The deafening roar of the explosion still echoed in Leah's ears as she scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding against her ribs. Smoke and dust clouded the air, blurring her vision and making it hard to breathe. She could barely make out the silhouettes of her group, coughing and stumbling through the chaos.
"Everyone, regroup!" Elias's voice cut through the din, sharp and commanding.
Leah staggered toward the sound, clutching her side where she'd been slammed against a crate in the blast. Her body ached, but adrenaline pushed her forward. She spotted Kael, his face smeared with soot, helping Caleb to his feet. Thompson and Jonah were crouched behind a chunk of debris, scanning the area with weapons drawn.
"Is anyone hurt?" Leah asked, her voice strained.
"Nothing we can't handle," Kael replied, though his gaze lingered on her, concern etched into his features.
Before anyone could say more, a shrill, mechanical whirring filled the air. Drones. Small, agile, and glowing with eerie blue lights, they swarmed in like a pack of vultures.
"We're not alone," Caleb muttered, raising his weapon.
Elias's jaw tightened. "It's a trap. They've been watching us."
Leah's stomach sank. Of course. The ease of accessing the core, the false sense of progress—it had all been a setup.
"Scatter!" Elias yelled as the first drone fired a searing bolt of energy, narrowly missing him.
The group broke apart, diving for cover as the drones unleashed a barrage of attacks. The air crackled with heat and static as the ground erupted in flashes of light and debris. Leah darted behind a fallen beam, her heart racing.
She peeked around the corner, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a figure in the distance. Clad in sleek, black armor, the elites' soldiers were advancing with precision.
"We're outnumbered!" Jonah shouted, firing off a round that barely grazed a drone.
Leah clenched her fists, frustration bubbling inside her. She wanted to fight back, to use her powers, but exhaustion from the earlier battle left her drained.
"Leah!" Kael's voice jolted her. She turned just in time to see him tackling her to the ground as a drone fired where she had been standing moments ago.
"Stay down!" he growled, his arm shielding her as another explosion shook the ground.
Leah's pulse thundered as the realization hit her—they were cornered.
Leah's breath hitched as the whir of the drones became a relentless symphony above their heads. Bolts of searing energy streaked across the ruined landscape, forcing them deeper into cover. The group was splintered, their communication cut off by the chaos.
Elias emerged from a cloud of smoke, his eyes sharp and calculating. "We can't win this fight. We have to retreat and regroup."
"Retreat to where?" Jonah shot back from behind a half-collapsed wall. His voice was tinged with frustration. "They've got us boxed in!"
Kael crouched beside Leah, his expression grim. "They're driving us toward something—this isn't random."
Leah's gaze darted toward the horizon, her instincts screaming that Kael was right. The drones weren't killing them outright; they were herding them like cattle.
A sharp cry from Caleb broke through her thoughts. She turned to see him pinned under a fallen beam, struggling to move. Without hesitation, she dashed toward him, her legs burning with exertion.
"Leah, no!" Elias yelled, but she didn't stop.
Dropping to her knees, she grabbed the edge of the beam and strained to lift it. The energy inside her flickered weakly, drained from earlier battles. Just as her strength faltered, Kael appeared beside her.
"Together," he said, and their combined effort freed Caleb.
"Thanks," Caleb panted, wincing as he stood.
Their moment of relief was cut short by a sudden, blinding light that engulfed the battlefield. Leah shielded her eyes, her pulse spiking. When the light faded, they were surrounded.
The elites' soldiers emerged from the haze, their sleek armor glinting ominously. Each one carried an advanced weapon, trained on the group. Drones hovered overhead, casting eerie blue halos on the ground.
Elias raised his hands slowly, signaling for the others to do the same. "Don't resist," he muttered under his breath.
Leah's fists clenched, her mind racing for a way out. But there was none. They had been outmaneuvered.
As one of the soldiers stepped forward, his modulated voice boomed, "You will come with us. Alive—for now."
Kael's jaw tightened, and Leah felt his body tense beside her. She placed a hand on his arm, silently urging him to stand down. Resistance would only get them killed.
