Lucien didn't expect to be summoned so early in the morning over a gate that had opened up in the outskirts of Helia, not too far from Caelion.
He got suited up in his tactical gear and headed straight for the Shuttle alongside Alcione and the rest of the Ventures. The Ventures were a group of eight Strikers, some of the best Toleran had to offer. He waited until every member of the squad was on board before looking at Irina, who counted the Harmonils, another famous group consisting of the top Anchors.
Despite being Third Division students, Lucien and Irina were put in charge of these respective groups because they were the best the school had to offer. Lucien was a Vanguard, meaning he fell under all the subclasses available to Strikers, perhaps even more. Irina Agapova was a Med-Link as well as a Tactician and one of the best they'd ever seen. She was capable of healing injuries almost instantly, simply by a single touch. Of course, the more severe wounds required Anchoring, but she could cut down the session times in half. The same could be said for her strategy skills. She was able to turn a near impossible outcome into a possible one.
She was an essential member of the team. Not only was she great at healing, but she had excellent combat ability as well. Irina sat near the front alongside her other members in silence. Meanwhile, Alexandria was making some noise, as per usual. She was animatedly chatting away with Eden and Herys, her partners in crime.
"So what kind of gate are we looking at?" She asked, eyeing Lucien, who took his seat near the front as well.
"The report didn't say. We will find out when we get there."
This made her frown. "I don't like the sound of that. You know, whenever they don't mention the rank of a gate in a report, it is almost always a high one."
"You're overthinking things again, Von Hasen," Alcione said as he pressed the button on the side of his seat and got himself a bottle of water.
"Like hell I am. Once may be luck, twice a coincidence, but three times? That's a pattern."
The Shuttle fell silent as her words sank in. She was right. This was the fourth time they'd received a partial report, and all three times it had involved an A-rank gate. Those were the toughest ones and required more manpower. Lucien looked around him and noticed how every member was present in the Shuttle, everyone except Eden, but she wasn't an in-field Anchor anymore.
Alcione gave him a look that said: "She might be onto something."
He sighed, glancing at his V Watch that was still at 95%.
This time, he'd be able to perform at one hundred percent, which was great but also worrisome.
"I hear congratulations are in order," Alexandria said as the Shuttle took off. Lucien shot her a strange look, which made her smile widen. "Alcione told me all about it yesterday. Why did you keep it a secret?"
"Keep what a secret?" Killian, a Striker from the Ventures, asked. His pierced brow lifted as he looked at the dark-haired man with curiosity.
"Nothing," Lucien replied in a clipped tone.
This made everyone turn to look at him. "Oh, that was definitely not nothing," Killian noted.
"Agree," Alexandria chimed in.
A vein popped on the side of his neck, and he felt his blood pressure rising. "Now isn't the time to be focusing on trivial things. We have an important mission ahead of us right now."
"How is finally getting a pair a 'trivial' thing? That's a big deal!" Alexandria protested.
This piece of information caught the attention of everyone in the Shuttle, including a few of the Anchors who didn't care for Lucien much.
"What? A pair?"
"Lucien got himself a pair?"
"Since when?"
Their whispers carried across the aisle, only increasing his anger and frustration. He was already in a bad mood from the situation yesterday, and he wasn't keen on starting his day blitzing through beasts and otherworldly creatures. Now this.
He threw Alcione a vicious glare, making the white-haired fellow recoil in his seat. "Sorry," he mouthed.
Lucien sighed loudly. "…I haven't formed a pair yet."
They all blinked. "What—but Alcione said—"
"Has Alcione become God all of a sudden? Why would you take his word over mine? I'm the one involved, so wouldn't I know whether or not I've formed a pair with another Anchor?" His tone was light, as if drained of energy, yet it carried a firmness that was synonymous with Lucien Saint-James. A tone that said, "Don't you dare question me. My words are absolute."
Alexandria pursed her lips, swallowing whatever it was she wanted to say. Alcione, on the other hand, studied his Captain and gave all of them a warning look. "Keep your mouths shut. Seriously."
The Shuttle soon got quiet, the only things that could be heard was the low hum of the engine.
~*~
They arrived at Helia two hours later with the government officials in charge of securing gates already on scene.
Lucien buried his complicated feelings as he approached the officer in charge. "Mr. Wilks, good to see you." He greeted.
The man in question, who wore an expensive three-piece suit, gave him a nod. "Striker Saint-James. I hope you're in good shape. Today's gate will be a tough one."
