The temporary base in Central Park hummed with quiet urgency as night fell. The rescued civilians huddled in the pavilion, wrapped in thermal blankets, while Delta Squad and the other soldiers cleaned their weapons, checked their exoskeletons, and mapped the route to the Chrysler Building. The dark red aurora cast an eerie glow over the city, turning the ashen ruins into a landscape of shadows and blood-red light.
Elias sat on a collapsed stone bench, his legs stretched out, his eyes closed. He held the bronze shard in his palm, focusing on its warm, pulsing energy. After the fight with the Void Captain, his Primal Force was depleted, but the shard was replenishing it—slowly, steadily, like a spring feeding a river. Through Law Sensing, he could see the golden energy flowing from the shard into his veins, weaving with the blue, green, and red lines of the three laws, strengthening his connection to them.
Dr. Elena Reeves approached, carrying a canteen and a protein bar. She handed them to him, then sat down beside him, her gaze fixed on the Chrysler Building. "You did well back there. The Trinity Vortex—Alan's notes mentioned it, but he never thought anyone would master it so quickly."
Elias opened his eyes, taking a sip of water. "It was the shard," he said. "It guided me. Like it knew exactly how to weave the laws together."
Elena nodded, her fingers brushing the edge of the shard. "It's more than a relic, Elias. It's a repository of the Creation Guardians' knowledge—their techniques, their wisdom, their memories. As you grow stronger, as your bond with it deepens, it will unlock more of that knowledge." She paused, her voice softening. "But be careful. The shard's power is ancient, and its motives… we don't fully understand them. Alan always said that power without wisdom is destruction."
Elias thought of the cloaked figure he'd sensed in the Void Sovereign's fleet, of the feeling that he was being watched, tested. "Do you think the shard is leading me into a trap?"
Elena shook her head. "I don't know. But I do know that Alan trusted it. He dedicated his life to finding it, to awakening the Primal Bloodline. And he believed that the shard was humanity's only hope against the void." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure it out. Together. But first, we need to shut down that portal."
They stood up as Miller approached, his holographic map displaying the route to the Chrysler Building. "We're ready to move out. The scouts reported that the area between here and the portal is crawling with Devourers—mostly juveniles and high-rank variants, but there's another Void Captain patrolling the streets around the Chrysler Building. We'll need to move fast, stay quiet, and avoid detection if we can."
Elias nodded, slipping the bronze shard back into his chest pocket. "With Law Sensing, I can track their movements. I'll lead the way—if we hit any trouble, I'll take care of it."
The team assembled: Elias in the lead, followed by Miller and Delta Squad, then Elena and two technical specialists carrying the equipment needed to deploy the Primal Core. They moved in single file, their boots crunching softly on the ashen pavement, their weapons raised, their eyes scanning the darkness.
Elias kept his Law Sensing active, the glowing lines of the laws guiding him. He could see the Devourers' void energy signatures ahead—clustered in alleyways, perched on collapsed buildings, patrolling the streets. Their black energy warped the laws around them, creating dark, twisted patches in the otherwise vibrant web of blue, green, and red.
"Three juveniles up ahead, in that alley," Elias whispered, nodding toward a narrow gap between two burnt-out buildings. "And a high-rank Devourer on the roof above them."
Miller signaled to two soldiers, who moved forward, their rifles raised. But Elias held up his hand. "Wait. Let me handle this—quietly."
He channeled the Space Law, focusing on the blue lines of space around the alley. He visualized the space folding, teleporting him directly behind the high-rank Devourer on the roof. He appeared in a flash, his hand glowing with Destruction Law, and clamped it over the creature's head. The Devourer screeched, but the Destruction energy silenced it mid-cry, its body dissolving into black mist before it could alert the others.
Below, the three juveniles were none the wiser. Elias teleported down, landing softly behind them. He moved quickly, his fists glowing with Primal Force, striking each one in the back of the neck. They dissolved into mist, and the alley was clear.
"Nice work," Miller whispered, as the team moved forward.
