Old Friend

As Haru drifted toward consciousness, he felt as though his body was being pulled downward by an unseen force. It was like being trapped in a dream he didn’t want to wake from, suspended between the deepest darkness and the surface of reality. Every step toward awareness was a struggle, his breathing felt tight, and his limbs refused to move as easily as they should. His heavy eyelids finally lifted, revealing a cold, sterile metal ceiling above him.

Was he in a prison? Solace? No... This place was unlike anywhere he had been before. The metallic scent in the air was sharp, the low mechanical hum echoing through his skull, and an oppressive coldness seeped into his skin. Every fiber of his being screamed that he didn’t belong here.

His body felt weighed down, as if carrying an unbearable burden. When he tried to move, harsh metal dug into his wrists, sending a stinging sensation through his arms. He was shackled. The cold metal of the chains pressed against his skin, restricting his every movement. Instinctively, he flexed his fingers, searching for the familiar pulse of energy from the Zenith Rings, but felt nothing.

“Well, it’s about time you woke up. I was beginning to wonder how much longer you were going to sleep.”

The voice was laced with amusement, yet carried an unmistakable edge. Haru turned his head toward the sound and saw Azael, bound in thick chains against the far wall. Despite his restraints, the ever-present arrogance in his expression remained intact. His sharp gaze assessed Haru with an almost bored curiosity.

“Where did they bring us?” Haru asked, his voice dry and hoarse, though he refused to let the fear creep into it.

Azael let his gaze drift lazily over the shackles binding his wrists. “One of Orbis’ deepest prisons... A place you don’t leave once you’ve entered.”

Haru swallowed hard. The Zenith Rings were inactive, Azael was restrained, and they had no way to escape. But he refused to accept that this was the end.

The rhythmic clanking of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridors outside. The sound was steady, disciplined, an entire squadron, perhaps. Haru stiffened, his heartbeat quickening. The heavy locks on the door clicked, mechanisms shifting with a mechanical hiss.

The door swung open, revealing two guards clad in dark gray uniforms, their chests adorned with golden seals. Their movements were rigid, precise, as though they were part of a greater machine rather than individuals. But the one who followed them inside was far more unsettling.

A man with stark white hair and piercing, unreadable eyes stepped forward. His presence was neither overtly threatening nor forceful, yet there was an undeniable weight in the air around him, as if reality itself acknowledged his authority.

“Haru Akihara, we finally meet face to face.” His voice was calm, measured, yet carried an unshakable presence.

Haru’s eyes narrowed as he tried to read the man before him. “And you are?”

“You may call me Soren.”

The way Soren said his name sent a chill down Haru’s spine. It wasn’t the name itself, it was the way he said it, as though they had met before, as if there was something Haru should remember.

Soren studied him for a moment before adding, “It’s been quite some time since we last crossed paths, hasn’t it? Even I couldn’t predict we’d meet again under these circumstances. You are persistent, I’ll give you that.”

Haru’s breath hitched. His brows furrowed as he scrutinized Soren’s face. “What are you talking about? I don’t know you.”

Soren smirked faintly, tilting his head as if considering something. “Don’t you?”

A creeping sensation clawed at Haru’s mind, something about Soren’s presence felt eerily familiar. It was as though a buried memory was trying to resurface, hidden beneath layers of fog. The dissonance unsettled him.

Soren’s gaze never wavered. His eyes held something unsettling, a knowing amusement, as if he was merely waiting for Haru to catch up to the truth he already possessed.

Without breaking eye contact, Soren gestured to one of the guards. “Take him.”

The moment the guards grabbed Haru’s arms, the cold bite of the restraints dug deeper into his skin. He instinctively pulled back, resistance flaring in his chest. “Where are you taking me?” he demanded.

Soren’s expression remained unchanged, his voice steady. “To see an old friend.”

