Chapter 5: Ashes and Echoes
Smoke curled from the ends of Kaien's fingers.
The alley was a crimson ruin. Blood stained the cracked pavement; fragments of weapons and armor lay scattered like discarded toys. The two soldiers—no, operatives—were barely recognizable. Their masks had melted, exposing hollowed faces.
Kaien stood in the center, half-transformed, panting. The bone-like ridges on his back slowly retracted, sinking beneath the skin. His horns crumbled into ash. The markings faded.
Then came the silence.
> "You're getting used to me."
That voice again. Not loud. Not aggressive. Almost smug.
Kaien gritted his teeth. "Shut up. You almost got me killed."
> "Correction. I killed for you. They would've done worse."
A memory flashed behind Kaien's eyes—of one of the soldiers, moments before death, whispering into a hidden mic:
"Subject 7-13 has awakened. Repeat, he's active—Veilborn is active—"
---
He limped out of the alley, hoodie pulled up, eyes flicking across the street. No sirens. No crowd. Whoever these people were, they cleaned up fast.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
"Go to the old train station. Now."
He stared at the screen, heart racing.
> "You're being watched, boy."
---
Location: Underground Facility – Sector 12
A massive monitor blinked. Footage of Kaien's rampage played on loop. Men in suits watched with unreadable expressions.
"The fusion rate is stabilizing," one murmured. "He's adapting faster than any of the previous subjects."
"Subjects," a cold female voice echoed from the shadows, "were disposable. He's Veilborn. The last viable carrier."
A third figure entered the room—tall, wearing a long black coat, face hidden behind a mask stitched with a symbol: a vertical eye surrounded by runes.
"Should I retrieve him?" the masked figure asked.
The woman smiled. "No. Let's see who finds him first—us… or her."
---
Scene: Old Train Station – Midnight
Kaien arrived, his breath visible in the cold air.
The place was abandoned. Tracks rusted. The floor scattered with dead leaves and dust. The only light came from a flickering vending machine.
Then—
"About time, Veilborn."
A girl leaned against a pillar. Short white jacket, black gloves, and a satchel filled with syringes and knives. Her left eye glowed faintly red.
Kaien stepped back. "Who are you?"
She grinned. "Your last friend. Or your next mistake."
> "Interesting. She's like us."
> "She's not like me," Kaien whispered.
"I'm Aira," she said, tossing him a vial filled with a glowing black liquid. "Drink that if the thing inside tries to eat you."
He caught it, stunned.
"What are you talking about?"
"You really don't know anything, do you?" Aira's smile faded. "You're not just some lab rat. You're Veilborn. A living weapon. And they're going to hunt you until there's nothing left but ash."
---
End of Chapter 5