Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was as if a herd of brutters had passed over her.

Every small movement sent excruciating pain throughout her body. It seemed like hours before Keira sat up completely and had any idea where she was after being thrown. She had no idea of anything around her, and the only thing on her mind was whether the father and friends were okay. Concern for her loved ones was enough of a trigger for Hagai to push herself to her feet. 

However, the second she took a single step, her body collapsed again, unable to support her own weight.

Keira breathed heavily as she tried to compose herself. She lifted the head to see if anyone would come to her aid. Unfortunately, Hagai was in some empty alley in the city. She didn't know whether to be happy that no one was paying attention, since she'd practically fallen from the sky, or sad that she wouldn't have a single person to help. She dropped her head back to the ground, trying to calm her nerves and muscles, searching for any strength to get up, but in the end, she gave in to exhaustion.

Keira frowned and slowly opened the eyes.

Unlike the first time, her body didn't ache as much. She was still tired, but didn't have as much trouble standing. Leaning against the cold metal wall, she walked calmly to the alley's exit, checking for people. She looked up at the dark, almost starless sky and wondered how long it had been since she'd slept. She checked her clothes, seeing they were dirty and slightly torn at the knees, as well as slight scratches on her back and arms. Thanked the precursors for not breaking any major limbs.

Gathering her last courage, she walked slowly onto the sand track, unsure of the time of year, where she was, or how it would survive. She had no money, and there was nowhere she could take a good shower and sleep in a warm bed. Keira shrugged every time a citizen pointed out her deplorable state and prayed to God none of them would call the authorities. Something deep down told her this wasn't a good thing. She looked up again, seeing a huge metal track with a transparent bottom and a few zoomers passing by.

“Amazing…”, she whispered, amazed by the technology, she was certainly ahead of her time when technology was simple and limited.

Little by little she saw the end of that sandy street as well as the end of the track above her, a small ramp was on the side of the street, certainly to take her to a new area of the city, but as soon as approached the small bars she was prevented from continuing by a huge barrier, Keira hit it for a few minutes, but it was no use, the barrier obstructed the passage, sighed in defeat knowing that wouldn't leave from there and turned around in the hope of finding another way.

Her throat burned as tried to hold back the tears. She was alone, hungry, and injured in a place she didn't know. There would be no one to help her, no place, no shelter to rest under. Panic flooded Keira's mind, and she was on the verge of collapse right there in the middle of the street.

She returned to the alley and slid down the wall, releasing tears, covering the face with your hands and crying like a child lost to the parents. Her chest tightened with anxiety at the situation, your mind thinking of nothing but how lost she was and how she would die there without knowing the whereabouts of Jak, Daxter, and her father.

"Jak, help. Help," she whispered, crying for her friend. Even in Sandover, when something happened to her, she wasn't afraid, knowing Jak and even Daxter would be there to help and save her. But now it was just her, and Keira had never felt so powerful. She tried to control the breathing, which was ragged from crying. Even though there was no way out, she couldn't give up now. She was Samos's daughter, and would get out of here somehow.

She needed to believe.

Chapter Text

Keira loved exploring in Sandover.

She felt like a true hero every time she went out to adventure in the village, with or without Jak. It was as if freedom was in the palm of her hand, and nothing and no one could stop her. She was Samos's daughter, after all.

During one of her adventures, Keira passed by the house of Mr. Hove, one of the best farmers in the village. He had the best fruits. Among them, one caught the girl's attention as soon as she looked at it, it was amazed. A bright purple, its appearance gave it a juicy appearance that made Keira's mouth water.

She looked at the man, who was busy organizing the baskets. “Mr. Hove, can I have one?”

“Do you have money?”, he asked, and Keira shook her head. “Then no.”

“But I am a daughter of Samos,” the little girl retorted, irritated.

“That doesn’t change anything.”

Keira sighed, leaving, but determined to try the delicacy. For weeks, she continued asking the farmer for the only fruit, but was always denied, and over time, this angered Keira deeply. She always had what she wanted, and eating the fruit was now one of them.

It was the first time Keira had stolen something, and it was obvious that Hove had caught Hagai in the act, taking her straight to Samos, who was surprised by how the man pulled his daughter roughly by the arm.

“What’s going on?” Samos asked, assessing both of their faces.

“What’s happening is that I caught your daughter stealing one of my fruits.”

"Is that true, Keira?" the wise man asked, surprised by Hove's accusation. The girl simply nodded, not daring to speak, her shame and regret evident. Samos sighed in resignation. "I'm sorry about this, Hove, if there's anything I can do…"

“Teach your daughter that stealing is wrong!” Hove complained, turning and walking away without another word.

Samos turned to Keira, who was staring at her feet. He knew she was sorry, but he couldn't let such a grave mistake go unnoticed. He wouldn't humiliate, her guilt was already weighing her down.

“Come here, Keira”, he urged calmly, and, wary, she approached her father. “Look at me.”

Slowly, Keira lifted her face, showing the thick tears that ran freely down her innocent face.

“Why did you do that?”, he asked.

“I w-wanted to e-eat the… the fruit.”

“And why didn’t you ask me?”

That left Keira speechless, she hadn't thought of that.

“Look, would you like someone to take the Puzzle from you?”

Just the thought of being without her bear filled Keira's eyes with fear, and she quickly shook the head. She loved that teddy bear and would never lend it to anyone, not even Jak.

"Your teddy bear is important to you, right? The fruit is important to Hove, you took something that belongs to someone else, and that's wrong. So, never, under any circumstances, steal again. Got it, Keira?"

Hagai stood near the busy market, her feet feeling heavy on the dirt road, as if a hundred-kilo weight were weighing them down. At first, Keira was relieved when she saw the fruit and vegetable market inside the area. Trapped in the other two areas, she walked from one end to the other. She was worried about not being able to find any food, but knowing she could eat somehow gave her peace of mind. 

The only problem was money.

It was a different time from his own, she didn't know what currency they used here, and didn't even have any money with her, your clothes were still dirty and torn, so she wouldn't have been able to save any money even if she wanted to.

Keira tried politely asking the vendors, explaining her precarious situation, even offering labor, but all she received was silence, no, and rudeness about her condition or about trying to take advantage of a poor man who, unlike her, was struggling to make a living. She tried for two days with no success. Her stomach growled constantly, signaling how much she needed it, telling she needed to eat.

Keira knew hadn’t alternatives to feed herself and the only way in that situation was to steal, but her memory of Hove never left your mind, she felt like a traitor for even thinking about such an act that she had promised her father so many years ago never to do, however, her stomach growled showing that Keira had no choice.

She walked slowly to the market, her entire body trembling, honestly unsure if it was from hunger or fear of being discovered and handed over to the guards. The young woman was utterly terrified of the Krimson guards; they were brutish, crude men who used their authority to get away with anything. Keira hid from them whenever she saw them because of their appearance, afraid they would suspect her and arrest.

Keira was paying attention to which vendor was most distracted, so he wouldn't notice the missing product. She looked around, checking to see if a guard was nearby. There was a lot of movement, which made it easier. As soon as a vendor turned to organize his belongings, Keira pulled out a piece of fruit and hurried away. What she didn't expect was for the other fruits to fall because of the removal of one. She put both hands on the food had grabbed and ran into some alley without anyone suspecting.

Her heart was about to explode inside her chest and, for a second, thought about going back, returning the fruit and apologizing, but her stomach kept reminding how hungry she was and how this wasn't just a whim, but for her survival.

Standing behind a trash can so that no one would see her on the main street, Keira focused on the beautiful red apple she was holding and not waiting to bite into a piece and almost cry as felt the sweetness of the fruit melt on her tongue, she devoured the apple in seconds, so hungry, scraped as much as she could until there was nothing left and threw it away.

She licked her lips to catch the remnants of apple juice that remained; it was the best meal she'd had in weeks. This would only be the first of many, Keira knew.

“Sorry, Dad, but it’s necessary.”

She thought for a moment that it would feel guilty about the act, but she was so happy to have eaten that it didn't even think about it, only how she could continue doing it without the citizens noticing. By always staying in the same area, she would become a familiar face, and soon it would be harder to hide from people. Even though the turnover is high, as many are just passing through.

Getting out of there became Keira's main objective. She needed to find somewhere that offered a job so she could stop stealing and not be a possible target for the guards.

Keira's journey had just begun.

Chapter Text

The world can be more dangerous than you think.

 Keira never felt more truth in that sentence than she does now. She always imagined, when she was young, the wonders that the world could offer her, landscapes, adventures, new people, different foods and above all: technology. Hagai loved inventing and tinkering with the metal junk she encountered during her outings with Jak, she considered herself a person ahead of her time, as any mention of anything abnormal in Sandover was considered wrong or cursed.

 When Keira imagined traveling through an unknown world, she didn't imagine that she would go through such suffering, the landscape was cold and the weather was extremely cold and gray, the adventures she always dreamed of doing turned into the search for survival with no money and hiding in garbage to not be caught by the guard, people here are just selfish and insensitive beings, at least technology was something that Keira most admired until now in the time she spent here, she drew with her fingers on the dirt track some sketch of what the vehicle used by them there and the woman thought it was very similar to one of her projects, but it had been so long that she wasn't sure.

 With each passing day Keira improved in her attempts to get some food, her confidence grew with each passing day as did her ability to be unnoticed by the public, even though she was still stuck in the area as her communication with any citizen of this city was nil. Her knowledge of the city was limited and it wouldn't be with the Krimson guard that she'd get anything.

 Even though it was faster and more efficient, her body was getting thinner every day, the clothes that used to be tight were loose on her body. She felt her head hurt so much a day that it made her cry, in addition to the dizziness and weakness that made her fall to her knees. Keira knew that she was dying little by little and that if she stayed there, her end would be in a dark alley until someone found her fetid body.

 This caused her to cry briefly during the night, even getting used to the routine, despair beat in her chest for not leaving there and for even after a month she hadn't even seen the figure of her father, Jak and Daxter looking for her. . She tried to avoid the idea that they couldn't take the fall and that she was actually alone there, but sometimes it was inevitable that it wouldn't get Keira down so she spent days hiding in the alleys, depression destroying her conscience little by little.

 However, she knew that if it was Jak, regardless of his situation he would fight just as he had a thousand times and that inspired her to keep moving forward, if only to keep up and delay her death. And that was why she was walking again in search of food, Keira tried to alternate between different places so that she wouldn't suspect her, she had found a hut on a dead end street in the area that was full of crates with the most varied fruits, she had picked it up there. at most three times and today he would return there, and as always he would apologize to Samos on account of the promise.

She passed the place at least twice to make sure there was no guard passing by, having confirmed she approached the cabin quickly looking at what she would catch when the high-pitched voice startled her.

 —That's not yours. — The fruit fell from Keira's hand in her fright, her legs trembled in fear and tears splattered her eyes already imagining her end at being discovered.

—I-I'm sorry. — she said to the colorful bird that beat its wings rhythmically as it studied her seriously.

—I know you come here to get fruit. But if you get caught by the guard, it's your end. —he is still serious.

—I won't come here ever again. —Keira promised, hoping the bird wouldn't give her away.

—Pick some fruit and don't come back.—he responds by throwing a device near Keira's feet, which she caught curiously.

—What is it?

 — A security pass. It will allow you to exit this area. —Keira's eyes widened at the bird's sentence, her chest heating up in happiness at the knowledge that she could get out of here and get something outside the walls she'd been in for a month.

—Why are you giving me this? — Keira asked confused, even though she was happy she didn't understand the bird's action. She had never seen him once in all her time here.

—Onin said your place is not here.

 —Who is Onin?

—I'm not a computer that should answer your questions, take the fruit and get out. – he replied returning to the cabin.

 Still processing what happened, Keira took four fruits along with the device and placed it inside her breast and quickly walked away from the place running towards her freedom from that place that had been her home for so long. Hagai believed that she would have better chances if she left and that maybe she could find her father along with Daxter and Jak… Jak. Just thinking about him made Keira's heart beat frantically, she prayed to the forerunners that he was all right, that no one had mistreated him as they had her because of her dirty and decaying state.

 She felt herself hit something hard from the distraction of her thoughts causing her to fall scattering the fruit she'd picked up from the cabin, her ass aching from the fall, but Keira didn't mind so much as she tried to pick up the fruit and get up ready to apologize to the person who accidentally bumped. What she didn't expect was that when she looked up to face a Krimson guard, the red armor gleamed in the sun along with the gun she carried in her arms. Keira's legs gave out as she looked at the imposing man in front of her along with her heart racing with fear.

—Where did you get the fruit? —He asked seriously pointing to the food in his hands.

 Keira's tongue felt heavy inside his mouth, he couldn't get a word out. Her whole body shook with fear, her mind screamed to run, but her body just stopped working at the sight of the guard looking at her coldly and in a disgusted, disgusted way, as if she wasn't welcome here or anywhere. . As if she didn't deserve to live.

—Answer the question. —he says seriously.

 You need to run.

 run away.

 Run, Keir a.

 Run!

 And she ran.

 Her legs moved of their own accord as she heard the guard yell to chase the bandit, a bandit. Heedless of the insult, Keira let her legs carry her to safety, her mind racing a mile a second trying to figure out some way to elude the guards and get to the edge of the area to get past the barrier and into her freedom.

 She looked back seeing a group of guards, on average 3 to 4, running towards her, despairing her even more, she accelerated her step more feeling her chest burning with fatigue, but that didn't stop her from continuing, she needed to continue her opportunity had finally arrived, he wouldn't give it up now.

 She turned in the first alley she found to take a shortcut, her hope growing as she reached the other side, but her smile faded when she saw a guard appearing and pointing a gun at her who skidded to slow her pace, turned to the other. side in an attempt to still manage to escape, but the other guards were already at the other entrance waiting for her.

 That was it, her end had come.

 Tears sprang up instantly in her eyes, falling non-stop down her face, the fruits fell from her hands as she saw the guards approaching her, cocking their weapons, she would be shot right there.

 A memory of Jak popped into her mind, he was in deep trouble and Keira swore it would be goodbye, however Jak did the impossible and made it out alive. Hagai has never seen such determination in Jak. She would take that determination and bring it to her, even though she was on the brink of death, she would fight.

 She knelt down and held a garbage can lid and waited for the first guard to approach hurling the object hard at him, knocking him over in a first strike, strike one. Keira ran ready to go through the legs of the second guard, but an agonizing pain went through her shin making her fall even before the act and in the next second she fell to the ground she felt the gun hit her face, it was the first time she was knocked out in the act. face, a metallic taste filled his mouth, he spat out his saliva to remove the taste and was startled to see the red color stain the floor, it was blood.

—That bitch is going to learn to put herself in your shoes.

—No…no…please.

 But the man doesn't hear him giving her a strong kick in her belly, completely contracting Keira's body, who was still processing the blow to her face, tears were running down Keira's face without stopping because of the pain and grandeur she was in, she didn't have the strength. to fight, never had. A sequence of blows was delivered by the guards in several places, destroying her clothes even more, with each blow Keira's consciousness faded and her body became heavy, she no longer had the strength to fight it and just closed her eyes accepting her end. Her last sight was the feet and hands of the guards ready to take her life.

 A kick was landed on her head leaving her on the verge of unconsciousness, she saw the blur of one more hands before she heard a string of gunshots and the sound of bodies falling beside her. Silence reigned, Keira wanted to move, but it was impossible, her body was completely destroyed by the blows making her a dead weight. A shadow was all she saw before she surrendered to total unconsciousness not knowing if she would open her eyes again.

 To tell the truth, after all that had passed in those agonizing seconds, death seemed welcome to Keira now.

Chapter Text

Wake up, Keira.

 Wake up.

 Your place is not here.

 She slightly opened her eyes, her vision was blurred, so she couldn't keep them open for long. After a few seconds, she reopened them for a clearer look. She was in a room, the color brown predominated in the room, by the softness below her, she imagined that she could be in a bed. She took a deep breath at the comfort her back found, she had spent so many days lying on the cold floor covering herself with the lid of a garbage can that lying in something, so cozy was a tremendous paradise.

 Keira took a closer look at where she was and saw other beds, probably the same one she was on, spread out symmetrically in the room. She looked down to see his body finding it bandaged on his belly and legs, in addition to the arm where a needle was inserted in his hand, followed the tube to which the needle was connected finding a transparent bag into which a liquid of the same color dripped. .

 She tried to move, but her entire body tensed with pain. She relaxed again, trying to remember how she got here, and with a flash, she remembered the guards. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered what had happened, she gritted her teeth trying to keep from crying out in despair or relief, Keira wasn't sure. She was just grateful that she was still alive. She tried to calm her nerves, she couldn't despair as much as she wanted to, she still didn't know where she was and after yesterday, it would be even harder to believe anyone.

 Keira heard the door slam and suspected that someone had arrived, she turned her neck as far as she could see a woman wearing light, almost white clothes, she imagined that the robe was already white, but it got worn out over time. She did not know. The woman had blonde hair tied in a bun along with a clipboard in her hands, her expression as she focused her vision on herself was one of surprise, speeding up her step a little to get closer.

—Finally woke up, we thought you'd never open your eyes. — Her tone was amused, but not at all serene or tender. Keira always imagined healers as sensitive and calm people.

—W… Wat.— Keira tried to say something for the first time, but her throat had no saliva or any liquid from the dryness.

—Only a moment. — The woman left the clipboard on the bed next to her, leaving the room, returning minutes later with a glass in hand. —Drink it.

 As soon as Keira felt the drink on her tongue, she didn't know whether to spit it out or swallow it with relief, it tasted bad.

 —I took advantage and put a medicinal herb mixed with water. You will need it, keep drinking.

 Without saying anything and after taking a deep breath, Keira drank all the liquid contained in the glass. He always did it when his father ordered him to drink any bad medicine, even after years Keira never abandoned the practice.

— Where am I? —was the first thing she asked handing the glass to the woman who took it and placed it in the small cupboard beside the bed.

—You're lucky Hal found you, you were a stone's throw from death. — The blonde continued commenting, not caring about Keira's question as she went back to snuggling into the soft comforter.—I need to change your serum and check your wounds, you broke three ribs and one of them almost tore your lung, broke one of your legs and the other was bleeding internally from the shot, your arms were the least of the damage even if your forearm left has been fractured. Your head was severely bruised and we had to sew up the tear, I'm sorry babe, but you've got a bald patch on that pretty head of yours. You are very lucky that I am a good doctor and saved your ass.

—Thanks. —was the least he could say to his heroine. She swore that in that moment she would be beaten to death and she would never be able to see her loved ones again.

—You're welcome. Oh! And to answer your question, you are in Spargus.

 Spargus…a totally different name, will it be another area of town? Keira was very doubtful taking in fact the rustic style of the environment she was in beyond the doctor's attire was nothing compared to the technological city she was in.

—How…how long was I gone? — Keira asked again to clear up her doubts, which were not few.

—One week.

—One week?!

—I think you didn't understand the gravity of the situation you were in. Your body couldn't take anything, it was so tired that you didn't even wake up with the medicine I gave you.

 She felt dizzy with the amount of information, almost died, woke up in a different place and passed out for a week. Keira felt there was still a lot to come.

—Look, I'm glad you're awake, but you still have a lot to catch up on and when you're 100 percent you need to be ready for initiation.

—What are you talking about?— Keira asked feeling her heart sink.

—When it's time you'll know, the herb I put in the water was a sedative, you should already be feeling the symptoms.

—Than… —the dizziness hit again, her vision once again blurred. —Wait…

 When she opened her eyes again, her body didn't ache as much as before and she felt more willing and lighter. She stretched to sit up and check if she really was more fit for movement, she was relieved to feel her bones snapping with the movement, even though she had a slight sharp pain in her still healing rib. Remembering the diagnosis that the doctor mentioned, Keira lifted her free hand from the needle and took it to her head, passing it through there until she found the bald spot, with light touches she felt the firm seam made by the cut. Tears welled up in her eyes again when she saw the situation she was in, it had shaken much more than her physique, Hagai's psyche would take a long time to heal again.

 Praying that no one showed up, Keira shed for the first time the tears she'd been holding back since the moment she woke up. Unlike the first time, she didn't want to scream, just release the anguish that was stuck in her throat, all the suffering she's been through during that month, all the misery and thefts, the stolen sleep, the rains that have passed. The fear of never finding a way out, the fear of dying and no one even caring about her body and being thrown out in the open and her father along with Jak and Daxter not even knowing she had died. All fears and nightmares. Each tear released a torment from Keira.

 After a few minutes, Hagai calmed down, leaving only the brief sobs and quick sniffles, it was as if a weight had been lifted from Keira, she knew she wouldn't heal anytime soon, but crying had been the best escape so far. She relaxed back on the bed breathing calmly listening to the ticking of the clock that echoed through the room like an infinite sound. She had already slept too much, so even relaxed she couldn't sleep.

 She stayed like that for so long that she didn't see the hours pass and ended up being startled by the door being opened again by the blonde woman from yesterday.

—Up early? Good Morning.

—Good Morning. So how many days was I gone this time?

 The woman smiled at Keira's mood as she approached with the tray.

—This time a few hours, it's 7 a.m. brought your coffee.

—Is there weed in it? —she asked remembering what happened yesterday.

 —This time I need you awake so we can see your state, depending on how your body is progressing we can proceed with the treatment. You need to eat, Hal said he'll see you soon.

—I'm looking forward to meeting him. —Keira commented excitedly causing the blonde to laugh. —Did I say something wrong?

 —Know him. — she repeated leaving Keira even more confused.

 The door opened again indicating a new person in the room. The woman was beautiful, with her violet hair and eyes the same color, unlike the doctor, she wore darker and coarser clothes, transmitting danger.

—Good morning, Hal. – the blonde greeted the newest member.

 —Yelena.

 Keira's eyes widened as soon as she heard the name, now she understood why she was laughing.

 Hal wasn't a man.

Chapter Text

She was beautiful. Keira couldn't stop admiring Hal's unique beauty, the woman exuded confidence and tranquility, calming Hagai's mind in a way that even she didn't understand.

—How is she? — the woman asked Yelena.

—The fractures and ribs are still healing, so she should be on bed rest. The gunshot wound is already healed, and the head is being examined for any recurrence. She should still be here for a couple of weeks at least.

—She needs to be 100 percent when she gets out of here, you know.

—I'm not crazy about releasing the girl into battle without being at least healthy.

 Keira wanted to ask what battle this would be, curiosity coupled with fear filling the woman's heart at just the thought of what she'd gotten herself into. Keira was not a warrior, not least because Sandover was not a dangerous place, on the contrary, it was a quiet and peaceful village. Keira didn't even know how to throw a punch, let alone fight a battle. However, she decided to abstain, not wanting to intrude on their conversation.

—Kleiver doesn't think it's even worth healing her for her to die on the first challenge. — Hal whispered low.

 —That barrel is a heartless one. —Yelena commented —causing Hal to laugh. —Sorry. — the blonde said turning to Keira. —I still don't know her name.

—It's Keira, Keira Hagai.

—Pleasure, Keira. My name is Yelena and she is Hal, she who brought you here. — Yelena replied politely. —I'll leave the two of you alone to talk. I'll bring your lunch at noon.

 The two remained silent even after Yelena left the place. Keira felt imposing with Hal's presence, she knew she should thank the woman, after all she wouldn't be here if she hadn't shot the guards and brought her here, however her mouth couldn't make a single sound.

—Do you have relatives? —Hal asked breaking the silence, being distracted, Keira ended up being startled by the voice that sounded loud because of the silence of the room. The woman leaned against the bed next to Keira's and focused her gaze for the first time on Hagai.

—Yes, I have.

 —Want to be contacted? —Without saying anything Keira just denied it, feeling sad at the memory of her father and Jak. —Ran away from home?

—Something more complicated than that.

—I'm here to listen.

—I don't know if you would believe it.

—I guess it's nothing compared to everything I've seen.

 Keira took a deep breath, she had no idea how she would say what happened to her, she tried to formulate how she would start the explanation of all that, but nothing came out; she maybe she was nervous about saying something still delicate, just thinking about her father and Jak with Daxter made her eyes water.

—I'm not from here.

—Haven, Spargus? — Hal asked and Keira denied it.

 —From this time. — she replied, waiting for the woman's reaction, but she remained impassive, listening to everything Keira was saying. —A portal opened in my village and we entered through it, but during the trajectory our vehicle ended up being hit by something and we separated. I woke up in that place and I've lived there ever since.

 Keira summarized as much as she could of everything that happened, not least because she didn't see the need to tell details that even she didn't understand or even remember, everything that happened on the trip was just a blur in her mind.

— You're right, it's hard to believe. — Hal replied. Keira tightened the sheet in fear of what would happen to her, if the city found her any threat they would surely kick her out. —Recover, Damas is seeing what it will do to you. Knowing you won't have a place will certainly offer you a place in Spargus.

—Excuse me, but…who is Damas? — Kira asked.

 —The King of Spargus. As soon as you're recovered, I'll take you to him. — Hal replied standing up straight and ready to leave.

 —Hal. — The woman turned at Keira's call. —Why did you save me?

—I hate that city. Especially those soldiers, and I was in a bad mood, so there was nothing better than taking it out on them. Have a nice day, Keira.

 Hal continued to walk leaving Keira absorbing what he had heard, she didn't know why she was sad to hear the reason for the "rescue" because Keira was a complete stranger to Hal and she didn't have the face of being a helpful person or with the soul of heroin. However, Hagai couldn't help but feel dejected by the cold and direct response.

 "This is the world outside of Sandover", Keira thought.

 —You need to be more careful, in a little while it will be all patched up. — scolded Samos as he healed Keira's knee with green echo, even though it hurt, Keira was so used to it that she could handle it without complaining so much, plus the heat emanating from the echo was relaxing.

—I need to be prepared for when I get out of here. the girl said.

—Still with that? — asked the sage, finishing the cure.

