Chapter 27: The Battle Begins

Chapter 27: The Battle Begins

Dragon's POV

The kiss still lingered on his lips.

Dragon wasn't the type to dwell on things, especially when danger was looming just around the corner, but damn if Silvia hadn't completely thrown him off balance. It had been brief, heated, and entirely unexpected.

And it had changed everything.

He could still feel the way her fingers had curled into his coat, the way her fire-warmed body had pressed against him for that fleeting moment before she pulled away like nothing had happened. Like she hadn't just completely ruined his ability to focus on anything else.

He shook his head, dragging a hand down his face as he forced himself to focus. Now was not the time.

Silvia stood a few feet away, arms crossed, her usual sharp determination set in her features. If she was feeling the same chaos in her chest that he was, she sure as hell wasn't showing it.

Tarren's voice snapped him back to the present. "We move in ten. The outer security patrols rotate every fifteen minutes. That's our window. We strike fast, grab the prisoners, and get out before they can reinforce."

Dragon rolled his shoulders, smirking despite himself. "No problem."

Silvia shot him a look. "And the distraction?"

Dragon winked at her. "Oh, don't worry about that. I have something special planned."

Tarren eyed him warily. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Silvia sighed. "As long as it works."

Silvia's POV

The facility loomed ahead, a massive industrial structure surrounded by high-tech security walls. Floodlights scanned the perimeter, and guards patrolled in tight, efficient formations.

Dragon met Silvia's gaze one last time before disappearing into the darkness. Then the first explosion rocked the ground beneath them.

Alarms blared instantly, and the guards snapped to attention, rushing toward the source of the commotion.

Tarren grunted. "I hate how good he is at that."

Silvia smirked. "I don't. Let's move."

With most of the security force occupied, they scaled the outer wall using old maintenance ladders and slipped into the facility through a side access hatch. The moment her boots hit the ground inside, Silvia felt it—a presence.

Magic. And not just any magic. Something dark.

She shivered but pushed forward.

The Prisoners

They navigated the facility with precision, avoiding detection as they reached the lower levels. The halls were sterile, lined with reinforced steel doors. A quick scan of the data pad they had stolen revealed the location of the detainees.

Silvia stepped forward and placed a hand on the locking mechanism. Fire flared at her fingertips as she overloaded the system, the metal hissing and melting under her power.

The doors slid open, revealing rows of prisoners—young magic users, their faces hollow with exhaustion.

One of them, a girl no older than sixteen, blinked at Silvia in disbelief. "You're… here to help us?"

Silvia nodded. "We're getting you out. Can you walk?"

The girl swallowed hard and nodded. The others began to stir, their hope rekindled.

Tarren signaled his team. "Move fast. We don't have much time."

Silvia moved quickly between the rows, helping the more injured ones to their feet. "Stay together. Move fast, and stay quiet."

A young boy with hollowed cheeks grabbed her sleeve. "Is it over? Are we free?"

Silvia clenched her jaw. "Not yet, but we will be soon."

Dragon's POV

While Silvia and Tarren worked to get the prisoners out, Dragon kept to the upper levels, making sure no reinforcements could get through. The explosion had bought them time, but it wouldn't last forever.

He perched near the edge of a steel walkway, scanning for movement. Below, a squad of enforcers rushed toward the detainment cells. Too fast.

Dragon exhaled and dropped down behind them, landing silently. Before the first guard could turn, he was already moving—his daggers flashing as he cut through the nearest enemy.

The second guard barely got a shout out before Dragon hooked his arm around his throat and dragged him into the shadows.

One left.

Dragon grinned. "You picked the wrong side, friend."

The enforcer lunged at him with a baton crackling with electricity, but Dragon sidestepped with ease, twisting behind the man and slamming his head against the steel wall. The enforcer crumpled to the ground.

Dragon dusted himself off. That should keep things clear for now.

The Confrontation

Just as the last of the prisoners were being escorted out, the air around them shifted.

Silvia felt it before she saw it—a presence colder than ice, pressing against her senses.

A figure stepped into view at the far end of the hall. Dressed in a sleek, high-collared coat, his dark eyes gleamed with something unnatural. An Echelon commander.

"Impressive," he mused, his voice like silk over steel. "I had hoped you'd come, Silvia Earthstar."

Silvia clenched her fists. "Then you're going to be disappointed. We're leaving, and you're not stopping us."

The commander smiled, stepping forward. Dark energy crackled at his fingertips.

"Oh, but I think I will."

Dragon skidded to a halt next to Silvia, his daggers already drawn. "You're late to the party, buddy. We were just about to leave."

The commander ignored him, his gaze locked on Silvia. "You have no idea what you're interfering with. You think you're freeing them? No, you're just delaying the inevitable."

Silvia's magic surged at her fingertips. "I've heard enough."

The air between them exploded as both sides clashed.

Flames erupted from Silvia's hands, meeting the commander's dark energy in a violent collision that sent shockwaves through the hall. Dragon darted forward, his blades slicing through the air, but the commander moved impossibly fast, dodging with ease.

Tarren and his fighters pushed the prisoners back. "Get them out of here, now!"

The facility trembled from the force of their attacks. Metal groaned, pipes burst, and the overhead lights flickered wildly.

The commander laughed, his voice eerie. "You are powerful, Earthstar. But not powerful enough."

Dragon lunged, aiming for his throat, but the commander vanished in a blur and reappeared behind him, slamming a pulse of energy into Dragon's back. Dragon hit the ground hard, coughing as pain lanced through his ribs.

Silvia turned, fury igniting her veins. "Don't touch him!"

She threw her hands forward, sending a torrent of fire straight at the commander.

This wasn't just a fight anymore.

This was war.