The training facility deep beneath the city hummed with latent energy. Its walls, lined with glowing conduits, pulsed rhythmically, as if alive. The air was thick, heavy with a sense of purpose and tension. Kael stood at the center of the chamber, facing Ardin. Maris lingered near the edge, watching closely, her arms crossed, her expression skeptical.
"You're impatient," Ardin said, his voice steady. His gaze locked onto Kael with an intensity that made him flinch. "That will get you killed."
Kael bit back a retort, focusing instead on the faint crackle of energy in his hands. His plasma blade rested on the floor beside him; this exercise was about channeling raw power, not relying on weapons. But the energy was elusive, like trying to grasp water in his fists. Every time he thought he had control, it slipped away.
"I'm trying," Kael muttered through clenched teeth, the faint glow in his palms flickering before vanishing entirely.
"Trying isn't enough," Ardin said, stepping closer. "The Exiled won't wait for you to figure things out. You need focus. Discipline. The energy within you isn't just power—it's a connection. To the rift. To this world. To yourself. Without that connection, it will destroy you before it ever harms your enemies."
Kael glanced at Maris, who offered a faint shrug. "He's not wrong," she said, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "You did almost blow yourself up earlier."
"That was one time," Kael shot back, though the memory of the earlier mishap still stung. A surge of energy had exploded in his hands, scorching a nearby console and earning him a blistering lecture from Ardin.
"Again," Ardin commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Kael closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. He pushed everything else aside—the ache in his muscles, the lingering frustration, the weight of Ardin's expectations—and focused on the energy. It wasn't just a force; it was alive, pulsing with its own rhythm. He could feel it coursing through him, just out of reach.
For a moment, he thought he had it. The energy flickered to life in his hands, a soft blue glow illuminating the chamber. His chest tightened with excitement—but the glow faltered, sputtering out like a dying ember.
"Stop," Ardin said, his voice cutting through the silence. "You're forcing it. The energy isn't a tool you wield; it's a part of you. Until you understand that, you'll never control it."
Kael's shoulders sagged, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I don't get it," he said, his voice rising. "You talk like this energy is some mystical force, but it's not. It's just... there. How am I supposed to connect with something I don't even understand?"
Ardin's gaze softened, just enough to show a flicker of empathy. "Understanding comes with time. But trust—trust in yourself, in the energy—that's where it begins."
---
A New Threat
Their training was interrupted by the sharp blare of an alarm. The chamber's lights shifted from blue to red, casting an ominous glow over the room. Ardin's posture stiffened, and his helmet flickered with a faint light as he accessed a data feed.
"What is it?" Maris asked, already moving toward the console.
"Another rift breach," Ardin said grimly. "Close. Too close."
Kael grabbed his plasma blade, the familiar hum of its energy calming his nerves. "What's coming through this time?"
Ardin turned to face them, his expression unreadable behind the helmet. "Not what. Who."
The words sent a chill down Kael's spine. He had seen what the Exiled's influence could do to the Ascendant Guard. If something worse was coming through, he wasn't sure they were ready.
The trio moved quickly, navigating the labyrinthine corridors of the facility. The hum of the alarms grew louder, more insistent, as they neared the source of the disturbance. Kael's grip on his blade tightened, his heart pounding in his chest.
They emerged into a massive chamber, where the rift pulsed violently, its glow casting jagged shadows across the walls. The air was thick with static, each pulse of the rift sending ripples of energy through the room.
And then it appeared.
A figure stepped through the rift, its form shrouded in darkness. Its silhouette was humanoid, but its movements were unnaturally fluid, as if it were more shadow than flesh. Crimson eyes glowed from beneath a hooded cloak, and Kael felt an overwhelming pressure, as though the very air around him had turned against him.
"An Envoy," Ardin muttered, his voice tinged with something Kael had never heard before: unease.
The Envoy stepped forward, each movement deliberate, as if savoring the moment. When it spoke, its voice was a low, resonant echo that seemed to bypass Kael's ears and go straight to his mind.
"Ardin," it said, its tone dripping with disdain. "Still playing protector, I see. How quaint."
Ardin stepped forward, placing himself between the Envoy and the others. His blade ignited, the dark chamber illuminated by its radiant glow. "You have no place here, Envoy. Return to the void."
The Envoy chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Kael's spine. "You cannot stop what is already in motion. The Exiled will rise, and your efforts will be nothing but a fleeting memory."
Kael felt Maris's hand on his arm, grounding him. "Stay back," she whispered, her voice steady despite the fear Kael could see in her eyes. "This isn't our fight."
But Kael couldn't look away. The Envoy radiated power, and something about its presence stirred something deep within him—a mix of fear, anger, and something else he couldn't quite place.
Ardin moved first, his blade slicing through the air with impossible speed. The Envoy dodged effortlessly, its form blurring as it evaded the attack. Shadows coalesced around its hands, forming jagged weapons that clashed against Ardin's blade with a deafening crack.
The battle was a blur of light and shadow, each strike sending shockwaves through the chamber. Kael could only watch, his heart pounding as Ardin fought with a precision and ferocity he had never seen before.
But the Envoy was relentless. With a sweeping motion, it unleashed a wave of dark energy that sent Ardin sprawling. The warrior hit the ground hard, his blade skittering across the floor.
The Envoy turned its attention to Kael and Maris, its crimson eyes glowing brighter. "Ah," it said, its voice a venomous purr. "The fledgling and the watcher. How delightful."
Kael raised his blade, his hands trembling. He wasn't ready for this. Not yet. But he refused to back down.
The Envoy raised a hand, shadows gathering around it like a storm. Kael braced himself, his mind racing for a plan, when a sudden burst of light filled the chamber.
Ardin was back on his feet, his armor battered but his blade glowing brighter than ever. "This isn't over," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
The Envoy hesitated, its form flickering as if unsure whether to press its attack. Finally, it stepped back, the shadows around it dissipating. "For now," it said, its tone mocking. "But soon, you will understand the futility of your resistance."
With that, the Envoy vanished, its form dissolving into the rift. The chamber fell silent, save for the crackle of residual energy.
Kael exhaled, his hands shaking. He had faced danger before, but this was different. The Envoy's presence had left a mark on him, a lingering sense of dread that he couldn't shake.
"We need to move faster," Ardin said, his voice hard as he deactivated his blade. "This was just the beginning."
Kael nodded, his resolve hardening. Whatever it took, he would be ready.