Crestfall: Darkness Unveiled

The next morning, the grating voice of the PA system jolted everyone awake. "All members of the Starborn, report to the briefing room immediately!"

Sosuke groaned, dragging himself out of bed and hastily throwing on his uniform before darting out the door. One by one, they converged on the briefing room, their hurried footsteps echoing through the halls. Most of them expected the usual routine—grueling drills or another lecture from their instructors.

But Virgil Quinn was waiting for them, his presence as commanding as ever. Turning away from the array of monitors at the console, he faced the group with a sharp, measured gaze. "Good morning, Starborn. Today is different," he began, his voice firm yet carrying an undercurrent of anticipation.

"You'll be assigned your first missions." He let the statement hang in the air for a moment, letting its weight settle over the room. "Master has decided you've trained enough to begin active assignments. From now on, you'll operate in the same groups as the trial teams. These will remain your teams for the duration of your service here."

Sosuke exchanged a glance with Rin, her brow furrowed in silent thought. Ren stood stiffly beside them, his silver eyes locked on Virgil. For the first time, there was no hint of boredom or aloofness in his posture—only readiness.

"You'll receive individual briefings for your missions shortly," Virgil continued. "For now, wait here. When your name is called, proceed to the tactical room." He stepped aside, giving them a clear view of the monitor behind him, which displayed various locations across the map of Westoria.

The tension in the room was palpable. This wasn't training anymore—this was real.

Rin leaned toward Sosuke, her voice barely above a whisper. "So much for easing us into things."

"You nervous?" Sosuke whispered back, his tone lighter, though his jaw was tense.

She scoffed quietly. "Do I look nervous?"

"Actually, yeah," he replied, earning a glare that softened almost immediately.

Before their banter could continue, Virgil's voice cut through the murmurs. "Team Alpha, step forward."

Sosuke straightened instinctively. His heart thumped against his chest as he, Rin, and Ren moved forward. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Arthur Veiss and Reid Stark-Valcrest doing the same, their expressions unreadable.

Virgil gestured toward the tactical room. "Your briefing begins now. The rest of you, wait here until called."

Without another word, Team Alpha followed him into the adjacent room, the heavy door sliding shut behind them. The tactical room was dimly lit, its walls lined with glowing monitors displaying mission objectives and maps.

"You've been chosen for a high-priority operation," Virgil began, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Anomaly activity has been detected near the northern border. Your task is to investigate and neutralize the threat. It's likely to be a rogue beast or an unstable mana surge."

"A rogue beast?" Ren asked, his voice calm but probing.

"Correct," Virgil said with a curt nod. "We suspect it might be a Class B threat. Manageable, but not to be underestimated. Your combat and strategy training will be put to the test."

Sosuke raised his hand, his brow furrowed. "Uh, sorry… Class B threat?"

Virgil's sharp exhale betrayed his disappointment. "I see some of you didn't thoroughly read the assigned material," he said, his tone cutting. "Allow me to clarify. The Class System ranks threats from D to A, with S-class being an entirely different league. The difficulty increases exponentially between each rank. A Class B threat, while manageable, is vastly different from Class A—and Class S is in a realm of its own. Do you understand now?"

Sosuke straightened under Virgil's pointed gaze, nodding quickly. "Yes, sir."

"You'll be transported by car," Virgil stated, his voice firm. "This means you'll pass through the city of Marbridge. As members of the Starborn, your authority supersedes that of the local police. The city has been locked down in anticipation of your arrival. Do not create unnecessary trouble."

Sosuke leaned toward Rin, his voice low. "Higher than the police, huh? Kinda feels like overkill."

Rin shrugged, her expression unreadable. "Maybe, but it's better than getting in their way—or vice versa. Let's just focus on the mission."

Virgil's sharp gaze swept over the group, silencing any further side chatter. "You'll be briefed on the specifics of your mission en route. For now, understand this—Marbridge is still an active city. Civilians will be watching, so act accordingly. We are not here to create a spectacle."

Sosuke stifled a yawn, muttering to himself, "No pressure."

"Estrella," Virgil snapped, his tone icy. "If you find yourself bored, I can always assign additional drills after the mission."

Sosuke froze, straightening. "No, sir. I'm good, sir."

Virgil lingered on him for a moment before nodding to the group. "Good. Your vehicles will be waiting at the west gate. Dismissed."

As the group filed out of the briefing room, the tension among them was palpable. Ren fell into step beside Sosuke, his expression serious. "You think it'll really be as straightforward as they're making it sound?"

Sosuke glanced at him, his usual humor absent. "Probably not. When is it ever?"

Rin, walking a step ahead, glanced back at them. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it. Just don't mess up the car ride—I don't want to hear complaints about 'personal space' the whole way."

Sosuke grinned, the tension easing slightly. "No promises."

