Empyrean

ACT I: Equinox

“In the dance of shadows and light, a whispered vow echoes through time.”

The skeletal remains of skyscrapers loom over the abandoned city, shrouded in darkness. The air crackles with tension as two figures move with practiced precision through the rubble. Asteria, her breath ragged yet determined, aims her guns with lethal accuracy, striking down another shadowy Wanderer.

“This is strange,” she mutters with a frown, her golden-flecked indigo eyes glinting with wariness as she surveys the cluster of derelict structures of what used to be a marketplace. She and Xavier have been sent out on a mission to investigate the abnormally high ripple of Metaflux in this desolate town. However, the Wanderers they have encountered so far have not exceeded a threat level of Rank A.

“Do not lower your guard,” Xavier responds, his face impassive. “We’re standing at a spot with a high concentration of energy fluctuations.”

Before Asteria could respond, a sudden swarm of Wanderers descended upon them, eyes glowing with malevolent hunger. Her instincts prickle, a cold shiver running down her spine.“Luminivores?!”

Asteria slowly realizes with sinking horror that this could be another trap for Xavier. His Evol is a terrible match against this type of Wanderer, yet his expression betrays no sign of fear nor trepidation as the Luminivores charge at them with feral speed. His lightblade ignites with a blinding brilliance, slicing through the first attacker with a swift, precise arc. “Stay close!” he shouts, positioning himself between Asteria and the advancing horde.

Asteria draws her dual guns, the cool metal steadying her racing heart. She fires off rapid shots, each bullet infused with a special energy to counter the Luminivores’ light-absorbing nature. “We need to push them back!”

In an instant, the old marketplace is plunged into chaos and mayhem. The air is thick with the stench of decay and the metallic tang of blood. Asteria’s muscles burn, each movement a battle against fatigue. She could hear the frantic rhythm of her own breath, the grunts of exertion from Xavier, and the snarls of their foes.

Xavier unleashes a burst of light, aiming to disintegrate a cluster of Luminivores. Instead, the creatures absorb the energy, growing stronger and more aggressive. The brief reprieve turns into a renewed onslaught, forcing Asteria and Xavier into a desperate fight.

“Behind you!” Asteria yells, firing a precise shot that pierces through a Luminivore creeping up on Xavier. He spins, finishing it off with a quick thrust of his lightblade, which dims with each strike as the Luminivores siphon its power.

“Use my Evol, just like last time,” she tells him as they stand back to back, recalling her memory when they first met in an abandoned research base. She could feel him shake his head.

“Conserve your strength. These Luminivores are not the cause of the Metaflux explosion here. There’s something lurking in the shadows,” Xavier answers, his voice calm and steady despite the chaos. Asteria swallows, her instincts rallying as she scans the dark building behind the Wanderers surrounding them. If not these Luminivores, what else could have caused such abnormally high fluctuations here?

However, now is not the time to deduce anything. The fight intensifies, each second a blur of motion and flashes of light. Just when it seemed like they might be overwhelmed, a vicious Tezcatlipoca lunges at Asteria from behind. Time seemed to slow as she turned, eyes wide with realization that she could not evade in time.

Xavier is there in an instant, his lightblade slicing through the air to intercept the attack. The blade’s light flicker, weakened by the Luminivores’ energy absorption. He stands protectively over her, his eyes fierce and determined.

“I won’t let the shadows touch you,” he says, his voice steady, his words familiar.

Asteria’s heart skips a beat as the words echo in her mind, a long-buried memory surfacing— a young girl being saved from a Wanderer attack, the same voice… the same promise.

“Lumiere,” she breathed out, her eyes wide with astonishment. But before she could process her thoughts, a deafening roar filled the air. The ground trembles violently and Asteria looks up to see the skeletal remains of a nearby building swaying precariously. It begins to collapse, massive chunks of concrete and steel raining down.

“Run!” Xavier shouts, shoving her away just in time, his light flaring in a desperate attempt to protect her. She stumbles back, debris crashing down between them. The dust and smoke obscures her vision, and the ground buckles beneath her.

“Xavier!” she cries, reaching out through the chaos, but he is already lost in the cloud of destruction.

As the last of the building crumbles, the world around her goes silent, leaving Asteria alone in the eerie stillness. She drops to her knees, tears streaming down her face, clutching her chest where her heart ached with the weight of the memory and the possibility it carried.