Paul, the man Evelyn was assigned to assist, leaned back in his chair and gave her a once-over. "Didn't know they were recruiting kids these days."
Unbothered, Evelyn crossed her arms, waiting for him to get to the point.
Paul took a slow sip of his drink before gesturing for her to follow. "I overheard our guys talking about a score. If we don't get to them first, some higher-rank hero will take over, and you'll be off the mission."
He pushed open the pub door, stepping into the afternoon sun. Evelyn followed.
As they walked the bustling street, he pulled out his phone, swiping through images of the wanted criminals. "These are our targets. Memorize them."
Paul halted when he noticed Sebastian trailing behind Evelyn. His eyes flicked between them; brows raised.
"Which one's the hero?" he asked, voice thick with skepticism. "Heroes deal with dangerous people. Are you too scared you brought back up? If anything happens to you, I'm not taking the blame. Maybe pick a different career while you still can."
Towering over her, he searched her face for doubt. Evelyn, unfazed, met his gaze with a stoic expression. She let out a slow sigh.
"If you're done talking, sign my mission card," she said, holding it out.
Paul blinked. "What?"
She tilted her head slightly, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "While you were busy lecturing me, my soldiers rounded up the targets. Mission's done." She extended the card again. "Now, sign it."
"Lying about a mission can get your Hero ID revoked," Paul warned as he signed the card, eyeing her skeptically. "I'm gonna need proof."
Evelyn's lips curved into a smirk. "Nearest police station from here. Go check—it'll save you the trouble of doubting me."
Paul hesitated, then gave her a curt nod before turning to leave. Evelyn did the same but stopped after a few steps.
"Hey, Paul," she called over her shoulder. He glanced back.
"Stop judging and do your job," she said before walking away.
Paul pressed his lips into a thin line before turning away without another word. Evelyn watched him go, satisfaction flickering in her eyes. Proving him wrong, even in a small way, was a victory she intended to savor.
Then—
"HELP!"
The scream split through the air, followed by a deafening explosion. The force sent shockwaves rippling through the street, knocking Evelyn forward. But before she could hit the ground, something solid braced against her.
Sebastian.
His impenetrable body had shielded her from the blast, standing like an unshakable wall between her and danger. Smoke and dust clouded the air as debris rained down around them.
Paul spun back, his face shifting from skepticism to fear—then regret.
"Who did this?" Paul barked; his hands steady as he helped civilians to their feet. Smoke curled through the air; the heat still thick against his skin.
From the flames, two figures emerged—untouched, unwavering.
Evelyn strode forward, casually dusting off her coat as if she hadn't just walked through an explosion. Beside her, Sebastian followed, his expression calm, his presence unshaken.
Paul froze. His breath hitched as disbelief flashed across his face. He had expected injuries, burns—something. But they looked as if they had just taken a stroll through the city.
Staring at them, he took a cautious step forward. "How the hell did you do that? How are you not affected by the fire?"
"Focus on helping the civilians!" Evelyn commanded, her voice cutting through the chaos. "I'll go after whoever did this."
She turned to leave, but Paul grabbed her arm. "This isn't a mission for a novice. We need to get these people to safety first."
Evelyn shook off his grip, unfazed. "Already handled." Without another word, she sprinted around the fire, Sebastian right behind her.
Paul's gaze swept over the scene—civilians being guided to safety, hands pulling survivors from the wreckage, wounded being tended to. He frowned. When had all these people arrived? Just moments ago, it had only been him and Evelyn.
"Novice ranks aren't supposed to have soldiers," Paul thought, watching them move with precision. Shaking off his confusion, he approached one of them.
"What's your relationship with Evelyn?" he asked.
The soldier didn't acknowledge him, instead lifting an injured civilian and carrying them away.
"Hey!" Paul called out, stepping closer. Still no response.
Frowning, he reached out to tap the soldier's shoulder—only to freeze as another soldier leveled an assault rifle at him.
Paul slowly raised his hands in surrender, his heartbeat quickening.
A tense beat passed before the soldier lowered his rifle and turned away, seamlessly returning to aid the wounded.
Paul exhaled, flabbergasted. The message was clear: Leave them alone.
He exhaled sharply, scanning the wreckage for any sign of survivors. Heat sensors in his visor flared red—life signatures flickered within the burning structure. The afternoon sun was relentless, but the fire raging through the collapsed building twisted the air into a furnace. Smoke curled upward in thick plumes, feeding into the city's already-polluted skyline.
His fingers tapped against his wrist device, but without an augmentation, he had no way to endure the inferno unscathed. Jaw tightening, he slapped his cheeks to refocus. No time to hesitate. Pulling his collar up against the acrid air, he moved toward the wreckage, shielding his face.
Before he could step inside, a soldier in Evelyn's insignia blocked his path, a silent wall of authority. Without a word, the soldier gestured toward the designated safe zone where bystanders had gathered.
Frustration surged through him. "What?" he snapped, eyes narrowing. "You're really going to stop me from saving those people?"
The soldier stepped into his path, unwavering as others advanced straight into the blaze. Their silhouettes flickered against the inferno, bodies moving with precision despite the searing heat. Bystanders raised their phones, capturing the surreal scene—no protective gear, no thermal shielding, yet the soldiers waded through the fire as if it were nothing more than a dense fog.
Paul stood frozen, his breath hitching. His mind scrambled for an explanation. Maybe one of them had a gift? That would make sense. But all of them? Unscathed? Impossible.
He took an uneasy step back, watching as the flames, instead of being subdued, seemed to feed off the moment, roaring higher as if defying logic itself.
The soldiers emerged from the blazing wreckage, their armor faintly glowing from residual heat, yet not a single scorch marked their suits. The rescued civilians clung to them, coughing but unharmed, while the gathered crowd erupted in awe and praise. The spectacle was something out of legend—warriors defying flame and chaos, untouched by destruction.
Evelyn, meanwhile, had scoured the area, but her search yielded nothing. The culprits had vanished, slipping into the shadows of the city like wraiths. Returning to Paul, she delivered her findings with a sharp efficiency. "They're gone. It's your problem now."
With no casualties to concern herself with, she brushed the incident aside. Paul could handle the aftermath. Her focus shifted to more pressing matters.
Back at Heroic Heights, she submitted her signed mission card. The entire process felt tedious, an inefficient system bogged down by bureaucracy. As she handed it over, she made a mental note—this would be the last time she wasted her energy on paperwork. Next time, Sebastian would handle it.
Inside the sleek transport, Evelyn watched the cityscape streak past as Sebastian navigated toward her next novice mission.
"The explosion could have been a distraction," Sebastian mused, his tone even.
Evelyn scoffed. "That wouldn't work. Veridia is swarming with heroes. If not for their absurd system restricting interference in others' missions, someone else would've handled it already." She exhaled, fingers drumming against her armrest. "Not that I have any idea how they actually deal with real emergencies."