Ashes of Our Flame
by RapwizzyDebaron
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Episode 72: "Sanctuary of Shadows"
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The blizzard outside slammed against the reinforced windows of the van like an angry god, but Kara barely noticed. Her eyes were fixed on the flickering screen embedded into the dash, tracking their approach to the coordinates.
"ETA: Ten minutes," Tessa called out from the driver's seat, her breath visible in the frozen air.
Adrian tightened the straps on his tactical vest beside her. "We go in fast. Get to the core chamber, download the Eclipse Protocol data, and get out before Selene sends her pets."
"Assuming she hasn't already," Ronan muttered, loading his weapon. "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Kara glanced down at the pendant around her neck, the one Adrian had given her — scorched, cracked, but still whole. Like her.
"We're ready," she said, more to herself than anyone else.
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Inside the Sanctuary
Hidden beneath an old satellite communications station buried in the Siberian tundra, the Sanctuary wasn't a haven — it was a grave.
The steel doors groaned open to reveal a cavernous chamber lined with ancient tech — rusted screens, blinking red lights, frozen panels caked with frost.
But the heart of it — a massive glowing core suspended in a cryo-chamber — pulsed like a beating heart.
"This is it," Tessa whispered.
Kara moved toward the terminal, her breath catching. The interface responded to her touch as if it recognized her.
Lines of code danced across the screen.
> WELCOME BACK, KARA. INITIATING ECLIPSE LINK…
Suddenly, alarms blared. Red lights flooded the chamber.
Ronan cursed. "We're not alone!"
The steel doors slammed shut.
From the shadows emerged sleek, silver figures — upgraded clones, faster, smarter, deadlier.
Selene's final guardians.
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The Fight for Control
"Defend her!" Adrian shouted, firing at the first clone that lunged.
Tessa spun with electric batons, sending sparks flying as two more came at her from the left. Ronan moved like a beast, bulldozing through them with raw fury.
Kara's fingers raced across the terminal. "I need more time!"
More clones poured from side tunnels.
Adrian gritted his teeth as a blade grazed his side. Blood bloomed across his shirt, but he kept swinging.
Tessa took a hit to the jaw, spinning back before slamming a baton into her attacker's skull.
Ronan was bleeding, limping, but laughing. "Come on, you shiny bastards!"
A loud crash echoed as the main chamber doors shattered inward.
And in stepped…
Omega.
Burned, scarred, glowing — but alive.
Her eyes locked onto Kara.
"Move," she said, her voice cold steel.
Without hesitation, Kara stepped aside.
Omega lifted both hands.
A wave of force surged forward — crushing every remaining clone into the walls.
Silence.
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Aftermath
The chamber crackled. The core hummed louder.
Kara approached Omega, breath shallow.
"You… survived."
Omega smiled faintly. "You gave me something to live for."
Kara felt her throat tighten. "You're not just a weapon anymore."
"No," Omega replied. "But I can still choose to fight."
Kara turned to the terminal.
> DOWNLOAD COMPLETE. INITIATE FINAL SEQUENCE?
She pressed the key.
A burst of light surged through the system.
Eclipse Protocol — neutralized.
Selene's legacy — severed.
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Elsewhere…
In the Black Womb Facility, Selene screamed as her monitors went black.
"No! NO! She can't—she doesn't get to win!"
Vane stepped back as the room flickered.
"She already has," he whispered.
Selene spun toward the unfinished pod.
"Then I'll burn the world with her ashes."
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Back at the Sanctuary
The ceiling trembled.
Kara looked up. "We need to go!"
But Omega grabbed her hand.
"You go. I'll hold the exit."
Kara shook her head. "Not again. Not like this."
Omega smiled. "I'm not dying. I'm choosing. There's a difference."
Adrian grabbed Kara. "Kara, now!"
Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered, "Thank you."
Omega turned back, standing between them and the chaos.
And as the ceiling caved in, she screamed into the fire:
"Let them live!"
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Outside — Moments Later
The team burst through the emergency hatch, collapsing into the snow as the Sanctuary exploded behind them in a pillar of flame and ash.
They lay there, coughing, bleeding, breathing.
Alive.
Kara stared up at the dark sky, tears freezing on her lashes.
"She saved us. Again."
Adrian wrapped an arm around her.
"No… you saved each other."
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To Be Continued…
🔥 Ashes fall. But from them, the flame rises stronger. And Selene… is far from finished.
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The fire's final storm is coming.