The bullets came fast, screaming through the air like deadly wasps. Each round struck the marble floor, the furniture, or the bar where Sia and I crouched, sending shards of wood and stone flying in every direction.


    “Stay down!” I hissed to Sia, raising an arm to shield my face from the spray of debris.


    The sound was deafening—sharp cracks echoing in the Sky Lounge, a rhythm of chaos and precision. The hunters had spread out, their formation tightening like a noose.


    I could feel their intent through EchoFlux—sharp and cold, their minds focused on a singular goal: neutralize us.


    Sia pressed against the bar, her breathing steady despite the storm around us. Through The Pulse, I heard her voice, calm but urgent.


    We can’t wait this out. They’re not going to stop.


    She wasn’t wrong. The hunters knew they had us, and they weren’t letting up.


    I clenched my fists, drawing on my Arkamon Flux. The copper-colored energy sparked to life around my hands and forearms, warm and steady. It wasn’t as strong as it had been against Mika, but it would have to do.


    “Let’s weather the storm first,” I said, pushing the words back to her through The Pulse.


    The hunters’ bullets struck my energy field as I stood, the force rippling across the invisible barrier. Each impact sent a shock through my body, like a dull thud against my ribs. It wasn’t perfect—tiny cracks formed in the Flux barrier with every hit—but it was enough to keep me standing.


    Sia crouched low, watching me with a mixture of frustration and resolve. We can’t win like this. Use your surroundings.


    The words were laced with an idea, one I hadn’t considered.


    She gestured toward the shattered furniture scattered around us—splintered wood from chairs, jagged shards of glass from tables. Use them. Focus your Arkamon through them.


    I froze for a moment, the thought sinking in. Flux as a weapon—not just an enhancement.


    “You’ve done this before,” I muttered aloud, dodging a spray of bullets that ricocheted off the bar.


    Sia’s smirk was brief but telling. Focus, Kyon. No time for questions.


    She darted to the side, rolling behind a planter as more bullets whizzed past her. Her hand shot out, grabbing a splintered piece of wood. I watched as her Arkamon Flux flowed into it, the energy wrapping around the shard until it glowed faintly, almost alive.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    With a quick flick of her wrist, she sent it flying. The wood streaked through the air like a missile, striking one of the hunters square in the chest. He crumpled instantly, his rifle clattering to the floor.


    It worked.


    Your turn, she said through The Pulse, her voice steady.


    I didn’t have time to second-guess. Grabbing a shard of glass from the floor, I focused my Flux into it, willing the coppery energy to wrap around its jagged edges. The glass pulsed faintly in my hand, warm and sharp.


    I hurled it toward another hunter, my EchoFlux guiding the throw. The glass struck his shoulder, the force knocking him back into a column. He groaned, dropping his weapon as blood seeped through his jacket.


    Two down.


    The hunters adjusted, their formation shifting as they realized we weren’t just cowering behind cover. A pair of them advanced, rifles raised, while another lobbed a smoke grenade into the air.


    “Smoke!” I shouted, ducking as the canister landed nearby with a hiss.


    The room filled with a thick, choking fog, obscuring everything in a gray haze. My sixth sense flared, tracking the hunters’ movements even as my vision failed me.


    They’re closing in, Sia warned, her pulse steady in my mind.


    I tightened my grip on another shard of wood, my Arkamon Flux sparking to life around it.


    “They’re patient,” I said aloud, more to myself than to her. “They know they outnumber us.”


    “Then we make it costly for them,” Sia replied, her voice firm.


    She leapt from behind the planter, her dagger gleaming with Flux. In one fluid motion, she closed the distance to a nearby hunter, dodging his swing and driving her blade into his side. He fell with a grunt, his weapon slipping from his grasp.


    Three.


    I didn’t wait. The smoke swirled around me as I charged another hunter, my fists glowing with energy. He fired, the bullets deflecting off my barrier, though each impact sent a jolt through my arms.


    With a sharp punch, I struck him square in the chest, the force of the blow amplified by my Flux. He staggered, his ribs cracking audibly before he hit the ground.


    Four.


    The others didn’t falter. They moved with military precision, two breaking off to flank us while another fired suppressive bursts. The bullets tore through the air, forcing me to dive behind another planter for cover.


    Kyon, move! Sia’s voice cut through The Pulse, sharp and commanding.


    I rolled to the side as a hunter lunged toward me, a dagger gleaming in his hand. My Flux-coated fist met his jaw, the impact sending him sprawling.


    “Five!” I shouted, adrenaline surging through me.


    The victory was short-lived. Another hunter appeared in the smoke, his rifle aimed squarely at me. My sixth sense flared, but I wasn’t fast enough to dodge completely.


    The bullet grazed my shoulder, a sharp sting that sent pain shooting down my arm. I stumbled, clutching the wound as blood seeped through my shirt.


    “Kyon!” Sia’s voice was laced with panic, but she didn’t stop moving.


    She darted toward the hunter, her dagger slicing through the air. He tried to block, but she was faster, her blade catching him across the arm. He dropped his rifle, but before she could finish him, another hunter tackled her from the side, pinning her to the ground.


    “Get off her!” I roared, surging forward despite the pain.


    My Flux surged around me, stronger than before. The copper energy pulsed through my veins as I drove my fist into the hunter’s side, sending him flying.


    Sia scrambled to her feet, her eyes narrowing as she faced the remaining hunters.


    “We can’t keep this up,” I said, my breath coming in ragged gasps.


    “I know,” she replied, her voice grim. “But we don’t have a choice.”