The world had forgotten what peace felt like . Seventy years after the great invasion, the sky still carried scars-thin glowing cracks that pulsed faintly like veins of an injured giant . Kai Darklight had grown up staring at those fractures, wondering what kind of monsters once fell through them.
Haven cores 7 was quiet that morning . Too quiet.
Kai moved along the scrap-market rooftops, leaping from one rusted metal sheet to another. He had done this a thousand times. Scavenging-searching for old tech parts-was practically a daily ritual.Wind brushed through his silver hair, making it shimmer under the pale sunlight.
Below him, vendors were shouting prices at passing customers .Others aurgued over broken radios , scrap metals or ration packs. Kai paused taking a deep breath.He liked the noise . It reminded him humanity was still alive .
But the he felt it.
A vibration beneath his foot . Soft at first . Like a distant heartbeat.
Then stronger.
He crouched low. "An earthquake?" he wispered.
No it's something else.
The ground shuddered again. People stopped talking. People began to look up nervously. Children froze in mid-play.
This doesn't feel right.
Then came the roar.
A deep, echoing wave of sound-so powerful the rooftops rattled and dust fell from loose boards.
Kai's eyes widened as he looked up.' what the hell is going on.
The sky was split with a blinding flash.
One of the long-healed cracks tore open again,spilling violet light across the clouds.
[A Riven Gate...was opening]
"No way...not here", kai muttered as his heart started to beat faster.
The gate widened slowly ,like an eye waking from a long sleep.Dark shapes swirled inside.
A sound like distant chanting echoed from beyond.
"Kai" a farmiliar voice called.
Turning, kai saw Allen Vale sprinting towards him , papers flying from his satchel.
Allen's gray eyes glitched-static flickering across them as though he was remembering something he shouldn't.
"Kai!, move it's a breach! " Allen shouted.
Kai didn't need to be told twice. The two bolted across the rooftops just as the first creature emerged. It wasn't fully physical-more like a translucent wolf made of mist and lightening. It's eyes glowed white and when it howled, small sparks shot from it's jaws.
An astral beast . Panic erupted below. People ran in all directions. Some guards fired weak energy rifles, but the shots passed straight through the creature, barely slowing it down.
Kai jumped off the rooftop, landing hard on a lower platform . His breath trembled.
The monster looked around searching..., hunting.
Then it's eyes locked unto a small child frozen in the street.
Kai didn't think, he run.
He jumped again , sliding down a loose pipe and landing between the child and the beast. The creature locked it's gaze onto him.
Kai lifted his lifted his hand instinctively.
And then-
Light exploded.
A golden sigil burned into existence along his skin, stretching from his wrist to his elbow. For a moment kai felt weightless - like his entire body had become a thread pulled by the universe itself.
A blade of pure light extended from his hand and struck the beast squarely on the chest.
The creature staggered back stunned. Kai started at the glowing blade."W-what is this?".
Allen reached the platform , panting. His eyes widened with fear and in awe . "Kai...you awakened an Eclipsed Fragment.
Kai didn't have time to process the words. The astral beast recovered, snarling.
Kai stepped forward, holding the child behind him.
His glowing blade hummed faintly.
"I don't know what this power is," he said softly "but if I can protect someone... I'll use it."
He swung.
Light cleaved the air-coean ,sharped, controlled. The astral beast shattered like glass, dissolving into dust that drifted into the wind.
Silence fell.
People stared at him from every corner of the collapsing market.
Kai looked at his glowing hand. "What did I just do?"
Allen stepped beside him, voice trembling "kai...the Eclipsed disappeared seventy years ago. Their power shouldn't exist anymore.
Kai swallowed hard.
Then why..."he looked up at the glowing cracks in the sky..."why does it feel like something is calling me?
The Riven Gate pulsed again- brighter, angrier, louder.
And kai knew this was only the beginning.