Public Lashes, Lies & Low Frequencies

[Mann Dawncaster]

Ghost snarls as he's forced into defense — every attack met not just by Andrew, but by C.E.R.A.'s mirrored support.

 

[Andrew Lonek]

Andrew (low): "You made this personal the moment you touched her."

He lands a final punch — C.E.R.A. freezing Ghost's blade mid-swing with a grav-lock — and Andrew drives a plasma spike through Ghost's side, pinning him to the wall.

 

[Kaelon Virex]

Kael bursts through the door.

Sommer, staggering from the shadows, almost collapses into him.

 

[Sommer Dai]

Sommer: "He said—if he dies…"

 

[Kaelon Virex]

Kael: "I know. I'm here."

He scans her temple — sees a tiny device just beneath the skin. Active. Pulsing.

 

[Kaelon Virex]

He takes out a micro-dagger, hand trembling—

Kael: "If this is real… this'll hurt. But if it's fake… I'll gut him myself."

He slices.

Sparks fly.

The device drops. Inert. Fake. A bluff.

Kael's eyes flash with rage.

Kael: "He played us."

 

[Sommer Dai]

Sommer, breathing hard, clenches his shirt.

Sommer: "Then play back."

 

[Mann Dawncaster]

Andrew's plasma spike has speared through his side — sizzling through armor, into flesh. His head hangs low, breath ragged. But even now, his free hand tightens on the hilt of his saber-pike. His jaw clenches beneath his shattered half-mask.

Ghost (rasping): "You think this ends with me…?"

 

[Andrew Lonek]

Andrew's eyes flick to C.E.R.A., who hovers silently now, her emitters casting soft blue light around the room.

Andrew: "No. But it ends for you."

With a violent twist, Andrew yanks the spike free.

 

[Mann Dawncaster]

Ghost drops to one knee, — blood pooling beneath him in perfect circles.

 

[C.E.R.A.]

C.E.R.A. flares bright.

C.E.R.A.: "Vitality levels critical. Suggest complete neutralization. Risk of counter-offensive remains above 29%."

 

[Andrew Lonek]

Andrew: "Standby. Let me finish this."

 

[Mann Dawncaster]

Ghost stumbles to his feet, reeling.

Ghost: "She'll never be safe. You don't understand what she was meant to become. She touched Azis. She opened the gate. There's something inside her…"

 

[Andrew Lonek]

Andrew approaches, step by heavy step. Face shadowed by the dark of his helmet, voice cold.

Andrew: "That's her burden. Not yours to exploit. And never again yours to touch."

 

[C.E.R.A.]

Ghost swings one final time — a desperate, wild strike — but C.E.R.A. intercepts, locking his arm mid-motion in a stasis trap.

C.E.R.A.: "Trajectory logged. Weak. Uncoordinated. Fatality window open."

 

[Andrew Lonek]

Andrew drives his gauntlet upward in a brutal uppercut — shattering Ghost's jaw. The assassin stumbles, blood and bone crackling.

Andrew (low): "You hurt her. You took her."

He rips off his helmet, eyes wild.

"This is for Sommer."

He raises his left arm, and from his gauntlet, a razor-thin blade ejects — glowing white-hot.

 

[Mann Dawncaster]

Ghost raises his ruined face, eyes bloodshot, defiant to the end.

Ghost (choking): "She'll lose herself eventually… all fire burns out…"

 

[Andrew Lonek]

Andrew: "Then I'll be the match."

He plunges the blade through Ghost's chest — straight through the heart.

 

[Mann Dawncaster]

Ghost gurgles, breath caught.

And finally, he goes still.

His body crumples.

The saber-pike clatters to the floor. Dead.​

 

[Sommer Dai]

Kael and Sommer stand at the bay door, watching as Andrew emerges from the dark. Helmet under one arm. Blood on his jaw. Burn marks across his armor.

Sommer's eyes meet his. She says nothing.

Neither does he.

She takes one step forward.

Then another.

And slowly… rests her forehead against his chestplate. Her hands tremble. He wraps an arm around her — careful, slow — like she's glass.​