The streets of Rivo District were nothing like Arvendale. Gone were the clean roads and quiet evenings. Here, the air was thick with dust and smoke. Roofs sagged under the weight of rust and old tarpaulin, and the buildings looked tired, like they had given up long ago. Children ran barefoot, weaving through narrow alleyways, laughing with cracked lips and dirty faces. The adults didn't look up. They sat on crates or leaned against broken walls, their eyes dull, uninterested in anything that didn't directly concern them.
Kia stood at the edge of the street, gripping his backpack tightly. He had followed every rumor, every whisper, every sign that Lucian might have come here. But now that he was actually in Rivo, the city felt too big, too unfamiliar. No cameras. No surveillance. Just the wind and the sound of people surviving.
"I don't even know where to start," he muttered.
He took the path straight into the heart of the district, but the further he went, the more lost he became. He reached a T-junction and paused. The left road dipped into a slum filled with tightly packed buildings. The right looked like a market road. He hesitated, unsure, then turned left, hoping someone might be willing to help.
But the people weren't welcoming.
He knocked on doors, approached shops, spoke to people standing outside. "Have you seen someone,tall, black hair, around my age? His name is Lucian." Some ignored him. Others shut their doors. One woman even spat on the ground and muttered, "Don't bring trouble here."
Kia's shoulders slumped. Every rejection made the weight in his chest heavier. By the time he got to the market, his legs were aching, and his throat was dry. Stalls were packed tightly together, selling wilted vegetables, second-hand electronics, and fried street food. He wandered through the noise, hoping to overhear something. Anything. Then he spot a little girl, the girl has short curly hair and big eyes, sitting at the corner of a stall, slurping noodles from a steaming bowl. She looked up when she noticed him staring."Are you lost?" she asked. Kia smiled tiredly. "Yeah. But I'm looking for someone actually."
"Everyone's looking for someone." She slurped loudly. He stepped closer. "Have you seen any odd looking a guy around here? Well not exactly odd but he looks different from you guys over here, let's say he kind of looks similar to me, he is tall,pale skinned, black hair and definitely a pretty boy. The latter I do not have". He laughed, referring to Lucian's beauty. She shrugged. " there are lots of guys like that maybe?" Seeming uninterested.
Kia sighed, but then she tilted her head thoughtfully. "Wait. Are you talking about the boy who ran through here a few days ago? He was with another guy… looked like he hadn't seen the sun in months. Glasses. Blonde."
Kia's heart skipped. "I think he's the one, do you know where they went?"
She pointed toward the alley behind the stall. "Down there. There's a ramen shop called Oni Bowl. The blonde guy lives under it. People say he fixes machines and tech stuff. Doesn't talk much, though." Kia was already running before she finished.
He stopped in front of the Oni Bowl shop. The sign was half-broken, and the place smelled like broth and old oil. He pushed the door gently and went around back, where a staircase led to a basement. He knocked. Silence. Then footsteps.
Jace opened the door, his glasses slightly fogged. His eyes scanned Kia quickly.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Kia," he said. "Lucian's friend. I've been looking for him." Jace's eyes narrowed. "That's convenient. Too convenient." Kia frowned. "What do you mean?" Jace crossed his arms. "You just show up here, asking about Lucian? I don't know you."
"But I know him. I took him in when he first ran away. He stayed with me for a bit before… something happened. A woman with red hair attacked. He ran again. I've been searching ever since." Jace didn't move.
"I swear I'm telling the truth," Kia said. "He means a lot to me. I wouldn't lie about this."
Jace still looked skeptical, but he stepped aside. "Come in." The basement was cramped, filled with wires, screens, and old computers. Jace clearly spent most of his time here. Kia looked around, impressed.
"You built all this?"
Jace nodded. "Helps me track signals. I was trying to understand that mark on Lucian's hand."
"So you've seen it too."
Jace turned to face him. "He told me about you. A little. Said he had a friend who cared. But he didn't want you involved."
"I don't care," Kia said firmly. "I'm not leaving."
"He asked me to make sure you didn't follow," Jace said. "He wanted you safe."
"And I want him safe," Kia replied. "If you were really his friend, you'd understand that."
Jace paused. Then he gave a small nod. "Okay. I believe you."Kia's shoulders relaxed a bit.
"But you're not going alone," Jace said. "I know where he went. Northbridge. That's a dead zone. If we go, we go together." Kia nodded. "Let's go."
Together, they prepared what they'll need for their journey; tools, batteries, a worn-out map with several markings. They planned to head out the next morning.
In the shadows, the wind shifted. Lucian was out there, and now, two people were coming for him.