Chapter 101: Chapter 101 - The Brotherhood Raid (2)
As Lily and Team Alpha regrouped at the entrance of the abandoned mine, she could feel that some members of the team were tense, even with all their training.
The eerie silence of the surroundings did not help in removing the foreboding atmosphere that left each member of the team on high alert for any danger.
Even Lily was certain to have her senses on overdrive at all times to pick up for the slightest threat around them— this was the Brotherhood, after all.
With her senses, she could even sense the faint presence of several individuals deep within the mines, likely the Brotherhood mutants they were sent to eliminate.
'Stay sharp, everyone."
The team leader whispered into the comms in a barely audible voice.
"We move in quietly and take them out before they know what hit them. Bravo and Falcon, I want you to watch our backs. Eagle, Hound, and Cat, I want you to cover the sides. Ant, I want you with me. Please notify me if you sense anything."
Ant was Lily's nickname for this operation; the main purpose of the name was to keep things undercover in case they got exposed and also to make it easier to give orders.
With the orders given, the team began moving as one down the mining pathway. Their training was evident as they perfectly synchronized their movements and fulfilled the positions given to them.
Lily was at the front with the leader, with her senses ready to detect any incoming threats.
As they descended deeper into the mines, the narrow passageways and dim lighting added to the challenge of moving as a team, resulting in them having to form a small line.
Suddenly, a noise ahead caught Lily's attention, and she signaled for the team to halt. Her eyes narrowed as they focused on the source of the sound; adapting to the darkness, she was able to see faintly ahead of her.
Several figures were gathered in a cavern that had been dug out of the mine and was being used as a makeshift camp— they looked rough and dirty.
Their appearance reminded Lily of miners, but she couldn't be certain of what they were without confirmation.
"We've got company."
Lily whispered into the comms for all the other members to hear.
"At least five of them, possibly more. Unarmed. Get ready."
The team positioned themselves strategically, preparing for the coordinated assault. They waited for Lily to give the signal before they began moving, their weapons trained on the unsuspecting Brotherhood mutants.
The initial attack was swift and precise, catching the people off guard thanks to their limited lighting. The Team focused on using their knives to avoid the loud sounds produced by guns— they didn't want to draw the attention of others just yet.
However, it wasn't long before the element of surprise wore off, and the Brotherhood members who weren't killed right away began to fight back fiercely.
Lily engaged in close combat with the mutants in order to try and quickly end this fight; her enhanced strength and agility allowed her to dodge their attacks and strike with deathly blows.
She could feel that her opponents weren't much stronger than a normal human— which left her confused. They didn't even use any mutant abilities.
Lily quickly eliminated her opponents and turned to the others. Team Alpha was quickly dealing with their own targets; however, because they couldn't use their guns, it took longer.
Lily aided them, and together, they were able to quickly deal with the remaining Brotherhood members, breaking the resistance and killing all of them.
The mine was now silent, save for the breathing of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who had difficulty. None of them were injured in the fight. However, a few of them were hit by desperate attacks from the people.
"Clear."
The team leader announced through his comms, not just for them to hear but for everyone else.
"Good work, everyone. Let's secure the area and keep moving in."
He spoke again and was about to start moving to check out the area; however, Lily's voice brought him to a halt.
"Sir, these weren't mutants."
With the fight over, Lily could now properly focus on the matter at hand, why that fight was so easy for her, even in this clone form. None of the people she was fighting were mutants; in fact, they weren't even trained.
They were completely normal humans; at best, they were somewhat stronger than the average human because they worked in the mines, but that was it.
"Our mission is to eliminate the Brotherhood members, mutant or otherwise."
The team leader replied in his stoic voice, causing Lily to furrow her brows.
It wasn't that she had a problem killing humans— she had killed her fair share of humans and had grown used to it. What she didn't like was how fishy this mission was right off the bat.
She was ordered to kill mutants— she was told they would be fighting mutants— yet she hadn't even found a single mutant yet.
