Project Renegade: Genesis (Being Updated)

Aftermath

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" Hello, Ryan. "

Ryan's eyes shot open, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. He was engulfed in darkness, a suffocating abyss that seemed to close in on him from all sides. Panic gripped his heart, tightening its hold with each frantic beat. He clutched at his chest, his palms slick with the warmth of his blood, his mind racing with the terror of the unknown.

A cold wind swept through the void, sending shivers down his spine and cutting through to his core. His dreads whipped in front of his face, obscuring his vision. He tore off the Neon Labs lab coat that clung to him as if shedding a layer of his vulnerability. 

" What....? " Ryan ran his fingers across the logo, " No...no. "

Amidst the darkness, distorted screams and explosions rang in the background. The air grew hot and acrid, and suddenly, the darkness was illuminated by a wall of fire that crept upon him with evil intent. Ryan's heart raced as he looked around, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. 

And then, a light pierced the darkness, revealing a scene that seared itself into his consciousness. Before him lay Emma, her form sprawled on the ground, her tear-stained eyes haunting and accusatory. Slash marks marred her delicate face, each a vivid reminder of the pain she had endured. It was that day – that fateful day that had forever changed their lives.

" You couldn't...save me. " She muttered.

" I'm sorry. I'm so sorry-"

" You're a failure. "

" Emma, wait- " Ryan stretched out his hands before he felt the ground shake.

The world seemed to warp and twist around him, a nightmarish tableau of terror and destruction.  Amid the chaos, a voice echoed – a chilling shout of anger that seemed to resonate from every direction. 

With every passing moment, the fire drew closer, its tendrils licking at his skin, scorching the edges of his reality.  And then, amid the inferno, a figure emerged – Origin, a towering form wreathed in flames, his cyborg features contorted into a menacing scowl. Ryan was frozen in fear, his limbs refusing to obey as Origin loomed closer.

" You. " Origin snarled.

Origin's monstrous form wreathed in fire, his cyborg features contorted into a sadistic grin. His eyes gleamed with malice, and the ground trembled beneath his colossal presence. Ryan's limbs felt heavy as he tried to move, to flee, but every step he took seemed to pull him back, as if an invisible force were tugging at him, refusing to let him escape.

Images flashed before his eyes – Max being stabbed, his mother's tear-streaked face. Each image was a knife to his heart. And then, Origin's colossal figure loomed over him, his mechanical fist raised high, ready to descend with crushing force. Ryan's breath caught in his throat, his body paralyzed with fear as the fiery behemoth prepared to crush him.

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"AH! " Ryan jolted awake, with gasping breath, " What the....huh? "

Ryan's eyes fluttered open, the harsh white light of the hospital room blinding him momentarily. He felt disoriented, his mind struggling to make sense of his surroundings. Slowly, he became aware of the wires and tubes attached to his body. He lay naked on the sterile hospital bed, the sheets' coolness contrasting his skin's warmth. The rhythmic beeping of machines filled the air, a constant reminder of his fragile state.

" Where...am I? " Ryan ripped the wires off his chest, " Dragon? "

" Present. " The dragon snaked around his shoulder.