Kazi lay on the forest floor, his battered body bruised and bloodied, his breath shallow and ragged. The fight with the beast—ferocious and hyena-like—had drained him of all his strength. No matter how fiercely he fought, he was no match for the creature's strength.
Just as its claws raked across his chest, a sudden, blinding golden light erupted from within him, casting the beast aside into the underbrush and piercing the sky above.
Far from the clearing, Kazi's Parents, Amari and Zola had been searching through the tree, calling out to their son, their calls unanswered. Then—a blinding golden light erupted in the distance, sending a shockwave through the trees. Their hearts lurched. Without a word, they sprinted toward the glow, dread clawing at their chests. When they burst into the clearing, their worst fears stared back at them: Kazi lay motionless on the forest floor, his body battered and bleeding.
Zola, his mother, cradled his head gently in her lap, her hands trembling as she wiped away the dirt and blood from his face. Her voice was soft, barely a whisper, but full of desperation as she called to him.
"Kazi... Kazi, can you hear me?"
Tears glistened in her eyes, her heart thrumming with a mix of fear and helplessness. She had always known this day might come—the day his strange powers would awaken, the day everything they had worked so hard to protect would unravel.
His father Amari stood guard, axe raised, but the beast was gone—only scorched grass remained where it had fallen. His voice, though calm, carried an edge, betraying the anxiety he struggled to mask.
"He's alright, Zola. Just give him a moment."
Zola shot him a sharp glance, her voice rising with barely contained worry. "Alright? Amari, look at him! He's covered in blood! What if he—"
Her voice caught, she didn't finish it.
As though in response to his mother's desperate plea, Kazi's eyes fluttered open. He gazed up at the sky above, his vision slowly clearing. Kazi touched his chest. No pain. Only power, humming under his skin like a second heartbeat
"Mother, What's going on?" His voice was surprisingly calm, as if nothing happened.
Zola caught her breath, her gaze fixed on him. There was something different in his eyes, a strange shimmer of golden light where there had once only been warm brown. His wounds, though still evident, were beginning to heal at an unnatural pace.
Amari stepped closer, his face unreadable, his tone steady. "You're alright, Kazi. That's all that matters."
Kazi frowned, his mind racing as he tried to piece together what had happened. He remembered the beast, the battle, and then... the light, the overwhelming surge of power that had coursed through him. He glanced at his hands, flexing his fingers, as though testing his newfound strength.
"I feel... stronger," he murmured, more to himself than to his parents.
Zola stood up slowly, exchanging a quiet, uneasy glance with Amari, her lips drawn tight in concern. She wanted to speak, to explain, but the words caught in her throat.
Amari gaze swept the clearing, his voice was urgent "We're leaving. Now.
"But the creature—"
"Enough." Amari's grip on kazi's arm was firm, unyielding.
Kazi looked between his parents, confusion etched across his face. He could feel the weight of their unspoken tension, the air thick with the words neither of them seemed willing to say.
Zola packed the farm crops on the ground to the basket, Amari arranged the axes and cutlass into the sack and they made their way back into the village.
Meanwhile, far beyond the forest where Kazi lay, the golden light did not go unnoticed. It's energy rippling across the lands—reached even the high towers of distant kingdoms just as King Ruzan slammed his fist on the table. "The northern trade routes must remain under my control. Without them, the balance in the region collapses."
Sylah's expression barely shifted, but her voice carried a quiet challenge. "Balance is crucial, but so is fairness. Erythia has been kept from these routes for too long. My people need access to resources vital for our research."
Istrian Suyar, the Aquilan Emperor leaned forward, his bioluminescent eyes flashing with frustration. "And Aquilanor? We have surplus crops from our underwater farms, yet we get nothing in return. If we are to keep contributing, we deserve a fair share of the resources."
Alpha Uryx Varran growled softly, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "The Lycaros care little for your trade disputes. The forests give us all we need. But if these conflicts spill into our territory, we will not hesitate to act."
A chuckle from President Orion Valmar's, though his tone remained sharp. "How noble of you, Alpha. But perhaps if the Lycaros embraced technology, you wouldn't be so dependent on your forests."
Then the golden glow drowned Orion's smirk, an unexpected, blinding golden light filled the Council Chambers. It was unlike anything any of them had seen, stretching across the room and casting long, strange shadows against the walls.
For a moment, silence fell as each leader turned toward the windows, their faces a mix of confusion and unease. The light was distant, yet it felt as though it had reached into the very core of the chamber.
"What is this?" Ruzan's voice broke the silence, low and cautious.
