Kael Varyn's head still throbbed from the voice that had echoed inside it, a cold, mechanical tone calling itself Vox and displaying a strange screen in his vision—like something out of a video game. 'System activated. Host: Kael Varyn. Task: Reach the Vault.' The words lingered, unnerving him as he followed Toren through the neon-soaked streets of the Crown Nexus. He was a hacker from Chicago, not a character in some fantasy game, yet here he was, in a city that felt like a mix of sci-fi and nightmare, with a mysterious woman's warning ringing in his ears. Her coat had sparked with electricity, her eyes sharp as lightning, and her words—"You're about to make a big mistake"—had sent a chill down his spine.
"Kael, you good?" Toren asked, glancing back as they weaved through a crowd. His tablet glowed in his hand, casting a faint blue light on his face. "You've been quiet since that woman showed up."
Kael shook his head, forcing his focus back to the present. "I'm fine. Just… trying to wrap my head around all this." He gestured vaguely at the city around them. Hovercars whizzed above, their engines humming softly, while holographic signs floated midair, advertising everything from "Nexus Credits" to "Skyline Burgers." The air buzzed with that same strange energy he'd felt since waking up, a vibration that seemed to pulse through the streets, the buildings, even the people. A man brushed past, his jacket glowing with faint lines of light, like circuits woven into the fabric. Kael's skin prickled again, the sensation both alien and oddly familiar.
Toren smirked, but his eyes held concern. "You'll get used to the Nexus. It's a lot, but you've handled worse. Or at least, you used to." He hesitated, then added, "You really don't remember me, do you?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "I told you, I'm not from here. Chicago's my home. I was running a hack, then a truck hit me, and now I'm… here." He rubbed his temple, the memory of the crash still raw. "I don't know how I got here, or why you think I'm some lock-breaking genius. But I'm sticking with you 'cause you're the only lead I've got."
Toren nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Fair enough. Let's get to the safehouse, go over the job. Maybe it'll jog your memory."
They turned down a narrow street, the skyscrapers giving way to a grittier part of the city. The neon glow dimmed here, replaced by flickering streetlights and graffiti that shimmered, as if painted with light. Kael noticed a group of kids huddled near a dumpster, one of them holding a small orb that glowed softly, casting shadows on their faces. The kid tossed it, and it floated for a moment before dropping. Kael blinked, his mind struggling to make sense of it. Floating objects, glowing tattoos, sparking hands—this wasn't tech, not like he knew it. It felt… alive.
"Toren," Kael said, keeping his voice low, "what's with the glowing stuff? You keep saying it's the city's energy, but that's not normal. What is it, really?"
Toren slowed, his grin fading. He glanced around, then leaned in, voice barely above a whisper. "Alright, since you're so curious. It's old energy, Kael. Been here forever, long before the Nexus was built. The bosses—the rich folks—they call it Essence. They use it to power their toys, keep their grip on the city. Hovercars, holograms, even their fancy clothes—it's all tied to that energy. Most people can't touch it, but the bosses… they've got ways."
"Essence?" Kael echoed, the word feeling heavy on his tongue. "You mean like… magic?"
Toren snorted, but it was half-hearted. "Call it what you want. It's just how things work here. The bosses have it, we don't. That's why we steal their stuff—it's the only way to get ahead."
Kael's mind raced. Magic. The idea sounded insane, but he couldn't deny what he'd seen—the floating signs, the glowing eyes, the bartender's sparking hands. Back in Chicago, he'd have laughed it off, but here, in this buzzing city, it felt real. He wanted to ask more, but Toren was already moving, leading him to a rundown building with a rusted door. A faint hum came from the walls, like the energy Toren had mentioned was woven into the structure itself.
Inside, the safehouse was a mess—crates stacked in corners, wires dangling from the ceiling, and a table cluttered with gadgets. Toren set his tablet down, pulling up a holographic map of the city. "Here's the vault," he said, pointing to a spot on Wall Street, where the skyscrapers were densest. "Belongs to the Syndicate. They're the worst of the bosses—rich, ruthless, and connected. The Starlit Veil's inside, and we're grabbing it tonight."
Kael studied the map, his hacker instincts kicking in. "What's the security like?"
"Cameras, guards, some tech I can hack," Toren said, tapping the tablet. "But the lock's old-school, mechanical. That's where you come in. You've cracked tougher ones… or so you told me."
Kael frowned, gripping the lockpicks in his pocket. They felt familiar, but he'd never used anything like them in Chicago. "And this Starlit Veil—what's so special about it?"
Toren hesitated, then pulled out a small device, projecting an image—a crystalline orb, its surface swirling with patterns like stars. "This is it. Old, valuable, and… different. The bosses hoard artifacts like this, stuff tied to that Essence energy. You said it's worth more than gold, but you wouldn't tell me why."
Kael stared at the image, a strange pull in his chest. The orb's glow reminded him of the buzzing air, the energy that seemed to whisper around him. "I don't remember saying that," he admitted, "but if it's worth that much, it's our ticket to answers."
Toren nodded, a spark of relief in his eyes. "That's the spirit. We move at midnight. Until then, let's gear up."
They spent the next few hours preparing—checking tools, mapping routes, and testing Toren's gadgets. Kael's lockpicks hummed faintly when he touched them, a sensation that made his fingers tingle. He noticed Toren's tablet sparking occasionally, tiny flecks of light dancing across its surface. "Essence again?" he asked, pointing.
Toren smirked. "Yeah. Small stuff, nothing fancy. The bosses have the real power—rings, staffs, whatever they use to control it. We just get the scraps."
Kael filed that away, his curiosity growing. This Essence, whatever it was, was the key to the Nexus—and maybe to why he was here. As they worked, he caught glimpses of the city through a cracked window. A man outside adjusted a glowing ring on his finger, and a crate beside him lifted off the ground, floating as he walked away. Kael's jaw tightened. Magic, power, wealth—all tied together, and he was on the outside, looking in.
Just before midnight, a shadow passed the window—a cloaked figure, their presence heavy, like a storm about to break. Kael's skin buzzed, the air humming louder, almost alive. The figure paused, turning their head, and though Kael couldn't see their face, he felt their gaze. "Toren," he whispered, "who's that?"
Toren glanced out, his face paling. "No idea. But they're trouble. Let's move—now."
They grabbed their gear and slipped into the night, the neon city brighter under the moonless sky. The vault wasn't far, but the streets felt alive, the buzzing energy stronger, almost urging Kael forward. He clutched the lockpicks, their hum matching the city's pulse. Toren led the way, his tablet guiding them through alleys and backstreets, avoiding Syndicate patrols.
As they neared Wall Street, the skyscrapers loomed taller, their neon lights casting eerie shadows. The vault building stood out—steel and glass, its surface shimmering with faint lines of light, like veins. Kael's heart raced, the voice in his head—Vox—speaking again: "Task update: Enter the Vault. Reward: 150 Points." The screen in his vision flashed:
- ''Stats'': Strength 10, Smarts 16 (+1), Influence 5, Mystery 11 (+1)
- ''Level'': Beginner
- ''Task'': Enter the Vault
Kael shook his head, trying to focus. "Toren, that voice again—it's telling me to get inside."
Toren stopped, turning to him with wide eyes. "Voice? Kael, what are you talking about?"
Before Kael could answer, the air crackled, and the woman from before appeared, stepping from the shadows. Her coat sparked, her eyes glowing with that same lightning intensity. "I warned you, Kael Varyn," she said, voice sharp as a blade. "Turn back, or you'll regret it."
Kael's HUD flared: "Task update: Survive the Encounter." The buzzing energy surged, and Vox whispered: "Danger imminent."