Chapter 13 13

Lyra’s grip tightened around his arm as they moved fast in the corridor. Kratos stumbled slightly but followed. His breathing was uneven again. Not from running but from everything else.

“What the hell was that?” Zephyr demanded, glancing back briefly as they moved.

Kratos didn’t answer immediately because he didn’t trust what he might say.

“It knew me” he said finally.

Lyra didn’t slow down “No. That’s not possible”.

Kratos let out a breath that wasn’t quite steady “It didn’t look confused. It didn’t look surprising. It looked at me like I was…” He hesitated.

“Like you were what?” Zephyr pressed.

Kratos swallowed “Late”.

Zephyr muttered under his breath, “Yeah… I don’t like that”.

Lyra tightened her grip slightly “We’re not stopping to figure that out right now”.

Another tremor ran through the base. Stronger this time.

The ceiling above them groaned, small fragments of stone breaking loose and falling as they passed.

Kratos glanced upward briefly “This place isn’t going to hold much longer”.

“No” Zephyr said flatly “It’s not”.

They turned a corner sharply and nearly ran into chaos head-on.

Astros fighters flooded the corridor ahead—some injured, some dragging others, some still armed and moving forward despite everything happening around them.

“Fall back to the upper levels!” someone shouted.

“Seal the lower gates!” another voice.

“It’s coming through the foundation!” another voice.

The voices overlapped, collided, broke apart into panic and urgency.

Every step forward felt like it was pulling him in two different directions.

Lyra noticed his pace falter k“Hey—stay with me”.

“I am” Kratos said, but it didn’t sound convincing. Because part of him wasn’t. Part of him was still down there with whatever that was.

They pushed through the crowd, moving against the flow toward the command wing.

“Where’s Thorne?” Lyra asked one of the passing fighters.

“Forward sector!” the man shouted back. “Trying to hold the breach!”

Zephyr cursed quietly “Of course he is”.

Kratos shook his head slightly “He knows something we don’t”.

Lyra didn’t argue because she sensed it too.They reached a wider corridor and stopped instantly.

Because half of it was gone…

Lyra screamed out of frustration “This too is gone? Arrggh”.

The edges of the walls were jagged, twisted outward. There were no bodies. No signs of a fight.

Kratos stared at it “That wasn’t Erebus either”

“Obviously” Zephyr agreed, but panting heavily.

Lyra stepped closer carefully, scanning the damagev“This is new”.

A low sound echoed again. Kratos’s chest tightened sharplyb“It’s here” he said.

Zephyr looked at him “Define ‘here”. L

Kratos didn’t respond. At the far end of the broken corridor. The same figure stood still, and the watching then like it doesn't want them to leave the base.

Lyra’s voice dropped “that’s not one of ours too”

Zephyr’s stance shifted instantly “And it’s not Erebus”

Kratos didn’t move. His eyes locked onto it because he felt that same pull again. Stronger than before “I know you” Kratos said again.

Lyra snapped her head toward him “Stop saying that”.

It just stood there, like it had been waiting for him to say something to it.

Kratos took a step forward. Lyra grabbed him immediately “Kratos, not again”.

But he barely felt her hand because something inside him was calling him…

“I’ve seen you” he said, his voice quieter now.

The figure tilted its head slightly. Lyra pulled harder “We’re not doing this again. Move!”

The figure vanished into the dust and shifting debris, the connection snapped.

Kratos staggered slightly as the feeling disappeared.

“Move!” Zephyr barked.

They ran and faster now. The base around them was breaking apart piece by piece.

Something deep below was forcing its way upward and nothing was stopping it from “What the hell did Karthik do?” Lyra demanded.

Kratos shook his head “He didn’t do this”.

Zephyr glanced at him “Then what did?”

Kratos didn’t answer because he already knew or at least a part of him did. They turned another corner and stopped, because this time— They weren’t alone. Standing in the middle of the ruined corridor was Karthik, who had been waiting patiently for them there.

Kratos’s chest tightened instantly “You again” he said. Karthik’s gaze locked onto him “You felt it again” Karthik said.

Kratos didn’t deny it “Yeah, I did. So, what if I did!” he answered.

Lyra stepped forward, placing herself slightly in front of him “You’re not touching him again”.

Karthik’s eyes shifted to her and felt irritated “You’re in the way” he said.

Lyra didn’t move “Then go through me”

Karthik moved very fast and Lyra reacted instantly. Steel met force and the impact rang through the corridor, sending her sliding back across the ground. Zephyr jumped in immediately, striking from the side, Karthik blocked without looking, the clash was sharp, precise and controlled.

Kratos watched, frozen for a second as the fight erupted in front of him. Lyra recovered quickly, re-engaging. Zephyr pressed harder, faster, more aggressive but Karthik didn't look pressured or touched. He moved like he had already calculated every outcome. And then, something started building in Kratos’s chest, rising and breaking at the same time. His hands clenched. His breathing slowed.

And then, something inside him snapped. His voice dropped “Stop”.

Karthik felt it, his movement slowed just slightly. His eyes flicked toward Kratos and for the first time, there was something new in them which was attention. Kratos stepped forward, the ground beneath his feet cracked slightly with each step “You don’t get to touch me again” he said.

His voice was steady. Lyra turned sharply, still trying to push herself up “Kratos?” she whispered. But he didn’t look at her. His focus stayed on Karthik.

Zephyr noticed immediately “That’s not good”.

Karthik straightened slightly. Studying him now “this is new” he whispered.

Kratos tilted his head slightly “Is it?”

His voice wasn’t right.

Lyra’s grip tightened on her weapon. “Kratos, listen to me”.

He didn’t respond because whatever was happening, he wasn’t fully in control of it anymore.

The cracks beneath his feet spread slowly and deliberately. He looked at Karthik with a smirk.