Eclipse Protocol

Chapter Two: The Eclipse Unleashed

The skyline of Noxhaven burned with the aftermath of the unnatural pulse. Shattered glass glimmered like jagged stars in the crimson moonlight. The city's heartbeat had shifted - faster, anxious, aware.

Nyctarion crouched atop a crumbling rooftop, the violet mist of his last translocator jump still fading around him. Umbros stirred in his helmet, a low whine cutting through the static.

"Lovely night for chaos," the AI muttered. "But seriously, I'm starving for some fresh data streams. Can we hack something while we're at it? I promise I'll leave another 'turd' for the Wardens."

Kalen's eyes scanned the horizon. Beyond the flickering neon and smoke, a silhouette rose. Towering, indestructible, unstoppable - High Inquisitor Voryx. Every ounce of the Eternal Warden's armor radiated judgment, and the city seemed to shiver under his gaze.

"Umbros," Kalen muttered, voice low, teeth gritted. "Run an energy read on that thing. Now."

"Already on it. And yes... he's terrifying. Also, the armor's weirdly boring. I hate him. Shall I taunt?"

Before Kalen could respond, a streak of silver-blue flickered across the rooftops. Lucien Caelum Vire, The Azure Revenant, materialized with his Chrono-Bracers shimmering, leaving after-images behind like broken reflections in shattered glass.

"You're punctual, as always," Kalen said, eyes narrowing beneath his helm.

Lucien's voice was calm but sharp. "And you're predictably brooding. I suppose that's comforting... in a terrible way."

The city groaned, a distant wail of collapsing structures signaling the first of many casualties. Voryx stepped forward, oblivious to the fractured rooftops he shattered beneath his boots, and raised a gauntleted hand.

"I am the correction," his voice boomed, carrying over the chaos. "You are the error."

Selina - The Crimson Wraith - appeared on the nearest ledge, her shadow silk cloak blending perfectly with the night. Twin crimson daggers in hand, eyes gleaming with calculated amusement.

"You boys really don't know how to show up early," she said, her voice carrying through encrypted comms, knowing both Kalen and Lucien would hear. "And you, big guy," she added, nodding at Voryx, "you've got a terrible sense of timing."

Umbros hissed. "She's out of bounds, but she's ours for now. I like it. Also, I could really use a snack while we do this."

Kalen ignored the AI. He crouched, reading the battlefield. Voryx was more than a brute - the Eternal Warden exuded a precision that could tear apart even Nyctarion's Shadow-Core Armor if miscalculated.

Lucien's voice came next, low and dangerous. "Kalen... Selina... ready for a disaster? Or shall I lead the way?"

Selina's laugh was sharp, teasing. "Lead? You're both too stubborn to follow. I suggest we... improvise."

A pulse of energy detonated in the streets below, sending sparks and debris into the night. The city's electric hum was drowned by the sound of Voryx's colossal presence.

Kalen's fingers flexed, activating his Stealth Gauntlets. The Eclipse Belt hummed, charging another translocator jump - three seconds, maybe four.

Lucien drew his Energy Blades, blue plasma rippling along the edges, after-images flickering wildly.

Selina dropped into the fray, Shadow Silk Cloak folding around her as she vanished from sight, only her crimson daggers gleaming like slivers of blood.

The three of them - predator, specter, and phantom - faced the embodiment of relentless order.