Moment of Peace

After the Radar Activation

As Bruce finalized the system checks, the team gathered around, watching the green dots blink steadily on the radar. For now, everything was normal—no monster threats, no red warnings. It was a rare moment of quiet after weeks of tension.

Felix stretched his arms, letting out a loud yawn. "Well, since the city isn't under attack yet, how about we take a break? Maybe grab some food?"

Lisa smirked. "You just want an excuse to eat, don't you?"

Felix grinned. "Guilty as charged. But hey, I'm not the only one who could use a little downtime."

Jerome nodded, rubbing his eyes. "Felix has a point. We've been running around non-stop for days. Let's take a breather before we burn out."

Zoya leaned against the table, thoughtful. "Fine, but let's not wander too far. We don't know when we'll actually need to move."

With that, the team decided to head to the cafeteria inside the headquarters. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was one of the few places where they could sit, talk, and just be themselves without the weight of battle looming over them.

---

Cafeteria – A Moment of Peace

The cafeteria buzzed with quiet conversation. Vairaj, as usual, slouched into his seat, lazily poking at his food while Jerome excitedly talked about his latest tech project with Bruce. Across from them, Lisa and Raven were debating the best way to handle stealth missions, with Raven insisting that silence was key while Lisa argued for flexibility.

Felix, on the other hand, was sitting next to Lily, enjoying the homemade food she had brought earlier.

Felix (grinning): "Lily, I swear, if I wasn't already a Savior, I'd become one just for this food."

Lily (laughing): "You're exaggerating. It's just something simple."

Felix: "Simple? No way. This is legendary. Right, guys?"

Zoya, who was sitting nearby, glanced over. "It does smell really good. I might need to steal some."

Felix immediately shielded his plate. "Over my dead body!"

The group laughed, enjoying the rare lighthearted moment. Even Bruce, usually focused on work, allowed himself to relax as he listened to the conversation.

---

Vairaj and Aaron – A Growing Friendship

While the others chatted, Vairaj and Aaron sat slightly apart from the group, quietly observing.

Aaron (taking a sip of his drink): "You don't talk much when we're not in the field, huh?"

Vairaj (shrugging): "Talking takes energy."

Aaron (chuckling): "You and your laziness. But you always come through when it matters, so I guess I can't say anything."

Vairaj smirked. "Exactly. I conserve energy for when it's needed."

Aaron (nodding): "I get that. But you know, you don't always have to be in that 'lazy genius' mode. It's okay to just… talk, you know? Without a reason."

Vairaj glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "What's with you today? Feeling sentimental?"

Aaron (grinning): "Nah, just making sure you're not secretly a robot."

Vairaj shook his head, amused. Maybe Aaron was right. Maybe sometimes, it was okay to just talk without a reason.

---

Jerome and Bruce – Mentor and Protégé

At the other end of the table, Jerome was still asking Bruce a million questions about the radar system.

Jerome: "So if we tweak the energy output, could we extend the range? Maybe even detect activity outside Eldoria?"

Bruce (thinking for a moment): "It's possible, but risky. If we extend the range too far, we might pick up unnecessary signals, making it harder to distinguish real threats."

Jerome (nodding): "Right. Makes sense. But what if—"

Bruce (smirking): "Jerome, relax. You don't have to solve everything in one night."

Jerome (grinning sheepishly): "I know, I know. I just… I love this stuff, you know?"

Bruce (nods approvingly): "That's what makes you good at it. Keep that passion, but also remember—sometimes, stepping back and breathing is just as important as solving problems."

Jerome absorbed Bruce's words, realizing that this wasn't just advice about tech—it was about life.

---

Felix and Lily – A Quiet Understanding

After dinner, Felix and Lily found themselves walking together through the halls of headquarters.

Felix (stretching): "Man, I think I ate too much. Lily's food is dangerous."

Lily(smirking): "You're just weak."

Felix (laughing): "Ouch. But you're not wrong."

They walked in silence for a moment before Lily spoke again, her tone softer.

Lily: "Felix, do you ever think about the future? Like… what happens after all of this?"

Felix looked at her, a bit surprised by the question. "I mean, I guess? But it's hard to think that far ahead when every day could be our last."

