Private Welcome back to the fire Pt.2

[Arq*]

Arq pulled a dataspike from his satchel.

"Give me thirty seconds."

 

[Kaelon Virex]

Kael stared at the door, heart thundering.

He couldn't explain it — but he could feel Sommer beyond this point.

Like her presence was calling to him.

As the door began to unlock, Kael turned slightly toward Arq. His voice was lower now. Raw.

"If something happens in there… if I don't make it out—"

 

[Arq*]

"You will," Arq said.

 

[Kaelon Virex]

"I'm serious. Get her out. You always knew how to run better than I did."

 

[Arq*]

Arq gave him a small nod. "If you die in there, I'll slap your ghost."

Psssshhht—CLACK.

The door opened.

 

[Kaelon Virex]

The moment they stepped inside, the temperature dropped.

A strange pressure closed around their lungs — not quite choking, but not normal.

Everything inside the room was bathed in a dim violet hue. Symbols glowed faintly along the walls — spirals, glyphs, sigils Kael had seen once on a black-market mystic's robes.

And in the center of it all—

Sommer.

Strapped to a vertical tilt-table. Still. Pale. Hooked to machines.

And in front of her… a woman with flowing black robes.

Zori Galea.

Her eyes were closed. Hands hovering above Sommer's chest. Lips moving in a chant too low to hear, too wrong to name.

Kael raised his blaster instantly. "Get away from her!"

 

[Zori Galea]

Zori opened her eyes.

They glowed with soft red light — not anger.

Amusement.

"You're late," she said.

 

[Kaelon Virex]

Kael didn't hesitate.

He raised the blaster at Zori's chest, breathing hard, the blood in his ears louder than her whispering chant.

 

[Sommer Dai]

Sommer hung there — limp. Glowing lines of energy coiling around her like serpent veins. Her mouth barely moved, like she was dreaming through static.

 

[Zori Galea]

Zori turned slowly, one hand still raised, fingers crackling with faint violet smoke.

She didn't flinch at the weapon.

She smiled.

"Careful, cousin," she purred. "She's not in Uphoria Vale. You don't have the luxury of fantasy here."

 

[Kaelon Virex]

Her voice hit like syrup in Kael's ears — too smooth, soaked in psychic suggestion. His fingers tightened on the grip involuntarily.

 

[Zori Galea]

Zori took a slow step forward, black robes whispering across the floor like smoke on glass.

"I see why Sommer hides you. All that smuggler pride. That pretty face. That messy heart under five layers of stolen charm."
"But you wear guilt like a shirt, Kael. Doesn't it get heavy?"
"Running away from family. Then trying to earn it back with a last-minute save."

She leaned her head slightly. Her eyes shimmered red.

"I could take the weight off. Make you feel needed. Worshipped, even."

 

[Kaelon Virex]

Kael blinked. His grip loosened.

His body was heating — heart pounding from something other than fear.

 

[Zori Galea]

She stepped closer.

"You want someone to see you, don't you?" she whispered. "Not the act. Not the smuggler, NO. The real Kael Virex."

 

[Kaelon Virex]

"Get out of my—"

 

[Zori Galea]

"Mind?" She smirked. "Please. You left it unlocked."

 

[Arq*]

Behind her, Arq rolled his eyes.

"Oh for kriff's sake…"

Then, casually — and with as much grace as a kitchen droid mid-meltdown — he reared back and gave Zori a light, awkward kick to the back of the calf.

"Witch this, you spooky frag-queen."

 

[Zori Galea]

Zori's eyes snapped wide.

"What—" she growled.

 

[Kaelon Virex]

"Arq RUN!" Kael shouted.

 

[Zori Galea]

Too late.

With one furious motion, Zori flung her hands out and snarled a syllable laced with raw Force.

BOOM.

A violent telekinetic pulse exploded from her like a shockwave.

Arq was lifted off his feet, arms flailing, eyes wide as he flew across the chamber and slammed directly into Kael, knocking them both hard to the floor.