The sun hung low behind the clouds above Sector Seven, casting long shadows across the cracked pavements of Kayen's old school. He stood still for a moment, his figure drawing more attention than he'd hoped. The moment his feet crossed the front gates, whispers flared like wildfire.
"Isn't that Kayen Telani?"
"I thought he disappeared..."
"Word was he got arrested for murder."
"Nah, I heard a demon took him... for real!"
Every step he took felt like walking through thick fog. The atmosphere was heavy—watchful eyes bore into his back with every breath. He kept his gaze ahead, jaw tight.
Next to him, Selasi walked with practiced ease. Despite her seemingly relaxed expression, her eyes scanned the environment like a hawk. A faint smirk formed on her lips as she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear, "Seems like you were the popular guy, Kayen."
Kayen rolled his eyes, murmuring under his breath, "If only you knew... you're the one making me stand out now."
They made their way through the corridor and into the administration wing. Two Skyborn guards waited at the entrance while Kayen and Selasi entered the headmaster's office.
The room was still, the ticking of a clock the only sound for a while as pleasantries and formalities were exchanged. The conversation stretched for what felt like hours. Selasi explained that Kayen would no longer be continuing his education there. The headmaster, a bald man with deep lines under his eyes, listened with veiled confusion and concern.
Kayen stayed quiet through most of it, only speaking when required. By the time the process was done and the records cleared, he felt lighter... but not in a good way. It was the kind of lightness that came when something permanent was erased.
At the school's entrance, Selasi raised a hand toward one of the guards. "Give me the detector," she said curtly. The man handed her a Skyborn-issued energy reader. Selasi tapped swiftly on its interface. Spiritual energy readings popped up, flaring briefly before vanishing.
"The signal came from Sector Seven. About four hours ago... but it's gone now," she said.
She tapped her wrist bead. A holographic screen unfolded in midair. Her fingers danced across the interface, inputting commands in rapid succession. Kayen watched in silence as she whispered to herself. Finally, a name appeared in bold white text: ROKA ROBOTICS.
Her eyes narrowed. She turned to the guards. "Any incident reports from this location?"
"None received, ma'am," one guard replied.
Selasi looked back at Kayen, then at the device. "We're not heading back yet," she said. "There's something off at Roka Robotics."
Kayen's eyes widened. The name struck him like lightning. Zemo. His heartbeat spiked instantly. Images of his best friend flooded his mind—working under a half-built drone, laughing with sparks flying behind him.
Selasi paused, her brows furrowing. She could hear it—Kayen's heart racing. She could feel the sudden shift in his spiritual rhythm.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
He didn't answer. He just shook his head, eyes distant, fists clenched.
Selasi turned. "Let's move."
High in the floating sanctums of the Skyborn Order, Councilman Tavion sat alone in his dim-lit office. Documents hovered around him in holographic displays. His face was cold.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Councilwoman Maresa Nyaga is here to see you, sir," a young assistant informed him.
"Let her in. No more interruptions."
Moments later, Maresa entered, her black boots echoing across the marble floor. Her hands were clasped behind her back, her presence calm but commanding.
"You called me, Tavion?"
Tavion stood, pacing. "You know why I did."
She narrowed her eyes. "This again..."
"We're letting a vessel walk free. We should be preparing to neutralize him, not train him."
Maresa stayed quiet.
"You're making a mistake," Tavion said, voice firm. "What happens when Effilim takes control? When Kayen loses his humanity?"
She raised a brow. "We all agreed on the probation. Even you didn't object at the time."
"I object now."
A long silence passed. Maresa turned toward the exit, then looked back at him.
"You still have one day before the Celestial Tribunal. If you want to change the outcome, bring evidence. Not theories."
And she left, the doors shutting behind her.
Back in Sector Seven, a sleek hover transport glided just above the ground, humming softly. It looked like a mix between a sled and a starfighter—sleek, black, with Skyborn insignias on the side. Kayen, Selasi, and the two guards arrived outside the familiar gates of Roka Robotics.
The building looked quiet... too quiet.
They approached. A guard stepped forward, hand on his blade, and pushed the door open.
Nothing.
Only the soft whirring of a hover-bike engine.
Near a workbench lay a nanophone and a pair of old headphones.
Kayen rushed forward. He recognized them immediately.
"No... Zemo?" he called out. No response.
Selasi stepped beside him. "This place means something to you."
Kayen nodded slowly, staring at the items in his hands. "My best friend lived here... this was his second home."
A guard called them over. "Ma'am... there are drag marks here. Something... or someone... was taken."
Selasi's expression hardened. She turned to one of the guards. "Send a report to HQ. Immediately."
Kayen knelt, clutching the headphones tight.
I should've been here.
His hands trembled. Guilt gnawed at him.
Selasi stared at the floor where the drag marks were deep in thought and the only thing that came to her mind is that the other side had started. War was brewing.