Kaelen and Lyrian strode into the Core building, the familiar hum of technomancer energy buzzing faintly through the walls. The atmosphere inside was different this time, tense, like a taut wire waiting to snap. On any other day, Core’s entrance hall would be filled with technicians and soldiers moving with purpose but at their own pace. Tonight, though, the buzz was more frantic, the usual order in the chaos disrupted.

  As they pushed their way through the entrance hall, Lyrian spotted Jax leaning against a wall, already dressed in his technomancer uniform, face tense and focused. His usual stoic expression seemed even more rigid, but there was a layer of unease beneath it, betraying the strain of the upcoming mission.

  “Oi, Jax!” Lyrian called out, his voice carrying above the noise as they made their way toward him.

  Jax straightened up, but instead of waiting for them, he waved them over and started walking briskly down the corridor. “About time. Let’s move—Andras isn’t exactly in a waiting mood.”

  Kaelen and Lyrian exchanged glances and followed, catching up to Jax as they dodged a few other technomancers who were rushing by with armfuls of gear. “Yeah, we got the message,” Kaelen said, a smirk playing on his lips despite the situation. “Andras gave us the rundown about 10 minutes ago. Something about Varyk’s hideout?”

  Jax gave a quick nod, keeping his eyes ahead as they maneuvered through the crowded hallways. “That’s the one. Andras is in full-blown ‘we’re running out of time’ mode. He’s been like this ever since we got the intel.”

  They passed a group of soldiers preparing their gear, barely sidestepping one of them as he adjusted the straps on his armor. Kaelen could feel the anxiety in the air, thick like fog. “You know how he is,” Jax continued, dodging another passerby, “once he’s locked in on something, there’s no stopping him. And this time... it’s different.”

  Lyrian shot Jax a look. “Different how?”

  Jax glanced back at them, his voice lowering a notch as if he didn’t want anyone else to hear. “He’s acting like this is the last chance we’ve got. Like if we don’t get Varyk this time, it’s over. He pulled in everyone, expanded the team to twice its usual size, and hasn’t stopped since.”

  Kaelen frowned as they rounded another corner, nearly colliding with a technomancer carrying a stack of data tablets. “Andras doesn’t usually pull out all the stops unless something big is happening. What’s the deal?”

  “Wish I knew,” Jax muttered, his tone tight. “Intel dropped about an hour ago, said they found a lead on one of Varyk’s hideouts. But the way Andras is going about it... feels rushed. Like we’re walking into something bigger.”

  They pushed through a crowd near the operations room, the chaos inside Core intensifying as they got closer to their destination. Jax sidestepped a harried technician who nearly spilled his coffee and muttered, “And it’s been like this since the call came in. Total madness.”

  Lyrian couldn’t help but chuckle dryly. “I can see that. Looks like I got here just in time to take over your Andras babysitting duties.”

  Jax snorted, finally allowing a hint of amusement to creep into his expression. “Please do. He’s been on me since we got the green light, and I’m this close to losing it. The guy’s like a storm brewing with no break in sight.”

  Kaelen glanced around, noting the frantic pace of the technomancers and soldiers as they moved about. He could feel the same weight pressing down on him that Jax had mentioned. Andras was pushing hard—too hard, maybe—but that was a conversation for later.

  As they neared the tactical operations room, Jax slowed, motioning for them to follow. “He’s got the whole team assembled. We’re late.”

  Lyrian raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said we were the last to arrive.”

  “I was being nice,” Jax shot back, smirking as they dodged yet another group of technomancers. “But seriously, let’s get in there before he decides to add more last-minute details.”

  One of the younger technomancers ran by, tablet in hand, barely missing Jax as he barreled down the hallway. “Jax! Has the recon team deployed the drones yet?”

  Jax waved him off, not even breaking stride. “They’re up. Tell Andras the data’s coming through in five. Go before you crash into someone.”

  The technomancer nodded frantically and rushed off, leaving Jax shaking his head. “Like I said, madness.”

  Kaelen let out a low whistle, eyes scanning the hallway. “Andras really lit a fire under this place.”

  Jax nodded. “He’s in full-on hunt mode. This isn’t just another mission for him—it’s personal. Varyk’s gotten under his skin, and now he’s throwing everything we’ve got at this.”

  “Any chance he’s wrong?” Kaelen asked, his tone more serious now.

  Jax hesitated for a moment before answering, his voice grim. “Could be a trap. Varyk’s smart. Andras knows that, but he’s not giving us much room to think this through.”

  Lyrian sighed, a touch of frustration in his voice. “So, we’re diving in headfirst and hoping we don’t get skewered.”

