The intensity in HQ Command was palpable. The monitors flickered with distorted images from the western and northern sectors, and the tension in the air was almost suffocating.

General Luis stood rigid, his arms crossed as he absorbed the fragmented feeds. Beside him, Dr. Lewis was a flurry of motion, scanning incoming data and barking orders at analysts.

"The western sector's energy readings are peaking," Dr. Lewis said, his voice tight. "That crystalline structure—it's nearing a critical state. If it ruptures…"

General Luis didn't hesitate. "Then we won't let it. Team Unknown has their orders, and they've never failed."

Dr. Lewis glanced at him sharply. "This isn't just about brute force. That structure isn't a standard Void anchor. It's amplifying energy across every sector we've identified. Destroying it might collapse the entire area, but leaving it standing means Obsidian keeps control."

Luis's gaze didn't waver. "We're out of choices. Call for emergency reinforcements to the northern sector to secure Beta Team's extraction. Get them out of there now."

Western Sector

The battlefield in the western sector was chaos incarnate.

The crystalline structure pulsed with violent energy, its glow intensifying with every passing second. Constructs swarmed the streets, their grotesque forms moving in erratic waves as if in a last-ditch effort to protect the anchor keeping them tethered.

Reyes's voice came through the Mind Link, calm but clipped.

Overwatch reporting—structure's energy output has doubled. Hostiles are clustering around it. Too many for a direct assault.

Exeo's voice remained steady and commanding, cutting through the din.

Prepare for a final push. Frost, Aura, Terra—secure the perimeter. Umbra, Lux, with me.

The team advanced with precision, cutting through the swarms with practiced ease. Ember's blade ignited with purple fire, each swing searing through the Void constructs that dared approach. His flames consumed their corrupted energy, reducing them to ash in seconds.

Val moved alongside Ember, his shadows twisting and surging around him like a living storm. He struck down a towering construct with a concentrated burst of Void energy, the tendrils crushing its jagged form into nothingness.

Yet even as they pressed forward, the burning in Val's left eye grew unbearable. He stumbled briefly, catching himself as his shadows lashed out reflexively to block an incoming strike.

"Val, keep moving!" Ember barked, his voice sharp.

Val clenched his jaw, his voice steady despite the searing pain. "I'm fine."

Internally, however, he wasn't. His mind pulsed with Deleo's presence, the entity stirring in agitation but saying nothing.

"Deleo," Val thought, his tone urgent. "I need your help. Lend me your power."

Deleo's voice finally rumbled through his mind, hesitant but steady.

"You may be in control of my power, Val, but…"

Val's shadows surged around him as he pushed forward, his jaw tightening.

"You see me as more than a vessel, Deleo. I feel what you feel right now—your hesitation, your doubt." He struck down another construct with a whip of shadows before continuing, his tone sharper.

"So throw it away. Lend me your power, and put your trust in me. I trust you."

Deleo's hesitation dissipated like mist under a burning sun, replaced by a low hum of approval.

"Very well, Valens Bellator. My power is yours to wield. Show them the strength of one who commands the Void."

Val exhaled sharply as the searing pain in his eye shifted, transforming into a surge of raw energy. His shadows darkened, their edges sharper, more alive.

A palpable pressure radiated from him as he strode forward, his voice cold and commanding through the Mind Link.

Clear the path. Now.

Ember's gaze flickered toward Val briefly before he refocused on the advancing swarm.

Lux moving!

The team pressed on, their coordination seamless.

Bo's icy mist spread across the battlefield, freezing a cluster of smaller constructs in their tracks. Riggs followed up with a slicing gust, shattering their frozen forms into shards of brittle flesh and steel.

Fon's seismic tremors rippled through the terrain, sending cracks spidering through the ground and collapsing a wave of constructs attempting to flank the team.

We're holding! Bo called out through the Mind Link, his tone strained but steady. But it's endless!

Ahead, Val reached the base of the crystalline structure. The air around it was thick, pulsing with energy that seemed almost alive. His shadows surged forward, lashing out at the tendrils of energy spiraling from the anchor.

