The fire crackled in the shallow valley. Sparks danced into the heavy darkness of the borderlands. Hykee didn't look up when boots crunched on gravel. He continued to tear at charred meat. His bandaged fingers trembled from the strain of previous battles.
Beside him, Lokee remained motionless. Her eyes were fixed on a point in the blackness only she could see. It was only when two shadows stretched across the firelight that Hykee finally raised his head.
"So," Hykee said. His voice was raspy and dripped with venomous amusement. "The first thing Kova does as a leader is send a pest of a dying clan and a discarded object to help us."
He spat gristle into the dirt. His eyes narrowed on Kana before shifting to Juno. The disdain was thick enough to choke the air. To Hykee, his sister's presence was an insult. Kova's servant was a reminder of a power dynamic he desperately wanted to overturn.
"Shut up," Lokee said. Her voice was low. It cut through the tension like a cold wind. "The time for your nitpicking is not necessary.
"Unlike her brothers, Lokee possessed a quiet sentiment for her siblings. She turned her head. A soft light remained in her eyes as she looked at the new arrivals.
"Hi, Kana," Lokee said softly. She nodded toward the fire bearer. "Hello, Juno.
"The greeting was a stark contrast to Hykee's hostility. Juno stepped closer to the fire. Her posture remained professional, but her guard lowered slightly.
"Kova sent us for support," Juno explained. Her voice was steady. "But his orders were clear. Lokee is to take the lead. We are here to follow her direction and ensure the mission is completed.
"Lokee nodded. She closed her eyes. Her brow furrowed as she reached out with her senses. She didn't have Kaola's mastery, but she could sense Yen with enough clarity. Ever since Kota had unmasked his power in the settlement, the resonance was still vibrating through the atmosphere like a distant bell.
"I can feel him," Lokee whispered. Her eyes snapped open. "He is not as far as he thinks. His Yen is still loud after what happened. It is like a beacon against the void."
"Then why are we still sitting here?" Hykee demanded. He stood with a jerk. The bandages across his chest shifted. He winced, but his manic grin returned. "I am tired of the smell of smoke and failure."
Lokee rose. Her movements were fluid and silent. She looked at Juno and then at Kana. Her eyes focused on the path ahead.
"The trail leads south toward the outskirts. Kota is moving fast, but he is leaving a residue of light. The air will get denser as we move. Kota's Yen is well on par with Koma's. Move cautiously and maintain your breathing."
"Caution is for the weak, Juno." Hykee rolled his shoulders. His grin widened as he looked at the servant. "I want to see what this pest and this object can actually do when the void starts to push back. Let us see who breaks first."
Lokee cut him off. "Don't listen to him. He's just worked up because he hasn't punched anything since being out here."
"I punched Kaola," Hykee muttered. He mocked Lokee's tone, but he didn't argue further.
They moved out of the valley, leaving the dying fire behind. The terrain grew difficult as they approached the outskirts. The air was thick with the scent of ozone. The ground was littered with remnants of struggle. The atmosphere felt heavy, as if the void itself were pressing down on the structures Kota had abandoned.
Lokee took the lead. Her senses guided them through the treacherous paths. Kana followed closely. Her hand rested on the hilt of her blade. She could feel Hykee and Juno flanking the group.
As they moved, the wind began to howl through narrow canyons of decaying buildings. It carried the faint sound of laughter. It made the hair on the back of Kana's neck stand up. It wasn't human. It didn't belong in this world.
"Do you hear that?" Kana whispered. Her voice was barely audible.
"Ignore it," Lokee replied. Her voice came from directly ahead. "It is just the wind playing with the echoes of the past. Focus on the ground and your breathing. These ruins are not forgiving."
Hykee was humming a low, discordant tune as he walked. His heavy, bandaged form moved with a strange, silent grace that defied his size. He seemed to be enjoying the tension. The encroaching darkness was fuel for his own internal fire. He was a ticking clock. Kana knew that eventually the pressure would be too much for him to handle.
They reached a clearing. Ahead, structures rose like the teeth of a giant beast. Their tops were lost in swirling gray clouds. A faint trail of silver light was visible, winding through narrow streets.
"There," Lokee said. She pointed toward the light. "That is him."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Hykee asked. He stepped forward and pushed past Kana. "I am tired of walking. I want to start the real hunt."
He didn't wait for an answer. He moved into the shadows with a burst of dark energy. It left a trail of black smoke in the air. Lokee followed him. Her body blurred as she moved through the void.
Juno looked at Kana. A flicker of something like concern crossed her face before her usual cold mask returned. "Can you keep up?"
Kana looked at the dark ruins. She felt fear rising in her throat, but she pushed it down. She thought of Kova. She thought of the way he had looked at her with clinical detachment.
"I can," Kana said.
She broke into a run. Her body felt lighter than ever before. For a moment, the world turned into a blur of gray and black. Her feet hit the hard pavement. She stumbled. Her hands scraped against the stone.
Juno landed beside her. Her breathing was even. "Good. Now keep up. Lokee will not wait for you and neither will I."
They continued their trek. The silver trail of Kota grew brighter with every step. The air became colder. The pressure of the void was a physical weight on their chests. Every breath was a struggle. They were close now.
The hunt was nearing its end. The true test was about to begin.