At night, Nexus City was different – alive, restless, almost watchful. As the final threads of daylight dissolved, the Ember District began to flicker on, one neon vein at a time. Streets layered in orange and gold light – not bright enough to comfort, just enough to reveal the silhouettes of people who survived each day by blending in and never stopping.
He stepped through narrow market streets, breathing in the atmosphere. The stalls were small and crowded together, humming with electrical noise. The vendors whispered their offers behind half-open shutters: old-world tech, biochemical enhancers, memory chips, and counterfeit credentials. Nothing was clean, but it worked. In a city like this, that counted for more.
He wasn't here to buy anything—not yet. He was here to learn the terrain.
A row of the local runners sat along the edge of a cracked wall, silent but watching him with sharp interest. In Ember District, curiosity itself was currency, and a dangerous one. He didn't break stride, feeling their eyes on him but refusing to acknowledge them. Showing insecurity invited attention. Attention invited risk.
In the middle of the district stood an old watchtower, now serving as a community hub. Its metal plates were rusted, its lights uneven, but it stood the highest here. A network of cables stretched outward like spiderwebs from its upper deck, connecting various apartments and shops in a tangled display of survival engineering.
He climbed the tower's stairs, pausing halfway when a familiar sound echoed above him – the soft metallic click of a weapon being checked. He didn't turn around but climbed higher in steady steps, since turning would be sure to escalate the situation.
At the top, he found her: Lyra, the first person who had ever treated him with cautious respect rather than suspicion. She leaned against the railing, surveying the district.
"You're late," she said, not looking at him.
"I needed to understand the lower streets first."
"Good. Trusting the wrong corner down there will erase you faster than a bullet."
She gestured to the horizon. A building in the distance glowed with regulated brilliance – the unmistakable signature of the Apex Council. Even from here, it felt unreachable.
Lyra turned to him. "You want answers. You want power. That means you'll eventually collide with them."
He held her gaze. "Then I need to be ready."
A faint smile tugged her expression, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Then your real training starts tonight." The city lights below flickered once more, like a warning signal – or maybe an invitation.