Ice King was the first to reach the source.
And the closer he got, the worse it became.
Demons weren't just appearing anymore… they were pouring out in herds, flooding the streets like a living tide. The air warped around the breach, the core pulsing like a heartbeat as it fed more into the city.
Ice King didn't slow.
Ice spread across the ground with every step, freezing demons mid-charge, shattering them apart as he pushed forward alone.
Then,
Backup arrived.
Voltron dropped in like a missile, crushing through a wave of demons on impact. Steel and Stark followed, cutting straight into the swarm, their movements sharp and controlled as they carved a path forward.
But even that wasn't enough.
The numbers kept growing.
Then two streaks cut through the sky.
Ian.
Optimus.
They didn't stop for anything.
Both of them shot past the Vanguard and straight toward the core, weaving through the swarm at impossible speed. In perfect sync, they launched a coordinated strike, blades and Kia colliding directly into the heart of the breach.
The core flickered.
The flow of demons… slowed.
Not stopped.
But weakened.
Steel turned sharply, grabbing something from his belt and tossing it toward Caden.
"Throw it into the swarm, then everyone pull out!"
Caden caught it without thinking.
A flare.
He didn't hesitate, he launched it straight into the center of the breach.
"MOVE!" Stark shouted.
The entire Vanguard broke off instantly, dashing out of the zone at full speed.
Seconds later,
A jet screamed overhead.
And then,
BOOM.
A massive detonation swallowed the core, the explosion ripping through the distortion and collapsing it completely. The sky stabilized. The flow stopped.
The swarm,
Cut off.
But the fight wasn't over.
Steel's voice came through comms immediately.
"We're not done. Sweep the city. Clear everything."
And that's exactly what they did.
For hours, the STF and military moved building to building. Every street. Every room. Hunting down the remaining demons, arresting what they could, eliminating the rest.
No shortcuts.
No misses.
By the time it was over,
Lumina Crest stood damaged…
But standing.
One of the captured demons stood out.
A commander.
They brought him back to STF HQ.
Inside the interrogation room, the air felt heavier than usual.
Ian stood across from the restrained demon, with Voltron looming behind him and Renn Varos watching silently from the side.
Ian's voice was calm. "You said you were sent here. By who?"
The demon smirked faintly, even in chains.
"We call him… the Ancient Shade."
The name lingered.
"He commands more than you can imagine," the demon continued. "High-ranking officers… warriors beyond anything you've faced. What you saw today…"
A pause.
"…was nothing."
Silence filled the room.
"You've only scratched the surface."
The interrogation ended shortly after.
Outside, Ian rubbed the back of his neck slightly, exhaling.
"…Yeah. That doesn't make me feel any better."
Renn crossed his arms. "It shouldn't."
A beat.
"But we keep pushing."
Ian nodded. "…Yeah. We do."
The next day,
The tone at HQ shifted.
Not panic.
Not fear.
Recognition.
A ceremony was held.
Not massive. Not over-the-top.
But meaningful.
Caden stood in front of the Vanguard, the same people he had looked at in awe just days ago.
Now,
He stood among them.
Ian stepped forward. "From this point on… you're officially part of the Vanguard."
No hesitation.
No doubt.
He was given his own private quarters.
His own ship.
His own place among the strongest.
Later that night, standing alone for a moment, Caden looked out over the massive structure of the STF HQ.
For the first time,
He felt it.
He made it.
But at the same time…
He understood something else.
This wasn't the end of anything.
It was just the beginning.