Lily: "Yeah… but still. Don't you ever wonder if we'll get to live normal lives again? Without battles, without monsters, without constantly fighting for survival?"

Felix thought about it for a moment. Then, he smiled. "If that day ever comes, I'll probably just spend my time eating and messing around. What about you?"

Lily hesitated, then sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I'll find something worth living for outside of all this."

Felix (grinning): "Well, if you ever need help figuring it out, you know where to find me."

Lily rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "Yeah… I do."

Scene: The First Red Light

The team stood around the radar screen, watching as Bruce finalized the system's activation. The monitor displayed a live map of Eldoria, the streets glowing with tiny green markers representing civilians. Everything seemed normal—until a single red dot suddenly blinked into existence near the western district.

Bruce (serious):"So the officers were right that it is related to monsters."

Felix (grinning): "Well, that didn't take long. Guess we won't be getting much rest after all."

Zoya (serious, leaning in): "Wait… that area. Isn't that where some of the disappearances happened?"

Bruce (frowning, adjusting the display): "Yeah, it matches one of the locations we had on file. But the weird thing is, it appeared out of nowhere. One second there was nothing, and then—bam—it's just there."

Jerome (narrowing his eyes): "That's not normal. Even if it were a hidden monster, the radar should've picked up its energy signature earlier. This thing just… popped up?"

Aaron (crossing his arms): "That means one of two things: either it was hiding somewhere with some kind of cloaking ability, or it just arrived."

Vairaj (smirking, cracking his knuckles): "Well, whatever it is, we're about to find out. Let's move."

---

Scene: The Western District Investigation

The Saviors arrived at the western district under the cover of night. The area was eerily quiet, the streets abandoned despite it being a normally busy part of town. The group split into smaller units—Felix, Zoya, Lisa and troops covered the main street while Vairaj, Jerome, Aaron, Raven and troops checked the alleys and rooftops.

Felix's Team:

Felix (murmuring as he glanced around): "It's too quiet. No people, no cars—nothing. It's like the whole place just shut down."

Zoya (nodding, gripping her weapon): "And yet, the lights are still on. Someone was just here… but now they're not."

Lisa (pointing to a restaurant entrance): "Look at that. The door's open, but no one's inside."

Felix (grinning): "Alright, let's take a look. Be ready for anything."

They stepped inside cautiously, only to find half-eaten meals left on tables, chairs knocked over, and a distinct lack of any bodies. It was as if everyone had just vanished in the middle of their meals.

Zoya (whispering): "It's exactly like the reports said… people disappearing with no trace. No blood, no signs of struggle—just gone."

Lisa (shivering slightly): "This is seriously creeping me out."

Felix was about to say something when a sudden thump echoed from the kitchen. The three immediately snapped into action, weapons drawn.

Felix (smirking): "And here I thought this was going to be boring."

Vairaj's Team:

Meanwhile, Vairaj and the others had reached the alleyways, where the radar had originally marked the red signal.

Jerome (checking his scanner): "It should be right around here, but… I'm not getting anything now."

Aaron (gripping his sword tightly): "Then it's either moved or it's still here—just hiding."

Vairaj (grinning): "I love hide and seek."

Raven (rolling his eyes): "Yeah? Well, let's hope we're not the ones being hunted."

Just then, a flicker of movement darted across the rooftops. Vairaj's eyes snapped upward, but whatever it was had already disappeared.

Vairaj (grinning wider): "Gotcha."

Without hesitation, he leapt onto the nearest wall, as he scaled the wall in seconds. Aaron and Jerome followed suit, Raven staying below to cover them.

As soon as they reached the rooftop, they saw something standing at the edge of the building—a dark figure, humanoid in shape, but its form seemed… incomplete, as if its body was phasing in and out of reality.

Jerome (eyes widening): "That… is not normal."

Aaron (tense, raising his weapon): "Whatever it is, it's watching us."

Vairaj (smirking, stepping forward): "Hey there. You the one playing tricks on us?"

The figure remained silent. Then, in an instant, it moved.

One second it was on the rooftop—the next, it was right in front of Vairaj.

Aaron barely had time to react as he swung his axe, but his blade passed through nothing but air.

Vairaj (narrowing his eyes): "Damn goodness."