Chapter 25: Smoke and Chaos

Smoke and chaos engulfed the old training grounds as the first wave of Valkyrie’s enforcers broke through. The Coalition of Free Players scrambled to defend their position, the roar of energy weapons and shouted commands reverberating off the metal walls. Kenny’s heart thundered in his chest as he loosed an arrow into the fray, the projectile finding its mark and causing one enforcer to stumble.

Rika Solis barked orders, her voice cutting through the noise. “Hold the line! We can’t let them push us back!”

Lucas was already at her side, his gauntlets crackling with energy as he delivered a blast that sent a trio of enforcers sprawling. “Hope you like fireworks!” he shouted, the humor in his voice strained but present.

Kenny, Alina, and Kael fought their way to the command post, where Nia was frantically working to coordinate their assault on Valkyrie’s facility. Her visor glowed as streams of data scrolled across it, her fingers moving in a blur. “We have to go now,” she said, her voice tense. “The window for the infiltration is closing, and if we miss it, we’ll never get another chance.”

Alina wiped sweat from her brow, her expression steely. “We’re ready. Lead the way.”

Kael turned to Mason, who was holding his own against a group of enforcers. “Hold them here as long as you can,” Kael said. “We’ll buy you time.”

Mason grinned, though his eyes were deadly serious. “I’ll keep these bastards busy. Go.”

The infiltration team moved swiftly, slipping through back alleys and maintenance tunnels beneath Zenith Stadium. The facility they were targeting lay beneath the structure’s foundations, hidden away like a dark secret. Kenny’s nerves were raw, every sound amplified as they crept closer to their goal.

Nia led the way, her visor displaying the route. “Almost there,” she whispered. “Stay quiet.”

The entrance to Valkyrie’s underground facility was guarded by automated turrets and a pair of enforcers. Alina signaled for silence, and the group took up positions. Kenny nocked an arrow, breathing in slowly to steady his aim. At Alina’s nod, he released, the arrow striking the nearest enforcer and dropping them before they could react. Kael moved in, his blade a flash of silver as he neutralized the second guard.

Nia hacked into the security panel, her fingers flying over the interface. “Disabling turrets… now,” she said, and the weapons powered down with a soft hum.

They slipped inside, the temperature dropping as they descended deeper into the facility. The air felt thick with anticipation, and every step felt like a countdown ticking closer to something cataclysmic. The facility’s interior was sleek and sterile, a maze of metal and glass that pulsed with the glow of Valkyrie’s technology.

Lucas looked around, his voice a whisper. “Creepy place. Almost feels like it’s watching us.”

Nia pointed to a massive set of reinforced doors at the far end of the hall. “The weapon is through there,” she said. “But it’s not just any weapon. Valkyrie calls it The Disruptor, and if they activate it, it’ll wipe out every dissenter’s data signature—erasing our combat profiles and effectively removing us from the tournament.”

Alina’s jaw tightened. “We can’t let that happen. How do we stop it?”

Nia pulled up a schematic. “There’s a central control room where we can initiate a system-wide shutdown, but it’s going to be heavily guarded.”

Kael drew his blade, his eyes burning with determination. “Then let’s get it done.”

They advanced through the facility, each corner a potential ambush. The first wave of resistance came quickly: Valkyrie’s elite enforcers, clad in sleek black armor and wielding weapons that glowed with ominous energy. Kenny and Lucas fought side by side, their coordination seamless. Kenny’s arrows disrupted the enforcers’ shields, while Lucas’s gauntlets delivered devastating blows that shattered their defenses.

Alina and Kael moved like twin storms, cutting through the enemy lines with brutal efficiency. But the enforcers were relentless, and the sheer number of them threatened to overwhelm the team.

“Keep pushing!” Kenny shouted, loosing another arrow that exploded in a burst of light, momentarily blinding their foes. “We’re almost there!”

