Sleep dragged me down like a riptide, deep and suffocating. The warmth of the suite faded, replaced by a world that felt familiar but wrong.

  A place of bright colors and laughter.

  A place I had been before.

  Sugar Land.

  I was surrounded by sweets.

  Cotton candy clouds floated lazily above me. Gumdrop hills stretched across the horizon. The air smelled like caramel and vanilla, warm and inviting.

  The candy creatures danced around me, laughing.

  “Play with us, Mari!”

  One, a giant donut with a happy grin, wobbled toward me.

  “Eat me!” it giggled, throwing itself into my arms.

  I laughed, biting into its fluffy, strawberry-filled center.

  So warm. So sweet. So perfect.

  Then—a glitch.

  A sharp jolt in the world, like a skipping record.

  The donut in my hands twitched violently.

  Its soft, doughy texture turned to muscle and sinew.

  Strawberry filling?

  No—blood.

  A heartbeat pulsed under my fingers.

  I blinked—

  The world ripped apart.

  The pastel colors bled away, melting into something dark and wet and wrong.

  The laughter twisted into screams.

  And suddenly—it wasn’t Sugar Land anymore.

  Blood. Guts. Flames.

  I was standing in a battlefield of torn flesh and broken bodies.

  The candy creatures were gone.

  Or maybe—

  They were never there to begin with.

  The “donut” in my arms?

  No longer smiling.

  No longer a donut.

  A man.

  Eyes wide, mouth gaping in horror.

  His throat half-ripped out, his blood dripping down my hands, hot and thick.

  He tried to speak, but all that came out was a wet gurgle.

  I dropped him.

  Staggered back.

  What…what is this?

  A scream.

  "Please! Fuck, kid! What the fuck are you?! You… monster!"

  Marcus Farhide’s voice.

  Desperate. Terrified.

  I turned—the world jittered again.

  For a split second, I was back in Sugar Land.

  The chocolate river bubbled happily. The candy creatures clapped their hands.

  “Good job, Mari! You’re doing amazing!”

  My hands, still stained red, clapped along with them.

  Glitch. Static. Warped colors.

  The world split apart again.

  And suddenly, I wasn’t clapping.

  I was ripping.

  Hands buried in flesh.

  Bodies collapsing around me.

  The enforcers screamed as they tried to fight back.

  But I was too fast.

  Too strong.

  Too hungry.

  I moved like a ghost through them, like I was watching through someone else’s eyes.

  No—not someone else’s.

  Mine.

  But I don’t remember this.

  I don’t remember any of this.

  Yet—I felt it.

  The heat of the blood. The rush of the hunt.

  The pure, animalistic euphoria.

  No. No, this isn’t real.

  This isn’t real.

  Glitch. Snap. Reality breaks.

  The candy creatures were watching.

  Smiling. Staring.

  "More, Mari! Play with us more!"

  The candy melted into flesh, their grins stretching too wide, teeth too sharp.

  Their eyes—not eyes.

  Holes. Empty. Bottomless.

  I wanted to scream.

  But then—

  Another cut. Another skip.

  Marcus Farhide was on the ground.

  Torn apart.

  Mangled beyond recognition.

  I stepped toward him.

  No—I didn’t do any of this.

  But It felt real—too real.

  I saw myself towering over him.

  Saw the blood pooling at my feet.

  Saw his hand twitching, barely alive.

  And then—

  Blackness.

  I jolted awake.

  A gasp ripped from my throat.

  Cold sweat clung to my skin, my heartbeat a frantic drum inside my chest.

  The nightmare’s grip was still on me. The screams, the blood, the feeling of flesh between my fingers.

  Was that… a dream?

  Or a memory?

  I don’t remember.

  I don’t remember any of it.

  But it felt so real.

  So real that my stomach twisted.

  I stared at my hands.

  Clean. Normal.

  Not covered in blood.

  But for a moment—just a moment—I swore I still felt it.

  Then—hands on me. Shaking me.

