2025-02-09 21:50:54The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the city outside. Kian and Elena stood close, their hands intertwined, the weight of their shared pain and newfound resolve hanging heavy in the air. For a moment, it felt like the world had narrowed to just the two of them, the chaos outside fading into the background.
But the moment was fleeting. A sharp knock on the door shattered the silence, and Kian instinctively stepped in front of Elena, his golden implant flickering to life. The door opened to reveal Captain Selene Drake, her expression tense. “We need to move,” she said, her voice low and urgent. “Marcus knows Elena’s here. He’s coming.” Elena’s breath hitched, and Kian felt her grip tighten on his hand. “How?” she whispered. Selene’s jaw tightened. “He’s got eyes everywhere. The System’s compromised, and he’s using it to track us. We don’t have much time.” Kian nodded, his mind racing. “Where do we go?” “There’s a safe house outside the city,” Selene replied. “It’s off the grid—no System access. We’ll be untraceable there.” Elena hesitated, her eyes darting between Kian and Selene. “What about my father? If Marcus is coming for me, he’ll go after him too.” Selene’s expression softened, but her tone remained firm. “Your father’s already been moved to a secure location. Right now, we need to focus on getting you out of here.” Kian squeezed Elena’s hand. “She’s right. We need to go.” Elena nodded, though her fear was palpable. Together, the three of them moved quickly through the dimly lit corridors of the Elite Division headquarters, their footsteps echoing in the silence. The safe house was located in the ruins of Old Neo-City, a crumbling relic of a time before the System. As they approached the outskirts of the city, Kian couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. The towering skyscrapers gave way to dilapidated buildings and overgrown streets, a stark reminder of the world the Federation had left behind. “This place… it’s like stepping into another world,” Elena murmured, her voice barely audible over the hum of the hovercraft. “It’s the only place Marcus can’t reach us,” Selene replied, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. “The System doesn’t extend here.” Kian glanced at Elena, noting the way she clung to the edge of her seat, her knuckles white. He reached over and placed a reassuring hand on hers. “We’ll be safe here. I promise.” Elena met his gaze, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and gratitude. “I trust you.” The words warmed Kian’s heart, but they also carried a weight he wasn’t sure he was ready to bear. The safe house was a modest structure, hidden among the ruins and shielded by overgrown vegetation. Inside, it was sparse but functional, with enough supplies to last them weeks if necessary. As Selene secured the perimeter, Kian and Elena settled into the main room. The tension between them was palpable, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. Finally, Elena broke the silence. “Kian… I need to tell you something.” He turned to her, his heart skipping a beat. “What is it?” She took a deep breath, her hands trembling. “When Marcus took me… he didn’t just manipulate me. He… he used me. To hurt you. To hurt the Federation.” Kian’s stomach churned, but he kept his voice steady. “What do you mean?” Elena’s eyes filled with tears. “He made me believe you were the enemy. That you had betrayed me. And I… I believed him. I helped him. I gave him access to the System, to my father’s files. I didn’t know what he was planning, but I… I played a part in it.” Kian’s heart ached at the pain in her voice, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he reached for her hand, his touch gentle. “Elena, you were manipulated. He used your fear, your trust. This isn’t your fault.” She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “But it is. I should have seen through him. I should have trusted you.” Kian pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. “We all make mistakes. What matters is what we do now. We can’t change the past, but we can fight for the future.” Elena clung to him, her sobs muffled against his chest. For the first time in what felt like forever, Kian felt a flicker of hope. The moment was shattered by the sound of Selene’s voice, sharp and urgent. “We’ve got company.” Kian and Elena pulled apart, their eyes wide with alarm. Selene stood at the window, her crimson implant glowing faintly as she scanned the horizon. “What is it?” Kian asked, joining her. Selene’s expression was grim. “Marcus. He’s found us.” Kian’s heart sank as he followed her gaze. In the distance, a fleet of hovercrafts was approaching, their lights cutting through the darkness like beacons. “How?” Elena whispered, her voice trembling. Selene’s jaw tightened. “He must have tracked us before we went off the grid. We need to move. Now.” Kian nodded, his mind racing. “There’s a tunnel system beneath the ruins. It leads to the old subway. We can use it to escape.” Selene hesitated, then nodded. “Lead the way.” The tunnel was dark and damp, the air thick with the scent of decay. Kian led the way, his golden implant casting a faint glow to light their path. Elena followed close behind, her hand gripping his, while Selene brought up the rear, her weapon drawn. As they moved deeper into the tunnel, the sound of footsteps echoed behind them, growing louder with each passing second. “They’re moving on us,” Selene muttered, her voice tense. Kian’s heart pounded, but he forced himself to stay calm. “We’re almost there. Just a little further.” But as they rounded a corner, they were met with a dead end. The tunnel had collapsed, blocking their path. “No,” Elena whispered, her voice filled with despair. Kian’s mind raced. “There has to be another way.” Selene stepped forward, her crimson implant flaring to life. “Stand back.” She raised her hand, and a surge of energy shot from her implant, blasting through the rubble. The force of the explosion sent them stumbling back, but when the dust settled, the path was clear. “Let’s go,” Selene said, her voice firm. They hurried through the newly opened passage, the sound of their pursuers growing louder. But as they emerged into the old subway station, they were met with a sight that made Kian’s blood run cold. Standing before them was Darius, his crimson implant glowing ominously in the darkness. “Going somewhere?” he asked, his voice dripping with malice.
