Something In The Way-SYLUS X MC X ZAYNE

Chapter 31 "The Shadow In The Light"

15 years ago...

The sky above Linkon City bled crimson, streaked with black clouds swirling like ink in water. The air was thick with smoke and the acrid stench of burning metal, mingling with the iron tang of blood. The screams of the dying pierced the chaos, accompanied by the guttural growls and inhuman roars of the Wanderers. They poured through the Chronorift—a massive, jagged tear in the sky—endlessly spilling onto the earth like a plague, their grotesque forms illuminated by the pulsating light of the Rift itself.

The streets of Linkon were flooded with people—men, women, children—all running, clutching loved ones as they fled the invaders. The Wanderers were unrelenting, tearing through the fleeing crowds with monstrous precision. Blood slicked the roads, pooling in dark crimson rivers that reflected the fiery sky. The sight of dismembered bodies, crushed cars, and shredded homes painted a macabre tapestry of despair.

Among the chaos, a man sprinted down the street, his face streaked with soot and sweat. In his arms, he cradled a young girl no older than six, her small body trembling against his chest. Behind him, his wife ran, her eyes darting wildly, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she tried to keep pace. The child clung to her father, her wide, tear-filled eyes darting between the flames and the hulking shadows of Wanderers that loomed in the distance.

"Almost there," the man rasped, his voice breaking as he glanced back at his wife. "Keep running. We're almost there."

But the safe haven he spoke of was nowhere in sight—just the endless expanse of destruction that had consumed their once-beautiful city.

A deafening roar erupted behind them, and the ground trembled. The father turned his head just in time to see a Wanderer barreling toward them. Its twisted body was a horrifying fusion of sinew and metal, its glowing eyes locked onto them like a predator on its prey.

"No!" the father shouted, his heart lurching as he realized they wouldn't outrun it. He skidded to a stop, spinning around to face his wife, tears streaking his dirt-covered face. "Take her. Take her and run!"

The mother's face twisted in anguish, tears streaming down her cheeks as she reached for their daughter. "No, you can't—"

"GO!" he yelled, his voice cracking. He handed the girl to her, his hands trembling. He cupped her face for one brief, fleeting moment, his eyes locking with hers. "I love you. Both of you. Run."

The woman sobbed, her legs rooted in place. She grabbed his hand, pulling him into a desperate, trembling kiss. "I love you," she whispered against his lips. "I love you so much."

For a moment, time seemed to stop. The world around them faded, leaving only their shared grief, their unspoken goodbye. But the roar of the Wanderer snapped them back to the present.

The man pushed her away gently but firmly. "RUN!" he commanded, his voice breaking.

With a choked sob, the woman turned and ran, clutching her daughter tightly. The child screamed for her father, her tiny arms reaching out toward him, but her mother held her close, shielding her face as she sprinted forward.

Behind her, the sound of her husband's scream tore through the air. She turned, just for a moment, her blood running cold as she saw the creature pounce on him. His body crumpled beneath its weight, his eyes wide with pain before he disappeared in a blur of claws and blood.

"No!" she shrieked, her voice raw and broken. She stumbled, falling to her knees. The child tumbled from her arms, landing with a soft cry.

The mother groaned, her hands trembling as she crawled toward her daughter. The girl looked up at her, tears streaming down her soot-covered face. Their eyes met, and for a moment, there was nothing but love and fear between them.