Imperius Exile Wastelands, Uncharted System
Year 9783 C.C. – Three Days After the Trial
*****
Kael's throat burned with thirst. His limbs ached, his body weak from hunger, yet he pressed forward.
For three days, he had wandered the wastelands. Three days since he had been cast away, abandoned, erased. His injuries had begun to clot, but the deep wound in his shoulder from Darius Valkaarn's energy blade still burned beneath his torn clothing.
The planet was barren, lifeless. The winds howled across the cracked landscape, kicking up spirals of fine dust. The air was thin, making each breath heavy, each movement sluggish.
'If they didn't kill me in the arena, this place was meant to do the job.'
Kael clenched his jaw and kept moving.
The land stretched endlessly before him, vast and empty—except for the ruins ahead.
Jagged, ancient structures jutted from the ground like broken ribs, half-buried in the dust. Not Dominion architecture. Something older.
Kael's heart quickened.
*****
As he approached, he saw the remains of massive metallic pillars, their surfaces etched with worn symbols. Some of the structures were collapsed, others barely standing, their interiors exposed to time.
This place had been a city once. A civilization.
And now, it was nothing.
Kael climbed over the shattered remains of what might have been a watchtower, his boots sending loose debris tumbling down into the ruins. He ran a hand across the metal surface—it was smooth, cold, unnaturally preserved.
'How long has this place been abandoned?'
He reached for his Celestial Archive, activating the scan function. A soft blue light pulsed from his interface, casting a faint glow over the ruins.
[Celestial Archive – Environmental Scan]
► Structure Analysis: [Unknown Origin]
► Estimated Age: [Error – Data Corruption]
► Energy Signature: [Faint Residual Traces]
► Additional Records: [Restricted – Noble Access Required]
Kael frowned.
"Error? Restricted access?"
'Even here, in exile, the system still denies me answers.'
He exhaled sharply, forcing down frustration. But then—his gaze caught something beneath the dust.
A symbol.
Barely visible, carved into the metal. He knelt, brushing away layers of debris.
And then, his breath stilled.
'I've seen this before.'
*****
It was the same symbol that had appeared on his system window when he touched the Obsidian Shard three days ago.
A circular design, marked with three jagged lines running through it—almost like cracks in glass.
Kael's fingers traced the engraving. A whisper of memory flickered in the back of his mind. A voice.
"It has always been broken."
A cold shiver ran down his spine.
'This place… is connected to the Shard. But how?'
His grip tightened around the fragment of Obsidian metal he had recovered earlier. It was still cool to the touch, still thrumming faintly, as if waiting.
Waiting for something.
A sudden pulse of energy rippled through the air.
Kael tensed, his instincts flaring. He wasn't alone.
*****
Somewhere in the distance, the sound of shifting rubble echoed through the ruins.
Kael's muscles coiled. He dropped low, pressing himself against the remains of a collapsed pillar, straining to listen.
Another sound. A footstep.
Slow. Purposeful.
Kael held his breath. His heart hammered.
The Dominion wouldn't waste time sending an executioner this soon. Would they?
Then, a voice—distorted and mechanical.
"You should not be here."
Kael barely had time to react before a figure emerged from the ruins, moving like a shadow through the dust.
Clad in black combat armor, its face concealed behind an expressionless visor, the figure held an energy blade humming with lethal intent.
Not a noble soldier.
Not a mercenary.
An Echelon Enforcer.
Kael's blood ran cold.
*****
The Enforcer moved instantly, crossing the distance between them in a blur.
Kael barely twisted aside as the energy blade slashed downward, carving through stone like butter. The impact sent a shockwave of heat through the air.
Too fast. Too precise.
Kael lunged back, rolling across the broken ground. His mind raced. He had no weapon, no energy shield—just his instincts and the burning knowledge that he wasn't supposed to survive this.
'Why is The Echelon here? Why are they watching me?'
He had no time to question. The Enforcer attacked again.
Kael ducked, barely dodging a second lethal strike, and in that moment, his Celestial Archive flickered.
[Celestial Archive – Combat Synchronization]
► Status: [Threat Detected – Lethal Level]
► Defensive Rating: [Inadequate]
► Evasion Probability: [21%]
► Suggested Action: [RUN]
'Not happening.'
Kael moved instinctively, using the terrain to his advantage. He dashed between fallen pillars, forcing the Enforcer to adjust angles. The ground was uneven—Kael had trained for years in controlled environments, but this assassin was adapting instantly.
Another strike came—a flash of burning red slicing toward his ribs. Kael twisted, grabbing a broken metal rod from the rubble, using it to deflect.
The impact sent vibrations up his arm. He gritted his teeth. He was already tiring.
He needed an opening.
*****
As if in answer, the Obsidian Shard in his hand pulsed.
For a split second, the world blurred.
The Enforcer's movements—fast, unreadable—became clear. A second ahead, an attack he hadn't yet made.
A gap in his defense.
Kael moved without thinking. He made a feint at the left, then pivoted sharply, bringing the metal rod up—slamming it into the Enforcer's side.
The assassin staggered.
It wasn't a killing blow, but it was enough.
Kael didn't hesitate. He turned—and ran.
*****
The ruins stretched before him, endless and unforgiving, but he kept moving, lungs burning. Behind him, the Enforcer recovered, giving chase.
Kael's mind spun. He was faster now, more aware—but that moment of clarity… had it been the Shard?
He had no time to question. He just knew one thing.
The Echelon had sent someone after him.
They knew he was still alive.
And that meant…
They were afraid.
*****