Unholy Player

The rain poured down as if it would never end, drenching the barren earth in an endless, rhythmic assault. Thunder cracked overhead, echoing like a warning across the wasteland. Flashes of lightning briefly carved twisted shapes into the dark horizon, like scars on a dying world.

A hoverjet glided smoothly through the storm-choked skies, carrying a six-person squad in its wide cabin.

"Victor, focus. We’re on a mission," Dalin Ravencourt snapped, casting an irritated glance at the blond, ponytailed man smirking at his phone.

"Okay, just a sec. Let me finish this line," he replied, eyes still glued to the screen.

Dalin frowned, clearly unimpressed by his lack of seriousness. "What could possibly be that important?"

Victor didn’t answer right away. He kept typing, then tapped the screen to send something. Only then did he look up, a grin tugging at his lips.

"The internet’s blowing up. Everyone’s talking about Adyr on the forums."

That caught Selina’s attention. She leaned in slightly, her voice curious. "What are they saying?"

Victor shrugged. "They say he’s a monster, a devil. Just looking at him makes them feel like they’re gonna pass out. Too terrifying to watch, blah blah."

His grin faded into a frustrated expression, the confusion clear in his eyes. "My bro’s out there saving their asses, and they still can’t appreciate what he’s doing for them."

"I didn’t know people were this fragile. Fainting at the sight of a little blood," Dalin muttered, snorting in irritation.

While the other three spoke casually, Evangeline Ravencourt sat quietly, her eyes fixed on the small window. She stared through the heavy curtain of rain, where the distant mutant horde looked no larger than a swarm of ants. At their center, a lone figure moved like a shadow among them. After a moment, she shifted her gaze back to the trio chatting as if nothing was out of the ordinary.