Saint woke up gasping in the middle of the night again. The dream was the same. The shadowy girl stood in the forest clearing, her electric aura crackling softly around her. She reached out, fingers brushing his cheek exactly like the first night. "Saint," she whispered, voice soft and cutting at the same time. "You are special. Come with me." Then the dream shifted. They were running together through floating ruins, laughing, her lightning lighting the way. She looked at him like he mattered. Like he was not just a weak kid from Belgrade. Then she pushed him hard and vanished in blue sparks. He woke up every time with his heart hammering and a strange warmth on his cheek.
The next morning at breakfast in the Rusty Anchor he finally said something. "Guys I keep dreaming about that shadowy girl. The one from the forest. We are together in the dreams. Running. Talking. She calls me special. It feels real. Too real."
Sheriff poked at his bowl with a metal finger. "Dreams are glitches kid. Veyra messes with your head. Push it aside. We have real problems. Mark is still out there."
Shed hissed softly and tore into a piece of bread. "Yeah Saint. You are still healing from everything. Dreams are just dreams. Do not let it mess with your head. We have the box stall to run. Focus on that."
Saint nodded but the dreams kept coming. Every night the same warm feeling, the same whisper. He pushed it aside like they said. Worked on boxes during the day. Sold them in the market hall. Tried to act normal. But the dreams got stronger.
One night a soft sound woke him. A faint crackle like electricity outside the window. Saint sat up in bed heart pounding. He grabbed his metal rod and crept to the door. The Rusty Anchor was quiet. He slipped outside into the cool night air. The two moons hung low. The street was empty.
Then he saw her.
The shadowy girl stood at the end of the alley. Her cloak shimmered with faint blue sparks. She looked exactly like in the dreams. Slim. Five foot four. Messy dark hair. Electric threads dancing at her fingertips.
Saint froze. "You."
She stepped closer. Her voice was quiet but urgent. "Saint. I need your help."
Saint blinked. "In what?"
"The Zach Clan. They are planning something big. An attack on Ceil. I cannot stop them alone."
Saint's mind raced. He was thirteen. Weak as fuck. No powers. No armor. Just a kid who ran from his mom. "Ok let me wake up Sheriff and Shed. We can all go."
She shook her head fast. Blue sparks flared. "No. I only want you."
Saint blushes hard. "Why me? I am weak. I almost died in the dungeon. I am not strong like them. Why only me?"
She stayed quiet for a second then said softly. "Because you are special Saint."
Saint laughed once nervous. "That does not make sense bro. Special how? I am just a kid. Call Sheriff and Shed. They are strong. They can help."
She screamed suddenly voice cracking with static. "I JUST WANT YOU OK!"
Saint blushes more. He took a step back. "This is crazy. You pushed me out last time. You know things about me. Why only me?"
They argued in the alley for a long time. She refused to explain. Kept saying he was the only one who could help. Saint kept pushing for the others. Finally after what felt like forever he sighed. "Fine. I will go with you. But if this is a trap I am dead anyway."
She nodded once. "Thank you. The outpost is near the edge of Ceil. They are planning to attack the town at dawn. We have to stop them tonight."
Saint asked where exactly. She said an outpost just outside town.
Saint said what the hell let us go then.
As they walked through the dark streets toward the edge of Ceil Saint kept asking questions. He asked twenty seven of them. Most of the time she ignored him completely.
"Do you work for the Director?" No answer.
"Who are you really?" Silence.
"Why did you brush my face that night?" Nothing.
"How do you teleport?" Quiet.
He kept going. "What is your name? Where are you from? Why do you keep showing up in my dreams? Are you human? How old are you?"
Finally when he asked her age she answered quietly. "Thirteen."
Saint stopped walking. "You are the same age as me."
She kept walking. He caught up and kept asking. She ignored ninety five percent of the questions. The walk felt long. The night air was cool. Saint's heart pounded the whole time.
They reached the outpost. It was a small fortified camp on a floating platform connected by vine bridges. At least twenty five guards patrolled it. They wore heavy armor with gas masks and advanced rifles that looked like laser guns glowing blue at the barrels.
Saint and the shadowy girl hid in thick bushes nearby. They sat down to watch. Saint was blush hard. He was sitting very close to her. Their shoulders almost touched. He could feel the faint electric warmth coming off her.
