With her back straight, Ezzie walked up and gave a sharp greeting. "Ma’am."
Chancellor Helen’s gaze were calm yet focused as she tilted her head slightly. She said, "At ease, soldier," in a calm but firm voice. "What’s the status of your unit?"
"Captain’s got the whole Dragon unit in motion," Ezzie replied, her tone laced with pride. "We’ve split into 80 teams, each with 30 mbers led by an awakened. We’re sweeping in all four directions from this hub as the center—20 teams per direction and Captain’s taken the south himself."
Helen’s eyes showed a mix of relief and respect, and her lips curled into a small smile. "Efficient as ever." Her eyes returned to the monitors. "It’s good to have so many awakened soldiers ready for action."
Despite feeling a surge of pride, Ezzie maintained her composure. "Captain doesn’t do half-asures, ma’am."
Helen’s asked as her attention returned to Ezzie. "So what do you need here?"
"A place for my equipnt and a direct line to all the squad leaders," Ezzie answered right away. "I also need the full list of current hotspot areas where we’ve got unstable individuals, and I’d appreciate a direct line to soone in your communication team to keep updated in real ti."
Helen glanced at one of her guards. "Get her a station and connect her with the head of communications. Pull up all known hotspots and mark them on the city map. Send out a broadcast to all units on the ground—reinforcents are on the way."
"Yes, ma’am," the guard answered right away, and he started to follow the instructions.
Helen’s eyes never left Ezzie. "If anything changes out there, I want to know before it becos a problem."
"You can count on it, ma’am," Ezzie said, taking out a small data tablet and starting to work right away.
The Streets of the West District
The streets were a ss. Storefronts were broken. Vehicles flipped over. Fires were going on in alleys far away. With exact, controlled steps, Yvonne moved, her eyes searching every corner. Her team moved behind her, holding their breath even though the air was thick and heavy.
It was then she heard it. Sothing that sounds like scream.
Her heart lurched, and she moved before thinking, her instincts taking over. She sprinted down a narrow alley, her senses sharp. Her squad followed close behind.
As she rounded the corner, her eyes locked onto the scene—a young woman pinned to the wall by a man twice her size. His wild eyes glowed faintly with an eerie blue hue, his fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist as he tried to force himself. A man, presumably her brother, lay crumpled on the ground, clutching his ribs.
Rage bubbled in Yvonne’s chest. No hesitation. No rcy.
"HEY!" she barked, her voice cutting through the air like a crack of thunder. The man’s head snapped toward her. "Step away from her. Now."
The man sneered. "Mind your business, soldier."
"That’s cute," Yvonne said, her voice like steel. "Last chance. Let. Her. Go."
He turned fully toward her, letting the woman fall to the ground. His fists crackled with faint sparks of energy. "You think you can take ?"
"Baby, I know I can." Yvonne’s grin was ice-cold. She rolled her shoulders, cracked her neck, and darted forward with a burst of speed.
The man swung wildly, but Yvonne slipped under his arm, driving her elbow into his ribs. Crack. He stumbled back, gasping. Before he could recover, she grabbed his arm, twisted it behind him, and slamd him face-first into the wall with enough force to knock the bricks loose.
"Stay down," she hissed, pressing him harder into the wall. Her squad rushed in, cuffing him with reinforced restraints.
She knelt in front of the girl, offering her a steady hand. "You good?"
The girl nodded, eyes wide but grateful. "Y-yeah… thank you."
"Don’t thank ," Yvonne muttered, glancing down at the unconscious man. "Thank your bad luck for putting him on my shift."
The Southern District
Aiden moved with precision, his squad fanned out behind him. A series of loud crashes echoed down the street ahead. He clicked his comm. "Report."
"Awakened causing havoc near Central Plaza," one of his squad mbers said.
Aiden bolted forward, heart pounding as he spotted the source of the destruction. A man with stone-like arms was tearing through parked cars like they were cardboard boxes. Civilians cowered behind wreckage.
"Target sighted," Aiden said, already in motion. He rushed toward the man, his speed leaving a blur in his wake. The man turned just in ti to see Aiden’s fist collide with his jaw. Boom.
