Tessa and Lynn soon joined him, their faces shadowed with the same solemnity. They too had been there when it all went wrong. The mission was supposed to be routine—an investigation searching for a fugitive—but it had turned into a nightmare. Now, they were heading back to the very place where Alphonse had met his fate.

Jacob clenched his fists, feeling the familiar sting of regret. "You two ready?" he asked, his voice steady but filled with an unspoken tension.

Tessa nodded, her eyes distant, still haunted by the memories of that day. "I don't think I'll ever be ready for this place again, but we have no choice. We need answers."

Lynn stood silently for a moment before speaking. "We can't let what happened to Alphonse repeat itself."

The weight of those words hung in the air as they exchanged determined glances. They were no longer the same people who had ventured into those ruins before. That place had marked them all, changed them in ways they hadn't fully understood yet.

"We're not alone this time," Jacob said, his gaze shifting toward the approaching Kadmon agents. They were assembling for the mission, a small but well-trained unit that would accompany them. Their presence added a layer of confidence, but it didn't ease the knot in Jacob's stomach.

As they made their way toward the transport vehicle that would take them to the ruins, Jacob could feel the gravity of the mission pulling him deeper into his thoughts. This wasn't just about finding answers anymore—it was about confronting the ghosts of the past, for all of them.

Tessa spoke up as they loaded into the transport. "We can't let it be like last time. We were caught off guard. This time, we're prepared."

Jacob gave a slight nod. "This time, we bring Alphonse's killers to light."

With that, the transport hummed to life, and they set off toward the heart of the dense forest where the ancient ruins lay waiting. The air grew heavier as the towering trees surrounded them, their shadows casting long, foreboding shapes. It felt like the forest itself remembered the blood that had been shed there. As they neared their destination, Jacob's resolve hardened. There would be no turning back.

As the transport vehicle slowed to a halt, the dense forest loomed before them, its canopy casting heavy shadows over the ancient ruins that lay beyond. Jacob, Tessa, and Lynn sat in silence, the tension between them palpable as they neared the site where everything had gone wrong the last time. The ruins were barely visible through the thick foliage, but their presence was unmistakable—a reminder of their unfinished business and Alphonse's death.

The vehicle hissed open, and they stepped out into a small clearing, where several other Kadmon teams were already assembled. The ruins stood in the distance, partially hidden by the overgrown vegetation, their weathered stone walls rising like the bones of a long-dead giant. The air was thick with humidity, but it wasn't the weather that weighed heavily on Jacob—it was the memories.

He scanned the area, his gaze landing on a group of agents gathered near a makeshift command center. Standing at the front, issuing orders with her usual composed authority, was Celine—his aunt. Her demeanor was as cold and professional as ever, though he knew there was more beneath her stoic exterior. Celine's sharp eyes briefly caught his, acknowledging him with a subtle nod before turning back to her team.

Nearby, overseeing the entire operation, stood Clara—his mother. Her presence radiated command, her sharp gaze sweeping over the gathered teams, taking in every detail of the operation. Though neither Clara nor Celine had said a word to Jacob beyond professional greetings, he could feel their personal connection lingering just beneath the surface. For now, they were keeping it professional, as always.

Tessa leaned in toward Jacob, her voice low. "Feels strange, doesn't it? Being here again, after everything."

Jacob nodded, eyes never leaving the ruins. "Strange isn't the word I'd use."

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"Haunting, more like," Lynn added, shifting uneasily as she glanced at the ancient stone structures in the distance. "But this time, we're not alone."

Several more teams from Kadmon were unloading gear, setting up equipment, and preparing for the mission ahead. Among them were agents much more experienced than Jacob, Tessa, and Lynn. They were Bonded, wielding their powers with confidence, while Jacob and the others were still new to the organization—still adjusting to their bond with their gods.

As they approached the command center, Celine stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "Jacob. Tessa. Lynn," she greeted them, her voice formal, devoid of the warmth one might expect from family. "Good to see you all here, though I wish it were under better circumstances."

