The first light of dawn spilled through the cracks in the fortified shelter. Dust motes danced lazily in the weak rays of sunlight.
Kairis stirred, groaning slightly, his muscles sore from yesterday's fight. The taste of blood still lingered on his tongue, but the weight of victory pressed heavier on him. He opened his eyes and saw Elyra sitting at the table, cleaning her blade meticulously, while Aeren, still half-asleep, rubbed at his eyes.
"Morning," Kairis muttered, voice hoarse.
Elyra glanced up. "You actually slept?" she asked, voice tinged with disbelief.
"Barely," Kairis replied, swinging his legs off the cot. He rubbed at his forehead, scanning his siblings. His brown eyes softened slightly — though only a fraction — as they met Elyra's and Aeren's.
He could see it clearly now. Elyra had raw talent — sharp instincts, agility beyond what her age should allow. But she wasn't awakened yet. Her aura was dense, but unrefined.
Aeren, on the other hand, carried latent potential in endurance and raw magical affinity. But he lacked focus, discipline, and — most importantly — the spark that came with awakening.
Kairis frowned slightly, inwardly assessing.
They're strong… but they need guidance. They need a world worth surviving in.
The quiet of the morning was shattered by a sudden, low hum outside.
Kairis tensed, eyes narrowing. Outside the window, a sleek black car hovered inches above the ground. Its aura radiated authority — the kind that could kill or command thousands with a single glance.
"Guess we've got company," Kairis muttered.
Moments later, the car landed smoothly, doors sliding open. A trio of figures emerged, each carrying themselves with the confidence and lethality of veteran awakeners. The one leading them was an older man — no more than sixty, but his body was honed like a predator. He stood six feet tall, broad shoulders, arms corded with muscle even beneath his tailored black coat. Every movement exuded discipline and experience.
Kairis recognized the aura immediately.
> [LEVEL 80 — Awakened]
The man's eyes were steel gray, sharp, and calculating. The rest of his body radiated power. From the faint energy ripples around his limbs, Kairis could see he wielded an Affinity: Dark Matter Manipulation — a more refined version than Kairis himself. Gravity, light compression, and kinetic field mastery all combined in deadly synergy.
His companions were slightly younger, mid-level apostles in their own right. But all eyes were on the older man. He walked forward slowly, deliberately, as if testing the room.
"Kaeris Ash." The man's voice was deep and authoritative. "I am Varic Thorne — Head of the Awakeners' Association. I've come to formally invite you to join us."
Kairis leaned casually against the wall, coat fluttering lightly as he stretched. "Join you? You mean work under you? That's not really my style."
Varic's eyes narrowed slightly. A faint ripple of heat radiated from him, like a warning pulse. "You won the Grand Gathering. You're an Apostle of the Void. We need your strength. Humanity is fragile, and your talents are… exceptional."
Kairis smirked. "You know, I respect you, old man. But I don't take orders from anyone. What I can do is offer an alliance."
The gray eyes flickered with interest. "Go on."
"I fight my battles my way," Kairis explained, voice calm but sharp. "But you have resources, networks, and reach I don't. We help each other. You protect my siblings, my people, my stronghold — I help protect your civilians and hunt monsters with you when the situation demands. No hierarchy, no chains. You call on me when you need my power. That's my price."
Varic studied him for a long moment. Then a slow smile crept across his face.
> "Interesting. Very well, Apostle of Void. An alliance it shall be. But you must meet our headquarters. There, you'll understand the scale of humanity's fight."
The ride to the headquarters was quiet but tense. Kairis's siblings were kept safely behind reinforced glass in a secure van, escorted by association members.
When they arrived, Kairis stepped out onto a sprawling complex hidden in the cliffs overlooking a ruined city. The headquarters wasn't just a building; it was a fortress. Tall towers bristled with observation equipment, anti-monster turrets lined the walls, and hidden layers of defenses radiated dark matter energy.
Varic led him through the main hall — a massive space filled with holographic maps of the planet, showing population clusters, monster swarms, and stronghold locations.
"Humanity survived the apocalypse," Varic said, his tone proud yet stern. "But only because of strongholds like these. When the portals first opened, every major city fell. Those who survived fled to these bastions. Each is fortified and protected by awakeners assigned to them. Civilians are safe there — as safe as they can be in a world like this."
Kairis observed quietly. The scale was staggering. Hundreds of strongholds across continents, each with its own defenders, networked for rapid response.
"And yet…" Varic continued, voice dropping slightly, "it's not enough. The monsters evolve, new awakeners rise, and some—" His eyes flicked at Kairis meaningfully — "some awakeners go rogue. That's why we need people like you, Kaeris. People who can tip the balance."
Kairis let out a small chuckle. "You make it sound so noble. Let me be clear — I'm not here to save anyone's morality. I'm here to survive and make sure my siblings do. The rest? I'll help if it's convenient."
Varic's gray eyes twitched slightly, but he nodded. "Pragmatic. I can respect that."
They walked further into the headquarters. Kairis saw weapons rooms, dark matter laboratories, combat arenas, and training chambers. Each was humming with energy, alive with the presence of awakened individuals.
> "Here," Varic said, stopping at a central chamber. A giant holo-display activated, showing every known human stronghold, monsters' positions, and awakened individuals currently active. "This is your world now. Every choice you make, every move you take, affects millions. But you… you choose your path."
Kairis's eyes narrowed, scanning the massive map. He could see patterns, weak points, and even potential threats. He didn't speak immediately.
Then he smirked faintly, his usual arrogance returning.
"Alright. I'll play your little game… on my own terms. But don't think I'll be polite about it."
Varic's grin widened. "Good. That's why I like Apostles of Void."
Later, Kairis returned to Elyra and Aeren, explaining the scale of humanity's fight, the concept of strongholds, and why he had agreed to an alliance rather than submission.
Elyra's eyes shone. "So, there are people like you protecting us?"
Kairis leaned against the doorway, hands in pockets. "Not exactly. I protect my family. The rest… they protect themselves. But we'll work together when it matters."
Aeren, still young and impressionable, nodded slowly. "I want to get strong like you, Kairis."
He looked at both of them, eyes scanning their forms. For the first time, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips.
They have potential. One day… they might even fight alongside me.
But for now, he was alone.
And alone was fine.
Kairis Ash — Apostle of Void, Level 10 — had a family to protect, a world to navigate, and monsters yet to hunt.
And the darkness whispered around him… waiting for the next move.