The man’s body hit the ground with a thunderous thud, dust and gravel scattering. He groaned, dazed but conscious. Aiden grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him up like a ragdoll.
"Fun’s over," Aiden said, his voice like stone. "Wanna try that again, or are we done here?"
The man muttered sothing, but the glazed look in his eyes told Aiden he wasn’t getting back up.
"Wise choice," Aiden muttered, tossing him to two squad mbers. "Lock him up."
The North District Shopping Complex
"GET OFF !" The large man swung wildly at Tommy, but Tommy ducked under his punch, his grin wide like he was at a boxing match.
"Man, you punch like my grandma," Tommy said with a laugh. "And she’s been dead for ten years."
The man snarled, swinging again. Tommy leaned back, letting the fist miss by inches. He yawned, faking boredom. "Co on, that’s it? You’ve got powers now, and that’s your best shot? Disappointing."
Red-faced, the man charged. Tommy stepped aside, tripping him with one smooth motion. The man hit the ground with a grunt.
"See, that’s your problem," Tommy said, crouching beside him. "All power, no control. Let show you how it’s done."
He stood and raised his hand. Energy humd around him, faint but steady. He clenched his fist, and a faint ripple pulsed in the air. The man, seeing it, stayed on the ground.
"See that? Control," Tommy said, tilting his head. "Now, you’re gonna sit tight, or I’ll show you what happens when I stop holding back."
The man gulped, staying perfectly still. "Y-yeah. I’m good."
Tommy smirked, giving him a playful slap on the head. "Smart man."
The Western District
"Drop it," Cole barked, his rifle aid at a man holding a shattered bottle over a terrified woman.
"Back off!" the man snarled, his eyes darting around like a cornered animal.
"You’ve got nowhere to run," Cole said, his tone calm but firm. "Drop it, and this ends clean. No broken bones."
The man hesitated. Then, he lowered the bottle.
"Good," Cole said, lowering his weapon.
Suddenly, the man lunged. But Cole was faster. He spun, dodging the attack, then hooked his arm around the man’s neck, dragging him to the ground in a smooth takedown.
"Always gotta do it the hard way," Cole muttered, tightening his grip.
"Yeah, well, I’m stubborn like that," the man choked out, gasping for air.
"So am I," Cole said flatly, knocking him unconscious.
While this was happening all over the city.
In a Safe House of the Phoenix Unit - A Few Hours Before
The large training hall of the Phoenix Unit’s safe house was alive with quiet concentration. The faint hum of breathing echoed as all squad mbers sat cross-legged on the mat, eyes closed, backs straight, and faces tense with focus.
Amara stood at the front, her sharp eyes scanning every person in the room. Her arms were crossed, her foot tapping lightly on the floor in sync with the ticking clock on the wall. Her gaze darted to it every few seconds. 4:57 PM. Three minutes left.
"Keep your breathing steady," she instructed, her voice firm but not harsh. "Feel the increasing energy in the air around you—subtle for ever-present. Inhale slowly, through every breath draw it over your chest feel the warmth. Now guide it, let it spiral through your ridians and control its strength. No rush as haste is ruin."
"Stop fidgeting, Rina," she called out, not even needing to look at her. A faint grumble of "Yes, Captain" ca from the back of the room.
Her eyes went back to the clock. 4:59 PM. One minute left. Her heart beat a little faster, but she forced herself to stay calm. Their family was safe, tucked away in the isolated residential wing of the safe house reducing the impact of surge on them for a small extent which is great for children and elderly, everyone one were prepped with basic breathing techniques.
The Unit mbers had been training for this mont, and she’d made sure every one of them was ready without worry and distraction.
The final second ticked away and then it hit.
A sudden, crushing weight pressed down on them like they were suddenly subrged in deep water. It wasn’t just pressure. It was everywhere. The air itself seed heavier. It pushed on their lungs, their bones, their minds.
A low grunt echoed as one squad mber’s head drooped forward, his breathing shallow. But no one panicked.
"Breathe through it!" Amara barked, her voice cutting through the haze. "This is exactly what you are trained for. Breathe in. Now. Out. Keep your rhythm steady."
