4 months later…
The hum of machinery echoed softly through the tunnels as Kaius paced through the dimly lit base. His body was sore from the earlier training session, but his mind felt restless. The strings—those strange, pulsing lines that had appeared to him in moments of tension—had been growing brighter, more frequent. They seemed to have a will of their own, guiding him toward something, warning him of unseen dangers. His sixth sense was sharper than ever, and it was becoming harder to ignore.
Kaius wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced around, his eyes narrowing as they settled on the shadowy corners of the room. Ella's sarcastic laughter echoed from behind him, pulling him out of his thoughts.
"Hey, space cadet!" Ella called from across the room, leaning against the wall with a playful grin.
"What's got you all tense? Planning on another one of your heroic escapes into the restricted zone?"
Kaius smirked, trying to shake off the strange feeling that had been gnawing at him.
"Just thinking."
Ella approached, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Thinking, huh? That's dangerous. You should try being like me. Less thinking, more punching things. Works wonders for the nerves."
Kaius laughed softly, though there was still tension in his voice.
"Yeah, I've seen how that works out for you."
Ella nudged him playfully.
"Hey, I'm undefeated in sarcasm. Besides.... you're getting better. That last sparring match wasn't half bad. Though… you might want to work on not getting your face punched so much."
"Noted," Kaius replied, rolling his eyes.
The two of them had grown closer over the past months. Despite Ella's relentless teasing and sharp tongue, there was an easy chemistry between them, a shared sense of humor that helped ease the growing tension in the base.
Kaius couldn't deny it anymore—he was starting to like her, and not just because of her humor. Ella had a way of making him feel at ease, even when everything around him seemed to be unraveling.
They sat down on a bench, and for a moment, they just talked—about random things. Ella complained about one of the other rebels who snored too loudly, and Kaius told her about how he'd been working on perfecting his hand-to-hand combat skills.
"You've got potential," Ella said after a moment, her usual sarcasm softening into something more genuine.
"But you've gotta stop being so hard on yourself. You're doing fine."
Kaius smiled, but before he could respond, something tugged at the corner of his vision—a faint red string, pulsing brighter than before.
His heart skipped a beat as he felt the familiar sensation wash over him. The strings were leading him again, and this time, they were pulling him toward the tunnel—the restricted area.
Ella noticed his sudden change in demeanor and raised an eyebrow.
"You alright?"
Kaius stood, his voice tense.
"I need to check something."
"What now?" Ella asked, half-exasperated but also curious.
"I'll tell you when I'm back," he said quickly, glancing toward the direction of the tunnel.
"Just… stay here."
Ella frowned but didn't push further.
"You're acting weird, you know that?"
Kaius didn't answer. He was already moving toward the tunnel, his footsteps quick but cautious. The strings were growing brighter with each step, and his heart pounded in his chest. Sura's warning echoed in his mind. We're being watched.
The tunnel was dark, its walls cold and damp. The further he went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. Every now and then, Kaius thought he heard a faint whirring sound—something mechanical, like the low hum of machinery hidden just out of sight. His sixth sense screamed at him to turn back, but he pushed forward.
And then, he saw it—a flicker of movement in the shadows. His breath caught in his throat as he froze in place. The strings pulsed furiously around him, flashing red and purple. His eyes widened as he realized what he was seeing. CyberWatchers. They were here, lurking at the borders of the restricted zone, watching.
Kaius backed up slowly, his heart hammering in his chest. He knew he shouldn't have come. If they spotted him, if they realized he was there…
He turned and ran, his footsteps barely audible against the stone floor. When he finally reached the base again, he burst through the entrance, his chest heaving as he shouted,
"CyberWatchers! They're here!"
For a moment, the room was silent. Then, one of the rebels laughed, and another shook his head.
"Relax, kid," someone called out.
"You've been watching too many movies."
"Yeah, CyberWatchers in our tunnels? Don't make me laugh," another said, chuckling.
Kaius felt his face flush with frustration. They don't believe me. But he knew what he saw.
Ella, however, wasn't laughing. She stood up and crossed the room, her expression serious now.
"Wait, what did you say?"
Kaius turned to her, his voice steady.
"I saw them. CyberWatchers. They were just outside the restricted area."
Ella's expression darkened. She didn't say anything for a moment, but he could see the wheels turning in her mind.
"You sure?"
"I'm sure," Kaius said.
"They're watching us."
Ella frowned, her playful demeanor gone. She pulled out a small communicator from her pocket, her fingers hovering over the buttons.
"I'm making a call. If they're here, we need to be ready."
Kaius watched her for a moment, feeling a strange mix of relief and fear. She believes me. But before Ella could complete the call, a loud boom echoed through the tunnels, shaking the walls and sending a shiver down Kaius's spine.
They both froze, their eyes meeting in silent understanding.
We didn't even had time for quick call to headquarters—Ella cursed under her breath.
"Fuck"
"We need to move. Now."