Chapter 65: The First Step Toward War

The war council was set, though it was hardly formal. They stood around the flickering holographic display, the remnants of a long-dead empire's knowledge spread before them. The locations of abandoned Vanguard strongholds blinked in soft gold, scattered across the continent like buried treasures waiting to be unearthed. Each one held the potential to turn the tide of battle, but time was against them. The Academy would not wait, and neither would the Primordial Lords. Elias could feel the weight of their next move pressing against him.

Reinhardt leaned forward, arms crossed over his chest. "The closest one is two hundred miles south. If the data's accurate, it's a war facility—fully stocked with old Vanguard weapons, possibly even vehicles. That should be our first target."

Ivy kept her eyes on the edges of the map, searching for something unseen. "How do we know it's not already compromised?"

Kierian studied the records, his fingers tracing the old inscriptions. "Because if it were, we wouldn't still be breathing. The moment the Academy found a place like this, they'd either wipe it from existence or use it for their own gain. If it's intact, it's because it's hidden—too well for even them to risk exposing."

Lira rested a hand on her hip. "And if it's a trap?"

Elias tapped his gauntlet, the hum of the Vanguard Core pulsing beneath his armor. "Then we spring it on our terms."

Marco sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We're talking about breaking into a military-grade fortress, one that's been abandoned for centuries. Who knows what security measures are still active? Even if we get in, we have no idea if we can even activate what's inside."

Cecilia smirked. "That's what we have Elias for."

Marco shot her a look. "That's exactly what worries me."

Elias turned away from the hologram, looking at his team. They had fought together. Bled together. They had survived the Academy's betrayal, Solmara's awakening, and the first wave of enemies that sought to claim the Core for themselves. And now, they were ready to do something even more dangerous—start a war.

"We leave at dawn," he said. "Solmara can hold itself for now, but we can't wait here. Every minute we waste is a minute the Academy and the Primordial Lords get stronger."

Lira sheathed her daggers with a slow smirk. "I was hoping you'd say that."

Reinhardt grinned. "Finally. I was getting restless."

Ivy adjusted her bow. "Then we should get moving. We don't know what we'll run into, and I don't want to be caught out in the open."

Kierian met Elias's gaze. "You're leading this fight now. That means every decision you make affects more than just us. Are you ready for that?"

Elias felt the Vanguard Core pulse in response. His armor was no longer just metal and circuits. It was alive, responding to his instincts in ways he hadn't yet fully grasped. He was stronger, faster, more in sync with the energy coursing through him than ever before. But this wasn't just about power. It was about responsibility.

"I don't have a choice," Elias said. "And I wouldn't change a thing."

The group moved out as the first light of dawn crested over the ruined towers of Solmara. The ancient stronghold stood silent behind them, its newly awakened sentinels keeping watch. The air was cold, crisp, and filled with the tension of what was to come. The path ahead was long, uncertain, and likely suicidal—but they had already stepped too far to turn back.

The journey to the war facility was not an easy one. The terrain shifted as they moved south, the dead lands surrounding Solmara giving way to thick forests, overgrown with time. The remains of civilization peeked through the foliage—abandoned roads, collapsed bridges, remnants of an age before the Academy ruled the world. The deeper they traveled, the more they saw what had been lost.

Cecilia walked beside Elias, her gaze sharp. "This place feels different."

Ivy scanned the treetops, her bow always at the ready. "It's too quiet."

Lira nodded. "Which means it's either abandoned… or something's watching us."

Elias's visor scanned the area, but no immediate threats appeared. Even so, the unease in his gut didn't fade. They weren't far from the war facility now—less than an hour's walk. If something was going to go wrong, it would be soon.

Marco checked his scanner. "I'm picking up trace energy signatures ahead. Faint, but consistent. Whatever's in that facility, it's still running."

Kierian unsheathed his sword. "Then we're not walking into an empty ruin."

The trees parted, revealing a massive stone structure, partially covered by moss and vines. The war facility was built into the side of a cliff, its towering walls reinforced with blackened steel, still intact despite centuries of decay. The main entrance loomed before them, sealed shut, runes glowing faintly along its surface.

Reinhardt let out a low whistle. "That's a big door."

Elias stepped forward, pressing his hand against the metal. His gauntlet pulsed as it analyzed the energy signatures embedded in the seal.

"It's locked," he muttered. "But not broken."

Marco crouched near the base of the entrance, tracing the old inscriptions with a careful hand. "This isn't just a physical barrier. It's a failsafe. Someone sealed this place on purpose."

Lira raised an eyebrow. "Any chance we can knock?"

Cecilia chuckled. "Or just blow it open?"

Elias shook his head. "No. If this place is still intact, we need it. If we force our way in, we risk damaging everything inside." He turned to Marco. "Can you bypass the lock?"

Marco adjusted his glasses. "Maybe. But it'll take time."

Ivy was still watching the treeline. "We might not have that."

A low growl echoed through the air.

The group turned instantly, weapons raised, as the shadows between the trees began to move. A faint mist curled through the undergrowth, thickening unnaturally. Shapes slithered between the branches—not human, not animal, but something in between.

Then the first figure emerged.

It was humanoid, but wrong—its skin twisted, covered in dark etchings that pulsed like veins filled with molten gold. Its eyes were hollow, black pits that glowed faintly with a sickly green hue. Behind it, more followed, stepping forward from the mist, their bodies warped in the same grotesque way.

Kierian's grip tightened around his blade. "Marked."

Elias recognized them immediately. He had seen the same twisted corruption in the Inquisitors. But this was worse. These weren't just enhanced soldiers. These were failed experiments—people who hadn't survived the transformation.

Lira exhaled. "You have got to be kidding me."

Reinhardt cracked his knuckles. "Alright, fine. We break these things, then we open the door."

Elias didn't hesitate. His gauntlet pulsed, energy crackling around his fists. The Marked twitched, then charged, moving unnaturally fast, their bodies contorting as they closed the distance.

The first lunged, claws stretching toward Elias, but he moved faster. His thrusters ignited, launching him forward as his fist connected with the creature's skull, a surge of kinetic energy cracking through bone and flesh alike. The Marked shrieked, its body disintegrating into golden embers, but the others didn't slow.

Cecilia vanished in a blur, appearing behind another, her dagger plunging into its throat before it could react. Ivy's arrows struck true, each shot piercing through corrupted flesh, but they didn't die like normal enemies. They kept coming.

Marco yelled from the console, fingers flying. "You guys better hold them off! I just found the override sequence!"

Elias didn't answer. He was already moving, dodging, striking, breaking through their ranks. The door wasn't open yet, but it didn't matter.

They were fighting for more than survival now.

They were fighting for the first step of their revolution.