Aurora forest
Astralis City, Auroria Kingdom
Sol continent, Terra
Gaea solar system. Milky way galaxy
Luminary star system
25th Astralis cycle,
Solaris Prime, 572,413
Rosa moved like a shadow, leaping effortlessly from branch to branch, her form a blur against the luminous backdrop of the crystal trees. The brilliance of the Aurora Forest surrounded her, its radiance casting a prismatic glow over everything. The towering crystalline trees shimmered, their translucent leaves catching the twin suns' light, refracting it into breathtaking cascades of color. It was a sight unlike any she had ever seen—otherworldly, intoxicatingly beautiful.
It had been some time since she had been separated from the group. In that time, she had encountered several Mystic Beasts, creatures drawn to her presence, their instincts perceiving her as either prey or rival. But none had been a challenge. Each one had fallen swiftly, dispatched with effortless precision.
The air here was unlike anything she had ever breathed. There was a sweetness to it, a heady mix of fragrant energy that seeped into her skin, filling her lungs with something warm, and euphoric. For a brief moment, a subtle blissful haze threatened to settle over her mind, a sensation like drifting between wakefulness and dream.
But Rosa was not so easily swayed. With a practiced breath, she let her Odic Force surge through her veins, flushing out the influence before it could take hold. She had been in enough strange places to know—that beauty often hid dangers beneath its veil. As she soared through the branches, her movements swift and graceful, she suddenly felt it.
A tremor.
It rippled through the air and earth, an unseen force so potent it nearly made her lose her footing. Her balance wavered for just a moment as the crystalline branches beneath her trembled, a violent vibration shaking the entire grove. Eyes narrowing, she steadied herself, her instincts flaring. Something was wrong. That was not a natural quake. That was a battle. A powerful one. And it wasn't far from her.
Rosa remained hidden within the crystal canopy, her body pressed against the smooth, shimmering bark of the towering trees. Her gaze flickered in the direction of the disturbance, where the distant tremors still sent faint ripples through the air.
She was about to move—to head toward the battle—when a sudden unease prickled down her spine. Something was stalking her. Her breath hitched. How had she not sensed it before?
The realization sent a chill through her. Rosa prided herself on her awareness, her ability to read the Odyllic Field around her, to anticipate the movements of foes long before they reached her. And yet—this presence had eluded her. She only now felt it—a heavy, looming force, its presence piercing through the haze of the destabilizing energy that had just rocked the forest.
It had been following me this whole time.
Rosa's grip tightened, her muscles coiling. She knew better than to stay put. If her pursuer had found her, then remaining in place was nothing but a death sentence. Using the brief distraction of the tremors, Rosa moved—fast and silent, slipping deeper into the trees, putting distance between herself and whatever had been trailing her. She stilled, pressing herself into the shadows of the crystalline branches, willing her mana flow to suppress, her presence to fade into the Odyllic Field. And yet—
It wasn't enough. A gruff, commanding voice shattered the silence.
"Nice thinking. But you can't completely hide from me, Omini."
Rosa's breath hitched. Her mind latched onto the word—Omini. The way the stranger said it, with weight and meaning, sent a surge of unease rippling through her. But there was no time to ponder its meaning. A crushing pressure descended upon her, the sheer force of it pressing into her skin, squeezing the air from her lungs.
Her heart pounded. It was as if an entire mountain had materialized above her, bearing down with an overwhelming presence. She couldn't stay hidden. Breaking out of her cover, Rosa emerged, her body damp with sweat, her breath uneven. The weight of the unseen force still clung to her like an unshakable shroud. And then—she saw him.
The figure before her was no ordinary man. At first glance, he resembled a Beastman, but even that term felt insufficient to describe him. His hair burned like golden flames, each strand alight with an otherworldly glow. His eyes—piercing, bright gold—held the weight of something ancient, something untamed.
A majestic aura radiated from him, commanding attention, suffocating in its intensity. She took in the razor-sharp fangs, the clawed fingers, the pointed lion-like ears that twitched ever so slightly as he observed her. Rosa's jaw tightened. This was no ordinary opponent.
This was a predator. And she had just caught its attention.
"What do you want?" she asked, keeping her stance firm despite the tremor in her chest.
The golden-eyed Beastman only smiled, his expression unreadable. But at that moment, Rosa knew—this was no chance encounter. He had been hunting her.
"Don't play the fool. Did Gil send you to bring me back?"
The Beastman's voice carried an edge of impatience, his golden eyes narrowing as he studied Rosa. Her brows furrowed.
