The Shattered Sky: Only I Do What the Gods Can't

The faint glow of the distant campfire flickered against the rocky landscape, a beacon of danger in the growing night.

Kael crouched low behind a boulder, his breathing steady but deliberate. Beside him, Lira was a showed her control, her daggers glinting faintly as she peered toward the camp.

"We're close enough," Kael whispered, his voice barely audible over the soft rustling of the wind.

Lira nodded, her eyes narrowing. "They're more organized than the bandits we faced. Look at their formation."

Kael followed her gaze, noting the positions of the Skybreakers. They weren't lounging around a central fire like common thugs. Instead, their movements were disciplined and purposeful.

Guards patrolled the perimeter in pairs, their weapons reflecting the fragment-powered glow of their armor. In the center of the camp stood a strange device—a spire-like structure emitting faint pulses of light, sending shivers through the air.

"What do you think that is?" Lira asked, her voice tinged with unease.

Kael shook his head. "No idea. But it's fragment-based. You can feel it, can't you?"

Lira nodded, her brow furrowed. "It's like the air's vibrating."

Kael and Lira's fragments pulsed faintly, their rhythm quickening as if responding to the device. Kael clenched his fist, trying to calm the sensation. "Whatever it is, it's important to them. That means it could be important to us."

They watched in silence for a while longer, observing the patterns of the guards and the layout of the camp. There were at least a dozen Skybreakers, each armed and armored with fragment-enhanced gear. They moved with precision, their steps heavy but confident.

"Too many to take head-on," Kael said.

"Obviously," Lira replied dryly. "So, what's the plan? Sneak in and sabotage whatever that thing is?"

Kael's lips pressed into a thin line as he considered their options. "We need to get closer. Figure out what we're dealing with before we make a move."

Lira's grin was sly. "Closer, huh? Good thing sneaking around is my specialty."

"Just be careful," Kael said, his tone serious.

"I'm always careful," Lira quipped before disappearing into the shadows.

Kael watched her go, his stomach twisting with worry. Thanks to her constant practice of gymnastics, Lira's agility and stealth were unmatched, but the Skybreakers were a different kind of threat.

He couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into something far bigger than either of them had anticipated.

Lira moved silently through the jagged terrain, her steps deliberate and her breathing controlled.

The Skybreakers' camp grew closer with each passing moment, the strange device at its center becoming more distinct. It was taller than she had initially thought, its surface covered in intricate markings that pulsed with fragment energy.

She stopped just short of the outermost guards, pressing herself against a rock. The guards were talking, their voices low but distinct in the stillness.

"Extraction is almost complete," one of them said, his tone clipped and professional.

"Good," the other replied. "The captain doesn't want to linger here longer than necessary. The locals are already too curious."

Extraction? Lira's mind raced. Were they mining fragments from the mountain? Or was this device pulling energy from the land itself?

She eased forward, keeping to the shadows, her heart pounding in her chest. The tension was electric, every sound amplified as she crept closer.

From her new vantage point, she could see more of the camp. The Skybreakers were indeed mining—several of them were clustered around a rocky outcrop, using strange tools to extract glowing shards from the stone.

Lira's breath caught. These weren't just scavengers or mercenaries—they were systematically harvesting the remnants of the stars, and they were doing it with an efficiency that spoke of experience and purpose.

She slipped back the way she had come, her movements just as careful as before. When she reached Kael, she tapped his shoulder, signaling for him to follow her to a safer spot.

"They're mining fragments," she whispered once they were out of earshot. "And that thing in the middle—it's powering the operation somehow."

'Don't fragments come from the sky? Maybe Astraea meant groundbreakers,' Kael's jaw tightened. "We can't let them keep it."

"Agreed," Lira said. "But there are a lot of them, Kael. And they're armed to the teeth."

Kael glanced toward the camp, his fragment pulsing faintly in his palm. "Then we don't fight them all. We create chaos and then take out the device. If we can disable it, they'll lose what's keeping them here."

"And how exactly do we do that without getting caught and dying?" Lira asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kael smirked. "You distract them. I'll handle the device."

Lira sighed dramatically. "Of course. Make me the bait."

"With your gymnastics you're the fastest," Kael pointed out not forgetting to mention that it's only because of the gymnastics.

"And the smartest," Lira added with a smirk of her own.

Kael chuckled softly, the sound a brief respite from the tension. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I'm always careful," Lira replied, echoing her earlier words.

The plan was simple in theory but dangerous in execution. Lira would draw the guards away, creating enough of a distraction for Kael to sneak into the camp and disable the device.

Lira moved first, darting between rocks and staying low until she was within range. She picked up a loose stone and hurled it toward the edge of the camp, the clatter loud enough to draw attention.

"Who's there?" one of the guards barked, his hand going to the weapon at his side.

Lira threw another stone, this time striking a metal crate near the mining site. The guards turned toward the noise, their expressions tense.

"Spread out," the leader ordered. "Find out what's making that noise."

Lira grinned to herself. So far, so good. She moved again, leading the guards away from the center of the camp. Her movements were deliberate, each step designed to keep their attention on her without revealing her exact location.

Meanwhile, Kael slipped into the camp, his fragment pulsing steadily in his palm. The energy from the device was overwhelming up close, its vibrations almost painful. Kael gritted his teeth and pressed forward, keeping to the shadows.

The device was even more intricate than he had realized, its surface covered in pulsating lines of light that seemed to shift and flow like liquid. It was anchored to the ground by thick cables that pulsed with the same energy.

Kael crouched beside the device, examining its structure. His fragment pulsed again, somehow guiding his attention to a small panel near the base. He pried it open carefully, revealing a complex network of glowing conduits and crystalline nodes.

"This is way beyond me," Kael muttered under his breath. But he had no choice. He had to try.

Using his blade, he carefully severed one of the smaller cables. The device shuddered, its hum intensifying. Kael hesitated, his mind racing. Had he just made it worse?

Before he could decide, a shout rang out from behind him.

"Stop right there!"

Kael turned to see one of the guards, his weapon drawn and glowing with fragment energy.

Lira chose that moment to reappear, her daggers flashing as she struck the guard from behind. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"You're welcome," Lira said, panting slightly.

"Thanks," Kael replied, already turning back to the device.

The commotion had drawn the attention of the other guards. Shouts filled the air as they rushed back toward the camp, their weapons ready.

"We've got company," Lira warned, taking a defensive stance beside Kael.

Kael worked quickly, severing another cable. The device shuddered again, its hum reaching a deafening pitch.

"We need to move!" Lira shouted as the first of the guards closed in.

Kael severed the final cable, and the device let out a blinding flash of light, followed by a shockwave that knocked them both to the ground.

When the dust settled, the device was dark, its energy drained. The guards stood frozen for a moment, their expressions a mix of shock and fury.

"Run!" Kael shouted, grabbing Lira's arm.