"Lux," Val called out, his tone sharper than usual. "Hit it now!"

Ember didn't hesitate, his blade igniting with a blaze of purple fire as he leapt forward, delivering a devastating slash to the structure. The crystalline surface cracked, its glow faltering briefly before flaring brighter.

Reyes's voice came through, urgent.

Structure destabilizing! Hostiles converging on your location—over sixty inbound!

Exeo's voice was steady despite the chaos.

Umbra, Lux—target the core directly. Frost, Aura, Terra—hold the perimeter at all costs.

Val's shadows coiled tightly around the structure, his left eye flaring with renewed intensity as Deleo's power coursed through him. The Void energy radiating from the structure seemed to recoil, clashing against his presence.

"Brace yourselves," Val muttered, extending a hand toward the structure's core. A concentrated orb of shadows formed in his palm, pulsing with raw energy.

"Now, Deleo," Val thought, his tone resolute. "Let's finish this."

Deleo's voice was calm yet edged with anticipation.

"As you wish, Val. Show them the strength of trust."

Val hurled the Void orb forward, its dark energy striking the core with a deafening crack. The structure shuddered violently, its glow faltering as fractures spidered across its crystalline surface.

Ember followed with a second strike, his blade driving into the exposed core. The structure emitted a high-pitched whine as its energy spiraled out of control, arcs of electricity and Void energy lashing outward.

The constructs around the structure screamed in unison, their forms collapsing into lifeless heaps as the anchor's hold disintegrated.

Get back! Val shouted through the Mind Link, his shadows forming a protective barrier around the team as the structure imploded.

The explosion that followed was deafening, a shockwave of light and energy that rippled across the sector. The ground heaved violently, cracks spreading outward as debris rained down like a storm of molten glass.

The team braced themselves, their combined abilities shielding them from the worst of the blast. When the dust settled, the battlefield was eerily silent.

The crystalline structure lay in ruins, its glow extinguished. The constructs were gone, their forms reduced to ash and twisted metal.

Exeo's voice came through the Mind Link, calm but firm.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Status check.

One by one, the team responded.

All clear, Ember said, sheathing his blade.

Rear's secure, Bo added, his icy mist dissipating.

Area's stable for now, Fon reported, his voice steady.

Val lowered his shadows, his shoulders relaxing slightly. The structure's destroyed.

Reyes's voice was steady but edged with caution.

Overwatch confirms. No further hostiles detected. But…

Exeo frowned. But what?

Reyes hesitated.

Energy readings are spiking again. Not here—in the central sector.

Back in HQ Command, the air in HQ Command was tense, every screen alive with data pouring in from the northern and western sectors.

Dr. Lewis leaned over his console, his hands flying across the keyboard. The patterns he was decoding on the holoscreen only deepened his grim expression.

"Void-tainted energy surges from the central sector have intensified," Dr. Lewis reported, his voice clipped. "It's worse than we thought. The energy isn't just stabilizing—it's expanding."

General Luis's expression darkened as he turned to the live feed of the crystalline structure in the western sector.

Constructs swarmed the area, relentless and uncoordinated, their movements increasingly erratic. A faint tremor rippled across the ground as the structure's core pulsed violently.

"This was a diversion," General Luis stated, his voice low but resolute.

Dr. Lewis nodded grimly. "The central sector is their real target. And if that construct stabilizes, the energy will cascade through Clareo's infrastructure. Every defensive mechanism we've built will fail."

General Luis turned sharply to the communications officer. "Contact Team Unknown—specifically Val. He's the only one who can get to the central sector fast enough."

The officer hesitated for a fraction of a second before complying, relaying the message through the Mind Link.

General Luis glanced back at Dr. Lewis. "Once Val's deployed, we need to secure the northern sector completely. Have the remaining members of Team Unknown hold their position there and neutralize every last construct."

Dr. Lewis nodded. "You're leaving the western sector open."

