Ether: Pulse of the Forgotten

The night before the raid, the camp was restless.

People sharpened weapons. Mages sat in circles, murmuring incantations to conserve mana. Fighters stretched, rolled their shoulders, paced.

No one spoke about it, but they all knew.

Tomorrow was the end of the line.

Either Gorran fell, or they did.

Kai sat with Sasha, Talia, and the settlement leaders at the large central tent, their map of the battlefield spread across the rough wooden table. The bonfire outside burned lower than usual, its glow casting flickering shadows over the weary faces of those gathered.

Lio spun his dagger lazily against the table. "Alright, geniuses. You've seen how this goes. So tell me—what makes you think this time won't be a mass burial?"

Kai leaned back, resting his arms behind his head. "Because this time, we actually know what we're walking into."

Grant grunted. "Enlighten us."

Kai tapped a spot on the map, marking the boundary of the battlefield. "The problem isn't just Gorran—it's his territory. Something in that field is messing with reaction speed. Slowing movement just enough to get people killed."

Selene crossed her arms, nodding. "We noticed that too. Like they freeze up just when they should be dodging."

"Exactly," Kai said. "It's not exhaustion. And the worst part? No one's ever come back out to warn the next team."

Sasha leaned forward. "But now that we know, we can counter it."

Grant frowned. "How? We don't have an army. Hell, we don't even have options."

"We work together, we are the army," Kai said. "We just need a plan."

He pointed to different areas of the battlefield.

Step One: Controlling the Fight

"We'll split forces. Melee Fighters up front at the edge, but no one rushes in blind. Mages and rangers hold position from the outskirts. We hit him from range first, test the response before committing."

Selene nodded. "That lets us probe the field's limits without sending people to their deaths. Smart."

Step Two: Buffing Support

Kai glanced toward a thin man standing near the tent entrance—one of the few buffers in the entire camp. The guy shifted uncomfortably as all eyes landed on him.

"I can enhance two people at best," the buffer admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "Strength, agility, balance—whatever they need most."

Kai nodded. "Then we give it to the frontline vanguard. They're gonna need every advantage once we step inside that field."

Grant cracked his knuckles. "Guess that means me."

Kai smirked. "You and me both, big guy."

Step Three: Fighting Inside the Gravity Field

Talia exhaled through her nose. "And what about the people actually going in?"

Kai's grin sharpened. "We adapt. Fast."

He gestured at the others. "The gravity effect doesn't seem to hit instantly—it gradually drags you down the longer you're inside. So we go in short bursts. Attack, retreat. Move unpredictably. No one stands still."

Sasha nodded. "And we'll be keeping pressure from the outside, forcing Gorran to move instead of letting him lock us down."

Lio leaned forward, rubbing his chin. "And what happens when we actually break the big guy?"

Kai's grin faded slightly. "That's when things get worse."

Step Four: The Second Phase

They all looked at him.

Kai tapped the center of the map. "I don't think Gorran's just gonna die. I think he's holding back. That field, the slow movement—it's all part of his first phase. But once we break that form, I bet the field collapses."

Grant frowned. "And what happens then?"

Kai sat forward. "Then he stops holding back."

The group went silent for a beat.

Lio finally chuckled. "You have a real talent for ruining my night."

Kai smirked. "What's a boss battle without a second phase? Your night gets worse though. When the gravity field goes, I think Gorran himself gets smaller. Faster. Same power, but compact. Meaning? We'll have to deal with something we haven't seen yet—speed and aggression instead of weight and patience."

Selene exhaled sharply. "And how do we stop that?"

Kai flipped a dagger between his fingers before pointing it at the map. "Every construct has a weak point. We find it fast, and hit it faster."

Sasha glanced at him. "You think he has one?"

Kai smiled. "I know he does."

Talia rolled her shoulders. "So... what's the kill shot?"

Kai tapped his wrist. "I've been working on something. We bait him into overcommitting, expose the core, and slice right through."

Grant folded his arms. "So, let me get this straight. Your plan is:

Don't die. Hit him till he breaks. Don't die faster. Then hit him really hard in the right spot."

Kai grinned. "See? You do get it."

Selene sighed. "It's insane."

"Yeah," Kai admitted. "But it's also our best shot."

The fire crackled as they sat in silence, letting the weight of it settle.

Four days of watching people get erased from existence.

Four days of trial and error with nothing to show for it.

But tomorrow?

Tomorrow was different.

Grant finally nodded. "Alright, I'm in."

