Through the rooftops

He pulls Evryn into an alleyway to avoid the drones opening fire on them. 

"Now this is fun!" 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Evryn snapped. 

A few drones pursued them into the alley, their blasters lighting up the narrow space with searing bolts of energy. Razek laughed, reveling in the chaos, while Evryn focused on not getting shot.

They vaulted over a fence, the crackling energy of an aether shot wheezing grazing the air near Evryn. 

As they sprinted through the alley, Razek pointed up

"There! Jump onto that platform!"

"Are you insane? I can't make that jump!" 

Razek grinned. "Good thing I can!" 

Afaint shimmer of energy pulsed around his legs. With a quick step, he kicked off the ground, Aether propelling him upward as if gravity barely applied to him. He landed effortlessly on the platform above. 

Evryn scowled. "Show off." 

Blaster fire from the drones tore through the trashcans behind him, sending metal shards flying. No time to hesitate. He scanned the alley—there. A rusted fire escape.

Evryn sprinted, jumping onto a nearby crate before grabbing the bottom rung of a ladder. It groaned under his weight, but he climbed fast. 

By the time he reached the top, Razek was already crouched on the rooftop, smirking down at him. 

"Took you long enough."

"Well, we need to go now before they get to us" 

Razek gets up and takes off running. "You got to be kidding me" Evryn muttered before following suit.

As they sprinted through the rooftop, the sound of whirring drones grew louder. Razek spotted an escape route a metal platform jutting out from a nearby building.

"There! Jump onto that platform!"

"Are you insane? I can't make that jump either!" Evryn shouted.

Before he could argue further, Razek grinned and bent his knees. With an effortless burst of speed, he leaped into the air, a faint ripple of energy beneath his feet boosting him onto the platform with ease. He landed smoothly, glancing down at Evryn.

"Your turn!"

A drone's blaster fire cut off Evryn's protest. He had no time to think. With a deep breath, he pushed off the ground and lunged forward

For a second, it felt like everything slowed down. A strange force swelled inside him, like a coiled spring snapping loose. The moment stretched unnaturally, and before he even understood what was happening 

His feet slammed onto the platform.

Evryn stumbled forward, his breath caught in his throat. That jump... it wasn't possible. He shouldn't have made it.

Razek just stared at him, a knowing grin spreading across his face.

"...Well, well. Looks like you're full of surprises."

Evryn panted, his legs burning from the sprint.

"Come on, let's go before they catch up to us! I know a place where we can hide."

Razek didn't wait for a response—he was already moving, weaving through the rooftop obstacles with effortless speed. Evryn gritted his teeth and followed, his footsteps pounding against the metal surface.

The neon glow of the city flickered below, casting shifting shadows across the rooftop. Behind them, the distant hum of drones grew louder. A single red light scanned the edge of the roof they had just leaped from, locking onto their trail.

Razek skidded to a stop at the far end of the building, pointing toward a rusted ladder leading up to a higher rooftop. "Up there!"

Evryn hesitated for half a second. That thing doesn't look stable. But Razek was already ahead—he didn't even bother with the ladder. With a smirk, he gathered Aether into his legs and launched himself upward, landing smoothly on the next rooftop.

Evryn scowled. "Show off."

Grabbing the cold metal rungs, he climbed quickly, ignoring the creaks and groans of protest beneath his weight. As he hauled himself over the ledge, Razek was already moving again.

The new rooftop was more cluttered—old air conditioning units, satellite dishes, and metal crates littered the space. Razek navigated through them with ease, leading Evryn toward the far edge. Then he suddenly dropped low, pressing himself against a rusted vent. He motioned for Evryn to do the same.

Evryn crouched beside him, struggling to catch his breath. "Where the hell are we going?"

Razek grinned. "Right there."

Evryn followed his gaze. Near the rooftop's edge stood a small, dilapidated structure—a maintenance shack, barely holding itself together. Its metal walls were rusted, paint peeling in jagged streaks. The door hung slightly ajar, swaying ever so slightly in the breeze.

Without another word, Razek sprinted toward it. Evryn cursed under his breath and followed.

