Chapter 20: Authority
"Your precision cost us time. The Authority now knows exactly where we are." Kenji collapsed back, gasping, his face slick with sweat. The raw, focused effort of channeling that energy had drained him, leaving him trembling, Be grateful I saved y'all fucking life he screamed. Calm down we thank you ok so don't worry about it," Lyna snapped, already ripping the drone's memory core free and sealing it in a shock-proof thermal pack. "We got the data. Now we run."
A loud, grinding noise outside confirmed Jorah's statement. Three Authority armored patrol vehicles—not the usual light security, but heavy, tactical units—were surrounding the base of the apartment tower. The air immediately grew thick with oppressive, corrupt spiritual energy.
"They brought the heavier hitters," Jorah said, My gut instinct told me fighting was better than surrending and dying, but we were already in danger don't want to attract more. "We go down the inside shaft, now," Jorah commanded, not asking, but ordering. He turned to me. "Reiyo, keep watching out for the patrol unit, Jorah already started to kicking open a doors that can lead us to the fort's main central point.
Kenji closed his eyes. I watched his internal energy—the flaming stability—surge and transform. He unleashed a fierce, waves of power aimed at the surrounding rooftops. The air didn't catch fire, but it shimmered violently, throwing up clouds of dust and debris and forcing the Authority vehicles to momentarily stop their ascent.
"Go!" Kenji yelled, staggering toward the access door.
We plunged into the vertical darkness of the access shaft. Jorah's arm acted as a brake, easing our rapid descent. The shaft was blocked by twisted ventilation ducts and old security sensors, all humming with latent spiritual interference.
" There are Obstructions ahead!. Can y'all do something about it!" Jorah said to us.
Kenji started to channeled his strength—the destructive,It required no visual focus; it simply was in it's own state. The energy ripped through the ducts and sensors like a silent explosion, vaporizing the metal and creating an unstable, clear path below.
But the force of the destruction had an awful side effect: it amplified the spiritual energy in the air, creating a brief, overwhelming spiritual noise that hammered my skull. For a split second, I saw a distorted flash of a face I didn't know, my mind was contorted in agony. A lost little boy, I thought, fighting the internal scream.
We hit the ground floor and burst out into the alley, expecting a fight, but finding only empty barrels.
"They're moving to cut off our extraction point," Lyna analyzed instantly, pointing toward a service tunnel. "I don't know why but they want this drone pack."
As we raced toward the tunnel, a shadow fell over us. Standing at the tunnel entrance was a figure in a nicely polished-black armor—an Aetherium agent, waiting silently in the dark. Unlike the others, this one felt cold, efficient, and strangely familiar.
The agent raised one hand. From the ground, a wave of dark, petrified material surged up, instantly sealing the tunnel entrance.
"You cannot escape this fort, little kids," the Aetherium agent said, His voice calm and utterly devoid of emotion. "You're Captain must have sent you here to die."