Night had fallen when the team moved out. The streets were dimly lit, shadows stretching unnaturally across alleyways and rooftops. Kael's mark pulsed rhythmically, syncing with the energy streams of the city and the corrupted channels the Null commander had left behind.
Aria and Ryken took their positions, while Kael and Veyra advanced toward the main nexus surge near the industrial district. Kael extended his senses, detecting subtle fluctuations in the corrupted energy that indicated where the Null commander's forces would strike first.
"Flow with me," Veyra murmured. "Predict, manipulate, and redirect. Every action has a reaction. Use the environment."
Kael focused, letting the Nexus energy move through him in arcs of controlled power. He struck first, sending a ripple through the corrupted minions approaching the district's energy nodes. Sparks of light collided with twisted shadows, sending shockwaves that scattered the Null operatives.
Ryken flanked from the east, his precise shots cutting off escape paths, while Aria's holographic decoys drew attention away from critical points. Every movement had been calculated, every strike measured. The team fought like a single organism, anticipating and adapting to each reaction of the Null forces.
The Null commander's signature flared nearby, testing Kael's defenses, but the Revenant anticipated the patterns, using energy to disrupt the commander's manipulation of corrupted minions. Shadows collapsed where Kael directed, forcing the enemy into zones controlled entirely by his team.
Kael felt exhaustion creeping in, but his focus never wavered. The Nexus pulsed in rhythm with his intent, amplifying his strikes while keeping the energy contained. For the first time, he was shaping the battlefield on his own terms, forcing the Null forces to react instead of dictate the flow.
As the last wave of corrupted operatives was neutralized, Kael and Veyra regrouped with Ryken and Aria. The district was quiet, the surges of corruption temporarily stabilized. Kael's mark glowed faintly, energy humming with controlled intensity.
Veyra placed a hand on his shoulder. "This is mastery, Revenant. Not raw strength, but control, anticipation, and strategy. The Null commander will return, but now… you can meet them on your terms."
Kael exhaled, feeling both the weight of exertion and the thrill of victory. The city had been defended, the threat temporarily neutralized, and he had learned that true power was not in overwhelming force, but in precision, foresight, and control.
Yet somewhere beyond the city, the Null commander stirred, planning their next move—and the war for the Nexus was far from over.