The moment Lucifer stepped across, the silence of Syrelle's realm pressed against his ears. Not the suffocating stillness of isolation, but a deferential one, ancient and sonorous.
Suddenly, the space itself broke.
Out stepped a tall man robed in midnight blue. A cloak bearing a strange sigil flowed behind him, and strands of silver thread moved unnaturally, as if resisting gravity.
" Sergeant Raegis Silen, of Lady Syrelle's will," he introduced flatly, his voice devoid of emotion. His eyes scanned Lucifer quickly, resting for a second on his Soul Page sigil. "You're weaker than expected."
Lucifer did not respond. His shadow trembled, disturbed.
Without another word, Raegis produced a black crystal disc etched with spatial markings. The air distorted around them. Then "Crack" the space folded like paper, and they stepped through.
---
Southwestern Fortress – Edge of the Dimensional Battlefield
When the light returned, Lucifer stood on a tattered hill. Spread out before him was a huge military encampment. Metal spires, spell-impregnated tents, batteries of spell artillery, and floating guard constructs in silent patrol and a massive fortress. The last line of defense.
And above all that… stretched the infamous Dimensional Battlefield. A wasteland of rending rifts and shattered ground. Half of it flickered into pure blackness, the other half blazed with roiling aether storms. A place where worlds bled into each other.
Raegis motioned for him to follow. "This is the Southwestern Fortress, one of the four pillars of the Western Field Army of the Dark Unification Army. You'll be assigned to Team 13 of the Special Division."
Lucifer raised a brow. "Special Division?"
"You'll see."
---
Personnel Tower.
Having completed his entry into the military, his official entry into the union,
[(Sainik): Lucifer Ashenford]
Raegis led him down a glowing corridor, where arrays lazily floated across the floors.
"They're waiting," said Raegis and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
---
A large tactical room, lit by magic-infused lanterns, materialized.
Four people were within, their auras suppressed but heavy.
In the center stood a woman; tall, poised, and sharp-eyed, with spatial distortions radiating from her like twisted glass. She turned to Lucifer as he came in.
"I'm Captain Velra Kairen. Leader of Team 13." Her voice was cool but not unkind. She is the woman who is part of the Ruler of Space's faction.
To her left, a boy barely older than Lucifer gave a friendly nod. His clothes were covered in time sigils that pulsed slowly.
"Neron, Second lieutenant," he said, grinning. "Welcome to the chaos."
To the right, a young woman with short, silver hair stood, her arms crossed. Her aura was darker, colder. The faint reek of death clung to her presence like frost.
"Mira Elvane,Second lieutenant," she muttered, her eyes narrowed.
Lucifer blinked. His gaze narrowed slightly.
Prior to anything else being said, the fourth member entered. Raegis.
"I'm the fourth of this team," he said curtly.
Velra clapped her hands once. "Good. Now that introductions are over… welcome to Team 13. I will brief you about our upcoming mission immediately."
Lucifer stepped forward slightly, eyes drawn toward the open window that framed the battlefield. He could feel it even from here. The pull of something vast and ancient. Full of death and opportunity.
Mira snorted and whispered again under her breath, "Hope he doesn't rot before the first assignment."
Lucifer did not glance at her. But his magical energy shifted gently.
He was waiting.