Morning came too soon.

Akiko stirred beneath the faint hum of Zephara's infrastructure, air cycling, conduits pulsing faintly behind the walls. Light seeped through the frosted window, casting long stripes across the bed. Her ears twitched.

The dream clung to her. That contact. The voice that had worn her shape. Its echo still pressed against her chest as if she hadn't really woken up.

Her gaze flicked toward the corner where Sifra had nested the night before. Empty.

Akiko exhaled slowly, unsurprised. The bargain she had struck with the fae had never promised constant company. Sifra drifted in and out, pulled by whims and errands she never explained, and Akiko had known from the beginning that such digressions were inevitable.

Still, bargains mattered. Thin as the terms had been, fae held to their word, and that faith steadied her more than she cared to admit. Wherever Sifra had flown off to, Akiko trusted she would return when it counted.

Beside her, Raya moved quietly, slipping into her boots and combing her fingers through sleep-tangled hair. She looked calm, but Akiko knew better.

She watched her for a moment, guilt blooming behind her ribs.

Raya glanced over her shoulder. "You okay?"

Her brow furrowed slightly as she caught Akiko's gaze.

Akiko sat up a beat too fast, brushing off the heaviness with a grin that came half a breath late. "Me? Always."

Raya didn't press. She watched her, lips parting like she might call the bluff, then let it go.

"Good," she said quietly. "We've got a big day ahead."

She knows, Akiko thought. Not the details, but enough to feel the shape of the lie. Still, Raya didn't push. Maybe she didn't want to break the rhythm. Or maybe she knew it wasn't time.

Akiko stretched, tail flicking. "Big day, huh? You ready for our dungeon delve?"

Raya raised a brow as she pulled on her jacket. "I'm not sure a decrepit maintenance bay qualifies as a dungeon."

"Oh, it's got all the markings," Akiko said. "Dark corridors? Creepy monsters? Overzealous guards with shoot-on-sight orders? It's a full raid run. Only thing we're missing is loot."

Raya smirked. "And what's our treasure?"

"Answers," Akiko said. "More valuable than gold. Unless you're me. In which case it's a toss-up."

Raya's laugh came soft and warm. "Has anyone told you you're completely unmanageable?"

Akiko flashed a crooked smile. "Only the ones who survived."

The words slipped out sharper than she meant.

Raya's expression faltered, just a flicker.

Akiko looked away, voice lighter. "Kidding. Mostly."

She flexed her fingers, letting the suit's plating settle into place with a soft hiss of energy. Then reached for her jacket and shrugged it on like armor. "You're still coming, right? I need my healer."

"Someone has to keep you alive," Raya said. "Besides… I'm curious."

"That's the spirit," Akiko said, tail swishing. She moved to the door, but the door snapped open, slamming into its housing with a metallic thud and a groan of hydraulics over-stressed.

Skadi stumbled through, breath ragged, her face pale and eyes too wide. Akiko's claws flexed instinctively, then relaxed.

"Skadi?" she said, stepping back. "Not that I mind the flair, but what's with the dramatic entrance?"

Skadi leaned against the wall, bracing herself with a hand against the frame.

"They're locking it down," she said, voice tight.

Akiko's eyes narrowed. "Who's 'they'?"

"Haven," Skadi said. "I went to work. Tried to, anyway. There are checkpoints. Enforcers. They've sectioned off the entire Hold."

Akiko crossed her arms, gears already turning. "What kind of checkpoints?"

"Armed. Serious. And they're deploying these devices. I don't know what they are, but they're setting them up all over the hold."

Akiko straightened. "What do they look like?"

"Tall. Metallic. Glowing panels. Almost like towers. And they're projecting barriers."

"Barriers?" Akiko's ears twitched.

Skadi nodded. "Like the one you had in the bay. But these are… bigger. Stronger."

Raya glanced at her. "Mana-based shields?"

"Sounds like it," Akiko muttered. Her fingers tapped against her belt, claws half-extended in thought. "They're not just locking it down. They're preparing for something."

Skadi's voice edged toward panic. "Why? What's Haven scared of?"

Akiko didn't answer immediately. She looked at Skadi. At her frayed nerves. Her fear.

Haven wasn't trying to contain a problem. They were trying to cage something. Or protect something. Or maybe… wait for something.

The entity's echo pulsed faintly in her chest. The memory of amber eyes, calm voice, and words she hadn't stopped hearing since she woke.

I will destroy the threat.

Akiko's tail swept once, low and slow across the floor.

Whatever this was, it was moving faster than they were.

"Gear up," she said quietly. "We're going in today."

No one argued. The words settled over the room like frost. The only sound for a moment was the quiet hum of the heating system struggling against the cold.

