The ground shook harder. Dust fell from the ceiling in thick streams. Metal beams groaned above, and cracks split across the floor beneath Jonah’s feet.Jonah could barely hear his own breath over the rumbling. Kevin’s small frame stood in the center of it all, arms outstretched, his glowing veins pulsing brighter with every heartbeat. The white light in his eyes was blinding now. Lisa struggled to push herself up from the wall where she had landed earlier. Micah limped toward her, his arm wrapped tightly around his ribs.The clone stood still, watching Jonah closely. He wasn’t moving to stop Kevin, he was waiting.Olos, on the other hand, looked delighted. His voice cut through the chaos. “Look at him! Even the Hive never produced this much raw energy so quickly.”“Shut up!” Jonah shouted, forcing himself to his feet.The Hive inside Jonah growled. “You will die before you reach him unless you take us in.”Jonah started forward, fighting the shaking ground. Every step was heavy, his

The white light burned everything away. Jonah’s mind went blank for a moment. There was no sound, no pain, no ground under him, just blinding whiteness. Then the world came back all at once.He hit the floor hard, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. Dust filled his mouth. His ears rang so loud that he couldn’t hear his own groan.He rolled onto his side, coughing. The ground under him was rough and warm, as if it had soaked up too much heat. Somewhere nearby, metal groaned and cracked.Jonah forced his eyes open. The red glow of the chamber was gone. He was in a long, low corridor. The walls were metal but warped, as though something inside them had melted. Overhead, a single strip of flickering white light cast weak shadows.For a moment, he thought he was alone. Then memory hit him. Kevin. Lisa. Micah.He sat up fast, ignoring the pain in his ribs. “Lisa! Micah!” His voice echoed down the empty hall. No answer.Jonah pushed himself to his feet. His legs trembled, and his ha

The corridor was so quiet that even the hum of the walls felt loud. Jonah stood in front of the smooth metal wall that had just sealed shut, cutting him off from the chamber beyond. He pressed his palm against the surface, but it was solid and unyielding. The warmth from it made his skin prickle. His fists tightened until his knuckles turned white.Behind him, a shadow moved. It wasn’t just a shadow, it was the clone. The other Jonah. Same height. Same build. Same face. But the eyes were colder, sharper, and wrong.“They’re gone,” the clone said softly, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction. “You’ll never catch them now.”Jonah turned, his gaze locking on the man who mirrored him. His heartbeat slowed, his breathing steady, but the tension in his shoulders was coiled like a spring. “Then I’ll start,” Jonah said, his voice low, “by taking you out of the way.”The clone tilted his head. A faint smile pulled at his lips. “You’re angry. Good. Anger makes you faster.”Jonah didn’t wa

The air trembled. Jonah stood frozen in the center of the Hive’s heart, his chest heaving, his fists still bruised from striking the wall where Kevin had vanished. His breath came in ragged bursts, mixing with the thick, humid air that smelled of blood and metal, then he heard it.A deep, heavy sound. Like something massive shifting through flesh. The shadows at the far side of the chamber stirred. A shape uncurled itself, rising higher and higher until Jonah’s neck ached from looking up. The Hive guardian.Its body was huge, as tall as the chamber itself. Skin dark red, streaked with glowing gold veins that pulsed in rhythm with the walls. Its arms were long and muscular, ending in claws like spears. Its head was featureless, except for clusters of glowing eyes that opened one by one, lighting the chamber with sickly yellow light.It let out a roar that shook the floor, a sound like stone grinding against bone.Jonah clenched his fists tighter. His body ached everywhere from his fi

The cocoon cracked. The sound was sharp and wet, like ice splitting under heavy weight.The golden light inside flared brighter, flooding the chamber until Jonah had to squint against it. The floor pulsed harder beneath his boots, as if the entire Hive was waiting. Jonah’s fists trembled at his sides. His heart pounded so loud he could barely hear his own thoughts.Inside the cocoon, Kevin’s small body shifted. The fluid spilled out, glowing like molten gold. His eyes opened again. They glowed pure, sharp, unnatural.The boy pressed a hand against the inside of the cocoon wall. Cracks spidered across the surface. “Kevin!” Jonah shouted. His voice echoed through the chamber.The boy’s head tilted slowly, unnaturally. His lips moved. “Jonah.”The Hive whispered with him. “Jonah.” The cocoon burst.The golden fluid spilled out in waves, splashing across the floor. It hissed where it touched Jonah’s boots, burning faintly like acid.Kevin stepped out. He looked almost human, but not quit