Lucien retrained a grimace. "How tough are we talking?"
Mr. Wilks, also known as Agent Wilks, pointed towards the researchers who were testing the gate with their special tech, gauging its level. He called out to one of them, who jogged towards them.
"As we suspected, it's an A-rank gate."
"There you have it," he said, turning back to Lucien.
Lucien didn't react right away. His eyes flicked toward the gate hovering several meters ahead, a swirling distortion in reality, its colors shifting violently between blue, red, pink, and orange, like an oil slick on water. Vines and filaments pulsed from its center, writhing and curling along the fractured ground as if the rift were a living thing trying to root itself into the world. a static hum vibrated through the air, faint at first but growing louder the longer one stared. Every few seconds, arcs of energy snapped across its edges, distorting the light around it.
The field researchers kept a cautious distance, their suits glowing faintly from protective wards built into the material. Several devices floated around the rift, scanning and feeding data into the main terminal where three analysts were frantically typing.
"It's still unstable," one of them said. "The energy readings keep spiking. If they go in now, they'll be torn apart."
Another nodded. "We wait until the field stabilizes below 3000 units. Then they can enter safely."
Lucien folded his arms, his face unreadable as the others gathered behind him. Alcione had his shield slung across his back—a broad, tech-forged slab named Aegir. Killian leaned against the shuttle's open hatch, flipping his dagger between his fingers, while Alexandria stood nearby, stretching her arms.
Irina and her team, the Harmonils, were positioned on standby just beyond them, the faint glow of their Anchor bands ready to activate the link once they were inside. Marna was calibrating the link frequency with a small handheld device while Simeon watched the rift with quiet intensity.
After what felt like an eternity, one of the researchers lifted a hand. "Stabilization complete! The gate's energy has leveled out. It's safe for entry."
Wilks gave the signal. "You're clear to move in. The objective remains the same: clear the gate and eliminate the core. No unnecessary risks."
Lucien drew in a steady breath, his tone clipped but calm. "Ventures, Harmonils, move out. Stay sharp. Watch each other's backs."
He drew Argon, the sleek blade at his hip. Its metallic surface shimmered faintly with threads of blue light. The weapon was more than just a sword; it was a high-density kinetic conductor that could amplify the force of every strike. It hummed with restrained power as he activated it.
"Lead the way, Captain," Alcione said, bringing up his shield as the rest formed into formation.
Lucien nodded and stepped forward, disappearing into the gate's blinding light. One by one, the others followed.
~*~
The air on the other side was thick, humid, and metallic, carrying the faint smell of rust and ozone. They emerged into what looked like the remains of an ancient city swallowed by vines. The sky was a dim red, streaked with clouds that looked like burning ash. Fragments of ruined towers jutted out from the earth like broken bones.
"Readings confirm: Class-a environment," Irina's voice came through the comms, clear and steady. Mana concentration is high. Be on alert for distortions."
The ground trembled, and from the cracks ahead, several creatures began to crawl out. They were vaguely humanoid, with elongated limbs, eyeless faces, and gaping mouths filled with static light.
"Contact ahead!" Alcione called.
Lucien didn't hesitate. He surged forward, Argon slicing clean through the first creature in one motion. The blade glowed brighter, disintegrating the monster into static dust. Another lunged from his left, but Alcione intercepted, shield flaring with kinetic energy as the impact sent it flying back.
"Keep formation!" Lucien barked. "Don't waste stamina on weaklings."
The others followed his lead, Killian and Alexandria moving in sync, cutting down the smaller beasts that charged from the sides. It was efficient, practiced. Within minutes, the immediate area was clear, leaving only the faint echo of their movements and the distant rumble of something deeper within the ruins.
"Low-level beasts," Alcione muttered. "The real fight hasn't started yet."
Lucien nodded, scanning the horizon. "Then we move deeper. The boss won't come to us."
As they pushed forward, the air grew heavier, and the static in their comms worsened. The ground was littered with broken crystal shards that pulsed faintly, as if alive. A deep, resonant roar echoed through the mist ahead.
Alexandria glanced at Lucien. "Guess we found our core guardian."
Lucien tightened his grip on Argon, the sword responding with a low hum. "Good," he said quietly. "Let's finish this."
They advanced toward the sound, unaware that the gate behind them had begun to pulse again, its colors shifting violently, as if the world itself had been waiting for them to fall in its trap.