The shrill ring of the phone cut through the stillness of the morning, shattering the quiet of the hotel rooms. Aria's eyes snapped open, her body instinctively tensing as the call blared from her bedside table. She groaned, pushing herself up from the bed, the weight of exhaustion still heavy in her bones. The incessant ringing echoed in her ears, making her mind foggy as she reached for the phone and answered, her voice groggy.
"Yeah?"
"Aria," came the voice on the other end, sharp and business-like despite the early hour. "You're needed in the lobby. Get moving. I'll explain once you're down here."
Before Aria could respond, the line went dead.
Across the hallway, Dante, Stiles, and SteelArm were all waking up to the same call, each of them answering their phones groggily before hanging up and quickly getting to their feet. There was a heavy, mutual silence as they dressed quickly, none of them asking questions. They'd all become accustomed to Halstein's directness and urgency.
Aria slowly pushed herself up from the bed, the remnants of sleep still clinging to her mind. Her eyes flickered to the closet, and she walked over to it with a quiet sigh. Reaching for the change of clothes, her gaze lingered on the dark turtleneck in her hands before looking down at her body for a few seconds.
"Will this even fit?" she muttered to herself, half-doubting the size as she slipped it on. The fabric stretched comfortably, molding to her body better than she had expected.
"Hm… I guess it does," she said softly, a faint trace of relief in her voice. She tugged on the baggy sweatpants next, the soft material falling easily into place. After a moment of adjusting, she stood in front of the mirror, taking in her reflection.
A few minutes later, they gathered in the hallway, making their way down to the hotel lobby. As they entered the spacious, quiet area, the scent of fresh coffee lingered in the air, but there was little time to indulge in that luxury. Their eyes immediately locked onto a figure standing near the front desk, a woman in a sharp suit. The Dragon Bone logo, a black silhouette of a dragon winding around a bone, was emblazoned on her shoulder, unmistakable.
Stiles squinted, his gaze narrowing as he tried to place her. She didn't look familiar, but the presence of the Dragon Bone logo meant she was connected to them somehow, and that was enough to stir a sense of wariness in the group.
he woman's gaze flicked toward them as they approached. She was tall, with dark hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail, her sharp features accentuated by the cold professionalism she carried. She studied them for a moment, eyes assessing, before she spoke.
"Halstein told me you'd be coming down," she said, her voice low and controlled, but with an underlying edge of authority. "We don't have much time. Follow me."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked briskly toward the exit.
The group exchanged glances, confusion and curiosity written on their faces, but they fell into step behind her, instinctively aware that something important was unfolding. They passed through the lobby, and as they stepped outside, a sleek, all-black SUV came into view. The woman approached it without hesitation, opening the driver side door.
"Get in," she ordered, her tone making it clear there was no room for argument.
Dante, SteelArm, and Stiles followed her lead, slipping into the vehicle one by one. Aria, trailing behind them, took a deep breath before sliding into the seat next to SteelArm. The door clicked shut behind her with a soft thud, and the engine rumbled to life, the quiet hum of power underscoring the tense silence in the vehicle.
The woman slid into the driver's seat, locking eyes with them through the rearview mirror. Without another word, the SUV smoothly pulled away, heading toward the unknown.
The SUV drove swiftly through the city, the hum of the engine the only sound breaking the silence. After a short while, they arrived at a private airport. The group stepped out of the car, their curiosity deepening with every passing second. The woman led them toward the tarmac, where a sleek private plane awaited them. The air was thick with the tension of uncertainty, and the group exchanged glances, trying to piece together the rapid sequence of events.
Without a word, the woman gestured toward the plane, leading them to a set of stairs. As they walked up, the cold morning air brushing their skin, they couldn't shake the feeling that whatever this was, was about to take a dramatic turn. Once everyone was onboard, the plane's doors closed with a swift hiss, and before they could even settle into their seats, the engines roared to life. The plane surged into the sky, taking off without any delay, a stark contrast to the calm they had just experienced on the ground.
Hours passed in the air, the steady hum of the plane's engines accompanied by the quiet murmur of the group's unease. They sat in silence, each of them processing the whirlwind of events, unable to shake the questions gnawing at them.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the plane began its descent. They could see the sprawling city below, the lights of Tampa shining through the night as the plane touched down with a soft jolt. The group walked down the stairs as the plane's engines idled, and they were met by a fleet of sleek cars waiting for them.
