The frantic dash through the skeletal remains of the burbs became a kaleidoscope of shifting shadows and imposing wreckage. Any awe that I had felt at the fallen grandeur of the place had been completely replaced by terror-fueled tunnel vision. The cacophonous chorus of monstrous roars and snarls echoed behind us, promising nothing less than certain death.

"How much further?" I called out, my voice coming out more strained than I'd have liked. We had abandoned the venire of stealth we had adopted before our run-in with the Nightwalker, but the terrain made it difficult to move quickly and the labyrinth seemed to stretch on endlessly.

"Just a bit more!" Jade shouted back, her voice carrying over the thundering echoes of our pursuers. She led a few paces ahead, her movements a study in fluid grace against the chaotic backdrop.

A shrill growl split the air, the sound alarmingly close. I glanced over my shoulder, to the sight of a jackal-like creature with fangs as long as daggers. The predatory hunger in its gaze shot a thrill of fear down my spine. It was going to catch me.

“Big sis—"

Before I could react, Jade spun around, her gun hand rising with a fluid grace as her eyes locked onto the pursuing monster. The loud report of the gun echoed in the air, a thunderous retort that was immediately followed by the thud of a large body hitting the ground.

In a heartbeat, she was moving again, gun stowed seamlessly into her coat, and leading us deeper into the shadowed ruins. My heart pounded in my chest as I cast a final look at the fallen beast, the bullet had pierced through its left eye, an instant kill. I almost felt like I should let out a whistle. Jade was a force to be reckoned with, without the aid of a proper education or any magical power to speak of she had been surviving in this post-apocalyptic nightmare for longer than I had been alive.

Pushing aside a surge of relief, I turned my focus back to the path ahead. “How many bullets left?” My voice, hoarse and strained, cut through the panting breaths.

“Four,” came her reply with a click of her tongue, a streak of defiant challenge in her tone. "Just enough." Her gaze flitted to me, a spark of the usual Jade in her eyes. “Now, put those petal puff eyes of yours to work, and let me know when we're close to the portal.” She coughed in what I thought was a bit of embarrassment. “I can’t see shit.”

With a firm nod, I pushed my attention inward and activated my mana sight. As the world shimmered with ethereal glow, the veil of the burbs' shadows seemed to disappear, allowing me to perceive the subtle dance of mana in our surroundings.

Our forward charge was abruptly halted as three jackal creatures materialized from the shadows, leaping from the crumbling structure ahead. Their feral snarls echoed through the desolate ruins as more figures slipped from the murk on our left. A silent communication passed between Jade and me. With a tacit understanding, we pivoted sharply to the right, avoiding being surrounded by the slimmest margin.

Our footfalls hammered a fierce rhythm on the debris-littered path, a relentless chase underscored by the predatory growls of our pursuers. But there was no option but to press on.

"Almost there," Jade panted, her voice carrying a blend of determination and tension. "The highway is just up ahead. Can you see the portal?"

I focused my ability as far as I could handle, there was something in the sky ahead of us. We had made it. But there was something else in the corner of my eye, a red and oily mass of disgusting mana, a second Nightwalker. Its form rippled, shadows coalescing into a humanoid shape that blocked our path. A sentinel of dread, its emerald eyes glowed with malicious intent. The realization dawned with a sickening dread - we were surrounded. I felt Jade's pace falter, her breath hitching audibly.

"Do we...?" I began, unable to tear my gaze from the formidable creature.

Jade didn't reply. Instead, she took action. Her gun was in her hand in an instant, a stark metallic beacon amidst the bleak landscape. "We break through," she asserted, her voice cutting through my fear. "Run."

And with that, she was a flurry of movement, her gun spitting fire with deadly precision. Each shot slammed into the Nightwalker, sending tremors through its form like ripples across a shadowy lake. Yet, the creature stood resolute, absorbing the onslaught without faltering.

The last echo of her gunfire died as we neared the Nightwalker. Splitting apart, we sprinted around it, hoping the relentless barrage had disrupted its form enough to delay its counterattack.

But our hope was short-lived. The Nightwalker lashed out, a clawed swipe cutting through the air. I felt a chill rush as its claws grazed me, slicing through fabric and the outermost layer of my skin with frightening ease. I emerged on the other side, clothing shredded and heart pounding, but practically unharmed.

Jade was not as fortunate. The Nightwalker landed a solid hit with the back of its hand, sending her hurtling through the air before crashing into a pile of rubble. The chilling sight sent an icy lance of fear through my heart.

"Jade!" I cried, coming to a sliding halt, the dread gnawing at my gut. I could only watch in helpless horror as she lay still, the Nightwalker closing the distance to her prone form with terrifying speed.

With a determined glare etched onto my face, I tore my gaze away from the approaching menace, focusing instead on Jade. The world around me seemed to dissolve into an indistinct smear of grays and blacks as the mana coursing through me erupted into my limbs, propelling me toward Jade with a burst of desperate speed.

