Aftershock

The group moved through the towering metal facility ahead revealing sharp, geometric silhouettes under the faint yellow glow of Lumina conduits. Guards patrolled with mechanical precision, scanning every shadow like predators.

Kana crouched behind a stack of crates, gesturing sharply for the others to follow suit. Her expression was as focused as ever, but the flicker of tension in her eyes betrayed her own doubt. “This is it,” she said in a low whisper. “The core’s inside. Stay low and follow my lead.”

Renjiro adjusted the strap of his gear, his eyes on the massive structure ahead. Its sharp, angular design pulsed faintly with yellow energy, a marvel of efficiency and control. “It’s bigger than I thought,” he muttered.

“You’re not the only one,” Kairro replied, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. “I was hoping for something… less fortified.”

Taro smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Fortified or not, we’ve got no choice. Let’s get it over with.”

Kana’s voice cut through the banter. “Quiet. Move.”

The group wove through the facility, Kana’s knowledge of the Empire guiding them past security checkpoints and bypassing locked doors with ease. The corridors were a maze of sterile metal and glowing conduits, the vibration of energy a constant backdrop. Every sound of boots echoing in the distance sent a fresh wave of tension through them.

“Kana,” Emi whispered, her voice barely audible. “How are you so sure about this path?”

Kana didn’t look back, her fingers dancing over the panel of another locked door. “I used to work here,” she said, her tone clipped.

The door hissed open, revealing a vast chamber that pulsed with a golden light.

The core chamber was a marvel of engineering. Towering conduits lined the walls. In the center of the room hovered the core itself, suspended mid-air by invisible forces.

It was smaller than Renjiro had imagined, no larger than a torso. Streams of Lumina spiralled around it, turbulent and alive, filling the room with an oppressive sense that seemed to vibrate in their bones.

“This little thing powers the entire city?” Kairro asked.

Kana’s gaze lingered on the core, her voice distant. “It’s more than just the city. The Empire’s entire infrastructure depends on it.”

Taro folded his arms, unimpressed. “Doesn’t look like much.”

Kana nodded slowly. “It’s ancient. Found centuries ago. No one truly understands it, but they use it anyway. All we know is, without it, the Empire would crumble.”

“That’s all I need to hear,” Renjiro said, stepping forward.

Kana grabbed his arm, her grip firm. “We’re not destroying it,” she said, her voice sharper than usual. “Just disrupting it. A temporary pulse. Enough to confuse the guards and give us a chance to escape. No more.”

Renjiro glanced at her, his jaw tightening. “Fine. But let’s move.”

As Kana moved toward the core’s control panel, the sound of a heavy door opening froze them in place.

 “Move away from the core.”

The voice was authoritative, each word cut through the air like a blade. The group turned to see Commander Ryvok stride into the chamber, flanked by elite guards. Their armor gleamed under the core’s pulsating light, and their weapons hummed with yellow Lumina energy.

Ryvok’s piercing gaze swept over them before locking onto Kana. His expression hardened, a flicker of something raw flashing in his eyes. “Kana.”

She straightened but didn’t step away from the console. “Commander.”

“You’ve gone far enough,” he said, his voice cold, measured. “By order of the Solaris Empire, you are under arrest.”

Renjiro stepped forward, fists faintly glowing with blue Lumina. “We’re not looking for a fight. Let us go, and nobody gets hurt.”

Ryvok’s laugh was devoid of humor. “Let you go? After the damage you’ve caused? After the Councillor’s assassination? No. You’ll answer for your crimes.”

“They didn’t kill the Councillor,” Kana said, her voice calm but firm.

Ryvok’s eyes narrowed, and his lip curled in disgust. “Do you think I’m a fool? The blue Lumina at the scene—the chaos you’ve sown since—everything points to you and your… companions.” His gaze flicked disdainfully toward the others.

Kana took a step forward, her tone cutting through the room like a blade. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Someone is framing them.”

“And you’re asking me to believe that?” Ryvok’s voice rose, his composure fracturing. “After everything the Empire has done for you—after everything I have done for you—you stand here, aiding fugitives and terrorists?”

Kana’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t look away. “I didn’t choose this, Ryvok. None of us did.”

“You didn’t choose this?” Ryvok repeated bitterly. “You’re standing against your own people, against everything the Solaris Empire stands for. Out of all the people I’ve fought beside, I never thought you would betray us.”

“Open your eyes, Ryvok, the Empire isn’t what you think it is. It hasn’t been for a long time.”

“The Empire gave you purpose. It gave you honor. And now you’ve thrown it away—for them?” He gestured sharply toward Renjiro and the others.

Kana hesitated, “I haven’t thrown anything away. I’m doing what’s right.”

