Vahari stood like a soldier inside a corporate looking office. The office was sleek and totally devoid of unnecessary decoration. A floor-to-ceiling window framed the sprawling cityscape beyond, neon lights flickering against the darkness like restless spirits.
Behind a polished steel desk sat Adam Wayne, the man at the heart of the company's sudden appearance and meteoric rise. His name was spoken in hushed tones across Haloway, less a corporate figure and more a shadow looming over the world's shifting balance.
Vahari stood at attention, hands behind her back, delivering her report.
"So a Reaper and a Brute appeared on the same day back to back, huh?" Adam Wayne spoke as he massaged his temples. His voice was calm, almost disinterested.
Vahari nodded. "And other companies also seem to have dealt with more Marauders in other parts of Haloway as well. In particular, Thralls have been appearing in larger numbers than before—"
"And it seems their frequency is increasing as well." Adam cut in.
The room fell silent as he was now deep in thought.
"There is something else." Vahari added.
Adam raised his head and stared and stared at Vahari as if to signal her to continue.
"It looks like an Abyssal Zone temporarily tore through space today as well."
That got a reaction. His brow lifted slightly.
"All these incidents in one day? It's like the world is speed running its way to the apocalypse now" Adam leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing. "Did you get the Echo Level readings?"
Vahari paused for a second before answering.
"Zero sir."
The silence that followed was almost deafening, only the bustling sound from the cityscape provided relief. Wayne tapped a single finger against his desk, considering.
Then he inquired, "Any civilians that got caught up?"
"The man who had previously engaged with the Reaper, along with the medical team that came to his aid."
"Did you learn the man's name?"
"He doesn't have any records in Haloway or any other metropolis in the Central, Eastern and Western continents."
"Hmm, that must mean he's from the Independent Towns."
When Marauders and the Abyssal Zones became a reality, the world had changed. Borders, once the defining lines of power and identity, were erased in favour of something greater—continents united by shared resources and knowledge.
The Central, Western, and Eastern Continents thrived under this system, fuelling an era of rapid advancement. Wars dwindled, trade flourished, and science surged ahead unburdened by secrecy. But unity had its limits.
Scattered across the world were Independent Towns—vast enough to be nations in their own right. Some had rejected the new order outright, clinging to autonomy and old traditions.
Others were formed by remnants of past governments or those wary of a world governed by giants. Without access to the same technological and economic strides, these isolated towns followed their own paths—some prospering through trade, others fading into irrelevance. They were a reminder that even in an era of unity, the past still had a pulse.
Cases of Marauders were also non-existent there as they were more concentrated in the more populated areas.
Adam Wayne wondered why someone would willingly move away from such a safer environment. But then—
He understood, it was like he suddenly remembered something.
"If that is all, thank you for your time." Adam dismissed Vahari with a casual wave of his hand.
Vahari bowed slightly and turned toward the door, but something nagged at her. A loose thread in the conversation. She stopped just before exiting.
"What about the girl?" she asked without turning around.
Behind her, Adam let out a soft hum, the kind that made it impossible to tell if he was amused or indifferent. "What about the girl?"
Vahari clenched her jaw. "Surely you know what I mean. Why did you invite her to become a Revenant? She doesn't even know what an Abyssal Zone is."
Adam didn't answer. Instead, his chair creaked as he twisted away from her, now facing the sprawling cityscape beyond his floor-to-ceiling window. Neon lights flickered against the dark skyline like restless spirits.
"She had the Mark, didn't she?" he said at last.
Another non-answer. Vahari exhaled sharply through her nose. Conversations with Adam Wayne always felt like walking through a maze, except half the walls moved when you weren't looking.
"Yeah, but I don't think she got it from escaping The Abyss," Vahari pressed. "And according to her, she has no idea what the whispers are." She hesitated. "Not to mention she's from the Independent Towns. A lot of things about her don't add up."
And that wasn't all. Adam finding Amara in the first place was… suspicious.
A beat of silence. Then, Adam's voice, calm as ever:
"Not even you can be privy to everything, Vahari."
Her fingers twitched at her side. He was keeping something from her. Again.
"But I will say this, the current state of the world will not last very long as I'm sure you've noticed yourself. I have deemed the girl a necessary piece in the coming events."
"She's going to die if you send her out there," she said, her tone flatter than she intended.
"That reminds me," Adam said, suddenly sitting up straighter. "She'll be your shadow starting tomorrow."
Vahari blinked. "What?"
"You're worried she might die, right?"
"Huh? No, I—"
"Then she'll be in your care." Adam turned his chair slightly, just enough for her to catch the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. "Thank you, Vahari. You may leave my office now."
Vahari stood there for a second, debating whether to argue. But there was no point. Adam Wayne had already moved on.
With a stiff nod, she turned on her heel and left.
The moment the door shut behind her, Adam slouched back in his chair, exhaling sharply. He rubbed his temples before glancing toward the city lights, his expression unreadable.
"Echo Level Zero, huh?" he murmured to no one in particular. The room remained silent, but it felt as if something unseen lingered in the air, listening.
"I thought I had more time."
A pause. Then, almost to himself, he muttered:
"Let's see how he overcomes the trials with The Inheritance."
The halls of Wayne Company were eerily quiet at this hour. Amara sat on a sleek, black bench near the elevator, arms crossed, eyes scanning the floor. She felt like a stranger in this place—because she was.
She had been told to wait, so she waited.
Her thoughts spiralled as she replayed the events of the day. The subway. Vahari's battle. The way Adam Wayne had looked at her—like she was a puzzle piece he'd been waiting to fit into place. None of it made sense to her.
A sharp ding cut through the silence. The elevator doors slid open.
Vahari stepped out, looking as composed as ever, but there was an unmistakable stiffness in her movements. Her dark eyes locked onto Amara, unreadable.
"You're still here," Vahari said, less a question and more an observation.
"You told me to wait," Amara shot back.
Vahari sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Right. Come with me."
She turned without another word, expecting Amara to follow. After a brief hesitation, Amara pushed herself up and did just that.
They walked in silence down the dimly lit corridor, the distant hum of the city beyond the windows their only companion. Amara stole a glance at Vahari, taking in the way she carried herself—rigid posture, clipped steps.
"Are you going to tell me what is going to happen to me?" Amara finally asked.
Vahari didn't stop walking. "You're my shadow now."
Amara frowned. "What does that even mean?"
"It means you follow me, you do what I say, and if you're lucky, you might actually survive this."
Amara slowed her pace. "Wait—survive what?"
Vahari halted so suddenly that Amara nearly ran into her. She turned, staring down at her with an intensity that made Amara's stomach twist.
"The apocalypse," Vahari said bluntly.
Amara bristled. "So why did your boss bring me here?"
Vahari's gaze flickered, just for a moment. Then she exhaled, shaking her head. "That's what I'd like to know."
They stared at each other, the silence stretching thick between them.
Then, Vahari turned on her heel and kept walking.
"Get some rest. Training starts tomorrow."
Amara stood there, her fingers curling into fists.
I was just living a normal life now, training, the apocalypse? What the hell have I gotten myself into?
She had no answer. Only the quiet certainty that something in her life had shifted—permanently.
And she wasn't sure if she'd survive it.