Lukas and Ryn moved silently through the twisting alleys of Ormuth, where the faint glow of neon lights flickered across stained, weathered walls, casting distorted shadows. The docks lay to the north of town, home to the Black Sword gang's hideout, not far from the bustling night market. Yet every step felt heavy, laced with the constant threat of danger lurking nearby. Lukas led the way, his right hand hovering near his plasma pistol, eyes scanning every dark corner. Ryn, despite her small frame, moved with surprising confidence, as if these treacherous streets were second nature to her.
They paused beside an old, rundown warehouse tucked among rusted containers and abandoned transport ships. A tall metal fence surrounded the building. Lukas pulled Ryn behind a large metal crate, close enough to observe without being spotted. He pulled out a bio-scanner—a device restricted to Valeria's warriors, which he'd acquired from a contact. The screen blinked, detecting seven life signs inside the warehouse, plus two figures patrolling slowly outside the fence—likely guards.
"Seven inside, two patrolling out here," Lukas whispered, the scanner's light reflecting off his calm face. "Skarr, Veyra, and Torq might be in there. The other four are probably just grunts. You sure your sister's being held here?"
Ryn nodded, her small eyes glinting under the dim light. "Positive. I saw them drag Lira in through a side door. There's a basement below—they keep prisoners down there."
Lukas frowned, running calculations in his head. Taking on nine enemies alone, even with his training from the Astralis Academy, was a risky move. If the Black Sword had traps, as Ryn had warned, he'd need more intel and backup. He turned to the girl, his voice low. "You said you had friends who could help. Who are they, and can I trust them?"
Ryn flashed a sly grin. "Yup. They're a bunch of street kids like me. We know every nook and cranny of Ormuth. There's four of them, and they're not afraid of a scrap. They love Lira—she's given them food plenty of times. I don't know if they can go toe-to-toe with the gang, but if you need distractions or chaos, I guarantee we can deliver."
Lukas raised an eyebrow, letting out a short, scoffing laugh. A bunch of snot-nosed street kids helping him? Ridiculous. But Ryn's wild idea, paired with her confident tone and serious gaze, piqued his interest. He gave a slight nod, his voice low. "Fine. Take me to your friends. And let's hope to God this works."
Ryn nodded and gestured for Lukas to follow. They slipped away from the warehouse area, weaving through narrow, cluttered alleys where the air reeked of machine oil and smoldering trash. Their destination was a slum near Rainbow Street, a chaotic maze of tattered tents and stacked metal crates. The distant glow of neon lights cast jagged shadows across the ground.
Ryn stopped in front of a large metal sheet and knocked—three short taps, two long ones—a secret signal. The sheet rattled, and a corner lifted, revealing a small passage leading into a pitch-black basement. "Follow me," Ryn whispered, slipping inside. Lukas frowned, his hand still resting on his pistol, not entirely trusting the situation, but he ducked and crawled after her.
Inside the cramped basement, a single oil lamp hung overhead, casting a dim glow. Four small figures sat around a makeshift table—a metal barrel—with scraps of stale bread and a dagger stabbed into a piece of wood. They looked up as Lukas and Ryn entered, their eyes wary. Ryn raised a hand, her voice firm. "This is Lukas. He's here to help save Lira. And this is our crew: Kiv, Sana, Toren, and Meli." The four kids, about Ryn's age, were grubby but carried themselves with an odd maturity.
All four stared at Lukas, their gazes skeptical, as if wondering if this guy could really take on the Black Sword. Kiv, a scrawny boy with platinum hair, stood first. "This is the guy you talked about, Ryn? Doesn't look like much of a fighter," he said, his tone laced with doubt but his eyes flickering with a spark of hope.
Lukas crossed his arms, meeting Kiv's stare head-on. "You don't need to know where I've been or what I've done. But if you want proof, I took down Jarrak in Thaloryn—a space pirate with a 20,000 Valer bounty. Last week, I bagged three Xylara smugglers in Eryndor for 15,000 Valer. I don't talk big for nothing. If you want Lira back, I'm your only shot, because no one else is dumb enough to tangle with a gang like this just for kicks."
Sana, a girl with tightly tied hair and scratched-up hands, raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed but still skeptical. "Jarrak was no pushover. If you took him down, maybe you're not half bad. But the Black Sword has plasma guns, cluster grenades, and laser traps in their hideout. Most importantly, they've got Lira as a hostage. You got a plan, or are you just gonna charge in like those other bounty hunters and get yourself killed?"