—I need to take a closer look at the pictures in the book, Dad. There must be a whole world out there waiting for me, Jak and Daxter.

—The world is not like in the books, Keira.

—How can you be so sure? Have you ever been there?! —the 10 year old girl asks curiously.

—Let's say I visited a few places.

—And how it is?

 Samos thought for a while, lightly remembering where she had been before staying in Sandover with Jak. It was difficult to respond to Keira's and even Jak's responses when Samos understood what his expression was. He knew they both had a flame that was difficult to put out and he didn't want to, but they were both so hasty or they were growing up too fast, that it worried the sage and he had to tell certain truths to both of them so they could hold on. He remembers when he saw Keira for the first time in his 16 years, how apathetic and serious her gaze was, he could feel that what she went through to be that one hadn't been easy and that was an even bigger trigger to hold the little explorer Keira that was in front of you now.

—It's beautiful. — He replied, seeing Keira's eyes sparkle. —But it's also dangerous.

—What's so dangerous about it?

—People.

—People? Why?

—One day you will understand.

 Knocking was heard by the two and they turned to see Jak standing in the doorway, his expression showing shame for what had happened to Keira.

—Come in Jak, Keira is fine, it wasn't anything serious. —Samos said encouraging the young man to enter and walk calmly towards the young woman who had already got out of bed and stood up. Even without saying anything Samos and Keira could see the guilt and apology on Jake's face for what had happened.

—It's okay, Jak. It was not a big deal. It's healed. —Keira said excitedly showing her knee already completely healed. Jak looked at Samos as if asking for permission or something and in response Samos nodded positively to Jak's request that he reached out to Keira who automatically grabbed it and they both ran out of the house and out hand in hand.

 And as he always did, Samos asked the Precursor that, when it came time for change, to protect their children.

Chapter Text

It had been the most tedious two weeks for Keira, at first it had been nice to lie there enjoying what Haven had taken from her and regain her strength, but as time went on just looking at that brown roof was driving Keira crazy.

—I can not take it anymore.

—The food? — Yelena asked.

—Stay here. — Keira snapped, the nurse couldn't help but laugh at the patient's displeasure. She had liked the girl, she was a fun and extremely interesting woman. Yelena hated the citizens' coldness because of the way they live and seeing Keira's cheerful aura made her ecstatic.

—Believe me, tomorrow you'll regret thinking that way.

—What is this secret they hide from me? Since the day I woke up, you and Hal have been talking about initiation. – Keira asked, she had already created enough intimacy with Yelena to have the courage to ask, this had been eating Hagai for days.

—Only Damas will tell you, we suspect if we told you now the other day you wouldn't even be here. Relax Keira and enjoy your last day here.

 As a routine for the last two weeks, Keira stayed in bed all day, getting up only for the needs and eating in the hospital cafeteria, she couldn't stand lunch and dinner sitting on the bed anymore, and to finish she would stay at the window in the hallway next to the room admiring the the full moon along with the town of Spargus was a sight that relaxed Keira and the cool breeze that ruffled her hair was enough to carry her to bed and sleep, she hoped this time there would be no nightmares.

 —Keira.

 She sighed turning over wanting to stay asleep, the pillow was too good to let go of him.

 —Keira.

 She slightly opened her eyes to see Hal standing beside her bed with a change of clothes in hand.

—You have a date with Ladies at 6:30

—What time is it?

 —Exactly 6. I asked Yelena to do something for you since breakfast here is only 6:30.

 Slowly, Keira sat up and stretched her body, feeling him wake up with the slight stretch, it was a relief to no longer feel the sharp pain in her rib every time she stretched.

—I brought you clothes. —Hal said placing the pieces next to the woman who noticed the difference in her old clothes.

—What happened to the ones I was wearing?

—She was no longer usable. We had to throw them away, even though they were clean, the stench was impossible to remove and the damage was too great to repair. — explained Hal. Accepting, Keira took the clothes and headed to the bathroom to change, she would finally take off that hideous dress, even covering all of her it still looked like she was naked.

 He looked at himself in the small mirror of the place, his hair was longer, at shoulder length, he would later plan to cut it as he didn't like his hair that big, he got used to it at the neck, it was easier and pleasant to live with.

 She came out of the bathroom, adjusting the finishing touches to her new outfit: a pair of brown fabric pants fitted to her body, a sturdy black boot with little height, her blouse was dark green with very thick fabric, it covered even below her breasts, removing the small cloth in the back. center that covered up to above her bellybutton, the cleavage highlighted her breasts a lot, the brown jacket had fit her extremely well.

—Now you look better. 

The two walked to the cafeteria where Keira ate a piece of bread and coffee before leaving the hospital for the first time. Keira couldn't have been less than in awe of the city when she left, the morning was still pleasant and few people were on the street. During the walk, Keira could calmly look at the whole rustic structure of the city, the simple houses, the animals, the small fair, the clothes, everything there conveyed antiquity and simplicity different from Haven with its futuristic and cold style.

 Hal pointed to a door at the corner of a curving street they were on and as they approached it opened showing an elevator much like the ones they had in Sandover, the wooden platform being held by a sturdy rope. As soon as they entered, the door closed and the elevator began to move slowly, neither of them daring to say anything, Hal gave Keira enough space to enjoy the short ride through Haven.

 The mechanic's eyes widened as soon as she saw the hall where she was, it was a true paradise. The small river, the waterfall, the stone path, the place was huge and at the end of the path only one man was sitting on the throne.

"Damas." Keira thought as she walked right behind Hal, Keira imagined during her hospital stay, what the so honorable King of Spargus would be like both physically and in behavior. And for her, now, it was everything she'd ever imagined. He had the bearing of a leader, that was obvious, but she imagined an older man, like her father not a man in his prime, and it made her slightly weak-legged.

 Definitely scary.

 —Your Highness. — Hal responded by nodding to the man who consented. —This is Keira, she is the woman I saved from the Baron's guards.

Damas looked her up and down meticulously, her gaze was intense and always aloof, even knowing him now it was hard to imagine a smile on his face or see a more peaceful look.

 —K-king Damas. It's an honor to finally meet you. —Keira said for the first time, she needed to thank you for all the hospitality and welcome, she would be eternally grateful for all Yelena's care.— Thank you so much for everything, I will be forever grateful for your help.

—All help comes at a cost, Miss Keira. —Damas answered for the first time. The hairs on the back of Keira's neck prickled at the man's husky, cold voice. —Your life was saved by us, so she belongs to us. That way we'll know if we pass the test.

 —W-what test? — Keira asked feeling her heart beating rapidly, Damas himself was already deliberately scaring her, seeing him say that made her terrified.

 —We don't live in a heavenly place, every citizen of this city needs to be prepared for the worst, living here is not easy. We need warriors, Miss Keira, so we'll have to see her skills on the battlefield.

—Then drop me off in Haven. —Keira asked, that was too much, her fighting skills were definitely zero, she was never a battle-oriented person, she does know how to defend herself, but that was totally different she could feel.

 Damas chuckled at the young woman's response seeing the fear in her eyes, as Hal said, she's not a fighter, she shouldn't even know how to hold a weapon. If she walked into that field she would be dead in less than a second. Hal remained silent watching the argument unfold, she wouldn't get in the way.

—Do you think it's that simple? We're not here to indulge your whims. You must serve this city if you want anything.

—I can do anything.

—We only accept warriors.

—Hal said you guys have cars here, I'm a great mechanic. I can fix cars.

—All citizens have gone through initiation, you won't be any different.

 Keira felt her eye sting with tears, there was no way out, either she would fight and die or suffer the consequences. Yelena's speech never made so much sense. For a moment she thought it would be different here, that she would be welcomed and accepted and could go in search of her father and Jak, but she had simply left one prison to stay in another.

 —Your test site is already being prepared, you…

—My Lord. —Hal said interrupting Damas' speech. —Give me a week to train her.

—I've been too generous, Hal.

—Only a week. Just it.

 Damas sighed at the woman's teasing, Hal was one of his best warriors, one of the most trusted friends he had. He never doubted his ability, or decision-making, but that situation just didn't make sense to Damas, the girl was weak, unprepared, fearful, she didn't have any requirements to be a citizen here. However, Hal did everything he could to treat the girl the best he could, as well as giving her opportunities that Damas had never given anyone.

 He analyzed for a while the face of the woman who until now hadn't wavered even a second, he knew that face and surely Hal wouldn't give up that easily. Apparently he had no choice.

—One week. —he declared seeing a slight smile on Hal's lips and a relieved sigh from the young woman. —Nothing more, nothing less. They are released. And Hal.

 Dams called to the woman who was already heading towards the exit.

—Don't abuse my trust.

 For Damas' custom, Hal didn't say a single word, just nodded, understanding the message, and entered the elevator.

 The entire descent was silent, Keira was still trying to absorb what had happened and how she would get out of there alive. She wasn't a fighter, she wasn't like Jak, she was a mechanic, an inventor.

—It won't do any good. — Keira commented as soon as the elevator door opened.

—Don't make me regret what I did.

 —Hal…

—Our training will begin after lunch.

—I'm not a warrior.

—You don't have a choice here, Keira. Your life belongs to Spargus.

 A line passed through Keira's head, but she knew she would be making a serious mistake. Not wanting to argue further, she followed Hal silently to a house, the woman took a key and unlocked the door to show the empty place.

—This will be your temporary home. If you pass the tests, you can live here permanently.

—Is it more than one?

—Three. Don't forget, after lunch.

 Hal closed the door leaving Keira alone to wonder how she would survive all this to return to the search for her loved ones.

Chapter Text

Jak already tried to teach Keira to fight once, of course it was a disaster, as much as she managed to defeat him by beating his netherlands by accident, it wasn't a good end for the boy, but at least it gave Keira some idea where to hit on someone male.

 Hagai wasn't confident that the training would have any effect on her, Jak hadn't tried to train her once or twice, she'd already lost count of how many times the attempts had been a complete failure, she had no way to hold a measly dagger which Jak gifted him when he turned 11. She believed it was because she was a woman and it was a masculine nature, but as she walked into the training ground and watched other women skillfully fighting with swords, weapons and hand-to-hand combat that idea never seemed so untrue, and in the end, it didn't go away. of a protection Keira used against herself.

 —We will battle every day, morning and afternoon. I asked to be released from missions, so I'll have time to prepare you. — Hal commented crossing the area to the other side, Keira followed. —Have you ever trained before?

—It didn't work. But I know how to put a wrench in someone's head if necessary. — Keira replied, stopping to walk when she saw Hal adjust a piece of equipment that was unknown to her, but that made her curious to know. She would dismantle that in a heartbeat.

—What are we gonna do today?

—I need to see your reflections. It's no use me teaching you how to throw a punch if the enemy can knock you out in the first second, but that shit doesn't want to work. — Hal complained, kicking the equipment to no avail.

—I can look? —Keira asked with Hal's consent, she approached the machine analyzing its entire structure. The eldest watched Keira's work silently, until she heard the familiar noise she had fixed.

—Ready. — replied Kira.

—You are good. Let's get started, stay there.

—What do I need to do?

 —Dodge the balls without moving too far, I'll try to hit you. — Hal explained as Keira positioned herself. —Ready?

 Keira nodded positively focusing her gaze on the pipe where the ball would come out, but in less than a second she felt the impact of the ball on her legs. She fell to her knees from the force of the impact, not realizing it would hurt so much.

—Get up, the enemy won't stop knocking you out just because you fell. —Hal replied activating the machine, Keira didn't have time to react, the impact of the object with her face was grotesque. Keira's entire torso was thrown to the ground, Keira's face hurt like hell, tears splattered Hagai's eyes with intense pain, she spat on the ground seeing blood come out of her mouth.

 Footsteps were heard and then Hal's shadow shielded him from the sun.

—Dead. — she replied coldly, still watching Keira recover from the blows, that would be harder than she imagined. —Come on, now that we've started.

 Keira watched her return to her position, the thought of running away driving her mad.

—Do you want to see your friends or not? —Hal asked waiting for Keira to get up off the floor.

 All Keira wanted most was to be able to say hello or even good-bye to her father, Jak, and even Daxter. She needed to find them. Taking a deep breath, she got up fearfully, her legs still shaking from the impact of the ball seconds ago, moving them apart in order to keep her balance and not fall.

—Can send. —Keira replied firmly, but it only took one shot in the stomach for her to fall to the ground.

—I am waiting. — Hal shouted, warning that the training wouldn't end there.

 As Keira stood up, she noticed people approaching to watch the training. Seeing a rookie in training was entertainment for Spargus veterans, after all, there was nothing better than seeing the person completely screwed up.

 The afternoon passed quickly for most of the people who dispersed as night fell, but for Keira it felt like an endless punishment; she prayed that the afternoon would go away and she could go home and cry all the pain of those beatings. She felt tired and sore, honestly she didn't know how she still managed to stand up and take it.

 Only when the moon was bright in the sky did Hal stop, Keira's face was swollen from the two balls she'd received, her arms were reddened and Keira's legs were tight and reddened too. She was literally a wreck.

—I'll take you to Yelena. — Hal replied, putting Keira's arm around her neck, seeing that the girl couldn't move a step, everything ached in her.

 All Keira could feel was the metallic taste of blood, every minute of the way Keira turned her face to spit out the liquid that filled her mouth.

 —By the precursors. — Yelena whispered as soon as she saw the pair enter the hospital. She walked quickly over to the two of them checking on Keira's condition. —You never take it easy, do you?"

—That was the basics with her. — Hal argued, following Yelena into a room to tend to Keira.

—And yet I was a failure.— the girl whispered, but it was enough for Hal to hear.

—You didn't go. —she stated.

—How can you be sure? — Keira asked as she was placed on the gurney.

—I want her brand new tomorrow, Yelena.

—I'm not God for miracles, Hal. You destroyed the girl and she walked out of this hospital this morning! She cannot live here. —the blonde complained, taking a cold compress and handing it to Keira to put on her face.

—I'm going to dinner and I'll stop by later. — Hal said leaving the room leaving Yelena and Keira alone.

 Yelena did her job quietly and Keira just watched her friend do the work itself. It was difficult to speak with a swollen face beyond the throbbing muscles without even moving them. Keeping quiet was the best she could do.

 — Here. —Yelena said offering a pill with water to Keira who, with difficulty, took it and took it. —This will ease the muscle aches and deflate your face a little.

 Yelena took a spray and sprayed it on Keira's legs and arms, she could feel her skin with the sting of the product and, unlike what she imagined, it was being pleasant to feel.

 Having done the work, Yelena left without another word. Keira took the opportunity to lie down on the stretcher and rest a little, but tiredness knocked Keira's conscience down, taking her straight to sleep.

*

As soon as she opened his eyes, Yelena came in with a tray of what was supposed to be her dinner. She got up feeling her body less sore, her face not so swollen when she touched it. Yelena wasn't God, but she sure did miracles.

—It's after nine. I brought your dinner early, but you didn't want to wake up. Your sleep is very heavy. — Yelena said placing the tray on Keira's lap, she watched the white soup with some vegetables floating around, not the best view.

—Has Hal ever been through here? —Keira asked taking the spoon.

—Already. She just found out how you were and left. Finish dinner and you'll be free to go home.

—Are you okay? —Keira asked, strange to Yelena's attitude, I could see that she was stressed.

—Nothing you need to worry about. — she replied smiling slightly at Keira who nodded knowing the woman didn't want to talk and she wasn't going to force her. —Good night, Keira.

 She was alone again enjoying the cold breeze from the window of the room she was in, unlike the previous room, this one had only a stretcher, a window was open to ventilate the place. The soup was bland, but nothing Keira complained about, after what she passed any food was welcome.

 When she finished dinner she left the tray on top of the gurney as she didn't know where to leave it and walked out of the room towards the hospital exit. When she arrived at the reception she was stopped by a nurse who stood at the entrance to the hospital.

—Are you Keira Hagai?"

—Yeah.

—Hal asked to deliver this to you, it's a GPS communicator so you can locate your house and receive calls.  —the woman informed leaving then back to work.

 Even though Hal had taken her to the house, it had only been once, so she still had no idea where it was, it would be a long way to get used to that city along with the routine. Opening the GPS, she followed the device to the house again, always attentive to the path she was taking so she could learn. She opened the door with the key Hal had given her and entered the small place going straight to the bathroom, took a long shower and went to the wardrobe to see what clothes they had given her.

She saw that there were at most 5 pieces there, she would have to wash the clothes that she had soiled today. She looked for comfortable clothes and lay down on the bed, the view from her bedroom window was beautiful, she could see some illuminated houses, the fair and the extensive salt sea.

 Admiring the beautiful view, Keira cried herself to sleep.

Chapter Text

Keira narrowly dodged a ball in her face, but found herself in a tricky position to dodge the next attack that landed in her stomach. The blows, even if it hurt, didn't have the impact of the first day, maybe it was because she spent two days being attacked that she didn't care anymore.

— I believe we can go to the next phase — Hal commented, approaching Keira, who was trying not to put the coffee out because of the jackpot.

 — I can't dodge two balls in a row.

 — You've improved your reflexes, even without dodging all the balls. — Keira looked confused at Hal, who sighed at the girl's lack of understanding. — Raise.

 As soon as Keira was on her feet, Hal moved in to strike her in the face, but was blocked by Hagai's arms. She tried again to deliver a high kick, Keira seeing the movement crouched dodging again.

—Do you realize that you are more attentive to my movements? Your blocking still looks awful, but his chances of winning have increased by five percent. If you know how to use what I'm teaching you, you'll pass. — Hal explained, taking two steps back to gain space. —I'll teach you some moves. Your first test will not be allowed handling any weapons, Checkers will assess your stamina, so you have to improve your body structure.

 Hal reached one arm forward, opening his palm to Keira.

 —Beat.

 With all the strength he had, Hagai punched Hal's hand who didn't even feel the blow.

—Again.

 Keira inserted a sequence of punches in order to get some reaction of pain in Hal, but nothing changed in the woman's features. Over time, the weariness got to Keira and she stopped hitting.

—I'll have to work on technique instead of strength. — Hal commented quietly.

—Like this?

—You don't have the necessary strength against gladiators.

 —Gladiators?! — Keira asked confused.

—Raiders who live in the desert outside the walls. — she explained.

—I thought I'd fight other citizens.

 —We are already few in number, if we were to put on a battle to the death there would be no one left.

—Until death?

—You will have to kill them, Keira.

 Her stomach twisted at the news. Killing people, that was wrong, no, inhumane. Keira was no longer accepting taking someone down, killing was unthinkable.

—I will not do that. — she declared it to Hagai.

—We have a motto here in Spargus. Either you live or you die, I'm not going to discuss something I already informed you.

 Keira swallowed hard with Hal's answer, she didn't like it when the woman got that posture, it looked like she was going to kill or torture her at any moment and that made her afraid.

—What do you intend to teach me? —Hagai asks changing the subject, there's no point in arguing.

 —Men are extremely heavy, even without strength you need to support their body weight so you can carry out the attacks. Have you studied the human body, Keira?

 —My father was a green echo sage. He healed the citizens of the village.

—Green Echo? —Hal asks in surprise. —Green Echo has become a relic, even more so a sage.

 —In my village we had it in abundance, but that was a long time ago.

—It's all right. Moving on, I'm going to ask you to study the muscular system, you can ask Yelena for books on that. Now I want you to do 2 laps around the area with those weights and then we'll continue your punches.

—How much does it weigh? — Keira asks looking at the weights.

 —3 kg each. Even without time, I can't put you to carry a weight of 10 kg. Come on, we're wasting time.

—Training has been productive. —Yelena commented, amused to see Keira's condition.

 —You can't imagine, Hal released me because I'm going to use the night to study. — Keira replied putting a spoonful of porridge in her mouth.

 Both were having dinner in the huge public hall, where the main meals of Spargus were made, the place was full of long tables with wooden benches.

—Studying?

 —Yeah, she said I don't have the strength for gladiators, so I need to take down the enemies as soon as possible.

 —Using pressure points. —Yelena replied understanding the idea of Hal. —I can supply my books if you like."

—I would love.

 The two ended the conversation by concentrating on their food, the place had few people so, the clatter of cutlery echoed in the hall along with some small conversations.

 —Yelena.

—Yeah?

 —Do you agree with what they do? — Keira asked the colleague in front of her. From the moment she found out about what she really had to do, her mind couldn't stop thinking about it.

—The tests? — Yelena guesses and Keira nods. The blonde takes a minute to think about all her memories of when she went through Keira's situation and how it drastically changed who she is today. —No. — Keira stops chewing at Yelena's firm, sad tone. —But in the circumstances that Spargus lives unfortunately it is necessary, very necessary. I know it hasn't been easy, Keira. But if you really want to see your family, you have to put yourself through that and much worse.

 —I can not do this. Kill people.

 —Achieving things requires sacrifice. — Yelena cut Keira off, leaving her speechless.

 They finished dinner and the two headed to the hospital where Yelena delivered the books Keira asked for. Using the GPS, Hagai walked home reflecting on what Yelena said, if her father was here he would certainly be against all that and would never let Keira participate in something like that, that was more like Jak, even though the boy was cute. Giving up on studying, Keira walked to the beach where strong waves lapped at the shore. The young woman sat down and sighed calmly with the cold sea breeze, the climate was much more pleasant than the day with the hot sun that gave extreme heat, she never suffered so much with a climate like here.

 With each passing day, Keira recognized herself less. The things she was being forced to do were the complete opposite of her moral conduct, stealing from innocent people, killing people. Just imagining what it would be like on the test day, Keira felt tears of fear welling up, she didn't want to die, but she didn't want to kill anyone either, just to see her family.

 To get things you have to make sacrifices.

 She would have to, in the end, accept what she was becoming, that city was slowly molding her into someone Keira no longer recognized, and she was afraid that when she reunited with her family she would no longer be the same.

Chapter Text

Keira opened her eyes just as her small alarm clock went off, turning it off and remaining in bed. She hadn't been successful in resting her mind a little during the night, the training week passed in the blink of an eye and today she was going to her first battle, she couldn't hide it, she was nervous, afraid. Her training wasn't finished and she still made a lot of mistakes, but she had to admit that, unlike the first day, Keira was making progress, however that didn't ease her mind that was working a thousand an hour with such anxiety.

Hagai looked at the clock again, seeing that she had spent too much time daydreaming, soon Hal would be here to take her to the stadium. She took a quick shower and dressed in the most appropriate clothes for battle, headed to the kitchen, grabbing some toast and a little butter, as soon as she took the first bite, Keira heard a knock on the door, walked calmly and opened it to see Hal in his usual clothes.

— I thought it would be at eight – Keira commented, letting her colleague in.

— I think I need to…go over a few things with you — Hal commented.

— You're not confident I'll pass, are you? — Keira questioned, knowing Hal was nervous too.

—Unharmed? No. But I want you to get out alive. The first part of the challenge is easy, you've worked the runs and climbs well. But the battle… killing someone with bare hands is just as difficult as shooting. I didn't tell you… but the arena is inside a small volcano.

— What?! — Keira exclaimed in surprise again. Honestly she was getting tired of all that secrecy.

—The arena is shrouded in lava. As we trained, your physical size is not strong enough to knock someone out, but with the techniques I taught you, you can push enemies into the lava and end it for good. — Keira nodded remembering the blows, even if she was even more nervous, she needed to focus on the fight.

— Keep calm, despairing won't help. And even if you get punched, you need to process it quickly.

— Or my chances of defeat will be greater — Keira added.

— Exactly — Hal glanced at his wristwatch to see that it was about time. — It's time.

They left Keira's house to the center of the city where the great volcano was located, it was a few minutes' walk that served to put their thoughts in place. They climbed the stairs and walked along the corridor until they reached the arena door. It was impossible for Keira not to sigh in surprise at the sight of the place. The larva bubbled up creating big splashes, the stands were packed and the screams of the citizens echoed in that huge place. Over the lava, four metal platforms floated, it would probably be on one of them that she would fight.

— Jump the small platform ahead and go to that small altar, Damos will talk to you. Hal explained, pointing out the locations. — Good luck.

Without saying a word, Keira jumped onto the platform, which was actually an elevator, and jumped down again, landing on the small altar, the king sitting higher up on his throne.

— Welcome, warrior — Damas responds. — Today you will prove yourself worthy of being one of us. You must know what you need to do. Good luck because we have no mercy. The elevator on your right will take you down to the arena.

Keira didn't dare say a word, the pain in her chest was too great and she couldn't concentrate on anything but the doubt that she would make it out alive. He walked to the elevator again and calmly waited to go down, jumped again falling on one of the four platforms.

— You can release it!

As she made her way to the center of the arena, she saw small houses supported by large metal beams, leaving them suspended in the air, the doors of the houses opened little by little, Keira guessed that was where the enemies of the wasteland stayed, the bandits fell from one by one and they advanced little by little towards Keira who positioned her fists. She tried to quickly count the number of warriors and gulped when she finished counting.

“Twenty people, I need to kill twenty people”, she thought.

The first one didn't take long to approach and attack with the sword from above, Hagai dodged to the side listening to the clang of the sword in contact with the ground. She thought she would recover, but it wasn't long before she was slashed across the back by the other warrior, the scream of surprise at how much pain was inevitable, Keira heard the audience cheering and thought how insane these people were to find her suffering amusing.

She wanted to fall to her knees, but she found enough strength in her legs to run away from the warriors who were already amassed, Keira knew it would be difficult to defeat one by one being so close and without a weapon it made everything impossible. She looked back seeing that she was at the edge of the platform, one slip and she would fall into the larva, she turned forward, seeing some lone warriors coming to attack her, she took a deep breath and advanced against the soldiers sliding between her legs as soon as she arrived giving a punch in the intimate parts, she was happy to see the man fall to his knees, she was quick to approach him, grab his head and push it to the ground as hard as she could seeing him drop the sword he was holding, she smiled victoriously for having hit the objective not delaying in picking up the weapon and defending herself from the next one who attacked her.

