Kaelen sat hunched over his workbench, the pale glow of the Noxflare crystals bathing his face in a sickly green hue. The room was a symphony of disarray, with wires dangling from exposed machinery and piles of discarded tools heaped in precarious mounds. The sharp, metallic scent of soldering iron lingered in the air, mingling with the faint ozone tang of overworked crystals. Sleep was a distant memory, and his aching muscles screamed for rest, but Kaelen ignored them.
Before him sat the red crystal—a marvel of his ingenuity and the culmination of weeks of relentless experimentation. It pulsed faintly, casting flickering shadows across the walls like the dying embers of a fire. He’d done it: created a second color beyond the standard green and blue. Its effects were undeniable, filling him with raw, primal strength when he held it. And yet, the discovery left him hollow.
“Three,” Kaelen muttered under his breath, his voice hoarse from disuse. “Only three at a time. Why three?”
The green crystal in his pocket buzzed faintly against his thigh, a subtle reminder of its constant presence. He pulled it out and placed it next to the blue and red stones. The three crystals together emitted an otherworldly glow, a symphony of color and light that seemed to mock his frustration.
The device—the glove and sleeve Renik had brought him weeks ago—lay beside the stones, its wires frayed and sparking faintly. Kaelen had dismantled and reassembled it countless times, each iteration leading to new breakthroughs but no definitive answers. Blue had come first, granting a surge of mental acuity unlike anything he’d experienced. Then red, pure physical power. But the system wouldn’t allow him to carry more than three stones simultaneously, and one of them always had to be green.
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. “There has to be more. I know there’s more.”
The door creaked open, and Kaelen’s head snapped up. Renik strolled in, his usual swagger amplified by the faint glow of the blue crystal hanging from a leather cord around his neck tucked under his shirt. His sharp eyes took in the chaotic room with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
“By the Daystar, you look like hell,” Renik said, leaning casually against the doorframe. He pulled a flask from his jacket and took a swig. “Been keeping the night watch company again, I see.”
Kaelen grunted, gesturing toward the crystals on the bench. “Where the hell have you been?”
Renik grinned, slipping the flask back into his pocket. “Here, there, everywhere. Let’s just say the blue stone’s been... educational. Picked up a few tricks I think you’ll appreciate.”
Kaelen raised an eyebrow. “Criminal tricks, no doubt.”
“Is there any other kind worth learning?” Renik shot back, his grin widening.
Kaelen sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You could at least pretend to take this seriously.”
“I take it very seriously,” Renik said, striding over to the workbench. His eyes landed on the red crystal, and his expression shifted, a rare look of genuine curiosity crossing his face. “So, what’s this? Another color?”
Kaelen nodded, leaning back in his chair. “Red. Amplifies physical strength. But there’s a catch.”
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
“Isn’t there always?” Renik said, picking up the crystal.
“I can’t carry more than three stones at once,” Kaelen explained, pulling the green and blue crystals from his pocket. He laid them on the bench beside the red, the three stones glowing softly. “And one of them always has to be green. The system won’t let me carry more than that.”
Renik whistled low, turning the red crystal over in his hand. “That’s... limiting.”
Kaelen nodded; his gaze fixed on the crystals. “I think it’s a failsafe. Whoever built this system didn’t want anyone getting too powerful.”
Renik’s grin returned. “Sounds like a challenge to me.”
Kaelen hesitated, then slid the red crystal toward Renik. “Take it. I need to focus on the blue stones.”
Renik raised an eyebrow. “You sure? Red sounds more your style.”
“I’ve got the green stone to keep me going,” Kaelen said. “And the blue stone’s intelligence boost is more useful for what I’m trying to do. Besides, you’re better suited for raw strength.”
Renik chuckled, slipping the red crystal into his pouch. As it settled against his chest, his posture changed—his muscles tensed, his movements more deliberate and controlled. He flexed his fingers, a look of awe crossing his face.
“Damn,” he muttered. “Feels like I could take on a Dreg squad and win.”
Kaelen smirked. “Don’t get cocky. That kind of power comes with a cost.”
“Everything worth having does,” Renik said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. He glanced at the device on the bench, then back at Kaelen. “So, what’s next?”
Kaelen leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming against the table. “We need more resources. More Noxflare, more ancient tech. And there’s only one place that has both.”
Renik’s expression darkened. “The Bastion.”
Kaelen nodded. “It’s the key to everything. If I can get in, I’ll have access to the best resources and the brightest minds. But I’ll need a fake identity to get past their screening.”
Renik’s grin returned, sly and confident. “Lucky for you, fake identities are my specialty.”
“This is no joke Renik. I want to pose as a Radiant from one of the moons,” Kaelen said. “Their colonies are considered lesser, so it won’t raise too many eyebrows if I don’t act like the rest of the upper class.”
Renik tapped his chin, his grin widening. “A moonie, huh? I can work with that. Give me a day or two to put it together.”
“Make it convincing,” Kaelen said. “I can’t even imagine what the Bastion would do if they were to discover I am a fraud.” His mind immediately went to the horrors the forgotten must go through so close to the black. It sent an evil shiver up his spine.
“Relax,” Renik said, clapping him on the shoulder. “When have I ever let you down?”
Kaelen gave him a pointed look.
“Okay, don’t answer that,” Renik said, laughing. He turned to leave, then paused in the doorway. “You sure about this, Kaelen? The Bastion’s no joke. If they catch you...”
“I have to risk it, what we have here is too important to let out now. Keep it secret until we can figure out what to do with it.” Kaelen said, his voice steady. “But if we’re going to change anything, we have to take risks. The Bastion is just the first step.”
Renik nodded, a rare moment of seriousness crossing his face. “Alright. I’ll get it done. You just focus on those blue stones, genius. We’re gonna need all the brainpower we can get.”
As the door closed behind Renik, Kaelen turned back to his workbench. The glow of the crystals reflected in his eyes, their light a promise of power and possibility.
The Bastion was a gamble, but it was a gamble he was willing to take. All his life he has been trapped in the prison he was born in. This could change everything. This could turn Lumina Nocte on its head. Where else could the forgotten and the Dimmers rise above their desperation. Something had to change. The revolution had to start with him and this new discovery but first he needed to discover the limits of this new gift.