"What?" she said, genuine shock threading through her voice.
Gil?
The name meant nothing to her. The Beastman tilted his head slightly, scrutinizing her with a piercing gaze. Then, he huffed, a low, almost amused scoff escaping his throat.
"Hmm… now that I think about it, you don't look like you're part of the Imperial Guard."
His crimson-gold mane flickered as he took a slow step forward, eyes never leaving her.
"Are you one of those Adventurers—" He stopped mid-sentence. His expression changed.
A sudden shift in focus, his golden eyes sharpening, locking onto something behind her with terrifying intensity. Rosa's instincts screamed. She didn't even need to turn around to feel the danger. A presence. Fast. Lethal. Close. Her fingers tightened around her spear, preparing to whirl around—
But the Beastman moved first.
He vanished. No blur. No sound. Just gone. Then—impact. A sickening crunch echoed through the grove as the Beastman reappeared at Rosa's side, his clawed hand crushing the skull of an Astrasnake in one devastating strike. The Mystic Beast hadn't even had a chance to strike. Its body convulsed, then went limp, its shattered head oozing energy-rich ichor.
Rosa barely had time to process what had just happened. The Beastman hadn't just been fast—he had been beyond her perception. And that terrified her.
****
Outside the Echo field
Hidden World, Terra
Gaea Solar system
Milky way galaxy
Neutral Free Zone
April 2019
Emily piloted the hovercraft with ease, the ship humming softly as it followed the predetermined coordinates Rex had set. Not long ago, they had dropped Sam and the others off at Cedar Lake Bridge, and now they were onto their next objective. With the autopilot engaged, Emily had little to do. Her fingers hovered near the manual controls, but her mind was elsewhere.
She turned, casting a glance toward Rex, who sat near the back of the ship, meticulously cleaning a pair of Seriphium blades. The shimmering metal caught the dim lighting of the cabin, its razor-thin edges reflecting a soft silver-blue glow. She was still getting used to the idea of Rex working with the Fallen Stars—all under the banner of Starlight.
To her, the very thought was absurd.
"I don't like the idea of us cleaning up their mess," Emily muttered, her voice edged with quiet frustration. Rex glanced up from his work, his gaze unreadable. The flickering light of the ship's interior reflected off his sharp features, his eyes momentarily shadowed as he considered her words. She knew where they were headed.
A facility—one that belonged to Maxwell Delacroix.
Emily had been told that Delacroix was long gone, but in truth, he was still on Terra—and Rex was still bound to an obligation. An obligation to Octagram.
Despite what he had told Leon about Delacroix being gone, the truth was that the Pleiadian was still on Terra. And it was up to Rex to eliminate him. The man was a traitor, once a high-ranking figure, now working with Mallus, the enemy responsible for the corruption of Vashin Priyham into an abomination. He was also the one who supplied the weapons used during the Uprising. The weapons Malus had used to frame the Fallen Stars.
"Delacroix isn't just the Fallen Stars' mess," Rex said, his voice calm but firm. "He's also the Divine Federation's mess. If we get to him first, we gain an upper hand against the Purist factions within the government."
Emily exhaled sharply. "Sure."
She didn't argue—because she knew Rex was right. Delacroix was a problem bigger than any one faction. But then Rex added something that made her pause.
"And it would be the perfect way to undo the banishment placed on you and Leon."
Emily stiffened. The words settled deep within her, and for a moment, she wasn't sure how to feel. She could go back. Return to the Divine Federation. Be reinstated as a true Paladin of Starlight This was what she had wanted. Wasn't it? She had spent so much time dreaming of going back, of undoing the disgrace she and Leon had gained.
And yet—now that the opportunity had presented itself, she felt... nothing. Not excitement. Not relief. Just emptiness. It stunned her. Hadn't she hated Terra when she first arrived? The polluted skies, the weak Odic concentration, and the colorless state that she perceived the planet as. She had longed to escape it, to return to the order and prestige of the Federation.
But now? Now, the thought of returning didn't fill her with the longing it once had. She wasn't desperate to get home anymore. Emily stared out at the shifting landscape beyond the ship's window, her reflection barely visible in the glass. Did she even consider the Federation her home anymore? That question lingered, heavy in her mind. And for the first time—she wasn't sure of the answer.
The hovercraft descended smoothly, its engines humming softly as it approached the outskirts of Delacroix's facility. A high-level barrier shimmered around the fortress-like structure, its surface rippling with arcane energy, forming a nearly impenetrable defense.
