Cyberpunk 2077: Hyper Light Drifter

Falling. The beauty of it…an artform. It's a delicate dance, one that has been woven into the very fabric of existence. Such an art resembled the rise and fall of humanity. Civilizations could ascend to great heights, fueled by ambition and innovation. The opposite held true as well. The fall of every civilization could be blamed on hubris. Greed. Conflict. 

Human emotions worked the same way. Joy and happiness could rise to the peak, only to descend into the depths of sorrow and despair. Falling could be a beautiful thing. It brought attention to the cycle of mother nature. A constant pull of creation and destruction.

Lei felt as if she was in suspended animation. Floating. The wind constantly lapped at her body. Ruffling her hair and clothes. Her gaze was focused upwards…up at the top of the tower where two women were looking down at her. 

There were only clouds below the drifter. Quite far below actually. The cool temperatures added moisture to her cloak and armor. Blue sky…and the stars beyond. Loralei could see just a bit into space from here. It was the stratosphere after all. The edge of it even. Almost into the mesosphere. 

Weightless. That was a better way to describe how she felt. Something she wasn't used to. Jumping off skyscrapers, experiencing hang time…Lei wasn't new to that. But this…falling down toward the world below…it was completely different. It made her feel small. Her gaze went beyond the sky and a filtered breath was exhaled.

If only she could reach out and touch the moon. If only things weren't so complicated. The drifter spread her limbs to catch more wind. This slowed her falling speed by just enough. Just enough to reach out to the tower. 

The tower was in between her fingers…She could see it. Feel it. Closing her hands around it and into a fist, the explosive charges reacted. They answered her demand.

KABOOOM

A flurry of orange and red. Mixed with technology that died the flames pink. It started at the top. Debris blasting out into the open sky…then it went down floor by floor. Like a ripple of water. A chain of explosions.

The orbital elevator was crumbling. Shattering. Falling…such a monumental landmark. One that was supposed to bring hope for the future but never reached its dream. It was the Icarus of today…flying too close to the sun. Collapsing just like that. Marking the end of the Unification Era.

'Thousands...Dead.' Johnny commented. 

As the masked girl observed the end of an era, she noticed two black dots falling from the top floor. Those dots had escaped the explosion and were approaching her position. Quickly.

The dots soon grew into larger silhouettes, allowing Lei to see exactly what was in store. Emi and Nana. The twins. Rings of wind pressure would burst from their feet in supersonic spurts. Its unique sound could reach the drifter even from such a distance. Even despite the wind lapping at her ears. They were approaching fast.

"Tch." Lei clicked her tongue. 

'They're dead set on you. Now that's what I call commitment.' Johnny commented.

'Margin of error has exceeded the threshold. My chances of surviving this fall have lowered to only 6%. Annoying.' Lei thought.

It was the truth. The sickly girl didn't have the ability to maneuver through the air like the twins. She didn't remember those two having such an ability…was it new chrome? It had been years after all. 

If they engaged in battle at such a height, Lei would be thrown off the angled flight path. She would miss the supply tower's open ceiling. Missing that would result in death. Becoming a bloody smear on the pavement. 

'It's all going wrong. Why did they happen to be in the tower? Doesn't feel like 2 million credits is enough anymore.' She complained mentally. 

'I'm so curious about what made them target you like this. Chasing you through the sky is something I've never seen. Always new experiences when I'm with you, Loralei.'

Lei glanced at the approaching twins who kept gaining. Her gaze then went down to the world below. Still above the ocean of clouds. Still floating in the blue between white and black. Space and condensation. In a casual show of bodily mastery, she tucked in her arms and straightened her legs. 

Immediately, her falling speed increased…though when she looked back, she grimaced. Too slow! She needed to fall even quicker. A futile attempt. At this point, the twins were almost on her. Lei could see the hatred on Emi's face.

"Where ya going, Lei?! I've missed you so much! Let's play!" Emi screamed over the wind. 

