Night fell over the city like a velvet curtain stitched with stars. But even in the quiet, something stirred beneath the surface—shadows whispering, old forces shifting, and new players emerging.
Kai stood on the roof of his apartment building, the faint hum of the System in his ears. His encounter with Seraphiel still echoed in his bones. The weight of divine judgment wasn't something easily forgotten.
But the world wasn't pausing.
It was speeding up.
> [Main Questline Branch: Choice Detected]
[Path of Rebellion: Side with the Hidden Faction against the Thrones]
[Path of Ascendancy: Pursue the Authority of a Throne Seat Yourself]
Decision Deferred – Influence Required.
He had no idea what either path fully meant. But he wouldn't be able to delay forever.
A sudden flicker of static buzzed in his ear. Then came a voice—cool, composed, and female.
> [Encrypted Transmission Detected: "The Forgotten Rebellion"]
Accept Incoming Call? [Y/N]
"…System, answer it."
A holographic figure materialized in front of him—a woman dressed in a sleek, black exo-suit with silver trim. A glowing mask hid her face, but her voice was sharp and deliberate.
"Codename: Kai Evernight. You've drawn attention. Not just from the Thrones… but from us."
"Us?"
"The Forgotten Rebellion," she said. "A faction erased from the records, hunted for challenging the Thrones. We believe your System—whatever it is—was never meant to exist. That's why they're watching."
Kai folded his arms. "What do you want from me?"
"To give you a choice. You can keep dancing to the tune of your quests and missions… or you can take control. With us. We're sending someone to meet you. You'll know them by the mark."
The call ended.
And just like that, the seed of rebellion was planted.
---
Scene: Lena's Secret
The next morning, Kai met Lena at the academy courtyard. She greeted him with a faint smile, but her eyes held shadows.
"You look tired," she said.
"You're not wrong," he replied. "Can we talk?"
She hesitated. "I was hoping we would."
They sat near the garden where few students lingered. Kai decided not to hold back.
"I need to know. Who are you really?"
Lena didn't flinch. Instead, she reached into her coat and pulled out a charm—a glowing insignia etched in deep violet, shaped like a broken crown.
Kai froze.
"I… know this," he whispered. "It showed up after my fight with Seraphiel."
Lena nodded slowly. "Because it's your mark now. I'm one of them, Kai. The Forgotten Rebellion."
Silence.
"I was born into their network," she said. "Trained to infiltrate, to watch. When your System activated, they told me to stay close. But I didn't expect to actually care."
Kai blinked. "So this was all an act?"
"No!" she said, voice cracking. "Not after I got to know you."
He wanted to be angry. But the betrayal didn't sting as much as the truth did.
"I'm still on your side," she whispered. "But this world—it's rigged. The Thrones control it all. They decide who lives, who gets power, who's erased."
Kai looked down at his palm, where faint blue lines still shimmered from his latest upgrade. "And what do they want from me?"
"They want to use you—or erase you."
---
Scene: The Recruiter Arrives
That evening, Kai returned home to find someone waiting inside his apartment.
She sat casually on the windowsill, legs crossed, dressed in a dark trench coat over a high-tech suit of flexible armor. Long crimson hair cascaded down her shoulders. Her eyes were a glowing indigo.
And on her glove: the mark of the Rebellion.
"You're Kai," she said simply. "I'm Nyra. I'm here to offer you freedom."
Kai didn't react. "You broke into my place to do it?"
She smirked. "Security systems don't mean much when you've fought in three timeline collapses."
"…Right."
Nyra stood and tossed a holographic card to him. It lit up in the air, displaying a base hidden deep beneath the city—underground, off the grid, protected by a digital veil.
"We want you to come with us. Just for a day. See what we're really fighting for. Talk to the others. Learn the truth about your System."
"Why me?" he asked. "Why now?"
"Because the Thrones only mark anomalies once. If you survive the mark, they send an eradicator. If you survive that... you're a wildcard."
She stepped closer.
"And wildcards change everything."
Kai looked at the hologram.
Choice pressed in on him again.
> [New Side Quest: Enter the Shadow Base of the Forgotten Rebellion]
Reward: ??? | Risk: Moderate to High
"Fine," he said. "One day. That's it."
Nyra's smile widened.
"That's all we need."
---
Scene: Into the Underground
Later that night, Kai followed Nyra to an abandoned subway entrance sealed behind collapsed stone and a cloaking spell. With a wave of her hand, the tunnel lit up—symbols activating and revealing a sleek passageway descending into the depths.
As they walked, Nyra briefed him.
"Everything they taught you—about the Thrones, the Systems, even how powers work—was curated. The Systems are constructs of an ancient machine code, fragments of the original Source. The Thrones rewrote that code to control reality."
"And mine?"
"Your System is rogue," she said. "But pure. Untethered. That's why they fear you. If you grow, others will follow. If you rise, their order collapses."
Kai was silent as they entered the main chamber—a vast hall filled with glowing consoles, training platforms, artifact vaults, and hundreds of rebels. Some were young, others seasoned. All of them turned when he entered.
A man in a black cloak approached. His eyes glowed with shifting colors.
"Welcome, Kai Evernight," he said. "I'm Commander Ralen. You've just stepped into the war behind the curtain."