Under the cover of night, Ellen and Acheron approached the towering skyscraper that housed their target. The city's neon lights cast eerie reflections on the building's sleek, metallic surface. The streets below were alive with the hum of hover cars and distant chatter, oblivious to the impending storm about to unfold within the tower's walls.
The building was fortified—security drones patrolled the exterior, cameras scanned every entrance, and elite guards stood at key points, prepared for any standard intrusion. But Ellen and Acheron were anything but standard.
Acheron moved like a shadow, disabling security systems with precision, her movements swift and deliberate. Every flick of her wrist sent a silent signal to disarm a camera, every step a calculated maneuver to avoid detection. Ellen, on the other hand, operated with quiet efficiency but carried an underlying brutality in her actions. When needed, she took out obstacles swiftly—crushing a guard's weapon in her grip or freezing a surveillance drone before shattering it into untraceable shards.
However, once their presence was exposed, subtlety was discarded.
The alarm blared through the halls, red lights flashing as security forces scrambled to respond. Mercenaries, cybernetic enforcers, and combat mechs converged upon them in waves. It was a futile effort.
Acheron moved with lethal grace, her sword still sheathed as she struck down adversaries with precise, single blows. She glided between enemies, using minimal effort to dispatch them, leaving a trail of unconscious or lifeless bodies in her wake. There was no wasted movement—every strike, every parry, every step was calculated.
Ellen, however, was a force of nature. Gunfire bounced off her reinforced skin as she plowed through enemies with terrifying strength. Her frost weapons cleaved through both flesh and metal, freezing limbs before shattering them upon impact. Those who dared to engage her in close combat were met with a violent end—her powerful tail sent guards flying into walls, their bones snapping on impact.
Floor by floor, they ascended, cutting through every obstacle in their path. The deeper they went, the more desperate the resistance became. Automated turrets emerged, reinforced blast doors attempted to seal their progress, and experimental combat mechs were deployed—none of it made a difference. Ellen and Acheron carved their way through the skyscraper as if walking through an open field, their only concern being not to cause so much destruction that the city itself would take notice.
The higher they climbed, the clearer it became that nothing in this universe—not standard security forces, not advanced technology—could stand against them. The only real threats were beings like themselves, those who had touched the power of the Aeons.
And as they neared the top floor, where their target waited, it became evident that he knew they were coming. The lavish penthouse loomed above, untouched by the chaos below.
Something about this felt too easy.
As they approached the final doors, a voice echoed from the intercom, calm and composed.
"You two must be the ones after my head. You have no idea what you're walking into, do you?"
As they ascended the tower, Ellen and Acheron quickly realized that their bounty target wasn't reacting as expected. There was no panic, no desperate last-minute attempts to flee. Instead, his composure suggested he had either anticipated their arrival or had something planned.
"I must say, you two took your time," the man's voice rang out over the speakers as they reached the final floor. "But I suppose when you're as powerful as you are, caution is hardly necessary."
Acheron barely spared the taunt a thought. It was routine. However, what came next was slightly more intriguing.
"Acheron, the so-called Galaxy Ranger," the man continued, his tone smug. "We both know that's a lie. The IPC and the real Rangers would have a field day if they knew about your little masquerade. One report, and you'll have a lot more than just me on your tail."
Acheron, unbothered, tilted her head slightly. "The IPC should know what they can and cannot handle," she replied flatly. "And you are hardly a concern."
Ellen smirked at Acheron's dismissal, already prepared to rip through whatever pitiful defenses the man thought would save him. But when the doors to the penthouse suite opened, they found an entirely different situation than expected.
Their target sat comfortably behind a desk, sipping a drink as if he had all the time in the world. Behind him, an imposing figure loomed—a female Arachne, one of the universe's best assassins. Her presence was not to be taken lightly, but Ellen and Acheron barely acknowledged her as a real threat.
"You two must be the ones after my head," the man mused, setting his glass down. "I'll admit, I'm honored. So much so that I paid far more than I'm worth to ensure you don't leave this building alive."
The Arachne stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with confidence. She lifted her hand slightly, and in an instant, glowing ember-red threads became visible, stretching from floor to ceiling, forming an intricate web throughout the room.
"You walked right into my trap," she said, clenching her fist.
The entire floor detonated with a deafening explosion. Flames erupted, debris crumbled, and the structure groaned under the sudden destruction. The force of the blast shattered the windows, sending shards of glass cascading into the night. The entire top of the skyscraper was engulfed in fire, a beacon of destruction visible for miles.
The smoke from the explosion slowly dissipated, revealing the aftermath of the Arachne's attack. The top of the skyscraper was in ruins, flames crackling against the rain-soaked night, yet Ellen and Acheron stood unharmed in the center of the destruction. Ellen had instinctively curled her massive form around Acheron, her thick, muscular tail coiling protectively. Acheron, pressed against Ellen's sturdy frame, looked up and nodded in appreciation.
"You didn't have to do that," Acheron said, brushing debris off her shoulder. "I would have been fine."