  "Kid. Kid! Wake up!"

  Zara’s voice was low, urgent.

  I blinked, still trapped in the fog of the nightmare. She was right in front of me, her expression tight.

  Her usual carefree grin? Gone.

  Then, she whispered two words that yanked me back into reality.

  "They're here."

  My stomach plummeted.

  The Qi Family.

  They had found us.

  A cold shiver ran through me as the sense of impending doom coiled around my ribs like a vice.

  "What do we do now?" My voice cracked, trembling, my breath coming too fast.

  Zara was already moving, assessing, planning, reacting. No hesitation. No wasted movement.

  She didn't panic. She was calm and collected.

  "We gotta go. Like, now."

  Her tone was urgent but steady, the voice of someone who had been here before.

  Someone who knew exactly how bad this could get.

  I didn’t need to be told twice.

  I nodded, swallowed my fear, and got up.

  Zara grabbed my wrist.

  And then—we ran.

  Adrenaline pounded through my veins as I scrambled to grab my belongings, my hands shaking despite my best efforts. The nightmare’s grip hadn’t fully faded—Farhide’s screams still echoed in my skull. I could still hear the way his voice broke, the raw, terrified way he called me a monster.

  Then—gunfire.

  Sharp, rapid bursts rang out from downstairs, followed by screams.

  The sound ripped me from my daze.

  "Alright, hold on to me. We blasting out of here."

  Zara’s voice was urgent, steady, no hesitation.

  I barely had time to react before I grabbed onto her, my fingers digging into her jacket. Desire latched onto my neck, his metallic frame locking into place like a collar.

  Zara’s hair ignited instantly, a fiery halo forming above her head. Flames crawled up her arms, flickering like they were alive. Then, with a hiss of steam and a mechanical whir, the sides of her legs split open, exposing searing-hot vents.

  The floor beneath us cracked from the heat.

  Then—she launched.

  We blasted through the window, shards of glass shattering in all directions as we were thrown into the night sky.

  A rush of cold air smacked against my face, stealing my breath as the chaos of the city streets blurred beneath us.

  My heart slammed against my ribs.

  I wasn’t ready for this. I’d never be ready for this.

  "Where are we going?!" I gasped, the words barely escaping through the wind and panic constricting my chest.

  Zara’s grip was firm, her focus locked ahead.

  "No idea. Anywhere works. We lay low for a 'lil, then we discuss our next move."

  The neon-lit skyline stretched out before us, a glowing maze of glass and steel. Below, sirens screamed through the streets, flashing lights racing toward the Vista Hotel.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  And somewhere in that building—people were dying because of us.

  I clenched my teeth, guilt coiling in my gut like a sickness.

  They were looking for us.

  They weren’t stopping for anyone else.

  Zara’s flames flickered as she began to slow, her body tensing mid-air as she searched for a safe landing.

  "Okay, here should be good," she whispered.

  The fire along her arms and legs died out, the heat fading as she descended into a dark alleyway.

  We landed without a sound.

  Zara’s boots barely scraped against the pavement before she pulled me into the shadows, her eyes sharp, scanning.

  She was already thinking ahead. Planning the next step.

  But the question came before the plan.

  "How the fuck did they find us so quick?"

  She frowned, wiping sweat from her brow, her chest rising and falling from the exertion. "MedTech took his body. All his shit. There shouldn’t be anything connecting us to his death."

  My breath hitched.

  Oh no.

  The pistol.

  The bracelet.

  I still had them.

  Before I could say anything—a car pulled up at the alley’s entrance.

  The tires screeched as it came to a stop.

  Doors slammed.

  Footsteps. Fast. Headed right for us.

  I could barely think before Zara’s grip tightened on my wrist.

  And just like that—we were running again.

  "FUCK! Are they psychics or something?!" Zara snarled, grabbing me before I could react.

  With a burst of fire, her body ignited, heat radiating from her limbs as we blasted into the night. The alley blurred beneath us, the neon-lit city stretching out in streaks of color as she propelled us forward.

