Sixty-Two: Attack on the Magistrate

Phetue city 

Litvain

Osa Solar system

Pavesa Galaxy

Colony planetary Region

Karkinos 9th Y-1909

Meri hovered gracefully above the sprawling colony city of Phetue, her form suspended effortlessly in the air thanks to the subtle hum of her active flight mystic skill. As she drifted, her Internal senses expanded outward, attuned to the subtle energies and movements of the city beneath her. The metropolis sprawled across the horizon, a blend of sleek, modern structures and the distant hum of life, teeming with activity. The towering Magistrate's Spire rose far beyond the rest of the city, a gleaming monolith of white stone and shining glass that pierced the heavens. The spire stretched high into the sky, its top obscured by the wisps of cloud that clung to its towering height. It stood as the heart of Phetue's administrative power, a symbol of both governance and authority. Below it, the city's Administrative Sector sprawled with pristine, orderly buildings, their facades gleaming with a reflective sheen under the bright sun. Each edifice was a testament to the Federation's obsession with precision and control, their structures designed to convey a sense of power and civility.

The streets below buzzed with activity, people moving in precise, choreographed patterns, their steps both deliberate and synchronized. Transport vehicles glided smoothly between the buildings, sleek and silent as they carried the city's citizens to their respective destinations. The hum of data and communication networks thrummed in the air, faint but ever-present, a reminder of the technological dominance that guided the lives of everyone in Phetue since the establishment of the city. Meri's senses extended deeper, feeling the undercurrents of tension that wove through the city. Hidden pockets of resistance and whispers of dissatisfaction, buried beneath the surface of the carefully maintained order. Even the seemingly perfect structures had their cracks, invisible to the eye but evident to those who could feel the pulse of the city. This was a place of control, but also of fragility, one wrong move and everything could shatter.

Her gaze fell on the Magistrate Tower, her focus sharpening as she mentally mapped its intricate defenses and the labyrinth of corridors that led to its inner sanctum. It was not just a building; it was a fortress, a nexus of power that controlled the flow of information, the distribution of resources, and the enforcement of laws. Whoever held the tower held the fate of the entire colony city. And at this moment, it was under the watchful eye of those who valued control above all else. Meri's expression hardened, knowing that within this seemingly perfect system, she was not alone in her desire for change. The city's glossy exterior masked a deeper rot, one that she was determined to uncover. With a final glance at the towering spire, she descended, blending into the shadows of the city as she prepared to make her move.

[Scale of Balance: Enarge]

Meri's hand glowed with a radiant, white-golden hue as she invoked her unique technique. A surge of power coursed through her, rippling outward in a wave of force that struck the ground surrounding the Magistrate Tower. The very fabric of the terrain responded to her will, quaking as the laws of nature bent to her command. The earth groaned and split as massive boulders erupted from the ground, each one growing and reshaping as though alive, their forms swelling to monumental proportions. These titanic stones ascended into the air, their sheer size casting long shadows over the Administrative Sector. The ground beneath trembled, the sound of grinding rock echoing across the city as the boulders aligned themselves into a colossal barrier encircling the tower.

The barrier was not a simple wall—it was an intricate formation, layered and jagged, with sharp edges and imposing peaks that radiated an aura of impenetrability. Each boulder pulsed faintly with the energy of Meri's technique, their surfaces inscribed with faint golden runes, a mark of her mystic mastery. The barrier seemed to breathe, an ever-shifting construct of altered mass and weight that would respond to any attempt to breach it.

Inside the circle of stone, the Magistrate Tower now loomed like a prisoner in a cage of earth and power. Its once-dominant presence over the skyline was diminished, the towering spire now dwarfed by the barrier's overwhelming mass. The shimmering white walls of the tower, once symbols of unyielding authority, were now framed by the rough, imposing might of Meri's creation. This was the Scale of Balance: Enarge in its truest form—a declaration of control, a statement that even the most immutable structures of power could be reshaped by her hand.

Meri floated just above the newly formed barricade, her glowing eyes surveying her handiwork. The technique was not merely a display of force but a deliberate act of balance, tipping the scales to disrupt the oppressive order the tower represented. She knew the barrier would not hold forever—nothing truly did—but for now, it sent a message. The Magistrate's grip on Phetue was not absolute, and the earth itself stood ready to defy them.