Ellen flicked her tail before stepping back, her shark-like features unreadable in the dim light. "It wasn't an issue," she replied nonchalantly. "Did it on instinct."
They had no time to linger. The man had vanished, his presence gone from the ruined office. Ellen's sharp eyes scanned the area, nostrils flaring as she picked up his fading scent. "We need to hurry before he disappears again."
Acheron nodded, trusting Ellen's instincts. Without another word, they both leaped off the building, the wind whipping past them as they plummeted. The storm above had intensified, thick raindrops pelting their skin as they fell through the night sky. Ellen twisted mid-air, planting her feet against the side of the skyscraper. In one powerful movement, she launched herself forward, propelling toward the spaceship docks below.
The docking area was mostly empty—save for one ship, its engines flaring to life. The man sprinted toward it, his drenched suit clinging to his trembling form as he smiled triumphantly. "Fools! You think you can—"
His words died in his throat.
A massive spear of ice shot through the air, stabbing straight through the ship. A deep frost spread in an instant, freezing the metal, the engines, and everyone on board. He barely had time to register his doom before the vessel was locked in a solid cocoon of shimmering ice.
Ellen landed a few feet away, crouched low on all six limbs before slowly rising. Her dark hair clung to her face from the rain, shadowing her features. Only her piercing white eyes shone through the darkness, twin pricks of eerie light that reflected the storm's fury above. Black, jagged horns framed her face, adding to her already monstrous silhouette. The frozen man stared at her in sheer horror, his breath catching as he saw her in that moment—not as a woman, not as a warrior, but as something else entirely. A predator. A force beyond his comprehension. His mind screamed at him to run, to escape, but his body refused to obey.
As if mocking his terror, Ellen tilted her head slightly, her gaze unwavering, her very presence exuding something primal. Something inevitable.
"Arachne!" he choked out in desperation.
From the shadows, the assassin emerged, her eight crimson eyes glowing in the dim light. Her long, arachnid legs unfurled from her humanoid torso, the delicate yet deadly threads she wove now visible in the rain as they shimmered like embers. With a sharp flick of her wrist, the glowing webs ignited, burning an intense red-orange as they lashed toward Ellen.
Ellen barely moved. Her four arms raised to block the incoming threads, her sheer strength tearing through them like paper. The Arachne was fast, her whips crackling with heat, striking with a precision honed from years of experience. She leaped, her spider-like agility allowing her to dance around Ellen, using her long limbs and fiery threads to keep her foe at bay.
But Ellen didn't flinch. She didn't even fight back at full strength. Not like she needed to anyway.
Each time the Arachne lashed out, Ellen either dodged or absorbed the blow, her thick skin rendering the attacks useless. The assassin tried to pin her down, weaving a cocoon of burning silk to trap her. She even drove her spear-like spider legs forward, aiming for vital points.
Ellen caught two of them mid-thrust with her lower arms, twisting them with a sickening crack. With her upper hands, she ripped through the burning threads, her tail slamming into the Arachne's abdomen and sending her skidding across the docks.
The Arachne panted, her breath ragged as she struggled to regain her footing. But Ellen was already upon her. With inhuman speed, she pinned the assassin down, straddling her human waist before it met the arachnid lower half. The Arachne thrashed, her remaining limbs struggling to push Ellen off, but it was futile.
She sent a final desperate burst of flame toward Ellen, engulfing her upper body in burning silk.
Ellen didn't even blink.
The fire licked at her skin, the rain hissing against it, but she remained still. The Arachne's eyes widened in exhaustion and disbelief.
"You're done," Ellen murmured, leaning down. "I had fun fighting you. Haven't met a spider-human hybrid before. Rare where I come from."
The assassin bared her fangs, still trying to struggle.
Ellen's tone turned ice-cold. "I thought about killing you, but..." She placed her palm against the Arachne's chest, feeling her heartbeat through the exoskeleton. "I think you'll be more useful alive. But first... you'll be put on a tight leash."
A searing pain erupted through the assassin's body. Ellen's power surged into her, tendrils of dark energy carving an ethereal seal into her very soul. The Arachne shrieked in agony, her body writhing beneath Ellen's grasp. The pain was unbearable, overwhelming—
And then, darkness.
She passed out, her body limp beneath Ellen.
Ellen rose, exhaling as the seal faded into the assassin's skin. She looked up just in time to see Acheron approaching, dragging the unconscious bounty target behind her. Around her lay the bodies of mercenaries and guards, felled without struggle. Acheron, untouched, glanced at Ellen before shifting her gaze to the unconscious Arachne.
"You keeping her?" Acheron asked simply.
Ellen nodded. "Yeah. I think I will."
Acheron shrugged, dropping the man unceremoniously. "Fine by me. Just don't let her be a headache."
Ellen cracked her knuckles, standing tall despite the rain drenching her form. "She won't be."
With their mission complete, they stood amidst the wreckage, the storm raging on around them. Another night, another victory. And in the end, nothing in the universe could truly challenge them.
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Hey it's me sorry for being gone for so long dealing with school and spending time with some of my friends since they said I don't play the game enough with them.