"This is no natural phenomenon," Sylah murmured, standing to her feet. Her robes shimmered in the light, as if reacting to its power. "The energy... it feels foreign."
Istrian frowned, his glowing eyes flickering with uncertainty. "It's coming from the east. Could it be tied to the disturbances we've seen in the ocean currents?"
Varran's voice was a growl of suspicion. "This is no mere disturbance.
Orion remained seated, his sharp gaze calculating. "Whatever this is, it's powerful. And where there is power, there is something to be gained."
The light vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving an uneasy stillness in its wake.
King Ruzan stood, his voice carrying the weight of command. "This meeting is adjourned. We will reconvene once we know more."
Without another word, the leaders rose and departed, their minds racing with the implications of what they had just witnessed. The golden light could shatter their fragile alliance, and they all knew that their world was on the brink of something far greater than they could understand.
As soon as the national leaders departed for their respective nations, King Ruzan was the first to rally his men.
"Have you found out the cause of the golden light?" His voice was calm but carried an edge that brooked no evasion.
Darian, the Master of Speed, stood to his right, his lithe frame poised like a coiled spring. To his left was Liora, the Master of Light, her silver robes shimmering faintly in the dim light. And before him stood Varek, the Master of Combat, his massive frame and scarred face a testament to countless battles.
The golden light that had pierced the sky earlier that day weighed heavily on Ruzan's mind. It was no ordinary phenomenon—he could feel it in his bones. Something powerful had stirred, and he needed answers.
Darian shifted slightly, his sharp eyes darting to the others before he spoke. "My scouts have reported nothing unusual, Your Majesty. The light appeared suddenly and vanished just as quickly. There were no signs of its origin."
Liora stepped forward, her voice soft but steady. "I've analyzed the energy signatures, but they were… inconsistent. It was as if the light existed outside the natural order of things. I've never encountered anything like it."
Varek, ever the pragmatist, crossed his arms and frowned. "It came from the east. I'm certain of it. My men have a directional artifact that pinpointed the source, but the readings were erratic. Whatever caused that light, it's not something we can easily track."
Ruzan leaned back in his throne, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest. "The east," he murmured, his gaze distant. "That was where Umoja once stood."
The room fell silent as the weight of his words settled over them. Umoja—the fallen kingdom, its name whispered in hushed tones, its legacy a shadow that still loomed over the world.
Darian's eyes narrowed. "You think it's connected to the artifact?"
"It's possible," Ruzan said, his voice low. "The artifact was said to grant unimaginable power. If it still exists, and if someone has awakened it…"
Liora's brow furrowed. "But we've searched for years and found nothing. The artifact was lost when Umoja fell. How could it suddenly reappear now?"
Varek grunted, his deep voice cutting through the tension. "Maybe it wasn't lost. Perhaps it was hidden. And now, for whatever reason, it's resurfaced."
Ruzan's eyes gleamed with a mixture of curiosity and unease. "If that's the case, then we cannot afford to ignore this. The artifact's power is too great to fall into the wrong hands. If someone has awakened it, they must be found—and dealt with."
He turned to Liora, his tone sharpening. "I want you to analyze the energy signatures again. Look for any patterns, no matter how faint. If the artifact is involved, there will be traces."
Liora nodded, her expression resolute. "I'll begin at once, Your Majesty."
Ruzan's gaze shifted to Darian. "Send your scouts to the east. I want every inch of that region searched. If there's even a hint of the artifact's presence, I want to know about it."
Darian bowed slightly, his movements fluid and precise. "It will be done."
Finally, Ruzan turned to Varek. "Take your men and investigate the area where the light originated. Use the directional artifact to narrow down the source. If you find anything—anything at all—report back to me immediately."
Varek's lips curled into a grim smile. "Consider it handled."
As the three masters prepared to leave, Ruzan raised a hand, stopping them in their tracks. "One more thing," he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "This stays between us. If the other nations catch wind of this, they'll descend on the east like vultures. We cannot afford to let them interfere."
The masters nodded in unison, their loyalty unwavering. They knew the stakes as well as Ruzan did.
Just as the last of them exited the chamber, a messenger burst in—
Breath ragged, sweat glistening on his brow, urgency clinging to him like a second skin.
He fell to his knees before the throne, head bowed low,
And with trembling hands, offered a sealed parchment.
"Your Majesty… a report from Veyrath."
With the composure of kings, he accepted it,
Breaking the seal in silence, his eyes scanning the lines within.
Then—he stilled.
His grip tightened.
His voice dropped to a whisper. "The Vulcors Engine?...