The intense, pulsating glow of the Marseille-South Station teleporter disappeared with a sharp crack, almost like the last gasp of a dying flame. The thick air of the immense station gave way to a heavy silence, broken only by the subtle sound of Seraphina and Ethan's own footsteps, now once again walking through the underground corridors of NEXUS UMBRA.
This was no ordinary station. NEXUS UMBRA was the hidden heart of the Order of Erebus, a colossal complex buried beneath layers of concrete, steel, and advanced technology. The metal walls glowed with a bluish light that seemed to pulse, almost alive, through the circuits embedded in the surface of the panels. A biting, almost clinical cold enveloped the space, bringing a sense of absolute isolation, as if the outside world were nothing more than a distant and irrelevant memory.
Seraphina maintained an impassive expression, but her body, despite its trained endurance, betrayed the exhaustion of hours of battle, infiltration, and interrogation. She could feel the steady pulse in her wrists, her own pulse, mixed with the electronic frequency of that alien structure. But her mind remained alert, working tirelessly to assimilate every detail, every shadow, every piece of information that might be useful. Determination and focus had become her most reliable armor.
Ethan walked beside her, his footsteps echoing steadily on the metal floor. His black trench coat swayed subtly with the movement, and the reinforced briefcase he carried seemed heavier than usual, perhaps because of what it contained. Thanatos Protocol, the captured enemy, was alive but inert; intubated, monitored by electronic sensors that recorded every irregular beat of his heart and every pulse of his distorted EVP. A former mercenary with fearsome power, now silent and vulnerable prey.
The silence between them was tense, but not uncomfortable. It was the stillness of those who had endured extreme dangers together and shared the weight of what had been done. Seraphina knew this mission was only the beginning, the threshold of something much greater, much more dangerous.
At the end of the main corridor, a tall, imposing figure awaited them. Specter. His presence seemed to merge with the very fabric of NEXUS UMBRA. The smooth, gray mask, featureless and expressionless, completely obscured his face, and his eyes were invisible, hidden behind dark lenses. Yet the quiet authority emanating from this man was palpable, a force that crushed any attempt at evasion or doubt.
Without saying a word, Specter raised one gloved hand in a firm, crisp gesture, a clear, unquestionable command. "Report."
Ethan opened the briefcase, handing it over carefully, almost reverently. Seraphina, in turn, held out the scanned documents, her nimble fingers gliding over the holographic surface, releasing the sealed mission contents.
"We interrogated the three initial targets," Seraphina said in a firm, controlled voice. "They were armed, guarding crucial information. We extracted the location of a secret base beneath the Marseille train station. We went there and collected the necessary data."
Specter didn't say a word, but his gloved hands touched the documents with surgical precision, as if he could extract something more from the contact alone. His posture, which had been rigid until then, relaxed slightly. "What about Thanatos?" he asked, unsurprised, but with a hint of curiosity.
"He's been neutralized," Seraphina replied in a calm, almost clinical tone. "Class C. His power is based on neural feedback through physical damage. I disabled his EVP channels and motor system. He's stable for interrogation."
Ethan let out a suppressed laugh, breaking the tension. "She did it alone. And she even managed to steal my gun like it was a toy."
Specter turned to face Seraphina, assessing her with cold, calculating interest. "Impressive for a first real field test. You're dismissed. The rest will be analyzed."
Without another word, Seraphina bowed her head in respect. Ethan nodded, and they both left silently, their footsteps echoing down the hallway, which now seemed even colder and emptier.
In the simple room assigned to them, Seraphina quickly removed her overcoat and tossed it over the chair. The room was functional, devoid of any luxury or distraction, illuminated by a cool white light that emphasized the clean lines and absence of ornament. She sat on the bed, activating a small translucent cube that expanded before her into a vast holographic screen. Here replicated all the files given to the Order, for safekeeping, a backup, and also a direct line to the one person she trusted more than anyone else: Elysian.
With a firm touch, she pressed a button hidden beneath her wrist bracelet. "Channel Code: RNV-0. Recipient: Oblivion Sage. Priority: 01."
The screen flickered, a familiar metallic noise filling the room. Within seconds, Elysian's figure appeared, shrouded in a dark background where blue lines snaked across the walls like constantly streaming data, giving the room the feeling of being inside a command center or underground laboratory.
He stood there, motionless, his young, expressionless face and those crimson, cold eyes like emptiness, always so distant, so impossible to decipher. He wore the black robe of the Ruin Remnants, open slightly at the collar, with the Heralds' symbol stylized on the chest, a shadowy crest that seemed to pulse with its own energy.
