Chapter One: The Eden Protocol

Kael’s boots crunched over shattered glass as he moved through the wreckage of the abandoned factory. The air was cold, thick with the acrid stench of burnt metal and dust. It was silent, save for the faint sound of ash blowing in from the south. He crouched down to sift through a pile of scrap, his fingers digging through a tangle of rusted wires.

“Anything?” Marek’s voice cut through the quiet, low and edged with an unease that Kael hadn’t heard in a while.

Kael shook his head, barely sparing him a glance. “Just junk. Same as always.”

They’d been at it for hours, scouring this forsaken place for anything that might be useful back in the Veil. Supplies were running low, and the Ascended hadn’t sent down a ration drop in weeks. Kael didn’t waste time getting angry about it; that anger was too familiar, too useless. Instead, he took another breath and focused on their job.

Just as he was about to move to the next corner, a strange, crimson glow flickered at the edge of his vision. He turned, eyes widening as the glow pulsed again from high above. It illuminated the shadows for a brief moment, casting an eerie red light across the factory floor. Then came a voice — crackling, distant, robotic.

“Eden Protocol…engaged…”

Kael froze, his pulse thundering in his ears. He exchanged a quick, alarmed glance with Marek, both of them rooted to the spot. The message repeated, but this time louder, clearer, as though it were addressing them directly.

“Eden Protocol…engaged…prepare for system activation…”

“Kael,” Marek whispered, his voice a low tremor. “What the hell is that?”

Kael’s hands clenched into fists. He was trying to breathe, trying to process it, but his mind raced with fragments of half-forgotten rumors. Eden Protocol. It was a myth, a fairy tale the elders in the Veil would mention in passing — a miracle plan that was supposed to bring salvation, long since buried. It was supposed to be nothing more than a story, a comforting lie.

“No,” Kael managed, his voice tight. “There’s no Eden Protocol. There never was. It’s some kind of trick, or…a glitch. That’s all.”

Marek’s eyes didn’t leave the light above, flickering with panic. “Then why’s it lighting up now? After all this time? Kael, what if—”

“Real or not, we’re not sticking around to find out,” Kael cut him off, forcing his legs to move. He grabbed a handful of wires, stuffing them into his bag. “We’re getting back to the Veil. Now.”

They left the factory without a backward glance, urgency pressing them forward. By the time they reached the outskirts, Kael could hear the shouts and murmurs of frightened voices echoing through the city’s narrow alleys. News of the “Eden Protocol” had already spread like wildfire, filling the Veil with a tension that set Kael’s nerves on edge.

People gathered in clusters, their faces lit by the faint red glow that still pulsed from high above. Panic and confusion twisted their expressions. Kael clenched his fists, feeling a surge of irritation at their fear. It was nonsense — it had to be. There was no Eden Protocol. And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change.

As he slipped through the crowd, someone stepped out of the shadows ahead of him, blocking his path.

A woman stood there, her silhouette cast in the faint red light. She wore a dark cloak, her face mostly hidden beneath a hood, but a strand of silvery hair caught the light, gleaming like metal. Her gaze locked onto him, intense and unyielding.

“Kael,” she said, her voice low but certain. “I need to speak with you.”

Kael’s brow furrowed, his body tensing. He didn’t know her; he’d never seen her before. He took a step back, hand instinctively reaching for the small knife strapped to his belt. “Who are you?”

The woman didn’t move, didn’t flinch. She seemed almost…amused. “Someone who knows what you’re searching for.”

Kael’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve got the wrong person.”

“No. I don’t think I do.” She took a step closer, her voice soft but unyielding. “The Eden Protocol is real, Kael. And you’re going to help me activate it.”

He stared at her, a cold, wary anger rising in his chest. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m not interested.”

When she didn’t respond, he struck, throwing a quick jab at her. But she dodged effortlessly, sidestepping him with a practiced grace that made his instincts scream at him to be on guard. He lunged again, but she was faster, grabbing his wrist in a vice-like grip.

“Listen to me, Kael.” Her voice was calm, but her eyes were sharp, unyielding. “You want to survive, don’t you? To save your people?”

“Save them?” he spat, yanking his hand back. “You don’t know a damn thing about my people.”

“Oh, but I do,” she replied, her voice as steady as ever. “And whether you believe me or not, I’m here to help.” Her lips curved into a thin smile, one that held no warmth. “I’ve come from the Ascended to bring the Eden Protocol to the Veil. It’s time you and I activated it.”

Kael’s fists dropped as he stared at her, a flood of questions and doubts swirling in his mind. He couldn’t be sure, couldn’t let himself believe it, but her words sparked a fear and curiosity he couldn’t ignore.

And for the first time, he felt the chill of hope—and dread—in equal measure.