The hum of activity in HQ Command was almost deafening. Analysts worked at breakneck speed, their screens flooded with chaotic data from the simultaneous battles raging in the western and northern sectors. Amid the chaos, General Luis stood unmoving, his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the holoscreens.

Dr. Lewis leaned over a console, his fingers flying across the keyboard. The live feeds from Team Unknown and Beta Team flickered between bursts of static and unsettlingly vivid images of Void-tainted constructs overwhelming the field. His voice, usually calm, carried an edge of urgency.

"These Void energy patterns…" Dr. Lewis muttered, gesturing toward the feed from the northern sector. "They're not just targeting the terrain. The energy is converging into a single point—a focal node, amplifying the Void's spread across both sectors."

General Luis's expression hardened as he followed Dr. Lewis's analysis. "And destabilizing everything in the area. If the Beta Team doesn't neutralize that node before it fully stabilizes—"

"—it'll cascade," Dr. Lewis finished grimly, his hands gripping the edge of the console. "The northern sector won't just fall—it'll be uninhabitable."

General Luis turned sharply toward the communications officer. "Open a direct channel to Beta Team. They need to eliminate that node immediately—no hesitation."

The officer nodded, relaying the order. General Luis's gaze returned to the screen, his jaw tightening as he focused on the western front.

The feed shifted, displaying the towering crystalline structure that stood at the heart of the Void activity. Shadows writhed around its base, their movements too coordinated to be random.

"This isn't just a staging ground," General Luis said, his tone low and deliberate. "It's a command center. Obsidian's directing his forces from here, anchoring them with this."

Dr. Lewis adjusted his glasses, his voice heavy. "If Team Unknown can destroy it, it might sever his control over the constructs entirely. But if they fail…"

"They won't," General Luis cut in, his voice hard as steel. "Not this team."

Western Sector

The battlefield stretched before Team Unknown like a scene from a nightmare. The crystalline structure loomed in the distance, its pulsating light casting eerie shadows over the rubble-strewn streets. Constructs swarmed the area, their grotesque forms moving in coordinated waves.

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

Overwatch reporting. The structure's energy output is spiking. Hostiles converging on your position—count's over fifty and climbing.

"Fifty," Riggs muttered under his breath, gripping his weapon tighter. "That's enough for a small army."

Ember's sharp gaze flicked toward the plaza. "Then we don't stop moving. Cut through them and keep the pressure on the structure."

Val's shadows coiled at his feet as the burning in his left eye intensified, his vision blurring slightly before clearing again. His voice was steady, edged with determination.

We need to draw their attention away from the plaza. Aura, Frost, and Terra—secure the rear. Lux and I will clear the way forward.

Exeo's voice carried weight, his commands calm and precise.

Maintain formation. Do not get separated. Eagle, keep us updated on any changes.

The team moved as one, their coordinated strikes carving a path through the advancing constructs. Ember's blade ignited with Purple Fire, cutting down three enemies in a single fluid motion. The flames consumed their forms, leaving only ash behind.

Val's shadows lashed out like living entities, wrapping around a massive construct and crushing it into the ground. The burning in his eye sharpened, and Deleo's voice stirred in his mind, a dark undertone to the chaos around him.

"Their numbers grow, yet their coordination falters. Do you see it, Val? Their anchor weakens."

Val pushed forward, his voice firm but laced with urgency. "Then we don't give them time to regroup."

Behind them, Bo and Riggs worked in tandem to secure the rear. Bo's icy mist froze the ground, trapping smaller constructs in their tracks, while Riggs's slicing gusts shattered their immobilized forms. Fon's seismic tremors destabilized the terrain, sending clusters of enemies tumbling into chasms.

We're holding, Bo called out through the Mind Link, his tone strained but steady. But these things just keep coming.

They're stalling, Ember observed, his blade cleaving through another wave. Trying to buy time for whatever's happening at that structure.

