[City of Mantle ]
Daniel walked through the empty streets of Mantle, one of the most distant and quiet areas of the city. He enjoyed that rare moment of calm, breathing the cold air while his steps echoed between the abandoned buildings. The peace did not last long. When he reached the open lot, a military Bullhead was waiting for him with its lights on, breaking the darkness.
Sighing, he tilted his head to one side, resigned.
He had hoped for a little more time before getting to work, but clearly that was not going to happen. Walking straight toward the ship, he dropped his illusion. His tanned skin turned pale, and his hair, once green, regained its white tone.
In his hand, he held a rolled-up blueprint, and above his head, Aegis rested in silence. There was no point in staying disguised anymore; he was far enough away not to be seen.
The hatch of the ship opened immediately. Daniel climbed aboard without hesitation, and GLaDOS's voice echoed through the speakers with her cold and slightly annoyed tone.
"You're late."
"I got a little distracted," he replied carelessly, dropping into one of the seats by the window.
"You are already behind schedule," she insisted as the Bullhead took off with the roar of its engines.
"Just fly high, right above where the reactor should be. I'll handle the rest."
The ship ascended quickly, leaving behind the gray landscape of Mantle. From his seat, Daniel watched the enormous chains that connected the floating city of Atlas to the surface… and something new caught his attention: thick electrical cables extended from the base of Atlas, clinging to the chains like roots.
"What are those cables?" he asked, frowning. "I'm sure they weren't there before."
"Power cables," GLaDOS answered in her impassive tone. "They will transmit energy from the Jaeger reactor to Mantle's transformers."
Daniel rested his elbow on his knee, watching through the window with interest.
"That means Mantle now depends more than ever on Atlas… Atlas could simply let it die if it wanted."
"That seems unlikely…" Aegis tried to say from his shoulder, but GLaDOS interrupted before it could finish.
"In fact, I have reviewed Atlas's emergency plans, and I must say they are quite interesting," she said with a faint laugh.
"There are two: Selective Evacuation and The Ascension of Atlas. They are as charming as they sound." She paused briefly before continuing with an amused tone. "In the event of a catastrophe they cannot contain, Atlas will cut the chains that connect it to Mantle and rise completely, leaving Mantle to its fate."
Daniel did not look surprised or outraged. Only thoughtful.
"Why rise? How would that keep them safe?"
"Atlas is self-sustaining. It has its own crops, reserves, and defenses. And at that height, the flying Grimm would not be able to reach them."
He nodded silently, watching the city fade in the distance through the window while Atlas, bright and distant, looked like a paradise suspended above a doomed world.
"By the way," GLaDOS continued in her more severe tone, "did you get all the semblances?"
Daniel sighed in irritation, leaning back in the seat.
"I think you already know the answer," he replied, dragging out the words with obvious irritation. Of course she knew he hadn't gathered all the semblances. He was sure she watched him constantly.
"I already knew," she confirmed, her tone bordering on mockery. "I just wanted to emphasize that you didn't get them all."
"And what for?" Daniel shot back, not even trying to hide his exhaustion.
"To make you reflect on your poor performance."
"Great…" he muttered, letting his head fall back. He knew it wasn't worth arguing. But GLaDOS didn't stop.
Her tone shifted slightly, almost curious. "Now, tell me — what's that blueprint you're holding? Don't tell me it's another one of those you conjure with your ability, is it?"
Hearing her, Daniel let out a slightly arrogant smile. "Not that it's any of your business… but I made this one myse—"
"Then it's worthless."
The interruption was so sudden that it silenced him for a second, while at the same time the ship came to an abrupt halt, suspended high above, right over the central tower of Atlas.
"We have arrived," GLaDOS announced indifferently. "Now get out. And reach the reactor quickly."
Daniel wanted to answer, to throw her a clever remark or an insult disguised as humor, but he thought better of it. It wasn't worth the effort. He stood up without saying anything and opened the hatch. The wind hit him hard, whipping his hair and forcing him to narrow his eyes.
From that height, the tower of Atlas stretched far below. Without thinking too much, he let himself fall into the void. For a few seconds he spun through the air, watching the Bullhead fly away, heading back toward the city.
"At least GLaDOS still controls Atlas's systems," he thought. If anyone asked why there was a military ship above the tower, she could come up with some convincing excuse. What she wouldn't be able to justify, however, was a human body falling at full speed right next to the tower.