The katana was drawn from its sheath. The mysterious blade hummed and seemed foggy. It was an HF blade. Hyper frequency. Electricity danced throughout the silver sharpness. This was their answer to Lei's beam saber. It wasn't infallible, but it allowed them to clash blades with the laser sword.

"Lei…" Nana also called out. Her expression was calm but determined. 

".........." The drifter didn't respond. 

VRMMMM

The ignition of her beam saber was enough of an answer. Both twins stared at her while Lei stared back. There was a moment of silence as they took in each other's appearance. It had been an incredibly long time. Who would've thought their reunion would be in the stratosphere?

Nana's white hair waved about due to the wind. Emi's braids were flailing behind her head. Lei's silky black hair danced the same way. Just a moment in time. A lull in the action that was to come. It was always like this before they fought. Each moment could be their last. 

During this moment, Lei noticed Nana's actions. The white haired twin was clutching the sheath at her hip and electricity was charging up. Condensing. Emi was the first to move. Rings of wind pressure burst from her heels and she launched toward the drifter like a rocket. 

CLANG VSSSHHMMM

Their weapons clashed. Lei slid her laser blade along the hf katana's edge, deflecting the momentous blow. She quickly flexed her abdomen and spun around Emi. Only then did she kick off of the braided woman's body to regain her flight path. 

Nana used this moment to act. Her right hand went to the handle of her sheathed katana. Pulling the trigger on the sheath, the blade shot out alongside Nana's swing. It was a quickdraw. A sharp condensed slash of lightning flew down toward the drifter. A flying slash. 

"Ergh!" Lei grunted with effort in order to flip her body. 

She barely avoided the projectile slash, but that was only the beginning. Nana swung three more times before the condensed electricity was out of juice. That meant three more dodges in midair. Not as easy as one would think. 

Lei avoided the first projectile. Barely dodged the second like a spinning top, but the third one…it cut right through a piece of her cloak. A burning mark appeared on the drifter's lower stomach. That was just a scrape. If it had connected full on, a piece of her would be missing. 

"Hahaha! You're like a sitting duck. Did we catch you at a bad time?" Emi mocked before airbursting over once again. 

This time, she made a masterful maneuver. Stopping right before Lei and swinging at the neck. Lei deflected the blow as best she could, but the power behind it made her veer off course. Emi burst toward Lei's back and swung again. 

Without looking, the drifter blocked the attack from behind. It was unfortunate though. Each clash with Emi brought Lei further and further off the flight path. It was inevitable. The masked girl knew she would have to find a way back to the path. It was either that or death. 

As they continued their skydiving battle, Nana was charging up another set of flying slashes. The white haired twin waited for the perfect moment then used her aerial movement. Airbursting behind the sickly girl. Only then did she unleash her electric beam slashes.

Lei was out of luck this time. Turning toward the approaching projectiles, she decided to use offense as a form of defense. Loralei swung at them. 

The first projectile was cut in half. The second projectile was cut through as well, but the splash damage left burns on her arms. Third projectile was barely avoided, and the last projectile bit deep into her thigh. Her armor had resisted, saving her leg from being chopped off. 

Things were not going well for Lei. She had truly drawn the short end of the stick this time. As Nana stayed back to charge up more projectile slashes, Emi went back in for close combat. 

This entire time Drifter had been unable to counterattack. She needed to either grapple them for the opportunity or find a foothold. The twins were zooming around her as if there was ground. It was completely unfair. 

After several more dangerous exchanges…A beaten and battered Lei smashed against something heavy and large. Turning her head, she saw a large piece of falling debris. Debris from the orbital elevator. Lucky! She immediately flipped on top of it and stood up straight. 

Just like that, her entire demeanor changed. The hilt of the beam saber extended into a swordstaff. Lei danced the weapon across her fingers before beckoning the twins over. A single gesture. Its meaning was clear. 