  But no matter how far we went—they kept coming.

  The Qi’s weren’t just chasing.

  They were tracking.

  "ARGH! WHAT’S UP WITH THESE GUYS?!" Zara’s frustration boiled over as she dodged another volley of gunfire from the streets below. "KID! I swear to god—did you take something from the dude I burnt last night?!"

  Panic shot through me like ice.

  "Uhm…no…"

  I could barely get the word out before her hand was on my jaw, yanking my face toward hers.

  "Don’t go lying now." Her eyes burned, not with flames, but with pure fury. "We will FUCKING DIE because of you. So lemme ask again—did you or did you not take something from that bastard?"

  Her grip tightened.

  A shiver crawled up my spine.

  She wasn’t joking.

  "Okay! Okay! I’m sorry! Here!"

  I fumbled, pulling the compact pistol and the bracelet from my pocket and shoving them toward her.

  Zara’s face twisted in rage.

  "REALLY, KID? Out of literally anything you could take, you chose the TRACKING BRACELET?!"

  Her voice echoed through the wind, raw with disbelief.

  Guilt twisted like a knife in my chest.

  I felt so stupid.

  "I’m sorry…I really didn’t know…I didn’t mean to…" My throat tightened. I bit my lip, trying not to let the tears fall.

  "I just wanted to have something I could use to be more useful…"

  The moment the words left my mouth, my chest clenched.

  I sounded so pathetic.

  Zara let out a long, exasperated sigh.

  For a second, I thought she’d yell again.

  Instead—she let go of my jaw and ruffled my hair.

  "It’s fine, kid. You didn’t know. Shouldn’t be attacking you like that." Her voice softened, but her exhaustion weighed every word.

  Then—her focus sharpened again.

  "Desire. I know you got some fancy-ass tech in there. Can you do something? Maybe fuck up the tracker or something?"

  "Absolutely!" Desire chirped, his voice disturbingly cheerful given the situation. "The Desimaro v2 Model: Desire includes several features, including device alterations! Please hand me the bracelet so I can analyze its structure."

  Zara thrust it at him.

  Desire’s metallic fingers worked fast, clicking and twisting the bracelet as he scanned it.

  Meanwhile, Zara’s eyes stayed locked on our surroundings, her fiery glow completely extinguished to avoid drawing attention.

  The alley was eerily silent—except for the distant hum of engines and rushed footsteps.

  They were still searching.

  They just hadn’t found us yet.

  After a few agonizing seconds, Desire’s eyes flashed.

  "I’ve successfully redirected the signal. The Qi’s should now believe we’re heading back to the hotel."

  Zara let out a relieved laugh.

  "Good shit, Desire-boy! Knew we could count on ya!"

  She grabbed him in a hug, but he slipped out effortlessly, avoiding her grip.

  "Mari," Desire said, ignoring Zara’s antics. "I've discovered that this bracelet is compatible with my upgrade system. Would you like me to absorb it to unlock GAUNTLET?"

  "If it will help us, then yes. Please do."

  Desire’s eyes flashed.

  "CONFIRMATION RECEIVED. COMMENCING ABSORPTION."

  His mouth widened unnaturally, splitting open as the bracelet disappeared inside. A bright pulse of energy radiated from his metallic frame, his body momentarily glowing with an almost ethereal light.

  Then, in a blur of motion, he sprang toward me.

  His mechanical limbs latched onto my arms, my wrists, my hands.

  "COLLECTING DATA. REQUIREMENT: NOT FOUND. UNLOCKING GAUNTLET."

  A jolt ran through my body as the glow around him shifted, pulsing from my arms before flickering away.

  "GAUNTLET: UNLOCKED. UNABLE TO USE. PROCEDURE NOT COMPLETE."

  Desire released me, his metallic voice carrying its usual detached efficiency.