He whispered. "What is the plan?"
Without saying anything she suddenly pushed him hard out of the bush.
Saint stumbled forward into the open. The guards noticed immediately. Rifles rose. Laser shots cracked through the air. Saint tripped and rolled behind a concrete wall just in time. Shots burned the ground where he had been.
The shadowy girl stepped out into the open. Blue lightning exploded around her. She moved swift as lightning itself. Saint watched amazed from behind the wall.
She raised her hands. A bolt of electricity shot from her palms and struck the first guard in the chest. The man screamed as blue arcs wrapped around his armor. His gas mask cracked. He convulsed violently then dropped smoking.
She spun fast. Another guard fired his laser rifle. She dodged the beam and slammed her hand on his rifle. Electricity surged through the weapon into his body. His arms jerked. He screamed as the power cooked him from the inside. Smoke poured from his mask. He collapsed twitching.
A third guard charged with a knife. She grabbed his wrist. Lightning traveled up his arm. His armor melted at the joints. He howled as the electricity burned through his shoulder and into his chest. He fell hard.
She moved like a storm. A fourth guard tried to shoot her from behind. She teleported in a flash of blue right behind him. She placed both hands on his back. A massive surge exploded outward. His entire body lit up blue. He screamed once then fell forward with burn marks across his armor.
The fifth guard raised his rifle. She kicked him in the knee then grabbed his head. Electricity poured into his skull. His gas mask shattered. His eyes rolled back. He dropped dead.
Saint watched horrified and amazed as she killed them one by one. Each death was brutal. Lightning cooked them inside their armor. Some convulsed for seconds before going still. One guard she grabbed by the throat and lifted off the ground. Electricity surged down his body. His legs kicked wildly. Smoke rose from his boots. He went limp.
Another tried to run. She teleported in front of him and slammed her palm into his chest. The blast threw him ten feet. He hit the ground smoking.
The last few guards tried to group up. She raised both hands. A wide arc of lightning chained between them. All five screamed at once as the electricity jumped from one to another. Their armor sparked and melted. They fell in a heap.
When all twenty five guards were dead the outpost was silent except for the crackle of dying electricity.
Saint stepped out from behind the wall. "Why did you push me? I could have been shot!"
She turned. Her voice was calm. "I do not know."
Saint got angry. "What the hell is wrong with you? You almost got me killed!"
She stayed quiet then handed him a small glowing map and a data chip. "This will help in the future. Take it."
They started walking back to Ceil. Saint was still angry but calming down. Suddenly she attacked. She punched him hard in the chest. Saint stumbled. "What the—"
She rushed him. Hand combat started. They went blow for blow. She threw punches and kicks fast. Saint blocked some and landed a few good hits on her shoulder and side. But she was faster. She wasted him with punches to the ribs and a kick to the leg. Saint kept fighting but she was better.
Finally she landed one final punch to his face. Saint flew back and landed on his knees. His vision blurred. Blood ran from his nose.
She stepped toward him. She placed a hand on his head gently. "Sorry Saint."
Saint suddenly pulled out a small knife he had hidden. He sliced upward fast. The blade cut her mask. The mask fell away revealing her face. She was pretty. Dark hair framing sharp eyes. Same age as him.
Saint said breathing hard. "You look pretty for a villain."
She touched her face surprised. "Shut up. You may have survived this encounter but you will not survive the next."
She teleported in a flash of blue lightning and was gone.
Saint stood up slowly bleeding. He walked back toward Ceil holding the map and chip. His face hurt. His body ached.
Sheriff and Shed were already outside the Rusty Anchor looking for him. As soon as they saw him they ran over worried.
Saint what happened Sheriff asked.
Shed hissed. You are bleeding kid. Who did this?
Saint replied breathing hard. The shadowy girl tried to kill me. She is an enemy not an ally. We should be worried about her.
Sheriff placed a metal hand on his shoulder. Do not worry kid. We will keep you safe.
Shed nodded. Let us take you to the medic right now.
They helped him inside the Rusty Anchor. The medic patched his face and ribs. Saint sat there holding the map she gave him. The crew was together again. But the shadowy girl was still out there. An enemy now. And the Zach Clan was planning something big.
Ceil slept peaceful for now. But Saint knew the next fight was coming. And this time they would be ready.