Before Haru could respond, the guards pushed him forward, ushering him out of the cold cell. The hallway was lined with metallic walls that pulsed faintly with blue circuits, sending strange, flickering lights across the corridors. He barely had time to take it in as they moved forward at a brisk pace.

Each turn, each corridor felt endless. He was acutely aware of the quiet hum of machinery embedded within the walls, as if the very structure of this place was alive and watching him. His stomach tightened at the thought.

Finally, they arrived at an enormous door, towering over them like a silent guardian. One of the guards stepped forward, pressing his palm to a digital panel. The moment his identity was verified, the locks hissed and disengaged. Cold air swept out from within as the doors groaned open.

Haru was shoved forward, forced into a massive chamber. He took a shaky breath as his eyes adjusted to the dim light.

A vast dome stretched high above him, its ceiling lost in shadow. Thousands of glowing screens flickered across the walls, displaying streams of data too fast to comprehend. This wasn’t just a prison.

This was something far worse.

At the very center of the chamber sat a broad, monolithic table. A lone figure occupied the seat, their back turned toward him.

Haru’s breath caught in his throat. Whoever this was, they were waiting for him.

And somehow, he knew this meeting would change everything.

                                                                               ***

Solace was steeped in an atmosphere of impending doom. Silence was only broken by the echo of footsteps against stone walls and the hushed sounds of restrained breaths. But this was not the silence of peace, it was the harbinger of the coming storm.

Riven paced back and forth, his fists clenched inside his pockets, struggling to suppress his growing frustration. His teeth ground together as he stared at the ground; he needed to act, but how? His patience was wearing thin. The longer the hours stretched with Haru and Azael missing, the more his rage and helplessness consumed him.

Luna and Travis stood gathered around Seraphis, assessing the situation in tense silence.

Gilbert sat at his desk, anxiously monitoring the data stream. His fingers moved rapidly over the screen, scanning the cascading lines of code. Suddenly, he slammed his hand against the terminal and shook his head. "Damn it... This is bad!" he muttered, adjusting his glasses. "Orbis has completely severed Haru and Azael’s energy signatures. This means they haven't just been thrown into any ordinary prison. Their energy flow has been entirely isolated, there’s no connection to the outside world."

His fingers continued their frantic dance across the screen, eyes narrowing as he processed the incoming data. Once again, he struck the console, his face shadowed by the dim glow of the interface. "Damn it... This is really bad," he repeated. "Orbis has completely erased their traces. That means they’re not just imprisoned, they’ve been cut off entirely. Their energy is sealed, making them completely unreachable."

Riven abruptly turned and strode over to Gilbert. "What did you find?"

Gilbert exhaled sharply. "Their signals are gone, but not entirely. Orbis’s highest security measures are in place. This means their energy is likely being suppressed, but not erased. There’s some kind of block… If we can tune into the right frequency, we might be able to pinpoint their location."

Luna fixed her gaze on Gilbert, crossing her arms as her voice came out sharper than usual. "This can’t just be a security measure. Orbis sees them as a threat. If they’re willing to go this far to contain Azael, what do they think Haru is capable of?"

Seraphis stepped closer to Gilbert, peering over his shoulder at the screen. "Can you locate them?"

Gilbert let out a frustrated breath. "Roughly, yes. But going there directly would be suicide. It's one of the highest-security prisons in Orbis."

Nihilos narrowed his eyes, studying the data with a contemplative expression. "If their signals are being suppressed, that means they’re being held in a critical zone. A direct approach is impossible, but we can exploit the system’s weaknesses. We need a way to get someone inside."

Without a second thought, Riven slammed his fist onto the table. "I’m going."

Luna shot him a sharp glare. "This isn’t about playing the hero, Riven. If you rush in recklessly, you’ll be lost too!"

Seraphis raised a hand, silencing the brewing argument. "Luna’s right. This is a rescue mission. We need a strategy."

As tensions mounted in Solace, the weight of the looming battle pressed down on them all.