They continued through the ruins, Elias clearing the way with silent, precise strikes. He used the Space Law to teleport behind Devourers, the Destruction Law to take them down, and the Life Law to heal a soldier's minor wound when a stray claw grazed his arm. The bronze shard pulsed with each kill, as if feeding on the void energy, its golden light growing brighter.
As they neared the Chrysler Building, the Devourers grew thicker. Elias's Law Sensing picked up dozens of signatures—juveniles, high-rank variants, and the distinct, powerful signature of a Void Captain. He held up his hand, signaling the team to stop.
"The Void Captain is patrolling the main street ahead," he said, his voice tight. "It's got a squad of high-rank Devourers with it. We can't take them all quietly—we'll have to fight."
Miller nodded, his exoskeleton humming as it powered up. "Delta Squad will take the high-rank Devourers. You focus on the Void Captain. Elena, stay back with the technical team—we'll cover you."
Elias took a deep breath, channeling the Primal Force. The bronze shard pulsed violently, and a fragment of information etched itself into his mind: "Primal Technique: Spatial Severance – Merge Space and Destruction to cut through void energy shields."
He smiled faintly. Perfect.
They moved forward, emerging from the alley onto the main street. The Chrysler Building loomed ahead, its upper floors shrouded in the swirling black vortex of the portal. The Void Captain stood in the middle of the street, its spiked armor glinting in the aurora's light, its red eyes scanning the area. Behind it, a dozen high-rank Devourers stood at attention, their claws ready.
The Void Captain spotted them, letting out a thunderous roar. The high-rank Devourers charged, their screeches echoing through the streets. Delta Squad opened fire, their Primal Force-infused rounds tearing through the creatures. Miller led the charge, his rifle blazing, his exoskeleton enhancing his strength as he tackled a high-rank Devourer to the ground.
The Void Captain turned its attention to Elias, raising its clawed hand. A black energy shield materialized around it, pulsing with void energy. It fired a blast of black energy toward him, but Elias teleported out of the way, appearing behind the creature.
He channeled the Space and Destruction Laws, focusing on the blue and red lines of energy. He visualized them merging, forming a sharp, condensed blade of golden energy. "Spatial Severance!" he roared, swinging his arm.
The blade shot out, slicing through the air, and hit the Void Captain's shield. The shield crackled, its black energy clashing with the golden Primal Force. For a moment, it held—but then the blade cut through, tearing the shield apart. The Void Captain screeched in surprise, and Elias teleported forward, his fist glowing with Destruction Law.
He punched the creature in the chest, his fist piercing its spiked armor. The Void Captain roared, its body convulsing, and black mist poured from the wound. Elias twisted his fist, channeling more Destruction Law, and the creature's body began to dissolve.
But before it could fully vanish, the Void Captain grabbed him by the arm, its claws digging into his flesh. Black void energy surged into his body, burning like acid. Elias grunted, feeling his Primal Force being corrupted, the golden energy in his veins turning dark.
"Elias!" Elena shouted, firing her pistol at the Void Captain's hand. The Primal Force round hit, and the creature released him, screeching.
Elias stumbled back, clutching his arm. The void energy was spreading, numbing his limb, corrupting his Primal Force. But then, the bronze shard pulsed, its golden light surging. The light washed over his arm, burning away the void energy, healing the wound. The golden energy in his veins returned, stronger than before.
"Thanks," he muttered, turning back to the Void Captain. The creature was still dissolving, but its red eyes locked onto him, filled with hatred and something else—recognition.
As the Void Captain's body vanished into black mist, a small, glowing orb fell to the ground. Elias bent down, picking it up. It was the size of a marble, black as night, pulsing with void energy. Through Law Sensing, he could see that it was a message—a fragment of the Void Sovereign's consciousness, encoded in void energy.
"What is that?" Elena asked, approaching.
"Some kind of message," Elias said, holding the orb up. "From the Void Sovereign. Or maybe from the cloaked figure I sensed."
He focused on the orb, channeling the Primal Force. The bronze shard pulsed, and the orb's void energy began to unravel, revealing a voice—deep, guttural, and filled with malice.
"Descendant of the Guardians… you grow stronger. But you are blind. The portal is not a weapon—it is a key. A key to the truth about your legacy. The truth about the Creation Guardians. The truth about the shard."
