Peak[Part-2]

[In the heart of a deserted warehouse, Rank-1 Ace stood amidst a grim tableau of twenty lifeless bodies sprawled in various positions, their faces frozen in expressions of terror. The flickering light from a single bulb overhead cast eerie shadows, making the scene even more dreadful.]

Ace: (clicking his tongue, a weird tch tch noise echoing) Ah, the art of silence. (pauses, glancing around) There is so much chaos, yet there is not a single sound to disrupt the serenity.

[Ace's eyes twinkled with a twisted delight as he surveyed the carnage. He walked casually, almost carefreely, as if he were strolling through a park rather than a massacre. He stopped near one of the bodies and crouched, examining it with idle curiosity.]

Ace: (talking to himself) Making the perfect bread at home is an art. It's all about the right balance of ingredients and patience. (smiling to himself) Yes, patience is key.

[He stood up and wandered over to a small table in the corner, where an old radio crackled with static. He fiddled with the dials absentmindedly, his mind still on his culinary musings.]

Ace: (continuing, with a dreamy tone) First, you need to mix the flour and water just right. Not too sticky, not too dry. And the yeast... oh, the yeast is so delicate. You have to treat it gently and coax it to life. (chuckles softly) Much like these poor souls.

[He glanced back at the bodies, his expression a mix of amusement and detachment. Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, and he looked towards the roof of the building. A security guard stood there, peering down with a flashlight, clearly alarmed by the sight below.]

Ace: (raising a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, a sinister smile spreading) Shhh... let's not disturb the bread. It's still rising.

[The guard froze, his eyes wide with fear as he locked eyes with Ace. The silence in the warehouse became suffocating, and the only sound was the soft hum of the radio. Ace's smile grew wider, his finger still pressed to his lips.]

Ace: (whispering to himself) Silence is golden, my friend. Silence... is the perfect ingredient.

[The guard, trembling, slowly backed away, but his foot caught on a piece of debris. He stumbled, the flashlight clattering to the ground, the beam of light flickering wildly across the room. Ace's smile faded, replaced by a look of mild irritation.]

Ace: (sighing) Tch tch. Now you've gone and spoiled the ambience.

[He moved with unsettling speed, disappearing into the shadows. Scrambling to regain his footing, the guard was unaware of the impending danger. Before he could react, Ace reappeared behind him, his movements as silent as a whisper.]

Ace: (whispering in the guard's ear) Hush now. It's all part of the process.

[With a swift motion, Ace incapacitated the guard, who crumpled to the ground silently. Ace stood over him, dusting off his hands as if he had finished a minor chore. He looked up at the sky, the stars twinkling above, a stark contrast to the darkness within the warehouse.]

Ace: (to himself, a satisfied smile on his face) Now, where was I? Ah, yes, the perfect bread. (clicks tongue) Tch tch. Patience and silence. Always the best ingredients.

[With that, he turned and walked back into the warehouse, leaving the guard unconscious and the scene of horror behind him. The flickering bulb continued its rhythmic dance, casting long shadows .]

Meanwhile at p.a.i.r base

Crash awoke with a start, his body radiating intense heat. Flames licked at his skin, but he felt no pain, only a deep, primal power surging through him. He blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The sterile, white walls of the PAIR headquarters' medical bay reflected his fiery aura.

Crash: (shouting) What the hell did you do to me? Where am I? (notices Dek encased in ice) And why is Dek frozen solid?

Instructor 6, a lean, agile man known for his quick reflexes, stepped forward, trying to calm Crash.

Instructor 6: (firmly) Crash, you need to relax. You're going through your awakening. It's a delicate process—

Crash: (angrily) Relax? Do you want me to relax? Look at me! (gestures to Dek) Look at him!

Crash's fury intensified, the flames around him growing hotter. He clenched his fists, the air around him shimmering with heat. Instructor 6 moved in to contain him.

Instructor 6: (calmly) Crash, we understand this is confusing, but you need to—

Before he could finish, Crash lunged at him, his fist ablaze. He landed a punch squarely on Instructor 6's chest, but Instructor 6 expertly slid his leg under Crash's, tripping him. Crash hit the ground hard, the flames momentarily flickering out.

Instructor 6: (sternly) Shut it, you moron. You've just had your awakening. How are you even able to fight like this? People are usually fragile after awakening.

Crash struggled to get up, his anger still burning brightly. He glared at Instructor 6, who maintained a defensive stance, ready for his next move.

Crash: (gritting his teeth) Fragile? Do you call this fragile?

[Instructor 5, a burly man with a no-nonsense attitude, monitored Dek's condition. The ice encasing Dek was beginning to turn a strange grey colour.]

Instructor 5: (concerned) 6, you need to see this. Dek's ice... it's changing colour.

Instructor 6: (walking over) What? That's not normal.

Instructor 6: (to Crash, still defensive) we're not your enemies. We're here to help.

Crash: (breathing heavily) Help? You've got a funny way of showing it.

Instructor 5: (urgently) Crash, look at Dek. His ice is turning grey. Something's happening, and we need to understand it.

[Crash's rage subsided slightly as he turned to look at Dek. The grey colour spreading through the ice was unlike anything he'd seen before. It was ominous, like a storm cloud trapped in the frozen shell.]

Crash: (worried) Dek... what's happening to him?

Instructor 5: (analyzing the data) His vitals are stable, but this grey ice... it's absorbing energy at an alarming rate.

Instructor 6: (to Instructor 5) Keep an eye on Crash. We need to focus on Dek right now.

Instructor 5 nodded, keeping his distance but staying ready in case Crash lashed out again. Instructor 6 continued to monitor Dek, trying to make sense of the phenomenon.

Instructor 5: (to Crash, softer tone) I know you're scared and confused. But we need you to stay calm so we can figure this out.

Crash: (defeated sigh) Fine. But if anything happens to Dek, I'll—

Instructor 6: (interrupting) We won't let anything happen to him. We're in this together.

Crash nodded reluctantly, his flames dimming as he regained control over his emotions. The room was filled with a tense silence as everyone focused on the mystery of Dek's changing ice.

Instructor 5: (grimly) We need to run more tests. This is beyond any standard awakening. Something else is at play here.

Instructor 6: (determined) Agreed. We'll get to the bottom of this. For now, let's keep them both stable and under close observation.