The west gate loomed ahead, where a sleek black vehicle waited, its engine idling with a low hum. The air smelled faintly of exhaust and morning dew, the quiet stillness of the palace grounds broken only by the soft murmur of mana-powered engines. Sosuke, Rin, and Ren made their way toward the car, their expressions a mix of focus and mild anticipation.

"This feels weird," Sosuke muttered, glancing over his shoulder at the fading silhouette of the palace.

"Get used to it," Rin replied, stepping ahead of him and claiming the front passenger seat without hesitation.

Sosuke blinked. "You're just going to take shotgun like that?"

"You're taller than me," Rin said with a smirk. "You can stretch out in the back."

"Generous," Sosuke grumbled, sliding into the back seat next to Ren, who gave him a brief glance before looking out the window.

The vehicle's interior was pristine and efficient, with glowing blue runes etched into the dashboard. Their driver, a quiet operative in a standard uniform, offered no words as they departed, the palace gates swinging shut behind them.

The scenery shifted quickly as the car sped along the main road. Rolling hills gave way to tighter paths lined with stone walls, and soon enough, the bustling city of Marbridge appeared on the horizon. Its skyline of crowded buildings and winding streets was a stark contrast to the spacious order of the palace grounds.

"It's bigger than I expected," Sosuke remarked, leaning forward to get a better view.

Rin's sharp eyes scanned the distant skyline, her voice pragmatic. "And it's on edge. You can feel it."

Ren nodded slightly, his silver gaze fixed ahead. "The lockdown's got the whole city on edge. Let's hope they've kept things under control until we get there."

As they neared the city's outer gates, they encountered the first checkpoint. A group of uniformed officers stood at attention, their eyes sharp but laced with unease. One of them approached the car as it slowed to a stop, his hand resting lightly on his belt.

"Starborn team?" the officer asked, his voice crisp.

"Yes," their driver responded, holding up the official seal.

The officer nodded, stepping back to wave them through. "The last sighting was in the industrial district. The area's been evacuated and sealed off. You'll have full access, but… good luck. It's bad down there."

Once inside the city, the streets were eerily quiet. Businesses were shuttered, and the usual lively chatter of city life had been replaced by a tense, almost suffocating silence. Patrols moved in tight groups, their weapons ready, while wary eyes followed the car's every move.

Sosuke let out a low whistle as he stared out the window. "This place feels like a ghost town."

"It won't stay that way," Ren said, his voice low.

As they approached the industrial district, faint trails of smoke curled into the overcast sky, darkening the already somber atmosphere. The car rolled to a halt near the barricade marking the edge of the sealed-off zone. Beyond it, the narrow streets and towering warehouses of the district stretched out like a labyrinth, shrouded in an oppressive stillness.

Rin pushed the door open, stepping out and adjusting her gloves. "Let's not waste time."

Sosuke followed, his purple eyes scanning the horizon as he stretched. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't run ahead and leave us behind."

Ren stepped out last, his expression calm but serious. "Stay sharp. If it's a Class B, it'll be waiting for us."

The three moved toward the barricade, the weight of the mission settling over them as the industrial district loomed ahead, quiet and foreboding.

Rin pointed down the desolate street, the air thick with unease. "Let's go down there," she said, her voice sharp. Sosuke and Ren exchanged glances before following her lead.

"This place is giving me the creeps," Sosuke muttered, his eyes darting nervously to every shadow and corner, as if the monster could lunge at them any second.

"Stay focused," Ren said, his tone calm but firm.

Rin suddenly raised her hand, halting them. "Hold it," she said, her sharp gaze locking onto a large warehouse at the corner of the street. "It's coming from in there."

The building loomed ahead, its rusted walls and shattered windows exuding a sense of abandonment. They stepped inside cautiously, expecting an immediate attack. Instead, the air inside the warehouse was dense, heavy with surging mana that crackled faintly in the atmosphere.

Sosuke's hand sparked uncontrollably, small bolts of lightning escaping his fingertips. "This… this isn't normal," he muttered, flexing his fingers to regain control.

"It's disrupting the flow of mana," Rin said, stepping closer to the epicenter—a pulsating, unstable core of raw energy hovering at the center of the room. Its glow was eerie, oscillating between deep crimson and a sickly green.

Before anyone could investigate further, a guttural roar echoed, rattling the structure. The walls groaned as something massive slammed into them, and a hulking, four-armed creature burst through, its monstrous form barely contained by the warehouse's collapsing walls.

Ren reacted instantly, summoning his dagger, its blade glinting with frost. Rin formed a swift hand sign, ethereal arms materializing at her sides as she smirked. "Finally, something interesting."

Sosuke unsheathed his katana, its blade crackling with lightning. "Yeah, except now it's three of them," he muttered as two more creatures emerged from the smoke, their glowing eyes locked on him and Ren.

Rin charged forward, her ethereal arms striking with precision. Sosuke and Ren split off, engaging the other beasts. The clash of spells, steel, and monstrous roars filled the air as the battle began, the warehouse becoming a war zone.

This was their first true test, and none of them intended to fail.