The East Wing trembled. Not from structural weakness, but from the convergence of forces pressing against it from every angle. Council suppression units, reinforced with hybrid combatants and resonance disruptors, had reached the perimeter. Energy pulses from the Lockdown Chamber flared, painting the walls in gold and white arcs, a visible heartbeat synchronized to Sandra's own.
Sandra stood at the center of the chamber, hands slightly raised, the Stage Four resonance coiling around her torso and extending outward like a living halo. Tristan and Sebastian flanked her, each exuding a presence that grounded her instincts and amplified her control. Lyra hovered just beyond, her sharp eyes calculating every movement, every threat vector.
"Stage Four at full output," Lyra whispered. "Every pulse you send will be mirrored by your attackers if they're not careful. They'll burn themselves on your resonance."
Sandra exhaled slowly. "I feel it. Every step they take, every breath… I know where they are."
Tristan's voice was low, sharp. "We hold the perimeter. You focus on controlling your energy. Let it extend, let it respond, but stay anchored to us."
Sebastian's tone followed, a resonant counterpoint. "And don't hold back. Stage Four doesn't forgive hesitation."
The first breach came swiftly—a squad of five suppression units slamming through the eastern corridors, disruptors raised. The energy constructs formed instantly, golden arcs striking out, wrapping, neutralizing, and redirecting the disruptor waves back toward the attackers. Sparks exploded, metal and energy intertwined, as Tristan's precision strikes and Sebastian's fluid unpredictability tore through the intruders' formation.
Sandra's chest pulsed. Stage Four flowed through her, weaving instinct with biological potential. She could feel her body preparing for something greater—creation embedded in survival, instincts sharpened to preternatural acuity. The lattice of energy wrapped around the attackers like a living cage, adjusting, morphing, anticipating every move before it happened.
Lyra's voice carried through the chaos. "They'll regroup. Keep your triad bond active. Don't let them find a weak point."
A second wave arrived, this time larger and better coordinated. Resonance disruptors glowed brighter, and Sandra's pulse thrummed violently. She felt the lattice expand, tendrils coiling outward, lashing intruders with precise, instinctive strikes. Tristan moved seamlessly with her energy, cutting, blocking, redirecting. Sebastian's movements were chaotic to the eye but perfectly synchronized to the lattice's defensive flow.
The golden currents burned brighter, almost tangible, wrapping around intruders, forcing them to stagger back. Every strike, every wave, was informed by Sandra's instincts but stabilized by the triad bond. Stage Four had unlocked not just defensive capabilities, but the predictive algorithms of survival coded into her very bloodline.
"More units incoming!" Lyra shouted. "They're focusing on the outer corridors—don't let them split your attention."
Sandra's breath hitched. The resonance extended into the hallways, golden threads seeking, tagging, immobilizing. Her abdomen pulsed faintly, the Stage Four biological alignment reinforcing the lattice, converting incoming disruptor energy into defensive amplification. Every Council unit's assault met instinctive countermeasures.
Tristan's claws glinted in the chamber light as he moved with lethal precision, cutting through hybrid units with surgical efficiency. Sebastian struck unpredictably, flanking, redirecting, dismantling formations that even the most experienced soldiers would have trusted. Sandra's energy coiled around them both, a living extension of the triad bond, responding instantly to danger.
Lyra's eyes flicked to the ceiling. "They've adapted. They're scanning for resonance signatures. Stage Four is now a beacon—they'll escalate."
The next wave hit—a full squad armed with synchronized disruptors, resonance dampeners, and enhanced combat exosuits. They advanced in perfect coordination, attempting to overwhelm the Lockdown Chamber's defenses.
Sandra inhaled deeply. The lattice flared, extending fully, golden threads dancing like lightning. She felt the Stage Four resonance surge, merging with instinct and biological potential, creating energy forms that acted independently—living, autonomous defenders responding to threats faster than conscious thought.
Tristan's growl echoed through the chamber. "Keep her center, move outward, hold the line!"
Sebastian's tail flicked like a whip, energy arcs snapping to intercept incoming disruptors. He moved with chaotic fluidity, redirecting attackers into Sandra's lattice, where instinctive strikes immobilized them instantly.
Sandra's pulse accelerated, coiled energy wrapping tighter around her torso. She could feel Stage Four preparing for the final integration—a full manifestation of Primordial power. Her abdomen pulsed stronger, the biological alignment interfacing with the triad bond, sending waves of instinctive feedback to Tristan and Sebastian. Together, they became extensions of her awareness, a unified defense impossible to penetrate.
The first significant breach occurred near the central sigil array. A hybrid operative armed with an experimental disruptor lunged, aiming directly at Sandra's position. Tristan intercepted, silver claws slicing through the threat with precision. Sebastian followed, his movements erratic yet effective, forcing the operative into Sandra's energy lattice.
Golden currents wrapped around him, restraining and neutralizing simultaneously. The lattice reacted to her instinctual commands, Stage Four channeling both defense and latent offensive potential.
Sandra's chest heaved. Stage Four integration was now absolute. The golden energy spiraled outward, enveloping the chamber, creating autonomous extensions that monitored, attacked, and stabilized—all powered by her biological potential and triad resonance.
Lyra's voice was steady despite the chaos. "Stage Four complete. But this is only the first assault. They'll return stronger, and now they know the extent of your power."
Sandra's gaze shifted to Tristan and Sebastian. Ice and fire. Control and instinct. Both anchored her, protected her, amplified her resonance. The triad bond pulsed visibly, energy intertwining through the three of them, forming a perfect defensive lattice that the Council could neither breach nor predict.
The Council units, stunned by the Chamber's autonomous defense and the Primordial energy, began a tactical retreat—but not before Sandra sensed the precise movements of each operative, cataloged for future encounters. Every action, every pulse, every intention was now part of her instinctive awareness.
Tristan exhaled slowly. "They'll regroup. They'll bring more. But we've held the line."
Sebastian's eyes glinted. "And next time, they'll bring themselves to the edge of extinction."
Sandra's hands glowed faintly, golden currents pulsing in time with her heartbeat. "I can feel… everything. I know where they'll strike next. I can anticipate them."
Lyra nodded. "That is Stage Four. Instinct, energy, and creation—fully synchronized. But the danger is far from over. The Council now knows the Lockdown Chamber is active, and you are fully awakened."
Tristan's gaze hardened. "Then we prepare for the next wave. And we ensure no one survives this attack."
Sebastian's grin was sharp, predatory. "Finally, a fight worthy of Stage Four."
Sandra exhaled slowly, letting the golden currents settle. The chamber hummed with life, its pulse in sync with hers and with the triad bond. For the first time, she felt not just power, but control.
And outside the Lockdown Chamber, the Academy braced for the next onslaught.
The Siege of the East Wing had only just begun.