The holoscreens in HQ Command flickered with streams of data as General Luis stood at the center, addressing two assembled teams, with siren blaring in the background.
On one side stood Team Unknown, masks activated, their postures reflecting a calm readiness forged from years of experience. On the other side, Beta Team waited, their expressions a mix of determination and unease.
"The situation is escalating faster than anticipated," General Luis began, his voice sharp and deliberate. "Hades' Wrath has launched simultaneous attacks across multiple locations. This is not random. It's coordinated, and they're testing our limits."
Dr. Lewis stepped forward, gesturing to the map glowing on the holoscreen. Several red zones flickered in and out, pulsing like an erratic heartbeat.
"Three major sites have been identified. Each one is emitting Void energy at levels we haven't seen since the Clareo border attack. These are not isolated events—they are part of a larger strategy."
Luis nodded. "Here's how we respond: Team Unknown, you'll take the primary site—the western sector. It's the most volatile and densely populated. Beta Team," his gaze shifted, locking on the younger operatives, "you're handling the northern site. Reports indicate Void-tainted constructs converging there. Evacuations are ongoing, but it's critical that you secure the area and neutralize the threat."
Serra adjusted her gloves, her mana threads faintly pulsing as she nodded. "Understood, sir."
Keiran glanced at Mikael, who gave a faint spark of acknowledgment, before speaking up. "What about the third site?"
General Luis's expression darkened. "The third site is our wild card—Sector Omega. We suspect Hades' Wrath may be directly involved. For now, our forces are too stretched to engage. Once Team Unknown and Beta Team secure their objectives, we'll reassess."
Exeo stepped forward, his calm voice cutting through the tension. "Umbra, deploy Eagle to the western sector first. Beta Team, prepare for immediate deployment after recon."
As the teams filed toward the teleportation chamber, Ember lingered, glancing at General Luis. "This many simultaneous attacks—he's trying to split us."
General Luis's jaw tightened. "That's exactly what he's doing."
Western Sector
Reyes materialized first, his sniper rifle braced as he perched atop a derelict tower. From his vantage point, the western sector was a battlefield engulfed in chaos. The sprawling streets below teemed with Void-tainted constructs, their grotesque forms glistening in the dim light. Mutated limbs stretched unnaturally, claws gouging into concrete as they surged toward abandoned vehicles and collapsing buildings. Their guttural growls merged with the distant cries of civilians scrambling to safety.
Overwatch in position, Reyes reported through the Mind Link.
Enemy forces are converging on the central plaza. Estimate thirty-plus hostiles, increasing by the minute.
Exeo's calm voice came through, cutting through the tension.
Hold position. We're moving in.
Moments later, the rest of Team Unknown materialized at street level, shadows curling around their boots before dissipating.
The foul stench of smoke and burning debris filled the air, undercut by the electric hum of Void-tainted energy that seemed to thrum in their bones. The oppressive heat of nearby fires clashed with an unnatural chill emanating from the constructs themselves, creating an atmosphere thick with unease.
The constructs surged toward them in coordinated waves, their glowing eyes locking onto the team like predatory beacons.
Each movement was unnatural—jerky yet deliberate—like puppets dancing on invisible strings. The ground trembled as a massive four-legged creature barreled through a barricade, its jagged carapace leaving trails of glowing black ooze in its wake.
"Left flank collapsing," Ember reported sharply, his blade igniting with purple fire as he darted forward. The blade's ethereal flames cleaved through a group of smaller constructs, their forms disintegrating in a cascade of ash and Void energy.
He moved with lethal precision, weaving between strikes as claws swiped dangerously close.
Val followed, his shadows coiling and lashing out like vipers. Two constructs lunged toward him—a hulking brute with spiked limbs and a serpentine creature slithering low to the ground.
With a sharp gesture, Val's shadows wrapped around the brute's torso, tightening until its grotesque form cracked and imploded. The serpent lunged, but a tendril of Void energy pierced its skull mid-air, leaving its lifeless body to collapse at his feet.
The burning in Val's left eye intensified, a searing pulse that clouded his vision momentarily.
Deleo's voice stirred in his mind, a low growl.
"They seek to overwhelm you. Not with strength, but with numbers. An ancient strategy, but effective nonetheless."