She tried to repel the attack and move as quickly as she could, seeing that they were coming, she cursed herself for seeing that she was just running away, but, deep down, she knew that she still didn't have the courage to kill, she had a sword in her hand, but no could handle it.

Keira felt tears spring to his eyes as he dodged the twenty men thirsting for his blood, he would die of exhaustion if he continued in that endless running cycle, he would not get anywhere without being a late death. He closed his eyes seeing the image of Samos, Daxter and Jak standing there, giving him a soft smile, his heart squeezed in longing for his friends. She was startled when she lost her balance and fell to the ground, she opened her eyes, desperate for the mistake, she turned around ready to get up, but as soon as she did, she received a strong punch from the soldier who stole the sword, she felt the blood fill her mouth, but he didn't have time to react as the man put his hands around his neck ready to break it. Keira gasped at the enemy's grip, saw the soldier smile sadistically at his despair, and hated herself even more for being so stupid.

She wasn't going to see his father or his friends. Not Jack.

Keira clenched his teeth feeling the anger predominate in his heart for throwing the opportunity to see his family away, he screamed with everything he had holding the gun tightly and sticking it in the soldier's neck, blood spurted on Keira's face, dirtying the sword too. She wouldn't give in, she couldn't, they were trying to kill her, there was no need for mercy.

She pushed the soldier's dead body away and got up as quickly as he could. Even creating courage, his body shook with the chaos of feelings that took over his body and mind, he had killed a human.

“Now there's no turning back”, thought Keira screaming and running towards her enemies.

She repeated the same movement she did to get the sword, only this time she hit the two legs of one of the soldiers, without looking back she continued attacking the warriors in any way she could, a soldier took her by surprise pushing her from the side making Keira fall on the ground, he didn't take long to jump on her with the sword, Hagai held back the sword's attack with only one hand, unluckily he didn't have enough strength and the weapon was very close to his neck, so he had to be fast enough to stick his sword in the soldier's belly.

As soon as he pushed the body another one followed, but Keira was faster in pushing with her leg throwing the man away, moaning in pain still from the cut on her back, but trying to put the pain in the back of her thoughts, all she needed to focus on was on killing the other 18 soldiers, he ran to get some distance and think of a strategy.

It wasn't the way she planned the fight, she had trained in techniques so as not to kill anyone, but in the end she had blood on her hands, if that chaos had already started let it end, she realized that the soldiers had a pattern about attack always wanting to take her to the ground with the force, he needed to be careful with the first attack and prevent him from falling to the ground.

Another soldier was coming towards him and he thought of an idea for him not to deposit his weight on her, he ran quickly and jumped as high as he could and attacked with a sword, as expected by Keira he deposited his strength in defense wanting to push her to the ground again, she took the opportunity and grabbed his arm forcing him to go along with her because of the strength that he himself put giving momentum to Hagai to stay on top facilitating the attack, before the soldier fell to the ground she used her body to continue on top and jump on top of each other getting easier, if you didn't have enough strength you would use theirs in your favor.

She managed to kill 10 soldiers with the technique, unfortunately it didn't last forever, one had the smartness to hold her back and push her hard to the ground, she felt her arm hurt taking another painful scream, she tried to move, but it only made the situation worse. There she had become aware of gravity, her shoulder dislocated.

The breath seemed to run out for Hagai seeing that she had lost her left arm without knowing how she would deal with the 7 soldiers she had left, she was so focused on the problem that she didn't notice the leg hitting her stomach, the kick was strong enough to make her - it rotates good meters. He stopped on his stomach, getting up only with the strength of his right arm that still held the sword, he made a point of never losing the only weapon he had. His body was shaking from the effort of all that battle, he didn't know how long he was there, it seemed like hours. He looked to the side seeing the soldiers running euphoric to see his critical condition. Even knowing his situation he couldn't lose hope after everything he did, he didn't kill 13 men to die in the end.

Keira positioned his left arm close to his body and adjusted the sword in his hand, walking slowly, she had no more stamina to run, so he would deal with the remaining 7 as accurately as possible. As Keira had already observed, the soldier tried to use his strength on her, pushing her, instead of using that trick to climb on him, Hagai pulled him along with her towards the ground and used the momentum to push him up. throwing him to the other side, getting up, he ran towards him who was still getting up and threw the sword in his face making a grotesque cut. He repeated the process twice more before stabbing the sword in the middle of his chest. She turned to the other 6 and prayed to the Precursors that she managed to maintain this tactic, she had no more ideas with only one arm.

She screamed aloud in the hope of making her body react and end that suffering as quickly as possible, everything was just a blur for her in those final moments; When he realized something, he heard the audience going crazy, he looked at those people screaming crazy and then at the trail of dead bodies, blood was everywhere on the platform. A sharp pain hit her belly and only at that second did she turn to her stomach seeing a gun going through her, Keira was dizzy when she realized that she was hit by the last soldier and she was so sedated by adrenaline that only then did she realize the wound. 

She fell to her knees still mesmerized with the sword inside her, she let go of the weapon she was holding, she brought her good hand trembling to the sword slowly in an attempt to remove it, but as soon as she touched the sheath and forced it a little the pain became a thousand times worse, lost strength and dropped his arm. Even all hurt, Keira allowed herself to smile, she did it, she defeated everyone and she was alive. Your way to see your loved ones was closer.

Chapter Text

— Keira, can you hear me? Stay.

— Uhum — she murmured sleepily, her body felt heavy and she was on the verge of unconsciousness. She could feel that she was being dragged by two thin but strong arms, but nothing more than that, wherever she was going she hoped she could rest.

— Prepare the operating room! I want a tray with warm water and cloths, a sterilized needle, scalpel, morphine, alcohol and an IV bag.

She frowned at the loud voice close to his ear, all Keira needed was the good, glorious silence to renew her energy. He felt himself lying down on something and sighed slightly to finally rest his legs.

— You did well, Hagai. Very good — Hal's voice seemed far away, but he couldn't help but smile at the compliment, yes, she had done it and could rest now.

— Yelena, take care of her — Hal asked, seeing Keira being taken unconscious.

— I won't let her die — she assured.

—Hal. — he looked at the communicator that rested on his waist and pulled it out to answer the call.

- Yes sir.

— In my room, now — the line went silent without giving the woman a chance to agree, she looked again at the corridor where Keira followed and sighed tiredly knowing that she should trust Yelena's abilities, she walked calmly to the Damas room that was waiting for her with a guest.

— What do we have here — Hal commented smiling as soon as he noticed Sig's figure.

— Good to see you too — greeted the woman with a handshake. — I heard you have a disciple.

— Not exactly, I just thought it would be right to help you.

— Damas was telling me the story, is she from Haven? — Sig asked and Hal denied.

—According to her, it's not from this era. It is believed to have come from the past.

— A little hard to believe — he commented thoughtfully.

— She didn't pose any risks to the city, so I don't see why to distrust the girl, we saw that fighting is not her main skill.

— But it can become one, if well trained — Damas intervened for the first time, drawing their attention. — I must admit that the girl surprised me with the training she offered her in a week.

— She has resilience — Hal replied.

— Is the girl okay? — Sig asked.

— In surgery due to the sword stuck in the stomach. — the man widened his eyes, surprised by the sentence.

— And is she alive? She has resistance — he said, smiling. — Well, I need to get back before Krew suspects I'm missing. I'll bring you more news as soon as possible.

— Are you planning to return? — Hal questioned Sig, who stopped walking to look at the woman.

— Six months from now, why?

— Keira will enjoy talking to you. She wants to go back to Haven, it seems like her family is there. She can accompany you in espionage and serve as support. — Sig nodded.

— I'll keep in touch and see what I can do.

Sig entered the elevator and Hal only turned to the king as soon as the transport disappeared.

— Something? — she asked, receiving denial from Damas.

—Sig will find him, believe me.

— It's difficult to maintain hope after so long — Damas lamented. — I know that city better than anyone, it can be cruel when it wants to be. — He remained silent for a while before returning to his usual posture. — Your colleague is stronger than she looks for staying alive after staying in that city with nothing.

— Did you call me just to praise you?

— I'm preparing her first mission — he informed her.

— Of course it is — Hal countered.

— Let me know as soon as she's recovered, Kleiver is doing maintenance on the car so she'll be fine once she's discharged.

— As you wish. Can I go now?

— You know you don't need all that — Damas replied, going to the throne and sitting down.

— I like to be real in my performances.

— It's just us. You are not my subordinate.

— No, but I like to believe that it works that way. Just don't think this lets you off the hook for me, I can still defeat you just as easily.

— I know that, and I intend not to forget it.

She again tasted the food that was already familiar to his taste, he could say it was bad, but after what he had been through, any food would be welcome in his mouth, even if the soup was as bland as possible.

— Your recovery is going well — Yelena informed, entering the room with Keira's clipboard. — The wound on your back is healed and the wound on your belly will be fine in four days. You will soon return to your home.

Hearing this was like music for Keira, honestly it was creating a certain dislike for hospitals, maybe because of spending so much time there, I didn't know how Yelena managed to work there.

— You're too much of a warrior to live here for 12 hours of your day — she replied, catching Yelena's attention, who laughed.

— It's not an easy job, but I'd rather save lives than suffer in the desert outside.

— Were you a warrior before coming here? — the blue one asked in surprise.

— Just like you, after going through initiation I did missions with warriors and alone, I promised myself I wouldn't do that again, I decided to study medicine and channel a little echo, I asked Damas to relocate me.

— They channel echo here?! — asked Keira in surprise. It's the first time he's heard something he knows about other than cars.

— In extremely rare cases. Eco has become an inestimably expensive item, so we can't enjoy it like we used to.

Keira nodded, absorbing the information, she began to think about what her next step would be when she recovered, even though she was relieved that the fight was over, she knew that things would be more difficult.

— Don't worry, you'll do fine — Yelena said, seeing Hagai's worried expression. — I heard you fix things.

— Driving too — she added.

— Maybe that's your job, the missions are carried out in cars that can withstand the sand and the temperature outside. You can help Kleiver in the workshop part. Although working with that fat stopper…

— What did you say? — Keira asked, seeing Yelena whisper the last sentence.

— What? Oh! Nothing, no.

The youngest looked suspiciously at the nurse, but decided not to force her. Whatever it was, she hoped it wouldn't cause any problems for her, she already had a lot of bad things on her plate.

Knocking sounded on the door and Hal appeared then, she was wearing a completely different outfit than usual, something completely lighter and softer.

— Good morning.

— Did Damas give you a break? — Yelena asked, analyzing Hal from head to toe and the woman nodded.

— I asked, now things have calmed down in Westland. But it's a short time.

— It's not surprising that you're his trusted warrior — the blonde commented smiling and Hal rolled his eyes at his colleague's exaggeration.

— I fulfill my duties. Only that. Now, let's get down to business: how is Keira?

— Practically 100% new. The wound in his stomach is what is really delaying his stay here, but we managed to find some efficient medicine that has speeded up the healing process.

— Forecast for discharge?

Keira watched as Hal asked about her situation and immediately suspected something was coming. I'd like to think the woman was worried about her safety, maybe she was, but she had an idea that Hal was Damas' spokesperson and the king needed to test her strength to make her a citizen of Spargus.

— What does Damaz plan? — Keira asked, interrupting the conversation between the two who looked at Hagai.

— You're getting good at this — Hal commented. — He has already prepared his first mission, but wants to make sure he is well enough to do it. I'm trying to tell him to be patient since it's not up to you to get it completely better.

— Damas is insane.

— Understand, Yelena. We are in a complicated situation, we need good drivers as quickly as possible to face the desert out there, most of the citizens have escaped the exploitative guard and we are at a loss. Someone with Keira's skills could be what we need. Believe me, girl, Damas liked you.

Her eyes widened when she saw Hal turning to her informing her of the king's clear interest, she didn't know exactly what his plans were with her, but she hoped that this would be beneficial to the point of being able to return to Haven, she didn't want to be stuck here.

— I need to go back to Haven, see my family, I can't be stuck here.

— Damas and I are fully aware of this, we have a spy there who rarely visits us, unfortunately, and we can send you with him as soon as possible, but you need to get citizenship and until then, the king will use you in whatever way he can. .

— All good. Let's get this over with.

A week later

— Look if it's not the new girl — Keira took a good look at the man who was certainly overweight, he had a good number of scars proving that he had already been through hell.

They were at the city's gateway, a small garage held a collection of cars that Hagai couldn't help but be enchanted by, she had never seen cars of that model. Damas was present along with another man she had never seen, but knew they would have a very complicated relationship.

— Keira, this is Kleiver, he is responsible for our vehicle workshop. If you want to join our city's mechanics, he's the one you'll work with — Damas said. — Hal must have commented during his recovery about our exploring team, there are many dangerous things in the Wasteland desert, but they are also valuable and we need the best runners to face the most difficult battles, whether with looters or metal heads.

— Metal heads? — Keira asked confused.

— Never seen one? They are monsters that feed on dark echo. They are capable of tearing a body apart in minutes, fast and extremely strong. I would be very careful if I came across one. — Keira swallowed hard at Damas' description, yet another problem to deal with.

— I very much doubt that this chica last a long time to at least see a metal head. I would kill her instantly. — frowned at the man's audacity, realized that Kleiver was a pain in the ass and would certainly make Keira's life a living hell.

— Your first mission is reconnaissance. We found a valuable item with the sandstorms, luckily it's very close by, so it won't be difficult for you to bring it.

— Which of the beauties will I use? — Keira asked, focusing again on the cars. I would spend days dismantling and assembling everything.

— If you think you're going to touch my babies, you're wrong. girl. Be content with that one over there — Kleiver replied pointing to a simple car, without any weapons.

— No weapons?

— Like I said: recognition.

She nodded silently, knowing that there was no point in arguing, even so she still had the pistol provided by Hal before coming, it was well hidden under her clothes and would remain that way. He walked to the car, getting into it with the help of the upper red iron bars and took a good look at the structure of the small but comfortable vehicle with very practical functions.

— At least you know how to drive a car, chica ? — Kleiver asked, causing a deep sigh from Keira who didn't dare answer, she looked at the pedals below and wondered if they had the same functionality as the vehicles she created at that time.

— What were vehicles like in your time? — Damas asked, seeing Keira's look. Kleiver laughed when he saw that Hagai wouldn't move.

— Well, what I produced had a clutch, accelerator and brake.

—So nothing has changed. See the pedal on the left? Clutch, the middle one is the brake, the right one is the accelerator, next to it the gear. — Keira nodded, recapping how it worked, turned the key in the ignition and smiled when she saw that she understood. He approached the gate, waiting for it to open while he put on his glasses and a cloth over his mouth, covering his face completely.

He put his hand face to face with the thick layer of dust that came towards him, if the city was hot, that desert was hell on Earth. As soon as she saw the vast desert in front of her, Keira felt her heart accelerate in anxiety, she accelerated mercilessly away from the city of Spargus towards her destination. He looked at the GPS attached to the car to check where he should go, it was a little far, but Keira believed she could do it in an hour, she turned forward, stepping more on the accelerator towards the unknown.

This moment was more liberating than Keira imagined, as if nothing she had been through or was going through was true, the feeling of freedom was overwhelming and for the first time she smiled, happy to be away from the whole nightmare. He stepped on the clutch and increased the gear, going even faster, the sun was burning hotly, much to the discomfort of the woman who felt her head hurt slightly. At a glance, he saw figures approaching through the rear camera.

“Looters”, thought Hagai, knowing what he would have to face. The demons of the Wasteland who plundered, destroyed and killed anything in sight; Hal commented about them and how she should be cautious when facing them, if the vehicle rolled over it would certainly be the end.

It didn't take long to increase the speed even further, always paying attention to the GPS so as not to lose the location, he saw a small river pass by and was surprised to see that there was water nearby, however little it was. He noticed, as he passed, that the water gave the car more traction, making it very slow. His despair was greater when he saw the wider path.

“I knew I should have insisted more on a gun”

She stepped, in an uncontrolled frenzy, on the accelerator, confident that she would get out of there and was startled when she felt the thump of one of the cars against her, they had already reached her. She looked at the simple dashboard of the vehicle in an attempt to find something that would make her get out of there, she didn't even notice when two more cars were next to her, trapping her.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck”

She pressed the suspension button in the hope that the vehicle would jump and she could accelerate to get out of the prison made by the looters. Unfortunately for him, the car barely got off the ground and out of place. She kept stepping on the accelerator in the hope of getting out of the water and being able to gain speed on the sandy land, the cars pressed her further, letting Keira's despair grow even more in the midst of that strong storm, she was relieved when she reached the small sand island and got the speed I wanted to get out of there. Knowing how to proceed, he pressed the suspension button again and accelerated as much as he could so as not to have to go through the choking water again.

He turned the steering wheel once, realizing that he would hit a cactus and the vehicle skidded on the sand, causing him to lose control. Keira screamed as she tried to balance the car, but Hagai didn't have a chance before an enemy car hit hers with force, causing the car to overturn. Hagai could feel the car turning over and over again, leaving her head dizzy from the repeated movements, she couldn't say how long it stayed like that, but at some point the car stopped to her relief, unfortunately it was upside down.

The belt he was using managed to stabilize Keira in the vehicle, preventing her from falling out or sustaining any more serious injuries. With difficulty, he managed to free himself from the object and get out from under the car to observe where he was, he took out the hidden pistol and cocked it the way Hal had taught him, he began to walk around observing everything around him in case any looters appeared. Keira knew she would need to hide and see what she would do, the car was useless now and would be her last objective, with it overturned she had lost her GPS and didn't know where the artifact was.

The winds got stronger making it even more difficult for Keira to see, she needed to hide and see how she would react from there, maybe wait for the looters to disperse before going back to the car and try to turn it around alone, or go back to Spargus and ask help...I knew it would be shameful, but it was Hagai's most sensible decision. However, in the environment she was in, what she was dealing with, she knew that she had to deal with the obstacles and difficulties, only then would she survive there.

After a long walk, he found a small opening between the rocks that could fit his slender body and hid as best he could, the sandstorm was uncontrollable at that moment and Keira sighed for having found the tiny cave at the right time.

She didn't let go of her weapon for a single moment, even though she saw how the enemies had disappeared, they certainly hid from the storm just like she did. He brought his knees close to his chest and rested his chin, looking outside. Over time, she could feel her body burn due to the scorching temperature, it was as if she was about to combust, her forehead began to sweat and her throat was dry due to the lack of water, her glands no longer even produced saliva.

Keira removed her glasses for the first time, as well as the cloth that covered her head, that heavy clothing was suffocating her in that small space. Hagai tried to control her breathing and the despair that grew in her mind when she realized that she was alone, outside the city in a desert where she knew nothing. She didn't know if she was close to the city or even the car, all she did was run without looking back.

Water filled the edges of her eyes and Keira took the opportunity to take them and lick them, feeling the salty taste, even though it did little to relieve her tongue as it enjoyed the liquid. His head hurt badly due to the temperature and tiredness began to take over his body, he didn't even realize it when it completely disappeared.

She opened her eyes little by little, her body hurt because of the position she was in, she couldn't move much since she was in a compact place and it was there that Keira realized what was happening, she was lost in the middle of the desert. He looked outside, seeing darkness take over, the storm had gone away and now everything was calm, Keira crawled outside, feeling the hair on her body stand up from the cold gust of wind. Hours, at least, had passed since the incident, he thought for a moment if he would walk to the car to check the GPS and see which way he was going, but at the moment his legs were shaking due to lack of strength and he suspected he couldn't walk very far.

He wondered if the artifact was still in sight after all this time, Damas had informed him that these objects appeared and disappeared with storms, so they needed to be quick to look for them. Judging by the long hours of his swoon, the artifact had certainly mixed the sands again. As usual, she had failed in her first mission, Damas and Kleiver must have already considered her dead and wouldn't even come after her since she wasn't a citizen yet. But she would prove that she was worthy of being someone for that city, she needed it if she wanted to return to Haven, if she wanted to see her father, Daxter and Jak, she beat 20 men in an arena inside the volcano, she could handle a damn desert .

An idea crossed her mind and she smiled at how crazy it was, but she was out of options, so this was the only one she thought was good. He started walking, still holding his pistol ready for any unforeseen event, he didn't know if the looters would appear at night, but if they did it would be even better than waiting until dawn. If the sun was scorching in the morning and indolent at night, spending more than a few days here would certainly kill someone slowly and tortuously. She hoped she could get to the car, trying to remember where she came from, but everything there seemed the same and again panic set in if she got completely lost, she shook her head to purge the bad thoughts, she had to believe she could do it.

He quickened his pace, being careful not to slip on that soft sand, he saw something up ahead and squinted his eyes to see better, feeling a twinge of hope he hurried to run and his smile widened when he saw his car being fixed by two looters, their own cars were parked nearby and Keira had never considered herself so lucky, surely they showed up to steal anything useful from her vehicle after the storm. She took advantage of the distraction to go to one of the cars and get in without being seen, she sat in the driver's seat and looked at the key in the ignition ready to be used, it didn't take long to start the car scaring the two looters with the noise of the engine; With his adrenaline high, seeing that the bandits started coming towards him, he took the pistol and shot the two who fell dead on the ground.

He put the gun away and saw that his car was almost overturned again, he drove the stolen vehicle and pushed it enough to put the other one in the right position, he left the car running and went to the other one to check the GPS at the last recorded location, he sat on the seat. and started the engine, seeing that it was still running, she smiled, relieved that her plan had gone so well. He left the two cars behind and continued on his way to the location mentioned on the GPS, he stopped as soon as he arrived and got out of the car checking if he could find anything valuable in the sandy lands, but nothing, the ground was clean. Not giving up easily, he fell to his knees and began to search the area around him, it was still there, just covered in sand, even if Keira had to create a crater, she would return to Spargus with that artifact.

Hagai was digging hard, was this the tenth place she was looking for? She didn't know, but she would continue until the skin on her fingers was gone. She stopped, tired from the effort, her fingers were calloused from digging, she didn't even know if she was in the right place to look and from here another storm would come...

“Sandstorm”, thought Keira looking at the parked car, the idea had come at a good time, she got up and went to the car, starting it again while adjusting her glasses, she would create her own sandstorm.

The car skidded, this time more controlled, causing the sand to rise quickly, the car continually rolled, already losing sight of the space there was for the rising sand. He continued doing this for another 5 minutes until he stopped and got out of the car looking again at the place with the whirlpools still standing, he ran to have a greater reach, but Keira hit something and fell to the ground, he looked back seeing a really shiny object and he smiled when he saw that he had achieved it. With all the strength he had, which wasn't much, he pulled the artifact out of the sand and grabbed it. He allowed himself to rest a little when he achieved his objective. As soon as her breathing regulated she got back in the car and drove back to Spargus thanks to the GPS, just imagining her bed, a good shower and water made her cry. He was at his limit, if he continued in that desert a little longer Keira would become one with him, she saw the same river that caused her fall and wanted to stop to drink water, but she felt something hit the bottom of her car and she knew immediately that looters they were already coming towards her, she stepped on the accelerator hard and used the same suspension tactic to pass there, this time she had managed it even though she was slow, she drove like crazy and when she saw the entrance gate to the city.

“A little more, a little more. Open the gate, open it!”

As soon as he got close enough, the gate opened allowing him entry and closed automatically, prohibiting the bandits from entering; she braked the car at once and continued inside, absorbing that all that chaos was over, she had made it. She didn't care that she was still in the car, sweaty, hungry and thirsty, her body was sore, her mind was begging for rest and that's what she did when she passed out again.

Chapter Text

She sighed deeply, smelling the scent of lavender, the breeze continually ruffled her hair, relieving all the tension from hours ago. It was all so refreshing, but Keira was in a scorching desert, fighting for survival, that thought made Hagai open her eyes and check her surroundings. Her eyes widened at the beauty of the place: a vast open-air field full of lavender that shook according to the movements of the wind, she looked at the ground seeing that she was sitting on soft green grass and above her head a large and extensive The tree provided pleasant shade.

Had it all been a dream? All that chaos, the despair, the fear. A very well made piece. Satisfied with where she was, she remained leaning against the tree, enjoying that glorious and numbing moment, she was relieved that it was all an invention of her head, even though she didn't know where she was, any place was better than Spargus or even Heaven. Maybe she was dead and this was paradise, she was okay with that oddly enough. His spirit was at peace.

Still observing the lavender field, she saw a figure take shape as it approached, she narrowed his eyes, suspicious of what it could be, but all doubts evaporated as soon as he recognized who it was.

 — Jak — Keira whispered in disbelief. She got up from the ground and ran with all his might, each time Jak's image became clearer, the more Hagai's smile opened, he was here, he came to meet her and Keira couldn't be happier. She didn't let him speak, she threw herself on top of him hugging him with all the strength she had, she wanted to feel him completely to make sure he was real and not an illusion in her head. — I'm so happy you're here, so happy. I missed you so much.

Jak didn't say anything, just wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed her as tight as he could. They spent long minutes in that position and if it depended on Hagai's will it would remain that way, but she needed to see his face properly, talk to him, hear his adventures. It had been so long. She loosened his grip and tried to separate himself from his friend, but he at least moved.

— Jak, let go of me, I need to see you — Keira asked, trying to get away from him, but with each attempt his grip became stronger, and it started to scare her. — Jak, please, you're hurting me.

The calloused hands on her back changed, she could feel it, something thin and certainly sharp. He looked at his neck and his eyes widened when he saw the purple tone on his skin. Pushing him with all his strength, she finally saw her friend's face to the shock of Keira who screamed in horror with sharp teeth and completely black eyes, that wasn't her friend pleasant.

— JAK!

She opened her eyes, shaking her entire body in despair, your body was immersed in the water and ended up sinking with the frantic movements caused by the nightmare. Where the hell was she?

