The financial district was barely recognizable. Once a hub of commerce and glittering skyscrapers, it was now a warped nightmare. The tallest buildings shimmered unnaturally, their reflections bending and twisting in impossible ways. The air felt heavy, charged with Rift energy, and the faint hum of the Convergence signal echoed through the streets.
"This is it," Jiang Xia said, staring at the glowing rooftop of a distant skyscraper—the location of the final node.
Li Wen adjusted his equipment, his face pale but determined. "This node isn't just amplifying the signal. It's the source now. If we take this down, we sever the connection completely."
"And if we don't?" Qin Chuan asked, his rifle slung over his shoulder.
"Then the Convergence begins," Xu Min said grimly. "And it's over for all of us."
Jiang Xia nodded. "Let's move."
---
Into the Heart of the Storm
The streets leading to the node were eerily silent. Rift distortions rippled through the air, creating flickering shadows and disjointed echoes of footsteps. The team moved cautiously, their weapons at the ready.
"Scanners are picking up heavy activity," Li Wen whispered. "Remnants… and something else."
"What else?" Qin Chuan asked.
Li Wen hesitated. "It's… stronger. The readings don't match anything we've seen before."
As they approached the building, the air shimmered, and remnants began to emerge from the distortions. These remnants were different—larger, more solid, their forms crackling with raw energy.
"Here we go," Qin Chuan muttered, raising his rifle.
The team engaged the remnants, their movements coordinated and precise. Jiang Xia's blade cut through the creatures with practiced ease, while Xu Min's precise shots took down those that got too close to Li Wen.
"We can't keep this up forever," Xu Min said, her voice strained. "Li Wen, can you find us a way in?"
"Working on it!" Li Wen shouted, frantically typing into his tablet. A moment later, the building's side entrance slid open with a hiss. "Go! I'll seal it behind us!"
---
The Climb
Inside, the building was a labyrinth of distorted hallways and flickering lights. The Rift energy was so intense that the walls seemed to ripple, and time stuttered, replaying brief moments seconds after they had already passed.
"The node's at the top," Li Wen said, leading the way. "But the distortions are strongest there. It's going to be a nightmare."
"Nothing we haven't faced before," Jiang Xia said firmly. "Stay focused."
The team made their way up the emergency stairwell, avoiding collapsed sections and bypassing locked doors. The higher they climbed, the worse the distortions became. Shadows flickered at the edges of their vision, and faint whispers echoed through the air.
"Keep moving," Jiang Xia said, shaking off a phantom image of her father that appeared briefly in front of her. "We're almost there."
---
The Final Node
The rooftop was a swirling nexus of energy. The node's core floated in the center, a massive sphere of light surrounded by spiraling conduits. The air crackled with power, and the hum of the Convergence signal was deafening.
"This is it," Li Wen said, setting up his equipment near the edge of the rooftop. "But this core is like nothing we've seen. It's fully integrated with the Rift. Disabling it won't just destabilize the signal—it'll destroy the entire node."
"Do it," Jiang Xia said. "We'll hold them off."
As Li Wen began working, the node's energy pulsed violently, and remnants began to emerge from the shadows. These were larger and more aggressive than anything the team had faced before, their movements faster and more erratic.
"Hold the line!" Jiang Xia shouted, her blade slicing through the first remnant that lunged at Li Wen.
The battle was fierce. Qin Chuan and Xu Min fired relentlessly, their movements synchronized as they fought back the endless wave of creatures. Jiang Xia moved with precision, her blade cutting through the remnants with deadly efficiency.
"Li Wen, how much longer?" she yelled, dodging a swipe from one of the larger remnants.
"Almost there!" Li Wen shouted, sweat dripping down his face. "But the core is pushing back. It's like it knows what I'm doing."
---
Gao's Return
As the battle raged on, a familiar voice echoed through the rooftop. "You never know when to quit, do you, Jiang Xia?"
Gao stepped out from the shadows, his calm demeanor untouched by the chaos around him. He walked toward the node, his eyes gleaming with confidence.
"You've come so far," he said, his tone almost mocking. "But this is where it ends. The Convergence cannot be stopped."
"Watch us," Jiang Xia snapped, leveling her weapon at him.
Gao smirked, raising a hand toward the core. The energy pulsed violently, and the remnants became more frenzied, their attacks more coordinated.
"You're too late," Gao said. "The Architects are already answering. And when they arrive, you'll finally understand."
---
The Node's Collapse
"Got it!" Li Wen shouted as the core emitted a blinding flash of light. The conduits surrounding it shattered, and the node began to collapse.
The rooftop shook violently, and the remnants dissolved into streaks of light. Gao stared at the collapsing core, his expression unreadable.
"This isn't over," he said, his voice calm. Before Jiang Xia could react, he vanished into the shadows.
"We need to get out of here!" Qin Chuan yelled, pulling Jiang Xia toward the stairwell.
The team sprinted down the building as explosions erupted around them. The distortions twisted the environment, making it hard to navigate, but they pressed on, their determination unshaken.
They burst out into the streets just as the building collapsed, a massive shockwave rippling through the district.
---
The Architects' Arrival
As the dust settled, the team regrouped a safe distance away. Li Wen checked his scanner, his face pale. "The signal's gone. The node is destroyed."
"But it's not over, is it?" Xu Min asked, her voice tense.
Li Wen shook his head. "No. The energy readings… they're still increasing. The Architects are still coming."
Jiang Xia clenched her fists, her gaze hard. "Then we fight. Whatever it takes."
The team stared at the glowing horizon, knowing the battle was far from over.