We step out of the submersible and into the abyss.
The pressure is immense, even through the magical bubble. My bones ache, and my vision blurs at the edges. But I am the Anchor. I drive my consciousness deep into the bedrock beneath the trench, grounding the physical strain, stabilizing the bubble, keeping the ocean from crushing us into dust.
Moving to the primary airlock, Kieran projects, taking point. He moves with a fluid, predatory grace, his injured leg barely hindering him as the magical brace compensates for the gravity.
We reach the massive, seamless titanium door of the fortress.
"Iron," Hayes whispers.
Two SEALs step forward, placing a series of magnetic, high-yield shaped charges on the door’s locking mechanism. They step back.
Three. Two. One.
The explosion is silent i
