The team approached the pedestal, its surface covered in carvings that glowed faintly, the symbols pulsing as if alive. At the center rested a small, gleaming object—a fragment of a stone key, etched with intricate designs.

  “This must be one of the keys,” Nexus said, her voice hushed with awe. “The first of the ten.”

  Leo reached for the key, his fingers brushing against the cold stone. As he lifted it from the pedestal, a holographic projection flickered to life above them. Ancient symbols and cryptic lines of text scrolled across the projection, forming a riddle that seemed to echo through the chamber.

  “‘Beneath the light that never fades, where fire meets ice, the path shall rise,’” Leo read aloud, frowning as he tried to decipher the clue. “What does that mean?”

  Cipher studied the symbols, his brow furrowed in concentration. “Sounds like it could refer to one of the mythical sites. Maybe Rapa Nui, the land of obsidian towers and lava?”

  “Or Mt. Etna,” Zara suggested. “The sunken empire… where ‘fire’ could mean sunlight, and ‘ice’ could be the cold depths.”

  Leo pocketed the key, his mind racing as he considered the possibilities. “We’ll figure it out. For now, let’s get back topside.”

  The team turned back toward the staircase, ready to leave the tomb. But as they ascended, voices echoed down the stairs—a group of players approaching, their laughter and conversation growing louder with each step.

  At the top of the stairs, Leo and his team came face to face with a group of seven players—the Militia. They were an intimidating sight, each avatar decked out in high-level gear, weapons gleaming with upgrades. At the front of the group stood the unmistakable figures of Grieger’s son, Ethan “Stoneblade” Grieger, and the Jasper twins, Connor “Frostbite” Jasper and Caleb “Ironfist” Jasper, their cocky grins widening as they spotted Leo and his teammates.

  “Well, well,” sneered Ethan, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Look who it is. You call this a team, Leo?”

  The Militia members laughed. Leo clenched his jaw, his gaze steady as he met Ethan’s taunting stare. “Didn’t realize this game was taking recruits from the schoolyard.”

  The Jasper twins exchanged a look, smirking as Connor chimed in, “We’re just here to play the game… but if you’re not careful, you might get left behind.”

  “Funny,” Forge shot back, hefting his hammer with a wicked grin. “Because we’re the ones who got the first key while you were busy gearing up your avatars.”

  Ethan’s face twisted in a sneer, but he quickly masked it with a smirk. “Keys don’t mean anything if you don’t know how to use them. We’ll see who comes out on top.”

  Zara stepped forward, her posture calm but commanding. “Let’s keep this simple. We got here first, and we got the key. You want it? You’ll have to keep up.”

  For a moment, tension hung heavy in the air, each team sizing up the other, their hands hovering over their weapons. But the Militia finally stepped aside, allowing Leo and his team to pass.

  “Enjoy your head start,” Ethan called after them, his voice laced with sarcasm. “We’ll be right behind you.”

  Without another word, Leo and his team exited the chamber, moving quickly across the icy landscape. The encounter left an uneasy feeling in the pit of Leo’s stomach, a reminder that they weren’t the only ones fighting for control of the game’s secrets.

  Back at the secure Commission base, the air buzzed with a tense silence as Grieger’s team prepared to re-equip and resupply after another night’s mission. Rows of weapons and advanced equipment lay neatly organized in the armory. Men milled about, some rubbing sore muscles, others inspecting their gear for any sign of damage or wear. The base was a heavily fortified facility, buried deep underground, its walls thick and windowless, giving it the look of a bunker.

  In his office, General Robert “Stonewall” Grieger sat at a metal desk, sifting through maps and data feeds, trying to piece together the clues they had gathered so far. His focus was on his new objective: Leo Adams, the young player who had become an unexpected threat to the Commission’s mission.

  The door swung open suddenly, and his son, Ethan “Stoneblade” Grieger, stormed in, followed by the Jasper twins, Connor “Frostbite” Jasper and Caleb “Ironfist” Jasper. All three looked visibly shaken and frustrated, their game gear and body suits still equipped.

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  Ethan’s fists were clenched, his face red with frustration as he began to pace the room, his words tumbling out in a barely coherent rush. “24 hours before it rezzes. . . . He—Leo—he’s way ahead of us, Dad. We had him cornered, but he managed to slip past us—”

  “Enough!” Grieger’s voice thundered as he glared at Ethan. “Sit down, calm down, and stop mumbling!” His voice left no room for argument, and Ethan dropped into a chair, shooting an irritated glance at the Jasper twins, who looked equally unsettled but remained silent.

