Blood and Sparks: The Edge of Power-Chapter 17: Voices Calling

I yanked back, heart slamming against my ribs, each beat syncing with the weapon's pulse, loud and insistent, as a beam scorched past, slamming into the wall beside me, stone exploding, shards biting into my skin, pain slicing through my shoulder, sharp and hot, but my tougher skin held, durability steady, muscles tensing under the tank top, arms bulging as I absorbed the hit, the frayed edges tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh beneath, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold.

I pivoted, lifting the rifle, fingers slick with sweat, the green glow flaring, syncing with the kinetic energy, muscles straining, bulging under the tank top, arms thick and solid, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold. I fired—a jagged beam laced with kinetic force, hitting center mass, cracking the nearest soldier's armor, sending him staggering into the tunnel wall, armor splintering, blue sparks flying, mixing with the ash, sharp and bright, stinging my eyes, tears mixing with the grit, hot and raw, sticking to the steel-like flesh, damp and heavy.

Liv turned, sparks flaring, releasing a crackling burst that struck another soldier square in the chest, his body seizing violently, blue light arcing, armor crackling, before he collapsed, ash swirling thicker, choking my lungs, gritty and hot, sticking to the tank top, damp and heavy, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold.

Tucker moved like a ghost, his machete a silver blur, finding a weak point, slicing clean through the gap in a soldier's armor, blood spraying red, hot and wet, mixing with the ash, sticky and wrong, splattering on the stone, catching the green glow, sharp and bright against the dark, the tang sharp and bitter, mixing with the damp, the dust, the decay.

More gunfire.

Energy rounds burned past, searing against the tunnel walls, blue light flashing, concrete splintering, ash swirling thicker, choking my lungs, gritty and hot, sticking to the tank top, damp and heavy, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold.

I fired again, sending a second kinetic blast down the corridor, the sheer force caving in part of the wall, stone crumbling, ash swirling thicker, choking my lungs, gritty and hot, sticking to the tank top, damp and heavy, the frayed edges catching on the rubble, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold, cutting off part of the advancing team, not enough to stop them, but enough to slow them down, buying seconds, the tang of scorched metal sharp in the air, mixing with the damp, the dust, the decay.

"Move!" I barked, voice rough, heart slamming, each beat syncing with the weapon's pulse, loud and insistent, mixing with the gunfire, the ash, the hum of the tunnel, heavy and wrong.

We ran, boots pounding against cracked pavement, ash swirling thicker, choking my lungs, gritty and hot, sticking to the tank top, damp and heavy, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold, deeper into the darkness, the gunfire fading behind, the damp air pressing heavier, the rust and decay thicker, mixing with the faint drip of water, rhythmic and slow, echoing off the corroded pipes, their brown streaks running down the walls, slick and wet under my boots, catching the green glow, sharp and bright against the dark.

The psionic hum grew louder—a vibration beneath my skin, a pulse through my bones, sharp and wrong, mixing with the kinetic energy buzzing under my tougher skin, muscles denser, arms thick and solid, the tank top stretched tight, sweat soaking through, clinging to my chest, damp and heavy, the weight of my enhanced power pressing against it, muscles straining, bulging with each step, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold.

It wasn't just sound—it was pressure, like something was curling around my mind, squeezing, testing, pushing, a weight I couldn't shake, sharp and alien, syncing with the hum, the kinetic energy buzzing louder, muscles straining under the tank top, arms thick and solid, the frayed edges tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold.

A whisper I couldn't hear.

But felt.

Liv was breathing hard beside me, her sparks flaring, illuminating the path, their blue light dancing off the stone, casting jagged shadows, sharp and wrong, stretching long and twisted, like the Skraiths' claws, the ozone tang heavy, electric, lacing the air with the taste of lightning, sharp enough to make my teeth ache, mixing with the damp, the dust, the decay, sticking to my skin, gritty and hot, clinging to the tank top, damp and heavy, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold. "Kai, what the hell is down here?"

I swallowed hard, throat dry as ash, the words sticking, the pressure inside my skull building, sharp and wrong, mixing with the kinetic energy buzzing under my tougher skin, muscles denser, arms thick and solid, the tank top stretched tight, sweat soaking through, clinging to my chest, damp and heavy, the weight of my enhanced power pressing against it, muscles straining, bulging with each breath, the frayed edges catching on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold. "Something... not human."

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Tucker shifted Rylan's weight, his boots heavy, the machete glinting faintly, muscles straining, the tang of blood sharp and bitter, mixing with the ash, heavy and wrong, clinging to my skin, damp and heavy, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold. "Fantastic. More freaks."

Jace exhaled sharply, ribs aching, voice tight, breath ragged, shallow, mixing with the faint groans from Rylan, bandages soaked red, pale and still, his shallow breaths barely audible over the chaos, the tang of his blood sharp in the air, metallic and bitter, catching in my throat, mixing with the ash, heavy and wrong, sticking to the tank top, damp and heavy, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold. "Can we outrun it?"

I didn't know.

The system updated faster, its voice clinical, unrelenting, a blade in my mind, slicing through the chaos, sharp and wrong, mixing with the pounding in my ears, the thud of my heart against my ribs, syncing with the weapon's pulse, loud and insistent, green light casting jagged shadows, sharp and wrong, stretching across the stone, long and twisted, like the Skraiths' claws.

Government Hostiles: 5 Meters. Psionic Presence: 50 Meters. Potential Superhuman Interest: 15 Meters.

Then, the hum shifted—a pulse of static rolling through the tunnel, as if the air itself had been electrified, sharp and wrong, mixing with the kinetic energy buzzing under my tougher skin, muscles denser, arms thick and solid, the tank top stretched tight, sweat soaking through, clinging to my chest, damp and heavy, the weight of my enhanced power pressing against it, muscles straining, bulging with each breath, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold.

My vision blurred for a second, the stone walls seeming to stretch outward, elongating into infinity, shapes flickering at the edges—dark, shifting, not quite solid, not quite shadow, but there, sharp and wrong, mixing with the hum, the kinetic energy buzzing louder, muscles straining under the tank top, arms thick and solid, the frayed edges tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold.

And then—

A whisper.

Not sound. Not language.

Just a presence, pressing into my mind, sharp and alien, curling around my thoughts, squeezing, testing, pushing, heavy and cold, syncing with the hum, the kinetic energy buzzing louder, muscles straining under the tank top, arms thick and solid, the frayed edges snagging on the stone, tearing further, exposing the steel-like flesh, glinting faintly under the green glow, catching the flickering lights, sharp and cold.

Join us.