Without wasting any time, they were ushered into one of the vehicles, and the ride continued for another three hours, the landscape outside changing with each passing mile. Tired and worn from the constant movement, they eventually arrived at a dock, the salty air filling their lungs as they looked around. The dock was filled with large boats, their engines humming as they bobbed gently in the water.
And there, standing at the edge of the dock, was Halstein. His figure was hard to read in the dim light, but his presence alone spoke volumes. The group stood still for a moment, unsure of what to expect next.
Halstein's voice broke the silence as he stepped forward, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"You've made it, welcome to Florida." he said, his tone far from reassuring. "Now, we begin."
Halstein boarded the boat first, his movements purposeful, and gestured for the rest of them to follow. The group, still processing the rapid series of events, stepped onto the boat, feeling the rocking beneath their feet as they took their seats. The boat's engines hummed to life, and it pulled away from the dock, gliding across the water with swift precision.
The air was thick with tension, the quiet lapping of water against the hull echoing in the silence. As they made their way out into the open waters, Halstein unfolded a map on the table in front of them. His fingers traced the lines of the terrain before he placed his hand over the map, channels of mana swirling from his fingers to hold the map in place, preventing it from flying away in the wind.
"Listen carefully," Halstein began, his voice carrying a weight of urgency. "Over the past week, we've seen an alarming increase in the appearance of gates."
He paused for a moment, allowing the gravity of his words to settle before continuing.
"Two days ago, a gate break occurred in a country—one that no longer exists." His voice dropped lower, almost too cold for the surroundings. "By the time the break was contained, half of the country had been destroyed. The leaders of the nation were dead in their homes, and the surviving population was scattered, helpless."
The group sat in stunned silence as the gravity of the situation hit them. The magnitude of the damage—the devastation—was unlike anything they had ever imagined.
Halstein continued, his face unreadable, as he shifted the map slightly, revealing more of the affected areas. "We don't have a lot of time. Every hour that passes, the situation gets worse. More gates are appearing, and the potential for another disaster like this is growing."
He exhaled slowly before looking directly at Aria. "I know this mission wasn't what any of us had planned, Aria. I'm sorry for making you come with us, but the urgency of the situation left no room for delay. We needed all the help we could get, and I couldn't afford to waste time taking you anywhere else."
His expression softened for just a moment. "I understand if you're upset. But right now, we need your abilities. This isn't just a mission—it's survival. For all of us."
The boat cut through the water, the soft sound of the engine accompanying the steady rhythm of Halstein's explanation. As the map continued to unfurl, they could all feel the weight of what was to come—uncertainty hanging heavily in the air.
Stiles shifted in his seat, the tension in his posture evident. "So, what do we do now?"
Halstein's gaze flicked to the horizon, the night sky now filled with stars. "Now, we figure out how to stop this. Together."
The group remained silent for a moment, their minds racing with the implications of his words. The world was in danger, and their journey was far from over.
Halstein broke the silence once more, his voice carrying the same unwavering authority as before. "I've been in contact with several guilds and influential figures from various regions. They've all pledged their support. We won't be going in blind. Reinforcements will be on standby."
Aria, who had been quietly watching the endless stretch of ocean, turned to Halstein with a small, smile. "Well, I suppose this is quite good for my rank, then," she said, her tone laced with a hint of playfulness as her eyes lingered on the ocean around her.
Stiles let out a deep sigh, his gaze shifting toward Halstein. "So, what's the first target? Which gate are we closing first?"
Halstein's gaze remained fixed ahead, his focus sharp. "The first gate we're tackling is classified as HJ-R4. The specifics are unclear at the moment, but our mana readings suggest it's about B rank in power."
Dante and the others nodded in acknowledgment. The gravity of the mission was settling in, but there was little time for hesitation. Each one of them, in their own way, steeled themselves for the unknown challenges that awaited them.
The boat continued its relentless trek across the ocean, cutting through the water at high speed as they neared the location of HJ-4R. The team fell into a quiet rhythm, each of them lost in their own thoughts as the sound of the engine rumbled in the background. It was a brief moment of stillness, but they knew the calm would soon end.
Halstein stood up, his gaze locked on a distant island. "That's the island where the gate is located," he said, pointing with a steady hand. "We've coordinated multiple raid parties, and you're the last team before we send everyone else in."