The streets of the Fallen City were dimly lit, painted with the eerie glow of flickering neon signs and dying street lamps. The only souls still awake were either scavengers desperate for scraps or the apathetic few who drifted past with hollow eyes and hands in their pockets.
Two men sat atop a stack of wooden crates in a narrow alley. One of them shuffled a deck of cards lazily, a cigar clenched between his teeth. The other tossed a small metallic key into the air and caught it each time with practiced ease.
"So you think that key really holds the answer to where our magic came from?" the card-playing man asked, his tone dry and unamused.
"Ace, I already told you—be patient," the other replied, his eyes sharp. Chester Sallow was his name. "We know the Pol is involved. We just have to figure out how. Our People are still disappearing in broad daylight. That's no accident."
Ace took another puff from his cigar, exhaling a long trail of smoke. "Wasn't Haruto the one who had this key? How the hell did the Fallen Liberators get a hold of it?"
Chester narrowed his eyes. "When I heard about Ren's breakout from Lunaris… there's no way that was done alone. The only ones crazy enough to help would be Van and his right hand—Haruto. Van isn't foolish enough to walk into a lion's den himself. He sent Haruto."
"That's a hell of a theory," Ace said, flicking his thumb against the cards. "But what's Vans connection to the key?"
"Vans respected down here," Chester replied firmly. "If anyone could be trusted with something like this, it'd be him."
He snatched the cigar from Ace's lips and took a long drag.
Ren sat slouched on a couch in the shadows of a run-down safehouse. The glow from the fire flickering in his palm reflected in his bright orange eyes. Thoughts—too many to count—raced through his mind.
"Zane... I can't believe he's alive," he muttered.
Jun glanced over as he poured wine into a dusty glass wiping it down first. "You're still sulking. Come on, man. We should be celebrating your escape. It's been a while since it's just been the two of us."
Ren slowly sat up, adjusting the sleeves of his white button-up shirt. "Where are the others?"
"Van stopped by while you were out cold. Said something about a key he gave to Haruto."
Ren's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean that key? The one we threw out the other night?"
Jun nodded as he took a drag from a cigarette. "Yep. The others are out looking for it. But knowing these streets... probably long gone."
Ren sighed. "Not you too. I thought it was just Kenji who smoked."
"It's been a rough few days," Jun replied with a shrug.
"What's the council saying about this key?"
Jun raised a brow. "You mean Yukari?"
Ren choked on his wine, sputtering as it soaked his shirt. "What? No—" he started, but cut himself off with a groan. "Shit..."
Jun laughed. "You're a terrible liar."
Jun leaned back, staring at the ceiling through the cigarette smoke. "All we've got is the Moonris Serum. The Pol is robbing people of their magic—becoming stronger by the second. It's twisted."
Ren nodded solemnly. "And it's my brother leading it.." Ren said impatiently annoyed.
Without thinking, he grabbed the cigarette from Jun's hand and took a puff.
Jun blinked. "That's bad for you."
Ren smirked. "It's been a rough couple of days."
The two shared a laugh that momentarily eased the weight in their chests.
On a rooftop above the silent city, Kenji sat with his legs dangling off the edge, eyes scanning the streets below. Shady trades. Drunken brawls. The usual.
"We've been looking for hours," he groaned.
Akito sat beside him. "Yeah... that key's probably halfway across the continent by now."
"So now what do—"
Kenji didn't finish his sentence. A dark cloth bag was suddenly yanked over his head. Akito turned in shock, only to find himself face-to-face with two shadowy figures.
"Who the hell are y—?!"
A sharp blow to the head silenced him.
Darkness. The only sound was slow, deliberate footsteps.
Kenji and Akito stirred as the sacks over their heads were pulled off. They were tied to a metal pole, back-to-back. A dim light buzzed overhead.
"Where the hell are we?!" Akito shouted, struggling against the ropes.
Two men stepped out of the shadows.
"Chester Sallow," one said with a mocking bow. "And this is my friend, Ace Solace."
The thick smoke from Ace's cigar filled the room.
"Never heard of you," Akito spat.
Ace crouched down and gripped Akito's hair "Don't disrespect him, kid."
He let go, and Akito grunted with a glare.
Chester held something up between two fingers.
A key. That key.
"Looking for this?"
Akito and Kenji exchanged a worried glance.
"Shit..." Akito muttered.