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Rei Kaelson never expected his 18th birthday to be the last normal day of his life. One moment, he was staring at the night sky—the next, he was gone.

Now stranded on Xyphora, a war-torn planet where machines hunt the living and survival is a daily struggle, Rei has no answers—only questions. Why is he here? How does he get home? And why does danger seem to follow his every step?

With no choice but to fight, he finds himself caught between ruthless killers, hidden factions, and warriors hardened by war. His only ally, Seyra Val’kir, trusts no one—least of all him.

But as battles rage and secrets unfold, one thing becomes clear.

Rei’s arrival wasn’t a mistake.

And Xyphora is only the beginning.

Starborn Tale of The Gutsy

Xyphora, Volaris System, Sector 7-42D

Scavenger Clan Training Grounds, Underground Base,

Rei rolled onto the ground, gasping for air.

Pain shot through his side as he struggled to regain his footing. The bruises on his arms were already piling up, but the sparring session wasn't over yet.

Across from him, one of the Scavenger fighters—a bulky man named Tarek—grinned.

"Come on, kid," Tarek said, twirling a metal baton in his hand. "You wanted real training, didn't you?"

Rei gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand. His legs were shaky, his arms burning from the relentless drills over the past few days.

He tightened his grip on his energy baton and charged forward.

I can't be useless forever.

The drill was simple: a controlled combat simulation, where Rei had to fight against a more experienced Scavenger.

The goal? Last at least five minutes without getting completely wrecked.

Now, on his third attempt, he was starting to understand his mistakes.

Tarek swung low, aiming for Rei's ribs—

This time, Rei dodged, pivoting to the side just in time.

The moment of success was short-lived.

Tarek immediately countered with a backhand strike, slamming the baton against Rei's shoulder.

Pain flared through his arm, but he gritted his teeth and swung back.

Their weapons clashed, sending a small burst of energy into the air.

Rei's muscles strained, but he held his ground.

Tarek raised an eyebrow. "Not bad. You're learning."

Rei's victory lasted about three seconds.

Tarek recovered instantly, grabbed Rei by the collar, and flipped him onto the ground.

Rei landed flat on his back, groaning in pain.

Tarek laughed. "Nice hit, kid. But you've still got a long way to go."

Rei lay there, staring at the ceiling, panting.

But for the first time, he didn't lose immediately.

-Meanwhile… Somewhere in Space, near Volaris System-

Deep in the vast emptiness of space, a lone spacecraft drifted cautiously through the debris-filled sector of Volaris.

Inside, a single figure sat before a holographic control panel, fingers gliding over controls, adjusting frequencies, scanning.

[Anomaly detected.]

The screen displayed a faint disturbance in space.

They tapped the controls, running the data again.

The Volaris System was chaotic, unstable—littered with debris from the Orionis-Draxion War. Radiation from old warships, failed jump gates, and energy cores polluted the region, making scans unreliable.

That could've been a false reading.

For a brief second, the anomaly reappeared.

The figure exhaled slowly, considering their options.

The signal was weak, almost lost in the noise. But if it was real…

They adjusted the ship's trajectory, setting course for Xyphora.

One way or another, they intended to find out the truth.

- Back on Xyphora – After the Drill-

Rei sat on a supply crate, still recovering from the sparring session.

Seyra walked over, arms crossed. "Not bad, Stray."

Rei rolled his shoulders, still sore. "Not good either."

"You're still alive. That's good enough."

Rei exhaled, staring at his hands.

This world is brutal. But I'm getting better.

Chapter 11 – Signals in the Dark