Emily and Rex disembarked silently, their boots pressing into the soft, uneven terrain as they moved swiftly to cover. A large boulder, jagged and weathered, provided enough concealment for them to observe the facility without detection. From their vantage point, Emily took in the full scope of security.
Sentinel warriors patrolled the perimeter, clad in heavy combat armor, their hands gripping mana cannons and blasters, weapons capable of obliterating targets with concentrated energy. But they weren't alone.
Standing like silent sentinels were warbots, humanoid automatons built purely for combat. Unlike the advanced AI-driven Automatons, which could adapt and think autonomously, these machines were mere weapons in motion—programmed to execute orders with mechanical precision. No free thought. No hesitation. Just pure, cold efficiency. Emily's fingers tightened around the hilt of her blade as she assessed the scene.
"Do you see any weaknesses?" Rex's voice was low, measured. Even though he was of a higher Realm than her, when it came to the Arcane Arts, Emily was the expert.
She scanned the barrier, her eyes narrowing as she traced the delicate web of energy fields interwoven into the very structure of the facility. It wasn't a simple magical defense—it was layered.
Her gaze flickered to the arcane arrays embedded at key junctions along the building's exterior. Sealing Elemental Arrays. She recognized them immediately. They were the same type of barriers that had once sealed away her magic in Greyhorn Club—used by the Fallen Stars warrior she had faced back then.
Emily's jaw tightened. This wasn't just an ordinary stronghold. This was a prison of magic itself. Emily knew the moment they stepped inside that her spellcasting would be sealed. The Sealing Elemental Arrays weren't just for defense—they were designed to suppress magic at its core. To fight inside, she would have to rely solely on her Ability Factor and Combat Arts.
No spells. No weaving of Arcane Forces. Just raw skill and physical mastery. Still, that didn't mean they were helpless.
"Not really," Emily murmured, her eyes narrowing as she finished her assessment. "The entire complex is fortified with multiple arcane arrays—powerful ones. And from what I can tell, they're being powered by high-tier mana cores embedded deep within the facility."
Her Internal Sight pulsed outward, mapping the intricate network of magical fields layered into the building's structure. The barrier was designed to obstruct energy perception, but for Emily, that meant little.
She could still see. Other Ascendants would have been blind to the deeper layers of the facility, their Internal Sight blocked by the barrier's interference. But Emily wasn't like other Ascendants. Her unique sensitivity toward energy sources allowed her to pierce through the interference, reading the mana flow like it was written in ink on parchment.
"So infiltration is impossible," Rex stated flatly, his golden eyes shifting toward her.
Emily's lips curled into a small, knowing smirk.
"I didn't say that." Emily's voice was calm, yet there was an unmistakable edge of confidence beneath it. Rex's eyes narrowed slightly as he caught the faint smirk on her lips. It threw him off. The Emily he knew rarely showed expressions—she was always composed, her face a mask of stoic indifference. But now? Now, there was something different in her demeanor. A spark of amusement. A trace of challenge. And if Emily was smirking, it meant she had already found a way in.
Emily already knew that brute-forcing their way through the barrier was impossible. The Sealing Elemental Arrays would suppress her ability to cast spells, stripping her of one of her greatest strengths. The facility itself was powered by high-tier mana cores, forming a near-impenetrable arcane defense.
For most, that would make infiltration suicidal. But Emily wasn't like most. Her Internal Sight flared, sweeping over the barrier's intricate structure, revealing the layers of defensive enchantments that any other Ascendant would have been blind to. And then—she saw it.
A flaw.
A pulsation interval. The barrier wasn't a solid, unbroken defense. Instead, its mana flow cycled in controlled pulses, shifting energy across the structure in predictable rhythms. To most eyes, these fluctuations were imperceptible—a seamless illusion of an unyielding wall. But to Emily? They were cracks in the armor. One of those weak points lay near the facility's ventilation system, where airflow and mana diffusion overlapped, creating a localized energy distortion—a blind spot in the sealing array. A weakness.
Emily pointed it out to Rex, her tone brisk and certain. Without hesitation, they moved. The ventilation system was built into the side of the reinforced structure, its vents narrow but not impassable. Emily took the lead, standing at the edge of the pulsating energy field, her body perfectly still as she attuned herself to the barrier's rhythmic flux.
Then—she activated her Ability Factor.
A subtle shift in energy surrounded her as she synced her movements with the ambient fluctuations, her body adjusting to the precise harmonic pattern of the pulsing mana. She timed it perfectly. With a precise step, she moved in sync with the barrier's next cycle, aligning her motion to the momentary dip in the sealing effect.
