The morning in Rivo District was dull, with grey clouds sagging low in the sky. The streets were already buzzing with early risers, old traders setting up wooden stalls, children chasing each other barefoot, and the thick smell of smoke and stale bread filling the air.
Jace stood just outside the Oni Bowl ramen shop, zipping up his worn jacket and double-checking the wires inside his tech pouch. His glasses slipped down his nose again, and he pushed them up quickly. Next to him stood Kia, arms crossed, face set with quiet determination. They were an odd pair. Kia, the sharp-eyed, quick-talking boy from Arvendale, and Jace, tall, lanky, with hair that looked like it hadn't seen a comb in days. But they had something in common now: Lucian. "You sure about this?" Jace asked, adjusting the strap of his backpack. "Lucian told me not to let anyone follow him."
"And he told me to stay away," Kia replied, narrowing his eyes. "But I'm not good at listening." Jace gave a dry smile. "Clearly."
They had talked most of the night, after Kia finally convinced Jace that he wasn't some spy or enemy. He had shown Jace a faded photo on his device,the photo contains Lucian sitting on the edge of a rooftop, both of them laughing. It was enough. Not to trust Kia completely, but enough to know he wasn't lying. Now they had a shared goal: find Lucian before the wrong people did.
Their first stop was the edge of Northbridge Jace and Lucian departed from each other there. Riven had taken him from there. Jace had no idea where they were headed, but he hoped he could at least pick up some trail.
"Do you always carry this much junk?" Kia asked, eyeing Jace's loaded backpack as they made their way down the cracked road. "It's not junk," Jace replied, mildly offended. "It's equipment. Detectors, trackers, signal amplifiers..." "And snacks?" "Those too." he replied . The road ahead stretched wide and mostly empty. Cars barely came this way anymore, and the buildings on either side looked like they'd been forgotten by time. Metal roofs rusted through, windows boarded or broken, and paint faded to dusty greys and browns. Kia walked a little faster, scanning the area. "So, this mark on Lucian's hand… what exactly does it do?" Jace hesitated. "I don't know everything. But I know it's not natural. It's ancient, way older than this city. It responds to energy, to emotion. And... it makes him stronger. Faster. Like...really fast. He doesn't seem human at right now." "and this mind blowing one he heard my thoughts,he knew what I was thinking about!"
Kia nodded, keeping his eyes forward. "I saw a bit of it. Back at my place, before that woman came.". "The redhead?" Jace asked.
"Yeah. She didn't talk. Just destroyed half my wall trying to get to him. That's when Lucian ran off."
"Then she's probably with the Scorchers," Jace muttered. "They've been looking for people like him."
"People like him?" Kia repeated.
Jace sighed. "People who have that mark. It's rare. I thought it was extinct, actually. Until Lucian showed up."
They walked in silence for a while, both processing that thought.
Eventually, they reached a tall fence blocking the way into the abandoned sector past Northbridge. The gate had been welded shut, but Jace pointed to a narrow opening along the side barely enough space to crawl through. "You serious?" Kia asked, frowning at the dark space.
"Unless you know how to fly," Jace said, crouching down and sliding through.
Kia sighed and followed, the rust scratching his sleeve.
Inside, the streets were even more ruined. Debris scattered everywhere. Shattered glass and metal poles jutted out of the ground. It looked like something bad had happened here long ago and then everyone just left. Jace brought out a small round device with blinking lights. "This scans for residual energy. Lucian's mark leaves a specific trail when it flares."
"You're tracking him?" Kia asked, surprised.
"Trying to. He doesn't exactly leave a map behind. But his energy signature is... loud."
The scanner beeped once. Then again. Stronger.
"Got something," Jace said. "This way."
They moved deeper into the ruins, following the faint beeping of the device. Kia kept glancing over his shoulder, feeling like something or someone was watching them. But every time he looked, there was nothing. Just wind and rubble. "So," Jace said after a long silence, "how did you two meet?"
"Lucian?" Kia asked. "We grew up on the same street in Arvendale. We weren't best friends at first, but one time he stood up for me when a bunch of older boys tried to rough me up. I never forgot that." Jace nodded slowly. "He did the same for me. When we first met, he barely knew me, but he helped me fix my workshop when it got raided. He's got this need to protect people. Even when he's the one in danger." Kia gave a soft chuckle. "Yeah. That's Lucian."
The scanner beeped louder.
"Wait," Jace said, slowing down. "This spot here was a surge here. A big one."
They looked around. Broken pillars. Glass melted into the walls. A large crack in the ground as though something heavy had landed.
"This must've been where he used his power," Jace said, kneeling beside a blackened patch of stone.
Kia crouched beside him. "Can we tell where he went from here?"
"Maybe," Jace muttered, tapping buttons. "Give me a second...". Suddenly, the scanner blinked red.
Jace's eyes widened. "Oh no.". "What?" Kia said, alarmed.
"Someone else is tracking him too."
As if on cue, a loud clang echoed in the distance. Both boys spun around.
From across the crumbling courtyard, three dark figures appeared hooded, walking slowly but with purpose.
"The Scorchers?" Kia asked, voice tense.
"I think so," Jace replied. "Run."
They didn't need to be told twice. The boys dashed back the way they came, feet pounding over the broken road. Behind them, the footsteps quickened.
Kia spotted an alley and shoved Jace into it. They ducked behind a pile of metal scraps, holding their breath as the figures passed by.
After a long silence, they relaxed.
"Close," Jace whispered. "Too close."
Kia wiped his forehead. "We need to find Lucian fast." Jace nodded. "Agreed. But we have to be smart. If they find him first…"
They didn't finish that sentence. Instead, they made their way to a nearby rooftop, climbing an old fire escape. From there, they could see the expanse of the ruined district, miles of silence and broken buildings. Somewhere out there, Lucian was on the run. With someone named Riven. With powers he barely understood. And a target painted on his back.
Kia sat down, catching his breath. "He must feel so alone.". "He probably does," Jace said softly. "But at least now... he won't be." They sat in silence for a while, staring out into the horizon. A breeze swept over them, cold and dry. "We keep going tomorrow," Jace said. "At first light." Kia nodded. "And we don't stop till we find him."
The adventure had begun and neither of them planned to give up.