One year ago...

The early morning mist clung to the forest floor, weaving through the ancient trees that surrounded the small clearing. The air was thick with anticipation as the combined forces of Technomancers and Arcanists gathered for a mission that would test not only their skills but also their ability to work together despite the underlying tensions.

Kaelen stood at the edge of the clearing, his eyes scanning the horizon where the sun’s first rays began to pierce the darkness. His expression was as unreadable as ever, but there was a sense of alertness in his posture.

Beside him, Lyrian, his oldest friend and a man of medium height with the sides of his head shaved close and the longer hair on top tied neatly into a bun, adjusted the array of gadgets and tools strapped to his belt. His bright green eyes gleamed with excitement, and his always-expressive face broke into a wide grin. The technological vest he wore, brimming with devices, was a clear testament to his expertise as leader of the Technomancers team.

“This is going to be one hell of a day,” Lyrian muttered with a smirk, glancing at Kaelen. “Hope you brought your sense of humor, ‘cause these Aetherists look like they’ve never cracked a smile in their lives.”

Kaelen allowed a faint smile to tug at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll let you handle the jokes, Lyrian. I’ll stick to what I’m good at.”

“Yeah, you’re about as fun as a barrel of rusted gears,” Lyrian quipped, nudging him with his elbow. “Good thing you’ve got me to lighten the mood.”

Before Kaelen could respond, a rustling sound caught their attention. Emerging from the shadows of the trees was the Aetherist team, led by a young woman with raven-black hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to take in everything at once. Her demeanor was serious, her gaze assessing as it swept over the Technomancers.

Kaelen narrowed his eyes slightly as he observed her. This was the Aetherist leader—Aria. Her presence was commanding, and there was an air of authority about her that didn’t match her youth. He could see why she was in charge, but he wasn’t about to let that impress him. They were here to get a job done, nothing more.

Lyrian, however, was already stepping forward, his trademark grin in place. “Well, well, the legendary Aria in the flesh. I’d offer to shake your hand, but I wouldn’t want to get zapped by any stray magic.”

Aria raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk playing on her lips. “And you must be Lyrian, the Technomancer who thinks he can talk his way out of any situation. I hope you’re as good as they say.”

Lyrian laughed, clearly pleased. “Oh, I’m even better. But let’s save the compliments for later—once we’ve got this artifact in hand and we’re all still in one piece.”

Aria’s smirk faded as she turned to the rest of her team. “This mission isn’t about proving anything. It’s about recovering the Oculus Infinitum and keeping it out of the wrong hands. We work together, or we fail. It’s that simple.”

Kaelen watched her carefully, noting the way she held herself—confident, but not arrogant. She had the respect of her team, that much was clear. But respect was earned, and Kaelen wasn’t one to give it away easily.

“We’re ready,” Kaelen said simply, his tone neutral.

Lyrian smirked, an eyebrow raised. “Where are our manners?” he said with playful formality. “Allow me to introduce my team: Jax, Nyra, and Rina.” The three nodded in acknowledgment toward the Arcanists, their gazes calm and assessing.

Aria, maintaining her own composed expression, offered a subtle smile. “And let me introduce Valen and Leira,” she replied smoothly, a note of respect in her voice.

Valen inclined his head, his tone measured. “Interesting to see allies who claim to have common purpose. I’ll be watching to see if that’s true.”

Leira’s smile was polite but faint. “Let’s hope our goals intersect, at least for the time being.”

Lyrian, his curiosity sparking, tilted his head slightly. “And, if I might ask, what kin do they hail from?”

Aria’s gaze shifted to him, answering with quiet confidence, “Leira is Pyronian, while Valen is Sylphar.”

Jax looked over at Leira, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

“Pyronian, huh? I have to admit, I’m a bit of a fan of fire… and explosions. Definitely my kind of spectacle.”

Leira responded with a slight, amused glance, maintaining her calm but with a glimmer of humor in her eyes.

Kaelen cleared his throat, his tone dry. “Now that we’ve exchanged pleasantries, perhaps we can get back to the mission?”

Lyrian chuckled, shooting Kaelen a playful look. “Always the life of the party, aren’t you? Honestly, I don’t know how we’d survive without your endless enthusiasm.”

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Kaelen rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, “It’s a mystery, truly.”

Aria nodded, her gaze lingering on both of them for a moment before she turned to lead the way. As the combined team moved deeper into the forest, Kaelen fell into step beside Lyrian and his team, his senses on high alert.

The forest was thick and foreboding, with ancient trees towering above them and the undergrowth almost suffocating in its density. The Arcanists moved with a grace that contrasted with the more mechanical precision of the Technomancers, and it was clear that each group was accustomed to operating in very different environments.

As they approached a narrow ravine, the tension in the air grew thicker. The only way forward was across a series of treacherous stone bridges, worn smooth by time and weather. Kaelen’s instincts prickled with unease. This was the perfect place for an ambush.

“Everyone, be on alert,” Kaelen said quietly, his hand drifting to the hilt of his gun at his side, while his other hand hovered near the blade sheathed across his back.

Lyrian, ever the optimist, gave a mock salute. “On alert, Captain Serious.”

