Darik's voice crackled through the communicator, her tone calm but firm. "Everything's ready."
Sol's heart kicked into a faster rhythm. The weight of the past few days bore down on him, but he forced the turmoil into a locked box in the back of his mind. There was no time for hesitation. No time to grieve. He clenched his fists, nodding to himself.
"What's the plan?" Gru asked as he and Sol huddled in their dimly lit hideout, the remnants of their previous skirmishes still fresh in their minds.
Darik's voice carried a smirk. "Simple. Get to the rendezvous point without getting your heads blown off. The district's on high alert, so keep low and stick to the route I sent you. You've got patrols sweeping all sectors, but if you move fast and smart, you'll be fine."
Sol exhaled slowly. Fine. Right. His body still ached, and exhaustion gnawed at the edges of his focus, but he shoved it aside. He had no choice but to move.
Gru gestured toward the passage. "Let's go."
They moved quickly through one of the pre-prepared escape routes Darik had given them. As they navigated the tight, winding paths, Sol's mind wandered. He stared at the alien skyline, the artificial lights flickering above them, the streets buzzing with a nervous energy. He was so close. So damn close.
"Gru," Sol murmured, breaking the silence. "Have you ever been off-world?"
The goblin turned his head slightly before answering. "Yeah. Came here over seventy years ago from my home planet, Lin."
Sol glanced at him. "What was it like?"
Gru's rough exterior softened as his yellow eyes took on a distant glint. "Beautiful. Peaceful. It was all goblins back home. Lush forests, vast rivers of silver water. The sky turned a different color depending on the season."
"So why did you leave?" Sol asked.
Gru hesitated, the light in his eyes dimming slightly. "Because, kid, you and I aren't that different."
Sol caught the flicker of pain in Gru's expression but chose not to press further. Instead, he let the silence stretch between them. Some scars weren't meant to be reopened.
An hour later, they arrived at the rendezvous point. Under the glow of flickering neon lights, Darik stood waiting, a pipe hanging from her lips as she exhaled a curl of smoke. Her sharp eyes scanned them before she smirked. "Look who it is. If it isn't the lil' bringer of chaos. You know you've got half the damn world looking for you, right?"
Sol's stomach twisted at her words. Images of bodies on the ground flashed in his mind, the echoes of gunfire ringing in his ears.
Darik chuckled at his reaction. "You'll get used to it."
Sol frowned. "I don't want to get used to it."
Darik let out a low hum, tilting her head. "Then don't. But surviving comes first, kid. Now, let's get moving."
She gestured for them to follow. As they walked through a secured passage, they entered an enormous hangar, revealing a massive spaceship looming before them. The ship was bulky and matte black, its surface lined with intricate markings in a language Sol didn't recognize. His ACE System automatically translated it: Flow Inc.
"Flow Inc., huh?" Sol muttered under his breath.
Darik's eyebrows shot up. "You can read Ahjun?" She looked genuinely surprised. "Huh. You really are full of surprises."
Sol didn't answer, instead shifting his focus back to the ship. "Is this it?"
Darik smirked. "Yep. This beauty's a commercial transport ship, mostly used for shipping goods and passengers across the galaxies. Flow Inc. is one of the biggest shipping companies in this sector of the universe. Reliable, clean routes, minimal security checks at the right ports. Perfect cover for a stowaway."
Sol absorbed the information. Every new piece of knowledge about the universe beyond Galvaris Prime sent a mix of anticipation and unease through him. He was stepping into the unknown, and while a part of him craved the escape, another part whispered that he would never be able to return.
Darik checked her watch. "Alright, time's up. Let's get you off this rock."
Sol took one last glance at the neon-drenched city behind him. Then, with a deep breath, he stepped forward, ready to leave his past behind and face whatever lay beyond the stars.
As he moved toward the ship, Darik leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I hope you're ready, kid. The universe ain't kind, and you're about to see just how deep this rabbit hole goes."
Sol paused, glancing at her. "I thought I was just escaping."
Darik smirked, shaking her head. "Nah, kid. You're stepping into something way bigger than you realize."
Sol felt a strange sensation ripple through his body, his ACE System humming faintly in response. It was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but there. A shift. A reaction to something he didn't understand yet.
He clenched his fists and followed her up the ramp, his mind racing with questions. Whatever awaited him beyond this planet, one thing was certain—he was no longer just running. He was diving headfirst into the unknown.