In a flurry of movement, I managed to scoop Jade into my arms, the frailty of her form shaking me to the core. Ignoring the swirling chaos behind us, I took off in a random direction, the only goal in mind being to get Jade away from the monstrous horde hot on our heels.

Finding momentary refuge behind a crumbling wall, I gently laid Jade down. Her complexion was ashen, each of her ragged breaths feeling like a dagger to my heart. Blood painted her lips a garish red, an unmistakable sign of internal injuries. She was dying, and I needed to act.

Rallying my mana, I summoned my healing power, pouring it into my trembling hands. I knew that healing something as complex as internal injuries was a far cry from the tiny scrapes I had healed before. But I couldn't – wouldn’t – let that deter me.

Placing my glowing hands over her chest, I let the mana seep into her. I could feel her life force flickering beneath my palms, a dim light struggling against the encroaching darkness. It was working. With every heartbeat, I could feel her breathing grow steadier, the mana dutifully traveling to the places where it was needed most. Yet it was too slow.

"No, petal puff… Lyn..." Jade gasped, her hand clutching weakly at my arm. "You have to... you need to..."

"Don't you dare," I hissed, my vision blurring with unshed tears. "Don't you dare say it."

Her protests were feeble, her energy ebbing with every futile push against my arms. But I wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t. Not when I was losing her.

"Shut up, big sis," I whispered, channeling my fear, my desperation, my resolve into the healing process. "Just shut up and let me save you."

But even as I spoke, I felt the dreadful encroachment of the approaching horde, their distant cries echoing ominously through the burbs. They were closing in on us.

As the shadows drew closer, my gaze darted to the sky. Amidst the fading light, my mana sight picked up a dazzling spectacle. A complex pattern of swirling mana, spiraling into a rift in the sky. The portal. It was tantalizingly close, barely a mile away.

Anger bubbled within me, raw and potent. It twisted my stomach into knots, painted my vision red, filled my mouth with a bitter tang of copper. We were so close, the pocket dimension mama and I had sheltered in could be within mere meters, but we weren’t going to make it. The fury burned within me, a searing coal nestled in the pit of my despair.

My voice cracked as a sob ripped through me, the sound echoing through the eerily silent ruins. "Mama..." I whimpered, the tears that I had held back finally spilling over. I yearned for her—her comforting touch, her reassuring voice, her indomitable presence. But all that was left for me were the encroaching yowls of beasts and the muffled whimpers of Jade as she begged for me to abandon her.

Bitter resentment flared within me, its flames lapping against my longing. My mother, the one who'd brought me into the world filled to the brim with monstrous power. She’d been so proud of how perfect a creation I was, but then she'd left me in this post-apocalyptic nightmare with a flying lightbulb and a spell that was barely more than a Taser. I could absorb a kami’s storm, yet I stood powerless against a pack of oversized mutts and a man-sized shadow. My so-called power seemed nothing but a cruel joke when I couldn’t even use it.

The harsh texture of the rusty rebar bit into my flesh as my grip tightened around it. As the first wave of monsters closed in, their eyes glinting ominously in the darkness, I swung. The makeshift weapon cleaved through the air, its threatening whistle forcing the creatures back a step. They knew better than to underestimate the desperation of cornered prey. Their growls filled the air, a sinister chorus that promised impending danger.

But then I saw it—a massive figure looming in the darkness, dwarfing the other creatures. The second Nightwalker. It gazed at me with cruel intelligence. My blood ran cold as it nonchalantly lifted a piece of rubble, aiming directly at us.

Without a second thought, I threw myself over Jade, my body acting as her shield. But I was a heartbeat too late. The rubble struck me with the ferocity of a charging beast, pain flaring across my skull before darkness swallowed my vision.

The last thing I remember was the chilling chorus of the monsters closing in, their growls echoing in the encroaching darkness of my consciousness. I clung desperately to the fading strands of wakefulness, a final plea whispering from my lips, "Mama... help us..."

*Jade’s Point of View*

As a cold chill seeped into my bones, threatening to draw me into the welcoming oblivion, I found myself surprisingly at peace. Images of a lifetime long past surfaced in my mind, a particular face dancing at the edge of my vision—Casper, my childhood friend with an insatiable curiosity. He had left me all alone in this forsaken place. I couldn’t help but wonder if I'd meet him again in some afterlife—if such a thing even existed here. Either way, my shitty life was finally coming to an end, and I could finally be at peace.

When I surrendered to the darkness, expecting its icy embrace to be the end, an unexpected warmth enveloped me. It spread through me like a comforting balm, wrenching me back from the precipice of death. Blinking open my eyes, I saw Lyn, her face streaked with tears. Damnit Petal Puff, I thought. The stupid kid was trying to heal me with her magic. Sure she could practically summon miracles, she had healed a few scratches just a few hours ago, but she was obviously still green, or whatever magical equivalent there was, and needed to get the fuck out of here.

"No, petal puff… Lyn…" I managed to choke out, wincing as the pain from my broken ribs lashed through me like lightning. "You have to… you need to…"

"Don't you dare," She hissed, her voice uncharacteristically venomous. "Don't you dare say it."