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
Reboot My Heart Chapter Five: The Trap
The old subway station was eerily silent, save for the faint drip of water echoing through the tunnels. Darius stood before them, his crimson implant casting an ominous glow that illuminated his cold, calculating smile. Behind him, a group of armed rebels emerged from the shadows, their weapons trained on Kian, Elena, and Selene. Kian stepped forward, his golden implant flickering to life as he positioned himself protectively in front of Elena. “Darius,” he said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. “Let us go. This doesn’t have to end in violence.” Darius chuckled, a low, mocking sound that sent a chill down Kian’s spine. “Oh, Kian. Always the hero. But this time, you’re out of your depth.” Selene stepped up beside Kian, her weapon raised and her crimson implant glowing fiercely. “You’re not walking out of here, Darius. Not this time.” Darius’s smirk widened. “Brave words, Captain. But you’re outnumbered. And outmatched.” Before anyone could react,
Reboot My Heart Chapter Six: The Control Center
The night was thick with tension as Kian, Elena, and the Elite Division team approached the old System Control Center. The building loomed in the distance, its once-gleaming facade now cracked and overgrown with vines. It was a relic of a bygone era, a symbol of the System’s power—and its corruption. Kian adjusted the strap of his weapon, his golden implant glowing faintly under his sleeve. Beside him, Elena walked with quiet determination, her eyes fixed on the building ahead. She had insisted on joining the mission, despite Kian’s protests. “I need to do this,” she had said, her voice firm. “For my father. For the Federation. For us.” Kian had relented, though his heart ached with worry. He couldn’t lose her—not again. Commander Ryker led the team, his voice low as he issued orders. “We’ll split into two groups. Kian, Elena, and I will take the main entrance. The rest of you, secure the perimeter. No one gets in or out.” The team nodded, their expressions grim. This was it
Reboot My Heart Chapter Seven: Betrayal
The sound of the gunshot echoed through the air, but the bullet never hit its mark. Kian reacted instinctively, his golden implant flaring to life as he raised a shimmering energy shield just in time. The bullet ricocheted off the barrier, embedding itself in the wall behind them. Elena gasped, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Selene. “Selene, what are you doing?” Kian demanded, his voice filled with disbelief. Selene’s expression remained cold, her crimson implant glowing faintly. “I’m following orders, Kian. Something you’ve never been good at.” Kian’s heart sank as the realization hit him. “Marcus… he got to you, didn’t he?” Selene’s lips curved into a faint, bitter smile. “Marcus? No. This is bigger than him. Bigger than you.” Before Kian could respond, the ground beneath them shook violently, the building groaning under the strain. The explosion from earlier had destabilized the structure, and it was beginning to collapse. “We need to move!” Elena shouted,
Reboot My Heart Chapter Eight: Fractured Loyalties
