The wind, sharp and biting, whipped around the transport as Athena crouched low, a shadow against the desolate earth. Her hazel eyes, keen and focused, scanned the jagged outline of the grated vent, her fingers already working with a small, specialized tool. "Alright, Leo," she murmured, her voice a low purr of readiness. "Give me some cover. I don't want to light up like a Christmas tree on their radar."
Leo, leaning against the cold metal of the transport's exterior, nodded slowly, his long blond hair rustling in the breeze. His grey eyes, usually so light and teasing, now held a deep, shimmering intensity. A faint, almost imperceptible silver mist began to emanate from his hands, rippling outward like heat haze, cloaking Athena's movements.
"Consider it done, rogue. You'll be as invisible as a whisper in a storm." The air around Athena seemed to warp, blurring her edges, making her difficult to track even for the un-enhanced eye.
Artemis, his broad shoulders squared, stood beside Mason, his red eyes fixed on the forbidding structure. The ground beneath his heavy boots felt solid, waiting. "Just give the word, Mason," he rumbled, his voice a low growl, "and I'll smash anything that gets in Hadrian's way." His hands flexed, a faint spark of raw energy momentarily flickering around his knuckles.
Nyx stood slightly behind them, her face serene, her baby blue eyes scanning the fluctuating energy signatures emanating from the facility. She held a small, crystalline device, its surface glowing with a soft, steady light, monitoring for anomalies. Mason's gaze swept across his team one last time, a silent confirmation of their readiness.
"Remember the plan," he stated, his voice firm and unwavering, "no heroics, just efficiency." The faint hum of the facility grew louder, a promise of the unknown.
The biting wind intensified, whipping around Athena as she probed the rusted grating over the ventilation shaft. Her specialized tool, a slim blade crafted from hardened alloy, met unexpected resistance. A spark, bright and fleeting, danced across the metal as she applied more pressure, a low grunt escaping her lips.
"Dammit," Athena muttered, her hazel eyes narrowing in frustration. "This thing's welded on tighter than a G-ranker's secret stash. Think they upgraded the security after they abandoned the place?"
Leo, ever the calm illusionist, simply offered a detached observation. "Perhaps the passage of time strengthens bonds, even between metal. Your energy output is fluctuating, Athena. Are you perhaps... exerting yourself?" His illusions around her shimmered faintly, a subtle hint of the effort she was putting in.
Mason, watching from a few paces back, his emerald eyes sharp, stepped forward. "Anything we can do from here, Athena? Artemis is itching to convert that vent into a new doorway, or should I say 'wallway'?"
Artemis grunted, a low rumble in his chest. "Just say the word, and I'll have this whole wall down. We'll make a grand entrance." His fists clenched, the faint spark of energy around his knuckles growing a touch brighter.
Nyx's soft voice cut through the gruffness. "Artemis, no. Not yet. Any large-scale destruction would alert everything for miles. Hadrian, can you check Athena's energy levels? She seems to be straining slightly." Her baby blue eyes glanced at Hadrian, a subtle nod prompting him.
Athena, still wrestling with the grating, grimaced. "I'm fine, just a little... stubborn. This is slowing us down. We need to get inside before someone notices our transport." She adjusted her grip, her movements a blend of grace and raw determination as she tried a different angle, testing the welds. The sound of scraping metal echoed in the quiet Wastes.
Hadrian pauses slightly as he observes his teammate, he could sense her energy, she had the energy needed just not the precision to use it carefully. She needed focus and steadier hands. Hadrian took in a soft breath as he pulled up his Nora System. His screens were slightly different from his teammates. Only because his systems interface had more rpg game like options than the simplified version the world had.
His system was Nora version 6.9k, a highly modified and beneficial version. Hadrian carefully drifted to his Guide Skill List. Glancing over the various skills and facets he had gained or unlocked for learning to manipulate his guide energy. He knew what he wanted, so, slowly he scrolled down to and selected Team Enhance facet.
As he does, he focuses his energy in Athena's direction, his guide energy creeping low and nearly imperceptible as the only tell was a slight honey tint to the air. A faint, almost imperceptible warmth, like a gentle tide of liquid honey, ghosted over Athena. Her hazel eyes, previously narrowed in frustration, widened ever so slightly.
A subtle tremor that had been running through her muscles, a byproduct of exertion and urgency, eased away. The grip on her specialized tool suddenly felt more natural, the precise movements of her fingers against the stubborn weld becoming fluid and effortless. The slight hitch in her breath smoothed out, a quiet hum settling deep within her. It wasn't brute strength, but a refined precision, an uncanny clarity that guided her hands.
"Well, well," Athena murmured, a surprised smile playing on her lips. A soft click echoed in the biting wind as the final resistance gave way. The heavy grated vent, previously an immovable object, yielded with a groan, swinging inward to reveal a dark, dust-choked tunnel. She pulled her tool back, a look of renewed confidence in her eyes. "Looks like you're quicker than I thought, Hadrian. Or maybe this vent just needed a little... tender touch."
Leo Harten whistled softly, his spectral butterflies flitting around him. "Impressive. You didn't even break a sweat, rogue. What's your secret, suddenly channeling the spirit of a master locksmith?" He glanced curiously at Hadrian, a knowing glint in his grey eyes, though he said nothing direct about the guide's actions.
Mason stepped forward, his emerald eyes assessing the newly opened entrance. "Nice work, Athena. Let's not waste any more time. Artemis, Nyx, stay sharp. Leo, keep those illusions up. We don't want anyone knowing we're here until it's too late. Hadrian, you're right behind Nyx. Let's move." The air of urgency intensified as Mason led them into the suffocating darkness of the vent.
