The processing continued through the evening with professional efficiency that impressed even Liam's analytical mind. Every former slave was documented, medically examined, and provided with immediate necessities. The operation moved like clockwork."Someone's been planning this for a long time," Anna observed, watching medical teams treat injuries with supplies that seemed specifically chosen for the conditions they were encountering."Months, probably," Samson agreed. "This isn't improvised humanitarian response. This is coordinated extraction."The cat masked man moved through the operation with quiet authority, checking on various aspects of the evacuation without appearing to be in charge. But Miko noticed how personnel deferred to his guidance and how efficiently tasks were completed after he made suggestions.Professional rescue teams had established a temporary medical station where Anna worked alongside trained doctors to treat the most seriously injured evacuees. The equipme

The scale of the operation became clear as their transport approached the main extraction point.What had started as a remote mountain location was now a sprawling complex of vehicles, temporary structures, and organized chaos that stretched across several miles of valley floor. Military transports, medical vehicles, communication arrays, and supply convoys created a city that hadn't existed three days ago."Holy shit," Cabin breathed, staring out the transport window. "How many people are down there?""Hundreds," Liam estimated, studying the organized movement with his analytical eye. "Maybe thousands. This isn't just an extraction operation anymore.""It's a major humanitarian crisis response," Anna added, watching medical helicopters ferry the most seriously injured evacuees toward hospitals in distant cities.The freed slaves weren't just being processed and released. They were being dissolved into a massive support network that seemed designed to handle every aspect of rebuilding

The howling started behind him before he could react.Miko spun around in the void to see shapes materializing from the darkness. Not the versions of himself this time - these were wraiths. Real ones, with claws that gleamed like black metal and eyes that burned with hungry intelligence."No," he breathed, backing away. "Not here. Not now."But they were already moving toward him with that terrible speed he remembered from the Abyss. Multiple wraiths, all focused on him, all closing the distance with predatory precision.Miko ran.He had no idea which direction he was going in the featureless void, but staying still meant death. The wraiths pursued him through the darkness, their claws clicking against the strange surface as they gained ground with every stride.His lungs burned as he pushed himself faster than should have been possible. Behind him, the sounds of pursuit grew closer - the scraping of claws, the harsh breathing of creatures that shouldn't need air, the occasional growl

Miko carried the unconscious figure through the Academy hallways, his arms aching from the dead weight. The person he'd been chasing wasn't particularly large, but carrying someone who couldn't support their own weight was harder than he'd expected."What were you thinking?" Liam hissed as he unlocked the infirmary door. "You can't just drag unconscious people around the Academy without authorization.""He was spying on me," Miko replied, maneuvering through the doorway. "I caught him outside my window.""And your first instinct was to chase him down and bring him back here instead of reporting it to security?""Security would have asked too many questions I don't have answers for."Liam shook his head but helped him lay the figure on one of the medical beds. In the better lighting of the infirmary, they could see their captive more clearly.It was a young man, maybe early twenties, with the kind of lean build that suggested either regular training or poor nutrition. His clothes were

After spending the night in the mountains, Miko felt better. Not completely better, but better enough to deal with people again. The quiet had helped him think through some of his problems, even if he didn't have solutions yet.He drove the car down from the mountain roads toward the capital city. He'd never spent much time there, but today seemed like a good day to see how normal people lived. People who didn't worry about elemental techniques or Abyssal invasions or element marriage syndrome.The capital was huge compared to the Academy. Buildings everywhere, cars filling the streets, thousands of people going about their daily lives. It was exactly what he needed - a place where he could just blend in and be anonymous.He drove slowly through different neighborhoods, watching people walk to work, kids playing in parks, families shopping together. Everyone looked so normal, so peaceful. They had no idea how close they'd come to dimensional invasion just a few days ago.That's when h