The voice paused, and a cold laugh echoed from the orb. "Come to the portal, Elias Kane. Come and claim your destiny. Or watch as the void consumes everything you love."
The orb dissolved into black mist, vanishing into the air.
Elias stared at his hand, his heart racing. The truth about his legacy? The truth about the Creation Guardians? What secret was hidden beneath the portal?
Miller approached, his face grim. "The high-rank Devourers are taken care of. We're clear to move on to the Chrysler Building."
Elias nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. The cloaked figure was right—he was blind. He knew nothing about the Creation Guardians, about their war with the void, about the true purpose of the bronze shard. And the portal was the key to unlocking that knowledge.
They moved toward the Chrysler Building, the portal's swirling vortex growing larger, more menacing. The air hummed with void energy, corrupting the laws around it, making Elias's Law Sensing feel fuzzy, distorted. The bronze shard pulsed faster, its golden light clashing with the portal's black energy, creating waves of energy that rippled through the air.
As they entered the Chrysler Building's lobby, they found it in ruins. The marble floors were cracked, the glass walls shattered, the reception desk crushed under a pile of debris. Devourer corpses littered the floor—evidence of previous battles—and the air reeked of void energy and decay.
"Straight ahead is the elevator shaft," Elena said, pointing to a gaping hole in the wall. "But the elevators are destroyed. We'll have to climb the stairs to the top floor, then take the maintenance ladder to the roof, where the portal's entrance is."
Elias nodded, leading the way toward the elevator shaft. As he approached, his Law Sensing picked up a faint energy signature—faint, but familiar. It was the same as the bronze shard's energy, but weaker, older.
He stopped, frowning. "There's something here. Something with Primal Force energy."
He knelt down, running his hand over the cracked marble floor. The bronze shard pulsed, and the floor's cracks began to glow with golden light. Elias used the Space Law to lift a piece of debris, revealing a small, hidden compartment beneath the floor.
Inside the compartment was a small, leather-bound journal—Alan's journal.
Elias picked it up, his hands trembling. He flipped it open, the pages yellowed with age. The first few pages were filled with Alan's notes on the bronze shard, on the Primal Force, on the Creation Guardians. But as he turned to the last few pages, his breath caught in his throat.
The final entry was dated the day Alan disappeared.
"I've found it. The truth about the portal. It's not a gateway for the void—it's a prison. The Creation Guardians didn't seal the Void Sovereign away in the void. They sealed it here, on Earth, beneath the Chrysler Building. The portal is the seal. And the bronze shard is the key to opening it."
Elias's hands shook. The portal was a prison? The Void Sovereign was on Earth?
He read on:
"The cloaked figure is a traitor. A former Creation Guardian who sided with the Void Sovereign. It wants to open the seal, to free the Sovereign. And it's using Elias—using the Primal Force—to do it. The Primal Core isn't a sealing device. It's a key. When Elias activates it, he'll break the seal, freeing the Void Sovereign."
Elias felt sick. The Primal Core was a trap. Elena, Coulson, the Joint Defense Command—they'd all been played. The cloaked figure had manipulated them into sending Elias here, into activating the key that would free the Void Sovereign.
He looked up at Elena, his eyes filled with horror. "We've made a mistake. The portal is a prison. The Void Sovereign is trapped beneath it. And the Primal Core is the key to freeing it."
Elena's face paled. "What are you talking about? Alan's notes said the Primal Core would seal the portal."
Elias held up the journal. "These are Alan's final notes. He found the truth. The cloaked figure is a traitorous Guardian. It's been manipulating us. The Primal Core will break the seal, not seal the portal."
Miller stepped forward, his hand on his rifle. "That can't be. Why would the cloaked figure want to free the Void Sovereign?"
Elias shook his head. "I don't know. But Alan's journal says that the Void Sovereign's power is tied to the void energy of the universe. If it's freed, it will consume Earth's Primal Force, then move on to other planets, other galaxies, until the entire universe is nothing but void."
He closed the journal, his mind racing. They couldn't activate the Primal Core. But if they didn't, the portal would keep expanding, flooding Earth with void energy. They were trapped—between a rock and a hard place.