  “Basically,” Jax muttered, his pace quickening as they neared the operations room. “Andras is waiting inside. Let’s hope he’s got more than just a gut feeling backing this up.”

  Jax, Lyrian, and Kaelen stepped into the tactical operations room, where the weight of the mission settled on their shoulders like a lead blanket. The room was dimly lit, except for the bright glow of a massive holographic display in the center. Almost twenty soldiers were already gathered, standing at attention in neat rows, their heads turning briefly toward the newcomers. Each one was equipped in sleek, futuristic combat gear—armor plates that shimmered with embedded technomancer circuitry, visors that flickered with augmented reality data feeds, and tactical helmets designed to scan for any possible threat.

  Kaelen's eyes swept over the group, noting how serious everyone looked. No casual banter or whispered conversations. This wasn’t just another mission. Andras had pulled in his best, and the equipment they carried made that clear. Advanced pulse rifles were slung over their shoulders, their matte black surfaces absorbing light. Utility belts gleamed with neatly arranged tech: small EMP grenades, energy blades, and what looked like personalized magic disruptors. The kind of stuff that made Core’s elite soldiers what they were—ruthless, efficient, and prepared for anything.

  Commander Andras stood at the far end of the room, his sharp gaze cutting through the tension. He acknowledged Kaelen, Lyrian, and Jax with a brief nod, but didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “Good, you’re here.”

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  Without another word, Andras turned and activated the enormous holographic display behind him. The image of a large, imposing building materialized—sharp, geometric lines indicating it was more fortress than hideout. It flickered in and out as intel and schematics fed into the display. The location was clearly isolated, positioned deep in a remote sector outside the city, a place where no one would stumble upon by accident. Varyk had chosen his ground well.

  “This is the target,” Andras began, his voice steady but carrying an unmistakable urgency. “Intel confirms this is one of Varyk’s active locations. We’ve had eyes on it for less than twenty-four hours, but the activity in and around the building has increased exponentially. Mercenaries—hired guns, mostly—have been spotted, patrolling every entrance and exit. We estimate roughly thirty to forty on-site at any given time.”

  The hologram zoomed in, highlighting various points of entry: a few side doors, one main entrance, and a service entrance at the back. Andras pointed to each with swift, efficient motions, while Kaelen, Lyrian, and the others watched intently.

  “There are multiple ways in,” Andras continued, his voice commanding the room’s full attention. “But we’ll be splitting into teams. Squad One will take the main entrance—high risk, heavy opposition, but it’ll draw attention away from the rest of you. Squad Two will be covering the rear service entrance. Squad Three will be moving in through the ventilation shafts on the roof. It’s a three-pronged approach, meant to minimize risk while maximizing our chances of catching them off guard.”

  He paused, the holographic display shifting to show schematics of the building’s key points, then continued, “Each squad will have an assigned drone expert. They’ll deploy surveillance drones to monitor movement inside the building and relay critical information to the teams. Alongside them will be an engineer responsible for monitoring the functionality of your weapons and tech. These engineers are non-combat personnel, and it’s your job to keep them safe. If they go down, your weapons and devices may fail when you need them most.”

  Kaelen glanced around as a few soldiers nodded in understanding. The stakes just kept getting higher. The idea of managing multiple objectives while under fire wasn’t new, but it wasn’t easy either.

  Andras shifted the hologram to highlight the teams. “Squad One will be hitting the front—high-risk, but we need to break through their defenses. I’ll be leading this team. Lyrian, Kaelen, Jax, Nyra, Rina, and two additional soldiers will be with me.”

  There was a brief moment where the squad members exchanged glances. No one was surprised; Squad One was the heavy hitters.

  “Squad Two,” Andras continued, his tone still hard, “will be under the command of my right hand, Harken. They’ll cover the rear service entrance. It’s critical that you secure that area and prevent any escape.”

  Harken, a tall, solidly built man stood at attention and nodded firmly, his face unreadable. “Understood, sir.”

  Andras gave a curt nod before shifting his focus. “Squad Three will infiltrate through the ventilation shafts on the roof. Vin will take command of that unit. Once inside, your objective will be to sabotage their internal defenses.”

  Vin, a lean technomancer known for her precision, gave a sharp nod of acknowledgment.

  The squads responded with military precision, nodding in unison as the plan became clear. There was no room for error, and everyone understood their role.

  One of the soldiers, a woman with a tightly braided ponytail and a scar across her left cheek, raised her hand. “Commander, what’s the likelihood of an ambush? We know Varyk’s good at setting traps.”

  Andras nodded. “Good question. We don’t know for sure, but Varyk’s history with laying traps is well-documented. That’s why we’re not relying on brute force alone. He’s been known to mix technomancy and dark magic. We’ve seen signs of it here.”

