The relic pulsed faintly in Green’s hand — a heartbeat of static and dark light.

"Careful—!” you warned, stepping forward.

Too late. Black, glitchy tentacles burst from the Impostor Relic, stabbing into Green’s hand. The sound that escaped their throat wasn’t quite human.

“G-GAH! Get it off—!” Green shouted, clawing at their arm as the tendrils sank deeper.

Lime stumbled back. “What the hell is that thing doing to him?!”

You grabbed the emergency knife at your belt and lunged, striking the relic’s center with all your strength. The metal split with a shattering crack, a single red line glowing through it before—

BOOM!

The explosion threw everyone off their feet. Smoke filled the chamber, choking, electric. You coughed, waving your hand to clear the air.

“Green…?” you called.

When the haze lifted, Green was standing. Half their visor was dark, the other side burning red. The relic’s fragments floated like ash around them, humming with static energy.

“Oh no…” Cyan whispered. “He’s—he’s one of them now.”

Glitchy looked down, voice low and resigned.

“Told him not to touch it. Some Crewmates never learn.”