Jacob nodded stiffly. "We're here to finish what we started."

Celine's lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes briefly softening before hardening once more. "This is a delicate operation. We're not taking any risks this time, especially not with you three. You're new to Kadmon, and while I know you want to be involved, protocol requires that the more experienced teams go in first."

Jacob's jaw clenched. He understood the reasoning, but that didn't make it any easier. They were here because of what had happened to Alphonse—because of what they had faced before. But now, they were sidelined, at least for the first phase of the mission.

"Celine's right," Clara's voice cut in, her tone as sharp as ever. She walked over, arms crossed as she addressed the trio. "You three are not to enter the ruins until the initial sweep is completed. We've assigned other teams to handle the first incursion. You'll remain here as backup until we give the all-clear."

Jacob's eyes flicked between his mother and aunt. There was no room for argument. Clara's authority as the mission supervisor was absolute, and Celine's leadership over her team was equally firm. Still, it gnawed at him to stay behind.

"We're not saying you won't get your chance," Clara continued, her gaze softening ever so slightly as she looked at Jacob. "But for now, you follow orders. We need to ensure the area is secure before anyone untested goes inside."

Tessa crossed her arms, visibly holding back her frustration. "We've been training for this. We know what's in there."

"You've trained, but that doesn't mean you're ready," Clara said firmly. "This isn't about revenge. It's about doing things right this time. Celine's team and the others will handle the first wave. You're on standby."

Jacob bit back the retort rising in his throat. He understood their concern, but that didn't dull the frustration burning inside him. He glanced at the ruins again, their looming presence a constant reminder of Alphonse's death.

"Understood," he said finally, forcing himself to remain composed.

Clara nodded. "Good. Now, get yourselves prepped. Once we have the all-clear, you'll be briefed on your next steps."

As they moved away from the command center, Lynn shot Jacob a sideways glance. "This whole thing feels wrong. We should be going in with them."

"We will," Jacob said quietly. "When the time comes."

Tessa sighed. "Let's just hope they don't bite off more than they can chew in there."

As the teams finished their preparations, the atmosphere grew tenser. Celine's team, along with several other seasoned Kadmon agents, began making their way toward the ruins, moving with precision and purpose. They were equipped with the best technology Kadmon had to offer, each of them Bonded to a powerful god, making them formidable forces. Among them, Jacob could spot a few familiar faces—agents who had been part of the organization for years, veterans of countless missions.

Meanwhile, Jacob, Tessa, and Lynn stood at the edge of the clearing, watching as the first teams disappeared into the thick forest, heading toward the ruins. The weight of their inaction hung heavy on them, but they knew better than to defy protocol. For now, they would wait.

Clara's voice crackled over the comms, giving the final go-ahead to the lead teams. "Proceed with caution. The ruins are unstable, and we don't know what's left of the structures inside. Stay in constant communication, and remember—our priority is intel."

As the forest swallowed up the advance teams, Jacob's hands clenched into fists. He hated waiting. Hated being left behind. But for now, he had no choice.

Inside the command center, the tension was palpable as Clara and Kira monitored the teams venturing deeper into the ruins. A large holographic display showed real-time feeds from the agents' helmet cams, the dark, damp corridors of the ruins stretching before them like the maw of some ancient beast. The flicker of flashlight beams cast long shadows over crumbling stone, revealing parts of the architecture untouched for centuries.

"Team Alpha, report your status," Celine's voice crackled over the comms. She led the first team, her tone steady, though there was an underlying edge of caution.

"Proceeding as planned," came the reply. The team's camera feed displayed an endless series of narrow hallways, each lined with faded carvings and statues of long-forgotten deities. Dust and moss clung to every surface, and the air was thick, making the slightest sound feel muffled, almost swallowed by the ancient structure itself.

Clara leaned in toward the screen, her eyes narrowing. "Anything unusual yet?"