Ace blinked, then looked at Raiden. “You’re insane.”

Raiden just turned and started walking. “Come on.”

They crossed a bridge of light into a wide, radiant chamber. The ceiling stretched high above like the sky itself, and gods sat around a glowing table, their forms shifting between human and something more. Some watched silently. Some looked annoyed.

“He brought a human here?” someone muttered.

“That’s a direct violation of the law.”

“He left Kamïe without permission.”

Raiden ignored them and stepped into the center of the chamber. “I know what I did. And I’ll face whatever comes after this. But first, look.”

He motioned toward Ace. The gods all turned their eyes on him.

Raiden held out a piece of stone , part of the broken device from the temple. It pulsed faintly with energy. “The meter didn’t malfunction. It shattered. He broke it.”

There was silence.

Then a soft hum echoed through the chamber. Raiden stepped closer to a glowing orb set in the center of the room. He placed the stone fragment near it. The orb lit up violently, flashing a blinding white for a moment, then cracked down the middle.

Everyone stood.

“That’s not possible…” one of them whispered.

Then

A sound. A deep, growing rumble. The ceiling above them shook.

“What is that?” Ace asked, taking a step back.

The ceiling suddenly exploded. Dust and chunks of stone fell as something enormous crashed through. The gods scrambled, some raising barriers, others drawing weapons. A massive, twisted figure landed in the center of the chamber with a snarl.

Its skin was pitch black, but moved like smoke. Its eyes glowed red.

“Demons” someone shouted.

More followed. Shadows poured in from the sky above, crashing into the chamber like a swarm. The gods tried to fight back, but it was chaos. They weren’t ready. Not here. Not now.

Raiden turned to Ace. “Run”

They bolted down one of the hallways, but debris collapsed behind them, cutting off the path.

“They’re coming” Ace yelled.

Raiden stopped, looking for another way out. “There’s nowhere”

The ground cracked. A massive hand burst through and grabbed Ace, pulling him back. Raiden reached out, grabbing his arm, but another hand struck him across the head and dragged him down too.

Then silence.

Kamïe was ruined. Fire and smoke drifted in the air. The gods, battered and overwhelmed, gathered in what little space was left.

“They got them” one of the gods said. “They took them both”

“We have to leave” another added. “Now. Kamïe’s lost”

No one argued.

They fled.

Kamïe burned behind them.

"We have to save them; Ace and raiden."