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SS:E Ch. 49- Vanished With a Trace

Seth watched in horror as Calvin, Amy and Freya disappeared into a portal, leaving him alone on the battlefield with the Behemoth. He wasn't really worried for himself. He had the upper hand in this fight as the skybreaker pelted and whittled down the behemoth. It looked as if he was almost about to break through.

The behemoth roared in agony as another barrage from the skybreaker tore into its flesh, exposing the pulsating crystal core within. Seth knew he had to destroy that core to put this monstrosity down for good. He focused his fire, directing the skybreaker's devastating plasma bolts at the exposed weakness.

The behemoth thrashed and writhed, trying to evade the onslaught, but Seth's aim was true. With a final, earth-shattering blast, the plasma struck the core, shattering it into a million glittering shards. The behemoth let out a deafening death wail as it collapsed, its massive form crumbling to dust.

Seth breathed a sigh of relief, but his mind immediately turned to Calvin, Amy and Freya. His concern was for them. Fortunately, he'd had drones all over the battlefield taking measurements and collecting data from this experiment so he could refine his weapons against the other terraforming behemoths.

He hoped they'd gathered some good data from the portal to get a bearing on where Calvin and the others might have gone and how to locate them. Seth knew he needed that information fast if he was going to mount a rescue mission.

Tapping his communicator, Seth opened a channel to the other council members back in Olympus. "This is Seth. Calvin, Amy and Freya have disappeared through some kind of portal. I don't know where they've gone, but I'm going to find out. I need a full analysis of all the drone data from the battle, especially anything you can give me on that portal."

Tank's gruff voice came back over the comm. "Understood. We're on it. What about the behemoth? Is it down?"

"Affirmative," Seth replied. "The skybreaker did its job. The behemoth is dust. But we've got bigger problems now."

"We'll get everyone working on analyzing that data," Tank said. "Sit tight. We'll find them."

Seth nodded, even though Tank couldn't see him. "I know we will. Seth out."

As the comm went silent, Seth turned his attention back to the battlefield. The behemoth's remains were already dissipating, but there were sure to be valuable samples to collect. He needed to understand these creatures if he was going to craft weapons capable of defeating them.

More importantly, he needed to find his friends. Calvin, Amy and Freya were out there somewhere, facing unknown dangers. Seth wouldn't rest until he brought them home safely.

He signaled his drones, directing them to scour the battlefield for any clues the portal might have left behind. There had to be something, some trace he could follow.

As the drones went to work, Seth allowed himself a moment to feel the weight of what had happened. Calvin was more than just his leader; he was his friend. Amy and Freya too. The thought of losing them was unbearable.

But Seth was a man of action, not sentiment. He pushed his fears aside and focused on the task at hand. He would find them, no matter what it took. And he would make sure he was ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.

The skybreaker hummed with power as Seth began his search, a silent promise that he would not fail. He would bring his friends home, and together, they would face the threats that loomed over their world.

Seth took one last sweeping glance over the desolate battlefield, littered with the crumbling remains of the vanquished behemoth. The acrid stench of scorched flesh and smoldering rock hung heavy in the air. As much as he wanted to thoroughly comb the area for any clues about the strange portal that had swallowed his friends, he knew lingering here alone was too risky. The looming threat of another attack by Jesse or Kyrak's other minions made his skin crawl with unease.

Tearing his eyes away from the carnage, Seth strode purposefully towards the shimmering portal back to Olympus. With a deep breath, he stepped through the swirling vortex of light and energy. In an instant, the oppressive atmosphere of the battlefield gave way to the lively, invigorating ambiance of the grand city.

Olympus stretched out before him in all its gleaming, futuristic glory - towering skyscrapers that seemed to brush the clouds, bustling streets filled with purposeful citizens, and the distant hum of advanced technology keeping the city thriving. But even the breathtaking sight couldn't shake Seth's laser focus on the crisis at hand.

His boots pounded against the pristine sidewalk as he marched forward, barely registering the awestruck and curious looks from passersby who had undoubtedly heard of his exploits. Fragments of frantic thoughts tumbled through his mind like puzzle pieces he couldn't quite fit together. Calvin, Amy, Freya - vanished without a trace. The eerie portal that had appeared out of nowhere. Jesse's taunting words still ringing in his ears.

