The plane to Tokyo was a private jet, a sleek beast of chrome and leather that screamed money—money Haruaki had never touched in his life. He sat awkwardly in a plush seat, the Gatekey a warm weight in his pocket, its pulse syncing with the hum of the engines. Eldridge City's neon sprawl was far behind, but the memory of the Veilspawn attack—screams, blood, and the rift he'd barely sealed—clung to him like the ache in his bones. His hands still looked wrong, too thin, the veins too prominent, a reminder of the years he'd burned to close that fracture. At seventeen, he was already aging faster than he should, and the thought made his stomach churn.
Rina sprawled in a seat across from him, her staff propped against the armrest, its tip faintly glowing. Her red-streaked hair was pulled back, her fire-red eyes scanning a tablet Taro had given her before they'd left—a map of Veil activity in Tokyo, marked with cryptic symbols. Yumi sat by the window, her dark hair catching the dim cabin light, her expression distant as she stared at the clouds below. Kuro perched on the seatback, his golden eyes glinting as he muttered about "foolish kids flying into trouble."
The jet belonged to Kael Draven, a Veil businessman Rina had contacted through Taro's network. Haruaki hadn't met him yet, but the man's wealth was evident in every detail of the plane—gold-trimmed panels, a bar stocked with bottles that probably cost more than Haruaki's apartment, seats that felt like they were made for kings. It was a world apart from the Lower District's grime, a glimpse of the Veil's elite he'd only seen from the outside, delivering takeout to their towers. Now, he was stepping into their game, and the thought made his skin crawl.
"Why this guy?" Haruaki asked, breaking the silence. "Why trust some rich Veil guy we don't even know?"
Rina didn't look up from her tablet. "Kael's got resources—money, artifacts, connections. If we're hunting Gatekeys, we need someone with pull in the Veil's markets. He's our way in."
Yumi's voice was soft but sharp. "He's also dangerous. Men like Kael don't help for free. He'll want something—probably the key."
Kuro cawed, his wings ruffling. "Smart girl. Nobody in the Veil gives without taking. Especially not the elite."
Haruaki's hand tightened around the Gatekey. "Then why are we walking into his trap?"
Rina's smirk was grim. "Because we don't have a choice, rookie. The elite are already hunting you. Varyn's got eyes everywhere, and those wraiths weren't a one-time thing. Kael's our best shot at staying ahead."
The jet landed on a private airstrip outside Tokyo, the city's skyline a jagged silhouette against a sky streaked with pink and gold. A black car waited, its driver a silent figure in a tailored suit. They drove through Tokyo's neon-lit streets, the city's energy a mirror to Eldridge but sharper, more frenetic. Haruaki's head throbbed, the Veil's pulse faint but present, even here. The Gatekey hummed, as if sensing its twin somewhere in the city.
Kael Draven's estate was a fortress disguised as a mansion, its sleek glass walls hiding reinforced steel and wards that made the air buzz. Inside, the decor was a blend of modern wealth and ancient magic—marble floors inlaid with glowing runes, shelves lined with artifacts that pulsed with power, a chandelier that seemed to float, its crystals refracting light into impossible colors. Kael himself waited in a study, a man in his thirties with sharp features, jet-black hair, and eyes that gleamed like polished jade. His suit was immaculate, his smile calculated, and the staff at his side—etched with silver runes—radiated a power that dwarfed Rina's.
"Welcome," Kael said, his voice smooth as silk but edged with steel. "Haruaki Asahi, the Fractureborn. And your… companions." His gaze lingered on Rina's staff, then Yumi, before settling on Haruaki's pocket, where the Gatekey's glow was faintly visible through his jacket. "I hear you're causing quite a stir."
Haruaki's jaw tightened. "Not by choice."
Kael's smile widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Choice is a luxury in the Veil, my boy. Please, sit." He gestured to a set of leather chairs, each worth more than Haruaki's life savings. "Taro tells me you're hunting Gatekeys. A bold move, considering the competition."