'Bring it on.'

"Think you're hot shit cause you got a foothold? Ha! Watch this." Emi exclaimed. 

"No! Wait, Emi!" Nana called out. 

The braided twin pulled out her second katana, now having one in each hand. Then she burst forward with aerial speed. Ready to cut through Lei in a cross slash, she swung both blades…but it only met air. 

Loralei could finally utilize her speed again. She accelerated around the attack to Emi's side, the dancing polearm coming down for a powerful slash. Both Emi and Nana had Sandevistans. Well, Emi had one while Nana had a Kerenzikov. As such, the braided twin was able to react. 

Seeing the laser blade coming down on her hip, several rings of wind pressure shot out of Emi's feet. Her body shrunk back from the blade as she accelerated away…but the crimson saber still cut into her skin. 

"Argh!" Emi grunted as the momentum sent her far away. Not enough to kill, but it gave Lei a moment. 

"Emi!" Nana exclaimed with worry. She ignored Lei and chased after her twin who was falling away. 

".............…" Lei exhaled a tense breath before focusing on the current problem. Her flight path.

The clouds were coming up fast. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Immediately, the drifter could no longer see. It was only grey fog. The temperature had gotten colder. She was inside the clouds. 

'Check your right. The fight veered you to the left by a lot.' Johnny commented.

After another few seconds, the clouds gave way. Loralei could finally see the ground. Las Vegas was a tiny dot…but the supply tower was coming up fast. It was far off to the right! Johnny was correct. 

Without hesitation, Lei took a few steps back. She then accelerated forward with flux speed and leapt off the falling debris. Her falling trajectory was 93 meters off target. Horrible. That was a bit over 100 yards. The length of a football field. 

She could barely make it. As long as her inertia wasn't interrupted. Tucking in her arms and straightening her legs, she plummeted even faster. Directly above her, chunks of the orbital tower was falling down onto the city. Several buildings would be obliterated in the aftermath. Thousands of civilians were going to perish. 

Already, a citywide alarm was going off. They needed to evacuate. Every single person in the city was observing the crumbling tower with bated breath. They didn't move, too in awe at what was unfolding above them. Where could they go? Unless they were already driving in their vehicles, it was too late to get away. 

Millitech had already expected this though. Planning to be the saviors of the people, all of their firepower was focused on the falling tower. Powerful artillery and weaponry were shooting up at the debris. The casualties would be minimized as much as possible. 

Lei did her best to avoid the gunfire coming from her employers. She sped up her mental state in order to perceive each explosive shell. Throughout this time, the masked girl had finally made it over the supply tower. The ceiling door was open, but it seemed to be on the verge of closing. 

Obviously. The destruction above would make them close their doors. Don't want to get caught up in such a catastrophe. Unfortunately for the people within, they had no choice. Lei reached out a hand, pausing the shutter's movement. 

It was coming up fast. Lei tucked her body once more, trying to fit through the small opening that was left in the ceiling. In a second…two seconds…now! Her body went right through and she found herself falling inside of the supply tower. 

Ignoring the workers and civilians who were watching through the glass, Lei raised her hand toward the ceiling to close it. Unfortunately, that was not to be. Condensed electric slashes cut through the shutters, sending debris falling down. 

That wasn't all. These flying slashes kept traveling straight for the drifter. Loralei cut through the first two, spun her body around the third, and cut through the fourth. More burns added to her injuries.

Lei clenched her fist again, exploding anything near the ceiling that could be used. It caused a small series of explosions, but nothing that could stop Nana. The inside lights of the tower turned red and an alarm started blaring. 

'Elevator is coming up fast. Send it down or you're roadkill.' Johnny exclaimed. 

Ignoring the approaching twins who had regrouped, the masked girl pushed her hand down at the stationary elevator. She was coming up on it fast. With a creak, it started to descend…but it was too slow. Lei was going to shatter against it like a vase. 

