Havok crash-landed on the rocky peak of a mountain, falling to his knees with a heavy thud. Blood sprayed from his lips as he coughed violently.
"This body… it's deteriorating," he muttered through gritted teeth, wiping his mouth with a bloodied sleeve.
He staggered to his feet, determination etched into his face, and launched himself into the sky. He soared higher, reaching the edge of the stratosphere, only to feel his strength give out. Gravity pulled him back down like a relentless predator. He slammed into the ground, coughing up more blood as he struggled to rise.
Meanwhile, in a small chamber, Emac stood calmly before Adam.
"Close your eyes and walk toward me," Emac instructed.
Adam obeyed but kept stealing glances.
"Why do you keep peeking?" Emac asked, exasperation flickering in his tone.
"Because I want to see! It's impossible to walk without sight," Adam retorted.
Emac sighed and shook his head. Without a word, he took a strip of cloth and blindfolded himself. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, Emac began running around the room, performing backflips and cartwheels with flawless precision.
"You can't walk because you don't trust your memory of sight," Emac explained as he landed gracefully. "You're afraid. It's normal for most creatures. But I can do this because Dot can see for me."
Adam frowned, still struggling to grasp the concept.
"This is going to hurt for just a second. Bear with me," Emac said quietly, placing his hand on Adam's forehead.
Adam suddenly felt lightheaded. Then, like a storm, pain erupted in his mind. He screamed, clutching his head, collapsing to his knees. The agony swirled for what felt like an eternity, and then…
Relief.
Adam gasped as the weight on his mind was lifted. "Wow…" he murmured, catching his breath.
But the moment of awe was cut short when he turned and saw Emac and Dot collapsed on the floor. Panicked, Adam ran to them, shaking their limp bodies.
"Wake up!" he cried. They didn't respond. Without wasting another second, he bolted out of the room to find help.
He rounded a corner and collided with a hunched man, nearly knocking them both over. The man steadied himself, his hood casting shadows over his face.
"Please, I need your help!" Adam begged, but the man merely nodded and followed.
By the time they returned, Emac and Dot were stirring. Adam helped Emac to his feet, relief washing over him.
"What happened?" Emac asked groggily.
Adam explained everything, recounting the blinding pain, the collapse, and the hunchback. Emac's brow furrowed as he listened.
"I think I died," Emac said, his voice distant. "I can't explain it, but I was… alive and dead at the same time. I was in a place where I could see everything—not just here, but everywhere."
He fell silent, lost in thought, until something Adam said struck him.
"Wait… you said a hunchback helped you?" Emac asked.
Adam nodded.
"That should be impossible. And of all people… Hunch?" Emac muttered, his voice barely audible.
Dot, still recovering, clutched his head and groaned. "I saw him… Havok. He was on a mountain. I think it was Mount Fig."
The mention of the mountain made Emac stiffen. He exchanged a glance with Adam, his expression grim. The aftermath of the split bond was still weighing heavily, but the pieces of that mystery had to wait. Havok came first.
Emac gathered Spam and Paps to share what Dot had revealed about Havok. The three decided to search for him immediately. Spam was hesitant about Adam joining them, voicing his concerns.
"He'll slow us down," Spam argued.
But Emac shook his head. "We need all the help we can get."
Reluctantly, Spam relented, and the group prepared to leave.
They descended into a hatch, entering a pristine cleanroom. As they were being sanitized, Adam glanced around nervously.
"Where are your spacesuits?" he asked.
"Oh, we don't need them," Spam said with a smirk, stepping forward to open the main hatch.
The moment the hatch opened, Adam's chest tightened. His lungs burned as he gasped for air. He fell to his knees, clawing at his throat.
"Calm down, breathe," Emac said, gently patting Adam on the back.
Adam forced himself to slow his breathing, and after a few moments, his body began to adjust. The suffocating sensation faded, and he realized he could breathe normally.
