The night air was thick with the scent of ozone, the lingering traces of destruction still swirling around Nova City's underground labyrinth. The battle had been intense—each second a whirlwind of golden energy and shadowy figures—but now, in the quiet aftermath, Jalen felt… lost.
He sat on a rusted beam, his hands still flickering with golden light, eyes distant. He could still feel the heat in his chest, the hum of power waiting just beneath the surface. But as the adrenaline wore off, a new weight settled in. The air felt heavier, the tunnel darker, even though he could see every detail of the shattered walls around him.
Reyka stood at the entrance of the tunnel, her gaze fixed on the horizon, as if waiting for something—someone. The faint sounds of hoverdrones could still be heard in the distance, but for now, it was just the two of them, alone in the eerie silence.
Jalen looked over at her, his voice low, "I don't get it. Why did they want me? What are the Servants after?"
Reyka didn't answer immediately. She lowered her weapon and stepped forward, pulling out a worn map from her jacket. The edges were frayed, and the paper was yellowed with age. She laid it out on the ground between them, the lines and symbols marking locations all over the city.
"They're after the Ember Core," Reyka said finally, her tone grave. "That's what's inside you, Kane. That energy you unlocked... it's ancient. Cosmic. You didn't just find a power source—you tapped into something much, much older."
Jalen's stomach churned. "I don't understand. I just opened a damn case. How could something this powerful be in there?"
Reyka pointed to a spot on the map, the symbol a jagged, circular eclipse with a broken line through it. "That's where it started—at the Crater of the Forgotten. Thousands of years ago, an ancient force, something far beyond human comprehension, crashed here. It left behind the Ember Core, a fragment of a dying star. The energy it holds can either save a world or tear it apart. The Fold believes it's the key to reshaping everything. To ending everything."
Jalen felt the weight of her words. His mind flashed back to the Servants, their cold eyes, the fear they instilled in him. They didn't just want to control him—they wanted to end everything.
"But… why me?" he asked again, feeling the confusion spiral.
Reyka sighed, her face hardening. "Because the Core doesn't just bond with anyone. It bonds with a chosen one. The prophecy—"
"The prophecy?" Jalen interrupted.
Reyka nodded, glancing around as if she feared being overheard. "Yes. It's not something we like to talk about. But the truth is, the Ember Core's power has been passed down through generations. It chooses a vessel—a person who will either wield it to save the world or become its destroyer. And right now, Kane, you're the one holding that power."
Jalen stood up, his legs shaky from the energy burn. "So I'm supposed to save the world now? With this?" He raised his glowing hand, the light pulsing in time with his heartbeat. "I can barely control it. How can I be the 'chosen one' if I'm this unstable?"
Reyka looked at him with sympathy but also steel in her eyes. "The Fold knows you're out here. And they'll stop at nothing to make sure you don't become what the prophecy says. They'll come after you again. And next time, they won't just send drones."
Jalen clenched his fists. "What are they going to do?"
"Destroy you," Reyka said bluntly. "The Fold has a whole army of genetically enhanced soldiers. They've been trained for years to hunt down people like you. But there's more at stake than just them. The Eclipse itself is coming."
Jalen frowned, his mind racing. "The Eclipse? What does that have to do with me?"
"The Eclipse," Reyka said, her voice quiet but steady, "isn't just a celestial event. It's a cosmic phenomenon that marks the rise of the Ember Core's true power. When the Eclipse reaches its peak, the world will be forced into a choice: rebirth or annihilation. But for that to happen, someone has to wield the Core—and right now, that's you."
Jalen's heart skipped a beat. "And if I don't?"
"The Fold will," she said, her voice cold with the certainty of years of fighting. "And they'll reshape the world into something unrecognizable."
The weight of it all crushed down on him. Jalen could feel the heat of the power inside him, and for the first time, he realized just how much danger he was in—not just from the Fold, but from his own self.
A soft beep from Reyka's communicator snapped him out of his thoughts. She tapped a few buttons, her face darkening as she scanned the readout.
"It's time," she said grimly. "We need to move. They're coming."
Jalen's pulse quickened. "Who?"
"More Servants," Reyka said, standing up and holstering her weapon. "They've located us. We've got one shot to get out of here before they bring in their heavy artillery. And when they come, they're not just after the Core—they're coming for you."
Reyka led the way, weaving through the tunnels with Jalen close behind. His hands still flickered with light, but he could feel it—deep in his bones—the coming storm. The Eclipse was more than just a threat; it was a ticking clock. And he didn't know if he was ready to face what was coming.
The deeper they went, the closer they got to the surface, and the clearer it became that the Fold's reach was everywhere. They were not just after the Core—they were after the end of everything.
Reyka turned to him, her voice low but urgent. "Kane, if you're going to survive this, you need to understand one thing: You are not alone in this fight. There are people who will stand by you. People who will die for you. But there's one thing I need you to remember."
"What's that?" Jalen asked, his voice tight.
Reyka's eyes were hard, determined. "The Eclipse isn't just an event. It's a choice. What happens next is up to you."
Jalen's breath caught in his throat. The pressure was suffocating, and the weight of the prophecy hung heavy on his shoulders.
But the path ahead was clear.
He was no longer just a bystander in this war. He was the storm.
And the Eclipse was rising.