Something was wrong here, and Lily could feel it. She just didn't know what.
"Understood, Sir."
She replied and just went about her task. Getting into an argument here would do her no good— she didn't want to lose this cover in the situation that S.H.I.E.L.D. somehow turns against her.
For now, she would just do as they ordered and complete this task— if her life was endangered, she would retreat without a second thought. Even S.H.I.E.L.D. would understand something so simple.
Plus, it wasn't like they would get rid of her so easily— she had been useful so far.
===========
I know I posted a chapter previously mentioning my new Original Novel, The Violet Warlock, but I want to clarify something here going forward.
While it is not a Fanfic, and is listed under original novels, it will be Completely Free. It will not cost you any money to read it and I will not be accepting any contracts for it at all. I do not wish to have it restricted, and it will be open to all to read.
Secondly, as I plan to focus heavily on this new original novel, I will be updating it a lot throughout the course of the week. For this novel, Marvel, I will only be posting once a week at most. However, for that novel, I will post anywhere between 5-10 chapters a week.
I wish to progress that novel as it is easier to write than a fanfic. I do not need to research the world's lore and all that stuff. Plus, I like it.
That's going to be it for my rambling. If you're interested in fantasy stories with themes similar to Warlock in the Magus World, then feel free to check them out. I was inspired by such novels to write it.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
ZeroX0666
ZeroX0666 I know I posted a chapter previously mentioning my new Original Novel, The Violet Warlock, but I want to clarify something here going forward.
While it is not a Fanfic, and is listed under original novels, it will be Completely Free. It will not cost you any money to read it and I will not be accepting any contracts for it at all. I do not wish to have it restricted, and it will be open to all to read.
Secondly, as I plan to focus heavily on this new original novel, I will be updating it a lot throughout the course of the week. For this novel, Marvel, I will only be posting once a week at most. However, for that novel, I will post anywhere between 5-10 chapters a week.
I wish to progress that novel as it is easier to write than a fanfic. I do not need to research the world's lore and all that stuff. Plus, I like it.
That's going to be it for my rambling. If you're interested in fantasy stories with themes similar to Warlock in the Magus World, then feel free to check them out. I was inspired by such novels to write it.
Chapter 102: Chapter 102 - The Brotherhood Raid (3)
As Team Alpha moved further into the winding tunnels of the mine, the air grew stale and heavy with the scent of earth and dust— the area felt so dry that the agents began to sweat in their suits. The echo of their footsteps bounced off the narrow walls, their formations tightening as the pathways grew narrower.
Lily's senses remained as heightened as possible in this unit; she was suspicious of all of this, but she mostly didn't want to lose this unit.
She couldn't shake the nagging feeling that this mission was missing key information— why S.H.I.E.L.D. had been so insistent on the Brotherhood's threat level when all they'd encountered so far were unarmed miners.
Something felt fundamentally off.
"Ant, stay sharp."
The team leader's voice crackled in her earpiece, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"We're approaching the main chamber. It's likely we'll face heavier resistance here."
Lily glanced back, nodding slightly as she looked back ahead— the man was so sure that they would face danger ahead, and she was curious why.
Though her clone body lacked the full depth of her original self's abilities, she still retained enough strength and abilities to deal with most street-level threats that came her way.
She was here to observe, blend in, and— if need be— protect her cover.
As they reached the next chamber, a sudden shift in the air caught her attention, causing her eyes to narrow and her stomach to move.
A low, thrumming energy pulsed from somewhere up ahead, and Lily could feel the vibrations intensifying as they approached the chamber— but the vibrations weren't the only thing she could feel, hunger even through a hive unit.
The team leader held up his hand, signaling everyone to halt and she reluctantly controlled her instinct to keep going towards it.
The lights ahead of them were dim with flickering shadows decorating the rocky wall. They moved as silently as they could, approaching the opened entrance and taking cover behind the edged stone outcroppings.
