Chapter 13 – The Breath Before Ruin
The moon hung low, bleeding silver across the shattered landscape. Kael moved like a shadow through the burned husks of trees, Vyrmclaw prowling behind him—silent, alert. Every breath they took stirred the ash. Every footstep echoed with purpose.
The swarm was coming.
[Codex Alert: Hybrid signature convergence—2.8 kilometers and closing. Estimated numbers: 17. Tactical classification: Siege pack.]
Kael glanced at Vyrmclaw. "We don't hold the ridge. We draw them."
The hybrid responded with a low hiss. It understood. And more importantly—it agreed.
They reached a broken outpost, half-swallowed by the earth. Kael recognized the insignia on the walls—an old division from the days of human resistance. The bones inside told stories of failure.
He tapped the Codex, syncing with the faded schematics.
[Power Grid: Dead. Defenses: Ruined.]
[But buried caches remain.]
He smiled faintly.
Forty minutes later
Explosives. Trip mines. A decommissioned laser turret with a manual override. Kael's hands moved quickly, rewiring what little tech remained. Each spark of energy was a gamble—but one worth taking.
[Codex Sync: Improvised Trap Network initialized. Efficiency: 61%.]
He poured a vial of Ravager's remaining genome into the turret's targeting system.
"Let your ghost hunt them," he whispered.
Northwest Ridge – Moments Later
The hybrids came like a tide. Hulking forms with jagged spines and beaked maws. Some ran on six limbs, others slithered between the rocks. Maulborn, no doubt.
Kael saw the lead hybrid—a towering beast with plated skin and dual tails that lashed behind it like whips. Its eyes were too human.
[Hybrid Classification: Maulborn Tyrant. Genetic Base: Carnotaurus / Ankylosaur / Gorilla. Codename: Cystbreaker.]
[Threat Level: Crimson. Engage probability: <17%.]
He didn't engage.
He let the traps sing.
Mines roared, sending shockwaves across the pass. Hybrids screamed and flailed as limbs and carapaces shattered. Kael triggered the laser manually—the turret's beam slicing through the swarm.
But they kept coming.
They always did.
Kael drew his blade. It wasn't elegant—just sharpened steel grafted with hybrid bone. Vyrmclaw lunged beside him, their bond synchronizing each movement.
[Echo Combat Sync: 74%. Neural Delay: 0.02 seconds.]
Kael ducked a claw. Vyrmclaw shredded a flanker.
Slash. Twist. Burn.
Blood—black and steaming—splashed against Kael's face. It stung, but he didn't blink.
They carved a path through the siege.
And then—Cystbreaker dropped in front of them.
Kael barely raised his weapon when the creature roared. The sound cracked stone.
[Codex Surge: Emergency Adrenal Protocol Activated. Reflex Speed Increased by 300% for 10 seconds.]
Kael moved.
He leapt.
He flew.
Vyrmclaw went low, hamstringing the Tyrant. Kael drove his blade between vertebrae—but it wasn't enough.
Cystbreaker threw him.
He crashed into a tree, ribs fracturing.
[Vitals: Critical.]
[System Shock Detected.]
Kael coughed blood.
But stood.
Vyrmclaw was bleeding, clawing at the Tyrant's face.
[Codex Override Request: Activate Echo Protocol — Phase Instinct?]
Kael hesitated.
Then: "Do it."
A jolt rippled through his spine. His body morphed. Skin shifted. Eyes burned gold.
He became something else.
He moved faster. Thought faster. Each motion a calculation.
He dodged the next blow. Climbed the Tyrant's back.
And whispered:
"Ravager says hi."
He slammed the remaining shard of Ravager's fang into the base of the skull.
The Tyrant shrieked.
And collapsed.
Aftermath
Smoke. Blood. Victory.
Kael collapsed beside Vyrmclaw, exhausted. The Codex buzzed softly.
[Hybrid Threat: Neutralized. Casualties: 0.]
[New Trait Acquired: Adaptive Phase Memory.]
Kael looked to the stars.
And saw a shape watching.
JiRuun.
Again.
Always.
But Kael didn't flinch.
He raised a fist.
Then lowered it into the earth.
Planting the fang of Ravager like a flag.
"This is our land now."
Author's Note:
This chapter was the breath before ruin—the hammer drawn back. Chapter 14? That's when the hammer falls. You'll want to sit down for it. 🧬🦖🔥
From ash we rise. From genes we conquer.
Stay wild, stay mutant — EchoWomb