Return to the Warehouse
The night air was crisp as Samson, Kieran, and Sasha made their way toward the abandoned warehouse once more. It was past midnight when Avik had contacted them, his voice unusually tense.
"Something's off," Avik had said. "I picked up an anomaly at the warehouse—fluctuations in the surveillance feed. It's like something's interfering with my drones. I need a second pair of eyes."
That was all it took for the trio to move. Kieran had tried calling Bjorn on the way, but there was no response.
"Still nothing?" Samson asked, glancing at Kieran as they walked.
Kieran scowled, staring at his phone. "Not even a missed call. Either he's asleep or ignoring us."
"Or something's wrong," Sasha added. "And any news from Rahul or Old man regarding the vial?"
"Nope." Samson says.
They picked up the pace.
By the time they reached the warehouse, Avik was already there, a tablet in hand, his drones buzzing above the roof. He looked up as they arrived, relief evident in his expression.
"Glad you guys made it," he said, handing the tablet to Samson. "Look at this."
The screen displayed a map of the area, with various dots representing drone movement. But something was interfering—distorted signals, glitches in the video feed, and odd, flickering shadows.
"Some kind of jamming?" Sasha asked.
"Maybe," Avik said. "But that's not the weird part. See this?" He zoomed in on one of the screens. "This drone was flying normally when it suddenly just… crashed. No impact, no wind interference. It just lost control and dropped. It's not a mechanical issue—I checked."
Kieran narrowed his eyes. "So, we might not be alone here."
Avik nodded. "That's why I called you."
Samson rolled his shoulders. "Alright. Let's move in."
They split up—Samson and Sasha took the left entrance, while Kieran and Avik moved in from the right. The warehouse was silent except for the occasional hum of machinery and the faint rustling of wind through broken windows.
Samson's footsteps echoed as he entered the large storage area, his breath visible in the cold. Sasha whispered, "No signs of forced entry… whoever was here might still be inside."
Kieran and Avik moved quietly through a side corridor. The old wooden floor creaked under their weight, but there was no immediate threat in sight.
That changed in an instant.
A sudden movement—a shadow shifting unnaturally fast—was the only warning before a figure lunged from behind, a gleaming knife pressing against Avik's throat.
Avik tensed, his arms locked in place. "Well… that escalated quickly," he muttered.
The attacker's voice was low, almost a whisper. "Move, and I'll cut you."
Kieran didn't hesitate. His eyes gleamed, and for the first time in front of the others, he used his Light Magic.
A burst of radiance filled the narrow corridor, blinding the assailant. The attacker let out a sharp cry, their grip on Avik loosening just enough for Avik to slam an elbow into their gut and twist away.
The figure staggered, trying to recover, but Kieran was already moving. He slammed his knee into their ribs, sending them crashing against the wall.
"Who are you?" Kieran demanded.
The assailant snarled, pulling a smoke bomb from their belt and throwing it to the ground. A thick gray cloud exploded outward, obscuring their form.
Samson and Sasha arrived just as the smoke began to clear.
"What happened?!" Sasha asked.
Avik coughed, waving the smoke away. "Someone was here. He had a knife to my throat. Kieran blinded him just in time."
Sasha glanced around. "Where did the attacker go?"
Kieran clenched his fists. "He ran."
Samson sighed. "Then let's make sure we don't leave empty-handed. Avik, scan the area. See if you can pick up where he went."
Avik nodded, retrieving his fallen drone while the others spread out once again.
---
The Call from HQ
As they were wrapping up their search, Sasha's phone buzzed. She glanced at the caller ID—Old Man.
"Sir?" she answered.
The old man's voice was calm but firm. "We've got results."
Sasha's eyes sharpened. "On the vial?"
"Yes," he confirmed. "Rahul and Professor Luden ran tests. It's not a regular poison—it's a modified serum. Something experimental."
Samson, Kieran, and Avik stopped what they were doing and turned toward Sasha as she put the call on speaker.
"What kind of serum?" Samson asked.
The old man's voice came through. "It interacts with magic users' mana pools, disrupting the natural flow of energy. It can temporarily suppress abilities or cause uncontrolled magical outbursts."
Kieran narrowed his eyes. "That's dangerous."
"No kidding," the old man said. "Professor Luden mentioned that, if used in the right conditions, it could turn someone's own magic against them. If the victim isn't strong enough to stabilize it, their mana could go berserk… or worse."
A heavy silence fell over them.