— Keira, calm down.

— Where? — she tried to ask, but she was still confused by everything.

— Calm down, come — Damas said calmly as he helped her get up. — We found you passed out in the car, Yelena took care of you and because of your dehydration we decided to bring you to my room.

At that moment, Keira observed the place she was resting and was amazed at the size of the place, where was that in Spargus? The water was cold and refreshing, several plants were placed around the room, making it pleasant. Was she really in Spargus?

— Where am I?

— In the throne room.

— Oh. 

— Your dehydration was severe, spending two days in that desert without water. It's too much for anyone.

Keira's eyes widened at the king's sentence, from her point of view it had only been a day, she wondered how long she had been uncoordinated.

—The artifact…

— It was kept. You did well. Now, we want to know what happened for a reconnaissance mission lasting at most 2 hours to turn into two days.

— The looters... they cornered me and overturned the vehicle, I didn't have a weapon to destroy the cars. I ran away and hid in a tiny cave and ended up blacking out when I woke up at night, I managed to steal a car from the looters and killed them, I fixed the car and went after the artifact.

— But the storm had already passed — refuted Damas, wondering how she found something like that in the middle of that sand.

— I caused a sandstorm with the car. — Damas couldn't be more shocked by Hagai's response, it's a smart, very smart idea.

— You surprise me with each passing day, Keira. Stay here as long as you need, the water is safe to drink. I have a meeting, so I'll go out now and let Yelena and Hal know you're awake.

Still silent, Keira waved and watched Damas enter the elevator and disappear from her sight, leaving her alone. She swam to the stone walkway and got out of the water, she decided to walk all over the place and stopped at the huge windows that gave a full view of the city at sunset, she lost himself in that beautiful view focusing on every detail of the city, every building, person, paths and breathtaking sunsets. She wanted to be traumatized by everything that was happening, the complete upheaval in her life, but she confesses that all the adrenaline and experience she was living there was unique and never, living with her father, who would go through everything she went through, she wouldn't be the same anymore and she hoped that Jak and her father would someday accept what she was. That was one of the few things she feared.

— Keira.

She looked back to see Hal in his usual clothes, her face was calm, but she saw relief in her eyes. She smiled at the woman showing that he was fine and she smiled back.

— Are you hungry? — Hal asked.

— Others.

— Come, dinner will be served soon. Unless you still want to enjoy the luxury that Damas offered you — she replied smiling, but Keira denied it.

— I'm fine, and I wanna see Yelena.

Hal waved and turned and headed back to the elevator.

— Our incredible warrior! — Yelena celebrated by hugging Keira. — I'm so happy to see you're okay.

— Also.

— Go help yourself. We'll stay here —Hal instructed.

She walked to the small line, taking the tray and being served on it, returning Keira stopped to look at the two women talking animatedly and couldn't help but smile, she missed Sandover, Jak and her father, even Daxter, but she wouldn't deny it. seeing the two people who have supported her the most until now, she was able to feel, even a little, the feeling of being at home.

Chapter Text

It was becoming habitual; the sequence of blows, dodges, strength and agility. Training in the preparation camp is a routine that Keira decided to integrate into her new life, she liked the adrenaline and the evolution that all the hard work gives her. To tell the truth, to Hagai's surprise, she liked Spargus.

It might seem impossible with everything she went through in her attempt to return to Haven City, a detail that Keira never forgot her real objective, but she found friends here, a job with a horrible boss, but who inspired her every day to produce extremely powerful and test cars. them in the desert.

It was still difficult, it had only been three months and she still needed to complete the last test which would take place next week. The training was more intense than last time and Hagai felt like she was at her limit, but she would do it for Jak, Daxter and Samos.

— Hagai.

She stopped his movements and turned to look at Eos approaching.

— Damas requested your presence — he replied neutrally.

— Any idea of the order? — Keira asked, receiving denial from the man.

— All I can tell you is that it’s serious.

— Alright, thank you Eos.

— Always, Hagai.

She walked to the throne room, feeling the scorching sun burning her back, her body was still sweating from the training asking for a shower, but according to Eos' words, if she were to leave Damas waiting, she would certainly be punished.

As I went up in the elevator, I could feel the cold breeze of the approaching place due to the plants and lakes that made the place extremely refreshing, different from the rest of the city. When she reached the top, Keira could see the figure of the king sitting on the throne.

—King Checkers. I came as soon as I received the message — warned Keira, but the man at least moved, his expression was pure concern and Keira wondered what would make the man so worried and still call her. Like it or not, Hagai was still a rookie.

— Hal has been missing for three days. — That had caught Keira off guard. — She was sent on a mission, but we haven't heard from her since. I know I should think the worst, but Hal is certainly not dead and something very serious has happened.

She knew very well about Hal's departure as she herself was training her when she left, as usual the details of the mission were not released leaving Keira without knowing anything, certainly something very serious considering what was happening. But something didn't add up to it all.

— Why me?

Damas, for the first time, raised his head and looked into Keira's eyes. A slight shiver passed down her spine, the king's gaze was always sharp and cold, and in a situation like that it only got worse, but Keira didn't dare show weakness, hiding her feelings had been one of the skills she managed to develop well and she couldn't be more grateful.

— Why not you? She is her student and a great mechanic. If the problem is in the vehicle, you can solve it.

— Do you think the problem is just with the vehicle? — she replied automatically, Hal was too smart and it wouldn't be a car that could stop her. He was surprised when he saw Damas laugh at his answer.

—She taught you well. Your last test is close, this mission can give you advantages.

— Where was she last seen?

— Northern region of the desert about 18 mile away. These are regions that we avoid stepping on because they belong to monks.

— Friar?

— There are sanctuaries in that region where monks reside under the belief of the precursors, we almost don't go around that region unless necessary and it's always Hal who goes. The desert is unknown even to me after years, secret entrances, metal head houses among other things you won't rather see.

— Why only her?

—She didn't tell you? — Damas asked in confusion. — Well, that's not my decision.

“I'll get ready and leave,” Keira decided.

— I'll order Kleiver to prepare a car for you. We'll meet in the garage.

She nodded and walked as quickly as she could to her house, showered and put on clothes suitable for the hot desert along with her glasses, grabbed her small quick repair bag and ran to the garage where Kleiver and Damas were already waiting for her.

— I know she's good, but this is too much. She knows that Hal's missions are too secretive and dangerous for a newcomer who hasn't yet completed her citizenship tests.

— Hal trusts her, so I trust her too.

She held back a small smile so as not to give away that he had heard the conversation. She hated that Kleiver always underestimated her, she tried very hard not to start an argument with him and send him to a place that even the precursors would doubt.

— I'm ready. — the two turned as soon as they heard Keira's voice.

— Great, Kleiver prepared theDune Hopper for you.

She liked the sound of it, she had already repaired it a few times, and improved its suspension, it’s one of the cars she was curious to test, but Kleiver unfortunately never allowed it.

— Wait, if this car is suitable for the temple region, why didn't Hal take it? — Keira asked, knowing that that vehicle was the only one with large propulsions.

— The last visible sign of her was near that region, even though she didn't have a suitable car, it's not impossible that Hal went to the mountain. That's why you'll go to Dune. — Keira threw the small repair bag into the Hooper and climbed into the driver's seat. — The car has a transmitter, we will follow your signal through the car once you arrive at your destination. And Keira.

— Yes.

— Take care. — it was the first time that Hagai saw Damas give her a different look than usual, so she didn't know how to react better than a brief wave and get into the driver's seat without taking long to start the car and drive through the long desert.

As usual, a group of looters appear ready to attack her, even though the car is extremely tall, its suspension could be a facilitator to knock it down, so Keira activated the jump and the Hooper's turbo, moving her away from her pursuers, she looked to the GPS to make sure you didn't deviate from the path and stepped on the accelerator more when you saw you were on the right route.

A looter was right in front of her, but she destroyed the car effortlessly with the vehicle's explosive weapons, she drove quickly, anxious for them to lose sight of her in the small sandstorms, after long minutes she was surprised to see the which appeared to be an abandoned city, she looked through the rear viewfinder to see that the cars were no longer chasing her, she braked the car and turned back, watching them go away without even trying to get closer.

“That was new”, thought Keira, this must probably be a sacred city for them, and for her it would be an area of protection in case she had serious problems with them.

Keira turned to observe the deserted city, some jumpers eating what little grass he had walking around calmly, the weather was still warm, but the winds had never been so gentle, probably because of the place. He held himself back from exploring that beautiful and at the same time mysterious city, he had a mission to fulfill, he would come here as soon as he had the opportunity.

She started the vehicle and continued the journey until the last sign seen of Hal, it didn't take long to leave the city, passing over a small elevation quickly reaching the coast, the sound of the waves hitting the rocks was much louder here, she looked around the Looking for any sign, she removed his protective glasses in an attempt to have a clearer view. Keira turned off the Hooper and went downstairs to check for any clues the woman might have left, but no car. She was going to return to Dune, but a small object caught his attention on the sand and he felt a small hope when he saw that it was Hal's communicator. She wondered how she abandoned something so important in the middle of the desert. She took the communicator from his waist and called the king.

— Yes? — she heard Damas's voice hopefully.

— Keira here. I found her communicator, but no clues. Her car must be somewhere.

— Alright. Just be careful when staying there, you must have seen the city, the looters don't cross which makes it difficult for them to access this area, but that doesn't mean they won't arrive, be quick.

— Okay, I'm leaving — she put the communicator back.

— You shouldn't be here — heard the mysterious voice and turned around, already aiming his gun, coming face to face with a stranger. His face was pale in addition to being painted with red and yellow, his clothes were completely black with some copper details.

— Who are you? — she asked seriously.

— I should be asking you that. I shouldn't be here — replied the stranger, who was unfazed by a gun pointed at his face.

— I'm looking for a…friend. She disappeared 3 days ago and this is her communicator.

— Probably the same signal I got. Apparently it was a trip…

But the person didn't finish speaking as they both heard the sound of cars approaching. The looters had arrived.

— Now is not the time to argue, get in the car!

The person was reluctant to obey Keira's command, who was already climbing the Hooper. However, seeing that she was unprotected against those bloodthirsty people, she ran to Hagai's car and easily climbed into the vehicle. Keira didn't take long to step on the accelerator to enter the sacred lands, she would have enough time to lose them and look for Hal's car, which was certainly somewhere in that immense desert.

As expected, the looters remained at the edge of the area and Keira didn't miss the opportunity to speed up even more to gain time, they crossed the city on the outskirts and left without anyone in sight.

— It looks like we're safe — Keira replied before a huge tremor appeared, she noticed how nervous her companion was about what had happened.

— Speed up…speed up!! — shouted desperately, much to Keira's surprise.

— What…? — She didn't have time to finish the question when he saw the most enormous figure of his entire life. — By the precursors.

Keira turned the steering wheel to the right as much as he could, trying his best not to make the car skid, if looters were bad enough, that monster was three times worse.

— What the hell is this? — Keira screamed desperately, trying to maintain control of the car.

— It's a metal head from the desert! If we don't hurry up, he'll step on us.

“Don’t panic, don’t be, just drive”, thought Hagai focused, pressing the pedal as hard as she could.

—He's getting closer!

It didn't take seconds until the car was thrown by the metal head miles away. Luckily the car landed on its feet, skidding a good few meters before stopping, Keira stopped for a few minutes until her mind stopped spinning repeatedly as a result of the strong blow. He looked to the side, seeing the person still in shock from what happened.

— Are you okay?

— I can't believe I'm alive — murmured, still in a trance.

— We need to defeat that thing — said Keira, starting the vehicle and thinking of some strategy to defeat the monster that was running loose in the immense desert.

— These things shouldn't be here. Something big is coming, I can feel it — said the stranger, closing her eyes and making signs with her hand.

— Can we focus on now? I have a professor to find and a monster to defeat and you're not helping.

She drove, concentrating on the monster that was a few meters ahead, throwing a bomb that at the last moment the leader managed to dodge by turning to the right.

— You won't hit him like that.

— Tell me a better idea, then — replied Keira, at the same moment an idea popped into her head, it was risky, but she had nothing to lose at that moment. Adrenaline was running wild through his blood and, to his surprise, an enormous determination took over his being. — Do you trust me?

— No.

— Great, then hold on. — she stepped on the accelerator, getting even closer to the metal head who was running slowly, but due to his height, a simple step was a great distance.

— Precursors help me! — shouted the stranger.

With difficulty he managed to get practically below the animal, unfortunately the car was too wide, but that didn't stop Keira from throwing a bomb that hit the creature squarely, which staggered due to the blow, but didn't stop it from continuing running and turning towards the car. by Keira. — He's going to kill us!

Hagai shifted gears into reverse and pressed the pedal. — Keep an eye on the monster — he replied, looking back as he drove.

— It's getting closer!

— Shit, shit, shit — she muttered, turning the steering wheel once to the right at the same time as he pulled the rear brake, getting out of the way of the metal head that skidded while trying to catch the vehicle.

— What do we do? Run from it until you run out of gas?

— We need a plan — Keira murmured, shifting into first gear and accelerating to get away from the metal head.

— Going back to Spargus is a plan — replied the other.

— I have a mission and I'm not going back without completing it, I need to find Hal.

— Did you say Hal?! — asked the stranger, seeing that the monster was on top of them. — He's going to kill us!

Keira looked up seeing the monster ready to strike, she was so focused on responding to her companion that she became distracted. She would have died if the metal head hadn't simply stood still with its hands in the air.

— What? — Keira asked, startled by the scream and looked down to see her teacher with her hand on her abdomen.

Hal accumulated a dark echo in his outstretched hand, forming a huge ball that hit the monster's head and fell dead. Keira watched in amazement, in all the time she spent in Spargus she never imagined she would experience a moment like this. He turned off the vehicle and got out of the car as soon as he saw Hal fall to his knees, he ran as fast as he could to help the woman who was lying on the scalding sand.

—Hal! Jesus…Hal! — Keira shouted, kneeling down and checking the wound on her stomach. — What happened? — however, she received no response from her and she fainted.

— Let's take her to the temple, we can heal her there — replied the other, seeing Keira's despair.

With great difficulty, they managed to put her in the car and drove as quickly as possible to the coast, with directions from the stranger, Keira jumped with high suspension through the small islands until she reached the mountain in the middle of the sea, passed through the abyss of the waterfall and braked when saw the huge wall with holes.

— We're here. Let's go down it — they took Hal to the place indicated by Keira's deduction, monk. They entered a huge empty hall and passed through a door with a huge black eye, went down several stairs and entered narrow corridors, Keira had already gotten lost in that place, at one point she saw people exactly like the stranger where there were other people exactly like her , black clothes, white, yellow and red faces. — We need help, Hal is injured.

Dozens of people automatically helped the unconscious woman. Keira watched from afar as everyone took care of Hal and thought about how her father would solve that problem, being a green eco sage, he was a master healer.

— Miss, Seem said we should take you to a room to rest.

Afraid, Hagai waved and followed the stranger to the spare room. As soon as he saw the door close, he didn't think twice before falling onto the bed and completely blacking out.

Chapter Text

She opened her eyes, startled by the knocking on the door.

Keira was trying to reconcile her mind with everything that was happening. She quickly analyzed the place where she felt strange. It was different from the dry air she was used to. She could feel the humidity there. She wasn't home, much less in Spargus. Memories came back in a flash at the same moment the knocking sounded again.

Keira calmly got out of bed and opened the door to find a monk.

"Hal is awake and wants to see you," he informed her, then calmly walked out into the long corridor.

Keira sighed, closing the door and following the stranger through the new place. She was too tired yesterday to remember the route she took, sleep still permeated her mind making it difficult to follow her guide who didn't care if she followed him or not.

She yawned lazily, rubbing the eyes, trying to stay awake and aware of the path, as if she somehow knew. Keira was startled when she heard the monk's soft voice saying that they had arrived.

He opened the door, giving Keira enough room to enter. Hal was lying on a double bed. She walked until had a full view of the woman, breathing calmly. Her stomach was bandaged and showed no blood stains, which was a plus considering the state she'd found her in the desert.

“Probably because of the dark echo.”

The answer came faster than Keira could contain herself, replaying the scene of Hal defeating the metal head as if it were nothing.

"Hi"

"Hi", Keira reciprocated. "So..."

"I know you want to ask about the echo," Hal said, to Hagai's surprise, who swallowed hard, nervous about how to approach the context.

Dark Echo, in her village, was an extremely sensitive subject. Samos spoke, like an old vinyl record, about the distance Keira and Jak, even Dax, should keep from the Dark Echo. Gol, the wise man of the time, was concrete proof that everything her father said was true. Seeing someone else wielding this power, someone so close, made Keira anxious.

"Does Damas know?" It was the most neutral question Keira could find to begin with.

Hal nodded.

“That's why I'm sent on different missions. Few people know about this ability.”

“Why did you mess with the dark echo?”

“Curiosity.” The answer affected Keira.

“Curiosity?” she said irritably. “Dark Echo is dangerous, Hal. It changes you in ways you can’t even imagine!”

“I know that more than you think," Hal replied, bothered by the younger woman's accusations.

“Gol said the same.”

“How do you know that name?”

Keira looked at the disbelief in Hal's irises at what she said.

"He was the sage of the dark echo in my village," Keira explained. "But he was consumed by it; in the end, death was his only escape. Why?"

“This name only appears in the most sacred and protected books of this temple, few know the story.”

“And how do you know?”

“Because I was once a monk.”

Keira opened her mouth, but didn't say a word, judging Hal's response, her serious, determined expression showing she wasn't lying. Making everything even more absurd.

"How long?" Keira could tell the question triggered something in Hal, surely unlocking something the woman wished she couldn't remember. "It's okay if you don't want to…"

"Can you help me sit up?" Hal asked. Keira approached, taking the woman's hand and supporting her still-frail body. "It was a long time ago, but from what I can remember, Spargus was still a small village, slowly developing."

"I was a monk of this temple, devoted to the precursors, but something about the dark echo caught my attention. I believed that, if used correctly, it could be of great help to our protection. My companions warned about the dangers it posed, but none of that stopped me. On the contrary, the desire to prove them wrong was overwhelming. Unfortunately, this cost me my expulsion; the lords didn't like my attitude, however noble it was."

“But that didn't stop you.”

Hal smiled at Keira's response.

"No, that didn't stop me. I continued studying more and more, managing to perfect the echo in various aspects. You don't know what the library here hides. However, one event made me reconsider whether my whole illusory idea of being a complete sage was really necessary."

“So you are not sage?”

“No. I like to call myself a dark echo channeler, even though I've delved deeper than I'd like into such a harmful power.”

“What happened?”

The pain that flashed across Hal's eyes caught Keira off guard.

“I hurt a… very important friend for me.”

Memories of the dream with Jak resurfaced, Keira held back tears.

"He supported me through it all; it was the one who supplied me with library books. Even though warned me, he never left my side. I was fascinated by each discovery, ecstatic with the power, but the echo... it changes you and consumes you in a way you can't control. It's a dangerous addiction, a dark path where you don't know what lies ahead until you arrive."

"You killed him," Keira declared, watching Hal.

“I don't know what happened, I lost my temper and the echo controlled my emotions in one of our daily fights about my studies, and before I knew it, I had killed him. I was in shock when I saw… the body.

“How long did you feel like a monster?”

Hal looked at Keira, suspicious of the question and the use of the word. Her hesitation about telling Hagai what it was, precisely her reaction to the echo. Not everyone looked at her the same way when they found out; even Damas took a while to accept it.

"You think I'm a monster?" Hal asked back, seeing Keira's shock.

“I… I just have no guarantees that…”

“Am I going to give in to the dark echo again? Freak out and hurt you?”

“I’m sorry,” Keira replied.

"Don't be," Hal replied softly, Keira's regret at the thought having crossed her mind was evident. She couldn't blame her for feeling that way. "For many years, I've felt like a monster; sometimes the feeling wells up in my chest. I wish I could leave the echo behind, but it's a part of me now."

Keira watched Hal, it was the first time she had seen her teacher so vulnerable in all those months, the pain in her eyes was as clear as the sun in that desert, burning anyone alive.

In all that time, Keira hadn't noticed a single trace of the dark echo, even when Hal became angry and fought with her, or when they fought. She seemed like a completely normal and controlled warrior. Learning that she'd already given in to the echo's hatred was a surprise because Hal didn't really show that profile.

What would knowing this change? That was the question Keira asked herself, still staring at Hal, weakened on that bed after giving everything she had to save her. The woman who saved, took her in, trained, gave her a second chance. Keira trusted her with her life and would continue to do so, regardless of who she was.

It would be difficult at first, Hal friend's death had affected Keira deeply, but she knew that, with effort, she could accept it without any problems.

“What happened after your friend died?” she asked, after a while of silence.

“The consequences of this were as great as my deed.”

“They came after you?”, Keira guessed.

“I fled through the desert until reached Spargus, a poor village led by a humble and kind-hearted man who hid me from the monks who were searching for me, ready to inflict divine punishment. I lived in hiding for many years until the leader who took me in died and another took his place, keeping his promise to protect me.”

“How long did this last?”

“I don't know… about 100 years, maybe?”

Keira's mind went blank.

“How?”

“The dark echo has its qualities. I became practically immortal with a technique I used back then. In fact, most echoes provide something similar. You said your father was a green echo sage; he must be as old as me.”

“I don't know how old my father is,” Keira confided. “Anyway, what happened next?”

“Well, with my help and knowledge in eco, Spargus developed and became practically what you know today. I was trained by the leaders who succeeded me, giving me the skill I have today, until one leader didn't behave like the others.”

“Who?”

“Cairus. I didn't like him; something told me it wasn't right to hand over a city as prosperous as Spargus to him, but I had no say, even though it was close to all the kings. He found out about me and forced me to use the dark echo for his own benefit, which I refused. Cairus locked me in an underground prison for dangerous individuals only, and, well… I was considered one. He tortured me, starving me, subjecting me to cold, punishments, and every other evil you can imagine. Until Damas arrived.”

“So Damas didn't welcome you?”

“Damas freed me, and I made him king.” Keira couldn't help but gasp in shock — again — the story became more interesting with every word Hal spoke. “He was an outsider from Haven, like you, and became one of the guards watching over my cell. I could see the excellent man he was and the greatness he carried. Cairus saw this too, which is why he humiliated him as much as anyone. He was too harsh… a dictator who humiliated anyone who opposed his rule. The only difference between me and the rest of the population was that I was in a cell.”

“Is that why other guards didn't approach you? Out of fear?”

“Some did… some didn't. Many hated me and feared my power, believing Cairus's words. Others still remembered me and wanted to get closer, but couldn't. Damas was someone completely new there, and he was smart enough to draw his own conclusions. So we planned a coup. He believed in me and freed me. I helped him become what Spargus is today. It's not often talked about, but there are still people who hate me there because of their ancestors. Damas offered me a position at his side, but I declined. So we maintain this facade as if I were some common subordinate.”

“Why did you decide this?”, Keira asked, still absorbing the story. She couldn't deny that the bond between Damas and Hal was stronger than it seemed. Now she understood why the king had given in to her request for an extension of her fight and all the little perks. She was the protégé of one of the founders of Spargus.

“I'm not a leader, Keira. My life isn't spent sitting on a throne or in meetings where people believe in my abilities. I've disappointed too many people in my long life. Not Damas. He was born to be a king, especially after learning what he was doing in Haven.”

“What did he do?” Keira asked, even more eager to know something about the king.

“That's not my right to tell you, I'm sorry.”

“So, your monk friend was the only one you killed with the dark power?”, Keira asked, more confident.

“Yes. That never happened again when I had contact with a luminous echo.”

A spark sparked in Keira's chest.

“Do you mess with the light echo too?!”

“That's what helped me balance my mind. Believe me, it's not as much as you might think, but it's enough.”

“Where?”

“Right here. There are echo sources scattered throughout, I made all the preparations and spent a long time before the monks allowed me to enter the sacred grounds.”

Keira nodded, falling silent again. This time the silence was comfortable, without Keira's tension and Hal's distrust.

“Did Damas send you?”, Keira, was startled by Hal's faint voice echoing again.

“He was worried about you”, she said, making the woman laugh.

“I wasn't wrong after all. The mission really didn't go as planned.”

“Something related to monks?”

“Something like that.”

“They seem to like you”, Keira commented.

“As a former monk, I have some understanding of the stories told by the precursors. My role was to help protect the temple and prevent evil forces from reaching the city. It's also a way of redeeming myself for what I did years ago.”

“None of them came from my era. Of course, they dislike my former life as a monk, hunter, and dark echo channeler, but using the light echo has helped to soothe any animosity. In any case, I'm useful for their purposes, so they tolerate me.”

“I never would have imagined that…”

“Were you making assumptions about my life?”, Hal asked, amused.

“There would be no reason to deny it, you are Hal: the indomitable warrior.”

“Actually, that's not my name.”

“Okay, now my life has become a lie”, Keira replied, shocked, causing a sincere laugh from the woman, it was incredible how she managed to be a little of who she was before all the chaos with Hagai.

“I don't like using my real name, only Damas knows why I changed it as soon as he took the throne. If I used the name Cairus used, it would be more difficult for me to adapt.

“It's a good reason… are you going to tell me?”, Keira asked hopefully, but her heart sank as soon as she saw Hal shake her head.

“All I need now is to rest so we can leave soon. Now get out of my room, Hagai.”

“Yes, ma'am”, she replied quietly, watching Hal fall asleep quickly, she tried very hard to stay awake to tell the whole story.

Keira closed the door and walked through the silent corridors, the only sound being her slow footsteps through the unknown labyrinth.

A new vision opened up for her with Hal's life, or whatever her name is. Seeing her other side made her a completely different person than she thought the first time saw her, dangerous, but more human than a cold and brutal woman.

Keira wondered what Damas was hiding too, whatever his secret was must be as interesting as Hal's since he came from Haven.

