The Dying Arcane

Alarms shrieked through the tower, drowning out all other sound. Red warning lights bathed the room in an eerie glow, casting long shadows against the cold steel walls. Ronan's grip tightened around his sword as the Black Guard soldiers stepped forward, their weapons gleaming under the flickering light.

Talon stood at the center, smirking as if he had already won. "You didn't think I'd let you walk in here and kill me, did you?"

Ronan ignored him. His focus was on the soldiers, counting their movements, analyzing their stances. Seven men. Well-equipped. Not invincible.

Shira crouched low, her daggers glinting. "I'll take the three on the left," she whispered.

Ronan nodded. That left four for him.

Talon let out a dramatic sigh. "I really wanted to have a civilized conversation, but you Brotherhood types never learn."

With a flick of his wrist, the guards attacked.

The first swung a plasma-forged blade, its edge crackling with unstable energy. Ronan ducked, feeling the heat graze past his cheek. He countered immediately, driving his sword into the soldier's gut before twisting and ripping it free. The man crumpled, lifeless.

Another charged in, firing a blast from a gauntlet embedded with arcane circuitry. Ronan barely had time to react—he dodged left, the blast scorching the air where he had just stood. He lunged forward, driving his blade through the soldier's throat before he could fire again.

Shira was a blur beside him. She moved like a specter, dodging and weaving between her opponents. Her blades found flesh with every motion, cutting deep and fast. Blood sprayed across the metallic floor as she dispatched her third enemy with a brutal slice across the neck.

A guard raised a firearm, but Ronan was faster. He kicked the barrel upward just as the trigger was pulled. The blast shattered a ceiling panel, sending sparks raining down. With a single downward strike, Ronan split the man's skull.

Only one soldier remained. He hesitated, his confidence shattered as he took a step back.

Ronan advanced.

The soldier turned to flee, but a dagger flew past Ronan's shoulder, burying itself between the man's shoulder blades. He dropped with a strangled cry.

Ronan turned to see Shira, a smirk tugging at her lips. "You're welcome."

But there was no time to celebrate.

Talon had used the chaos to his advantage—he was already at the far end of the room, his fingers racing across the console's interface. The walls around them rumbled as heavy blast doors began to seal.

"He's locking the tower down," Shira growled.

Ronan didn't hesitate. He sprinted forward, closing the distance between him and Talon in seconds. He swung his sword, but Talon dodged, rolling aside just in time.

"I always admired your persistence," Talon taunted, breathing hard. "Too bad it won't save you."

A sudden pulse of energy shot from his cybernetic arm, catching Ronan off guard. The force sent him staggering back, his chest burning from the impact.

Talon grinned. "You're still fighting like it's the old days, Ronan. But times have changed. Magic is dead. Technology is the future."

Ronan spat blood onto the floor. "You're a fool if you think Malakar's going to keep you alive once he's done using you."

Talon chuckled. "That's where you're wrong."

With a final keystroke, he activated the last security measure. A countdown appeared on the console screen: 00:30.

Ronan's stomach dropped. He's going to blow the tower.

Talon smirked one last time before stepping backward into an elevator pod. "This was fun, Ronan. But I think it's time we part ways."

The pod's doors sealed, and before Ronan could react, it shot downward, escaping the tower.

Shira cursed. "He's gone!"

Ronan didn't waste time being angry. They had thirty seconds before this place became their grave. His eyes darted across the room until he spotted a broken section of the ceiling.

"There!" he pointed. "Climb!"

Shira followed without question. They scaled the ruined wall, boots scrambling for purchase as the tower shook beneath them. The countdown ticked down—00:10.

They reached the rooftop just as the first explosion rocked the structure. Flames erupted from below, sending a shockwave through the entire building. The force threw Ronan and Shira forward, barely managing to hold on as debris rained from above.

The tower was collapsing.

With no time to think, they leaped.

The world blurred as they plummeted toward the lower rooftops of the fortress. Ronan hit hard, rolling to absorb the impact. Shira landed beside him, coughing as dust and fire filled the air.

They turned just in time to watch the tower implode, its remains swallowed by a raging inferno.

Talon was gone. The answers they sought were buried beneath the wreckage.

Ronan clenched his fists. The traitor had slipped through his fingers… but not forever.

This wasn't over.