A faint green shimmer cut through darkness, growing brighter the more the eerie dream settled. Ezra blinked, his vision adjusting to the blue sky above. A hand was over his forehead. Warm. Welcoming.
"Ezra," a soft voice called. "It doesn't seem like you have a fever."
Sharp, piercing blue eyes framed by cascades of golden hair met him. She knelt before him, a warm smiling crowning her face.
The sounds around him were coated, as if he was underwater. He knew this woman. She had a vivid place in his memory but he couldn't pinpoint where she lived in his mind.
"You always come to visit me secretly," he heard. "This time, I'm the one who'll hug you."
She tilted her head, her smile widening.
Ezra's throat tightened. He wanted to speak, to tell her that it wouldn't matter how many times he would sneak to see her, that her absence was never a relief to him. But the words wouldn't come out. Instead, the silence stretched, heavy and oppressive.
"Ezra," it echoed again. "What would you do if I disappeared?" she looked at the sky, her gaze full of sadness. "You know, just forget me if it happens. Live your life like I want you to. Break away from your shackles and move on. Don't bind yourself to what people think. What's part of you will always stay with you…"
The woman kept talking but no sound came to his ears. Just static noise that deafened him.
Then, he woke up.
Ezra bolted upright, his chest heaving as his body trembled. His gaze lingered on his shaking hands before he recalled the injury he sustained and last night's occurrences.
Aurora… his sister…
He didn't want to admit that her parting made him sad. He didn't want her to hate him. everyone had no choice but to put her in that position.
He pulled a picture from his drawer and stared at it, doing his occasional routine to recall the woman in there. She had long blond hair like Aurora and blue eyes. Her smile in the picture was genuine, like a shelter in the storm.
He wanted to remember her but his memory failed him. what were the circumstances that made him forget about her?
Always the same dream. Always the same question. What did he answer back then?
A glance at the desk across the room showed where his clothes were. One of the servants must have placed it there, usually the same one that failed to report his injuries to his father.
It was always this way. He would return, injured sometimes, fatally some other times and no one ever asked if he was alright. They took it for granted that he would never fade to the other side.
He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. When he saw Aurora in the air, falling, he wanted to go there. He wanted to save her, to change how he failed to do so before. But assassins blocked his view. They were sent for her.
He needed to investigate what happened, how it happened and who was the mole in the shed.
"I'm glad she's alive," he murmured.
He smiled.
A soft chime broke the silence. There was a panel embedded in the wall, slowly materializing when it sensed his movements. The system activated, casting a cool blue light across the space.
"Good morning, mister Ezra," the AI voice intoned. "This must be a good morning for you to smile. Shall I prepare your attire for today?"
Ezra rubbed his temples, reminding himself of this day's schedule. "Go ahead, 002."
"Today's outfit consists of what miss Ava brought two hours ago and thirteen minutes ago." From a hidden compartment, a sleek metallic arm extended. "today's ensemble selection prioritizes functionality and style, seamlessly integrating advanced materials. Here's a detailed breakdown-"
The black cloak, blouse and pants were crafted from special material. Everyone in the city wore them. Materials that offered unparalleled thermal regulation and adaptive weather resistance, ensuring optimal comfort in varying conditions. But for Ezra, he had his clothes specially tailored to suit his missions. His clothes had embedded sensors monitor mobility and adapted the stretch to maintain ease of movement during both casual and high-performance activities. Embedded RFID technology across the outfit enabled seamless interaction with smart environments, while hidden compartments offered discrete storage for essential gadgets.
The Atkinson insignia was scanned by the AI. It was a weathered anchor. Its surface was embedded with cracks and dark sigils everyone saw as a good dark contrast to the shape. The anchor had thorned vines entwined with it, clutching tightly to show that darkness would never let go of the past. The color was a dirty gold with dark green. Many debated that the dirt on the gold was dried blood that seeped into the very existence of the core.
"No anomalies detected. Insignia verified."
Ezra took pride in his name. He'd do anything to keep his honor and stay away from disgrace.
The arm handed him the garments. While Ezra changed his bloody clothes, another panel slid open to reveal a mirror. He would take a shower once he'd be back from his secret mission.
"Appearance optimal. No further adjustments required."
Ezra dismissed the system with a flick of his wrist. There was a thought that bothered him recently. It didn't have anything to do with Aurora's behavior. More of a complete different matter.
His eyes scanned around his room but it was as usual. Messy. The system retracted to the walls and hid from plain sight. Ezra programmed it as such so he could keep it a secret. His father worked hard to integrate advanced technology into the mansion like the rest of New Arcadia. But it never worked. Ezra had to resort to Lumen to integrate it because the entire mansion functioned using magic energy as fuel.
He never told his father so because he was ashamed of his ties with Lumen.
He wore his glasses and set himself off.
The Subterra Core was the lowest ground area of New Arcadia where the struggling poor people lived. It was also where Patrol units cyborgs roamed often. It was an oppressive layer characterized by decay, rust and secrecy. The dim lighting made it hard for anyone to move around. So many areas shrouded in darkness and cold mist.
Not far from a flea market flickering neon signs that threatened to drop on her head, a cloaked young girl stood still, not moving an itch. No sign of breathing. The people walking around threw her glances. Some of them more suspicious than others but it didn't bother her.
Her glassy, glowing blue eyes calculated the probability of unwanted accidents from variables around her and it seemed negligible. Her short, silky blond hair was gently tightened into a ponytail under her black cloak.