And then—she was through. A seamless transition. No disturbance. No alarm. She slipped into the ventilation port, vanishing into the shadows. Rex followed, though his method was different. Unlike Emily, he couldn't see the precise fluctuations in the barrier, so instead, he relied on raw instinct and experience.
Using his telekinesis, he propelled himself forward at the exact moment Emily had, using subtle airborne adjustments to match her timing and movement. His combat reflexes filled the gaps where his energy perception failed. And just like that—they were inside. Their infiltration had begun.
The facility was crawling with Sentinels and Warbots, their metallic frames gleaming under the dim industrial lighting, each one programmed for precise and lethal engagement. Their movements were cold and mechanical, the rhythmic stomp of metal feet echoing faintly through the halls as they patrolled in well-coordinated formations. Triggering an alarm would be a death sentence. Emily exhaled slowly, keeping her presence carefully controlled.
She activated her Energy Dampening Skill, a subfunction of her Ability Factor, sending a wave of controlled suppression through her body. Her Odic signature faded, seamlessly blending into the background noise of the facility's energy field. To scanners and automated detection systems, she was nothing more than a faint whisper in the mana currents.
Rex, however, didn't have the same ability. Without hesitation, Emily reached into her belt pouch, fingers brushing against a small, circular talisman—one of the low-tier Mana Suppression Seals she had prepared beforehand. With a quick motion, she pressed it against Rex's wrist, activating the inscription. A subtle pulse of energy rippled outward, sinking into his form, temporarily adjusting his energy frequency to make him nearly invisible to scanners and sensory wards.
"That should hold for a while," she murmured.
With their signatures suppressed, they moved. Swift. Silent. Shadows in motion. They slipped through the facility's blind spots, navigating between Sentinel patrol paths and automated turrets, moving with precise, calculated steps to avoid triggering motion sensors or magical detection fields.
Now inside, Emily shifted her focus to their exit strategy. The barrier sealing the facility had to be weakened—just enough for them to break through when needed. But destroying the mana cores outright would trigger emergency lockdown protocols, cutting off all escape routes. She needed a subtle approach.
Closing her eyes briefly, she reached into her Internal Sight, mapping out the facility's mana grid in her mind. The energy relays, the flow of power, the weaving of spells sustaining the barrier—it was all there, like an intricate web of light.
Instead of brute force, Emily used Arcane Frequency Disruption, a highly advanced technique that altered the flow of mana at a microscopic level—not enough to trip alarms, but just enough to create a minor desynchronization in the energy matrix.
A slight imbalance.
A subtle flaw in the structure. The barrier remained intact for now, but its stability had been compromised. When the time came, a short-range mana burst would be enough to shatter the weakened section—just for a moment. Just long enough for them to escape.
Emily opened her eyes, a flicker of satisfaction in her expression. The plan was in place. They were in. They had a way out. Now, all that was left—was finding Delacroix.
-
In one of the dimly lit rooms deep within the facility, Maxwell Delacroix sat in silence, his gaze fixed on the glowing projection before him. The holographic display pulsed softly, mapping out the trajectory of the Cleansing Transport Ship—a vessel that would be arriving soon. The room was steeped in shadows, its illumination drawn only from the cold blue glow of the projection.
And Delacroix was not alone.
Flanking him on all sides were Constellation Agents of Sector Zero, their eerie, featureless masks reflecting the light in an almost ghostly shimmer. Their black battle gear, reinforced with arcane-weaved alloys, allowed them to meld seamlessly into the darkness, their presence an extension of the void itself. They stood motionless, their breathing controlled, their energy signatures so suppressed they might as well have been lifeless specters.
To most, their presence would be unsettling. But for Delacroix, they were merely another tool at his disposal. Beside him, watching the projection with equally sharp focus, were Orion and Nabu.
Orion's gaze flickered, scanning the transport's trajectory, her aura exuding cold calculation. Nabu, silent as ever, remained composed, but there was an unmistakable tension in his posture as if he could already sense the storm that was about to unfold. Delacroix exhaled slowly, fingers tapping against the armrest of his seat.
"How long before we leave this damned planet?" Delacroix muttered, his frustration evident.
Before anyone could answer, the door hissed open, revealing a woman of striking, almost ethereal appearance. Her skin was pale, almost luminous, and her midnight-black hair cascaded over the dark crimson robe she wore. The rich fabric swept around her as she strode inside, her presence instantly commanding the room.
