The alleyways of the city felt like a labyrinth. Every corner Sera and Zyra turned led to more confusion—narrow passages, dead ends, and the ever-looming threat of patrols closing in on them. The neon glow of streetlights cast long shadows on the cracked walls, and the distant echoes of sirens were a constant reminder that the chase hadn't ended. They had bought time with that explosion, but not enough.
Sera's breathing was heavy, a mixture of adrenaline and fatigue hitting her hard. Zyra, normally composed, was clearly rattled, her steps a little too quick, a little too frantic. But Sera had been through worse, much worse. She knew the difference between panic and survival.
"Hey, keep it together," Sera called out as they rounded another corner, barely dodging a stack of metal crates. "We're not dead yet."
Zyra shot her a glare, the tension between them palpable. "We will be if we don't get out of these alleys. You're not exactly subtle, even when i took care of you."
Sera ignoring the jabe.
They kept moving, weaving through the maze of the backstreets, occasionally glancing behind them to ensure they weren't being followed. The sounds of the patrols were still there—closer than Sera would've liked. She could hear the barked orders of guards, the unmistakable sound of boots pounding against the pavement.
"We need to find cover. Something to throw them off," Zyra muttered between breaths, her eyes scanning the walls, the doors, anything that might offer them a moment to disappear. "They're cutting us off."
Sera gritted her teeth. She knew Zyra was right. Running blindly through alleyways wasn't going to work forever. They needed to think smart, move smarter. But the city was locked down tighter than ever.
Think, Sera. Think.
Her eyes caught something up ahead—a narrow gap between two towering buildings. It was barely visible in the dark, but it was there. Narrow, dangerous, and just small enough that the patrols might overlook it.
"This way!" Sera shouted, grabbing Zyra by the arm and yanking her toward the gap. They squeezed through, the cold, rough walls scraping against their skin.
Once through, they found themselves in a tight space between the two structures, barely enough room for them to stand side by side. The shadows cloaked them, the darkness providing a brief moment of reprieve. Sera pressed her back against the cold wall, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.
Zyra leaned against the opposite wall, eyes wide as she wiped sweat from her brow. "We're pinned in," she hissed, her voice low. "We can't stay here."
"I know," Sera whispered, her mind racing. "But we need to figure out where they're headed first. If we move too soon, we'll run right into them."
They waited, ears straining to hear the sounds of footsteps. The guards weren't far, their voices carrying through the narrow streets. Sera closed her eyes for a moment, steadying her breathing, focusing. She had always been good at sensing danger, at knowing when it was time to strike or when it was time to run. And right now, running was their only option.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps grew louder. Too close.
"Shit," Sera whispered. "They're right on top of us."
Zyra cursed under her breath, her hand resting on the hilt of her blade. "We can't fight them off, not here."
"Who said anything about fighting?" Sera gave her a crooked grin, her eyes flashing with that familiar wildness. "We just need a little more chaos."
Before Zyra could respond, Sera was already moving. She slipped out of the narrow passage and darted to the side, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she moved quickly, quietly. There was a stack of debris ahead—old, rusted machinery and discarded crates. It was perfect.
Time for another round of Boom Boom.
Sera crouched low, tracing her fingers along the cold metal of the machinery. The glow of Originium Arts began to flicker around her hands as she ran her finger across, whereover her finger touched became an explosive.
She stood up, backing away just enough to avoid the blast radius, and shot Zyra a quick nod. "Get ready to run."
"Are you serious?" Zyra hissed. "You're going to blow something up again?!"
Sera's grin widened. "Hey, it worked last time, didn't it?"
Without waiting for a response, she triggered the charges.
BOOM!
The explosion ripped through the alley, the sound bouncing off the walls in a deafening roar. Smoke and debris filled the air, creating a thick, impenetrable cloud. The guards shouted in confusion, the blast throwing them off course as they scrambled to figure out where the explosion had come from.
Sera didn't waste any time. She grabbed Zyra by the wrist and sprinted in the opposite direction, using the chaos as cover. They bolted down another alley, their footsteps muffled by the roar of the blast behind them.
"Keep moving!" Sera yelled over the ringing in her ears, her eyes scanning for the next escape route. They dodged between narrow streets, ducking under fire escapes and squeezing through tight spaces. The city felt like a cage, every alley leading them deeper into the maze, but they had no choice. They had to keep running.
Zyra was right beside her, moving just as quickly, her face set in a grim determination. "You're going to get us both killed!" she shouted, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Not today," Sera shot back, her grin never fading.
They ran until their legs burned, until their lungs screamed for air. The alleys twisted and turned, the shadows stretching long beneath the dim glow of the streetlights. The sound of the patrols grew fainter behind them, though Sera knew they weren't out of the woods yet.
Finally, they ducked into a narrow alcove, pressing themselves against the wall as they tried to catch their breath. The night was still, save for the distant hum of the city. For now, they were hidden.
Sera wiped the sweat from her forehead, her chest still heaving. "We're not... dead... yet," she gasped between breaths.
Zyra shook her head, leaning against the wall, exhausted but alive. "You're insane," she muttered, though there was a small smile on her face.
Sera just laughed, her eyes flicking toward the next dark alleyway. "Yeah... but it works."