The Hunter's game
The sky over Vertis was a jagged mosaic of muted stars and streaks of neon. Despite its restless hum, the city felt unsettlingly quiet to Lira as she stepped into the open street with Aelis and Selene.
Selene had insisted on leading them to a contact she trusted, someone who could help uncover more about Arathor and the Veil's secrets. Lira had her doubts—trust seemed like a rare commodity in this world—but she followed anyway, clutching the Veil tightly beneath her cloak.
"We're being followed," Selene murmured, her voice low but sharp.
Aelis tensed, her hand instinctively going to her blade. "How many?"
"Two, maybe three," Selene replied, her eyes scanning the reflective glass windows around them.
Lira's pulse quickened. "Who?"
"Could be Syndicate scouts. Could be worse." Selene's lips pressed into a thin line. "Stay close."
---
They turned into a darker side street, the kind that reeked of damp metal and lingering smoke. Lira felt the hairs on her neck rise as she quickened her pace, Aelis close behind her.
Then came the sound—light footsteps, too careful to be casual.
"They're closing in," Selene said. She stopped abruptly, spinning on her heel and raising her staff. The weapon emitted a low hum, its tip glowing faintly with energy. "Show yourselves."
For a moment, the only response was silence. Then, a man stepped out of the shadows, his movements smooth and deliberate. He was dressed in sleek black armor, the insignia of the Syndicate emblazoned on his chest. Behind him, two more figures emerged, their faces obscured by high-tech masks.
"Impressive, Selene," the leader said, his voice dripping with mock admiration. "You still have that sharp intuition."
"Your mistake was thinking I'd lost it," Selene snapped. "What do you want, Vane?"
Vane smiled, his sharp features illuminated by the faint glow of his visor. "I think you know. Hand over the Veil, and we'll let you walk away."
Lira felt her grip on the Veil tighten. The relic pulsed faintly, as if warning her of the danger.
"Not happening," Selene said, stepping in front of Lira. "You'll have to kill us first."
"Is that a challenge?" Vane's smile widened. "Because I'm more than willing to oblige."
With a flick of his wrist, the two masked figures surged forward.
---
The fight was chaos.
Aelis moved first, drawing her dagger and meeting the nearest attacker head-on. Their blades clashed, sparks flying as she ducked and countered with practiced precision.
Selene, meanwhile, aimed her staff at the second figure, unleashing a burst of crackling energy. The blast sent the attacker stumbling back, but he recovered quickly, his movements unnervingly fluid.
Lira stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing. The Veil pulsed again, stronger this time, and she felt a strange pull—a whisper at the edge of her consciousness.
*Use me.*
The voice was soft but insistent, filling her with a sudden clarity.
She gripped the Veil tighter, letting its energy flow through her. A faint mist began to seep from its surface, swirling around her like a living thing.
"Lira, look out!" Aelis shouted.
One of the attackers lunged at her, but the mist moved faster. It coiled around the man, solidifying into jagged spikes that pierced through his armor. He crumpled to the ground, motionless.
Lira stared at the Veil, her breathing ragged. "Did… did I do that?"
"Focus, Lira!" Selene yelled, deflecting a strike from Vane himself. "This isn't over!"
---
Vane was fast—too fast. He moved like a shadow, his twin blades cutting through the air with deadly precision. Selene managed to hold her ground, but it was clear she was struggling to keep up.
"You've lost your edge, Selene," Vane taunted, driving her back with a flurry of strikes. "You should've stayed hidden in your little cave."
Selene gritted her teeth, parrying another blow. "And let you destroy everything? Not a chance."
Aelis, having dispatched her opponent, moved to flank Vane, but he anticipated her attack. With a sharp twist, he disarmed her and sent her sprawling to the ground.
"Aelis!" Lira screamed, rushing to her friend's side.
Vane turned his attention to Lira, his eyes gleaming with predatory intent. "Ah, the princess. You're more trouble than you're worth."
Lira raised the Veil instinctively, its mist swirling protectively around her. But before Vane could strike, a deafening roar echoed through the alley.
A massive, hulking figure emerged from the shadows, its glowing blue eyes fixed on Vane.
"What in the—" Vane started, but the creature charged, its sheer size and strength forcing him to retreat.
Selene seized the opportunity, delivering a powerful strike to Vane's side that sent him crashing into a nearby wall.
"Retreat!" Vane barked to his remaining operative, clutching his side as he staggered to his feet. "This isn't over, Selene."
The Syndicate agents melted into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared, leaving Lira, Aelis, and Selene alone with their mysterious savior.
---
The creature stood motionless, its massive frame bathed in the faint glow of the streetlights. It was unlike anything Lira had ever seen—a strange fusion of man and machine, its body covered in gleaming metal plates and intricate circuitry.
"What… what is that?" Lira whispered.
"It's called a Warden," Selene said, her voice heavy with a mix of awe and unease. "An ancient protector from the old world. But they've been gone for centuries. This shouldn't be possible."
The Warden's glowing eyes shifted to Lira, and it knelt before her, bowing its head.
A strange warmth spread through Lira's chest, and she felt a connection—a silent understanding—pass between them.
"It recognizes the Veil," Selene said, her tone cautious. "That means it's bound to you now."
"What does that mean?" Lira asked, her voice trembling.
Selene hesitated. "It means your journey just got a lot more complicated."
---
As they made their way back to Selene's hideout, the Warden followed silently, its massive footsteps oddly quiet. Lira couldn't stop glancing back at it, the weight of its presence both comforting and unnerving.
"What's going to happen now?" Aelis asked, her voice subdued.
Selene sighed. "Now? We regroup, we plan, and we figure out how to stay one step ahead of the Syndicate."
"And Arathor?" Lira asked, her gaze hardening.
Selene looked at her, her expression unreadable. "If he's truly out there, finding him might be the only way to end this."
Lira nodded, clutching the Veil as a single thought echoed in her mind. No more running.
---