"What… how?" Adam asked, bewildered. "The planet doesn't even have an atmosphere!"
He looked up, and the sky above was shrouded in an all-encompassing darkness, like a void swallowing the light.
"Wait… won't we burn when the sun comes out?" Adam asked, suddenly alarmed.
Paps raised his wrist, showing Adam a small watch-like device. The display read -84°C.
"Even with these jackets, we should be freezing," Paps muttered, his breath curling into faint vapor in the frigid air.
Without further explanation, they exited the cleanroom and walked toward another building. It was massive, the size of an aircraft hangar, and filled with a variety of futuristic vehicles.
They climbed into a vehicle that resembled a heavily armored Mars rover. Its treads rumbled as it came to life, and they set out toward their destination: Mount Fig.
They left the vehicle at the base of Mount Fig and began the arduous climb. The sharp winds howled around them, biting into their skin as they ascended.
About halfway up, Adam slipped on a patch of loose rock. His body lurched backward, and he felt the terrifying pull of gravity. Before he could fall, Spam reacted instantly. A part of his body split off, grabbing Adam's arm just in time. With a firm yank, Spam pulled him up and reabsorbed the split while steadying Adam.
"Careful," Spam muttered.
When they finally reached the summit, they saw Havok. He sat slumped on a jagged rock, his face pale and sickly, a thin line of blood dribbling from his mouth as he coughed violently. Despite his weakened state, the glow of raw power radiated from him.
He heard their footsteps and slowly raised his head.
"I see you've missed me already," Havok rasped, his voice filled with mocking venom. "It hasn't even been a day."
Spam didn't waste time. He split again, sending several clones charging at Havok. Without so much as flinching, Havok raised his hand and unleashed energy beams that vaporized the clones before they could get close.
The group charged together, Paps leading the way. Havok blasted energy at them, but Paps shielded himself with his arms, enduring the attacks as he pushed forward. Emac and Spam stayed behind him, using Paps' massive frame for cover.
As they got close, Emac and Spam split off to the left and right. In perfect coordination, they swung at Havok, punching him simultaneously in the face. The strikes landed, but Havok didn't even flinch.
With terrifying speed, Havok stopped firing at Paps and grabbed Emac and Spam by their arms. His grip tightened, and they both screamed in agony as their bones shattered.
"Pathetic," Havok growled.
With open palms, he slammed his fists into their chests, sending them flying backward. At the same time, he dodged a right jab from Paps with effortless grace.
Havok turned his attention back to Paps, delivering a devastating uppercut to his chin. The blow sent Paps airborne, but Havok caught him by the leg and yanked him back down, slamming him into the ground with bone-crushing force.
Havok's fury was relentless. He rained down a barrage of left and right hooks on Paps, each blow reverberating through the air. After several punishing seconds, Havok faltered, coughing up more blood as he fell to his knees.
Adam, who had been frozen in fear, saw his chance. He charged forward and punched Havok while he was still on his knees.
The punch landed squarely on Havok's face, but it had no effect. Havok turned his head slowly, his eyes burning with contempt.
Realizing his mistake, Adam turned to run, but Havok moved faster than he could comprehend. In an instant, Havok appeared in front of him. Adam couldn't stop in time and ran straight into Havok's right hook. The force of the blow dislocated his lower jaw, and Adam crumpled to the ground in agony.
Havok loomed over him, his fists descending like hammers. Adam felt the life slipping away with each brutal punch. As Havok's next strike came down, Adam knew it would be the one to kill him.
Desperate, Adam did the only thing he could think of—he split-bonded with Havok. His mind linked with Havok's, hoping to render him unconscious. But the bond did little more than delay the final punch by five seconds.
Those five seconds saved him.
Out of nowhere, Havok's body erupted in flames. He staggered, looking up in confusion. Hovering above them was a radiant figure, wreathed in fire, their presence emanating overwhelming power.
Adam lay on the ground, barely conscious, watching as the tide of the battle began to turn.