Her sharp commands snapped them out of the initial shock. The grunts faded. The silence returned, heavier but focused. The soldiers’ faces were locked in intense concentration, their brows furrowed, beads of sweat forming on their skin.
Those who hadn’t been able to sense energy before were now wide-eyed, their gazes darting around like they’d suddenly gained a sixth sense.
"Feel it?" Amara said, pacing slowly. "That’s what we’ve been waiting for. Don’t fight it. Use it."
The pressure didn’t let up, but neither did they. One by one, sparks of change appeared. Bella’s eyes snapped open, glowing faintly with a red-orange tint. The air around her shimred with heat, sa was happening with others but differently.
One Hour Later
The once-noisy training hall was eerily quiet. Every mber was focused, their breathing steady, their eyes closed. Amara’s own eyes opened slowly. Her gaze swept the room, scanning the progress of her unit.
The results were better than she expected.
Of the 30 elite mbers, every single one had fully awakened. So had faint auras glowing around them. Others had elental traces—small sparks, flickers of water, the faint shimr of air currents. These weren’t raw soldiers anymore. They were soldiers reborn with power.
Her gaze shifted to the remaining unit mbers. About half of them had also awakened with many having difficulties in control, while the rest hovered at the threshold. Their bodies twitched occasionally as they tried to draw in the energy around them. It wouldn’t be long now.
Not bad, she thought. Not bad at all.
"Amira, look!" Bella said, her voice barely able to contain her excitent. She jumped to her feet, grinning like a child who’d just discovered her first birthday present.
There was a small light in her palm that moved around like a tiny wildfire when she raised her hand.
"Not bad," Amara said, her lips moved into a smile. "That ans you’re have fire affinity and for a first-tir, you have good control."
But Bella was busy playing with small fire as she moved it around her finger.
Amara said, raising her eyebrows. "The fla looks cute right now, but if you lose control, it will burn you. So, first get good at it, then show off."
As the clock hit 6:30 PM, Amara clapped her hands once, the sharp sound echoing through the hall. Everyone’s eyes shot open, so of them looking disoriented, others filled with triumph.
"Alright, that’s it for now," she announced. "Wrap it up, check in with your families, grab so dinner, and be back here by 10—sparring matches start then."
Groans echoed throughout the hall. Rina raised her hand. "Captain, I just unlocked my power. Can I get like, a grace period or sothing?"
"Grace period?" Amara snorted. "Yeah, sure, Rina. You get a whole 3 hours."
"Its is not a grace period, Captain."
"Then you better use it wisely," Amara shot back, her grin razor-sharp. Rina grumbled, but her grin showed she wasn’t mad.
As the everyone left, Layla stayed behind, leaning casually against the wall with her arms crossed. Her gaze was sharp but calm, and her expression was that of soone who’d been thinking too much.
"Alright, Layla," Amara said, moving closer. "What’s on your mind?"
"Wireless comms are dead," Layla said bluntly. "Just like you said. Elias confird it. Most of the electronics should be short-circuited everywhere. But we’re fine because of your little ’prep-for-doomsday’ protocols."
"Glad we’re ahead of the curve," Amara said, "Anything else?"
"Yeah," Layla said, her eyes narrowing. "The beast wave. It’s next, right?"
Amara didn’t answer right away. She glanced at the ceiling, her face unreadable. "Yeah," she said finally. "By least tomorrow morning. We’ll do what we can."
"We should be out there now," Layla said, her voice tense. "The cities—"
"The cities are not our problem," Amara cut in, her tone sharp but controlled. "They have their own forces. Our mission is clear. We establish a stronghold, secure the area around it, protect the anyone nearby, and help the people we find along the way."
"You really think we can save everyone?"
"No," Amara admitted, her eyes eting Layla’s. "But we’ll save as many as we can. I’ll leave the world-saving to the people with hero complexes."
"Fair enough," Layla muttered, a half-smile on her face.
Amara’s eyes flicked to Layla’s hands. The golden glow of her light affinity was still faint but controlled. She nodded approvingly.
"By the way," Amara said, tilting her head toward her sister. "You’ve got a light affinity. That’s no small thing, Layla. If you master it, you’ll be untouchable."
Layla smiled, tilting her head like she was brushing off the complint. "You know , Amara. I’ll master it."
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