The room was silent. Too silent.
Bolt stared at the shifting ink on the note, his pulse hammering in his ears.
"You're not the only one searching for the truth."
The words felt heavier than anything he had faced before. He had enemies. He had rivals. But this? This was something else entirely. Someone was watching him. Someone who knew more than they should.
Aether exhaled sharply. "Okay, this is officially the creepiest thing I've seen all week."
Bolt clenched his fists. He hated this feeling—the sense that he was constantly one step behind, that no matter how strong he got, there was always something bigger looming over him.
His past. The mystery of the Warborn. Eclipse.
It was all circling around him like a storm waiting to crash.
"I need to find out who sent this." His voice was quiet but firm.
Aether shook his head. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that? The damn ink is moving, Bolt. This isn't some regular message—this is advanced magic or something even worse."
Bolt didn't care. He had spent his whole life feeling lost, feeling like the world had thrown him aside and expected him to just disappear. But he was done being passive.
Before he could say anything else, there was a knock at the door.
Aether and Bolt immediately exchanged glances. They weren't expecting anyone.
Bolt moved first, shoving the note into his pocket before opening the door just enough to see who was outside.
Kairos Vale stood there, arms crossed, an amused expression on his face. "Relax, I'm not here to kill you."
Bolt sighed, stepping aside. "Could've led with that."
Kairos walked in, glancing around. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Aether scoffed. "Close enough."
Kairos's gaze sharpened. "Something happen?"
Bolt hesitated, debating whether to show him the note. But before he could decide, Kairos tossed something onto the desk.
A mask.
Not just any mask—a broken Eclipse mask.
Bolt's breath hitched. "Where did you get this?"
Kairos leaned against the wall, watching Bolt closely. "Let's just say Eclipse isn't as hidden as they think."
Aether stepped forward. "You've been tracking them?"
Kairos smirked. "More like cleaning up after them. They've been very active lately, and from what I gathered, they're looking for something. Or someone." His gaze flickered to Bolt.
Bolt's jaw clenched. "Me."
Kairos nodded. "The question is—are you ready for what's coming?"
Bolt glanced at the mask again. He had fought against factions before. He had made enemies. But this… Eclipse wasn't like the others. They weren't after power or influence. They wanted something deeper.
And somehow, he was at the center of it.
Aether spoke up. "What do we do now?"
Bolt took a deep breath. He was done running. Done waiting for answers to come to him.
"We find them before they find us."
Kairos smirked. "Good. Because I think they're already watching you."
Before Bolt could react, the lights flickered. The air turned cold.
A whisper.
A soft, eerie voice, barely audible but impossible to ignore.
"You are already too late."
The room plunged into darkness.
---
A Memory Resurfaces
Bolt staggered, his breathing sharp. His senses screamed at him that something was wrong, but then—
A sensation he hadn't felt in years.
Warmth.
The smell of rain and metal.
A child's voice. His own.
"Why are you leaving me?"
A woman's voice, soft yet filled with something unreadable. "This is the only way to keep you safe."
His mother.
Bolt's stomach twisted. His heart pounded like a war drum in his chest.
No, no, this isn't real. It's just an illusion.
Yet, the memory gripped him like a vice, dragging him down into the past.
---
Years Ago – Before the Great Surge
The night had been stormy. Bolt stood at the doorstep of his family's home, watching his parents with wide, uncomprehending eyes. He was seven. Small. Powerless.
His father looked at him with an expression that wasn't quite anger, but something close. Disappointment. His mother knelt in front of him, cupping his face gently.
"You're strong," she whispered, voice trembling. "But strength isn't always enough."
"I don't understand," Bolt pleaded. "I'll be good. I promise. Just don't—"
But they were already turning away. His mother's hand slipped from his cheek.
The door shut.
And Bolt was left standing in the rain, alone.
---
Present Day
The memory shattered.
Bolt gasped, staggering back. His body was covered in sweat, his breaths ragged. Aether was shaking him.
"Bolt! Snap out of it!"
He blinked rapidly, the last remnants of the vision still clinging to his mind.
Kairos was watching him closely. "What the hell just happened?"
Bolt swallowed, running a hand over his face. "I… I saw them."
Aether frowned. "Who?"
Bolt clenched his jaw. "My parents."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Kairos's expression darkened. "That's no accident."
Bolt exhaled slowly. "No. It's not."
His past was clawing its way back into the present.
And now, someone—something—was forcing him to relive it.
But why?
His hands trembled before he balled them into fists. No more hesitation. No more doubt.
This wasn't just about him anymore.
It was time for answers.
---
A sudden knock at the door snapped them all to attention.
B
ut this time, it wasn't hesitant or secretive.
It was loud. Forceful.
Whoever was on the other side didn't come to talk.
Bolt met Aether's gaze.
"We're out of time."