Smoke curls above the city ruins as the first rays of sunlight cut through the haze. Rubble lines the streets, and faint traces of Hollow and Vein energy flicker like ghosts.
Kai stands atop a crumbled wall, tracing the stitched marks along his torso. He exhales slowly, looking to his team.
Noa presses her bandaged ribs lightly, her light flickering softly. "It's… quiet now," she murmurs, though fear still lingers in her eyes.
Vee wipes blood from her nose, her aura a faint red haze. "Quiet… but not safe," she mutters, tension visible in the tremor of her hands.
Jet flexes his numb right hand, objects hovering weakly around him. "I pushed too hard," he admits, his voice flat but grim.
They Recover at an abandoned warehouse…
Kai turns to them, eyes firm. "We've healed enough… but I need to see someone."
[He Tells them about he's encounter with tremor and everything he knows about him]
Kai walks slightly ahead, voice steady. "We need to find Tremor. He's out there… alone, like he always is. I want him on our side. He's strong, and he knows this world in ways none of us do."
Noa nods, her light flickering softly. "But he's… unpredictable."
Vee smirks faintly. "Exactly why he'll be interesting."
After hours of searching through broken streets and abandoned alleys, they find signs of recent activity: tremors in the ground, scorched marks, collapsed walls.
Finally, in a secluded clearing, a figure stands amidst debris, breathing heavily.
Tremor. His eyes are covered with a dark cloth. His stance is loose but alert, remnants of a recent fight evident on his torn clothes and dirt-streaked skin.
Kai approaches carefully, arms relaxed. "Tremor. I know you've been… out there. Fighting. Surviving. I want you with us. Not just as an ally… but as part of this team."
Tremor tenses. "And why would I join you? You think surviving with your little group is enough to change anything?" His voice is calm but sharp.
Kai meets his gaze steadily. "Because together, we have a chance. A chance to protect what's left and stand against what's coming."
Tremor laughs softly, shaking his head. "I don't do teams. Never have. Never will."
Vee steps forward slightly, letting her Vein energy flow subtly. Though Tremor cannot see her, he senses it—the pull of emotion, of raw desire, curiosity. Her power brushes against him, teasing, enticing, but also offering a glimpse of connection he never sought.
He pauses, feeling the vibrations of her presence, the tug in his chest, the faint warmth of her aura. It's not just lust—it's a challenge, a curiosity, a spark of something unclaimed in his life.
Tremor lowers his head, silence stretching. "You… you're… different," he mutters, more to himself than anyone else.
Kai steps closer, calm and unwavering. "Think about it. You don't have to decide now. But when you do… we'll be ready."
Finally, Tremor straightens, the faintest smirk beneath his blindfold. "Fine. I'll join. But on my terms… and for my own reasons."
Vee lets a small, satisfied smile cross her face, though Tremor cannot see it. Jet leans against a tree, silently observing. Noa's light flickers gently, sensing the shift in the group's dynamic.