They peered into the chamber ahead to see what was there— but Lily could already tell what was happening inside with her senses.
Inside, a group of Brotherhood mutants surrounded a peculiar piece of material.
It was unlike anything Lily had seen before— massive, sleek, and humming with a dark blue light that radiated in rhythmic pulses, it looked as if the mineral was alive, breathing.
The Brotherhood members were busy setting up what appeared to be a forcefield around the material, each mutant using layers of their abilities to keep the material from coming in contact with them.
"On my count."
The team leader murmured, hand gripping his weapon.
"Team One, focus on the mutants at the left. Team Two, provide cover fire on the right. Ant, you're with me— target that device."
Lily tensed at the command but nodded as she readied herself for the strike.
She knew the fight ahead wouldn't be easy given the number of mutants they had, not to mention the humans with guns, but it was the purpose of this material that intrigued her more than the battle itself.
The leader counted down, giving the signal to everyone to act at once.
"Three… two… one— engage!"
A flurry of movement erupted as the teams launched forward.
Team One immediately took the left side, their gunfire lighting up the chamber, and the Brotherhood mutants while suprised by the sudden attack, quickly responded with a barrage of powers— fire bursted forth in a wave and caused the agents to move back.
However they were able to kill some of the humans who couldn't react in time and didn't have the strength of mutants.
Lily followed the team leader, both of them cutting a direct path toward the material while ignoring everything else around them; both teams did their part to keep the hostiles off them.
Suddenly, a mutant lunged at her, extending razor-sharp claws toward her stomach but she was quicker to react, dodging to the side she delivered a swift strike to his ribs, with a crack ringing out the man staggered in pain.
But she offered him no mercy— following through with a final blow that knocked him out cold; her hand caving his skull into his head.
The team leader had reached the material and was setting up small, disc-shaped charges around its base; lily's gaze flickered to him, noting the tension in his jaw as he placed each explosive with precision.
"Sir, what exactly is this?"
She asked, her voice a low murmur as she kept her guard up; eyes scouting around her as she spoked.
"Classified."
He replied curtly, his gaze not meeting hers.
"Our orders are to destroy it, nothing more."
Lily's frowned as her suspicion grew even more. She wanted this material, she didn't know what it was but it had enough energy rippling through it that it made her hunger.
But trying something here would mean giving up this body; there was no way to make it out of this mission and get it unharmed. If she killed them all and took it then the higher-ups would get suspicious— not to mention they each had cameras on them.
The Brotherhood mutants seemed to realize the team's objective, and their resistance grew more desperate, intensifying their attacks with renewed aggression.
One of the mutants, a tall woman with blazing white eyes, shouted.
"We can't let them destroy it! That material is the key to our plans, kill them!"
Lily caught the words, her mind whirling with possible ideas; from what she knew about the Brotherhood they were all about mutant rights in a very violent manner.
But before she could have the chance to properly think about it, the woman raised her hands, and an intense field of energy expanded from her, throwing several agents backward.
Lily dug her foot into the ground, bracing herself against the force.
With a surge of energy, she activated her unit's enhanced reflexes, closing the distance and targeting the mutant woman. Her movements were sharp, and efficient— striking out and weakening the mutant's shield before taking her down with a final blow to the side of the head.
"Charges set!"
The team leader called, pulling her attention back.
"Everyone, fall back!"
Lily didn't hesitate, motioning for the others to retreat as they made their way out of the chamber.
As they exited the mine, the team leader hit the detonator, and a muffled explosion reverberated through the tunnels causing everything to begin shaking; the chamber with the material instantly collapsed from the explosion and slowly the mine was caving in.
The team had to run as fast as they could and regrouped at the entrance, dust, and grime covering their gear, but their mission was accomplished.
Lily's mind, however, was far from settled.
This 'raid' felt hollow, and incomplete; most of all she didn't get what she wanted from it. For now, however, she decided to focus on her main body— it was finally waking up.
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
12 Power
stone 
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