Cyber Chronicles 3: Plague Genesis

Chapter 7: Fallen Dawn

Lincoln's breath came in ragged bursts, his eyes wide with confusion. The weight of the battlefield still clung to him, even though he now leaned against the wall of his living room. His mind was a turbulent storm, struggling to make sense of the abrupt shift from chaos to stillness.

Through the apartment's window, the distant hum of the city pierced the silence. The usual city sounds were magnified by the nighttime din: the wail of sirens, the low rumble of traffic, and the occasional shout of hurried voices. There was a palpable sense of urgency in the air, as people scrambled to evacuate after hearing the news of the attack. The muffled clamor of footsteps and the jumbled echoes of conversations reached him faintly, a stark contrast to the previous roar of battle.

The noise from outside added to Lincoln's disorientation, an unsettling reminder of the world he had returned to. The distant cries of concern and the frantic movement of people struggling to flee only heightened the dissonance between his chaotic memories of the battlefield and the unsettling normalcy of his current surroundings.

Aytrex stood nearby, his fiery orange hair glowing faintly in the dim light. The room was still and undisturbed, its neat and sparse furnishings at odds with the storm raging inside Lincoln. His apartment, normally a place of refuge, felt cold and distant, the soft shadows in the corners doing nothing to ease the tension between the two men.

Aytrex's expression was a mixture of regret and steely resolve, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. "I know you think it was for your own safety, but it's not just that."

"Why..." Lincoln's voice was a strained whisper, confusion and rising anger clear in his tone.

"They've been pushing you right from the start, Lincoln," Aytrex said, concern lacing his words. "There's something they want from you."

Lincoln's hands clenched into tight fists, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "If you knew all that, then why couldn't you help us?"

Aytrex's jaw tightened as he struggled to make Lincoln understand. "It's not that simple," he replied.

"It doesn't matter now. Take me back," Lincoln demanded, his voice filled with desperation.

"You don't understand," Aytrex said firmly. "Lincoln, they're trying to force you into Wrath. That's why they've been sending more and more after you, trying to break you. I don't know their endgame, but we can't give them what they want."

The room, though untouched, seemed to shrink under the weight of Lincoln's fury. His voice rose, echoing through the stillness. "Take me back!"

Before Aytrex could respond, a sudden, searing pain ripped through his back. His breath hitched, his heart pounding as he watched in disbelief. Lincoln's form, once slumped against the wall, dissolved into a swirling mass of crimson energy. Panic surged through Aytrex, his legs buckling as the world tilted.

His gaze dropped to his back, where an energy shard was embedded, pulsing with a familiar, ominous glow. There was no blood, but the shard's presence was undeniable. The pain was excruciating, a cruel reminder of the attack that had nearly cost him his life during his first battle with Lincoln.

"Energy... stun?" Aytrex murmured, his voice trembling as his vision blurred. His knees gave way completely, the room spinning as his strength drained away.

The shard intertwined with his nervous system, sending disruptive pulses through his body. It didn't just inflict pain; it short-circuited his motor functions, leaving him unable to move or even access his ability.

Suddenly, a firm hand seized his collar, yanking him upright and slamming him against the wall. Lincoln's face loomed dangerously close, twisted with a mix of rage and agony. Half of his hair had taken on a vivid blue hue, and his eyes glowed with an unsettling crimson light.