Elena didn't remember the moment she fully drifted into sleep.
One second, she was blinking heavily in Aren's arms…
The next, her body went limp, her breath soft as a whisper.
Aren held her as if she were made of crystal.
He lowered her gently onto the bed—careful, almost reverent—pulling the soft quilt over her shoulders. For a moment, he just stood there, eyes fixed on her peaceful face.
"She used everything she had," he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.
"Too fast… too much."
A quiet knock broke the silence.
Clara peeked in, worried. "Commander?"
Aren stepped aside, voice low. "Stay with her. Don't leave her alone for a second."
Clara nodded earnestly. "Yes, Commander."
Aren turned to leave—but froze when his ring blinked.
PING—PING—PING.
The air above the ring shimmered and a holographic screen appeared.
Homer's urgent voice cut through the quiet:
"Commander! You need to get to the North Wall—NOW. Monsters are approaching. At least a hundred!"
Lucy's voice overlapped, tense:
"And two high-level signatures. Level 80s!"
Aren's expression hardened instantly.
He ended the call and turned to Clara one last time.
"Do not let her wake up alone."
"I won't," Clara promised.
Aren shot one final glance at Elena—softening for a fraction of a heartbeat—
then he strode out of the room.
And the air itself seemed to stiffen around him.
---
THE COMMANDER MOBILIZES
By the time Aren reached the outer plaza, Martin, Luther, Marge, Lucy, and Homer were already there—breathing hard, tense, ready.
Lucy's ice aura frosted the stone beneath her feet.
Marge's flames curled in restless spirals.
Martin sparked like a live wire.
Luther's lightning danced like a serpent around his body.
Homer's water shield rippled calmly at his side.
Aren's voice sliced the air.
"Report."
Martin stepped forward. "Approximately 100 monsters—Level 30—approaching from the north forest. And two elites."
Luther's eyes narrowed. "Electricity and lightning types. That's… rare."
Marge spat flames. "Someone sent them. No Level 80 monster travels this far by chance."
Aren clenched his fists.
He didn't need more explanation.
"Gear—NOW!"
---
THE MIND-GEARS UNLEASHED
The entire plaza erupted with energy.
WHOOSH—CLANK—CRACK—BOOM!
Armor pieces materialized in midair—
pulled by their minds,
connected to their Cores,
snapping into place like living metal obeying a silent command.
Lucy's frost-blue gear formed around her like ice sculpted by wind.
Marge's armor burst from flames and cooled instantly against her body.
Homer's gear flowed like water before hardening into smooth blue plates.
Martin's suit crackled in golden streaks.
Luther's armor flashed in jagged bolts.
Aren's gear—
His was different.
Three elements—fire, electricity, light—spiraled around him like a storm.
His armor materialized in roaring signatures—
the chest plate slamming onto his torso,
light weaving into his gauntlets,
fire and lightning fusing into his boots.
He stepped forward, radiating raw power.
"Move."
The six warriors launched into the air—
hover-discs forming under their feet as their energy lifted them—
shooting them toward the front line like blazing comets.
---
THE MONSTER HORDE
As they reached the North Wall, the sight made even Lucy gasp.
Dozens of creatures—
green-skinned, long-faced, four-armed beasts—
one hundred strong, snarling, climbing over each other like a wave of nightmares.
Behind them…
Two massive, hulking monsters crackled with pure elemental force.
One radiated bright yellow electricity—
crackling in wild, untamed pulses.
The other was cloaked in white lightning—
fast, violent, unpredictable.
Martin cursed softly.
"Hells… Level 80s. Both."
Aren's voice was calm. Steady. Deadly.
"Lucy—freeze the ground."
"Marge—spread your fire."
"Homer—shield the left flank."
"Martin—disable the electricity elite."
"Luther—take the lightning one."
"I'll cut down the center."
The five commanders nodded.
And the battlefield ignited.
---
THE BATTLE BEGINS
Lucy raised both hands—
and frost spiraled across the ground, turning the earth into razor-sharp ice.
Monsters slipped—
skidded—
fell screaming as Lucy's sharp icicles pierced through their legs.
Marge burst forward—
FWOOSH!
A massive wave of flame roared across the icy terrain, steam exploding like smoke bombs.
She spun, fire whips slicing through monsters with surgical precision.
Behind her—
Homer stood calm, unmoved, raising both arms as a massive water shield surged around him, blocking incoming monster acid and claws.
Water tendrils extended out—
CRACK—SWISH—WHOOSH
—striking monsters with tidal force, knocking them aside like toys.
Martin sprinted straight for the electricity elite.
ZAP!—CRASH!–ZTTTT!
Electric bolts slammed into him but he absorbed them—
redirected them—
used their power against them.
"Come on," Martin snarled. "I eat electricity for breakfast!"
He struck the elite with a spear of pure voltage.
The monster shrieked.
Luther darted past him—
a flash of white lightning—
slamming into the lightning elite.
Their powers collided—
CRAAAACK!
Lightning against lightning, creating a blinding shockwave.
The elite screeched and lunged—fast—
but Luther was faster.
His body dissolved into lightning, reappearing behind the monster and slamming his blade into its spine.
Aren—
Aren was something else entirely.
He walked into the center of the battlefield like a god descending from the heavens.
Fire erupted from his right hand—
Lightning from his left—
Light from his feet.
Every step sent monsters flying.
He moved like a storm unleashed.
BOOM—CRASH—FWOOM—CRACK!
He tore through the horde—
slashing, striking, burning—
every motion precise, deadly, perfect.
Monsters hundreds of pounds heavy were thrown aside like feathers.
Lucy froze three at a time.
Marge melted lines of them in fiery arcs.
Homer swept them away in water storms.
Martin shocked them senseless.
Luther sliced through lightning beams.
Together—the six warriors were unstoppable.
---
THE END OF THE BATTLE
Finally—
the last Level 80 monster staggered, crackling with unstable energy.
Aren sprinted forward—
faster than light—
leaping into the air—
BA-THOOM!
He slammed down with a fist of fire and electricity combined.
The monster collapsed.
Silence fell.
The ground trembled one final time…
Then stilled.
Marge wiped sweat from her brow.
Lucy collapsed onto the frost-covered dirt.
Martin leaned on his spear.
Homer sighed deeply.
Luther cracked his neck.
Aren exhaled slowly.
"It's over."
But his eyes lifted toward the distant tower—
toward the girl asleep in his bed.
His expression softened.
"Let's return," he said quietly.
And the six warriors turned back toward the Valley—
toward the one person who mattered most to their Commander.