Angel's humming fadded into the cancophony of the iron depths as he ducked and weaved through the croweded market lanes. Around him, People of the depths moved like a slow machanical tide. Many were worn down to their bones but the one thing all of them had in common was that they looked like people you didn't want to mess with.
A few sported cybernetic enhancements, Metal limbs fused to flesh in clumsy, Brutal ways that left jagged scars around the connections. Those who had scarficed part of their humanity for a small boost of strength, Despite the pain that came in unison. The enchancemants were often as much as a curse as a blessing.
Angel kept his head down and his footsteps light, weaving through the throng of people with practiced ease. Every so often, his gaze would flick to his right or left making sure he wasn't being followed. His pockets bulged with the stolen rations and a couple of other things he managed to swipe.
'For one smoke bomb it was a good haul' Angel thought while keeping his ears open for the murmers that never seemed to stop.
For someone like him information was sometimes even more important then coin, It was the reason he has stayed alive so long despite being an orphan with nothing to his name.
"I need to head to a cyber doctor! My new arm has been killing me"
"I'll give you four bronze Cogcoins"
"Get out of here!"
"You want to head to the blossom brothal?"
"Didn't you hear?"
"Someone attacked the syndicate last night"
Angel's feet paused in the center of the bustling crowd.
'Someone attacked the syndicate?' He turned his head to the side seeing a scrawny man bitting his fingers nails while talking to his friends.
Angel slowly changed his direction walking toward the group while keeping his head low. He stopped at a wall leaning against it in the opposite direction while filtering through the masses.
"Their saying it's the Red Circuit who did it," the scrawny man murmured casting wary glances over his shoulder as though the syndicate might have ears in every shadow.
'The Red Circuit' Angel frowned at the familiar name feeling a slight sense of worry.
Their were five major factions that ruled the Iron Depths, The Syndicate and the Red Ciruit were such two. The factions were dangerous on their own but if two of the most powerful were at odds, it could send shockwaves through the entire city. There were always skirmishes, Small fights between the five but things hadn't blown a fuse for many years, Or at least that was what Angel was aware of.
'Hopefully it doesn't effect the streets' Angel pushed off the wall and disappeared into the crowd once more.
After another careful glance around Angel ducked into a narrow alleyway. The noise of the market faded behind him, replaced by the steady hum of machinery echoing that never seemed to disappear. Rusted walls rose up on either side, coated in grime and streaked with oil, while overhead, a tangle of pipes and cables stretched like a steel web, casting deep shadows across the path.
He looked around scanning the alley to make sure no one had followed him. Satisfied that he was alone, Angel moved to the far end, where a frayed rope hung almost invisibly against the dark wall. He reached up giving the rope a hard tug, and grinned as he heard the clank of hidden mechanisms above.
With a metallic creak a ladder slid down, stopping just a few feet above the ground. Angel jumped up, grabbing hold and pulling himself up with practiced ease. The ladder rattled as he climbed until Angel pulled himself onto a flat rooftop and paused catching his breath.
From here he could see the Iron Depths spread out below him in a sprawling expanse of rusted metal, twisted machinery, and flickering lights. But it was the sight above that held his gaze.
High above beyond the darkened depths, the towers of Ironhaven gleamed like beacons in the gloom. The privileged city, where the wealthy basked in the glow of Eclipsium, was protected by a massive dome of shimmering purple energy that kept the elite safe. The towering skyscrapers stretched up toward the dome's arc, their lights bright and unbroken, a stark contrast to the flickering, dying lights below.
Angel had long grown out of the phase where he used to feel longing at the sight, He knew the stories about how the Luxborn lived. The clean air they got to breath, The delicacies they enjoyed unlike the disgusting rations of the depths.
'A pipe dream' Angel let out a sigh looking away from Ironhaven and focused on the rooftop ahead.
He picked his way across a series of rusted metal sheets and jumped over a narrow gap to a nearby rooftop. His eyes landed on a greenhouse or so they used to call them, It was covered in scavenged metal plugging away any cracks that laid bare to keep the cold air out.
"Who goes there!" Yet before Angel could step forward something flew from the distance.
He looked down as a small piece of balled up metal hit his chest causing a small sting of pain. It fell lifelessly to the ground down while Angel finally let out an annoyed sigh that resonated with his mood.
"I told you to stop doing that!" Angel quickly picked up the metal and chucked it as hard as he could upward.
"Ah! That hurt!" He heard a yelp before a figure fell down from the top of the greenhouse hitting the ground with a thud.
"Angel how could you?!" Angel was greeted to the sight of a teary eyed boy.
He had short black hair that was completely shaved down giving him the look of a troublemaker, Angel on the other hand knew such a look perfectly fit the annoying boy's personality.
"Who else would come up here Axon?" Angel asked with a twitching eye as he came in front of the boy.
"I thought you were an sentinel…" Axon gave him a innocent smile while rubbing his behind.
"Why would a sentinel be bothered with kids like us?" Angel raised his hand right in front of the black haired boys forehead.
"And what would a ball of metal do to them!" He flicked his finger forward not bothering to hide the irritation in his tone.
"Agh!" Axon yelped once more as he quickly rubbed his forehead and looked back.
"Milo! It's all your fault!" He yelled toward the greenhouse where another voice sounded out with surprise.
"W~what w~what did I do?" A young boy stuttering with brown shaggy hair limped out holding onto a crutch made of scrap metal.
"It was his idea!" Axon pointed toward Milo who looked as if his entire world was shattering apart.
"D~don't try t~try to blame me!" The shaggy haired boy pointed back while Angel could do nothing but sigh.
"Your back" It was then did a much quiter voice ring out almost as soft as a whisper.
Angel's eyes went to the side of the greenhouse where the figure of a young girl was sitting with her back against the wall. She was quite pretty and it was obvious she would grow into a beautiful woman once day. Navy blue hair cascaded down as she rested her head atop of her bent knees, Her arms clinging tightly around her legs with her index finger constantly tapping.
"Sable" Angel met the young girls eyes that seemed to be filled with nothing but indifference.
"I brought dinner" Yet he wasn't bothered as he gazed at Milo and Axon with his lips curling up slightly.