A Silent Edge

The battlefield churned in chaos, the blood-soaked soil quaking under the relentless assault of Hades' Wrath's forces and the monstrous Void Titans.

Team Unknown, bolstered by the Aurum reinforcements, had been fighting for over five grueling hours—a brutal test of endurance, skill, and sheer willpower. 

The once-sturdy barricades were shattered remnants, the land scarred and burned from endless waves of attacks. Clareo's defensive drones hovered overhead, scanning and striking in coordinated bursts, but their efficiency was waning under the sheer volume of enemies. 

Exeo ducked under a Void Titan's colossal blade, the weapon slamming into the ground with an impact that shook the surrounding area. He teleported behind the creature and unleashed a burst of Purple Fire at the back of its knee joint, the flames searing through flesh and melting the exposed metal beneath. 

"Terra!" Exeo barked, his voice raw. "Get me a sinkhole under this bastard!" 

Fon, crouched nearby with blood dripping from his nose, slammed his hands into the ground. The earth groaned, and the ground beneath the Titan collapsed, dragging the massive creature halfway into the jagged pit. 

"Fucking hell," Fon muttered, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "That's the best I can do right now." 

Exeo grunted, throwing another wave of Purple fire at the struggling Titan. "It'll do. Just keep them off my back!" 

To the east, Bo and Riggs combined their abilities in a desperate attempt to contain another Titan. Riggs summoned a powerful cyclone, trapping the massive creature in a vortex of howling wind. 

"Now, Frost!" Riggs shouted, his voice strained from the exertion. 

Bo raised both arms, his breath fogging in the frigid air around him. Massive icicles materialized within the cyclone, spinning violently before slamming into the Titan's body. The creature roared, its armor cracking under the relentless assault of wind and ice. 

"It's still standing!" Bo growled, sweat dripping down his face despite the freezing air. 

"Then we hit it harder!" Riggs snapped, summoning another gust to intensify the storm. 

Among the chaos, one of the Aurum soldiers fell back, narrowly avoiding a Titan's clawed strike.

He turned toward Ember, his voice cutting through the comms. "Where's the ARM user? We need him here—where the hell is he?" 

The question hung in the air like a dagger, cutting through the team's relentless focus. Exeo's flames faltered for a fraction of a second, and Fon froze briefly, his eyes darting toward Ember. 

Ember's Purple Fire roared higher as he blasted a group of Void-tainted soldiers advancing on his position.

His jaw tightened, his gaze sharp and unforgiving as he turned toward the soldier. "Focus on the fight," Ember barked, his voice ice-cold. "We're not dead yet." 

The soldier flinched but held his ground, nodding quickly. 

Exeo, however, clenched his fists, his voice breaking into the Mind Link. HQ, what's going on with Val? Why hasn't he checked in?

Dr. Lewis stood in HQ Command, his hands trembling slightly as he sifted through the data streams and live feeds from the battlefield. The question from Exeo and Ember arrived simultaneously, their voices filled with raw frustration. 

Dr. Lewis, Ember growled, his tone a warning. It's been fucking hours. Where's Val? Have you even tried reestablishing comms?

"Of course I've tried," Dr. Lewis replied, his voice strained but steady. "But there's nothing. No signal, no response—" 

Try harder! Ember snapped, slamming his fist against one of the enemies. We can't keep this up forever, and if Val's—

Enough, Exeo interrupted sharply, his tone brooking no argument. He exhaled heavily, forcing himself to refocus. Keep us updated the second you hear anything, Doctor. Until then, we do our job.

Dr. Lewis nodded, his shoulders tense. "Understood." 

The Void Titans continued their assault, their massive forms crashing through defenses with devastating power. One Titan swung its spiked chain in a wide arc, the weapon smashing into several soldiers and sending them flying. 

"Regroup!" Ember shouted, his flames surging higher. "Don't let them break the line!" 

To the north, Fon collapsed to one knee, his energy nearly spent. "I can't—I can't keep this up," he gasped, struggling to rise. 

Exeo appeared beside him in a burst of flame, his eyes blazing with fury. "You don't get to quit, Terra," he growled. "You stand up, or we all die." 

Fon gritted his teeth, pushing himself upright. "Fine, but if I keel over, you owe me a drink." 

Exeo smirked grimly. "You're too young for a drink." 

Nearby, Bo and Riggs continued their assault on the cyclone-trapped Titan. The creature's movements slowed as frost spread across its body, but it roared defiantly, breaking free with a violent swing of its arm. 

"Shit!" Riggs cursed, leaping back as the Titan's claw narrowly missed him. "This thing doesn't know when to fucking quit!" 

"Neither do we," Bo snapped, raising another barrage of ice spears. 

After what felt like an eternity, Dr. Lewis's console beeped softly. His eyes widened as a faint signal flickered on the screen. 

"Val?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. 

The connection crackled, faint but unmistakable. Dr. Lewis… it's me…

Dr. Lewis leaned forward, gripping the console tightly. "Val! Are you okay? What's your status? What happened?"

Val's voice came through, ragged and strained, as though he were struggling to breathe.

I'm okay… but— He paused, the sound of labored breaths filling the comm line. Status of Clareo's borders? Are you holding?

Dr. Lewis swallowed hard, his heart pounding. "We're holding," he said quickly, though the truth was far more tenuous. "The team's been pushing hard, but they're exhausted, Val. You need to come back." 

Val's response was slow, deliberate. I'll… update soon. Just hold… until I do. Don't tell them anything yet.

The line went silent again, leaving Dr. Lewis staring at the screen, his chest tight with worry. 

Back on the battlefield, Ember and Exeo continued their desperate fight against the Void Titans, their Purple Fire blazing in defiance.

Despite their exhaustion, Team Unknown stood resolute, their will unbroken even as the Titans loomed over them.