The encounter with the Council's hidden commander left Mukul uneasy. Their presence had been revealed, but the mastermind had vanished, leaving behind only faint traces of shadow energy. Mukul knew these threads were deliberate—breadcrumbs leading somewhere deeper.
"We need to trace their network," Mukul murmured, golden aura flickering as he analysed the residual energy. "Every node, every construct… it's all connected. We follow the trail carefully."
Meera's eyes scanned the city's energy readings. "It's a tangled web. The Council is cautious. They've layered multiple networks to hide the commander's location."
Kavya twirled her dagger, smirking. "I like webs. The more tangled, the more thrilling it is to untangle them."
Anaya's expression was serious. "Excitement won't help. Precision and patience will. One misstep, and the network could mislead us—or worse, trap us."
Saira's calm tone reminded them, "Observe patterns, anticipate moves, and coordinate. Unity will be our greatest advantage."
Liyana leaned casually, spinning her lockpick. "And style helps. Untangling a network looks much better when done gracefully."
Mukul nodded, forming a plan. "We split into two teams. Meera, Anaya, and I follow the strongest energy nodes toward the commander's main operations. Kavya, Saira, and Liyana monitor secondary nodes, intercept constructs, and protect civilians from any latent energy spikes."
The streets were eerily quiet as they moved, the faint ripples of shadow energy guiding Mukul's path. Every alley, every building, every abandoned warehouse could conceal a node—or a trap.
"There," Mukul whispered, pointing to a subtle distortion beneath an old subway system. "Residual energy is stronger here. This has to be part of the commander's network."
Meera and Anaya advanced cautiously, scanning for traps. Kavya and Liyana flanked, intercepting minor constructs, while Saira monitored energy surges.
Inside the subway tunnels, shadow constructs twisted and moved with unnatural precision. Golden light flared from Mukul's artifacts, pushing back the darkness.
"They're testing us," he said. "The network isn't just communication—it's a trap designed to gauge our abilities."
Meera struck first, dismantling minor wards. Anaya targeted nodes stabilizing the constructs. Kavya leapt from above, attacking shadow guardians. Saira redirected energy pulses, while Liyana neutralized auxiliary traps.
The deeper they went, the more complex the network became. Dark energy pulsed like a heartbeat, signaling the commander's proximity.
"There," Mukul whispered, pointing toward a glowing nexus deep within the tunnels. "This is it—the core of their network. If we trace this properly, we can locate the commander's secret base."
The women moved instinctively, forming a protective circle. Meera attacked weak points, Anaya dismantled stabilizing conduits, Kavya disrupted peripheral constructs, Saira redirected destructive energy, and Liyana neutralized auxiliary wards.
Golden threads connected the nodes, revealing a map of the commander's operations across multiple cities. Mukul studied the threads carefully, committing each to memory.
"This is bigger than we imagined," Meera said gravely. "The commander isn't just hiding—they're preparing for a large-scale operation."
Kavya grinned. "Good. The bigger they are, the more fun it is to stop them."
Anaya's eyes narrowed. "Careful. They've planned every contingency. We can't underestimate them."
Saira nodded calmly. "Unity, observation, and precision will guide us. We are stronger together."
Liyana twirled her dagger, "And style always helps. Optional, but highly effective."
Mukul's eyes hardened. The commander's network was vast, intricate, and dangerous—but now, thanks to the team, they had a clear map to follow. Every city node, every shadow construct, every hidden trap could be traced and dismantled.
Golden light pulsed softly from the artifacts—a reminder that strategy, courage, and unity would guide them through the Council's web, toward the mastermind who awaited them in the shadows.
The hunt had begun.