With that in mind, Daniel activated his camouflage, completely concealing his fall. His body turned invisible along with his clothes, his belongings, and Aegis. He didn't bother trying to assume a landing position; he simply kept falling on his back, looking up at the sky one last time before closing his eyes.
"Haa…" He inhaled deeply, focusing, refusing to crawl again through ventilation ducts to reach the reactor, especially now that he knew there were spiders crawling around in there.
As the ground rushed closer, he concentrated, searching deep within himself until he found it—the thing he needed at that moment.
[Semblance: Delve]
His body, still under the illusion of camouflage, began to change, becoming transparent. The fall didn't slow down; he kept descending at full speed… but the impact never came.
Instead of crashing, he passed through the ground without resistance, sinking into the concrete. He descended rapidly, crossing layers of cement and metal, continuing to fall through the earth.
For a moment he opened his eyes, but saw nothing. The darkness was absolute, the surrounding soil shutting out all light. He was basically blind, but he didn't care. He had fallen in a straight line toward the reactor and only needed to keep his course until he reached the chamber.
"You drifted during the fall. I suggest you correct your course several meters to the right, or you will keep falling until you pass straight through Atlas," said GLaDOS through the earpiece, her voice brushing against his illusions.
"Shit" That was the first thing he thought as he tried to figure out how to fix his descent.
The Delve semblance allowed him to move freely through solid objects, but it wasn't meant to handle a fall at that speed. Under normal conditions, he could have passed through the ground effortlessly, using his body's natural momentum to move forward, but from that height, things were different. He couldn't slow down, he had no foothold to push from, and none of his strength or speed semblances would be useful underground for that very reason.
But giving up wasn't an option. He had to improvise.
He activated shared vision with Aegis, focusing on his surroundings until he located the reactor chamber. Once he found it, he quickly deactivated his camouflage; he couldn't maintain more than two semblances at once, and that one was no longer needed.
He searched within himself again and, in seconds, found the semblance he needed. As soon as he activated it, a multicolored burst flared from his back, leaving behind a rainbow trail as the force propelled him forward.
Neon's semblance
Luckily, he had read GLaDOS's reports on every semblance he had acquired. He didn't just copy them—he studied them, tried to understand them.
'Rainbow,' unlike Ruby's or Harriet's semblances, which enhanced physical agility and speed, was pure propulsion: a constant thrust that turned the user basically into a projectile.
Of course, Neon used it with skates, relying on friction to maneuver.
Using the momentum, he managed to adjust his direction until he finally burst into the reactor chamber, crashing through the metal ceiling and deactivating Delve just in time to land on his feet in the middle of the room.
"TADA!" he exclaimed, raising his arms with a mocking grin as he looked toward one of the cameras, sure that GLaDOS was watching him.
"Foolish, but efficient," she commented through the speakers.
Daniel ignored the insult. His attention was fixed on the Jaeger reactor, towering before him.
[Image]
"I imagined it differently," he murmured, scanning it with his eyes.
"And what do you know about fusion reactors, hmm?" GLaDOS replied in her haughty, superior tone.
"Nothing…" he admitted, shrugging.
"That's what I thought."
Before he could answer, GLaDOS's voice came again, but this time with a mocking edge.
"Smile. Company's here."
The security doors opened with a buzz, and a group entered immediately. The first was Penny, overflowing with excitement.
"It's wonderful!" she shouted, moving among the consoles with bright, eager eyes.
Weiss came in right behind her, and as soon as she saw him, she threw herself at him, hugging him tightly.
"It hasn't been that long… why so emotional?" he tried to say, but the air left his lungs when Weiss squeezed him even harder.
"Never tell anyone that I fell asleep while watching over you," she whispered coldly in his ear. "And don't ever do it again."
Daniel just nodded as she let go of him. When he lifted his gaze, he saw General Ironwood accompanied by Winter and Pietro, along with several guards.
"General. Winter. Pietro." He greeted them with a quick nod.
It was then that he noticed something strange: the soldiers accompanying them didn't look like the usual Atlas or Mantle troops. Their equipment was different—lighter, more advanced.
The general, noticing his gaze, smiled and stepped aside, letting him get a better look at the new soldiers.
[Image]
"I see you've noticed them already," Pietro said with a hint of pride.
"You're not the only one who's been working hard." He laughed lightly, raising a hand to point at the soldiers standing before them. "Allow me to introduce the new combat suits for the military forces of Atlas."