The hovercraft soared through the night sky, the city lights below blurring into streaks of gold and silver. Kian sat in the back, his golden implant flickering weakly as he tried to process everything that had just happened. Elena sat beside him, her hand gripping his tightly, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination. Selene piloted the hovercraft in silence, her crimson implant glowing faintly. The tension in the air was palpable, the unspoken questions hanging heavy between them. Finally, Kian broke the silence. “Selene… what’s going on?” She didn’t respond immediately, her eyes fixed on the horizon. When she finally spoke, her voice was low and filled with regret. “I made a mistake, Kian. A big one.” Elena leaned forward, her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?” Selene’s grip tightened on the controls. “I thought I was doing the right thing. Ryker… he convinced me that the System was broken. That we needed to tear it down and start over. But I was wrong. Ma
Reboot My Heart Chapter Nine: The Choice
The world seemed to freeze as Kian stared down the barrel of Ryker’s weapon. The commander’s expression was unreadable, his eyes cold and distant. Behind him, the rebels stood in tense silence, their weapons still trained on Kian, Elena, and Selene. “Ryker,” Kian said, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through him. “Don’t do this. You’re better than this.” Ryker’s jaw tightened, but his grip on the weapon didn’t waver. “You don’t understand, Kian. This isn’t about right or wrong. It’s about survival. The System is broken, and if we don’t take control, everything will collapse.” Elena stepped forward, her eyes filled with anger. “And what? You think Marcus is the answer? He’s using you, just like he used Selene. Just like he’s using everyone.” Ryker’s expression faltered for a moment, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. But then his eyes hardened, and he shook his head. “It’s too late for second thoughts. The decision been made.” Before anyone could react, Selene l
Reboot My Heart Chapter Ten: The Core
The hovercraft shuddered violently as Darius’s rebels closed in, their weapons blazing. Selene fought to stabilize the craft, her hands moving deftly over the controls, but the damage was too severe. “We’re not going to make it!” Elena shouted, her voice filled with panic. “We have to!” Selene replied, her voice tense. “The Core is just ahead!” Kian glanced out the window, his heart sinking as he saw the rebels gaining on them. The city lights below blurred into streaks of gold and silver, the night sky illuminated by the glow of their implants. “We need to jump,” Kian said, his voice firm. Elena’s eyes widened. “What? Are you crazy?” “We don’t have a choice,” Kian replied, his golden implant flickering weakly. “If we stay in this hovercraft, we’re dead.” Selene nodded, her expression grim. “He’s right. The Core is just below us. If we jump now, we might make it.” Before anyone could argue, the hovercraft shuddered again, the controls sparking as the engine began to fa
Reboot My Heart Chapter Eleven: The Descent
The hovercraft jolted violently as another blast struck its side, sending sparks flying through the cabin. Kian gripped the edge of his seat, his knuckles turning white. Outside, the night sky was filled with streaks of red and white as Darius’s forces pursued them, their weapons lighting up the darkness like fireflies of death. Selene fought with the controls, her crimson implant flickering erratically. The damage was severe—too severe. The hovercraft lurched, its engines sputtering, and Kian felt the sickening drop as they began losing altitude. “We’re going down!” Selene shouted over the alarms. Elena gasped, bracing herself against the seat. “Can’t you stabilize it?” Selene shook her head, sweat dripping down her temple. “Not in the air. We need to land—now.” Kian’s mind raced. “The Core. Can we make it there?” Selene didn’t answer immediately. Her eyes flicked between the rapidly approaching ground and the swarm of enemy craft on their tail. Finally, she gritted her teeth.
