Chapter 3: Injustice in Paradise

Chapter 3: Injustice in Paradise 

Written by Kingson

“First, they took their homes.

Then their health.

Then their minds.

Now, the world walks like a corpse—

infected, broken, and forgotten.

This isn’t a place to live.

This is where hope comes to die.”

 (The Silence After the Gunshot)

The world didn’t scream.

It just went quiet.

Sarah Miller collapsed, blood blooming from her chest like a cursed flower. Her eyes widened—shocked, defiant, motherly. And then… still. The pistol slipped from Dr. Vora’s hand as he fell behind her, his last act of cruelty complete.

“KAI!” Isabelle screamed.

Kai caught his mother before her body hit the ground. Her head rested in his arms, blood seeping through his fingers. His hands shook.

“No… no, no, no…” Kai whispered, brushing hair from Sarah’s face. “You’re okay. You’re gonna be okay. Just… stay with me—”

But her eyes no longer blinked.

“Open your eyes. Mom, open your eyes!”

He pressed his forehead against hers. “You said we’d talk… you said there was more to tell. You said—”

His voice cracked. “You promised me.”

Silence.

No birds. No wind.

Just the sound of Kai’s heart breaking.

Behind him, Aria lowered her weapon. “Vora’s dead,” she said, but her voice was distant, meaningless.

Ethan stepped back, eyes wide. “I… I didn’t even see him pull the trigger.”

Liam clenched his fists. “We should’ve checked him. We should’ve made sure he was dead before we turned away.”

“It’s not your fault,” Ravi said softly. “This place… this world… it takes everything.”

Isabelle fell to her knees beside Kai. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Kai, I’m here… please say something.”

He didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

His jaw clenched, blood on his cheek, his hands coated in red.

“I just found her…” he finally whispered.

And then he broke.

Not with a scream. Not with fury.

With a single, raw sob.

One that sounded like it had been trapped inside him since the day she vanished.

One that felt like the sound of a child who had been strong for too long.

He held Sarah tighter, as if his grip alone could rewind time.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve been faster. I should’ve protected you.”

And for the first time since the rebellion began—

Kai looked defeated.

(Hollowvale) 

The skies above Hollowvale were the color of ash.

Thick smoke churned endlessly from iron chimneys, pouring into the clouds like black veins spreading across heaven’s face. The sun never reached here — only a dull, gray glow that barely lit the streets.

Factories lined the horizon like rotting teeth.

Each one belched fire, steam, and poison — day and night. There were no breaks. No silence. Only the ceaseless grind of rusted machines and the coughs of dying lungs.

In the alleys, bodies were slumped against walls, too weak to move, too stubborn to die. Children with swollen bellies and hollow eyes dragged sacks through filth, searching for food that didn’t exist. Their faces were streaked with ash. Their skin was blotched with black sores.

A man stumbled across the road and collapsed.

No one ran to help him.

No one even looked.

They were all too busy surviving their own slow death.

Nearby, a makeshift clinic overflowed with patients. The doctor inside — just a teenager with trembling hands — poured muddy water on an open wound. The patient screamed. No anesthesia. No bandages. Only pain.

Signs were posted everywhere:

DO NOT DRINK THE WATER

STAY INDOORS DURING FOG HOURS

BREATHING MASKS SOLD OUT UNTIL NEXT MONTH

Yet no one had the luxury to follow the rules.

Above them, towering high, stood the clean zone — a black glass fortress surrounded by drones and guards in hazmat suits. The officials lived there. Their children played in filtered oxygen. Their food was imported. Their water — crystal clear.

And they watched Hollowvale die like it was a show.

One man stood at the top of the tower, arms crossed.

“We’ve reached acceptable thinning,” he said coldly into a comm.

“The weak are dying. The rest will soon beg for work in the refineries. Begin Phase 3.”

PHASE 3: Drug Distribution & Mental Control.

In Hollowvale, death wasn’t sudden.

It was slow.

Suffocating.

Deliberate.

And no one was coming to save them. 

(Caught in the Smoke)

Riverside.

A broken edge of Hollowvale—quiet, forgotten, but no less toxic. The river that once gave the town its name now ran thick with oil and rot. Chemical sludge clung to its surface, and the air reeked of burning metal and waste. One of the largest factories in the district loomed nearby, its chimneys pumping black smoke into the already dead sky.

Luna and Finn crouched behind a broken wall, cameras in hand, notebooks open. Their faces were tense, but their eyes burned with purpose.

Luna (whispering):

“Look at the water. They’re poisoning it. Kids drink from this…”

Finn focused his lens. Across the yard, a truck was unloading barrels marked with a faded warning: BIOHAZARD.

Finn (quietly):

“They said this plant was shut down. They lied. The government’s neck-deep in this.”

Luna:

“People need to know. This isn’t just pollution. It’s murder.”

She looked at him and smiled softly, brushing his hand.

Luna:

“Two more days. We’ll be married, Finn.”

Finn (smiling):

“We’ll make it. I swear.”

But then came the click of a gun.

“Drop the camera,” a voice ordered, low and sharp.

Three soldiers in black armor appeared behind them—silent, masked, deadly. The Hollowvale insignia, a blood-red eye, gleamed on their vests.

Finn stood slowly, shielding Luna.

Finn:

“We’re just reporters. We’re unarmed—”

A fist slammed into his gut.

Luna screamed as he collapsed, coughing hard.

