The commander's gaze fixed on Seung's body, and the air left her lungs. He lay entirely still amidst the rubble, his chest flat and unmoving. A mix of worry, shock, and anger was etched on her face. She tightly held Riki in one arm while her other hand gripped her scythe, its energy rippling and unsteady.
"Seung..." the commander spoke in a low tone, her voice cracking on his name.
There was no answer. Pale dust from the collapsed building had settled over his skin. A dark, terrifying pool of blood was spreading outward from beneath his armor, soaking into the dry dirt and creeping toward her boots. She wanted to scream for him to move, to see even the slightest twitch of his fingers, but the silence stretching from his body was deafening.
Static crackled over the earpiece before the behemoth crushed the device to fragments, entirely unbothered. The creature flexed its razor-sharp claws. It approached menacingly, rumbling, "Humans, you have not a clue what you're after." It glanced back at the collapsed building it had just emerged from, adding, "This is beyond your simple-minded comprehension."
The commander continued to mumble to herself, "Seung... Riki." Her eyes shook uncontrollably with distress. Riki's stomach was left with a gaping hole, and blood poured out onto the commander's coat, staining down to her leg. Coated in the warm crimson, the commander's breath came out shaky and unsteady. Every red droplet seemed to echo with a sickening splat as it fell onto the dry earth below.
Before reaching the commander, the behemoth stopped in its path. It stretched its hand up to the sky, examining its own blood in wonder and deep thought.
"Praise him, for he has spared you," the behemoth announced. "Remember the name Tet: The Destruction, The Calamity of Ruin."
Its gaze fell back on the commander, pressing down on her like an intense, crushing weight. The behemoth's golden amber eyes held ancient secrets and commanded absolute authority, sending chills straight down her spine. The creature wiped its blood, acknowledging their potential. "Lick your wounds and heal. Find me. I expect a glorious battle."
It leaped off with immense power, shooting toward the collapsed buildings toward a glowing golden object, before disappearing into the ruins.
The commander finally got a grip. She cursed at the monster despite her trembling legs and failing body. Both her arms and legs were giving way. Fatigued and exhausted, she collapsed onto the ground, dropping Riki beside her. The scythe fell with a sharp metallic clatter against the rough, dry dirt. It fought to stay active, flickering with residual energy before the blades slowly retreated back into the staff.
Her breathing was rigid; her vision faded in and out. The commander's body couldn't hold on much longer. A loud ringing filled her ears, drowning out the silence of the destroyed city and the dry air howling dust through the ruins.
Suddenly, the chopping sound of helicopter blades ripped through the air, breaking the silence. Through her blurred vision, she saw agents rushing off the choppers, sprinting to their aid to carry them away.
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