The city rushed upward.
Fast.
Far too fast.
Wind screamed around Kirran.
His suit rattled violently.
Pieces of damaged armor tore away into the darkness.
Sparks trailed behind Mach’s ruined frame.
The skyline spun.
The ground grew closer.
Closer.
Closer.
And for the first time— Kirran truly understood how small he was.
No training course.
No combat robots.
No practice arena.
No second attempts.
Just gravity.
And gravity was winning.
“Mach.” The words barely escaped his mouth.
The wind stole most of them.
“Yes?” The Vent’s voice crackled through damaged speakers.
“We’re going to die.” A brief pause followed.
Then— “Statistically speaking…” Kirran groaned.
“Mach.” “Sorry.” Another pause.
“Yes.” “We are.” Warning messages filled the display.
THRUSTERS OFFLINE WEAPON SYSTEMS DESTROYED STABILIZATION FAILURE CRITICAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE Kirran slammed his hand against the controls.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
The chair remained lifeless.
A dead machine falling from the sky.
The city continued rushing toward them.
The distance disappeared frighteningly fast.
“Mach.” “Yes?” “Any ideas?” A pause.
Then another.
Then— “Actually…” Kirran blinked.
“What?” “I have one.” A single notification appeared.
One message.
One command.
One final option.
CRADLE PROTOCOL AVAILABLE Kirran stared.
Then laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because he couldn’t believe he had forgotten.
“Gear.” “Gear.” “GEAR.” Mach immediately understood.
“The microphone.” “The microphone!” The emergency system.
The ridiculous name.
The life-saving shield.
The thing Gear had spent hours explaining.
The thing Kirran had spent hours mocking.
Suddenly it seemed like the greatest invention in human history.
The city rushed closer.
A hundred stories.
Ninety.
Eighty.
Seventy.
Far too close.
Far too fast.
“Mach.” “Ready.” Kirran swallowed.
Then shouted the command.
“ACTIVATE CRADLE PROTOCOL!” For a split second— Nothing happened.
Kirran’s heart stopped.
“Oh no.” Then the microphone flashed.
A pulse erupted through the chair.
Energy exploded outward.
The entire world disappeared beneath a sphere of brilliant blue light.
The shield expanded instantly.
A perfect sphere surrounded them.
Energy flowed across its surface.
Data streamed through the interior.
Every warning vanished.
Every system shut down.
Everything became quiet.
Peaceful.
Safe.
The violent wind disappeared.
The panic disappeared.
The fear disappeared.
For the first time since the battle began— Kirran could breathe.
He stared through the glowing barrier.
The city remained below.
Still approaching.
But now— Much slower.
The sphere gently adjusted course.
Tiny thrusters emerged from hidden compartments.
Automatic guidance systems activated.
The Cradle Protocol wasn’t just protecting him.
It was carrying him home.
“That’s…” Kirran laughed.
“Actually amazing.” Mach’s icon appeared.
“I agree.” A pause.
Then— “We should apologize to Gear.” “No.” “Kirran.” “No.” High above them, Zyla and Jarrick slowed.
The chase was over.
Both stared at the glowing sphere descending toward the city.
Jarrick blinked.
“What is that?” Blaze shrugged.
“No clue.” Blizzard’s scanners immediately activated.
Data flooded the air.
“Emergency extraction system detected.” Zyla exhaled.
Relief briefly crossing her face.
“Good.” Jarrick looked disappointed.
“Aw.” Zyla turned toward him.
“What?” “I thought he was dead.” Silence.
A long silence.
Even Blaze looked uncomfortable.
“You can’t just say that.” “Why not?” “Because it’s weird.” Jarrick considered this.
Then nodded.
“Fair.” The sphere drifted through the city.
Past towers.
Past traffic.
Past illuminated billboards.
Slowly.
Safely.
Inevitably.
Toward Gear’s Workshop.
Kirran leaned back.
Exhaustion finally catching up with him.
His body hurt.
His head hurt.
His entire existence hurt.
But he was alive.
Against all logic.
Against all probability.
Against all common sense.
He was alive.
And somewhere deep inside the damaged remains of Mach— A final alert appeared.
One Kirran couldn’t see.
One Mach wished he couldn’t see.
PRIMARY CORE DAMAGE DETECTED SYSTEM FAILURE IMMINENT The Vent stared silently at the message.
For the first time since they met— Mach felt afraid.