Selene smirked. "Guess that means we don't have a choice."

Lio grinned. "Wouldn't miss it."

Kai leaned back, hands behind his head. "Alright, then."

He tilted his head toward the sky, watching the last embers of the fire drift upward.

"Tomorrow," he said. "We end this."

______

Kai stretched, rolling his shoulders as he stood outside the main tent, inhaling the crisp morning air. The settlement was already alive with movement. People rushed to check weapons, adjust armor, and huddle in small groups, murmuring last-minute strategies. Today was the day. They were going after Gorran, or the system protection drops and Garran is coming after them.

He caught sight of Sasha, perched on a wooden crate, idly adjusting the fletching on one of her arrows. She glanced up at him, smirking. "Slept well, fearless leader?"

Kai groaned. "That joke again? Didn't we decide on Grant for that role?"

"Oh, definitely," she said, spinning the arrow between her fingers. "But you're way more fun to mess with."

"Besides," Talia added, pushing off the post, "you're the one with the weird magic fists and the habit of surviving things you shouldn't. That's leader material."

"That's 'protagonist material,'" Kai corrected. "Totally different."

Talia rolled her eyes, but there was an amused glint in them. "Right. And if you die, we all follow a new protagonist, right? Maybe Grant?"

Kai glanced toward the central tent, where Grant and the other leaders were gathered. The shield-wielding man had spent the past few days coordinating supplies and reinforcing the camp's defenses. He was a solid, tactical leader—if a bit blunt.

"Grant's got the whole 'competent commander' thing down," Kai admitted. "But he doesn't have my stunning personality. Or my devastatingly good looks."

Sasha flicked an arrow at him, the dull end bouncing off his forehead. "Keep talking like that and you'll have to dodge Gorran's axe while monologuing."

Kai rubbed his forehead and grinned. "That sounds like a challenge."

The three of them made their way toward the others, where a small fire burned low, and final plans were being discussed. The tension was heavier here. Some of the fighters were checking their gear repeatedly, others were quiet, eyes distant. Everyone knew that in a few hours, some of them might not make it back.

Grant noticed their approach and waved them over. "Alright, we're running through this one more time. We know Gorran's got a field effect of some kind. None of the scouts survived long enough to tell us what, but the bodies all look like they took their hits full force. No dodging. No reacting."

Kai leaned against a crate, arms crossed. "So we're walking in blind, then."

"No," Grant said firmly. "We're walking in prepared. You and your group will handle vanguard, test his reactions, see if you can get a feel for how the effect works. The rest of us will move in based on your signals."

Kai exchanged a glance with Sasha and Talia. They knew this was coming, but it didn't make it easier.

"We'll get you what you need," Kai said. "Just don't take too long to back us up."

Grant nodded. "We won't. But if things go south, you retreat. No heroics."

Kai just grinned. "No promises."

Luca, one of the other settlement leaders, chuckled. "See? That's why everyone keeps saying you should be the leader."

Kai groaned. "Oh my god, not you too."

Even Grant smirked. "If you survive this, we might have to hold a vote."

Kai put a hand to his chest, mock-affronted. "You're telling me leadership is democratic here? Disgusting."

Talia laughed. "You wouldn't last a day."

Sasha patted his shoulder. "Yeah, you'd make us go on some dumb quest for fun instead of doing actual work."

Kai rubbed his chin. "That does sound like me."

The banter eased the tension, but the reality of what was ahead loomed. Gorran had wiped out everyone who had tried to claim his territory. No survivors. And now, after days of observation, they had a strategy—one they hoped would work.

The group dispersed, making final checks on weapons, armor, and gear. As Kai adjusted his gloves, Talia nudged him. "You nervous?"

He shrugged. "Little bit. Not about the fight. Just about what comes after."

She raised a brow. "What, the glory?"

"No. The fact that this is just another step. What's next? Another fight? Another territory? More enemies?" He exhaled. "Feels like a cycle."

Talia smirked. "You're thinking too much. Let's just focus on not dying first."

He laughed. "Fair enough."

This fight wasn't going to be like the others. Gorran wasn't just another monster—he was a challenge meant for people who had already reached their second class. And yet, here they were.

As the sun rose higher, the moment of action grew closer. The banter died down, replaced by quiet preparations. Armor adjusted, weapons checked, breath steadied.

Kai flexed his hands, feeling the faint hum of energy in his palms. He wasn't sure what was going to happen in the next few hours, but one thing was certain.

He'd make sure they survived it.