The newly formed team, with Robert as the experienced soldier and team leader, Seren, Finn, Kiaran, Nico, and the recently added Ahri gathers at the eastern edge of the military camp.
The atmosphere is tense, the raging Essence Storm over the district East Suppon is a constant reminder of the danger ahead.
Robert stands in front of the group, his calm demeanor anchoring the team's scattered nerves. His steady voice cuts through the howling winds. "Let's start with me," he says, looking at each of his team members.
"I'm an Ignited ranked Awakened, and my Stigma is Echoed Steps. It allows me to create up to three illusions that can fool both humans and monsters. My Arkana is a more advanced version of this: I can generate up to eight illusions, and they can detonate on command or when destroyed. These illusions can also absorb a limited amount of damage before vanishing, but any damage they take is reflected back on me."
The group nods, impressed. Next, Ahri steps forward.
"Hi, I'm Ahri. I'm still a recruit, but I'm also Ignited. This is my second mission. My Stigma is called Seeker's Whistle. It lets me control monsters, as long as they're much weaker than me or mentally compromised. I can control up to four at a time."
"That's... really cool," Finn murmurs, almost to himself, though Ahri catches it and grins.
"Thanks," she says with a light laugh, her friendly demeanor putting him at ease. "My Arkana allows me to control up to ten monsters, or even a human."
"A human?" Kiaran looks at her with an uneasy expression.
Ahri tilts her head, her smile taking on a mischievous edge. "Don't worry, against an Awakened or strong monster, the most I can do is slow down their movements. But a civilian? I could make them fall asleep if needed." Her grin widens, almost playful, but to the team, it feels unsettling.
Finn, Kiaran, and Nico take turns introducing their abilities. When it's Seren's turn, she hesitates.
"I'm sorry," Seren begins, her voice quiet but firm. "I can't tell you about my Stigma. It's not that I don't want to, it's that I literally can't." She pauses, glancing at her teammates.
"I'll have to show you during combat."
Kiaran steps in quickly to ease the tension.
"Don't worry, Finn and I have seen her Stigma in action. It's amazing."
"Yeah, exactly!" Finn agrees, eager to back him up. "When she crossed her arms and used Ely—"
Before he can finish, Finn coughs violently, blood spurting from his mouth. He stumbles back, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"What the—?" Finn whispers, clutching his chest.
"Are you okay?" Robert asks, stepping closer.
Finn straightens with visible effort, shaking his head as if to clear it.
"I... I think it's better if we just wait and see her Stigma in action." His tone carries an edge of unease, and he avoids looking directly at Seren.
Robert studies Seren with a thoughtful frown, making a mental note to report this anomaly to General Veylith.
The team advances through a district filled with abandoned skyscrapers. The earlier Category 1 storm had barely touched the towering structures, only scattering debris across the streets.
But now, under the pressure of the escalating Category 2 Essence Storm, the buildings seem less stable, their foundations groaning under the forces.
Robert leads the way, holding a handheld device. Its screen displays a scale from 1 to 10, with colors ranging from green to red. The needle hovers dangerously at 7, deep in the red zone.
"We're close," Robert says, his voice tense. The group's mission is clear: locate one of the many Rifts, report its position to the military, and hold the area until the Clear Team arrives.
The Clear Team will then cross into the Abyss to eliminate the Anchor, the monstrous entity tethering the Rift to Earth.
The Essence reader beeps more frequently, the needle climbing steadily to 9. The group turns a corner and halts.
Floating a meter above the ground is a dark rift, a crack in reality swirling in the air. Its dark colors pulsating, making the group feel uneasy.
"Wow... it's my first time seeing a Void Breach" says Nico. He sounds more amazed than scared.
"You know what to do," Robert says, his tone steady.
He pulls a bright red-orange flare gun from his pocket and fires it into the sky. The signal flares brightly, a glowing beacon for reinforcements.
"We don't know how many Rifts are in this district," Robert warns. "Don't expect help to arrive too soon, as the military might be busy clearing other Void Breaches first."
The Rift shudders, and from its depths emerges a grotesque creature.
It's a centipede-like Abyss monster, its segmented body black with slightly glowing green streaks running along its sides. Each of its dozens of legs ends in a razor-sharp claw, and its size is monstrous, nearly half as tall as Nico, the largest member of the group.
"Fuck, it's at least 10 meters long. How gross" Ahri thinks, disgusted.
Its glowing, sickly green eyes radiate malice, darting around as it surveys its surroundings.
Slime drips from its mandibles, which click together in a sickening rhythm. Its movements are unnervingly smooth, each segment of its body rippling like a living tide of darkness.
The team stiffens, weapons drawn, as the centipede lunges forward with terrifying speed.
Seren, Robert, and Kiaran are the frontline, utilizing their offensive Stigmata.
Ahri, Finn, and Nico are standing more in the back, Nico ready to protect both of them, since he can also wield a big mace, ready to crush his enemies.
The abomination is unbelievably fast and closes at least 50 meters in distance in almost an instant. Its body moves similarly to a snake.
But the group is ready. Seren doesn't falter. She surges forward, engaging the wild beast with her sword.
The centipede's claws attack them with blinding speed, but she parries it, sparks fly as the sharp claws scrape along her blade.
Next, the abomination lunges further forward, trying to get Seren with its fearsome fangs.
Robert moves to flank it. Two identical illusions of him spring into action, attacking from the sides with short, deadly daggers, each a different artifact from the Abyss. The real Robert emerges behind the monster, aiming for a gap in the creature's segmented armor at its end.
Unfortunately, it seems like he is going to miss, at least until Ahri raises her hands, her Stigma activating with a soft hum.
The creature shudders as if an invisible weight presses down on it. Its movements slow, becoming sluggish. The glow in its eyes dims slightly, a faint haze of confusion crossing its grotesque features.
Robert seizes the opportunity. His daggers flash in unison, the strikes precise and well-aimed. They carve across the creature's side, but the blades barely leave a scratch against its impenetrable exoskeleton.
The tough, segmented armor seems to absorb the force of the blows effortlessly, and a sharp hissing sound escapes its mandibles.
The centipede twists violently, its body coiling and uncoiling with incredible force. Its tail whips around, striking one of Robert's illusions and shattering it into a burst of light.
The real Robert leaps back, narrowly avoiding the tail's razor-edged segments, his daggers ready for another attempt.
"It's too tough!" he shouts, his voice tense but focused.