The hijacked transport hovered over a meager clearing in the treeline. It descended foot by foot until the landing gear deployed from the base and the small vessel set down on the lush grass. The lights from the shuttle were the only sources of illumination this far from the city—save for the occasional patch of glowing mushrooms or vines.

The side-hatch opened and Scotia was the first one out. Her eyes narrowed in the darkness. Her vision was less suited for the dark than that of a human. “Damir, take point,” she ordered. She proceeded to tap her data-band on a particular spot, to trigger the light from it.

Damir hopped out of the hatch with a holo-display still on his arm. “And now I have to take point, great,” he murmured. He searched the area around the transport. His verean eyes were keen enough to not need light to see in the dark.

Jamie departed the shuttle, right before Mira. The two of them triggered their own lights and stuck close to Scotia.

“Lead the way,” Scotia said to Mira. “Damir will stay ahead of you and Jamie and I will watch your back. We still need you to break through their perimeter to get us inside at least.”

Mira nodded and pulled up a display with the surrounding area. She withdrew her firearm for good measure and headed in the direction of the compound. This was it, she was closing in on her quarry. At least she didn’t have to go in alone.

“Wish Persephone was able to join us,” said Jamie as they trudged through the thick wilds of Malstyx.

“Someone needs to protect Noree,” said Scotia. “I hate to say it, but Persephone is probably worth two to three of us in a fight. She may not always know what to do on the offensive, but I’m sure she knows Noree’s lab in and out. I feel sorry for anyone that tries to go after Noree while Persephone is protecting her.”

“Hundred meters,” Mira broke in.

Scotia gripped her pistol as she walked silently to the right of Mira. Jamie was on the opposite side and kept an eye on the jungle around them, as much as he could with such poor visibility. He couldn’t even see Damir anymore.

When the trio got closer to the compound, they saw Damir leaning against a tree. His red eyes were narrowed as he observed the dimly-lit compound, just twenty meters away.

“There’s no guards,” said Damir. “Based on the size of that box on the roof—the one with the blue antennae,” he clarified. “I bet that’s the EM pulser which affects anything directly above the base. We need to take it out if we want to be able to signal the drone to come pick us up. Else we’re trudging through the jungle again.”

Scotia glanced over the sparse compound. There was only one main structure, which must give access to a lift. There was a thick metal fortification surrounding it. Every meter of wall had a mechanical protrusion atop it. “We’re going to have to take out those turrets as well. They haven’t spotted us yet, luckily,” said Scotia. “Mira, we’ll need you to fry all those turrets. Break through the gate, along with the entrance to the compound. And take out that antenna up top.”

Mira nodded. “When I start the siege, you might want to start running. If they haven’t detected us yet, they’re about to. I’m assuming you can get the lift working despite a security lockout?”

“I’ve got that taken care of,” said Damir.

“Then let’s begin,” said Mira as she took a slow breath and holstered her weapon to free her hands. She didn’t exactly need the use of them, but it helped her focus. “Count of five...four...three...two...one,” Mira lifted her arms, her palms faced the compound. It wasn’t too important that night had fallen. The lack of visible sun would diminish Mira’s capabilities for sure, but she wasn’t trying to cast armageddon. She merely needed to wreck this facility. She had more than enough power to do that.

In the span of a moment, heat built up around Mira’s fingers and arms. Her companions were already giving her some distance at the treeline, when flames engulfed Mira’s arms. Mira’s eyes narrowed and streaks of fire shot from her palms. One by one, the turrets on the fortifications around the complex were hit. Sparks flew from the damaged weapons as circuits were fried and fused. Several exploded when their internal ammo cache was ignited.

From the corner of her eyes, Mira saw the Bloody Jaws dashing towards the facility. She’d taken out all the turrets she could see from this angle. She focused her will and projected a beam of intense heat towards the gate. The effort was far more draining than sealing a little hole in the ground. She had to burn out a big-enough chunk of the gate to allow her companions through.