“Take them,” one soldier barked. “Boss Lilitu wants to meet the curious lovers.”

The Silence Room

Blindfolded, bound, and beaten, Luna and Finn were dragged into the heart of Hollowvale. When the blindfolds were ripped away, they found themselves in a cold chamber of steel and screens. Surveillance monitors blinked across the walls—watching every street, every building, every soul.

And in the center, on a raised platform, stood Lilitu.

Draped in crimson robes, tall and commanding, she watched them with a smile like a dagger. Her voice was soft, but every word carried poison.

Lilitu:

“Reporters. How quaint. Risking everything for… the truth.”

She stepped toward Luna, eyes crawling over her.

Lilitu:

“And you… You’re quite something. I can see why he chose you.”

Finn (growling):

“Watch your mouth. She’s my wife.”

A heavy silence fell.

Lilitu’s expression shifted. The air turned colder.

Lilitu (mocking):

“Your wife? You speak to me like that?”

With a nod, her soldiers yanked Finn away, chaining his wrists to a rusted rod. He struggled violently—but the iron held fast.

Lilitu (coldly):

“Let’s see how far love will take you.”

She stepped close to Luna, her voice dropping into a cruel whisper. Finn screamed, begged, tore at his restraints. Blood trickled from his wrists as he reached for a knife that lay nearby.

The room turned into a storm of chaos—emotional, brutal, and cold.

And then—

Silence.

Lilitu turned, unfazed. Luna lay still. The fire in her eyes had been extinguished.

Lilitu:

“She was brave. But bravery doesn’t last here.”

She raised her gun.

Finn (screaming):

“NO—”

The shot echoed through the chamber.

Luna was gone.

Finn’s scream broke the walls.

They didn’t kill him—not yet. They wanted him to suffer. They drugged him, bound him, and dragged him into the dark halls of Hollowvale… where broken souls were turned into something even darker.

The Throne of Smoke

Hollowvale – The Council Hall

The sound of boots echoed down the metal hallway. Lilitu, now cloaked in her usual calm cruelty, stepped through the reinforced door of the Council Hall—a large, circular chamber bathed in a pale, industrial light. Screens flickered on the walls, showing Hollowvale’s dying neighborhoods: riots, sickness, and slaves working in the smog-covered factories.

At the far end of the room, three figures waited for her—each a monster in their own right.

• Gorgon, a towering brute with cybernetic arms and a permanent snarl. He ran the weapons factories and slave labor.

• Andras, thin and sharp-eyed, controlled the pharmaceutical plants—engineering the drugs that kept citizens addicted or sedated.

• Noir, the youngest but most unpredictable, handled surveillance and psychological manipulation. No one saw more of Hollowvale than him.

They sat on iron thrones carved from the ruins of old buildings—once homes, now symbols of domination.

Gorgon (gruffly):

“You were late.”

Lilitu (smiling faintly):

“I was cleaning up a mess. Two lovers who thought they could expose our secrets.”

Andras (disinterested):

“Did you kill them?”

Lilitu:

“One. The other… I left him broken. More useful that way.”

Noir leaned forward, fingers steepled.

Noir:

“Everything is spreading faster now. The disease in Sector 9 has mutated. Children are coughing blood in the streets. People are starting to panic.”

Gorgon:

“Let them. Fear keeps them obedient.”

Andras (flatly):

“But not forever. We need to increase drug distribution. Cut the medicine, raise the price, limit access. They’ll crawl for us.”

Lilitu moved to the center of the table.

Lilitu:

“The outside world is watching. The fall of Duskwatch drew attention. We must keep Hollowvale locked down tighter than ever. No more leaks.”

Noir (coldly):

“And what of the boy? The one who burned Duskwatch. The Miller.”

The room went quiet.

Lilitu (darkly):

“He’s broken… for now. But we must prepare for when he rises.”

Gorgon (grinning):

“Let him come. I want to see what the ‘hero’ looks like covered in ash.”

They all chuckled—low, empty, cruel.

Outside, the sky above Hollowvale bled gray smoke.

Inside, the leaders of suffering prepared for war.

Ashes of June

Underground prison cell – Hollowvale

Finn lay crumpled on the freezing floor of a concrete cell. His face was bloodied, body bruised, and his left wrist wrapped in torn fabric—still bleeding from the rope he had tried to cut through. The room was silent, except for the sound of distant screams and the soft drip of water from a broken pipe.

His eyes were open but vacant. He didn’t cry. He couldn’t. He just breathed… slowly… painfully… as if each breath was borrowed.

Then, quietly, memories began to flood in.

⸻

Flashback – A meadow outside their hometown (months ago)

Luna twirled in the tall grass, sunlight hitting her smile. Finn stood watching her, heart swelling with something too big for words. She ran back to him, laughing, and plopped down beside him on a blanket.

Luna (playfully):

“Why do you always call me ‘your June’?”

Finn smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Finn:

“Because…

In English, it means a month.

But in poetry, it means—

The pause between storms.

The softest sunsets.

A season I wish never ends.”

Luna had gone quiet then, her eyes glistening. She leaned in and kissed him slowly, sweetly. That was the day they decided to marry.

⸻

Back to the present

Finn turned to the cold wall and whispered:

Finn (weakly):

“You were my June… and they took you.”

He pressed his forehead against the wall. Tears finally came, quiet and full of rage. He didn’t scream. He didn’t shout. But in the silence of that cell, something inside him began to break… and rebuild.

He wasn’t dead yet.

