The rubble was still smoking when Kael walked away from the battlefield.
His hands were dirty with soot. His muscles ached. But what weighed most… was the certainty.
They knew.
HelionTech had finally seen what he was capable of. And they weren't going to stop. Not anymore.
As he walked through the forest, trying to cover his tracks, Kael felt the world different. Denser. Quieter. As if everything was on hold, waiting for the next explosion.
There was no way back to the cave. Not even to the village. It was too dangerous. They tracked heat, energy, movement. Maybe even thoughts. He threw himself into a ditch, panting, smelling the wet earth. For the first time in a long time… he was afraid. Real fear. Not of death. But of what he could become if he started fighting on instinct. If he lost control. But before he could sink into that thought, something flashed in the sky. A dot. Two. Three. "Not again…" Drones, but different. Faster. Equipped with solar sensors. Kael ran. He jumped between rocks, crossed streams, threw himself into holes full of mud. Still, the red eyes followed him like predators. When he reached a clearing, the ambush was already set. Four soldiers. Black armor with orange details. The HelionTech symbol on the chest. But something about them was different. They were too cold. Too precise. — Target located — one said, without emotion. — Orders updated. Elimination authorized.
They attacked together.
Kael dodged as best he could, releasing small bursts of energy just to keep his distance. But something was wrong. His powers were slow. Misaligned.
"What's happening…?"
And then he understood.
"They're draining the light…" he whispered, looking up at the sky. Above, an artificial satellite glowed, emitting a dark frequency. Like a shadow against the sun.
That was it. They were prepared.
Kael was hit. A shock went through his chest, throwing him against a tree. He fell to his knees, coughing up blood.
"End of the line, Yun."
Before the final blow came, a sharp crack cut through the air.
Bang.
One of the soldiers fell. A clean shot, right between the eyes. The others turned, confused. More shots. More bodies falling.
And then she appeared.
A hooded figure, wearing loose clothing made of reinforced fabric, an old rifle on her back. Her green eyes were intense. A sarcastic smile on her face.
"You're making a lot of noise for someone who should be dead," she said, approaching. "Lucky for you, I like lost causes."
Kael tried to get up, but fell again.
"Who… are you?"
She crouched down, touching her chest with a small device that emitted a warm light. The pain eased, just a little.
"My name is Aria.
And you've just entered the real war.