Below, the people of the city watched in awe and terror, some frozen in place while others scrambled to retreat from the seismic shifts. Meri could feel their fear, their confusion—but also their hope. Meri shot through the air like a streak of light, her eyes locked on the Magistrate Tower's shimmering facade. As she approached, her hand extended, and from the dimensional band coiled around her wrist, tiny black and red cubes spilled forth in a controlled stream. The cubes expanded mid-air, growing larger with each passing second until they were the size of projectiles.

With a commanding gesture, the cubes surged ahead, their edges gleaming ominously. They slammed into the pristine glass of the tower with a deafening roar, shattering the surface into a cascade of glittering shards. The force of the impact left a jagged opening, the edges glowing faintly from the lingering energy of Meri's technique. She darted through the newly created entrance, her silhouette illuminated by the flickering lights of the tower's interior. Inside, the sterile atmosphere of the cubicle-lined working space was a stark contrast to the chaos outside. Rows of desks and terminals stood abandoned, the faint hum of machinery filling the air. Yet, Meri's attention was immediately drawn to the figure standing in the center of the room, waiting for her. Torhen, the Daemon-Pleiadian hybrid, exuded an oppressive presence that made the very air feel heavier. His onyx-black skin gleamed under the artificial light, its surface rippling subtly as though alive. Bone-white armor, shaped like jagged plates and ridges, clung to his lanky frame, giving him the appearance of a skeletal predator. His elongated limbs and spindly fingers seemed unnaturally sharp, his form both grotesque and graceful in equal measure.

In his right hand, he held a triple-bladed spear, each blade jagged and black as night, their edges shimmering with an unholy light. The weapon thrummed with dark, malicious energy, and shadows writhed around it as if alive. The same shadows clung to Torhen's body, flickering and coiling like restless phantoms, their movements almost hypnotic. His eyes, a piercing crimson, locked onto Meri with a cold intensity. His expression was calm but laced with a predatory edge, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips as though he relished the challenge ahead.

"So, you've come," Torhen spoke, his voice deep and resonant, carrying a weight that seemed to echo in the confined space. The dark aura surrounding him pulsed as he stepped forward, the shadows shifting in response to his movements. Meri hovered just above the ground, her whitish gold aura shimmering as it clashed subtly with the oppressive darkness emanating from Torhen. She tightened her fists, her calm expression hiding the sharp focus in her mind.

"I didn't expect you to greet me personally, Torhen," Meri replied, her tone unwavering. Her eyes flicked briefly to the triple-bladed spear, then back to his glowing red gaze. "But I suppose it's fitting. After all, you represent everything wrong with this place." Torhen chuckled, his grin widening to reveal sharp, ivory teeth.

"And you represent the misguided fools who think they can challenge the system and win. This ends here, Meri." Torhen sneered. The shadows around him surged like waves, and the air grew colder. Meri steadied herself, her aura intensifying, the whitish gold light radiating from her form clashing with the dark energy surrounding her foe.

"You'll find I'm not so easily stopped," she said, her voice steady as her eyes glowed brighter. The air between them grew thick with tension, the promise of a clash that would shake the tower to its core. Meri's Divine Axe materialized in her hands, summoned in a flash of radiant white-gold light. The weapon was a masterpiece of both elegance and destruction, its broad crescent blade glowing with massive energy that hummed in harmony with her aura. She spun it with practiced ease, the blade leaving trails of shimmering light in its wake as it formed a glowing barrier around her.

Torhen wasted no time, his predatory instincts kicking in as he lunged toward her. His triple-bladed dark spear moved like a living extension of himself, each thrust and swing carrying a deadly precision and ferocity. The shadows around him coiled and twisted like serpents, amplifying the speed and force of his strikes. Their weapons clashed mid-air with a resounding explosion of energy. The Divine Axe shrouded in its blinding white-gold brilliance, met the spear's dark, malevolent aura head-on. The impact created a massive shockwave that rippled outward, shattering the floor beneath them into jagged fragments. More of the pristine glass walls that had defined the tower's interior shattered under the immense pressure, raining down shards that sparkled in the fractured light.

