Fragments of Dawn

The world seemed to shift as Kai followed the Keepers through the ruined streets. The eerie silence of the city was unnerving, as if the very air was holding its breath. The figures ahead of him moved with an unnatural grace, their cloaks billowing even though the wind was still.

Kai's mind raced. The Keepers spoke of balance, of protecting the fragments. But what did that really mean? Who were they protecting them from? Was it from people like him—those who had awakened powers? Or was there something worse lurking in the shadows, something they hadn’t yet seen?

His fingers brushed against the fragment embedded in his arm, feeling the steady pulse of energy within it. It was alive. It was aware. He could feel its presence whispering to him at the edge of his thoughts. He shivered.

After several minutes of silent walking, they reached the entrance of a ruined skyscraper. The building was barely standing, its metal frame twisted and broken. Yet, as they approached, one of the Keepers raised a hand. A pulse of energy rippled outward, and suddenly, the illusion shattered.

What had appeared as a collapsed structure was now revealed to be intact, its steel walls glowing faintly with runic symbols that pulsed with an otherworldly light. A hidden sanctuary.

Kai hesitated.

“You’ve concealed yourselves,” he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

“The world is no longer safe for those who seek balance,” the lead Keeper said, striding forward. “Follow us. You will soon understand.”

Kai inhaled deeply and stepped inside.

The interior was nothing like he expected. It wasn’t some underground bunker or makeshift hideout—it was alive. The walls thrummed with energy, veins of glowing blue light coursing through them like circuitry. Strange devices floated midair, shifting their positions as if reacting to the presence of the newcomers. The air was thick with the scent of metal and something ancient, something beyond human comprehension.

At the center of the room stood a massive monolithic stone, its surface carved with symbols that radiated power. The closer Kai got, the more he felt his fragment responding to it, its pulse growing in rhythm with the strange artifact.

“You feel it, don’t you?” one of the Keepers asked, stepping beside him.

Kai clenched his fists. “What is this?”

“The Nexus Core,” the Keeper answered. “A remnant of what was lost when the Moon shattered. This is where the fragments call home.”

Kai stared at the monolith, his mind reeling. The destruction of the Moon had changed everything, but he never imagined that pieces of it held some greater purpose. If this Nexus Core

But before he could ask more, the lead Keeper spoke again.

“There is something you must see.”

The Keeper raised both hands, and the runes on the monolith ignited with light. A shimmering energy field formed around it, swirling with shifting images—memories, echoes of the past.

And then Kai saw her.

Ava.

She stood in the vision, her body surrounded by tendrils of dark energy, her expression distant and cold. Her eyes—once filled with fire and determination—were now voids, endless and unreadable. Around her, the air crackled with unstable energy, distorting reality itself.

Kai’s heart clenched. “What… what is this?”

The Keeper turned to him. “The fragments are not just power. They are a force of will. They respond to the desires of those who hold them, shaping them in ways that reflect the person’s essence.”

Kai swallowed hard. He knew what that meant. Ava hadn’t just been taken—she had changed. The fragment she had come in contact with had reshaped her in ways he couldn’t yet understand.

“But this isn’t the end,” the Keeper continued. “She is still herself, somewhere deep within. But the more the fragment takes hold, the harder it will be to reach her.”

Kai’s fists trembled at his sides. He had to get her back. No matter what it took.

“How do I stop it?” he demanded. “How do I bring her back?”

The Keeper regarded him in silence for a moment before finally answering. “To fight the pull of the fragments, you must first learn to master your own.”

Kai glanced at his arm, at the fragment pulsing beneath his skin. The time distortions he had experienced—the power to rewind and accelerate time in short bursts—he had barely begun to grasp it. If he wanted to stand a chance against whatever was happening to Ava, he needed control.

“Then teach me,” he said, determination burning in his voice. “Tell me what I have to do.”

The Keeper gave a slow nod. “Very well. Your training begins now.”

Kai stood in the center of the room as the other Keepers formed a circle around him. The air hummed with unseen energy, and the weight of their gazes pressed against him.

The lead Keeper stepped forward. “The power of your fragment is not just an extension of yourself. It is alive. It responds to your emotions, your fears, your desires. If you do not control it, it will control you.”

Kai took a deep breath, steadying himself.@@novelbin@@

“Close your eyes,” the Keeper instructed.

Kai obeyed.

“Feel the fragment within you. Its pulse, its energy. Let it flow through you, but do not let it overwhelm you.”

At first, there was nothing. Just silence. Then, gradually, he felt it—like a river of raw energy coursing through his veins. It was chaotic, unstable, constantly shifting between past and present. It wanted to move, to unravel, to break time itself.

Kai clenched his fists, trying to hold it steady. The moment he resisted, the energy lashed out.

A crackling force erupted from his body, sending shockwaves rippling outward. The Keepers around him stood firm, their cloaks barely rustling as the energy passed through them.

Kai gasped, his knees buckling. “I—I can’t control it.”

“You are trying to contain a storm within a cage,” the Keeper said. “That is not how you wield power. Do not fight the flow. Become it.”

Kai gritted his teeth and tried again. This time, instead of resisting, he let himself sink into the current. He let the energy move with him, rather than against him.

The crackling force settled. The distortions around him stabilized.

He could feel time itself bending at his command.

The Keeper observed him in silence before speaking again. “Good. You are beginning to understand.”

Kai opened his eyes, breathless. He had only taken the first step, but it was enough to ignite something inside him.

He wasn’t just fighting for survival anymore.

He was fighting to bring Ava back.

And he wouldn’t stop until he did.