One by one, they were forced to their knees and bound with cuffs that emitted a low hum of energy. Leah's heart sank as she realized the cuffs were suppressing her powers.
The group exchanged grim looks as the soldiers marched them toward an ominous transport vehicle. The air was heavy with defeat, but Leah refused to let despair take hold.
"We'll get through this," she whispered, though she wasn't sure if she believed it herself.
The transport rumbled through the desolate wasteland, its engine humming a low, mechanical dirge. Leah sat pressed against the cold steel wall, her wrists aching against the energy cuffs. The group was silent, their faces a mix of anger and despair.
Jonah finally broke the quiet, his voice laced with bitterness. "We had one job—just one. How did we screw it up this badly?"
"We didn't screw up," Kael snapped, his eyes narrowing. "We were played. The elites knew every step we were going to take."
"That doesn't make me feel any better," Jonah muttered, slumping back.
Leah's thoughts churned. Kael was right—they had been set up, herded into a trap like mice to cheese. But how? Who had been tracking them so meticulously?
Elias, who had been sitting silently across from her, spoke up. "It doesn't matter how they knew. What matters is what we do now."
"And what's that?" Jonah shot back. "We're chained up in the back of a glorified cage on wheels. Got any brilliant plans, leader?"
Elias's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond.
The transport jolted to a stop, and the harsh sound of metal grating against metal filled the cabin as the doors were yanked open. Leah squinted against the bright light pouring in, her stomach sinking as she saw what awaited them.
A massive compound loomed before them, its spires piercing the ash-colored sky. Guards in black armor lined the perimeter, their weapons at the ready. The air was thick with the hum of technology and the faint stench of something burning.
"Move," barked one of the soldiers, shoving Kael forward.
They were marched through the compound, the oppressive silence broken only by the clink of their cuffs and the heavy thud of boots on concrete. Leah's heart pounded as they passed row upon row of cages, each holding captives who looked just as broken as she felt.
When they reached a fork in the corridor, the guards suddenly stopped. One of them gestured toward Leah. "This one goes with me."
"What?" Kael stepped forward, his voice sharp. "No way. She stays with us."
The guard didn't even flinch. He raised his weapon and aimed it at Kael's chest. "Step back. Now."
Elias put a hand on Kael's shoulder, pulling him back. "Don't make it worse," he said quietly.
Leah's stomach twisted as the guard grabbed her arm, dragging her away. She turned her head, locking eyes with Elias, Kael, and the others. The silent promise in their gazes was the only comfort she had as she was forced through another set of heavy doors.
Her heart sank further when she realized the guards weren't taking her to another cell—they were taking her somewhere far worse.
Leah was led through a maze of corridors, each colder and darker than the last. The air grew heavy with an unnatural chill, and the silence was broken only by the echo of their footsteps. Her captors said nothing, their visors hiding any hint of emotion.
Finally, they reached a large, circular chamber. The walls were lined with strange, pulsing machinery, casting an eerie glow across the room. The guard shoved Leah forward, releasing her cuffs with a sharp click.
"Stay here," he ordered, before stepping back and sealing the door behind him.
Leah turned slowly, her breath shallow as she surveyed her surroundings. The air crackled with energy, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Something about this place felt… wrong.
A soft, melodic voice broke the stillness. "So, you're the infamous Leah. I've been waiting to meet you."
Leah whipped around, her eyes narrowing. From the shadows stepped a figure—a woman, tall and regal, with an aura of power that seemed to fill the room. Her silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her piercing, icy-blue eyes bore into Leah's soul.
"You're not what I expected," Leah said, forcing her voice to remain steady.
The woman smirked, her lips curving in a way that sent a chill down Leah's spine. "And you're exactly what I expected—a stubborn little rebel, clinging to a lost cause."
Leah clenched her fists. "Who are you?"
The woman stepped closer, her movements deliberate and graceful. "I am the Master of the Elites. You may call me Seraphine."
Leah's breath caught. "You're… the one behind all of this."
