The air in Lumiria was heavy, thick with tension as Kael moved through the tunnels. He could feel it pressing against his chest, a tangible weight that grew with every step. His thoughts were sharp, focused on the fragmented data tied to the anomalies and the looming threat of the regulators. But beneath his resolve, there was a flicker of uncertainty—about Elara, about the patterns he couldn't fully decipher, about what lay ahead for his people.
The chamber where the Lumirians had gathered was quieter than usual, the hum of their conversations muted under the strain of Emryn's warning. Kael stepped into the room, his presence drawing subtle glances from the rebels clustered at the edges. They looked to him not just for leadership but for answers—answers he wasn't sure he had.
"Kael," Neryn called from the far end of the chamber, his voice low but steady.
Kael crossed the room quickly, his cloak brushing against the uneven stone floor. He stopped beside the elder, his green eyes locking with Neryn's silver-tinged gaze. "The word's been spread," Kael said. "The rebels are ready to move if it comes to that."
Neryn nodded, though his expression remained tense. "And what about the data?" he asked. "Have you found anything new?"
Kael shook his head, his jaw tightening. "The files were deliberately erased. Whoever did it wanted to hide something—or someone."
Neryn's brow furrowed, his gaze dropping to the map spread across the table. "Elara," he murmured, his voice heavy. "Do you think she's the key?"
Kael hesitated, his thoughts racing. The fragments he'd recovered pointed to her connection to the anomalies, but the details were too sparse to make sense of it all. Still, one thing was clear: the regulators were after her. And if she was their target, she had to matter.
"She might be," Kael said finally. "But if the regulators reach her first, we'll never know."
Neryn nodded again, his grip tightening on his staff. "Then we need to act. She's up there—in their world, their system. And you're the only one who can reach her."
Kael's chest tightened, his resolve hardening. The sanctuary was at risk, his people's survival hanging in the balance. But if Elara could provide the answers they needed, he couldn't afford to stay hidden.
"I'll find her," Kael said firmly. "No matter what it takes."
The surface was louder than Kael remembered, the hum of drones slicing through the air like static. The city's artificial glow spilled over the streets, casting sharp shadows that felt almost alive. Kael moved quickly, his cloak pulled tightly around him, his green eyes scanning the area for signs of movement. He had spent years navigating the edges of their world, but stepping fully into the system's domain was a risk he hadn't taken lightly.
The processing facility at the edge of Sector 7 was his target, a nexus of data that held the fragments he needed to piece together Elara's connection to the anomalies. Kael slipped into the facility through a service entrance, his steps light against the metal floor. The air inside was colder, tinged with the faint scent of ozone and polished steel.
The terminal was located in a secluded corner, its interface glowing faintly in the dim light. Kael approached cautiously, his gloved hands brushing against the controls as he brought the system online. The streams of data were encrypted, their flow disrupted by layers of security designed to keep intruders out. But Kael was patient, his mind attuned to the rhythms of their technology.
He sifted through the files, bypassing the initial layers of encryption until he found what he was looking for: a series of transmissions flagged as critical. Elara's name appeared again, tied to directives focused on suppressing the anomalies. But there was something else—another file, partially decrypted, that referenced Lumiria itself.
Kael's breath caught as he magnified the file. The anomalies weren't just affecting the surface—they were spreading through the tunnels, disrupting the very fabric of their sanctuary. And the system's response was escalating.
The hum of the terminal grew louder, vibrating through Kael's boots. He shut the system down quickly, his chest tightening as he processed the information. The regulators weren't just hunting him—they were hunting all of them. Lumiria was no longer safe.
Kael adjusted his cloak and turned toward the exit, his resolve sharpening. The fragments of data told him what he already knew: Elara mattered. And if he was going to protect his people, he needed to find her.
The hunt wasn't over. It was just beginning.