The artificial sunlight cast a warm glow in the underground space. casting pale light over the battered truck as it rumbled through the outskirts of the city. Shadows stretched long and ominous across the desolate landscape, a wasteland of cracked roads and skeletal buildings.
Tobi leaned against the window, his forehead pressed to the cool glass. The events of the market played on repeat in his mind: the raiders, the surge of power, and the moment he realized his life would never be the same.
"You're quiet," Hossam said, his hands gripping the wheel. His voice broke the tense silence that had settled between them.
"I'm just... processing," Tobi replied.
"Processing?" Hossam laughed dryly. "Kid, you just threw a grown man halfway across a market. Processing doesn't even begin to cover it."
Tobi didn't answer. He wasn't sure how to explain what had happened—not to Hossam, not even to himself. Instead, he turned to Friend, who was perched on the dashboard, his glowing eyes fixed ahead.
"You said I've awakened," Tobi began. "What does that even mean? Why now?"
Friend tilted his head, his ears twitching. "Awakenings aren't exactly predictable. They can be triggered by intense emotions, danger, or even sheer willpower. In your case, it seems the chaos of the moment finally cracked something open."
"Great," Tobi muttered. "So I'm some kind of walking time bomb now?"
"Not exactly," Friend said, his tone unreadable. "Your Gift is a tool, not a curse. But like any tool, it can be dangerous if you don't learn how to wield it."
Hossam glanced at Tobi, frowning. "You're talking to that fox again, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Tobi admitted.
"Still weird," Hossam muttered, turning back to the road.
The truck jolted as they hit a pothole, and Tobi's attention shifted to the cargo in the back. The relics. Hossam's revelation about the Old World artifact had only raised more questions. What kind of power did it hold? And why were the raiders so desperate to get their hands on it?
"You've heard of the Supes, haven't you?" Hossam asked suddenly, as if reading Tobi's thoughts.
"Of course," Tobi said. "Who hasn't? They're legends—people with Gifts so powerful they can reshape the world. But they're just stories, right?" Tobi spent his whole life in the slums, completely unaware of the world beyond his surroundings.
"Wrong," Hossam said, his voice grave. "They're real. Rumor has it that the Supes are looking for these relics, they need them for their next mission. The ones who created these artifacts, pouring their knowledge and power into them. That's why they're so valuable."
Tobi frowned. "If they're so valuable, why risk transporting them yourself?"
Hossam sighed. "Because leaving them in the wrong hands would be worse. These relics... they're dangerous. And now that you've awakened, you're tied to them in ways you don't even understand yet."
Before Tobi could respond, the truck's engine sputtered, then coughed loudly. The vehicle shuddered, lurching to a stop on the side of the road.
"Not now," Hossam groaned, slamming his fists against the steering wheel. "Not now!"
"Fantastic," Friend muttered. "Stranded in the middle of nowhere with a truck full of stolen relics. What could possibly go wrong?"
Hossam climbed out, popping the hood to inspect the engine. Tobi followed, glancing nervously at their surroundings. The area was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
"Can you fix it?" Tobi asked, his voice low.
"Give me a minute," Hossam said, already elbow-deep in the engine. "And keep an eye out, will you? I don't trust this place."
Tobi nodded, gripping the pipe he'd taken from the market. He scanned the darkness, every shadow and movement sending his pulse racing.
"You feel that, don't you?" Friend said, his voice barely a whisper.
"Feel what?" Tobi asked.
"The air. It's heavy with intent. We're not alone."
As if on cue, a low growl echoed from the darkness. Tobi spun around, his heart leaping into his throat. A pair of glowing eyes appeared in the shadows, followed by another, and another.
"Damn it," Hossam muttered, slamming the hood shut. "Raiders."
"No," Friend corrected, his hackles rising. "Worse."
The creatures stepped into the moonlight, their forms grotesque and inhuman. They moved on all fours, their skin glistening like oil and their mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth.
"What are those?" Tobi breathed.
"Hounds," Friend said grimly. "Corrupted beasts drawn to power. And right now, you're glowing like a beacon."
Hossam cursed under his breath, pulling a knife from his belt. "Kid, whatever you did back in the market, you'd better figure out how to do it again. Fast."
The first hound lunged, and Tobi barely had time to react. He swung the pipe with all his strength, connecting with the creature's skull. It yelped and fell back, but two more took its place.
"Tobi, focus!" Friend barked. "Feel the energy inside you. Let it guide you."
"I don't know how!" Tobi shouted, panic rising in his chest.
"Yes, you do," Friend insisted. "You've always known. Trust yourself."
Another hound leapt at him, and this time, Tobi didn't think. He let go of the fear, the doubt, and the questions. He closed his eyes and reached for the strange, electric sensation he'd felt in the market.
It came rushing back like a flood, filling him with warmth and power. His eyes snapped open, glowing faintly with an otherworldly light.
The hounds hesitated, sensing the shift. Tobi raised his hand, and a pulse of energy erupted from his palm, slamming into the creatures and sending them flying.
Hossam stared in awe as the hounds scrambled to their feet and retreated into the shadows, their growls fading into the night.
Tobi swayed, his vision swimming. The energy faded as quickly as it had come, leaving him drained and trembling.
"Kid," Hossam said, his voice laced with a mix of fear and admiration. "What the hell are you?"
Tobi didn't answer. He didn't know.