The Fractured Ally
The streets of Novus were silent now, save for the patter of rain and the distant hum of malfunctioning neon signs. Aria's chest heaved as she and Kieran ducked into a narrow alley, pressing themselves against the walls, drenched but unseen.
"They're regrouping," Kieran muttered, scanning the foggy street above. "We bought seconds, not minutes."
Aria's hands shook, gripping the device. The pulsing light felt alive, thrumming with residual energy from the temporal fold she'd created. "I can feel them," she whispered. "The echoes… they're close. Too close."
A soft, almost familiar voice echoed from the shadows. "You always move too fast."
Aria spun around. A figure stepped from the fog—someone she didn't expect: Luna. Her hair was wet, plastered to her face, eyes wide with exhaustion and fear.
"Luna?" Aria gasped. Relief collided with suspicion. "How… how are you—"
"They let me go… for now," Luna said, cutting her off. "But they're watching. They know about you, Aria. They know about the device. And they're not playing games anymore."
Kieran's eyes narrowed. "Compromised, just like we feared."
Luna's gaze darted between them. "I can help. I can warn you, give you intel—but you have to trust me."
Aria's stomach twisted. Memories of the first betrayal, the blood, the signal implant—it all surged up. "Trust you?" she repeated, voice trembling. "After everything?"
Luna's lips pressed into a thin line. "I didn't choose this. But I can help you survive. And I owe you that much."
Aria hesitated, feeling the pull of the device, the faint echo of future timelines whispering warnings in her mind. Finally, she nodded. "Alright. But one wrong move…"
"I know," Luna said sharply. "I'm not your enemy."
Kieran stepped forward. "Then we move. Together. For now. The Council will come, and we can't waste another second."
The three of them slipped through the alleyways, shadows among shadows, the storm above masking their movements. Aria felt the device thrumming faster than ever—anxious, alert, alive.
Every corner they turned, every reflection in the puddles reminded her that the echoes of tomorrow were watching, waiting for a misstep.
And now, with a fractured ally at her side, Aria understood that the fight for the future was no longer just about survival.
It was about deciding who she could trust—and who she couldn't afford to.