Akiko moved first, guiding her energy into motion so she wouldn't have to sit with the weight of doubt. Her tail flicked once behind her, brushing the floor as she passed.

Outside, the Hold greeted them with cold steel and the colder chill of ventilation not up to the task. It bit sharper than she remembered, cutting through the gaps in her suit and threading down the narrow corridors.

Loose panels rattled overhead, and steam hissed from overworked vents. The street wasn't busy, but it was alert. Restless. Vendors called out half-heartedly. Enforcers stood on corners in rigid silence, rifles no longer slung casually across their chests.

Skadi walked ahead, movements brisk, shoulders tight. She didn't speak. Didn't have to. The way she kept glancing back told Akiko everything she needed to know.

"Relax," Akiko said, flashing her usual grin. "We'll be fine."

Skadi didn't look at her. "That's what people always say before they're not fine."

Raya said nothing, but her posture was stiff, eyes already tracking the checkpoint ahead.

A group of enforcers stood by a glowing mana detector, their stances practiced. The faint hum of shield barriers buzzed in the air.

She slowed, sizing them up, then leaned toward the group with a smirk. "Piece of cake. I'll just—"

"No." Raya's voice was sharp. She caught Akiko's arm before she could step forward.

Akiko blinked. "What?"

"No," Raya repeated, firmer. "You are not going to just walk up to them."

Akiko gestured broadly. "Why not? I've got charm. Charisma—"

"—and a reckless streak a mile wide from what I've seen," Skadi snapped, stepping closer. "If you stroll over there, you'll get us arrested. Or worse."

Akiko looked between them, tail flicking. "You've got no faith in me."

"No," Skadi said. "I just value my life."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Before she could argue, both of them yanked her into a side alcove. Akiko let them, dragging her boots with exaggerated reluctance.

"Fine," she said, folding her arms. "What's your brilliant plan, then?"

Skadi scanned the checkpoint again, eyes narrowed. "There's a maintenance crawlspace nearby. We can bypass the guards."

Akiko groaned. "Crawlspaces? Really? I've had enough of that for a lifetime. You're killing me, Skadi."

"Better than the guards killing you," Skadi muttered.

But then she froze.

Akiko followed her gaze, ears twitching.

A family—mother, father, two kids—stood near the checkpoint, voices raised in confusion. The enforcers were surrounding them, the air filled with barked orders and tension.

The father stepped forward, and one of the guards shoved him back toward the barrier. The mother tried to intervene, and got slammed sideways for her trouble. The kids cried out.

"I know them," Skadi whispered, voice trembling. "That's the Hallvik family. They're good people. They don't deserve this."

Akiko's grin faded.

"You want to do something about it?" she asked quietly.

Skadi flinched. "No. I mean… I can't. We can't. We'd make it worse. Right?"

Raya looked between them, her brow furrowed. "If we draw attention, we blow our window. Haven locks this place tighter, we don't reach the bay. You saw the towers."

Akiko watched the enforcers for another moment.

"If we do nothing," she said, "we have to live with that."

One of the guards grabbed the father by the collar and shoved him against the barrier.

Akiko stepped closer to Skadi, voice low. "It's your call. You know this place. These people. I'll follow your lead. But if you want to go loud…"

She let a flicker of foxfire dance between her claws.

"…you've got backup."

Skadi's pulse was visible in her throat. She clearly wanted to run. But as she watched the Hallviks being dragged closer to the barricade, something seemed to crystalize behind her eyes.

"Damn it," she muttered. "Fine. We'll do it your way."

Akiko grinned, the kind of grin that came just before everything caught fire. "That's the spirit."

They stepped from the alcove, slipping into the crowd. The Hallviks' voices rose, panicked. One of the enforcers raised a baton.

Akiko walked casually, ears twitching, senses on a hair trigger.

"Stay close," she murmured to Raya and Skadi. "And try not to look too heroic."

Skadi hissed, "I'm just trying not to look like a target."

"Good plan," Akiko said brightly. "Unfortunately, I'm about to blow that for all of us."

Akiko stepped forward, foxfire claws flaring at her sides in a low, hungry glow. The enforcers turned in unison, rifles snapping up.

"That's her," the lead muttered into his comm, voice clipped. "Target matches the anomaly profile. Requesting backup—"

"Uh-uh," Akiko said, voice bright and sharp. She closed the distance in three fast strides, claws slicing through the guard's comm unit with a burst of sparks. He stumbled back, swearing.

The others reacted instantly.

"Freeze! On the ground, now!"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "You guys always say that like it's going to work."

A round hissed past her cheek, causing her shield to flicker. She twisted sideways, fluid and precise, ducking low as Sifra's voice chimed in overhead.

