The corridors were a blur as they made their way to the staging area, where resistance members were gearing up for the mission. Finn was already there, but Dante quickly steered him and Mira away from the active preparations, reminding them to stay back and help with coordination inside the shelter. Despite their desire to be involved, it was clear that the others were protective of them, and for good reason.
Estelle noticed the shift in Finn’s expression—disappointment mixed with understanding. Mira, on the other hand, looked equally torn, her eyes filled with worry as she glanced at Estelle. Before they left, Finn gave Estelle a small nod, silently wishing her luck, while Mira whispered, “Be careful,” her voice barely audible.
As they prepared to move out, Dante handed Estelle her sword—the same one she had left behind in their room earlier that morning at his request. The weapon was familiar, worn from countless battles, its weight both comforting and sobering. “Stick close to Iris and protect her,” Dante said. There was an unspoken warning in his eyes—a reminder that they were still unsure of who she truly was.
Estelle nodded, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly. She could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on her, but she forced herself to stay calm. This was what she was trained for, what she had spent years doing. While she had often fought alone as a Hunter, she also had experience fighting as part of a team. But this mission was different—now she was part of something bigger, and the stakes were higher. But the goal remained the same: protect those she cared about and survive.
Before they could leave the shelter, Alaric led them to an underground garage where several vehicles were parked—modified trucks and armored vehicles equipped with Essence-powered engines. The vehicles hummed with latent energy, a testament to the resistance’s ingenuity in repurposing whatever technology they could salvage.
“We’re taking the convoy,” Alaric announced. “The safehouse is a few hours away, and we can’t afford to waste time on foot. Everyone, load up.”
The team quickly moved to the vehicles, with Alaric stepping into his role as leader, issuing orders with practiced authority. “Dante, you and your squad are with me in the lead vehicle. We’ll push through the main blockade. Iris, take Lily and Squad Four—cover the rear and keep an eye out for aerial threats. Liam,” he called out to another resistance member, a tall, muscular man with a serious expression, “lead your squad to provide additional support for Iris. Make sure they’re covered.”
Estelle felt a rush of both anxiety and determination. This was more than just a test; it was a mission that could determine her place here. She followed Iris and the squad to their assigned vehicle, her heart pounding as she took in the weight of what was about to happen.
As they piled into the vehicles, Estelle could feel the tension in the air—the quiet determination of those around her as they prepared for the battle ahead. The drive was tense, the convoy moving swiftly through a series of underground tunnels that crisscrossed beneath the city. The tunnels were narrow and dark, illuminated only by the headlights of the vehicles and the occasional glimmer of lights from above.
Alaric’s voice crackled through the communication system as they neared the exit. “We’re approaching the safehouse. Expect heavy resistance. Iris, take a vantage point as soon as we’re out. Liam, keep your squad in position to back them up. Dante, stay with me—our priority is securing the safehouse and extracting the survivors.”
When they emerged into the daylight, the scene before them was one of chaos. The safehouse was under heavy attack, with regime soldiers closing in from all sides. The resistance members stationed there were fighting back fiercely, but they were outnumbered. To make matters worse, monstrous creatures were also present, attacking anything that moved.
Alaric didn’t hesitate. “Everyone, execute the plan! Iris—secure that high ground to the right. Liam, cover them. Dante, we’re breaking through the center. The rest of you, form a perimeter and suppress the flanking forces. Engage the monsters only if necessary—our priority is the soldiers.”
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Estelle moved with precision, positioning herself as a shield for Iris as they made their way through the battlefield. Iris, with her sniper rifle slung across her back, scanned the area quickly, her sharp eyes picking out a suitable position. Liam and his squad flanked them, providing additional cover as they moved.
Estelle led the way, cutting down any threats that came too close, her sword a blur as she dispatched both soldiers and monsters alike. Despite the chaos around her, she moved with the confidence of a seasoned Hunter, her reflexes honed from years of fighting.
Iris found her spot—a crumbled section of wall that provided both cover and a clear line of sight over the battlefield. Estelle took up a defensive position nearby, her senses on high alert as Iris and her squad set up the rifles. Liam and his team spread out around them, forming a protective barrier as Iris began picking off targets with deadly accuracy.
As the battle raged on, Estelle’s eyes occasionally flicked to Alaric. He was in the thick of the fight, his movements calculated but with a dangerous edge she hadn’t seen before. With a flick of his wrist, metal shards ripped from the environment—railings, beams, even discarded weapons—and reshaped into a deadly storm of blades that tore through the enemy ranks. He was a force on the battlefield, driving the enemy back with relentless intensity, but there was a recklessness to his actions, a willingness to throw himself into the fray without regard for his own safety. Yet, she noticed how he never let Dante stray too far from his protection, always keeping him within his line of sight.
It was in those moments that Estelle saw glimpses of the Alaric she knew—the strategist, the protector—but this version of him was harder, more desperate, as if he had nothing left to lose. It made her heart ache, seeing how much he had changed.
Her concern grew as she watched her siblings’ fight. Dante was fierce, his attacks driven by a determination that bordered on desperation. Flames erupted from his hands, scorching the ground in front of him as he cut a path through the enemy lines. The fire bent to his will, forming barriers to protect his allies and waves of heat that sent soldiers scattering. He fought with a passion that bordered on desperation, his eyes burning as brightly as the flames he wielded.
Iris, calm and focused, was relentless in her role, taking out targets with precision, but Estelle could see the strain in her posture, the weight of the burden she carried. And though Finn and Mira were not on the battlefield, she knew the toll this life was taking on them as well—too young to fight, yet too old to be shielded from the harsh realities around them.
The battle raged on, but the resistance fought back with a ferocity born of necessity. Slowly, they began to turn the tide, pushing the regime soldiers back. Estelle could feel the shift in momentum, the glimmer of hope as they gained the upper hand. The monsters, too, were being driven back, their twisted forms no match for the combined efforts of the resistance fighters.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last of the regime soldiers were forced to retreat. The battlefield fell silent, save for the heavy breathing of the resistance fighters and the groans of the wounded.
Alaric called for a regroup, and the team gathered around him, their expressions weary but relieved. Estelle could see the respect in their eyes as they looked at Alaric, the gratitude for his leadership evident in their tired faces.
Alaric turned to Estelle. “Not bad for your first mission, Lily,” he said, his tone neutral but with a hint of approval. “But don’t let your guard down. This was just the beginning.”
Estelle nodded, her heart still racing from the battle. “I won’t,” she promised.
As the group moved to secure the survivors, Alaric issued new orders. “We’ll need to transport these people back to the main shelter, but we can’t risk the route being traced. Liam, organize a small detachment to cover our tracks. Iris, coordinate with the logistics team to prepare temporary housing. We’ll need to relocate everyone quietly.”
Estelle watched as Alaric’s commands were executed with efficiency, the resistance members moving with a practiced precision that spoke of experience and necessity. As she joined the effort to help the injured, she couldn’t help but feel a deep respect for these people and the life they had built in the face of overwhelming odds.
As they began the journey back to the shelter, Estelle felt a sense of accomplishment, but also a deeper resolve. She had proven herself today, but she knew that the challenges ahead would only get tougher. She had to stay vigilant, to keep earning their trust, and to find her place.
But as they walked, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still out of place, that there was more to her presence here than she understood. The mask on her face was a constant reminder of the secrets she was hiding, and also of the questions she needed answers to.
For now, though, she would focus on the task at hand—protecting her siblings, earning Alaric’s trust, and surviving in this world that was both familiar and completely foreign.