The forest erupted into chaos. The gunshots came from all directions, crackling through the rain-soaked trees like fireworks, their echoes bouncing off the trunks. Serena's heart hammered in her chest as she crouched low behind a large tree, adrenaline flooding her system. Elena was pressed up against a nearby tree, wide-eyed but silent, while Adrian knelt beside a fallen log, his gun at the ready, his sharp gaze scanning the dense undergrowth for movement.
Serena clenched her jaw, gripping her weapon tightly. Whoever was attacking them wasn't the Covenant—they didn't fire blindly. This was something else, something darker. Her instincts screamed at her to move, to get out of the open, but they were pinned down.
"Who the hell are they?" Rebecca's voice crackled over Serena's earpiece, her tone tense. "We heard the gunfire. Are you okay?"
Serena pressed a hand to her earpiece, her eyes darting around the forest. "We're pinned. It's not the Covenant. We don't know who it is yet."
"Stay low and keep moving," Rebecca replied. "We'll try to loop around and meet you further down the valley."
"Got it," Serena whispered, then glanced at Adrian. "Any brilliant ideas?"
Adrian smirked, though there was no humor in his eyes. "Brilliant, no. But if you're up for a little gamble, I'd say our best bet is to draw them out."
Serena glared at him. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"
Adrian tilted his head, listening to the gunfire that had momentarily paused. "Simple. We make them think they've got the upper hand, and when they come in closer, we hit them hard."
Before Serena could protest, Adrian pulled out a small flare from his pack. He winked at her before tossing it into the air. The bright red light arced through the rain-soaked sky, landing several meters ahead of them. Instantly, the gunfire resumed, this time focused on the flare's location.
"Get ready," Adrian muttered, positioning himself behind the fallen log, his gun aimed at the spot where the flare had landed. Serena moved closer to Elena, gripping her weapon, her pulse quickening as she prepared for what was coming.
Through the rain and mist, shadows shifted. Movement flickered between the trees—figures closing in, moving with practiced precision. Serena's stomach clenched. These weren't amateurs. They moved like soldiers, but they weren't dressed in the Covenant's tactical gear. Whoever they were, they were here to kill.
"Wait for it," Adrian whispered, his finger hovering over the trigger.
The figures drew closer, their outlines becoming clearer through the mist. Serena could see them now—dark clothing, masks obscuring their faces, and rifles held at the ready. There were at least six of them, maybe more, and they were closing in fast.
Adrian fired first. The crack of his gun echoed through the forest, and one of the figures dropped instantly. Serena fired next, taking down another attacker before ducking behind the tree as bullets whizzed past her head.
The forest exploded into a firefight, the attackers now fully engaged as they realized their targets weren't going down without a fight. Serena moved quickly, popping out from behind her cover to fire at the advancing figures, her heart pounding in her chest.
Elena, to her credit, remained calm, crouching low behind her tree as the gunfire raged around them. Serena caught her eye and gave her a quick nod. "Stay down!"
Elena nodded, her eyes wide but focused.
Another figure moved through the underbrush, flanking them from the left. Serena spotted him just in time, firing two quick shots and sending him crumpling to the ground. But the attackers kept coming, relentless in their pursuit.
Adrian, of course, was handling the situation with his usual infuriating calm. He moved with deadly precision, taking down one attacker after another, his sharp eyes constantly scanning for the next target. Serena couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for his skills, even as she cursed his recklessness.
But despite their best efforts, they were outnumbered. More figures appeared through the mist, and Serena knew they couldn't hold their position much longer.
"We need to move!" she shouted to Adrian. "There are too many of them!"
Adrian nodded, his expression serious. "Follow me! I know a way out!"
Without waiting for a response, Adrian bolted toward a narrow opening between the trees, moving with the speed and agility of someone who had spent his life evading danger. Serena grabbed Elena by the arm and followed, the sound of gunfire still crackling through the air as they dashed through the rain-soaked forest.
The attackers followed, their footsteps pounding through the mud as they gave chase. Serena's heart raced as she sprinted after Adrian, ducking under low-hanging branches and leaping over fallen logs. The forest seemed to close in around them, the mist thickening, making it harder to see.
Suddenly, Adrian veered left, leading them down a steep incline. The ground gave way beneath Serena's feet, and she stumbled, catching herself on a tree branch just before tumbling down the slope. Elena, following closely behind, slipped but managed to stay on her feet, her face pale with exertion.
"Come on!" Adrian called, urging them forward.
They reached the bottom of the incline, where a small stream cut through the forest. The rushing water was dark and swollen from the rain, and the bank was slippery with mud. Adrian waded into the stream without hesitation, motioning for them to follow.
Serena glanced over her shoulder, hearing the shouts of their pursuers growing closer. "Do you know where you're going?" she called to Adrian as she plunged into the icy water after him.
Adrian gave her a sideways grin. "Trust me, Serena. I've been through worse."
Serena wasn't so sure about that, but she didn't have time to argue. The water was freezing, soaking through her boots and pants as they sloshed through the stream, but it was a small price to pay if it helped them lose their attackers.
After several minutes of trudging through the stream, Adrian led them up the opposite bank and into a dense thicket of trees. The underbrush was thick, the branches clawing at Serena's clothes as they pushed through, but the thick vegetation provided cover.
They came to a stop in a small clearing, the sounds of pursuit finally fading behind them. Serena collapsed against a tree, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. Elena sank to the ground, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she shivered from the cold.
Adrian, of course, looked perfectly at ease, as if they hadn't just been running for their lives. He leaned against a tree, glancing at Serena with that familiar glint of amusement in his eyes. "See? I told you we'd make it."
Serena shot him a withering look, though she couldn't deny the relief that washed over her. They had escaped, for now at least.
"What now?" Elena asked, her voice shaky.
Serena wiped the rain from her face, her mind already shifting back into survival mode. "We need to keep moving. Those attackers—whoever they are—they're not going to give up that easily. We have to assume they'll keep coming."
"And Rebecca and Alex?" Elena asked, her brow furrowed with concern.
Serena glanced at Adrian, then at the dense forest around them. "We find them. Then we figure out who the hell just tried to kill us."
Because whoever these attackers were, they weren't the Covenant.
And that meant they had even more enemies than they'd realized.
As the storm continued to rage overhead, Serena felt the weight of the Lumen Corvus pressing against her back, a grim reminder of what was at stake. Every step they took brought them closer to answers—but also deeper into danger.
And Serena had the sinking feeling that they were running out of time.