Lukas smirked, sensing the shift in the kids' attitudes. "I'm not planning to die stupidly. Ryn says you know every inch of Ormuth. Is there a way into that warehouse without being spotted?"
Toren, a stocky boy with a faint scar across his forehead, nodded. "There's an old sewer line that leads to the warehouse basement. It's rank and cramped, but we've used it to dodge patrol guards before. The Black Sword doesn't know about it, though the entrance is locked with an electronic code."
Kiv cut in, pulling a small, jury-rigged device from his pocket, wires spilling out messily. "I can crack the lock. Takes a few minutes, but I'll get it done. Sana's great at distractions—she once had a whole dock patrol chasing their tails like clowns with just a smoke grenade."
Meli, the smallest of the group, spoke up with a surprisingly steady voice. "I can set traps. Spiked caltrops, tripwires, whatever slows the guards down. If you need time, I've got you covered."
Lukas studied each of them, noting the determination in their eyes. These kids weren't pros, but they had the grit of Ormuth survivors—something even a seasoned bounty hunter like him had to respect. "Alright," he said, his tone firm. "Here's the plan: Kiv and Sana, you handle the lock and the sewer entrance. Toren and Meli, you distract the guards—do whatever it takes to pull them away from the side door. I'll go through the sewer, find Lira, and deal with anyone in my way. Ryn, you're with me to guide me to Lira's location."
Ryn nodded, her eyes blazing with determination. "Lira's locked in the basement, near the old smelting furnace. I know the way."
Sana raised an eyebrow. "What about the three big shots? Skarr, Veyra, and Torq aren't pushovers. Word is, Veyra's got poison that can kill with a single scratch. How're you dealing with him?"
Lukas's hand brushed lightly over his dagger. "I've got my ways. You just make sure the distraction gets me inside. After that, get yourselves far from the docks—don't let them catch you. I can't save everyone."
Lukas stood, checking his plasma pistol and pack. "Good. Be ready and meet me near the warehouse, east side of the docks, in one hour."
Suddenly, Toren raised a hand, flashing a boyish grin, eyes sparkling. "Hold on, hold on! Our crew used to be called the Street Rats, but with you joining us, we gotta switch it up, right? My nickname's Hammer, 'cause I hit hard like one! Sana's Wildcat, sneaky and quick as hell. Kiv's Steelbrain, smarter than a computer. Meli's Razor, 'cause she throws knives like a sharpshooter. Ryn's Tiny, well… 'cause she's small! So, what's your nickname, Lukas?"
Lukas blinked, caught off guard by the kids' sudden detour into something so childish amid the tension. He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "Nickname? I don't have time for that nonsense. But if you need to call me something, call me Firewolf. That's what they dubbed me in Thaloryn after I burned down a smuggler's warehouse to get out of a jam."
Toren clapped, grinning ear to ear. "Firewolf! That's badass! So, from now on, we're the Firewolf Pack, yeah? Way cooler than Street Rats!"
Sana shot Toren a glare. "Cool or not, quit yelling, you idiot. Patrol guards hear you, and we're all done for."
Meli giggled, the first time Lukas saw her drop her serious demeanor. "Firewolf Pack… I like it. But let's focus, or Lira won't be waiting for us much longer."
Lukas nodded, his face returning to its stern focus. "Alright, Firewolf Pack. Be ready and meet me near the warehouse, east side of the docks, in one hour. Don't keep me waiting."
The kids nodded, their eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and resolve. They quickly split up to gather their gear. Lukas and Ryn left the basement, heading back to the dock area. They took cover behind a pile of rusted containers, close to the sewer entrance Kiv had mentioned. From this vantage point, Lukas counted again: two guards at the fence, patrolling in a steady loop, each clutching a plasma rifle. His bio-scanner still showed seven life signs inside the warehouse, unchanged from the last check.
Lukas turned to Ryn, his voice low. "You trust your friends? If they screw this up, I can't guarantee this job goes smoothly."
Ryn clenched her fists, her gaze unwavering. "We've survived Ormuth because we trust each other. They'll pull through. You just worry about yourself, Firewolf." She said "Firewolf" with a playful jab.
Lukas gave a faint smile, feeling a flicker of camaraderie with the kids for the first time. "Alright, Tiny. Wait for Toren's signal. When the smoke grenade goes off, we move. Stay sharp."
