Kael Varyn's heart slammed against his ribs as Varkis's kinetic blast tore through the Skyline street, the explosion sending chunks of pavement flying like shrapnel.
The hoverbike wobbled under him, its engines screaming as he swerved hard to avoid the debris, the neon lights above blurring into streaks of pink and blue.
"Hold on—we're not done yet!" Kael shouted, his voice raw over the roar of the bike, his knuckles white as he gripped the handles.
Anjali clung to his shoulder, her dagger still in hand, her sharp eyes locked on Varkis as the Syndicate enforcer charged toward them, his towering form radiating kinetic Essence like a storm about to break.
"We can't outrun him on this thing!" she yelled, her voice fierce but tight with worry, her protective streak pushing her to shield Kael even now.
Toren, sandwiched between them, let out a panicked yelp, his arms wrapped around Kael's waist so tight it hurt.
"He's gonna kill us!" Toren shouted, his voice cracking, his cracked stun gun useless in his lap as he buried his face in Kael's back.
Kael's mind raced, his Smarts stat—18—working overtime, his Chicago street smarts kicking in as he scanned the Skyline's polished streets for a way out.
His HUD buzzed with a warning: 'Threat Level: Critical. Hostile Essence Signature: Kinetic. Points: 400.'
He could feel the Starlit Veil in his jacket, its faint starry glow a fragile comfort against the chaos, but he knew it wouldn't be enough—not against Varkis, not with the Veil's power still drained from the Rift Spires.
"We don't have to outrun him forever," Kael said, his voice steady despite the panic clawing at him, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a narrow side street up ahead, its entrance partially hidden by a flickering holo-sign.
"We just need to lose him."
He yanked the hoverbike into a sharp turn, the tires screeching as they veered into the side street, the Skyline's towering spires casting long shadows over them.
Varkis roared behind them, his kinetic Essence surging in a wave that shattered the holo-sign, its shards raining down as the bike sped through the debris.
Kael ducked low, Anjali and Toren hunching with him, the wind whipping past as the bike's engines groaned under the strain.
"He's still coming!" Toren shouted, his voice muffled against Kael's back, his fear palpable but his grip unwavering, his trust in Kael holding him together.
Anjali twisted around, her dagger flashing as she hurled it at Varkis, the blade glowing with molten Essence as it flew through the air.
It struck Varkis's armored shoulder, the Essence sizzling against the metal, but the enforcer barely flinched, his glowing eyes locked on them with a predator's focus.
"You'll have to do better than that!" Varkis bellowed, his voice a thunderclap as he raised his hand, another kinetic wave building around him.
Anjali cursed under her breath, her voice a low growl as she turned back to Kael, her protective streak flaring brighter than ever.
"We need a plan, Kael—now!" she said, her tone sharp but her eyes searching his, trusting him to find a way out.
Kael's mind raced, his Smarts stat latching onto the Skyline's layout, the district's sleek streets and elevated walkways flashing through his memory like a map.
He remembered something from their infiltration of the Syndicate hub—there was a maintenance tunnel near the district's edge, used for Essence conduit repairs, a perfect spot to disappear if they could reach it.
"Maintenance tunnel—east side of the Skyline," Kael said, his voice urgent as he pushed the bike harder, the engines whining in protest.
"If we can get there, we can lose him underground!"
Anjali nodded, her expression fierce, her trust in Kael a steady anchor in the storm.
"Then get us there," she said, her voice a quiet command, her hand gripping his shoulder like she could will them to safety through sheer determination.
The hoverbike sped through the Skyline, weaving between sleek hovercars and dodging pedestrians who shouted curses as they passed.
Varkis was relentless, his kinetic blasts tearing up the street behind them, each explosion closer than the last, the air crackling with his rage.
Kael's HUD pinged again: 'Points: 350 (-50).'
He swerved into another side street, the maintenance tunnel's entrance coming into view—a rusted grate half-hidden behind a stack of crates, its surface glowing faintly with Essence runes.
"There!" Kael shouted, pointing to the grate, his voice tight with hope as he gunned the bike toward it.
But Varkis was faster, his kinetic Essence surging in a massive wave that slammed into the street just ahead, the impact sending the bike skidding out of control.
Kael fought to keep it upright, his arms burning with the effort, but the bike flipped, throwing them all to the ground in a heap.
Kael hit the pavement hard, the air rushing out of his lungs as he rolled to a stop, the Veil slipping from his jacket and skidding across the street.
"Anjali! Toren!" he gasped, his voice ragged as he pushed himself up, his body screaming in protest, his HUD flashing: 'Host Condition: Critical.'
