[Location: Hidden Village – Abandoned Island – Nusa Union – Morning – Year: 1092 Ad Felicitas]
The armored figures reached the village entrance, triggering a chain of ice explosions as Luna’s rune trap, Glacialis Burst, detonated beneath their feet, The ground hissed faintly before a piercing crack split the air.
A thunderous boom followed, shaking the frost-laden earth as shards of ice erupted upward, slicing through the air like shattered glass.
Alma flinched, clapping her hands over her ears as the freezing mist settled, leaving only jagged, lifeless fragments where the intruders once stood.
From the distance, however, a volley of projectiles rained down on the village defenders. They raised their shields in unison, holding the line.
Meanwhile, Luna and Alma unleashed a barrage of ice and fire spells, their attacks weaving together seamlessly with the efforts of the village defenders, forming a synchronized assault on the enemy's frontline.
At the same time, Dheandita and Devita worked frantically, evacuate the remaining villagers, urgency written across their faces as the chaos intensified.
Drifter remained locked in combat with Virendra, his gaze flicking toward the enemy formation in the distance, where a figure clad in azure armor stood at the front. They hadn’t moved an inch.
Refocusing on his opponent, Drifter dissolved into a flurry of blue particles, reappearing in a blink as he slashed at Virendra with Exaltare. The dark gray blade struck one of Virendra’s metallic tails, which quickly shifted into a defensive formation, deflecting the blow. In an instant, the appendages retaliated with a barrage of razor-sharp thrusts. Drifter twisted, dodging the onslaught by ducking low, countering with another swift strike.
It was futile. Every strike Drifter made was met by Virendra’s metallic tails, which shifted seamlessly to parry the attacks, retaliating with an unyielding flurry of thrusts.
“Never seen anyone fight like this… This won’t be easy,” Drifter thought, his gaze sharpening as he teleported once again, creating distance between himself and Virendra.
As Drifter materialized three glowing blue sigils hovering in the air around him, he raised his left hand. In an instant, a volley of shimmering blue projectiles streaked through the air toward Virendra. The onslaught kicked up a cloud of dust, obscuring the view.
When the dust settled, Virendra was no longer there.
Suddenly, Virendra appeared above Drifter, descending with a crushing strike from his five Vajrastra metallic tails.
Drifter narrowly dodged, but without warning, the tails erupted from the ground beneath him, launching a devastating ambush. His natural barrier flared a brilliant blue, absorbing the impact just in time.
As Virendra's metallic tails embedded into the ground, Drifter teleported behind him, his blade raised to strike.
But in a seamless motion, one of the Vajrastra tails morphed into a massive trident, blocking the strike with a deafening clash that reverberated across the battlefield.
The impact of the clash sent Drifter hurtling backward, crashing into a nearby tree. Before he could regain his footing, Virendra closed the distance, his trident, Vajrastra Trishula, poised to pierce straight through Drifter’s heart.
Reacting in a split second, Drifter’s Spectral Swords materialized around him in a defensive formation, deflecting both the trident’s strike and the relentless thrusts from Virendra’s metallic tails.
With a surge of power, Drifter unleashed a barrage of Exalt Edge. Arcing blue slashes tore through the air toward Virendra.
Spinning his trident, Virendra deflected the first strike while his Vajrastra metallic tails blocked the rest in perfect sync, scattering bursts of light with each impact.
While Virendra focused on fending off the relentless assault before him, Drifter’s Spectral Swords moved silently through the trees.
Without warning, they shifted into an attacking formation, striking at his exposed back. A surge of green energy flared as Virendra's natural barrier activated, absorbing the blow.
In an instant, he turned and deflected the remaining barrage of Spectral Swords, but Drifter teleported and appeared directly behind him.
"Azure Tempest," Drifter murmured under his breath, his voice steady and calm.
Drifter and his Spectral Swords blurred into afterimages, a storm of sapphire slashes streaking through the air as they closed in on Virendra. In a single, fluid motion, Virendra's weapon shifted, morphing into dual Kris Blades.
"Stormfang Dance," Virendra voice calm yet deadly.