They crouched in the shadows, waiting. An hour later, a small explosion echoed from afar, followed by a thick plume of white smoke rising near the fence. The two guards shouted, sprinting toward the disturbance, leaving the side door unguarded. Lukas signaled Ryn, and they crept toward the sewer entrance. Ducking low, they crawled into the cramped, foul-smelling tunnel, the stench of mold and wastewater stinging their noses. The dim light from Lukas's bio-scanner cast eerie glows on the moss-covered walls. The sewer was tighter than he'd expected, forcing them to move slowly, their shoulders brushing against the cold, slick stone. Ryn, with her small frame, navigated deftly, leading with the confidence of someone who knew Ormuth's dark corners like the back of their hand.
"Keep straight, then left at the fork," Ryn whispered, her voice soft but clear. "This sewer goes right to the basement. But watch out—there might be sensor traps near the exit."
Lukas nodded, checking his plasma pistol and the dagger hidden under his coat. He adjusted the bio-scanner, searching for any signs of laser sensors or electronic traps. The screen flickered, showing nothing out of the ordinary, but he stayed on edge. The Black Sword wasn't some petty gang—he'd heard enough about them to know that if they were smart enough to set up laser traps at the fence, the basement wouldn't be a walk in the park.
From a distance, a second smoke grenade exploded, followed by the panicked shouts of the guards. Lukas smirked. "Hammer and Razor know how to stir things up," he whispered to Ryn. "Let's hope Steelbrain and Wildcat don't let us down."
They crawled onward through the sewer, finally stopping at a rusted metal grate where faint red light seeped through the gaps from the basement. Lukas signaled Ryn to stay quiet, pressing his ear to the grate. Heavy footsteps echoed from the other side, paired with a man's low, gruff voice—likely one of Black Sword's goons. "Check the side door! If those street rats are still skulking around, shoot 'em on sight!" the man barked.
Lukas's grip tightened, his eyes narrowing. "They're rattled. Toren's chaos is throwing them off. This is our chance." He turned to Ryn, voice low. "You sure Lira's down here? If we hit the wrong spot, we're all screwed."
Ryn nodded, her small hands trembling slightly but her gaze steady. "I'm sure. I saw them drag her down through the side door. There's a small holding cell near the old smelting furnace, to the right of the basement. But… be careful. Skarr patrols that area a lot."
Lukas nodded, pulling a small signal jammer from his pack and activating it to disable any sensors near the grate. "What's Kiv and Sana doing with that lock? If they don't crack the side door in time, we're stuck down here."
Ryn pulled a makeshift comm device from her pocket, whispering into it. "Steelbrain, Wildcat, where are you? How's the side door coming?"
Kiv's voice crackled through the comm, slightly distorted but clear. "Cracking the code now, Tiny. Thirty seconds left. Wildcat just set off a third smoke grenade near the fence. Guards are running around like headless chickens out here. She even torched one of their storage sheds."
Lukas nodded, satisfied. "Nice work, haha. When the side door's open, I'm heading into the basement. Ryn, you stay here and watch the exit. If anything goes wrong, you let me know through the comm right away."
Ryn frowned, clearly unhappy about being left behind. "I want to go with you! I know that basement better than you do."
"No," Lukas cut her off, his voice firm. "You're my eyes and ears out here. If I get pinned down inside, you need to alert the others. The Firewolf Pack needs you on this, Tiny."
Ryn bit her lip but finally nodded, her eyes flashing with a mix of frustration and resolve. "Fine, Firewolf. But don't let anything happen to Lira. And… watch out for Veyra. Her poison's no joke."
Lukas smirked, giving his plasma pistol one last check. "I've faced worse. Just do your part." He nudged the grate lightly, testing for any creaks, then glanced back at Ryn. "Once I'm in, switch the comm to the backup frequency. If I'm not out in ten minutes, tell the crew to pull back. Got it?"
Ryn nodded, gripping the comm tightly, her eyes glinting with determination and a hint of worry. Lukas took a deep breath, feeling adrenaline surge through his veins. The basement ahead was a dangerous maze, with the Black Sword's three leaders and their goons lying in wait. But he'd come too far to turn back. With the Firewolf Pack backing him up, he had a slim chance to save Lira and get closer to the Nightingale.
In the distance, another small explosion sounded, white smoke spreading and obscuring the flickering dock lights. Lukas pushed the grate aside and slipped into the basement's darkness, ready to face whatever awaited.