Reboot My Heart Chapter Twelve: Echoes of the Core
The whisper lingered in the air long after it had faded, wrapping around Kian-like unseen chains. “You have come too late.” The words echoed through his skull, hollow and ancient, as if spoken from the very bones of the Core itself. He swallowed hard, his pulse a steady drum in his ears. The corridor ahead stretched into darkness, pulsing faintly with an eerie glow, the walls breathing with an unnatural rhythm. Elena tightened her grip on his hand. “Kian…” her voice was barely above a whisper. “I heard it too,” he murmured. Selene groaned from where she lay on the cold stone, clutching her injured side. Blood oozed between her fingers, dark against her pale skin. “What… was that?” Kian shook his head. He didn’t know. And that terrified him more than anything. They weren’t alone. The air around them was charged, like the moments before a storm, thick with unseen energy pressing down on them. Kian scanned the corridor, his instincts screaming at him to keep moving. The rebels wou
Latest Chapter
Chapter 49: The Offer
The air in the bunker felt thick—charged with something unnatural. The Forgotten Ones stood still, their glowing silver eyes locked on Kian, waiting.Waiting for his answer.Elena’s grip tightened on his arm. “Kian, what the hell is going on?”He didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer.The vision still burned in his mind. The shadows. The voice. The truth he wasn’t ready to face."You know what must be done."His heart pounded. What did that even mean?The others were waiting too. Marcus had his gun raised, his face set in a deep scowl. Selene looked ready to bolt. Darius was unreadable—watching Kian with narrowed eyes, as if trying to see inside his head.Then, the Forgotten One at the front moved.It took a single step forward, its body flickering like a glitch in reality.Kian didn’t flinch.But the others did.“Back up,” Marcus warned, shifting his weapon.Darius lifted a hand. “No. Let’s see what it wants.”Marcus shot him an incredulous look. “What it wants? Are you insane? That thing j
Chapter 48
The dust hadn’t even settled from the explosion when Kian felt it—a pulse through his implant, an unbearable pressure that sent sharp waves of pain through his skull. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand despite the tremors in his limbs.The figure standing at the entrance of the shattered bunker was unmistakable. Darius Voss.Even through the thick haze, Kian could make out the gleaming silver armor, the sharp, calculated stance, and the cold familiarity that sent a shiver down his spine."Darius," Elena breathed beside him, her voice laced with shock and unease.Kian’s jaw tightened. The man he once called a friend. The one who betrayed him.Darius tilted his head slightly, his masked face unreadable. Then, his voice rang out, amplified through the high-tech modulator in his helmet."You look well, Kian," he said, stepping forward. "Stronger than the last time we met."Kian didn’t move. His heart pounded in his chest, but his voice was steady. "Did you come to finish what
Chapter 47: Whispers of the Forgotten
The silence after the explosion was almost deafening. The lingering smoke curled through the air, a ghostly remnant of the destruction that had just unfolded. Kian pushed himself up from the rubble, coughing against the dust that coated his lungs. His body ached from the impact, but pain was a familiar companion now.“Elena!” His voice was hoarse, but he forced himself to move, scanning the debris for any sign of her.A groan came from behind a collapsed beam. Kian rushed over, ignoring the sharp protest of his ribs. He found her pinned under a slab of metal, her breathing shallow but steady. Relief coursed through him even as dread crept in.“Hold on,” he muttered, gripping the beam with both hands. His implant flared to life, sending a surge of energy through his limbs. With a deep breath, he heaved the metal aside, freeing her.Elena gasped as the pressure on her chest lifted, her eyes fluttering open. “Kian…”“I’m here.” He helped her sit up, quickly assessing the damage. Bruises,
Chapter 46: The Council’s Gambit
The moment the transmission cut off, the bridge fell into silence.Kian leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping against the armrest. His demand had been made—Marcus Hale would be exiled, hunted, and forced to face the consequences of his betrayal.But Kian knew better than to assume things would go smoothly.“Elena,” he said, turning toward her, “what’s the likelihood that Regan actually delivers on this deal?”Elena exhaled, crossing her arms. “If it were up to him? I’d say highly likely. Regan’s a politician, not a warrior. He knows that challenging you now is a mistake.” She glanced at Selene. “But the High Council? That’s a different story.”Selene nodded. “There’s no way the entire Federation is going to accept this without resistance. Some will see your demand as a sign of weakness, as if you’re settling for revenge instead of conquest. Others will see it as a sign of strength, proving that you can dictate terms.”Kian’s eyes darkened. “It doesn’t matter what they think. I
