The night was thick with tension.
Celestine, Alistair Dorne, and Elias Draven moved through the underbelly of Noctis-Lux, where the city's veins pulsed with stolen energy. Cloaked in shadows, they followed the hidden tunnels that ran beneath the Council's headquarters—the Nexus Vault.
The air was damp, laced with the scent of old machinery and rusted metal. The faint hum of power conduits vibrated beneath their feet.
Alistair adjusted the holster on his belt. "Security will be tight."
Elias smirked, twirling a pulse dagger between his fingers. "That's the fun part."
Celestine ignored their banter. Her focus remained on the reinforced door ahead—a high-clearance access point leading directly into the Nexus Vault. Beyond it, the Council was already siphoning the last remnants of the obsidian cores.
She placed a hand on the scanner panel. "Elias."
He stepped forward, pulling out a small hacking device. The screen flickered as he manipulated the system, bypassing the first layer of security. The door clicked, shifting slightly—but then a red warning light pulsed above them.
Elias cursed under his breath. "They've upgraded the locks. We've got about sixty seconds before the failsafe kicks in."
Celestine didn't hesitate. She drew her obsidian-forged blade, wedging it between the door's seams, amplifying the energy within. A pulse of dark energy surged, forcing the mechanisms apart just enough for Alistair to pry it open.
They slipped inside.
The Nexus Vault was unlike anything Celestine had seen before.
Rows of massive containment chambers lined the walls, glowing with an eerie, pulsating light. Within them were obsidian cores—some still active, their energy being drained into the city's power grid. Others were cracked, lifeless.
And at the center of the room stood a Council technician, clad in a dark uniform, monitoring the process. He turned at the sound of their entrance, eyes widening.
Celestine moved before he could react, pressing the tip of her blade to his throat. "Deactivate the extraction," she ordered.
The technician trembled but did not comply. Instead, he sneered. "You're too late."
A deep rumble shook the vault.
Elias cursed. "That's not good."
Celestine spun toward the containment chambers. The largest one—positioned at the farthest end—was shattering. Its protective seals were failing, and the energy inside was spiraling out of control.
Alistair grabbed the technician, forcing him against the console. "What did you do?"
The man grinned, eyes flickering with something far beyond fear.
"The Council doesn't just want the cores, Your Majesty." His voice was chilling. "They want what's buried beneath them."
The chamber's glass finally fractured—and something inside began to move.
Celestine's breath hitched.
The Council wasn't just stealing energy.
They were awakening something.
And it was about to rise.
The past was no longer buried.