6:47 AM.
Rein was already behind the register three minutes before his shift officially started. It wasn't because he was overeager; it was simply because his house was only two blocks away and there was no reason to be late.
Calton Mart opened at seven. However, Mr. Hendra, the owner, a middle-aged man with a thin mustache who always looked like he'd just woken up, had already opened the doors at six to receive stock. Rein usually entered through the back door, changed into his orange uniform, and began checking the register.
Routine. It was always the same.
He didn't hate it.
"Rein, the milk on the corner shelf is nearing its expiration date. Move it to the front."
"Already done, Sir."
Mr. Hendra nodded without really looking, then disappeared back into the warehouse. Rein straightened a few price labels that were tilted by a millimeter or two a detail no one would notice but him and returned to the register.
The first customer arrived at 7:04 AM. A middle-aged woman buying eggs and laundry detergent. The second was a junior high student buying ice cream before school. The third was a man buying cigarettes; Rein made no comment, even though he recognized the man's wife, who occasionally came in to buy cough medicine for a husband she claimed had quit smoking.
It wasn't his business.
At 9:30 AM, there was a quiet lull.
Rein leaned slightly against the counter, staring out the window. Across the street, a city notice board had been displaying the same warning for a week.
WARNING — FRACTURE ACTIVITY LEVEL 2
Calton District & surrounding areas. Please report visual anomalies to the nearest Aegis Sacra officer.
Level 2. It wasn't the first time for this city. Usually, nothing happened. Fracture Lines sometimes trembled and then closed on their own without releasing anything.
Usually.
Rein stared at the board for a moment, then looked away. He poured coffee from his small thermos. Black, no sugar. It was cold because he had forgotten to drink it earlier, but he drank it anyway.
"Rein!"
The voice came from the doorway. A small girl, perhaps eight or nine years old, ran inside carrying a backpack that was far too large for her body. Lira. She was the daughter of the food stall owner in the next alley. She often stopped by before school if her mother was busy.
"What do you need?" Rein asked.
"Can I borrow some scissors, Kak? Mom forgot to buy them for my craft project."
Rein opened a drawer under the counter and pulled out a small pair of green scissors.
"Bring them back this afternoon."
"Thanks, Kak Rein! You're the best!"
She had already dashed out before Rein could say anything else. He watched the door as it continued to swing, then returned to his cold coffee.
11:00 AM.
The morning shift was nearly half over. Rein was inputting drink stock when his phone vibrated in his pocket, a notification from a local news app.
AEGIS SACRA — CALTON DISTRICT
Warden IX patrol units have arrived in the Calton area this morning to monitor Fracture Activity Level 2. Residents are advised to remain calm.
Rein read it once, then put his phone back.
Warden IX. He remembered that name from his academy textbooks. The Dance of the Flame Sword. One of the Nine Wardens, the highest leaders of Aegis Sacra. For a routine Level 2 monitoring, the presence of a Warden seemed excessive.
But it wasn't his business.
He went back to stock entry.
12:47 PM.
Lunch break. Rein sat on a small plastic stool in the back corner of the shop, eating a boxed meal from Mrs. Sari's stall. Fried chicken, tempeh, and fluffy rice.
From the small, dusty back window, he could see the narrow alley behind the minimarket. The alley led to a main road on the other side and was commonly used by children playing in the afternoon or people in a hurry.
Currently, the alley was empty.
Quiet.
Rein watched it while he chewed. There was something different about today; the air felt slightly heavier than usual, like the atmosphere before a heavy rain. Yet, the sky outside was clear.
He furrowed his brow slightly.
Then his phone vibrated.
And again.
And again.
EMERGENCY ALERT: CALTON DISTRICT
FRACTURE BREACH DETECTED — GANG SECTOR 7
WRATH EMERGENCE CONFIRMED — THREAT LEVEL: A
ALL RESIDENTS EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY
Rein stood up. His meal fell off the table.
Sector 7.
The very same alley he had been staring at during his peaceful lunch. The same alley where Lira usually played in the afternoon.
At the end of the alley, the air began to vibrate like glass cracking from the inside. The color of the air shifted to a faded dark purple, thin like mist, but Rein could see it clearly from the small window. A crack was widening slowly. The Fracture was opening.
A portal.
The city sirens erupted simultaneously. Outside the minimarket, people began to run. Screams filled the air. The sound of Aegis Sacra vehicles arrived from the north heavy engines, steel wheels, and long horn blasts that meant one thing: leave now, don't ask questions.
