion, just like the one at the park. If that were true, it would mean the Harbingers knew not only their location but also the whereabouts of Primus, heightening the danger of their situation.

Her eyes widened at the dreadful possibility. Just then, Miko and Zod’s voices reached her through her telecom, pulling her attention from her troubled thoughts. Yet the pain she felt moving her hand closer to her lips was concerning, a reminder of the severity of her injuries in this treacherous space.

“Guys,” Saeda said in a low moan, reaching through the telecom. “Did you see the Harbingers?”

Both Zod and Miko fell silent, relief washing over them at the sound of her voice. Her question served as a reminder of their mission to eliminate the Harbingers.

“No,” they responded simultaneously.

Miko couldn’t help but crack a smile at Saeda’s voice. “Saeda,” she said, expressing her concern and gratitude to have her teammate back in communication. Now, all they needed was Kie and Tee to fully regroup, and what lay ahead remained a mystery.

Saeda let out a sigh of relief, comforted by the thought that the Harbingers might not have caused the explosion. She suspected that Primus was off the grid due to some sorcery, ensuring the Harbingers couldn’t locate it.

Between her gloved fingers, she crushed the vines, pondering what was happening to her. During the Harbinger mission in a video game world, she had felt a strange pull leading her to the fragment’s origin, but the sensation vanished when she got too close, as if something was shielding it.

Despite feeling trapped in darkness and facing the source of the red particles, she accepted her fate.

While Zod had mentioned the tunnel exploding prematurely, Saeda didn’t catch that part of the conversation. She decided to keep her thoughts about the Harbingers to herself, wanting to confirm her suspicions before sharing.

Just like at the park, she sensed no energy signatures after the explosion, which she attributed to her teammates being too close and interfering with her aura-sensing. Her mind remained preoccupied with troubling thoughts as she painfully moved toward the source of the strange red light.

Meanwhile, Kie’s consciousness grew stronger. Intense pain made him wonder if he had been decapitated again, though his ability to think and hear voices cast doubt on that assumption. Feeling stuck and suffocated, he struggled to make sense of his situation.

The memory of Tee being left behind and the explosion jolted him awake. He found himself staring at a blue crystal surface, but strangely, he had no field of vision on his left. As the surface began to crack, a loud crash followed, and his secure position crumbled, leaving him exposed. The crystal barrier before him fell apart, revealing a dark-red, dim environment as he hit the ground.

The impact released a low cry from his lips, and amidst the agony, he could hear his teammates’ voices above the pounding of his heartbeat. He glanced back at the crystal-like construct he had broken free from, realizing it resembled the compact Ether, which reminded him of a Vergant village. Yet he couldn’t grasp why he had trapped himself inside a crystal barrier or what he was shielding himself from.

The pounding pain on one side of his head stole his thoughts. Struggling to stand, Kie noticed the strange red particles in the air, like small balls of fire. They triggered a painful flashback to the doomsday event at the park, intensifying his headache. His left eye refused to open, and he realized something was seriously wrong with his head.

He hadn’t even faced the Harbingers yet, and already he was in such a dire state. Attempting to move, the world seemed to spin around him, and finding balance was a challenge. Each heartbeat sent waves of pain through his body, making it harder to cope.

He coughed violently, the after-pain feeling like his heart itself was being torn. Finally standing, he clenched his shirt to his chest, bracing against the pain. Then he froze—tasting the strong metallic flavor of blood on his tongue, realizing he was bleeding internally. The blue sheen from his glowing eyes allowed him to see the blood dripping from his mouth onto the ground.

In another part of the dim space, Saeda, Miko, and Zod stopped in their tracks, having heard Kie cough.

Miko could only whisper, "Kie..." as they anxiously waited for any sound or response from their wounded teammate.

Kie tried to ignore their concern, but looking back at the shattered crystal-like construct he had broken free from, he couldn’t help feeling a sense of unease. His one good eye showed him that his body had instinctively protected him from great danger, just as it had at the park.

Memories of sparking an energy construct shaped like a triangle flooded his mind. That construct had saved him from burning alive along with over a hundred innocent civilians, but the guilt weighed heavily on his heart. What had he done to deserve being spared a second time?

As Miko stopped calling his name and began calling for Tee, Kie wiped the blood from his mouth and answered his telecom to reassure his worried teammates.

