Prince's boots echoed against the stone floor as he descended into the underground station. Months of running, hiding, and surviving had led him here, yet the shadows felt alive, pressing in from all sides. Lammy Ammy and Jed were already waiting, faces drawn tight with tension and secrets they didn't bother to hide.
The air smelled of damp concrete and rust, and flickering lights painted the walls with strange, dancing shapes. Every drop of water that fell from the ceiling sounded like a countdown. Lammy's voice cut through the silence, trembling slightly but sharp. "You feel that? Something isn't right. I nearly ran straight into one of them during my show… Revenants are hunting closer than ever."
Jed's jaw tightened, hands clenching into fists. "And I've got the scars to prove it. There's a new kind of hunter out there—stronger, smarter. They're tracking us relentlessly. We can't underestimate them."
Prince scanned the shadows carefully. He knew the feeling—he'd felt it many times before: a presence that was not entirely human, not entirely ghost. Then he noticed it—a faint figure hovering in the corner, almost invisible in the dim light. A girl, or something like one, with hollow eyes and a strange sigil etched across her hand, whispered above the sound of dripping water: "They're building something… it's calling us…"
Prince took a cautious step forward, but before he could react, the scrape of boots echoed through the tunnels. Shadows shifted, longer and darker than they had a moment ago. The ambush had arrived.
Revenant operatives poured into the station from every angle. Prince acted first, bending their perception with mind tricks, disorienting them just enough to gain a small advantage. Lammy hurled bolts of magic, flames and shards of light cutting through the gloom, scorching walls and leaving eerie trails in the air. Jed held his ground as long as he could, his human form straining under the assault, then finally gave in to transformation, muscles expanding, strength multiplying, breaking through the line of attackers with raw ferocity. The battle was chaotic, loud, and fast—flashes of light, sparks, and the sounds of impact echoing through the underground tunnels.
Breathless and bruised, the trio fled deeper into the labyrinthine tunnels, hearts pounding, bodies battered. Lammy's magic flickered weakly with exhaustion; Jed's wound throbbed with each step, slowing him down. Prince sensed a danger even greater than the operatives they had just escaped. Something was waiting further ahead, in the deeper shadows.
Finally, they skidded to a stop in a hidden alcove, hidden from immediate view, catching their breath. Lammy's eyes were sharp, resolute. "We can't stay here," she whispered urgently. "But… I know someone who can keep us safe." She glanced at Prince and Jed. "My old classmate, Praise… her place is secure, private. No one would think to look for us there."
Prince's mind raced. A mansion in the city's depths, a friend of Lammy's, a temporary sanctuary from the danger closing in. It sounded almost too good to be true—but it was their only choice.
With no other options, they pressed on, deeper into the darkness, the promise of refuge guiding them toward an uncertain tomorrow. Shadows twisted around them, whispering threats, but for the first time in months, there was a faint glimmer of hope.