《Chains of the sky》


 The weight of a feather

    Kazh stood in the courtyard, gripping the wooden sword tight. The midday glow bathed the marble beneath his feet in gold, but the warmth did nothing to ease the cold weight settling in his chest. Around him, the other recruits lingered, their whispers sharp as blades.


    ¡°Why does he even bother?¡±


    ¡°His power is useless, he should just quit.¡±


    A soldier stepped forward, rolling his shoulders, spinning his sword in fluid, effortless motions. His golden armor gleamed, catching the light like a weapon itself. Bigger. Stronger. Faster. Just like everyone else.


    He smirked. "Come on, Kazh," he taunted, slamming his sword into the ground with a sharp crack. "Make me heavy. Let¡¯s see if that actually does anything."


    Laughter rippled through the others. Kazh kept his face still, hiding the heat rising in his throat. He¡¯d been here before. Too many times.


    He exhaled. Steadied his stance. Power alone wasn¡¯t going to win this fight.


    He reached outward, fingers barely shifting, but the air around his opponent trembled. A shimmer, a pulse, subtle, but precise. The soldier''s weapon wavered, dipping lower, his muscles tightening under the unseen weight pressing down.


    A flicker of uncertainty crossed the soldier¡¯s face. It was small, but Kazh caught it.


    It was enough.


    Before hesitation could turn into regained confidence, Kazh moved. Fast, low, weaving into his opponent¡¯s space. He didn¡¯t need to overpower him. He just needed an opening.


    For a moment Kazh thought he had him.


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    But then the soldier''s grin widened, and in a flash he lunged. Kazh didn¡¯t have time to react fully, he barely raised his arms before the full force of the strike hit him in the ribs. His breath was knocked from his chest, and he crashed to the ground, gasping.


    They all laughed.


    ¡°You see?¡± The soldier stood over him, turning to the others. His voice was full of mockery. ¡°What good is making something heavy when you can''t even stand your ground?¡±


    Kazh¡¯s teeth ground together, pain searing through him, but he didn¡¯t stay down. Struggling against the ache in his chest, he pushed himself to his hands and knees, refusing to let the laughter take root inside him.


    His power never came quickly enough. Never strong enough. It was always a slow build, a strain on his body that left him exposed when he needed it most.


    The others? They conjured blinding spears of light, weaving shields of pure radiance or moved with the grace of wind. And Kazh?


    He made things heavy.


    ¡°Enough¡± a voice thunderous, sharp and commanding.


    Captain Seraph¡¯s presence cut through the crowd, his golden eyes glowing, silencing the laughter and whispers in an instant. He stepped forward observing the scene with an unsettling calmness before reaching Kazh.


    The recruits chest tightened, expecting the usual reprimands. But instead there was a shift in the captain''s demeanor. His gaze was harder, colder, not out of anger but something else.


    Kazh got up, despite the pain gnawing on his ribs. He was quick on his feet, skilled amongst the most disciplined. Yet, despite his discipline, he always fell behind, his fellow soldiers had gifts that helped them in combat.


    He looked up, the captain¡¯s eye laying over his, ¡°You fight well, Kazh¡± he said, tilting his head slightly. ¡°Better than most who rely too much on their gifts.¡± For a moment, Kazh thought he was getting praised, but Seraph continued.


    ¡°But fighting well isn¡¯t enough. You can train as hard as you want, but at the end of the day you''re just a soldier with nothing to tip the scales in your favor.¡± Seraph shook his head. ¡° And in war that¡¯s the difference between a leader and a body in the dirt.¡±


    The words struck deep. Kazh had spent years refining his technique, making up for what he lacked in raw celestial power. He had told himself that skill could make up for it. That discipline and effort would close the gap.


    But to them, it never would.


    Kazh exhaled, steadying himself. The pain in his ribs was nothing compared to the weight pressing on his chest.


    Later that day, their first mission was given.

 The truth beneath chains

    The orders were clear.


    A rogue faction had risen in a lesser realm¡ªbeings who defied celestial law. Kazh and his squad were to secure the area, eliminate any remaining resistance, and restore order. It was deemed a low-risk mission, barely worthy of his commander¡¯s attention.


