Our high-speed boat sliced through the dark seawater, charging forward toward our destination.
I stood near the bow, gripping the cold metal railing as the salty wind whipped against my face. My faded military uniform felt stiff, a familiar weight against the chill.In the distance, a small, triangular landmass slowly cut through the ocean mist.I must complete this mission, I thought, staring at the horizon. Everything depends on it.
"Slow down, Daniel! We're getting close," I shouted over the roar of the engine to our pilot.
At my warning, the other two team members stepped up to the deck, their eyes locking onto the distant landmass. One of them was Skull, a young operative wearing a heavy, military-grade tactical jacket with rows of heavy ammunition curved across his chest. His face, as always, was hidden behind a grim, bone-white skull mask.
"Captain, this is our final ride together, right?" Skull asked, his voice slightly muffled by the mask.
"Yes, Skull," I replied tightly. I scanned the small deck.
"Where is Raya? Get her up here now."
"Right here, Captain Rodwel!" Raya called out cheerfully from the stern of the boat. She was leaning over the edge, pulling a fishing line from the water. "Captain, look! I caught an eel just now. Want me to cook it up for dinner?"
A heavy vein throbbed in my temple. "Raya... we are entering hostile territory on a black ops mission!"She flinched automatically, dropping the line.
"Sorry, sir! Lieutenant Raya, ready for duty!" She snapped an exaggerated, overly dramatic salute.
Skull let out a low chuckle behind his mask. Daniel, having adjusted the boat's automated steering, stepped into the main cabin, barely hiding a smirk at the drama.
"Yes, sir," she replied instantly, her voice flattening into a robotic monotone.
"Ahem. Right, I think everyone is ready," I sighed, looking at my crew. "Daniel, prepare the briefing."
"Look at these coordinates," Daniel said, pointing a thick finger at a specific point on the map. He looked up, testing us.
"Can anyone tell me exactly where we are?"
"Arthen," Raya answered instantly. "Specifically, near the Gassaphor continent.
"Skull smirked behind his mask at the basic, textbook answer, though he kept his mouth shut."Yeah, but let's look past the basics," Daniel pressed on.
"Which side of planet Arthen?"
"The North Sea," I answered.
"Exactly," Daniel said, his expression turning serious. "But according to ancient journals and older maps, there is something deeply wrong with this sector of Arthen.
"The squad fell completely silent. The only sound was the distant hum of the engine."Is this anomaly connected to our targets?" Skull asked.Daniel nodded grimly.
"Let me explain. The North Sea of Gassaphor is historically known as the Storm Sea. Under normal circumstances, fleets can't even sail through here because the weather will tear ships apart. But right now, the entire sea has gone completely dead and quiet."
"I felt it earlier," I muttered, looking out at the unusually smooth water. "It shouldn't be this calm."
"Exactly," Daniel said. "Our mission is directly tied to this phenomenon. I just finished analyzing the detailed intelligence report sent over secure channels from headquarters. We don't have much time before we make landfall, so I'll keep the breakdown brief."
"Does this involve the Asplats?" Skull interjected.
Daniel looked up, momentarily surprised. "I don't know how you guessed it, but your tactical deduction is always spot on, Skull. Yes. The Asplat AI robots are the core of this operation."
Raya's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by sudden tension. "Rogue AI units? Out here?"
"According to our intel, we have three primary objectives," Daniel explained, tapping the map. "First, map the localized anomaly in the North Sea. Second, investigate that mysterious, triangular island directly ahead of us. You won't find it on any modern global maps. It doesn't officially exist. However, we received a highly classified leak from the Blue Birds."
"The Blue Birds?" I interrupted, my eyes narrowing. "The secret intelligence agency out of Rosbin?"
"The very same," Daniel nodded. "The intel came directly from the central military headquarters in Roster. Rosbin's top spies managed to intercept data transmissions that were leaking out from the island."
"If Rosbin's military high command is quietly feeding us intelligence from Roster, this matter is far more serious than we thought," I muttered, feeling the weight of the mission growing heavier."Yes, you're right, Captain. That's exactly why headquarters wants this resolved with zero noise."
Daniel agreed.
"Then what did the Blue Birds' intelligence actually say?" Skull asked, leaning closer to the map.
"It's an ancient landmass. It holds many names in forbidden archives, but the most accurate translation is 'The Island of Endless Storms.' The records indicate this island houses a central weather-alteration matrix. It is the literal engine that has kept the North Sea in turmoil for centuries. Someone—or something—has turned that engine off."
"And the third objective?" I asked.
Daniel's eyes met mine. "The most critical one. Eliminate every single Asplat military robot currently occupying the island, and secure their localized processing cores before they can extract the ancient resources."
Skull stared out at the dark silhouette of the approaching island. "Sir, are you sure we will succeed"
"Haha, Skull, be confident in your skills," Daniel replied, offering a confident nod.
"Jane and Josh are already airborne nearby. We have heavy helicopter backup on standby, the second the synths try to pin us down."
"Now, before we start, Raya, try to use your power on that island," Rodwell instructed.
"Yes, sir," saying this, she closed her eyes in a serious manner.
Soon, white particles appeared out of the air, and they started to glow. She controlled them perfectly with her hand gesture. She pointed them toward the island, and as if a rain of light fell on the island.
Others are staring at her with awe. That's the power she possesses, the only reason she was able to join the mission.