As they performed the ritual, an alarm blared through the base. Marcus quickly gave them instructions on how to continue.
"Constantine, you need to channel aether into her constantly. Focus on her core, imagine your energy flowing directly into her," Marcus instructed, his voice steady. "Keep a steady rhythm, like a heartbeat. Shift will monitor the process with the device to ensure the flow is stable. Darryl will protect you. Additionally, you need to chant these words every few minutes: 'Aether flow, connect and heal, bind and reveal.' It's crucial to maintain the flow."
Constantine nodded, trying hard to maintain his composure. As he began the ritual, a soft, glowing red aura enveloped Jane. The room was filled with a gentle hum of energy, and Constantine focused intently, his hands hovering over Jane's body, aether pouring from him in a steady stream.
Suddenly, alarms blared throughout the base. Marcus' face hardened. "Intruders. Constantine, keep going with the ritual. We'll handle this. Listen to me closely. Repeat these steps to complete the ritual. First, keep the flow of aether steady. Focus on her core and imagine your energy flowing directly into her. Channel aether in your voice and chant, 'Aether flow, connect and heal, bind and reveal,' every few minutes to maintain the connection. Kento, Darryl, Shift, let's go!"
With that, Marcus, Darryl, Kento, and Shift rushed to the entrance. As they reached the bottom of the staircase, they were confronted by the intruders: Viktor, Celestia, Xander, and a group of mages with undead minions.
Marcus launched himself at Viktor, their clash immediate and fierce. "Necromancer," Marcus spat, his rapier aiming at Viktor's throat. Viktor wasted no time, aiming his hand at one of his summoned skeletons; the skeleton dismantled and reassembled into a bone sword in his hand that met Marcus' rapier.
Kento and Celestia locked eyes, both surprised. Celestia immediately raised her hands, summoning a wall of ice that separated them from the others.
"Kento?" Celestia's voice was filled with shock. "You're an Outcast?!"
Kento's expression darkened with a mix of hurt and confusion. "Celestia, why are you here? Why did you disappear? You were branded a criminal."
Celestia sighed. "I didn't choose this path willingly, Kento. I was forced into it. But you have to understand, we're not your enemy. Not completely."
Kento's eyes narrowed. "Then why attack us? Why the bloodshed?"
Celestia looked away. "Orders, Kento. I can't defy them. But I can try to keep you safe. Just stay out of our way."
Kento looked at Celestia with a mix of regret and anger. "I have no choice but to fight you," he said, drawing his daggers.
Celestia's eyes hardened. "So be it." She summoned shards of ice and charged at him with swift, graceful movements, her magic creating a flurry of freezing wind around them.
Meanwhile, Marcus and Viktor's battle intensified. Marcus's precise strikes aimed to outmaneuver Viktor, but Viktor's bone sword and dark magic were formidable. "You're resilient, I'll give you that," Viktor taunted, launching a flurry of attacks.
"Resilience is a necessity," Marcus retorted, blocking and countering with equal ferocity. The two were a blur of motion, each trying to find an opening.
Darryl, armed with dual pistols, fired shot after shot, using his probability manipulation to ensure each bullet hit its mark, causing the mages' spells to misfire or backfire entirely. "I always did like a good shootout," Darryl muttered with a smirk.
Shift, manipulating her aether gadgets, launched a barrage of energy projectiles at the mages. She activated a pair of gloves that emitted concentrated aether blasts and threw small, spherical devices that emitted bursts of stunning light. Her precision and efficiency kept the mages on their toes, disrupting their formations and thinning their numbers. "Stay sharp, Darryl!" she called out, dodging a blast of dark energy.
As everyone fought, Xander cast an invisibility spell on himself and slipped away, heading toward the strong energy concentration inside the base, unnoticed by the others.
Inside the medical bay, Constantine continued the ritual. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he maintained his focus. The red glow around Jane intensified, her body beginning to stir slightly.
Back at the entrance, Darryl and Shift had managed to gain the upper hand against the mages; barely any were left. "We need to end this quickly," Shift said, her voice tense.
Marcus, overhearing her, nodded. "Darryl, Shift, focus on the undead. I'll handle the necromancer."
Marcus continued his intense duel with Viktor. Their weapons clashed with resounding force, sparks flying as Marcus's rapier met Viktor's bone sword. Marcus was conserving his aether, knowing he had expended too much setting up the ritual for Constantine. Viktor, aware that direct magic attacks were futile against Outcasts, relied on his skill with the sword. An excellent swordsman, Viktor pressed his advantage, aiming for a battle of attrition. He intended to wear Marcus down while summoning more undead to overwhelm them. Marcus, however, was biding his time, searching for an opening to end the fight with a single, decisive technique. Ironically, for different reasons, both of them avoided using their powers and relied on their swordsmanship. Marcus was fast, using his rapier to target vital spots while Viktor was brutal, using mana to enhance his physique and pushing back Marcus with brute force. They both knew that the first one to land a hit would be the winner.
Meanwhile, Xander moved stealthily through the base, his eyes set on the strong energy source he had sensed; it was Constantine and Jane. He reached the chamber where Constantine was performing the ritual. Watching silently, he observed the intense concentration on Constantine's face and the red glow surrounding Jane. Constantine focused on the ritual, his hands steady as he channeled aether into Jane's core. He chanted the phrase Marcus had given him, "Aether flow, connect and heal, bind and reveal," over and over, maintaining the connection. With a final surge of effort, Constantine completed the ritual. Jane's body levitated into the air, still unconscious, but now radiating an intense, powerful aura. The red glow around her intensified, filling the room with a warm, pulsating light.
Xander watched from the shadows, assessing the situation. He didn't reveal himself, biding his time as the scene unfolded. The energy in the chamber was palpable, and the significance of the moment was not lost on him. He would take them both; the others would finally respect him after this. He found the Outcast base, he found St. John and now, his moment of triumph was finally at hand. He deactivated his invisibility spell; he couldn't maintain it while casting a summoning. Raising a hand, he channeled his mana and chanted:
"Exsurgat daemon infernum, et tenebrae devorent lucem. Apare pro me, Abaddon!"