The forest erupted into a whirlwind of afterimages, as Drifter and Virendra danced through the air, their movements leaving trails of blue and green slashes.
The clash of steel echoed through the woods, sparks flying as the blue and green flashes illuminated their surroundings.
Trees fell one by one, trunks sliced cleanly through, while the ground became a patchwork of deep slash marks.
As the assault ceased, Drifter’s eyes widened, both of them panting heavily. Virendra, however, remained calm, his expression unreadable.
At the village entrance, the armored Venators launched projectiles to cover the retreat of their frontline, which had been overwhelmed by the defenders. Luna’s gaze flicked over them, suspicion gnawing at her.
Retreat? Just like that? Something’s off, Luna thought to herself.
“Elijah, we need to leave. Now,” Luna said, glancing at one of the defenders—Elijah, a Nereid man with shaggy blue hair.
“Now? But we’re winning! We can thin their numbers, maybe even annihilate them so they can't pursue us!” Elijah argued.
“That’s exactly what they want you to think,” Luna replied. “I’m sorry, but we need to get to the ship now. Let’s move, Alma.” She grabbed Alma’s arm, urgency in her voice.
As Luna and Alma moved with hurried steps, their Exalt Barriers and Ice Shields protected them from the projectiles as they made their way toward the cove.
As she tried to materialize another Exalt Barrier, Alma accidentally looked up at the sky, her eyes widening in shock.
The green sigils—once vibrant and unmistakable—now flickered weakly, their glow fading into the vastness above.
“Everyone, look above! NOW!” Alma shouted.
Luna looked up briefly, then quickly activated her Lumina core on her wrist.
“Drifter, retreat now! We’ll be waiting for you on the ship,” Luna called via ARF comms.
Elijah glanced at the sky.
“Men, fall back!” he shouted.
Heavy footsteps filled the air around them as Alma and Luna ran, their breaths quick and shallow.
In the woods, Drifter faced Virendra, who suddenly raised his arm. Green sigils swirled to life in his hand, their glow ominous.
Drifter scanned the surroundings, his eyes narrowing as he noticed more sigils forming in the sky above.
His jaw clenched, and with a surge of focus, he activated his Exalt Shift, vanishing in a blur of blue particles.
“Tempest Cage,” Virendra intoned, his voice low and commanding.
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Beneath the sigil, now fully formed, the air around the village grew heavy, and the ground trembled.
In an instant, four green lights flared to life, encircling the village and forming a box-shaped barrier.
Alma and Luna stood near the edge, but the others weren’t so fortunate.
Alma’s eyes locked onto Alba, his fists pounding desperately against the barrier, his face pale with terror. The other defenders followed suit, their frantic pounding echoing through the tense silence.
“Help!” Alba’s voice cracked, raw with fear.
Alma's hands trembled at her sides, her heart hammering against her ribs. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead as she caught her lower lip between her teeth.
But in the next breath, her fingers steadied, weaving through the air with deadly precision. She spun on her heel, unleashing a torrent of blazing fireballs that streaked toward the emerald barrier like angry comets.
The explosion of magic rang out with a force that shook the ground, but the barrier remained unyielding.
The defenders pressed on, their weapons clashing against the wall in a futile rhythm. Explosions rang out with each impact.
Alma whirled around to find Alba's wide eyes fixed on her, his bloodless knuckles slamming against the barrier. Raw, desperate screams tore from his throat as he beat against the translucent wall.
Then, suddenly, a flash of a young girl with pink hair surfaced in her mind—her expression lost in the dark forest, the flames licking the sky around them.
One of the girls had run, abandoning the other to the fire, her figure swallowed by the smoke.
“I won’t run!” Alma shouted, her voice fierce.
Alma continued to launch a barrage of fireballs, but the barrier remained unyielding, impenetrable.
Luna stood a few steps away, silent, her long black hair swaying with the shockwaves from Alma’s fireballs slamming against the green barrier.
Her gaze was distant, unblinking, as the chaos unfolded around her.
Slowly, the air began to warp. A massive tornado began to take form within the confines of the barrier, vast and hungry, its swirling winds pulling at the very earth. The defenders, including Alba, were dragged toward its heart, their bodies trembling as the pull grew stronger.
