Cryon City glittered under Nemesulla's twin suns, a sprawling metropolis built not on ancient ruins, but on pure, unadulterated commerce. It was Nemesulla's undisputed trade hub, a pulsing artery of goods and currency flowing between the three species and far beyond. Its strategic location was primarily due to Vinxion, a volatile stretch of land on its eastern border where nearly 74% of all registered Blue Portals spawned. These weren't the dreaded Red Portals, belching forth Outworlder monstrosities, but the more 'benevolent' Blue ones—gateways to other dimensions, brimming with rare resources and, naturally, their own unique fauna. Risk and reward, the lifeblood of Cryon.
Our team, Group 034, found ourselves rumbling through the city's gleaming avenues in an internal Syndicate transport—the kind of long, communal bus with seats facing each other, designed for efficiency, not comfort. The awkward silence was thick enough to chew on, punctuated only by the hum of the engine and the subtle creak of suspension.
Jax, a Nephiz and ever the social lubricant, cleared his throat. "So, uh, anyone got a read on what this month-long 'group mission' is actually about?"
Phantom, the Nephiz woman, her luminous veins a faint tracery beneath her skin, fixed him with a serious stare. "You're the captain, Jax. You should know."
Jax winced. "Yeah, well, 'captain' is just a fancy word for 'the guy who opens the briefing packet first.' Haven't opened it yet. Anyone else?" He glanced around the bus.
Blaze, the Krioz fire user, a laid-back guy whose crystalline skin often glowed with residual heat, shrugged. "Nah, they just told me to pack for a month and report to Cryon. Figured it was some extended patrol."
Goliath, the other Krioz, a massive man whose muscles strained against his uniform, grunted. "More targets, more glory." His voice was deep, resonating like a low drum.
I shook my head. "Same here. Just told me to show up."
"Well, since we're all in the dark," Jax said, trying to inject some levity, "how about we do introductions? Get to know who we're potentially dying with. I'm Jax, Nephiz. Water manipulation. And I'm usually not this clueless."
"Blaze, Krioz. Pyrokinesis," Blaze offered with a slight grin. "Good for roasting bad guys, or campfires."
Goliath pounded a fist into his palm, a sound like stone on stone. "Goliath. Krioz. Enhanced strength and durability. If it's too big, I hit it harder."
Phantom's voice was cool, precise. "Phantom. Nephiz. Intangibility and stealth. Useful for getting in, or getting out unnoticed."
All eyes turned to me. "And I'm... CodeZero," I said, offering a small wave. "Human."
Blaze squinted at my slightly more streamlined suit, a subtle difference from the standard military-issue gear worn by the others. "CodeZero, huh? Edward said you're not an Awaken. So you're just... dependent on your suit? What kind of batteries you use for that thing, a mini-fusion reactor? And that design, it looks custom. Like, really custom. Not standard issue like mine."
Goliath leaned forward, a curious glint in his amber eyes. "Yeah, your suit looks different. Like it's built for speed, not just power. You hiding some Awaken ability, human?"
Phantom simply observed, her gaze unnervingly analytical.
My mind raced. *Niya, help.*
*"Suggest a prototype, Xero,"* Niya's voice hummed directly into my thoughts. *"Something self-developed. Downplay the power source. Emphasize a limited endurance."*
"Uh, yeah, it's... kind of a self-made suit," I stammered, feeling the heat rise in my helmet. "Prototype. I put it together myself, at home. And for power, it's got... uh... a pretty efficient battery. Can last about four days straight at full power, if I'm not pushing it." I mentally cursed Niya for making me sound like I was describing a commpad battery.
Blaze and Goliath exchanged skeptical glances. Four days? Military suits, even with basic Awaken amplification, could barely last a full day of active combat without needing a recharge. Their expressions screamed, *'He's definitely hiding something.'*
"Look, guys," Jax interjected, sensing the growing tension. "I've worked with CodeZero before. He's awesome with that suit, whatever he's got going on. You'll see when the time comes. He pulled my ass out of a fire last week, literally."
The conversation died, leaving another thick, uncomfortable silence. It was clear Jax's intervention, while well-intentioned, hadn't completely cleared the air. We were a team, but not yet a unit.
***
Six minutes late, the Handler observed, his voice dry as a desert wind. We stood in the doorway of a generic hotel suite, the man already seated at a holographic table, a flickering map of Cryon and a detailed schematics of a Blue Portal hovering above it. He was a lean Human in a sharply tailored Syndicate uniform, his eyes sharp and devoid of warmth.
"Time is of the essence, Group 034," he began, not bothering with pleasantries. "We had an asset, Agent Rho, working undercover at Vortex Mining Corporation. Vortex is a major player in Cryon's resource extraction, known for exploiting Blue Portals. We had intel suggesting Vortex had ties to the Leafless Group—selling them high-grade portal resources, possibly even allowing them access to our territory."
He tapped a holographic point on the map. "Rho's last confirmed intel, roughly a month ago, reported Vortex discovered a massive lode of **plum crystals**—the kind used in warp drives and high-energy weapons for large vessels. He said they were preparing a major mining operation within a Blue Portal. He entered the portal to get closer, and his locator hasn't activated on-planet since."
My stomach clenched. **Plum crystals?** Those were incredibly valuable, essential for powering entire city grids and fleets of ships. The Leafless Group having access to them was a serious threat.
"Blue Portals," the Handler continued, "are relatively stable. They're explorative in nature, often filled with unique flora and fauna, and occasionally, hostile indigenous life. A key is usually required to close them, but they rarely 'crack' or become unstable for at least 17 months, per our current research. This particular portal has been active for seven months now, and Vortex has likely been mining it for that entire period."
He looked up, his gaze piercing each of us. "Your mission is simple: Enter the portal. Locate Agent Rho – alive or dead. Confirm Vortex's ties to the Leafless Group. Ascertain the scale of their crystal mining operation. Do all of this without causing a ruckus that tips off either Vortex or the Leafless Group."
Phantom raised a hand. "Without causing a ruckus? How do we even get into an active mining operation inside a secured portal without drawing attention?"
The Handler pushed a stack of data chips and a small, iridescent crystal across the table. "These are your temporary Patroler IDs. They're standard government issue, allowing access to designated portal zones. You can attempt to join Vortex's official security detail, claiming to be government oversight. Or you can infiltrate. Our previous attempts to insert agents into this particular operation have... failed. That's why we're using you: mid-to-low level Awakens, less likely to be on Vortex's radar." He paused, looking at me. "And for CodeZero, this." He indicated the crystal. "It's an Awaken signature modulator. It will mask your lack of inherent power, registering you as a low-level Awaken during any official verification scans."
He stood, signaling the meeting was over. "You have one month, exactly. Get inside that portal as soon as possible. Good luck, Group 034." With that, he turned and left, leaving us in the echoing silence of the room.
"So," I said, breaking the quiet. "Sounds like we need a plan."
Goliath stretched, cracking his neck. "I got a plan. We go to our rooms. And we sleep. We'll handle this in the morning."
Blaze nodded. "Sounds good to me."
"Agreed," Phantom stated, already heading for the door.
Jax just shrugged, a resigned expression on his face. "Solid plan, Goliath."
One by one, they filed out, leaving me standing alone in the suite. "Ah, whatever," I muttered, shaking my head. I picked up my fake Patroler ID, a holographic image of my face staring back at me. Then, I picked up the small, iridescent crystal. So this crystal could make me appear an Awaken, tricking the very systems designed to identify the Queen's chosen. The irony was palpable. It felt like another lie in a life rapidly becoming a tapestry of them.