Kael, Aria, and Ryken fled the warehouse into the alleyways of New Berlin. Sunlight fractured against the steel skyscrapers, yet the streets seemed unnaturally dark where they ran. Shadows elongated unnaturally, crawling along walls as if alive.
Kael's chest burned as the glyph throbbed. Each heartbeat carried a whisper of calculation — precise, cold, alien. He realized the shadows weren't just following them; they were reacting to him.
"They're tracking your energy," Aria said without looking back. "The Null Order doesn't just send soldiers. They send shadows — echoes of Revenants who failed."
A figure stepped from the corner, dissolving into smoke before Kael could react. His pulse spiked. Ryken raised his weapon, but it passed harmlessly through the figure.
Kael's energy flared instinctively. The shadows recoiled with a hiss, warping reality around them. Ryken blinked. "That was… unreal."
Kael clenched his jaw. "We need to find somewhere to hide. Somewhere strong."