  "I would assume you wouldn’t want to perform the procedure just yet, so I will hold that off for now. However, Gauntlet is now available."

  I flexed my fingers, trying to feel for something different.

  Nothing.

  I looked at Desire. "Uhm… thanks? What’s the procedure, though?"

  Desire tilted his head slightly.

  "My deepest apologies, but the procedure is classified. Only employees and contractors are allowed to know what the procedure entails."

  A chill ran down my spine.

  Classified?

  Why did that sound like a red flag?

  I wanted to push further, but before I could, Zara clapped a hand on my shoulder.

  "Anyways! Kid, we gotta get geared up. We can’t keep hiding forever. Think the Qi’s are finally off our ass—for now. But no idea how long that’s gonna last. Let’s head back to the Pyramid."

  She cracked her neck, stretching her arms before glancing over at me with a smirk.

  "Hold on tight. We’re going lightspeed for this one."

  I barely had time to process before she grabbed me.

  I tightened my grip around her, my stomach already twisting in anticipation.

  Lightspeed.

  That sounded like way too much speed for my body to handle.

  I braced myself.

  Desire latched onto my neck once again.

  But this time, something new happened.

  A screen folded down over my face, covering my vision.

  "BATTLE HELMET. SEE-THROUGH MIRROR PRESET."

  The world didn’t black out like before.

  Instead, I could see through the screen.

  A thin transparent interface hovered over my vision, filtering the environment without obstructing it.

  Was this… to protect my eyes?

  I exhaled, my heartbeat still pounding from everything that just happened.

  Despite the chaos, despite the constant danger, something about Desire’s strange attention to detail made me feel… a little safer.

  Even just for a second.

  "Alright, brace yourself now. We 'bout to go hella fast." Zara’s grin was sharp, but there was something different this time.

  Her fiery halo ignited, but instead of its usual bright orange glow, it burned dark blue.

  The air thickened with heat, the surrounding space warmer than before—not scorching, just heavy, like standing too close to something powerful.

  Her legs whirred loudly, the sound vibrating through my body. The engines hummed, growing in intensity, building to something unstoppable.

  Then—BOOM.

  We launched.

  The force ripped the breath from my lungs.

  Faster than before.

  Faster than I thought was possible.

  The sheer speed battered against me, my grip slipping, the wind slamming into my body like a wall.

  I couldn’t hold on.

  My fingers slid off Zara’s jacket.

  I was falling—

  Until her arm shot out, catching me.

  "KID! Ah, shit! That was close, man." Zara’s voice was tight, a mix of relief and alarm.

  She hauled me up with ease, bringing me close, securing me against her chest. Her arms locked around me, holding me steady as we hurtled through the sky at blinding speed.

  The velocity still pulled at me, but Zara’s grip was unshakable.

  For the first time, amid the chaos, I felt… safe.

  The Pyramid loomed in the distance, growing larger with every passing second.

  Its towering monolithic form cast an eerie shadow, swallowing the skyline beneath it.

  Zara’s descent was expert, controlled, the dark blue flames still dancing along her legs as we touched down at the entrance.

  "Damn this fire, man. I hate these." Zara muttered, shaking out her legs. The flames flickered stubbornly, refusing to go out. "They’re strong as hell but a pain in the ass to extinguish."

  She rolled her shoulders, irritation melting into focus.

  "Alright, we’ll deal with that later. First, we need to stock up. Gotta get some bullets for the gun you stole and some gasoline for my gear. That launch ate through my last reserves."

  I swallowed, guilt still gnawing at my stomach. I hadn’t meant to cause this much trouble.

  But I didn’t have time to dwell on it—Zara was already moving.

  The inside of the Pyramid was as chaotic as ever. A sprawling mess of merchants, mechanics, and mercenaries lined the interior streets, shouting deals over the roar of machinery.

  We weaved through the crowd, heading for a weapons shop crammed with racks of guns, explosives, and ammunition. The air was thick with the metallic scent of oil and gunpowder.

