The uproar didn’t simmer it detonated.

  Voices clashed hard enough to rattle the banners above. Chairs scraped, wings flared, tails flicked, claws flexed, and the air itself trembled under the sheer collision of opinions. Raphael’s words lingered like a spark dropped into dry brush:

  “I request permission to use two Titans for the raid.”

  And the room exploded.

  Rei felt the vibration through the soles of his boots, like the floor hummed with the pulse of dozens of Graces activating in reflex or agitation. The banners representing the four WEO factions: Dauntless crimson, Astralis blue, Aegis steel, Skyborn gold. Hung high above, fluttering from the force of the gathered voices.

  “Why two?!”

  “That’s unprecedented!”

  “Overkill! this violates protocol!”

  Others, voices deeper, older, rougher, barked counterarguments.

  “If the prototypes truly carry multiple graces—”

  “If the Syndicate has Apex units in that condition, nothing less than two Titans will do—”

  “Protocols don’t matter if we die—!”

  From the stands, Rei sat shoulder-to-shoulder with his squadmates among the hundreds of other operatives, trainees, and veterans. He rubbed his palms against his knees, tension rattling through him. The space was massive, almost a small stadium, with tiered rows of stone seats curving around the central assembly where the Overseers stood.

  Human faces blurred with Outworlder ones. A Drakonid’s ember-red eyes glowed from two rows below. A pair of Skyborne elf twins drifted past, their wings like translucent leaves. A wolf-like humanoid from Auralis tapped a claw against the railing, muttering at the chaos. The air smelled of ozone, leather, metal polish, and the faint spice of Skyborne pollen.

  And in the middle of it all, the four Overseers stood like anchor points in a storm.

  Carmen, hair loose and silver strands grazing her cheek, pinched them behind her ear with the focus of someone preparing to snap a battlefield into silence. Raphael remained still beside her, expression unreadable, posture rigid.

  Vaerion Luthar, the Aegis Overseer, towered like a mountain of tawny fur and armor plates, arms crossed while his tail lashed once behind him. Maelisa lounged in her seat well, “lounged” for someone who wore high-tech visor grafts and mismatched runic sleeves one leg crossed over the other, fingers tapping impatiently against her knee.

  “Captain,” Iris whispered from Rei’s left, raising her voice over the commotion. “What’s the big deal with the Titans? I mean, I know they’re powerful but—”

  Before Elijah could answer, Lena leaned forward from the row above, glasses reflecting the flickering holograms still suspended over the Overseers’ table.

  “I can explain.”

  Iris turned, wide-eyed.

  Lena cleared her throat. “Each WEO faction possesses one Titan, essentially an artifact-level weapon system. Think… imagine a force capable of leveling a country if misused. Catastrophic power condensed into something that only the Overseers and specialized command teams can operate.”

  Iris blinked. “…Oh.”

  Rei swallowed.

  Lena continued, counting each off on her fingers.

  “Astralis Guard has the Drone Swarm, tens of thousands of autonomous combat drones that can form shields, weapons, or entire structures.”

  “Dauntless,” Aiden added from the other side, voice low, “houses Hell’s Armada. A mobile naval fleet. They say one volley can flatten a mountain.”

  “Skyborn Legion,” Oliver chimed in next, eyes sparkling with nerdy interest, “runs The Liberator. A flying fortress with the capability to house and entire city and firing concentrated beam cannons through cloud cover.”

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  “And Aegis Battalion…” Lena hesitated, glancing toward Luther’s massive silhouette. “Holds the Tyrant Line. A walking artillery line. Heavy batteries, tall howitzers… instruments of war built to terminate monsters.”

  Iris’ eyes widened further. “…And Raphael wants two of them?”

  “Yep,” Zane said. “No wonder everyone’s losing their minds.”

  But the uproar didn’t last long.

  Carmen exhaled once.

  Her silver eyes ignited with controlled light.

  “Quiet.”

  The command wasn’t shouted.

  It didn’t need to be.

  Her Grace: Absolute Order, rolled over the room like a tidal wave, invisible but suffocating. Rei felt it hit his spine, forcing his body to still. Breath locked in his throat for a fraction of a second. All around him, hundreds froze mid-gesture, mid-argument, mid-rage.

  Silence.

  Absolute.

  Immovable.

  Carmen stepped forward, voice like sharpened glass.

  “Now. We will continue.”

  The command lifted. Air returned. Someone in the back row immediately gasped for breath. Rei felt sweat between his shoulder blades.

  Maelisa rose from her chair, planting one hand on the table. “Raphael, as much as I’d love to rain divine judgment on the Syndicate. Don’t you think using two Titans is a little overkill? Hell’s Armada alone could erase that base.”

  Raphael interlocked his fingers. His tone was calm but edged.

  “It’s not about firepower, Maelisa. It’s about distance. Hell’s Armada will take time to reach Troylon’s outer west. The Liberator is airborne and fast. We need both.”

  “And that’s not all,” he continued. “There’s another variable.”

  He tapped a control on the table.

  The hologram flickered. A new image appeared.

  A segmented silhouette.

  Sleek. Alien. Insectoid.

  Rei felt a cold drop in his stomach.

  “The Verka’yn.”

  Gasps rippled through the stands, even muted by the aftereffects of Carmen’s Grace, the shock was tangible. Rei stiffened. Iris’ fingers twitched. Aiden’s jaw clenched so tight Rei heard faint grinding.

  The Verka’yn.

  The nightmare species from the Golden Age. The ones that wiped out entire squads, including Esper legends before mysteriously disappearing decades ago.

