The Shattered Realms series

The morning dawned with an eerie stillness, the kind that made Kael's skin crawl. The usual sounds of Skyfall—the hum of airship engines, the chatter of villagers—were absent. He stood in the remains of his workshop, the Godshard wrapped carefully in a cloth and hidden inside his jacket. His mind reeled from the events of the previous night. The shard's power still buzzed faintly in his veins, and he could feel it tugging at his thoughts like an impatient whisper.

Mira appeared at the door, her face pale. "Kael, something's wrong. The watchmen at the southern edge haven't returned."

Kael tensed. "Raiders?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. It's... something else."

The ground trembled faintly, and a low, rhythmic sound grew louder. Kael and Mira ran outside, joining the other villagers who stared in the direction of the noise. From the horizon, the sleek shapes of imperial warships emerged, their black hulls gleaming ominously in the sunlight.

"The Empire," someone whispered.

Panic rippled through the crowd. The Empire rarely ventured into remote places like Skyfall unless they had a purpose—and when they came, it always meant destruction.

Kael's heart sank as he realized why they were here. Somehow, they knew about the shard.

The warships hovered above the village, their massive cannons aimed at the ground. A commanding voice echoed from the lead ship, amplified by some unseen device.

"Citizens of Skyfall, you are harboring something that belongs to the Empire. Surrender the Godshard, and you will be spared."

A heavy silence fell over the crowd. Kael felt every pair of eyes turn toward him, though no one spoke. His pulse raced. He couldn't let them have the shard.

Before anyone could respond, the ships unleashed a barrage of fire. Explosions ripped through the village, sending debris flying. People screamed and scattered as imperial soldiers descended from the ships on ropes, their black armor glinting like the carapaces of insects.

"Run!" Mira grabbed Kael's arm, pulling him toward the edge of the village.

Kael hesitated. "I can't just leave everyone!"

"You can't fight them, Kael!" she yelled. "Not alone!"

The soldiers moved quickly, rounding up villagers and destroying buildings. Kael's fists clenched as he watched Toren's workshop collapse in a cloud of smoke.

One soldier spotted them and raised a crossbow. Kael acted on instinct, raising his hand. A burst of golden light erupted from his palm, striking the soldier and sending him sprawling.

Mira stared at him, her eyes wide. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

But Kael wasn't listening. The shard's power surged within him, urging him to fight. He charged at another group of soldiers, the light from his hands cutting through their ranks. For a moment, it felt like he could win.

Then the lead warship descended, and a figure stepped onto the ground. Clad in ornate black armor, the man radiated authority and menace. His crimson cape billowed behind him, and a massive sword hung at his side.

"Enough!" the man's voice boomed.

Kael froze as the man approached, his gaze locking onto the Godshard's faint glow beneath Kael's jacket. "You have something that belongs to the Empire, boy."

Kael clenched his fists. "It doesn't belong to anyone!"

The man smirked. "Typical arrogance. You have no idea what you're holding, do you? That shard is more dangerous than you can imagine."

Kael took a step back. "Who are you?"

"I am General Thorne, commander of the Imperial Vanguard. And you, boy, are coming with me."

Kael's heart pounded as soldiers closed in around him. He could feel the shard's power rising again, but he also felt its toll—his body was growing weaker with every burst of energy.

"Run, Kael!" Mira's voice snapped him out of his trance.

Kael turned and bolted, the soldiers shouting behind him. Mira was already ahead, leading him toward the edge of the village. As they reached the cliffs, Mira pointed to a narrow path that wound down toward the forest below.

"Go!" she urged.

"What about you?" Kael demanded.

"I'll hold them off," she said, drawing a small knife.

Kael hesitated. "Mira, you can't—"

"Just go!" she shouted, shoving him toward the path.

With a heavy heart, Kael turned and ran. The sounds of battle faded as he descended the cliffside, the forest swallowing him whole.

When Kael finally stopped, his chest heaving, he collapsed against a tree. The shard pulsed faintly, its light casting eerie shadows on the ground.

Skyfall was gone. His home, his friends, everything he knew—it had all been destroyed. And it was his fault.

But as despair threatened to overwhelm him, a single thought rose above the noise.

The Empire wouldn't stop. They would hunt him to the ends of the earth to get the shard.

If he wanted to protect the people who had survived—and if he wanted answers about what the shard truly was—he couldn't run forever.

Kael clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. The Empire would pay for what they'd done. But first, he needed to learn the truth about the Godshard—and why it had chosen him.

With a final glance back toward the smoking ruins of Skyfall, Kael turned and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.