The night passed quickly, the dark hours blending into each other like shadows in a dream. Jade's thoughts were heavy, filled with the burden of his decision. As Rael had said, there was no running from this. Nebet and his gang weren't the kind of enemies you could outlast or hide from. Eventually, they would come for him—and Jade had no intention of being caught unprepared.
As the first light of dawn filtered through the cracks in the boarded-up windows of the safe house, Jade rose, his eyes already steely with resolve. Rael was still sleeping on the floor nearby, his chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm. Jade knew the man was worried, but there was no time for that.
He quietly gathered his things, checking that his key was still safely hidden within his coat. His thoughts drifted back to the time he had spent with his family before everything had gone wrong. His mother, his father, even his brother. How had it all gone so far off the rails? He needed to know. He had to understand why his brother, the person he trusted most, had joined Nebet's gang and abandoned everything they once stood for.
Rael stirred in his sleep, but Jade was already out the door before the man could fully wake. The streets were eerily quiet at this hour, and the usual hustle of the city hadn't yet begun. Jade took a deep breath, inhaling the stale air of the slums before exhaling slowly. This was it. There was no turning back now.
He made his way through the narrow alleyways, his boots echoing against the stone streets. His mind raced with plans and strategies—how to infiltrate Nebet's hideout, how to gather information without getting caught. He needed to find a way to move undetected. But no matter how much he planned, one fact remained clear: he was up against enemies who were far stronger than him, both physically and strategically.
As Jade approached the outskirts of the city, he found himself on the edge of the forest. It was said that Nebet's gang, the Ten Shadows, had a stronghold there. Somewhere hidden deep in the trees, a place where no one could find them unless they were invited.
Jade hesitated. He wasn't sure he was ready for what lay ahead, but he knew that time was running out. He couldn't afford to wait any longer. With each passing moment, the bounty on his head was growing larger, and Nebet's gang was closing in.
He stepped forward, the forest swallowing him in its shadows.
It wasn't long before Jade found himself at the entrance to a hidden village, tucked away in the heart of the forest. The air was thick with tension, the sound of distant murmurs reaching his ears. He wasn't alone. In the distance, he could make out figures moving in and out of a large stone building. It had to be their hideout.
As he approached, a strange feeling washed over him. He could sense the power emanating from within the walls. This wasn't a place to be taken lightly. And as he looked up at the towering structure, he knew he was facing something far beyond anything he had ever encountered before.
Suddenly, a shadow moved from the corner of his vision. Before he could react, a figure emerged from the darkness, blocking his path.
Jade instinctively took a step back, his hand instinctively reaching for the key hidden in his coat. But the figure didn't attack. Instead, they just stood there, watching him intently.
"Jade," a familiar voice murmured.
His heart skipped a beat.
He knew that voice.
The figure stepped forward, and Jade's breath caught in his throat as he saw the face of his brother, the man who had turned his back on him.
But this wasn't the same person he remembered. His brother's eyes were cold and calculating, his expression unreadable. A black cloak hung loosely from his shoulders, the insignia of Nebet's gang embroidered on the sleeve.
"Jade," his brother repeated, his voice devoid of emotion. "You're a long way from home."
Jade's hand clenched into a fist, the anger rising in his chest. "What are you doing here? Why have you joined them?"
His brother's lips curled into a faint, almost mocking smile. "It's not about what I'm doing, Jade. It's about what you're doing. You're playing a dangerous game."
Jade's gaze hardened. "I'm not playing any game. I'm here to stop you. To stop Nebet."
His brother's smile faltered for a brief moment, but it quickly returned, colder than before. "You don't understand, do you? Nebet is more than just a leader. He's… he's something else. Something you can't even begin to comprehend."
Jade's grip tightened around the key. "I don't care about any of that. I'm going to stop you. All of you."
His brother's eyes flickered with something—amusement, maybe?—but his expression remained unchanged. "We'll see about that."
Without another word, he turned and walked back into the shadows, vanishing into the night.
Jade stood there for a long moment, his mind spinning. He had come for answers, but now, he was more lost than ever. The world he was stepping into was far darker than he had ever imagined.
And the path ahead was more dangerous than he could have possibly anticipated.