Rainwater pooled in uneven patches, reflecting the neon signs above in jagged, flickering shards. Ember Solis stood in the alley, boots soaked, jacket clinging to her, eyes locked on the figure that had appeared at the end of the night.
The masked stranger radiated authority and danger, every movement precise, measured, deliberate. Ember didn't flinch. She had faced worse—though, admittedly, few as mysterious as him.
"Looks like I'm the entertainment tonight," Ember murmured, smirking.
The stranger tilted his head slightly, as if studying her. Not a word. Not yet.
Ember's grin widened. She loved moments like this—the quiet tension before action, the thrill of being underestimated. She flexed her fingers, feeling that familiar pulse beneath her skin—the spark she had discovered months ago on a rainy rooftop. Not magic exactly, not yet—but something dangerous, something powerful.
"You shouldn't underestimate me," she said, voice low and steady. "I don't wait for fate. I make it."
The masked figure took a deliberate step closer, the soft click of his boots against wet concrete the only sound beyond the distant hum of the city. Ember didn't move, didn't blink. She was ready for whatever this stranger wanted—challenge, test, or something darker.
A sudden flicker of movement—too fast to track at first. Ember reacted instinctively, sidestepping a swipe aimed at her chest. Her boots skidded across the slick ground, but she twisted gracefully, sending the attacker's momentum into the alley wall.
The figure laughed softly, almost amused, though Ember couldn't see his face. "Impressive," he said. "Most would have fallen by now."
Ember tilted her head back, letting the rain soak her hair. "Impressive? Darling, you've only just met me."
The masked figure's stance shifted. He wasn't hostile—yet—but something dangerous lingered in the space between them, electric and tense. Ember felt it, and she loved it.
"You're stronger than I expected," he finally said. "But strength alone won't keep you alive in this city. Not for long."
Ember smirked, dripping wet but utterly unafraid. "Then I guess I'll just have to get stronger."
The storm around them raged, thunder rolling overhead. Somewhere in the alley, in the shadows just beyond her vision, the city seemed to hold its breath. Ember Solis had stepped fully into her night, and nothing would ever be the same.
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Who is the masked figure? Ally or enemy?
What exactly does Ember's power mean—and how far will she push it?
How will the night twist from here?