Anjali was already on her feet, her dagger lost but her fists clenched, her sharp eyes darting to Kael with a mix of relief and urgency.
"I'm fine—get the Veil!" she shouted, her voice fierce as she moved to check on Toren, who was groaning a few feet away.
Toren sat up, his round face smeared with dirt, his stun gun cracked beyond repair but his eyes steady as he looked at Kael.
"I'm okay," he said, his voice shaky but resolute, his loyalty to Kael unshaken even now.
Kael scrambled for the Veil, his fingers closing around its starry glow just as Varkis's shadow loomed over him, the enforcer's kinetic Essence crackling like a storm ready to strike.
"You've caused enough trouble, rookie," Varkis growled, his voice a low rumble, his glowing eyes burning with fury.
"The Veil—and the Aether Crown—belong to the Syndicate."
Kael clutched the Veil to his chest, his heart pounding as he backed away, his Smarts stat racing for a way out, his voice defiant despite the fear clawing at him.
"You'll have to kill me first," he said, his Chicago grit shining through, his resolve hardening like steel.
Varkis laughed, a harsh, grating sound, his hand raising to unleash another kinetic blast.
"That can be arranged," he snarled, the air around him trembling with power.
But before the blast could hit, Anjali tackled Kael out of the way, her body slamming into his as they rolled behind a crate, the kinetic wave exploding where they'd been, the crate shattering into splinters.
"We need to move!" Anjali shouted, her voice raw, her protective streak a fierce shield as she pulled Kael to his feet, her eyes blazing with determination.
Toren was already at the grate, his shaky hands prying it open, his voice urgent as he waved them over.
"Guys, come on!" he yelled, his fear overshadowed by his trust in Kael, his courage shining through in the chaos.
Kael and Anjali sprinted for the grate, Varkis's roar echoing behind them as another kinetic blast rocked the street, the shockwave knocking them forward.
They tumbled into the maintenance tunnel, the grate slamming shut as Toren yanked it closed, the darkness swallowing them as Varkis's fist pounded against the metal, the sound reverberating like a death knell.
Kael's HUD updated: 'Task Progress: Escaped Varkis—Temporary. Objective: Reach the Ashen Forge.'
The tunnel was damp and narrow, the air thick with the scent of burnt Essence, the faint glow of conduits along the walls casting eerie shadows.
Kael leaned against the wall, his chest heaving, the Veil still clutched in his hand, its starry light dim but steady, a fragile hope in the gloom.
"That was too close," he said, his voice rough, his body aching as he looked at Anjali and Toren, gratitude flooding him for his friends' quick thinking.
Anjali wiped sweat from her brow, her expression fierce but her voice softer now, her protective streak still burning bright.
"We're not out of this yet," she said, her dark eyes meeting Kael's, her trust in him unwavering.
"Varkis will tear this district apart to find us."
Toren nodded, his round face pale but his grin shaky and real, his voice a mix of relief and nerves.
"But we made it, right?" he said, looking at Kael with a trust that made his chest ache.
"Together?"
"Together," Kael said, his voice firm, a flicker of resolve igniting within him as he met Toren's gaze, Anjali's steady presence at his side a quiet strength.
He pulled up his HUD, the chat channel buzzing with the multiverse's whispers, a chaotic mix of awe and danger:
- 'NeonScout: "Starlit rookie just faced Varkis in the Skyline—barely escaped!"'
- 'RelicHound: "10,000 creds now. I'm heading to the Ashen Forge—kid's gotta show up there."'
- 'VoidWalker: "Eclipse Engine's active. Kid's running out of time."'
Kael shut the channel off, his jaw tightening as the mention of the Eclipse Engine sent a chill down his spine, the Ashen Forge looming like a death trap in his mind.
"We need a rift key to get to the Ashen Forge," he said, his voice steady despite the fear creeping in, his Smarts stat already working on their next move.
"And we need to find out what this Eclipse Engine does—before it's too late."
Anjali's hand brushed his arm, her touch grounding him, her voice a quiet promise.
"We'll figure it out," she said, her dark eyes fierce with determination, her protective streak a steady anchor in the storm.
But before Kael could respond, a faint hum echoed through the tunnel, the sound of Syndicate drones scanning the Skyline above, their red optics piercing the darkness as Varkis's voice roared in the distance: "Find them—or I'll tear this city apart!"
Kael's heart skipped a beat, his voice a desperate whisper as he gripped the Veil, the tunnel's shadows closing in around them.
"We're not safe yet," he said, the Syndicate's wrath a noose tightening with every second.