Just as Damir reached the gate, Mira cut off the flames and a hole in the barricade could be seen. Damir headed through, followed by Scotia and Jamie.

There was a short distance between the gate and the facility. Mira acted swiftly to send another beam of fire, straight for the front door. It took several seconds of concentrated force, but the door gave way and melted through, even at the distance Mira was projecting her flames from. She’d cleared the way for their entrance. Now she had to prepare for their retreat.

With the breach in the perimeter gate and the hole in the complex’s front door, Mira focused her attention on the EM pulser on the roof. A jet of fire streaked out from her hand and impacted the box containing the electronics of the device. It burst in a brilliant display of red and blue.

Mira started to run along the treeline. She needed sight on the remaining turrets. If she left them standing, they’d get a lock on their transport drone when they try and leave. As she ran, she realized she was more fatigued that she thought she’d be. Casting such powerful flames was like flexing muscles which had gone unused for too long. Her resurrection and the lack of use of her powers, combined with the lack of direct sunlight, was placing her at a disadvantage.

She stopped running when she’d circled halfway around the complex. Her hands were trembling, but she lifted them anyway. With a dozen more streaks of fire, she made short work of the remaining weapon placements. Her arms lowered and she took in a deep breath, trying to calm her stressed body. The air was drenched with the scent of burning metal. The Bloody Jaws would already be inside the compound, waiting for her. She had to hurry.

When Mira came around the side, she saw Scotia waiting by the burnt hole she’d made in the complex. Mira forced herself to run faster, knowing she was endangering them by every second she delayed.

It wasn’t until she’d passed through the fortified gate, that she heard a low thrum in the night sky above. Mira stopped in the large open yard between the gate and the complex. She looked into the dark sky and saw the lights of a transport. Had the complex’s security gotten reinforcements so soon? It’d been only five minutes since their attack.

Mira kept an eye on the ship as its hatch opened. She tapped her data-band and sent a comm to Scotia. “Go on ahead, I’ll deal with this!”

“Careful, you’re vulnerable out here!” Scotia called back.”We can assist you if—what the hell?”

A figure fell from the sky, gliding on wings of fire.

Mira’s eyes widened and her lower lip quivered. How...how was he here? Why was he here?

Cursa had arrived.

“Go on without me, I’ll join you as soon as I can,” said Mira. “This is something I have to deal with.”

Another growl resounded over the comm before it cut off. Scotia turned and headed into the complex, out of sight.

Mira’s hands clenched into fists as she strode towards Cursa. The man brushed the back of his hand along the front of his suit as his gaze came to Mira.

“What’re you doing here, Mira?” he called to her as she neared him.

“Hunting demons, what’re you doing here?” she questioned in return.

Cursa narrowed his eyes at her as he helped close the distance between them. His fiery wings extinguished, as he no longer needed them. “And why didn’t you seek my help?” he asked. “You kept me in the dark, Mira. I traced a hijacked transport out here, only to discover you at this facility.”

Mira gave him a confused look. “I’m trying to stay under the radar while I hunt this demon!” she claimed. “Why are you hindering me? We want the same thing!” She couldn’t fathom why Cursa stood in her way, or why he was here, of all places.

Cursa stood before Mira and pointed at her chest. “Don’t play me for a fool!” he yelled. “I can practically smell the scent of a demon on you! Where is it? Is it bound to you? Tell me!”

Mira glared at the other phoenix. “No,” was her only response.

Cursa eased in closer. “You’re just as corrupt as everything else on this planet. I know your secrets. I know you’re trying to protect her. Your lack of cooperation and your constant subterfuge convey your guilt. You deserve to burn along with this entire world.” Cursa’s head tilted back, but stopped when the cold metal of Mira’s gun pressed beneath his chin. His eyes widened. Mira watched the light fade from them as she pulled the trigger and painted the sky red.