[THEO'S POV ]
I steady my breath, exhaling slow and sharp. The Vel'korr Talon hums in my hands, its yellow psychic core glowing, three concentric rings spinning faster and faster as I pour psychic energy into it. Through the sniper's scope, I lock eyes on the battlefield.
Below, Calder is barely staying on his feet, clutching his side where the mage's earlier surprise attack tore through his defenses. Mira's doing most of the heavy lifting now — red hair flaring like fire itself, her body cloaked in pulsing red psychic energy. Her eyes shimmer, tiny flares sparking outward, glowing like crimson stars.
Raising her right hand, I watch as six condensed psychic orbs manifest, hovering around her like tiny planets of destruction. I narrow my eyes, intrigued. So, Mira's weapon of choice is the CX9 — a psychic energy conduit glove. A rare tool. It allows her to transmute raw psychic energy into compressed energy bullets, something only a high-level manipulator or a psychic specialist can usually pull off.
Of course, the Empire made sure even regular inquisitors could mimic that with the right tech. Just like my Vel'korr Talon, which channels massive psychic blasts, though it consumes a lot of energy per shot. Mira's conduit is smaller, designed for rapid-fire bursts. Judging by the glow, her CX9 is fully integrated into her suit's nanotech.
I smile faintly. Clever girl.
[MIRA'S POV]
The six red psychic bullets whirl around me, each pulsing with compressed power. I glance at Calder, who's swaying as he forces himself upright, blood still seeping through his fingers where he grips his stomach.
"You good?" I call, keeping my eyes locked on the enemy.
Calder grimaces but smirks. "Yeah… just a little banged up. But I'm good."
"Good." I flex my fingers, feeling the burn of psychic energy running through my veins. "Think you can help me kill this bastard?"
Calder raises his shaking arm, materializing the Aurora X4 — a sleek psychic assault rifle. He grins. "It'll be my pleasure."
Suddenly, a roaring fireball hurtles toward us.
Boom!
We throw up a joint barrier just in time, the flames crashing against it, sending a wave of heat and smoke. I don't wait — I launch all six psychic bullets at the mage, each shooting through the air like a meteor.
The mage rips off his hood, tossing it aside. His face is worn, weathered — brown hair streaked with gray, eyes sharp with battle-hardened fury. He murmurs under his breath.
FLAME MAGIC: Ignition Gauntlet.
Flames erupt around his fists, spiraling into molten gauntlets. Just as my psychic bullets near him, he punches the air, his strikes igniting waves of fire that smash into the bullets, detonating them midair in a flash of red and gold.
Before he can recover, Calder opens fire with his Aurora, streams of psychic beams ripping through the smoke.
The mage scowls, raising his left hand. A glowing red magic barrier materializes around him. Calder's beams crash into it — an explosion — but when the smoke clears, the mage is unharmed.
"You children," the mage says darkly, voice echoing across the battlefield, "are surprisingly coordinated… for rookies."
He lifts his hand again.
FLAME MAGIC: Solar Flare Cannon.
A concentrated orb of flame manifests in his palm, pulsing brighter and brighter — then blasts forward, a streaking beam of molten death.
Calder and I throw up every barrier we can, layer after layer, but the beam smashes through them, each one shattering like glass.
"Calder!" I scream, realizing too late that the blast is headed straight for me.
Calder roars, lunging forward, creating a wide barrier around himself, pushing me backward with its expanding force. I skid across the ground, heart pounding.
But then —
The fire beam twists midair, homing back toward me.
"What the—" Calder chokes out.
Suddenly, a sharp, thunderous crack slices through the battlefield.
A blinding psychic beam rips from the top of the tallest colony building, slamming straight into the mage's attack and shattering it in a violent explosion.
[THEO'S POV]
I lower the Vel'korr Talon, smoke still rising from the barrel.
"Don't worry, guys," I say calmly over the comms. "I've got your backs. You just focus on attacking — leave the defense to me."
[MIRA'S POV]
Theo's voice crackles in my ear. Relief floods through me, but there's no time to relax.
The mage snarls, his fury visible now. He starts weaving another spell, hands moving with rapid, precise gestures.
"Calder!" I bark.
"On it!"
He raises his Aurora, unleashing a barrage of psychic blasts. The mage ducks, weaving through the attacks, flames coating his arms as he retaliates, throwing flaming spears that tear through the ground, sending us scattering.
I dart left, rolling under a flying spear, twisting midair, and launching fresh psychic bullets at his exposed side. The mage hisses, twisting to deflect them — but Calder's already repositioned, hammering him from the other flank.
[THEO'S POV]
I follow every movement through my scope, eyes tracking the mage's defenses. He's good — too good. He's reading their patterns, countering smoothly. But… there.
There.
He's making a mistake.
For one second, the mage plants both feet, focusing entirely on casting. His barrier flickers.
I inhale sharply, charging the Vel'korr Talon to maximum. The rings spin so fast they're a blur, the entire sniper humming like a living creature.
I fire.
CRACK-BOOM!
The psychic beam lances across the battlefield, striking dead center. The mage's eyes widen — he tries to summon his shield — but it's too late.
The blast hits him square in the chest.
For a heartbeat, the world goes still.
Then —
BOOM!
The mage's body explodes in a burst of light, fire, and shrapnel. Flesh and flame scatter, his figure disintegrating as the shockwave ripples outward.
I lower the sniper slowly.
Over the comms, Calder's ragged voice breaks through. "Holy… Theo, you just—"
"Yeah," I mutter, smirking faintly. "Told you I'd handle defense."
On the ground, Mira is panting, sweat streaking down her face, eyes wide. She glances up at the rooftop where I'm positioned, raising one hand briefly in acknowledgment.