The silence in the study, after Kaelen severed the listening device, was deafening. It was the calm before the storm, a brief respite before the inevitable confrontation. Anya felt a surge of cold fury. To be spied upon, to have her every move scrutinized by a shadowy organization, was an affront to her very being. The Empress of Aethel had never tolerated such intrusions.
"So, they know," Anya stated, her voice low and dangerous. "They know I'm here. And they're coming."
"Indeed," Kaelen confirmed, his hand resting on the hilt of a concealed weapon at his side. "They will likely send a specialized unit. More skilled, more ruthless than the ones outside. We need to prepare."
"Prepare how?" Anya asked, her gaze sweeping the room. It was a study, not a fortress. "This mansion is a gilded cage, not a stronghold."
"True," Kaelen conceded. "But it has its advantages. The Volkovs' security systems, while rudimentary against the Silent Watchers, can still be used to our benefit. And the layout of the mansion itself can be a weapon."
He moved to a large map of the estate, spread across a table. His finger traced lines, highlighting choke points, escape routes, and potential traps. "They will likely attempt to isolate you. To capture you alive, if possible. They want to understand you, to dissect your abilities."
Anya's mind raced, recalling her past life's experience in siege warfare and strategic defense. "We need to turn their meticulous planning against them. Make them fight on our terms."
"Precisely," Kaelen said, a rare glint of approval in his amethyst eyes. "You have a plan?"
"A rudimentary one," Anya replied, a smirk playing on her lips. "But it will suffice. First, we need to secure this room. It's a good vantage point, and relatively defensible."
They worked quickly, Kaelen using his raw power to reinforce the doors and windows, while Anya, utilizing her 'Basic Telekinesis,' subtly shifted furniture to create barricades and obscure lines of sight. She also used her newfound 'Basic Energy Absorption' to siphon ambient energy from the mansion's power grid, storing it within herself, a small but growing reserve.
"Host has successfully absorbed ambient energy. Energy Reserve: 5%."
Suddenly, a distant alarm blared, a piercing wail that echoed through the mansion. "They're here," Kaelen stated, his voice calm, almost expectant. "Right on schedule."
The sounds of battle from outside had ceased, replaced by a chilling silence. The Volkov guards, outmatched and outmaneuvered, had likely been neutralized. The Silent Watchers were now inside.
Footsteps, precise and synchronized, approached their location. They weren't running, but moving with a deliberate, almost arrogant confidence. They knew where she was. They had been tracking her.
Anya took a deep breath, her senses heightened. She could feel their presence, a cold, calculated energy that was distinct from the chaotic aura of the previous hunters. These were indeed the elite.
The door to the study, reinforced by Kaelen's power, shuddered under a powerful impact. Then another. And another. The wood splintered, groaning under the assault.
"Ready?" Kaelen asked, his hand now firmly on his weapon, a sleek, almost invisible blade that seemed to shimmer in the dim light.
"Born ready," Anya replied, a dangerous glint in her eyes. She focused her will, her 'Basic Telekinesis' now a tangible force, ready to unleash itself.
The door finally burst inward, sending splinters flying. Three figures, clad in dark, form-fitting suits, entered the room. Their faces were obscured by visors, but their movements were fluid, deadly. They carried energy weapons, their muzzles glowing with an ominous light.
"Anya Volkov," one of them stated, his voice synthesized and devoid of emotion. "You are designated Anomaly 734. Surrender, and your capture will be swift and painless."
Anya merely smiled. "Painless? You clearly underestimate the Empress of Aethel."
Before they could react, Kaelen moved. He was a blur of motion, his shimmering blade a silver streak in the air. The first Silent Watcher barely had time to raise his weapon before Kaelen was upon him, a swift, precise strike that disabled his arm. The Watcher cried out, a rare display of emotion from their kind.
Anya, not to be outdone, unleashed her 'Basic Telekinesis.' She didn't aim for the Watchers directly, but at the heavy bookshelves lining the walls. With a mental push, she sent them toppling forward, creating a chaotic barrier of wood and books. The remaining two Watchers, caught off guard, were forced to dodge, their synchronized movements momentarily broken.
One of them, recovering quickly, fired his energy weapon. A searing blue beam lanced through the air, narrowly missing Anya's head. She retaliated, not with a direct attack, but by manipulating the air currents around him, causing his aim to waver, his shot going wide.
Kaelen, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of controlled violence. He moved with an almost supernatural speed, his blade deflecting energy blasts, his strikes precise and devastating. He was not just fighting; he was dancing, a deadly ballet of power and grace.
Anya focused on the Watcher who had fired at her. She noticed a subtle hum emanating from his visor, a faint energy signature. His weakness. With a surge of mental effort, she concentrated her 'Basic Telekinesis' on the visor, twisting it, distorting it. The Watcher cried out, his vision obscured, his movements becoming erratic.
"Now, Kaelen!" Anya shouted.
Kaelen, sensing her intent, moved in for the kill. His blade flashed, and the Watcher crumpled, his suit sparking with internal energy discharges.
The remaining Watcher, seeing his comrades fall, hesitated for a fraction of a second. It was all Anya needed. She unleashed a concentrated burst of her newly absorbed energy, a raw, untamed force that slammed into the Watcher, sending him flying across the room, crashing into the wall with a sickening thud.
He lay there, unmoving. Kaelen approached cautiously, checking for any signs of life. "They're down," he stated, his voice a little breathless. "Impressive, Anya. Very impressive."
Anya leaned against a shattered bookshelf, her chest heaving. The battle had been intense, a true test of her growing abilities. She had faced highly trained assassins, wielded powers she was only just beginning to understand, and emerged victorious. The exhilaration was intoxicating.
But the victory was fleeting. Kaelen's gaze fell upon the glowing device that had fallen from the first Watcher's hand. He picked it up, his eyes narrowing. "This isn't just a communication device," he murmured. "It's a locator. And it's still active. They know we're here. And more are coming."
Anya's eyes met his. The first major battle was over. But the war, she knew, had only just begun.
[End of Chapter 16]