The deeper levels of Navitia were nothing like the neon-washed streets above.
Down here, the city's heartbeat sounded different.
Colder.
Sharper.
Dangerous.
The corridors beneath Vampira's district were carved from reinforced steel and concrete, the air thick with the smell of electricity and burnt metal. Massive cables as thick as tree trunks ran along the walls, pulsing faintly with violet energy that lit the passageways in eerie flashes.
Joren moved silently through the shadows ahead of the group, his red hood barely visible in the dim light.
Hailey stayed close behind him.
Every step she took felt surreal.
Joren.
After all these years.
After believing he was gone.
Now he was here… leading them into the most dangerous place in Navitia.
Behind them, Eddy whispered quietly.
"So… quick question," he muttered. "Is this the part where we heroically defeat the big villain… or the part where we get brutally destroyed and have to crawl away dramatically?"
Jackie didn't even turn around.
"If you talk any louder," she said calmly, "Vampira will hear you and skip straight to destroying us."
Eddy raised both hands.
"Hey, I'm whispering! This is stealth commentary."
Luce ignored them.
His fingers brushed the wall as they walked, tiny sparks flickering across his fingertips.
The cables humming through the building were alive with technology.
Sensors.
Security systems.
Power grids.
He could feel them.
But his control was weak — like trying to grab smoke.
"Security grid ahead," Luce whispered. "I'll try to shut it down."
He stepped toward a control panel embedded in the wall. His hand pressed against it.
For a moment nothing happened.
Then—
SZZT.
The lights flickered.
Energy pulsed through the panel.
The lasers guarding the corridor sputtered and died.
Luce exhaled slowly.
"Got it… but it won't stay down long."
Kayden nodded.
"Good work."
Eddy leaned over his shoulder.
"Nice! Our resident tech wizard strikes again. Remind me to get you to fix my holo-console later."
Luce rolled his eyes.
"Focus."
They continued forward.
Finally, the corridor opened into a massive chamber.
And the moment they stepped inside, the air changed.
The room was enormous — a circular hall surrounded by towering metal pillars that reached up into darkness. Streams of purple energy flowed through conduits along the walls like glowing rivers.
At the center stood a raised platform.
And seated on it…
…was Vampira.
She looked almost relaxed.
One leg crossed over the other.
A faint smile curling across her lips.
Her glowing crimson eyes opened slowly.
"I was wondering when you would arrive."
The entire group froze.
Eddy blinked.
"Oh."
He looked at Luce.
"She knew we were coming."
Vampira stood.
The energy in the room pulsed violently.
"You walked into my home," she said calmly.
Her eyes shifted to Joren.
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"
Before anyone could react—
BOOM.
She moved.
One second she stood across the room.
The next—
She was in front of Joren.
Her hand shot forward.
CRACK.
She grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground like he weighed nothing.
Hailey gasped.
"JOR—"
Vampira slammed him against the pillar behind them.
The metal dented.
Joren struggled, gripping her wrist.
"You… think…" he rasped.
"…you can take my throne?"
Her grip tightened.
His feet kicked helplessly.
"You came here to become Number One in Navitia," she said softly.
"And now look at you."
She began lifting him higher.
Joren's vision blurred.
His lungs burned.
Then—
POP.
Eddy teleported.
He appeared behind Vampira mid-air and drove a flying kick straight into her ribs.
The impact forced her to stagger.
Joren dropped to the ground, coughing violently.
"HEY!" Eddy shouted.
"Hands off my edgy friend!"
Vampira turned slowly.
"You're fast."
She swung.
Eddy teleported again.
POP.
Then again.
POP.
Each jump placed him somewhere new — striking her shoulder, her back, her side.
A flurry of teleportation punches and kicks.
But Vampira adapted fast.
Her hand shot out—
And she grabbed his leg mid-teleport.
Eddy's eyes widened.
"Oh— that's bad."
She SLAMMED him into the ground.
Jackie moved instantly.
Her back split open as four spider limbs burst outward.
She launched webs across the chamber, anchoring to pillars and ceiling beams.
Then she flew forward like a slingshot.
Her claws slashed across Vampira's arm.
Vampira hissed.
Jackie flipped backward, clinging to the wall upside down.
"Hailey!"
Hailey stepped forward.
Her palms opened.
The air around her vibrated.
Then—
BOOOOOOOM
A massive sonic wave erupted from her hands.
The shockwave slammed into Vampira, shattering nearby glass panels and sending energy rippling across the chamber.
Vampira skidded backward across the platform.
Kayden stepped forward.
His mecha suit unfolded around him, metal plates snapping into place.
Energy gathered in his palms.
Twin plasma cannons formed.
"Everyone clear!"
He fired.
Two blazing beams tore across the chamber.
Vampira crossed her arms.
The beams exploded against her.
Smoke filled the air.
Luce focused on the energy conduits around the chamber.
Come on… come on…
His technopathy reached outward.
The systems flickered.
Lights exploded.
Energy streams surged unpredictably.
"NOW!" Luce shouted.
Joren rose slowly from the ground.
Blood ran down his neck.
His fists tightened.
The air around them grew heavy.
Denser.
Denser.
Denser.
Then he moved.
His first punch hit Vampira square in the stomach.
The impact sounded like a cannon blast.
The entire chamber shook.
Vampira flew backward through a pillar.
Concrete exploded.
Eddy teleported above her.
"TEAM COMBO!"
He kicked her downward.
Jackie dropped from the ceiling with all eight limbs striking.
Hailey fired another sonic blast.
Kayden launched energy spears.
Joren stepped forward for the finishing strike—
Then—
Vampira started laughing.
The dust cleared.
She stood there.
Barely injured.
Her eyes burned brighter.
"You children…"
Energy exploded from her body.
A shockwave blasted through the chamber.
Everyone was thrown backward.
Jackie slammed into the wall.
Eddy skidded across the floor.
Hailey hit the ground hard.
Kayden's suit sparked.
Joren staggered.
Vampira rose slowly into the air.
Power swirling around her like a storm.
"You came here…"
"…to challenge the ruler of Navitia."
Her smile widened.
"Let me show you why I sit on that throne."
She raised her hand—
And the entire building began shaking.
Outside…
The lights of Navitia flickered.
Something enormous was coming.
And suddenly—
Kayden's scanners screamed.
He looked up.
"…That's not good."
Eddy groaned from the floor.
"What?"
Kayden's voice was grim.
"She just activated the city defense grid."
The ceiling began opening.
Massive weapons descended.
Cannons.
Drones.
Energy turrets.
All aimed at them.
Vampira smiled down at the team.
"You didn't just challenge me."
"You challenged my city."
And every weapon in Navitia's strongest fortress locked onto them.