She remained so absorbed in thought that she didn't realize where had arrived, she raised her head and remained in the same place, admiring the enormous precursor statue on display, emanating grandeur and power.

Keira felt her hair stand on end at the imposing image of what the precursors would be. Once she recovered from her trance, she walked calmly to the small altar beneath the statue, eager to get a better look at it.

“Amazing,” she whispered, surveying the perfect work.

“Gran guerrera”, Hagai took big steps back when she heard the imposing voice above her, almost falling down the stairs.

The statue now had its eyes open like two huge diamonds, it was a blue as bright as a sky on its clearest day.

“Your journey has just begun, be prepared to guide the hero in the coming war.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Be resilient in your decisions, and you will bring us Mar's chosen one to fulfill his purpose”, he replied, before closing his eyes again.

Keira continued to look in astonishment at what she had just heard. She returned the same way, nervous about what had happened, but keeping each syllable very well in her mind, believing that she would understand, in the future, what the wise man had said.

Chapter Text

"Chiquita franzina."

Keira took a deep breath before pushing off the mat she was lying on while fixing one of the garage cars; she was prepared for any nasty things that foul mouth would dish out. Kleiver and Keira had learned to tolerate each other on the job, even if they hated each other. The recognition of both their skills was impossible to deny, but their nicknames showed they wouldn't give in anytime soon.

“What do you want?” she replied, removing her goggles.

“It seems Damas has a new mission for you.”

"But I officially asked to be removed from the car maintenance missions YOU have been putting off for a while, you lazy bum," Keira complained, putting the tools back in the box.

"Watch your mouth, Chiquita. You may be an official citizen in three months, but the urgent needs of Damas should never be ignored. Now get your skinny ass out of here."

Controlling the urge to choke Kleiver, Keira left the garage and headed to the throne room, a place she was already accustomed to stepping into to receive important missions.

All the fear and dread Keira felt when she arrived here six months ago have dissipated over time. She wouldn't lie and say agrees with the slaughter taking place in that desert; she doesn't even dare go to any initiation, her position very similar to that of Yelena — who has become one of her best friends.

However, the friendship and complicity of everyone who officially welcomed her was more than she could have asked for. The party celebrating her inauguration was unforgettable, and many people became dear to her here. Damas proved himself a leader worthy of the name, being fair and humble with every citizen, but also a tyrant when necessary.

Spargus had become home.

Even so, her father, Daxter, and Jak have never left her mind. Keira waits for the day Damas remembers her request and makes her return to that cold, inhumane hell to search for them.

A chill ran down her spine as the elevator reached the throne room, where four people were quietly talking, two of whom Keira recognized: the king and Hal, whom she greatly admired. The woman had become her anchor through all the chaos she'd endured; she owed her life to Hal.

The third person, however, Keira had never seen before. His posture was imposing, but not frightening like Damas's, even though one of his eyes was false. All she felt was curiosity about what was to come.

“We were waiting for you,” Damas said as soon as he noticed Keira’s presence, catching the attention of the other two.

"Keira," Hal called after her, pointing to the stranger. "I want you to meet Sig. He's a spy."

“Spy?”

“In Haven”, replied Damas.

A shiver ran through Keira, and she began to connect the dots.

“It means that my mission…”

"You'll go with Sig to Haven and keep an eye on Krew, staying in the racing wing. Looks like he needs a good mechanic, and Sig was quick to recommend you."

Happiness filled Keira's chest, and she fought not to cry in front of them. She could finally go after Jak and her father. Everything she had been through was for this.

"I couldn't be more grateful for this opportunity, King Damas," Keira said, her voice breaking. "I promise I won't forget what you did for me, and I will always be a citizen of Spargus."

"I'm glad you said that," Damas said, smiling slightly — one of your rare smiles. "Even though you're away, you'll still receive missions, and if your presence is required, you must leave Heaven immediately and come here. Regardless of what's going on there. Even as a rookie, you're one of the best mechanics I've ever seen; you're invaluable to us."

Keira swallowed, aware of the gravity of that request, but she wouldn't let it get her down. Keira knew Damas spoke that way as a test — well, at least most of the time. She would return to Haven, see her family.

“Of course. I'll do my best.”

"You'll leave tomorrow at 5 am," Hal said. "Take the opportunity to pack your things and say goodbye, Keira. Even if missions are given, their timeframe will be long, and sometimes you won't even need to leave Haven. We won't see each other for a while."

She turned to Sig.

"You, take the opportunity to stock up and satisfy your homesickness. She's my disciple, Sig, and I demand you help her in that remote place."

“As you wish.”

"The official reason for your departure will be to purchase equipment. You'll be searching for rare parts for the car, and under the Baron's protection, your return here will be rare. Understood? Don't you dare tell anyone you're from Spargus unless you want to be killed," Damas ordered.

Keira swallowed, nodding.

“You are dismissed.”

Keira turned around, eager to get out of there as quickly as possible, and saw that Sig didn't follow her, so she went alone to the first place that came to mind.

“Yelena!”

Keira jumped into her arms, startling Yelena, who looked at her confused, but returned the affection.

"What's up? Looks like you won the lottery," Yelena commented after Hagai released her.

"I've been assigned to Haven," Keira whispered. She couldn't spread the mission as she pleased, but Yelena was someone close and knew her whole story.

"Really? Oh, Keira, I'm so happy for you." Yelena hugged her again, as excited as her friend about the news. She knew how much Hagai missed her family; every day she told a different story about them, and the longing was evident in her eyes, as was the joy that memory brought.

“When are you going?”

“Tomorrow.”

"We need to celebrate tonight. Let's invite Kalina and Taron. Do you know the official announcement for your departure?"

“Parts shopping,” Keira replied.

"Haven has a much more advanced arsenal than ours, that's a good reason. Okay, we'll see you in the ballroom at 7:30 tonight."

“Of course. I'm going to help Mrs. Kai at the market. It seems she has boxes to carry and asked for help. Bye!”

Public Hall

8:00 pm

“Cheers to little grass for your first mission outside of Westland!”

Everyone cheered in excitement as they toasted Keira, who laughed at the “affectionate” nickname Taron had given her.

“Are you nervous?” Kalina asked, leaning across the table.

“Very much,” Keira replied. “Even coming from there, I didn’t see enough of the metropolis.”

"They say the city leader is horrible. People live in poverty while the successful squander money," Kalina commented.

“Let's not forget about criminals, there's a lot of smuggling there.”

“Okay, okay, enough scaring the girl”, Yelena intervened when she saw Keira's masked nervousness as she drank from her glass.

“Sorry, Keira”, Kalina said, and Keira smiled.

The brunette was a good person and was incredibly patient during her target practice at sea once she was admitted to the city. She had a rather sassy aura, but nothing that overwhelmed Keira, who liked her. Kalina wasn't very tall — even at 21, she was as tall as Keira — but she was as strong as a burly man like Kleiver.

“Sorry, Keira, but we're not lying, believe me.”

Taron was the clown of the group, his fun personality reminded her slightly of Daxter, especially when he lightly flirted with her, receiving a polite denial from Keira.

This didn't shake his foundations, and he struck up a peaceful friendship with her. He was part of the Spargus wall guard, working day-long shifts. He's 23 years old, tall, and has caramel-brown eyes and hair of a similar shade, except for the violet tips he dyed.

“I will consider everything you said.”

“That's it for now, let's celebrate, how old are you again?” Taron asked, swirling his wine glass.

“I'll be 15 in two months.”

“So young, and she went through all that ordeal.”

"Your first fight is still talked about to this day," Taron said, taking a bite of the snack. "You were on the list to be one of Damas' handpicked warriors; I'm surprised you turned out like this."

“Are you going to question Damas' authority now, idiot?”

“Never. That man gives me the creeps.”

“You’re not the only one,” Keira said, being pulled by Taron.

“See, the little grass agrees with me. Want some?”

"You're no good, Taron," Yelena interjected, pulling Keira from the man's arms. "Wait until you're at least sixteen before drinking, Keira, okay?"

Yelena was the mother of the group, being the oldest, except for Hal, who rarely appeared. She kept everyone in their place and protected Keira like no one else.

“I wish you all the luck in the world and that you find what you want”, she replied, with a beautiful smile.

Keira expected this too.

Spargus Entrance

5:00 am.

A small backpack was all she carried. Keira had nothing but what she'd gained in Spargus, from clothes to items — nothing she'd owned before she'd fallen into that world. So she took only the most important things: clothes and her communicator in case she was called upon. The town was practically empty, only guards roamed around to ensure its security. A few acquaintances waved goodbye, which she waved back. Deep down, she felt sad to be leaving when she was just putting down roots.

She stopped walking when saw Hal standing in the driveway. Even with her eyes closed, Keira knew the woman was wide awake. She walked toward her, her steps making it clear she was coming.

"I wanted to…"

"No need," Hal interrupted, leaving Keira embarrassed. "Remember? I did it to stave off boredom."

Hagai smiled, remembering Hal's excuse for everything she'd done so far; they both knew it was a lie.

"I only ask one thing: be careful out there. Spargus isn't an easy place, but Haven can destroy you."

Keira nodded, her heart racing nervously at her words.

"Don't trust Sig. I know I asked him to watch over you, but don't think he'll be there watching you all the time. Even if it doesn't seem like it, you'll be there on your own.

"I won't forget that," Keira murmured.

"Good. I trained you, I know you won't disappoint me," Hal said, causing Keira to laugh. "Good luck, Keira. I hope you find what you're looking for."

"Thank you, Hal."

Without another word, Keira walked into the garage, walking straight to the exit. The desert was calm as she walked toward the vehicle, the breeze surrounding her as if saying "good luck" too, or perhaps she'd become attached to the desert and was imagining things, she didn't know.

"Ready?" Sig asked as soon as she stopped in front of him.

Keira nodded, taking the first step into the vehicle when Sig grabbed her arm.

"I'll tell you this right here, just this once. Any thoughts you have about that city are a thousand times worse. Krew, your new boss, will stop at nothing to mess with you. I won't be there all the time; I have my own missions to fulfill, so you'll be there on your own, understand?"

“Yes”

“Most important of all: don't trust anyone. Everyone in that town is a snake ready to strike. Want to be smarter? Strike first.”

“Right.”

“Tsk. Hal’s crazy,” Sig muttered, leaving Keira behind to absorb everything.

She didn't know what awaited in that city, but her family was there, and she wasn't the scaredy-cat she used to be. She'd have to deal with it, by hook or by crook.

Keira got into the vehicle that left for Haven.

Chapter Text

The silence in the ship was intense, the metal-clad environment muffling the sound of the engines as well as the driver's vision, leaving Keira with nowhere to focus her eyes. Sig hadn't moved since he sat down, focused on staring straight ahead or closing his eyes, but Keira knew he was listening to everything.

“Are there things about Haven I need to know?” Keira asked, as the thought struck.

Sig held up three fingers, giving her a sideways glance. "Baron Praxis, the ruler of the city and a terrible son of a bitch. Don't trust anyone tied to him. The Krimson Guard is the Baron's army. They are cruel soldiers who hurt people for fun. Avoid them in the city, or you might end up dead."

Keira knows this all too well. The memory of the beating in the alley still gives her nightmares.

"Haven's transportation system is different from ours," Sig continued. "There's a vehicle called a zoomer there; it's a hovercraft, and you can find models for one or two passengers."

“Is this what I will work with as a mechanic?”

"A more professional model, but yes. You'll need to learn how to use them as quickly as possible; the city has a class championship that provides a lot of money for the Krew; one mistake, and you'll suffer the consequences."

Keira imagined what the man would look like, his cruelty already caused slight shivers on Hagai's skin, she didn't know if she was ready to give the person his appearance.

“Did you bring your gun?”

Sig's question made the blood drain from Keira's face, and she looked at the man guiltily.

“Fucking hell, girl. How can you be Hal’s disciple?” Sig exclaimed irritably, deciding to ignore her altogether.

Keira swallowed, feeling terrible for forgetting her pistol on the table by the door. She believed that if she left it there, would easily remember it when she left. In a town like Haven, survival was her priority and the only defense she forgot at home!

“Take it.” Keira looked to the side, surprised by the small knife held out to her. “For emergencies.”

Slowly, she picked up the gun and assessed its construction. It wasn't Spargus's model, something more refined, certainly from Haven. She slipped it into a pants pocket and murmured thank you to the man, who didn't respond.

"We're almost there," the driver warned, making Keira even more nervous. After seven months, she would be back.

Haven City

1:45 pm.

“Have you been to this part of Haven?” Sig asked Keira, who was enchanted by the place. The cold was the first thing that hit her; even though she had been here, Keira had gotten used to the warm weather, but ventilated of Spargus. It was cold and filthy here, but it was still beautiful with the many suspension bridges over the lake, the power pylons, and the zoomers calmly flying overhead.

“No, I was stuck in a single district when I landed here.”

“We’re right in the port area, this is where shipments are received and taken away, you can see why Krew prefers to stay here.”

“Easy access and tracking for valuables,” Keira replied, seeing Sig nod.

"The guy's a money-grubbing, arrogant, and heartless jerk. But he has the best connections in all of Haven. Want to meet your friends? He's the man."

Keira's chest swelled with hope at Sig's words. Knowing she could find her friends gave her hope. She missed Jak's confident smile, his sweet gaze, even Dax's mean jokes. God, she missed her father's lectures. She couldn't wait to see them.

"Is this it?" Keira asked, seeing the facade. The door was tiny, and Keira wondered how Sig would get through it. A metal beam hung above it, strung with violet neon wires, and above it, a huge figure rested in a concrete space. Not very appealing, Keira thought.

“It’s ugly, I know. Let’s go in.”

Keira's mouth opened in a perfect "O" as she surveyed the interior. The first thing that struck her was the wrestling ring right in the center of the room, with a metal bar running through it. It was certainly the venue's entertainment. Yellow and red were the colors that decorated the place, except a few others that added a distinctive touch elsewhere.

The second thing that frightened her was the numerous monster heads scattered on the walls, suspended like trophies. Keira had never seen anything like that in her life.

“What are those things?” Keira whispered enough to get Sig’s attention.

“I forgot to tell you about them, I’ll explain later.”

They sat on a stool at the back of the bar, which had a long, dark wood counter, and behind it a shelf stocked with a variety of drinks. The place was both beautiful and frightening, all at once.

“Is she the girl?” A husky voice sounded behind Keira, who turned instinctively. She held back from opening her mouth again.

"What the hell is this?" she thought, watching the man hover above her as she assessed his frame from top to bottom. He was fat, no… that was an understatement, the man was huge, and his face was as ugly as her father's hair; even the Lukers looked handsome now.

“The girl I promised you for the stadium.”

“Hmm. Not what I thought, but…”

“Nice to meet you, Krew. I can assure you I won’t disappoint at work,” Keira said in the firmest tone she could muster.

"We'll see," he replied, tossing a package onto Keira's lap. "You'll start by delivering this to the Underground, payment for their help on a previous job. You have two minutes to get there."

Keira looked desperately at Sig, who looked as surprised as she was.

“We agreed she would work for the Krew stadium,” Sig exclaimed irritably.

“I can’t trust a girl with such a good source of income, Sig.”

“That wasn’t the deal!”

“Now it will be, or are you going to challenge me, hmmm?”

“I’m leaving,” Keira said, taking the first step toward the exit, but Krew’s body was in front of her, preventing her from leaving.

“Where do you think you’re going, young lady? Sig already has your job here, you can’t just leave whenever you want.”

“I came for the job in the stadiums, not to be on the cover…”

Keira was interrupted by Krew's hand, which roughly pressed her cheeks between his rotten fingers.

"Listen here, you little shit, I don't know where you came from, but things don't work out the way you want, so shut your pretty little mouth and obey me from now on." Krew pulled her closer, causing even more pain to appear on Keira's face as she was lifted. "That metal bar in my wrestling ring isn't there for nothing, understand?" Krew said, using his other hand to brush back Keira's hair. Keira didn't respond, startled by Krew's insinuation. "I asked if you understood."

“Y-yes.”

"Great," he replied, releasing her abruptly. "Now go drop off the package I sent you. The zoomer outside has a GPS that will show you the route and the passes to get through the sectors. Two minutes, okay?"

Keira took a deep breath and walked slowly to the bar entrance.

“Your time is running out.”

She forced her legs to the exit, climbing into the zoomer. The torment prevented Keira from checking out the vehicle; she had never approached one before, at least she thought not. Time ticked by on the zoomer's screen, as the GPS showed her location. She put her hands on the handles and turned one of them toward her. Seeing the vehicle move, Keira acted more confidently, accelerating.

However, she was still on the ground, some people avoiding her for fear of being run over. Looking around the dashboard, she saw a button with a large "A" on it. With no other options, Keira pressed it, surprised by the zoomer's elevation. She smiled in relief at finding the vehicle's antigravity.

She continued along the long path until she reached what Keira assumed was the end of the port area. The new area was as strange as the last, bathed in red, with elevated roads and red soldiers everywhere. She would need to be careful if she didn’t want to be caught. Krew saw no value in her and wouldn't mind losing her. She glanced at the dashboard and saw that she was approaching the one-minute mark, causing despair.

Keira dodged all the other zoomers, repeatedly using antigravity to overtake the vehicles, running over a few citizens along the way, and apologized to everyone in her mind. She passed through what Keira assumed was the last sector and, if she was honest with herself, the worst of all. The ground was uneven stone, the houses were poorly built, falling apart, and even the people walking around seemed poorer and dressed in shabby clothes worn out.

“This must be the poorest part of town,” Keira thought.

She managed to reach her objective with two seconds remaining. The location was a well-hidden dead end; a man stood at the end of the small hallway, leaning against a worn wall. Stepping down from the zoomer, Keira picked up the package and walked toward the stranger, who quickly noticed her presence. His scowl was as deep as Damas's, the latter's being more firm and well-placed, this one looking more like a sullen pitbull. If Keira hadn't gone through Damas's ordeal, she would certainly have been afraid of him.

"I don't know you," he said. His voice was hoarse and irritable, betraying his distrust. But Keira didn't respond, simply holding out the package.

“Who sent you?”

“Krew.” It was all she replied, much to his irritation.

“I didn’t know Krew accepted women in their line of work.”

She remained silent.

“Tell him we’re even, for now,” he concluded, turning his back.

Keira turned back to the zoomer, startled by Krew's voice coming from the motorcycle.

"Good job, girl. You can rest for today. You have full access to the city as my maid if you want to wander around, but tomorrow I have more work for you. There's a storage locker in the back of the Zoomer. The key to your new residence will be there. It's there in the favelas, at the other end of the underground, the GPS will indicate. Sweet dreams."

Looking down the hallway, Keira saw the stranger had disappeared, but she was so tired she didn't even care how it happened. She climbed into the Zoomer, already familiar with how it worked, and drove toward her new home. Keira calmly observed the decaying state of the area. The class divide between the sectors was rampant, and Keira remembered the discrimination well, being ignored by everyone and forced to steal every day to have food.

Keira stopped the vehicle and looked at the small two-story building, clearly belonging to the Krew; its facade was as polished as any other. She parked the Zoomer, grabbed the key, and climbed the small wooden stairs.

The apartment stank, the smell made nauseous in Keira who stepped cautiously onto the stone floor. No one had been in that place for a long time. The apartment had nothing but a bed with a paper-thin bedspread, an old wooden table, a sink with a cabinet, and a refrigerator that Keira was certain was empty. The bathroom was near the door, with a yellowed old toilet, a cracked ceramic sink, and an old mirror. The shower was dirty, but it gave clean water, much to Keira's delight.

She left her small backpack on the bed, opened all the windows, and locked the door. She didn't trust anyone there, even though she had nothing, and she knew their goal wasn't always to steal valuables. She found a squeegee behind the bathroom door and turned on the shower, scrubbing away all the dirt on the floor. It would take a few days to make the place habitable. With Keira's schedule consumed by Krew, she wouldn't have much time there, but she would do what she could. She dried herself with the towel she'd brought and put on another change of clothes.

There was a window seat directly above the bed, where Keira could gaze out at the landscape. It was late, and the sun was shining brightly, casting an orange hue over the favela. Seven months ago, Keira was homeless; now she was a slave to a heartless jerk who would use her as he pleased, but she wouldn't give up. She could easily cry over all the Krew's harassment, but living in Spargus showed her that instead of lamenting, defeat the enemy. She would escape the Krew's clutches. It might take years, but she would be free and find her family.

Whatever the cost.

Chapter Text

The smell of roses.

It had been a while since Keira had smelled that scent. It was pleasant, soft, and smelled good. She took a deep breath of the scent and let it out relaxed. She was in heaven.

The blue sky filled Keira's eyes as soon as she opened them. She spent a few minutes entranced by the calm movements of the clouds passing through her vision. Wherever she was, she didn't want to leave.

Curious, Keira looked up in surprise at the immense field filled with red roses, the color as vivid and intense as blood. Even in such a bright environment, the sun was nowhere to be seen, likely obscured by clouds. A sense of déjà vu washed over Keira; despite not remembering, she felt like she'd been here before.

A gust of wind blew her hair as she stood up, the soft grass under her bare feet tickled pleasantly, causing a light laugh from Keira, but it didn't stop her from starting to walk through the place that seemed to have no end.

If Keira dared to say it, she'd be walking in circles; nothing seemed to change even though she'd been walking for a long time. She considered giving up when spotted the silhouette of a person. Her body vibrated with relief at finding someone.

"Hey, wait!" Keira shouted, quickening her steps. She was tired from the walk, but the adrenaline of reaching the unknown made her body move like an athlete. "Help me, hey!"

The person seemed to hear her call, as they stopped walking but didn't turn around. However, Keira didn't need to see the face to become even more anxious. She knew that blond hair.

“Jak! Jak, wait”, She gasped for air, her legs aching from the effort, but Keira needed to catch up to her friend who, to her concern, started running. “Hey!”

The more Keira screamed, the faster Jak's pace quickened, gradually distancing himself from her. Exhaustion overcame Keira's body, she fell to the ground with a thud. "Why are you running away from me?" she whispered, standing up.

Jak kept moving, but slowly, as if waiting for Keira, who took a few uncertain steps, looking at the horizon, confused.

“When…?” In the direction Jak was heading, there was a long metal wall. Keira didn’t know when that wall appeared, but if Jak was going that way, she would follow. “Jak!”

Although slow, Keira managed to get within a suitable distance of Jak, who had reached a small metal door in the wall.

“Jak, wait!” Keira shouted, seeing her friend enter and lock the door the moment she pulled up.

She knocked a few times. Keira felt exhausted, honestly not knowing how she was doing it all.

“Open the door, please.”

She pressed her forehead against the door, tears filling her eyes, her throat burning with unshed tears.

“It’s me,” she murmured, the voice breaking. “It’s me, Jak. Why don’t you want to see me? Why?”

Keira gasped, her body lurching forward as the door opened. Jak stood there, his skin purple, his irises dark, emanating anger. The fear was immediate; it was not her friend.

"Jak…"

Keira didn't have time to speak as his claws reached for her neck, pressing down. It hurts like hell. She tried to pull her hand away, but he was too strong. Her breath began to run out, and your vision began to blur.

She would die.

The knock on the door woke Keira, dazed. Her hands ran over the smooth neck, the memories of the dream still fresh.

No claws, no dark Jak.

“It was just a dream”

The knocks echoed louder this time, irritating Hagai even more, who got out of bed - if the thin mattress was one - and headed towards the door.

“Who is it?” she exclaimed before opening it. Her list of “friends” was practically nonexistent in Haven, so knocking on her door was unusual.

"Sig," he said, muffled by the sound of the door. Keira exhaled and unlocked the door for her colleague, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Good morning, Pepper."

Keira stared at him in confusion, still trying to reconcile the weakness of sleep with the nightmare she had.

Sig whistled, taking the first step into the house. “You have a luxury apartment here.”

Keira didn't dare answer, returning to the bed and sitting down.

“Did I wake you up?”

“Something like that,” she replied, noticing for the first time the basket Sig was carrying. “What is that?”

"I figured Krew wouldn't give you a good place to live, so I thought a basket of supplies would help. It's not much, but it'll last until you start supporting yourself."

More awake, Keira went towards Sig, observing the items inside the basket: hygiene and cleaning items, water bottles, perishable and non-perishable food, among other things.

“Thank you,” she replied, surprised by the man’s kindness.

"I promised Hal I'd take care of you, remember?" he remarked, watching Keira take the basket from his hands and carry it to the table. "I'm going on a mission, and I'll be back in two days. Listen for the Krew's call."

“I don't want this job, Sig.”

“But Krew…”

"It doesn't matter what connections he has here! He's capable of killing me before he helps me with anything."

“So get out alive before that happens.”

Keira sighed at the distant dream of becoming a mechanic in a racing stadium. All she wanted was to compete in the class championship. But she wouldn't even be able to watch if Krew bombarded her with missions.

"I'm sorry this happened, but you're in Haven and can work on finding your family, so focus on that. I have to go."

“Thanks again.”

“You can call me on the communicator if you need anything, my number is on it.”

Sig closed the apartment door while Keira began to gather the items and organize them in the old closet, taking the time to brush off excess dirt. She was almost finished when Krew's voice echoed from the communicator on top of the dresser.

"Girl."

Keira rolled her eyes as picked up the communicator. “Yes, I’m here.”

"I have a job for you; your mechanical skills could be useful." He took a deep breath before continuing. "The sewers are a route I use a lot around here. Unfortunately, scrap metal has blocked one of the entrances, and I need you to go with a group... to remove it. The location is on the GPS, good luck."

Keira brushed her teeth, applied deodorant to her armpits, grabbed her pistol, and followed the GPS location to the Zoomer parked in the same spot, getting lost a few times in the industrial area. The place was a maze.

“You took your time, newbie,” said one of the members as soon as the elevator opened.