Daniel observed them carefully, circling one of the soldiers as he analyzed every detail. They were more minimalist than previous models, less ornamental, but far more practical.
"Kevlar is truly a wonderful material. Highly resistant, yet flexible enough not to limit movement," Pietro continued, his tone filled with enthusiasm.
Daniel, paying little attention to his words, reached out and touched one of the reinforced plates. The soldier didn't move, though his discomfort was clear. Daniel pressed the metallic joints firmly, testing their strength. He was impressed: even with his enhanced strength, the structure barely deformed.
"They wouldn't hold up against a Huntsman," he thought, but they could withstand blows that would have been fatal before. For common troops, that was a real advantage.
"I should make myself a suit of armor," he thought as he kept examining the soldier. He'd had the idea before, but he lacked the right components.
A familiar throat-clearing pulled him from his focus.
"I hate to interrupt," said General Ironwood, his voice firm but calm. "But I believe the scientific discussion should wait." He gestured toward the massive reactor that dominated the center of the room, waiting to be activated.
Daniel smiled, stepping away from the soldier. "Apologies, General. I think I got carried away." He walked toward the reactor, following the group.
Ironwood gave a slight nod, studying the structure carefully. "We had already seen it through the cameras, but I must admit, up close it's far more impressive."
"It's more than impressive!" shouted Penny, floating energetically as she inspected every corner of the room. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. "I don't even understand what this thing does," she said, pointing at the large transparent tube in the center.
"It's the Jaeger core container," Daniel replied calmly, as if it were obvious.
"Could you explain that a bit more?" asked Pietro, unable to hide his interest.
"Sure." He patted the glass lightly. "It's a high-density magnetic container. It's designed to hold plasma at over one hundred million degrees without any physical contact with the walls… about six point seven times the temperature of the Sun's core."
Penny's enthusiasm vanished instantly; she took a step back, staring at the tube with visible alarm. Daniel let out a small laugh. "Relax, it's not active yet. And even if it were, the thermal regulators and gravito-magnetic containment rings keep us perfectly safe."
The confused looks around him were almost comical. Pietro seemed to be the only one who understood—and, in truth, he probably was. Daniel himself had no idea what he'd just said; he was simply repeating what GLaDOS had forced him to memorize from a technical report.
"Why hasn't it been activated yet? Is something missing?" the general asked, sounding slightly uneasy.
Daniel slowly shook his head, looking at the heart of the reactor with a mix of pride and exhaustion. "No. The Jaeger core is completely finished."
"All that's left is for someone to have the honor of turning it on," he said, stepping aside from the main panel and revealing a single button at the center of the console. His gaze stopped on Weiss, waiting.
"Eh?" she managed to say, confused. "Me? Why me? Why not you or the general?"
"Because I want it to be you," Daniel replied calmly, extending his hand toward her in encouragement. "Come on, Weiss. Be part of history and change."
Weiss blinked, speechless. She didn't move until a pair of hands gave her a gentle push—Winter and Pietro, sharing a silent smile that urged her forward. Swallowing hard, she walked toward the console. Daniel stood beside her, pointing to a glowing button that stood out among the controls.
"I just have to press it?" she asked, uncertain.
Daniel nodded. "Everything's ready. Just one button, and the reactor will begin distributing power to Atlas and Mantle."
A bead of sweat slid down her temple. She feared ruining it, as if a single wrong move could unleash disaster. But even so, she did it. She pressed the button.
Silence fell over the room. One, two, three seconds passed.
"Is it working?" she asked nervously.
"It takes a few seconds to—" he began to say, but a flash cut him off.
A white light flooded the entire room, blinding them. Weiss let out a scream, covering her eyes, while the others did the same, dazzled by the glare. It only took a few seconds for their vision to return, and then they all stood speechless.
[Image]
The central container of the reactor glowed with an intense blue energy, swirling violently inside the transparent tube. It was hypnotic, chaotic, and beautiful all at once.
Immediately, several holographic screens appeared around them, drawing everyone's attention. On one of them, the city of Atlas came into view from above. The lights that had flickered or gone dark began turning on one by one, restoring power across every district.
But the real spectacle was happening below. Mantle was glowing. From the areas closest to the transformers, light spread outward like a wave, flowing through streets, factories, and forgotten neighborhoods. Even the zones damaged by the bombing seemed to regain life.
