That night, the wind howled louder than usual. Kia couldn't sleep. Not because he was uncomfortable, though the rooftop was cold and hard but because his mind wouldn't settle. Every time he closed his eyes, he'd remember how he , scared and alone, trapped in a place he didn't understand.Already lost hope but Lucian had come to save him when he thought I was alone in this world.
He sat up and glanced over at Jace, who was curled up near a vent, using his backpack as a pillow. His glasses rested beside him. For someone who didn't seem like the brave type, Jace had followed him without much hesitation. Kia quietly stood and walked to the edge of the roof. The city stretched below, dark and broken, but alive in its own strange way. Somewhere out there, Lucian was still breathing. Still fighting. "You're up too?" Jace's voice came from behind. Kia turned. "Couldn't sleep."
"Me neither," Jace said, joining him. He rubbed his eyes. "My brain doesn't stop when I'm worried."
"Same," Kia replied. Then he added, "Thanks for coming with me." Jace shrugged. "I couldn't let you go alone. Lucian's my friend too." They stood in silence for a moment before Jace pulled something out of his pocket a small round piece of tech, glowing faintly blue. "What's that?" Kia asked. "It's a pulse tracker," Jace said. "It follows certain kinds of energy. I made it to track Lucian's mark. But lately… it's been picking up something else."
Kia raised an eyebrow. "Something else?"
Jace nodded, eyes serious. "Something darker. Like the energy is... twisted." Kia didn't like the sound of that. "What do you think it is?" Kia asked. "I don't know," Jace admitted. "But whatever it is, it's following Lucian too.
By dawn, they were already moving.
The city looked different in the early light. Less threatening, but still heavy. They made their way through the ruins, sticking to narrow alleys and shadows. Jace held the tracker close, eyes scanning its faint pulse.
"East," he said at last. "Toward the old tunnel station."
Kia frowned. "Isn't that underground?"
"Yeah. But it connects to the outer sectors. If Lucian's being led somewhere, it could be through there." They arrived at the tunnel entrance after an hour of walking. A rusted gate blocked the way, covered in vines and warning signs. "Danger: unstable ground," Kia read aloud. "Great."
Jace pulled out a metal tool and started working on the lock. "It's not something I can't handle, give me a minute." He said as he worked on the lock.
With a soft click, the gate opened.
Inside, the air was damp and cold. The walls were cracked, and old signs pointed toward forgotten routes.
Sector 3 : Do Not Enter. Exit 17 Closed. Shadows danced along the walls as their flashlight flickered. "This place is creepy," Kia muttered. "Yeah," Jace agreed, voice low. "But look at." He pointed to a series of glowing marks on the ground, faint but visible. They pulsed softly in the darkness, leading deeper into the tunnel. "Looks like the mark on Lucian's hand," Jace said. They followed the trail, moving carefully. The deeper they went, the stronger the air felt. Heavy, almost like it was pressing against their skin. Then they heard something.
A voice.
Soft. Whispering. Not in any language either of them understood. Kia froze. "Did you hear that?" Jace nodded. "Yeah. It's strange and I don't like it." The whispers grew louder. They seemed to echo from the walls, like the tunnel itself was alive. Then, without warning, the marks on the ground vanished. "What the hell "Jace stepped forward, tapping the tracker. "It's gone. The signal. Just like that." Kia's heart pounded. "Do you think it's a trap?" He asked. "I think we're not alone," Jace said quietly. A shadow moved in the corner of the tunnel. Kia spun around. "There! Did you see that?" Jace barely had time to answer before something lunged at them from the dark. It doesn't look human.
Tall. Grey-skinned. Eyes like glowing coals. Its limbs were thin but long, and its hands ended in sharp claws. Kia reacted fast, swinging a broken pipe from the ground. The creature hissed, stumbling back. "What is that?!" Kia shouted. "I don't know!" Jace yelled, scrambling for his shock baton. He pressed a button, and it lit up with sparks. "But I don't think it's friendly!". The creature charged again. This time, Jace hit it with the baton. Electricity burst into the air. The creature screamed an awful, high-pitched noise and backed into the shadows, disappearing as quickly as it came. Both boys stood panting, trying to catch their breath. "That... wasn't normal," Kia said. Jace nodded, face pale. "I've heard stories. Creatures left behind by the war. Experiments. But I didn't think they were real." Kia wiped his hands on his jeans. "Let's not stick around to meet its friends."
They hurried down a different path in the tunnel, finally emerging into a side chamber filled with old machines and blinking lights. Jace paused. "Wait… this place..."
"What?" Kia asked.
"This is a relay station," Jace said, walking around. "It tracks movements across the old grid. If I can power it, we might be able to find Lucian's exact path."
"Can you fix it?" Jace grinned slightly and said "Watch me." He got to work, fingers moving fast over wires and switches. Kia stood near the door, keeping watch. After a few minutes, the screens blinked to life. Jace typed quickly, scanning data. Then his eyes widened. "Found him." He yelled. Kia rushed over. "Where?".
"Sector D,outside the city border. He's with another signal... same kind of energy but still different some how."
Riven I think? Kia said. Jace nodded. "And they're moving fast." Kia looked at the screen. "How long will it take us to get there?" If we go now?" Jace adjusted his glasses. "Maybe a day. Less if we don't stop." Kia smiled. "Then let's not stop." Jace shut the system down and packed his things.
As they left the relay station, the wind picked up again. The city whispered around them. But now, they weren't just running. They had a direction. A goal. And for the first time since Lucian left, they were close.
Very close!