They had chosen to use the outside command center during the attack for a reason. That large door was the only way out of the bunker, and they needed more space for maneuvering. What was even worse, the rangers knew the location of the bunker. But considering their previous encounters, Aira was ready to bet that they wouldn't have enough time or patience to check the whole facility. Especially is someone like Korin would be put in charge of the assault.

  In any case, Aira was confident she'd be able to scare and push away the assailants. Even if they decided to spread over the whole building. The only question was how much damage the attackers were ready to take before retreating.

  While Lila climbed up the stairs to the top floors of the building, Aira watched the rangers' advances on the screens. Now, it was like having a dual vision. She could see their movements through the tech of the security system. But simultaneously, she sensed the energy patterns of these humans with her arcane powers.

  That... that finally was a great opportunity to hone her skill and practice in focusing it.

  Starting to explore each separate signature of each of the attackers, Aira searched for the same people moving on her screens. It was an intense effort, but she could finally feel that there wasn't one giant energy blob in her magical vision, and it was possible to distinguish them.

  Aira was sure that Korin should be among the attackers. He was injured during his previous visit, but it was superficial. She tried remembering everything she sensed about him on that fateful day when Lila decided to guide Aira away from Mountain View. How Korin's energy signature felt when he approached them in that dark alley. How it shifted when he realized what was happening. Aira grasped for all these fleeting details and started searching for similarities among the attackers.

  And there he was, leading one of the groups closest to the building. Not that it was unexpected.

  But for Aira, the effort was almost too much. When Lila burst into the room out of breath, she found her friend in a similar state of exhaustion.

  "By the Elders' breath! Shut the bunker door!" Lila exclaimed, her voice rising with urgency. But as she glanced at Aira, her tone softened with concern. "Wait… what's going on with you? You look rattled like a loose gear. Did you run? You don't even get tired when you run. What gives?"

  "I just had a breakthrough," replied Aira. "Korin is here. I can sense him."

  "You mean you saw him on the cameras?" asked Lila.

  "No, I can recognize him with my senses," said Aira. "I just... it was a bit too much for me. I didn't expect to get so immersed in it. I need to take a break."

  "Well, they're gearing up to bite the bramble," Lila said, her voice sharp with exasperation. "But, for the roots' sake, when I told you to take a break, I I didn't mean to do that during the attack! And I didn't mean for you to exhaust yourself so completely before taking that break!"

  ***

  One could only envy the persistence of the human attackers. Their enemy has already shown at least some of her abilities. Still, the conviction with which they approached the ancient building commanded respect. Or maybe it was pure foolishness and hubris. They knew that only two people were defending the facility and thought they'd be able to win the conflict by sheer numbers.

  And arrive in large numbers they did. Aira's worst fears were becoming a reality. Was she even ready for that? At least the fact that she still couldn't distinguish the signatures of separate humans and count them separately told her she wasn't. Luckily, at last, by combining the data from the cameras and her senses, she could say there were scores of them. Maybe that approach of merging magic and tech was their best chance.

  The attackers came prepared, armed with weapons and tools designed to break through the facility's defenses. Still, even if Aira and Lila were heavily outnumbered, they had the advantage of home turf and their carefully laid traps and security systems.

  As the rangers approached the facility, Aira triggered the first set of traps. Explosive charges detonated in the distance, creating a series of loud bangs and flashes meant to confuse and disorient the attackers. In part, they worked as planned. Smoke filled the air, obscuring their vision and forcing the rangers to slow their advance.

  "Well, that stirred the nest," Lila muttered, eyes glued to the monitors as smoke clouded the screens. "But these lot? They'll regroup faster than a fox-tail in a thicket. Don't let up."

  And as if following Lila's prompt, the attackers started to move faster toward the building. Realizing that no one was hurt during this first encounter and that they didn't have to hide anymore.

  Aira growled in agreement with Lila. "Time for the next phase."

  She sent a burst of energy through the system, activating the second set of traps. This time, barriers shot down from hidden compartments in the ceilings, blocking key access points and funneling the rangers into narrow corridors. These choke points would make it easier for Aira and Lila to defend their position.

