Part 1
The air in the apartment was heavy with tension. Outside the window, the orange glow from the fire in the Industrial District still colored the night sky. Rina stood in the middle of the living room, her Chrono-Gear helmet now off, revealing her serious face, damp with sweat.
"What's the plan, Rina?" Kael asked, his voice steady despite his pounding heart.
"Ignis wants you to come to her. Of course, we're not just going to do what she wants," Rina replied. "It's too obvious a trap. But we can't let her continue her rampage either. So, we'll give her a fight, but on our terms."
Commander Kirana's face appeared on the main holographic screen, taking over the explanation.
"Operation: 'Fire Extinguisher'," Commander Kirana said, her tone firm. "We have three objectives. First, to lure Ignis away from civilian areas to a pre-arranged battle location. Second, to gather as much combat data as possible on her abilities. And third, most importantly, to create an opening for Kael to attempt a resonance."
"Battle location?" Kael asked.
"The 'Project Titan' Construction Site," Rina answered. "A massive, abandoned construction complex on the edge of the city. The area is large, isolated, and full of concrete structures we can use for cover. Our team is setting up a 'lure' there now."
"What kind of lure?"
"An energy beacon that mimics your spectral signature, Kael," Commander Kirana explained. "Enough to get her attention. When she arrives there, the Alpha Resonance Team will ambush her."
"Alpha Resonance Team?" Kael frowned. "You mean… us?"
"Exactly," Rina nodded. "I will be the main attacker, my job is to hold her down and open up her defenses. Lyra, you will be the long-range artillery, providing massive support fire from a safe position. Chroma, you will act as recon and field control, using your abilities to create illusions or obstacles to confuse Ignis."
She paused for a moment, then looked at Kael. "And you, Kael… you are the 'spearhead'. The moment we create an opening, no matter how small, you have to go in and try to connect with her. You're the only one who can end this without destroying half the city."
It was a high-risk plan. They would be facing the most aggressive Phantasm yet with a newly formed team.
"I understand," Kael said.
"I won't let her touch Kael," Lyra said, her eyes flashing blue. A normal-sized silver scythe appeared for a moment in her hand before vanishing again, an affirmation of her readiness.
Chroma said nothing, but she nodded at Kael, her sketchbook held tightly. She was ready too.
"Good," Commander Kirana said. "A transport team will pick you up in ten minutes. Get ready."
The screen went dark.
The four of them looked at each other. An ordinary student, a logical soldier, a cosmic goddess, and a quiet artist. The unlikeliest of teams, now the only hope for Stellara City.
"Let's do this," Kael said, breaking the silence.
And for the first time, he didn't feel afraid. There was only a burning determination, as hot as the fire they were about to face.
Part 2
The Project Titan Construction Site was a surreal sight under the moonlight. The skeletons of unfinished skyscrapers loomed like the bones of giant beasts. Piles of concrete and steel beams were scattered like abandoned toys. It was the perfect battlefield: vast, full of obstacles, and far from civilization.
The Alpha Resonance Team had taken their positions. Rina was hiding behind a large concrete pillar in the center of the area. Lyra and Chroma were on top of a half-finished building overlooking the entire site, giving them a strategic position. Kael was further back, with several Order medical and technical teams, monitoring the situation from a tactical screen.
"Energy beacon is active," a technician reported.
In the middle of the construction square, an Order device began to emit a soft blue energy that mimicked Kael's unique resonance. They just had to wait.
And they didn't have to wait long.
The sky above them suddenly turned red. The air became hot and heavy. A small, burning meteor shot down from the heavens with terrifying speed.
"Meteor Crash!"
The meteor slammed into the ground right where the energy beacon was, creating a massive fiery explosion and a small crater. The energy beacon was obliterated.
From the center of the fire, Ignis rose. She looked around, her greatsword Laevateinn gripped in her hand.
"I know you're here, Resonator!" she shouted, her voice echoing. "Come out and face me like a man, or I'll burn this trash heap down until I find you!"
"Now!" Rina commanded through the team channel.
From above, Lyra acted.
"Take this!"
She swung her scythe, which instantly grew to its giant size. Several projectiles of starlight shot down, raining on Ignis's position.
Ignis looked up and smirked. "Finally, a little resistance!"
She parried the rain of light with her sword, each impact creating a small explosion.
As Ignis's attention was diverted upwards, Rina shot out from her hiding place. The Chrono-Gear on her body glowed as she activated her thrusters, launching forward at high speed.
"Your target is me!" Rina shouted.
Ignis turned, slightly surprised by Rina's speed. Rina was already in front of her, firing a barrage of energy rounds from her pistol.
Ignis swung her sword horizontally, creating a wall of fire to block the shots.
"An Order lapdog, huh?" Ignis sneered. "You'll be the first one I burn!"
"Solar Edge!"
Ignis's sword was enveloped in a blinding white flame. She slashed towards Rina. Rina deftly dodged, using her thrusters to leap backward. The slash hit the concrete pillar behind her, melting it like wax.
"Rina, she's too strong in a direct fight!" Kael warned from his command post.
"I know!" Rina replied. "Chroma, now!"
From above, Chroma swung her large brush.
"Fading Sketch."
Several illusions of Rina appeared around Ignis, running in different directions. Ignis looked confused for a moment.
"Cheap tricks!" She roared, unleashing a wave of fire around her to destroy all the illusions.
But it was enough. The real Rina had used the opening to hide behind a stack of steel pipes.
"Nice, Chroma!" Rina praised. "Lyra, pressure her from above!"
Lyra unleashed another attack, this time a larger, horizontal scythe slash.
"Stardust Requiem!"
Ignis was forced to focus on blocking the attack from Lyra, giving Rina time to catch her breath.
The fight was fierce. The combination of Lyra's long-range attacks, Chroma's distracting illusions, and Rina's hit-and-run tactics managed to keep Ignis busy. They couldn't significantly wound her, but they were succeeding in containing her and preventing her from causing wider damage.
Kael watched everything with tension. His team was working together incredibly well. But he knew this wouldn't last. Ignis's energy seemed limitless, fueled by her rage. While his team, sooner or later, would get tired.
I have to find an opening, Kael thought. Just one small chance.
He focused, trying to feel Ignis's resonance amidst the heat of the battle. Behind that burning rage, he felt it again. Pain. Betrayal. And a name, echoing like a whisper in the fire.
Aelia…
Just then, Ignis seemed to be getting tired of this game of hide-and-seek.
"Enough playing around!" she shouted. She stabbed her sword into the ground.
"Eruption Blade!"
The ground under Rina suddenly cracked, and pillars of fire erupted without warning. Rina managed to dodge at the last second, but one of the fire pillars grazed her leg, melting the armor on that part and sending up smoke.
"Ghhk!" Rina grunted in pain as she landed hard. Her Chrono-Gear sparked; it seemed to have sustained damage.
"Rina!" Kael shouted.
Ignis smirked, lifting her flaming sword and walking slowly towards the injured Rina. "I told you. A lapdog like you will only turn to ash."
Lyra and Chroma tried to attack from above, but Ignis created a firestorm around herself, blocking their attacks. Rina was in grave danger.
There was no more time. There was no opening.
Kael would have to create one himself.
"Activate my transport!" he ordered the tech team. "I'm going in!"
Ignoring the operators' protests, Kael leaped onto a small flying platform and shot towards the center of the battle. The plan had failed. Now, it was time to improvise.