General Luis's jaw tightened. "It's a calculated risk. The enemy wants to divide us further. But if we focus our forces on the central and northern sectors, we stand a chance of turning their own strategy against them."

Northern Sector

Beta Team's extraction was a battle in itself.

The remnants of the destroyed node continued to leak unstable Void energy, warping the terrain into jagged spires and sinking chasms. The few remaining constructs pursued the injured operatives relentlessly.

Keiran's breathing was labored, his side aching from the earlier impact. He absorbed the momentum of an incoming strike, redirecting it into the nearest construct with a roar. The creature crumpled under the force, but another took its place almost immediately.

"Move!" he barked, glancing over his shoulder at Serra and Mikael. "We're not dying here!"

Serra's mana threads flickered weakly as she lashed out at a construct that had almost breached their flank. Her face was pale, but her resolve was firm.

"Extraction point's just ahead!" she called, her voice raw. "We need to—"

The ground beneath them cracked, a pulse of Void-tainted energy ripping through the terrain. Mikael stumbled, his electricity faltering as he struggled to maintain balance.

From the treeline, a volley of gunfire cut through the chaos. Clareo reinforcements poured into the battlefield, their precision strikes taking down the advancing constructs.

"Beta Team, fall back now!" an officer shouted, gesturing toward the extraction vehicle waiting beyond the carnage.

Keiran gritted his teeth, shoving Mikael forward before covering the rear. "Go! I've got this!"

The team scrambled toward the vehicle, their bodies battered but their determination unbroken. As they climbed aboard, the sound of collapsing terrain and fading growls marked the end of their harrowing ordeal.

Western Sector

Val felt the sudden pull of urgency through the Mind Link even before General Luis's voice came through clearly.

Umbra, the central sector is under immediate threat. We need you to deploy there now.

Val's left eye burned faintly as he turned to Exeo, his voice steady but edged with tension.

"You heard him. They need me in the central sector."

Exeo's sharp gaze met his younger brother's, and after a moment, he gave a curt nod. "Go. We'll secure the western sector."

Ember's voice was clipped but supportive. "Don't hesitate, Val. Do what you need to do."

Val raised a hand, his shadows coiling around him as he activated his Void teleportation. In a flash, he was gone, leaving the rest of the team to regroup and fortify their position.

Exeo's voice cut through the Mind Link.

Lux, Frost, Aura, Terra—tighten formation. We push back the remaining constructs and ensure they don't regroup.

Central Sector

Val materialized at the edge of the central sector, his form solidifying in the shadow of a massive crystalline structure that pulsed with ominous energy. The air was thick with the scent of scorched metal and the acrid tang of Void energy.

The battlefield was chaos incarnate. Clareo's forces struggled to hold the line against a seemingly endless tide of Void-tainted constructs. The towering crystalline structure at the center of the sector cast long, jagged shadows across the debris-strewn streets.

Val's shadows flickered at his feet as he surveyed the scene. His left eye burned more intensely than before, the pain sharp and insistent.

The crystalline structure pulsed violently as Val approached, his shadows coiling and writhing with barely contained energy. The constructs nearest to him turned sharply, their glowing eyes locking onto his form.

Without hesitation, Val extended a hand, and his shadows lashed out like living entities. They tore through the first wave of attackers, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.

"Reinforce the southern barricades!" a soldier shouted from nearby, his voice barely audible over the din of battle. "We can't hold them!"

Val's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. "Fall back to the eastern perimeter. I'll handle the constructs here."

The soldiers hesitated for a moment before obeying, their expressions a mix of relief and uncertainty as they retreated.

Val moved with purpose, his shadows tearing through the advancing constructs with ruthless efficiency. The crystalline structure loomed before him, its energy pulsing in erratic waves that sent tremors rippling through the ground.

Above, the sky darkened as Void-tainted energy spiraled upward, forming a vortex that seemed to draw in the very light around it.

Val's left eye burned brighter, his vision narrowing as he focused on the structure's core. The shadows around him coiled tighter, their movements more deliberate as he prepared to strike.