  It was a game of cat and mouse. The rangers, realizing they were being herded, began to adapt, looking for alternative routes, breaking through the walls, and checking the vents and service galleries. It was even impressive how resilient they were.

  Lila explained that her fellow humans also had their use for the explosives. But that they were considered an extravagance. Still, they used them now without any hesitation. The humans dismantled and cleared the barriers with them. Still, the reinforced metal structures held firm. And for most locations, Aira's and Lila's plans were intact.

  Frustration and tension grew among the attackers as they struggled to make progress. With every step, they were slowing down more and more. Still, Aira knew they needed more than just physical defenses to deter the rangers. She decided to try something different, something that might appeal to their reason.

  Blanketing the facility with probing pulses of energy, she sensed that each group of attackers had at least one portable radio with them. So, she implemented one of the tech-related parts of the plan.

  Her voice sounded from the multitude of speakers. "Rangers! Hear me! We don't want to fight with you. This facility is our base, and it is fortified well. Just let us be!"

  Her voice carried a tone of calm and resolve, hoping to reach any part of the rangers' minds that might consider a peaceful resolution.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  The announcement caused a brief pause among the rangers. Aira and Lila could see on their screens humans glancing at each other, uncertain, their movements becoming hesitant. The message was clear, and for a moment, it seemed like Aira's words might be getting through.

  However, it was Korin, once again, who decided to get in Aira's way and boost the resolve of his subordinates.

  He stepped forward, turned to face the rangers in his vicinity, brought his portable radio to his mouth with a scowl, and said: "Don't listen to her! She's trying to trick us. It's not the first time! She has already tricked us. And what's even more important, we have our orders!"

  His voice was harsh and unwavering, rallying the others back to their original mission. The rangers resumed their advance, their resolve seemingly bolstered by their leader's words.

  Aira watched on the monitors, her frustration mounting. "They're not going to stop," she said to Lila, who nodded grimly beside her.

  "We'll have to keep pushing them back," Lila replied, her eyes fixed on the screens. "They won't give up easily."

  "Yes, we need to scare them properly. But where's the line?" Asked Aira. "Last time, two Korin's team members were heavily wounded. It only enraged them, as you can see. When would they be ready to cut their losses and stop pushing?"

  The rangers continued to progress towards the corridor that led to the bunker, not knowing that the door was closed and the residents of the ancient building weren't even there. Their exploration was cautious and slow; they disassembled the barriers and, where needed, continued to clear their path with the precise use of explosives.

  The facility shook with each detonation, the reverberations echoing through the corridors. Aira and Lila could feel the pressure mounting, seeing that the rangers were relentless in their mission. The tension in the air was palpable, and Aira's mind raced, searching for other low-damage strategies to fend off the attackers.

  "These folks are tougher than pine bark," Lila said, frustration seeping into her voice. "I know their type—they're chasing shadows, thinking there's treasure here. Well, they know there's a treasure here. And you could shout reason at them all day, and they'd still dig in. I don't see other way, we've got to spook them good and proper."

  Lila's expression was one of distress. Her panicked condition only worsened because of the fear that Aira would start using her abilities at full power.

  "Those are my people out there," Lila said, moving around the room like a wind-snapped branch. "I get why they're doing this, but storm or shine, it doesn't make it easier. And you—" She turned to Aira, her voice catching. "I'm scared you'll do something we can't walk back from. I don't know how we keep this place safe and keep them alive."

  Aira nodded, her resolve hardening. She scooped energy generously from their much-increased reserves, feeling the familiar surge of power flow through her. She knew she had to act decisively and started with an old trick. Using her Energy Manipulation skill, she targeted the gunpowder in all the firearms she could see in the video feeds. By now, she could focus this aspect of her powers quite precisely after weeks of training. Still, it wasn't a sure thing.

  The plan was straightforward but risky. Using the same technique as before, Aira checked over the video surveillance system to see who among the rangers had firearms. Then Aira used her energy, igniting the gunpowder in the attackers' guns. Not all of the attacks were totally successful. This time, they were warned, and dispersing her attention over dozens of people led to subpar targeting.

