Linh's wings folded in with a metallic hiss as she sprinted into the aircraft.
She halted at the side of the medical bed, staring down at Ethan. Her face was blank, stunned—yet her eyes brimmed with pain. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
One of the doctors looked up grimly. "Punctured organs. Multiple fractures. Burst arteries."
Linh's voice cracked. "Reverse Flex is the only way to save him."
They rushed Ethan into the sealed medical bay. As the pod shut tight, the Reverse Flex system coiled around his body like glowing threads of time. Inside, reality twisted. The moment of the wound—rewound. The blade reversed out of his body. Tissues regenerated. Bones realigned.
But Ethan didn't wake up.
"He'll make a full recovery," the doctor said softly, "but it'll take two weeks before he regains consciousness. Are you okay, Linh?"
Linh stood at the glass, watching Ethan's still form. She said nothing. Her face tightened, and she turned away.
She held out her hand. Bee climbed into it, then hopped onto her shoulder. His little digital eyes reflected sadness—but also understanding.
They headed out, flying toward Ethan's home.
—
Back at the estate, Darius stirred.
He groaned, blood still staining his lips. "Duy… we're screwed," he mumbled, barely able to move.
He coughed, stood up with effort, and dusted off his clothes. Slowly, he made his way to the bar, poured a shot of whiskey, downed it—then grabbed the bottle and drank the rest straight.
Behind him, footsteps echoed.
A tall man approached—long white hair flowing behind him, wearing a pristine white áo dài. Elegant. Dangerous. Strikingly handsome.
"Done drinking?" the man said softly.
Darius turned, and his face went pale. He stammered, "A-Anh Duy… I… I'm sorry…"
Without another word, Duy conjured a gleaming katana from the air—then slashed.
Darius screamed as his left arm flew off in a spray of blood.
"How dare you hurt Ethan like that?" Duy growled.
"I-I was just defending myself!" Darius sobbed, shaking, falling to his knees in pain.
Duy grabbed him by the throat, effortlessly lifting him off the ground with one hand.
"You're lucky Linh saved him," Duy said coldly. "If Ethan had died… I would've turned you to ash."
He flung Darius straight back through the wall Linh had blasted him into earlier.
"Please, Duy! Forgive me!" Darius cried, trembling.
Duy raised his hand, fingers stretching wide and twisting left. Time bent again.
Darius's severed arm lifted off the ground, floated toward him, and reattached cleanly—fully healed.
Darius gasped, panting. "Thank you, Duy…"
"Get ready," Duy warned. "Because when Ethan wakes up, he's going to lose his mind—and you're not walking away from that."
Then, Duy vanished in a ripple of light.
Darius sat trembling, drenched in fear.
The storm was coming.