"Pandemonium," he said, his voice low and calm, almost lethargic. Seraphina took a deep breath and answered bluntly. "I just returned from my first real mission with the Order." Elysian blinked slowly, as if he already knew everything, as if he had seen that moment dozens of times in his mind. "Speak. From the beginning."
Seraphina began her account with surgical precision, describing every step of the mission: the infiltration, the swift and violent combat, the methods employed.
"There were three initial targets, heavily armed men guarding crucial information. I used the styles you taught me," she explained. "I combined Krav Maga with Rough and Tumble, as we agreed. I neutralized them with multiple fractures and vascular disruptions, to facilitate subsequent interrogation."
Elysian remained still, his gaze unwavering, but his mind was clearly processing every detail. "Did you interrogate them?" he asked, cutting Seraphina off with a raised eyebrow, revealing his typical attention to detail. "Did you use the neural disruption methods Nyx taught you?"
"Yes," she replied with a slight smile. "Only the methods. The rest was my improvisation."
Elysian nodded, inviting her to continue. Seraphina then continued. "We discovered the location of a secret base. During the infiltration, we found documents mentioning an operation involving two main targets. Before we could analyze everything, we were attacked by a villain named Thanatos Protocol."
Elysian closed her eyes for a moment, organizing information like someone arranging an infinite library in her mind. "Class C villain. Former member of the Conflux mercenary unit, expelled after illegal neural amplification experiments. His power: EVP feedback based on physical damage. I have everything recorded. Continue," she affirmed, opening her silver eyes again.
Seraphina was unfazed. "I used a precision strike to paralyze his left lung. Then I neutralized his joints with Ethan's weapon. Thanatos is alive, but useless."
Elysian nodded, giving a slight nod of approval. "Good execution. Optimized resources. No wasted action."
She looked at him, her eyes shining with a mixture of pride and defiance. "Is that what you expect of me?"
Elysian crossed her arms, frowning slightly. "No," he replied frankly. "I expect more from you."
The silence that followed was thick, heavy, but not uncomfortable. It was the tension of expectation, the weight of potential not yet reached. "You applied the training. You're close to the ideal technical standard. Your reading of the scenario was logical, your handling of Ethan was subtle, your use of data replication prudent. If it were another agent, I'd say you're perfect."
Seraphina sighed, a sigh that held not frustration, but determination. "But I am me," she said, half teasing, half questioning.
Elysian stared at her like a teacher aware of his student's potential, and said with a tone that mixed approval and mystery, "It's only just beginning." She nodded, but her face still bore the weight of the mission.
"I found something..." she began cautiously, "Something I couldn't say in front of Specter. A secret operation, codenamed... Final Threshold."
The holographic screen seemed to tremble slightly, as if the entire system sensed the gravity of the information.
"Final Threshold..." Elysian murmured, her empty crimson eyes staring at Seraphina with a strange coolness and calm. "It's an operation I created." Seraphina froze, shock and indignation filling her voice. "What?! How could it be you?!"
His calm, focused expression dissolved into a mixture of confusion, shock, and anger. "HOW CAN YOU INVENT AN OPERATION THAT INVOLVES THE ORDER OF EREBUS AND THE REMNANTS OF THE RUINS AS TARGETS? I WAS ATTACKED! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE STRESS YOU CAUSED ME?!"
Elysian remained impassive, taking a sip of the chamomile tea she had prepared seconds before. The broadcast changed the background to something calmer, a serene atmosphere that contrasted with the turbulent conversation. "I was going to tell you today," he said calmly, stirring the liquid with a silver spoon. "I've been waiting for the right moment."
Seraphina rose from the bed, the sheet falling to the floor, her face flushed with anger and disbelief. "YOU INVENTED A DISINFORMATION OPERATION WITHIN YOUR OWN ORDER JUST TO PUT ME AT RISK?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS?!"
Elysian stared at the holographic board that had appeared beside him. The chess pieces shimmered in a silent, tense dance. "First: I always have a plan, even if it seems insane and incomprehensible to outsiders. Second: I had three options, and I chose the most functional one."
He pointed to the board. "The white pieces represent the simulation. I am the King. You are the Queen. The hired villains are pawns, knights, rooks... Each one moved for strategic purposes. The goal is to accelerate your rise in the Order, without compromising your real identity."
Seraphina couldn't stop staring at the holographic board, confused and furious. "This is crazy... And these villains?"