"Spoiler alert: It never does."

Akiko lunged. Her claws severed the barrel of a rifle as she vaulted forward, colliding shoulder-first with the enforcer behind it. He went sprawling, his armor clattering against the deck.

Behind her, Skadi hesitated at the edge of the chaos.

"What do I do?" she hissed.

"Stay behind me!" Akiko shouted, claws flaring again as she spun to deflect another shot.

Skadi didn't listen. She darted forward, grabbing a fallen stun baton and swinging it clumsily at the nearest enforcer. It connected with a heavy crack, sending him stumbling, but her grip was loose, her stance off-balance.

"Skadi, back up!" Akiko called, ears flattening as a round zipped past her shoulder.

"I've got this!" Skadi shouted, but her voice trembled.

Akiko cursed and pivoted hard, intercepting a guard closing in on Skadi's flank. Her claws carved clean through the man's rifle as she planted herself between them.

"If by 'got this,' you mean 'about to get clobbered,' then yeah, you're doing great!"

"Less commentary, more fighting!" Skadi snapped, face flushed with effort and panic.

The enforcers regrouped, their movements coordinated despite the disruption. One leveled a rifle at Akiko's side. She twisted in time, the bolt grazing her armor. Her foxfire flared brighter, burning hotter.

"Raya, how's it going back there?" she called.

"Peachy," Raya said dryly, crouched near the Hallvik family. She'd shielded the children with her body, guiding the parents into cover. "You look like you could use help."

"Not the time!" Akiko snatched a baton mid-swing.

A jolt of current punched into her glove, running like fire through her shoulder. Her teeth clenched against the sting as she twisted, forcing the weapon free with a sharp wrench.

Skadi ducked low as another enforcer lined up a shot, rifle braced against his shoulder.

Akiko didn't think. She struck.

Applied Spellform Initialized: Foxfire Flare (Tier I)

A burst of foxfire lanced from her claws, catching the enforcer's arm. He screamed, dropping the weapon as Akiko shoved past him, planting herself between Skadi and the last two.

"Seriously," she growled, not looking back. "Stay behind me."

Skadi nodded, breath ragged. "Got it."

The two remaining enforcers exchanged a look. Their formation faltered.

Akiko took a step forward, claws blazing. "Unless you want a closer look at these," she said, gesturing with a snap, "I'd suggest you run."

They bolted. Controlled, but fast.

Akiko watched them go, tail flicking. "Cowards."

She turned, scanning the others. "Everyone okay?"

Raya stood, brushing herself off. "We're fine. Thanks to you."

Akiko raised a brow at Skadi, who still clutched the stun baton like a lifeline. "How about you, hero?"

Skadi didn't meet her eyes. "I didn't exactly have a choice."

"Sure you did," Akiko said, grin creeping back in. "You could've stayed safe. But hey, nice swing with the baton. We'll make a fighter out of you yet."

Skadi's knuckles whitened around the handle. Her eyes drifted to the retreating enforcers. "We just made things worse, didn't we?"

Akiko's smile flickered. Just for a breath.

"Probably," she said. "But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

They moved quickly, weaving through side alleys and narrow maintenance corridors. The Hallvik family stayed close, eyes wide, jumping at every hiss of pressure release or echoing footstep.

They reached a storage bay tucked between two corroded water processors. The air was damp, metallic, the kind of place no one checked unless they had to.

Akiko turned, ushering the family inside. "Stay here. Keep quiet. We'll make sure the way ahead is clear."

The parents nodded, pulling their children close. Akiko's eyes slid over to Skadi, who was leaning against the wall, still clutching the stun baton like it was the only thing keeping her upright.

"You're going to snap that thing in half if you keep strangling it," Akiko said, her voice lighter than the air warranted.

Skadi shot her a glare. Or tried to. The effect was undermined by the tremor in her hands.

"I'm fine," she said, too fast.

Akiko stepped closer, crouching slightly to meet her gaze. "No, you're not," she said gently. "And that's fine. First fights are messy."

Skadi's fingers tightened around the baton. "I didn't ask for your advice."

"And yet," Akiko said with a shrug, ears flicking, "here I am giving it anyway."

Raya glanced over from where she was helping the Hallviks settle in, her expression softening. "She's right, Skadi. You did well, but a little know-how wouldn't hurt."

Skadi exhaled through her nose, her shoulders slumping. "Fine. What do you want me to do?"

"First?" Akiko tapped the baton lightly. "Loosen your grip. It's a tool, not a lifeline. Hold it too tight, you'll move slow and get knocked off balance."

Skadi adjusted reluctantly, her fingers easing bit by bit. Akiko gave an approving nod.

