"Why didn't you tell me the roof was weak?" the young woman yelled while rising to her feet and brushing dirt from her clothing.
Kain laid on the floor, staring up at her with wide eyes. "I… what?" He stuttered.
The men stood frozen, their eyes darting between the woman and Kain.
She looked around then straightened her spine, "Did i interrupt something?"She gave them a sheepish smile.
The men stood in confusion.
She exhaled sharply, then gestured. "So… where's the nearest exit?"
They all pointed simultaneously toward the front entrance.
Her eyebrows lifted. "Okay thanks." She nodded, then paused, tapping a finger against her chin. "So, uh… can I ask what's happening here, or is this one of those situations where I should just mind my business and leave?"
The leader stepped forward, his sharp gaze sweeped over her, taking in the fine clothing beneath the dust. "Are you acquainted with him?" He gestured toward Kain.
She turned and stared at Kain. His eyes lowered to the floor.
"Him? No, never seen him before," she replied cluelessly.
Kain's fingers twitched slightly.
She sighed dramatically. "I was just trying to escape some… persistent suitors. You know how it is."
"Then you can go." The leader turned his attention back to Kain.
"Alright, thanks!" she said while running toward the door.
Behind her, the leader gave a sharp nod. At once, his men tightened their circle around Kain.
Darius took a small step back without looking at Kain's face.
She paused at the door, her fingers resting on the doorframe. "But…" she said suddenly turning back toward them.
"He's coming with me!"
Dark flames engulfed her hand. "Shadow Flame!" she shouted, hurling it into their midst.
The dark blaze exploded, sending the men flying backward, filling the air with smoke and screams. In the chaos, she darted forward, grabbing Kain by the arm, and hauled him to his feet.
"Let's go before they stand again" she shouted, pulling him toward the door.
As they burst through the doorway, Liora swung her arm in a wide arc. Dark flames trailed from her fingertips, burning down the entrance.
"That should slow them down," she called over her shoulder, already sprinting. "Keep up!"
They raced through the narrow streets of the Lower Ward, weaving through the morning crowd.
"Who are you?" Kain gasped as they ducked into an alley. "What was that… fire?"
"Name's Liora," she replied, leaping over a crate of fish. "And that was shadow magic."
Kain's eyes widened.
"Your turn," Liora said. "What did you do to have the Eclipse Order hunting you?"
"I don't know!" Kain protested as they emerged onto a busier street. "They broke into my room this morning, called me 'Bloodbound'...whatever that means...and then… something happened."
Liora's gaze stayed fixed on him.
Then, she suddenly pulled him into an alley as a group of armed men rushed past the street they'd just exited.
"They're everywhere!" Kain panted.
Once the men passed, Liora studied his face intently.
"But you are a Bloodbound," she murmured. "Interesting."
Before Kain could reply, the clatter of boots on cobblestones grew louder. The men were regrouping while searching the area.
"We need to keep moving," Liora said. "I know somewhere they won't follow... if we can reach it."
She peeked out from the alley, checking both directions before slipping back onto the street with Kain.
"Don't cause a scene or drag attention to us" Liora said.
"It's no use, your dress is making us stand out," Kain muttered.
"Hey, it's not my fault!" Liora snapped, embarrassed.
"So much for blending in," Kain said dryly. Then, he spotted hooded figures spreading out at the end of the street.
"They're cutting us off," he whispered urgently. "We need another way."
Liora's eyes darted around. "There," she said, pointing to a narrow walkway connecting two buildings, three stories up. "Can you climb?"
Without waiting for an answer, she darted toward a stack of crates beside a merchant's stall.
"Eh… hey, wait!" Kain followed.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" the merchant yelled.
Liora ignored him and climbed swiftly. Kain scrambled after her.
As they reached the rooftop, a dagger whistled past Kain's ear, piercing a wooden beam beside him.
He stared at it in shock, then glanced below. The leader had glared.
"That's Magister Krell," Liora said. "If he's leading the hunt personally, you're even more important than I thought. Let's move!"
They raced across the rooftops, leaping narrow gaps between buildings. Behind them, their pursuers followed.
"They're catching up!" Kain warned, glancing over his shoulder.
"Almost there," Liora panted. "If we can just reach the..."
Her words cut off as the roof beneath her feet gave way. She plunged downward, vanishing into the building below.
"Liora!" Kain skidded to a halt and approached the hole cautiously.
"Liora?" he called softly.
A groan answered him. "Down here. I'm fine… mostly."
Kain lowered himself through the gap, dropping into an abandoned storeroom. Liora picked herself up, wincing as she tried stepping on her leg.
"Sprained ankle," she muttered. "Perfect timing."
Above them, boots thudded on the roof.
"We need to move," Kain said firmly, offering his shoulder for support.
Liora put her hand on his shoulder "There's a passage through here that leads to the old catacombs. If we can reach it…"
They stumbled through the dusty room toward a door on the far side. As they reached it, the first of their pursuers dropped through the ceiling behind them.
"There!" a voice shouted. "Take them alive!"
Kain yanked the door open, revealing a narrow stairway. They half-ran, half-stumbled down the steps.
"Almost there," Liora gasped. "Just around this corner..."
They stumbled into a larger chamber, where a rusted iron grate sealed their path.
Liora's breath hitched. "No," she whispered, yanking at the bars. "It was supposed to be open."
Footsteps quickened behind them.
"We're trapped," Liora muttered. "This is it."
Kain looked at her, then looked at the grate... "I brought her into this. Now she's going to suffer because of me", he thought.
Grinding his teeth, "I can't let that happen" he threw himself at the grate, shoving with all his strength. "Come on!" He slammed his fists against it. "Open, damn it!"
The footsteps quickened, closing in to them.
"Give it up," Liora murmured, her shoulders sinking. "We've been caught."
"No!" Kain roared, whipping around to face her. "I'm not letting you get taken. Not because of me!"
Then, a deep, ominous red glow emanated from his bag.
Liora's eyes widened in shock.
"Kain…?" she whispered, taking a step back. "What's happening to you?"
A harsh groan tore from his throat as he pressed his hands against the grate, his fingers dug into the metal.
"Impossible," Liora breathed.
With a final roar, Kain lifted the entire grate over his head. A shower of dust and debris rained down on him.
"Amazing..." she said in shock. He turned and hurled it toward the staircase behind them, destroying the entire stairway. The impact sent cracks splintering through the stone beneath their feet.
"You have got to be..." Liora said but the ground collapsed beneath them and they were plunged into the darkness below.
Above, their pursuers stopped at the ruined stairway.
"We can't follow them down there," one muttered. "The catacombs are a death trap."
"The Magister won't be pleased," another said grimly.
A third turned on his heel. "Get reinforcements. We're going after them!"