“What’s right?” Ryvok’s tone dripped with venom. “You’re aiding criminals who murdered the Supreme Councillor. Do you even understand what you’ve done? What you’ve become?”

The room fell silent for a moment, the tension palpable.

“I understand more than you think,” Kana said quietly. “And I’m sorry you can’t see it.”

Ryvok’s expression shifted, his anger tempered by something more painful. “Then you’re a bigger fool than I thought.” He raised his weapon, stepping forward. “You leave me no choice.”

The standoff shattered as Renjiro stepped between them, his fists glowing brighter. “You’ve said enough, Commander. Let her go, and we’ll walk out of here without any more trouble.”

Ryvok didn’t flinch, “Surrender, or I’ll take you by force.”

Renjiro’s fists clenched, and the room erupted into chaos as the guards charged.

The guards charged, and the room erupted into chaos. Renjiro’s fists crackled with blue Lumina as he met their assault head-on, his strikes clashing against energy shields with bursts of light. Kairro moved in tandem, his blade slicing through the air with precision, his Lumina shield deflecting attacks.

Kana ducked behind a console, her fingers flying across the control panel. “I need more time!” she shouted over the din.

Ryvok’s movements were swift and calculated as he engaged Yumeru, his strikes relentless. “You’ve overestimated yourselves,” he said, forcing her back with a powerful blow.

Yumeru gritted her teeth, deflecting his next attack with a kick. “You talk too much.”

Renjiro glanced at Kana, his chest heaving. “How much longer?”

“Almost there!” Kana yelled.

But Ryvok wasn’t about to let her succeed. With a surge of yellow Lumina, he broke away from Yumeru and lunged at Kana.

Renjiro intercepted him mid-stride, their clash lighting up the chamber. “Not happening,” he growled, shoving Ryvok back.

The battle pressed on, but the group was being overwhelmed. Renjiro’s gaze flicked to the core, glowing brighter with every passing second. A desperate idea took hold.

“Renjiro, don’t!” Kana’s voice rang out, sharp with warning.

“I don’t have a choice!”

Channeling all his energy, Renjiro launched himself at the core. His fist connected with a deafening impact.

The core exploded in a violent shockwave, sending everyone flying. Yellow and blue Lumina clashed violently, tearing through the chamber like a storm. The conduits lining the walls shattered, their energy spilling out in uncontrolled bursts.

Alarms blared, and the facility began to quake.

Kana struggled to her feet, her voice a mix of fury and urgency. “You destabilized it! The city’s falling—we need to get out of here!”

Ryvok staggered, his armor scorched, his face twisted in anger. “You fools! Do you know what you’ve done?”

The group didn’t wait to find out. Dodging falling debris and bursts of energy, they sprinted toward the exit.

“Hovercraft dock—this way!” Kana shouted.

They reached the dock just as the walkway began to collapse. Kana powered up the vehicle, yelling for everyone to get in.

As they soared into the open sky, Renjiro glanced back at the city behind them, its lights flickering as it tilted toward ruin.

“You didn’t have a choice,” Kana said quietly, as if to herself.

Renjiro said nothing, his eyes on the chaos they left behind.

The council chamber was eerily quiet. Tavik strode in, his long coat sweeping behind him as he approached the central console. The emptiness of the Supreme Councillor’s seat loomed large, but Tavik paid it no mind. In his eyes, it was already his.

The reports had come in moments ago: the fugitives had escaped. Worse, the core had been destabilized, its energy flow barely stabilized by Ryvok’s intervention. Tavik’s jaw tightened at the thought of Ryvok—a soldier too devoted to the old order to see what had to be done.

The chamber doors slid open with a faint hiss, and Tavik’s aide entered. The young man’s face was pale, his steps hesitant.

“Councilor Tavik,” the aide began, his voice tight, “the fugitives have left the city’s perimeter. We’ve lost them.”

Tavik turned, his face was etched with frustration.

“The core?”

“Stabilized, but only just. The damage has been contained for now, but the disruption has already affected sectors nine through thirteen. Power outages, minor riots—”

“Let the disturbances play out,” Tavik interrupted, his voice smooth and measured. “It will keep the public’s focus elsewhere while we move forward.”

The aide hesitated. “And Commander Ryvok?”

Tavik’s lips thinned. “Ryvok has fulfilled his purpose, though his failures today are… disappointing.” He gestured dismissively. “We’ll deal with him later. For now, our attention turns to the Crimson Dynasty.”

The aide’s brows furrowed. “Sir, are you certain? The Dynasty has always been…” He trailed off, searching for the right word. “Unpredictable.”

Tavik’s eyes glinted with amusement. “Precisely why we must act now. The Supreme Councillor’s death has created a vacuum, and uncertainty is the Dynasty’s currency. They’ll be eager to exploit our perceived weakness, which makes this the perfect time to turn their ambitions into an advantage for us.”

