The battle with the Eclipse Phantom left Elias and Lyra bruised but victorious. The Fragment throbbed in Elias's palm, its power vibrating in harmony with his own. The warehouse they fled to was like a sanctuary, though the distant thrum of the city beyond reminded them that their battle was far from finished.
"Alright, hotshot," Lyra said, throwing Elias a towel. "You're not totally useless after all."
"Gee, thanks," Elias said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Lyra grinned, resting against a rusty workbench. "You should. That Phantom was no joke. But don't get cocky—this was just the warm-up."
Elias looked at the Fragment, its light casting spooky shadows on the walls. "What do we do with this thing now?"
"We employ it," Lyra told him, her voice grave. "The energy of the Fragment can stabilize the Nexus, but it's also a beacon. The Aether Council and the Veil Lords will be seeking it—and you."
"Brilliant," Elias grumbled. "More individuals attempting to kill me."
Lyra's smile came back. "Welcome to the big leagues, newbie.
The following morning, Elias awoke to the hum of Lyra working over a holographic interface. The warehouse was illuminated by the soft light of dawn, and the Fragment glowed on the table, its luminescence reduced but still emitting a presence.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Lyra told him without raising her eyes. "We have work to do."
Elias complained, sitting up. "You never sleep."
"Sleep is for those who aren't saving the world," Lyra said, finally standing up to confront him. "Now, come here. I have something to show you."
Elias shuffled over, still half asleep. Lyra pointed to the holographic map hovering above the table. It showed Neo-Arcadia, with several places highlighted in red.
"These are Aether Council outposts," Lyra said. "They're searching for the Fragment—and for you. We need to strike before they strike."
Elias blinked, struggling to keep up. "You want to attack the Aether Council? Isn't that, I don't know, suicidal?"
"Likely," Lyra shrugged. "But it's our best bet. If we can upset their operations, we might be able to buy ourselves some time."
Elias let out a sigh, rubbing a hand through his hair. "Okay. What do we do?"
Lyra smiled. "We crash a party."
---
The Aether Council's primary outpost was a modern, gleaming structure in the center of Neo-Arcadia. Its walls of glass mirrored the city's lights, and its doors were flanked by heavily armed drones.
Elias and Lyra crouched on a rooftop, looking over the street.
"This is crazy," Elias whispered. "We're never going to make it in there."
"Relax," Lyra said, pulling out a tiny device. "I've got a plan."
She pressed a button, and the drones immediately stopped, their lights flashing.
"What did you do?" Elias asked.
"Hacked their systems," Lyra said, smiling. "Now, let's go."
They crept into the building, moving swiftly down the corridors. The outpost was strangely silent, the only noise the whir of machinery.
"Where is everybody?" Elias whispered.
"Probably in hiding," Lyra replied. "The Council doesn't like to get their hands dirty."
They arrived at a huge, round room with holographic screens everywhere. In the middle was a huge console, its surface littered with glowing symbols.
"This is it," Lyra said, her voice filled with excitement. "The Council's mainframe. If we can hack it, we can cripple their operations."
Elias scowled. "Isn't that, you know, dangerous?"
"Extremely," Lyra replied, already working on the console. "But it's our best bet."
While Lyra worked, Elias stood guard, his tension heightened. The quiet was eerie, and he couldn't help but feel like they were being observed.
"Almost there," Lyra grunted, her fingers moving a mile a minute.
The room lit up all at once, and a voice boomed over the speakers.
"Intruders detected. Initiating lockdown."
"Uh, Lyra?" Elias asked, his tone increasing.
"I see it," Lyra said, speaking in an even tone. "Just give me a second…"
The doors shut behind them with a loud bang, and heavy footsteps clattered down the corridors.
"We're out of time," Elias exclaimed, his chest pounding.
"Got it!" Lyra called out, banging her hand on the console.
The holographic displays flickered and went out, and the room was dark.
"What did you do?" Elias whispered, hardly audible.
"I closed down their systems," Lyra replied, smiling in the dim light. "Now, let's get out of here."
They ran down the corridors, the noise of alarms wailing behind them. The doors were locked, but Lyra broke them open with ease.
When they emerged into the night air, Elias couldn't help but laugh. "We actually did it!"
"Don't be too happy about it," Lyra said, her smile diminishing. "The Council will not sit on their hands. They'll attack us worse than ever."
Elias nodded, the seriousness of their actions weighing down upon him. "What now?"
Lyra's face relaxed. "We continue to fight. Together."
---