The Gathering Storm

The stars above Altropolis shimmer unnaturally. Time fractures ripple across the sky like cracks in glass. Something ancient is stirring.League of Heroes HQKaldar stands before the League’s central console, surrounded by Claw, Astralis, Iron Phantom, and Crystal.Claw: We’ve detected anomalies across the city—zones where time is folding in on itself.Astralis: Civilians are getting trapped in temporal loops. Some are aging years in seconds. Others… vanishing.Iron Phantom: Bloodfang’s ritual is nearing completion. He’s preparing to awaken Sulmento’s soul.Kaldar: Then we stop him before he finishes.Crystal: Easier said than done. These fractures are unstable. If we mess with them, we could tear reality apart.Claw: That’s why we need you, Kaldar. Your Guardian’s Echo can stabilize the zones—if you’re ready.Kaldar nods, eyes burning with determination.Kaldar: I’ll do whatever it takes.Mission: Temporal RescueKaldar and Claw fly toward the largest anomaly—a swirling vortex above the Altropolis clock tower. Civilians scream below as time pulses erratically.Crystal: The vortex is feeding off fear. We need to calm the zone before it collapses.Kaldar: Echo Guard—Stabilize!A shimmering shield surrounds the vortex, slowing its pulse. Kaldar dives in, grabbing a child frozen mid-air and pulling them to safety.Claw: Nice catch.Kaldar: We’re not done yet.Inside the vortex, Kaldar sees flashes of alternate realities—versions of himself corrupted, broken, or defeated.Crystal: Don’t look too long. These are echoes of what could be—not what will be.Kaldar: (Grimly) I won’t become them.Kaldar channels his Echo Core, releasing a pulse that collapses the vortex safely.Back at HQThe League regroups. Kaldar’s energy is drained, but his resolve is stronger than ever.Astralis: You stabilized five zones. That’s more than any of us could’ve done.Iron Phantom: But Bloodfang’s ritual is complete. We intercepted a transmission—he’s heading to the Void Spire.Claw: That’s where the Grim Stone is buried.Crystal: And where Sulmento’s soul sleeps.Kaldar clenches his fists.Kaldar: Then we go there. We end this before he rises.Elsewhere…Bloodfang stands atop the Void Spire, arms raised. The Grim Stone pulses violently. Lightning cracks across the sky.Bloodfang: The Hero has awakened the Echo. But I… I will awaken the soul.He places his hand on the stone. A scream erupts—low, guttural, ancient.Sulmento: (Whispering) I see you… Kaldar Ryzone.The sky turns black. The stars vanish. A storm begins to gather.Later That Night…Kaldar stands alone on the rooftop of Orion Crest Academy, staring at the sky.Crystal: You okay?Kaldar: No. But I will be.Crystal: Tomorrow… everything changes.Kaldar: Then let’s make sure it changes for the better.Kaldar’s eyes glow with Echo energy. The wind howls. The storm approaches.To Be Continued…