Kael and the silver-haired woman sprinted through the winding streets of Caldera, the sound of crackling energy and distorted whispers close behind. Kael's mind raced as fast as his feet. The shadows that attacked in the alley were unlike anything he'd encountered before—alive, fluid, and malicious.
"Who are they?" he barked, glancing over his shoulder.
"Veylos Covenant," the woman replied, her breath steady despite the pace. "And they're here for the same reason you are."
"The Key?"
She nodded, turning sharply down an alley. Kael followed, his boots splashing through puddles.
"Care to explain what makes it so important?"
The woman didn't answer right away. Instead, she raised her hand, and a shimmering barrier of light flared to life behind them, halting the shadows in their tracks.
"Later," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "First, we survive."
Kael gritted his teeth but kept running. The city's lower districts were a maze of crumbling stone and flickering neon signs. It was a smuggler's haven and Kael's old stomping grounds—if anyone knew how to lose a tail here, it was him.
"This way," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her into a narrow side street. The passage twisted and turned before opening into a hidden courtyard surrounded by abandoned buildings.
He pressed his back to the wall, drawing a compact crossbow from his belt. The woman stood beside him, her glowing eyes scanning the shadows for movement.
"So," Kael said, keeping his voice low, "mind telling me who you are?"
"Seren Veyne," she replied, not taking her eyes off the alley. "And you're Kael Straven, former Guardian turned artifact hunter. I've been tracking you for weeks."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "I'm flattered. But if you wanted an autograph, this seems like a lot of trouble."
Her lips twitched in a brief, humorless smile. "The Aether Key isn't just an artifact. It's a weapon—one powerful enough to tear the fabric of this world apart. And it's tied to you in ways you don't understand."
Kael opened his mouth to argue, but a sharp, chilling sound cut through the air—a distorted hiss, like static given form.
"They're here," Seren said, summoning twin daggers from the ether. The blades shimmered with an iridescent light, casting eerie reflections on the walls.
The shadows poured into the courtyard like liquid night, their forms shifting and writhing. Eyes like pinpricks of crimson light flickered within the darkness.
Kael aimed and fired, his bolt striking one of the creatures. It let out an inhuman shriek before dissipating into smoke. But more followed, their movements unnaturally fast.
"Fall back!" Seren shouted, slashing at the nearest shadow. Her blades cut through the darkness, leaving trails of light in their wake.
Kael reloaded and fired again, but the shadows kept coming, relentless and unyielding.
"This isn't working," he growled. "Any bright ideas?"
Seren hesitated, then glanced at him. "Do you trust me?"
Kael barked a laugh, even as he loosed another bolt. "Not even a little."
"Good," she said. "Keep it that way."
Before Kael could respond, Seren raised her hands, and the air around them shimmered. A pulse of energy erupted from her, pushing the shadows back and enveloping them in a blinding light.
When the light faded, the courtyard was empty.
Kael blinked, his vision swimming. "What the hell was that?"
"Magic," Seren said simply, though her voice was strained. She leaned against the wall, her face pale.
Kael lowered his crossbow. "All right, Seren Veyne. You've got my attention. Now, you're going to tell me everything about this Key and why those things want it so badly."
Seren met his gaze, her expression unreadable. "I will. But first, we need to find somewhere safe. Because this?" She gestured to the empty courtyard. "This was just the beginning."