Kai ran through the back streets of the city. Behind him, he could hear the Memory Erasers getting closer. Their footsteps echoed off the walls. He had to find the Underground City fast.
He remembered stories about secret tunnels under the city. His grandmother used to tell him tales about people who lived below the ground. He always thought they were just stories. Now he hoped they were real.
Kai found an old subway entrance. It had been closed for many years. The metal gate was rusty and broken. He squeezed through a gap and ran down the dark stairs.
The tunnels were very dark. Kai used his memory gloves to create a small light. The gloves could do more than just read memories. They could store energy too.
As he walked deeper into the tunnels, he saw strange markings on the walls. They glowed with a soft blue light. The markings seemed to point the way forward.
"Follow the memory lights," Kai whispered to himself. "They will lead you to safety."
After walking for what felt like hours, Kai heard voices ahead. He moved carefully toward the sound. Through a crack in the wall, he saw an amazing sight.
It was a whole city underground! People lived in houses carved from stone. Markets sold food and supplies. Children played in the streets. But all the people looked different from those above ground. Their eyes glowed with a soft silver light.
"A new one comes," said a voice behind him. Kai turned around and saw an old woman with kind eyes. "Do not be afraid, young Memory Merchant. We have been waiting for you."
"How did you know I was coming?" Kai asked.
The woman smiled. "The memories told us. They said a boy would come with a Golden Memory. A boy who would help us fight the Erasers."
She led Kai through a hidden door into the Underground City. "Welcome to the last free place in the world," she said. "Here, memories are still safe. Here, we remember everything."
Kai looked around in wonder. This was where the Memory Keepers lived. This was where his real adventure would begin.