  Maelisa’s voice dropped a full octave. “That’s impossible. They were wiped out thirty-four years ago. With the rest of the Golden Age in your time.”

  Raphael shook his head.

  “The Syndicate found a way to recreate them.”

  A chill settled over the room.

  “And they’re all inside that base.”

  Maelisa sank back into her chair, hand covering her mouth. “That’s… gods.”

  Vaerion Luthar raised one giant paw. “Then the Aegis Battalion must deploy its elite force. Most newer operatives haven’t fought Verka’yn before.”

  Raphael nodded. “Agreed. Aegis will handle outside threats. Skyborn Legion will assist. Maelisa, you and Luthar will split responsibilities. Dauntless and Astralis Guard will enter the base.”

  Carmen crossed her arms. “And the timeline?”

  “Three days.” Raphael paused. “Two days earlier than originally planned.”

  Murmurs broke out again. Shock, unease, and renewed urgency.

  Rei shifted. His hands shook faintly.

  The hologram shifted one more time.

  A face appeared.

  Sharp jaw. Black hair with red tinted glasses. Cold red eyes. A faint, mocking smirk.

  Mordred Solace.

  The name felt like something sharp pressing against the room’s collective throat.

  Rei caught the shift in atmosphere, immediate it goes heavy.

  Astralis Guard members stiffened visibly. Carmen’s jaw tensed. Violet and Victor’s expressions darkened, eyes narrowing like they were staring at prey. Elijah, who looked half-distracted earlier, now watched the hologram with a quiet intensity.

  And Aiden—

  Aiden wasn’t quiet at all.

  Heat shimmered around him. Zane instinctively backed up; Tessa yelped softly as the air grew hotter.

  “Mordred…” Aiden muttered under his breath, fists trembling. “We’re going to get him. This time—”

  Elisa shot Rei a worried glance. “I didn’t know everyone hated him that much.”

  Rei didn’t answer.

  He didn’t trust his voice.

  Raphael continued, “He is to be captured alive. Along with all remaining staff.”

  No one looked happy about that order.

  But no one argued.

  Not after what Mordred did.

  Not after the countless lives lost.

  The tension settled like soot.

  Carmen, sensing the tipping point of morale, lifted her hand. “With that, the briefing continues. Secondary topics will now be reviewed.”

  The room eased back into routine. Just barely. People scribbled notes, whispered among their squads, exhaled stress they’d been holding. Rei rubbed at his face, trying to calm the pounding in his temples.

  But the meeting wasn’t done.

  Maelisa raised a new point. “We need to address the International Exhibition Games.”

  Raphael sighed. Carmen nodded for her to continue.

  “As you all know, the rifts are beginning to close again. For the fifth time in 25 years. And the Games happen every five years when rifts close temporarily. This year, Sierra Nexus is hosting.”

  Rei blinked. “Wait—here?”

  Oliver nodded. “Yep. And that’s… a big deal.”

  Daisy tilted her head. “But why is it important enough to bring up in the same meeting as the Syndicate raid?”

  Oliver, ever the lore-encyclopedia, launched into explanation mode.

  “It’s a global event held when rifts stop spawning for an entire year. Countries finally get breathing room. To trade, reconnect, heal. They hold a tournament showcasing their best Espers. Sort of like the Olympics, but with superpowers involved.”

  Carter snorted. “So basically, cooler Olympics.”

  “Much cooler,” Oliver said. “It’s also symbolic. A reminder that humanity and Outworlders can still unite despite everything.”

  Luthar rumbled from below, “The arena preparations must be finished soon. Four months is not long.”

  Raphael nodded, fingers steepled. “We’ll have to balance both major operations, the raid and the Games. All resources must adjust.”

  The Overseers exchanged glances.

  Their expressions didn’t scream “we’ll be fine.”

  They screamed “we’re barely holding this together.”

  Finally the meeting began winding down.

  Orders were repeated. Schedules projected. Teams dismissed.

  And slowly, like a tide retreating, the crowd began to disperse.

  Aegis Battalion left first, Luthar leading them like a moving wall. Skyborn Legion followed; Maelisa waved a hand in Rei’s vague direction.

  “Later, Golden Eyes!” she called.

  Taro grabbed her elbow immediately. “You’re going the wrong way again—”

  “Ow—Taro! You oversized beetle—fine, fine!”

  Rei couldn’t help smiling.

  Elijah’s group left next, Violet muttering threats under her breath, Victor cracking his knuckles every five seconds. Aiden stormed off with Zane and Tessa scrambling after him, trying not to catch fire.

  Rei and the others trailed out with the crowd, voices buzzing around them.

  Daisy hopped excitedly between Oliver and Carter. “Did you SEE all the Outworlders? And the way the building moved. Like a giant puzzle!”

  “And the Verka’yn,” Iris said quietly. “I hope… we’re ready.”

  Elisa nodded firmly. “We will be.”

  Rei let his gaze drift over the retreating figures of the Overseers. Carmen was already surrounded by analysts. Raphael disappeared into another group of officers. Maelisa argued with Taro about directions even while being physically steered out the door.

  The world suddenly felt bigger.

  More dangerous.

  More alive.

  And the raid just three days away loomed like a stormcloud ready to break.

  Rei exhaled slowly.

  “We should train harder than ever,” Aiden said suddenly, turning back to them. “All of us. Every minute counts.”

  No one argued.

  Not this time.

  Not with so much at stake.

  Rei nodded.

  Training. Preparation. Determination.

  And somewhere deep inside him, beneath all the nerves and uncertainty

  Resolve began to grow.

  The meeting hall emptied.

  The future, however, felt terrifyingly full.