"I'm here," he said, hunching over like an old man, the pain in his head making every movement a struggle.

Thoughts of Tee flooded his mind. Strangely, no matter how much he zoomed out on his telecom, her signal didn’t appear. Where was she?

He followed the only path ahead, just as Saeda had, knowing there was only a solid wall behind him. With throbbing pain on one side of his head and throughout his body, he felt as if he had been run over, the agony overwhelming.

Arriving at the intersection where the explosion had begun, Kie’s heart sank at the otherworldly sight before him. The lack of function in his left eye was confirmed, but even with one eye, he could hardly believe what he saw.

It was Tee.

She appeared to be levitating in the air, her flowing white hair enhancing the majestic aura surrounding her. Like at the park, a black substance covered her bare arms, legs, and neck, but her clothes and telecom were gone.

Her eyes were closed, and she seemed completely cut off from his heart-struck gaze. Unconscious, she emitted a soft red glow, and Kie could hear the echoes of her beating heart, leaving him filled with both awe and worry.

Upon realizing that Tee had only minor scratches from fighting the overgrown vines, Kie grew curious. He was hurt, yet she seemed completely unscathed. Her missing clothes mattered little.

As he sensed movement approaching from the darkness, Kie readied his sword, and its bright flames returned. He didn’t need the light to see the figure—the blue glow of their eyes gave them away. Soon, the figure of Saeda emerged, her short hair flapping with each uneven step, her body stiff and every movement deliberate as if carrying a hidden weight.

"Guys, I found Kie," Saeda’s voice came through the telecom.

Kie didn’t wait for her to reach him. He turned his back to observe the enigma before them. As Saeda approached, she too stared in disbelief at Tee levitating. Her gasp echoed loudly in the silence.

"Golly," she whispered. "What is going on with Tee?"

Kie left her question hanging, unsure how to respond himself.

Saeda’s attention shifted to Kie, and she noticed the major bloody wound on the side of his head, blood streaming down his neck, his left eye obscured in a deep red mess. It reminded her of the squad leader who had once suffered a direct hit from a Xenosapian attack in one of his stories.

"What happened to you?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

Kie’s one good eye glowed blue, mirroring hers. Seeing this, Saeda became acutely aware of her own weakness and the pain consuming her body. The longer she stared at Kie, the more her headache intensified.

"Was it the Harbingers’ blast that got you?" she inquired. But Kie remained fixated on the levitating Tee.

Saeda concluded that either Kie was uncertain of the facts, like herself, or he simply lacked manners. She continued to gaze at the inexplicable scene before them, trying to steady herself despite the pain. She needed something to lean on—but Kie never crossed her mind.

In a low voice, she shared her assumption, "I think the Harbingers attacked us just now. Just like they did at the park."

Kie blinked. “Why would the Harbingers attack Tee twice?”

There was silence as she thought. “Tee’s Ultramana powers are the least impressive. If I remember correctly, she can’t even get her swords to glow. Maybe they think she’s the weakest of us, and so they’re targeting her first.” She glanced at Kie. “Eliminate the weakest first.”

When she received no response from Kie, Saeda redirected the conversation to Tee. "How is she just levitating in the air like that?”

Without waiting for Kie to answer, Saeda grabbed Tee’s arm. Instantly, Tee’s red glow vanished, and gravity reclaimed her, causing her to fall toward Saeda.

Kie moved quickly, catching Tee’s fall alongside Saeda. Together, they held her up.

As he supported her, Tee’s pallid face hung downward, her cascade of white hair veiling her features. He listened for a heartbeat—and felt it.

Saeda, holding Tee’s right side, examined her with puzzlement. "What’s this strange substance on her body… wait a minute…” She pressed a hand to Tee’s chest to steady her. “Is she naked?”

Kie felt numb and ignored the question. The dark substance clung to her like a thick layer, yet it fit her body too perfectly to be anything else.

Meanwhile, Zod and Miko had decided against trying to jump to each other across the massive beams. Miko had attempted to teleport to him, but the effort proved futile, as invisible needles seemed to stab them from every angle. Suddenly, a red vortex appeared between them, cutting off their view. Its center glowed with powerful light, and in an instant, a mighty blast reflected in their eyes.

Lightning.