---
The streets of Zaun were restless, as they always were. Shadows shifted in the flickering light of broken lanterns, the air thick with a metallic tang that clung to your tongue. It was the kind of night where no one wanted to be caught in the wrong alley. Unfortunately, that's exactly where Thalia found himself.
Unconscious.
---
**Vi's Perspective**
"I told you, it's this way!" Vi's voice cut through the haze of the dimly lit undercity as she darted ahead. The shuffle of footsteps behind her let her know the rest of the gang was struggling to keep up.
"You said that last time," Mylo groused, huffing as he rounded a corner after her. "And where did it get us? Nowhere."
"Would you two stop it?" Claggor chimed in, his deep voice steady even as his steps thundered against the cracked pavement. "This isn't about being right."
Vi ignored them. Her sharp crimson hair stuck out in the dim glow as she stopped abruptly at the mouth of an alley. She squinted down the shadowy corridor, her gut pulling her in a direction she couldn't explain. Powder stood at her side, her smaller frame clinging close as she peeked around Vi's leg.
"Do you hear that?" Powder whispered, her big blue eyes wide.
The faint sound of low laughter drifted toward them, punctuated by the heavy scrape of boots. Vi's jaw tightened. A bad sign, like the scent of burning rubber. She gestured for the group to stay quiet, her hand flicking to signal them forward.
When the group turned the corner, they froze. Five men loomed in the darkness, standing in a loose semi-circle. At their center, a figure lay slumped on the ground, his pale skin stark against the grime-covered pavement. Even in the dim light, Vi could tell he didn't belong here. The contrast was almost startling—his black hair fell across his face like silk, his features sharp, and his clothes, though dirtied, still looked like they once belonged to someone with money.
"A topsider," Mylo whispered, incredulous. "What's a topsider doing here?"
"Doesn't matter," Vi replied sharply. "They're gonna strip him clean and sell him to the highest bidder if we don't step in." Her fists curled tightly at her sides.
Powder tugged on her sleeve, her voice a soft whimper. "Vi, there's too many—"
"Not if we're smart about it," Vi snapped. "Stay behind me."
Vi stepped out of the shadows, her presence radiating like the edge of a knife. The men turned, their laughter dying as they spotted her.
"What's this? A little street rat thinks she can play hero?" one of the men sneered. He was big, with a jagged scar across his lip, and a club resting casually on his shoulder.
"Let him go," Vi said coldly, her voice echoing down the narrow alley. "And I won't break your nose."
The man with the scar barked out a laugh. "You've got guts, kid. I'll give you that. But this one here?" He jabbed a thumb toward the unconscious boy. "He's worth more than you'll make in a lifetime."
Vi didn't wait for him to finish. She surged forward, her fist connecting with the man's jaw before the others could react. He staggered back, cursing loudly, and the alley erupted into chaos.
---
**Thalia's Perspective**
A sharp sound jolted Thalia awake. His head throbbed, a dull ache spreading through his temples as the world around him swam into focus. Voices. Shouts. The distinct sound of a fist meeting flesh.
Where…?
The memories were hazy. A flash of light. Falling. Darkness. Then… nothing. Now he was here, lying on the cold, damp ground, surrounded by chaos. Instinctively, his fingers curled, and he felt the grit of dirt beneath his nails.
"Get him!" a voice barked, and Thalia's eyes snapped to the source.
The scene before him was surreal. A girl with fiery hair was trading blows with a much larger man, her movements sharp and precise. Behind her, a scrawny boy with shaggy brown hair tried to land punches of his own but kept getting swatted aside. Another boy, stockier and wearing goggles, stood protectively in front of a small, trembling girl.
His brain screamed at him to run. To stay out of it. But something deeper, some primal part of him, refused. Survival. Action. Those instincts roared to life, propelling him forward before he even realized what he was doing.
Thalia rose to his feet, his movements fluid despite the grogginess in his limbs. One of the men lunged toward the small girl, and something in Thalia snapped. He was there in an instant, his hand shooting out to grab the man's wrist mid-swing. The attacker froze, his eyes widening in surprise.
"You shouldn't have done that," Thalia said, his voice low, almost a growl.
The man didn't get a chance to respond. Thalia's knee drove into his gut with brutal efficiency, sending him crumpling to the ground. Another attacker came at him from the side, but Thalia ducked under the swing, his body moving on instinct alone. He pivoted, slamming his elbow into the man's ribs before sweeping his legs out from under him.
The movements felt… natural. Like breathing. His body remembered something his mind couldn't. Each strike, each dodge, flowed effortlessly, like a dance he had practiced a thousand times. But it wasn't just strength or speed—it was precision. He moved as though he could see the attacks coming before they even began.
"What the hell—" Vi's voice cut through the din, her eyes darting toward him in shock as she delivered a final punch to her own opponent.
Before Thalia could respond, the man with the scar rallied, charging at him with the club raised high. The world seemed to slow. Thalia's eyes locked onto the weapon, his focus narrowing. He could see the trajectory, the exact angle at which it would fall. Without thinking, he stepped to the side, grabbing the man's wrist and twisting it sharply. The club clattered to the ground, and with a swift kick to the back of the man's knee, he sent him sprawling.
The alley fell silent.
---
**Vi's Perspective**
"What the hell was that?" Vi asked, panting as she stared at the strange boy. He stood in the middle of the alley, his chest heaving, his eyes blazing like molten rubies. For a moment, she thought he might collapse, but he stayed upright, his body tense like a coiled spring.
"I…" The boy faltered, his gaze flickering between her and the others. "I don't know."
Vi frowned, stepping closer. She didn't trust him—not yet—but there was something about the way he held himself, the uncertainty in his voice. He wasn't a threat. At least, not to them.
"You just took out three guys without breaking a sweat," Mylo said, his tone a mix of awe and suspicion. "What are you, some kind of enforcer's kid?"
"I don't remember," the boy replied, his voice barely above a whisper. His hand came up to touch his temple, wincing slightly. "I woke up, and… I don't remember anything."
Vi's eyes narrowed. That wasn't a good enough answer. Not in Zaun. People didn't just "not remember" things. "Bullshit," she said, crossing her arms. "You're not from here, are you?"
"I…" He hesitated, his eyes darting to the others. "I think I'm from topside."
The gang exchanged glances. That explained the polished look, but it didn't explain the way he fought. Topside kids didn't learn to fight like that.
"Vi," Powder whispered, tugging on her sleeve again. "What do we do?"
Vi studied the boy for a long moment. He looked like he could barely stay standing, his face pale and his hands trembling ever so slightly. But there was something else—a determination in his eyes, a quiet strength that reminded her of… herself.
"We take him," she said finally. "If we leave him here, someone else will grab him. At least this way, we can keep an eye on him."
"You're kidding, right?" Mylo protested. "We don't even know who he is!"
"Exactly," Vi shot back. "And I'm not about to let some gang of lowlifes sell him off like scrap metal."
Before anyone could argue further, Thalia's knees buckled. Vi lunged forward, catching him before he hit the ground.
"Easy there," she muttered, slinging one of his arms over her shoulder. His weight was lighter than she expected.
"Thanks," he murmured, his voice fading as his eyelids fluttered shut.
Vi tightened her grip, her jaw set. "Let's go."
---
And with that, the gang disappeared into the shadows of Zaun, carrying their newest—and most mysterious—addition.