Chapter 45: The Cost of Victory
The battlefield was eerily silent.The massive golden rift in space had swallowed the Federation’s fleet, pulling their powerful dreadnoughts into the unknown. The golden warships drifted across the void, their once-glowing sigils dimming as their energy subsided.Kian stood on the bridge of his flagship, his gaze locked on the emptiness where Voss’s fleet had once been. The rift was closing, sealing away the destruction it had unleashed.Selene’s fingers flew across the controls. “The gravitational readings are stabilizing… but Kian, this wasn’t just an attack.” She looked up, her expression tense. “That was a dimensional rupture. Whatever that energy was, it didn’t just destroy Voss’s fleet—it pulled them somewhere else.”Elena’s voice was quiet, but sharp. “Somewhere we can’t reach.”Kian exhaled slowly. He had changed the rules of war—but at what cost?The masked figure, still standing at the edge of the bridge, smiled beneath his hood. “It seems you have claimed your first true v
Chapter 44: The Return of the King
Silence filled the command deck.The golden message still burned on the screen, its weight sinking into Kian’s mind."AR’THERON, LAST HEIR OF THE LOST DYNASTY. RETURN TO YOUR KINGDOM."The words stirred something deep within him—something beyond memory, beyond logic. A calling.Elena took a hesitant step forward, her voice cautious. “Kian… what does this mean?”He didn’t answer immediately. His gaze remained locked on the screen, his mind racing. His whole life, he had been a man without a place, fighting for his own survival, clawing his way through betrayal and hardship.But now…Now, the universe was telling him he had always belonged somewhere else.Selene’s fingers flew over the controls. “This is insane,” she muttered. “The data coming from this fleet—it’s old, Kian. Not just decades. Centuries. This isn’t some rogue faction. This is ancient.”Kian clenched his jaw. He already knew that. He felt it.The masked figure’s voice returned, smooth and measured."You feel it, don’t you
Chapter 43: The Chains of Fate
The warship’s command room was a battlefield of flashing red alarms and frantic voices. The holographic screen pulsed with urgent warnings as the unknown fleet hovered in the void, their formation unwavering.Kian stood frozen.His eyes locked onto the second throne displayed on the screen.It was different from the cracked, corrupted one he had seen in the vision. This one was pristine—untouched by time or decay. A throne meant for a ruler. A throne meant for—Him.He clenched his fists, forcing himself to break away from the sight. “Selene, analyze those ships. What are we dealing with?”Selene’s fingers moved swiftly over the controls, her face pale. “I—I don’t know what they are. They don’t match any known Federation, rebel, or alien fleet.”Kian’s voice was sharp. “Then what do they match?”Silence.Selene swallowed, then whispered, “They match you.”The words sent a cold pulse through the room.Kian’s stomach twisted. “Explain.”Selene turned the screen toward him. “The energy s
Chapter 42: The Throne That Calls
The golden glow of the Sentinels faded as the battlefield grew eerily silent. The enemy fleet was gone—erased—yet the voice’s final words echoed in Kian’s mind like an unshakable curse."Then take your throne, False King."Kian’s breath was steady, but his body felt heavier. His fingertips burned from the power he had unleashed, and the weight of something unseen pressed against his chest.This wasn’t over.This was only the beginning.Selene’s voice shattered the quiet. “Kian, are you okay?”Elena was beside him, her eyes locked on his. Concern flickered in their depths, but there was something else—something she wasn’t saying.He ignored it. “Status report.”Selene’s hands flew over the controls. “Damage across multiple decks. Shields down to thirty-two percent. We lost three warships and sustained major structural damage, but we’re still operational.”Kian turned to Elena. “Casualties?”Elena hesitated. “Fifty-three confirmed. Several injured. We got lucky.”Lucky.He clenched his
Chapter 41: The Chains of Fate
The silence after the warship’s cannon fire was brief—too brief.Kian’s golden gaze burned as he watched the energy beams surge forward, tearing through the darkness of space like divine judgment. The enemy fleet, vast and seemingly unshakable, faced its first true test.The initial impact was devastating.Boom.One of the enemy warships exploded under the sheer force of the blast, its structure folding in on itself before vanishing into nothingness. The golden Sentinels, still caught between two conflicting commands, hesitated.For a moment, Kian thought he had gained the upper hand.Then came the counterattack.The enemy fleet didn’t scatter.They didn’t retreat.They didn’t even flinch.Instead, they moved as one, their ships shifting into an eerily perfect formation. Not a single wasted movement. Not a single moment of hesitation.A warning siren blared inside the warship."Multiple energy signatures detected. Incoming attack imminent."Selene’s fingers flew across the controls. "