Keira didn't have breakfast, and she was thankful for that. The place stank as much as Kleiver when he was too lazy to shower. She held her breath for a few moments to keep from vomiting stomach bile right there.

She looked at the two men standing in the hallway. One was tall, with burnt-yellow hair, and was covering his entire face with glasses and a scarf. Keira could understand why. The other, on the other hand, had a face covered in tattoos, was bald, and looked unfriendly.

“I don’t know this area yet.”

“Whatever, let’s just get on with it,” complained the bald man.

Everyone grabbed their pistols and walked on guard for any eventuality, whatever it might be. At the end of the corridor, they stopped on a platform that Keira discovered in seconds was an elevator taking them down.

Keira frowned as she noticed small creatures scattered throughout the corridor, in shades of fluorescent green and orange. The men pointed their weapons at them, making it easy to deduce they were enemies. It wasn't difficult to defeat them, even though the orange one was annoying because of its tongue attack. Keira took a graze on her forearm, but remained silent to avoid attracting attention. Showing weakness would only worsen her situation.

The corridors were huge and long, with easy access; Keira could understand why Krew used that place, even though it was fetid. Transporting any cargo there was easy.

“We’re here.”

Keira observed the place, it was a space a little smaller than the others, but not to the point of being cramped, two tunnels were right in front of her, one open and the other obstructed by metal plates and pipes.

“Newbie.”

Keira approached the bald man toward the rubble, holding her breath. He was the only one carrying a backpack, who carefully placed it on the ground and unzipped it. Keira's instincts screamed at the sight of what was inside.

“That’s a bomb!” Keira exclaimed, her eyes wide at the man who smiled wryly.

"Good observation," he said sarcastically, carefully removing the part. "Krew said you know how to use these things. The bomb is manual, but he said you can make it remote without harming anyone."

Laughter filled the space.

Keira doubled over with the intensity of her emotions as she listened to the man's speech. She had never laughed like that in life.

"S-Sorry, seriously. I just…" Keira took a deep breath, trying to control herself. The seriousness on the man's face scared Keira slightly, but the shock of Krew's request was still strong. "Has Krew lost his mind?!"

“A long time ago,” replied the other, leaning against a damp pillar.

“I can't just turn a hand pump into a remote one. That takes time.”

“If you can’t make this remote, someone has to manually activate it, and believe me, honey, it won’t be me.”

"Neither do I."

Keira looked at them in disbelief. They would use her life to dig a hole? This had to be a cruel joke. But apparently it wasn't, as they looked at her without a shred of pity.

“I will not sacrifice myself for a hole in the wall.”

“Then make this bomb remote.”

“Why didn’t they just bring a remote?!”

“That’s not my problem.”

“Hey!” shouted the other, interrupting the argument. “Did you hear that?”

In complete silence, Keira focused her hearing to detect what the guy was listening to.

“It seems…”

"Water," Keira added, recognizing the sound. They both looked toward the blocked tunnel, hearing the sound coming from exactly there.

“RUN!”

They had barely moved away when the foul water blew up the debris, hitting them.

“We can’t stay here,” the man with his face covered shouted, standing up.

“I’m stuck,” warned the other, who was pulling at his ankle, which was trapped by a heavy pipe.

“Let’s go!”

“We can’t leave him here,” Keira snapped, angrily. Her wet clothes reeked of garbage.

“He wouldn’t care if he were you. Hell, he’d make you manually detonate the bomb if you didn’t do the job!”

“Is that true?” Keira asked, the man looked away.

“Yeah, he’s right. Get out of here,” he said, watching Keira approach and bend down to pick up the pipe. “Didn’t you hear what he said?”

“You may be a heartless jerk, but I'm not.”

The man looked at her shocked by the words.

“Come on, help me get you out of here unless you want to die.”

“You are either very crazy or very stupid.”

"I was going to die anyway, at least I'll do it trying to save you." The man smiled, using all the strength in his arm to help Hagai who, thanks to Hal's training, managed to get out without any problems.

“You are strong.”

“I have my tricks, come on, we have to get out of here. Can you walk?” she asked.

He waved, and the two of them ran away from the strong current that was filling the area more and more. If they didn't hurry, they would be swallowed up.

"The plat..."

Keira didn't have time to celebrate, as she was consumed by the pressure of the water, slamming her body into the wall. She lost consciousness for a few seconds before realizing was submerged. The man tried to reach her by extending his arm, but the pressure of the water pushed him further away.

Using the wall as leverage, Keira pushed herself closer to the man who grabbed her and began swimming toward the upper corridor, where the place was already flooded. Keira felt her lungs ache from the lack of oxygen; she wouldn't last much longer if didn't hurry. By the time the elevator doors opened, Keira was already on the verge of unconsciousness again, unable to feel the cold metal beneath her.

The doors closed, and they could breathe as the water drained through the hollow floor below the platform.

“Hey, girl,” the man called, slapping her face. “Are you there?”

Hearing no response, he placed her on the floor and placed his head on her chest, his eyes widening when he couldn't hear her breathing. He massaged her chest for a minute before giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and was lucky she released the water the first time.

“Slowly,” he instructed, noticing Hagai’s agitated coughing.

“You saved me,” she said, as soon as she could breathe normally.

“We are even.”

The elevator opened and they both went back to the industrial area, the other companion was not there, no doubt he had already gone towards Krew.

“The sewers…”

“Krew won’t be happy,” he commented.

“What will we do?”

“Now? Return to the Hip Hog and await further instructions.”

“We can use my zoomer. You pilot it. By the way, my name is…”

Keira paused for a moment, she didn't want to associate her name with the Krew mafia, if anyone heard her name it would be because of her skill as a mechanic.

“Hagai, you can call me Hagai.”

“Okay, Hagai, I'm Fox,” he said, turning on his zoomer. “Climb up.”

Hip Hog

12:00 pm

“That son of a bitch!”

“How long has he been at this?” Keira asked, watching Krew freak out over the loss of the sewers.

“Since we arrived.”

“It’s been two hours already,” Keira exclaimed in surprise.

“Yeah.” Was all, Fox replied, going back to eating.

"That jerk thinks he can get in the way of my business, hmm? It won't happen like that. I need diving gear to at least use the alternate route on the upper level."

“That route sucks,” Fox commented.

“You think I don’t know? I was expecting a big shipment of red echo.”

Keira controlled herself from showing surprise at the red echo. She'd heard of it only a few times; apparently, it had become a valuable commodity due to scarcity. Nothing compared to the abundance she saw in Sandover. Keira swallowed the pain in her chest as remembered the village. She couldn't dwell on the past now; she'd already suffered enough when been trapped there for the first month.

“Fox, I want you to go to the warehouses and look for any items we can use for the sewers,” Krew ordered, receiving a nod from the man.

"Girl."

"Hagai," Keira corrected.

"Hagai, I want you to go to the pumping station. An informant of mine will be waiting there to deliver an important document to me. It's not a good idea to do that within the city walls, okay?"

“As you wish,” she replied, going back to eating. She might work for him, but wouldn’t skip a meal for it.

Slums

10:30 pm.

Sleep came quickly.

Even though her body ached as she fell onto the less-than-soft mattress, Keira felt the wood hit her knees. She sighed in relief that the day was over.

"Hagai."

She frowned at the distant call, but lay there, too focused on falling into a deep sleep.

"Hagai!"

She didn't move.

"HAGAI"

“WHAT?” Keira shouted, grabbing the communicator.

“Hip Hog, now.”

“It’s 10:30 at night, I did everything you asked me to.”

“I want you here, now,” he repeated.

“I need to sleep, Krew.”

“Do I look like I care?”

Keira struggled not to crush the communicator and go back to sleep.

"I’m coming."

It wasn't easy getting out of bed. She'd taken a good shower, put on comfortable clothes, and had a decent dinner thanks to Sig. Going out at that time of night certainly wasn't in her plans. Keira changed into better clothes and took the zoomer to the Hip Hog. There were hardly any vehicles in sight at that time, and the Krimson guard seemed much more attentive to the citizens; she would have to be extra careful approaching the bar.

“Perfect timing,” Krew said as Keira entered the Hip Hog.

The place felt like another place, packed with people, the smell of cigarettes lingering in the air, drinks flowing freely, loud voices and whispers in dark corners. The perfect place her father had begged Keira not to set foot in.

“Why did you call me?”

“You will fight today in my name.”

“What?” Keira asked, startled.

“They were looking for entertainment, and I chose you to represent me in the ring.”

“I’m not a fighter, Krew. I’m a mechanic.”

“You are what I want you to be.”

“Son of a bitch,” Keira said, uncaring of the consequences. Her hatred for the man grew with every minute she spent with him.

All he did was laugh at her reaction. "The girl has claws, great."

“Why did you do that?”

"You're new here, Hagai. The men were... curious to meet you. I couldn't miss the opportunity to make some money."

“You and your greed for money, I hope you choke to death on it.”

"Watch your mouth, girl, or you'll die before you take a step out of here. Sig's not here to protect you."

Keira swallowed hard at the threat. Without Sig, she was defenseless, at Krew's mercy. She controlled the feelings by putting them in a chest; she would have to handle things with caution.

“Who do I have to fight?” Keira asked. Krew’s smile grew.

“See the guy to my right? He has a representative, and he bet with me.”

“What happens if I win?”

“I make a good amount of money for one night.”

“What if I lose?”

“He wins a night with you.”

Dinner almost came back up in Keira's stomach.

"Get a grip, get a grip," she thought, feeling your eyes water and her chest tighten. She couldn't have a meltdown there among those abusive jerks.

“Do you know how old I am?”

"It's just business," he explained, seeing Keira's distraught face. "All you have to do is win."

“I want part of the money,” she replied, coming to her senses. “If you’re sell me, I want to at least win.”

“Is ten percent okay for you?”

"Fifteen."

Krew growled, but nodded. He turned to the crowd. “Gentlemen. We have a fight tonight!”

The crowd roared instantly. Keira saw the opponent smile slyly at her, whispering something in the ear of the guy next to him, surely the guy she would fight.

“Great, that makes it easier,” Keira thought.

She noticed the man's height, as he rose from his chair and walked toward the ring, just as Hal had instructed. But she stopped when felt a hand on her arm. It was Fox.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, Keira seeing a flicker of concern in his irises.

“Do I have a choice?” Fox seemed to understand, releasing her.

“This idiot has good defense for long-range attacks, but he's terrible at close range attacks.”

“I’ll remember that,” Keira said, turning and stepping into the ring, which, she noticed, was missing the baton in the middle.

“Tonight, ladies and gentlemen. We have a fight between Brecken, representing Axl! And Hagai represented me. Yes, a girl!”

Keira heard cheers and boos. Apparently, women weren't looked upon favorably in situations like this, especially at such a young age. She was about to turn 15, damn it.

"Weapons of any kind are not allowed inside the ring. The one who fails to get up after 10 seconds from the ground loses."

The two nodded, getting into position.

"Fight!"

The first punch was unexpected for Keira.

She knew what was happening, he wanted to knock her out immediately since they considered her a fragile woman.

She managed to block with her right forearm, raising the left leg for the kick that was not long in coming.

Keira stared at her opponent's face, stunned by her agility. She held back the smile wanted to let out; she couldn't celebrate.

Taking a step to the left, she threw a right cross that was easily blocked by Brecken.

But Keira was quick with the opening he gave, throwing a right hand at him, who felt the blow, falling on the protective ropes, dizzy.

The crowd went wild, shocked by the girl's attack.

Keira's blood began to heat up, making her even more active. There was no way she was going to sleep with a guy.

Keira lunged at him, ready to kick him in the stomach. He dodged to the right, recovered, and kicked her back, knocking her off balance. Keira quickly regained her balance and attacked again. She knew it couldn't advance recklessly, but she needed to give him an opening so it could strike again with more precision.

“You won’t win, little girl.”

“The blood dripping from your mouth says otherwise,” Keira teased, smiling as she saw him growl.

This seemed to unsettle him, attacking Keira with a straight punch that served to propel her forward, landing a knee to the stomach.

The elbow to the head left Keira dizzy, but she couldn't back away with his guard down. Immobilizing him was the best option. Another punch landed squarely on Keira's cheekbone.

Her breaths were deep, measured, Keira couldn't lose control, or she would lose it.

She wrapped her legs around Brecker's waist, wrapping the arms around his neck.

The blows to the ribs came intensely.

But Keira didn't let go, pressed even harder, enough to weaken him.

The metallic taste invaded Keira's mouth, and she screamed, determined not to let go, giving a firm grip on Brecker's neck, who stopped moving, falling forward, unconscious.

Silence permeates for seconds before the uncontrolled screams.

Everyone is in shock at the victory of the Krew rookie.

He smiled at Keira as if he had found a gold mine.

“Victory goes to Hagai!” shouted Krew.

Fox entered the ring, helping Keira to her feet and extending her right arm.

“Come on.” Fox led her to the back. “Tess, ice pack.”

“That was insane, Hagai,” he commented, sitting on a wooden box across from her. Tess handed the ice pack to Keira, who thanked her.

“I didn’t realize the Krew had female fighters,” the woman, Tess, replied.

“And he doesn’t,” Keira said, her head aching.

“I like you, girl, I’m Tess,” said the blonde, extending her hand with a smile.

“I’m Hagai.”

“Tess!” they shouted from outside, much to the blonde’s displeasure.

“I have to go,” she informed, leaving the two alone.

“I just used what you said,” Keira said, looking at Fox.

“I didn’t imagine I’d do so well. Where did you learn to fight like that?”

“Around there,” she said, evasively.

They both looked at the door, seeing Tess back.

“Krew wants to speak with you, Hagai.”

Keira stood, heading toward the refreshment area, where Tess was serving some men. Krew was at the other end, in a good mood from his winnings.

“You did very well, Hagai, very well indeed. I’m already planning another fight for…”

"No."

Krew stopped when he heard Keira.

“Did you forget what I said?”

"And you don't understand what I'm telling you. I came to work for you as a mechanic. You want me to build something? Handle bombs? Carry cargo? Fine. But I won't submit to that," she replied, seeing Krew's frown deepen.

“You have no voice here, brat.”

"But I have Sig's deal, which was to be your mechanic. He won't like knowing you put me in the ring surrounded by disgusting men for sale. And don't even try to threaten me, because dead or not, he'll know what you did, and you don't want to start a fight with him, do you?"

Her heart was pounding like a car without brakes. She knew what a stupid thing was doing, fear was ravaging Keira from head to toe. But she was tired of silently enduring Krew using her as a slave, and if she wanted to get rid of this, she needed to assert herself. She knew Sig was protecting her because of Hal, and even if he didn't care about her, Hal did and would travel to Haven to avenge her.

“Three times a week,” Krew suggested.

“Once a month.”

“Once a week.”

“Twice a month. And no sleeping with anyone,” she added. “Cash only.”

“Deal,” Krew replied, growling low, and handing Keira an envelope. Her share of the fight.

Keira smiled as Krew turned, returning to monitoring the bar. A thin arm circled her shoulder, and Keira looked at Tess, who was laughing.

“I’ve never seen anyone go against Krew like that, especially a woman.”

“I thought he was going to kill me here.”

“And he would have if he hadn’t liked you, believe me, if you’re alive, it’s because Krew saw value in you,” Tess said, before returning to work.

Keira pushed through the crowd, relieved to reach the street. She didn't know what time it was, but judging by the empty street, she could tell it was late. The knife Sig had given her was tucked away in her pants pocket for something. Keira climbed into the zoomer and drove as fast as she could, the cold raising the hairs on her arms. She tried not to look at the soldiers staring at her along the way; tensing up would only make things worse.

This time, when she fell onto the bed, Keira passed out immediately.

Chapter Text

Keira sat on the bed, surveying the small space she was living in.

“The house is getting better,” she thought, going to the bathroom to wash herself.

During the first month, with the money from the two fights at Hip Hog, Keira was able to invest in the necessary things in her home to keep it habitable. The furniture was still the same, but with a more preserved appearance. The shower was changed as well as a new mattress, without a pillow, but Keira was working on it.

She sighed as opened the cupboard, seeing Sig's supply was almost gone. She made a mental note to buy more supplies if didn't want to starve. She grabbed the last piece of bread and a jar of peanut butter, setting them on the table, and went to the fridge for a bottle of juice.

A simple breakfast, without substance, but it would keep her alive.

Sitting on the old chair she found in the Krew warehouse, Keira was about to take her first bite of her sandwich when the knocking sounded on the door in a rhythm she already knew.

“Good morning, little pepper,” Sig replied as soon as he saw Keira, with a grumpy expression.

“Great time for a mission, don’t you think? Damn, it’s not even 7 in the morning.”

“Still, you’re awake,” Sig replied.

Keira groaned, returning to the table followed by Sig.

“I didn’t see your zoomer”

“It blew up on the last mission,” Keira said, sipping juice.

“Why don’t you get another one? Zoomer theft is pretty common here.”

Keira looked in dismay at the man with the information.

“Do you steal zoomers?”

“Yours wasn’t a model straight out of the store, dear,” Sig said sarcastically.

“No, I can take the ones parked around the city.”

“Stealing is easier,” Sig said with mock innocence.

“Did you come here to convince me to steal a zoomer or to give me a mission?” Keira complained, her hand on hip.

“We have cargo to receive in the port area.”

“That’s it?” she asked, suspicious of the simple mission.

A flash of sadness passed through Sig's eyes, too quickly for Keira to notice. "Yeah, something like that. Come on, you can chew that bread on the way."

The city was quiet; it was early morning, and the busiest activity was at the small market on the west side. The cold wind and Sig's slow driving pace made Keira drowsy, and she nearly fell over when the man parked the vehicle near one of the towers on the west side of the port area.

“I’ve never seen this area,” Keira commented, looking at the various crates.

“It’s well located as a guard hideout, it might come in handy at some point.”

Keira kept that information.

They stopped in front of a medium-sized ship, the ramp descending at the edge of the deck, allowing them to enter. Keira looked around, finding nothing but the cool-toned containers, some covered with large sheets, and a few staff members checking the ship's condition.

"So what's the—" Keira's voice trailed off as she watched one of the doors open, revealing a cluster of people sitting inside, crammed together. Their eyes pierced Keira with sheer terror. "Sig, what is this?"

Sig, out of the corner of his eye, saw Keira's shaken expression as she looked at the citizens, guilt weighing heavily on his stomach. He always carried out these missions alone, but Krew demanded that Keira accompany him this time, he knew well why. Tormenting Keira had become a pastime for the Hip Hog owner, who was increasingly impressed by Hagai's resilience to his physical and psychological torture. Keira was just a girl and shouldn't have to go through any of this, but Krew didn't care.

“Sig,” Keira called, her voice more demanding. Tears were already welling in her eyes.

“The Krew likes to offer opportunities for outsiders to ‘grow’ here,” he explained without even looking at Keira. “The Baron doesn’t allow too many of them, so transportation has become illegal. Many people sell relatives or their entire families for the money, or the opportunity for a better life in a metropolis like Haven.”

“There are children, Sig…”

“Hagai…”

Sig turned, watching Hagai stagger to one of the wooden crates and lean over, vomiting her unsustainable breakfast. The man approached, hearing her choke from the excessive coughing, and patted her back gently to help.

After a few puffs, Keira regained her breathing balance.

"This is inhumane, Sig," Keira murmured, still composing herself, tears streaming painfully down her cheeks. "I can't imagine... selling your own son to work for someone like that jerk, to live here."

Keira turned to Sig, her expression bordering on anger.

“How can you do this? It’s trafficking, Sig. That human whale buys people!”

"Those people came of their own free will, just like you. They're just scared of the unknown," Sig explained, as impassive as he could manage, his breakfast also churning in his stomach. He was already used to controlling his anxiety.

“No one wants to leave their homes! Abandon their family to suffer here or worse.”

Nausea hit Keira again, and she vomited the rest of the juice with the bile in her stomach. The acidity cut her tongue, biting the flesh of her throat. It was too much. Seeing these people treated like merchandise, scared for their own lives, unsure if they would have the future they wanted, or if they would ever be reunited with their families.

Just like her.

“Come on, let’s go!”

The two looked back at the shout of one of the Krew men, lining up the crowd in single file.

“Where do they go now?”, Keira asked.

"We'll hide in one of the warehouses and wait for the Krew delegation. There are plenty of cheap jobs out there, or you can work for the Krew, like Fox."

Keira focused on the man, surprised by Sig's confession, understanding the Fox calloused shell. She felt sad for her colleague, wondering who he'd left behind in search of something better.

“I have to go. You’re free, I’ll make an excuse for Krew.”

Keira's communicator rang the next second, taking it from her pants pocket, Hagai was surprised to see Hal's name flash on the screen.

“Looks like you have another mission,” he commented, before returning to work.

The trembling finger clicked the green icon before bringing it to his ear.

"Hey."

“Are you okay?” she asked, hearing Keira’s voice crack.

“Honestly, no. I saw things I didn’t want to see.”

“Haven is a dump,” Hal said.

“Tell me about it. So… why did you call?” Keira said, changing the subject.

"I need you to come to Spargus, we have a mission." Keira didn't have time to ask what it was about; Hal had hung up on her. 

Accustomed to Hal's treatment, Keira tucked the communicator back into her pants, taking one last look at the empty container before turning abruptly. There were things she could accept from Krew, but this wasn't one of them.

Spargus

01:30 pm.

Putting her feet in the warm sand after so much was as good as Keira thought it would be. She felt something shift inside her when saw the immense wall, the garage empty as usual (Kleiver was quite irresponsible), a smile appeared on her lips without her realizing it.

She was at home.

“Home,” Keira thought as she walked along the dirt roads, waving to a few acquaintances.

Her feet carried her to the throne room, knowing Damas would be there, watching over her city.

The cold air hit her as soon as the elevator stopped, renewing Keira energy, the atmosphere of that enormous hall that would never be boring for her.

“I see you’re back.” Keira heard Damas’s voice behind her.

“Hal requested my presence,” she replied, approaching the huge window.

“She left on a mission a few hours ago, but it shouldn’t be long.”

Keira nodded, remaining silent. She'd learned that with Damas, a few words are enough; a tacit presence is what you might find most valuable when standing beside the most rigid yet fair king. She'd seen some of the baron's actions with Krew's work; it was dirty, toxic, contaminating every vein of that city.

“How is Haven?”

Keira's body shook with fright; Damas's voice was low, but still unexpected. The memory of Hal's talk about him coming from Haven came to her, bringing her curiosity to a head.

"Sinking in his own blood," she replied, noticing the king's fearful eyes. "The Baron is destroying the city, believing he's saving everyone, but he's only doing it out of selfishness, and the citizens know it, yet they silently accept it, considering it a gift to live another day."

Something cracked inside Damas, Keira noticed before he looked away from the city again, his face plastered with usual stoicism.

“Nothing new from the baron.”

“Do you know him?”, Keira asked.

"A long time ago," he murmured, not allowing any more questions. Keira knew it would be too much. "Have you had any luck with your friends?"

“Nothing,” she lamented. “Things aren’t going as planned.”

“They never are. That doesn't mean you won't reach your destination, sometimes the journey just gets longer and more tortuous.”

The image of work from earlier in the day appeared, saddening Keira again, but here she wasn't the jack-of-all-trades Hagai, she was a warrior, she needed to maintain that, even if it was difficult.

"I feel like I'm losing a little bit of myself every day on this path," Keira blurted out. Damas wasn't the person she wanted to say this to, but his words really touched something in her.

"A butterfly doesn't stop being a caterpillar because it grows wings," Damas said, passing by Keira, who followed him with her gaze. "You've changed a lot since you arrived, but I haven't seen your essence fade for a second."

Keira stared at Damas, digesting his words. She felt different, stronger, more agile, smarter, but also cold, distant, lifeless, as if she were living on autopilot; guilt weighed heavily on her chest once, when she'd forgotten the purpose of all her hard work when she'd taken a liking to one of Krew's missions.

Deep down, she was afraid of meeting her friends and them not recognizing her anymore, just like her. That they would abandon her for giving in to the darkness of Haven by working for a mobster, blowing up places, transporting cargo, killing people (even if they were bad). She wanted to be the mechanic inventor again, yearning to create new technologies.

She wanted to be Keira.

But for now, she would have to accept what had become.

“Your Highness,” she said, catching the attention of Damas, who was seated on the throne. “I want your permission to change my identity here.”

"How?"

“I don’t want to be called Keira. I just… don’t feel like I’m her in Spargus.”

Keira swallowed, feeling Damas's analytical gaze as she calmly considered whether to give in to his request. Even without speaking to him much, she could tell Damas had enough information about her from Hal.

“And what do you want to be called here?” he asked, much to Keira’s relief that he was allowed.

“You can call me Racer, sir.”

"Racer," he murmured, testing the name. "Sounds good to me. I'll inform the citizens; I'm sure they'll accept your change."

“Thank you, sir.”

Keira's communicator rang, and before she even answered, she already knew who it was.

“I’m waiting in the garage.” Hal hung up.

Keira turned to Damas, who nodded her departure. She descended in the elevator, reconsidering your decision. She had acted impulsively, but no remorse weighed on her chest; on the contrary, relief flooded her. She didn't know if what she was doing was right; might regret it later, but for now, it would be enough. She would be Keira one day, when met them.

“Wait for me”, Keira thought, looking at the door he had just opened.

The path to the garage was short with the jumping lizard. As soon as she entered, Keira saw the dune hopper resting near the exit with Hal leaning against the metal. Her skeptical expression worried Keira, who knew the teacher's personality; something was bothering her.

“Where are we going?”

“What did the precursors tell you?” Hal asked directly. Her sharp gaze had pinned Keira in place, as she tried to remember what Hal was talking about.

“Ahn…”

“When we spoke at the temple, you visited a precursor statue.”

The memory flashed through Keira's mind.

“How do you know that?”

