The sky was drowned in smoke, but the earth burned bright.
Deep within a narrow escape tunnel beneath Napol's ruined base, Franko sat against a cracked wall, clutching his bleeding shoulder. His clothes were torn, his breath short.
Savio knelt beside him, unrolling a dusty bandage from his kit.
Savio (muttering):
"Good thing I still remember first aid... from our gang days. Though we were better at breaking bones than fixing them."
Franko (wincing):
"Great. I'm in the hands of a certified maniac."
Caros, sitting nearby while reassembling his rifle, chuckled.
Caros:
"Only now things are getting interesting. Who would've thought the golden boy of Venosa would end up bleeding next to two outlaws under a burning sky?"
Franko:
"Life's full of surprises. Like you suddenly pretending to be useful."
The air in the tunnel was heavy with smoke and the distant sound of explosions. Above them, the Abyss prototype and Nocturon were wreaking havoc, and Zacrota's elite forces had just landed.
Lucchini's voice came through the comms, slightly static:
Lucchini (over comm):
"Marco's team made it to the underground canals. We're trying to find a way to regroup. You three alive?"
Franko:
"Technically. We're in one piece, give or take a few holes."
Marco (cutting in):
"Hold your ground. We're working on a distraction to pull Zacrota's forces toward us. Once we give the signal, move west."
Caros (grinning):
"Oh, I love when the plan is 'run while everything explodes.' Classic."
Suddenly, a tremor shook the tunnel. Dust fell from the ceiling.
Savio:
"That's too close... something's coming."
From the shadows ahead, a soft mechanical hiss echoed.
Franko slowly raised his weapon, eyes narrowing.
From the smoke, emerged a sleek, black drone. But instead of attacking—it projected a hologram.
A face appeared. A woman.
Mysterious Woman (via hologram):
"Franko. You're not dead yet. Impressive."
Franko (narrowing eyes):
"Who are you?"
Woman:
"A friend. Or an enemy of your enemies. Either way, you'll need me soon. Zacrota is no longer just watching—they're hunting."
The hologram flickered, then shut down.
Caros (raising an eyebrow):
"Well... that wasn't creepy at all."
Savio (sarcastic):
"Great. We've got secret admirers now."
Franko stood up, pain shooting through his shoulder.
Franko:
"Let's move. The war's started, and we're already late to the battlefield."
As they moved deeper into the tunnels, the camera would pan up — across the ruins, over the clouds — to reveal a vast fleet of dark ships descending from the sky. The true army of Zacrota was coming.
And Venosa was about to change forever.