Chapter 115: Raiders in the Dark

The warning message UNKNOWN ENTITY ORIGIN - UNIDENTIFIED remained suspended above the holographic table when the entire command center suddenly plunged into darkness. The abrupt loss of primary power cut off the sound of the environmental systems.

A deafening alarm shattered the silence, echoing violently off the cavernous walls. Crimson emergency lights flashed across the chamber in rhythmic pulses, illuminating Elarion’s horrified expression as he clutched the edge of the terminal.

"What’s happening?" Raevor demanded, his low voice instantly cutting through the noise.

Before the keeper could offer an answer, a tremor shook the foundation of the underground building. The auxiliary holographic displays flickered violently, and several vanished into lingering smoke.

Then came a desperate, crackling voice through the emergency communication channel.

"Keeper Elarion! The eastern defensive barrier has collapsed! Unknown hostiles have breached the outer district!"

Rhaevia’s expression altered, her blue eyes narrowing as she assessed the dark terminal.

"They’re attacking the city," she stated flatly.

Another explosion thundered through the subterranean cavern, sending dust cascading down from the vaulted ceiling. The shockwave rattled the glass fixtures around the perimeter.

Rhaevia immediately activated the map, forcing her Sovereign energy into the failing, darkened system. The city’s layout reappeared in fractured golden lines above the table, revealing dozens of rapidly moving hostile signatures approaching the central district.

The density of the signature clusters made the reality immediately obvious. There were far too many raiders invading the sectors to be a simple reconnaissance party.

"Raevor, evacuate the civilians from the eastern and northern sectors," Rhaevia instructed, her tone firm and steady. "Move them toward the central spire and establish a defensive perimeter around the residential districts."

The Major General was already tapping his military communicator, his Sentinel aura stirring beneath his skin.

"First and second squads, secure the evacuation routes," Raevor commanded into the comms channel. "Third squad, accompany the civilians. Nobody fires unless you have a confirmed target."

He lowered his wrist and turned his gaze toward Rhaevia.

"Don’t engage them alone," he said, stepping closer to her.

"I’ll try not to make any promises I can’t keep," she replied.

Her faint, fleeting smile disappeared the moment another blaring alarm sounded overhead.

Rhaevia pressed her open palm firmly against the surface of the console. Brilliant golden light surged from her fingertips, spreading out like liquid sun through the planetary crystal network.

Across the subterranean city, solid defensive barriers rose from the stone ground. Luminous walls formed bright barriers between the advancing attackers and the fleeing residential districts.

For a brief moment, the city’s flickering energy grid stabilized under her command. The golden illumination cast long shadows across the command deck.

Then something struck the outer barrier.

A violent pulse of pure black energy tore directly through the golden wall, rending the light apart.

Rhaevia’s eyes widened as the defensive structure shattered into useless golden dust.

What was that?

The physical sensation that followed was even more disturbing than the destruction of the barrier. Her connection to the planetary network abruptly weakened, as though an invisible blade had severed the pathway between her consciousness and the crystals.

The sudden feedback caused her to stagger half a step backward.

"Rhaevia!" Raevor called out.

He caught her arm firmly before she could lose her balance.

"I’m fine," she said, steadying her posture while staring at the broken barrier on the map. "Their weapons are interfering with my Guide energy."

"Then you stay behind the defensive line," Raevor ordered, his grip tightening slightly.

"Absolutely not," she shot back.

Her Sovereign aura flared in response to her resolve, illuminating the dim chamber with brilliant gold.

"If their weapons can disrupt my energy, we need to understand how they work before they reach the planetary core," she insisted.

She pulled her arm free gently and strode directly toward the exit.

Raevor’s jaw tightened in silent frustration, but he drew his sidearm and followed her out without another argument.

The eastern district had transformed into a chaotic battlefield by the time they reached the streets. Crystalline buildings burned beneath waves of dark energy, filling the air with acrid smoke.

Armed guardians exchanged plasma fire with the intruders, whose shifting silhouettes moved through the smoke with unnatural speed. Some appeared almost humanoid, while others seemed to dissolve entirely into shadows before reforming several meters away.

Their strange weapons released narrow black projectiles that visibly distorted the surrounding space as they traveled.

One projectile struck a guardian’s personal defensive shield. The golden barrier collapsed instantly upon impact, leaving the soldier exposed.

Another dark projectile hit the crystal road directly beneath Rhaevia’s feet.

Her sovereign energy flickered violently in response to the spatial ripple.

They aren’t simply attacking our defenses. They’re disrupting the underlying energy that sustains them.

"All units, stop using the planetary network to reinforce your shields!" she ordered through the open emergency channel. "Switch to independent power sources and conventional formation tactics!"

The guardians immediately adjusted their combat positions, dropping their networked shields to rely on physical cover.

Rhaevia raised both hands, sending a concentrated wave of golden energy sweeping across the dusty battlefield. Instead of forming a barrier, she shaped the energy into several narrow, dense restraints that wrapped around the raiders’ limbs.

Three attackers fell hard onto the crystal pavement.

A fourth twisted its body unnaturally, releasing a burst of black energy that shattered the golden restraints before it lunged directly toward her.

Raevor intercepted the creature mid-air.

His silver Sentinel energy erupted in a violent arc, striking the creature squarely in the chest and hurling it backward into a massive crystalline pillar.

He landed heavily and stepped directly between Rhaevia and the remaining attackers.

"Are you hurt?" he asked without taking his eyes off the smoke.

"No," she replied, her gaze fixed on the fallen raider. "But I have a theory."

"Now is an unusual time for one," Raevor remarked, firing a precise shot into the dark mist.

"They can disrupt Guide energy, but their weapons don’t seem to affect your Sentinel energy in the same way," she pointed out.

Raevor’s expression hardened as he analyzed the silver energy still crackling around his blade.

"Then we’ll make use of that difference," he said.

He signaled his soldiers forward with a quick gesture.

Working in tight synchronization, they began driving the remaining attackers back toward the edge of the residential district. Rhaevia targeted and disabled their specialized weapons from a distance, while Raevor’s team overwhelmed the shadows with concentrated fire.

Within minutes, the surviving raiders abandoned their positions and retreated deep into the dark tunnels.

The district fell into a tense silence, broken only by distant alarms and the low sound of approaching medical rescue teams.

"Report!" Raevor commanded into his wrist unit.

"Several injured, General," a soldier responded over the comms. "Evacuation routes are secure. We’ve also captured one hostile alive."

Rhaevia turned toward the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Bring it to me," she said.

Two soldiers dragged the bound prisoner into the district’s reinforced command shelter. Its body shifted unsteadily beneath a torn, dark covering, as though its physical form struggled to remain stable in the ambient light.

Rhaevia crouched down directly in front of the creature.

"Who sent you?" she asked coldly.

The creature remained silent, its chest heaving in irregular patterns.

She extended a fine thread of Sovereign energy toward its mind to force an answer.

The moment her golden energy touched the shadow, a sharp burst of agony shot through her consciousness.

Rhaevia recoiled instantly, snapping her hand back as her vision blurred.

The raider slowly lifted its head, looking up at her through the gloom.

Beneath its distorted face, two unnatural eyes glowed with a cold, terrifying recognition.

Then the creature slowly curved its mouth into a cruel smile.

"The Third Sovereign was right," it whispered.