A Moment of Rest

Chapter 27 – A Moment of Rest

The air was still thick with the scent of destruction. Smoke curled from shattered buildings, and the eerie silence of a ruined city hung over them like a heavy fog. The battle had ended, but the scars it left behind would remain for a long time.

Kael-X stood amidst the wreckage, breathing heavily. His muscles ached, and his body was covered in cuts, bruises, and dried blood. He had taken on soldiers, helicopters, cybernetic warriors, and finally, the shadow beast.

And now, for the first time since setting foot on Earth—

He could finally rest.

Helios walked up beside him, resting his sword on his shoulder. "You're finally standing still. Never thought I'd see the day."

Kael-X let out a tired chuckle. "Trust me, it's not by choice." He glanced at his knuckles, bruised from punching the monster. "I think I've killed enough things for today."

The shadow beast crouched beside them like a massive, nightmarish guardian. Its white eyes gleamed as it watched Kael-X, awaiting his command.

Helios shook his head. "Still can't believe you tamed that thing."

Kael-X smirked. "I don't tame. Things just know not to mess with me."

Helios rolled his eyes. "Right. And I suppose you let it nearly kill us back there?"

Kael-X stretched, feeling his back pop. "Details."

The weight of exhaustion hit him all at once. His enhanced body could endure more than any human, but even he had limits. His stomach growled.

"I need food," he said.

Helios raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? That's what you're thinking about?"

Kael-X wiped blood from his face. "Listen, I've been fighting since I landed here. I've had bullets, explosions, plasma blasts, and whatever the hell that thing just threw at me. If I don't eat soon, I might actually drop dead."

Helios sighed. "Fine. But where exactly do you plan to get food in a city we just destroyed?"

Kael-X looked around at the ruins. Then, his eyes landed on a small diner, miraculously still standing.

"Bingo."

—

They stepped inside the diner, pushing through the broken door. The place was abandoned, chairs knocked over, plates of half-eaten food left behind when the chaos started.

Kael-X walked straight to the counter, grabbed a plate of cold steak and fries, and sat down.

Helios stared at him. "You're actually eating that?"

Kael-X took a bite. "Tastes like victory."

Helios sighed, sitting across from him. "I'm surrounded by idiots."

For the first time in what felt like forever, there was peace.

Kael-X leaned back, chewing lazily. His mind drifted as the exhaustion set in. So much had happened in so little time. He had come to Earth to cause chaos, but now? He wasn't even sure what he was doing anymore.

For now, though, he didn't care.

For now—he could finally rest.

Kael-X chewed slowly, the cold steak barely registering on his tongue. He had eaten better meals before, but right now, he didn't care. His body demanded fuel, and he was going to give it what it needed.

Helios sat across from him, his sword propped against the table. He wasn't eating, just watching. His sharp, calculating eyes scanned the abandoned diner, the street outside, and even the shadow beast that sat patiently by the broken window.

"You know," Helios finally said, "I've fought a lot of people in my time. But I don't think I've ever seen someone fight as much as you do."

Kael-X smirked between bites. "Maybe you just haven't met the right kind of people."

"I mean it," Helios continued, his tone serious. "You've been fighting since you got here. No breaks. No hesitation. Just battle after battle. Do you even sleep?"

Kael-X stopped chewing for a moment, considering the question. "Not really."

Helios raised an eyebrow. "Not really?"

Kael-X stabbed his fork into the steak. "I rest when I can. But sleeping? That's just wasted time."

Helios leaned back, shaking his head. "That's not normal."

Kael-X chuckled. "I'm not normal."

The two sat in silence for a while. The only sound was the occasional creak of the damaged diner and the low growl of the shadow beast, which remained curled up near the entrance.

Kael-X finished his meal and set the plate down. He stretched his arms, feeling the stiffness in his muscles. "Alright. That's enough rest."

Helios groaned. "You just sat down."

Kael-X stood up, rolling his shoulders. "And now I'm done."

Helios sighed. "Unbelievable."

Kael-X glanced at the shadow beast, which raised its head slightly as if awaiting an order. He narrowed his eyes. "We need to test its limits. See how much power it actually has."

Helios frowned. "You really can't sit still, can you?"

Kael-X smirked. "Would you?"

Helios looked out the broken window. The city was still in ruins, smoke rising from the wreckage. But somewhere out there, more enemies were waiting.

He sighed, standing up. "Fine. What's the plan?"

Kael-X glanced at the sky. The night was still young. And the world wasn't done with him yet.

Time to get moving.

Kael-X stepped outside the ruined diner, the night air cool against his skin. The city was eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos that had unfolded hours ago. The distant sounds of helicopters still echoed through the sky, but for now, there were no immediate threats.

Helios followed closely behind, stretching his arms. "You should take a proper break," he muttered. "Your body may be enhanced, but even you need rest."

Kael-X glanced at his hands. The faint glow of Compound-X still coursed through his veins, fueling his strength, but even he could feel the exhaustion settling in. His body was different from regular humans—he could push beyond normal limits, but eventually, even he had to stop.

The shadow beast trailed behind them, its dark form barely distinguishable from the night. It moved silently, obediently, as if waiting for Kael-X's command. He had tamed it in battle, but he still didn't fully understand its capabilities.

Kael-X turned to Helios. "We need to find a place to lay low for a while."

Helios nodded. "Agreed. But we can't stay in the city. It's crawling with surveillance drones, and the military won't stop searching for us."

Kael-X scanned the darkened skyline. "There's a forest just beyond the ruins. If we get there, we can disappear for a while."

Helios exhaled. "Alright. But if you collapse from exhaustion, don't expect me to carry you."

Kael-X smirked. "I'll be fine."

The two started walking, their pace steady. The shadow beast moved effortlessly beside Kael-X, its presence making Helios uneasy.

"How do you know it won't turn on us?" Helios asked.

Kael-X kept his eyes ahead. "It recognizes power. I defeated it. Now it follows me."

Helios shook his head. "You really are insane."

Kael-X chuckled. "Took you this long to figure that out?"

As they moved deeper into the ruined streets, Kael-X felt something strange. A presence. Something was watching them.

He stopped. Helios noticed and went still as well.

"You feel that?" Kael-X muttered.

Helios nodded. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword.

The shadow beast growled lowly, its form tensing.

Kael-X turned his gaze toward a dark alleyway. The feeling of being watched intensified. Someone—or something—was there.

A low voice echoed from the shadows.

"You think you can just disappear?"

Kael-X's eyes narrowed. So much for resting.