Aki's legs pumped furiously as he zigzagged to avoid the Synthetics' onslaught. Streams of plasma and laser fire scorched the ground around him, each shot too precise, too relentless. His Skana felt woefully inadequate, a relic in a world dominated by advanced technology.
Altharion moved beside him, a blur of speed and precision. Their glowing blade deflected incoming fire with ease, each parry accompanied by a pulse of Void energy that distorted the air.
"Keep moving, anomaly!" Altharion shouted, their voice a mixture of command and disdain.
"Not exactly standing still!" Aki retorted, narrowly ducking under a volley of plasma bolts.
The Synthetics moved in perfect synchronization, advancing with unnerving precision. One launched a grenade that detonated with a deafening thud, sending Aki sprawling. His shields flickered dangerously, the impact rattling his entire frame.
He scrambled to his feet, adrenaline surging. One of the Synthetics lunged at him, its metallic claws gleaming. Aki raised his Skana and swung wildly, managing to deflect the strike. The force sent vibrations up his arm, and he winced.
"This isn't working!" he shouted, backpedaling.
"You think?" Altharion growled, leaping into the fray. Their blade cut through two Synthetics in a single fluid motion, the energy coursing through it leaving jagged scars in the air.
Akio watched in awe—and frustration. Altharion moved like a master, their every step and strike an effortless dance. Meanwhile, Akio was barely staying alive, his every move clumsy and desperate.
But there was no time to dwell on his inadequacy. More Synthetics emerged from the Rift, their weapons glowing ominously.
"Anomaly detected," one of them intoned. "Commencing capture protocol."
They raised cylindrical devices that pulsed with Void energy. Aki felt a sudden pull, as though invisible hands were dragging him toward the Rift.
"What the—?!" He dug his heels into the ground, but the force was overwhelming.
"Disrupt their synchronization!" the Operator's voice rang out, clear and urgent.
"How?" Aki shouted, panic rising.
"Your unstable Void energy—it disrupts theirs. Release it!"
Aki hesitated. The last time he unleashed his powers, it had almost killed him. But as he felt himself being dragged closer to the Rift, he realized he didn't have a choice.
He closed his eyes and focused, reaching for that chaotic energy within him. It responded like a raging beast, surging to the surface.
With a roar, Aki released the energy. A wave of distortion rippled outward, shattering the synchronization of the Synthetics. They staggered, their movements suddenly jerky and disorganized.
Altharion seized the opportunity, cutting through the disoriented enemies with ruthless efficiency.
"Well done, anomaly," they said, their tone begrudgingly approving.
Akio didn't have time to feel proud. The surge of energy left him dizzy and weak, his vision blurring. He stumbled, his Warframe sparking ominously.
"You're overexerting your connection," the Operator warned. "You need to retreat."
"Retreat to where?" Aki muttered, struggling to stay upright.
The remaining Synthetics regrouped, their mechanical voices rising in unison. "Target destabilized. Increasing capture force."
The air around Aki grew heavy as the Rift behind the Synthetics expanded. Tendrils of Void energy lashed out, tearing at the ground and pulling everything toward it.
Altharion stepped in front of Aki ,their blade glowing brighter. "You are not ready to face this."
"I'm getting that impression," Aki said, his voice strained.
Altharion extended a hand, and a portal of shimmering Void energy appeared behind them. "Take the portal. I will hold them off."
"What about you?" Aki asked, hesitation in his voice.
"I am Riftbound," Altharion said simply. "The Void is my home. Now go, or I will leave you to their mercy."
Aki didn't need to be told twice. He staggered toward the portal, the pull of the expanding Rift growing stronger with every step.
Just as he reached the portal, a Synthetic lunged at him, its claws outstretched. Aki reacted instinctively, swinging his Skana with all his might. The blade connected, slicing through the Synthetic's arm.
The victory was short-lived. The Synthetic's remaining arm slammed into his chest, sending him flying through the portal.
---
The Nexus
Aki landed hard on a stone floor, his body aching. The air here was different—still heavy with Void energy, but calmer, more stable. He looked around, his helmet's HUD flickering back to life.
The room was vast and circular, its walls inscribed with glowing glyphs that pulsed softly. In the center stood a towering obelisk, its surface shifting like liquid metal.
"Where am I now?" Aki muttered, forcing himself to his feet.
"The Nexus," the Operator said. "A sanctuary within the Void, hidden from those who seek to harm you."
Aki approached the obelisk cautiously. As he got closer, it began to hum, resonating with the same unstable energy he had felt within himself.
"What is this place?"
"It is a relic of the Orokin," the Operator explained. "A fragment of their failed experiments with the Void. It reacts to your presence because you are not of this world. You are an anomaly—an imbalance."
"Yeah, you've mentioned that part," Aki said, rolling his eyes. "What does it mean?"
The obelisk flared suddenly, and a voice echoed in the chamber.
"Aki."
He froze. The voice was familiar—his own.
"Do you understand now?" the voice continued, calm and haunting. "You are both the key and the lock. The Void brought you here not by chance, but by design. Will you embrace your purpose, or will you fall to the chaos you've unleashed?"
Aki stared at the obelisk, his mind racing. Questions swirled in his head, but one thing was clear: this wasn't a game anymore.
It was a war.
And he was at the center of it.