  The hologram shifted, revealing another scan of the building. Pulses of faint energy radiated from within the structure, glowing with an ominous hue.

  “Magic signatures,” Andras said, narrowing his eyes. “Varyk isn’t just playing with advanced technology—he’s incorporating dark magic into his operations. We’ve already detected at least two points where magic is being used to enhance security. We don’t know the full extent of it yet, but that’s why you’ll need these.”

  He motioned toward the side of the room, where a table was lined with sleek, black devices—small, handheld objects with a faint blue glow pulsing from their cores. “These are pulse disruptors. They emit a localized burst of energy that interferes with magical fields. They’ll give you a brief window where Varyk’s magic can be neutralized. But, and I can’t stress this enough, they won’t last long. You’ll have about thirty seconds of disruption before the magic reestablishes itself.”

  Kaelen exchanged a glance with Lyrian. “Thirty seconds?” Kaelen muttered under his breath. “Not exactly generous.”

  Lyrian nodded, frowning. “Enough to get us through, if we’re fast.”

  One of the soldiers, a grizzled man standing near the back, raised a hand. “What about the tech? These disruptors won’t mess with our gear, will they?”

  Andras shook his head. “The tech will be unaffected. The disruptors are specifically calibrated for magic interference. Your comms, weapons, and other systems will stay operational.” He paused for a moment, letting the information sink in. Then, with a subtle shift in his gaze, he added, “Though, lucky for us, we don’t have anyone with magical abilities on this team. Otherwise, it’d be a different story. They’d be the ones feeling it the hardest.”

  Andras’ eyes flicked meaningfully toward Kaelen, his words hanging heavy in the air. The implication was clear, and Kaelen felt a jolt of realization. Andras knew. Or, at the very least, he suspected something. But how much did he actually know? Did he understand the full extent of Kaelen’s powers, or was he just fishing for a reaction?

  Kaelen kept his expression neutral, but his mind raced. He couldn’t afford to let this slip now, not when everything was already so precarious. His jaw tightened as he glanced at Lyrian, who had caught the subtle tension as well.

  Lyrian’s gaze flickered between Andras and Kaelen, his lips pressing together in a thin line. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes told Kaelen everything: stay calm. They couldn’t afford to draw any more attention.

  Andras continued, his tone businesslike again. “The disruptors will only affect magic. So as long as everyone sticks to protocol and relies on their tech, we’ll be fine. Coordinate your usage of the devices carefully—don’t trigger them unless absolutely necessary.”

  The room was silent for a moment, the weight of Andras’ words settling over the group. Kaelen fought the instinct to shift uncomfortably under the commander’s gaze, wondering just how much Andras had pieced together.

  Lyrian raised a hand, his voice clear and serious. “Commander, how certain are we that Varyk is actually on-site?”

  Andras took a breath, his gaze hardening. “We’ve seen movement that suggests he’s there. But we won’t know for sure until we breach. What I can tell you is that his operation is active. That’s reason enough to go in.”

  Kaelen felt the shift in the room—a sense of anticipation, maybe even dread, but it was coupled with determination. These weren’t rookies. They knew what was at stake.

  But then Andras spoke again, his voice cutting through the silence with chilling precision. "There’s one more thing," he said, his tone sharper, colder. “We’re not just storming the hideout. We need intel—something solid on Varyk’s movements. I want at least one mercenary alive, preferably two. Bring them back to Core for interrogation.”

  A ripple of surprise passed through the room. Soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. Taking prisoners wasn’t unheard of, but Andras' next words froze the air in the room.

  “As for the rest,” Andras continued, his voice dropping to a deadly calm, “they don’t leave the building alive. Make sure they’re dead. Every last one of them. We can’t risk leaving any loose ends.”

  The gravity of his order sank in quickly. The room fell silent, soldiers stiffening at the command. The shift in Andras’ demeanor was palpable, his normally methodical approach replaced with something far more ruthless. This wasn’t just a mission—it was a calculated elimination.

  Kaelen’s stomach twisted slightly, his mind racing at the thought of executing prisoners. He glanced at Lyrian, whose eyes had narrowed, clearly disturbed by the order. The room stayed silent for a long moment, the weight of Andras’ command settling heavily on their shoulders.

  Andras stepped forward, locking eyes with each of them, his voice carrying the weight of leadership. “You all know what to do. This mission isn’t just about taking out a base—it’s about stopping Varyk before he can escalate this any further. Move fast, stay sharp, and work together. Dismissed.”

  Kaelen, Lyrian, and Jax exchanged glances as the soldiers began to file out of the room, grabbing their gear and preparing for what was to come. The mission had been laid out, and there was no turning back now.