The sky above Aurex ignited.
A ring of white fire burst outward as the Defense Halo came online. Cloaked satellites shimmered into view, weapons cycling, forming an invisible wall that laced the atmosphere in precision death.
Target Lock Achieved: Capital Vessel "Tyrexion" – 87% Hull Exposure
Firing Solution: Confirmed.
The first orbital cannon discharged.
Light lanced through space like judgment.
The Tyrexion reeled—shield lines flickering under the assault.
On the surface, the ground trembled.
Toren didn't blink.
"Kora, pattern the shot."
"Spiral descent. Maximum bleed."
"Then cut them down."
Inside the enemy fleet, panic spread like fire.
The Tyrexion buckled, fire streaming from its belly. Drones swerved out of formation. The second ship, Galmera, tried to reposition—only to be caught in a secondary blast from a Halo shard satellite looping wide.
Captain Sorran shouted over comms.
"They planned for this! This is a fortress!"
One of his officers bled at the brow, whispering, "Not a fortress. A trap."
Sorran knew then—this wasn't just retaliation.
This was strategy.
And it was working.
While fire raged above, the Aurex perimeter flared.
Drop pods pierced the atmosphere—smaller, sleeker, fast. Shock units. Black armor. No insignia.
Tarn and Mira met them at the shield line.
Mira fired the first shot—bolt clean through the faceplate of an advancing soldier. Tarn followed with his heavy rifle, snapping two clean.
Aurex's infantry, trained in guerrilla tactics, responded with ambush formations—vanishing between structures, reappearing with blades, plasma spikes, scavenged disruptors.
Toren stood atop the civic tower, eyes closed.
The Force pulsed.
The system answered.
Combat Surge Engaged – +32% Agility / +45% Focus
Enhancement Duration: 10 minutes
He opened his eyes—and moved like wind across steel.
On the bridge of the last standing cruiser, Sorran's face dripped with blood and sweat.
"No comms. No sensors. We're blind."
His officer stammered, "Shall we call for retreat?"
Sorran opened his mouth—then froze.
A signal.
Just one.
From Aurex.
Toren's voice.
Clear. Calm.
"Your silence ends here."
The feed cut.
And the Halo fired again.
This time—
The cruiser didn't scream.
It simply ceased to exist.
On the ground, as the sky burned down to stars, Mira found Toren by the fallen garden wall.
She didn't speak.
She didn't have to.
The silence was gone.
And Aurex had survived.