The force of the collision sent both combatants skidding back through the air, neither yielding an inch. Hovering amidst the debris and swirling energy, Meri and Torhen began circling each other, their movements measured and deliberate, like predators sizing each other up before the next strike. The room, once pristine and orderly, now resembled a warzone, the walls and floor scarred by their clash. Torhen's crimson eyes burned with intensity as he spun his spear, the shadows around him growing thicker and more erratic, reacting to his growing bloodlust. Meri didn't flinch, her grip on the Divine Axe firm and unwavering. The light surrounding her weapon intensified, casting long, radiant beams that countered the encroaching darkness. For a moment, the two hovered in silence, the air between them charged with tension. The faint hum of Meri's energy and the sinister crackle of Torhen's dark aura formed a discordant symphony. Then, without warning, they both moved, their weapons blurring as they clashed once more in a dazzling display of light and shadow.

The tower trembled under the ferocity of their battle, each strike carving deep scars into the structure. The stakes were clear—this was not just a contest of strength, but a battle of wills, each combatant determined to outlast and overpower the other.

****

Effie, hidden beneath the deep hood of her cloak, quickened her pace as she moved through the chaos of the Magistrate Tower's lower levels. Her form was shrouded in anonymity, the dark fabric of the cloak blending seamlessly into the dim, sterile corridors. Behind her, Hephaestion followed closely, their movements precise and unassuming. The android's appearance had been altered, camouflaged to mimic one of the tower's countless workers—a plain uniform and a neutral, forgettable face. The disguise was flawless, a testament to Hephaestion's advanced technological capabilities. Effie's sharp eyes darted around the hall, scanning for potential threats or observers. The sound of alarms blaring in the distance added to the tense atmosphere, their shrill cries echoing through the labyrinthine corridors. The tremors from the battle above sent faint vibrations through the ground, a constant reminder of the chaos Meri was unleashing.

"We need to move faster," Effie whispered, her voice low but firm. She adjusted the hood slightly, ensuring her face remained hidden from any security cameras. Hephaestion nodded, their expression calm and focused, though their synthetic mind was working at lightning speed.

"The structural integrity of the tower is beginning to falter," the android replied in a quiet, measured tone. "We have approximately seven minutes before internal lockdown protocols activate. After that, accessing the mainframe will be exponentially more difficult."

Effie glanced over her shoulder, her piercing gaze meeting Hephaestion's steady one. "Then let's not waste time."

Together, they slipped through the maze of corridors, moving like shadows. The workers around them paid no attention, too focused on themselves or the escalating commotion coming from the upper floors. Hephaestion's adaptive camouflage ensured they blended perfectly, their simulated worker persona emanating an aura of normalcy that discouraged scrutiny. As they approached a junction, Effie held up a hand, signaling Hephaestion to stop. She peered around the corner, spotting a patrol of heavily armed guards heading their way. With a quick motion, she stepped back, pressing herself against the wall. Hephaestion's eyes glimmered faintly as they accessed the tower's internal surveillance systems, their connection invisible to all but the most advanced security measures.

"Rerouting patrol data," they murmured. A second later, the guards stopped abruptly, their comms crackling with fabricated orders. Without hesitation, they turned and moved in the opposite direction. Effie exhaled softly, a brief moment of relief washing over her.

"Nice work." She said.

"Efficiency is key," Hephaestion replied simply.

They continued onward, each step bringing them closer to their objective. Effie's mind raced with possibilities, contingency plans forming and reforming as she mentally prepared for whatever lay ahead. Above them, the sounds of Meri's battle echoed faintly through the structure, a chaotic symphony of destruction and resistance.

"We're close," Hephaestion said, their voice breaking the silence. "The access point to the Magistrate's primary database is just beyond the next room." Effie nodded, her hand brushing against the concealed dagger at her side. The battle above was a distraction, but down here, she and Hephaestion were the true blades poised to strike at the heart of the Magistrate's power. Soon, Effie and Hephaestion came upon a towering red door, its surface gleaming faintly under the sterile light of the corridor. The frame was forged from Seriphium ore, a rare metal known for its near-impervious strength. It stood as a silent testament to the Magistrate's paranoia, a barrier meant to thwart any who dared approach uninvited.

But Effie didn't need brute strength.

Her cybernetic arm hummed to life as she extended it toward the keypad embedded beside the door. Sleek wires uncoiled from her fingers, their tips glinting like needles as they snaked into the device's ports. Sparks flickered faintly, and the keypad's screen lit up with streams of rapidly changing data. Effie's mind synced with her arm's interface, her consciousness diving into the door's security mainframe. She bypassed layers of encryption, each one more complex than the last until the system surrendered with a soft chime. The red door slid open, the metallic hiss echoing down the corridor. Effie retracted the wires back into her arm, flexing her fingers as she turned to Hephaestion.

