Frozen Flame of Dawn - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Chapter 14: The Shattered Network_2

As she ended the call, her breath steadying after the whirlwind of commands she had just issued. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on her, but she forced herself to focus. One step at a time, Helen, she thought, though the reassuring mantra did little to soothe the storm brewing within.

The dim glow of the lights in her office caught her attention. They blinked erratically, stuttering like a faulty signal. Her eyes narrowed. “Even the power grid isn’t immune to this mess,” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief. “Of course, it’s not. Why would it be?”

Turning back to the window, she tried to process the strange shimmer spreading across the skyline. It wasn’t a trick of the lights; it was something else entirely. The air seemed alive, pulsing faintly like it had been charged with an unseen force. And then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed it—a faint aura surrounding her own hands.

“What the—” Helen muttered, stepping back instinctively.

“Madam Chancellor!” one of her guards exclaimed, his voice sharp, startling her out of her thoughts. He took a step forward, his eyes wide as he pointed toward her. “You’re… experiencing an awakening.”

Helen froze. An awakening? She glanced at her faintly glowing hands, her stomach churning. This wasn’t just some atmospheric anomaly; this was personal. And dangerous.

Her expression hardened. She turned to the guard, her voice low and firm. “Not a word of this leaves this room. Do you hear me? No one can know—no one but you and me.”

The guard blinked, then nodded quickly. “Understood, Madam Chancellor.”

She let out a slow breath, her mind racing. As she know this secret will help in safeguard her life in dangerous and treacherous situation. She gestured toward the door. “Close it. And help me figure out what the hell this means. You’re awakened, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, taking a step back to securely close the door. “I awakened a month ago.”

“All right, then talk,” she told him, motioning for him to sit down.”How can I get myself under control of what’s happening to me? Because the last thing I want to do is accidentally turn this spot into a crater.”

At the same time, chaos was breaking out on every street corner in the city.

During the surge, two cars crashed in a busy crossroads. One of them was an electric car that was already smoking and had flames on the hood. People nearby yelled and sprinted to safety, but no one dared to go near the wreckage.

Inside the sedan, a man frantically struggled to open the jammed driver-side door. His hands were bloodied from pounding on it, but he didn’t care. His son was trapped in the backseat, his small figure barely visible through the thickening smoke.

The man yelled, “Help!” His voice was rough from needing help so badly. “Please help me!”

Fear or, even worse, lack of interest made everyone in the crowd just look indifferently. The man hit the door with his arm over and over, but it wouldn’t move. The work made his chest hurt, and the smoke made it hard for him to see.

Then it happened. A sudden, powerful surge of energy coursed through his body, like a dam breaking open. His mind barely registered it; all he could think about was his son. Gritting his teeth, he threw his fist at the door with every ounce of strength he had—and then some.

The metal door tore off its hinges with a deafening screech, flying several feet and embedding itself into a nearby wall. The man stared at his hand in stunned silence, his chest heaving. But there was no time to process what had just happened. He scrambled to the backseat, yanking his son out of the car and running as fast as his legs could carry him.

The moment they reached a safe distance, the sedan exploded, the blast throwing heat and debris into the air. The man clutched his son tightly, his heart pounding. “Thank God,” he whispered, his voice shaking. “Thank God…”

Across the world, similar stories played out. The energy surge had disrupted almost all wireless communication, and electrical systems were failing left and right. Power grids went dark, electric cars stalled in the middle of highways, and emergency services struggled to function without their usual tools.

In the chaos, opportunists took advantage of the confusion. Looters smashed storefronts, their shadows darting through the flickering city lights. Others spread panic, fanning the flames of an already fragile public psyche.

But amidst the turmoil, the environment itself seemed to awaken. Plants sprouted from cracks in the pavement, their growth unnaturally rapid. Vines crept up the sides of buildings, while trees seemed to swell in size as though they were reclaiming the land.

Even animals were affected. Household pets acted erratically—some whined and cowered, while others turned aggressive, baring their teeth at their own owners. A few strays in the streets even lunged at passersby, their eyes wild with a newfound intensity.

*****

Helen sat cross-legged on the carpet in her office, her breathing steady as she focused on the energy coursing through her body. Her guard had suggested using the circulation method described in the broadcast, and while it wasn’t an immediate solution, it was working—slowly.

The faint glow that had surrounded her earlier was gone now, and her hands no longer tingled with that strange, overwhelming energy. She flexed her fingers, noting how normal they looked, though she could feel the raw power humming beneath the surface.

At least no one can tell by looking at me now, she thought, a small comfort amidst the chaos.

A knock interrupted her focus. She sighed, standing up and brushing off her suit.

The polished professionalism she always projected would not falter, not now. Taking her seat, she nodded at her guard. “Open it.”

