The open market of Outer Songrin was where whispers carried more weight than gold, and the wrong eye contact could get you killed.
Zora kept her head low beneath the grey hook of her cloak with her fingers curled tightly around her map. Her other arm, which was now capable of splitting walls, was kept hidden under layers of cloth.
Beside her, Micah's usual swagger was subdued. His broad shoulders were hunched and a faded scarf covered the lower half of his face.
They moved like ghosts, moving through the noise of busy traders and wandering mech drones.
In that moment, it became clearer to Zora how much the city had changed. It was once a regal structure, now pulsing with decay and control. Horam's reign had turned Songrin into a scrap yard kingdom.
"You know," Micah muttered behind his scarf." I never thought I would be this deep in enemy territory with nothing but a map drawn on a tiny paper, it is barely visible."
Zora gave him a half-smile. He nudged her shoulder, leaning much closer now.
"You okay?"
"No,"
Her eyes didn't move from the stalls ahead. "But I don't get the luxury of falling apart, not until she's safe."
They passed a vendor selling ancient relics of royal origin. The man eyed them suspiciously. Zora slipped a coin onto his table and kept walking. He said nothing.
When they turned into an alley that led behind a crumbling factory, Micah paused.
" This is where the map gets weird," he said, squinting at the scribbled lines.
" Looks like a kid with motor oil for hands drew it."
"Close," Zora said. " Vektar sketched it."
" Well, that explains everything."
They reached a sealed gate tucked into the Shadows. Zora knelt and brushed aside the sand, revealing an old sigil in the floor. It was her family's crest, nearly erased by time and abandonment. Her throat went dry, but she said nothing as she pressed her palm over it.
The gate hissed open, sliding to reveal the darkness that lay ahead.
Micah tilted his head." Ladies first".
Zora stepped in." You just want me to trigger the traps first."
Micah smirked." I call that strategy."
Inside, the temperature was like minus zero degrees. The walls were smooth and ancient, covered by worn-out circuitry. The tunnels were forgotten passageways beneath Songrin, that led directly to the mainstay of the royal family. Now, they carried something far more dangerous.
" I used to sneak out through these tunnels as a kid," Zora whispered.
"I used to get grounded for stealing tech scraps, we are not the same," Micah teased.
They moved deeper into the darkness, with the echoing of their boots being the only sound that could be heard, until a mechanical buzz rose in the distance.
Zora froze in her tracks." Can you hear that?" They both listened closer." Patrol drones are in the area."
Micah slid his goggles over his eyes. "Time to vanish."
They ducked into a maintenance alcove, as two drones hovered past. Zora's heart slammed in her chest and Micah's hand brushed hers briefly, reminding her that she wasn't alone.
When the drones had moved to a reasonable distance, they kept moving.
After navigating twisted corners and squeezing through tiny ducts, the tunnel opened into a wide chamber. On the far end, was an old royal access door, etched with the mark of Horam's seal. Zora stepped towards the seal.
Micah reached for her shoulder. "Hey… if this door opens and we go through, there's no going back.
She looked over her shoulder, eyes glued to Micah's. "I don't want to go back." Then, the door hissed open.
What lay ahead was no longer a memory. It was the future, marked by sacrifice and rebellion. But little did they know that they would discover something far more twisted than they would ever imagine.