The red warning light above the lab door flickered, like a cold, watchful eye, keeping a close vigil over the entire hallway.
At the far end of the corridor, it felt as though an invisible beast lurked, ready to open its gaping maw and devour anyone who dared step inside.
With a soft hiss, the lab door slid open, and Kael Vale was shoved in by two Phantom Guards.
The atmosphere inside instantly became oppressive and eerie. Monitors blinked all around, their cold screens scrolling endless lines of data, as if silently calculating whose fate would be sealed next.
A low hum of electricity buzzed through the air, mingling with the whir of machinery, like the ominous prelude to something terrible.
In the center of the lab stood a spherical testing platform, encased in glass, resembling an altar awaiting judgment.
All the surrounding instruments were pointed at the platform, like a row of deadly gun barrels, ready to greet whoever was about to be tested.
Erevan walked ahead, cradling a baby in his arms. The infant let out a faint cry, but it did nothing to break the suffocating tension in the room.
A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Erevan's lips as he gently placed the baby on the testing platform, as if performing some cruel ritual.
Kael followed behind him, his eyes filled with pain and fury, but all he could do was watch helplessly as his son was laid on the altar of fate.
"Begin the test, Dr. Kael Vale." Erevan's voice was sharp and icy, cutting straight into Kael's heart.
Kael didn't resist. He stepped toward the control panel, his eyes hollow, but his mind already made up.
The keyboard in front of him flickered faintly, as if urging him on.
His fingers trembled slightly, but when he placed them on the keys, his movements were resolute.
He quickly typed in a series of complex commands. The glass casing above the platform lifted, and the tension in the air thickened, as if the entire lab was holding its breath, waiting for the results.
Electricity crackled along the edges of the platform, gradually forming small arcs of lightning that danced around the baby. The currents were like countless tiny needles, piercing the infant's skin, as if awakening every dormant cell.
The data on the screens began to spike, and five different colored indicator lights on the testing chamber started to flicker, each representing a different level of Soul Energy.
The green light lit up first, signifying the presence of low-level Soul Energy, typical of an ordinary person.
Erevan's smirk widened slightly, as if everything was going according to plan.
But then, the blue light blinked on as well. Erevan's gaze sharpened, though he remained calm.
"Sir, it's confirmed. The baby's an Esper, but a low-threat level one," one of the Phantom Guards reported quietly.
"I see. Prepare to take the child back to the base."
Erevan turned to Kael. "I'm afraid, Dr. Kael Vale, I'll be taking your child. But you'll still need to personally handle the Soul Energy extraction."
"No way. You know as well as I do that babies don't survive after their Soul Energy is extracted.
You killed Elara, and this is her only child. I won't do it.
If you've got a way to extract his powers, then take him. But I'm not doing it!" Kael's voice trembled, as if he was gambling everything on this one statement.
"Oh?" Erevan's arm morphed into a weapon, and a red laser dot appeared on Kael's forehead.
The lab fell so silent that Kael's breathing was the only sound.
But the tense standoff barely lasted a few seconds before the testing platform in the center of the room began to shake violently. Suddenly, the purple indicator light flared to life, and the data on the screens spiked even faster.
"Something's wrong. The Soul Energy levels are still rising—purple—medium threat level!" one of the Phantom Guards reported urgently, his voice tinged with unease.
Before anyone could react, the yellow light flashed on, signaling an even higher surge of Soul Energy. The air in the lab seemed to freeze, and everyone's heartbeat synced with the rapidly escalating data on the screens.
"Yellow! High threat level!" The voice reporting this was now openly panicked.
But the worst was yet to come. In the blink of an eye, the red light began flashing wildly, alarms blaring as a series of crimson warning symbols flooded the screens. The Soul Energy levels had skyrocketed past every safety threshold, reaching an unprecedented peak.
Everyone in the lab felt an overwhelming pressure, as if the very air had become too thick to breathe.
Erevan's smug grin had vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. His arm morphed swiftly into a weapon, ready to take extreme measures against the baby.
"Red! Maximum threat level! And the Soul Energy is still rising!" One of the Phantom Guards shouted, his voice trembling. Instinctively, all the guards took a step back, their eyes filled with fear and caution.
This had never happened before…
In that moment, everyone realized that this baby wasn't just an Esper—it was an unprecedented, superhuman threat.
Erevan's energy weapon was primed, his gaze sharp and predatory, locked onto the infant on the testing platform like a hawk eyeing its prey.
The tension in the air was palpable, as if the entire lab was holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable.
Kael stood at the control panel, his hands trembling slightly, but his eyes were filled with unshakable resolve.
He knew time was running out.
"Dr. Kael Vale," Erevan's voice was low and cold, tinged with impatience. "You know what this means. The existence of this child is beyond what the Empire can tolerate."
Kael didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the data streaming across the console.
