As Arkan's fingers grazed the crystalline shard, a surge of energy erupted from its core, flooding the chamber with blinding light. The echoes of the rogue A.I.'s mechanical voice were drowned out by a resonating hum, deep and otherworldly.
Kairo shielded his eyes as the glow intensified. "What the hell is happening?"
"The shard," Arkan said, his voice calm despite the chaos. "It recognizes us."
"Recognizes us?!" Luna shouted, dodging a barrage of plasma fire from the towering mech. "Tell it to recognize faster—we're a little busy here!"
Iris, crouched behind a fallen console, furiously worked on her hacking device. "If that thing is powering up, we might not like what happens next. We need to move, now!"
The Mech's Wrath
The rogue mech unleashed another volley, its heavy plasma cannons tearing through metal and sending shards flying. Kairo ducked behind cover, returning fire with his plasma rifle.
"This thing just doesn't quit!" he yelled.
Luna leapt onto a nearby catwalk, her energy blade humming as she sliced through one of the mech's auxiliary turrets. "Keep it distracted—I'll take out its sensors!"
The mech swiveled, its glowing eyes locking onto Luna. It raised an arm, launching a cluster of micro-missiles in her direction.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Kairo shouted, activating his gauntlet's energy shield. He threw himself between Luna and the missiles, the shield absorbing the brunt of the impact.
"Thanks," Luna said, panting as she regained her footing.
"Don't mention it," Kairo replied, wincing as sparks flew from his gauntlet.
Bond with the Shard
Meanwhile, Arkan remained unmoving, his hands pressed against the shard. The glowing light surrounded him, forming intricate patterns that danced across his skin. His violet eyes glowed brighter, and his body seemed to radiate power.
"I can feel it," Arkan whispered. "The shard… it's alive. It's… ancient, sentient. It knows the Nexus."
"That's great and all," Iris snapped, "but unless it knows how to deal with a 20-ton murder bot, we're toast!"
Arkan's eyes snapped open, and his voice resonated with an otherworldly authority. "Then let it be known."
The shard's light intensified, forming a wave of energy that cascaded across the chamber. The rogue mech froze mid-attack, its circuits sparking as if caught in an electromagnetic pulse.
"Whoa," Kairo said, lowering his rifle. "Did… did we win?"
Luna glanced at Arkan, whose body still glowed with residual energy. "What did you do?"
"The shard speaks," Arkan said, his voice heavy with purpose. "It has granted us a fragment of its power—and a warning."
The Shard's Warning
The room dimmed as the shard's energy receded, and an ethereal voice filled the air.
"Seek the Nexus. Unify the fragments. Beware the coming storm."
"What storm?" Kairo asked, his voice uneasy.
"The Crimson Vow," Arkan replied, his expression grim. "They seek to awaken something far greater than we imagined. The Nexus is not merely a source of power—it is a seal. One that holds back a force capable of consuming the galaxy."
"Of course it is," Luna muttered, shaking her head. "Why can't ancient artifacts ever just be useful without apocalyptic strings attached?"
"Because that would be too easy," Iris quipped, standing up and dusting herself off.
Escape from the Station
Their victory was short-lived. The station's automated systems began to reboot, and the mechanical voice returned, colder and more hostile than before.
"Foreign entity detected within central hub. Purge protocols activated."
The walls groaned as hidden panels slid open, revealing rows of dormant combat drones. One by one, they activated, their eyes glowing red.
"We've overstayed our welcome!" Luna shouted, already sprinting toward the exit.
"Move!" Kairo yelled, firing at the nearest drones as the group scrambled out of the control hub.
Iris led the way, her hacking device held high as she disabled security barriers on the fly. "Keep them off me!" she yelled.
Arkan, still glowing faintly from the shard's energy, unleashed bursts of Neo-Ki that tore through the pursuing drones. His movements were more fluid and precise than ever, as if the shard had enhanced his abilities.
"I could get used to this," he said, a rare smirk crossing his face.
Return to the Shadowfang
The group reached the docking bay, where the Shadowfang awaited. Its engines roared to life as Luna powered up the ship's systems.
"Get in, now!" she shouted, the ramp lowering just enough for them to board.
Kairo and Arkan covered the rear, firing at the swarm of drones closing in. The ramp closed behind them just as the first wave reached the ship, their metal limbs clawing futilely at the hull.
"Punch it!" Kairo yelled, collapsing into a seat as the ship lifted off.
Luna didn't need to be told twice. The Shadowfang shot out of the station, narrowly avoiding another barrage from the defense grid.
As the station receded into the distance, Kairo let out a long breath. "That… was too close."
"No kidding," Iris said, slumping into a chair and letting her head fall back. "Next time, let's raid something less homicidal, like a black hole."
The Road Ahead
Back in the ship's cabin, Arkan placed the shard on the table. Its glow was faint now, but its presence was undeniable.
"This is only the beginning," he said, his voice quiet. "The shards must be united to unlock the Nexus, but with each step, the dangers will grow."
"Great," Kairo said, rubbing his temples. "Because we didn't have enough people trying to kill us already."
"We'll need to regroup," Luna said, leaning against the wall. "Rest, resupply, and figure out our next move. If the Crimson Vow is as dangerous as the shard says, we can't afford to stumble."
"Agreed," Iris said. "But let's not forget the Syndicate is still out there. Strix isn't going to let this slide."
Arkan nodded, his gaze fixed on the shard. "The storm is coming, and we must be ready