'Faster!' Lei roared mentally. 

With a powerful mechanical hiss, the hinges on the elevator snapped off. Nothing was left to hold the circular platform, thus it began its wild descent. The elevator was much heavier than Lei, so it gained speed much faster. 

A few more seconds and the drifter was able to land with a light tap of her feet. This elevator was now broken. Once it crashed into the ground floor, this supply tower would crumble as well. Another tally to Lei's already growing murder list.

Now that she could stand on solid ground…she was ready to put an end to this dangerous fiasco. She raised her Burya high up at the approaching twins and fired several shots. 

KABLAM KABLAM CLANG CLANG

The twins were masterful with their blades. Each bullet was deflected and cut through, but the power behind each shot slowed down their fall. If they didn't have that unfair, cheap ass, airburst chrome feet, they wouldn't be able to catch up at all.

"Tch." Lei clicked her tongue again. 

'I detect a bit of salt.' Johnny commented. 

Both Emi and Nana eventually landed on the platform. Lei holstered the handcannon and danced the swordstaff around her fingers. The weapon twirled and spun, leaving a red light trail. 

"You have a lot to answer for, bitch. I won't ever forgive you." Emi growled. 

"...You've always been too emotional. It affects your decisions in battle." Lei commented. Her mechanical voice pissed the twin off. 

"Fuck you!" The braided twin exclaimed…but she did calm down. Unconsciously heeding Lei's advice like she always had.

"Loralei. You have to die. Because of the past…and because of today." Nana commented. Her voice was calm. 

"...Be careful, Nana." Drifter hummed. 

So began the final death battle of the day. Lei accelerated toward Nana, and prepared a powerful slash. Emi predicted the movement and went for a pincer attack. Baited. The masked woman had already thought ahead. Her attack was a feint! Lei's polearm danced once again, ready to cleave the braided twin in half. 

Emi immediately dropped to the floor, dodging the attack. She then used her knuckles as a launchpad and leapt high above. Nana utilized Lei's recovery period and pulled the trigger on her sheath, sending out a supersonic lightning slash. 

Loralei had already expected it, her body leaning almost perpendicular to the floor. The attack flew where her torso used to be, traveling on and cutting right through the tower. A powerful blow that was.

This was when Emi came down from above, ready to pierce Lei's chest with both blades. An effort was needed to get away. The drifter allowed her feet to slip under her and while her back was about to hit the platform, she slammed the butt of her polearm into the ground. This gave her the chance to flex her abdomen and spiral in midair like a beyblade. 

Emi's downward pierce was evaded, and the spinning Lei came down with her saber. Pining to cleave through the braided twin. Nana reacted quickly, blocking the momentous blow for her sister. It made her knees buckle. Lei's blows were getting more and more scary.

It was like an endless loop. Feinting and attacking, surprising each other with unexpected sneaks. Their moves were like chess. Nana was always there with her Keren to save Emi whenever things got too dicey. Being able to accelerate her swings with the trigger sheath, the downside of the Kerenzikov was gone. She could counterattack at will. 

Emi fought like a bruiser. It was her way or the highway, using brute force and speed to cut through her obstacles. Nana was the opposite. She didn't attack until she had analyzed the best options, pulling the trigger of her sheath for a supersonic slash. An incredible Iai style of swordplay. (Iai = Quickdraw)

As the platform plummeted down toward the quickly approaching ground, several civilians were able to catch a glimpse of the battle taking place. Kiroshi optics were recording what they could and uploading it to the Net. It was hard to make out faces due to the speed, but the clashing blades were caught on camera. This would become a legendary clip.

Lei was fighting like a machine. More and more shallow cuts were appearing on both of the twins' bodies. With a mind nearing that of a supercomputer, and a body on its way to do the same, her calculations and follow through were near perfect. Especially now that she was on solid ground.