Ezra materialized stealthily in front of the girl, dropping like a pebble from the sky. He held his hat in place, his eyes glancing around before finding the girl.
"Appearing out of nowhere is highly inadvisable, Master. The probability of detection in conjunction with Lumen is approximately 90%."
She walked with a steady rhythm, each step measured and evenly spaced.
"Then I'm glad I'm part of the 10%."
The air was thick, a mixture of industrial fumes and the foul smell coming from the corners permeated the lower levels of New Arcadia. Ezra worked hard not to inhale the rotten air but in vain. He coughed a few times before adjusting his coat.
The Feylindra estate wasn't far now, the real reason of their presence at the Subterra Core.
Ezra didn't like coming here, only when necessary. This place reeked of criminals that hid children with Lumen. His father's orders made this trip necessary and yet, he loathed the thought of skulking around these parts.
"Let's finish this job quickly. I don't want to linger around," he said in disgust.
They started walking, attracting more eyes. He wished he could hide his presence but it would require using Lumen. It was already a big misstep to halt his fall using a spell.
A Cyborg Patrol Unit was sighted. The girl glanced at the group briefly, calculating the probability of their range picking her master's signature Lumen. Because it was high, the girl had no choice but to pull her master away.
Both of them took a detour to avoid them. The Cyborgs were remnants of the city's military-grade technology. Because they were old and rusted, they were pulled from the front lines and positioned in the Subterra Core to keep order.
They weren't in the best state. Their appearances had minimal human features, suggesting being part of an old model. Some retained enough humanity to spark unease, such a visible skin grafts that weren't in the best condition or human-like voices that glitched sometimes.
They stopped under the cover of a rusted pipe as the faint hum of malfunctioning robots filled the air.
"Master, this is the holographic map of the Subterra Core. All points of interest have been marked, and I have calculated the most efficient route for the mission. Additionally, the patrol range of the Cyborg Units has been integrated into the map."
"002… Good Work!"
The girl was an android controlled by the system 002. The system was a support AI unit that played a pivotal role in aiding Ezra in his missions, which was the reason why he programmed it.
The glasses activated, projecting a translucent holographic map directly into his field of vision. The layout of the area unfolded, showing his different paths to take and the best one was through the sewers, through Inferno Depths.
The map remained perfectly aligned with his surroundings, following his line of gaze. A red dot blinked where the Feylindra estate was located.
"So predictable," he muttered.
The Feylindras relied too heavily on their outward defenses and neglected the subtle vulnerabilities beneath. With a flick of his wrist, Ezra conjured a small ball of light that helped his descent into the Inferno Depths.
Because of how big New Arcadia was, the sewers were a whole area on their own, where criminals and exiles lived. It was the place where not even the air was clean. Going through there meant he had to be extremely cautious to stay hidden. Also, no Patrol Unit would catch his Lumen. Despite that, Ezra didn't like using his magic abilities.
Magic was forbidden in New Arcadia. It was synonym of evil. Because of an accident that happened twenty years ago, people started fearing it. So any child with Lumen would get deported and taken to custody, so that no one would hear about them. None avoided the punishment, whether it was a baby or an adult.
Ezra was an exception. Only his father knew about his Lumen and he worked hard to save him, which was why Ezra was grateful to his teachings and would do anything to bring honour to his name.
The tunnel was narrow, the walls damp and streaked with grime. Rats scurried into the shadows, their glowing red eyes watching him pass. He avoided humans that were around, skillfully sneaking around and using the dim lights to his advantage. Even if someone managed to catch a whiff of him, he would be long gone. He got to a heavy metal door that blocked his way into a secret passage that connected to the Feylindras. With his palm against it, he let the Lumen course through him and into the lock. The mechanism inside groaned before clicking open.
However, at the end of the passage, there was nothing that allowed him a path to get to his goal. The long tunnel he just walked into was a useless pit that gloated in darkness. Ezra wondered if his system miscalculated. He checked the holographic map and indeed, this was where 002 recommended him to go.
"Master, allow me!"
002 placed a bomb that started ticking as soon as its hands disconnected. Ezra got back, generating a barrier that protected him against the impact. An alert resounded, which proved this was the correct route and his system didn't fail him.
"Master, this route was obstructed by the Feylindras following a series of significant robberies. To secure their assets, they sealed it with a specialized regenerative material. I procured a high-tech explosive device capable of temporarily disrupting the material's structure. However, due to its advanced self-repair capabilities, the window of opportunity will be brief. We must proceed with precision to ensure access before the regeneration cycle renders the opening impassable," 002 explained.
Ezra recalled the many robbery attempts the Feylindras were subject to and chuckled. It was specifically suspicious how every robber, instead of being sent to prison, was killed.
As soon as they got inside, the wall closed in a frightening speed. It got Ezra curious and let him wonder if he could procure such material and use it in making 002 android model.
He made his way through the basement, leaving behind shelves lined with priceless artifacts and expensive items. Ezra wasn't there to admire their collection.
"Let's see what you're hiding," he muttered once he was in a corridor, inside the Feylindra mansion.
"Master, I will divert the attention of the approaching security personnel to ensure you can complete your mission without interference," with this, 002 ran the opposite route Ezra would take.
Following the hologram, he found himself in a room expensively equipped. It was a lady's room. His eyes scanned around before they settled on a stack of paper on a desk. He immediately rushed there and started going through them.
"Hey!" a feminine voice came from the other side of the room. "Tall, dark, handsome and gloomy daddy, what do you think you're doing?"