Val gritted his teeth, his shadows surging out in a protective barrier as smaller constructs swarmed around him. "Then we break their momentum," he muttered aloud, his voice edged with determination.
Bo's voice broke through the Mind Link.
Brace yourselves—incoming!
A deafening roar shattered the air as a towering Void construct—a grotesque fusion of humanoid and beast—crashed into the fray. Its distorted limbs glowed with pulsating energy, and its face was a writhing mass of tendrils and jagged teeth. With each step, the ground shook, sending cracks spidering through the asphalt.
Bo stepped forward, his hands outstretched as an icy mist spread across the battlefield. The mist coalesced around the creature's legs, freezing them in place with an audible crack. Frost spread rapidly, encasing the construct's lower body in a crystalline prison.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
"Now!" Bo shouted, sweat dripping from his brow as he maintained the freezing grip.
Riggs responded immediately, summoning a slicing gust of wind that struck the creature's torso with the force of a hurricane. The construct's frozen form shattered into chunks, its Void energy dissipating into the air with a hiss.
Targets neutralized, Riggs reported, his voice clipped.
But there's no end to them.
Fon, positioned slightly behind, stomped his foot into the ground with a sharp command. The earth trembled violently before rupturing, creating a deep chasm that swallowed a cluster of advancing constructs whole.
The sound of their snarls faded as the ground closed over them, leaving only silence in their wake.
"Regroup!" Exeo commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The team formed a defensive line as more constructs swarmed from the plaza ahead, their numbers seemingly endless. The light from nearby fires illuminated the grotesque forms of their attackers—spined monstrosities with jagged limbs, their glowing veins pulsating as they moved.
"They're trying to pin us down," Ember observed, his blade slashing through another wave. Purple flames licked the edges of his weapon, burning away the Void corruption with every strike. "We can't stay here."
Val's gaze flickered toward the plaza, where the heaviest concentration of energy pulsed. His left eye burned anew, the pain sharp and unrelenting. The shadows around him deepened, coiling as if alive, reacting to the tension in the air.
Deleo's voice returned, quieter but no less insistent.
"Do you feel it? Their strategy is not chaos, but attrition. They are testing the limits of your endurance. Prove them wrong."
Val's shadows surged outward, creating a barrier as another wave of constructs charged. He turned to Exeo, his voice steady despite the strain. "We need to push through now, or we'll be overwhelmed."
Exeo nodded. Umbra, Lux, take point. Frost, Aura, secure the rear. Terra, collapse their reinforcements.
The team moved as one, cutting through the enemy lines with practiced efficiency. Bo froze the advancing constructs, Riggs shattered them, and Fon's tremors split the ground, destabilizing their formations. Ember and Val led the charge, their combined attacks carving a path toward the plaza's center.
As they reached the heart of the battle, a massive construct emerged—a towering amalgamation of Void energy and twisted metal, its limbs adorned with jagged spines. Its roar echoed through the sector, shaking nearby buildings to their foundations.
Val's shadows writhed, responding to the surge of Void energy. The burning in his eye became blinding, but he pushed forward, his voice cold and resolute. "This ends now."
The towering construct roared, its jagged frame pulsating with unstable Void-tainted energy. With each step, it left craters in the asphalt, its spiked limbs dragging deep grooves through the ground. Around it, smaller constructs rallied, surging forward in a coordinated attack.
Focus fire on the big one! Exeo's voice rang through the Mind Link, sharp and commanding.
Ember darted forward, his blade igniting with searing purple fire. He slashed at the nearest constructs, the ethereal flames consuming their forms as they disintegrated into ash.
Val moved alongside him, shadows swirling at his feet. He extended a hand, tendrils of Void energy lashing out and dragging a snarling beast into the ground.
The burning in his left eye intensified, but he pushed through, unleashing a pulse of darkness that cleared a path toward the giant construct.
"Keep moving!" Val called out, his tone steady but edged with urgency.
Bo and Riggs flanked the group, their combined abilities creating a deadly synergy.
Bo froze a wave of constructs mid-charge, their limbs encased in frost, while Riggs's gusts shattered them into fragments. Fon's tremors rippled through the ground, destabilizing the advancing hordes and sending several constructs tumbling into newly formed chasms.