Samson clenched his fists. "So whoever was experimenting with this… they were trying to weaponize magic suppression."
Sasha exhaled. "That's a whole new level of messed up."
The old man's voice lowered. "There's more. Rahul cross-referenced the chemical components of the serum. Some of them match known alchemical compounds… but one particular ingredient stands out. It's a rare extract used in only a handful of high-level magical research facilities."
"Which ones?" Avik asked.
There was a brief pause before the old man answered.
"The Arcanis Institute of Advanced Magic… and The Nightshade Alchemical Guild."
Kieran's expression darkened. "That's not random. Someone wanted this serum made, and they had access to top-tier resources."
Samson exhaled, his breath visible in the cold night air. "Then we're dealing with something bigger than just a rogue scientist."
The old man sighed. "You're catching on, kid. Come back to HQ. We need to rethink our approach."
As the call ended, the four of them exchanged looks.
Sasha put her hands on her hips. "Well… things just got a lot more complicated."
Kieran smirked. "What's new?"
Samson rolled his shoulders. "Let's get moving. We've got a lot to talk about."
---
The weight of the old man's words lingered in the air as Samson, Kieran, Sasha, and Avik made their way back to HQ. The revelation about the vial's contents had changed everything. This was no ordinary investigation anymore—someone was deliberately developing a serum to manipulate or suppress magic. And worse, they had access to high-level research institutions.
The dim lighting of the HQ's meeting room cast long shadows over the walls as Samson, Kieran, Sasha, and Avik took their seats. The old man sat at the head of the table, arms crossed, while a middle-aged man with neatly combed gray hair adjusted his glasses. His sharp blue eyes studied the team with quiet intensity.
The old man gestured toward him. "This is Professor Luden. He's an expert in alchemy and mana studies. More importantly, he's an old friend."
Professor Luden offered a polite nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I've been working alongside Rahul to analyze the vial you recovered."
Kieran, leaning back in his chair, arched an eyebrow. "So you're another one of the old man's mysterious allies?"
Luden chuckled. "You could say that. I used to work in academic research, but… certain discoveries led me to take a different path. One that aligns with the old man's goals."
Sasha folded her arms. "And what exactly is your connection to him?"
The old man smirked. "Let's just say we've had our fair share of battles together. Back in the day, Luden was one of the few researchers who dared to challenge the Council's stance on mana regulation. He's been on my side ever since."
Avik adjusted his glasses. "So you're a scientist and a rebel? Interesting combination."
Luden smiled. "I prefer 'truth-seeker.' The pursuit of knowledge should never be controlled by those who fear it."
Samson, who had remained quiet until now, finally spoke. "Then you understand why this vial is dangerous."
Luden's expression turned serious. "More than you know. What we've discovered isn't just a simple suppressant—it's a weapon in the making. Someone out there is trying to rewrite the rules of magic."
The room fell silent.
Kieran exhaled. "Great. Another mad scientist playing god."
Sasha looked at Luden. "Can you help us stop them?"
Luden nodded. "That's why I'm here."
The old man placed a hand on Luden's shoulder. "He's one of us now. Trust him."
"Glad you're back," he said. "Let's cut to the chase. We analyzed the vial's contents, but the real problem isn't just what's in it—it's who might be behind it."
Professor Luden adjusted his glasses. "The formula contains rare alchemical compounds that can only be synthesized by advanced research labs. Based on our analysis, two organizations stand out: The Arcanis Institute of Advanced Magic and The Nightshade Alchemical Guild."
Kieran leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "If that's the case, we're either dealing with rogue scientists or someone funding this from the shadows."
Rahul nodded. "That's what we need to find out."
Sasha frowned. "I still don't get why anyone would create something like this. What's the end goal?"
The old man exhaled. "That's what worries me. A serum that suppresses magic can be used to disable powerful magic users, rendering them helpless. But if it also destabilizes mana, then it could be used as a weapon—forcing uncontrollable outbursts in its victims."
Samson narrowed his eyes. "Like turning their own magic against them."
Professor Luden nodded. "Exactly. If someone figured out how to use it properly, they could trigger magical breakdowns, maybe even force a mage's body to self-destruct from mana overload."
A tense silence followed.
Avik broke it first. "So… where do we start?"
The old man tapped the whiteboard. "We have two leads—the Arcanis Institute and Nightshade. But we need proof before we go knocking on doors. That's where you four come in."
Kieran smirked. "What's the plan?"
The old man leaned back in his chair. "Simple. We split up."