"Hired by me under a new identity I created: Thanvar Krell," he replied, moving another piece. "Some were villains Hana and Nikolai knew. They helped bring the group together." Seraphina blinked in surprise. "Even Hana and Nikolai knew about this?"
"Of course, they are my arms, their support is indispensable. They even said 'hi' to you," he said, taking another sip of tea. She took a deep breath, trying to digest this information. "Who else knows this?"
"Avelar and Nyx," Elysian replied. "They're the leader and deputy leader. They needed to know."
Seraphina felt the weight of that crushing truth, still trying to grasp the scope of the manipulation. "This is insane. You created a fake operation, with real villains, multiple potential assassinations, and put me in danger just to benefit myself?!"
"Yes, except for the part where you were in danger," he replied with his usual coldness. "And so far, everything is going exactly as I predicted." Her eyes widened, even more perplexed. "How long did it take you to pull this all off?"
"Three days," he said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. Seraphina sat down, her eyes staring blankly, almost in disbelief. "You're a monster."
"Thank you," Elysian replied, as if it were a compliment. She remained silent for a few seconds, absorbing every word, every detail of that unfathomable plot. "You're very calm," she murmured suspiciously.
"The plan worked," he said, arranging the pieces on the holographic board. "The operation is active. The Order is alert. You now have perfect justification to continue rising in rank, all without raising any real suspicions about your origins."
She took a deep breath, trying to organize her emotions. "What if someone had died?"
"I calculated the acceptable margin of error. No one would die in any of them," he replied, with the confidence of someone who masters the future.
Seraphina exploded again. "YOU CAN'T CALL THIS A MARGIN FOR ERROR!"
"You're alive," he replied with almost disturbing calm. "The plan worked. And you still shattered Thanatos like it was made of glass. It's better than I expected."
She crossed her arms, turned her face away, and huffed in resignation. "I hate it when you're right," Elysian replied with subtle irony. "So does the world."
Before they could continue, the holographic screen trembled slightly. A high-pitched, playful voice appeared out of nowhere. "Hey People~"
Echo's face appeared on the side of the call, upside down, with a mischievous smile and eyes shining with amusement. "Aww, no..." Seraphina murmured, bringing her hands to her face.
"I swear I locked you out of this room," Elysian muttered, visibly annoyed.
"You swear that every day, but deep down, you like having me around, Ely," Echo teased, winking at him.
Elysian responded with her usual coldness. "I'd rather lick mud than be around you." Seraphina growled through her teeth. "Echo... What do you want?"
"I just came to ask if this call is professional or something more... romantic," she replied, raising her eyebrows and flashing a mischievous smile. "You're using codenames, drinking tea... This is kind of... intimate~."
Seraphina nearly exploded with embarrassment. "IT'S NOT A DATE!"
Before Echo could respond, Hana and Nikolai appeared behind her, grabbing her by the arms and dragging her off the broadcast like a naughty child.
Nikolai then pulled Echo away as he spoke. "You've had enough fun, don't you think?"
Hana sighed as she opened the door. "Yes, leave big brother Elysian and sister-in-law Seraphina alone."
"NOOO! ELYSIAAAAN, I KNOW YOU LOVE PHINA! DON'T LIE TO YOURSELF!" Echo shouted as she was led away.
Elysian sighed, adjusting the collar of her tunic. "I've canceled her access for three more days."
Seraphina huffed, clearly uncomfortable. "That'll only get her hacked into the system in two days."
"One and a half," Elysian corrected coldly. An awkward but comfortable silence fell over the call.
Seraphina took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She looked at the screen again and spoke, almost in a whisper, "Thank you... really."
Elysian responded with the same coldness, but with an almost paternal tone. "No need to thank me. I did this to make your mission easier."
She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Can I ask you something?"
Elysian replied as she set up her board. "Speak."
Seraphina then began speaking, still a little embarrassed by Echo's speech. "Next time you create a fake operation with real villains, multiple potential assassinations, and the possibility of me exploding psychologically... will you let me know first?"
Elysian smiled slightly, like a child agreeing to a boring rule. "Noted. Good night, Seraphina."
Seraphina, satisfied yet embarrassed, smiled and said goodbye. "Good night, Elysian."
The call ended with the distinctive sound of data disconnecting. Seraphina stood there, motionless, staring at the cold, white ceiling of the room. "Echo, damn you..." she muttered softly, still blushing from the provocation.
She then threw herself onto the bed, covering her face with the pillow. "Romantic call, she said... As if he were... a damned handsome idiot."
And there, in the silence of the subterranean night of NEXUS UMBRA, the silent war continued.