11
Zara’s boots slapped against the damp floor as she ran, the sound of her footsteps swallowed by the roar of rushing water. Her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out every thought but one: Atlas.
The weight of leaving him behind gnawed at her chest like a predator, sharp and unrelenting. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to turn around, to fight beside him, but she knew he wouldn’t let her. He had made that clear with the unshakable resolve in his eyes.
“Damn you, Atlas,” she muttered under her breath, her voice trembling.
The tunnel ahead opened into another cavernous space, this one darker and more foreboding. Water cascaded from broken pipes overhead, pooling in the uneven ground below. The air was thick with moisture, clinging to her skin and making her shiver.
She slowed to a stop, her breaths coming in sharp gasps as she leaned against the slick wall. Her grip on the rifle tightened, her knuckles white as she fought to steady herself.
“Come back to me,” she whispered, her voice cracking.
Behind her, the distant echoes of the battle grew louder. The clash of metal, the guttural snarls of Torrak soldiers, and the unmistakable sound of Atlas’s voice—calm, commanding, and defiant—cut through the noise.
Zara’s heart clenched. She could picture him so vividly: his towering frame moving with precision and power, his glowing eyes burning with determination. He had taken so much damage already, and yet he still fought as if nothing else mattered.
As if she was the only thing that mattered.
Her chest tightened as she remembered the way he had looked at her, the quiet intensity in his gaze that spoke volumes he could never put into words. He was a machine, designed for war, and yet there was something achingly human in the way he had touched her, his fingers gentle and lingering as if memorizing the feel of her skin.
“Stop it,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head. “He’s just a machine.”
But the words felt hollow, even to her own ears.
A sudden crash echoed through the tunnel, louder than anything before. Zara straightened, her heart racing as she turned toward the sound.
“Atlas,” she breathed, her stomach twisting with dread.
Without thinking, she sprinted back the way she had come, her feet slipping on the wet ground as she pushed herself forward. Her rifle bounced against her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she rounded a corner and skidded to a stop.
The sight that greeted her stole the air from her lungs.
The chamber was in ruins. Torrak bodies littered the ground, their biomechanical forms twisted and broken. Sparks danced in the air, casting eerie shadows across the walls. And in the center of it all stood Atlas.
His frame was battered, his synthetic skin torn in places to reveal the intricate metal beneath. One of his arms hung useless at his side, the joint sparking faintly, but he remained standing, his glowing eyes locked on the lone remaining Torrak soldier.
The alien was massive, its form bristling with weaponry as it advanced on him. Atlas didn’t flinch, his shoulders squaring as he prepared for the next strike.
“Atlas!” Zara shouted, raising her rifle.
The sound of her voice made him pause. His head turned slightly, his glowing eyes finding hers across the battlefield.
“Zara, no!” he barked, his voice sharper than she had ever heard it. “Stay back!”
But she was already moving.
The Torrak lunged at Atlas, its clawed arm swinging in a deadly arc. Atlas dodged with inhuman speed, his movements precise despite his injuries. He countered with a powerful blow to the alien’s torso, the impact sending a shockwave through the chamber.
Zara raised her rifle, her hands steady despite the fear coursing through her veins. She aimed for the Torrak’s exposed core and fired. The pulse shot struck true, and the alien let out a guttural roar as it staggered back.
Atlas seized the opportunity, closing the distance in an instant. He grabbed the Torrak by the neck, his fingers digging into its armor as he drove it into the ground with a force that made the floor tremble.
The alien thrashed beneath him, its claws scraping against his chest, but Atlas didn’t relent. His glowing eyes burned brighter as he tightened his grip, his jaw clenched with a determination that made Zara’s chest ache.
Finally, with a final, bone-crunching twist, the Torrak went still.
Atlas stood slowly, his massive frame swaying slightly as he turned to face Zara.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice quieter now, though it still carried that unyielding edge of concern.
She shook her head, her breath catching as she stepped closer. “I’m fine. But you—”
“I told you to stay back,” he said, his glowing eyes narrowing slightly.
Her jaw tightened as she stopped in front of him, her gaze sweeping over his battered form. His synthetic skin was scorched and torn, his left arm hanging at an unnatural angle, yet he still stood tall, his expression calm and unshaken.
“You’re not fine,” she said, her voice trembling with anger and worry. “Look at you.”
“I’m functional,” he said, though his voice lacked its usual strength.
“Barely,” she shot back.
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze softening. “And yet I am here.”
Her chest tightened, and she fought the tears that threatened to spill. “You don’t have to keep doing this,” she said, her voice breaking. “You don’t have to keep putting yourself through this for me.”
His gaze locked onto hers, intense and unrelenting. “Yes, I do,” he said quietly. “Because you matter, Zara. More than anything.”
Her breath hitched, the weight of his words settling over her like a heavy blanket. She wanted to argue, to tell him he didn’t have to protect her like this, but the look in his eyes left her speechless.
“You’re impossible,” she muttered, her voice trembling.
“And yet,” he said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips, “here we are.”
The sound of distant engines snapped them both back to reality. Zara’s heart sank as the echoes grew louder, the unmistakable roar of more Torrak soldiers closing in.
“We don’t have much time,” Atlas said, his voice sharp again.
She nodded, her grip tightening on her rifle as she stepped beside him. “Then let’s move.”
He hesitated, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer. “Stay close to me,” he said, his voice quieter now.
“I’m not leaving your side,” she replied, her voice steady.