Chapter 42 – Shadows and Signals
The room was silent except for the faint hum of data screens flickering in and out of sync. Dozens of holographic files glowed across the table — but none of them contained what Frostbyte wanted.
"Sir," one of his officers said, voice uneasy. "We've searched every archive — military, SkyRealm, even the old databases from before the Collapse. There's no record of him anywhere."
Frostbyte stared at the projection of a hooded man — Blaze's face partly obscured by static. The data was incomplete, corrupted, and for all his power, even he couldn't pierce that veil.
"Just keep looking," Frostbyte said at last. "According to SK's report, he remembers nothing. Only that he's a SkyRealm player… and that he fought in the Great War."
He leaned back in his chair, muttering to himself. "But those records are sealed. Even I don't have access."
The officer hesitated. "Sir?"
"Nothing," Frostbyte said, standing. "Continue your work."
He turned and left the room, boots echoing across the steel floor.
The elevator ride down was long and silent. Blue lights pulsed through the glass walls as it descended into the lower levels of the capital — far below the surface, where the Empire's greatest secret was hidden: the Portal Room.
When the doors opened, soldiers snapped to attention. The air shimmered faintly, the energy field at the center of the chamber flickering like liquid light. It was beautiful — and terrifying.
"Commander," a voice called.
It was Counter, standing near the control console, his expression grim.
"What's the situation?" Frostbyte asked, walking toward him.
"The portal's stable for now," Counter reported. "We managed to seal the entry point to the Void. Energy readings are still fluctuating, but containment is holding. Nothing's come through since the anomaly."
"That's good," Frostbyte said, scanning the readings. "And the Crimson Warden?"
"This way."
They crossed the platform toward a recovery bay, where the Crimson Warden stood amid a cluster of engineers. His crimson armor — once unbreakable — was cracked and blackened, pieces missing along his right arm. Despite that, he stood tall, his visor glowing faintly red.
"Commander," the Warden said, voice low and mechanical. "Reporting on the Void encounter."
"Proceed."
"The entity we faced… wasn't normal," he said. "Its presence disrupted the field, distorted the code itself. I've fought top-ranked players, monsters, bosses — but that thing..." He hesitated. "It's on another level. If it crosses through, it won't just destroy the city. It'll unmake it."
Frostbyte folded his arms. "Then we keep it contained. Maximum security. No one enters or leaves without authorization."
"Yes, Commander."
As Frostbyte turned to leave, Counter nodded slightly. They didn't need to speak — both knew how dangerous this was.
The hallway outside was dim, lined with silver lights pulsing in rhythm with the capital's heartbeat. One of Frostbyte's shadow operatives stepped out from the corner and walked beside him, silent and precise.
"Report," Frostbyte said.
"Sir, Blaze and his companions are still in the capital," the soldier said. "The Resistance sniper and SK the Reaper remain with him. No hostile movement."
"Good. Keep observing."
"Yes, Commander." The soldier paused. "Forgive me, but… do you truly believe this man is who he says he is?"
Frostbyte's steps slowed. "That's what I intend to find out."
He glanced at the data tablet in his hand, Blaze's image flickering again. "According to the team's Void report, they encountered a creature that could mimic players — their appearance, their skills, even their memories. If that's true..."
The soldier's eyes widened slightly. "You think this 'Blaze' might not be real?"
Frostbyte didn't answer immediately. "We can't rule it out. Until I know more, keep him under constant watch. But stay hidden. I don't want him — or SK — suspecting anything."
"Yes, sir."
"Also," Frostbyte added, "verify the sniper's background. The Starlink Sniper, right? Resistance callsign Ryze." His tone hardened. "I want to know what kind of soldier gets herself tangled up with an Empire officer."
The assassin bowed, then melted back into the shadows — gone without a sound.
Frostbyte stopped before a wide glass wall overlooking the city. Rain streaked down the transparent surface, scattering the golden glow of the capital below.
"Who are you really, Blaze?" he murmured. "A ghost from the Great War... or something the Void spat back out?"
Meanwhile — Several hundred miles away
Far beneath the shifting dunes of a desert wasteland, an underground facility buzzed with controlled chaos.
Rows of Resistance soldiers moved through metallic corridors, checking weapons, patching armor, and transmitting coded messages. Screens flickered with maps and encrypted coordinates. Every sound — every movement — carried urgency.
Inside the command room, the air was thick with tension.
A soldier stood at a large monitor, fingers flying across the console. "Captain! We're getting a signal — it's her!"
The door slammed open. "What?!" came a deep voice.
The captain, a veteran of Warpath, stepped into the room. His uniform bore the scars of countless battles — not just the physical kind, but the ones that burned through the soul.
"Talk to me," he ordered.
"Sir, we've picked up a trace signal from the network layer. It's weak, but it's definitely her ID signature."
He froze. "Ryze?"
"Yes, Captain," the tech confirmed, eyes wide. "Coordinates are unstable — the system's still glitching — but her vitals are stable. Looks like… she's out of the Void."
For a heartbeat, no one moved.
Then a wave of relief swept through the room.
The captain exhaled slowly. "That's… that's good news." His tone softened for the first time in months. "She's alive."
Around him, a few soldiers cheered quietly, exchanging looks of disbelief. After so long without word, the Starlink Sniper had been declared missing — maybe dead. But now... hope flickered again.
At a nearby desk, a girl with fiery red hair sat before a terminal. The glow of her screen reflected in her eyes. Her tag read AbbyRose — Countless Star Division.
Her fingers trembled slightly over the keyboard. "Ryze… you're alive," she whispered. "Don't worry. We'll find you. And maybe… maybe I can finally thank you."
The captain turned toward her. "Abby, you doing okay?"
She nodded, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yes, Captain. Just… relieved."
He gave a faint grin. "Good. Because our next mission's not going to be easy."
AbbyRose smiled faintly, though her eyes betrayed the weight behind it. "It never is, sir."
The captain looked back at the map where Ryze's signal flickered faintly in and out, a single pulse of light surrounded by endless static.
"Hang on, Ryze," he murmured. "We're coming for you."
Far above the Resistance base, the desert winds howled across the wasteland. Lightning streaked through the stormy sky, illuminating the shattered horizon — remnants of a world built from code and memory.
And somewhere beyond those dunes, under the same sky, a hooded man named Blaze walked the capital's streets — unaware that both the Empire and the Resistance had begun to move again.
— End of Chapter 42 —
— End of Chapter 42 —