Marcus and Kael stepped out of their SUV and into a nightmare.
The once-vibrant streets of Zareth City were scorched and splintered. Buildings smoldered, carts lay overturned, and cries of the wounded filled the air. The scent of smoke mixed with blood, acrid and heavy. Marcus clenched his fists.
"This is unforgivable," Kael growled, already rushing to help.
Together, they dashed toward a collapsed bakery. Civilians were trapped beneath rubble. Marcus used his Prana-fueled strength to lift beams while Kael guided and pulled people out.
"Stay calm," Marcus assured an elderly woman. "You're safe now."
More townsfolk poured out from alleys and half-destroyed homes. Kael directed them toward a makeshift evacuation point.
As they advanced, they saw it—masked figures clashing violently with USA enforcers in the city center. Fire and ice Prana tore through the air, illuminating the battlefield with bursts of color and chaos.
"We can't ignore this," Marcus said, already sprinting forward.
Kael nodded. "Let's keep the civilians behind us. We cover them while we fight."
They dove into the fray, blades flashing. Marcus fought like a tempest, fire dancing around him in spirals as he protected townsfolk and countered the masked attackers. Kael moved like a shadow, loosing arrows with surgical precision, shielding innocents with his presence.
"Thank you!" a woman shouted, clutching her child as Marcus deflected a strike meant for them.
"You're heroes!" another voice called.
Marcus's chest tightened—not with pride, but with the weight of responsibility.
Suddenly, a resounding explosion rocked the ground.
From the direction of the mayor's manor.
Everyone froze. The USA enforcers looked toward the manor in panic, but the masked assailants grinned.
"That's not good," Kael muttered. "I'll handle it. You stay here and finish things."
"Kael—" Marcus started.
"They're after something in there. I'll stop them."
With that, Kael vanished in a burst of wind-enhanced speed, disappearing into the smoke-choked distance.
Marcus's blade flared. "Then I'll end this, fast."
He pressed forward, cutting down the remaining attackers one by one. Yet he noticed something off—their stances, the way they retreated just in time. They were stalling.
"They're buying time… for something worse."
As the last of the masked attackers withdrew, Marcus's heart pounded. He sprinted toward the manor.
Halfway there—
BOOM!
The mayor's estate exploded in a tower of flame and force.
Marcus was flung backward by the shockwave, skidding along the cobblestone. He gasped and staggered to his feet, eyes wide with horror.
"Kael!"
He dashed through the burning remnants of the estate. Smoke and ash choked the air.
Then he saw it—a stone dome, cracked but intact. A final line of protection.
He rushed to it, pushing aside rubble.
Inside, Kael knelt, exhausted and bleeding, over the unconscious forms of the mayor and his daughter. Marcus's breath caught in his throat.
"You're alive…"
Kael looked up, sweat and blood streaking his face. "Barely."
Marcus entered, helping lift Kael gently.
"They okay?"
"Yeah. Shielded them at the last second… but it drained me."
Marcus's jaw tightened. "Let's get you to the med camp."
The camp buzzed with activity. Healers moved between the wounded as Marcus carried Kael in. The civilians around bowed or murmured thanks as he passed.
"They saved us." "It's thanks to them we're still here."
Kael was laid onto a cot, and medics began treating his wounds. Marcus waited nearby until Kael opened his eyes.
"Hey," Kael rasped.
"What happened in there?"
Kael took a shallow breath. "There were five of them. Masked. They killed the guards fast. I took one down with a naked blade—no Prana, fast and raw. They wanted the orb in the mayor's vault. When I realized it, I tried to stop them, but they threw an explosive to cover their escape. I could've escaped… but the mayor and his daughter…"
He closed his eyes, ashamed.
Marcus smiled faintly. "You did the right thing. You protected them. I'm proud of you."
A soft voice interrupted them. The mayor's daughter, Liana, stepped forward.
"Kael... I just wanted to say thank you. If not for you, I wouldn't be here."
Kael blushed, looking away. "Just doing what I had to."
"No. You were our hero today."
Marcus stood quietly, watching the moment unfold. He smiled and excused himself.
As he walked outside, he gazed at the sun dipping into the horizon, sky painted in amber and crimson.
"They'll pay for this," he murmured. "Every last one of them."
And with that, he returned to the city streets, helping wherever he could.
Deep beneath the ruins of the city, in a forgotten chamber lit only by faint red crystal, the surviving masked assailants regrouped.
Their leader, a tall figure with a silver mask etched in flame motifs, held the orb in his hand.
"It's here," he said.
Another nodded. "The final seal can now be undone. The Ancient Machine will awaken."
A low, rumbling sound echoed from the cavern walls.
"With it, we will conquer all who stand in our path. Let the world prepare."
The orb pulsed. The machine stirred.
And the war had only just begun.
Later that night, in the upper floors of the USA regional headquarters, a high-level emergency meeting convened.
Elite enforcers, analysts, and command officers filled the war room, voices sharp and tense.
"This group was highly organized," one officer barked. "They knew exactly where to strike."
"We need to track them immediately. Every minute we lose—"
"Enough," came a calm but commanding voice.
All eyes turned to the end of the room. An elderly man in pristine robes and a relaxed smile sat at the head of the table. Despite his age, his presence silenced the room.
He was Director-General Ryun of the USA.
"We all know what was taken," Ryun said softly. "That orb is a key—one part of a machine sealed long ago by the original founders of the United Shield Authority. It was to be transported to our central headquarters after the festival."
Gasps filled the room.
"They didn't just attack Zareth… they knew about the orb?" someone whispered.
Ryun nodded. "That's correct. Which is why… I will personally oversee this investigation."
Murmurs erupted.
"Sir, you can't—" "It's too dangerous!" "Your presence is needed here—"
Ryun's smile didn't waver.
Then—
A wave of invisible pressure flooded the room. The lights dimmed slightly. The very air turned cold.
Every person in the room felt it—an ancient and overwhelming power radiating from the old man. Sweat formed on brows. Hearts raced.
And then it was gone.
Ryun chuckled lightly. "Ho ho ho. Any objections?"
Silence.
He rose from his chair and walked toward the exit, hands tucked behind his back.
Outside, his secretary was already waiting.
"Ready my chopper," Ryun said. "We're going hunting."
And the hunt had begun.