Reyes's voice cut through, sharper now.

Confirmed. Energy output from the structure is nearing critical. It's pulling in everything around it—including the constructs.

Exeo's tone turned grim.

Then we finish this now. Lux, Umbra—target the structure directly. Frost, Aura, Terra—hold the line.

Val and Ember surged forward, their combined attacks striking at the base of the crystalline structure. The air vibrated with the force of their blows, the structure's glow dimming momentarily before flaring brighter.

Northern Sector

Beta Team faced their own battle. The focal node pulsed with unstable Void energy, its erratic light casting unsettling shadows across the dense forest. Constructs emerged from the ground in waves, their grotesque forms lunging toward the young operatives with relentless ferocity.

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"Focus fire!" Serra shouted, her mana threads lashing out to entangle an advancing construct. "Keiran, now!"

Keiran absorbed the kinetic force from the creature's charge, redirecting it into a nearby boulder, which exploded into shards, taking out two more constructs.

"Watch your flanks!" Mikael called, his electricity crackling as he unleashed a concentrated blast. The energy surged through a cluster of enemies, leaving their smoldering remains scattered across the battlefield.

Dr. Lewis's voice came through their comms, tense but steady. "Beta Team, listen carefully. That node is destabilizing rapidly. You need to destroy it now—containment is no longer an option."

Serra's tone was resolute. "Understood. Keiran, Mikael—cover me. I'm going in."

The two operatives flanked Serra as she advanced toward the node, her mana threads weaving a protective barrier around her. The Void energy crackled dangerously as she approached, but she didn't falter.

"Now!" she called out, sending her threads surging toward the node. The energy reacted violently, a shockwave rippling outward as the node began to collapse.

Mikael unleashed a final surge of electricity, amplifying the effect, while Keiran redirected the kinetic force of the shockwave back toward the constructs.

The node responded with a violent convulsion, its surface fracturing as arcs of wild Void energy lashed out in all directions. A high-pitched whine filled the air, rising in intensity until it became an ear-splitting screech that forced everyone to grit their teeth in pain.

"Get back!" Serra shouted, her voice barely audible over the cacophony. She pulled her mana threads tight around herself, forming a protective cocoon as the node cracked open entirely.

The explosion that followed was deafening—a thunderous boom that reverberated through the forest, shattering trees and sending a shockwave of raw energy rippling outward. The ground beneath Beta Team heaved like a living beast, uprooting ancient trees and scattering debris in all directions.

Keiran braced himself, but the sheer force of the shockwave knocked him off his feet, slamming him into a boulder with a sickening thud. He groaned, clutching his side as pain lanced through his ribs.

Mikael, caught mid-charge, was thrown backward by the blast. His body hit the ground hard, rolling through the dirt and debris until he came to a stop against a broken tree trunk. Sparks of residual electricity crackled faintly around him as he struggled to catch his breath.

Serra, closest to the node, let out a sharp cry as the concussive force broke through her barrier. Her mana threads flickered, unraveling as the energy overwhelmed them. She hit the ground hard, gasping as the breath was knocked from her lungs.

The sound of groaning timber filled the air as massive trees collapsed, their trunks splintering under the force of the blast. Shards of crystalline debris from the node rained down, some embedding themselves into the ground while others melted into volatile pools of Void-tainted energy.

Amid the chaos, Keiran managed to push himself to his knees, blood trickling from a gash on his forehead. "Everyone—sound off!" he rasped, his voice hoarse.

Mikael coughed violently, his voice strained as he called out. "Alive… barely." He winced, attempting to sit up but immediately hissing in pain as his shoulder protested the movement.

Serra's voice came next, weak but steady. "I'm here… I think. Threads are down—can't reinforce."

Keiran scanned the area, his vision blurred but focused enough to take in the scene.

The forest was unrecognizable. Smoldering craters pockmarked the ground, and thick smoke obscured the canopy above. The remnants of the node flickered faintly, its energy dissipating into the surrounding air like dying embers.