The energy kept advancing through regions abandoned long before the attack, bringing brightness back to every corner until it reached the outer wall, where the defenses—silent for days—lit up with a flash.
"It works!" Penny shouted, euphoric, jumping with joy as the screens reflected her excitement. "Atlas and Mantle at one hundred percent!"
The others barely reacted. Pietro, moved, removed his glasses and discreetly wiped away a tear. The general, still watching the screens, took a deep breath before regaining his composure and stepping toward Daniel.
"Status report on the reactor."
Daniel turned toward him, pretending to analyze the data flashing before his eyes. He didn't understand half of it, but he improvised without hesitation. "The Jaeger core is functioning perfectly. It's stable, no failures. A complete success."
The general nodded with satisfaction, his stern expression softening just slightly.
"General," GLaDOS's voice echoed through the speakers, firm and metallic. "The cameras are waiting."
A drone floated behind them, its lens glowing, the red recording light blinking.
"Transmission ready and standing by."
It seemed they had planned everything in advance, just in case the reactor worked as intended.
"You've saved thousands of lives," said the general, looking at him with a rare flicker of gratitude. "Atlas is in your debt. We won't forget what you've done."
Daniel nodded silently. He understood the sentiment, but the words felt cold, stripped of warmth. Maybe it was just the general's way, or maybe that was how military gratitude always sounded—measured, emotionless. It didn't matter. He dropped onto a nearby chair, watching as the man approached the cameras, straightening his uniform, ready to address all of Atlas.
In Mantle, people stared at the screens in confusion, many still unsure of what had just happened. Then, all the displays lit up at once, showing the Atlas emblem. A few seconds later, the general's face filled every visible screen.
"Citizens of Atlas and Mantle," he began, voice firm and composed. "For days we have endured darkness. Systems failed, power ceased, and for a moment, it seemed as though we were losing the very force that kept us moving forward. But even then, we did not yield. We adapted, we maintained order, we shared what little we had, and we proved, once again, that the strength of Atlas does not lie in its machines, but in its people."
Daniel listened from his seat, his gaze fixed on the man's image. Around him, the holographic displays synchronized with the speech. In Mantle, heating generators flared back to life, venting thick columns of steam that rose into the gray sky. The lights of the high towers flicked on one after another, bathing the streets in color. Everything unfolded like choreography—so precise it couldn't possibly be coincidence.
He wondered if the general had planned it all. Then he remembered GLaDOS, and the answer became obvious—of course he had.
"Today, with the activation of our new reactor, the Jaeger core," the general continued, "energy flows once again through every street and every home. But this is not merely the restoration of an electrical grid. It is a statement. It is proof that even after an attack meant to break us, we still stand."
The general's voice carried conviction, perfectly aligned with each camera transition, each sweeping shot of the reactor that GLaDOS projected in the background—careful, of course, not to show it directly.
"Atlas is not defined by its defeats," the general went on, "but by its ability to rise again. Every spark you see ignite is not just power restored—it is the reflection of our determination, our discipline, our unity. There is no obstacle we cannot overcome, so long as we stand together and remember who we are."
A final shot showed the reactor glowing slightly brighter than before, now with a warm light.
"Let this moment serve as a reminder of what we are capable of achieving when we act with purpose," the general concluded. "The darkness has passed. The city is running again. As long as its people keep believing in the future we are building, Atlas will stand firm, lighting the way for everyone."
With those last words, the transmission cut off.
The general exhaled deeply, his hardened expression slowly relaxing. He finally seemed to allow himself to feel something.
"I could have given a better speech," Daniel muttered, glancing toward Weiss, who at some point had sat down beside him.
Weiss hushed him with a "shhh" and a light jab to his side. But her annoyed expression faded when she noticed what he was holding in his hands.
"I've noticed you've been carrying that roll of paper since we came in." Her tone was somewhere between curious and suspicious. "May I ask what it is?"
A smile instantly formed on Daniel's face. Standing up with enthusiasm, he drew everyone's attention with his sudden movement.
"This?" he said, raising the roll above his head. "It's nothing, just… THE BLUEPRINTS FOR THE GREATEST INVENTION I'VE EVER CREATED!"
Weiss gave him a blank look, raised her hand, and with a dry gesture pointed to the massive reactor behind them, the one powering two cities.
"Greater than that?"
"Pfff." Daniel waved his hand dismissively. "You're living in the past, Weiss. The reactor is yesterday's news."