They slipped inside, pulling the door shut behind them. The shack was dark, save for the faint glow of the city leaking through the cracks. Dust swirled in the air, the scent of rust and damp wood filling their lungs. Old, broken tools lay scattered on a workbench, and a faded tarp covered what looked like a stack of discarded equipment.

Evryn pressed his back against the wall, steadying his breathing. "This better be as good of a hiding spot as you think."

Razek chuckled, peering through a crack in the door. "Trust me. We'll be fine." 

"I hope so…" Evryn muttered.

Razek leaned against the wall, then blinked. "Wait—I just realized, I forgot. What's your name?"

Now that they weren't running for their lives, Evryn got a better look at him. His amber eyes gleamed with excitement, matching his reckless energy. His medium-length, messy hair was unkempt, yet somehow, even after everything they had just been through, it still looked cool.

"Evryn."

"Cool name, Ev."

Evryn let out a breath and slid down the wall, settling onto the floor as he relaxed his body.

Evryn sat against the wall, running a hand through his hair as his breath steadied. His body still felt tense, muscles coiled like he was ready to run at any moment. But something else nagged at him—something beyond just the chase.

That jump…

He shouldn't have been able to make it. His legs had burned, his lungs had screamed, and yet, somehow, he had cleared the gap. It had felt natural, almost effortless. For a split second, it was like something had carried him forward. But that didn't make sense.

Aether.

The lifeblood of the galaxy. An invisible force that weaved through all things—stars, planets, even the smallest flicker of life. It was power itself, raw and boundless. Some could tap into it, but how they wielded it was never the same. Aether was tied to the soul, reflecting one's nature, desires, and essence. No two wielders shared the same abilities, for Aether did not grant power—it revealed it.

Beyond those who wield it personally, Aether was the foundation of civilization itself. It powered the great engines of starships, surged through the cores of cities, and was forged into weapons of war—blades that cut through steel, guns that fired concentrated bursts of energy, and machines that bent the very laws of space. It was the key to both creation and destruction, shaping the destiny of all who sought to control it.

Evryn had never thought of himself as special. But now… he wasn't so sure.

Evryn leaned his head back against the wall, exhaling slowly. His heart was still hammering from the chase, but his mind kept circling back to one thing "Razek."

He turned his head slightly, eyeing the guy who had dragged him into this mess. "Alright, enough messing around. Why the hell did you help me?"

Razek smirked, but there was something unreadable in his expression. "What, not used to people saving your ass?"

Evryn shot him a glare. "That's not what I meant. You could've just run, you didn't have to drag me into this."

Razek leaned against the workbench, arms crossed. "Yeah, well… you looked interesting."

Evryn frowned. "What?"

Razek tilted his head, studying him. "When the explosion went off, everyone else ran. But you? You didn't move. You just stood there, staring at it like you were thinking about something, like you weren't afraid." He chuckled. "I don't see that often."

Evryn stiffened. He hadn't realized anyone had noticed.

Razek grinned. "So, I figured, hey, that guy might be worth sticking around for."

Evryn exhaled through his nose. "Well, your curiosity nearly got me killed."

Razek waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. But you made it, didn't you?"

Evryn scoffed but didn't argue.

Razek peeked through a crack in the door, his expression growing more focused. "We can't stay here long. Drones'll be swarming the area soon." He turned back to Evryn. "You got anywhere to go?"

Evryn hesitated. The easy answer was no. His home if it could even be called that was on the outskirts, barely more than a rundown shack. But it wasn't safe. Not with everything that had just happened. And even before today, he had never really thought of it as somewhere he belonged.

After a pause, he exhaled. "No."

Razek studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Good. That means you won't argue when I take you to the safehouse."

Evryn narrowed his eyes. "You just assume I'll go along with whatever plan you come up with?"

Razek smirked. "Hey, I saved your life. You owe me."

Evryn sighed, rubbing his temples. "This is gonna be a mistake, isn't it?"

"Probably." Razek pushed off the wall and stretched. "But it'll be a fun mistake."

Evryn let out a long breath. He had a feeling this guy was going to be a pain. But for now, he didn't have much of a choice.

"Fine." he muttered. "Lead the way."