The automatic door chimed softly as Eclipse stepped into the corner store, the harsh LED lights flickering overhead. The aisles were stocked with an assortment of convenience store staples: instant noodles, minute mac and cheese, energy drinks (which she almost always grabbed out of habit), and, most importantly, actual food. She let out a dramatic sigh as she reached for a packaged sandwich, as if choosing something even remotely nutritious was a great burden.

  "You look like you're making a life-or-death decision over there," the cashier called from behind the counter, amused.

  Eclipse rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't understand. This is an existential crisis." Eclipse pced their hand on their head feigning dramatic exhaustion.

  "Uh-huh. That’s what happens when you live off caffeine and regret." The cashier had seen Eclipse in the store so often, the banter had become second nature to them both.

  She smirked, grabbing a few more snacks: some chips, a chocote bar, a banana, and a bottled iced coffee. "Bance is key, right?"

  "If you say so."

  She tapped her ring against the payment scanner, waited for the chime of payment, shoved the snacks into her jacket pockets, and stepped back into the night. The air was cooler now, carrying the scent of rain on the horizon. It was te, and the streets were quieter, save for the occasional transport humming past on the main road.

  Rather than heading straight home, Eclipse veered toward the nearby park-one of the few untouched green spaces left in Aegis-5. It was a strange contrast to the rest of the city, a natural oasis surrounded by towering neon-cd skyscrapers. A hovering drone passed overhead, its sensors scanning the area before moving on. Security was always tight, but she wasn’t worried. She had been here plenty of times before.

  Eclipse pulled her colr up against the wind, walking at an easy pace. She knew these streets well; every shortcut, every alley, every pce to disappear if needed. Aegis-5 was a city of both opportunity and danger, and she had spent years learning how to navigate its underbelly.

  Eclipse settled onto a sleek, metal bench beneath one of the thick dark trees. She unwrapped the sandwich, taking a bite while watching the distant skyline flicker with life. It wasn’t the best meal, but it was better than another energy bar. She washed it down with a sip of the mocha iced coffee, relishing the brief moment of stillness.

  For all its chaos, Aegis-5 had its moments of peace. The hum of distant traffic, the neon reflections in the puddles from an earlier drizzle, the rhythmic pulsing of the holographic billboards all blended into a strange, familiar comfort. This city had been her home for years, and despite everything, she knew it better than anyone.

  A group of te-night wanderers passed by on the other side of the park, ughing as they banced along the edge of a glowing fountain. A cybernetically enhanced dog trotted after them, its mechanical tail wagging. Eclipse smirked slightly, finishing off her sandwich before leaning back on the bench. For a moment, she let herself enjoy the quiet.

  Then, a flicker of movement caught her eye.

  A figure stood at the far end of the alleyway just beyond the park, half-shrouded in shadow. They were still, too still, watching.

  Eclipse’s muscles tensed.

  Eclipse had seen shady people before. Usually passive bck market dealers for a meet up. The city had its seedy underbelly to say the least: bck-market goods, drugs, and other paraphernalia. But this was different. The air around them seemed distorted, as if the space itself was bending.

  A low hum vibrated through her bones. Then, the street lights flickered once, twice..

  And went out.

  "Fuck," Eclipse hissed under her breath. What was going on?

  The city was never dark. Neon advertisements, security drones, and constant traffic ensured the city was always pulsed with artificial life. But now, for the first time Eclipse could remember, everything was pitch bck.

  A prickle of unease crawled up her spine as the rain began to fall.

  She took a step back, fingers twitching as she prepared to bolt. But before she could move, a pulse of energy cracked through the air, and a swirling rift of sapphire light tore open before her. Ice-cold mist curled from its edges, whispering across her skin.

  Dropping the remnants of her meal, Eclipse took off in the dark.