At Solara Minor, the Guardian HQ in Auren City got its first real test.
The alarm hit fast, sharp, loud, impossible to ignore. Screens lit up with alerts as squads moved instantly. No hesitation. No confusion. Just motion. Tactical vests were thrown on, rifles checked, helmets locked in place as armored vans roared out toward Midtown.
By the time they arrived, local PD already had the area locked down. Officers held the perimeter, civilians pushed back behind barricades. One officer rushed up to Caden the moment he stepped out.
"The demon's inside the grocery store."
Caden nodded once and tapped his comm. "Team Blue, take the back. Red, you're with me, we're going front. Green, lock down the outside. No one gets in or out."
The squads split without question.
Inside, the moment the doors were breached, chaos erupted. The demons hadn't expected resistance this fast. Plasma fire lit up the aisles, streaking past the entry team at blinding speed. Shelves shattered, glass burst, the whole store turning into a warzone in seconds.
Caden didn't slow down. He pushed forward, keeping low, guiding his team between cover. From the back, Team Blue hit at the same time, squeezing the demons between both sides. The pressure worked, fast.
But not clean.
One of the demons broke through the line and slammed into a squad member, sending him flying nearly thirty feet into a display rack. The impact echoed through the store.
"Stay on him!" Caden shouted.
The team swarmed the demon, pinning him down as the others fired wildly, catching a few Guardians in the crossfire. It got messy for a moment, but it didn't break them. They held formation, pushed forward, and one by one, the demons were subdued.
Minutes later, it was over.
A few injuries. No casualties.
The demons were restrained, loaded into transports, and taken back to HQ, where they were booked and locked into reinforced holding cells built specifically for threats like them.
Back at the HQ, Ian and Blade stepped into the processing area as the last of the demons were secured.
Ian looked over at Caden. "How'd it go?"
Caden rubbed the back of his neck. "About as good as it could. Few injuries… but we turned what would've been a full military operation into a clean arrest."
Blade gave a small nod. "Yeah. You did."
It was working.
Over the next few days, more calls came in from nearby towns. Smaller incidents. Less organized threats. Each one handled quickly, efficiently. The system was holding.
Back in Auren City, Renn Varos showed up quietly, dressed like any normal civilian. No armor. No rank showing. Just watching.
He leaned against a wall near the entrance, observing the flow, how squads moved, how fast they responded, how calm everything stayed.
Then the alarms hit again.
Another callout.
The room shifted instantly back into motion.
Renn pushed off the wall and walked toward Caden as he geared up.
"Hey," Renn said casually, "mind if I tag along?"
Caden looked up, surprised for a second… then nodded.
"Yeah, of course. We've got room."
Renn gave a slight smirk as he followed him toward the van.
"Good."