From the imperial hull, the soldiers of Castle Rock disembarked in waves — recruits and veterans alike, among them Luna and Fasten.

Leading the search team, in the absence of a commander on site, was Special Soldier Jolly Back, a nervous yet experienced man — the only one with enough authority to keep the unit together.

Jolly Back slammed his fist against the side of the ship to gather attention.

“Move. We begin the search now. Direct orders from Captain Sharlok — no one is to know why we are here.”

The recruits marched down in ordered lines, awaiting instructions.

Jolly spoke with a firm tone. “Teams of five. Avoid drawing attention. Spread through the city and check every alley. No unnecessary contact with civilians.”

The squads dispersed into the crowded streets.

Such a large military presence did not go unnoticed. Before long, the Hellington garrison sent soldiers to investigate.

Luna and Fasten walked alongside three other soldiers heading toward Grey Wall. Just beyond the harbor, a local patrol blocked their path.

“Halt! What’s going on here?” a Hellington soldier growled.

One of the Castle Rock soldiers forced a tight smile. “Routine patrol training. We’re showing the recruits how to secure territory.”

The man didn’t look convinced. “No official notice was sent. And we’ve had reports of other squads moving around.”

“Captain Sharlok’s orders,” the squad leader replied coldly. “If you want clarification, speak to him when he arrives.”

The local soldier crossed his arms. “Then I want to see the rookies’ IDs.”

A faint sigh escaped the leader. “You heard him. Show your badges.”

One by one, the soldiers presented their cards. The Hellington men examined them carefully, then nodded. “Fine. Proceed. But we’re informing the base.”

“Do as you see fit,” the leader answered. “We continue our mission.”

The patrol stepped aside. “We’ll wait for the captain. Move along.”

The squads resumed their movement, slipping into alleys and scanning courtyards and docks. No trace of the fugitives. No reliable leads. Only chaos.

Luna leaned closer to Fasten, speaking quietly. “Do you really think they’re here?”

Fasten glanced around, nervous. “They left a boat on the shore… they can’t be far.”

He hesitated. “And if we find them? Are we really going to arrest them? Sky is my friend.”

Luna watched him calmly. “Follow what you feel. I promised that, if I can, I’ll join them. I don’t know how yet… but I’ll help.”

Fasten paled. “They don’t forgive here. You’re putting yourself in danger.”

She gave a small, determined smile. It was enough to silence him.

A soldier called out sharply. “You! Enough talking. Use your speed and widen the search radius. No civilian casualties. Keep your comms active.”

Fasten touched the earpiece already fixed at his ear and activated it with a light tap. He swallowed hard. Running didn’t scare him… not usually. But not here, not in the middle of a crowded city. Narrow streets, civilians everywhere, distracted eyes that could turn into disaster in a second. The thought of hitting someone tightened his stomach.

“…Yes, sir.”

Fasten exhaled slowly. The voices around him dulled, as if pushed away by the wind. People, movement, even the dust suspended in the air seemed to slow before his eyes as he bent his knees, focusing every thought into a single point. One heartbeat. Then another.

The ground gave way beneath his feet.

Then vanished.

He launched forward in a flash, and the air folded behind him like an invisible wave, forcing nearby soldiers to step back. Cloaks and hair snapped violently in the vortex of his wake.

Luna followed the fading blur with her eyes, lips barely moving.

“I’m counting on you, Fasten…”

The city didn’t rush toward him.

He slipped into a world that felt slowed.

People moved as if underwater, gestures stretched, voices deep and distant. Only at the edge of his vision did colors tremble into unstable streaks — a sign he was pushing too far. Streets opened before him one after another, each step a precise calculation: a shoulder to avoid, a child to dodge, a crate to clear with the smallest leap.

The wind lashed his face, his eyes burned from the strain. It wasn’t the speed that scared him… it was the people.

A man turned his head just as Fasten passed. He held his breath and curved his path slightly, leaving only a whisper of air that rattled the hanging signs.

I can’t make a mistake.

He accelerated again.

Damn it… I can’t see anything like this.

He crossed an open market and the air cracked like a whip. Tents lifted, fruit scattered, sacks of flour burst into white clouds. Confused shouts rose behind him.

He burst onto a main road. Horns, engines, chaotic intersections. A car slammed to a stop in front of him. Fasten dropped low on instinct and slid beneath the hood as tires screamed across the asphalt. One heartbeat later he was already on the other side, his heart racing wildly.

“Damn… I could hurt someone like this.”

Nausea twisted his stomach. His legs trembled.

I need to slow down… or I’ll lose control.

After minutes that felt endless, he stopped in a narrow alley, bent forward with hands on his knees. His chest heaved without rhythm. He pulled out his canteen and drank deeply; the cold water slid down his throat like salvation.

He slid down the damp wall of an old storage building.

“Nothing… too many people, too many faces… but not them,” he murmured. “How am I supposed to find Sky and Shark in this jungle?”

He closed his eyes, trying to steady his heart. Hellington never fell silent: sirens, footsteps, overlapping voices. A living monster breathing tension.

His earpiece crackled. “Fasten! Immediate report! Did you find anything?”

He cleared his throat, still breathless.

“Negative. I checked… but with this many people, I couldn’t find Sky and Shark. I need a moment to recover.”

He let the earpiece hang and ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. He looked at the street: speeding cars, pushing crowds, flickering lights. Hellington was swallowing him whole.

Damn it… what am I even doing here?

The question trembled inside him. Luna wanted to join them. Sky was his friend. The Empire had given him an order. Sharlok was counting on him. Two opposite directions. No refuge.

He tightened his grip on the canteen.

“I’m not made for this… I’m not a soldier. Not really. I’m just someone who runs fast… that’s all.”

He inhaled slowly. Then lifted his head.

He would run again.

But not to obey.

To choose.

—

Next Episode — Before the Name