"Let's move," she said curtly.

Together, they stepped into the database room—a vast chamber bathed in a dim, cold blue light. The air buzzed faintly with energy, the hum of countless servers and data conduits creating a mechanical symphony. At the center of the room stood the Magistrate's main network hub, a towering monolith of gleaming panels and flickering screens.

But they weren't alone.

Effie's senses flared as shadows emerged from the edges of the room. Sentinels, their armored silver suits gleaming like polished mirrors, stepped into view. Each one was equipped with mana-infused blasters, the weapons humming ominously as they locked onto their targets. The suits radiated a faint aura of condensed mana, a clear sign that their combat systems were fully engaged. And then there were the two figures standing amidst the Sentinels.

Magistrate Dafoe, a tall man with a gaunt face and an aura of arrogance, stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His piercing gray eyes were cold and calculating, his posture radiating confidence. Beside him was Bishop Cervain, draped in crimson robes adorned with intricate golden embroidery. His russet color hair gleamed under the room's artificial light, and his thin lips curved into a sneer that only deepened the cruelty in his expression.

"Did you truly think we would not anticipate this?" Bishop Cervain's voice rang out, sharp and mocking. He stepped forward, his presence commanding. "The eyes of the Divine Emperor see all." Effie's jaw tightened, her eyes narrowing as her gaze darted between the Sentinels and the two men. 

"Are they meant to scare us," Effie said. 

Magistrate Dafoe chuckled coldly. "Bravado won't save you, nor your little toy," he said, glancing disdainfully at Hephaestion. "You've walked into the lion's den, girl. Did you really believe you could dismantle my systems without consequence?"

Effie's cybernetic arm shifted subtly, preparing for action. "I don't just believe it," she said, her voice a low growl. "I know it."

Hephaestion stepped forward, their artificial eyes glowing faintly as they scanned the opposition. "Your confidence in the inevitability of your system is flawed," they said calmly. "Systems fail. Especially when we're the ones breaking them."

Bishop Cervain's sneer faltered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of irritation. "Such insolence," he spat, his hand moving toward a shimmering golden staff at his side. "You will regret this defiance." The tension in the room thickened, the Sentinels raising their blasters in unison. Effie's eyes met Hephaestion's for a brief moment, a silent understanding passing between them. This wasn't going to be easy, but they hadn't come this far to fail.

"Let's dance," Effie muttered under her breath, her grip tightening on the concealed dagger at her side. Her cybernetic arm began to glow faintly, the wires humming with energy as she prepared for the battle ahead. The Sentinels wasted no time, their plasma blasters lighting up the dim room with bursts of searing energy. Bolts of plasma hissed through the air, leaving trails of heat and ionized light in their wake. Effie moved with a dancer's precision, weaving between the attacks as though she anticipated each shot before it was even fired. Her movements were fluid and graceful, each step calculated to keep her one step ahead of the Sentinels' targeting systems.

Her speed and agility weren't just the result of training—they were the legacy of her heritage. Effie belonged to the Avari tribe, a subspecies of Elves renowned for their exceptional affinity with the Wood element. This element, a deviant force born from the Life esoteric elemental force, gave the Avari unparalleled control over their environment and a connection to the primal essence of life itself. Unlike the refined and mystical Ljosálfar (Light Elves) or the enigmatic and shadowy Morimor (Dark Elves), the Avari were warriors through and through. Their culture revolved around combat and survival, and their battle-hardened instincts were honed over generations of strife.

Effie's body seemed to flow with the rhythm of the battle, her movements enhanced by the subtle influence of the Wood element. The air around her shimmered faintly, reacting to her presence as though the very essence of life resonated with her will. Her cybernetic arm, a stark contrast to her natural form, moved in harmony with her body, its mechanical precision blending seamlessly with her organic grace. The Avari's lineage set them apart, second only to the Pleiadians in their ability to awaken due to their divine ancestry and the favor of the gods. Like the Pleiadians, the Elves were descendants of the Celestials, beings of immense power and interdimensional origins. However, the Celestial bloodline that flowed through the Elves was thinner, diluted over countless generations. And unlike the Pleiadians, whose creation was directly tied to the Divine Emperor, the Elves had no affiliation with the Celestials of the Divine Emperor's domain.

