Arcane Anew

A dozen Enforcers encircled the Cultivar, their rifles raised as two heavyset thugs lay pinned to the ground, cursing furiously. More Enforcers stood ready at the main entrance with smaller teams at both side entrances.

The Cultivar had no rear entrance- it wasn't exactly a normal freestanding building but tucked away amongst a series of tightly packed buildings, blending into the metallic works of the Undercity.

Amid the shouts of the thugs, the deafening slams of sledgehammers against the hinges echoed as Enforcers worked to break through.

Caitlyn and Greyson stood a distance away, just inside the encirclement with two more Enforcers standing guard nearby. Both women held rifles, though Greyson appeared visibly relaxed compared to Caitlyn, who clutched her rifle close to her chest with both hands, her body tense and hunched.

Caitlyn flinched as the doors broke away from their hinges, rattling loudly against the floor. Greyson's gaze hardened but she said nothing, merely nodding to the Enforcers waiting for the signal.

Aggressive, muffled commands echoed out. The Enforcers surged forward, their boots pounding against the pavement before fading into the darkened building.

Unsettling silence followed. Caitlyn held her breath, her mask fogging slightly through her exhalations. The silence was stretched unbearably thin until shattered by gunfire, screams, and the sounds of a vicious battle.

The Enforcers surrounding the building turned in alarm when the gunshots rang out, raising their rifles with expectation for combat. Caitlyn's head whipped up as the glass ceiling of the Cultivar shattered, a thick cloud of pollen puffing out into the air before settling like a toxic mist around the building, obscuring vision.

"Get to cover Caitlyn!" Greyson shouted, shoving her back as stray bullets whistled through the air, one past her ear.

Caitlyn stumbled before regaining her footing, retreating to a nearby building for shelter with one of the guards close behind. Her hands trembled as she tightly gripped the rifle, her eyes fixated on the unfolding chaos. The Enforcer beside her scanned the area, his stance protective and alert.

"You two - you two! Move up!" Greyson barked commands through the chaos, pointing at two Enforcers from each side and motioning them forward.

At her command teams sprinted forward, taking cover at the entrances and peering cautiously into the darkened hallways, their guns raised and fingers on the trigger.

Gesturing at two more closest to her, she sprinted as fast as her older body would allow toward the entrance with them. Caitlyn could see her momentarily raising her rifle, her world starting freeze before Greyson lowered it.

Sidestepping, Greyson's eyes widened with horror as two bloodied Enforcers struggled out with one supporting the other with a limp leg. Caitlyn couldn't hear her words but watched as she and one of the Enforcers disappeared inside.

Sucking in air, Caitlyn's eyes darted apprehensively across the chaotic scene. The sounds of gunfire and fighting faded shortly after Greyson entered, but her emotions were a blur. She watched in shock as more pairs of wounded Enforcers made their way out.

Her eyes flicked up to the shattered glass ceiling, catching a flicker of motion. The pollen had already fallen, leaving the view relatively clear from a distance.

"No..." Caitlyn whispered in disbelief, her voice shaking. While faint, she spotted the unmistakable flapping of a familiar iconic jacket, gusts of wind catching it.

Raising her rifle instinctively, her stomach dropped, breath catching in her throat. She peered through the optics that gave her a clear view but flinched away, praying it was an illusion.

Hesitating, she glanced through the optics again. It was Orion- bloodied and visibly battered. He'd fought.

'Why is he here...' Caitlyn's head was spinning and her heart stinging with sharp needles piercing it.

Hearing shouts, Caitlyn pulled away and turned, watching as Greyson walked out with two Enforcers accompanying her- and her parents. Outside of bruising and some cuts, they were fine. Relief flooded her immediately, but the weight on her chest remained as her thoughts drifted back to Orion.

'We had the building surrounded...' Caitlyn's thoughts churned slowly, tears forming as needles of betrayal prickled her heart. 'That means...'

Caitlyn stepped out and began walking back toward the scene with her guard, catching their attention. She was fully expecting the typical reprimands and disapproval from her parents- her gaze cast downward in anticipation, though also because of her previous thoughts.

Instead, Cassandra and Tobias rushed toward Caitlyn, Cassandra pulled her into a tight hug, with Tobias wrapping around them both. Unable to hold back, but speaking in a much softer, caring tone, Cassandra whispered emotionally, "You shouldn't be here..."

Caitlyn clutched at her mother's dirty clothes, her acknowledgment subtle as tears fell down her face. She cried softly between sobs, "I didn't want to lose you...I had to be here."

After a bittersweet moment of tears and relief, the family broke apart. Caitlyn's gaze drifted to the Enforcers beginning to drag out dead comrades and foes alike. It was a short, intense battle, to say the least.

"Was anyone familiar there," Caitlyn turned and asked hesitantly, her voice faltering as she looked to Greyson. Greyson, dividing her attention between the Enforcers and Kirammans, briskly shook her head as she juggled both worlds. "No. Should there have been?"

Greyson's gaze lingered on Caitlyn who froze under its weight in the current situation. Caitlyn's eyes dropped to the ground, her mind in turmoil again, but she shook her head and said in a low, strained voice, "No...I suppose not..."