  A moment later, Colonel Theodore Jasper entered, having heard the General’s shout from down the hall. He closed the door firmly behind him, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall, his piercing gaze on the three young men in front of him.

  The General’s eyes narrowed as he looked at his son. “Now, you’re going to give me a proper report on what happened out there. And I expect the full story, without the theatrics.”

  Ethan took a steadying breath before starting, his tone more controlled. “We followed Leo and his team down to an obelisk. They were ahead of us the whole time, moving like they knew exactly where they were going. They found the first key, and when we confronted them, they didn’t back down. Now we have to wait an entire day before The Artic key reappears in game. Leo’s team was… more organized than we expected.”

  Caleb leaned forward, his voice tense. “They’ve got Zara with them—she’s sharp. And Forge the Engineer too—They’ve both been gaming longer as any of us. They’re not amateurs. And now they’re one step ahead.”

  General Grieger listened in silence, his expression hardening. He turned his attention to Colonel Jasper, who was watching the young men with a calculating look. “Teddy, seems like our intel underestimated their capabilities. We need to track Leo and his team more closely.”

  Colonel Jasper nodded, a cold gleam in his eye. “They’re taking this game a lot more seriously than the average player. They’re organized, and they’ve got some top players on their side. We need to up our strategy if we’re going to beat them.”

  General Grieger clenched his fist. “Then that’s what we’ll do. I want more surveillance on Leo and his teammates. We need to monitor their every move, both in-game and out. We’ll make sure they don’t get another key without us right behind them.”

  Ethan, unable to contain his frustration, interjected, “But Dad, they’re impossible to pin down. We thought we had them cornered, but they keep slipping through. It’s like they know the game better than we do.”

  General Grieger shot his son a sharp look. “Then we’ll even the playing field.” He turned to Colonel Jasper, his expression steely. “We need more than brute force. Send out additional squads to every suspected Wesirian safe house and camp. I don’t care if they’re civilians, food banks, or shelters—if there’s a chance they’re aiding the Wesirians, we eliminate them.”

  A slow, cruel smile spread across Colonel Jasper’s face as he nodded. “Consider it done. We’ll take out every safe house we can find, and the rest of our team will monitor in-game activities to locate Leo’s team members. We’ll squeeze every resource they have until they’ve got nothing left.”

  Grieger looked back at his son and the Jasper twins. “This is about more than just the game. Leo and his friends are meddling in matters they don’t understand. They’re trying to access knowledge they have no right to, and they’re putting our mission at risk. If they think they’re safe behind their screens, they’re sorely mistaken.”

  Connor exchanged a look with Caleb, who added, “The game is practically their home turf. They’re hiding in there, probably laughing at us. They think they’re untouchable. We need someone who can get into their game servers and monitor every action.”

  The General’s eyes glinted as he tapped his fingers on the desk, a calculating look crossing his face. “Then it’s time to bring in an expert.”

  Colonel Jasper looked at him, eyebrows raised. “You’re thinking of bringing in the Hacker?”

  Grieger nodded slowly. “Yes. It’s time we leveled the playing field.” He turned to Ethan and the twins. “The Hacker will give us the edge we need. We’ll have someone on the inside who can track them, anticipate their moves, and disrupt their little alliance from within.”

  The room fell silent as they processed the weight of this new plan. The Hacker was an elusive figure, known for their skill in accessing secure networks, manipulating game codes, and hiding within the digital landscape. If anyone could track Leo and his team in the game, it would be this person.

  Colonel Jasper smirked. “The Hacker doesn’t come cheap, but I’m sure they’ll be interested in taking on a challenge like this.”

  Grieger stood, his posture rigid with determination. “Then make the call. I want that Hacker on our payroll by the end of the day. And once they’re in the game, I expect results. Leo and his team have had too many close calls. This time, we won’t let them slip away.”

  He turned back to his son, his eyes blazing with resolve. “Ethan, you and the twins will work with the Hacker to stay close to Leo’s team in-game. Make them believe they’re safe, let them think they’re making progress. But the second they slip up, you strike. Understood?”

  Ethan nodded, his jaw tight as he suppressed a smirk. “Understood, Dad. We’ll be ready.”

  The General gave a curt nod and dismissed them with a gesture. As the trio left, Colonel Jasper lingered, waiting until the door shut behind them.

  “You think this will be enough?” Jasper asked, eyeing Grieger.

  Grieger’s face was a mask of cold resolve. “With the Hacker on our side, we’ll have them cornered before they even realize what’s happening. And once we have them… their game is over.”

  Grieger’s voice hardened, his fists clenching as he turned back to his desk. “Make the call, Teddy. Let’s get the Hacker.”

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