The rain hadn't stopped. It beat down on Ashfall's narrow streets like a constant reminder that the city never slept, never paused. Neon reflections shimmered across puddles that stretched from one broken alley to the next. Kael Rhyne's chest still burned from the encounter with the Iron Jaw Gang, the memory of his fleeting power lingering like a brand on his skin.
He clutched the bundle of medicine tighter, glancing over his shoulder. Shadows moved among the alleys, stretching unnaturally, just waiting for someone to slip. Kael had learned quickly: in Ashfall, even a small mistake could be deadly.
I can't keep running like this…
The words repeated in his mind like a warning. Running had bought him time, yes, but the sparks of his Echo had screamed a truth he couldn't ignore: he had power. Weak, unstable, unpredictable… but real. And Kael knew it came with a cost.
The first contract.
He had heard whispers in the underground: contracts were the only way low-tiers could temporarily access the abilities of higher-tier Echo users. But every contract carried a price — fatigue, pain, sometimes permanent shortening of life. Most Tier 1s never dared.
Kael stopped in a dim alley, leaning against the brick wall to catch his breath. His hands trembled slightly, the blue sparks from the last fight still lingering faintly in his vision. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, crumpled piece of paper.
Contract 1 — Temporary Tier 2 Agility
It was risky. He didn't know how long it would last, or how severe the cost would be. But he had no choice. If he wanted to survive the streets tonight — if he wanted to protect the people who depended on him — he had to try.
Kael held the paper in front of him, murmuring the activation words. His body tingled violently, a sensation like electricity crawling beneath his skin. He felt his heart accelerate, muscles tightening, reflexes sharpening.
This is it…
The alley suddenly felt smaller. Every shadow became a potential threat, every sound magnified. Kael ran forward, faster than any Tier 1 should move. Raindrops blurred into streaks as his speed pushed him almost beyond the limits of his senses.
Three silhouettes appeared ahead — the Iron Jaw Gang, patrolling the streets for any sign of weakness. Their neon tattoos pulsed faintly, marking them as Tier 2. Kael's chest tightened, but he didn't hesitate.
Using the agility from the contract, he dodged the first swing of the tallest member with a twist, landing behind a stack of crates and using the shadows to mask his movements. The second gang member lunged, but Kael's body moved faster than thought — a perfect split-second copy of the Tier 2 agility he had borrowed.
For a moment, it felt like freedom.
But then the pain hit.
A searing burn shot through his chest. His limbs trembled uncontrollably. The cost of the contract revealed itself — using abilities beyond his natural tier didn't just drain energy. It pushed his body toward breaking, his Echo burning through his limits like fire through paper.
Kael stumbled, barely catching himself on a wet wall. Rainwater mixed with sweat and blood trickled down his face. He had seconds before the effect would fade completely, and he had to move.
Just a little further… just one more block…
With gritted teeth, he sprinted again, weaving through narrow alleys and avoiding flickering neon signs. The gang pursued, slower, their frustration growing. Kael could hear their footsteps pounding against the wet concrete, closer and closer.
A sudden thought struck him: he wasn't just running for himself anymore. He was running for the people who couldn't fight — the families in Ashfall who needed the medicine he carried. The kids who huddled in broken doorways, the old men who hadn't left their homes in years.
Determination sharpened his focus. His body moved automatically, dodging debris and broken crates as if instinct had taken over. The blue sparks around his hands flared again, briefly, enough to leap over a low wall and vanish into a side alley.
When the effect faded completely, Kael collapsed behind a dumpster, gasping. He could barely feel his legs, his muscles trembling as if he had run for hours. Every heartbeat felt like a drum in his chest. But the medicine was still safe, still clutched in his arms.
He allowed himself a brief moment to look around. No gang members. Not yet.
Kael's mind replayed the events of the night over and over, each spark of his Echo a reminder: he had survived because of the contract, but the cost had been real. Pain radiated through his body. His chest burned. His legs shook. Every use of this borrowed power had consequences.
And yet, beneath the fear, something else emerged. Confidence. A tiny ember, almost hidden by exhaustion, that whispered:
I can do this. I will survive. I will get stronger.
Kael pushed himself to his feet, shivering from both the cold and adrenaline. The rain continued to fall, relentless as ever. Ashfall didn't care about fear. It didn't care about hesitation. It cared about survival. And Kael… Kael was learning fast.
He started moving again, this time more cautiously, using shadows and debris as cover. Every alley was a potential threat, every corner a possible ambush. But now, with his first contract behind him, he knew he had a tool — dangerous, costly, but powerful.
Somewhere above, the faint glow of a higher-tier Echo observer flickered in the rain. Kael didn't notice it yet, but the city had taken note of him.
One contract… just the first step…
And Kael Rhyne was ready for the next.
Kael senses a shadow moving across the rooftops, a Tier 2 or Tier 3 scout tracking him. Survival isn't guaranteed anymore — not with the higher tiers watching.