Outside, unnoticed by the workers who had long since left, unnoticed by the guards stationed further along the road, a dark sphere had begun to form, subtle at first, then deepening into something that seemed to swallow the light around it. It enveloped the warehouse completely, its presence silent, its boundary absolute. Inside, nothing changed, at least not in any way that could be immediately felt.
Except by him. Daruis's smirk deepened, just slightly, as if he could sense it, as if he had been waiting for that moment specifically. He let the paper slip from his hand, the motion careless as it drifted down onto the desk, and then, with deliberate ease, he leaned forward before settling back into the chair fully, one arm resting against the side as he regarded them both.
"You know," he said, his tone shifting into something lighter, almost conversational, "I expected more from you the first time. A bit more coordination, maybe less… chaos."
Vaelira let out a short laugh. "You got cut open up and ran for your life."
"Yes," Daruis said, nodding slightly. "And yet I'm sitting here, and you're the ones trying again."
Lysira's eyes narrowed faintly. "You're stalling."
"Am I?" he repeated, almost pleasantly. "No, I don't think I am. I think I'm observing."
Vaelira took a step forward. "Then observe this."
Daruis raised a hand slightly, not to stop her, but as if dismissing the entire idea. "No," he said, his tone cooling just enough to strip away the amusement. "I have no reason to waste time among fools."
And then he was gone with no flash or sound
Just absence. The space he occupied emptied so completely it felt unnatural, as though he had never been there at all.
For a fraction of a second, neither assassins moved.
Then the room changed. The walls didn't move, the floor didn't shift, but something tore through the stillness with violent intent as metal slammed against wood and stone from every direction at once.
The office doors burst inward, splintering at the hinges as the first of the constructs forced their way through, followed by more from behind, from the adjoining walls, from concealed openings that had not been visible moments before.
The ceiling above cracked along hidden seams as additional units dropped down, their weight hitting the ground with controlled force.
Dozens of same metallic constructs but not the same. Their frames were more refined now, sleeker in movement but heavier in presence, reinforced plating catching the dim light with a dull, matte sheen that spoke of something far stronger than iron.
Shoulder-mounted emitters shifted into position as their heads locked onto targets instantly, red optical lines snapping into focus as they registered Lysira and Vaelira without hesitation.
For a brief moment, there was silence then everything exploded. Plasma fire erupted in synchronized bursts, searing bolts tearing through the air with a sharp, hissing crack as they crossed the space in an instant.
Lysira moved first, her body already in motion before the first shot reached her, twisting to the side as the beam scorched past, close enough to burn the edge of her cloak.
Vaelira dropped low, rolling across the floor as a second volley tore through where she had been standing, the wood beneath her erupting into splinters and charred fragments.
"Better," Vaelira muttered under her breath, coming up into a crouch as her hand snapped forward, dark energy coiling around her fingers before releasing in a sharp pulse that struck the nearest construct square in the chest.
The impact was solid, it staggered the machine but it didn't stop it. The plating held, cracks spidering across the surface where the energy struck, but not breaking entirely as the construct adjusted, recalibrated, and fired again without hesitation.
"Armor's stronger," Lysira called out, already moving again, her form blurring as she closed distance with one of the units, her blade flashing as it struck at a joint along its side.
This time, the metal gave and the edge bit deep, severing part of the mechanism beneath the plating, sparks erupting as the construct's arm dropped uselessly to its side.
It didn't fall. Instead, it shifted its stance and swung with its remaining limb, the force behind the strike enough to crack the floor where Lysira had been a fraction of a second before she pulled back.
More were coming from every direction. Their movements were coordinated, not chaotic, each unit adjusting based on the others, forming angles, cutting off escape routes, forcing the sisters into constant motion.
Vaelira grinned, breath quickening as she raised both hands, shadows pooling around her arms before erupting outward in a sweeping wave that forced several constructs back at once, their frames grinding against the force as they resisted.
"Alright," she said, her voice edged with something almost excited. "This is more like it."
Lysira didn't respond, her focus absolute as she moved through the chaos, her strikes precise, targeting weak points where plating met movement, dismantling piece by piece rather than attempting to overpower.
But for every unit that faltered, another took its place.
And they kept coming.
--------------
The droids continued their assult with no pause
Shoulder-mounted emitters adjusted mid-fire, recalibrating angles in real time as their movements shifted to counter, plasma bursts meeting shadow blades in violent collisions that filled the room with bursts of heat and distortion.
Lysira closed the distance, her body blurred forward in a sudden acceleration, her ability—Vein Step—activating in precise pulses that allowed her to move in broken intervals rather than continuous motion, each step repositioning her unpredictably across short distances.
She appeared beside one construct mid-stride, her blade already in motion as she struck at the seam beneath its arm, the edge biting through reinforced plating with surgical precision before she pivoted away from the retaliatory strike of another unit.
The machines adapted instantly. Two shifted to intercept her path, forcing her to redirect, while a third raised its arm—
And released the nanite swarm. The launcher deployed with a sharp mechanical click before bursting outward in a cloud of metallic dust that spread unnaturally fast, the particles alive, moving with intent as they surged toward her.