Three days.
That's all the System gave us before the Ω-Class Rift broke fully into our reality—an incursion from the original creators of this realm: the Precursors.
I stood at the command deck of the Aegis Breaker, orbiting Kalenos, my world. Below us: shields shimmered across the cities, mage towers pulsed with mana condensers, and quantum-forged anti-aether cannons rotated in synchronized rhythm.
"Begin full planetary lockdown," I ordered.
"Activate Solstice Protocol."
System Directive:
Solstice Protocol Initiated
Status: World Conversion into Defensive State
Civilian Zones Hardened. Academy Students Armed. Vault-City 07 Unsealed.
Neural Link Sync: 99.4% – Ready to Transfer All Tactical Thought Directly to Planetary AI
Elira appeared in my command link moments later, her voice laced with tension.
"The Tear is spreading faster than predicted. Something's pushing it open from both ends."
"What's the interior reading?"
"Anti-Time. Spatial denial fields. And... one emotional anchor signature."
I froze.
"Who?"
Elira swallowed hard.
"Alyen."
My heart stopped.
Alyen. My childhood friend. My first ally. The boy who once protected me from rebels in the borderlands.
He'd vanished two years ago during a dimensional expedition. We thought him dead. But if the Precursors found him…
"They've made him a host."
System Alert:
Confirmed: Emotional Resonance Sync – Subject: Alyen Zaehr
Status: Host of Precursor Agent-Class Entity ("Father's Eye")
Threat Level: Cataclysmic
Sub-objective: Attempt Deconversion Before Neutralization
I clenched my fists.
"They always use someone close."
Vaerion stood beside me, silent for once. His gaze lingered on the feed, then turned to me.
"You should kill him. Quickly. Hosts don't survive long anyway."
"He's not dead. Not yet. And I don't abandon my people."
Vaerion tilted his head.
"Then this is your weakness, Jaden."
"No," I said, locking eyes with him.
"It's my humanity. And it's why I'll win."
We initiated Operation Starward Chain—a full-scale mobilization of hybrid magic-science assault wings, coupled with phasing-class stealth troopers. My AI double, NEXUS-13, had already drafted 4,000 potential battle outcomes. Only 2 ended in planetary survival without loss of a major city.
And neither of those included saving Alyen.
Day One: We reinforced all twelve cardinal ley lines. Elira personally anchored the West Seal, channeling pure Aether to reroute incoming precognitive distortions.
Day Two: We launched Voidrunners into the Tear itself, capturing echoes of Precursor whispers.
They spoke not of war, but of harvest. Souls. Minds. Ideas.
Day Three: The Tear tore open fully.
And Alyen stepped through.
He wore armor made from star-glass and wept shadows. His right arm was mechanical—part arcane, part beyond-physics. But it was his eyes that hurt most: they still remembered me.
"You're late," he said quietly.
"I waited two years for you to save me. And now I'm going to unmake you."
System Override Attempt Detected
Ω-Class Entity attempting to rewrite local narrative laws
Stasis Zones collapsing in 3 regions: Skyvault, Silverthrone, Emberreach
Warning: Alyen is acting as Precursor Conduit—Reality Distortion 41% and rising
I took one step forward.
"Alyen," I whispered.
"If any part of you is still there, fight it."
He raised his hand. The air between us turned red—sliced with geometric hatred.
"I did. For years. And you never came."
Then the first shot was fired.
The sky lit with broken timelines.
Magic clashed with machine gods.
A city burned.
And through it all, I made a vow—not as a prince or god.
But as a friend.
"I will bring you back. Or die trying."