They're Coming!

The shadows seemed thicker as Durga Vrek led us through the hostile terrain, the ground beneath our feet uneven and treacherous. The landscape was a twisted nightmare—once a serene valley, now corrupted by the proximity of the Abyss.

The trees looked scorched, their trunks twisted and blackened like the skeletal remains of some ancient beast. The air was thick with tension, every step we took weighed down by the oppressive atmosphere of the Purifiers' domain. The mission had begun, and each second ticked by with increasing unease.

I wasn't with them in body—I had been assigned as the decoy, a part of the plan that drew all eyes to me while the real work was done. But through the comms, I was tied to every moment of the mission. I could hear their breaths, their murmured acknowledgments, the soft hum of CAF technology as it scanned the environment for threats. My heart raced in sync with theirs.

"Stay sharp," Durga's voice came through the earpiece, a steady command that seemed to slice through the oppressive weight of the Abyss like a knife through smoke. Her presence radiated an unshakable confidence. She was a seasoned warrior, head of CAF's Tactical Operations Group—Unit One, no less. If anyone could pull this mission off, it was her. She walked as if the darkness feared her, her figure barely discernible through the shifting mist that clung to the ground.

They moved as a unit, trained CAF operatives skilled in stealth and reconnaissance, each step calculated and measured. Moza Norm and Devon Starbolt moved among them. Despite the circumstances, their resolve was clear.

Devon, always the quick thinker, had his eyes scanning every nook and cranny of the landscape, searching for any sign of life—or worse, signs of death. His sister was out there, taken by the Purifiers, and I could feel his anxiety even through the comms. It mirrored my own.

As they pressed further into enemy territory, a flicker of movement caught Devon's eye. "Hold up," he whispered. The team halted immediately, silent as the grave.

Devon crouched low, his hands hovering just over the surface of the ground as if he could feel the pulse of the earth beneath him. Moza knelt beside him, his usually fiery Leo energy suppressed for the mission's sake, his sharp eyes flicking toward the direction Devon had indicated.

Through the comms, I could hear the faint hum of the Abyss Rift, an otherworldly frequency that seemed to penetrate through my skull. Durga was the first to see them—Berserkers and Dark Stalkers. Abyssal forces. I could feel the pit in my stomach grow deeper.

The Purifiers had aligned themselves with the Abyss, using its energy to fuel their fanaticism. It was no longer just about rescuing the students; this was a full-on nightmare, and the Abyss was bleeding into our world.

I clenched my fists, knowing I was too far from the action. I was miles away, heading toward the decoy operation. But every inch of me wanted to be there with them, to strike at these abominations. I forced myself to breathe. I had to play my role, draw the Purifiers' attention away from the real mission. It was the only way we could pull this off.

"We've got multiple Berserkers," Durga's voice cut through the tension. "Three o'clock. Dark Stalkers to the east. This area's crawling with them."

There was a long pause. I imagined them all staring into the Abyss Rift, a vortex of swirling black and violet energy, so close it hummed in their bones. It was dangerous. Too dangerous. But the Purifiers had chosen this spot for a reason. The Abyss was their ally now.

"We need to bypass them," Durga said, her voice grim. "We engage, we risk alerting the entire Purifier camp. Let's find a way around."

The team moved in absolute silence, adjusting their formation to avoid the larger concentrations of Abyssal creatures. The Dark Stalkers moved like shadows themselves, grotesque figures half-hidden by the veil of the Abyss.

Berserkers lumbered nearby, their bulging forms rippling with barely contained fury. Any wrong step could trigger an all-out fight, and with so many lives at stake, Durga's team couldn't afford that luxury.

Meanwhile, I made my way through the outskirts of the enemy territory, my mind running through the plan over and over again. I was to be the bait, the one who would draw out the Purifiers.

They wanted me—the Ophiuchus Awakener, the symbol of their hatred. If I could distract them long enough, they'd never see Durga's team coming.

"Aiden, status check," I called through the comms.

"Fortifications in place," Aiden responded. His voice was as steady as ever, but I could hear the tension underneath it. "We've got reinforcements stationed on standby. If anything goes wrong, we're ready to move in."

"Let's make sure nothing goes wrong," I muttered, though we both knew that was wishful thinking. Something always went wrong.

Back with Durga's team, the tension in the air was palpable. They had managed to circumvent the Abyss Rift without alerting the Berserkers, but now they were on the edge of the Purifiers' stronghold.

The dark energy radiating from the area was enough to make anyone feel sick, a nauseating pull that seemed to gnaw at their senses. The Purifiers had made their camp close to the Rift, feeding off its chaotic power.

They found a vantage point that gave them a clear view of the stronghold. Hidden beneath layers of rock and twisted trees, it was less of a base and more of a sanctum—an altar to their deranged beliefs.

At the center of the camp was a large chamber, heavily guarded by both Purifier zealots and Abyssal creatures. Inside, Durga spotted movement—captive students, some shackled and others seemingly unconscious, surrounded by glowing Abyssal crystals that pulsed with a dark, sickly light.

Durga cursed under her breath. "They're using the Abyss crystals to drain their energy. We don't have much time."

Through the comms, I could hear the urgency in their voices, the quiet determination to get this right.

Devon clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on the chamber where his brother was being held.

Moza's usual fiery temperament was barely restrained, the weight of his concern for his own family simmering beneath the surface. But both of them were professionals, trained to keep their emotions in check in the heat of battle.

Durga began issuing orders, her mind working quickly to devise a plan. "We'll need to disable those Abyssal crystals first. Devon, Moza, you're up. If those things react, it'll trigger an alarm."

Moza nodded, his hands flexing as he prepared to move. "We can handle it."

Devon gave a sharp nod, his focus entirely on the task at hand. "We have to. For them."

They slipped into the shadows, using the cover of the corrupted trees to approach the chamber unnoticed. My heart pounded in my chest, even though I was miles away. I could feel their tension as if it were my own. This was the moment where everything could go wrong—or right.

As they reached the chamber, Devon and Moza worked in tandem, using the tools Durga had provided to dismantle the Abyssal crystals without drawing attention. Each second felt like an eternity, the quiet hum of the crystals pulsing louder in my mind as I waited for something to go wrong.

But the crystals didn't react. They were cut off, one by one, their dark energy dissipating into nothingness. Durga and the rest of the team were quick to follow, moving in silently to secure the captives. The students were in rough shape—pale, weak, some of them barely conscious. But they were alive.

"Move, quickly," Durga ordered, her voice low but urgent. "We're not out of the woods yet."

Suddenly, there was a faint rumble, and through the comms, I could hear the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps. I tensed.

"They're coming!" Devon hissed. His voice was sharp, urgent.

And just like that, the fragile calm shattered.