Alma’s chest tightened as she saw Alba’s face twist in sheer panic. His body was nearly weightless, pulled inexorably toward the center of the storm. The sound of his cries was swallowed by the deafening roar of the tornado.
“No...” Alma whispered, her breath catching in her throat.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. Her hand clenched into a fist, nails digging into her palm as she watched helplessly.
Luna, unmoving, barely seemed to notice the destruction as it swept across the village. She stared at the storm, her face unreadable.
When the green barrier finally faded, all that remained was the quiet hum of devastation—ruin and wreckage scattered across the land.
Alma took a step forward, but her movement faltered as she felt a gentle grip on her wrist. She turned, her gaze meeting Luna’s, whose eyes were downcast, shadowed by a quiet sorrow.
“Don’t... you already know...” Luna said softly.
Alma bit her lip, then turned away and walked down to the cove with Luna beside her.
There, Drifter, Devita, and Dheandita were already waiting near the ship.
“Where are the others?” Devita asked, her eyes wide.
“We're the only ones left,” Luna replied.
Devita gritted her teeth, turned away, and they began board the ship. The villager with the wind element used their power to create wind currents, guiding the ship through the water with their sail.
On the ship, Drifter glanced at Luna and Alma. They sat together, shoulders hunched, staring blankly ahead, the air around them thick with silence.
His hands tightened into fists, knuckles white as his jaw clenched.
Back in the woods, the sound of heavy footsteps approached Virendra, but he calmly observed the space where Drifter had vanished.
His shoulders tensed, then relaxed as pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. The calm mask of his face cracked for just a moment, revealing a glint of recognition in his eyes.
“Major, look! They’re escaping with wooden ship...” Lance pointed to the distant sea.
"Should we finish them off now?"
"No. We’ll catch the bigger fish. Gather everything from the village. We’re done here." Virendra said as he turned his back toward his Alcherider.
“Huh? Alright then.” Lance raised an eyebrow.
As the armored figures and Lance scoured the village, the corpses still lay scattered among the wreckage, but they ignored them. After a final sweep, they mounted their Alcheriders and rode off.
[Location: Jaladri Ocean – Noon – Year: 1092 Ad Felicitas]
The wooden ship cut through the water, despite the lack of wind. Some villager aboard wove their hands through the air.
The wind, their silent ally, stirred to life at their command, as though the very elements bent to their will.
The villagers, their faces a mix of exhaustion and determination, some of them in tears, sat scattered across the ships.
Alma sat beside Devita and Dheandita, her eyes scanning the horizon. Drifter and Luna were nearby, keeping their watch.
"Something’s not right..." Luna murmured.
"If they’ve been tracking us this whole time, the base... it’s too risky."
Hearing that, Devita sighed, her gaze distant. Her lips parted as if she wanted to speak, but they remained closed. Then, she turned her attention to Drifter, her feline ears catching his voice.
"They’re probably using Enchanted Sight to track us. Anything the villagers left behind—clothes, tools, even scraps—they’ll be able to follow." said Drifter.
"Enchanted Sight?" Dheandita asked, confusion in her voice.
"It’s an ability to track us by picking up faint traces of Evocyte energy left behind. They can find us sooner or later..." Drifter explained.
"So... what now?" Devita asked, her tone laced with concern.
"We lay low. Find an uninhabited island—somewhere out of sight. We’ll hide there for twenty-four hours, long enough to throw off their trail. After that, they’ll lose our scent." Drifter said with resolve.
"But don’t get too comfortable," he added. "If they realize we’re not moving, not taking the bait—they’ll come for us again."
"We also need to hide the ship," Luna said, her voice firm. "If they find them, they'll target them first. We can’t afford to make that mistake."
"Understood. We’ll move quickly once we find a place. No room for error." Devita affirmed.
Alma scanned the surroundings, the sound of constant crying piercing the air. Her gaze settled on Dawn, the Capriae girl, her heart aching as seeing the girl tremble with tears.
Dawn’s small frame shook with each sob, her eyes wide with disbelief, her body unable to stop its tremors.
