Kiran saw her first. She was standing in the open plaza, framed by the dark silhouette of the clock tower, her hair whipped by a sudden gust of wind. In her hands, she held the book, the Eclipse Codex. A wave of immense, soul-deep relief washed over him, so strong it almost brought him to his knees. He hadn't known how badly he needed to see her, to know she was safe. He felt a sudden, fierce protectiveness. He moved from his hiding spot, not caring about the risk, wanting only to reach her.
"Elena!" he shouted, his voice a raw, desperate thing in the silent plaza.
Her head snapped up. She saw him, a fleeting look of shock on her face, replaced by a fierce, bright hope that mirrored his own. For a brief, precious second, they were just two people seeing each other after a long, terrifying time apart.
But that second was all the Alpha units needed. One of them broke from the shadows, its movement a silent blur of speed. A burst of energy seared the air between them. "Subject Code X and fugitive located. Retrieval initiated," the unit's cold, synthesized voice announced. Another unit, then another, emerged from the darkness. The plaza became a battleground in an instant.
Kiran hurled himself forward, the seed in his chest flaring to life, the familiar, raw energy surging through his limbs. He met the Alpha units head-on, his movements a stuttering, temporal dance as he dodged and struck with an impossible speed. He fought with a desperate, brutal grace, fueled by the terrifying energy of the seed. Meanwhile, Elena and Lyrascrambled for cover. Lyra, with a whispered word to Elena, grabbed the Eclipse Codex and slammed it against the base of the broken clock tower. The book pulsed, and for a moment, a shimmering, almost invisible barrier pulsed outward, making the Alpha units' tracking sensors flicker and distort. It was a small protection, a brief window, but it was a desperate start. The fight had begun, and it was clear they were both fighting for their lives.