In the distance, guttural growls rose from the remaining Void constructs. Though the node's destruction had wiped out most of them, a few had survived, their movements jerky but purposeful as they stumbled through the wreckage.

"Serra, can you stand?" Keiran called, his tone urgent.

She nodded faintly, using her remaining mana threads to pull herself upright. Her legs wobbled, but she steadied herself against a nearby tree. "I'm good," she said, though her pale face betrayed the strain she was under.

Keiran gritted his teeth, hauling Mikael to his feet. "We're not out of this yet. Those constructs aren't stopping."

Mikael shook his head, his voice laced with frustration. "We don't have the strength to take another wave."

"Then we don't fight them head-on," Serra interjected, her voice firm despite her injuries. "We fall back to the extraction point. Regroup there."

The growls grew louder, accompanied by the sound of snapping branches and heavy footsteps. Keiran's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. "Move now. I'll cover the rear."

Mikael hesitated, glancing at Keiran. "Don't get yourself killed."

"Just go," Keiran snapped, his hands already glowing faintly as he prepared to absorb the incoming force.

As Serra and Mikael stumbled toward the extraction point, Keiran turned to face the advancing constructs. He planted his feet firmly, bracing for impact as the first creature lunged toward him.

The sound of claws scraping against stone echoed through the air as Keiran caught the construct mid-charge, redirecting its momentum into a nearby tree with a deafening crash. He grunted, the strain evident as he faced the next attacker.

From the distance, Serra turned briefly, her mana threads sparking weakly as she shouted, "Keiran, fall back now!"

Keiran hesitated for a split second before disengaging, his breaths ragged as he sprinted toward his teammates.

The constructs gave chase, but their movements were slower, hindered by the lingering effects of the node's destruction.

Back in HQ command, Dr. Lewis's screen flashed violently, an unexpected surge of energy readings lighting up the console in a blinding array of red. A deafening static rang through the Mind Link, followed by a faint, concussive roar that made him flinch.

"What was that?" Dr. Lewis demanded, his voice sharp as his fingers flew across the keyboard. "The northern sector… the node—it's gone critical!"

General Luis stepped forward, his expression hardening. "Report. What happened?"

The response came not from the data streams, but from Beta Team themselves.

Keiran's voice crackled through the Mind Link, strained and hoarse.

We… took out the node. Explosion… massive. We're alive, but barely. Can't… stay much longer.

Across the Mind Link, Team Unknown—engaged in the thick of the western battle—froze momentarily as the feedback from the northern sector surged through their shared connection. Ember's blade paused mid-swing, its purple flames dimming slightly.

That… They're compromised.

Val gritted his teeth as his shadows lashed out to cleave through an approaching construct. "Beta Team took out the node, but at what cost?"

Exeo's tone was calm but clipped. "Focus on the task at hand. They completed their mission. So will we."

Back in HQ Command, Dr. Lewis's face darkened as a faint whine of residual Void-tainted energy emanated from the northern sector's feed. The readings were erratic, distorted, like an aftershock reverberating through the system.

"That node wasn't just neutralized," Dr. Lewis muttered, his voice heavy. "It imploded. Whatever energy it contained… it's destabilizing the entire sector. Those kids—"

"They survived," General Luis cut in firmly, his sharp gaze focused on the western sector's live feed. "And they bought us the time we needed. Team Unknown will finish this."

Dr. Lewis exhaled sharply, his hands gripping the edge of the console as the crystalline structure in the western sector pulsed ominously. He could feel the weight of the battlefield, the energy crackling in his ears like static.

Across both sectors, the tension thickened. The northern sector was stabilizing, but at great cost, and the western sector's final confrontation was imminent.

Every sound, every heartbeat over the Mind Link seemed amplified, the fate of Clareo teetering on the edge of the abyss.