Return of Shadows (Part I)

Trigger Warning: The following chapter contains graphic descriptions of violence, gore, and brutality that some readers may find distressing. Reader discretion is advised.

The tension in HQ Command was thick as Dr. Lewis stood before a room full of tenured operators and a few new recruits, all gathered in anticipation. Murmurs flitted through the crowd, fragments of conversations floating in the air about the Bellator brothers' return and Val's decision to hand over command to Ember.

Dr. Lewis waited until the whispers died down, his gaze intense as he looked over the room.

"I'll keep this brief," he began, his voice low but carrying a weight that silenced the last of the murmurs. "For those who don't know, Ember and Exeo built the foundations of Team Unknown. Many of us here"—he glanced meaningfully at the more seasoned operators—"owe our skills, and sometimes our lives, to their leadership."

A respectful silence fell over the room as the tenured operators nodded, remembering the early days when Ember and Exeo's names became synonymous with efficiency and ruthlessness.

Dr. Lewis continued, turning his gaze to Val and the rest of the team. "With Umbra's decision to pass on the command role, Exeo and Ember will now resume leadership of Team Unknown in the field. I expect every one of you to follow orders with the same discipline and respect you've shown under Umbra's command. This is an elite operation, and there is no room for hesitation or error. Understood?"

A collective "Yes, sir," echoed through HQ as each member steeled themselves for what lay ahead.

Dr. Lewis gave Val a nod, signaling the start of their mission. "Umbra, initiate teleportation sequence."

Val gave a small nod, activating his teleportation device and linking everyone's positions. A cold rush enveloped them, followed by the familiar darkness of the teleportation shift. Moments later, they materialized at the edge of the Theron District, the cold night air greeting them as they reoriented.

Bo, Riggs, and Fon stumbled slightly, the vertigo hitting them as usual. Riggs pressed a hand to his stomach, his face pale beneath the mask, while Bo braced himself against a tree, swallowing back the nausea.

Oh, that's…just wonderful, Bo muttered, blinking to clear his spinning vision, clearly so done with it.

Riggs grimaced, closing his eyes. One day, I swear, I'll teleport without feeling like my stomach's been turned inside out.

Fon, leaning against a nearby wall, raised a hand in surrender. Forget it—I think I'm done. Might as well just collapse here.

At that moment, Ember's laughter burst through the mind link, a mocking, amused cackle that echoed through HQ. The mighty Team Unknown, brought down by a little teleport sickness. Pathetic.

Despite the grumbling, the team quickly steadied themselves, focusing on the mission. Ember's amusement faded, replaced by a commanding intensity that settled the entire group.

Positions, Ember's voice came through, cold and controlled. Let's move.

Ember's voice cut through the link, commanding and firm, sending a chill down everyone's spine.

Listen up, we've got multiple perimeters to clear before we get anywhere near Spectre. Formation as briefed—Fan out, keep it quiet, and move with purpose. Let's show them what it means to be shadows.

Each member fell into place, moving like phantoms through the dark. Ember led, his presence radiating a deadly confidence, while Val, Bo, Riggs, and Fon covered the flanks, their movements silent and coordinated as they melted into the shadows.

They encountered the first cluster of guards near a heavily patrolled checkpoint. Ember raised a hand, signaling the team to hold as he assessed their positions through the HUD overlay.

Three guards, spread across the perimeter. Frost, take the left. Aura, right. Terra, you're center. Silent takedowns.

The three acknowledged the command, each moving into position with deadly intent.

Bo crept up behind his target, hand glowing faintly with frost as he seized the guard by the neck, ice creeping up his skin as he suffocated silently. The guard's body stiffened, eyes wide with horror as his throat froze, leaving only a silent gasp as he fell limp to the ground.

Riggs's wind swirled in a tight, controlled burst as he twisted behind his target, the man's neck snapping with a sickening crunch that echoed faintly in the stillness. Fon handled his target with brutal efficiency, pulling the guard into a chokehold, his grip like iron until the man went slack in his arms.

They pressed on, encountering increasing resistance as they delved deeper into the compound's defenses. Ember's commands were sharp and unyielding, guiding the team with a ruthless precision that left a trail of bodies in their wake.

In the next sector, a group of armed operatives moved in tight formation, their weapons drawn, scanning the area.

Ember's gaze narrowed as he assessed them.

Hold. We'll go in on my mark. Umbra, right flank. I'll take left. Frost, Aura, Terra—draw their fire when we engage.

With a swift nod, Val moved, positioning himself on the right as Ember took the left. The remaining team members hunkered down, ready to follow the command.

Now, Ember's voice rang through the link, and all hell broke loose.

Val lunged forward, instead of using Void, he is using Purple Fire. Purple Fire flaring to life as he closed the distance, his hand slashing across the first guard's throat with a searing blade of fire. Blood sprayed across his mask, his expression twisted in a sadistic grin as he drove his fist into the next guard's chest, bones shattering under the impact. The man let out a strangled scream as Ember's hand closed around his neck, Purple Fire burning through his skin, turning his scream into a silent gurgle as his soul was consumed.

Val's approach was equally brutal, his movements calculated as he dispatched each target with cold efficiency. His hand shot out, a tendril of fire coiling around a guard's arm before yanking him forward. With a flick of his wrist, Val snapped the man's neck, the sound echoing as the body crumpled to the ground. He moved to the next target, his gaze unreadable as he delivered a swift, lethal punch to the man's skull, the bones caving under his strike.

Bo, Riggs, and Fon drew the fire as ordered, their coordinated attacks creating chaos among the remaining guards. Bo summoned a wall of ice, blocking the enemy's line of sight, while Riggs used the cover to send a gust of wind that sent the guards sprawling. Fon closed in, his fists smashing into the guards with unrelenting force, each strike-breaking bones and leaving his enemies gasping for air.

More movement up ahead, Val's voice came through the link, low and controlled. Three guards, armed. Two left, one right. Ember?

Ember's smirk was almost audible. On it.

The compound was now littered with bodies, each guard dispatched with a brutality that sent a clear message—Team Unknown was a force to be reckoned with.

They advanced through several more sectors, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. The air grew heavy with the scent of blood, and the ground was slick beneath their boots, the silence broken only by the occasional crack of a neck or the soft thud of a body hitting the ground.

As they neared Spectre's final stronghold, Ember's voice broke through the link, a dangerous edge in his tone.

We're close. Hold positions, and prepare for final approach.

The team stopped, each member tense and alert, the anticipation crackling in the air like a live wire. They knew this mission was far from over, and the true test awaited them just beyond those walls.

And somewhere inside that stronghold, Spectre was waiting, oblivious to the storm of blood and shadows that had come for him.