The sun was barely visible through the thick overgrowth choking the city skyline. Artemis's footsteps were muffled by layers of moss and crumbled concrete, the only sound in the stillness.
Her body still tingled with the strange energy that had transformed her. The claws had disappeared, but she felt their power lurking beneath her skin, ready to surface again.
She moved cautiously, scanning every shadow, every flicker of movement.
Suddenly, a distant sound pierced the silence—a faint cry.
Artemis froze. Her heart pounded.
"Is someone there?" she called softly, her voice cracking after so much solitude.
The cry came again, more urgent.
Following the sound, she ducked through a collapsed storefront and found a narrow stairwell leading underground. A flickering light shone from the depths.
Steeling herself, she descended.
The air grew colder, heavier.
At the bottom, she found a small group huddled together—survivors, gaunt and weary, but alive.
One of them, a tall man with sharp eyes, stepped forward.
"You're not like the others," he said, studying her glowing red eyes.
Artemis met his gaze.
"What happened here?" she demanded. "What's going on?"
The man sighed. "The portal brought the creatures, yes. But it also took something from us—the future, our hope. We've been fighting ever since."
"We need to leave," Artemis said firmly. "I'm searching for someone. A girl named—"
The man cut her off. "We know about her. You're not the only one searching."
Artemis felt a chill. "Then who else is out there?"
The man's eyes flicked to the shadows. "People changed by the portal. Some good, some twisted. But all dangerous."
Artemis clenched her fists. "Then I won't stop. Not until I find her."
The survivors nodded. "Then we'll help you. But you'll need more than claws and courage."
From a corner, an older woman stepped forward, holding a small device glowing with strange light.
"This is our last hope," she said. "We call it the Beacon. It might guide you through the darkness."
Artemis took the device, feeling its pulse in her hand.
"This is just the beginning," she whispered.
Outside, the world waited—dark, dangerous, and full of secrets.
And Artemis was ready to face it all.