  The combustion was slower, and some rangers noticed strange sounds and smells, getting rid of their firearms before being injured. In some cases, rangers' clothes were ignited, and some more people received minor burns. Still, even if the effect was less devastating than during the previous unexpected Korin's visit, it slowed the attackers down a bit more. Now, only commands of the squad leaders and Korin's barks over the radio were making them continue their progress.

  Still, even this slow progress soon led them to the bunker's entrance.

  "Korin, the bunker is sealed," Aira and Lila heard one of the rangers from the advance squad transmitting over the radio. "You said the door was open before. Do they have electricity here to power up this machinery? Come in, over!"

  "Yes, it was open," answered Korin. "We need to sweep the whole facility, floor by floor. Collect the firearms and send runners to the camp. We'll check later to see if any of them can be repaired. Continue with blades, as planned."

  Frustration etched across Aira's face as she watched the rangers switch to bladed weapons they had in reserve. She looked at Lila, knowing that her human companion wouldn't like what she had to say. "They're prepared for this, we have to make the tough decision," she muttered. "We need to hit them where it hurts. The only option we have left is to disrupt their command structure. Then we might be able to force a retreat. They were already spooked before. Hopefully, loosing their leaders would be the final straw."

  Lila was visibly disturbed by that moment. "Roots and rivers, I betrayed them," Lila muttered, her voice thick with despair. "Every last one of them… I've gone and chopped my own roots clean off. What's left now?"

  She stood up from her stool and started walking around their command center, darting a glance at the screens from time to time. Aira patiently waited. Human attackers slowly moved forward.

  "By the bark, you know they didn't just bring Mountain View folks," Lila said, her voice heavy. "I barely know a third of them. This isn't just a scrap with my old town anymore—it's bigger than that. And me? I'm greener than spring leaves if I think I'll ever have a place with humans again after this."

  She made a few more steps, mussing her hair with both hands to an even more tousled state. Then Lila abruptly turned to Aira and shook her fists at the sky. Or more like at the ceiling.

  "By the twisted branches!" Lila shouted, her voice shaking with raw emotion. "Fine, just do it! I'm already rootless, cursed by my people… What's left to lose? Can't get worse than this!"

  Aira nodded and focused her energy on Korin. With precise control, she sent a powerful burst of energy towards his location. The ranger's radio crackled and then exploded. Pulses of energy shook his body, spreading all over it and sending discharges to the people standing next to him. Korin shook for a brief moment and then dropped down on the floor like a chopped tree.

  Somebody screamed.

  Chatter burst over the radios, Aira and Lila hearing it through their security system.

  "What's happening…?"

  "Who was that…?"

  "Are they attacking…?"

  Korin's team, however, was disoriented only for a moment. He prepared them even for that. And that wasn't really surprising. Korin witnessed Aira's action thrice now. It was well past time for him to learn the lesson. His second-in-command, a stern-faced woman with a steely gaze, quickly took charge. "Keep moving!" she barked to her subordinates, her voice cutting through the chaos. "We push forward!"

  And then over the radio: "Keep silent, idiots! Nothing unexpected happened. We proceed with the mission."

  But Aira and Lila could see hesitation mounting among the rangers. Especially the ones who came from other towns. They heard only rumors of what happened during Garrick's revolt. However, rumors tend to get more and more graphic with each passing day and each kilometer of distance.

  Aira's mind raced. Blowing up the guns had only bought them a little time. Removing one of the leaders of the assault from action also wasn't enough. She needed to do something even more spectacular to halt their advance while preferably staying conscious.

  There were still plenty of gadgets and devices used by the rangers, she could see some of them on the screens and feel them even from this distance. A new plan began to form in her mind.

  She scooped even more energy from their power source. The control system started blinking angrily, showing that the reserves were draining too fast. It was night, and solar panels weren't of any help as well. Soon, they wouldn't be enough to allow them to return to the bunker without using Aira's powers. If their energy reserves hit zero, not only would their defenses crumble, but they would be trapped without means of communication or escape.

  Moreover, Aira would have no backup to rely on. And what she definitely couldn't allow was passing out because of overtaxing herself. Failure was not an option. She needed a balanced approach. But who cared about balance when there were no other options? And it really seemed that she had no choice.

  "Hang on, Lila," said Aira, her voice tinged with urgency. "I'm going to try something bigger."

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