"You finished it today!" she snapped, irritated.
"Details. That's already history." Unrolling the paper with theatrical flair, he added, eyes shining, "This, on the other hand… this is tomorrow. The most powerful, magnificent, spectacular invention ever, one that makes everything I've built before look ridiculous."
Penny, unable to contain her excitement, gave a small hop. "Whee! Can we see it, please?"
"Of course you can." Daniel paused dramatically, looking around. "Except for you two." He pointed at the guards by the door. "Turn around. I'm not showing my masterpiece to strangers who might steal it."
The general raised an eyebrow but gave a small nod, ordering the soldiers to obey. They turned without a word.
"GLaDOS, drum roll, please!"
"No."
"Thank you!" he muttered sarcastically. "And now… without further delay, I present to you my greatest invention."
He unrolled the blueprint across a table with a quick motion, revealing the highly complex diagrams.
[Image]
There was a moment of absolute silence. Daniel let himself enjoy it, convinced he had left them speechless.
The general brought a hand to his eyes, rubbing them. Pietro stifled a laugh. Weiss clenched her fist, probably holding back a scream. Winter sighed in resignation. Penny, confused, tilted her head, trying to understand what she was seeing.
Before anyone could speak, Daniel raised both hands. "I know what you're thinking: how was I capable of creating something so magnificent? I don't even know myself. Maybe it came to me in a prophetic dream."
"It's… simplistic," Pietro said with a smile.
"Yes," Daniel nodded, "it's missing a few details, I admit that."
Weiss opened her mouth, but Winter quickly covered her lips.
"Is it a large… weapon?" Winter asked, frowning, not entirely sure if that was really what it was. "Does it have a name?"
"Of course it does." Daniel straightened the blueprints with a near-theatrical gesture, puffing out his chest with pride. "I call it the Royal March Banner. When it's finished, it will be magnificent."
Weiss managed to pull her sister's hand away, forcing a diplomatic smile. "Your blueprint is very… imaginative."
"Oh, thank you, Weiss. I knew I could count on you." Daniel took a step forward and hugged her enthusiastically, then stepped back just enough to look her straight in the eyes. For a brief moment, they held each other's gaze in silence… which broke very quickly.
"You're making fun of me, aren't you?" Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow.
The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the room as Winter brought a hand to her face, exhausted. Daniel adopted an offended look, stepped back, and pointed at Weiss.
"I knew you didn't like it!" he exclaimed, his voice rising in frustration.
"How could I like that?" Weiss shot back, crossing her arms and taking a defensive stance.
"Oh, sorry for not having time to draw the details," Daniel said sarcastically. "In case you didn't notice, I was a little busy creating the reactor. I just saved Atlas, you could say something nice instead of telling me my drawing looks like crap!"
"I never said that!" she replied quickly.
"Well, it sounded like you did."
In the middle of the argument, Penny stepped in with a bright smile. "You have very hydrated skin, friend Daniel."
Daniel pointed at her immediately, energized. "Thank you, Penny! Thank you for noticing." Then he turned back to Weiss with a triumphant look. "See? You could learn from her. Penny actually pays attention to me."
Penny opened her mouth to say something else, but Pietro stopped her, resting a hand on her arm and gently shaking his head to keep her from getting involved.
Off to the side, the general watched the scene with his arms crossed. He leaned toward Winter and murmured, "Should we intervene?"
"No," she replied wearily. "I think it's a problem they need to solve themselves."
The general nodded, giving up, but at that moment his emergency communicator let out a sharp beep. He stepped away, answering the call with a frown. The conversation lasted only a few minutes.
When he put the device away, his face had regained its former rigidity. Daniel noticed immediately and fell silent. Weiss also caught the change, her voice fading.
"What happened?" Pietro asked, recognizing the gravity in the general's expression.
"Jacques Schnee is dead."
Silence settled over the room—heavy and suffocating—especially over Weiss and Winter, who stood frozen in place.
—//—
Author's Note:
It's past midnight, and I finally finished editing this chapter. I hope there aren't too many mistakes.
The next chapter will be about Jacques's death and funeral… Maybe it's because I'm half-asleep, but I forgot what I was supposed to write here. It was important, though maybe not important enough for me to bother remembering it.
Anyway, thank you for reading — don't forget to leave a comment! I hope you liked it!
Hugs and kisses. 💫