The 10th Division Base:
The common room of the 10th Division base was a battlefield of a different kind. Slaps of cards echoed against the metal table while the heavy scent of motor oil and cheap snacks hung in the air. In the center of the table sat the keys to a brand-new, matte-black armored transport—the latest "gift" from Doc Von.
"Full house," Vela droned, her face expressionless as she reached for a bag of chips with her free hand. "The car is mine."
"No way! You'll just use the backseat as a pantry!" Cipher yelled, slamming his hand down. "I need that , trunk space for my mobile server racks!"
Nyx hovered over the table, her violet eyes wide and pleading. "Come on, guys! Just one hand? I promise I won't go over 120 mph this time."
"No!" the entire room shouted in unison.
"You blew up the last van during Elias's first mission," Jaxen reminded her, sparks of blue electricity dancing off his fingers. "And the explosion wasn't needed".
"It was an efficient explosion," Nyx pouted, crossing her arms. "Please, guys? Let me play?"
"Not a chance, Nyx," Cipher replied, sliding his cards closer to his chest. "We'd like to keep our four wheels on the ground for at least a week."
The argument was cut short by a synchronized ping from every device in the room. Elias, who had been leaning against the wall in silence, pulled his phone out.
FROM: Office of Dock Von / Commander Zane
SUBJECT: THE AEGIS (TOURNAMENT)
MESSAGE: All Divisions are hereby summoned to Sector 5 . Purpose: Absolute combat ranking. Prepare for immediate deployment.
"Cool," Jaxen said, his face filling with excitement. "A tournament? This is the first time they've done something like this on this scale. We finally get to see how we stack up against the other division."
Rook frowned, his hand subconsciously bending a metal spoon into a knot. "Yeah, I wonder why"
"Damn it," Vela sighed, tossing her winning cards onto the table. "Why does the world never want peace? I just wanted to drive that car.
The Council of Captains
At the Xenocide High Council, the air was cold enough to freeze breath. Ten Captains sat in a semi-circle, their faces illuminated by the holographic display of Sector 5. At the center stood Doc Von and Zane.
"I can feel it," Zane rumbled, his voice vibrating through the floorboards. ". This war is coming to an end, one way or another."
"We need to know the true strength of our forces," Dock Von added, his eyes scanning the Captains. "No more secrets. No more hidden 'Aces.' This tournament will expose the weak and highlight the strong. The top-ranked soldiers will be our secret weapon.
The meeting ended with a heavy silence as the Captains retreated to prepare their men.
Flare Mansion: The Shadow Order
While the city prepared for the spectacle, a darker meeting was taking place in the gilded, oppressive halls of the Flare Mansion. Valerion Flare paced the room while his father, Icarus Flare, watched from a high-backed chair.
"This is a perfect chance to deal with this Elias boy," Valerion said, his eyes burning with a cold, political fury.
"I agree," Icarus replied, his voice a dry rasp. "He is a stain on our family's reputation. But he is not the only one. Valerius, you know what to do. Do not fail us. And one more thing... kill Kaelen. Erase that mistake.
Valerius Flare, the golden prodigy of the Xenocides, stood up. A small, arrogant smile touched his lips as he adjusted his collar.
"I will not fail you, Grandfather. The 10th will be a memory by sunset."
The Tournament: Round One
Two weeks later,
Sector 7 was wired for war. Thousands of cameras broadcasted every movement to the citizens in the main arena. The goal: The Badge Harvest.
Each division could only bring 100 men. The objective was to collect as many badges as possible to reduce the field. Out of thousands of contestants, only the strongest would remain.
Nyx didn't wait. POP. She vanished.
With her teleportation, she was a ghost. A 4th Division scout would reach for a badge in a rusted crate, and POP—Nyx would already be there, holding it with a cheeky wink before vanishing again. She was a one-woman whirlwind, stacking badges before the other divisions could even draw their weapons.
Meanwhile, Vela moved with terrifying, lethargic efficiency. She ignored the sonic blasts and gravity wells thrown her way, her high endurance making the attacks feel like a light breeze. She plucked badges off opponents like she was picking fruit. After collecting over 20, she found Kaelen hiding behind a collapsed pillar, his eyes wide with fear.
She dropped 10 badges into his lap. "Here. Keep your head down. Don't make me do this again; I'm getting hungry."
Kaelen looked at the metal in his hands, his breath hitching. "Vela... thank you."
The Encounter in the Dust
Elias moved through the center of the ruins, picking up badges and defeating does who fought with him.
Lyra stepped out, her hand resting on the badge she just collected.
When she saw it was Elias, her battle stance immediately melted.
Her face turned a deep shade of crimson, and she looked down at her boots, her fingers fidgeting with her cloak.
"E-Elias," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the distant sounds of combat.
Elias stopped. Any other contestant would have lunged for her badge. Instead, he gave her a small, calm nod. "Hey, Lyra. How are you doing? Is your division holding up okay?"
Lyra's blush deepened until her ears were red. She had expected a fight, or at least a cold dismissal. "I-I'm fine. We have enough badges to pass. I... I didn't think you'd just talk to me."
"Why wouldn't I ,," Elias said simply. He didn't reach for her badge. He just moved on . "Stay safe out here. Things are getting interesting."
Lyra watched him walk away, her heart hammering against her ribs.
The buzzer sounded across Sector 5, signaling the end of the first round. The holographic screens in the main stadium flickered, updating the counts.
Thousands of soldiers had entered. Now, only 400 contestants remained.
The 10th Division had made it through, but the air felt heavy. As Elias regrouped with his team, he felt a cold chill down his spine. He looked up at the sky, where a single black, mechanical "feather" was drifting down toward the ruins.
A mysterious figure watched from the shadows, his data-pad glowing with the biological profiles of the 382 survivors.
"I better join the game"