And if he could crawl out of this hell—he would burn Hollowvale to the ground.

The Weight of Ashes

Duskwatch – Underground Shelter, Night

The fire had long died out.

Duskwatch was quiet now—its monstrous leaders slain, its factories destroyed, and its slaves freed. But inside the underground shelter beneath the ruins, Kai Miller sat alone in the dark.

His hands were still stained with blood—hers.

His eyes stared blankly at the flickering lantern light. He hadn’t spoken in hours.

Not since he held his mother as she died.

Not since her blood splashed across his face.

Isabelle, Liam, Ethan, Noah, Ravi, and Aria kept watch nearby, but no one dared speak. The boy who had led them through fire, through screams and gunfire—now sat trembling, silent, broken.

Aria (softly, to Isabelle):

“He needs time. We all do.”

Isabelle (shaken):

“She died in his arms. How do you come back from that?”

Kai’s body rocked slightly—like he was stuck between wanting to scream and not having the strength.

He whispered something.

No one heard it.

Then again—louder, guttural:

Kai:

“I was too late.”

Isabelle moved to his side, kneeling in front of him, her hands trembling.

Isabelle:

“Kai… you weren’t too late. You found her. She died knowing her son—”

Kai (snapping):

“She died because of me!”

The shelter went silent again.

Kai’s eyes burned—more pain than rage.

Kai (voice shaking):

“I didn’t even know her. And the moment I did… she was taken from me.”

Ravi (gently):

“You gave her freedom… even if only for a moment.”

Kai stood, fists clenched. The chains of grief wrapped tighter around his chest.

He staggered outside, past the rubble and ashes of Duskwatch, to the field where his mother’s body had been cremated.

The stars were hidden behind smoke.

Kai dropped to his knees.

Kai (whispers):

“I swear… I will end them all.”

The flames in his eyes began to flicker again—not just of vengeance, but of something deeper.

Purpose.

Journey to Hollowvale

One week later – Borderlands of Duskwatch

The wind was colder now.

Not because of weather—because of what they were walking toward.

Kai, now hardened and silent, led the group across the blackened hills. The ruins of Duskwatch faded behind them like a nightmare that refused to disappear, its smoke still rising in the distance. Ahead lay only poison skies and a distant skyline of metal and misery:

Hollowvale.

The city where children vanished.

Where bodies were dumped like waste.

Where souls were sold, broken, and forgotten.

The journey had taken them through scorched plains, dying forests, and rivers that bubbled with chemicals. Every step forward was a reminder—of Sarah Miller’s death, of the prisoners they couldn’t save, of the world’s rotting core.

Aria held a map marked with intel from Duskwatch’s archives.

Aria:

“We’ll reach Hollowvale’s outer district by sunset. But if we go through the old tunnel system here”—she pointed—“we can sneak in without alerting the patrols.”

Liam (tired):

“What if it’s a trap? What if they’re waiting?”

Ravi (grim):

“Then we die fighting. But I’m not turning back.”

They all turned to Kai, now quiet and unreadable beneath his hood.

Isabelle (carefully):

“You sure about this?”

Kai didn’t look back.

Kai (low):

“They took my mother. They’ve taken too many.

I’m not here for revenge anymore.

I’m here to end it.”

⸻

Hours later – Outer edge of Hollowvale

The group crouched behind rusted cargo containers, staring at the horrific skyline.

Smoke stacks clawed at the sky.

Skyscrapers dripped with toxic runoff.

Drones buzzed like flies above diseased streets.

And above all stood the Citadel, a fortress in the heart of Hollowvale, glowing red—like an open wound in the heart of the world.

Ethan (whispers):

“This place… it’s worse than Duskwatch.”

Noah (softly):

“Feels like hell opened its gates and never closed them.”

Isabelle:

“Then we walk straight into hell.”

A Village Without Choice

Evening – Outskirts of Hollowvale Region

The sun was setting behind black hills when Kai and his group reached a small, nameless village. It was quiet—too quiet. The fields were dead. The children hid behind windows. And every wall was stained with fear.

An old man stood at the village gate, hunched and hollow-eyed. His voice cracked like dry leaves.

Old Man:

“You’re strangers… but I can tell you’re not like the others.

Come. Rest. My home is small, but warm.”

They followed him to a simple hut near the edge of the village. It was 10:30 p.m. when they had just finished eating. The silence outside was thick.

Then came the voice.

Loud. Echoing through a metal speaker on the center pole of the village:

Voice (from speaker):

“By command of Hollowvale,

Four girls are to report to the Red Transport.

10 minutes. No delays.”

Everyone inside froze.

Aria clenched her fists. Isabelle stood up instantly.

Isabelle:

“What is this?!”

The old man looked down, ashamed.

Old Man (quietly):

“Every week… they come. Take four girls from the village. For the bosses.

If we refuse… they burn houses. Kill families.

We have no power. No help. Just fear.”

Kai’s hand curled into a fist.

Kai:

“And no one fights back?”

Old Man:

“We tried… once. They lined up ten boys… and shot them. Their mothers had to bury them with their bare hands.”

A silence fell.

Then Aria stood.

Aria:

“No more. Not tonight.”

Kai (firm):

“We stop them.”

Outside, the truck rolled into the village. Its doors opened, red lights flashing.

Two Hollowvale guards in black stepped out, rifles ready.

Guard 1 (shouting):

“Where are the girls?!”

But this time, instead of frightened villagers… Kai stepped into the road.

