The roach exploded.
Jamie didn't even slow down.
Her boot came down with enough force to crack the creature's shell and send foul-smelling ichor splattering across the damp stone floor.
Crunch.
The oversized insect twitched once.
Twice.
Then stopped moving.
Jamie wrinkled her nose.
"Gross."
The thing was nearly the size of a small dog.
Which would have been impressive if it wasn't disgusting.
The underground tunnels beneath Aethelberg were not places normal people visited.
Ancient channels twisted through the earth beneath the city like the veins of a corpse. These passages were used for the city's drainage system but still were apart of and led to the underground ruins of the ancient city. These stone passages stretched endlessly into darkness, intersecting with forgotten maintenance routes and abandoned smuggling corridors before extending to chambers beyond that surface that predated the city itself.
Water dripped from the ceiling.
A rat the size of a boar darted from a nearby tunnel.
Jamie's arm moved.
He Anti-Flow flared around her fist as she used Flow reinforcement and punched.
The impact landed before she expected it to but that was not what drew her attention. As the punch landed, a drop of water caught her attention.
Jamie watched it descend, then frowned while the creature was launched into a wall by her blow. The giant rat collapsed.
Dead.
Jamie stared.
For a fraction of a second it seemed delayed. Like reality had lagged behind itself. The droplet hit the ground a heartbeat later than it should have. Her brow furrowed The sensation vanished, gone as quickly as it had appeared.
"...Weird."
Then she shrugged.
Probably her imagination. It's not like someone had stopped time somewhere, and how the hell would she even know if they did? For some reason that bothered her.
Not enough to dwell on it but enough to remember.
She shook her head before shoving her hands into her pockets and continued walking. A few minutes later she found the group.
The six were gathered within one of the larger underground chambers.
The chamber itself looked like something pulled from an old nightmare.
Massive stone pillars rose from murky water. Ancient runes covered sections of the walls. Several tunnels branched away into darkness. Rusting metal walkways connected elevated platforms above stagnant pools. Every so often something moved beneath the water.
Too large to be fish.
Too quiet to be beasts.
The corruption leaking from nearby containment chambers had twisted the local ecosystem over decades.
Oversized vermin scurried through cracks.
Mutated insects clung to walls.
A colony of pale centipedes as long as her arm disappeared beneath loose stone.
'Charming place.'
The six however seemed accustomed to it.
"...I'm telling you," Gustav said. "This makes no sense."
The scarred man folded his arms.
"Boss doesn't trust anyone."
"No argument there," Mira replied.
The sharp-eyed woman leaned against a support pillar.
"Which is exactly why this is strange."
Sasha nodded.
"All the girl did was mention a name."
"A name. That's all."
"Roric."
The name hung in the air.
Kalex grunted agreement.
"Still weird."
Jamie chose that moment to reveal herself.
"Talking about me?"
The reaction was immediate.
The group spun, Gustav's hand went to his weapon. Mira's eyes narrowed as she made a stance. Bram shifted his weight. Sasha's fingers twitched toward her blade. Kalex and Cole, moved apart, creating space.
Jamie smiled.
"Good reflexes."
Gustav frowned.
"How did you get here?"
Jamie smiled.
"I walked."
The scarred man's eye twitched.
"That's not what I meant."
Jamie shrugged. She didn't answer. Her hands remained in her pockets, fingers curled around a small artifact she had prepared—just in case. She was curious and impulsive. But curious and impulsive were not the same thing as stupid.
They eyed her wearily.She could feel their intent.
Distrust.
Caution.
Readiness.
Nothing unusual.
No hidden malice.
No murderous intent.
No preparation for betrayal.
Just people who didn't know whether she was friend or enemy which honestly made them easier to trust than most adults. Not that she trusted them. Trust was earned and these people hadn't earned anything
"So you won't answer?"
"No."
The tension somehow increased.
Jamie could practically feel their frustration.
'Good. Let them be frustrated.'
Her smile remained easy.
Playful.
Carefree.
The same mask everyone expected. Behind it she was cataloging everything.
Weaknesses.
If they attacked again she already knew how to put all six on the ground. The realization was comforting.
Gustav pointed at her.
"Take the collar off."
"No."
"Kid."
"No."
"We had an agreement."
"No we didn't."
"Stop playing and just take the damned thing off."
"Will you attack me if I refuse?"
Gustav folded his arms.
"We're not in the habit of attacking children."
"I'm not a child."
"You're like, thirteen."
"I'm seven"
"Same same." He waved dismissively.
"Different." Jamie shook her head.
"So take it off."
"I just said no. Do you have hearing issues or comprehension issues?''
The scarred man looked like he wanted to scream. Mira pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.
"The boss wants to speak with her."
That got everyone's attention. Even Gustav backed down.
They all looked at Jamie.
"Uh...?" the girl looked around nervously.
"The artifact we gave you." Sasha said.
"Oh."
