“Move!”
Sky turned into the alley without slowing.
Shark followed a few steps behind.
The side streets of Hellington seemed deserted.
The shadows of the buildings stretched long across the asphalt, and the echo of their footsteps bounced between the concrete walls.
They turned sharply into a narrow alley.
That was when they noticed it.
At the far end of the alley, a streak crossed the street in a flash.
A moment later, dust and scraps of paper lifted from the ground.
Fasten dropped in front of them.
He tried to stop.
The soles of his boots scraped across the asphalt until the ground cracked beneath his feet.
Sky halted abruptly.
“Fasten?”
The boy straightened in front of them, his breathing only slightly disturbed by the run.
Shark was already about to move when, from the corner of his eye, he caught movement behind them.
He turned slightly.
In the opposite alley, a figure was approaching.
“And the girl is here too.”
Luna appeared without making a sound.
With her came three armed imperial soldiers.
Leading them was a veteran with a hard gaze, his rigid posture that of a drill instructor.
“Sky Light.
Shark Barron.”
His voice was not a shout.
It was an order.
“Surrender.
You have nowhere to run.
You are under arrest.”
Sky remained still for a moment.
Then a faint smile brushed his lips.
“Are you sure?”
The veteran made a barely noticeable nod.
Fasten understood.
He did not hesitate.
He moved.
His body launched forward like a released spring, so fast that for a moment it seemed he vanished from where he stood.
One step.
Two.
The third was already an attack.
His leg rose sharply, a kick aimed straight at the face of his former bunkmate.
But Sky had moved in that same instant.
Not to anticipate him.
By instinct.
His hand lifted slightly, intercepting the air in front of him.
The impact never arrived.
The air between them exploded.
An invisible gust deflected Fasten’s kick by a few centimeters—just enough to alter its trajectory.
The strike passed beside Sky’s head, lifting his hair.
They remained a breath apart.
Their eyes met.
The wind swirled between them.
Then a blast tore through the alley.
Fasten was lifted from the ground, his body ripped from the asphalt as if seized by an invisible hand.
For a moment he remained suspended.
Then the wind hurled him away, throwing him through the air like an autumn leaf.
At the same instant the soldiers rushed Shark.
Shark did not retreat.
His hand slipped into his pocket and emerged holding a lighter.
The metal snapped between his fingers.
A flame flickered in the air as the soldiers lunged toward him.
But Luna did not move.
She did not take a step.
Her gaze remained perfectly still.
For a moment it seemed she was doing nothing.
Then the air around her trembled.
The veteran soldier understood.
His eyes widened.
“Stop!
That’s not—”
The shield expanded suddenly from Luna’s body.
A transparent dome inflated within the alley with violent force, like living glass expanding into space.
The wave struck the soldiers head-on.
Their feet lifted from the ground as the pressure hurled their bodies backward.
They were slammed against the walls.
The impact was brutal.
The masonry cracked with a sharp fracture beneath the force of the shield.
Their bodies remained pinned there, like insects nailed to glass.
Then silence.
The clash was over.
In two heartbeats.
Luna stepped forward toward Sky.
The invisible shield around her vanished, dissolving into the air as if it had never existed.
“I’m ready to join the clan.”
Sky stared at her.
For a moment he even forgot to breathe.
All the noise—the wind in the alley, the distant sounds of the city—vanished.
Then he exploded.
Literally.
He jumped on her and wrapped her in a crushing hug.
“Really?!”
He laughed, almost pulling her off balance as he spun her around like a child who had just conquered the world.
It was a new piece of family.
Fasten, still aching, slowly pushed himself onto one knee.
His lungs burned.
Not far away Sky was still laughing as he spun Luna around.
“You’re one of us now!”
Luna tried unsuccessfully to regain her balance while he dragged her through his enthusiasm.
Then Sky’s gaze fell on Fasten.
He stopped abruptly.
He released Luna and walked toward him.
The smile slowly faded as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
His expression turned suddenly serious.
“Fasten… my friend.
I want you to join my clan.”
He paused briefly.
“But I won’t force you.
If you say no… I’ll respect your choice.”
Fasten stared at him, still catching his breath.
“What the hell are you people?”
“You just threw Jolly Back into a building.”
Then he pointed at Shark.
“He burned half a district.”
Finally he looked at Luna.
“And she plastered our comrades against a wall.”
He slowly shook his head.
“I’m fast, sure… but you…”
He inhaled deeply.
“You look like monsters.”
Shark snorted.
“The Empire keeps sending us these little men.”
He shook his head in irritation.
“Maybe now they’ll understand we’re not opponents to underestimate.”
Fasten laughed.
Almost unintentionally.
“After today I doubt anyone will underestimate you again.”
