The battlefield pulsed with turmoil, the air thick with the din of hollers and pounding footsteps. Cyrus and Sigma now had the upper hand, their ambush having taken Axel's team off guard as the blue flag waved in Sigma's hand. The stakes were obvious—Axel's team had to move quickly if they were to stand any chance of recovering the flag.
Shake up again!" Axel cried, his shout piercing the noise as he rushed back down to the defense line. His perceptive eyes surveyed the arena, his mind already doing the arithmetic.
Kaid remained planted where the flag once stood, muscles rigid as he kept **021** from advancing any further. Beside him, Lila crept in place, her sniper rifle rock-steady as she picked off the enemy. Her forehead glistened with sweat as she fired again, narrowly missing **045** as he darted for cover.
"They're coming quickly," Lila shouted, anger creeping into her tone. "I can't hold them off!"
"Hold them off as long as you can," Axel commanded, waving his hand in her direction. "We need time to retrieve the flag."
I'll get you some," Eli interrupted from somewhere on the platform. He ran towards them in his speed, piling up trash on the floor and throwing it at **045**. The distractions didn't work, but they did manage to keep Sigma's recruit stationary long enough for Lila to get into position for a second attack.
"GOT this one!" shouted Eli out loud, initiating **045** into coordinated actions that divided Sigma's attention.
Ava and Atlas pushed forward simultaneously, eyes fixated on **021**, who had the blue flag now. The big new recruit hastened his step, surging with intent across the bumpy surface as he tried to entice the flag to Sigma's position. Ava was quicker. She worked her way through the obstacle course with acrobatic agility, her sinister claws flashing beneath the cold, merciless fluorescent lights.
"Over there, big boy!" Ava teased, her laughter ringing out above the din as she pretended to go left, causing **021** to change direction.
Atlas was hot on her heels, his confident stride cutting **021**'s escape route short. "Let it drop," Atlas snarled, his low voice rumbling across the field.
**021** was slow to react, at least for a half-beat, which was sufficient for Ava to act. She swung low to knock him out, but **021** leaped up rapidly, waving the flagpole upward in defense to deflect her blow. It was fierce and fleeting, the two of them striking for the other's position.
At the same time, Axel sprinted toward the fray, only to find his path blocked by Cyrus. The smirk on Cyrus's face was razor-sharp, his gray eyes gleaming with malice. "Not so fast, Sage," Cyrus said, raising his fists. "You're not going anywhere."
Axel would not back down. He launched into a furious round of punches, pushing Cyrus away. Their fight was savage and relentless, each punch driven by their hatred. Axel sidestepped a slash, striking back with an uppercut that snapped Cyrus's jaw.
"You're obstinate. I'll give you that," Cyrus snarled, wiping blood from his lip. "But this is our victory, Sage."
"Not yet," Axel answered sharply, his mind unbroken.
As Axel distracted Cyrus, fighting closer to Sigma's headquarters escalated. Ava and Atlas moved as a team, their steps practiced as they marched **021**. Atlas had a solid hit to the side of the recruit, who was sent stumbling over the flag. It landed with a wet splat, then **045** sprang out of cover to pick it up.
"I've got it!" **045** shouted, pivoting to retreat toward Sigma's goal line.
"Not for long!" Ava countered, darting after him. She moved with blinding speed, her claws raking across **045**'s sleeve as she closed the gap. Before she could land another strike, **062** emerged from the shadows, intercepting her with a sharp kick that sent her staggering.
Atlas moved forward to protect Ava, his great body interposing itself between **062** and him. The two newcomers stood in front of each other, blows ringing across the arena as they fought with brute force. Lila shot again at point-blank range, barely missing **045** as he spun and sidled around the terrain.
"Kaid, fall back and assist Ava and Atlas!" Axel bellowed, his voice cracking as he dodged another of Cyrus's punches. Kaid spun around and regarded Lila, who nodded frantically. "Go!" she snapped, her voice cold.
Kaid sprinted toward the fight, arriving just in time to see **062** pin Atlas against a barrier. With a powerful swing, Kaid struck **062** from behind, the impact sending the recruit reeling. "You're welcome!" Kaid called out, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"About time," Ava replied, regaining her footing. She darted after **045**, who was still fleeing with the flag. "I'll handle him!"
Eli, meanwhile, stayed near Lila, his quick movements continuing to disrupt Sigma's attempts to regroup. He dodged debris and hurled it back at **045**, forcing the recruit to slow down. "I'm keeping them busy, but we're running out of time here!" Eli shouted, his voice tinged with urgency.
Axel ultimately delivered a killing blow to Cyrus, sending him stumbling and toppling over. Not stopping for a moment, Axel about-faced and ran in the direction of the flag, his resolve never wavering.
Ava closed in on **045**, her speed providing the advantage as she overpowered him to the ground. The flag fell from his hand, inches from her fingertips. She sprang at it to catch it, but **062** was back on his feet again, charging at her with all the rage he could muster.
"Atlas, cover her!" Axel shouted as he approached the scene. Atlas intercepted **062**, grabbing him mid-charge and slamming him into a nearby barrier. The impact echoed across the battlefield, drawing gasps from the recruits watching from the sidelines.
Ava grabbed the flag, clutching it tightly as she turned toward Axel. "I've got it!" she called out, her voice triumphant.
"Then let's go!" Axel directed, motioning for her to fall back. The team fell into line, shielding Ava as they retreated back towards their base. Cyrus and Sigma re-formed rapidly, their attack merciless as they attempted to close the gap.
Lila shot again, this one whizzing off Cyrus's arm as he burst forward. "Keep going!" she yelled, her voice steady in spite of the tension.
The battlefield rang with pandemonium, each of the recruits testing their limits as the game reached its boiling point. Axel's team was close—so close to recovering their flag—but Sigma was not going down without a fight.