Seraphine tilted her head, as if considering the accusation. "Behind it, above it, within it. I am the Elites. And soon, you will understand why your resistance is futile."
Leah's defiance flared. "I'll never join you."
Seraphine's expression darkened, her smile fading. "Oh, Leah. You don't understand yet, do you? You and I… we're not so different."
Before Leah could respond, Seraphine raised her hand, and a surge of energy shot through the room. Leah gasped as she was lifted off the ground, pinned against the wall by an invisible force.
"You have potential," Seraphine said, her voice cold and commanding. "Power that could rival my own. But you waste it, chasing after a hopeless dream. Join me, and I will show you what true strength looks like."
Leah struggled against the force holding her in place, her anger bubbling to the surface. "Never," she spat.
Seraphine's eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "So be it."
With a flick of her wrist, she sent Leah crashing against the wall, her vision swimming with stars as the impact knocked the breath from her lungs. Seraphine advanced, her hand tightening in the air as if strangling Leah from a distance.
Leah clawed at the invisible force tightening around her throat. Her heart pounded as she fought for air, but Seraphine's power was relentless. The walls of the chamber seemed to hum in resonance with the Elite Master's energy, amplifying her hold over Leah.
Seraphine leaned closer, her icy-blue eyes glinting with menace. "You think your defiance makes you strong, but it's nothing more than a fragile façade. You're alone, Leah. Your friends can't save you now."
Leah's fingers brushed against the wall, her vision dimming as she searched desperately for anything to fight back. She felt something—a faint warmth, a pulse of energy deep within her. It called to her, a part of herself she had never fully understood.
With the last of her strength, Leah focused on that inner light. Her body tensed, and a surge of power burst forth, shattering Seraphine's grip. Leah fell to the ground, gasping for breath, but she didn't have time to recover. Seraphine's eyes narrowed in anger, and the air around her crackled with renewed energy.
"You're full of surprises," Seraphine said, her tone cold. "But that will only make breaking you all the more satisfying."
Before Leah could respond, Seraphine raised her hand again, and a column of energy erupted from the floor, forcing Leah to roll aside. The room became a battleground, Seraphine's power tearing through the air as Leah dodged, countered, and unleashed her own newfound strength.
Each attack pushed Leah closer to the edge, her energy waning against Seraphine's unyielding force.
Seraphine finally cornered Leah, her expression a mix of fury and triumph. "You've fought well, but this ends now."
Leah backed against the wall, her limbs trembling with exhaustion. She glanced at the chamber's machinery, an idea sparking in her mind. "You might be stronger," she said, her voice hoarse. "But I'll never stop fighting."
With a desperate burst of energy, Leah sent a surge of power into the nearest machine. Sparks flew as the system overloaded, and the entire chamber began to quake.
Seraphine stepped back, her expression unreadable. "You're willing to destroy everything, even yourself, to prove a point?"
Leah's lips curled into a defiant smile. "It's not about proving a point. It's about showing you that you'll never control me."
Before Seraphine could respond, a deafening explosion rocked the room. Leah was thrown to the ground, her vision blurring as debris rained down around her.
When the dust settled, she lay motionless, her body aching from the impact. Seraphine was nowhere to be seen, but Leah knew this was far from over.
The last thing Leah saw was the building trembling violently, its towering walls groaning under the strain. Dust and debris swirled chaotically, clouding her vision. She staggered back, her pulse pounding in her ears as the ground beneath her feet buckled.
A deafening roar ripped through the air, and the structure began to collapse in slow, horrifying motion. Massive chunks of concrete and steel plummeted around her, each impact reverberating like the final drumbeats of a distant, inescapable doom.
Leah turned, desperately searching for an escape, but her path was blocked by falling debris. Her breath hitched as the light dimmed, the shadow of the collapsing building enveloping her.
And then, just before the crushing darkness consumed her, she heard it—a low, guttural laugh echoing faintly through the chaos. It wasn't just the building that was falling.
Something—or someone—was waiting for her on the other side.
The world caved in, and everything went black.