Alma hesitated for a moment, then slowly placed her hand on Dawn’s trembling shoulder, a soft touch to offer some kind of comfort.
“…He’s gone…” Dawn’s voice cracked, her words barely a whisper. Her hands clutched at the air, as if trying to hold onto something that no longer existed.
“I… I…” Dawn struggled to find the words, her face scrunched in pain, tears falling in silent rivers down her cheeks.
Alma stood still, her gaze gentle. She closed her eyes briefly, a soft exhale escaping her lips.
She parted her mouth, but the words didn’t come, and then closed it again, repeating the motion. Finally, after a long moment, she whispered,
“I’m sorry…”
Dheandita approached, her expression unreadable at first. Slowly, her face softened, mirroring the silent understanding that had settled in Alma’s features.
She said nothing, only moving closer, her presence steady, deliberate. A faint tremor ran through her fingers before she curled them into a fist at her side.
As she gazed at Dawn for a long time, Dheandita’s mind drifted to the underwater village—the soft glow of bioluminescence, laughter drifting with the current. Then the armored figures arrived.
Dark emerald plating gleamed, sleek helmets hiding their faces. Weapons gleamed cold and unyielding. Without a word, they moved, seizing villagers and dragging them into the shadows, one by one.
Her thoughts shifted to the mines—endless hours using telekinesis to pry blue crystals from jagged walls. The weight of it sank deeper with each motion. But she could still feel the silver-haired man and the long-haired woman, their hands gentle on her shoulder, their eyes soft with silent comfort.
The memory shifted again—her legs burning as she ran. But when she glanced back, the man and woman had stopped. No fear. No struggle. Only calm.
"You must live."
Dheandita’s breath hitched. The memory gripped her chest, squeezing the air from her lungs.
“Not again.”
[Location: Maranagara Underwater City – Maranagara Administration Office – Morning – Year: 1092 Ad Felicitas]
In his high-rise office, Sarvan leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the polished edge of his desk. His gaze flicked to Lance, a faint smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
“Well, congrats, you two. Nice work out there.” He glanced at Lance, his tone laced with amusement. “See, Lance? That’s how it’s done.”
Lance only nodded, clenching his fist silently behind him.
Sarvan raised an eyebrow, his expression turning a little less pleased.
"Hmm. So why didn’t you finish them off, Virendra?"
"Just use Enchanted Sight to track them. It's easy. If you want, you can capture or kill them now. But..." Virendra's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "If they're foolish enough, they'll lead us straight to the Resistance's main base."
Sarvan's eyes lit up, a mix of admiration and surprise flashing across his face.
"Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Thanks, my friend."
Virendra nodded slightly, already turning to leave, his voice flat.
"No problem. I’ll catch you later."
Lance, his voice edging with impatience as he stood to follow Virendra, added, "If you’ll excuse me..." He headed for the door, his tone dismissive but still polite.
Sarvan glanced at the door as Virendra left, exhaling slowly as he pushed himself from his chair. His eyes lingered on the empty space where Virendra had stood, then flicked to the Lumina Core strapped to his wrist.
With a swift motion, he activated the Lumina Core, his fingers brushing across the holographic interface.
A brief pause as the connection was established, and then he keyed in the message.
The mission had been a success. Sarvan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he composed the report. Once the message was sent, he leaned back in his chair, content.
Outside, Virendra strode through the narrow corridors of the underwater city tower, his footsteps silent on the polished floors. He paused at a large window, his gaze lingering on the vast expanse of ocean beyond. The soft glow of the city illuminated the deep blue waters, but his attention was fixed elsewhere, a thoughtful frown pulling at his features.
A quiet chuckle escaped him, his eyes narrowing with interest. He activated his Lumina Core, and a holographic display flickered to life, revealing three identity cards.
“Garen Vexler, Jax Kade, and Drake Rosier... Interesting... very interesting.” His voice barely rose above a whisper.
A smile curled at the corners of his lips, his fingers tapping the glass in steady rhythm. Thoughts unravelled in quiet calculation, each piece falling into place. The ocean swirled in hues beyond the window, but his focus remained sharp.
He turned from the glass, the smile still lingering on his lips, eyes alight with anticipation.