The tension in HQ was almost palpable as Dr. Lewis prepared Ember and Exeo for their deployment. The entire team, even those used to high-stakes missions, watched with anticipation. Dr. Lewis, holding two sleek black masks, looked between the two brothers.
"These masks are a new model," he began, handing one to Ember and one to Exeo. "HUD equipped, enhanced with night vision, thermal capabilities, and a comms overlay directly synced to HQ. Should be a useful upgrade for you two."
Ember took his mask, turning it over in his hands with an exaggerated awe, his eyes wide as if he were a child receiving his first weapon.
"Oh, look at this beauty!" he exclaimed, voice brimming with enthusiasm. "Can't believe how far tech has come! Back in my day—"
Exeo, beside him,—rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he shot Ember a flat look. "Ember, just put the mask on," he said, sounding thoroughly unimpressed. Dr. Lewis gave an exasperated sigh as he, too, shook his head, clearly used to Ember's antics.
Val, Bo, Riggs, and Fon snickered quietly in the background. Bo nudged Riggs with a smirk. "Guess some things never change," he muttered.
Ember finally donned the mask, letting out a satisfied hum as the HUD flickered to life. "Now this… this is what I call a proper upgrade. Dr. Lewis, you've outdone yourself." His tone was so dramatic it bordered on mock reverence.
Dr. Lewis raised an eyebrow, not even trying to hide his exasperation. "Ember, please—save your admiration for after the mission. You're both deploying in five seconds."
The brothers hardly had a chance to brace themselves as the teleport engaged, sending them directly to the mission site. The live feed flickered on at HQ, displaying the shadowy expanse of forest surrounding the target.
On the screen, they could see Ember and Exeo standing firm in the middle of their deployment point, both steady as stone. There was none of the usual nausea that plagued first moments after teleportation.
Ember's voice crackled over the comms, laced with excitement. That was fast! Now, that's teleportation done right.
In HQ, Dr. Lewis just sighed, visibly deflating at Ember's reaction. "Why am I not surprised…" he murmured under his breath.
Exeo shot a glance at his brother, one that HQ didn't need words to interpret as: Focus.
HQ, including Val, felt a chill run down their spines as Exeo's voice echoed through the comms. His tone was cold, composed, and lethal, reminding them of the notorious force he and Ember had once been.
The two moved silently, slipping through the darkness, each step precise and calculated. HQ watched their figures blend seamlessly into the shadowed terrain, their targets unaware of the predators lurking just meters away.
Five guards at the perimeter, armed and cloaked, Exeo murmured, scanning the terrain through his HUD. He could see the faint distortions in the air where the guards were camouflaged, but it was only a minor obstacle.
Ember crouched beside him, a cruel grin twisting his lips as he summoned the faintest flicker of Purple Fire to his hand, his fingers flexing with barely-contained energy.
On your mark, Exeo.
Exeo's voice was a deadly whisper, chilling and composed. Three…two…one…engage.
Ember moved first, lunging from the shadows, his hand igniting with a fierce, otherworldly flame that twisted into the shape of claws. The first guard had only a split second to react before Ember's hand plunged into his chest, the Purple Fire searing straight through skin and bone, bypassing flesh to attack the very essence of his being. The guard's scream was cut short as his body slumped, his face frozen in an expression of pure agony as his soul was consumed in an instant.
The next guard spun around, but Ember was already upon him, raking his claws down the man's torso. The Purple Fire claw marks seared through armor and flesh alike, leaving raw, bloody gashes that sizzled with a sickening stench of charred bone. The guard's eyes went wide with terror as he stumbled back, clutching his chest as his body convulsed, his spirit ripped from his flesh in a final, silent scream.
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Exeo took his side of the perimeter with the same brutal efficiency. His approach was quiet, deadly, the air around him thickening as he summoned a sweeping arc of Purple Fire that flared from his palm. The first guard fell before he even saw Exeo approach, his body crumpling as the flame consumed his soul from the inside, leaving only a cold, empty shell in its wake.
A second guard raised his weapon, but Exeo's gaze turned cold as ice. His hand shot out, and with a flick of his wrist, a tendril of fire coiled around the man's throat, squeezing. The guard gagged, clawing at the flame as it constricted, his skin blistering and cracking as the fire squeezed tighter.
Exeo's face remained impassive beneath the mask as the man's soul shriveled, his body collapsing in a heap, eyes glassy and lifeless.