He slowly regained his breath.
“But Captain Sharlok and Commander Surez are already on your trail.
And that Sharlok…”
He lowered his gaze uneasily.
“He’s no joke.”
Sky smiled.
A calm, almost carefree smile.
“We’ll deal with that when he shows up.”
Then he looked him straight in the eyes.
“But you… have you decided?
Take your time if you want.”
Fasten shook his head.
“Waste of time.”
He slowly stood up.
“I had already decided.”
He looked at Sky with a half-smile.
“I just wanted to see if you were really worth following.
Now it’s clear the real challenge will be keeping up with you.”
He extended his hand.
“My answer is yes.”
The smile widened.
“It’s an honor to join your clan.”
Sky grabbed Fasten’s hand.
Then Luna’s.
And began spinning in circles, dragging them into his explosion of happiness.
Shark crossed his arms, watching them with visible annoyance.
“Are you done with this circus?”
“Always the same, Shark!”
Sky laughed, spinning them even faster.
“Don’t you ever enjoy the moment?
Our clan is really forming!”
Shark grunted.
At that moment, Sky and Shark’s earpieces activated.
Steven’s voice arrived suddenly.
Calm.
Cold.
“Sky.
Listen carefully.
There’s no more time.
You need to return to base.
Immediately.”
“Hey Steven!”
Sky answered with his usual ease.
“I found the two companions I told you about—”
Steven’s voice cut him off.
Colder.
Sharper.
“You just triggered chaos across half the city.
Captain Sharlok is already moving with Surez.
Commander Rione is heading toward your position as well.”
“They’re sealing the area.”
Sky’s smile faded.
“Eh?
That fast?”
“You’ve been caught on the city cameras.
You’re already on the news.
Right now all of Hellington is watching your faces.”
Shark clenched his fists. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“Damn it.
Steven, give us a clean exit.”
On the other end came a controlled breath.
Then the answer.
“Near you.
There should be a manhole.”
Sky looked around.
He smiled.
“Found it!”
“Open it.
Go down.
Then close it behind you.”
Steven’s voice remained perfectly controlled.
“It’s the only safe route.
You’ll have to go through the sewers.”
Shark’s eyes widened.
“The sewers?
Are you insane?!”
Steven’s voice grew colder.
“Inside or outside, Shark?
The surface is already under surveillance.
If you want to survive… inside.”
Shark snorted.
“Right down there.
Where my power is also limited.”
“Move.”
Steven urged them.
“Once inside I’ll guide you to a pipeline that exits near the outskirts.
Right in front of my house.”
Sky turned toward the others.
His adventurous smile had returned.
“You heard him.
March toward the sewers!”
“I wouldn’t call it a march…” Shark muttered.
Fasten swallowed, staring at the manhole as if it were the mouth of hell.
“Not exactly the adventure I imagined when I joined your clan.”
Sky clapped him on the shoulder.
“Oh come on.
We’ll have fun!”
“Fun?
Down there?!” Shark protested.
Sky lifted the manhole and slipped into the darkness first.
“Come on!”
One by one they followed him.
The manhole closed above them.
The air changed immediately.
Heavy.
Humid.
Saturated with mold.
The sound of filthy water flowing beneath their feet swallowed every other noise.
For a moment no one spoke.
Then Sky’s earpiece crackled.
Steven’s voice returned to their ears.
Calm.
Precise.
“Good.
You’re inside.”
“Now listen carefully.”
Sky began moving through the tunnel.
Black water slid around his shoes.
“Straight for fifty meters.”
Steven’s voice guided every step.
“Then turn right at the first junction.”
Shark walked behind him, looking around in disgust.
“Tsk… fantastic.
The filthiest hole in the city.”
His voice echoed through the damp tunnel as they continued walking through the dirty water.
Steven’s voice came through the earpiece, tense.
“Don’t stop.”
Sky was about to respond when something caught his attention.
Above them, through the grate of a manhole, a shadow crossed the streetlight.
He froze instantly.
Behind him Shark nearly collided with him.
“What are you doing?!”
Luna and Fasten stopped as well, forced by the sudden halt.
A breath sounded through the earpiece.
Steven’s voice dropped lower.
“…He’s above you.”
At that same moment, something moved above them.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
The sound echoed through the metal grate overhead, sharp vibrations traveling down into the tunnel.
Sky stood still, staring at the manhole grate.
Shark followed his gaze, trying to understand what he had seen.
Behind them, Fasten and Luna stiffened, sensing something was wrong.
Shadows of soldiers passed above their heads.
One of them stopped directly over Sky.
Then a voice echoed from the street.
“Captain Sharlok.”
Next Episode — A Perfect Circle