As Ava and her remaining seven guards left the surveillance room, their thoughts focused solely on their mission—reaching the control room and shutting down the rig's operations. They didn't notice the door on the opposite side of the corridor being forcefully pushed open as a person was shoved inside. The dim light flickered over the sickly figure slumped on the floor. Her name was Lena. She lay amid a sea of corpses, bodies in various stages of Oripathy, their tortured faces telling stories of pain and suffering. Lena's turn would come soon enough, but that was a tale for the future.
The rhythmic step, step, step of Ava's boots echoed in the narrow hall as they moved closer to their target. With each step, her heart raced faster. Was this all part of some conspiracy? A grander scheme that none of them fully understood? And what if she failed? What if they all failed? Would it all be for nothing, just to return empty-handed to base? No. Failure wasn't an option. Not this time. They had to succeed. There was no next time, not on Terra II, not in this brutal world they called home.
Ava felt a surge of doubt creep into her mind. Had Sera really trusted her with this mission? After all, she was just an engineer, a relative stranger to the group. The thought gnawed at her, but there was no time for self-pity. I don't have time to think! Just keep going! Only a few more steps! She stretched her hand toward the double doors ahead—the gateway to the control room, to her success.
Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine, an instinctive warning. Ava tried to stop, but before she could react, a hand yanked her by the collar, pulling her back. She stumbled, disoriented, as her legs buckled beneath her. Her vision blurred for a moment before she refocused, finding herself staring at a large gash that had appeared on the metal door ahead—narrowly missing where her head would've been.
"Fu—" Ava barely had time to mutter before Zyra appeared next to her, her reflexes razor-sharp. One of the guards had caught Ava by the arm, preventing her from collapsing entirely.
Clang. Crash.
The sound reverberated through the hallway as dust swirled in the air. A figure emerged from the settling debris—a Rebbah, tall and imposing, his wicked grin flashing under the dim lights. Ava's stomach twisted. Rebbah were crafty, predatory creatures, natural hunters that thrived in the dangerous environments others avoided, especially in the Black Desert. This one was no different. His ragged laughter filled the air, sending a wave of discomfort down Ava's spine.
"Heh-heh... HYAHAHA!" The Rebbah's laughter was shrill, almost mocking. His name was Krueger, the brother of Karter—the two brothers who ran the rig, for now at least. Krueger's eyes gleamed with amusement as he surveyed the group, clearly relishing the moment.
"What could such fine people be doing on my rig, running around like vermin?" he sneered, his gaze settling on Zyra. "Heh-heh... You know, especially for a Sarkaz like you!" Krueger's hand moved behind him, drawing out a crossbow and leveling it at Zyra's chest, a predatory smile stretching across his face.
Zyra, unfazed by the insult, narrowed her eyes at Krueger. "Nothing a barking fool such as yourself needs to know. Damn waste scavenger." Her words dripped with contempt, clearly striking a nerve. Krueger's smile faltered, replaced by a flash of anger.
"I ain't no damn scavenger!" he snarled, his voice rising. "And no barking fool either!" His finger tightened on the trigger, and Ava could see the deadly bolt aimed right at Zyra. She froze, heart pounding in her chest.
I have to move, I have to do something!
Before Krueger could fire, Ava began edging toward the control room door, hoping to sneak around while Zyra distracted him. Each step she took felt like a gamble, the tension in the air crackling like electricity. Her heart pounded louder in her ears with every second.
But Krueger's keen eyes weren't so easily deceived.
"Oh? Where do you think you're going?" Krueger's voice cut through the air like a blade as his gaze shifted to Ava. In an instant, he turned the crossbow toward her, the cruel smile returning. He let loose the bolt, aiming to strike her down before she could make her move.
Time seemed to slow as the bolt whistled through the air.
"No!" Zyra shouted, her body already in motion. In one swift movement, she stepped in front of Ava, her twin katanas flashing in the dim light as she deflected the bolt with precision, the force of the impact sending sparks flying.
Ava stumbled backward, her legs trembling beneath her. The guard beside her caught her again, keeping her upright. Zyra stood firm in front of her, twin blades in hand, her eyes locked on Krueger.
"You missed, scavenger," Zyra taunted, her voice laced with venom. "Try again."
Krueger's laughter echoed through the corridor, louder this time, more erratic. "Heh-heh... You're good, Sarkaz. But let's see how long you can keep up that bravado."
The tension in the room was palpable. Zyra's grip tightened on her katanas as she took a step forward, her body radiating with a lethal grace. Ava, still shaken but determined, began inching her way toward the control room again, hoping Krueger's focus would remain on Zyra.
Krueger's eyes darted between them, his predatory instincts at war with his anger. With a flick of his wrist, he reloaded his crossbow. "You won't get away this time, little mouse," he growled, aiming once more at Ava.
But Zyra was faster. She lunged forward, her katanas slicing through the air with deadly precision. Krueger barely had time to react, his crossbow knocked from his hands as Zyra's blade cut through the strap, sending it clattering to the ground.
"Fool," Zyra hissed, her face inches from his. "You should've stayed in the shadows where scavengers belong."
Krueger snarled, baring his teeth as he swung at her with his claws, but Zyra was too quick, ducking beneath his strike and slashing at his legs, forcing him back. The battle had begun, and there was no turning back now.
Ava, watching the fight unfold, knew this was her chance. With Zyra keeping Krueger occupied, she made her move toward the control room door. Her hands shook as she keyed in the sequence, praying it would open before anything else went wrong.
The door hissed open, revealing the dimly lit control room inside. Ava's breath hitched in her throat. She had made it. Now all she had to do was shut down the rig.