Ryu's body spasms uncontrollably as the swirling purple mass forces its way inside him, slipping through his mouth like some foul, dark entity. I watch in absolute horror, my heart pounding in my chest, feeling utterly helpless as his limbs jerk and convulse. A terrifying, guttural sound escapes his throat.

  "No..." I whisper, my voice trembling with fear. The word barely escapes my lips, my heart sinking as I see the darkness consume him. I want to move, to help him, but my legs are frozen, locked in place by fear. I can only stand there, watching the horror unfold before me.

  Then, suddenly, the twitching stops. His body slumps forward for a moment, motionless. I dare to hope—maybe it's over, maybe he fought it off. But that hope evaporates as quickly as it came when his head snaps up with a sickening crack. His eyes glow a menacing orange through the mask, the same terrifying hue as Vitiate's. The sight sends a chill down my spine.

  "No..." I mutter again, my grip tightening around my short swords, though my hands are shaking. Panic floods my chest. This can't be happening. This can't be real.

  "Papa!" Nikko's voice rings out, piercing through the fog of fear that clouds my mind. She tries to run toward him, but Apollo grabs her, holding her back as she thrashes in his arms, desperately trying to break free. Tears stream down her little face, her cries filled with a heart-wrenching desperation. I want to scream, to tell her it's not safe, but the words catch in my throat.

  Rebecca stands nearby, a tear slipping down her cheek as she clutches her wounded shoulder, her face pale with fear. She looks just as lost as I feel. I fight to hold back my own tears. This is the man we've all fought alongside, trusted, cared for—and now he's become the very thing we've been fighting against.

  "Oh, don't look so upset," Ryu says, his voice dripping with malice and amusement. My stomach churns at the sound of his words. They aren't Ryu's words. This is Vitiate speaking through him, controlling him. His glowing eyes lock onto me, and a cruel smile spreads across his face. "You'll soon join your lover," he sneers, his gaze sharp and predatory.

  I feel my heart drop as he extends his arm, and Ryu's sword, discarded moments ago, flies across the room, landing effortlessly in his grip. The clang of the metal handle meeting his palm echoes through the chamber, sending a spike of fear straight through me. My breath catches in my throat as I realize the gravity of what's happening—Ryu couldn't beat Vitiate, and now I'm facing him. How could I stand a chance?

  Fear grips me like a vice, but I can't—no, I won't—give in. Ryu didn't give up, and neither will I. I clench my jaw, forcing myself to swallow the fear. I won't let him win.

  "Come at me," he taunts, shifting into a fighting stance that is all too familiar, yet twisted with dark intent. "Impress me."

  I want to move. I want to charge forward, to fight, but my body betrays me. My legs feel like jelly, and my hands tremble uncontrollably around the hilts of my short swords. I try to steady my breathing, but my chest tightens with every breath. My heart races, pounding so hard I can hear it in my ears. I feel as if I'm drowning in fear, unable to catch my breath.

  Suddenly, Apollo charges in. I barely have time to react as he rushes past me, his retracted vibroblade humming as he swings at Ryu with everything he has.

  Ryu—no, Vitiate—dodges every strike with effortless precision. He moves like a shadow, ducking and weaving around Apollo's attacks as if he's simply toying with him. It's horrifying to watch. One moment Apollo is pressing forward, and the next, with a single fluid motion, Vitiate swings his sword, and Apollo's retracted blade is severed cleanly in two. The broken blade clatters to the ground with a sickening finality.

  Before Apollo can recover, Vitiate lifts his hand and sends him flying backward with a powerful Force push. Apollo slams into the wall with a bone-jarring impact, his body embedding into the stone. His armor screams as it bends and cracks under the pressure, his metallic body contorting in ways that seem impossible. His head tilts unnaturally, his limbs twisted at odd angles. I watch in horror, unable to look away as the stone around him trembles.

  Vitiate raises his arm, his fingers curling into a fist. I can hear the stone cracking around Apollo, his armor groaning as it begins to crumple inward. Apollo's body is being crushed—slowly, painfully—his head twisting unnaturally as if he's being wrung out like a piece of scrap metal. A low groan escapes him, somehow managing to sound both mechanical and filled with agony.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "No!" I scream, the horror of it making my heart lurch. But I can't move. I'm frozen again, trapped in this nightmare, forced to watch.

  Suddenly, blaster fire breaks through the suffocating tension. The bolts streak through the air, Vitiate dodging just in time. He turns toward the source of the shots, and I follow his gaze to see Rebecca standing there, her blaster raised in her one good hand, firing desperately. Her shots are wild, her aim faltering as Vitiate gets closer and closer.

