shadows in the sky

The tunnels seemed narrower on the way out.

Aurelia, Caius, and Zephyr moved quickly through the labyrinth of stone, their footsteps echoing against the ancient walls. The vault's revelation still clung to the air between them, heavy and unshakable. None of them spoke as they navigated the twisting corridors, their minds too burdened with the knowledge they had uncovered.

The floating cities were dying.

Aetherion—once thought to be an infinite source of power—was running out.

And if the nobles knew, they had kept it a secret.

Zephyr was the first to break the silence. "So… just to recap: the sky is literally falling, and none of you thought to mention this before we went breaking into a vault of horrors?"

Caius shot him a glare. "We didn't know."

"Yeah? Well, now we do, and I gotta say—I liked things better when I was just stealing from rich idiots and not contemplating my impending death via gravity." Zephyr hopped over a fallen beam, shaking his head. "This is why I avoid getting involved in world-ending conspiracies."

Aurelia tightened her grip on the strap of her pack. Inside, the stolen Skyshard pulsed faintly, like a second heartbeat. She had felt its energy react to the vault's awakening, like it knew what lay inside.

Like it was part of something bigger.

She didn't have time to dwell on it. A gust of wind howled through the tunnels, sending loose dust spiraling into the air. Caius slowed his pace.

"Did you hear that?"

Aurelia stiffened. The echoing of their footsteps had shifted. There was another sound now—a distant clang, metal against stone.

Zephyr's easygoing expression hardened in an instant. "We're not alone."

Aurelia cursed under her breath. "Move."

They took off at a sprint. The twisting pathways that had been their shield were now a maze of potential ambush points. Aurelia could feel the tension between them, their bodies coiled like spring-loaded traps, waiting for the inevitable.

And then it happened.

A blinding flash erupted from ahead, followed by the sharp crack of magic splitting the air.

Aurelia barely had time to react before the tunnel exploded in front of them.

Stone rained down as the impact sent them sprawling. Dust choked the air, and Aurelia's ears rang from the force of the blast. She hit the ground hard, her shoulder slamming into the uneven floor. For a moment, all she could hear was the dull roar in her skull.

Then—voices.

Shouting.

Footsteps.

Caius coughed, pushing himself up beside her. His face was streaked with dust, his cloak torn from the blast. "Aurelia—"

"I'm fine," she rasped, shaking off the disorientation. She turned just in time to see Zephyr grab her by the wrist and yank her to her feet.

"We gotta go," he snapped.

Figures emerged through the settling debris, their silhouettes sharp against the flickering torchlight.

The Skyguard.

Aurelia's stomach twisted. These weren't just city guards—these were elite enforcers, warriors trained to protect the floating cities from any perceived threat.

They had been waiting for them.

Caius' jaw tightened. "They know."

"Brilliant deduction," Zephyr muttered. "Can we run now?"

The first Skyguard lunged.

Aurelia barely ducked in time, the soldier's blade slicing through the air where her head had been. She twisted, drawing her own dagger in a single fluid motion, slamming the hilt into the attacker's ribs. The soldier grunted, stumbling back.

Caius was already moving. His sword caught the torchlight as he parried a strike from another guard, his movements controlled, precise. He wasn't just a noble trained in the art of war—he was a fighter.

Zephyr, on the other hand, was pure chaos.

He ducked and weaved between the Skyguards, his daggers flashing in quick, deliberate slashes. Where Caius fought with discipline, Zephyr fought with unpredictability—kicking, feinting, using the uneven ground to his advantage.

Aurelia had no time to admire their skill. More guards were coming.

She pivoted, spotting an opening in the tunnel ahead. "We need to break through!"

Zephyr kicked one of the guards in the knee, sending them sprawling. "Love that idea! Let's do that."

Caius deflected another strike, his breathing ragged. "Cover me."

Aurelia didn't need to be told twice. She darted forward, slashing at the nearest Skyguard, forcing them to retreat just long enough for Caius to gather energy into his palm. The air around them shimmered, and then—

Aetherion surged.

A burst of raw power erupted from Caius' outstretched hand, sending a shockwave through the tunnel. The energy slammed into the Skyguards, throwing them off balance. It wasn't enough to kill—but it gave them time.

Aurelia grabbed Caius' wrist and pulled him forward. "Move!"

They ran.

The tunnel walls blurred as they sprinted through the darkness, dodging fallen debris, their breath sharp and ragged. The Skyguards were regaining their footing, but the trio had bought themselves a few precious seconds.

Zephyr glanced back. "So, are we gonna talk about how you just blasted people with Aetherion?"

Caius scowled. "Not now."

Aurelia pushed ahead, her mind racing. They were too deep underground to escape easily. If the Skyguards had been waiting for them…

Then someone had tipped them off.

Her grip tightened on her pack. If the nobles knew about the vault—if they knew about Aetherion's decay—then they wouldn't stop hunting them.

They reached an old supply chamber near the tunnel's edge. Aurelia slammed the rusted door shut behind them, bracing against it.

Zephyr pressed his back against the wall, panting. "That was fun. Let's never do it again."

Caius ran a hand through his hair, his expression dark. "They knew where we were. They knew about the vault."

Aurelia looked at him, then at Zephyr.

"There's a traitor."

Silence fell over them.

Zephyr clicked his tongue. "Well, that's fantastic news."

Caius' voice was low. "If someone in the nobility tipped them off, it means we don't just have enemies out there—we have enemies watching our every move."

Aurelia exhaled. "We need to get to the surface. Fast."

Zephyr nodded. "And when we do?"

The

Aurelia hesitated, then met their gazes.

"We make sure the whole damn city hears."