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Title: ZEN: Rise of the Guardian
Volume 3: The Return of the Flame
Part 1 – "The Sky Reopens"
It had been months since Zaiko sacrificed himself to seal the Lost Realm. Arken City moved on, but Zen never did. Every night, he looked to the stars, wondering if Zaiko was still out there. Sam tried to keep him focused — new threats were always on the horizon — but Zen felt something missing. A piece of himself… gone.
Then, on a quiet evening, the sky cracked open.
A ripple of gold and fire tore through the clouds. Wind howled, buildings trembled, and then — silence. A figure descended slowly, cloaked in cosmic light, eyes burning with quiet fire.
Zaiko had returned.
Zen stood frozen. The world around him blurred. He didn't see a god or a warrior — he saw a friend. A mentor. A brother. Without hesitation, Zen rushed forward, ignoring the crowd and the cameras. He stopped just in front of Zaiko.
Neither spoke.
Then, Zaiko lowered his head. "You've grown."
Zen clenched his jaw, fighting back tears. "You left."
"I had to."
"You could've died."
"I did."
Silence.
Then Zen stepped forward and pulled him into a tight hug. Zaiko didn't resist. The world watched a god embrace a hero — not as a superior, but as an equal.
But the peace didn't last long.
As the skies cleared, a message echoed from the stars — a symbol burned into the sky above Arken:
"The Tribunal is coming."
Zen stepped back and looked Zaiko in the eyes. "Is it them?"
Zaiko's gaze hardened. "No. It's worse."
The past Zaiko tried to forget… is coming for Earth.
And now, Zen must lead — with Zaiko at his side.
The flame has returned.
The war begins soon.
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