Behind the Veil of Fate – The Crumbling Foundations of Destiny

The Twin Gods sat upon their eternal thrones, enshrouded in deep silence within their palace, which existed beyond the bounds of time. Solis and Nox were reflections of one another—light and shadow, order and chaos, beginning and end. However, this silence did not stem from the peace of balance being maintained; instead, it was the foreboding hush of an impending calamity.

Solis stood tall, draped in robes embroidered with golden patterns. As his hands lightly touched the crystalline surfaces on either side of his throne, the energetic flow of Orbis unraveled before his eyes. Like veins stretching across reality, the pathways of fate wove the destinies of millions, showcasing the flawless workings of the system. Yet… something was different.

Nox emerged from the darkness, gliding into the palace like a wisp of black mist. "You feel it too, don’t you?" he murmured, his voice deep and resonant. "Something… is breaking."

Solis narrowed his eyes. "It is not just a disruption, Nox. This is a rupture the system cannot ignore. A tear in the fabric of fate. And its source lies deep within Ethereon."

A smirk tugged at the corner of Nox’s lips. Ah… So it’s the boy, Haru. it seems, Nihilos and Azael have taken an interest in him, too "

Solis exhaled, as if dismissing Nox’s words. "He does not exist in Orbis’ records. No trace of him in the past, the future, or anywhere in between. And yet, he is here. The system cannot define his existence. This may be the first moment in history where fate has lost its grip."

Nox let out a dark chuckle. "And you see that as a threat. Whereas I… I see it as an opportunity. Nothing can exist outside of Orbis’ design, not even a speck of dust. If the system cannot register him, then perhaps it is time we questioned something greater." He tilted his head, his amusement growing. "Perhaps Haru is not just a lost thread of fate but a truth this system refuses to acknowledge."

Solis shot him a sharp look. "How can you see as an opportunity something that tears the very fabric of destiny apart? The mere presence of this child threatens the balance. His interactions with the Voidwalkers are eroding Orbis’ boundaries. You speak of questioning the system’s limits, but we may be witnessing its collapse. That boy, he exists in neither the past nor the future. If we do not intervene, this world will be dragged to the precipice of oblivion."

Nox stepped closer, his eyes glinting with intrigue. "And what if it is meant to be dragged there?"

For a moment, the energy within the palace stilled. Solis’ brow furrowed. "What are you implying?"

Nox tilted his head slightly. "Orbis has existed within the same cycle for thousands of years. Every fate is preordained, every outcome precisely as expected. But in this eternal prison, how many are truly free? Haru is an outsider, one who has fallen into this decaying order. And we cannot impose destiny upon him. I do not see this as an end… I see it as a new beginning."

Solis inhaled deeply. "Are these words merely echoes of Nihilos’ whispers? Or have you fallen prey to Azael’s blind ambition?"

Nox chuckled. "Do you truly think I am the kind of being who bends to the words of others, Solis? You, of all entities, should know better." A silent storm rippled through the palace, the very air between them thickening under an overwhelming cosmic weight.

"Nihilos… He is but an echo. Yet an echo that asks the right questions. He was once one of Orbis’ most powerful beings, was he not? And what happened? He rejected his fate and was erased from history. If he was truly erased, why does his name still persist? Or perhaps… are you afraid of his shadow, Solis?"

Solis’ gaze turned glacial, his voice cold and sharp. "His name lingers because he was a master of inciting chaos. But I do not chase after echoes, I deal with reality. And if he was truly erased, then perhaps that is precisely where he belongs."

His eyes returned to the vast network of fate. The energy surrounding Haru remained unstable, blurred, undefined. The system still could not establish his existence.

"And Azael…" Solis continued, his voice growing even harsher. "He may be an even greater threat than Nihilos. He was born not to follow Orbis’ fate, but to destroy it. We are the ones who see destiny, but he seeks to rip it apart. If he, too, has set his sights on this child, then this is no longer just a disruption, it is the dawn of war."

Nox tilted his head slightly, his eyes glimmering with shadowed intrigue. "Perhaps we should present him with a choice. If he is truly an anomaly, let us see which side he aligns with. Will Haru break free from the chains of fate? Or will Orbis consume him as well?"

Solis’ expression hardened. "If the system cannot contain him, we may have no choice but to erase him. And in doing so… fate itself may change."

Nox’s smirk deepened. "And that is where we differ, dear brother. You have always sought to preserve what is. But I… I choose to see the possibilities of what could be."

The echoes of his words resonated through the palace, rippling into the deepest layers of fate itself. For the first time, even destiny was faced with the unknown.

                                                                                   ***

Silver Guardians’ Frontline

As I listened to the muffled voices coming through my earpiece, I tried to suppress the unease growing inside me. The orders from the command center were sharp and precise: "Target identified. All anomaly-related data is to be transferred to the upper command. Silver Guardians must recapture Haru Akihara."

Anomaly… Haru Akihara. Even thinking about his name filled me with a strange sense of discomfort. There was something undeniably unusual about him, but was he truly a threat? I didn’t know yet. The only thing I was certain of was that the orders were not up for debate.

As the emergency signals echoed through the corridors, I reviewed my assignment in my mind: analyze Haru’s escape route, capture him alive, and if necessary—

I took a sharp breath, cutting off the thought before it could fully form. Killing him wasn’t supposed to be an option.

Something felt off. This wasn’t a normal escape case. I couldn’t shake this growing uncertainty within me. Yet, looking at the other Guardians around me, I saw no hesitation. They were guardians, unwavering in their commitment to execute orders without question. Maybe not questioning things made it easier.

When I reached the control room, a massive screen displayed Haru’s last known locations, flashing in real-time. But that wasn’t the real issue. Outside, a large-scale uprising had erupted among the Voidwalkers. Barricades were being set up in various districts, and the rebellion was escalating rapidly. The Silver Guardians were already deployed to suppress the unrest, and now, on top of that, Haru had escaped at the worst possible moment. We had to contain both the riots and retrieve him. However, something else caught my attention—whenever the system lost track of Haru, there were momentary data voids.

One of the Guardians reviewing the AI-generated report furrowed his brows. “This doesn’t make sense… Is someone erasing the records?”

I stepped closer, scrutinizing the screen. “No. This is something else.”

I had never seen this kind of anomaly before. The system was struggling to track Haru. It was as if he was phasing in and out of existence, causing route deviations and data distortions wherever he went. A normal human couldn’t do that. He was something that did not conform to this world’s rules.

My instincts told me this was far more than a simple escape. Was someone protecting him? Maybe this was something far beyond our understanding.

A distant explosion rumbled through the headquarters, shaking the walls. Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed the chaos unfolding outside. We were fighting two battles at once, and we didn’t even know which one was the greater threat. Just then, the door swung open, and a high-ranking officer’s voice cut through the tense air.

"Captain Hikari! Gather all available units. We are out of time."

Without taking my eyes off the screen, I lifted my head slightly. "Are we certain this child is really a threat?"

The officer’s face remained expressionless. "We don’t need to be certain. The orders came from above."

The weight in my chest grew heavier. I had no choice but to hunt down Haru.

But was this truly the right thing to do?