Mr. Hendra emerged from the warehouse, his face pale.
"Rein! Close the register, we're evacuating!"
"You go first, Sir."
"What? But you—"
"I'll follow shortly."
Before Mr. Hendra could protest, Rein had already opened the back door.
Gang Sector 7 was about forty meters from the back door of Calton Mart.
Rein ran.
He didn't run because he had a plan. He didn't run because he had weapons or special abilities. He ran because a single fact in his head could not be ignored: Lira had gone to school through this alley, and her school was on the opposite side.
The portal was fully open by the time Rein reached the mouth of the alley. The rift was nearly three meters high, glowing with a pulsing blackish-purple light like a heartbeat. The surrounding air felt heavy and hot distinct from the heat of the sun, more like a pressure pushing from all directions.
Aegis Sacra troops were already in position. Six armed personnel, two of whom were a Caller-Bearer pair already synchronized; Rein could see their weapons glowing. But they weren't advancing. They were holding their ground.
And Rein understood why.
Something was emerging from the portal.
It was twice the height of a grown man. It was human-like in shape, but the proportions were wrong; the arms were too long, the head was too large, and where a face should have been, there was only a gaping dark void. Its skin if it could be called that looked like scorched stone, black with glowing red cracks within.
A Class A Wrath.
One of the Aegis Sacra soldiers charged. His weapon glowed blue with the element of water. The first strike hit the Wrath's right shoulder, and the monster staggered but did not fall. It raised a long arm and swiped, sending the soldier flying into the alley wall with a sickening thud that made Rein wince.
"Hold your positions!" a commander shouted.
They held, but it was clear they weren't enough.
Then Rein saw her.
In the corner of the alley, behind a pile of cardboard boxes Mr. Hendra usually left for scavengers, was a small figure huddling. A school uniform. A backpack that was much too large.
Lira.
She hadn't fainted. Her eyes were wide, staring at the Wrath with ragged breath, yet she remained silent as if she understood that making a sound was the worst choice she could make.
The kid was smart, but her position was terrible. The Wrath was moving in a direction that brought it closer to her hiding spot, and the Aegis Sacra troops were too busy preventing the monster from reaching the main road.
No one saw Lira.
Except Rein.
He didn't think twice. He stepped into the alley.
"Hey!"
He picked up a stone from the ground and threw it hard at the Wrath. The stone bounced off the monster's skin with no effect, but the sound was enough. The Wrath turned. The dark void on its face turned toward Rein.
Ah.
Rein took a breath.
So this is what it feels like.
He didn't run. His legs didn't move backward. Whether out of bravery or stupidity perhaps both, he stood his ground, staring back at the creature. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lira slowly crawling away toward the alley entrance.
Go. Go. Go.
The Wrath stepped toward him. One step. Two steps. The ground cracked beneath its feet every time its soles touched the asphalt. Rein took one step back. His back hit the wall.
A dead end.
The Wrath's arm began to rise.
Suddenly, something blurred between Rein and the monster.
It was fast, red, and hot.
The impact made the entire alley shake. Rein shielded his face with his arms. When he lowered them, he saw someone standing in front of him wearing a long, deep red coat. Her hair was partially tied back, with strands falling beside her face. Her right hand was still raised from the attack she had just delivered without a weapon.
The Wrath staggered two steps back.
The woman stood tall, her back to Rein.
"Are you alright?" Her voice was low and flat. It wasn't a question born of panic, but a quick confirmation before refocusing on the task at hand.
Rein stared at her back for a moment. He saw the small badge on her coat collar. A Roman numeral he had memorized from textbooks two years ago.
IX.
"...I'm fine," Rein answered.
Warden IX, Seraphine Aldcroft, did not turn around. Her eyes never left the Wrath, which was already beginning to stabilize itself.
"Good. Now leave."
"The little girl—"
"She's out. I saw her." She was brief. "You're the one who hasn't left yet."
Rein didn't move.
Seraphine finally turned halfway, just enough to see Rein from the corner of her eye. Her expression was unreadable, but there was something there. It wasn't annoyance or surprise. It was as if she were performing a rapid calculation in her head.
"Are you a civilian?"
"Former Grey Bearer."
Something shifted behind her flat expression. It wasn't much, but it was enough for Rein to notice.
The Wrath in front of them emitted a sound not a scream, but a low hum that resonated in the chest and began to move again. Seraphine faced forward once more.
"If you're not going to leave," she said quietly, "at least don't die."