Fragments of the Inverse

🌌 After Reizan’s Disappearance Weeks passed. The Arcana Defence League declared Commander Reizan’s disappearance as “under investigation,” but whispers flooded the ranks. Some said he’d defected. Others believed he was dead. But Jade knew better. Reizan had vanished in a flare of black fire — not destroyed, only retreating. And if he was still alive, then the Null Order wasn’t finished. ⚙️ Training Grounds – ADL Outskirts Thunder cracked through the barren plain. Jade stood at the center, shirtless, sweat and scorch marks covering his arms. Around him, pillars of flame, ice, lightning, and stone erupted in a spiral — all fighting for dominance. Lira stood nearby, watching. “You’re forcing them too much,” she said. “They’re rejecting each other.” “They’re supposed to,” Jade muttered, his aura flickering between colors. “If I can’t balance them, I’ll never control the seal.” “Jade, you’re not a conduit — you’re a human. You can’t just—” Before she could finish, the ground split — a massive surge of energy bursting outward. Jade roared, lightning and fire coiling around his body before collapsing into smoke. He dropped to one knee, panting. “Every time I get close, they start fighting each other,” he said. “It’s like the elements themselves don’t want to coexist.” Lira knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe it’s not about forcing them to coexist,” she said softly. “Maybe it’s about accepting them.” Jade looked up, meeting her eyes — for a brief moment, the chaos in his aura stilled. 🧩 The Hidden Lab Later that night, Jade followed coordinates left behind by the masked operative. They led deep beneath Aethernova — to a forgotten district sealed off decades ago. Broken machines. Faded sigils. And walls covered with runic symbols from the Inverse. Jade pressed his hand against one of the runes — it glowed faintly, reacting to his energy. “So it’s true,” he murmured. “The ADL was studying the Inverse all along.” A voice echoed behind him. “Still chasing ghosts, Valor?” Jade spun — the masked operative stepped out from the shadows. “You again,” Jade said. “You knew this place existed.” “Of course. It’s where they made him.” The figure tossed a data crystal to Jade. “Reizan’s experiment logs. He was trying to replicate the Inverse essence — using human hosts.” Jade’s heart sank as he skimmed through the holographic data. Names, test results… And near the bottom — a familiar one. Subject 01 — Jade Valor. “What is this?” Jade demanded. “I was never—” “You were, you just don’t remember,” the operative said quietly. “Reizan erased your past. You were born with the seal because of him.” Jade’s grip tightened around the crystal. “Then when I find him… I’ll end this.” ⚔️ Shadow of the Demon Far away, deep within a volcanic wasteland — a figure stood before a pool of black fire. Reizan. His body was scarred and burned, but his demonic aura burned brighter than ever. “So… he found the lab,” Reizan said, his voice low and cold. “Good. Let him come.” From the fire rose dozens of Nullborn husks, twisted with new strength. “He’ll think he’s the hunter,” Reizan continued, his molten eyes narrowing. “But I’ll remind him what despair feels like.” He looked to the horizon — where the faint light of Aethernova shone. “When next we meet, Jade Valor… the world will burn.” 🌠 Back at Headquarters Jade returned to the surface, his expression hardened. He told no one what he’d found — not even Lira. But at night, he trained alone — pushing himself beyond exhaustion, trying to blend every elemental force into one. Flame. Water. Wind. Lightning. Earth. Light. Shadow. They collided, rejected, fused, shattered — until he learned to listen instead of command. His aura began to change — no longer a swirl of clashing colors, but a soft, fluid gradient of all elements in harmony. 💤 The Dream That night, he dreamed again — of Eren. But this time, his friend wasn’t accusing him. Eren stood smiling, surrounded by light. “You’re close, Jade,” he said. “The balance you seek isn’t power — it’s peace.” “Peace?” Jade asked. “Yeah. The day you fight without anger… that’s the day you’ll awaken it.” The dream faded — but those words remained. ⚡ Foreshadowing the Final Battle On the training field the next morning, Lira sparred with Jade, laughing as she barely dodged his attacks. But when he smiled back, something flickered behind his eyes — a sense of calm strength she hadn’t seen before. “You’re changing,” she said softly. “Maybe,” he replied. “But I have a feeling the next time I see Reizan… everything changes.” The wind picked up — faint traces of black fire swirling briefly in the sky, unseen by most. End of Chapter 7 – Fragments of the Inverse