The atmosphere in Selene's hideout was thick with tension. Lira's vision had rattled them all, even Selene, who was usually unshakable. The name *Arathor* was no longer a distant shadow from the past. He was near, his presence looming over them like a storm about to break.
Selene stood at her console, her fingers moving with practiced speed as she pulled up maps and surveillance footage. Aelis sharpened her blade with an intensity that hinted at her own unease, while the Warden stood silently in the corner, its glowing eyes casting an eerie light on the room.
Lira paced, the Veil clutched tightly in her hands. "We can't just wait for him to find us. If Arathor is close, we need to act. To strike first."
Selene sighed, her eyes flicking to the glowing map on her screen. "Acting impulsively won't get us anywhere. If we don't have a plan, we're walking into his hands."
"Then what do you suggest?" Aelis asked, testing the edge of her blade. "We sit here while he closes in? That doesn't sound like a plan either."
"We need information," Selene said. "If Arathor is moving openly, he's leaving a trail. Someone in the city must know something. We just have to find the right person to ask."
"Someone like who?" Lira asked, stopping mid-pace.
Selene hesitated before pulling up a file on her screen. The image of a man with a cybernetic eye appeared, his expression cold and calculating.
"His name is Kael Draven," Selene said. "He's an information broker. If there's anything worth knowing in Vertis, he'll have heard about it."
"And he'll just give us this information?" Aelis asked, her tone skeptical.
Selene's lips curved into a smirk. "Not exactly. But Kael owes me a favor. He'll talk."
---
They found Kael in a smoke-filled club on the outskirts of the city. The music was loud, the bass reverberating through the floor, but the patrons were quiet, their eyes wary as they watched the group enter. The Warden stayed outside, too conspicuous to bring into a place like this.
Kael sat in a corner booth, a drink in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other. His cybernetic eye glowed faintly as he looked up at them, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"Well, well. Selene," he drawled. "I was beginning to think you'd finally disappeared for good."
"Wishful thinking, Kael," Selene said, sliding into the booth across from him. "We need information."
Kael leaned back, taking a drag from his cigarette. "Of course you do. And let me guess—it's dangerous, highly classified, and puts me at risk just for knowing about it."
Selene smiled thinly. "That about sums it up."
Kael's gaze shifted to Lira and Aelis, his smirk widening. "And who are these charming companions? New recruits? Or just more trouble for me?"
"Focus, Kael," Selene snapped. "What do you know about Arathor?"
Kael's smirk disappeared, replaced by a wary frown. He set his drink down, his cybernetic eye flickering as he studied her. "That's a dangerous name to be throwing around. Even in a place like this."
"We're not here to play games," Lira said, her voice firm. "If you know something, tell us."
Kael chuckled dryly. "Feisty. I like that." He leaned forward, his tone lowering. "Word on the street is that Arathor's been rebuilding his forces. Quietly, but efficiently. He's targeting relics—like the one you're carrying."
Lira's grip on the Veil tightened. "What does he want with the relics?"
Kael shrugged. "Power, control… the usual. But there's more to it. People say he's looking for something specific. A way to unlock the Veil's full potential."
"And how does he plan to do that?" Selene asked, her voice sharp.
Kael hesitated, glancing around the room before lowering his voice further. "There's a facility on the edge of the city. An old Syndicate lab. Arathor's people have been spotted there recently, moving supplies in and out. If he's planning something big, it's likely happening there."
Selene nodded, standing up. "You've been helpful, Kael. I'll make sure to repay the favor someday."
Kael smirked again, though his eyes remained wary. "I'll hold you to that, Selene. Good luck. You're going to need it."
---
The facility was a towering structure of steel and glass, surrounded by a high-tech security grid. Selene studied it through binoculars from their vantage point, her expression grim.
"This isn't going to be easy," she said. "The Syndicate doesn't leave places like this unguarded."
"We've faced worse," Aelis said, checking her weapons.
Lira nodded, the Veil pulsing faintly in her hands. "We have to go in. If this is where Arathor's planning his next move, we can't let him succeed."
Selene sighed, lowering the binoculars. "Then let's move. Quietly."
---
The first part of the infiltration went smoothly. Selene disabled the outer security grid while Aelis dispatched a pair of guards with quiet efficiency. The Warden followed silently, its massive frame surprisingly agile as it moved through the shadows.
Inside the facility, the air was cold and sterile, the faint hum of machinery filling the halls. Lira's heart pounded as they moved deeper into the labyrinthine structure, the Veil's whispers growing louder with each step.
They found the main lab at the center of the facility, its walls lined with glowing monitors and intricate machinery. But what caught Lira's attention was the figure standing at the center of the room.
"Arathor," she whispered.
He turned to face them, a cold smile playing on his lips. His presence was commanding, his dark eyes sharp and calculating. The Veil's mist stirred at the sight of him, as if recognizing its enemy.
"Ah, the lost princess," Arathor said, his voice smooth and mocking. "You've finally come out of hiding."
Lira stepped forward, her grip on the Veil tightening. "This ends now, Arathor."
Arathor chuckled, his gaze flicking to the Veil. "You're bold, I'll give you that. But you have no idea what you're holding, do you? The power it holds… the destruction it can unleash."
"I'll use it to stop you," Lira said, her voice steady.
"Will you?" Arathor's smile widened. "Or will it use you?"
Before Lira could respond, the room erupted into chaos. Guards flooded in from every entrance, and Arathor vanished into the shadows, his laughter echoing through the lab.
"Lira, focus!" Selene shouted, drawing her weapon.
The Veil pulsed in Lira's hands, its energy surging as she prepared to fight.
---