They reached the entrance to the control room, but their relief was short-lived. The reinforced doors were sealed shut, and a squad of heavily armored guards stood between them and their goal. One of the guards, a towering figure with a mask that resembled a predatory bird, stepped forward.

“Welcome to your end,” the guard sneered, their voice distorted by their helmet. They raised a massive energy cannon, and Kenny knew they were out of time.

Nia worked desperately to override the door’s lock. “Cover me!” she yelled, her voice edged with panic.

Lucas stepped forward, planting his feet and raising his gauntlets. “Not today,” he growled, unleashing a wave of energy that met the guard’s cannon blast head-on. The impact shook the room, and the force sent both combatants skidding backward.

Alina and Kael charged into the fray, their blades clashing against the guards’ energy weapons. Sparks flew, and the room filled with the sounds of metal on metal, the grunts of exertion, and the hum of energy fields.

Kenny drew back another arrow, aiming for the bird-masked guard’s exposed neck joint. He released, and the arrow found its mark, piercing the guard’s armor and sending them crashing to the ground. “Doors, Nia!” he called, his voice hoarse.

Nia’s fingers moved faster, and with a final, triumphant beep, the doors slid open. “Go!” she shouted.

They surged into the control room, only to be met with another surprise: a lone figure standing in front of the central console. The figure wore a sleek, obsidian suit of armor that glinted in the sterile light, and a mask that hid all but a pair of sharp, calculating eyes.

“Congratulations,” the masked figure said, their voice smooth and cold. “You’ve made it this far. But I’m afraid your journey ends here.”

Kenny’s breath caught in his throat. This was no ordinary enforcer. Whoever this was, they exuded an aura of command that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Alina stepped forward, her blades raised. “Who are you?”

The masked figure tilted their head slightly. “I am Valkyrie’s Executor,” they replied. “The one who ensures that order is maintained.”

The Executor moved faster than seemed possible, crossing the room in a blur. Alina barely managed to block the first strike, their weapons clashing with a force that sent shockwaves through the control room. Kenny fired an arrow, but the Executor deflected it effortlessly, their movements precise and calculated.

Kael lunged, but the Executor anticipated his attack, twisting and landing a devastating counterblow that sent him sprawling. “You fight bravely,” the Executor said, almost mocking. “But bravery won’t save you.”

Kenny’s mind raced. They had to disable the Disruptor, but the Executor was blocking their path. He looked at Nia, who was frantically trying to access the console. “Nia, can you override it?” he shouted.

“I need more time!” she yelled back, her hands flying over the controls.

Lucas and Kenny flanked the Executor, attacking from both sides. Lucas’s gauntlets pulsed with energy, while Kenny fired arrow after arrow, trying to find a weak point. But the Executor was relentless, their defense impenetrable.

Kenny’s breath came in ragged gasps, desperation clawing at his chest. They couldn’t fail. Not now. “We have to push through!” he shouted, his voice cracking.

Alina’s eyes burned with determination. She feinted left, drawing the Executor’s attention, and Kael took the opening, slashing at the armor’s vulnerable joints. The Executor stumbled, just enough for Lucas to land a direct hit with his energy blast.

The force sent the Executor crashing into the console, and for the first time, they hesitated. Kenny seized the moment, loosing an arrow that struck the control panel. Sparks flew, and the Disruptor’s activation sequence faltered.

Nia’s eyes widened. “I’m in! Shutting it down now!”

The Disruptor’s hum died away, and the lights flickered as the facility’s systems crashed. The Executor pushed themselves up, their mask cracked but their gaze still sharp. “This isn’t over,” they promised, their voice like a venomous whisper.

But before they could retaliate, alarms blared, and the facility began to shake. Kenny’s heart lurched. They had succeeded, but now the entire place was coming down around them.

“Time to go!” Alina yelled, grabbing Kenny’s arm.

They sprinted for the exit, the walls crumbling and the ground trembling beneath their feet. As they burst out of the facility and into the relative safety of the tunnels, Kenny felt a surge of relief—but also the weight of what was still to come.