Rain hammered the shattered rooftops of Mini Milta as dawn broke through a blood-orange sky. The squad huddled in the wreckage of the control tower, bruised, coughing, and somehow still arguing.
"Next time," Roxy said, wringing out her soaked gloves, "we let someone else crash-land us onto the murder bird."
Boltan, who was chewing on an energy bar that looked more like compacted sand, nodded proudly. "You're welcome."
LagMan's visor flickered. "You're the reason my internal processor thinks it's a toaster."
"Breakfast included," Boltan said.
Chiku looked out toward the smoking horizon. "You guys seeing that? The hangars— they're glowing."
Indeed, a faint blue light pulsed across the ruined airfield, spreading like veins beneath the ground. The rubble hummed, resonating with some hidden frequency.
Roxy raised her scanner. "Energy signature's identical to SkyBeak's reactor. Whatever 'Phase Two' means, it's waking up under us."
Before anyone could respond, the ground cracked open. A metallic hand—three times the size of a truck—burst through, scattering debris. The team dove aside as an entire platform rose from below: a circular launch bay marked PROJECT TITANFALL.
Chiku whistled. "That doesn't sound friendly."
Boltan grinned, already drawing his sidearm. "Then we're in the right place."
From the pit rose a machine that dwarfed even SkyBeak—part mech, part creature, its core pulsing like a caged sun. The rain hissed against its armor as it activated, and a synthetic voice echoed through the storm.
"Initialization complete. Target acquisition: Team Boltan."
"Wait, it knows us?" Roxy said.
LagMan groaned. "Great. We're famous now."
The mech raised its cannon arm, charging energy. Boltan threw his empty energy-bar wrapper aside. "Team, new plan: don't die twice in one morning!"
They scattered as a beam vaporized the tower's remains. The battle for Mini Milta wasn't over—it had just gone underground.