"Good. Now your stance. shoulder-width apart. Knees bent. You're not a statue, you're a spring. Gotta be able to move."

Skadi shifted. Awkward, but trying. Akiko stepped back to study her.

"Better," she said. "Now, when someone charges you, don't swing like you're chopping wood. Controlled strikes. Fast, precise. Hit the joints, the hands, anything that makes them hesitate."

She demonstrated a motion with fluid ease, a blur of movement and practiced control.

"See?" she said. "Not about strength. It's about making them think twice."

Skadi tried to mimic the move. Her swings were clunky, her shoulders too tense. Akiko stepped behind her, adjusting the angle of her arms.

"There," she said. "Relax. Let the baton do the work."

After a few tries, Skadi's motions started to smooth out. Still rough, still uncertain, but less panicked.

"This feels ridiculous," Skadi muttered.

"It's supposed to," Akiko said, grinning. "First time always does. But hey, next time Haven shows up, maybe I won't have to bail you out."

Skadi shot her a half-hearted glare, but didn't argue. Instead, she looked down at the baton, her mouth tight.

"I don't want to do this," she said softly. "I just… want things to go back to normal."

Akiko's grin faded. She tilted her head slightly.

"Yeah," she said. "I get that. But sometimes normal isn't an option anymore."

She let the words hang there. Skadi stared at the ground for a long moment.

Then she looked up. "You really think I can survive all this?"

Akiko didn't smile this time. But something warm stirred in her eyes.

"You've made it this far," she said. "That's more than most."

She clapped Skadi on the shoulder and then moved past her, returning to the Hallviks.

"Alright," she said, breaking the silence. "Let's talk next steps."

The father looked up sharply, face taut. "Next steps? You mean getting out of this alive?"

"Pretty much," Akiko said with a shrug. "I know things are a little heated—"

"A little?" the mother, Lina, snapped. "You think this is a little heated? Haven knows who we are now. They'll come looking."

"And we'll make sure they don't find you," Akiko said, hands raised in placation. "But first, we need a plan."

Davik stepped forward, protective heat in his voice. "We don't even know who you are. You show up out of nowhere, pick a fight with Haven like it's a game, and now we're in the crossfire."

"It's not a game," Akiko said. Her foxfire claws shimmered briefly before she willed them out. "Trust me, I know exactly what's at stake. But if you hadn't noticed, Haven doesn't play fair. Someone has to push back."

"Push back?" Lina's tone sharpened. "Against them? You're insane."

"Probably," Akiko said lightly. "But insane's worked out pretty well so far."

Raya stepped forward, cutting between the heat.

"What she means," she said gently, "is that we're trying to stop this from getting worse. That's why we stepped in."

"Right," Akiko echoed. "That."

Davik didn't relax. His gaze moved from Raya to Akiko and back again. "And what happens to us now? What's your plan?"

Akiko tilted her head, thoughtful. "That depends. If you stay with us, we'll protect you, at least until we figure out something more permanent. If you want to go alone… I won't stop you. But let's be real. Haven knows your faces now. You go solo, you're gambling with your lives."

"And staying with you isn't?" Lina asked. "You're a walking target. Haven will throw everything they have at you."

"She's not wrong," Skadi murmured. Her grip on the baton tightened. "You're not exactly subtle."

Akiko raised a brow. "Wow. Thanks for the glowing review, Skadi."

Skadi flushed and looked away. Her eyes landed on the Hallvik children. Wide-eyed, silent, trembling. Her shoulders slumped.

Raya stepped in again, her voice lower. "I know this is terrifying. But Haven's already escalated. Whether you're with us or not, they're not going to stop. Not until someone stands up to them."

"Someone like you?" Davik said, skeptical.

"Someone like me," Akiko said, jabbing a thumb at herself. "Look, I'm not saying it'll be easy. But if you stick with us, I'll fight to keep you safe. That's not a bluff."

Lina hesitated, her eyes drifting to Skadi. "What about her?" she asked softly. "Skadi, what do you think?"

Skadi froze.

"I think…" she began, voice small. Then louder, steadier: "I think we should stay together. At least for now. Akiko might be reckless, but she can fight. And we're safer in numbers."

Lina nodded slowly, her arms pulling her children tighter. "Alright. But if this goes bad—"

"It won't," Akiko said, flashing a grin that was all confidence and no certainty.

Skadi muttered, "That's what worries me."

Akiko ignored her, already stepping off the wall and gesturing toward the next alley. "Come on. Before Haven sends reinforcements. The last thing we need is another fight."

The Hallviks followed, wary but willing. Skadi moved last, glancing once more over her shoulder.

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