    Kazh had received his orders without question, as he always had. Yet something about them unsettled him.


    ¡°Rebels,¡± his commander had said. ¡°They oppose the will of our realm. Do not mistake them for anything else.¡±


    And so they descended.


    The skies of the celestial realm were not skies at all.


    They were an expanse of shifting radiance, a never-ending flow of golden light that bent and curved to the will of the Great Order. Structures rose from the nothingness, floating spires of brilliant architecture, forged from condensed energy and held aloft by forces unseen. Below, the vast citadel stretched endlessly, its surface smooth and immaculate, untouched by time.


    This was the domain of the Ascended, those born of light and duty. Every being had their place. Some were sentinels, some record keepers, others lawmakers, but the warriors¡ªthose like Kazh¡ªwere the hand of the Great Will itself. They did not lead. They did not question. They enforced.


    Kazh had never thought to wonder if that was wrong.


    But something had changed.


    The battle had already passed.


    The village smoldered in ruin, its wooden homes reduced to blackened husks, its streets littered with the fallen. Celestial soldiers moved methodically through the wreckage, dragging out survivors, binding those too weak to resist.


    Kazh stepped over a broken cart, his boots kicking up ash. He had expected a battlefield. Instead, he found something else entirely.


    These were not warriors.


    A woman knelt in the dirt, clutching a child who would never wake. An elder slumped against a collapsed wall, his breath ragged, his eyes hollow. No armor, no weapons¡ªjust fear.


    Kazh swallowed hard. This wasn¡¯t a battlefield. It was a slaughter.


    His hand curled into a fist.


    Nearby, a soldier lifted a wounded man by the collar, the enemy¡¯s robes torn and stained with blood. The fallen man groaned, barely conscious.


    Kazh turned away¡ªbut then, the man coughed out something hoarse, barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Why¡­ are you doing this?¡±


    Kazh froze.


    The man¡¯s gaze, though fading, locked onto his.


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    ¡°We were no enemy¡­¡± he wheezed. ¡°We only wished¡­ to be free.¡±


    Kazh felt his chest tighten. He looked around, really looked.


    The village was no fortress. The people were no army.


    His grip tightened on the hilt of his weapon as he turned toward his commander, who stood overlooking the ruined settlement with indifference.


    Kazh approached, his voice steady but firm. ¡°Commander.¡±


    The officer barely spared him a glance. ¡°Report.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ was not a battle,¡± Kazh said, his voice low. ¡°These people¡­ they had no way to fight back.¡±


    The commander exhaled, bored. ¡°And?¡±


    Kazh hesitated. ¡°And you said they were a threat.¡±


    ¡°They were.¡±


    ¡°To who?¡±


    Now the commander looked at him. ¡°To order. To the stability of our realm. And to everything we stand for.¡±


    Kazh¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    His commander studied him for a moment, then sighed as if speaking to a stubborn child. ¡°Tell me, soldier, do you believe peace is maintained through kindness?¡±


    Kazh didn¡¯t answer.


    The commander gestured to the destruction around them. ¡°They refused our authority. And if one realm is allowed to defy us, others will follow. This is necessary.¡±


    Kazh felt something in his chest twist. ¡°Necessary,¡± he echoed. ¡°We were told they were rebels, but they were only defending their home.¡±


    The commander¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Mind your place, soldier.¡±


    Kazh swallowed, forcing his voice to remain even. ¡°This isn¡¯t justice.¡±


    A long silence stretched between them.


    Then the commander stepped closer, lowering his voice. ¡°Listen to me, Kazh. You are a soldier. Nothing more. You do not decide what justice is.¡±


    Kazh¡¯s hands trembled at his sides.


    The commander exhaled through his nose, annoyed. ¡°If you still have doubts, then let me offer you clarity.¡± He gestured to the fallen warrior on the ground¡ªthe man who had pleaded with Kazh only moments ago. ¡°Finish him.¡±


    Kazh stiffened. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡±


    Kazh looked at the dying man. Blood pooled beneath him, his breath shallow. He was already fading. Killing him would be nothing more than an execution.


