NOVEL NEXT Chapter 53: Decaying
The wail of sirens rolled over the shattered streets, sharp and growing closer. Police. Ambulances. Maybe even military.
Inside the wrecked mall, people crowded near exits, some crying, others shouting over one another.
The chaos made it easier for Jace and Serai to slip into the shadows, weaving through the broken halls without anyone noticing them leave.
Serai clutched the shopping bags tight to her chest, knuckles pale against the plastic.
Jace glanced at her once, making sure she was keeping up. At least she hadn't dropped the clothes, he'd need a change badly.
His shirt was soaked with blood, both his and the alien's.
The pair slipped out through a service door into the back lot. The alley smelled of garbage and smoke, dumpsters overturned, stray glass glinting in the siren lights that painted the air red and blue.
[You need to move fast,] Zin warned in his head. [The perimeter will close in minutes. If they get a good look at you, there's no more secrecy.]
Jace tugged the balaclava down, stuffing it deep into one of the bags. His jaw tightened. "Yeah, I know. No taxis are gonna be anywhere near this mess."
[Correct. Streets around the mall are already locked down. If you want out, you walk. Stay off the main roads.]
Jace nodded, guiding Serai down the narrow alley. "We'll move on foot. Stick close."
She gave a quick nod, her disguise holding steady, though her wide eyes showed her nerves.
The sirens were louder now, echoing off the glass towers around them. Jace exhaled slowly, keeping his pace steady. He couldn't shake the feeling that every second counted.
Jace staggered down the alley with Serai close behind him. They'd managed to slip away from the chaos, duck into a quiet corner, and swap out bloodied clothes for clean ones from the shopping bags. It gave him a momentary breather, but only that.
The city lights spilled weakly into the alley. His breathing was uneven, shallow. His legs felt heavier with every step.
Serai glanced at him, her eyes narrowing. "You… tired?"
"I'm fine," Jace muttered, pulling the fresh shirt tighter around himself. But the moment they neared the end of the alley, his body betrayed him.
His knees buckled. He dropped down hard onto one knee, a sharp groan escaping. "Ahh—"
Serai froze. Panic spread across her face, her disguise flickering faintly. She darted toward him, crouching low. "What's happening?"
Jace pressed his palm against his stomach. Warmth spread between his fingers. He pulled his hand away and saw it wet with blood. A deep cut across his abdomen had reopened. His jaw clenched. "I'm bleeding."
[Hold still,] Zin cut in sharply. [I'll run a full body scan.]
Jace sucked in a sharp breath, leaning against the wall. The scan pulsed through him like static brushing under his skin. His vision blurred as he waited for Zin's verdict.
[The bleeding isn't what's dropping you,] Zin finally said. [The cut's bad, but it's not fatal. The real problem is deeper. Your cells are breaking down at a concerning rate. They're… declining.]
Jace's heart sank. "Declining?"
[Yes. Accelerated decay. Like your body is chewing itself apart.]
Serai's gaze darted between his stomach and his face, not understanding the voice in his head but reading the pain clear enough. "I can heal! The cut—I fix!"
Jace barely registered her words. He ground his teeth. "Zin… if my cells are decaying, that means—"
[You already know,] Zin cut in coldly. [It means our stunt back there, spreading kinetic energy through your entire body instead of releasing it, it worked, but it came at a cost. You forced your biology to enhance itself beyond its limit. The strain is tearing you down, aging you. Just like I warned.]
The words dug in. His fingers tightened against his stomach. "So what? I'm rotting alive?"
[Not yet. But keep using that enhancement, and yes, you'll burn yourself into dust. Your body isn't ready.]
Serai moved closer, her voice urgent. "Jace! Let me heal you!" She raised her glowing hands, reaching toward his wound.
Jace's mind spun. Then the thought hit him like lightning. "Wait… Zin. If she heals me, if she can repair damaged cells, would it work?"
[Possibly,] Zin admitted after a beat. [If her power regenerates tissue at the cellular level, it might buy you time. Maybe more. But it's not guaranteed.]
Jace didn't hesitate. His hand shot out, grabbing Serai's wrist and pressing it against his stomach. "Do it. Please."
Serai's palms lit faintly as she focused. Warmth poured into him, not like fire, but like water seeping into cracks. His skin prickled. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe.
The cut across his stomach sealed itself. The skin knitted smooth, leaving not even a scar. Even the shallow scratches across his arms faded until they were gone.
His breathing steadied for a moment, but the deep ache inside, the strange heaviness in his bones, remained.
She leaned back slightly, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Better?"
Jace tried to push himself up, but his knees wobbled. He crashed back against the wall with a curse. "No. The wound's gone, but… it didn't fix the real damage."
"I can do more," Serai insisted. Her hands glowed brighter as she reached again.
"Wait—"
But she pressed harder this time, channeling longer. The glow intensified until her skin began to ripple. Her illusion faltered. Blue light bled through her arms, and her hair shimmered faintly as patches of her true form leaked through.
[STOP HER!] Zin barked. [She's pouring too much energy. She'll burn out her disguise entirely. You can't afford that in the middle of the city.]
"Serai!" Jace caught her wrists, pulling her hands away. "That's enough."
She breathed hard, her voice shaky. "Can you walk?"
Jace grit his teeth, planting one hand against the wall and forcing himself upright. His legs trembled, but he managed a step. Then another.
"Yeah," he muttered, though his tone betrayed him. His body felt heavy, stiff, like something old was dragging inside his young frame.
Serai hovered close, ready to catch him if he fell.
Jace looked down the alley, exhaling slow. "Feels like I'm carrying fifty years in a twenty-year-old body."