Where It All Ends

The corridor seemed to close in, the shadows pressing down as Leo’s pounding footsteps echoed on the metallic floor. Each ragged breath burned in his chest. He clutched the symbiont tightly, its faint vibration alive in his palm. Diego’s lone stand against the soldiers seared his thoughts—every blow, every wound... his final gaze.

You have to keep going, kid. Fight for what you believe in and... live without fear.

The mantra drove him forward, though the weight of Diego’s sacrifice was crushing. Lucy, and now Diego. How many more would he lose before the Vanguard was stopped? Or before they destroyed him too?

Leo rounded a corner, leaning briefly against the cold wall, gasping for air. His heart felt like it was trying to burst from his chest. For a moment, he closed his eyes. Diego’s words and the sounds of the battle behind the sealed door still reverberated in his mind. I won’t let this be in vain, he thought, straightening again.

He took a deep breath and began walking, more determined than ever. Diego had entrusted him with a mission.

The footsteps came first—steady, deliberate. Leo froze in the middle of the corridor. Ahead, the narrow passage stretched like an endless serpent under flickering lights. Overhead pipes hissed intermittently, filling the air with thin mist. Behind him, the distant echoes of battle began to fade, but ahead, the enemy’s approach grew louder.

They had found me.

The thought cut through his mind like a blade. He turned sharply, bracing himself, symbiont in one hand and blade in the other. Every sound seemed amplified, every echo a reminder of his solitude.

Not now... not yet, he thought, sweat streaming down his face. His breath was uneven, the weight of Diego’s sacrifice pressing heavy on his shoulders. But he knew he couldn’t stop.

The shadows shifted, and two figures emerged from the bend in the corridor. Leo stepped forward, ready to strike, when a voice shattered the tension.

“Leo!”

The word hit like an explosion, freezing him mid-step. His heart skipped a beat—he recognized that voice.

“Leo, it’s us!” shouted Rubi, as she and Alice came into view.

Relief washed over him like a wave, nearly making him stumble. He lowered the energized blade, his shoulders sagging as tension drained from his body. Alice, katana in hand, stopped before him, her sharp gaze scanning the corridor before locking onto his. Behind her, Rubi adjusted the symbiont-shaped pistol in her grip.

“Are you okay?” Alice asked, her voice heavy with concern but edged with urgency.

Leo tried to respond, but the question collided with the harsh reality he was facing. He looked at both of them, the moment's weight etched into his expression. Finally, he shook his head and let the words escape.

“Diego... he didn’t make it.”

The words fell like stones onto the metallic floor. A heavy silence followed, thick with unspoken emotion. Rubi averted her gaze, biting her lip as her hands trembled slightly. Alice’s eyes, however, hardened as she stepped closer.

“What happened?” she asked, her tone sharp but controlled.

Leo took a deep breath, struggling to find the words. “Ron was there. Diego stayed behind to give me a chance... to give us a chance. He fought... to the end.”

Alice closed her eyes briefly, taking a steadying breath. When she opened them again, they were colder, filled with resolve.

“Then we won’t waste it. Ron will pay.”

Rubi lifted her gaze, her voice steadier now, though still tinged with sorrow. “He believed in us. He knew we could finish this. So let’s make it count.”

Leo nodded, their shared strength fortifying him. Even as pain pulsed inside, Alice and Rubi’s determination helped him steady himself.

“Diego believed we could do this. That we could end their plans. And we will,” he said, his voice quiet but firm.

Alice exchanged a glance with Rubi before turning back to Leo, her expression resolute.

“Leo, listen,” Alice began, her voice firm but not losing the gravity of the situation. “While Rubi and I were on our way to the control room, we accessed part of NeoVital’s systems.”

Rubi stepped forward. “We didn’t know where the main terminal was exactly, but now it’s clear... it’s here, just ahead, in this room. This place is the heart of their operation.”

Leo looked at the door in front of them, its metallic structure illuminated by pulsing lights. He felt the weight of their words. Diego’s sacrifice had paved the way for this moment. Every step they took had brought them here.

“So this is where it all ends,” he murmured, tightening his grip on the symbiont, feeling its rhythmic pulse like a silent response.

Alice nodded, her expression hardening. “Diego gave us this chance. We can’t waste it. Let’s put an end to their plans and make sure this never happens again.”

Rubi approached the holographic terminal near the door, her fingers flying across the interface as red lights flickered around them. “Security’s tight, but I’ve got partial access. We’ll need to handle the rest manually.”

Leo exchanged a glance with Alice, who adjusted her katana. Both nodded silently, their shared resolve palpable.

“Let’s finish this,” Alice said, her voice calm yet relentless.

The door began to open slowly, revealing a cold, intense glow from the other side. The mechanical hum echoed through the corridor, and the air seemed to grow heavier. Alice stepped forward first, with Leo and Rubi close behind.

The main room revealed itself gradually as the metallic door slid open, its resonant hum echoing like a warning bell. The space was vast, its walls lined with gleaming metallic panels that reflected the blue glow of holographic terminals. Every screen pulsed with streams of indecipherable data, as though the room itself were alive—watchful, calculating.

At the center, surrounded by soldiers in tense formation, stood Ron Wireback. He was an imposing figure, his rigid posture and cold smile a silent provocation. The Vanguard’s symbol pulsed on the metallic floor beneath him, a mark of uncontested power.

“At last, you’ve arrived,” Ron said, his deep voice reverberating through the chamber, resonating with the metallic structures as though the room itself spoke alongside him.

Leo tightened his grip on the symbiont, its pulse steady against his palm. The true battle was here.