The next morning, Aurelia and Caius set out for the Ruins once more. The storm had passed, but the air was thick with tension. Aurelia didn't speak much, her mind still swirling with questions about the Aetherion and the forces at play.
"We need to find the next shard," Caius said as they moved through the rubble-strewn streets. "It's not just about power—it's about balance. The Aetherion is dying, and if it's not stabilized, the floating cities will fall. We'll be trapped."
Aurelia's pace quickened. "And you think this shard will save you?"
"It's the first step," Caius replied, glancing around warily. "There are many others, scattered far and wide. They're the key to reawakening the Aetherion and saving both the ground and the sky."
Aurelia wasn't convinced. She didn't trust him, didn't trust his city, and she certainly didn't trust the Aetherion Council. But she had her own reasons for being here—reasons far more personal than the survival of a city she hated.
As they reached the site where the shard was said to be buried, Aurelia felt a strange pull, something deep in the earth beneath her feet. She dug through the rubble, her hands trembling as she uncovered a large stone, its surface engraved with an ancient symbol.
"Here," she breathed, pointing at it.
Caius stepped forward, kneeling beside her. He placed his hand on the stone, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a sudden burst of light, a new shard—larger, brighter than the first—rose from the earth.
Aurelia stared at it, feeling the raw power in the air.
"This is it," Caius said, awe in his voice. "The second shard."
But as they reached for it, a low growl echoed from the shadows.
________________________________________
Before either of them could react, figures emerged from the ruins. They were cloaked in black, their movements swift and precise. They were Shadewalkers—agents of the Aetherion Council, sent to recover the shards by any means necessary.
"You've found it," one of them said, stepping forward. His voice was cold, devoid of emotion. "The shard belongs to us."
Aurelia instinctively reached for her dagger, but Caius held up a hand, signaling her to stop. "You don't need to do this. We're not your enemies."
"We are the ones who ensure the survival of Celestria," the Shadewalker replied. "The shards belong to the city. And you—Caius Vaelen, heir to the House of Vaelen—are a traitor."
"Enough of this!" Aurelia snapped, her temper flaring. She drew her dagger and lunged forward. The Shadewalkers responded in kind, drawing their weapons from beneath their cloaks.
Caius stepped in between them, his body tense. "If you want the shard, you'll have to fight for it."
But before they could clash,
"MOVE" a deep raw voice echoed through the ruins. Before they knew it a person wearing a dark green poncho was strangling the shakewalker with a monofilament weapon until his head was snapped off.
When the head fell, a cold shiverish wind howled across the ruins. The wind blew on the poncho revealing the person's face.
"Caius what are you doing here?" Liora, a stoic, disciplined, and fiercely loyal to her comrades, is a seasoned warrior who commands a battalion for the floating cities' defense forces. She's a pragmatic leader with a reputation for getting the job done.
Liora was born into a family of warriors in the floating cities. She was trained from a young age to be a soldier. She rose through the ranks, but her career has come with emotional sacrifices, including losing many people she's cared for. She's deeply conflicted about her role in the war and wishes to find a way to end the conflict.
Liora pulled out her sword, her expression unreadable. Aurelia reached for her dagger. Not breaking eye contact with Liora. "Caius" her voice rang with an imposing command. Caius' head snapped up, "everyone is looking for you. The king asked me to come looking for you but honestly i never expected to see you here of all place roaming among dirt" she said coldly
Aurelia gritted her teeth and lounged forward with her dagger.
"AURELIA NO!" Caius yelled
In a swift movement Liora grabbed her by the hair easily. "What were you trying to do?"
Aurelia flung her dagger and it hit Liora's arm with a loud 'cling'; her eyes widened and she looked up at liora "are you a fucking robot?" Liora just looked at her incredulously "I just lost that arm" she stepped on Aurelia's back pushing while still pulling her hair.
"Liora stop" Caius ordered
"she is just a mere thief from this manhole, maybe i should yank your arms off" Liora pulled Aurelia's arms, still pushing on her back with her leg. Aurelia's scream echoed through the ruins as tears fell down her cheeks.
"ENOUGH! I order you to stop Liora NOW" Cauis yelled
Liora gritted her teeth and reluctantly let go of Aurelia's arms and Caius instantly went to her "are you ok?"
As Aurelia opened her mouth to speak, a bunch of shadewalkers emerged from the ruins and they all started screaming "RaaAAAaak-HHHHHhhhhhhhhh!" an otherworldly and bone-chilling sound, a blend of guttural growls, piercing shrieks.
It rises in a bone-chilling crescendo, sharp and metallic, before fading into a deep, growling hum that vibrates through the air, giving Caius, Aurelia and Liora goosebumps.
Liora pulled out her blade and the shadewalker brought out his claws but before she could attack, a sharp whistle echoed across the ruins, and the Shadewalkers froze.
"They're not the only ones after it," a new voice called out. Lady Verena Vaelen, Caius's aunt and a high-ranking member of the Aetherion Council, stepped into view.
Her eyes were cold as she surveyed the scene. "Let them have it, for now," she said, her voice smooth and dangerous. "We have bigger problems."