Kzarian did not beg.
His body was broken, dragged across the cold metal road, blood painting a trail behind him.
Every breath hurt.
Every movement screamed pain.
But his eyes were clear.
Soldiers surrounded him, weapons ready, faces hidden behind armor.
The city lights reflected on their helmets like dead stars.
Raven stood in front of him.
Cold.
Still.
Waiting.
Kzarian lifted his head with effort.
"You will fail," he shouted suddenly.
His voice cracked through the silence.
"Your king will never succeed!"
"A king who dreams of becoming a god will fall!"
"No one defeats the system of gods!"
"No one!"
Some soldiers laughed nervously.
Others tightened their grip on their weapons.
Raven's jaw clenched.
"You talk too much," he said.
With a sharp motion, Raven raised his arm.
His weapon shifted.
Metal folded.
Energy condensed.
A gun transformed into a glowing chemical blade—long, sharp, humming with lethal power.
The blade screamed as it activated.
Kzarian smiled.
"Science will rot," he whispered.
"And karma will return."
Raven stepped forward.
The blade flashed.
There was no second strike.
The sword went straight through Kzarian's head.
For a single moment—
everything froze.
Then—
BOOM.
The head exploded.
Blood, bone, and light scattered across the ground.
The body dropped.
Lifeless.
Still.
Silence followed.
A heavy, uncomfortable silence.
UNDER THE SHOP
From beneath the steel workshop window, Steve watched everything.
He did not scream.
He did not move.
Tears streamed silently down his face as he clutched the baby tightly against his chest.
The child stirred slightly.
Steve pressed a trembling hand over the baby's mouth—not to hurt him, only to stop a sound.
"Please," Steve whispered.
"Please don't cry."
The baby's eye tattoos glowed faintly.
Then dimmed.
As if listening.
Steve watched Raven spit on Kzarian's corpse.
"Science is always better than magic," Raven said coldly.
Steve's hands shook harder.
THE KINGDOM LEAVES
A soldier stepped closer to Raven.
"My lord," he asked, "what about the alien baby?"
Raven looked at the sky.
Then smiled.
"That baby will come on its own," he said.
The soldiers exchanged looks.
Raven continued, voice calm and confident.
"He is a machine."
"Not a mind."
"Not a will."
"He exists to be used."
Raven turned away.
"Let's go back to the kingdom."
The soldiers followed.
Their boots echoed down the street.
The lights faded.
The city returned to silence.
THE BODY
Minutes passed.
Then—
Steve opened the shop door.
The metal creaked softly.
He stepped outside.
Kzarian's body lay where it had fallen.
Broken.
Ruined.
Steve collapsed beside him.
He bent down and pulled the body into his arms, ignoring the blood soaking his clothes.
"Why…?" Steve whispered.
His voice cracked.
"Why did you save that child…?"
"Why did you choose this path…?"
Tears fell onto Kzarian's chest.
"You were my family," Steve cried.
"My brother."
"I loved you."
The body did not answer.
It never would.
Steve stayed there for a long time.
Until the cold became unbearable.
THE BABY
Steve returned inside.
He locked the door.
Then leaned against it, sliding down to the floor.
The baby lay in his arms.
Blue skin.
Dark veins.
Glowing eye markings.
The child smiled.
Steve felt something snap inside him.
His grief turned into rage.
"This is your fault," Steve shouted.
"You cursed thing!"
The baby's tattoos glowed brighter.
Steve stood up.
"I should throw you away," he yelled.
"Because of you, my friend is dead!"
His hands shook as he lifted the child.
The door was right there.
Outside—
darkness.
Cold.
Nothing.
"I will end this," Steve whispered.
The baby looked at him.
No fear.
No tears.
Just calm.
Then—
Steve heard Kzarian's voice in his mind.
Please…
Save him.
Raise him.
Steve froze.
His arms dropped.
He fell to his knees.
"I promised," he sobbed.
"I promised you…"
The baby reached out and touched Steve's face.
Warm.
Alive.
Steve broke completely.
He hugged the child tightly.
"I hate you," he cried.
"But I won't abandon you."
The baby rested quietly against his chest.
Outside, the city slept.
Inside, a new fate began.
TO BE CONTINUED