Velrith's mid-district had become a testing ground. Collapsed streets, shattered streetlights, and lingering Rift energy marked the city like scars. Smoke curled from half-ruined buildings, and the air carried the acrid tang of magic and burnt metal.
Lucien Rael stood atop a fractured overpass, observing the chaos below with calculated detachment. His black coat flared slightly in the wind, and his shadow aura pulsed faintly, a ripple of dominance over the ground he surveyed. Below, his Astraeus Dominion team moved with precision — Seraphine calculating trajectories, Orin bending gravity to stabilize crumbling structures, Lyra threading light through rubble to assist civilians, and Caius weaving in shadows to intercept emerging Rift spawn.
Meanwhile, across the district, Kael Ryven and Vanguard Edge were making their way through a different sector. Flames licked Kael's gauntlets as he bounded over debris, Riven sniping from a distance, Eira conjuring Frostfire to hold collapsing structures, Maelis shielding civilians, and Darius coordinating defensive formations.
The two squads were not together — and Lucien preferred it that way. He did not trust Kael's impulsive streak. Kael, of course, thrived on the chaos of working independently, convinced that Lucien's rigid tactics would slow him down.
A Clash of Missions
Both agencies received the same Rift alert: a moderate C-rank anomaly in the mid-district, destabilizing multiple buildings. Civilians were trapped, and the potential for escalation was high.
Lucien's comms crackled. "Astraeus, contain and evacuate. Precision. Do not let the Rift's influence spread."
Kael's voice cut over the same channel, sharp and teasing. "Vanguard Edge is handling this our way. Don't try to boss us around, shadow boy."
Lucien's jaw tightened. "Your way will get people killed."
Kael smirked. "Funny, I was about to say the same thing about yours."
The two teams converged near the anomaly, both assessing the situation from opposite ends. Civilians screamed from beneath rubble, the Rift pulsed black energy into the surroundings, and debris hung precariously above. Neither team moved in tandem; instead, they acted like two predators circling the same prey — cautious, aggressive, and competitive.
Rivalry in Action
Lucien's team advanced with calculated precision. Orin stabilized a cracked wall while Seraphine guided Lyra's threads to lift trapped civilians. Shadow blades formed in Lucien's hands, slicing through loose debris before it could collapse further.
Kael's team approached from another angle, creating controlled chaos. Flames roared along Kael's gauntlets, forcing collapsing rubble to break in more predictable patterns. Riven's arrows shattered critical supports, Eira's Frostfire slowed falling debris, and Darius's shields protected both civilians and his own teammates.
The Rift's energy reacted to both squads — twisting, pulsing, and reshaping itself unpredictably. At one point, a collapsing beam swung toward a trapped family. Lucien reacted first, bending shadow to intercept it. Kael's flames ignited along the beam as well, inadvertently assisting, though neither acknowledged the other's contribution.
Kael's golden eyes caught Lucien's faintly — and for a second, time seemed suspended. Lucien's shadow aura shimmered subtly, and Kael felt a pull he couldn't name. He smiled faintly, though he quickly masked it with a smirk of annoyance. Damn it. Always perfect. Always untouchable.
Lucien's gaze flicked toward Kael, cold and unreadable. A subtle flicker — a recognition of presence, danger, and something unspoken — passed between them. Then it was gone.
Aftermath and Tension
Both teams completed the evacuation and stabilized the anomaly. Civilians were safe, but the air between the two squads was thick with unspoken tension. Neither Lucien nor Kael approached the other, yet their rivalry had deepened.
Kael muttered under his breath, flames dimming slightly. "Shadow puppet… maybe not so useless after all."
Lucien's voice carried from across the rubble, controlled and sharp. "Try to keep that sarcasm alive. It suits you better than carelessness."
The Rift pulsed ominously in the distance, as if mocking the temporary peace. Velrith had been stabilized for now, but both agencies knew this was only the beginning.
And somewhere, in the silent space between fire and shadow, a spark of something neither wanted to acknowledge had begun to grow.