Location: Tavara – Atlas Council Chambers
The hush in the grand hall was deafening. A place once bustling with debates and decisions now stood as a monument to a world reborn. The towering marble columns reflected the early rays of sunlight streaming in through the stained-glass windows. At the far end of the room, the circular table of the Atlas Vanguard bore the weight of new beginnings.
Victor Kane stood at the head of the table, clad in sleek black combat attire that still bore the scars of the Arctic siege. His gaze was somber, but behind it burned a relentless determination.
"We may have taken down the Dominion's core," Victor began, "but their ghosts still linger in the ashes."
Zuri, seated beside Nora, scanned a digital projection. "There are clusters—former Dominion sympathizers regrouping under new banners. Smaller factions, but desperate. Dangerous. Some of them are reaching out to black market militaries. Others have gone silent. Too silent."
Elros interjected, his voice calm but unyielding. "Our intel suggests at least three rogue commanders have fled with crucial data. If they recreate even a fraction of the Vortex system elsewhere, we'll have another war on our hands."
Nora's expression hardened. "Then we intercept before they even have the chance to exhale."
Damien, seated across from her, slowly nodded. "From here on, we're not fighting shadows. We're hunting them."
The decision was unanimous.
---
Location: Western Region – Gora Underground Syndicate
The terrain was hostile—barren hills, winding canyons, and valleys choked with remnants of war. Beneath it all, deep within a fortified labyrinth, General Revik—one of the Dominion's last surviving tacticians—watched Atlas's broadcast with a snarl curling his lips.
"Fools," he spat. "You think burning down one fortress ends an empire?"
He turned toward a masked scientist who stood nervously behind a large data core pulsing with forbidden tech.
"Have we made contact with the Eastern Cell?"
"They're... cautious, sir," the scientist stammered. "But they're listening. They want to see what we do next."
Revik clenched his fists. "Then let them see fire. We rebuild from the ruin. If the Dominion is ash, we become the phoenix that rises from it."
He stepped closer to the glowing core.
"Begin Project Hades."
---
Location: Tavara – Atlas Intelligence Wing
Echo leaned against the massive screen wall, observing encrypted communications flagged by Atlas's AI sweepers. Her fingers flew over the interface as code scrolled at breakneck speed.
"They're mobilizing again," she muttered. "Someone's trying to wake up old monsters."
Victor entered silently. "You think Revik's behind it?"
Echo nodded. "Definitely. He's not the kind to crawl into a cave and die. He's too obsessed with finishing what the Dominion started."
Victor's jaw tightened. "Then we finish him first."
---
Location: Nora's Safehouse – Tavara Outskirts
Later that night, as the city lights blinked distantly in the valley below, Nora stood on the terrace, wrapped in a black shawl, her hair tousled by the wind. Damien joined her, silent for a long moment.
"You're thinking about what comes next," he said softly.
She gave a faint nod. "I thought taking down the Dominion would feel like closure. But this… feels more like the beginning."
He reached out, fingers brushing against hers. "It is the beginning. But this time, we're not reacting. We're dictating the future."
Their eyes met, unspoken promises lingering in the air.
"We hunt ghosts tomorrow," Nora whispered. "But tonight, we breathe."