Delacroix's gaze flickered to her crimson eyes, sharp and unyielding, and he felt a sudden chill crawl down his spine. The air itself seemed to grow heavier, her gaze piercing as if she could see straight through him.
"You'll leave when my team goes through the portal," the woman said, her voice as cold and cutting as a winter gale.
Delacroix swallowed hard, unease prickling the back of his neck.
"What about them?" he asked, his tone edging toward panic. "Mallus promised me protection—"
Her attention didn't waver, but there was no empathy in her expression.
"Agent Orion will take you aboard the Enlil vessel."
She finally turned away from him, her eyes shifting to Orion and Nabu, dismissing Delacroix entirely. "Agent Orion, start transferring the goods. We don't leave anything behind."
"Sure, Hekate," Orion said with a curt nod. Without delay, Orion left the room, his footsteps deliberate as he moved to begin the transfer. The tension remained heavy in the air, though Hekate appeared utterly unbothered.
As Orion rounded a corner, she suddenly felt something yank her forcefully into a dim, unused storage room. She spun quickly, instincts sharp, a dagger flashing into her hand.
Her grip tightened, ready to strike—
Until she froze. A familiar arm held hers firmly, strong enough to halt her without hurting her. Her eyes widened slightly. It was Rex. And behind him, the sharp-eyed figure of Emily Legens. Orion's pulse quickened. How had they gotten so close without her sensing them? That alone unsettled her. Her senses were rarely, if ever, caught off guard.
"Freya," Emily said.
The single word hung in the air, a mix of recognition and warning. Freya took off the mask that hid her beautiful, fair skin face, smiling at Rex and Emily.
"I take it you're here for Delacroix," Freya said, her voice calm and steady, the persona of Orion still firmly in place.
"Yes," Rex replied without hesitation. "As one of Jaeger Corp's hunters, I'm bringing him in."
Freya tilted her head slightly, a faint smirk playing at her lips. "Then you should know—Hekate is here."
Rex's expression darkened instantly, his usually controlled demeanor faltering.
"What?" he said, his voice laced with disbelief. "What's she doing here? Isn't she supposed to be guarding the Citadel?"
Emily, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow. "Who's Hekate?" she asked, clearly out of the loop.
"She's Mallus's right hand," Rex said tersely. He turned back to Freya. "What's she doing here, Freya?"
Freya crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering. "She's here to lead Nabu and his team into the Echo Field."
Emily's brow furrowed. "What Echo Field?"
Freya's eyes flicked to her. "The Echo Field that the Asha'Yee passed through," She said simply. The air grew tense as Emily processed the revelation, the weight of Freya's words casting a heavy shadow over their already precarious mission. After Freya explained the goal of Sector Zero, Rex and Emily realized that their mission had gotten more complicated.
-
Delacroix stood at the base of the towering circular gate, his eyes fixed on the machines that moved with eerie precision, installing intricate arcane components and mechanical devices. Sparks of light danced in the air as energy began to flow through the structure, humming softly like a distant storm. Dressed in his personalized battle gear, Delacroix looked every bit the warlord, his black cloak billowing faintly from the movement of the machines. He turned, his gaze drifting upwards to the high platform where Hekate and her Sector Zero agents stood in silent vigilance. Their presence was unmistakable, a shadow of authority that loomed over everything.
Delacroix snapped his fingers. At the command, his personal guards—silent, armored figures—moved to flank him on either side, readying themselves to escort him to the transport ship waiting to take him off Terra.
On the platform above, Hekate observed Delacroix's movements, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly. Turning her attention to a nearby agent holding a sleek, glowing tablet, she spoke with calm authority.
"How long until the Nexus Node comes online?"
Hydor, the agent from the House of Aquarius, a known technology specialist, glanced up from the tablet, her mask hiding her expression from view.
"The Automatons are finishing the final assembly now. It should be operational momentarily," Hydor replied, her voice efficient and clipped.
"Good," Hekate said simply. Her tone betrayed no emotion, but the weight of her words was palpable. Her crimson gaze shifted back to the gate below, as if measuring the minutes that remained. "According to our intel, the Asha'Yee and her team have already entered the Echo Field. We can't wait any longer."
Hydor nodded, her fingers dancing across the tablet's surface as she monitored the last stages of the setup. Then—a soft chime echoed from the tablet.
"It's done," Hydor announced, her tone betraying just a hint of relief.
