The world around Kaius seemed to pulse in and out of focus as he stumbled through the darkened streets, following closely behind Sura. His mind was clouded with confusion and anger, but more than that—fear. Fear of what he'd just done, and fear of what had happened to his father. Was he even real? The question gnawed at him, growing louder with every step he took.
Sura's pace was quick and deliberate, her cybernetic leg moving with a fluid efficiency, but she would glance back at Kaius now and then, her sharp eyes narrowing with concern. The streets of Neon Edge were quieter than usual, an eerie calm settling over the city. But in the distance, Kaius could sense the lingering presence of the CyberWatchers, even if he couldn't see them.
His heart was still pounding, the adrenaline from the encounter with the CyberWatcher earlier hadn't worn off. The image of that red string, pulsing and alive, kept flashing in his mind. He had pulled it without thinking, without fully understanding what it meant, but the results were undeniable. The CyberWatcher had fallen, and Kaius had been the one to make it happen.
He wasn't sure if he should be proud of that—or terrified.
As they rounded another corner, Sura slowed her pace slightly, her voice breaking the silence. "Are you okay?" she asked, though there was something deeper in her tone. It wasn't just concern—it was caution.
Kaius didn't respond right away. His mind was still racing, and the questions swirled in his head like a storm. "My father…" he muttered, almost to himself, his voice strained.
"I don't understand. He was there. He was right there."
Sura's steps faltered, but she didn't stop. Her eyes flicked to the side, as if weighing her response carefully. "Kaius," she began, her tone measured, "what you saw—what you're feeling right now—it's complicated. But this is bigger than your father."
"What the hell are you talking about?" His frustration flared again, sharper this time. His voice rose, cutting through the quiet street.
"You're not making any sense, Sura! You saw him! He was right there! And then he just—he just disappeared."
Sura stopped, turning to face him fully now. Her gaze locked onto his, and for the first time, he saw something more in her eyes—pity. "Kaius, I need you to listen to me," she said slowly, her voice dropping lower.
"What you're experiencing, what's happening to you—it's not just about your father. It's about you. There are… others like you, but they don't know it yet. Your abilities, your power—it's not random."
Kaius stared at her, the words struggling to make sense in his head. "Others like me?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.
"What do you mean, others like me?"
Sura hesitated, glancing around to make sure they weren't being overheard. The shadows seemed to stretch farther, and the silence grew heavier.
"You have abilities that the Sky District wants to control. The CyberWatchers—they're not just monitoring you. They're hunting people like you, people with… unique abilities. They're trying to suppress what they don't understand."
Kaius's mind reeled. His thoughts shot back to the moment with the CyberWatcher, the red string pulsing before his eyes. He had felt the power, but he hadn't understood it. Now, Sura was telling him that it wasn't just him—that there were others. But what did that mean for his father?
They began walking again, but the silence between them was thick with unspoken tension. Kaius's anger was simmering just beneath the surface.
"You've been keeping this from me," he said, his voice cold. "All this time. You knew. You knew about me—about my father—and you didn't say anything."
Sura didn't deny it. Her silence only fueled his frustration.
"I thought you were here to help," Kaius continued, his fists clenched at his sides. "But all you've done is lie to me. My father—"His voice cracked, and he stopped himself, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"He's dead, isn't he?" The question came out before he could stop it.
Sura's eyes softened, but she didn't answer.
Kaius's heart sank, the weight of the truth crashing over him. He had known, deep down, but admitting it felt like tearing open a wound that had barely begun to heal. His hands shook, and he pressed them against his temples, trying to force the memories away, trying to cling to the illusion of his father's presence.
"I can't—" His voice was barely audible. "I can't lose him again…"
Sura reached out, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Kaius, I need you to focus. We don't have much time. The CyberWatchers will be back, and this time they won't send just one."
Kaius blinked, trying to pull himself out of the haze that had clouded his mind.
"What do they want from me?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
"Why are they after me?"
Sura hesitated again, her grip tightening slightly on his shoulder.
"Because you're a threat to the Sky District," she said quietly.
"Your abilities—they're linked to something much bigger. Something the elites want to keep hidden."
Before Kaius could press her further, the sharp sound of footsteps echoed from behind them. Both of them tensed, turning toward the source of the noise.
"They found us," Sura muttered, pulling Kaius into a nearby alleyway, the shadows enveloping them.
The footsteps grew louder, more deliberate, and the air seemed to hum with an unnatural energy. From the corner of his eye, Kaius could see the familiar glow of the CyberWatchers—those Y-shaped masks cutting through the darkness.
Sura's comm unit crackled to life.
"Squad InkLow, we have movement. CyberWatchers approaching. Clear the area."
Sura glanced at Kaius, her expression grim.
"We need to move. Now."
But before they could slip away, the CyberWatchers stepped into view, their metallic bodies gleaming under the city lights. There were more of them this time—three, maybe four. Their movements were eerily synchronized, and their glowing eyes locked onto Kaius instantly.
The tension snapped. Sura pulled out a sleek weapon, her eyes sharp and focused.
"Stay behind me," she ordered, but Kaius could already feel the strings returning—the red, the purple, the gray. His vision blurred for a moment as the colors pulsed around him.
I can do this, he thought, his heart racing. I can stop them.
But then a voice echoed through the alleyway, cold and mechanical.
"Suspect no. 23451223442, surrender immediately."
Kaius's pulse quickened, his vision sharpening. The strings pulsed brighter. This time, he wouldn't just pull one.
This time, he would tear them all apart.