As he stood there, the bronze shard pulsed violently, its golden light filling the lobby. A voice echoed in his mind—clear, powerful, and familiar. It was Alan's voice.
"Elias… the truth is more complex than you think. The Void Sovereign isn't evil. It's balance. The Creation Guardians didn't seal it because it was evil—they sealed it because they feared its power. Because they wanted to control the Primal Force, to rule the universe. The cloaked figure is trying to set things right. To restore balance."
Elias froze. Alan's voice? But Alan was dead.
"The Primal Core is the key," Alan's voice continued. "Not to free the Sovereign, but to merge the Primal Force and void energy, to restore balance to the universe. The war between the Guardians and the void isn't good vs. evil—it's control vs. balance. And you, Elias, are the one who can end it."
The voice faded, and the bronze shard's light dimmed.
Elias stared at the shard, his mind reeling. Who was telling the truth? Alan's journal, or the voice in his head? The Creation Guardians—were they heroes, or tyrants? The Void Sovereign—was it a monster, or a force of balance?
He looked up at the elevator shaft, at the stairs leading to the roof, to the portal. He knew he had to find out. He had to climb those stairs, reach the portal, and discover the truth for himself.
"Let's move," he said, his voice steady. "We're going to the roof. But we're not activating the Primal Core—not yet. First, we're going to find the truth."
The team nodded, their faces determined. They climbed the stairs, their boots thudding against the concrete, their weapons raised. The higher they climbed, the stronger the void energy became, the more distorted the laws felt. The bronze shard pulsed faster, its golden light clashing with the portal's black energy, and Elias could feel a growing connection between himself, the shard, and the portal.
As they reached the top floor, they heard a sound—a low, rumbling growl. Elias's Law Sensing picked up a massive energy signature—far stronger than any Void General, any Void Captain. It was the Void Sovereign's signature, faint but powerful, coming from beneath the portal.
They stepped onto the roof, and Elias's breath caught in his throat. The portal loomed above them, a massive, swirling vortex of black energy, its edges crackling with void lightning. Below it, in the center of the roof, was a circular platform, inscribed with ancient runes—runes that matched the ones on the bronze shard.
And standing on the platform, facing the portal, was the cloaked figure.
It turned as they approached, its face hidden in the shadows of its hood. It was tall, slender, its body covered in a black cloak that seemed to absorb the light around it. In its hand, it held a staff, topped with a black gem that pulsed with void energy.
"Elias Kane," the figure said, its voice soft, melodic, and familiar—like a voice he'd heard in a dream. "You've come. I've been waiting for you."
Elias stepped forward, his hand on the bronze shard. "Who are you? What is the truth about the Creation Guardians? About the Void Sovereign?"
The figure pulled back its hood, and Elias froze.
Beneath the hood was a face that looked exactly like Alan's—same gray eyes, same sharp jawline, same warm smile. But there was something different about it—something ancient, something otherworldly.
"I am Alaric," the figure said. "The first Creation Guardian. The one who sealed the Void Sovereign. And the one who will set it free."
Elias stared at him, shocked. "But you look like Alan."
"Alan was my descendant," Alaric said, smiling. "Just like you. The Primal Bloodline runs through our veins. I've been guiding you, Elias—through Alan, through the shard, through the trials. I've been preparing you for this moment."
"Preparing me for what?" Elias asked, his voice tight.
"To restore balance," Alaric said. "The Creation Guardians feared the Void Sovereign's power. They feared that it would destroy their control over the universe. So they sealed it away, using the Primal Force as a lock. But balance is the foundation of existence. Without the Void Sovereign, the Primal Force grows unchecked, leading to destruction. Without the Primal Force, the void consumes everything. Only by merging them can the universe survive."
He held out his hand. "The Primal Core is the key. Activate it, and the seal will break. The Void Sovereign will be freed, and you will merge the Primal Force and void energy, becoming the new guardian of balance."
Elias looked at Alaric, then at the Primal Core clipped to his belt. He thought of Alan's journal, of the voice in his head, of the millions of lives at stake. He thought of the bronze shard, of its warm energy, of the legacy of the Creation Guardians.
