The day of the joint mission had arrived. The briefing would take place at Clareo's base camp, and although it was their camp, the Blue Army—who had once fought Team Unknown—were the first to arrive.

But first, General Luis called Exeo's team to his office. He didn't waste words.

"Exeo, I heard you weren't well last night," he said, his face a stone mask.

Exeo met his gaze firmly. "I'm fine, sir. It won't affect the mission."

General Luis nodded. "Good. Clareo will provide transport and support, but stay vigilant—this could turn into an ambush."

Clareo was the main Bellator Army base and the most powerful stronghold on the continent. A joint mission starting there made it clear that whatever lay ahead was no ordinary operation.

"Remember," the General added, "stick to our original plan. Do your part, but keep your objective in sight."

"Yes, sir!" all five answered in unison.

As they walked to Clareo's camp, the general asked, "Will you still keep silent with them?"

Ember answered, "We'll speak, but only minimally—and with voice changers. No need for them to recognize us."

The general simply nodded.

At the camp, the five from Team Unknown activated their voice changers. Clad in their distinctive black hooded cloaks and masks, they filed behind General Luis, who was already a respected figure among the camp's guards and soldiers. Their presence turned heads, but they quickly settled down for the joint briefing.

Inside the tent, the briefing began. The target: a village at the base of Mount Churli, nestled along the border between Clareo and Klivro. They'd set out at nightfall.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the teams assembled at the helicopters Clareo had provided. Within moments, they were airborne, the terrain dark and empty below. Mid-flight, one of the Bellator brothers noticed something: a building looming in the shadowed landscape.

Ramon, the Blue Army captain, ordered his pilot to hover over the structure for a closer look. After assessing, they landed nearby. Exeo's team followed suit.

Both units moved with caution, scanning the grounds.

Ramon assigned two scouts from his team, Johnathan and James, to explore the perimeter. Exeo ordered Riggs and Bo to scout separately, out of sight from Ramon's men. Riggs halted at a large, locked door, listening carefully.

"Mind Link active," Riggs reported back to Exeo. No guards outside, and the ones inside look drugged.

A frown creased Exeo's face. 'It's too quiet,' he thought, sharing his suspicions with Ember. This doesn't feel right.

After conferring with the team via Mind Link, Exeo directed Bo and Riggs to stay nearby while Val would scout further.

Meanwhile, the Blue Army was noisily finalizing their own plans to enter, which only made Ember roll his eyes.

Seems like they're all in some kind of sleep mode, Val confirmed back to Exeo. Spell or drugs, most likely.

Exactly, Ember said. There should be some kind of defense, but there's nothing.

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Riggs, always observant, used his Wind ability to search for anyone else in the area.

He spotted a figure—a lone woman, alert and hostile. Wasting no time, he subdued her and brought her to the team.

She was beginning to stir as they regrouped, her angelic face framed by short, curly brown hair. The Blue Army's captain, Ramon, turned to see her in Riggs's arms, surprised.

"What happened?" Ramon asked sharply.

Riggs set the woman down. "She came at me; I knocked her out."

"And the target?" Ramon's gaze hardened.

"No trace," Riggs replied. "Not a sign he's even been here."

Exeo's gut twisted. If the target wasn't here, and if the Blue Army was supposed to be helping them… this was starting to look like a trap. He quickly signaled his team to retreat.

As they moved, Ramon and his team moved with them into the building.

Exeo's instincts screamed a warning—he unsheathed his sword, purple flames flaring as he blocked a sudden attack from Ramon. Their weapons clashed, the explosion from the impact sending Ramon's men sprawling.

Through the smoke, Exeo signaled to his team, Fall back. We were right—trap confirmed.

Ramon emerged from the haze, a smirk on his face. "Impressive, Team Unknown. I didn't think you'd figure it out so quickly."

Exeo said nothing, only stood his ground, his team prepared behind him.

"So you'll stay silent to the end?" Ramon sneered, raising his blade.

The Battle Ensues

Exeo engaged Ramon directly, deflecting rapid strikes as his own purple-flamed sword clashed against Ramon's blade with sparks flying, creating a fierce echo through the halls.

Each move from Exeo was deliberate, evading Ramon's powerful blows and countering with precision, his focus absolute.

Ramon grinned, equally skilled, taunting with every strike, determined to test the strength of Team Unknown's leader.

While Exeo fought Ramon, Ember took command of the rest of the team. He sent Bo to hold the left flank while Riggs making sure that the woman is safe while unconscious, creating Wind barriers to keep Clareo soldiers at bay.

Val moved with razor-sharp reflexes, his energy blade flashing as he dodged and countered two soldiers rushing him.

Bo's power pulsed as he created a wall of energy that deflected several attackers' advance. One soldier managed to breach his guard, but with a quick turn and energy-infused punch, Bo sent him sprawling backward. Riggs spotted an archer in the distance taking aim; he raised his hand, sending a concentrated gust that knocked the bow clean out of the archer's hands.

Ember said, Val, you're able to teleport from here to where brother is, right?

Val nodded and realized what Ember meant. He meant to assist their brother, while Ember and Bo would hold the rest of Ramon's team here.

When Val was running ahead, he made an upward motion using the sword, a portal appeared and soon vanished, which shocked the rest of Ramon's team.

One of them said, "Shit! Someone from their team can teleport and is going back!" However, it was already too late.

When Val joined the fight, he used no special abilities, letting the shadow inside his mind speak.

At that moment, his shadow's voice emerged, low and persuasive.

The Shadow's Revelation

"See that mark on Ramon's gear?" the shadow whispered. "That relic is no ordinary ornament; it could unlock a seal within your power."

Val's heart skipped a beat, but his focus remained on the battle.

"Are you sure?" he thought in reply.

"Yes," the shadow confirmed, its voice smooth as silk. "That relic has connections to the ancient ruins you explored with Ember. With it, you could amplify your abilities—perhaps even awaken something dormant."

Val's eyes darkened behind his mask. To Ember over the Mind Link, he said, I think I've found something related to my eye seal. I'll need to act here.

Ember paused, then replied, Then tell Exeo—he'll watch your back.

Exeo had already heard, and his jaw tightened. He kicked Ramon back, his next strike precise and powerful. Ramon hit the wall with a dull thud. In seconds, Exeo closed the distance and struck, knocking Ramon unconscious.

Exeo said to the rest of the team, Hold off the rest of Ramon's team from coming here.

The rest of Exeo's team answered in unison with Roger.

As the rest of Team Unknown engaged Ramon's team outside, Exeo and Val examined Ramon's gear.

After a moment's search, Val found a small pouch. Inside was a smooth stone marked with an ancient symbol—identical to the one he'd seen in the ruins.

Holding the relic, Val felt a faint pulse, the stone emitting a dim, purplish glow.

For a moment, his surroundings blurred, the weight of the relic making his senses throb. He stumbled back, nearly losing his footing, but the touch of Exeo's hand on his shoulder steadied him, anchoring him in the present.

A distant sound, like a bell's chime, resonated in his mind, pulling him back from the edge of darkness.