Nana was feeling the stress. She didn't remember Lei being this oppressive of a fighter. It was always a difficult battle for sure, but it had never been this desperate. The white haired twin felt as if she was fighting an AI that had mastered all forms of close combat. Emi was barely holding on.

"Damnit!" The braided twin screamed. What the hell was happening?!

Emi accelerated once again, swinging both katanas down at Lei's knees. The drifter stepped over the cleave, but Emi was expecting that. Rings of wind pressure ejected from her foot, airbursting the braided twin into a spinning kick. 

If it connected, Lei's entire jaw would be blown off. Of course that's IF it did. The empty eyed fighter ducked low in a spin, her dancing polearm slamming against Emi's ribs. The blow was powerful, knocking the air out of the twin's lungs. 

"Gugh!"

Emi doubled over as saliva splattered all along the floor. Not wasting time, the poleram came around again, crashing into the back of her head. The braided twin's consciousness immediately went dark. 

Before Lei's blade could come around to eliminate the incapacitated twin, Nana was already in front of the crumpled woman. Defending her sister. A sonic slash blinked toward Lei's weapon arm at an incredible speed. It was a hasty attack, one that could be punished. 

Sidestepping the electric slash with perfect precision, Lei swung the blunt part of her swordstaff up into Nana's chin. It was quick and fast. But powerful. A satisfying sound reverberated through their ears.

DONG 

The blow shattered parts of Nana's jaw and lifted her feet a few inches off the ground. That wasn't the end. A roundhouse kick sent the white haired twin flying across the platform and into the moving walls. The material instantly tore into her back like a terrible road rash. The skin of her back was shaved off.

"AAAAAGHHH!" Nana cried before falling back onto the platform. 

Blood pooled onto the ground beneath her body. It was over. Lei casually approached the twin who was spasming in pain. Nana was groaning constantly. Not to mention her shattered jaw.

After kicking away her katana, Lei grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up. The drifter tilted her head to the side while observing the beaten twin. She remained silent.

".................."

"Guhk…Hughk…Lei." Nana croaked over the blood in her mouth. Lei frowned. 

"...Why do you indulge your sister so much?" She asked. Nana didn't answer, still reveling in the pain. "You knew this would be the outcome. Why chase me so far? All the way to Vegas? All the way to Night City?"

"You…guhk…you know why." The white haired woman groaned with pained eyes. 

"Emi has never been good at controlling herself. She won't ever give up. I'm sure she'd chase me to the ends of the world…but you? You?!" 

"Sen…sei…" Nana croaked. Immediately, Lei's emotionless face turned annoyed.

"Sensei's death is not enough for you to go this far. The sheer miles you travel to find me. Day after day. Month after month. Year after year. That isn't for him. No. That's for Emi."

"She…needs…this."

"She doesn't. Emi is obsessed. It's not about Sensei anymore."

"She adored you…the most. Lei…you…traitor." Nana croaked.

"..............."

"Want us…to stop? Heh…never. Kill us…or deal…with it."

'Lei, ground is coming up fast.' Johnny interjected.

Loralei dropped Nana and looked out the glass. Yep. Impact in less than 10 seconds. She needed to move. With a conflicted expression, she glanced at the two incapacitated bodies.

…

…

…

BOOOM

The supply tower's elevator crashed into the ground, the shockwave obliterating the pillars that support the structure. Without the needed support…this building could only fall. Just like the orbital tower, this one was now a relic. It was history. As it collapsed upon itself, Lei appeared somewhere far away within the city. 

Both Nana and Emi were thrown into a back alley. Nana only watched silently with a solemn gaze. Ugh. These twins…Lei didn't know what to do with them. She should just kill them! Damnit.

Loralei pointed an angry finger at Nana, only to huff and turn away. Her figure vanished with only a red afterimage to show for it. The white haired twin leaned her head against the wall and watched as the debris from both towers collapsed onto the city. 

'She spared us again.' Nana thought with a sad smile.