Alone. Hood still on. Eyes burning with quiet rage.

Kai (calmly):

“Come closer. I’ll show you where they are.”

The guards raised their guns—too slow.

In three seconds, Kai was on them.

One blow shattered the first guard’s nose. A spinning elbow broke the other’s jaw. They collapsed in groans and blood.

From behind Kai, Isabelle, Aria, Liam, Noah, Ethan, and Ravi stepped forward.

Isabelle:

“Let this be the last night anyone comes for girls in this village.”

The villagers peeked from windows, stunned.

The red truck was left in flames. The two guards—alive, but bruised and stripped—were tied to the village square with signs around their necks:

“Your fear ends here.”

As the fire flickered in the distance, the old man looked at Kai with tears in his eyes.

Old Man:

“No one’s ever done this for us.

Maybe… the world’s not gone after all.”

Kai didn’t speak.

But in his silence, something new had taken root.

Not just pain.

Hope.

The Morning After

The night before had felt like victory.

The truck was destroyed. The guards were beaten. The village had cheered softly behind their doors, like people tasting courage for the first time.

But morning brought silence. A heavy, suffocating silence.

Kai and his group stepped outside the old man’s hut just after dawn. The villagers were already gathered at the center square.

And then they saw it.

Four girls.

Tied to wooden posts.

Naked. Bruised. Heads hung in shame.

Their backs were marked with deep lashes—fresh, bleeding.

Beside them stood a new set of guards, far more heavily armed. Their eyes hidden behind dark goggles, their faces without feeling.

One of them held a speaker device. His voice echoed like a blade across the village.

Guard (calm, emotionless):

“You were warned.

You disobeyed.

These four were taken anyway.

And now… this is your lesson.”

Kai’s heart dropped.

He stepped forward, fists shaking, but Isabelle grabbed his wrist.

Isabelle (softly):

“No. Not now. Not here. There are too many.”

The old man, who had given them shelter, fell to his knees.

Old Man (whispering):

“I told you… even hope gets punished here.”

A single shot rang out.

One of the girls collapsed — dead.

The other three screamed, but the guards laughed.

Then the truck rolled in again. The same red lights. The same routine.

They took the remaining three girls. Threw them into the back like animals.

And drove away.

Dust. Silence. Blood on the ground.

No one moved.

Kai stared at the spot where the girl had fallen. He clenched his fists until his knuckles bled.

Kai (whispers):

“We burned Duskwatch… but this…

This is beyond war.

This is what evil looks like… when the world stops looking.”

Ravi stepped up beside him, jaw tight.

Ravi:

“Then let’s make the world look again.”

As the sun rose higher, it didn’t warm the village.

It just showed more of the truth.

And so, the group prepared to leave. The pain in their hearts no longer just grief — now, it was rage.

They were ready.

Hollowvale would fall.

The Iron Chamber

Location: Hollowvale – The Tower, Level 13 — Command Room

Thick steel walls. A cold chamber glowing with red lights. Surveillance feeds flickered on giant screens showing every corner of Hollowvale — from factories to slums, streets to secret labs.

At the center of the room stood Noir, tall and broad-shouldered, his face hidden behind a black gas mask. His gloved hand slammed a file onto the desk.

Noir (coldly):

“One of our patrol units was found unconscious.

Truck burned. Guards stripped. The cargo gone.”

Lilitu leaned against the wall, her long black nails tapping against her lips. Her crimson robe flowed like liquid flame, still smelling faintly of blood and perfume.

Lilitu (smirking):

“Someone’s brave… or very, very stupid.”

Across the room, Gorgon — covered in heavy mechanical armor, tubes running into his spine — let out a low growl. Sparks buzzed from his metal shoulder.

Gorgon (snarling):

“This wasn’t a rescue. This was a warning.

They’re sending a message.”

Lilitu:

“Good. Let them think they’ve made us bleed.”

In the corner, Andras sat silently, legs crossed, sipping tea like he was watching theater. The silver-haired tactician smiled faintly, always calm, always calculating.

Andras (quietly):

“Noir… you saw the footage, didn’t you? The boy. The one who fought like a wolf.”

Noir nodded once.

Noir:

“He’s the same one from Duskwatch.

The one they say led the burn.

Name: Kai Miller.”

The room fell silent.

Gorgon (stepping forward):

“So he’s alive.”

Lilitu’s eyes narrowed.

Lilitu (darkly):

“And angry.”

Andras placed his teacup down gently.

Andras:

“Then we prepare.

Reinforce Sector 9. Set traps in the Outer Slums. Alert the bio labs.

Hollowvale isn’t just a city. It’s a fortress.”

Noir:

“Let them come.

Let them crawl through filth and rot to find us.

And when they do…”

He looked directly at the screen showing Kai’s face, pulled from an old drone cam.

Noir (cold as steel):

“We break their spirit.

And make them wish they never believed in change.”

The Promise Before the Storm

Location: Outskirts Village near Hollowvale, next morning

The village was eerily quiet.

The four girls had been taken at dawn—dragged screaming by masked men while the villagers stood helpless, heads bowed. No one dared to fight. No one dared to speak.

But now, just hours later, a new fire had been lit.

In the village square, Kai stood tall. Dust clung to his boots. His face was bruised, his eyes hollow from grief—but in them burned something stronger than pain.

His team stood behind him: Isabelle, fierce and steady. Ethan, fists clenched. Liam and Noah, silent, but their presence like stone. Aria, already sketching plans on a map. Ravi, his scars glowing under the morning light.

