The battlefield had become a nightmare made flesh.
New York's skyline was a graveyard of twisted steel and shattered glass. Fires burned relentlessly, their orange glow mingling with the thick, acrid smoke that hung heavy in the air. Blood pooled along fractured streets, mixing with the rain to form rivers of crimson. The sky, still choked with storm clouds, rumbled with the fury of gods clashing upon the earth.
The Nexus Syndicate fought like rabid beasts. Their numbers, though dwarfed by the GPA's forces, were proving superior in tactics and sheer brutality. The tide was turning in their favor. Max's strategy of guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and misdirection was proving devastating. Entire GPA squads were eliminated before they even understood what was happening.
And Seraph was a force of nature.
Her movements were a blur of speed and violence, her light-based energy projection scorching enemies to ash with radiant beams that cut through the chaos like divine judgment. Each blast of energy was precise and ruthless, punching through reinforced armor and rendering even the most powerful heroes helpless.
Wounded Syndicate members were mended by her healing abilities, their broken bodies knit back together with fleshes of golden warmth before they were sent back into the fray, SHe pushed herself to the brink, knowing the rest would only come when the fighting stopped — if it ever did.
But even now, exhaustion clawed at her bones, her breaths ragged and her vision flickering with strain. Luminara's voice murmured softly in her mind, more like a mother's comforting tone than the detached efficiency of a tactical AI.
["You're pushing yourself too hard, my child. You need to pace yourself. This war will not be won in a single battle."]
'I know. But if I don't keep fighting, the Syndicate will fall. I can't let Knox down.'
["I understand. But your well-being is my priority. You are more than just a weapon. Please, let me guide you. Let me protect you."]
Seraph's lips twitched in a weary smile. Luminara's care was... different. Almost loving. It made her feel less like a tool and more like someone worth preserving.
She sent a bolt of radiant energy into an approaching GPA soldier, their scream cut short as their body disintegrated. Another twisted from the air, slamming into the chest of a hulking brute who thought sheer size would protect him. His chest caved inward, his body crumpling like a broken doll.
The Syndicate was winning.
And the GPA was beginning to realize it.
In a high-tech command center deep within the shattered remains of a fortified building, Graves and Caldwell stared grimly at the monitors. Every screen painted the same picture: defeat.
"They're tearing us apart." Graves' voice was hollow, his eyes darting from one screen to another. "Their tactics are too effective. We weren't prepared for this level of coordination."
Caldwell's fingers clenched around the edge of the table. "It's Knox. He's always been a step ahead. And with Max and Seraph on his side, we're not fighting against mortals anymore. We're fighting against gods."
Graves swallowed thickly. His hand trembled as he reached for a secure line, his fingers hesitating before dialing the number. His heart hammered in his chest. He could feel the sweat beading on his brow.
He listened to the ringing, each tone drawn out like the final countdown of his own execution. Then, the line connected.
A voice spoke, smooth and indifferent, as if answering a trivial request.
"Yes?"
Graves's voice cracked with the weight of desperation. "The war... The Nexus Syndicate is turning the tides. If this keeps up, the GPA will fall. We need your help."
A pause.
"We know."
The voice belonged to Nyxara, her tone like silk drawn over a blade. And somewhere behind that voice was laughter — a dark, twisted humor that sent chills down his spine.
"Please," Graves pleaded. "If you don't intervene, the world will fall into Knox's hands. We... we need you."
Another pause. Then, like a veil being lifted from reality, the air split open.
A portal formed in the air, its surface swirling with iridescent darkness. And from that portal stepped the Five.
Vaelith Solvair. Zerath Kael'Vorne. Nyxara Veyne. Draeven Mal'Zorr. Iskander Vhalors.
Their presence was like a gravitational anomaly, the world itself bending under the weight of their power. Graves stumbled back, his eyes wide as Nyxara stepped forward, her heels clicking against the concrete with effortless grace.
With a causal wave of her hand, a throne of gold materialized from the ground, its surface etched with scenes of suffering and conquest. She lowered herself onto the throne, her gaze cold and amused. The others flanked her silent sentinels of unfathomable power.
"You have failed," Nyxara said, her voice gentle but laced with venom. "And now, you beg for our help. Pathetic."
Graves bowed deeply, his body trembling. "Please... We cannot stop them. Not alone."
Nyxara's gaze drifted to Iskander, her lips curving into a smile. "Would you be a dear and clean up this mess?"
Iskander nodded once. His eyes glowed with darkness, his hand lifting toward the shattered skyline. And from the ground, shadows began to rise.
They poured from the earth like living ink, forming twisted, humanoid shapes with eyes of void and claws as sharp as despair. Their numbers were endless, a sea of darkness washing over the battlefield.
Seraph's head snapped up as the shadows swarmed toward the Syndicate. Dozens of them. Hundreds. Thousands.
["Seraph, brace yourself!"] Luminara's voice sharpened with urgency.
They came at her like a tide. Claws raked at her armor, shadowy tendrils wrapped around her limbs, dragging her down. She lashed out with radiant blasts, light clashing against darkness in blinding flashes. She twisted, punched, and slashed with plasma blades, the air thick with their inhuman shrieks.
But there were too many.
Fifty of them surrounded her, a writhing mass of death and malice. Her energy projection burned through them, but for every shadow destroyed, two more took its place.
She was growing tired. Her limbs felt like lead. Her breathing was shallow, her vision blurring.
["You must keep fighting, Seraph!"] Luminara's voice was desperate. ["Please, don't give in!"]
But the shadows were merciless. One by one, they wore her down, their claws tearing at her armor, their strength unrelenting.
She fell to her knees, panting, her body screaming in agony.
One shadow remained.
It lunged forward, a blade of pure darkness forming in its hand.
It stabbed.
And the world went black.