Seth clenched his fists, barely containing the storm of emotions brewing inside him - fear for his friends' safety, anger at his own inability to prevent their disappearance, and a steely determination to do whatever it took to bring them back home. He quickened his pace, weaving through the crowds with single-minded focus.

There was no time to waste. Every second counted. As he made his way deeper into the heart of Olympus, Seth's resolve hardened into an unbreakable diamond. He would rally the full might of the city, leverage every resource and ally at his disposal. No matter the challenges ahead, no matter the dangers that lurked in the shadows, he would not rest until Calvin, Amy, and Freya were safe and sound.

The city blurred past him in a kaleidoscope of gleaming metal and determined faces. Seth's mind raced ahead, already formulating plans and strategies. The road ahead would be long and treacherous, but he would walk it without hesitation. For his friends, for Olympus, for the future of humanity itself, Seth would fight to the bitter end.

And may the gods have mercy on anyone who dared stand in his way.

As he entered the chambers, the atmosphere shifted. The air grew heavy with tension and worry as all eyes turned to Seth, seeking answers and guidance. The council members, usually a lively and dynamic group, now sat in somber silence, their faces etched with concern.

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Seth wasted no time on pleasantries or small talk. "What have we got?" he asked, his voice cutting through the stillness like a blade.

Tank, his usually gruff demeanor tinged with a grim edge, gestured to the holographic display that dominated the center of the room. The display cast an eerie blue glow across the faces of the gathered council members, highlighting the lines of worry and determination.

"We've been going over the data from the battle," Tank explained, his words measured and precise. "At the exact moment the portal activated and swallowed them up, our drones stationed out in the frontier of unexplored regions picked up a massive energy surge."

Seth moved closer to the display, his eyes narrowing as he studied the readouts and graphs that danced across the screen. The energy signatures from the portal and the surge in the frontier matched perfectly, like two pieces of a cosmic puzzle falling into place. His heart raced at the implications, a mixture of hope and trepidation coursing through his veins.

"Those drones are very far away," Seth mused, his mind already racing ahead, calculating distances and formulating plans. "Getting a portal drone out there will take some time."

Ian, the council's resident energy expert, nodded in agreement. His red hair seemed to glow under the display's light, his wiry frame tense with determination. "It's not going to be easy," he said, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "But it's our best shot at finding them."

The room fell silent once more, each council member lost in their own thoughts and fears. The weight of the task before them hung heavy in the air, a palpable presence that seemed to press down on their shoulders.

But Seth refused to let doubt or despair take hold. He straightened his shoulders, his jaw set with resolve. "Then that's what we'll do," he said, his voice ringing out with unwavering conviction. "We'll get that portal drone out there, no matter what it takes. We'll scour every inch of that frontier until we find a way to bring our friends back home."

Seth tried hailing Calvin on the communicator, hoping against hope that he might get through. But there was only silence, either due to the vast distance separating them or some unknown interference.

The council members exchanged worried glances, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily upon them. They knew they had to act fast if they were going to bring their friends home safely.

"Alright," Seth said, his voice steady and determined. "Here's the plan. I will work on getting those portal drones out to the frontier as quickly as possible. We need eyes on the ground out there."

Seth continued. "Tank, I want you to assemble a strike team. Our best fighters, our most powerful weapons. We don't know what we're going to find out there, but we need to be prepared for anything."

Tank's jaw tightened, a steely glint in his eye. "Consider it done," he said. "I'll handpick the team myself."

Seth turned to the rest of the council, his gaze sweeping over each of them in turn. "The rest of you, I need you to keep things running smoothly here in Olympus. We can't let this disrupt our operations. Our people need us now more than ever."

The council members nodded in agreement, their own determination rekindled by Seth's words.

As the group began to disperse, each member setting off to tackle their assigned tasks, Seth lingered by the display. His eyes traced the pulsing lines of energy, his mind whirling with possibilities and plans. He knew that the coming days would test them all, pushing them to their limits and beyond.

