The Fallen Part III

Salt-crusted waves crash against the ferry's hull as Brehm guides the vessel into Pallas's abandoned port.

Brehm hasn't finished securing the ferry when Saul vaults over the side. He calls something after him, but the words are lost to the wind and waves. Saul's vision narrows to the ship's gangplank, his legs burning as he pushes himself faster. Nothing else matters - not his throbbing arm, not his ragged breathing, not the captain he's leaving behind.

His boots thunder across the metal gangplank as he charges aboard Shiro's vessel. The sound echoes through the empty deck, announcing his presence to anyone below.

Saul finds Shiro in the bridge, slumped against the helm. Her usual sharp posture is gone, replaced by something almost fragile.

"Look at me," Saul demands, his voice echoing off the metal walls. "Look at what you've done."

He holds up his cast-covered arm, crusted with salt and grime. His uniform hangs loose on his frame, evidence of days spent neglecting everything but the pursuit.

"I had respect in Caspia. Authority. A purpose." His voice cracks. "Now I'm breaking into brothels, threatening civilians with stolen weapons. All because of you."

Shiro remains motionless, her gaze fixed on some distant point through the bridge windows. The silence stretches between them, broken only by the gentle lap of waves against the hull.

"Say something!" Saul's good hand slams against the metal doorframe. The sound reverberates through the bridge, but Shiro doesn't flinch. She looks almost through him, as if he's nothing more than another shadow.

Her exhaustion seems to mock his rage, her silence more cutting than any response could be.

The stolen knife hums to life as Saul charges across the bridge. The blade's blue edge leaves trails of light in the dim space as he swings at Shiro.

Her hand snaps up, catching his wrist mid-strike. The laser edge crackles inches from her face, but her expression remains unchanged. With a simple twist, she forces his arm down and away.

"I don't have time for this." Her grip tightens until Saul's fingers go numb, the knife clattering to the deck.

The casual dismissal hits harder than any physical blow. Saul struggles against her grip, his broken arm throbbing as he tries to wrench free. "Don't have time? Don't have TIME? I've spent weeks hunting you down!"

"Your obsession isn't my problem." Shiro releases him with a slight push, turning back to the helm. "Go home, officer."

Rage burns through Saul's veins at being dismissed so easily. His face flushes red as he snatches up the fallen knife. "You don't get to brush me off! Not after everything you've done!"

"I haven't done anything to you." She doesn't even look at him. "You chose to follow me. You chose to let it consume you. Those choices are yours alone."

"Damn you!" Saul's hand shakes as he points the humming blade at her back. "Fight me, damn you!"

Saul lunges forward, the Cyberblade's laser edge cutting through empty air as Shiro sidesteps with fluid grace. His broken arm throws him off balance, sending him stumbling into the helm controls.

He whirls around for another attack, but Shiro's already moved. His wild swings grow more desperate with each miss, the blue glow of the laser leaving trails in the dim bridge.

"Stand still and fight!" His voice cracks as he charges again.

Shiro deflects his wrist with her forearm, the laser edge harmlessly passing by her face.

Saul's next attack comes faster, fueled by frustration. The knife arcs toward her throat, but Shiro catches his wrist again. This time, she twists sharply. The Cyberblade clatters to the deck as pain shoots through his arm.

Before he can recover, her palm strikes his chest. The blow sends him flying backward into the navigation console. Metal creaks under the impact as air rushes from his lungs.

"Are you done?" Shiro's voice remains eerily calm as she watches him struggle to stand.

Saul's trembling fingers fumble with the Bile pill in his pocket. The small capsule feels impossibly heavy as he raises it to his lips. His vision blurs, focusing on the figure before him.

"What are you doing?" Shiro's voice carries a hint of curiosity.

The pill dissolves on his tongue, bitter and metallic. Heat spreads through his veins like liquid fire. His heart pounds against his ribs as the drug takes hold. The pain in his broken arm fades to a distant throb.

Saul launches forward. His movements flow with unnatural speed, the drug pushing his body beyond its limits. His fist connects with Shiro's jaw before she can dodge. The impact sends her stumbling back a step.

Her eyes widen slightly - the first real reaction he's seen from her. Blood trickles from her split lip, but the wound seals itself instantly.

