Silence. Soft. Heavy. Specter lay still on the bed. Her breathing slow. Then, a small twitch. Fingers. Then, her eyes slowly opened. Blurred vision.
"…Lisa?!" Blitz shot up instantly. "…You're awake!" Specter blinked, trying to focus. "…Xara…?" Her voice weak. Blitz's eyes watered slightly. "…Yeah, it's me…"
"…Don't scare me like that again…" Specter looked around, slowly. "…Where… are we…?"
"…Back at the cottage."
Blitz helped her sit up gently. "…You fainted back there…" A pause. "…Do you remember anything?" Silence.
Specter's eyes lowered. Then, something flickered. A voice. A child. "…Brother…" Her breath hitched. "…Ah…" Her hand gripped the bedsheet.
"…Lisa?" Blitz leaned closer, worried. "…What is it?" Specter looked up, eyes shaking slightly.
"…I heard it…" A pause. "…That word…" Her voice softened. "…Brother…"
A small hand reaching out. Dark room. Chains of light. A figure, standing far away. "…Don't go…" The memory cut.
Specter's breathing became uneven again, but not panic. Recognition. "…I wasn't alone…" A whisper. "…I had someone…" Blitz frowned slightly. "…Someone?"
"…My brother…" Silence. Raven, who had been leaning at the door, straightened slightly. "…Brother, huh…"
Noxis glanced at him, then back to Specter. "…Do you remember who he is?" Specter shook her head slowly. "…No…"
"Just…" A pause. "…His presence…" Her hand touched her forehead, subconsciously. "…He kindly used to…"
"…Take care of me…" Blitz softened, gripping her hand. "…Hey…" A sightly pause. "…It's okay."
"…We'll figure it out." Specter looked at her, eyes still distant. "…It feels important…" A whisper. "…Like I lost something…" A pause. "…Or someone."
Outside, the wind blew softly. Suddenly…
BANG! The door exploded inward, wood shattered across the floor. Six figures stepped in. Black suits. Masks. Silent. Hunters.
"MOVE!" Blitz lunged first, fast. Explosive. Her kick landed straight into the first hunter's chest, CRACK! He slammed into the wall.
Raven followed instantly, blade flashing. SLASH, one hunter staggered back, blood dripping.
Specter didn't rush. She observed. Then moved. Two hunters charged her, simultaneously. She ducked, twisted and used their momentum, BAM! Both crashed into each other. "…Predictable."
Gunshots erupted. Noxis stepped forward, shielding the others. "DOWN!" He fired back, precise. One hunter dropped instantly.
The room turned into a battlefield. Glass shattered. Furniture overturned.
Blitz laughed wild. "…THIS is more like it!" She grabbed a chair, THREW it, smashing into another hunter. Raven rolled his eyes. "…You're enjoying this too much."
"…Shut up and fight!" But something felt off. "These aren't normal hunters…" Noxis muttered. "They're coordinated." Specter's eyes narrowed. "…They're testing us."
One hunter, stepped forward slowly. Didn't attack. Just… watched. Raven froze slightly. "…Wait."
"…That one." The hunter tilted his head, slightly. A subtle movement. A signal. Raven's eyes widened. "…That pattern…"
"…No way…" Blitz charged again, but suddenly that hunter moved. FAST. He intercepted her and blocked perfectly, not harming her, just stopping.
"…Huh?!" Blitz frowned. "…Why aren't you attacking?" The hunter's hand shifted slightly, two fingers. tap… tap… pause.
Raven stepped forward; voice low. "…Stop." Everyone froze. "…Don't attack him." Blitz blinked. "…What?"
Raven stared at the hunter; eyes sharp. "…That signal…" A pause. "…Only one person uses it." Silence.
Then, he said it. "…It's Phantom."
Blitz's face twisted in shock. "...WHAT?!" Specter froze, her voice trembling. "…Phantom…?"
The hunter's hands moved slowly, deliberately, as he removed his mask. Beneath it was Aiden; calm, cold, unyielding.
Yet his eyes, locked onto Specter's, betrayed something deeper. For a fleeting instant, a flicker of emotion broke through the icy façade. Enemy. Ally. Or something in between.
Chaos still echoed, gunfire. Broken glass. Heavy breathing. Phantom stepped forward; eyes sharp. "…Enough." His voice cut through everything. Blitz frowned. "…Since when do we take orders from you?"
Phantom didn't even look at her. "…We don't have time." A pause. "…More hunters are on the way." Silence.
Noxis immediately checked his device. "…He's right."
"…Multiple signals incoming." Raven clicked his tongue. "…Great. Reinforcements."
Phantom turned, already moving toward the back exit. "…Follow me." Blitz scoffed. "…And why should we…"
Suddenly, BOOM!
An explosion shook the front entrance. More hunters. Closer. Specter grabbed Blitz's arm. "…We don't have a choice." A beat. "…Trust him. For now."
Blitz clenched her jaw, then, "…Fine." Phantom kicked open a hidden panel, revealing a narrow passage. "…Move."
One by one, they rushed in. Noxis last, closing the panel behind them. Dark. Tight. Silent. Only footsteps.
Blitz whispered, "…You knew this place?" Phantom replied calmly, "…I prepare for worst case." Raven smirked slightly. "…Paranoid. I like that."
Specter walked slightly behind Phantom. Her eyes on him. That feeling again. "…Have we…" She stopped herself. "…No…"
The tunnel opened, to the forest behind the cottage. Cold air hit them instantly. "…We split here." Phantom said. Blitz frowned. "…What?"
"…If we stay together, we're easier to track." Noxis nodded. "…He's right."
Phantom turned slightly, his eyes meeting Specter's. A second. Too long. Then, he looked away. "…Stay alive." And disappeared into the shadows.
----------------------
The room was silent. A screen flickered, showing the failed mission. Brandon stood still. Watching.
Then, CRASH! A glass shattered against the wall.
"…Stupid." His voice low. Dangerous. "…No…" His hand clenched tightly. "…I can't let them live."
His eyes darkened. "…My own daughter…" A pause. "…declares herself my enemy." A bitter laugh escaped him. "…How did I not realize…"
"…that my little girl was the one planning to destroy me." Silence. Cold.
"…Fine." He turned, commanding presence returning. "…Release Phase Two."
"…No more mercy." The game was no longer hidden. It was war. And this time, no one walks away clean.
TBC