---
The battlefield was a maelstrom of chaos. Smoke billowed into the sky, mingling with the acrid scent of burning metal and charred earth. The ground trembled under the weight of collapsing structures and the relentless march of the council's forces. Aether Lumenis stood at the heart of it all, his blade locked with Darius Veryon's, the two warriors locked in a deadly dance of steel and fury.
Darius smirked, his face streaked with sweat and blood. "You're slowing down, Aether. Age finally catching up to you?"
Aether didn't respond. His focus was absolute, his movements precise. But even he could feel the strain. Darius was stronger than he'd anticipated, his raw power matched only by his relentless aggression. Every strike Aether landed was met with a counterattack, every dodge followed by another barrage.
Around them, the battle raged on. Aether's forces were being pushed back, their lines crumbling under the weight of the council's army. The stronghold's defenses were failing, and the warships overhead rained destruction unchecked.
Aether's mind raced. He couldn't afford to waste any more time. He needed to get to Kael.
With a swift feint, Aether disengaged, creating distance between himself and Darius. He raised his hand, activating a small device on his wrist. A holographic display flickered to life, showing the status of the battlefield in real time.
"Status report," he barked into his communicator.
The voice of his second-in-command, crackled through. "We're losing ground, sir. The eastern flank has collapsed, and the western defenses won't hold much longer. We need reinforcements."
Aether's jaw tightened. Reinforcements weren't coming. They were on their own.
"Fall back to the secondary perimeter," he ordered. "Buy us as much time as you can."
"Understood."
Aether deactivated the communicator and turned his attention back to Darius, who was already closing the distance between them.
"Running away already?" Darius taunted, his voice dripping with mockery.
Aether's eyes narrowed. "You talk too much."
He lunged forward, his blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. Darius blocked, but Aether's strike was a diversion. With a flick of his wrist, he activated a hidden mechanism in his weapon, releasing a burst of energy that forced Darius to stagger back.
It was the opening Aether needed.
He reached into his belt and pulled out a small, cylindrical device. With a quick twist, he activated it and hurled it at Darius. The device exploded in a blinding flash of light, temporarily disorienting his opponent.
Aether didn't wait. He turned and sprinted toward the edge of the battlefield, his mind focused on one thing: getting to Kael.
---
### **The Syn Residence**
The Syn Residence was in shambles. The once-grand building was now a war zone, its halls filled with smoke and the sounds of distant explosions. Aether moved swiftly, his blade cutting down any enemy that dared to stand in his way.
He reached the pod room just as Arath and Eryndor were preparing to seal the doors. Kael and Lyra stood inside, their faces a mix of confusion and fear.
"Father!" Kael exclaimed, his voice filled with relief and anger. "What's going on? Why are we here?"
Aether stepped into the room, his breathing heavy from the fight. "We don't have much time. The battle is lost. You need to leave."
Kael's eyes widened. "Leave? No! I'm not running away. I can fight!"
Aether shook his head. "This isn't a debate, Kael. You're leaving, and that's final."
Kael's fists clenched. "You lied to me! You said I could fight, that I could help. But you were just stalling, weren't you? You never intended to let me stay!"
Aether's expression softened, but his voice remained firm. "I wanted to give you a chance, Kael. But the situation has changed. We're losing, and if you stay, you'll die. I can't let that happen."
Lyra stepped forward, her voice trembling. "What about you? What about Arath and Eryndor? Are you just going to stay here and die?"
Aether glanced at Arath, who gave a solemn nod. "We'll hold them off as long as we can. But you two need to survive. You're the future."
Kael shook his head, his voice rising. "No! I'm not leaving you! I won't abandon my home, my family!"
Aether stepped closer, placing a hand on Kael's shoulder. "You're not abandoning anyone. You're carrying on our legacy. You and Lyra are the only hope we have left."
Kael's eyes filled with tears, but he refused to back down. "I can't just leave you behind. I won't!"
Aether's voice cracked with emotion. "Kael, please. You have to trust me. This is the only way."
Kael looked to Lyra, who was silently crying, then back to his father. "There has to be another way. There has to!"
Aether pulled him into a tight embrace, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry, son. I love you."
Before Kael could react, Aether struck him with a precise blow to the back of his neck. Kael's body went limp, and Aether caught him before he could fall.
Lyra gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "What are you doing?"
Aether gently laid Kael in the pod, his hands trembling as he secured the restraints. "He'll understand one day. I hope."
Arath stepped forward, placing a hand on Aether's shoulder. "It's time."
Aether nodded, his heart heavy with grief. He turned to Lyra, who was still staring at him in shock. "Take care of him, Lyra. And take care of yourself."
Lyra nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I will."
Aether activated the pod's systems, the hum of energy filling the room. The doors sealed shut, and the pod began its launch sequence.
The hum of the pod's engines filled the room, a low vibration thrumming beneath the floor. The countdown had begun.
Kael sat motionless inside the pod, strapped into one of the two seats, his head tilted slightly to the side. His platinum hair fell over his closed eyes, his chest rising and falling in steady, unconscious breaths. Lyra sat beside him, her hands trembling as she looked at him, then back at her father.
"You knocked him out," she whispered, her voice barely above the hum of the pod.
Aether didn't respond immediately. He stood rigid, facing the entrance of the room as if preparing for the inevitable. His expression was unreadable, but his clenched fists told her everything.
"He wouldn't have gone willingly," Arath finally said, adjusting controls on the pod's console. "Neither of you would have."
Lyra swallowed hard. She knew he was right. She would have fought to stay. Kael, even more so.
Eryndor and his five guards stood at the door, their weapons raised, their glowing veins pulsing with anticipation. The sounds of battle outside had grown louder—closer. The war was closing in on them.
Aether turned to Arath. "How long until launch?"
"Three minutes." Arath's fingers moved across the controls with precision, eyes locked on the holographic interface. The pod's core glowed brighter, energy surging through its frame.
Then, a violent explosion shook the entire building.
The reinforced doors at the far end of the room shuddered, then groaned as they were forced open.
Darius Veryon stepped inside.
His piercing gaze swept across the room, taking in the pod, the unconscious Kael, and the final preparations for launch. Behind him, a squad of heavily armed soldiers stood at the ready.
A flicker of realization crossed Darius' face, then fury.
"You're sending him away."
His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of rage beneath it. His eyes locked onto Aether.
"You're trying to take LUX out of my reach."
The pod's control panel emitted another beep. Two minutes until launch.
Aether exhaled, stepping forward. "You're too late."
Darius' fing
ers twitched at his side. "Like hell I am."
The tension in the room tightened like a coiled spring, moments away from snapping.