This distinction did nothing to diminish the Avari's pride. Their heritage, though less potent than that of the Pleiadians, was still a source of immense strength. They were a people shaped by struggle, their divine lineage serving as both a gift and a burden. Effie embodied this legacy with every step she took, her movements a testament to the Avari's battle-driven nature and their refusal to be overshadowed by the might of the Pleiadians. The Sentinels adjusted their tactics, attempting to predict her path, but it was futile. Effie's agility and her Avari instincts allowed her to stay ahead, her cybernetic enhancements only amplifying her natural abilities. Plasma bolts exploded against the walls and floor, leaving scorch marks and craters, but none came close to hitting her.

As she darted closer to the Sentinels, her cybernetic arm began to hum with energy, wires extending from her fingers and glowing with an eerie green light—an infusion of the Wood element into her mechanical appendage. Effie leaped into the air, twisting gracefully as she sent the wires lashing out like serpents. They coiled around one Sentinel, the green light surging through its suit, short-circuiting its systems and causing it to collapse in a heap of sparking metal. Effie's cybernetic arm shifted again, its sleek metallic surface morphing seamlessly as a wooden blade extended from its structure. The blade glowed faintly, pulsating with the vibrant green hue of lifeforce mana. This energy wasn't just a manifestation of her Wood element; it was a Force variation, an enhancement that surged through her body, boosting her physical prowess to superhuman levels.

She became a blur, her speed so overwhelming that the room seemed to be alive with flickering afterimages of her movements. The wooden blade hummed as it cut through the air, dozens of slashes manifesting in an instant. Sparks flew and metallic screeches echoed as Effie expertly dismantled the Sentinels. Limbs were severed cleanly, mana blasters rendered useless, and armored bodies collapsed to the floor, lifeless and sparking.

Effie's precision was surgical, her movements an art form honed by years of battle and her Avari heritage. She weaved through the chaos, her blade a green streak of death, leaving no opening for the Sentinels to counterattack. The lifeforce mana flowing through the blade amplified not only her strikes but also her awareness, allowing her to anticipate every move her opponents made. While Effie dismantled the Sentinels, Hephaestion turned their attention to a far more dangerous foe—Bishop Cervain.

Cervain stood tall, his crimson robes flowing as though caught in an unseen wind. His golden staff, inscribed with intricate runes, pulsed with holy energy, each wave of light a testament to the Divine Emperor's blessing. The Bishop's unwavering faith made him a conduit for divine power, and his mastery of Fourth-tier spells was evident in the ease with which he summoned them. With a motion of his staff, golden lightning bolts crackled into existence, arcing through the air with devastating force. The energy roared like thunder, each bolt leaving trails of light that lingered in the room. The sheer intensity of the holy energy warped the very air around him, a radiant aura that seemed to bend reality to his will.

Hephaestion's synthetic form moved with precision, evading the lightning with swift, calculated motions. Their analytical systems processed the trajectories of the bolts in real-time, allowing them to sidestep the attacks with mechanical efficiency.

"You're an abomination," Cervain spat, his voice echoing with disdain. He raised his staff again, summoning a massive glyph in the air, its golden lines glowing with holy might. "To defy the Divine Emperor is to defy existence itself!"

The glyph released a torrent of holy light, a focused beam of destructive power aimed directly at Hephaestion. They didn't flinch. Instead, they raised their hand, a shimmering barrier of blue energy manifesting in front of them. The beam collided with the barrier, causing an explosion of light and force that shook the entire chamber.

"You rely too much on the faith of others," Hephaestion said, their voice calm and unyielding. As the light dissipated, they stepped forward, their synthetic eyes glowing faintly. "Faith blinds you from that which you cannot see. A sound logical mind triumphs over all."

With a flick of their wrist, Hephaestion extended a sleek blade from their forearm, the edge crackling with their own stored mana. They dashed toward Cervain, moving faster than any ordinary eye could track. The Bishop reacted swiftly, spinning his staff and conjuring another glyph that unleashed a barrage of smaller lightning bolts to intercept.

The room became a battlefield of light and shadow. Cervain's holy power clashed with Hephaestion's technological precision, the golden radiance of the Bishop's spells contrasting sharply with the cold, calculated movements of the android.

Meanwhile, Effie finished dismantling the last Sentinel, her wooden blade retracting back into her arm. She turned her attention toward the duel unfolding before her, her keen eyes assessing the situation. The clash of power between Hephaestion and Bishop Cervain was monumental, the two Sage Realm experts matching each other blow for blow.