    Slowly, Kazh reached for his weapon. His fingers wrapped around the hilt.


    And then, he let go.


    ¡°No.¡±


    The word left his lips before he could stop it.


    The other soldiers turned, murmuring among themselves. The commander¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Kazh straightened. ¡°No,¡± he repeated, louder this time. ¡°This isn¡¯t war. This is conquest.¡±


    His commander¡¯s eyes flashed with something unreadable. ¡°You would defy the will of your realm?¡±


    Kazh met his gaze, steady and unwavering. ¡°If this is the will of my realm, then it is wrong.¡±


    The silence that followed was suffocating.


    Then the commander nodded once. ¡°Very well.¡±


    Before Kazh could react, the order rang out.


    ¡°Seize him.¡±


    Hands grabbed him from both sides. Kazh gritted his teeth and summoned his power, his fingertips glowing faintly as he tried to force the soldiers back. But the moment he exerted his will, the chains lashed around his wrists, crackling with celestial energy that burned against his skin. His strength faltered instantly. The soldiers tightened their hold, wrenching his arms behind his back and forcing him to his knees.


    He struggled, but the power that should have been his felt distant, unreachable beneath the weight of the bindings.


    His commander watched, unimpressed. ¡°Pathetic.¡±


    Kazh gasped as the chains pulled tighter, searing into his skin. The commander knelt slightly, lowering his voice so only Kazh could hear.


    ¡°You were never strong, Kazh,¡± he said with quiet disdain. ¡°You were just a soldier. And a soldier with no power¡­ is nothing.¡±


    The weight of the chains pressed down.


    And Kazh knew¡ªhis war had only just begun.

 The weight of chains

    He woke to darkness.


    And pain.


    The first thing he felt was the weight of the chains. His wrists throbbed where the celestial sigils burned into his skin, restricting his power. The shackles pulsed faintly, draining him, weakening him.


    The second thing he felt was the cold floor beneath him.


    Stone.


    A cell.


    Kazh¡¯s head ached as he lifted it. The dim glow of the sigils cast eerie shadows against the walls, revealing the prison he had been thrown into¡ªdeep beneath the Citadel, where only the forsaken were sent.


    He had heard whispers of this place. A dungeon where those who questioned the High Order disappeared, their names erased, their existence forgotten.


    And now, he was one of them.


    Footsteps echoed beyond the bars.


    ¡°You have disobeyed your commander¡¯s orders,¡± a voice boomed.


    Kazh forced himself to look up. A council of robed figures stood before him, their faces shrouded in the golden glow of their hoods.


    ¡°The truth,¡± Kazh croaked. ¡°I fought for it.¡±


    ¡°You fought against your own,¡± the lead figure interrupted.


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    Kazh clenched his fists. ¡°Because they were wrong.¡±


    No reaction.


    Then¡ª


    ¡°You wish to leave?¡±


    Hope flickered.


    ¡°You will not walk free,¡± the voice declared. ¡°You will fall.¡±


    And the hope was gone.


    Years passed.


    At first, Kazh thought they had forgotten him.


    The world above moved on without him. The war continued. The celestial army marched across the stars, crushing those who resisted, swallowing entire realms into their growing empire. And Kazh remained in the dark, the weight of his chains growing heavier with time.


    Then¡ªone day¡ªthe silence broke.


    Boom.


    The prison trembled. Dust rained from the ceiling.


    Boom.


    This time, the floor cracked.


    Shouting erupted beyond the iron doors.


    The war had reached the celestial realm.


    The truth had spread.


    Screams echoed through the corridors as explosions rocked the prison walls. The very foundations of the Grand Citadel trembled. Kazh struggled to his feet, his chains dragging against the stone.


    The door to his cell burst open.


    Not from an ally. Not from a rescuer.


    From the force of the battle outside.


    Smoke filled the air. Figures clashed in the corridors¡ªsoldiers, rebels, beings of light and shadow. Kazh barely had time to react as a blast of energy struck the ceiling, sending stone crashing down.


