Chapter 5

When Instinct Wake..

The explosion came again—closer this time.

The ground trembled beneath their feet, dust raining from the ceiling as screams tore through the village above. The sound wasn’t distant anymore. It was inside the walls. Inside the streets.

Shadow Light was the first to move.

He rushed to the narrow window near the ceiling, stretching on his toes to see past the stone frame.

Shadow Light:

" what the hell is going on!!"

while black storm was standing infront of the door

“…This isn’t a prison.. its must be a warehouse!.”

he didn’t wait for confirmation.

He slammed his shoulder against the wooden door.

It didn’t budge.

He hit it again.

The hinges groaned.

Black Storm:
“They didn’t lock it properly.”

With one final shove, the door burst open.

The four of them froze.

The village had descended into chaos.

Houses burned, flames licking at wooden roofs. Smoke clogged the air. Villagers ran in every direction, shouting, crying, dragging the injured behind them. Armed men poured through the streets like organized bandits—faces masked, movements precise, merciless.

This wasn’t random violence.

It was a raid.

Shadow Light:
“…This is bad.”

A woman fell to the ground nearby, shielding a child with her body as a blade was raised above them.

Star X clenched her fists.

Star X:
“We can’t just run.”

They all turned to her.

Star X:
“We can’t leave them like this.”

Black Storm exhaled sharply.

Black Storm:
“I don’t know you. You don’t know me.”
He glanced at the chaos.
“But I’m not running away like a coward.”

He stepped forward.

Black Storm:
“I’ll stay and help.”

Sun-Z grabbed his arm.

Sun-Z:
“Are you insane?! This is suicide!”

Shadow Light scanned the ground, eyes locking onto scattered equipment—shields, iron rods, fallen weapons.

He picked one up.

Shadow Light:
“…What about these?”

Star X’s eyes lit up.

Moments later, they strapped oversized shields to their arms, gripping iron rods that were far too heavy for them.

Black Storm charged first.

He threw himself between the fallen woman and her attacker, raising his shield just in time to block a downward strike.

The impact sent a shock through his arm.

The man stared at him in disbelief.

Raider:
“Hey, kid.”
He sneered.
“Don’t wear armor that isn’t yours and pretend to be brave.”

He kicked Black Storm hard, sending him crashing backward.

Black Storm rolled—and stood again.

Black Storm:
“Why are you attacking people who can’t fight back?”
He tilted his head.
“Does that make you feel strong?”

The raider snarled and lunged.

The next moments happened fast.

Black Storm dodged.

Not clumsily.
Not desperately.

Clean. Precise.

His body moved on its own.

He struck the inside of the man’s arm, knocking the sword away, then followed with a brutal combination of blows—ribs, jaw, temple.

The raider collapsed.

The others noticed.

They rushed him together.

Black Storm met them head-on.

Every movement flowed naturally—blocks, counters, strikes—as if his muscles remembered what his mind could not.

Star X stared, wide-eyed.

Star X:
“That’s so cool!!”

Another raider leapt toward Shadow Light.

Shadow Light barely raised his weapon in time to block, staggering backward.

Shadow Light (shouting):
“How do you know how to fight like that?!”

Black Storm:
“I don’t know!”
He parried another strike.
“It’s like my body remembers for me!”

Shadow Light frowned.

Shadow Light:
“…Mine doesn’t seem to remember anything .”

He didn’t notice the rope until it snapped tight around his neck.

Raider:
“Got him!”

Shadow Light gasped as he was yanked backward.

Another attacker raised his sword, aiming straight for Shadow Light’s chest.

Star X and Sun-Z screamed together and swung their iron rod with all their strength.

The blade missed.

The raider collapsed.

But the rope tightened.

As the man with the rope tightened his grip, determined to finish Shadow Light himself.  Shadow Light thrashed in panic, but the two girls jumped and clinging to his legs and shrieking.

“Let him go!!!”

Caught between being pulled from both ends, Shadow Light began to suffocate

 his vision blurring.

Desperation surged.

He grabbed the rope—

And heat exploded from his palms.