The door swung open, and one of her other guards stepped in, followed by the doctor she had specifically not asked for. She raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp but not unkind. “Doctor, I appreciate your concern, but I don’t need a check-up. I’m fine.”

“But Madam Chancellor—”

“No buts,” she interrupted, waving her hand. “You have skills that other people need much more than I do.”

“Get to them. Now.” The doctor hesitated, but a quick glare from Helen sent him scurrying out of the room. She turned to the guard. “Status report.”

The guard swiftly provided an update, which included flickering power grids, riots that were getting worse, and the rapid growth of plants that were happening all over the city.

“Send a message to all local military units,” she said curtly, standing and heading toward the door.

“Inform them they’re cleared to assist wherever needed. Prioritize stabilizing the city.”

“Madam Chancellor, we need more staff in a few places.” As she moved into the corridor, her secretary caught up with her and gave her further information. “There is an insufficient number of city defense and police units. Many teams report feeling overwhelmed by the number of awakened persons. Despite our best efforts, the situation does not appear promising.”

Helen stopped suddenly and put up her hand to tell her secretary to be quiet. A man was running toward them, struggling for breath. His appearance suggested that he had run through the chaos to reach her.

“Slow down,” she told him firmly as he squatted down in front of her. “Take a deep breath. So, what exactly is it?”

“Ma’am…” he panted, straightening slightly. “There’s been a sudden surge in awakened individuals. The city defense teams and police can’t handle it. They’re too scattered, and some awakened are… hostile.”

Helen’s jaw tightened. “Hostile, how?”

“Rioting, attacking civilians, even destroying property,” the man said, his voice shaking. “They’re out of control, ma’am.”

Helen turned to her secretary. “Contact Captain Aiden. Tell him I need him in the communication hub immediately.”

Without waiting for a response, Helen strode toward the hub, her guards falling into step behind her. The corridors buzzed with activity as staff scrambled to respond to the chaos outside. Her secretary trailed after her, relaying more information, but Helen’s focus was razor-sharp now. The only person she trusted to handle this was Aiden.

Meanwhile, in a Training Hall Across the City

Aiden stood in the center of the room, his arms crossed as he observed his unit. The surge had hit them hard, but he wasn’t about to let it crush them. His voice rang out, firm and commanding.

“Focus on your breathing. Circulate the energy, just like the broadcast said. Don’t fight it—work with it.”

He and Tommy moved between the trainees, offering guidance where needed. Many of them were showing signs of awakening—glowing hands, faint auras—but they were clumsy, uncoordinated. Aiden couldn’t blame them. This was new territory for everyone.

The sharp knock at the door broke the rhythm of the training session. Aiden growled under his breath. “What now?”

Eizze who already learned to control stepped forward, her confidence clear in her stride. “I’ll get it. You stay with them. They need you.” She opened the door, revealing a flustered man, his face pale from the heavy atmosphere outside.

“Captain Aiden,” the man stammered, saluting clumsily as he stepped inside. “I have a message from Madam Chancellor.”

Aiden turned to face him, his expression serious. “Make it quick.”

“She’s requesting your presence at the communication hub immediately,” the man said, his voice trembling slightly under Aiden’s sharp gaze.

“Understood. Tell her I’m on my way.”

As the man hurried out, Aiden turned back to his team. “Eizze, Tommy, keep things running here. Help the others stabilize their energy and be ready for any mission. I’ll go and see what Chancellor Helen needs.”

Tommy smirked, giving a mock smile. “Yes, yes we are always ready so go.”

Aiden shook his head, a ghost of a smile on his lips, before striding out of the room.

At the Communication Hub

Helen stood by the central monitors, scanning the chaotic feeds from across the city. The hub was a hive of activity, with staff coordinating efforts and relaying messages between ground teams.

The door opened, and Aiden stepped in, his presence commanding the room’s attention. “Madam Chancellor,” he greeted, his tone polite but direct. “You called?”

Helen turned, her gaze meeting his. “Thanks for coming so quickly, Captain.” She wasted no time. “We’re having a trouble. The number of awakened individuals is growing rapidly, and many of them are causing chaos—riots, attacks, destruction. Our teams are stretched too thin to handle this.”

Aiden’s brow furrowed as he took in her words. “What do you need from me?”

“I need you and your unit to step in,” Helen said. “Divide your team into smaller groups and coordinate with the defense teams already on the ground. Hit the hotspots, subdue the troublemakers, and restore some damn order.”

He nodded, already planning in his head. “Understood. We’ll take care of it.”

Helen gestured to the monitors. “The communication hub will keep you updated. Check in regularly, and let us know what you need.”

“You got it,” Aiden said, turning to leave. “We’ll get this under control.”