  Behind the counter sat a rough-looking man, his arms covered in faded tattoos, a half-smoked cigar perched between his lips.

  Zara leaned against the counter, smirking. "Hey, Droge. Got a Lumina-IX Compact on us right now. You got any 9mm Photon rounds? Gotta stock up for a job, you know how it is."

  Droge’s eyes flicked up lazily—until they landed on the gun.

  His brow arched.

  "You’re in luck. Just snatched some up before the Qis could hoard them. But hold up—how the fuck did you get a Lumina Compact?" He scoffed, leaning back. "Gal like you could never dream of having enough cash for iron like that."

  Zara’s smirk widened.

  "Funny story, actually. Crisped a Qi back at the golden hotel. This little runt stole his pistol from the MedTechs."

  She clapped a hand on my back, and I froze.

  Droge’s eyes snapped to me, widening slightly.

  A low whistle slipped through his teeth.

  "This kid? Huh. Not bad, runt. MedTechs are tough about keeping looters from jacking corpses—"

  He suddenly stopped.

  His expression shifted—sharp, alert.

  Then, his jaw dropped.

  "WAIT. NAH, NAH, NAH. ZARA!" He lurched forward, eyes wild. "YOU—YOU CRISPED A FUCKING QI?!"

  Zara just grinned.

  "Damn right."

  "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND?! ARE YOU THE ONE THEY’RE LOOKING FOR?!"

  The energy in the shop shifted.

  People overheard.

  Zara’s laughter erupted through the shop, loud and shameless.

  "HAHAHA! Yes! Grabbed that bitch by the face and crisped him!"

  She threw a few mock punches into the air, reenacting the moment like it was just another wild night out.

  Droge’s expression shifted—half-impressed, half-horrified.

  The tension in the air thickened, the weight of what she had done settling over the shop like a storm cloud.

  Zara didn’t care.

  Her confidence remained unshaken.

  People in the shop had started stealing glances.

  Some were whispering. Others just stared, eyes wide, processing what they had just overheard.

  Zara caught their looks immediately.

  She turned, her gaze sharp as a blade, her grin still painted across her face.

  "The fuck you looking at?"

  Silence.

  No one answered.

  Heads turned away fast.

  A few people hurried out of the shop, pretending they hadn’t just witnessed someone proudly admitting to torching a Qi.

  Zara scoffed. "That’s what I thought."

  She turned back to Droge, completely unfazed.

  "You reckless bitch," Droge muttered, rubbing his temples. "I knew you had some screws loose, but this? This is next level."

  With a grunt, he grabbed a few boxes of ammo and two large cans of gasoline, shoving them toward Zara.

  "Here. It’s on the house. You’re gonna need it."

  Zara flashed him a cheeky grin.

  "This is why I fucking love ya, Droge. Ima make it up to you, I swear." She slung the supplies over her shoulder with ease. "We’re gonna hunt that Anran bitch. See ya later!"

  We were already halfway to the door when—

  "Alright, Zara. Just be careful now—"

  Then, Droge froze.

  His face drained of color.

  "WAIT. ANRAN?! LIKE—THE QI ANRAN?!"

  His voice cracked with disbelief.

  Zara kept walking.

  "YOU RECKLESS SON OF A BITCH! THE HEAD OF THE QI FAMILY?!"

  Zara just snickered to herself, unbothered.

  "Hehe, I love that guy. Been supporting me since I was a little gal."

  The warmth in her tone was almost laughable considering she had just announced she was going after one of the most powerful people in the city.

  The contrast was jarring.

  Almost unnerving.

  As we stepped back into the city streets, Zara rolled her shoulders, her flames flickering at her fingertips.

  "Alright! Got all the stuff we need. Let’s gear up."

  She clenched her fist, igniting a burst of heat and sparks.

  With a smirk, she struck her open palm, sending out a controlled explosion of fire.

  "We got a bullet with Qi Anran’s name on it. I’m excited to barbecue some big fish."