On the screen, red warning symbols flashed repeatedly, and the Soul Energy graph spiked wildly, like a storm-tossed sea, climbing higher and higher, threatening to breach some unseen threshold.
"You must understand," Erevan continued, his tone now carrying a clear threat, "if you don't cooperate, we'll kill him ourselves."
Kael's fingers brushed the edge of the console, finding a nearly invisible groove. It was a hidden button he had secretly installed years ago—something only he knew about.
"I understand," Kael finally spoke, his voice calm and steady. "But you'll never understand what it means to be a father."
Erevan's brow furrowed slightly, clearly irritated by Kael's defiance. "A father? You think you can change anything? This child's fate is already sealed."
Kael's fingers hovered over the groove for a moment, then, without hesitation, he pressed the button.
Instantly, the lights in the lab dimmed, and a blinding white light erupted from the testing platform, so intense that it was impossible to look directly at it.
All the monitors blared with alarms, the data streams on the screens descending into chaos. The Soul Energy graph shattered like a torn canvas, its lines jagged and broken.
"What's happening?!" Erevan spun around, glaring at Kael, his weapon now aimed directly at him.
But Kael showed no fear. Instead, a faint smile crossed his lips. "You'll never find him now. Never."
Erevan's eyes widened in shock. He quickly turned back toward the testing platform, trying to assess the situation. But as the white light began to fade, the platform was empty—the baby was gone.
"No… that's impossible!" Erevan's voice was filled with disbelief. He rushed to the platform, yanking open the glass casing, his hands frantically swiping through the air, as if trying to grasp something that wasn't there. But there was nothing—just empty space.
"Where is he?!" Erevan roared, spinning back around, his weapon once again trained on Kael, his eyes burning with murderous intent.
Kael remained calm, his expression serene, as if everything had gone exactly as planned. "He's not here anymore."
"What did you do?!" Erevan's voice cracked with a hint of panic—an emotion he had never shown before.
Kael shook his head slowly. "You people think you've mastered Soul Energy, using its power to kill. But you'll never understand its true potential."
Erevan's face darkened further, unwilling to believe Kael's words, but the reality in front of him was undeniable.
"You think this will save you?" Erevan's voice was icy, his weapon now fully charged. An orange glow pulsed at the barrel, ready to unleash a deadly blast at any moment.
Kael didn't flinch, his gaze locked on Erevan. "You can kill me, but it won't change a thing. My child is beyond your reach now, and you'll never find him."
Erevan's fingers twitched slightly, betraying the anger he was struggling to contain. With a sharp motion, he gestured to the Phantom Guards behind him. "Seize him! Take him back for interrogation!"
The guards moved in quickly, attempting to subdue Kael. But just as they closed in, a strange energy rippled through the air, as if the very atmosphere had shifted.
The energy seemed to come from everywhere at once, flooding the lab. The Phantom Guards' movements slowed, as though they were being restrained by some invisible force.
Erevan's expression darkened, and he instinctively took a step back. The golden stripes on his black powered armor began to glow faintly.
Suddenly, a black circle appeared beneath his feet.
In an instant, Erevan vanished into the dark void, the circle disappearing with him.
Moments later, the black circle reappeared—this time above Kael's head.
Emerging from the circle was a short blade, glowing with a golden light.
With a swift, precise strike, the blade severed Kael's right arm cleanly. The cut was smooth, almost surgical.
As Kael's arm fell to the ground, the controller he had been holding clattered beside it.
The Phantom Guards, now free from the strange energy's grip, regained their mobility.
Erevan, having reappeared, pinned Kael against the lab's control panel, his strength overwhelming. Kael, now helpless, stared up in horror. "How… how can you use spatial teleportation?"
Erevan smirked. "The Terran Empire doesn't rely on just one scientist, Dr. Vale. The Emperor has had his doubts about you for a long time."
"Take him away," Erevan ordered coldly.
Kael, his voice filled with defiance, spat out, "Trying to stop human evolution… Auraxis's selfishness will be the end of the Terran Empire!"
"You lapdogs won't escape your fate either!"
"My child will return one day and kill every last one of you!" Kael's furious shout echoed down the empty corridor as the guards dragged him away.
Erevan paced slowly around the lab, his steps deliberate. After circling the room, he returned to the control panel where Kael had stood moments earlier. Crouching down, he spotted a small red button.
A chilling smile crept across Erevan's face. "Summon Dr. Malachar."
"Yes, sir!" One of the Phantom Guards tapped a button on his forearm and vanished instantly.
Erevan glanced toward the testing platform at the center of the lab, his expression filled with disdain. "Did you really think you could escape?"
...
October 25, 2035, Earth. 8:30 PM. Mesa Police Department, Arizona.
Night had fallen, and a calm stillness hung in the air around the police station.
Suddenly, a blinding white light illuminated the night sky.
Beneath the flagpole in front of the station, a baby appeared out of thin air… crying.