Chapter 13: The Hour of Confrontation

The intrusion of the elected ones was sudden and coordinated. There were at least half a dozen of them, their gazes fixed on us with a chilling intensity. I could feel the power radiating from them, a familiar yet disturbing connection to the energies Malakai had taught us. They were power manipulators, but with a discipline and confidence we had yet to achieve.

"Drop your weapons and follow us," one of them commanded, his voice sharp and leaving no room for negotiation.

Étienne clenched his fists, his eyes scanning the room for an escape route. I could sense his tension, his readiness for combat. My mind was racing, searching for a strategy, a weakness in their formation.

"We won't go anywhere with you," I retorted, my voice as firm as possible despite the turmoil inside. "We know what you're doing here."

A cold smile stretched across the lips of a woman at the front. "You really think you understand? Your naivety is endearing."

The time for words was over. One of the elected ones made a gesture, and a palpable wave of energy surged toward us. By reflex, I projected a shield of light, a technique Malakai had taught me. The impact was violent, making me stagger, but the shield held.

Étienne didn't stay idle. He dove to the side, evading a bolt of shadow cast by another elected one, and countered by projecting spikes of dark energy, more raw and instinctive than the attacks of our adversaries.

Chaos erupted in the data center. The screens flickered under the energy impacts, sparks flying from damaged consoles. The elected ones, more numerous and better trained, coordinated their attacks, forcing us to retreat.

I realized we couldn't hold out long in this confined space. We were outnumbered and trapped. We needed a way to escape, to buy time.

"Étienne, to the door!" I shouted, dodging another energy blast.

He understood immediately. Together, we fought our way through the barrage of attacks, using our shields and counterattacks to create an opening. We reached the metal door we had entered through and burst into the corridor.

But the elected ones were in hot pursuit. Their footsteps echoed behind us, their voices filled with determination. The chase began through the labyrinthine hallways of the elected ones' quarters.

We ran as fast as we could, turning left and right, hoping to lose our pursuers. My mind worked feverishly, searching for a route, an exit. I vaguely remembered the layout of the place, the few corridors we had traversed earlier.

Suddenly, I remembered a ventilation duct I had seen near the staircase. It wasn't ideal, but it could offer us a chance to hide and reassess the situation.

"Étienne, this way!" I pointed, heading toward the grille of the duct.

He didn't hesitate and followed me. Together, we managed to pry off the grille and slip inside, finding ourselves in a narrow, dusty space.

Darkness enveloped us, masking our movements. We could hear the voices of the elected ones echoing in the distance, their frantic search. For now, we were safe.

But I knew it was only a respite. The elected ones wouldn't give up easily. They knew the tower better than we did, and they would eventually find us.

In the darkness of the duct, I reflected on what we had discovered. The experiments, the control, the Founders' Council... The scope of their machinations was terrifying. We weren't just fighting for ourselves; we were fighting for all those who were being manipulated, for the balance of the world itself.

I gripped Étienne's hand in the darkness. Our eyes met, filled with a silent determination. We were caught in a battle much larger than we had imagined. And we were ready to fight to the end.