The massive construct raised a spiked limb, slamming it down with enough force to send shockwaves through the battlefield. The team scattered, narrowly avoiding the impact as debris rained down around them.
"We need to take it out now," Ember growled, his flames blazing brighter as he charged forward.
Exeo joined him, his weapon coated in purple fire. The two brothers attacked in tandem, their strikes precise and unrelenting. Their combined efforts severed one of the construct's limbs, causing it to stagger with a deafening screech.
Val's shadows coiled tightly around its remaining legs, holding it in place as Bo and Riggs targeted its exposed core. Ice formed rapidly along its surface, cracks spreading as Riggs unleashed a concentrated blast of wind.
"It's not going down easy!" Bo shouted, his voice strained as he pushed his abilities to the limit.
Above, Reyes maintained his overwatch position, his sharp eyes scanning for weak points. Through the Mind Link, his voice was calm and focused.
Target's core is destabilizing. Hit it again—center mass, just below the chest.
Val nodded, his shadows tightening as he prepared for another strike. The burning in his eye reached a peak, a sharp pain that blurred his vision momentarily. Deleo's voice stirred again, a low, steady hum.
"Now, Val. Strike where it hurts most. Show them the futility of their resistance."
Without hesitation, Val launched a concentrated Void orb at the construct's core. The shadows struck with devastating force, tearing through its defenses and exposing the glowing center of its chest. Ember and Exeo capitalized on the opening, their blades igniting as they plunged them into the construct's heart.
The massive creature let out one final, earsplitting roar before collapsing, its form disintegrating into tendrils of dissipating Void energy. The ground beneath it trembled before falling silent.
The battlefield was still for a moment, the air thick with the remnants of the fight. The team regrouped, their postures tense as they scanned the area for lingering threats.
"Is that all of them?" Riggs asked, his voice laced with cautious relief.
Reyes's voice came through the link, steady but uncertain.
I'm not picking up any more movement… but something feels off.
Exeo exchanged a glance with Val and Ember, his voice unreadable. "Stay sharp. This isn't over yet."
As the dust settled, the faint hum of Void energy lingered in the air—a haunting reminder that the battle was far from won.
Shadows stretched unnaturally across the ground, their movements seemingly alive, as if forewarning of the greater storm yet to come.
Northern Sector
Beta Team materialized in a dense forest on Clareo's outskirts. The air was humid, heavy with the faint hum of Void-tainted energy.
Serra's mana threads glowed faintly as she scanned the area. "Nothing visible yet."
Keiran crouched, his hand brushing the dirt. "The energy's pulsing underground. These constructs are digging again."
Mikael's electricity crackled faintly as he glanced around. "Then let's make sure they don't reach the surface."
Their advance was cautious, every step deliberate. The tension broke when a Void-tainted construct erupted from the ground, its grotesque form lunging toward them.
"Contact!" Keiran shouted, absorbing the kinetic force of the charge and redirecting it into a nearby tree, which shattered on impact.
"Threads, now!" Serra called, her mana strands lashing out to immobilize the creature. Mikael followed with a concentrated blast of electricity, leaving its remains smoldering.
More constructs emerged, forcing Beta Team into a chaotic battle. Despite their inexperience, their training held, and they worked in tandem to repel the assault.
Back at HQ Command, Dr. Lewis monitored the live feeds with furrowed brows, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "This doesn't make sense. The Void-tainted energy levels are erratic—too chaotic for Hades's Wrath usual strategy."
General Luis stood rigid, his gaze locked on the holoscreen. "They're testing us. Seeing how far we can stretch before we snap."
Dr. Lewis hesitated, his tone grim. "Then we need to brace for what comes next."
In the shadows of Sector Omega, Obsidian stood before a massive crystalline structure, its surface pulsating with Void energy. Malik knelt beside him, his voice low.
"Both teams have engaged. Their forces are stretched thin."
Obsidian's lips curled into a cold smile. "Perfect. Let them believe they're winning. The moment they think they've regained control…"
He extended a hand toward the crystal, and its glow intensified, projecting an image of both battlefields. "We'll show them how fragile their unity truly is."