The villagers gathered, scared but curious. Mothers held children close. Old men leaned on sticks. Silence hung like fog.

Kai took a deep breath.

Kai (strongly):

“I know you’ve lost faith.

I know you’ve seen enough suffering to believe help will never come.

But you’re wrong.”

He paused, eyes moving across the worn, tearful faces.

Kai:

“We’ve seen what they do in Hollowvale.

We’ve seen the poison, the chains, the cruelty.

We’ve lost people too.”

(His voice cracked slightly.)

“I’ve lost my mother.”

Isabelle stepped forward, placing a hand on his back.

Kai (louder now):

“But we’re not here to make promises we can’t keep.

We’re not here to be heroes.

We’re just people who are done being silent.”

He looked to the sky. The clouds hung heavy, but light broke through.

Kai (looking at the villagers):

“You want freedom?”

(He held up his fist.)

“Then so do we.”

(He took a deep breath.)

“I will set you free—”

(He stopped himself, then smiled gently.)

“We will set you free. Together.”

There was silence. Then a murmur. Then applause. Then tears.

One old woman stepped forward and held Kai’s hand.

Old Woman (softly):

“The world gave up on us.

But you… reminded us we’re still human.”

The Plan

That night, they gathered around a table in the barn.

Aria spread out the map. Hollowvale was a maze — factories, checkpoints, towers, watchposts. It looked impossible.

Aria (pointing):

“We can’t storm the gates. Suicide.”

“But here… beneath Sector 7 — the old railway tunnels. They’re sealed, but Ravi says he escaped through them once.”

Ravi:

“It’s dangerous. Collapsed walls. Gas pockets. No light.

But if we’re careful… it’ll get us inside.”

Liam:

“What about once we’re in?”

Isabelle:

“We split. Teams of two. We find the prisons, the labs, the supply routes. We expose them.”

Ethan:

“And the leaders?”

Kai (quiet but firm):

“We end them.”

Everyone nodded.

Kai stood last, gripping the map’s edge.

Kai:

“Tomorrow, we enter hell.

Not as victims.

But as fire.”

The candle flickered.

The silence said everything.

Into the Belly of the Beast

Location: Underground Tunnels beneath Hollowvale – Midnight

The air was thick with damp rot and metallic decay.

The group crouched low, torches flickering as they descended into the crumbling railway tunnels below Sector 7.

Aria (whispering):

“These tunnels haven’t been used in years…”

Ravi (tight voice):

“No one comes here unless they’re desperate or dead.”

Each step echoed like a scream.

Pipes hissed. Rats scattered. The darkness felt alive.

Noah (coughing):

“Smells like something died here.”

Kai (quietly):

“Or someone.”

They moved through twisted corridors, bypassing collapsed stone and half-buried machinery. Then—

A muffled sound.

A voice? A cough?

They froze.

Isabelle:

“Did you hear that?”

Kai raised a hand. He moved forward alone, torch in one hand, blade in the other.

He turned a corner… and stopped.

At the far end of the hallway was a heavy rusted door.

Through a small barred window, a pair of bloodshot eyes stared back at him — hollow, but not lifeless.

Inside the cell sat Finn — chained, shirt torn, bruised and bleeding, but still breathing.

Finn (hoarse):

“Another ghost? Or… are you real this time?”

Kai stepped closer, kneeling by the bars.

Kai:

“I’m real. And I’m getting you out.”

Finn (laughs weakly):

“Good luck. These chains have tasted blood.

I tried to break them. Broke myself instead.”

Kai (soft but firm):

“You don’t have to fight alone anymore.”

He drew a small blade, quietly working at the lock.

Kai:

“You fought to save someone once.

Now fight to save something bigger.

Fight for everyone they broke.”

Finn stared at him. For the first time in days… he felt something spark.

Finn (whispering):

“Who… who are you?”

Kai (smiling slightly):

“My name is Kai Miller.

And I’m going to burn Hollowvale down.”

The lock snapped.

Chains hit the floor.

Finn collapsed forward — and Kai caught him.

As the others ran in, stunned by the sight, Finn stood shakily.

He looked around at this strange, brave group… and then at Kai.

Finn (quietly):

“You remind me of someone I used to believe in.”

Kai:

“Believe again.”

A New Sword Joins the Fire

Location: Safe chamber beneath the tunnel – Later that night

The group had stopped to rest in a half-flooded chamber — broken lanterns, shattered crates, and graffiti covering every inch of the wall.

Finn sat alone on a wooden crate, wrapping a bloodied cloth around his arm.

His eyes were distant… but not empty anymore.

He watched as Kai spoke with Ravi, Aria, and the others — calmly, clearly, like a leader without needing to shout.

He waited.

Then stood.

Finn walked over and knelt in front of Kai.

Finn (quiet, steady):

“You saved my life.

And you showed me I wasn’t the only one who lost something in this hell.”

Kai:

“You don’t have to say anything, Finn.”

Finn (shaking his head):

“No. I do.”

He met Kai’s eyes — filled with fire.

Finn:

“Lilitu took everything from me.

My future. My love.

I want revenge.

But more than that… I want justice.”

Finn (clenching his fists):

“Let me fight with you.

Not just for Luna.

For every voice that was silenced.

I don’t want to be just a victim.

I want to be your sword.”

The chamber went quiet.

Kai looked at him, then at his friends — all of them watching.