  Nikko, meanwhile, rushes toward Apollo, her small hands frantically trying to pull him free from the wall, but it's no use. She's too small, too weak against the crushing power that holds him in place.

  Vitiate's eyes flicker with amusement as he holds out his arm, absorbing the blaster fire as though it's nothing more than a light breeze. He stalks toward Rebecca, her shots growing more erratic with each step he takes.

  With a casual flick of his wrist, Vitiate disarms her, the blaster flying from her hand and skidding across the floor. I see the panic in Rebecca's eyes as she stumbles back, her one good arm reaching for anything to defend herself. But before she can react, Ryu swings his sword with terrifying precision. I barely register the movement before I hear her scream—a blood-curdling cry of pain as her left hand falls to the ground, severed cleanly from her arm.

  She crumples to the floor, clutching the bloody stump with her remaining hand, her face twisted in agony. "Weak," Ryu mutters, his voice filled with disdain. "How disappointing."

  Something inside me snaps. The fear that had paralyzed me moments ago begins to shift, replaced by a burning anger. I've had enough. I can't watch this any longer. I can't let him do this—to us, to Nikko, to Rebecca. With a growl of fury, I charge at him, my short swords raised.

  I swing with everything I have, but Vitiate dodges with infuriating ease, sidestepping my strikes as though he's merely humoring me. I grit my teeth, pushing through the frustration, attacking again and again, each strike more desperate than the last. But he blocks every blow effortlessly, his orange eyes gleaming with amusement as though he's enjoying this twisted game.

  His sword flashes, and suddenly both of my short swords are severed, the blades flying from my hands and clattering uselessly to the floor. I stare at the broken hilts in my hands, disbelief washing over me. How could I have failed so miserably?

  Vitiate's eyes burn with a cruel light as he steps forward, towering over me. I stagger back, panic rising once more. I fumble for my blaster, but before I can grip it, he waves his hand, and the weapon is wrenched from my grasp, flying across the chamber. I'm left defenseless, staring up at him in terror.

  He moves closer, and I scramble backward, tripping over my own feet and falling hard onto the stone floor. Pain shoots through my back as I land, but I don't have time to think about it. I try to crawl away, but I'm trapped, my back pressed against the cold stone wall. Vitiate looms over me, his shadow stretching long and menacing as he raises his sword.

  "Pathetic," he sneers, his voice dripping with contempt. He swings the sword down, and I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable blow.

  ?????

  But it never comes.

  I open my eyes, my heart racing, to find Vitiate frozen in place, his sword inches from my neck. His hand shakes, his grip on the blade faltering. Confusion floods my mind—what is happening?

  I glance to my left and see Nikko standing there, her arms outstretched toward Vitiate. Her small face is twisted with concentration, her entire body trembling. My eyes widen in disbelief—Nikko is the one holding him back.

  Vitiate seems just as surprised. His glowing orange eyes flicker with shock before he breaks free from her hold, chuckling darkly. "I did not see that coming," he says, his voice filled with amusement. "So, you are Force-sensitive, huh? Impressive."

  He steps toward her, his gaze predatory. "Perhaps with some proper training," Vitiate says, his voice smooth and dark, filled with twisted amusement, "you might even outperform your father." His burning orange eyes lock onto Nikko, and I can see the malevolence in them, the hunger for power. He steps toward her with deliberate slowness, savoring the fear that ripples through the room.

  Nikko stands there, her arms still raised, trembling with the effort of using the Force. She's never done anything like this before, but somehow, in her desperation, she managed to stop him. My heart clenches in both pride and terror—pride that she's able to channel the Force, terror because she's standing there, defenseless against the very person who taught her how to fight, the man she calls "Papa."

  "Unfortunately, I have waited far too long for this moment," Vitiate says.

  Nikko's small hands shake as she clutches the air in front of her, trying to push him back, but she's losing control. I can see it in her eyes—the strain, the panic. Her body is trembling, her face pale with fear as she struggles to maintain her hold on Vitiate.

  "Let her go!" I shout, but my voice is weak, filled with the terror of watching Nikko face him alone.

  Vitiate smirks, his expression twisted with sadistic amusement. He raises his hand and clenches his fist, and suddenly Nikko is lifted into the air. She gasps, her hands flying to her throat as she struggles for breath. Her blaster falls from her grasp, clattering to the ground, useless.

  "No!" I scream, pushing myself to my feet, but my legs are still shaky, and I stumble. I watch helplessly as Nikko kicks her legs, her eyes wide with fear as she claws at the invisible force around her throat. Tears stream down her face as she gasps for air, her small body writhing in the air.