Five Years Ago
Kael stood outside the lab, holding a single rose and a wrapped gift. It was Lira's birthday. The wind was calm, the sun was setting—everything felt perfect.
Inside, his parents were presenting their latest breakthrough to the government: a system interface prototype tied to cosmic energy.
And Lira had been the only outsider allowed in.
When Kael entered, the lab was already burning. Bodies on the floor. Screams. And Lira—
—Lira was standing over his mother's console, blood on her hands, inserting a drive into the core system.
She turned when she saw him. Her eyes weren't full of panic. They were cold.
"Kael…" she had said. "I told you. You should have left with me."
Before he could answer, an explosion ripped through the lab.