Jamie produced it. The device resembled a polished black disk with silver markings that resembled vines carved into its surface.
"Now what?" Jamie asked.
"Press the center." Mira instructed
Jamie did.
The symbols lit up and a silver flame erupted, burning above it.
"Um, hello?"
The voice that responded was warm. Familiar.
"Jamie."
Jamie sat on a nearby broken pillar. The six remained standing, vigilant.
"You've caused so much trouble."
"They attacked me."
"You eavesdropped on them."
"They were saying interesting things."
Several groans came from the group.
The boss laughed again.
"You really do remind me of him."
The woman sounded amused. Jamie's hand tightened on the artifact.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Tess." A pause.
"One of Roric's friends."
Jamie frowned.
"How do you really know my papa?"
"Oh, I know him plenty."
The smile in Tess's voice became nostalgic.
"We went to school together."
That caught Jamie off guard.
"What?"
"Fazhan University. Your father, Alaric, Elara, Licht, Farnsworth, Othmar. The most unlikely group of idiots you'd ever meet."
"Hmm. Papa never mentioned any of you."
"That's because I didn't exactly take an honorable career path."
Several of the six exchanged looks.
Jamie noticed.
'Interesting.'
Tess continued.
"We were called the Glory Seven."
Jamie blinked.
"Never heard of 'em."
"It was a different time. A different world." Tess's voice softened.
"It carried the weight of things we all wished would remain between us. Its good."
"Good?"
"Means people forgot."
Thre was a brief pause.
"I remember how Alaric and Elara used to fight. Imagine my surprise when I heard they not only got married, but had a child together."
"I remember how Alaric and Elara used to fight. Imagine my surprise when I heard they not only got married, but had a child together."
Jamie's lips twitched.
"They have children."
"Oh?"
"They have a daughter now too. Their son is Elias."
'I'm still not sure about these people,' she thought.
'But aunt Elara can take care of Ellaine. And Elias...Elias can handle himself so it's fine.'
"Hmm." Tess was quiet for a moment.
"That's good to hear. Though... it's a stain on my part, given my position and line of work, that I didn't know these things about my old friends."
She paused. Then she asked the question.
"How's Roric?"
Silence.
Jamie's expression didn't change.
"He's dead."
Absolute silence.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Even the rats seemed quieter.
"What?"
"Due to circumstances, my father lost his life protecting me and the people of Blackhaven in the recent attack on the city."
The words settled heavily over the chamber. Then the wave of emotion that followed was palpable. Mira's eyes widened. Sasha's hand stilled. Bram looked away. Even Gustav's posture shifted—just slightly.
Colors exploded across her Synesthesia.
Sympathy.
Sadness.
Regret.
Concern.
Pity.
She hated all of them. Especially pity.
Mira looked at her different now.
Sasha too.
Even Gustav.
The moment people learned someone suffered they started looking at them differently.
Like they were fragile.
Broken.
Something that needed protecting.
Jamie despised it.
Her anger flickered—brief, controlled. The chamber temperature dropped several degrees.
Everyone felt it.
Tess spoke carefully.
"I..."
For the first time uncertainty entered her voice.
"I don't know how to respond to that.That one of my friends is dead."
The honesty surprised Jamie.
Emotion lingered beneath the woman's composure.
Real emotion.
Not performance.
Real grief.
Not manipulation.
Jamie could tell. That made things more complicated.
"And I'm not in a position to call myself a leader of an organization if i couldn't get even this basic information."
Jamie's ears perked.
'Information, organization.'
Tess continued.
"What happened?What were the circumstances that led to Roric's death?"
Jamie raised a hand.
"No."
The single word froze the conversation. She stood.
The playful smile disappeared entirely. The tomboyish energy vanished. For the first time they saw what sat underneath.
Cold.
Sharp.
Calculating.
"I was led here by something inexplicable. I don't trust any of you—just like you don't trust me." She threw an icy glare at the six figures.
Gustav.
Then Mira.
Then Sasha.
Then the others.
Several people visibly shuddered as the temperature dropped again.
"If you want answers."
She pointed toward the artifact.
"Then I get my answers first."
Tess remained silent. Jamie continued.
"You mentioned an organization. Information. Elaborate."
The reaction was immediate.
"No."
Gustav.
"Absolutely not."
Mira.
"We can't."
Sasha.
"It's against protocol. If we're discovered its either death or the person is forced to join us."
Cole.
"Boss you made the rule."
Kalex.
"Not happening."
Bram.
"Boss....''
Every single one objected. Tess listened patiently. Then sighed.
"Yes."
Six heads turned.
The Boss sounded completely unbothered.
"I did make that rule."
The group immediately looked hopeful.
Then Tess continued.
"Which means there's only one solution."
"So, Jamie Thorne—once again, are you willing to join our organization?"
Jamie's lips curved.
"That all depends on what I hear."
Tess laughed.
"Fair enough."