But he also knew that they would not fail. They could not fail. Calvin, Amy, and Freya were counting on them, and Seth would move heaven and earth to ensure their safe return. With a final glance at the display, he turned to leave.

"Hang on, Calvin," he whispered, his voice barely audible "We're coming for you."

With that, he turned and strode out of the council chambers, his mind already racing with plans and preparations.

As he made his way through the streets of Olympus, Seth could feel the eyes of the city's inhabitants upon him. They looked to him for guidance, for hope in these dark times. And he would not let them down.

He thought of Calvin, of Amy and Freya, out there somewhere in the vast expanse of the frontier. They were counting on him, on all of them, to find them and bring them back.

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Calvin surveyed the alien landscape, his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to make sense of their surroundings. The terrain was twisted and unnatural, with jagged rock formations jutting out at odd angles and sickly, luminescent vegetation clinging to the ground. The sky above was a swirling mass of dark clouds, occasionally lit by flashes of otherworldly lightning.

Despite the strange and hostile environment, Calvin couldn't shake the feeling that they were still on Earth. There were subtle clues scattered throughout the landscape - familiar rock types, remnants of man-made structures, and even the occasional withered tree that looked like it might have once been native to their planet.

He reached for his communicator, hoping to contact the council back at Olympus, but was met with only static. Frowning, he tried again, adjusting the frequency and boosting the signal, but still received no response. It seemed that whatever energy was permeating this place was also preventing them from reaching out for help.

Next, Calvin attempted to activate a portal. But just as with the communicator, nothing happened. The energy in the air seemed to absorb his efforts, leaving him frustrated and concerned.

Amy and Freya stood nearby, their expressions mirroring his own unease. Amy's hand rested on the hilt of her dagger, ready to draw it at a moment's notice, while Freya's hackles were raised, her keen senses alert for any sign of danger.

"It looks like we're stuck here for now," Calvin said, his voice grim. "Whatever's blocking our escape, it's powerful. We'll have to press on and hope we can find a way to either confront Kyrak directly or get back home."

Amy nodded, her eyes scanning the horizon. "The council will be looking for us. They won't rest until they find a way to bring us back."

Calvin agreed, feeling a surge of gratitude for the loyal friends and allies they had left behind. "You're right. We have to trust in them. For now, our focus has to be on the mission. We keep fighting, we stay alive, and we find a way to end this once and for all."

Freya let out a low growl of agreement, her tail swishing back and forth as she picked up on the determination in Calvin's voice.

Together, the three of them set off into the unknown, their weapons at the ready and their senses on high alert. The landscape seemed to shift and change around them, the twisted rock formations and sickly vegetation morphing into new and even more unsettling shapes with each step they took.

As they walked, Calvin couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he found himself constantly scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. But whenever he looked, there was nothing there - just the eerie stillness of the alien world.

Suddenly, Freya let out a sharp bark, her body tensing as she caught a scent on the wind. Calvin and Amy immediately fell into a defensive stance, their weapons drawn and ready.

From the shadows ahead, a group of corrupted creatures emerged, their bodies twisted and deformed by the same dark energy that permeated the landscape. They were a nightmarish mix of animal and plant, with gaping maws filled with razor-sharp teeth and long, sinewy limbs that ended in wicked claws.

Calvin gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on his weapon. "Looks like we've got company," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Let's show them what happens when they mess with Olympus."

With a fierce battle cry, the three of them charged forward, their weapons flashing in the otherworldly light as they met the corrupted creatures head-on. Calvin's spear cleaved through the twisted flesh of the monsters, while Amy's daggers found their mark with deadly precision. Freya was a blur of fur and fangs, her powerful jaws snapping shut around the necks of the creatures as she tore them apart.

But even as they fought, more and more of the corrupted beasts emerged from the shadows, their numbers seeming to grow with each passing moment. Calvin knew they couldn't keep this up forever - they needed to find a way out of this place, and fast.

Just as he was beginning to lose hope, a flash of light caught his eye. There, in the distance, was a shimmering portal, its edges crackling with energy. Calvin's heart leapt with hope - could this be their way out?