CHAPTER 1113: THE CORE

Adrien sat in silence long after the telepathic link faded. The faint hum of the facility’s generators filled the room, mingling with the muffled sound of the storm.

The conversation with Adrius still echoed in his mind.

Magic energy that will manifest physically. The words weighed on his chest like a stone. If what Adrius said to him was true, then this could be an attack.

He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. His mind was a swirl of images. He saw that they would fight something they barely understood.

"If this storm turns Magic into something real..." His throat tightened. "Then we might have to fight some kind of monstrous creatures."

Adrien took a slow breath, forcing his thoughts to steady. Panic would help no one.

He exhaled sharply and pushed away from the table.

"I can’t afford to lose my composure now," he muttered. "Everyone’s looking to me."

Adrien let out another slow breath. His fear didn’t fade, but he buried it beneath the weight of responsibility. Whatever this was he needed to lead them.

He walked to the door.

A few minutes later, Adrien stepped into the office where Billy and Jessica were already waiting.

Billy had come down from the upper floor after Adrien told him they needed to talk. The two looked at him with expectant expressions, hoping he would bring news that Adrius would come to help them again.

But the moment Billy saw Adrien’s face, his hope dimmed. Years of serving under Adrien’s command had taught him to read that expression well. That was not the face of a man bringing good news.

"Adrius can’t come here," Adrien said, his voice steady but stern.

Billy let out a long sigh, already expecting that answer.

Jessica swallowed hard, her heart sinking as despair crept into her chest. The last person they could rely on for help was now unreachable.

"Adrius has his own problem there," Adrien continued. "It turns out that this storm that was filled with Magic energy was not just happening here. It’s happening in his world too."

Billy’s eyes widened in disbelief. "The same storm... also happening there?"

Adrien nodded.

"Damn it," Billy muttered under his breath, his expression grim. "What the hell is happening right now?"

Jessica remained silent, her hands clasped tightly on her lap.

"Captain," Billy said after a moment, his tone low but tense, "the storm outside is getting worse. Before I came down here, I could feel it. That bad feeling I have is stronger now. I think we need to do something fast."

"Yes," Adrien replied. "I’m planning to contact General Lennard and ask him to send more troops here and spread the army in the city."

Billy’s eyes widened again. "You think there will be an attack here?"

"Adrius told me to prepare for that," Adrien answered.

Jessica finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly. "An attack... from what?"

"From whatever this Magic storm will produce," Adrien said flatly.

Jessica blinked. "You mean... there will be Magical creatures attacking us?"

"Possibly." Adrien nodded simply. "Jessica, I need you to check the candidates. See how healthy they are."

Jessica frowned. "What are you planning to do with them?" she asked, unease rising in her voice.

Adrien sighed, his shoulders heavy with the weight of the decision. "I’m planning to use their power for battle. But only if it’s possible. If not, they should rest."

Jessica’s eyes widened in shock. "You can’t do that, Captain."

"We don’t have any other choice," Adrien said firmly. "If they can fight, then they must. For now, get to your work."

Jessica wanted to argue, but the words caught in her throat. Deep down, she knew Adrien was right.

If those creatures truly appeared they would need every ounce of power they had even from the candidates who had not mastered their power fully.

She rose from her seat slowly, avoiding Adrien’s eyes, and left the room without another word.

The door closed behind her with a soft click, leaving only the heavy silence between Adrien and Billy.

"Then I suppose we should prepare to move... I mean, to fight as well, right?" Billy said, breaking the silence.

Adrien looked at him, and both men shared the same unspoken understanding. As the only two in the facility who had awakened and already learned to control Magic within their bodies, they both knew what their roles would be if the worst happened. They would be the ones standing on the front lines.

"Of course," Adrien replied. "I don’t know how effective our weaponry will be against whatever comes from that storm, but I hope it’ll be enough. After all, they’re crossing into our world. They should be weakened by that."

"Really?" Billy asked, his tone carrying a flicker of hope.

Adrien gave a faint, bitter smile. "I don’t know," he admitted quietly. "Like I said, I can only hope."

Billy let out a short laugh, though it lacked any real humor.

"Right... hope," he muttered. Then he straightened and pushed his chair back. "Alright then. Let’s start reviewing our weaponry. If those things really appear, I want to make sure every last bullet, shell, and blade we’ve got is ready."

Adrien nodded and followed him toward the door.

—

The four Dragonborns stood amid the desolation, their breaths misting in the frigid air of the ruined world.

The land stretched out behind them like a graveyard of mountains. They had carved their way here, through hordes of twisted creatures that refused to stay dead.

They had fought for hours, maybe days; time had lost its meaning. Every step through the endless chasm had been met with waves of abominations. The deeper they went, the stronger the stench of rot became.

The largest of those monsters emerged from the countless chasm they have crossed. But they had barely slowed.

Every one of them was drenched in blood and ash, but no one faltered. The deeper move, the more unnatural the resistance became. But the four Dragonborns pushed forward.

Now they stood before what they thought was the heart of this cursed domain.

Before them rose a colossal tower, made of black stone that pulsed with veins of red light. The structure reached so high it seemed to pierce the storm clouds above, and at its summit there was lightning coiled like serpents.

The ground around its base was littered with bones.

—