Flames raced along the fibers, igniting the rope and engulfing the man holding it.

Shadow Light dropped to the ground, gasping.

Shadow Light:
“Are you trying to help him kill me?!”

They all froze, then screamed together.

Everyone:
“FIIIRE!!”

The burning man screamed, slamming his hands into the dirt.

Raider:
“What was that? Where did the fire come from?!”

He looked up at them.
“These brats—!”

who were jumping and celebrating wildly—until his face changed.

A new presence cut through the chaos.

The air seemed to tighten.

Raider:
“…It’s the commander.”

The fighting slowed.

Then stopped.

A tall figure stepped through the smoke.

Broad-shouldered.
Severe features.
An old stitched scar running along his left jaw.

All Raiders (shouting):
“Commander Gazley!”
“Commander Gazley has arrived!”

Gazley surveyed the battlefield, eyes cold and assessing.

Then his gaze settled on the four teenagers.

Gazley:
“…Interesting.”
“So children are playing heroes now.”

Black Storm turned to the others.

Black Storm:
“We need to fall back—join the villagers we saw earlier—”

Too late.

Gazley moved.

The hilt of his sword slammed into Black Storm’s chest, sending him flying.

Gazley narrowed his eyes.

Gazley:
“just now…He dodged!.”

Black Storm had twisted his head just in time..

  just enough to lessen the blow.

Blood stained his lips.

his friends rushing to his side.

Sun-Z:
“Are you okay?!”

Black Storm:
“Yeah.”
He coughed.
“He’s their leader. Of course he’s different.”

Gazley lunged again, forcing Black Storm to snatch Emily’s iron pole and barely block the blow.

but then..

 Shadow Light stepped forward.

Shadow Light:
“Leave this to me.”

He pressed his palm against Gazley’s cheek.

Gazley froze, utterly confused—and so was Shadow Light and the others .

Nothing happened.

Shadow Light:
“…Why isn’t it working?”

In sheer awkward Panic .

He slapped Gazley’s face once.Then again. 

trying to trigger his power one more time.

but the moment shattered.

Gazley kicked him away, then struck Black Storm and the girls in rapid succession.

As Sun-Z hit the ground hard.

A shadow loomed over her...

Gazley raised his sword.

Gazley:
“Your game is over.”

Sun-Z screamed and covered her face.

Silence.

Then—

A metallic shriek tore through the air.

Gazley’s sword vanished from his hand and slammed into a wooden pillar behind him.

He stared.

Then turned slowly.

Sun-Z crawled backward, staring at him in terror.

Sun-Z:
“Don’t come closer…”

Weapons around her rattled.

Then flew.

Swords ripped free, spiraling toward Gazley.

He dodged desperately, grabbing one blade—only for it to tear itself from his grip and join the others.

Sun-Z jumped to her feet, breathless, ecstatic.

Sun-Z:
“I—I have powers!!”

Gazley ripped a wooden pole apart, sharpening it into a deadly stake.

Gazley:
“I don’t know what you’ve done…”
His eyes burned.
“But I know you must die.”

They regrouped instinctively.

Shadow Light:
“Use it again!”

Sun-Z:
“I'm trying but i can’t, why don’t you use yours and burn the stick!

Gazley charged.

star x:

"Come on, hurry up!"

shadow light: 

"I can’t, it’s not working!"

Black Storm:
“Then we fight the old way.”

He charged—

A grenade flew.

Shadow Light:
“Look out!”

The explosion knocked them aside.

Through the smoke, Gazley’s voice echoed.

Gazley:
“We’re retreating.”

A pause.

Gazley:
“But we’ll be back.”

The raiders vanished as reinforcements flooded the village.

Shadow Light lay beside Black Storm, heart racing.

A strange sensation crept through him.

Shadow Light:
“…That’s weird.”
“I could feel his temperature… and his heartbeat.”

Villagers surrounded them slowly.

This time, their weapons lowered.

Gratitude.
Shame.
Fear.

The four exchanged glances.

Shaken.
Exhausted.
Alive.

They had made the right choice.

But this world had seen them now.