Kai (softly):

“Are you sure?”

Finn (nods):

“Until the end.

Wherever you go, I follow.

I swear it.”

Kai extended his hand.

Kai:

“Then stand, brother.”

Finn grasped it tightly, rising to his feet.

The group smiled — a new brother had joined the rebellion.

As the torchlight flickered across the wall, Finn reached for a steel pipe nearby — carving the tip with his knife, shaping it like a blade.

Noah (smirking):

“He really is our Zoro, huh?”

Aria (with a grin):

“Let’s just hope he’s better with directions.”

Everyone laughed — even Finn.

For the first time in what felt like forever… he laughed. 

The Plan to Enter Hollowvale

Location: Underground hideout near Hollowvale sewer entrance

A tattered map lay spread on the ground. Candles flickered. The air was tense.

Kai stood in the center, eyes locked on the plan. The time had come.

Kai:

“We split into two teams.

One fights. The other saves.”

Everyone gathered closer.

Team A – Rescue Unit (“The Light”)

Objective: Infiltrate the lower blocks of Hollowvale, locate the underground holding cells, and rescue enslaved civilians — especially children and women.

• Aria (Strategist + Hacker): Leads navigation, disarms traps, and unlocks cell doors.

• Isabelle (Stealth + Support): Guides the victims, provides first aid.

• Noah (Scout + Defender): Moves ahead silently, disables cameras and minor guards.

• Ravi (Ex-slave + Tracker): Knows Hollowvale tunnels, helps guide escape routes.

• Liam (Medic + Morale): Keeps survivors safe and emotionally grounded.

Aria:

“If we’re the light, then we’ll blind them with truth. Let’s bring our people home.”

Team B – Attack Unit (“The Fire”)

Objective: Create chaos. Fight Lilitu’s elite soldiers. Distract the leaders to buy time for Team A.

• Kai (Leader + Fighter): Main front-liner, challenges the elite.

• Finn (Vanguard + Avenger): Targets Lilitu’s guards, driven by revenge.

• Ethan (Explosives + Defense): Sets bombs, blows gates and towers.

• Kalen & Rian (Twin Blades): Quick attackers, silent kills, sweep through corridors.

Finn (tightening his grip on his blade):

“Let’s make them bleed. For Luna. For everyone.”

🔥 Final Words Before the Mission

Kai (to both teams):

“Tonight… we’re not just fighting for freedom.

We’re fighting to end their reign.

We are the last storm they’ll ever face.”

The group nodded.

Isabelle (to Kai, softly):

“Come back to me.”

Kai:

“Always.”

They split in silence—light into the darkness, and fire into the heart of evil.

Into the Fire, Into the Light”

Time: Midnight. Location: Hollowvale outskirts, near sewer gate.

A deep hum filled the air. The sky above Hollowvale was hazy with toxic clouds. Below, in the shadows, Kai and his team crouched before the rusted sewer entrance.

Kai (quietly):

“This is it. Everyone knows the plan. We split here.”

He turned to Team A.

Kai:

“You rescue them. You bring them out safe.”

(He pauses)

“We’ll handle the fire.”

Aria (nodding):

“We won’t fail you.”

Isabelle (to Kai):

“Neither will I.”

They exchanged one last look — love, fear, and strength in her eyes — then parted ways. Two groups… two paths.

🔥 Team B – The Fire Begins

Location: Upper security zone, near the watch towers

Kai, Finn, Ethan, Kalen, and Rian crept up through a hidden tunnel behind the outer wall. Guards patrolled lazily—too confident in their fortress.

Ethan (whispering, while planting charges):

“They’ll regret underestimating us.”

Finn:

“Let’s remind them what pain feels like.”

BOOM.

A controlled explosion tore through the back gate.

Sirens blared. Soldiers ran to the chaos. Kai burst through smoke like a demon set loose.

Kai (shouting):

“FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOLLOWVALE!”

Kalen and Rian moved like shadows, slicing down soldiers with blade precision. Finn stormed ahead, targeting high-ranking guards—his eyes filled with vengeance.

🌕 Team A – The Light Breaks In

Location: Lower prison blocks, beneath the chemical refinery

Aria led the group through dim tunnels, using stolen schematics.

Aria (tapping into comms):

“They’ve pulled most guards to the north wall. The way’s clear. Move.”

They reached a sealed metal door. Aria hacked it fast. Inside, women huddled, children cried, the stench of fear unbearable.

Ravi (to prisoners):

“We’re here to take you home. No more chains. Not ever again.”

Isabelle rushed to a woman coughing blood, holding her daughter.

Isabelle (gently):

“You’re safe now. We’ve come for all of you.”

They moved quickly—freeing cells, guiding the sick and weak through back tunnels. But time was short.

Liam (checking his watch):

“We’ve got ten minutes before the second wave of patrols comes back.”

🔥🌕 Crosscut: Fire Meets Light

Cut between both teams

• Kai stood bloodied, panting, standing over a pile of soldiers.

• Aria unlocked another hallway full of prisoners.

• Finn looked up at a wall with Lilitu’s emblem and whispered:

“I’m coming for you.”

• Isabelle held a child’s hand.

• Kalen & Rian blocked a hallway.

• Ethan’s detonator blinked red — more bombs ready.

• Noah whispered:

“We’re almost there…”

Kai (voiceover):

“They poisoned the sky.

Burned our homes.

But tonight…

We burn their empire.” 