Saul presses his advantage, throwing combinations that would have been impossible moments ago. His broken arm moves without pain, though he can hear the bones grinding together. Shiro blocks most of his strikes, but a few slip through her guard.

"So this is your choice?" She deflects another punch. "Poisoning yourself to win?"

"Whatever it takes." The words come out in a snarl as Saul's reflexes let him match her inhuman speed. Sweat soaks his uniform, his heart racing dangerously fast as the Bile pushes him further.

Shiro's movements become sluggish, her earlier fight with Marcus taking its toll. Her reaction time slows just enough for Saul to slip past her guard. The Cyberblade's laser edge catches her shoulder, burning through fabric and scaled flesh. The wound begins to heal, but slower than before.

Saul presses forward, his Bile-enhanced strikes becoming harder to dodge. The bridge spins around Shiro as exhaustion clouds her vision. Another slash catches her across the ribs, drawing a sharp hiss of pain.

Blood soaks through her shirt, the fabric clinging to her skin. Her regeneration struggles to keep up with the injuries. The world tilts and blurs at the edges as she stumbles back against the helm controls.

Saul's next attack comes as a blur of blue light. The laser edge slices deep into her thigh, the heat cauterizing the wound instantly. Her leg buckles, sending her to one knee. The metal deck swims beneath her, edges softening as her consciousness wavers.

For the first time, she looks vulnerable - almost human.

"Not so untouchable now, are you?" A savage grin spreads across his face. The laser edge crackles as he raises it for a final strike.

Shiro's eyes meet his, unfocused and glazed with exhaustion. She braces against the helm controls, her scaled hands leaving bloody smears on the metal.

The bridge door crashes open with a thunderous bang. Before Saul can turn, something massive slams into him from behind. The impact drives him hard against the ship's railing, metal groaning under the force. The Cyberblade spins from his grip, clattering across the deck.

Marcus's massive frame pins him against the rail, his strength crushing the air from Saul's lungs.

"Get away from her." His usually gentle features are twisted with protective fury as he presses harder, making the railing creak ominously behind them.

"You came back." Shiro's voice carries a hint of surprise through her exhaustion. Blood continues to seep from her wounds as she slumps against the helm.

"I couldn't leave you alone."

Saul drives his elbow back, catching Marcus in the jaw. The Bile amplifies his strength enough to break free, rolling across the deck. He snatches up a loose chain from nearby cargo, swinging it in a deadly arc.

Marcus catches the chain with his hands, the metal links creaking under his grip. He yanks hard, pulling Saul off balance. The enforcer stumbles forward but uses the momentum to throw a punch. His fist connects with Marcus's chest, though the genetic enhancement makes it feel like hitting steel.

The two men crash into a stack of crates, splintering wood across the deck. Marcus's ox-like strength sends pieces flying as he shoves the debris aside. Saul ducks under a massive swing, the Bile keeping his reactions sharp despite his body's protests.

Saul hooks his foot behind Marcus's knee, using the larger man's weight against him. They both go down hard, rolling dangerously close to the railing. The ship's gentle rocking threatens to send them over with each wave.

Marcus pins Saul against the deck, his muscles straining. "Stay down!"

But the Bile won't let Saul stop. His broken arm swings up, the cast cracking against Marcus's temple. Blood trickles down Marcus's face as he stumbles backwards..

Saul's bloodshot eyes lock onto Shiro's slumped form. The world narrows to a single point - his target, finally within reach - as he charges towards Shiro.

Marcus spins, realizing too late. "No!"

He lunges at Saul, his body propelled forward with unstoppable momentum. The two collide just a few feet from Shiro, their impact reverberating across the bridge like a clap of thunder.

The force of their clash sends them careening into the railing, which groans and shrieks under the sudden strain. Salt spray lashes against them as the barrier shatters, giving way beneath their combined weight.

Time seems to slow. Marcus's fingers clutch Saul's uniform. The enforcer's eyes go wide as they pitch over the edge together. The sea rises to meet them, dark waves churning below.

Shiro's hand reaches out, too late, too slow. Her exhausted body refuses to move fast enough. She can only watch as both men plummet toward the poisonous waters.

Their bodies hit the waves with a sickening splash. The sea swallows them whole, leaving only ripples in their wake. Silence falls across the bridge, broken only by the gentle lap of waves against the hull.