“The core has been stabilised. The Empire stands firm. And as far as the Crimson Dynasty is concerned, Renjiro’s capture is inevitable.”

The aide shifted nervously. “And when the Dynasty emissary arrives?”

Tavik’s smirk was razor-sharp. “We’ll offer them Renjiro, of course. A human capable of wielding Lumina energy? Their greed will do the rest. In exchange, we’ll secure their resources and their allegiance. With the Dynasty’s power alongside ours, the Solaris Empire will be unstoppable.”

The aide hesitated again. “And if they ask questions about the Councillor’s death?”

Tavik stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Then we remind them that the details are irrelevant. The Councillor’s death was a necessary loss—one that paves the way for a stronger future.” He straightened, brushing past the aide toward the console.

“Prepare the chamber,” Tavik ordered. “The emissary will arrive within the hour, and I intend to greet them personally.”

The aide nodded quickly and hurried out, leaving Tavik alone with his thoughts.

He turned back to the central console, his fingers trailing over the edge as he gazed at the holographic display of the Empire’s territories. The Crimson Dynasty’s influence loomed at the borders, a shadow that had always threatened to grow.

But now, Tavik saw opportunity where others saw danger. The Dynasty’s hunger for power would be its undoing, and in the end, they would serve the Empire’s goals—or be destroyed by them.

For now, he would let the recruits run, let them believe they’d won their freedom. It was only a matter of time before the net closed around them.

“They can’t outrun destiny,” Tavik murmured to himself, his tone almost amused. “And destiny belongs to the Solaris Empire.”

He turned sharply and strode toward the far end of the chamber. The game had only just begun.

The hovercraft soared silently through the dark skies, leaving the flickering glow of the Solaris Empire far behind. Its emptiness a stark contrast to the rigid order of the Empire they had just fled.

No one spoke for a time, the weight of their escape pressing heavily on them. Kana’s hands stayed tight on the controls maintaining yellow lumina into them her jaw set in a hard line as she guided the craft eastward.

Kairro finally broke the silence, his voice low. “So… that’s it. We’re done with the Empire.”

Taro leaned back, exhaling sharply. “We barely made it out alive. Done or not, they’re probably already looking for us.”

Kana shook her head, her voice clipped. “Not Tavik. Not immediately.”

Emi frowned. “What do you mean?”

Kana didn’t turn from the controls. “He won’t chase us. Not after this. Tavik isn’t interested in revenge—he’s interested in power. He’ll regroup, consolidate his control, and focus on strengthening the Empire. That doesn’t mean we’re safe, though.”

“Safe,” Taro repeated with a bitter laugh. “We just destabilized their core, escaped a city full of guards, and made ourselves the Empire’s most wanted fugitives. What part of that says ‘safe’ to you?”

“It means,” Kana said sharply, cutting him off, “that we have time. Time to figure out our next move before they find us again. We can’t waste it.”

Renjiro nodded, leaning forward in his seat. “She’s right. This isn’t over, but we’ve got a window to act. And I think I know where to start.”

Emi gave him a questioning look. “The cave, right? You’ve mentioned it before.”

“Back near my village. The place no one ever went, I always thought there was something more to it. Now I’m sure.”

“You’re sure?” Taro raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know, Renjiro. You’ve been talking about that cave since day one, but what if there’s nothing there?”

Renjiro met his gaze evenly. “Then we deal with it. But it’s the only lead we have. If I’m going to understand this… power I have, the answers are there.”

Kana glanced at him briefly. “And you think those answers will help us stop the Crimson Dynasty?”

“I don’t know,” Renjiro admitted. “But it’s a start. And right now, that’s all we’ve got.”

Kairro exhaled slowly, staring at the dark horizon ahead. “Guess it beats sitting around waiting for them to find us.”

Kairro crossed his arms. “Fine. But if we go, we go smart. If something feels off, we pull out. Agreed?”

Renjiro nodded. “Agreed.”

Kana’s hands tightened on the controls, her gaze steady. “Then we head east. Toward your village. But don’t think for a second that this means we’re safe. Tavik might not chase us now, but the Empire isn’t done with us. And neither is the Crimson Dynasty.”

The hovercraft dipped slightly as it adjusted course, the faint outline of distant mountains coming into view on the horizon.

Emi leaned back, her voice soft. “Do you think it’ll ever be over?”

Renjiro didn’t answer right away. He stared ahead, his mind turning over everything that had happened—the Councillor’s assassination, their escape, and the core’s destruction. Finally, he spoke, his voice quiet but resolute.

“It’s not over yet. But it will be.”

No one argued. The hum of the hovercraft filled the silence as they flew on, leaving behind one battle only to prepare for another.