The courtyard fell silent, guards dispatched in a series of brutal, precise strikes. Val's voice echoed through the Mind Link, calm and controlled.

Clear the area. Everyone stay sharp. We're not done yet.

The compound's inner sanctum loomed ahead, a series of heavily fortified structures, casting long, ominous shadows across the silent courtyard. Team Unknown regrouped, each member's posture rigid with the tension of an impending confrontation. They had crossed into the heart of the Black Lotus compound, where the elder and his remaining guards would be waiting.

Val surveyed the area from his vantage point, his senses heightened as he scanned for any hidden threats. Through his HUD, he tracked his teammates' movements, their positions marked with faint glows on his display. The sense of something watching, lurking, pressed against his awareness.

Keep your positions tight. We move on my mark, he murmured, his gaze fixed on the central building. Through his HUD, he could see faint heat signatures shifting beyond the thick walls.

Bo gave a soft grunt, gripping his weapon tightly. Copy that, Umbra. Let's get this over with.

As the team moved forward, the faint hum of machinery echoed from within the main building, accompanied by the low murmur of voices. Val tracked the sound, listening for any signs of a trap or ambush. His heightened senses picked up a faint, irregular vibration from behind the door—a mechanical hum, almost imperceptible.

Stand by. Tripwire on the entrance, Val warned, his voice low. He could see the thin line of the tripwire just beneath the door's threshold, nearly invisible. "Terra, can you disarm it?"

Fon stepped forward, his gaze narrowed in concentration as he extended his hand toward the tripwire, a subtle tremor passing through the ground as he manipulated the earth beneath the device. With a quiet, decisive snap, the wire disengaged.

Tripwire neutralized, Fon whispered, giving a slight nod to Val.

Val's gaze remained fixed on the door, his focus razor-sharp. Good. Frost, create a barrier on either side of the entrance—Aura, stand by to cover us.

Bo moved into position, hands outstretched as sheets of ice crept across the ground, forming a protective barricade along the entrance's edges. Riggs took his place beside him, his stance ready, his gaze locked on the dim interior beyond the door.

Val's voice came through the link, calm but carrying an edge of finality. On my mark, we breach.

The silence stretched, the weight of it pressing against them, thick and stifling. Val's senses thrummed, every sound, every heartbeat magnified, the anticipation coiling tight within him.

Three… two… one… go!

Fon moved first, shoving the door open with a forceful push, while Bo's ice barriers locked into place, shielding the team's approach. Riggs slipped in behind them, his gaze sweeping the area, alert and ready to strike.

The room they entered was vast, filled with rows of monitors and control panels that hummed with a dull, mechanical rhythm. Guards stood on either side, weapons raised, their faces masked with determination but tinged with a flicker of fear.

At the far end of the room, flanked by two heavily armored operatives, stood the Black Lotus elder—a figure cloaked in dark robes, his presence commanding, his gaze cold and calculating.

"Team Unknown," he sneered, his voice a venomous hiss. "I've heard rumors of Clareo's ghosts. I see they weren't exaggerated."

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Val's voice dropped to a deadly calm, each word striking with chilling intent.

"After tonight, Black Lotus won't have the chance to recover."

The elder's confidence faltered, a glint of fear flickering in his eyes as he took in the unyielding resolve of the ARM user standing before him.

He raised his hand, signaling his guards, who moved into position with deadly precision. The room exploded into chaos as the guards lunged forward, weapons drawn.

Bo was the first to engage, his ice forming a series of jagged, crystalline barriers that sprang up to intercept incoming attacks. He moved with fluid, controlled motions, his blade slicing through one guard's weapon with a fierce, controlled precision. The metallic clang of steel against ice filled the air, punctuated by the guard's shocked grunt as he staggered back.

Riggs followed suit, his hands raised as a gust of wind whipped through the room, sending two guards sprawling. He moved like a shadow, his blade flashing as he dispatched one with a swift, clean strike, the guard's body crumpling to the floor.

Umbra, east side—more guards incoming! Riggs's voice cut through the noise, his tone calm but laced with urgency.

Val turned, his eyes narrowing as he tracked the incoming reinforcements. His instincts flared, a faint chill crawling up his spine as he sensed an abnormal shift in the energy within the room.

Frost, cover Terra's flank. Aura, hold the line. No one gets through, Val ordered, his voice calm, unyielding.

Fon took his position, hands extended as he destabilized the ground beneath two advancing guards, sending them sprawling with a muffled curse. He shot a grin at Bo. "You're welcome."

Bo smirked, dispatching another guard with a swift strike. "Don't get cocky, Terra. We're just getting started."

Val watched the battle unfold, his heightened senses mapping out each movement, each shift in the environment. He could feel the ebb and flow of the fight, every sound and vibration, the scent of sweat and gunpowder thick in the air.

Then, his gaze flicked back to the elder, who stood at the far end of the room, hands raised as a dark, twisting energy began to coalesce around him. The energy pulsed with a malevolent force, casting an eerie glow across his face.

Val's eyes narrowed, his instincts flaring as he sensed the familiar taint of Void energy within the elder's aura.

"Void energy," he muttered, a cold, calculating edge slipping into his tone. We need to neutralize him before he can unleash it. Terra, create a distraction—Frost, Aura, prepare to engage.

Fon grinned, his hands moving as he sent a tremor through the floor, causing the elder to stagger. Consider it done.

Bo and Riggs moved in unison, their coordinated attack swift and brutal. Bo's ice surged forward, forming spikes that encased the elder's guards, while Riggs's gust of wind sent them crashing into the walls, their cries of pain cutting through the chaos.

Val advanced, his focus locked on the elder. The elder snarled, his dark energy swirling as he lashed out, a pulse of Void-infused power surging toward Val.

Val sidestepped, his movements precise, his heightened senses allowing him to anticipate the elder's attacks. He felt the surge of energy pass mere inches from his skin, the raw, chilling force sending a shiver down his spine.

"You think you can wield the Void?" Val taunted, his voice a low, mocking murmur. "You don't know the first thing about it."

The elder's face twisted in rage, his energy flaring as he lunged forward, his hands wreathed in a dark, malevolent glow. Val met him head-on, his own Void-infused blade clashing against the elder's energy with a violent spark.

Their blades locked, the force of their clash sending a shockwave through the room. Val's grip tightened on his blade, his gaze cold and unyielding as he pushed back, his strength overpowering the elder's in a fierce, unrelenting surge.

"You're out of your league," Val hissed, his voice filled with a quiet, lethal intensity. With a final, brutal strike, he disarmed the elder, his blade slicing through the dark energy, shattering it into fragments that dissipated into the air.

The elder staggered, his eyes wide with shock as he fell to his knees, his hands clutching his chest. Val stood over him, his gaze cold, merciless.

"It's over," Val said, his voice a quiet, deadly whisper.

The elder's gaze flickered with defiance, but the fight had drained from his body. He slumped forward, his breathing shallow, his hands trembling.

HQ crackled through the Mind Link, Dr. Lewis's voice tense with approval. "Objective complete. Team Unknown, prepare for extraction."

Val gave a nod, his gaze sweeping over his team as they regrouped. Each of them showed signs of the battle—dust, faint bruises, a few cuts—but their expressions were triumphant, their postures steady.

Good work, team, Val said, his voice calm, satisfied. Let's move out.

As they made their way back to the extraction point, a faint sense of pride settled within Val. They had faced an elder of Black Lotus, and emerged victorious.

And as they vanished into the night, leaving the smoldering remnants of the compound behind, one thought lingered in Val's mind:

The fight was far from over—but tonight, they had struck a decisive blow.