Hekate exhaled, her lips moving slightly as she murmured thanks to the Divine Emperor. Turning sharply to Nabu, she issued her next command.
"Organize the group and prepare to descend into the portal." Her voice was cold and deliberate, each word landing like a sealed order. Nabu nodded, moving swiftly to relay her instructions. Hekate shifted her focus again, her eyes glancing toward the section of the chamber where Delacroix's ship stood ready for departure. The massive craft gleamed under the ambient light, its engines primed for immediate takeoff. But before she could move, Orion appeared, stepping briskly into the room.
"Orion," Hekate said sharply. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be guarding Dela—"
"There are intruders," Orion interrupted, her voice low and urgent.
"How do you—"
But before Hekate could finish, a sharp, blaring alarm tore through the facility.
The previously steady hum of the complex was shattered as the magical detection arrays flared to life, the intricate web of energy fields lighting up in bright, rhythmic pulses. The system had detected an intruder.
Hekate's head snapped toward Orion, her eyes narrowing as she processed the sudden turn of events. She wasted no time.
"Nabu, begin the descent immediately." Her voice cut through the alarm like a blade. "Hydor, activate the portal."
The agents sprang into action, Hydor's hands flying over the glowing tablet's surface while Nabu moved swiftly to regroup the remaining agents for deployment.
Hekate turned on her heel, heading toward the lift that would take her to the lower levels. "I want reports on the intruders. Now."
Meanwhile, moving within the shadows of the facility's labyrinthine corridors, Emily carefully cradled the small suppression talisman she had given Rex. Its energy pulsed faintly, a subtle rhythm designed to keep their movements masked from detection arrays.
The plan was simple, yet incredibly high-risk.
Emily and Rex had divided their tasks—Rex would head directly for Delacroix, while Emily's mission was to destroy the portal machine.
The stakes couldn't be higher.
Freya—no, Orion, as she had to remember to call her—had revealed the truth. The Nexus Node was not just an ordinary machine. It was a high-level Magictech Exodus device, capable of linking any portal to its centralized network.
With it, Hekate and her team could infiltrate practically any location, tapping into a nearly limitless reach. And worse, they had already acquired the energy signature for the Echo Field. If the Nexus Node were allowed to go online, it would give them unrestricted access to one of the most secure and mysterious regions in existence.
Emily's jaw tightened as she crept silently forward, her steps measured, her thoughts focused. If the portal came online, their enemies wouldn't just have an advantage—they would have a gateway to Sam. Emily couldn't let it happen. The thought burned in her mind as she gritted her teeth, her body tense under the pressure of the Elemental Sealing Array that blanketed the entire facility. The field was strong, constraining, forcing her to rely on sheer ingenuity rather than raw power. She had felt its grip since the moment they entered, but now it pressed against her more heavily, as if sensing her intent.
Her fingers flexed slightly, her pulse steady as she let her focus settle. If only she could have dismantled the damn field sooner. But then—
Oh, wait. She could.
A rare, almost imperceptible smile tugged at Emily's lips. She normally didn't smile. She didn't need to. Yet here, in the midst of this oppressive maze of enemies and sealed magic, she felt the faintest trace of satisfaction. Her time on this forsaken planet had chipped away at her stoic mask little by little. Where once she might have approached the situation with cold efficiency, she now found herself taking a grim sort of pleasure in outmaneuvering the obstacles set before her.
And the mana she had already seeded into the cores was doing its job—weakening the barrier steadily, bit by bit. But she couldn't wait any longer. This time, she would force the issue. Emily closed her eyes for the briefest moment, her Internal Sight flaring to life. Through her unique perception, the facility unfolded before her in stark detail. She could feel the mana cores deep within, their power thrumming like the heartbeats of the building. The faint, steady rhythm of energy flow was a dance she knew well.
The energy matrix of the cores was stable—for now. But it was no different than any finely tuned instrument: push it too far, too fast, and it would fall apart.
Emily's smile deepened ever so slightly. "Let's see how stable you really are."
Instead of continuing to desynchronize the matrix slowly, she flooded the cores with a surge of mana—not brute force, but a controlled increase in frequency and amplitude.nThe energy currents shifted, first slightly, then drastically. The once-balanced matrix began to spiral. The flow became unstable, spinning faster and faster, until the pattern fractured.
With a final push, she felt it break. A surge of power coursed through the facility as the mana cores failed, collapsing under their own heightened energy. The Elemental Sealing Array shattered, and for a moment, Emily's faint smile turned into a quiet exhale of triumph. It was done.