After finalizing their plan and gathering information about the Nexus breach and the bramble thorns, everyone spent the next couple of days in thorough preparation. Different groups within the Sentinels of Terra were set up, including medical teams, communication teams, and more, ensuring the mission's success by minimizing the chances of failure.
Kira decided that the optimal time to move out was when the sun was about to set. This strategic choice would allow them to navigate the surroundings effectively while maintaining a level of obscurity.
As the sun hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow on the dense forest ahead, the team, led by Eve, moved through the underbrush. The only sounds were the rustling leaves beneath their boots and the occasional creaking of branches overhead. The air was thick with palpable tension.
Far into the city, Lennox, Kira, and Theo stepped forward. Lennox, with a swift and practiced movement, unleashed a torrent of fire using the firecoil rifle, creating a blazing barrier that halted the oncoming Bramblethorn horde. The flames roared and crackled, turning the advancing Bramblethon into ashes upon contact.
Simultaneously, the S.O.T Forces mobilized. Jeeps lined up in multiple formations, each member ready for the impending clash. Some fired from turrets mounted on the vehicles, sending torrents of bullets into the Brablethorn ranks. The combined effort of Nexus abilities and advanced weaponry carved a path through the Bramblethorns.
Nadia, positioned at a safe distance, observed the chaos unfolding. Her watchful eyes monitored the battlefield, ensuring that the plan unfolded without any unforeseen complications. Seeing Lennox and the others execute their strategies with precision, she felt a sense of pride in the team's ability to adapt and survive.
The cityscape sprawled out beneath them as Lennox, Kira, and Theo stood, each equipped with a small, secure earbud.
"Lennox, Kira, and Theo, can you hear me?" John's voice pierced through their minds, urgency laced in every word.
Suddenly, everyone tuned into John's urgent communication, the small earbuds clinging securely to their ears, unmoved by the intensity of the situation.
"Yeah, John. Is there something wrong?" Lennox inquired, his eyes focused on the horde.
"There are still thousands of Bramblethorns advancing." John's voice conveyed the gravity of the situation. "We've eliminated thousands, b-but they just keep coming."
"...Alright." Lennox's tone betrayed a nervous undertone. "Kira, Theo, we take the rooftop to the Nexus breach. John and the others will hold back the Bramblethorns."
"Alright, Twinkle" Kira responded.
"Sure, Nox." Theo added.
Lennox dropped his Firecoil Rifle and headed toward Kira and Theo. They all understood that simply fighting the Bramblethorns without making progress toward the Nexus breach would deplete their resources and weapons without achieving their goal.
Together, Lennox, Kira, and Theo ascended a building's staircase to reach the rooftop. From this vantage point, they oriented themselves toward the direction of the Nexus breach. Theo utilized his air-manipulating abilities to propel himself forward, effortlessly navigating from one building to another. Kira, with a mix of agility and skill, gracefully leaped between rooftops. In a fluid motion, Lennox executed a leap across the gap between buildings, landing seamlessly on an adjacent rooftop.
Scaling vertical surfaces with almost gravity-defying finesse, Lennox became an elusive silhouette against the moonlit skyline, engaging in a well-rehearsed dance. Swift vaults over air conditioning units and nimble somersaults to clear ventilation shafts showcased his mastery of urban traversal as he advanced toward the Nexus breach.
"Twinkle, you move like a professional parkour artist." Kira commented, impressed by Lennox's agile movements.
"Thanks. I spent most of my time jumping and moving around for years." Lennox answered, reminiscing about the solitary days when he had to navigate the urban jungle alone, hunting for food and evading danger by leaping between trees and rooftops.
Mid-jump on the rooftop, Theo suddenly manipulated the air, sending a group of pigeons flying straight into Lennox's face, causing him to lose balance and tumble into a nearby trash bin. Emerging from the bin with irritation, he shouted in annoyance but he heard Theo's laughter echoing through the air.
Lennox looked up and shouted. "Theo!" his voice carrying annoyance.
After a couple of minutes of moving from rooftop to rooftop, Lennox reached the apex of a particularly tall building. Pausing there, a silhouette against the backdrop of the night sky, his eyes ablaze with inner fire surveyed the cityscape. Suddenly, a mysterious green glow enveloped his entire body, and a surge of energy launched him forcefully into the air.
"Twinkle!"
"Nox!"
Kira and Theo shouted in a mix of worry and shock as they witnessed Lennox's unexpected descent into the air. "What just happened?" Theo asked, seeking an explanation.
But Kira didn't immediately respond, instead, she prepared to leap off the rooftop to chase after Lennox, who seemed to be still floating in the air.