He didn't know who to trust. But he knew one thing—he had to make a choice. A choice that would determine the fate of Earth, of the universe, of everything.
As he reached for the Primal Core, the bronze shard pulsed violently, its golden light filling the roof. Through Law Sensing, he could see the truth—Alaric was lying. The Void Sovereign wasn't a force of balance. It was a monster, a being of pure destruction that had nearly destroyed the universe once before. Alaric wasn't a hero—he was a traitor, corrupted by the void, driven by a desire for power.
Elias pulled his hand back, his eyes narrowing. "You're lying. The Void Sovereign is a monster. You're not trying to restore balance—you're trying to destroy everything."
Alaric's smile faded, his eyes turning cold. "You've been misled, Elias. By the Guardians' lies, by Alan's fear, by the shard's programming. But it's too late. The seal is weakening. The void energy is spreading. Even if you don't activate the Primal Core, the Sovereign will break free soon. And when it does, it will kill you all."
He raised his staff, and the black gem pulsed. The portal's vortex spun faster, its void energy surging. Devourers began to pour out of the portal—hundreds of them, thousands, their screeches echoing through the night.
"The battle has begun," Alaric said, his voice filled with malice. "Choose wisely, Elias Kane. Join me, or die."
Elias gripped the bronze shard, feeling its Primal Force surge within him. He looked at his team—Miller, Elena, the soldiers—their faces determined, their weapons raised. He looked at the Devourers swarming the roof, at the portal's swirling vortex, at Alaric's cold, corrupted eyes.
He made his choice.
He pulled the Primal Core from his belt, but instead of activating it, he channeled the three laws—Space, Life, Destruction—into it. The Core glowed with golden light, its energy merging with the Primal Force, becoming something new, something powerful.
"I choose to protect," he roared.
He threw the Primal Core at the portal. It soared through the air, its golden light clashing with the portal's black energy, and struck the center of the vortex. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the Core exploded, sending a wave of golden Primal Force surging through the portal.
The Devourers screeched, their bodies dissolving as the Primal Force washed over them. The portal's vortex began to shrink, its black energy fading. Alaric roared, raising his staff, but the Primal Force wave hit him too, tearing through his cloak, revealing his true form—a corrupted Guardian, his body half-human, half-void, his eyes glowing red.
"You fool!" Alaric shouted, his voice distorted. "You've doomed us all! The Sovereign will break free, and it will make you suffer!"
Elias charged forward, his fists glowing with the three laws. He punched Alaric in the chest, his Primal Force tearing through his corrupted body. Alaric screeched, his body convulsing, and began to dissolve into black mist.
As Alaric vanished, the portal's vortex shrank to a pinpoint, then vanished entirely. The dark red aurora began to fade, the void energy dissipating, the laws of the universe restoring themselves.
Elias collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. The Primal Force had been drained from him, but he felt a sense of peace—a sense that balance had been restored.
Elena and Miller rushed to his side, their faces filled with relief. "You did it," Elena said, her voice trembling. "You sealed the portal. You saved Earth."
Elias smiled faintly, looking up at the sky. The dark red aurora was gone, replaced by a clear, starry night. The bronze shard pulsed gently in his palm, its golden light soft and warm.
But as he stared at the stars, he knew this wasn't the end. The Void Sovereign was still trapped beneath the Chrysler Building, its power growing. Alaric was gone, but there were other corrupted Guardians, other threats waiting in the void. The war was far from over.
But he was ready. He had the bronze shard, the three laws, and his team. He had the legacy of the Creation Guardians—the true legacy, of protection, of balance, of hope.
And he had a new mission: to prepare for the day the Void Sovereign broke free. To gather other Primal Force users, to train, to grow stronger. To ensure that when the final battle came, humanity would be ready.
As the team descended the Chrysler Building, leaving the ruins of New York behind, Elias felt the bronze shard pulse once more. Through it, he could feel the presence of other Primal Bloodline descendants—scattered across the globe, their potential waiting to be awakened.
The journey ahead would be long, and dangerous. But Elias Kane was ready.
The legacy of the Creation Guardians was his now. And he would honor it.