With a sharp exhale, Val focused every ounce of his will into the swirling shadows surrounding him. The burning in his left eye became unbearable, a searing pain that threatened to consume him, but he pushed through, channeling the Void energy into a singular, devastating force.

The shadows at his feet writhed violently, merging and coiling into a dense, pulsating mass of pure Void energy. The air around him grew heavier, charged with an electric tension that crackled audibly. Sparks of dark energy danced across the battlefield, the constructs faltering briefly as if sensing the impending surge.

"Enough," Val growled, his voice low but carrying the weight of his resolve.

With a swift motion, he raised his hand, and the shadows obeyed, spiraling upward into a towering spear of Void energy. The light around the crystalline core dimmed momentarily, as if the shadows were devouring the very air itself.

Val's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening as he hurled the Void spear forward with a force that made the ground beneath him crack.

The Void spear pierced the crystalline core with a deafening crack, its energy burrowing deep into the structure's heart.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze—the battlefield bathed in an eerie silence as the Void energy coiled and compressed within the core.

Then, the explosion came.

A sound like the tearing of reality itself ripped through the air, louder than thunder, sharper than a blade. The crystalline core shattered violently, fragments shooting outward like molten shrapnel. Each shard glowed with unstable Void energy, leaving trails of light as they arced through the air before embedding into the ground or disintegrating into ash.

The shockwave that followed was cataclysmic, an unstoppable force that radiated outward in all directions.

It struck the constructs first, their grotesque forms convulsing violently as the energy overwhelmed them. One by one, they collapsed, their glowing veins dimming as lifeless husks crumpled to the ground.

The force didn't stop there.

Buildings on the outskirts of the battlefield trembled, their windows shattering as the shockwave surged past them. A towering tree near the plaza splintered down its center, its fragments scattering across the desolate streets.

The air was filled with the sounds of groaning metal, crumbling stone, and the distant wail of collapsing structures.

Val braced himself, his shadows forming a protective barrier around him just as the shockwave reached his position.

The ground beneath his feet buckled, fissures spreading outward like jagged veins across the battlefield. A cloud of debris and dust rose into the air, thick and suffocating, swallowing the scene in an impenetrable haze.

For several long seconds, there was only silence, broken by the faint crackle of lingering Void energy dissipating into the atmosphere.

As the dust began to settle, the battlefield emerged in stark clarity.

The once-pulsing crystalline core was no more, reduced to a jagged crater surrounded by charred remnants of what had been. Faint trails of Void energy hung in the air like ghostly tendrils, slowly fading into nothingness.

Val stood at the epicenter of the destruction, his chest rising and falling heavily. His shadows receded, coiling back into the ground as the burning in his left eye dulled to a faint throb.

His figure was illuminated by the faint glow of the dissipating energy, his posture steady despite the toll of his attack.

The surviving soldiers, positioned at a safe distance, began to emerge from their cover. Their expressions were a mix of awe and disbelief, their eyes fixed on Val as though he were a figure pulled from legend. Some murmured prayers of gratitude under their breath, while others simply stared in stunned silence.

Val exhaled, his gaze sweeping the wreckage before him. His voice, low and firm, carried through the stunned quiet. "It's done."

The Mind Link crackled to life, Exeo's voice steady despite the tension.

Umbra. Report.

Val's response was measured, but beneath his calm tone was a weariness that spoke of the battle's toll. Core neutralized. Constructs down. The area... it's stable.

Back at HQ Command, General Luis let out a slow breath, his expression unreadable as he watched the live feed.

"Well done, Umbra," he said quietly, his tone carrying the weight of the battle's cost. "Now, we prepare for the next move."

Dr. Lewis adjusted his glasses, his focus shifting to the northern sector's feed. "Team Unknown is holding, but the strain is evident. If the enemy has another wave ready…"

General Luis's voice cut through, sharp and decisive. "Then we'll meet it head-on. They've shown us their hand—now we'll show them ours."