Somewhere beneath Eridia — Forgotten Reliquary, 2:15 AM
Drip.
Drip.
The sound of leaking water echoed through the underground chamber. The walls were carved with glyphs too ancient for any living tongue. Between the cracks, a strange glow pulsed—blue and red, flickering like a heartbeat.
A hooded figure knelt before a monolith of black glass, hands trembling.
On the obsidian surface… a name burned into existence.
KAIEN NOX
Heavenbreaker Candidate: Confirmed
The figure backed away, panic in their voice.
"This is impossible. The seal—wasn't it complete?"
Behind them, divine eyes opened.
And a whisper curled around the air like smoke:
> "The chain has fractured. The child who laughs at the gods... has begun to scream."
---
Sector D — Safehouse Rooftop
Kaien couldn't sleep.
The clash with Sierra still rang in his bones. The way her blade had sung through the air. The way she moved like she'd seen every possible version of him already.
He stared at his palm.
The flame answered.
Not red. Not violet. But something stranger now—pale gold, like dying starlight.
Zaira sat across from him, a plate of noodles in hand. "You're changing again."
Kaien nodded. "I know. I feel like… something inside me's waking up."
Zaira tapped her fork. "You mean your 'Heavenbreaker' thing?"
He didn't answer immediately.
"I don't even know what that means," he said. "Only that… people are watching me. Gods, maybe. But why me?"
Zaira leaned back, slurping a noodle.
"Because you dared to laugh at them. That's not something divine egos forget."
---
Cut to: Division I Council – Celestial Grid
Twelve thrones.
Twelve gods.
Each cloaked in flowing astral regalia, their faces obscured by veils of shimmering stars.
A thirteenth seat remained empty. Cracked. As if something had violently escaped.
A smaller projection hovered in their midst—a pulsing glyph reading:
> Heavenbreaker Resonance: Reactivated
Designation: Kaien Nox
Threat Level: Irregular
The tallest god—known only as Veyrum, The Lawgiver—spoke.
"This child treads upon threads long severed. He must not reach the Bastion."
Another voice, silkier and malevolent, replied:
"Then let us send a Reminder. One strong enough to bind his flame before it burns heaven."
The vote was silent.
But unanimous.
---
Sector D – Kaien's First Vision
Kaien's body jolted upright.
He wasn't on the rooftop anymore.
He stood alone in an empty realm—endless desert under a bleeding sky.
Chains hung from the clouds.
One by one, they snapped.
A voice thundered around him, cracked and filled with wrath:
> "You should not exist."
"You are error, Kaien Nox."
Then—light.
A towering being of gold armor and black wings descended, holding a hammer carved from celestial code.
Kaien stepped back, fists igniting instinctively.
The being raised the weapon.
> "REMINDER INITIATED."
Then it struck.
Kaien's world turned to white.
---
Back in Reality – Under Siege
Zaira was yelling something.
Kaien opened his eyes—barely in time to see the wall explode.
A being stepped through.
Ten feet tall. Eyes glowing white. Wings shimmering like mirror shards.
Not human.
Not even divine.
An Enforcer.
One of the ancient ones sent to silence echoes of forbidden prophecy.
Kaien rolled, barely dodging its first attack—a shockwave that ripped the floor apart.
Zaira unloaded her modified pulse rifle into the Enforcer's side—it didn't flinch.
Kaien stood, flame rising from his feet.
"You're here for me."
The Enforcer didn't answer. It charged.
Kaien met it.
---
Clash: Kaien vs. the Enforcer
This wasn't like fighting Lucien.
Wasn't like dancing blades with Sierra.
The Enforcer was a mountain. An unstoppable will.
Kaien struck with fists of flame—but the being absorbed the heat like it fed on it.
Zaira called out, throwing a shock mine.
It hit.
The Enforcer stalled for a blink—only a blink.
Kaien closed his eyes, thinking fast.
What do you do when your flame won't burn through armor?
You burn around it.
He dropped low, igniting the air itself.
"Ignition Step: Spiral Scorch!"
He spun, kicking up a vortex of fire, pulling the Enforcer into a loop of pressure and heat.
Still, the being raised its hammer.
Kaien shouted—"Zaira, now!"
She triggered the mine overload.
A concussive blast slammed into the Enforcer.
Kaien surged forward, driving his fist into the being's chest—
And finally—cracked it.
A glow bled from the wound. The Enforcer stumbled, wings faltering.
Before it could recover, Kaien channeled everything.
Flame. Rage. Defiance. Purpose.
And whispered:
> "Break this."
The final blow sent the Enforcer crashing back through the wall—collapsing into silence.
Smoke rose.
Kaien dropped to one knee.
Zaira limped over.
"You okay?"
He nodded.
But his hand was shaking.
---
Later That Night — Safehouse Lower Levels
Kaien sat alone, staring into a basin of water.
His reflection didn't look right anymore.
His eyes… flickered. Like fire held secrets behind the iris.
Zaira came down, holding a torn book she had just recovered from an old tech cult archive.
She placed it beside him.
He blinked at the title.
> "Codex of Heavenbreakers"
Kaien opened the book.
Page one was missing.
Page two had a single line:
> "When the Chains Break, the Last Flame Will Rise."
He looked up at Zaira.
"This was never just about survival, was it?"
She shook her head.
"It's about rebellion. And you, Kaien Nox… you're not just a flame anymore."
---
Meanwhile – Sierra's Return
Sierra stood before a sealed gateway—an enormous obsidian door carved with the same glyph from Kaien's vision.
She placed her blade into the slot.
It unlocked.
Wind rushed out—filled with whispers.
She stepped through and spoke aloud:
> "He's awakened. The Enforcers failed. The prophecy is shifting."
A voice replied from the dark:
> "Then it's time the Fallen Choir returned."
Sierra smiled.
Things were about to get loud.
---