Theo, however, swiftly grabbed her shoulder. "Kira, wait! You can't go," he insisted.
Kira turned around, frustration was evident in her eyes. "Theo, let me go! We have to hurry and save Twinkle!" she shouted.
"You can't. Hear me out first," Theo implored, and Kira slowly calmed down, understanding that Theo wouldn't have any ill intentions toward Lennox. "I will go, and you go to the Nexus breach because the plan was mainly your idea."
Kira, calming down, realized the truth in Theo's words. She looked at him with dagger eyes and warned, "If anything went wrong with Lennox, it's your fault, and I will do worse to you than whatever happens to him." A black, unknown energy radiated from her body, causing Theo to release her. He nodded in response, and Kira climbed off the rooftop, leaving Theo to ponder what had just transpired?.
Meanwhile, Lennox, far away in an unknown forest, landed heavily on the ground after being released from the unknown energy. Feeling a stinging sensation on his face and pain in his chest, he remarked, "Damn, that hurt." As he tried to push himself off the ground, he realized his body wasn't under his control. The green energy was back, making him stand up without autonomy. Wondering what was happening?, he looked up and saw a man.
The man stood at 6'3", clad in a sleek black bodysuit with corrosive green accents. Asymmetrical patterns resembling corrosive burns adorned the fabric, and spiked shoulder pads and gloves with jagged edges added a menacing touch. Various vials and containers filled with toxic-looking substances served as accessories. His face featured a twisted, malevolent grin, with contours of cheekbones and a jawline sharp and sharp shark-like teeth. Subtle scars on his hands exuded a chilling energy, and his viper snake eyes glowed with a piercing, toxic green light. Irises resembled swirling pools of corrosive liquid, and veins around the eyes carried an appearance of venomous substance.
The man fixed his piercing gaze on Lennox, a hint of curiosity dancing in his eyes. A slow, sly smile curled his lips as he approached with casual confidence. He wondered who this man was? and why he had brought him here so violently.
"Well, well," the man purred, his voice carrying a mix of amusement and intrigue. "I've heard whispers about the EmberFlare who's turned from an ordinary boy into the extraordinary nexarc, somehow managing to join the Nexus Academy."
He extended a gloved hand, not out of formality, but as an invitation. "Coros," he introduced himself, a playful tone in his voice. "Though I suppose that name's just a shade of who I am."
Walking around to the side of Lennox, suddenly Coros opened his mouth, and a snake-like tongue slithered out towards Lennox. Despite his attempts to move away, his body wouldn't comply. "Your blood smells so good," Coros said, passing his slimy tongue across Lennox's cheek.
"Who are you?" Lennox shouted. "What's your problem?"
With a slight chuckle, Coros regarded Lennox with keen interest, his gaze flickering over the unique colors of Lennox's eyes. "And who might you be, Lennox? Tell me, what truths do those eyes of yours see? What mysteries do they hold?" He tilted his head, a glint of challenge in his gaze.
Ignoring Lennox's agitated demand wanted to be released but he could no matter how hard he tried, Coros slowly began to back away. while Lennox, continued to fight to regaining control over his body, warned, "You better release me and fight me!"
"Oh, no, no, Lennox," Coros replied, his tone carrying an air of philosophical reflection. "Life is a canvas of chaos. Each brushstroke is a choice. I choose chaos, for in the dance of chaos, one can find the truest form of freedom. Embrace the chaos, for they are the only companions that never abandon, never betray. In this twisted symphony, let chaos be your melody, and we shall dance upon the threads of fate together, or it shall be too late." he said, leaving Lennox to ponder the cryptic words that hung in the air.
Coros then put on a fitted mask with a venomous green and black color scheme. The mask was crafted to mirror his gaze, featuring intense, glowing green eyes and sharp, pointed fangs. Additionally, he sported a sinuous snake coils entwining his forearms tattoo, bearing the number 5.
Suddenly Theo also came running out of the forest out of breath"Nox, are you okay?" he asked, his concern evident as he scanned Lennox's body, finding nothing amiss.
"Yeah, I'm good." Lennox reassured him.
"You're 'good'?" Theo replied skeptically. "We saw you go flying, surrounded by some green energy!"
"It doesn't make sense, you can't just go flying surrounded by energy and be somehow fine." Theo complained.
Lennox, masking the truth to spare Theo's worry, responded, "Uh... I don't know what happened, but I woke up in the forest. Wait you left Kira alone! We should hurry back."
Without waiting for Theo to respond, Lennox swiftly darted into the forest he had just emerged from. Theo stood there for a moment, his gaze shifting around, as if he could decipher Lennox's intentions through his past knowledge, sensing that there might be more to what happened to Lennox's than he told him.