The scent of stale metal and ancient dust filled the narrow ventilation shaft as Mason, a broad shadow against the faint light from outside, squeezed through first. His emerald eyes, accustomed to low light, scanned the gloomy interior. "Alright, keep it tight," he instructed, his voice low and firm, echoing slightly. "These old conduits can be unstable."
Athena, agile and quick, moved like a phantom behind him, her movements silent despite the confined space. "Definitely built for rats, not S-class Espers," she quipped, her voice barely a whisper, as she navigated a tight bend. "I can feel the security systems nearby. Still offline thanks to my little override."
Artemis grunted, his large frame proving a tight fit. He scraped against the grimy walls, a low rumble in his chest. "The faster we get through this metal intestine, the better. My fists are itching for something less... cramped." His powerful shoulder brushed against the wall, dislodging a puff of ancient debris.
Nyx, her soft white coat a stark contrast to the darkness, moved gracefully, her presence seeming to absorb the claustrophobia of the tunnel. "The energy fluctuations from the core are getting stronger," she observed, her voice serene but carrying a subtle undercurrent of concern. "It's irregular, almost... alive."
Leo, trailing slightly, conjured a small, glowing orb that pulsed with a soft, ethereal light, illuminating their immediate path. "Alive, she says. Perhaps it's just lonely. Nothing a little conversation can't fix, right?" His grey eyes, reflecting the orb's glow, glittered with an almost playful curiosity. "Mason, are we heading straight for the core, or taking a scenic route through the guard's lounge?"
Mason pressed a hand against the cold metal wall, listening intently. "We follow the conduit. Athena, confirm the nearest junction and security station. Nyx, maintain your readings. Leo, keep us in the dark where it counts."
"Copy that, Mason," Athena confirmed, already pulling up a holographic schematics projection on her wrist device. "Looks like the main nexus is just ahead, past a junction. Should be able to fully disable their internal defenses from there."
Hadrian quietly followed along, he had been trying to follow their every step to sync his silent movements with theirs. He knew that if he was to go down at all, it would limit his team on how long and how hard they could fight without a guide. Naturally over the years he had gotten really good at masking his movements to make no noise.
He follows slowly, his eyes glancing up at his secret minimap. On it there was an icon to indicate each team member as well as an intricate detailed map of the area, a small path of wisps leading them into the tunnel towards their target point. He would silently keep watching on his minimap in case an enemy wanders too close or something in the terrain changes.
The stale air in the ventilation shaft grew heavier with the scent of old machinery and forgotten secrets. Mason moved with a controlled stealth that belied his powerful build, his form a silent silhouette as he navigated the tight turns. Ahead of him, Athena, now effortlessly precise, touched the cold metal walls, her internal schematics guiding their path. Her earlier frustration had melted into a focused determination, her movements fluid and efficient as she pointed towards another turn.
"This way, Mason," Athena whispered, her voice a low rustle in the oppressive quiet. "Just past this bend, we should hit a main junction. I'm picking up a spike in dormant security relays there—that's got to be the nexus. Still offline, fortunately."
Artemis grunted softly from behind, the scrape of his heavy boots against the metal floor a stark contrast to the others. "Good. The sooner we get out of this crawlspace, the better. My shoulders are beginning to protest." His voice, though muted, carried a raw edge of impatience.
Nyx's gentle hum, a quiet sound of concentration, was barely audible. "The energy fluctuations from the facility's core are becoming more pronounced. They pulse with a raw, primal energy, almost... electrical. It's localized around the lower levels." Her baby blue eyes, even in the dimness provided by Leo's orb, seemed to shimmer with an internal light.
Leo, his illusionary orb bobbing lightly near the ceiling of the vent, chuckled. "Electrical, Nyx? Perhaps it's just the core having a bad hair day. Don't worry, even grumpy hearts need a good illusion sometimes. Give me a moment, and I can create a diversion if those relays decide to wake up prematurely."
Mason stopped abruptly, pressing an ear to the cold, grimy metal wall. "Hold on. I hear something ahead. Faint. Metallic scrapes. Might be a drone on an unknown patrol route, or worse, a cleanup bot that's gone rogue."
He pulled out a small tactical knife, its blade glinting faintly in Leo's light. "Athena, prepare to silence anything that comes through that junction. We're breaching on my signal." His emerald eyes narrowed, his posture tense and coiled.
Mason held a finger to his lips, his emerald eyes scanning the pitch-black ahead. The faint metallic scraping sound grew clearer, punctuated by irregular whirring. "Sounds like an older model maintenance drone," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Probably on a preprogrammed loop, ignorant of our presence."
"A drone?" Athena snorted, adjusting her grip on a hidden blade. "Even better. Easier to dismantle than actual guards." She peered into the gloom, her hazel eyes glinting. "I can probably disable it without a sound if it gets close enough. Just needs a precise touch to the power cell."
Artemis let out a low growl. "Why bother disabling it? I can just smash it into scrap metal. Less fuss." His fists clenched, a faint aura of raw power beginning to emanate from his broad frame. The confined space seemed to vibrate with his suppressed energy.
Nyx's soft voice cut through the tension. "Smashing it could cause a cascade failure, Artemis. We don't want to alert anything further down. Athena's approach is more subtle." She held up her glowing crystalline device, its light intensifying as it detected the drone's proximity. "It's approaching quickly. Less than fifty feet."
Leo's illusionary orb pulsed, casting dancing shadows. "Perhaps a quick illusion can guide it away? Make it think the conduit ends, send it on a wild goose chase." His smile was enigmatic, suggesting countless possibilities.
Mason shook his head, his decision swift. "No time for elaborate diversions. Athena, be ready. One shot, make it count. Artemis, provide cover if she misses." He positioned himself defensively, his shield ability coiled and ready. "On my mark."