Chapter 128 Echoes into a Roar

The Council hub loomed before them, a monstrous metallic structure pulsing with a malevolent energy. Towering security pylons scanned the surrounding network, their crimson beams casting long, ominous shadows. Elara, her heart hammering against her ribs, knew this was their most perilous mission yet. Retrieving the final map fragment from the heart of Council territory was a gamble, a desperate hope that could very well end in their capture or worse. "The security is off the charts," Jax muttered, his voice laced with concern as he ran diagnostics on their modified drone, Wisp. "Even with the cloaking device, there's a high chance of detection." Kai, her hand resting on the hilt of her blaster, surveyed the hub with a practiced eye. "We need a distraction," she stated, her voice firm despite the tremor in her hand. "Something to draw the Council's attention away from Wisp while it infiltrates the hub." Elara closed her eyes, picturing the Aethel network in her mind. She focus