The Team A was successful in their mission now it turns of Team B 

The Final Showdown: Team B – The Fire

The flames of revolution blazed through Hollowvale.

Team B had already torn through waves of soldiers, leaving behind broken armor and bloodied streets. Now, they stood at the final gate. Four doors. Four devils.

The sky burned red above them.

Kai’s voice echoed, low and furious:

“This ends tonight.”

⚔️ Kai vs. Andras – The Beast of Hollowvale

The door creaked open, and out stepped Andras — a hulking brute covered in armor made of bones, eyes glowing with red rage.

Andras roared, charging like a beast.

Kai darted forward, their blades clashing with the force of thunder. Sparks flew. Every strike from Andras could shatter stone; every dodge from Kai was inches from death.

Kai screamed through clenched teeth,

“You killed my mother. You destroyed lives. And for that—”

He ducked a massive axe swing—

“I’ll bury you!”

Andras slammed Kai into the wall, crushing ribs. Blood filled Kai’s mouth.

But he stood again.

Not just for revenge—

For justice.

Kai roared, eyes wild, his strikes a blur of fury. He sliced through the beast’s armor, blade driving deep into Andras’s chest.

Andras gurgled his last breath as Kai whispered:

“For Sarah Miller.”

💀 Ethan vs. Noir – The Shadow of Death

In a dim hallway where the air itself felt poisoned, Noir stood still, cloaked in black, eyes hidden.

“You don’t belong here,” Noir said coldly.

“I belong wherever evil lives,” Ethan replied.

Noir vanished into smoke. Blades slashed from nowhere.

Ethan blocked one, two, three—but the fourth cut his shoulder. Blood dripped fast.

But Ethan was faster.

He closed his eyes.

Listened.

The next blade strike came. He sidestepped and stabbed behind him.

A gasp.

Noir appeared, impaled.

Ethan turned to him calmly.

“Light doesn’t ask for permission to shine.”

🔥 Kalen & Rian vs. Gorgon – The Monster of Machines

Gorgon roared from atop a metal throne, skin fused with wires, body hulking and mechanical.

“You think you can kill a god?”

Kalen cracked his knuckles.

Rian loaded his twin pistols.

“We’ve killed worse.”

Gorgon swung massive chains, destroying walls. Sparks and flame filled the room.

The brothers danced between death, striking at weak points, dodging crushing fists.

Rian took a hit—his ribs cracked.

Kalen screamed, launching forward, planting a bomb on Gorgon’s spine.

“You forgot one thing!” he yelled.

Gorgon laughed. “What?!”

Rian smiled through blood.

“We don’t fight fair.”

BOOM.

Gorgon’s back blew open.

The monster fell, face first, screaming into dust.

😈 Finn vs. Lilitu – The Devil’s End

The room was cold.

Steel and mirrors surrounded them.

Lilitu stood in the center — her dark crimson robes stained with blood, her face calm, cruel, and smiling.

“Back from the grave, little boy?” she purred.

Finn stepped into the room slowly, blades at his sides. His eyes weren’t wide with fury.

They were calm.

Dangerously calm.

“I came to finish what you started,” he said softly.

Lilitu circled him like a vulture. “Ah… the fiancé,” she cooed. “Still mourning your little flower?”

Finn didn’t flinch.

He simply raised his blade.

And the storm began.

Steel clashed with shadow. Her daggers flickered like lightning. Finn’s twin swords burned with wrath.

She danced.

He hunted.

Lilitu laughed as she slashed his chest. “You can’t kill me. I took everything from you. And you couldn’t stop me.”

Flash—

Luna’s scream echoed in Finn’s head.

Her hands reaching for him.

His own bloodied fingers pulling at the ropes.

Flash—

Her final words.

“Two more days, Finn…”

A blade struck Finn’s side. He stumbled, coughing.

But he stood again.

Lilitu raised her weapon. “Any last words, lover boy?”

Finn’s hands trembled—but not from fear.

He whispered, “Yeah…”

“Why do you always call me ‘your June’?”

Luna’s voice echoed in his memory.

He smiled through tears.

“Because… In English, it means a month…

But in poetry… it means the pause between storms.

The softest sunsets…

A season I wish never ends.”

Finn screamed as he lunged forward, every ounce of pain exploding into one final strike.

His blade pierced through Lilitu’s stomach—deep, shaking, trembling.

Her mouth opened in shock.

He twisted the blade slowly.

“For Luna,” he whispered.

Flash—

Luna smiling, holding his hand at sunset.

Her laugh.

Her eyes.

Lilitu fell to her knees, gasping.

Finn knelt beside her, his face stone.

“You ended her season…

Now I’ll end yours.”

He drove the second blade through her heart.

Lilitu choked, and collapsed.

Dead.

Finn stood over her body, drenched in sweat and blood, whispering to the silence:

“She was my June. And now… so am I.”

 

The four fights.

Four victories.

Four leaders down.

As Kai stood over Andras’s corpse, covered in blood and ash, Finn limped beside him.

They looked around the burning city.

And Finn said quietly,

“Let’s finish what we started.”

🩸 Noir’s Last Words – The Secret of the Bloodline

The battlefield was quiet.

The flames still danced in the ruins.

The cries of dying soldiers echoed faintly in the air, swallowed by the smoke of Hollowvale’s fall.

Kai stood over Andras’s lifeless body, breathing heavily. Blood dripped from his blade. His arms trembled — from exhaustion, from rage… from loss.

