The Elemental Extraction Skiff sliced through the air with powerful, silent magic, speeding toward the city-sized Fifth Sector Data Repository. The sun had set, casting the entire landscape in deep, ominous shadows.
Adrian stood next to the main window, his intense silver eyes mapping the terrain. He had shed his heavy, toxic armor and was now dressed in lightweight, dark combat gear. He radiated power and lethal intent.
Lila, still shaky from the slap, the kiss, and the climb, strapped herself into the harness. She knew this was the point of no return. She was no longer just running; she was actively attacking the system with Adrian.
"Explain the target," Lila requested, forcing her voice to be steady. "What does the Data Repository do?"
"It processes all the Trial's political and financial records," Adrian explained, his tone strictly professional. "The Shadow Council installed hidden corruption points—magical data nodes—to influence results, change rulings, and funnel funds. If I destroy those nodes, the Shadow Council loses control over the Academy's operations. That is a greater strike than killing their assassin."
He looked directly at her. "Your role is unique, Assistant. Your elemental energy—your Cyan Magic—is inherently toxic to standard Academy enchantments. It is chaotic, unaligned, and cuts through their structures."
"So, you're not taking me there to fight," Lila realized.
"No," Adrian confirmed. "You are my detection system. You will use your chaotic magic to feel the unnatural energy spots. Show me where they put their rot. I will apply the force."
The Skiff dropped low, landing quickly and quietly on the roof of the massive, sprawling Repository building. Adrian's Beta guards immediately secured the entrance.
"The building is protected by standard Beta defenses," Adrian said, checking the charge on a dark, powerful magical weapon on his wrist. "They expect me to bypass the defenses and fight my way in. We will not. We will go through the core."
He led Lila through a deserted service entrance and down a series of metal stairs that descended into the facility's complex underbelly. The air grew heavy and stale.
Lila followed Adrian closely, trying to ignore the intense, focused heat of his presence. She remembered the kiss, the slap, and his strange, amused apology, and focused on her task.
They reached the main server floor—a vast, cold room filled with humming magical consoles and glowing data crystals. The energy in the room was immense, making Lila's scar tingle faintly.
"Begin the scan, Lila," Adrian commanded, stopping in the center of the room. "The Shadow Council's nodes will be subtle. Use your Cyan Tingle to find the points where the energy feels wrong, or too tightly controlled."
Lila closed her eyes, focusing inward. The elemental magic that had once caused her so much pain was now her only useful tool.
She concentrated on the energy of the room. Most of it felt like the cold, orderly buzz of a huge machine. But in three distinct spots, the energy felt sick—like a tight, painful knot twisting the natural flow.
"Alpha," Lila whispered, pointing toward a tall stack of crystals glowing with blue data. "There. In that column. The energy is constricted. It feels like a bad knot tied very tightly."
Adrian nodded, accepting her report without question. He moved to the stack and placed his hand on the smooth crystal surface. His powerful True Blood Aura flared, and his silver eyes narrowed.
"Confirmed," Adrian said. "A level-three manipulation rune, masked by political budget codes. Nicely done, Assistant."
Adrian pulled a small, explosive rune-charged device from his vest.
"Step back," he commanded.
Lila quickly retreated behind a thick console. Adrian placed the small device precisely on the crystal stack. The device armed with a quiet click.
Adrian returned to Lila's side and simply waited.
BOOM!
The explosion was contained but fierce. The magical energy of the rune device didn't just break the crystal, it violently dismantled the corrupt energy structure within the data. The room flickered, and the air smelled sharply of ozone and burnt corruption.
"Two more," Adrian stated, completely unfazed by the blast. "Quickly."
Lila forced herself to ignore the ringing in her ears. She focused her sight again, finding the next unnatural knot in the flow of energy.
"Over there," Lila said, pointing toward a distant panel. "Near the ceiling access. It feels like a wire pulled too tight, ready to snap."
Adrian moved immediately, confirming the location and placing the second charge.
BOOM!
As the second explosion rocked the room, the emergency alarms finally went off. Red lights flashed, and a synthesized voice boomed, "Intruder Alert. Magical Breach Detected. Security Protocol Initiated."
"They're deploying guards," Adrian said calmly, glancing toward the entrance. "We have less than a minute. Where is the final point?"
Lila scanned the room desperately. The chaotic energy from the two explosions was making it hard to concentrate, but she focused on the tingling in her palm.
"It's hidden... it's near the main floor," Lila said, pointing to a raised metal plate in the center of the room. "It's the core. It feels frozen, not constricted. Like they sealed the whole system with it."
Adrian moved to the plate. "A magical foundation seal. Their central control point," he confirmed, planting the final, most powerful charge directly on the center plate.
"Stay with me, Lila," Adrian commanded, pulling her tight against his side. "This is the core. It will cause severe system shock."
He triggered the final explosive.
KABOOM!
The resulting explosion was massive. The floor buckled, lights shattered, and a blinding wave of chaotic, destabilized magical energy erupted from the core point.
Lila cried out, buried in Adrian's side as he shielded her completely.
When the dust settled, the lights in the entire Data Repository were dead. The magical consoles were dark. The silence was absolute.
"Extraction complete," Adrian said, checking his watch. "The Shadow Council's control over the Academy's finances is neutralized. And we are leaving before their internal defense forces arrive."
He didn't release her. He held her tightly for one more second, his silver eyes looking down at her, not with analysis, but with genuine, cold satisfaction.
"You performed perfectly, Assistant," Adrian said. "Your data retrieval was flawless."
He released her and turned toward the exit, his body radiating a new level of victorious confidence.