"Ack... it fucking hurts... ha... haha... ack..." Sera muttered, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to push herself off the ground. Her entire body screamed in pain, her limbs trembling as she fought to stay upright. Every inch of her ached, her chest feeling like it was on fire, her mind reeling from the overwhelming chaos of her own destructive power.
She barely got to her feet before her body gave out, sending her crashing to one side. She hit the ground hard, narrowly missing the metal arrow that whizzed past her and embedded itself in the ground, a mere breath away from piercing her chest.
She blinked, staring at the arrow for a moment, trying to process just how close she'd come to dying. Fuck... that was too close. She let out a strained laugh, her thoughts a jumbled mess of pain and adrenaline. How did it come to this?
It wasn't long before the shouts began. One of the security guards, his face pale with fear but voice still steady, yelled at her from the distance. "Put your fucking hands up or we'll shoot you down! Okay?"
Her head swayed, the world tilting at odd angles as her vision blurred. "Ahh... it still hurts... damn, I really fucked up here..." she muttered, half to herself, half to the empty air around her. She couldn't even tell what was real anymore. Her thoughts were like static, jumping from one idea to the next with no coherence. Pain mixed with laughter, and for a moment, she wondered if this was it. The end. Her body wasn't moving like it should—she was still in the middle of the fight, but her limbs refused to obey her commands.
What to do... I can't move. I'll get shot dead before I know it...
She could hear the footsteps getting closer. The sound of weapons cocking, voices barking orders. Ten... Her mind raced, calculating the odds. I can't shoot back... not fast enough. They'll kill me before I pull the trigger. Nine... Her eyes darted around, scanning the area for any opening, any escape. Nothing. Eight... Seven... Six... The commands grew louder now, almost mocking in their intensity.
"Get on your knees! Hands behind your back!"
Five... Four...
Sera's breathing quickened, her chest tightening as the realization hit her. Fuck me. There was no way out. No time to think. She was trapped, surrounded, and outnumbered. Her vision tunneled, her pulse pounding in her ears as she heard the final command.
"Don't you fucking move!"
Three... Two...
She could feel the cold sweat running down her back as her eyes flicked toward the guards. They were moving in now, tightening the circle, their guns trained on her. Her mind was on fire, every thought a scream as she realized she was out of time.
One.
Before they could get any closer, Sera ducked down low, her body moving on pure instinct. Her hands hit the ground, and with a fierce surge of energy, she unleashed her skill.
"BOOM BOOM."
The ground shook beneath her, the air crackling with magicules as the blast erupted from her core. The sound was deafening, a thunderous roar that seemed to split the world apart. The explosion sent everyone flying, their bodies flung like ragdolls through the air. Limbs twisted, bones shattered, and the world around her became a maelstrom of blood, fire, and debris.
Bits and chunks of what used to be people flew in every direction, the smell of charred flesh filling the air as the heat from the blast scorched everything in its path. Sera's vision blurred, her chest heaving with the effort of the attack. Blood spattered across her face, the sticky warmth mixing with the cold sweat already dripping from her skin. She could barely see through the haze, but she knew one thing: she had nearly killed herself.
Her legs shook as she tried to stand, her body swaying dangerously as she staggered forward. Every step was agony, her muscles screaming in protest, but her mind was calm. Too calm. It was the kind of calm that came after destruction, after chaos had taken its toll and left nothing behind.
The area around her was a gory mess, bodies broken and scattered, their faces contorted in expressions of terror and pain. Sera didn't flinch. She didn't feel anything anymore. This was just another fight. Another battle for survival. And in this world, there was no room for hesitation.
She wiped the blood from her face with the back of her hand, her expression cold as she started moving toward her boss's office. No time to waste, she thought, her mind already focused on her next move. She had to finish this.
The halls were eerily quiet now, the blaring alarms the only sound that remained. Her footsteps echoed through the empty corridors, her mind sharp despite the toll the battle had taken on her body. She could feel the dull ache of Oripathy in her arm, but she pushed it aside. There was no time for weakness. Not now.
As she approached the large steel doors of her boss's office, she could feel the tension building again. The calm before another storm. Her hand tightened around the handle of her gun, her knuckles white as she prepared for whatever was coming next.