The group moved cautiously, the sound of their footsteps muted by the dense carpet of moss. The Arcanists took the lead, using their magic to scan for traps and magical wards. Despite the situation, there was a sense of quiet coordination between the two groups, each respecting the other’s expertise, even if they didn’t fully trust one another.

As they crossed the first bridge, Kaelen caught sight of something flickering in the shadows above them. His grip tightened on his blade, and he was about to issue a warning when the ambush was sprung. Arrows and magical projectiles rained down from the cliffs on either side, forcing the team to scatter for cover.

Lyrian was the first to react, deploying a series of hovering drones that emitted a protective energy shield, deflecting most of the incoming fire. “You’re welcome!” he shouted, a grin on his face despite the danger.

Kaelen wasted no time, drawing both his blade and gun as he moved to engage the attackers. The fight was chaotic, with the narrow bridge offering little room to maneuver. The mercenaries—hired to protect the artifact at any cost—fought with a brutal efficiency that made it clear they were professionals.

Aria and her team responded with equal force, weaving spells that turned the tide of battle in their favor. Kaelen noticed the way Aria and her team moved. Precise, controlled, and deadly. She wasn’t just commanding; she was in the thick of it, fighting alongside her team.

Kaelen’s attention was pulled away when he saw one of Lyrian’s team members, Nyra, pinned down by a pair of mercenaries. She was struggling to keep her defensive shield active while returning fire, and it was clear she wouldn’t last much longer.

“Lyrian, cover me!” Kaelen barked as he dashed across the bridge, his gun blazing.

“On it!” Lyrian responded, his drones shifting position to provide suppressive fire.

Kaelen reached Nyra just as one of the mercenaries closed in for the kill. With a swift motion, he sliced through the mercenary’s weapon arm with his blade, then fired his gun point-blank into the second attacker. The mercenaries crumpled to the ground, and Kaelen helped Nyra to her feet.

“Thanks,” she gasped, her voice shaky.

Kaelen nodded curtly. “Stay close to Lyrian. We’re not done yet.”

As they regrouped, Aria appeared beside them, her eyes scanning the battlefield. “Good work,” she said, her voice clipped but genuine. She gave Kaelen a quick nod of acknowledgment before turning back to the fight, her focus unbroken.

Kaelen had no time to dwell on her reaction. The battle was far from over, and the mercenaries showed no signs of retreating. As he and Lyrian pushed forward, the tension between their two approaches—technology and magic—became evident. But rather than clashing, their methods began to complement each other.

At one point, Lyrian shot Kaelen a look as they took cover behind a crumbling wall. “Hey, you think these guys are getting paid overtime for trying to kill us?”

Kaelen snorted, reloading his gun. “If they are, they’re not earning it.”

Lyrian grinned, firing off a burst from his rifle. “See? That’s the spirit. I knew you had a sense of humor somewhere in there.”

The exchange was brief, but it lightened the mood just enough to keep the team’s spirits up. As the battle wore on, it became clear that the mercenaries were losing ground. Between the combined forces of the Technomancers and Aetherists, they had no choice but to fall back.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last of the attackers were driven off, disappearing into the forest. The ravine was littered with the fallen, and the air was thick with the smell of smoke and blood. But they had survived.

Aria approached Kaelen and Lyrian, her expression serious but with a glint of respect in her eyes. “We made it through this round, thanks to both of you,” she said, her tone sincere.

Lyrian gave her a mock bow, grinning from ear to ear. “Always happy to help. Now, how about we grab that artifact and get out of here before round two?”

Kaelen simply nodded, his face impassive, but there was a subtle shift in his posture, an acknowledgment of the teamwork that had gotten them this far.

Aria allowed herself a brief smile. “Agreed. Let’s move.”

As they regrouped and prepared to continue, Kaelen couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst was still to come. But for now, they had proven that, despite their differences, they could work together. And that was a start.

As they reached the mouth of the cave where the Oculus Infinitum was rumored to be hidden, the group paused, their breath catching in their throats. The entrance, framed by jagged rocks and overgrown with twisted vines, resembled a portal to another world. The air around it felt unnaturally cold, sending a chill through the group despite their protective gear.

Kaelen felt a sudden, inexplicable pull toward the darkness, as if something within the cave was calling out to him specifically. He hesitated, his instincts screaming that something was wrong. Before he could voice his concern, the ground trembled beneath them, a low, menacing rumble echoing from deep within the cave. The sound made Kaelen’s skin crawl, and he instinctively tightened his grip on his weapons.

Without warning, a figure emerged from the darkness. Unlike the others they had encountered, this one wore a tattered, patchwork robe that seemed to writhe with a life of its own. His hair was matted, falling in tangled, dirty locks around a face that was gaunt and twisted with malice. His eyes, sunken and gleaming with a malevolent light, locked onto Kaelen with a gaze that seemed to pierce through his very soul.

“Fools,” the figure hissed, his voice dripping with venom and cruelty. “You think you can claim what's not yours? You are nothing but insects, crawling to your doom. This place will be your grave, and your screams will echo in the darkness long after your bones have turned to dust.”

Before anyone could react, the ground beneath them split with a deafening crack, as if the world itself had been torn apart. The cave’s entrance suddenly collapsed, trapping the figure inside, but not before a blood-curdling scream erupted from the depths.