Val watched from HQ, an odd mix of pride and unease twisting in his gut.
This was the brutality his brothers had been infamous for—the chilling, methodical destruction that had left their enemies paralyzed with terror. Bo, Riggs, and Fon exchanged uneasy glances as they watched the live feed, awestruck and unnerved.
The forest was quiet once more, the silence almost suffocating as the last guard fell. Exeo's voice cut through the comms, his tone calm and commanding.
Perimeter secure. Moving on to the next target.
As they moved toward the main structure, Ember's face split into a sadistic grin beneath his mask. These fools have no idea what's coming.
In the distance, the compound loomed—a crude, makeshift bunker surrounded by a final layer of guards. The elder of Black Lotus resided within, heavily guarded and shrouded in his own illusions. Exeo's HUD tracked their movements, marking each enemy's position.
A faint rustle, and Exeo's cold voice came over the link. Ember, three guards at the east entrance. I'll take the left.
Ember's laughter came through, low and almost manic. With pleasure.
They moved in, and the bloodshed began in earnest. Ember's first strike was brutal—a punch laced with Purple Fire that burst through the guard's chest, scattering viscera across the forest floor.
He yanked his hand free, blood dripping down his arm as he swung around, slashing another guard across the throat with his claws. Blood sprayed from the wound, painting the trees in a dark crimson as the man staggered, gurgling and clutching his throat before collapsing in a lifeless heap.
Exeo moved like a shadow, his steps silent as he ghosted through the guards, each kill methodical and terrifying. One guard raised his weapon, but Exeo's fist connected with the man's jaw, shattering bone in an instant. Blood splattered across Exeo's mask as he twisted the man's neck with a sickening crunch, letting the lifeless body fall to the ground, his gaze cold and unfeeling.
The final guard tried to run, but Ember's laughter rang out, his voice filled with a chilling amusement. "Going somewhere?"
He extended his hand, and a burst of flame enveloped the guard's legs, setting flesh and fabric alight. The man's screams filled the air as he stumbled, clawing at the ground, his skin blistering and blackening under the intense heat.
Ember watched, his grin widening as he let the fire spread, reducing the man to little more than a charred husk.
Val felt a chill, the memories of training under his older brothers flooding back as he watched Exeo's precision and Ember's brutal creativity in combat. The two moved with a lethal grace, their HUDs highlighting every movement, every pulse of energy from their targets as they dismantled the guards with chilling ease.
In HQ, the tension was thick as Bo, Riggs, and Fon watched in awe and slight discomfort, clearly unused to seeing this level of carnage. Fon whispered, "I… knew they were lethal, but…"
Bo nodded, his voice equally subdued. "They're a different breed. Makes our team look like rookies."
With the perimeter secured, the brothers advanced toward the bunker, their boots crunching over blood-soaked soil.
Exeo's voice was low and dangerous as he assessed the final structure. Three guards at the front entrance. Elder is within.
Ember cracked his knuckles, the flames dancing along his fingers. Let's make this quick.
The two Bellator brothers charged forward, unleashing a wave of carnage unlike anything HQ had seen. Ember launched himself into the fray, slashing through one guard with a diagonal slice that left the man's torso split open, blood pouring from the gaping wound as he fell.
Exeo, with a flick of his hand, sent a stream of fire directly into the last guard's eyes, the flames burrowing into his skull and incinerating him from the inside. The guard's screams were cut short as his body crumpled, smoke billowing from his charred remains.
In HQ, the team watched in silence, their expressions a mix of awe and trepidation. Dr. Lewis muttered, "They haven't lost a single step… if anything, they've only grown more lethal."
At last, they reached the elder's chamber. The man stood, his face twisted with fear, the stench of blood and burning flesh filling the room. Ember took a step forward, his face a mask of cold fury, as he raised his hand and unleashed a torrent of flame that engulfed the elder, the fire consuming his very essence in seconds. The elder's eyes widened, a silent scream frozen on his face as his soul was torn from his body, disintegrating into ash.
Back at HQ, the live feed flickered, and silence fell as the mission was marked complete. Val, Bo, Riggs, and Fon sat back, each of them processing the brutal efficiency of the Bellator brothers' assault.
Dr. Lewis leaned back, exhaling as he watched the final moments of the feed. "Mission complete. Welcome back, Ember and Exeo… you two haven't lost your touch."