“I was a monk, Keira. I still receive visions from the ancestors. You received a mission from them.”

“That wasn’t it. They just said I would guide the hero to war.”

“Anything else?”

Keira placed her finger under her chin, thoughtful. She knew it had been an important moment, but so much had happened that her mind had tucked the moment away. She closed her eyes, concentrating on recalling the rest of his speech.

“I think it was something about being resilient and bringing something from the Mar.”

“Someone from Mar,” Hal corrected. Keira smiled positively.

"That!"

Hal sighed dejectedly. “Those stupid old men.”

“Are you calling the precursors idiots?

"They are wise beings, but they can be very irritating most of the time. Come on up, let's go to the temple."

“What are we going to do?” Keira asked, receiving silence from Hal who climbed in and started the car, concentrating.

Keira might have been wary of the hostile attitude, but the concern was clear on Hal's face, as she seemed lost in her own mind. Donning the goggles Damas had given her and the dark green scarf, Keira assisted Hal in the fight against the metalheads, launching missiles at strategic moments.

She was fortunate enough to hijack one of their (partially destroyed) vehicles to study them and understand their strengths and weaknesses, eventually gaining Kleiver's permission to make some modifications to the combat vehicles. Keira knew he wasn't accepting her success so far; if she hadn't had her mission in Haven, she would have robbed Kleiver's garage as easily as taking a lollipop from a baby.

Arriving at the coast, the sea breeze eased the heat of the torrential sun, albeit only slightly. Hal skillfully navigated the crossing over the small islands, meticulously braking and skidding.

"Hal!" Keira called again as she jumped off the dune. She'd given the woman plenty of time to think, but she wouldn't enter that maze without knowing its purpose. "What are we here for?"

“Keira, do you know who Mar is?”

Keira denied silently.

"Mar is the most important man in the history of echo, having been a prodigious channeler chosen by his own ancestors. They warned me about your mission with his successor, and how I should proceed with it. 'The bright path is the answer to what is to come,' they said."

“What does that mean?”

“It means Keira, I’m going to turn you into a light echo channeler.”

"What?"

Chapter Text

“Be a battery, be a battery,” Hagai whispered, her eyes closed, remembering Hal’s explanation.

The light echo is pure energy, Keira. The union of all existing echoes, except for the dark one, which is its complete opposite. Channeling it is nothing more than absorbing the energy and using it. Imagine you are a car battery connected to a cable and drawing power. Allow your body to absorb the echo, feel it moving within you, and control it.

“Easier said than done,” Keira murmured, twirling the glass in her hand.

She leaned back against the Hip Hog's soft upholstery, staring at the now empty space. The main lights were off, giving the place a darker feel. She'd fought the previous night and was terribly tired. Her cheekbone still ached from her opponent's cross, which had nearly caused her defeat. But Keira managed to fight back and win before passing out and being carried away by Fox, who spent a long time staunching the bleeding from the precise cut, using green echo to fade the scar.

Luckily, Krew gave her the next day off, which she was spending studying light echoes, mentally reviewing every word Hal had uttered two months ago, when they first started. Unfortunately, Keira wasn't so lucky, having trouble absorbing the echoes right from the start.

“Something's not right,” Hal murmured, watching every step Keira, now Racer, made. “Your father is a green echo sage; you yourself said lived directly with an abundance of echo. Why can't you absorb it?”

Keira sighed in frustration, holding up a light echo crystal Hal had given them to begin with. The same question lingered in the young woman's mind, and she concentrated as hard as it could; yet, after two weeks, Keira barely felt the echo within her.

Closing her eyes, Hagai fought to quell the feeling of helplessness in the chest. Samos was a figurehead in Sandover Village; Jak masterfully wielded the luminous echo against Gol. Conversely, Keira, who must have been naturally talented, barely felt the echo with her hand; apparently, she wasn't even good at that.

Her forehead was pounding from thinking about it so much. Between the temple meditation classes (Hal had determined that before they went into the echo, Keira should prepare her body and mind) and the Krew missions, Hagai was on the verge of physical and mental collapse.

All the precursors' speeches about your mission were still a mystery. Even Hal tried to understand what was really happening, but nothing, she didn't want to give many details of the knowledge she had, as it could compromise Spargus' confidential information.

In any case, Keira didn't give up on finding her friends, even without time for herself, whether to survive or lament, but saying it was easy was a lie that not even her brain was accepting.

The dull thud of Tess sitting on the sofa in front of her almost made Keira drop the mocktail, she looked in amazement at the blonde, who was wearing a smile as big as Krew's when he won yesterday.

“I have a present for you!” she exclaimed, wiggling her eyebrows.

“I hope it’s black label, because I really need it,” Keira said, the voice lazy.

“You try too hard,” Tess scolded, showing slight concern before returning to her manic grin. “That’s why I decided to give you this treat.”

Tess quickly banged on the table like a drum, and Keira nearly fainted right there at the sound.

“Please, do not do that.”

“Oh, sorry, is it still from yesterday’s fight?”

“Yeah,” Keira lied, but Tess didn’t need to know.

“Anyway, take it.”

Keira held out the paper Tess had handed her, examining it curiously. “What is this?”

“Ticket to watch this year’s Class 3 tournament,” Tess sang, delighted to see Keira’s awed expression on the paper that looked like a ticket straight to paradise.

“But… how did you manage that? The tournament is today. Tickets sold out early,” Hagai asked, scrutinizing the ticket so far, impressed.

“I have my methods. Now go home, take a shower, pick out an outfit, and go have fun!”

“You don't exist,” Keira said, smiling. Tess may not know it, but this was definitely the best belated birthday present she'd received in a long time.

She downed the rest of the drink in one gulp before getting up and leaving the bar. Hagai had a little over two hours to prepare; she'd only visited the stadium once, so didn't know how long it would take to get there.

With a new, non-stolen Zoomer (thank you), Keira arrived in the favelas faster than she had delivered the goods to the Underground. She burst into the house and went straight to her medicine cabinet to take something for the headache, not even swallowing the pill as she headed to her small closet. She chose dark pink pants, combat boots, a pink tank top with brown details, and a very dark blue denim jacket.

“Tonight is going to be perfect!” Keira celebrated, looking at the piece of clothing with satisfaction.

“Shit city, shit zoomer, shit, shit, shit!”

Between the shower running out of water and the Zoomer deciding not to turn it on, Keira was 30 minutes late for her entry time. Her chest tightened with worry at missing out on such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity— her first fun experience in three months since arriving in Haven — tears of frustration welled up in her eyes at such bad luck.

She braked suddenly, almost forgetting to deactivate the gravity float before getting out,  didn't care for a minute that she'd left the vehicle parked in the middle of the square with the engine running. Her legs ran as fast as she could to the entrance, waving desperately to the employee who was closing the entrance.

“Wait! No!” Keira screamed, instinctively (desperation) throwing herself into the hallway before the door closed completely, startling the employee.

“Are you crazy?!”

“Just a little,” she replied, getting up from the floor and brushing the dirt off her pants. “Here,” said with a smile, handing over the ticket.

Processing what had happened, the man slowly accepted the paper, allowing Keira to enter, who exhaled in relief. She had made it into the stadium.

Hagai walked the closed course, trying to find her way to the grandstands, a smile plastered on the face. Her heart was pounding, eager to watch the race, imagine how the zoomers worked, admire the racing battles, the course shortcuts, the runners' skills…

“Stupid float!”

The shout drew Keira's attention to the empty hallway to her right. She narrowed the eyes, unaware of her feet moving on their own toward the angry voice. As the complaints grew louder, Keira's steps became firmer through the halls, curiosity piqued.

She stopped abruptly when spotted the source of her interest, lightly kicking a professional zoomer near an exit door. The man seemed to notice her presence, as he turned toward her with an irritated expression. Keira couldn't help but gasp as she looked at him properly.

He was beautiful.

Messy black hair, a lean but muscular body, and his eyes… they were blue as a rough sea in a storm. Keira stood there, admiring his peculiar beauty, before his voice brought her back.

“Any problem?”

“I should ask that,” Keira countered, to the man’s surprise, who laughed. “What happened?”

“I'm having trouble starting it,” he replied, looking back at the zoomer. “And the rear brake isn't in the best shape. I could crash on the curves if I don't get it fixed.”

“It’s really serious,” commented Keira, already close to the vehicle, carefully evaluating it.

“Well, seeing your pretty face has reduced the problem by 75%.

She turned her face away from the stranger, absorbing his words. He was staring back at her with an extravagant smile, showing off his straight, white teeth. All her charm for the man evaporated with his inappropriate attitude. Such behavior began to annoy Hagai because of its frequency. He wasn't the first guy to hit on Keira in that city. However, he was certainly the most handsome.

“So beautiful, it irritates”, she thought before opening her mouth. “Really?”

He nodded. “I was really irritated, but your beauty has really lifted my mood.”

“You are a terrible flirt.”

“Then I need to keep practicing,” he said, amused. Keira rolled her eyes, crossing the arms.

“So what would the other 25% be?”, she asked, ignoring his advances.

“If only this zoomer would magically work, since I'm late to the race and could be disqualified for this.”

“I think I can solve 100% of your problem.”

“Really?!” he asked hopefully. Keira nodded, kneeling down and fiddling with some of the zoomer’s cables.

“Bring me a toolbox,” she asked, already focused. Heard the stranger's footsteps moving away and was grateful for some time alone to think about what to do.

Her knowledge of zoomers was considerable at that point. Keira spent nights taking her first zoomer and completely dismantling it, only to reassemble it before dawn, as she needed it for work. The model in front of her was different in many ways, but the basic construction was the same, which made it much easier.

“Here,” the man said, setting the box down beside Keira, who thanked him. “My name’s Finley, by the way.”

“Hagai,” Keira said, taking a wrench from the box.

Finley didn't respond, intent on Keira's work, which seemed to know exactly what she was doing. Seeing the girl staring at him in awe was unexpected for the brunette. Hagai's singular beauty was striking to his eyes; seeing her strong personality as she countered him and discovering her talent for mechanics only added to his admiration.

She was really different.

“I’m done,” Keira said, taking a cloth from the box and wiping her hands.

“Already? But it hasn't even been 10 minutes,” Finley said in surprise, approaching the bike and testing it. His eyes widened at how easily it started. “How did you do that?”

“I don't think we have time for that if you want to win a race. I improved the turbo button; it was a bit stuck, so I made it more sensitive. Be careful when using it.”

“You’re amazing, I owe you, seriously.”

Keira watched Finley climb into the zoomer and drive outside the hall, where he descended to the starting line. She closed the toolbox and walked to the exit, her mouth falling open as she saw the inside of the stadium for the first time.

The immensity of the place filled Hagai with a sense of ecstasy she hadn't felt in a long time. The track was beautiful, full of curves and strategic shortcuts for those who knew how to use them. People packed the stands, shouting excitedly to the runners below.

Magnificent was the only word Keira's mind could process.

She walked to the bench in the center area, getting a good view of the runners, and as soon as she sat down, the race started. It was difficult at first to find Finley with all the commotion at the start of the race, but by the end of the first lap, Keira was able to locate him without any trouble; he was in third place.

“Go on, Finley, turbocharge the direct route!” Keira shouted excitedly.

Seeing Finley in action spurred her on; his potential on the track was clear, and even though mistakes made him lose his first-place finish, he maintained his position well. Keira knew that with the right training, he could easily win future races.

“Sharp curve. Sharp!” she exclaimed again, surprised to see his thumb raised.

By the end of the fourth lap, Finley had managed to move into second place, heightening the excitement throughout the stadium. The wild cries of support and dismay for the two runners could be heard from all sides. Keira noticed Finley's tactic of copying his opponent's movements to keep close, but found it strange that he didn't overtake, despite his teammate's slip-ups.

“What is he doing?” , she thought.

As they rounded the final corner before the finish line, Keira leaped from her seat, the heart racing, focused on the final minutes. She held her breath as she saw Finley's turbo ignite on the straightaway, managing to overtake her competitor at the last minute.

Finley had won.

“Eeeehh! Woo-hoo! That’s it!”

“And the winner of Class 3 is Finley!” The speaker's voice echoed enthusiastically, stirring up excitement in the audience. Keira couldn't stop smiling at the man waving to everyone until his eyes met hers. She gave him a thumbs-up, and he repeated the gesture before leaving the dance floor and heading backstage.

The crowd slowly began to filter out of the stadium after the climax subsided; it was already past 5 p.m. Keira emerged, admiring the orange sunset sky. She had a lot to tell Tess that night.

Another cocktail sat in front of him, a vivid gradient of blue and purple, perfectly matching the sweet flavor and, of course, alcohol-free.

“This is really good,” Keira commented, as she tasted the drink.

“A new shipment arrived yesterday from Kras, I’m taking the opportunity to test out some new combinations,” Tess explained, putting away another glass that had just dried.

“Never heard of this city.”

“It’s quite a distance from here, about a two-day trip. That’s according to Krew. I’ll be right back.”

Keira was left alone after a customer called for Tess to refill another beer. The bar was lively due to today's race, but nothing compared to the fight nights where the worst kind of men came to watch her fight like a wild animal. She purged the bad thoughts from her mind, returning for another drink of the cocktail, feeling a presence behind her.

“I heard you went to the stadium.” Keira’s stomach dropped at the sound of Krew’s drawl.

“Nothing else.”

“Um… I’m reconsidering your request.”

“Which one? I asked you to look for my friends and so far no response.”

“Be patient, brat. I'm doing my best to find them. I'm talking about your work at the stadium.”

Keira raised her head, looking back, not believing the man's words.

“What good was there in that giant head of yours that made you reconsider this after three months?”

“My driver said the victory is all thanks to you for fixing the zoomer.”

Keira frowned in confusion, following Krew's gaze. Her eyes widened as spotted the person.

It was Finley.

He watched her raise a glass of beer, his sly smile ever-present. Lip-reading, Keira understood what he had said.

“You are welcome ”

She smiled at Finley's joke before turning to Krew.

“He said your skills are extraordinary and demanded that you be moved to the stadium. According to him, the chances of victory would increase to 90%. Therefore, I will release you from your service with me.”

Keira was vibrating inside with laughter. She couldn't believe she'd helped the Krew driver win the race, and better, secured a position as a mechanic where she'd always wanted: the stadium. It seemed like everything was falling into place, just as she'd planned upon arriving, and something inside Keira stirred without her even realizing it.

“And when do I start?” she asked, sipping from the cocktail.

“As soon as you finish your last direct mission under my command. I still have to talk to the stadium staff to authorize your entry.”

“Okay.”

“Great. I want you to do a very important job. The client required urgency and certain… skills, so I'm sending you with automotive experience.”

“Okay, just tell me where.”

“It’s a long trip, you’ll probably only be back next week. Plenty of time for me to sort out the paperwork.”

“What is my destiny?” asked Hagai, already tired of Krew’s stalling.

“Kras city.”

Chapter Text

“We’ve arrived”

Keira opened her eyes, listening to the driver's footsteps toward the back of the van to clear her way. At the creak of the door, she stood and walked to the exit, consumed by the intense lights.

Kras City was much more than she'd imagined, had to admit. The array of bright buildings, the sprawling runway, the hustle and bustle — a veritable seductive trap. Of course, Keira accepted the mission with absolute distrust, as nothing involving the Krew was safe enough for anyone. She knew absolutely nothing about the city beyond its automotive appeal, which was why she'd been chosen to come.

“It was quick.”

The voice behind Keira prompted her to turn, finding a woman a little older than her with dark blue hair tied back in a tight bun with a red headband and chopsticks adorning the hair. Her amber eyes were soft and analytical as she watched Keira, who approached the woman.

“Where is the merchandise?”

"What?"

“Krew said they were sending ‘quality merchandise,’ ” she explained.

Keira simply laughed at the nickname the jellybean used. She wanted to be offended, but had grown accustomed to the man's cold treatment.

“So that’s what he called me, huh?” Keira commented, resting her hands on the hips.

The woman's eyes widened, understanding what she was saying.

“God… I’m sorry. My father can be insensitive sometimes,” she apologized guiltily.

“Wait… Dad?” Keira asked, perplexed.

She waved. “I’m Krew’s daughter, Rayn.”

Hagai blinked, stunned. She couldn't believe that Krew, being such a hideous jerk, could reproduce, much less someone with any beauty. "I'm Hagai."

"Nice to meet you, Hagai," Rayn said with a slight smile. Her warm expression demonstrated complete empathy for the young woman, who studied her.

Rayn seemed like the kind of person anyone would instantly like. Her smile, your simple glances and warmth, was charming, but the shiver that ran down her spine as returned the handshake warned her that your instincts were telling her otherwise. Something about her, beneath all her kindness, was hiding something.

“Same for me,” Keira said, her lips pulled into an innocent smile.

“Follow me.”

Your place of stay was a very spacious house, it had a small entrance that led to a large living room, a red sofa was in the right corner and a home bar at the opposite end, a flat screen television plugged into the wall was turned off, it was as big as the floor of her house in Haven.

“You have a nice place here.”

“Service is this way,” Rayn said, ignoring Keira’s comment as she watched her head down a narrow hallway.

Several doors were closed, and Rayn stopped in front of one of them, opening it and giving Keira space to investigate.

"This will be your room while you're staying here. For now, it's just me in the house. However, there will be some men surrounding the house or wandering around, but you have nothing to worry about. You'll keep the key so you can feel safe."

She watched Rayn quickly leave the room and followed her, believing there would be more to see. A smile split Keira's face as she reached the back room and saw the row of parked cars, the counter behind them strewn with items that whispered for Keira to come over.

A true paradise.

"Car racing is Kras's main attraction; it's how we maintain the peace agreement here and how we make money. A small championship is taking place tomorrow, and I want you to repair one of these vehicles and race on my behalf. The reward is valuable, and I need it."

“What peace agreement?” Keira asked, curiously.

“Nothing to worry about. I just want this to happen so it doesn’t affect my father’s business.”

“Preparing for the throne?”

"Do I look interested?" Rayn replied irritably, glaring at Keira, who said nothing. "When you're born into this world, there's not much you can do."

Compassion flooded Keira's chest for Rayn, her dejected tone and expression showed that she didn't agree with this, she wouldn't accept it either if it were Krew's daughter, but there are certain things you just have to accept.

Descending the small staircase, Keira assessed each of the vehicles carefully.

“You have some nice boys here.”

“These are buggies very similar to Spargus’s, but without the grotesque armor to withstand the heat, our focus here is speed,” Rayn explained.

“They’re armed,” Keira noted, eyeing the pair of machine guns on one of the cars, then turned her gaze to Rayn for answers.

“We don’t mess around here.”

Keira swallowed hard, nervousness bubbling in her stomach at the prospect of the race. Life and death were always at stake wherever she went, and there was nothing could do but accept it. Her racing experience was zero. Kleiver said there were races in an area near Spargus, but Keira had never had the chance to participate. She could drive a car very well, but competing was her first time.

The weapons were just one more detail on her list of inexperiences.

"You've never done this before, have you?" Rayn asked warily, noticing the apprehension in Keira's eyes as she stared at the cars. However, when she looked up, any trace of fear vanished from her face. Rayn held the breath as Keira's smile appeared, her expression revealing something she knew very well: danger.

“Competing to stay alive? No,” Keira replied. “But it will be an interesting experience.”

Rayn laughed. “I like your thinking, Hagai. I think we’ll get along great.”

"I'm going to start work now. When does the race start?" Keira asked, walking over to the stands.

"Tomorrow, after noon. We have several championship areas here, I'll come by later to confirm. I'll leave you to your leisure."

Rayn's heels echoed behind Keira, who sighed as soon as she was alone in the room. Only the sound of the air conditioning sounded calming. She selected a few tools before turning to the first car.

“Time to begin.”

It was after 6 p.m. when Rayn returned home. The place seemed as quiet as ever, only two men on the couch watching the news at a low volume.

“Where is she?” Rayn asked, getting their attention.

“It didn’t come from there,” one replied. “We heard the sound of tools, but nothing dangerous.”

Rayn walked down the same hallway that had guided Hagai earlier. She opened the garage door, not seeing the figure her father had sent. Throughout her life, Rayn had been surrounded by employees, her contact with the opposite sex minimal due to the dangers of her life. Meeting Hagai provided a unique experience, and her amusement at the situation and treatment of your father further heightened Rayn's interest in the girl.

“Hagai?” called the blue one, not finding her.

"Here."

She walked to the third parked car, seeing Hagai's legs outside and the rest underneath. Rayn leaned against the hood, waiting for Keira to get out.

“Having fun?” she asked, amused.

"Your cars are amazing, well-built, and the parts are high-quality," Keira explained, wiping the grease from her hands. "But they lack regular maintenance checks; that's the biggest drawback."

"Few can work on these engines," Rayn commented, surprised by Hagai's ease in inspecting the cars. Many hired mechanics had given up on working on them due to the built-in technology; her father's smuggling of high-capacity goods was far beyond the expertise of any mechanic.

"They're really complex engines because of the connecting cables. I've never seen a piston and cylinder system like the one in that car," Keira said, pointing to the first one. "Now, this one, which really caught my attention, has a very powerful cooling system. I checked out the jet propulsion, and with good handling, it can reach up to 400 km/min, but the driver needs to be very experienced. I don't recommend this car to just anyone."

"But?"

"The body is fragile; of all the cars, it has the most fragile structure, and any impact can seriously damage the car. A lightweight yet strong metal would have to be used to help."

"Which one do you plan to take?" Rayn asked, amazed at the young woman's knowledge. The emotion in each word perfectly demonstrated her love for the job.

"That one."

Rayn followed Keira to the chosen buggy and examined it carefully. It was the smallest vehicle among the others, the driver's area entirely protected by tinted glass, unlike the others that allowed for better visibility. A pair of weapons were mounted on the sides near the tires. It would be a lie if Rayn said she wasn't intrigued by Hagai's unusual choice.

“Why this one? It seems to be the simplest.”

To further confuse the audience, Keira smiled happily, as if she knew Rayn would say that.

“Open the hood.”

He half-closed his eyes, approaching the car and opening it, having a full view of the engine, very beautiful Rayn pointed out.

“Okay. What’s in here?”

"Magnesium parts. This is the first time I've seen this, and I simply feel stupid for never thinking of it before. It's considered one of the lightest materials, certainly not recommended for exterior bodywork, but using it in the engine certainly makes it lighter and more race-ready without affecting the car's impact in crashes. Whoever designed this car is really smart; they used different types of metals in places where they can actually be useful, improving combustion, for example."

“Is it revised?”

“Yeah, I just want to test out some ideas for the weaponry lat…”

“Let’s go out on it.”

Keira turned sharply to Rayn upon hearing the proposal. “What?”

"We'll take a walk, I'll give you some tips to win tomorrow's match. You said it's been revised, why not?"

The confusion on her face amused Rayn, watching her nod uncertainly. She had a mission before could rest her head on the pillow; taking Keira with her might be a bonus.

“Great, you drive,” Rayn said, getting into the car.

“Where are we going?”

“To the race site: the docks.”

Keira started the car, heading towards the exit where two men were guarding the entrance, they raised one of their arms signaling for them to stop.

“Miss Rayn, where do you intend to go?”

“I will show my guest the city.”

“Miss, it’s dangerous. Mizo might…”

“I'm fully armed just in case, don't worry. I'll be back soon.”

It took a few seconds until the man released the passage, the little conversation excited Hagai with the new information, she had nothing to lose by being curious.

“Who’s Mizo?” she asked, glancing at Rayn.

"The city of Kras is... led by my father's businesses and Mizo's. You might consider it a... competitor to the Krew. A peace treaty has now been reached, but you know how people in that business are. Turn left."

Keira did.

"Even though I'm not in that business, I'm a valuable asset to my father, so I end up being his target. That's why I fear him."

Rayn's answer was what Keira had hoped for, succinct, like a ready-made phrase that satisfied the necessary curiosity; anyone would have accepted her excuse, but Hagai didn't believe, for a second, that Rayn wasn't part of it.

Avoiding suspicion, Keira enjoyed the view. The city was cheerful and vibrant, with bright colors adorning every corner. They passed several bridges along the way, leading Keira to believe they were on some island in the middle of the sea. Krew didn't provide much information about the metropolis, and records in Haven weren't abundant.

The lights were slowly fading, and Keira knew she was driving to a dark, remote part of the city. Her gun was tucked inside her jacket for any unforeseen circumstances. She was surprised Rayn didn't search her as soon as she arrived. In the distance, shipping containers took shape until they filled every space with several ships. Minutes later, Keira knew she had arrived.

“Have you heard of Deathdrome?”

The question caught Keira's attention, and she braked right above where the race would start tomorrow.

"No."

"It's a racing stadium located in our area, unlike here, which is Mizo's area. The space is oval and has no obstacles. It's simple laps with no sharp turns or gaps, no train traps or absurd ramps. All you have to do is walk in circles."

Keira stepped on the accelerator, starting the turn. The track was short, and several containers were poorly positioned; one jolt to the vehicle, and you'd have a fatal accident. Even at her speed, Keira had to be extra careful on the L-shaped curves.

"The track is wider, making overtaking easier, but this can be solved with the yellow echoes that fuel the weapons to take down competitors. Speed up!"

“Echo weapons?” she asked, astonished. Crossing from one ship to the other along the ramp.

"It works as ammunition; it's quite effective, but rare. Only Mizo and Krew have them for use. The baron holds the largest cache of echoes, stored somewhere in that frozen hell," Rayn said with disgust. "Anyway, you need to be careful with the propulsion, as a skid could knock you down, but other than that, it's a pretty easy track."

Keira stared at her in confusion. “Why are you teaching me about the Deathdrome if the route is in the…”

The sound of bullets ricocheting off the containers interrupted their conversation, and the yellow lights reflected in the rearview mirror indicated they weren't alone. Keira pressed down on the accelerator and shifted into gear, gaining distance.

