The cobblestoned road blurred beneath Ava's feet as she ran across the bridge, the boots pounding against the weathered stone.
Cold air stung her lungs. Behind her, the shadows danced, fluid and billowing, across the ground. They swirled and surged, closing the distance with unnerving speed.
Her mind was racing as fast as her legs.
"What in hell are these things?", she didn't have time to ponder on the question, she had to get out of here at all cost!.
she thought, pale silver moonlight seemed to ripple across the ground as the shadows pursued, their forms elongating impossibly long in the tight space.
Delano remained standing on the bridge, his face darkening as he rubbed his temple. The dim glow of the markings along his mouth pulsed faintly, like the dying embers of a fire. A low sigh escaped him, his disdain evident.
"These dogs can't even catch a stray bitch," he spat, his voice reflecting more annoyance than anger. Straightening to his full height, Delano took one step closer before his entire form wavered like water, he began melting into the ground until there was nothing left.
Ava cast a glance behind her, long enough to see the shadows were getting smaller and smaller. she pushed harder, burning with the strain in her muscles. She veered left into an alley passage.
She Reached into her coat, her fingers brushed against the remaining shards of flash crystals that she carried.
Running, she noticed the shadows were no longer chasing her and instead stopped at the end of the alley. A shiver ran down her spine, for now the shadows were no longer chasing her.
Which meant-
Before she could finish the thought, a shadowed figure began to form in front of her. in front of her. Moving at full speed, Ava's body lurched forward, her mind going blank. Her vision blurred as she stumbled, trying to stop but unable to counter her momentum.
A tall man towered over her, his silhouette sharp against the faint light of the moon. Markings glowed faintly around his mouth, their light pulsing softly, like embers under ash. Delano's expression remained unchanged, his right arm tensed subtly.
Ava crashed into him, her body weak and slumping. With what little strength she had left, she pushed against him.
But her balance gave out. She wavered and staggered back, a searing pain blooming in her abdomen. Warmth spread beneath her fingers as her hand instinctively clutched at the spot.
She glanced down. A simple knife protruded from her stomach. Her breaths hitched as she stumbled again, her strength draining with every second. Pulling her right hand away, she saw it stained with blood, dark red and almost black under the night's muted light.
Her knees buckled. She fell to her back and then to her side, curling in on herself, both hands wrapping tightly around the knife. The air around her felt colder, or perhaps it was her body, losing heat with every passing moment.
She was going to die.
Mist formed with every ragged breath that escaped her lips, her pink lips fading into a blue tint.
The shadows that had pursued her earlier now emerged in human form, closing in slowly to surround her. Delano glanced down at her crumpled figure, then at his right hand which was covered in blood. His face betrayed nothing as he stepped closer and squatted beside her.
"Don't worry, Ava. I made sure to avoid your vital organs. You'll only face the effects of blood loss.", he assured her.
Looking up at the sky, gazing at the majestic sight of the planets hovering above in the night sky, he let out a deep breath, mist forming in the cold air. "Although I wanted to kill you, I have specific orders," he muttered.
Ava didn't respond. Her eyes had fluttered shut, her breathing shallow.
Delano raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into what might have been a brief expression of amusement.
"Well... that was embarrassing.", Delano said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
Shrugging almost imperceptibly, he stood, his shadow stretching over her limp form.
The shadows encircled Ava's limp form, their dark shapes flickering in the pale moonlight. Delano remained crouched nearby, his gaze falling to his bloodied right hand. He lifted one finger to his lips, tasting the blood.
He rolled it across his tongue, his expression shifting as though contemplating a fine wine. Then his eyes opened, glinting faintly in the dim light. His brows rose slightly, though the look on his face was closer to amusement than genuine surprise.
"Oh wow, your blood is surprisingly sweet," he mused inwardly, licking his lips. "I expected something salty, maybe sour at best... or just plain disgusting, like spoiled eggs. But this?" A smirk tugged at his mouth. "This is almost... enjoyable. Hah, who would've thought?"
Straightening, he turned his head toward one of the hooded figures. "Take her to Maurice's place. Get Dana to stitch up the wound."
The hooded figure nodded without a word, stepping forward. In one smooth motion, it bent and lifted Ava's unconscious body, cradling her as though she weighed nothing. The air around the figure shimmered briefly as the shadows beneath its feet rippled like water.
Then, without pause, the figure descended into the darkness, Ava's form vanishing with it.
Delano watched them disappear, the smirk still lingering on his lips. Standing upright, wiping the remaining blood off his hands, his gaze drifting back to the blood-stained cobblestones.
"Such a strange girl," Delano thought, shaking his head as he turned and began to walk away. "Sweet blood… yet a temper as sharp as a blade. Too bad she'll be wasted on those barbarians down there."
He looked almost sad that such a gem was being wasted, but orders were orders.
After a few steps, he stopped in front of his subordinates. No longer cloaked in shadows, two of them stood visibly restraining one of their own.
The immobilized figure was the woman who had made the first move on Ava. Each subordinate held one of her arms, while a third gripped a large, sinister needle.
Delano's expression didn't shift as he reached forward, flicking the hood off the woman's head with an almost lazy motion.
Now exposed, the woman appeared no older than Ava. Her chestnut hair fell in messy waves, and her wide eyes gleamed like polished wood, filled with terror. She trembled under Delano's cold gaze.
She tried to bow, bending her body toward his feet in a desperate plea for mercy, but the two subordinates yanked her back violently, holding her upright.
"Sir, please," she stammered, her voice cracking, "show mercy! I—I swear this won't happen e-ever again!" Her face contorted into a pleading smile, forced and grotesque in her panic.
Delano's hand moved.
For a fleeting moment, the air seemed to freeze, the tension so heavy it pressed against their lungs. Then, in one swift, precise motion, everything went still.
The woman's head dropped to the ground, severed cleanly from her body. Blood sprayed in a vivid arc, cascading like a gruesome fountain onto the cobblestones.
The two subordinates holding her body remained steadfast, their faces impassive as they turned toward Delano, awaiting his next command.
Delano's voice cut through the stillness, as cold and unfeeling as ever. "Throw her body into the Fractured Node and feed it to the chimeras there."
"Those beasts have been a pain in my ass for the last week.", he said to himself
Without hesitation, the subordinates moved. One picked up the lifeless head, the other grabbed the body. Together, they descended into a swirling pool of shadows, vanishing as though they had never been there.
Delano lingered for a moment, his gaze flicking over the bloody scene. His expression remained unreadable as he gestured for his remaining men to clean up the area.
As they wordlessly obeyed, Delano turned and walked away. With each step, his figure began to dissolve, merging seamlessly into the surrounding shadows. By the time the wind swept through the bridge again, only the faint rustle of the air and the soft flicker of moonlight remained.