Then—

A cough.

He turned sharply.

Noir — broken, burned, crawling through the rubble.

Half his face torn open. One arm twisted.

But his eyes still burned with wicked knowledge.

“Kai…” Noir rasped. “Kai Miller…”

Kai stepped forward, blade still drawn. “You’re still breathing?”

Noir chuckled, blood spilling from his lips.

“You really think you’ve won… little boy?”

Kai raised his sword.

But then—

Noir’s words sliced sharper than any blade:

“You’re the son… of William Miller… aren’t you?”

Kai froze.

His sword stopped mid-air.

“What… did you just say?”

Noir’s smile twisted into a smirk.

“I see it now. In your eyes. The same fire.

The same madness.

He killed dozens of us before vanishing.

We thought he was dead.

But no…

He left something behind.”

Kai’s voice was hoarse. “You knew my father?”

Noir laughed darkly, choking on his own blood.

“We didn’t just know him…

We hunted him.

Tortured him.

Broke him.

But he never screamed.

You… you scream like him, though.

Same rage. Same pain.”

Kai’s heart pounded. His hands tightened on the blade.

“Where is he?” he demanded. “Is he alive?!”

But Noir didn’t answer.

He only smiled one last time—

“He left a war unfinished…

Now you’re here to finish it.”

And with that, Noir collapsed, dead.

The silence returned.

But Kai’s world no longer felt quiet.

He stood motionless, staring down at Noir’s corpse.

William Miller.

His father.

A fighter. A hunted man. A mystery.

Kai didn’t realize it, but his hands were shaking.

Isabelle walked up behind him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Kai…” she whispered.

But he didn’t look at her.

He just stared at the smoke-filled sky, as the truth of his bloodline began to surface—

And he whispered to himself:

“Who… was my father?”

🌒 Aftermath of the Fire

Hollowvale burned.

The final cries had faded. The city of death had fallen to a group of rebels — a small group with nothing but willpower and rage. But victory comes at a cost.

Team B — Kai, Finn, Ethan, Kalen, Rian — had given everything they had in the fight. Their bodies were bloodied, their minds fractured. One by one, after the final boss fell… they collapsed.

Team A, with Isabelle, Aria, Noah, and Ravi, rushed through the smoky battlefield, gathering their fallen warriors. Tears stained their faces as they carried them out of the ruins, through secret tunnels and abandoned roads, all the way back to the village that had given them shelter.

They lay the warriors down in quiet homes.

And for two days…

They didn’t wake.

⸻

🕊️ Two Days of Silence

During those two days, the village remained still — holding its breath.

But outside the forested valley, the news spread like wildfire:

“Hollowvale has fallen.”

“The dark city has burned.”

“A boy named Kai Miller led the fight.”

The whispers reached nearby towns.

The rumors reached border cities.

And finally…

they reached a man living in exile.

⸻

🌌 In the Shadows — William Miller

Somewhere far from the chaos — hidden in the shadows of a crumbling citadel — a man sat quietly.

His beard had grown silver. His hands were calloused from war.

He stared at a cracked wall where a map once hung. On the dusty table before him, an old sword, untouched for years.

A scout burst through the doorway, panting.

“Sir… I… I have news.”

The man didn’t look up.

He only asked in a low voice:

“Is it about Hollowvale?”

The scout nodded.

“It’s been destroyed. By a group of rebels.”

The man turned. His eyes narrowed.

“Who led them?”

The scout hesitated… then whispered:

“A boy named… Kai Miller.”

Silence.

The man’s face softened for a moment. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“So… he’s alive.”

He stood up slowly, walking to the window. The wind whispered through the cracked frame.

His smile faded.

“He’s strong… too strong to go unnoticed now.”

A long pause. His hand touched the hilt of the old blade.

“They’ll come for him… like they came for me.”

His voice grew colder, full of warning.

“The real monsters will wake now.”

🌊 Final Scene – Bay Heaven Island

The ocean crashed endlessly against jagged cliffs.

High above, behind walls of steel and silence, the most feared fortress in the world stood untouched. No slave had ever escaped here. No rebel had ever reached it. The place was called Bay Heaven Island — but to those who knew the truth, it was hell carved into an island.

In a grand chamber lit by holograms and shadows, Asmodeus sat in silence.

A giant screen in front of him replayed breaking news:

“Hollowvale has fallen.”

“The people are rising.”

“A new name echoes across the ruins—Kai Miller.”

At first, Asmodeus said nothing. He simply watched. His fingers tapped slowly on his serpent-shaped cane.

Then—

He flinched.

Ever so slightly.

His eyes narrowed, and for a moment, his arrogance cracked.

“…Kai Miller?”

He stood.

“No… that can’t be…”

He turned to an old file — one sealed with a red mark that hadn’t been touched in years. Asmodeus opened it slowly. Inside were reports. Photos. Bloodstained documents.

One name burned through the page like a ghost from the past.

William Miller.

The silence was shattered.

Asmodeus’s voice dropped to a whisper, filled with disbelief.

“He’s… his son?”

A beat of silence.

Then—he clenched his fist.

The storm outside the island roared.

“So the fire wasn’t dead after all…”

“The son of William Miller has returned.”

He turned back to the sea, the thunder cracking like drums of war.

“Let the world prepare.”

“Because the final game has begun.”

And with that ..

Chapter 3 Ends.

The wind howled.

The waves crashed.

And deep within Bay Heaven Island, the devil stirred.