Morning crept into the void — if you could even call it "morning."
The sky was an endless sea of grey, dim and heavy, with light that felt more like ash than warmth. The wind carried a faint hum from the rift nearby — the portal shimmered weakly, pulsing like a heartbeat.
The Imperial soldiers were already awake, gearing up for the next region. Their boots echoed faintly against the stone as they packed up crates of supplies, checked rifles, and recalibrated scanners. The captain barked orders in short, clipped tones. They were preparing to move deeper into the void in search of the anomaly — the same anomaly that none of them realized was sitting right beside them.
Me. And Blaze.
I was still tied up, my wrists chafing against the rope. I could only watch them move like clockwork, metal and discipline wrapped in human skin. My stomach growled; it had been a while since I'd eaten anything decent.
Footsteps approached — light, deliberate, familiar. I looked up to see SK standing over me. She didn't say anything at first, just pulled the tape from my mouth with a sharp rip.
"Ow! What was that fo—mmph!"
Before I could even complain, she shoved a piece of stale bread into my mouth.
"Eat," she said flatly. "You'll need it."
She turned away before I could respond.
I chewed, glaring at her back. "What the hell was that about," I muttered between bites. But even I couldn't deny it — she was right. I needed the energy.
By now, Blaze had given the soldiers their marching orders. His injuries made it impossible for him to travel far, so he stayed behind with me and two of the soldiers, while the rest — the captain, SK, and three others — headed toward the next region to investigate the anomaly's readings.
The camp was quieter now. The two soldiers assigned to guard duty sat a short distance away, chatting as they cleaned their weapons.
"Man, I can't wait to get back to the capital," one of them said, his voice muffled by his helmet.
"Yeah," the other chuckled. "Warm food, real beds… and no freakin' monsters popping out of portals."
"Think the anomaly's real?"
"If command sent her out here," he said, nodding toward SK's tent, "then yeah. Something big's coming."
"You think it's another weapon?"
"Could be. Empire's always after new toys."
"Hmph. Whatever it is, I just hope it doesn't end up killing us first."
Their laughter faded into the low hum of the wind.
I sighed, shifting against the ropes. I could feel the dull ache of the void air pressing against my skin. It was colder today — maybe even the void itself was warning us.
Then I saw him.
Blaze stepped out of his tent, shirtless, his body wrapped in layers of bandages like pale armor. The sight made my stomach twist — he was still badly injured, and yet here he was, walking like nothing was wrong. Typical.
"Blaze," I hissed as he approached. "You should be resting!"
He ignored me and dropped down beside me with a soft thud. "You know," he said with that teasing grin of his, "you look ridiculous tied up like that."
I glared at him. "Oh, really? Maybe you should try it sometime!"
He laughed quietly and reached over to peel the tape from my mouth again. "Better?"
I rolled my eyes. "You're impossible."
He chuckled but winced mid-laugh, clutching his side. I could see the faint red seeping through his bandages. "See?" I said, scolding him. "You're making it worse! You can't keep walking around like nothing happened—"
He waved a hand, cutting me off. "Relax. I'm fine."
We sat in silence for a while, the faint hum of the portal the only sound between us. Then he broke the quiet again.
"Hard to believe," he said softly, eyes staring at the horizon, "in a few days we'll finally be out of this void."
I didn't answer. My mind was somewhere else — on what awaited us outside the void. The Empire. Their control. Their rules. What would they do to Blaze if they found out what he really was? What would they do to me?
"You're awfully quiet today," he said, tilting his head at me.
I didn't reply. My thoughts were too heavy.
Without warning, he reached out and flicked my forehead.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
He smirked. "There. You're back to normal."
I glared at him, rubbing my forehead. "You're such an idiot."
"And you worry too much," he replied, his voice softer now. "Once we cross that portal, we'll be in Empire territory. But don't worry…"
He looked straight at me, his usual grin fading into something more sincere.
"I won't let anyone hurt you. Not there. Not anywhere."
I felt my chest tighten at his words. The warmth in his tone — it didn't fit the chaos around us. It felt… real.
I tried to hide the way my face flushed. "Wh-what are you even talking about?"
He smiled faintly. "You'll see."
For a moment, the void didn't feel so empty.
The rest of the day dragged on quietly. The two soldiers rotated shifts, one watching the perimeter while the other dozed off. Blaze went back into his tent to rest — or pretend to, anyway. I could hear him moving around, probably working on something he wasn't supposed to.
As the light dimmed again — if you could even call it that — the sky began to flicker with faint distortions. A low hum rolled across the ground like a heartbeat.
Unseen to any of us, something was moving through the mist beyond the camp.
A figure cloaked in torn fabric, armor cracked but pulsing faintly with red energy. In its hand, a blade shimmered — jagged and dark, veins of crimson light tracing its edges.
The Shard.
The same being that had once fought Blaze.
It moved silently, the mist parting around it as it watched the camp from afar. The soldiers by the fire didn't notice. They laughed, unaware of what was already walking toward them.
The figure tilted its head, gaze lingering on the flickering portal. It raised its blade slightly, and a faint hum filled the void. Sparks danced along the air.
Something ancient — and familiar — stirred within it.
As if it remembered.
As if it was waiting for the rematch.
Back in camp, I leaned against a crate, staring into the dying embers of the campfire. The warmth felt good, even if the ropes still dug into my wrists. I could still hear Blaze's words echoing in my head.
I won't let anyone hurt you.
For once, I wanted to believe that.
But deep down… something told me this peace wouldn't last.