The city of Velrith was quiet in the wake of the Class A dungeon collapse. The streets were still crowded with evacuees and curious onlookers, but high above, in the skeletal remains of an abandoned rooftop district, silence reigned.
Kael Ryven stood at the edge, golden eyes scanning the city. His gloves were scorched from the earlier battle, chest still heaving from exertion. For the first time in hours, he could breathe. Alone — or almost alone.
He sensed the presence before he saw it.
"Rael," he said, voice low, carrying just enough sharpness to cut through the tension.
From the shadows, Lucien stepped forward, silver eyes glinting under the faint glow of Rift residue in the night sky. His coat fluttered slightly in the wind, shadows coiling at his feet like obedient serpents.
Kael didn't step back. "You always have to be in my line of sight, don't you?"
Lucien's expression didn't shift — his voice was calm, distant. "Someone has to make sure the city isn't destroyed while you play hero."
Kael's smirk was sharp. "And I suppose you're the perfect example of restraint and control, huh?"
Lucien's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond immediately. Instead, he surveyed Kael — the heat still radiating from his gauntlets, the faint sweat on his brow, the fire in his gaze that refused to be tempered.
Interesting, he thought. Not just skillful. Reckless. Passionate. Alive.
The Tension Builds
Kael shifted, keeping his distance yet subtly leaning closer. "Funny," he said, "I never thought the Untouchable Shadow would leave his precious team behind just to… meet me."
Lucien's eyes flickered — a fraction of a reaction, gone in an instant. "I didn't leave anyone behind. I left them where they could operate most effectively."
"Right," Kael said, tone light but edged with challenge. "And the reason you came here… is?"
Lucien's silver gaze met his golden eyes. "Observation. Assessment. Nothing more."
Kael laughed quietly. "Observation, huh? Sounds suspiciously personal to me."
The words hung in the air, tension crackling between them like static. Neither admitted it, but both felt it. Every inch closer, every word sharper than it should be — they were circling each other, predators aware of the other's strength.
Testing Each Other
Kael moved slightly forward, but Lucien didn't budge. "You always have to prove yourself, don't you?" Lucien said.
Kael's grin was dangerous, almost playful. "And you always have to act perfect. Always untouchable, always in control. Ever wonder what it's like to… drop the act?"
Lucien's shadows stirred, curling around his legs like warning tendrils. "I don't have the luxury of losing control."
"You think I do?" Kael shot back, stepping closer. The golden fire flickered faintly across his fists, enough to catch Lucien's attention. "I'm supposed to be the reckless one. The hero. The one people cheer for. But you… you make me question why I even need to play that part."
Lucien's expression didn't falter, but something tightened in his chest. The words were dangerous. Sharp. Truths neither of them would normally speak aloud.
A Quiet Moment
For a long beat, they simply stood, the city lights glimmering far below, distant sirens echoing. The air was heavy with unsaid words, and neither dared to break the fragile equilibrium.
Kael tilted his head slightly, smirk softening. "We make a hell of a team, you know. Even if I'd never admit it to anyone else."
Lucien's shadow twitched, responding almost unconsciously. "Efficiency does not equal partnership."
"But it's… close," Kael whispered, stepping almost imperceptibly nearer. "Closer than either of us should like."
Lucien's jaw tightened. His silver eyes briefly flickered — something raw, human, untamed behind the mask. "Don't mistake necessity for anything else."
The Unspoken
A sudden gust of wind swept through the rooftop, ruffling Kael's hair and fluttering Lucien's coat. It seemed to carry the tension with it, brushing across their shoulders like a whispered challenge.
Neither moved closer, yet neither stepped back. The electricity between them was palpable, dangerous. Rivalry, admiration, curiosity, something more — all intertwined, unsaid, unresolved.
Finally, Kael broke the silence, voice low and teasing. "I should go back before someone notices we're missing."
Lucien inclined his head slightly, shadows coiling and retreating. "Do as you will. I have work to do."
Kael's smirk lingered as he stepped back into the shadows. "Until next time, Shadow Prince."
Lucien's silver gaze followed him until he disappeared. For the first time in a long while, he allowed a fraction of thought to linger on Kael — and it was something he didn't intend to name.
The city slept below, unaware of the collision of fire and shadow that had just occurred above, and the rooftop remained silent once more — but the tension, the spark, had not dissipated.