Kael's feet barely touched the ground when the Sentinel Warden's gates opened with a mechanical hiss. The armored figures stood at attention, eyes locked on Kael and his team, their weapons drawn but not yet aimed.
Commander Veyra stepped forward, her posture rigid, and Kael felt her presence like a weight pressing down on him. She was every bit the soldier — confident, unyielding, and calculating.
"We don't trust anyone from Velhym Station," Veyra said, her voice hard as the metal around her. "Not after the collapse. Not after what the Core did."
Before Kael could respond, the sound of charging energy filled the air.
A Warden, standing to Veyra's left, fired a shot — a beam of crackling plasma that screamed toward Kael. He barely reacted, the Core inside him flaring as he instinctively raised a hand. The beam hit an invisible barrier around him, sparking and dissipating with a crackle.
Drex was already moving, charging toward the nearest Warden, his battle axe raised high. Lira dropped into a crouch, her sniper rifle aiming for the Warden who'd fired. Aren was at Kael's side in an instant, his pistol out, scanning the group.
The first Warden lunged at Drex with a plasma blade, but Drex sidestepped, the blade missing by inches. With a roar, he swung his axe in a wide arc, forcing the Warden back. The armor-clad soldier staggered, but quickly regained his footing.
Lira's shot rang out, and the Warden with the plasma rifle collapsed, a smoking hole in his chest. But the others were fast, forming a defensive line and adjusting their positions.
Kael didn't need to see any more. The Core pulsed, and his body moved with it. Without thinking, he reached out, his fingers extending toward the incoming Warden who was charging Drex. The Warden faltered mid-step, as if some invisible force had grabbed hold of him, and then Kael twisted his hand.
The Warden was flung backward into a nearby column with a sickening crunch. The rest of the Wardens hesitated, momentarily stunned by the display of power.
"Enough!" Veyra's voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "Hold your fire!"
She stepped forward again, her eyes never leaving Kael. "You... You've bonded with it, haven't you? The Core."
Kael's chest tightened, but he nodded. "I have. And I'm not the one you should fear."
For a moment, the battlefield seemed to pause. The crackling energy, the smell of ozone, all faded as the tension between the two groups hung in the air.
Veyra's cold expression softened just a fraction. She gestured for her men to lower their weapons. "Then we do not have the luxury of a choice."
Drex growled but lowered his axe reluctantly. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Your arrival has already been noted," Veyra said, her voice quiet but deadly. "The Core's influence... it is spreading. Tasha Elen's warnings were clear. But you," she turned to Kael, her gaze sharpening. "You are not the first to come seeking her. And you won't be the last."
Kael took a step forward, his heart pounding as his hand twitched near the hidden blade on his belt. "Then you know why we're here. We need to see her."
Veyra's eyes narrowed. "You'll see her, but not without understanding the risks first. The Core inside you isn't just a source of power. It's a beacon. And we are not equipped to protect you from what's coming next."
Kael clenched his fists. "I'm not asking for protection. I'm asking for answers."
A tense silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant rumble of the shifting earth beneath their feet.
"You don't understand what this power is capable of," Veyra said, her voice low but carrying an undeniable weight. "The Core has destroyed civilizations. The Wardens, the ones who survived the purge... we are the last line of defense. And we don't know what you'll become."
"I'm not like the others," Kael said, his voice steady despite the raw power thrumming through his veins. "I'm still human. But I need to control this power, not let it control me."
Veyra studied him for a long moment. Then, with a sigh, she gestured toward the gates. "Come. You'll meet with Tasha Elen. But know this: if you become a threat, we will stop you."
Kael nodded, his pulse still racing from the adrenaline. "Fair enough."
The team moved forward, passing through the gates, with Veyra leading the way. Kael's thoughts were a storm, but one thing remained clear — he had no intention of becoming a weapon for anyone. He had a purpose, and he would find it.
As they walked, the winds whipped around them, carrying with it a haunting whisper.
The Core was alive, and it was waiting.
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