The Beginning of the Chaos

The air in Musk was thick with anticipation. Word had spread that the war between Empyra and the Muskian forces was about to escalate, and the tension was nearly palpable. Musk's underground city, a maze of broken tech and discarded machinery, was brimming with activity. Down here, no one trusted the Vortex Corps, and no one trusted the Muskian leadership either. But Kael, Jorik, and Lira—they had their own plans, and they weren’t about to let anyone dictate the terms of this war.

On the surface of Empyra, the Vortex Corps prepared for the incoming Muskian Forces, ready to strike with precision and overwhelming force. But Musk's underground residents had something they hadn’t anticipated: Vexalis.

The Battlefield, Empyra

Above, the skyline of Empyra loomed ominously, lit by the neon glow of the upper city and the flashes of military vehicles rolling through the streets. The Vortex Corps, led by the unrelenting Commander Chris, were preparing for a full-scale assault. They had plans to obliterate any resistance and restore order—by force if necessary.

At the edge of the battlefield, hidden in the shadows of ruined buildings, Lira crouched behind a makeshift sniper nest. Her hands were steady as she carefully loaded the Vexalis-modified rocket launcher. It was sleek, compact, and lethal—a far cry from the standard, bulky military weapons Empyra was used to. This one was outfitted with a Sound Vexalis, a custom-designed component made to release an ear-shattering blast upon impact. If everything went according to plan, it would cause chaos and disarray in the ranks of the Vortex Corps before they even realized what hit them.

She grinned, her eyes gleaming with the thrill of it all. “This is gonna be so much fun,” she muttered to herself. Then, she glanced down at her little wrist monitor, where a small map of the battlefield flashed in front of her. Kael and Jorik were down there somewhere—getting into trouble, no doubt.

Lira grinned to herself again and raised the rifle to her shoulder, lining up her first shot. The target: a Vortex Corps communication tower that would disrupt their coordination.

BAM

The rocket launcher fired with a sharp, satisfying whoosh, sending the sound bomb rocketing toward the tower. The explosion shook the air as the device hit its target, unleashing an earsplitting wave of sound that sent a ripple through the battlefield. For a moment, the world around Lira was silent. She waited, watching with glee as the enemy soldiers flinched and staggered, clutching their ears, struggling to regain their composure.

She chuckled to herself. “Perfect.”

Muskian Forces, Frontline

Meanwhile, Kael and Jorik were taking a more laid-back approach to the whole thing. They were just a couple of steps behind the chaos, watching as the Vortex Corps scrambled from Lira’s sniping attack.

Kael leaned against a broken wall, a cocky grin on his face as he flicked a piece of debris into the air. “I love it when a plan comes together.” He glanced at Jorik, who was standing nearby, his expression calm as usual, his metal arm shifting as he ran calculations in his head.

“Focus,” Jorik said, not a trace of impatience in his voice. “Lira’s distraction is working, but we still need to keep an eye on the big picture. We need to make sure they don’t regroup.”

Kael shrugged. “I’m just here for the fun. They’re all just following orders anyway. Let's mess with them a bit.”

Jorik looked at Kael for a moment, his eyes softening. “You know, sometimes I wonder if you have a death wish.”

“Me? Nah,” Kael said with a grin. “I’m just keeping them on their toes.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out another vial of Kran essence, a new concoction he’d been working on. This time, it was a Gravity Vexalis, one that could alter the gravitational pull of a small area—just enough to make it difficult for enemies to stay grounded. He tossed it in the air and kicked it toward a group of Vortex Corps soldiers who were trying to find cover behind a burned-out vehicle.

The vial shattered on impact, and a wave of energy rippled through the area. For a moment, the soldiers froze, then suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to shift. They were no longer able to maintain their footing, and one by one, they began to float upward, as though gravity itself had turned on them. Some managed to scramble and cling to the ground, but others flailed helplessly in midair, caught in the effect of Kael’s makeshift trap.

“Ha!” Kael laughed, holding his stomach as he watched them struggle. “Who needs a tank when you’ve got Vexalis?”

Jorik sighed, shaking his head but unable to hide the slight smile tugging at his lips. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I know,” Kael said with a grin. “And it’s awesome.”

On the Battlefield

Back in the heart of the battlefield, the Muskian Forces had managed to regroup, and Commander Varek, leading them from the front, was beginning to make his move. But something felt off—his soldiers weren’t as organized as they should’ve been. The confusion from the sound bombs and gravity-shifting traps had thrown their plans into disarray. And now, they were getting hit from all sides.

Lira fired another round, a second sound bomb that exploded near a group of Muskian soldiers. The shrill noise made them stagger and fall back, giving her just enough time to reposition herself. As she moved, she could hear Kael and Jorik’s voices faintly in the distance—laughing, teasing, and causing more chaos than anyone had anticipated.

“They’re too easy,” Kael said, his voice cutting through the static of their comms. “We could just sit back and watch them implode at this point.”

“Focus, Kael,” Jorik replied calmly, though his voice still held a trace of amusement. “We’ve got one shot at this. Don’t screw it up.”

Kael didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled out another Vexalis device, this time a Smoke Vexalis, designed to release a thick, choking fog that would obscure the battlefield, making it difficult for the enemy to pinpoint targets. He tossed it toward the Vortex Corps' ranks, and in moments, the dense smoke poured out, consuming everything in its path.

The battlefield turned chaotic. Muskian soldiers struggled to find their way, their vision reduced to nothing but shifting shadows and shapes. And from the shadows, Kael, Jorik, and Lira watched as their traps continued to take hold.

Lira let out a loud, joyful laugh. “This is too easy!”

The first wave of chaos had begun, and the battlefield was already spiraling into confusion. Both the Vortex Corps and the Muskian Forces were struggling to keep control, while Kael, Jorik, and Lira moved like shadows—just a little bit of mayhem, a little bit of fun, and a whole lot of Kran-fueled chaos.

But this was just the beginning. The real battle was still to come, and the consequences of their actions would ripple far beyond the smoke and rubble of the war-torn streets.

This chapter gives a snapshot of Kael, Jorik, and Lira’s personalities and how they operate in the chaos of war—using Vexalis-powered weapons, creating confusion, and enjoying the spectacle. Lira’s sniping, Kael’s traps, and Jorik’s calm strategy all play a role in disrupting the forces of both Empyra and Musk, as they prepare for even more chaos.