Rina sat, her staff across her lap, sparks flickering at its tip. "We're not here to play games, Kael. You know where the time key's twin is. Spill."
Kael's laugh was low, amused. "Straight to the point, fire-witch. I like that." He leaned back, his staff resting against his chair, its runes pulsing. "The twin key is in Tokyo, buried in a shrine deep in the Veil. But it's not unguarded. The elite—Varyn included—have their hunters scouring the city. And then there's the deep Veil's… residents."
Yumi's voice was sharp. "You mean the shadows. They're waking, aren't they?"
Kael's eyes flicked to her, narrowing. "You know more than you should, girl. Yes, the shadows stir. The fractures are drawing them out, and the Gatekeys are their beacon. Your friend's key is already a problem." His gaze returned to Haruaki, calculating. "But it's also an opportunity."
Haruaki's stomach twisted. "Opportunity for what?"
Kael leaned forward, his smile predatory. "Power, of course. The Gatekeys can reshape reality—time, space, everything. Join me, and we can secure them together. Build an empire in the Veil, one that rivals even Varyn's. You'd be rich, Haruaki. Untouchable."
Kuro cawed, hopping onto the table. "Here it comes," he muttered. "The pitch."
Haruaki's hand closed around the Gatekey, its warmth grounding him. "And what's the catch?"
Kael's smile didn't waver. "Loyalty. And the key, when the time comes. You can't wield them all alone."
Rina snorted. "Yeah, right. You want him to hand over the one thing keeping him alive?"
Kael's eyes glinted. "Survival is a negotiation, fire-witch. The Veil's elite are coming for him. I can protect him—resources, wards, my network. But I need a partner, not a charity case."
Haruaki's mind raced. Kael's wealth, his power—it was everything he'd never had, a world away from the Lower District's grime. But the man's smile was too sharp, his words too calculated. He thought of Crimson Towers, of the elite who lived above the city, and now of Kael, whose empire was built on magic and blood. "I'm not signing anything," Haruaki said, his voice steady despite the ache in his body. "But I'll work with you—for now."
Kael's laugh was approving. "Smart boy. We'll start with the shrine. My sources say it's in the deep Veil, guarded by wraiths and worse. You'll need my help to get in."
Before Haruaki could respond, the mansion shook, a low rumble that sent artifacts rattling on their shelves. The chandelier flickered, its light warping into jagged shapes. Rina was on her feet, her staff blazing. Yumi grabbed Haruaki's arm, her eyes wide. "Fracture," she whispered.
Kuro's wings flared. "Big one. Incoming!"
The study's glass wall shattered, and a rift tore open, its edges pulsing with gold. Wraiths poured through, their green eyes glowing, their forms flickering like static. Behind them loomed something larger—a shadow with no form, its presence a weight that crushed the air. Kael's staff flared, silver light slicing through a wraith, but more came, relentless.
"Seal it!" Rina shouted, her flames roaring as she fought back the wraiths.
Haruaki reached for the Veil's pulse, the familiar pain igniting in his chest. He grabbed the current, slowing time, the wraiths' movements freezing mid-lunge. The shadow loomed closer, its eyes—if it had eyes—boring into him. He pulled at the rift, stitching it closed, but the pain was blinding, his body aging, his breath shallow. Yumi's voice cut through, urgent. "Haruaki, stop! You're going too far!"
He didn't listen. The rift shrank, the wraiths dissolving, but the shadow reached through, its touch cold, final. Kael's staff flashed, a burst of silver light driving it back, and Haruaki sealed the rift with a final, agonizing pull. He collapsed, Yumi catching him, his hands trembling, his face lined with new wrinkles.
Kael's voice was calm, almost impressed. "You're stronger than I thought, Fractureborn. But that shadow—it's not done with you."
Haruaki's vision swam, the Gatekey burning in his pocket. Kael's offer, the elite, the shadows—they were all closing in, and the race for the keys was only beginning.