The silence of Talvoth’s desert was unnerving, broken only by the faint hum of the escape ships fleeing the wreckage of Arcelis. A deadly calm had descended on the resistance camp, as though the very winds carried the weight of impending doom. The stars above flickered like distant eyes watching the chaos unfold below, indifferent to the fates of those fighting on the surface.

Kyren Axalor stood at the edge of the camp, his gaze fixed on the horizon. He could feel the weight of the past few days pressing down on him—the battles, the losses, the endless betrayals. And now, after everything, the hardest blow was yet to come.

"Kyren," came the soft voice of Vexara Lurenthis, her figure emerging from the shadows. Her face, usually composed, was marked with the exhaustion of a thousand sleepless nights. "We need to talk. It's... it's about Xenith."

His heart skipped a beat, but he masked his reaction with a stoic expression. "What about Xenith?"

Vexara hesitated, her eyes darting away for a moment before locking onto his. "I think he’s hiding something. Something big. And... I think he’s been working with the Technocrats."

The words hung in the air like a thunderclap, each syllable carrying the weight of a hundred unanswered questions. Kyren’s mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of information, the clues they had gathered over the past few weeks. He had always suspected Xenith's motivations were driven by more than just power—an insatiable hunger for control—but this? This was betrayal on an unimaginable scale.

"You’re sure?" Kyren’s voice was low, laced with doubt. He could feel the tension between them, the strain of secrecy and suspicion seeping into their relationship.

Vexara nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I’ve seen the transmissions. Xenith has been in contact with the Technocrats. He promised them something—something related to the Astralis technology. He’s not just interested in unlocking it. He’s planning to use it to consolidate power, to create a new order."

Kyren’s mind spun. Xenith, the man who had been the guiding force of the resistance, the one who had led them through their darkest days, now seemed like a puppet with strings pulled by the very faction they had fought so hard to overthrow. It felt like the ground beneath him had given way, and he was falling into an abyss of confusion and betrayal.

"But why?" Kyren muttered to himself. "Why would he do this? After everything?"

Vexara shook her head, her eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and frustration. "I don’t know. Maybe he always intended to use us as pawns. Or maybe he thought we’d be useful for getting closer to the Astralis technology. But now, I don’t think he cares about the resistance anymore. He’s planning something... something far worse."

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Kyren took a step back, his hand clenched into a fist at his side. "We need to confront him. Right now."

Vexara’s face paled. "Kyren, we can’t just march in and confront him. The Technocrats are already preparing to launch another strike, and if Xenith is working with them, we could be walking into a trap."

Kyren’s eyes burned with anger, but he knew she was right. They couldn’t afford to act rashly. Not now, not when the stakes were so high. But the thought of Xenith’s treachery, of how it might shatter everything they had fought for, gnawed at him.

"Then what do we do?" Kyren asked, his voice strained.

Vexara’s gaze softened. "We need proof. We need to expose him to the others. Only then can we stop him."

Kyren nodded, but a dark seed of doubt had already taken root in his mind. If Xenith was truly working with the Technocrats, it was no longer just a matter of loyalty—it was a matter of survival. The fate of the galaxy could hang in the balance.

Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed in the distance, shaking the ground beneath them. The sky, once clear and calm, now flickered with streaks of fire. The resistance base was under attack.

"To the ships!" Kyren shouted, his voice ringing with authority as he turned to Vexara. "Now! We don’t have time to waste!"

Without waiting for a response, he sprinted toward the command center, his heart pounding in his chest. The Technocrats had made their move.

As he ran, his mind whirled with the enormity of what he had just learned. Xenith’s betrayal was a blow to the heart of the resistance, but it was nothing compared to the war that was now upon them. They had no choice but to fight. And yet, Kyren couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that the true battle had just begun.

They reached the command center to find chaos. Resistance members rushed around, preparing for the assault, but there was no order—only panic.

"Kyren!" a voice shouted over the din. It was Thalira Vorneth, the fierce leader of the Talvoth Resistance, her eyes burning with determination despite the chaos. "We need to get to the launch bays. The Technocrats are already moving in. We don’t have much time."

Kyren nodded and turned to Vexara, who looked pale, her hand clutching a datapad that was flickering with distorted images. "I’ll be right behind you," she said, her voice tight with anxiety.

As they sprinted toward the launch bay, Kyren’s mind raced with one question: Where is Xenith? Was he already with the Technocrats, or had he set them up for the final blow?

A second explosion rocked the base, sending debris flying. Kyren dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding being struck by a falling beam. He pushed himself up, adrenaline coursing through his veins. They had to keep moving.

Inside the launch bay, the last of the ships were being prepared for takeoff. Kyren could see the crew scrambling, but his attention was on the figure standing at the center of the room: Xenith Callorn.

Xenith’s back was to him, and he was speaking into a comm device, but the moment he turned, Kyren saw it—a subtle, almost imperceptible smirk on his lips. It was a look Kyren had never seen before, one that made his blood run cold.

"You knew I’d come for you," Kyren said, his voice low, dangerous.

Xenith’s smirk deepened. "You were always too predictable, Kyren. Too loyal to a cause that was doomed from the start."

A sinking feeling settled in Kyren’s stomach. It wasn’t just a betrayal. Xenith had orchestrated this entire situation. The Technocrats were his allies, not his enemies.

And in that moment, everything changed.

Kyren’s world tilted.