[LOCATION: CITY OUTSKIRTS – NIGHT, TWO YEARS PRIOR]
[TIME: 11:47 P.M.]
The city's outskirts sprawled beneath the thick blanket of night, neon lights flickering faintly in the distance, barely reaching the shadowed alleys. The air was thick with the scent of rain and burning refuse. Broken signs swung in the breeze, their rusted chains creaking like whispers of forgotten days.
Nel crouched low behind a pile of discarded crates, her breath shallow and steady, eyes sharp beneath a tangled mane of dark hair. She held a small vial tightly clutched in her trembling hand — a vial containing information that could dismantle a powerful syndicate's grip on the city.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as the footsteps of approaching guards echoed down the alley. Nel had lived on the run for nearly a year, ever since she uncovered the Syndicate's darkest secret — the engineered weapon they were developing in secret, something that could control entire city districts with terrifying precision.
Her parents were gone — disappeared after trying to expose the same secret. Nel had been alone ever since, trusting no one. But tonight was different. She wasn't just running. She was hoping to find someone who could help her.
---
Suddenly, a figure stepped into the dim glow of a flickering streetlamp ahead — tall, cloaked in black, the unmistakable shimmer of a Reactor Ring faintly glowing beneath the fabric. His presence was commanding, yet cautious. The figure's sharp eyes scanned the alley with the precision of a predator.
Nel froze.
"Show yourself," the man's voice was calm, yet edged with authority.
Nel hesitated for a split second before stepping out from her hiding place.
"I'm not your enemy," she said quietly, hands raised to show she carried nothing but the vial.
The man's eyes narrowed but his stance relaxed.
"Why should I trust you?" he asked.
Nel swallowed hard. "Because I have proof of what the Syndicate is planning. I want to stop them, but I can't do it alone."
The man's gaze softened just slightly. He gestured for her to follow.
---
[LOCATION: ABANDONED WAREHOUSE – NIGHT]
Inside the warehouse, sparse light flickered over crates and broken machinery. The man moved with silent purpose, signaling Nel to sit.
"I'm Lin," he introduced, voice low but steady.
Nel's eyes flickered with a mix of fear and hope. "Nel," she replied, the name almost foreign to her own ears as if it anchored her to something real.
Lin reached out and took the vial, examining its contents under a cracked lamp.
"This is dangerous," Lin said finally. "You've put yourself at risk by holding this."
Nel nodded. "I know. That's why I need protection."
Lin studied her face — weary beyond her years, eyes flickering with unspoken pain.
"Why haven't you spoken to anyone else?" Lin asked softly.
Nel hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't trust easily. Everyone I've cared about is gone. Talking means risking everything."
Lin's expression hardened.
"You don't have to face this alone anymore."
For the first time in a long while, Nel felt a flicker of something unfamiliar — safety.
---
[LOCATION: CITY ROOFTOPS – NIGHT]
[TIME: A WEEK LATER]
Lin and Nel moved like shadows across the rooftops, watching the Syndicate's activities from above.
Nel's voice broke the silence. "Lin, why do you fight? You have power. You could disappear, live somewhere safe."
Lin didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked out across the city, his face illuminated by neon lights.
"Because if I don't, no one else will. People like me—people with power—have to stand against the darkness."
Nel looked at him, impressed and frightened all at once.
"I want to fight, too. But I don't know how."
Lin smiled faintly. "Then I'll teach you."
---
[LOCATION: SAFE HOUSE – WEEKS LATER]
Under Lin's guidance, Nel trained relentlessly. Lin showed her how to harness her own latent energy, how to read the flow of battle, how to protect herself without losing herself in the fight.
One night, as Nel struggled with an especially difficult technique, frustration threatening to overwhelm her, Lin approached quietly.
"Talk to me," he said softly.
Nel looked up, surprised.
"I don't talk much," she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.
Lin nodded knowingly.
"Sometimes, the hardest step is just speaking your truth."
Nel took a deep breath, her voice trembling.
"I'm scared, Lin. Scared I'll lose myself, scared I'll lose you."
Lin reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You won't. We're in this together."
---
[LOCATION: ABANDONED TEMPLE RUINS – PRESENT DAY]
Their first meeting had forged a bond stronger than either had anticipated. Nel's silence was no longer a wall — it was a bridge. And Lin, the Black Reaper, the feared warrior cloaked in darkness, had become the light she never expected to find.
---
To be continued