    He reached the edge of the Citadel, where the sky split open in golden fire.


    And there, at the precipice of the world he once called home¡ª


    He stepped off the edge.

 First steps into the unknown

    Kazh fell for what felt like eternity. The sky above shrank into a pinprick of golden light before vanishing altogether. His body burned, his wings, once symbols of strength had dimmed to little more than flickering remnants of energy. The chains around his wrists, shackles of his imprisonment, dragged at him, growing heavier with every moment of his descent.


    Then, the pain stopped.


    Cold. Wet. The scent of earth filled his senses. He lay sprawled in a crater, his body aching, breath ragged. The storm above raged violently, the wind howling like vengeful spirits.


    Days had passed, attempting to stand; he screamed in pain from the impact of the fall. After a few moments of laying down trying to process what had just happened, he muttered in confusion, ¡°Am I dead?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t, but he almost wished he were. Surrounding him, watching from a distance, were unknown entities lurking in the shadows of the trees. Ones with horns twisted jutting from their eyes. Others who had eyes scattered throughout their disfigured body.


    Leaves rustled and then¡­ silence. Kazh noticed something was off. He could feel their stares pressing against him, cold and unblinking. Every shadow seemed to shift, every movement made his skin crawl. Yet, they did not attack. They only watched.


    Instinctively he tried to Illuminate the area with his light, but the moment he attempted to summon his power, his shackles tightened. A sharp reminder struck him¡­ he couldn¡¯t do anything. Only a dim light radiating in his presence reminding him his powers were nothing but useless.


    He grasped the chains, hoping the fall weakened them,  but it was no use they remained intact. He was all alone¡­again. But the beings never attacked, they merely observed him with an eerie curiosity, as if studying something unfamiliar. Then, recognizing they were weaker than him, they silently withdrew into the shadows.


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    He stood up, pain lingering, he tried to go somewhere ¡°safe¡± but he was unfamiliar with his surroundings. With no clear path forward, he would try to remember his knowledge of other realms. Maybe it would spark a memory, anything that might reveal where he had ended up. But nothing came to him. Yet even with no idea of where he was. Kazh searched for answers.


    On his path for answers, he walked endlessly, his clothes scorched and tattered, his gaze focused on the horizon, he saw smoke rising in the distance. Kazh was hesitant at first, but curiosity struck him and decided to go.


    Arriving at the town he hid behind bushes and trees believing he would meet grotesque, monstrous beings. Instead he saw them and they looked eerily familiar to him, not as brilliant, more dull. Their aura is nothing alike to his kind, they all lack radiance. A trace of confusion flickered across his face as he murmured, ¡°who are these beings, why do they resemble us?¡±, he whispered.


    While looking around he noticed the garments they wore, the ones with long hair dressed with flowing skirts and aprons. The more rugged looking ones had coats and hats. Glancing at his own clothes he resolved to act. Waiting for the right moment, he grabbed a coat and some clothes.


    A man round the corner felt a slight tingle of heaviness, making him feel uneasy turned around and saw a glimpse of light in the corner of his eye.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±, pouncing his way to his yard. He noticed something was off but he was buzzed and didn¡¯t think much of it.


    ¡°That was close¡±, Kazh muttered, relieved he hadn¡¯t been caught, before darting into the woods. As he changed into the stolen clothes, the snap of branches breaking cut through the silence, he froze, scanning his surroundings, then another snap.He was being stalked. And in an instant - Swoosh! A tall slender figure lunged at him.


    ¡°Shit¡±, he cursed. Hitting the ground before he could react. His breath hitched as he rushed to position himself better, nearly taking him down.  While trying to fight the pain of the shackles he tried to make his radiance seem dominant, believing that maybe the creature might fear it. It was all a bluff, all he could think of.


    He had never seen battle during his time as a soldier, assigned only to menial tasks that required no combat. But he was disciplined, though he never used his combat in battle, only in training. Even amongst those who could bend light and wield far greater power than his, he stood atop of them in combat skill.


    This might give him an edge against this creature.