She had to have known it was pointless, but when the yipping sound of the gnarljaws grew close, she remained stubborn. Rising, she brandished a rusty piece of rebar like a knight would a sword. The Nightwalker, however, wasn’t in the mood to play any games. It hurled a chunk of rubble towards us, striking Lyn directly on the head.

When she fell, I felt a pang of sadness. She had died protecting me. But the insanity didn't end there. She staggered to her feet again, her body glowing with a strange blue light that danced across symbols etched onto her skin. She held out her hand, and intricate circular patterns spiraled in the air.

Looking down, I saw a similar pattern glowing beneath me. My body began to itch, a strange warmth spreading through me. Blinding pain shot through me as in a series of cracks and snaps the bones in my ribs realigned. I was wracked with coughs, and blood, way too much blood, sputtered from my mouth clearing out my lungs. But then, the pain vanished. I was breathing easily. I felt better than I had in a long time as if I had taken a nice long bath, had a great night’s rest, and every injury in my body from head to toe had been purged in one fell swoop.

When I looked up, however, I felt like my jaw was going to hit the fucking ground. Lyn moved with an uncanny grace, as if puppet strings were lifting her limbs. The piece of rebar in her hand glowed a fierce red as she launched herself into the fray. The gnarljaws swarmed her, snapping and snarling, but they couldn't touch her. Each dodge was perfectly timed, each movement precise and efficient. One by one, she skewered them with her makeshift weapon, their lives snuffed out instantly, without a single whimper.

The Nightwalker hesitated, seemingly caught in a quandary of fight or flight. But its indecision was rendered moot as Lyn began to chant, the air around her rippling with an unseen force as strange symbols appeared before her. The aura of the symbols was heavy, warping the air as they spun in complex patterns. Each uttered word seemed to weigh more heavily upon the atmosphere, each syllable sending a prickle of dread racing down my spine.

Something bad was about to happen.

En la silenci obsidià del buit, una veu, severa però resoluta, comença a teixir els fils de l'encanteri de la mort. Venjança Sòrdida!

An intense flash of light seared my eyes, followed by an explosion so ferocious it felt as though my eardrums had shattered and my retinas were burning. Instant healing from the magical circle beneath spared me the agony. When my vision cleared, I found Lyn standing alone, a path of utter destruction laid bare behind her that stretched to the horizon.

I stood silent—no—speechless. The sight was sobering, horrifying, and awe-inspiring all at once. A power that had just decimated an entire horde of monsters in an eyeblink. With power like this, maybe… just maybe, we could take out a Grimm.

"What the ever-loving fuck was that?" I choked out, staggered by the scale of devastation. But Lyn had already begun to stride away as if nothing had happened.

"Uh, Petal Puff... You okay there, girl?" I called out, falling into step beside her.

The patterns etched onto her skin glowed ominously, and her expression was an unnerving blank slate. Her eyes, now aglow with a luminescent blue, seemed to gaze into the distance, vacant and devoid of recognition. I reached out and tapped her on the shoulder, shuddering as she turned to me, her gaze emotionless.

"ALLY: This body is in good health," she replied in a strange, monotone voice, sounding eerily like a recitation rather than a response.

"Yeah... Okay, girl. So where are you headed?" I questioned, my voice steadier than I felt. She looked solid, but after blasting hole in the burbs like that, it seemed proper to at least take a breather.

"ALLY: Your body has been repaired and all obstructions to our target have been eliminated. We shall continue to pursue our objective (FIND THE CREATOR)," she responded in the same robotic tone. "QUERY: Is this not the obvious next course of action?"

Her words hung in the air, the silence amplifying their significance. My mind spun, trying to make sense of the unrecognizable girl before me. This wasn't the Lyn I knew, the petal puff, the scared but determined little sister. This was someone - or rather, something - else. And her objective... FIND THE CREATOR. Was she talking about our mother?

"Sure, we can... uh, roll with that," I mumbled, my words trailing off into the oppressive silence. A chill crawled down my spine, my mind reeling as I grappled with the enormity of the power Lyn had just displayed. She was a force to be reckoned with, a storm that had just laid waste to everything in its path. And that storm was standing next to me, eerily serene and eerily...not Lyn.

Fear clawed at the edges of my consciousness, urging me to keep my distance, to tread carefully around this unfamiliar entity she had become. But I pushed it back, a rush of indignation flooding me. Afraid? Of Lyn? No, she might have transformed into something terrifying, but she had still shielded me, had still risked everything to protect me. The terror in her eyes as she thought she would lose me, the sheer desperation... that was Lyn. She was one of the Faraday Kids. My little sis.

I swept away my lingering doubts, locking onto her luminescent gaze. "Lyn," I started, my voice wavering, yet imbued with a determined resolve. "What just happened?" The question hung heavy between us, charged with concern and a demand for answers. "We're not going anywhere until you explain what the hell is going on."