"Looks like Mizo's henchmen have found us. Keep running."

Keira glanced at the rearview mirror, which had been shot, before turning back onto the track, her blood pumping with adrenaline. "What are you going to do?" she yelled at Rayn.

“To deal with them,” she replied, pulling the pistol from her waistband.

Keira drifted around another L-turn, disappearing from the bandits' sight for a few minutes.

"You're good at this!" Rayn shouted, alert to the men's appearance, who were quick to approach and fire. "Think you can take one of them down this close?"

Changing gear, Keira tilted the steering wheel completely to the left, turning the car 180 degrees, in reverse she shot at the cars, it was a dangerous maneuver on that circuit, but she checked the good distance in a straight line to attack them.

“A curve to your left!” Rayn warned, as he reloaded his pistol.

Hagai pulled to the right for space, not slowing the car down to maintain speed, returning to the front position. One of the vehicles Keira hit exploded upon hitting the edge of the road, illuminating the entire area. With no time to celebrate, they continued to flee, trying their best to reach the exit.

Another shot hit the car, this time in the taillight.

“Are we close?” Keira asked, checking to see if the car had enough gas to get home.

“Almost there!” Rayn replied, her eyes widening as she aimed upward. “When I say already, you skid the car.”

"What?!"

"Already!" 

Rayn fired upward, and Keira skidded, narrowly avoiding being crushed by massive containers that blocked the entire passage. The damage was immense, with the hole created in the road by their weight. Removing it all would take a long time.

“We did it, let’s get out of here.”

She got out of the car, her legs feeling shaky. The adrenaline had worn off, and now Keira's body was heavy with exhaustion. A good night's sleep screamed like an alarm in her mind; she could sleep in the car seat.

“Why did we do this?” she asked. Rayn looked at her skeptically.

"You needed some experience, and I wanted to see if you could handle it. I'm surprised by your skills; you'll do well in the Haven stadium."

No sound came from Keira's mouth as she watched Rayn leave the garage. She repeated the words over and over again, making sure she hadn't misheard. It was a mere detail, of course, but Rayn still knowing she was going to enter the Haven stadium was definitely strange.

Cereal with milk, a good and practical breakfast without weighing down the stomach. Feeling unwell during the race could spell trouble for Keira, and bacon, eggs, and waffles drizzled with honey certainly would. Even food affects a driver in a competition.

"You keep surprising me with your insights," Rayn commented, munching on a handful of waffles. She'd explained her entire nutritional logic to her, and she stared intently, even interested in Keira's intonation during her speech.

“Have you ever competed? You seem quite curious about it.”

"I do drive, yes. But I prefer to avoid it most of the time, so I hire temporary drivers to do the work, but they're small races, with historical pieces as prizes. Nothing compared to Krew racing."

“Do you like history?”

Rayn waved with a smile.

“More than you think, I love reading about Kras and Haven, I wanted to meet Spargus, but the historical records are scarce,” she lamented.

Keira thought Rayn would freak out when she met Hal, one of the founders. That is, if she were actually a fan.

"Miss Rayn," one of the employees approached, his shotgun close to his body, his guard down but ready for a meager attack. "I bring you new information about today's race."

“Continue.”

“There has been a change of venue, due to track obstruction the competition will now be at Deathdrome.”

It took a lot of concentration for Keira not to spit out all the cereal. She felt some of the milk go down the wrong way and coughed softly so as not to interrupt the conversation or attract Rayn's attention. The man turned on the TV, and Rayn followed him to watch the news. Keira took advantage of the opportunity to go to the sink and cough, choking.

The pieces had fallen into place, raising even more suspicions about Rayn.

She knocked over those containers on purpose to give Keira an advantage on the track. Rayn knew from the beginning how this would end. Her actions were so cold and calculating that Hagai wondered what else Rayn was doing in the shadows, unbeknownst to anyone.

"We got lucky!" She turned to the table where Rayn was back, cutting a slice of bacon. "You're going to race the Deathdrome day after tomorrow since they need to relocate all the equipment, just follow the tips I gave you and you'll be fine."

She sat back in the chair and ate her cereal in silence, the sight of Rayn never leaving her radar.

"Attention, ladies and gentlemen. We have an interesting competition today! A fight for an extremely rare precursor relic. Let's see who will come out alive and take it home."

Keira's arms rested on your lap, watching the announcer, who called himself Blitz, talk animatedly about the race — a cheerful guy, she'd say, but certainly awkward. Images of the competitors flashed on the screen while Blitz gave a brief overview of them. Keira saw her car appear on the screen, the tinted glass blocking your face, much to her relief.

"We have a mystery racer! Her name is Hagai, and she races on behalf of Rayn. Could the driver roll down the window to satisfy the public's curiosity?"

Keira, at least moved, uninterested in giving in to the publicity of that city; she didn't want to be known in a place surrounded by the mafia. She was freeing herself from Krew's clutches and wouldn't make such a mistake. Blitz's disgruntled expression amused Keira as she watched him continue his tedious, repetitive speech.

“Let's start the race.”

Her left hand reached for the steering wheel, the other shifted into first gear and released the handbrake. Keira checked her mirrors — fixed — and tested the accelerator pedal, focused on the traffic light. All three lights came on, and the car was ready.

The sound of tires hitting the ground roared in Keira's ears, and she accelerated, instantly taking fourth place. The smell of burning gasoline filled Hagai's nose intensely, as she steadied the steering wheel to prevent the car behind her from overtaking. A row of blue, red, and yellow echoes appeared; at her position, Keira acquired a yellow echo that modified the machine gun, firing at the nearest car while simultaneously dodging the missiles.

The track wasn't really complicated, but the insanity of the racers made it hard to concentrate. They didn't want to reach the finish line; they enjoyed destroying each other. Keira smiled at their mistake, knowing exactly what to do. She moved to the right side of the track where the blue echoes of speed were, using drift to catch both of them. The propulsion brought her side by side with the second-place driver, who was frantically shooting at the leader.

A series of shots startled Keira, she saw one of them in the rearview mirror following her, he noticed her strategy and chased her.

“Shit,” Keira thought, realizing he was catching up to her in parallel.

The car's side impact destabilized Keira's speed, and she gritted the teeth to maintain the vehicle's balance. She flinched as the gunshot shattered the window.

The guy really wanted to kill her.

Three more shots shattered the glass, which luckily didn't injure Keira, but left her visible to the opponents.

“Are you crazy?!” she screamed, the man still had the gun pointed at her.

“I just wanted to see the Krew representative, nothing personal,” he said.

Keira noticed the car's second blow and, being against the maneuver, braked at the exact moment the crash could not be undone. The tactic was a success, the impact of the car on the metal bar destroyed half of it.

Keira accelerated, realizing she was in sixth place. She picked up two echoes, one blue and one yellow, a smile breaking out when she saw what kind of weaponry she'd retrieved. The crosshairs appeared on the visor, ready to fire. Going against logic, Keira didn't shoot directly at the car, but rather at strategic points to destabilize it. The car flipping four times was certainly not the ultimate goal, but it was a welcome one for Keira, who reached third place.

With two laps remaining, the top two drivers were locked in a fierce competition, unaware of Keira's approach, who slammed into the rear of the second-place driver twice. She narrowly escaped his sights, releasing the skid oil; without thinking, Keira slammed into the corner of the car, catching it in its own trap. The car spun out on the oil, giving Keira the chance to approach the final obstacle.

The jet propulsion gave her a parallel position to your rival's car, which, as it began the final lap, glared at her angrily.

“If you think you’re going to get past me, you’re wrong, girl.”

"We'll see," she challenged, passing him some time later, as promised. However, he collided with her car, pinning it against his. This was terrible for Keira; the car's weight was hindering her speed, and at some point, the car would give out.

She looked at the panel, seeing his arsenal, just a red capsule with the name “land mine”.

It would do, even if her precious car no longer worked. Keira took all the blue capsules to improve the car's propulsion, but the rival's magnet confused many of his senses, sucking up all the blue echoes it could, constantly slowing him down.

“Almost there, almost,” Keira thought, seeing the finish line in the distance.

She felt the car lighten, realizing he had disabled the magnet. Unable to let him escape since he had no blue capsules, she triggered the mine before he could get two inches away. The result was immediate: the vehicle automatically triggered the mine, blowing up the front of his car and the rear of Keira's vehicle, which was thrown forward, flipping several times before coming to a stop on its feet upon arrival.

Keira won.

"Rayn's representative, Hagai, won her first match! Showing cunning, skill, and a dose of madness that we love, don't you think?"

Keira kicked the dented door, clutching her arm, which was sore from the impact, as the car flipped over. Smoke billowed from the back of the car, and Hagai decided it was best to get away in case it exploded — she hoped it wouldn't.

"So, young Hagai, tell us about your race experience," Blitz asked, approaching Hagai with what she assumed was a floating camera. Her face was plastered across the stadium screen, making her even more uncomfortable.

"Leave her alone, Blitz. Go ask second place how he feels about losing," Rayn appeared, to Keira's relief.

"Rayn, a true princess, as always. Congratulations on the victory. Your running is sharp."

“Better than you, I suppose,” she quipped.

Keira felt a shiver run down her spine at the smile he gave Rayn, a look that wasn't the animalistic, awkward host the cameras portrayed. Rayn pulled her backstage while Blitz went back to cheering the crowd on, going in search of the other runners.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“Just a bump, nothing sprained or broken,” Keira replied, taking a bottle of water offered by the organizers.

"Fin will take you home, and a vehicle will pick you up for Haven tomorrow. Enjoy your time and rest, you did very well."

“I just want to go home.”

“Trust me, you will.”

Keira sighed as she entered Fin's vehicle, she closed her eyes, listening to the roar of the engine starting and moving slowly.

She had completed the mission, time to return to Haven.

Chapter Text

Disorganized. Dusty. Old. Broken.

All this and more was what was going through Keira's head as she wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked at your new workplace.

It had been almost a year since the old mechanic was fired until she was hired, and the dust was tolerable, but the mess in that place was not. Whoever had taken over his position was certainly lazy. Keira had been organizing all the junk for over a month and hadn't finished. She lost count of the number of arguments she had with Krew, who complained about the garage's slow operation, "Time is money, Hagai. Don't make me waste mine." Tess was crucial in these moments, keeping Keira from snapping at him.

Finley was present in the garage every day, helping her clean and carry the heavier items, their relationship growing stronger with each passing day. He was kind, funny, and, unfortunately, a terrible flirt. There wasn't a moment when he wasn't courting Keira, who threw almost every tool on the workbench at him. Even so, he never dared to do anything inappropriate, and so Keira never punched him.

Keira turned to the large tarp in the corner of the garage, still untouched. Finley said it was junk the oldie — his words — was trying to recycle. He'd found it advantageous and hidden it all this time. He'd only had a few good looks, and advised Keira not to touch it.

She obeyed the man, since Finley remained in the garage most of the time, but curiosity always permeated Keira's senses to find out what was under that tarp.

And today would be the day she found out.

She approached the sturdy, heavy material, using all her strength to pull it open. A layer of dust filled the air, bringing tears to Keira's eyes. She closed them in irritation, waving the hand vertically to brush the dust away. Facing the secret beneath the tarp shook Keira more than expected.

She knelt down, contemplating the Rift Rider, or what was left of it.

“ It’s not possible ,” Keira whispered, stunned.

She reached out for the metal, feeling its coolness against her palm. Memories flooded Keira's mind about everything before arrived here. How she missed Sandover, only the fresh air and peace. All she wanted was to return to those happy days with your father and friends. If only the vehicle…

An idea floated through Keira's mind, and got up from the floor, staring at the battered but still-good piece. She knew what would do. Keira would find her friends and repair the Rift Rider so that once found them, they could return home.

She went after the bucket of water to start cleaning the ship when a body collided with hers, knocking her over. Keira looked in disbelief at the person who entered her garage, climbing the stairs that led to the apartment on the upper floor without saying anything.

“Hey! What the hell…”

"Hands where I can see them!" ordered a Krimson guard, approaching with a gun. Keira automatically raised her hands, standing up. "The suspect entered this way."

A line of men appeared, invading the place with all their weapons drawn.

“What are you doing coming in like that? You can’t…”

“Do you know the suspect?” asked the man, probably the squad leader.

“What? No, I’ve never seen him in my life,” Keira exclaimed irritably.

“Then why did he come in here?”

She looked in disbelief at the guard, who was still staring at her seriously with his gun pointed. He was suspicious of her.

“How should I know? He broke into my garage just like you!”

"The man escaped, jumping out of a bedroom window," the soldier reported, descending the stairs. He looked at Keira, suddenly advancing, and with his full weight, the man pinned her to the wall, lifting easily. "You're his accomplice. Where did he go?"

Keira had to control your instincts to keep from retaliating. She had an entire Krimson squad inside the garage; one wrong move, and she'd be massacred. The memory of the beating came softly, sending shivers down her spine; she still felt pain in her ribs when pushed too hard with a weight.

“Answer the fucking question! Did you cover for him?” the soldier yelled, shoving her against the wall, Keira’s body shaking from the impact.

"I've never seen him before. He broke into my garage without permission," Keira explained cautiously.

"I don't believe you," he murmured, bringing the barrel of the gun to her chin. Racer wouldn't have flinched at that, but Keira did, and so she forced tears of fear to her eyes.

“I swear,” she said tearfully, turning away from the punch he had given the wall near her face.

“I'm going to make you learn the hard way how ugly it is to lie.”

"What do you think you're doing, soldier?" An imposing voice boomed. Keira watched as all the soldiers tensed, standing at attention as the figure entered the room. "Let the girl go."

The rough arms released her in one fell swoop, the impact of your butt cracking loudly, bruising her tailbone. The soldier stepped out of her way, making room for the powerful man; his noble bearing, the clothes the same color as the guard's, yet different, and the respect they held for him indicated only one thing to Keira.

“ He was important, ” she thought, looking at the hand extended cordially to help her.

"Please take my hand," he begged. Tentatively, Keira touched his rough hand and stood up carefully, a slight grimace creasing her body from the pain of the impact.

"Continue the search for the agent," the man ordered the soldiers, who retreated without a word. He looked at her again, his eyes completely soft. "I apologize for them; it's not our goal to intimidate innocent civilians, especially beautiful women."

Keira looked away, intimidated by his amber irises and deep, husky voice. There was something about the man's mannerisms that was completely different from the others. Hagai wasn't sure why she felt that way.

“Thank you for stopping them,” Keira said, looking at him again.

“It’s my job as commander,” he said, looking superior and proud.

Keira held her breath, developing the information she had acquired. She was standing before the guard commander, Baron Praxis's right-hand man. One could never be too careful.

“I’m Errol, could you please introduce yourself? I’d like to know the name of the woman I saved.”

“Keira.”

“Ah! A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Do you work here?”

“I'm the new mechanic.”

"This place really needed a breath of fresh air. I'm excited to see how it works. I wish you luck."

Errol kissed her hand gently, leaving the room a short time later. Keira stood still, staring back at the path he'd taken. She didn't know if it was unlucky or lucky to have found him. Honestly, she wanted to stay away from anything involving the guard, but a man like that should be kept close in case she wanted information. Finding Jak, Dax, and her father would be easy with him, who had easily ingratiated himself with Keira. She mentally thanked for her caution in playing the victim.

"Are you okay?" Keira was startled by the new voice. Looked at Finley with concern; she'd never seen him so serious. He kept a safe distance, as if waiting for her to wake up. "I saw the guard and Errol come in here."

“Someone broke into the garage, but escaped through the studio upstairs, they were just asking,” Keira explained with a small smile.

“Are you hurt?”

"No, Errol was a gentleman," she replied, examining Finley's reaction to the commander's name. The seriousness in that look certainly spoke volumes, but it was quickly replaced by the usual playful and amusing one.

“I'm relieved. It's the least a princess deserves.”

Keira laughed, continuing her way to the bucket of water.

“So you looked.”

Lifting the bucket, Keira saw Finley staring into the Rift.

“I confess I found it very interesting. I'll see what I can do.”

“You’re going to rebuild this thing?!” he said, shocked.

“Depending on the parts it needs, why not?”

“How about we go to the bazaar, then? I heard some new merchandise arrived, and we could take a look,” Finley offered, leaning against a metal bar.

“What can we find there?”

“Anything you want! Clothes, objects, tools for this stuff here, ammunition and even echo, but these are rare and most of the time sold illegally.”

That could be productive.

"Let's go."

“What did you think of him?”

“Hum?”

They had been walking around the bazaar for a good few minutes. Keira saw many interesting things and bought others for the garage, as well as food she hadn't seen in a long time.

“Errol.”

Keira glanced at Finley and then looked away the next second to the various clothes on display.

“I told you what he was,” Keira said evasively, stopping at a stall.

“That wasn’t my question.”

“I only saw him for a few minutes, Fin. I can’t deduce anything about him from that short time. Why? Worried?” she joked, walking again.

"The Krimson were trained by him, if the soldiers are like that it's his fault. And there are rumors that he experiments on people."

“What are you talking about?” Keira asked, confused.

“Just… don’t trust him,” he said. Keira’s smile was replaced by impartiality. “Don’t trust anyone connected to the baron. Especially Errol.”

Keira sensed the sincerity and fear in her friend's words. She wished could tell him not to worry, that she knew how dangerous Errol could be. She'd heard things about him during her service for the Krew, and they weren't good, but she was Keira the mechanic now, not the fighter Hagai or the warrior Racer. Naivety and fragility were what she would convey.

"I'll remember that. For now, I'll take advantage of the fact that my bodyguard is here to protect me," Keira assured, stopping at another clothing store. Finley's winning smile slowly appeared.

"You bet, honey. So, did you find anything you like?" he asked, but Keira at least heard his question, her eyes fixed on the piece of clothing she'd found. "Keira, are you right?"

“I… I think so,” she swallowed, handing the purple pants and white top to the saleswoman. “How much is this?”

"Isn't it beautiful? It's a very old model, but I'm sure it will look good on you. It will be 40 orbs."

“I’ll pay her,” Finley warned, taking his wallet out of pocket.

“What? No…”

"Don't even think about denying it, Hagai. It's a welcome gift to the stadium, and a feast for my eyes when I come into the garage and see you in that outfit."

"You don’t worth nothing, aren't you?" Keira stared at the garment. The blouse was a little bigger and without the orange stripe underneath, the jeans were different from the soft, stretchy fabric of her old ones, but still perfect. She couldn't admit that found your old clothes and the Rift Rader on the same day.

“There you go,” said the saleswoman, handing over the bag containing the product.

“Thank you.” She turned to Finley. “You too.”

"As you're told, dear. Come on, we have a workout to start."

“I heard you ran into Errol today.”

“There’s nothing in this city you don’t know, right?” Keira asked, sipping from the cocktail her friend had prepared.

The bar wasn't open yet, so Tess could take advantage of the few minutes before the heavy flow of customers showed up by sitting with Keira in one of the booths.

“Not when it involves the commander of the Krimson guard.”

“Finley opened his mouth, didn’t he?” Keira deduced, knowing that the only person who witnessed the moment was him.

“He’s worried about you, and rightly so. Errol is no good.”

"The meeting didn't last a minute, I don't know why you're so worried. In fact, I don't even know why Finley told you this."

“Do you remember your first service with the Krew?” Tess asked, her tone softening.

"Deliver a package to a certain Underground. I've heard about them a few times; they're like 'terrorists' who want to overthrow the power baron."

"Forget the terrorist part, but that's basically it." She scanned the area, making sure they were alone. "I work for them."

Keira's eyes widened, about to say something, but Tess stopped her by placing the index finger in front of her lips.

"Sshhh Krew doesn't know, I was sent to keep an eye on him. Finley too, long before me."

“Finley is also from the Underground?!”

"Krew is the kind of person who will have relationships with anyone for money. You may not know it, but even though they curse the baron so much, they still do business sometimes. Sig knows more about the subject than I do, but he doesn't say much. So Torn hoped to get information from him or see if he was spilling the beans about us."

“Okay, but why tell me all this now?” Keira had a lot of questions, but for now, she would be objective.

"Finley informed our boss about your meeting with Errol. He was very interested and asked for your background. We told him about your complete dislike for Krew, and that earned you points. That's why they want to talk to you about your alleged closeness with Errol."

“They want me to serve as an informant,” Keira concluded, understanding their line of reasoning.

"You wouldn't be part of the Underground, consider it an outsourced service. You'll just report to him if Errol opens his mouth too much. God knows what a man with his ego might let slip."

Keira frowned thoughtfully. She already had enough on her plate, including the light echo training, helping Kleiver at Spargus's garage, and managing another garage in Haven. Contributing to the Underground could be another dangerous proposition.

"I wouldn't be asking you this if I didn't trust you, and neither did Finley. The guy may be a cheap flirt, but he's one of our best spies. And he trusts you."

Keira's heart softened at Tess's gentle words. She adored the blonde and was grateful to find a solid friendship amidst the horror of working with Krew. The blonde had always treated her well and was kind enough to rid her of any pest that dared to approach. She introduced her to other parts of Haven that Keira hadn't even seen — probably because of her work with the Underground.

Keira already knows this won't be the last time she sees Errol; reporting what he's saying would be the least of her worries. But she'd have to speak to the leaders first and find out what they'd give in return.

“I want to speak to him, your boss.”

“Torn is not difficult to provide, now the shade is a little more… complicated.”

“Tell me the time and place, and I’ll be there.”

The memory of the alley began to clear as soon as she stopped there. Keira walked a few feet until she found a wall painted green. Just as Tess had said. Stopped in front of the painting and raised her arm.

"Members of the Underground carry passes, so the door automatically opens, recognizing you. Since you're not one of us, make these exact knocks on the door so Torn knows it's you."

Toc. Toc toc. Toc. Toc toc toc.

The door slid to the side, revealing a flight of stairs that Keira calmly descended. The entrance closed, reducing the light, but not enough to obstruct Hagai's visibility, who could already see the new passage.

The room was compact; right at the entrance was a small row of bunk beds for the members to sleep on. One of them was on the bunk against the wall, snoring softly. Just beyond, in the open space, a rectangular table sat in the middle, with a huge white lamp shining down on it. Newspaper clippings and photos adorned the table and the walls in every direction, most of Errol and Praxis. A barrel fire sat in the corner, warming the chilly space.

“Was that a zoomer?” Keira thought, before looking at the person behind the desk, staring at the wall.

The same man who received the order that day.

“Well, if it isn’t the mute delivery girl,” he said as turned toward her. His usual arrogant, pretentious tone was there.

“I heard you want to make a deal with me,” Keira said, straight to the point.

"It seems Errol has taken an interest in you, and that could be beneficial to the Underground. The man isn't seen there unless it's at the top-class races."

“What do you want me to do?”

“Report any suspicious activity to me and only me.”

“And what do I gain from this?”

Torn smiled arrogantly. The seriousness with which she was approaching the conversation was unexpected. The girl's appearance, young, he suspected, didn't convey such composure. Torn didn't understand many things, but identifying someone who suffered what they shouldn't have been one of them.

“State your conditions.”

“Any information about a mute boy and his rodent. Or an old, green man.”

Torn looked at her uncertainly at the somewhat peculiar descriptions, but waved her off. In exchange for Errol's information, he would track down Mar if necessary. He took a device from his pocket and tossed it onto the table.

“Okay, here’s your entry pass.” Keira took it, examining the small object. “Thanks for helping the Underground, Hagai.”

Chapter Text

Keira removed the helmet, observing with satisfaction the improvement made to Finley's zoomer. The charge Krew had sent made the car's structure much stronger. Curious about the product being Kras's caught her, and she didn't want to give Krew any more room to pry into her projects. She packed up all the materials she'd used, pushed the vehicle out, and locked the place. Walking to the stadium entrance, Keira saw Finley waiting patiently for her, standing in front of the steps with his arms crossed.

It was instinct that made her analyze him up and down, something about him seemed different, his body inclined, eyebrows raised, Keira was more certain when she noticed his fascinated expression to some point until then unknown to her.

She knew that look and smiled inwardly at the little trap she'd set to catch Finley off guard. Leaving the zoomer parked nearby, Keira silently walked over to the friend, succeeding in not jarring him out of his stupor.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she,” Keira whispered.

"Yes," Finley said, smiling until he understood the question and stared at Hagai, shocked. Keira burst out laughing at the man's face for catching him.

“You have to see your face.”

“How did you do that?” Finley asked curiously.

"I have my tricks," she replied, turning toward the courtyard. "So does that mean I'm not the love of your life, I'm shocked."

“Funny.”

“Who is she?”

Finley sighed, scratching his head in embarrassment. The gesture reminded her faintly of Jak when he'd done something wrong and he got caught. She missed her friend instantly, but tucked away the feeling to the back of her mind.

“Her name is Serena, I met her on one of the missions for Krew. She… came in the cargo.”

Keira's chest tightened, knowing full well what he meant. One of the things she avoided remembering was the civilian sales Krew made to Haven. During the

Last couple of months when she worked directly for the mob boss. She denied doing any service related to that.

"Your mother sold her, believing her beauty would pay off here. It didn't work out so well. She works as a waitress in a bar in the industrial area, serving many soldiers on her days off."

“Where is she?”

"Near the entrance. Blonde hair and green eyes, wearing an olive green scarf I gave her for birthday, it matches her eyes."

It was easy to spot the woman matching Finley's description, and Keira had to agree. Serena was a beauty, her long blonde hair blowing like silk in the wind, your smile infectious and beautiful. Any man would fall at her feet.

“I… want to confess my feelings to her, but… I don’t want to put her at risk.”

“Because of the Underground?”

“Underground, Krew… I take risks every day. I don’t want that for her.”

“Whether you declare it or not, you could die. Wouldn’t you rather do it knowing you had tried?”

Finley looked at Keira, curious about her words. He didn't speak of his love for Serena to anyone; in a rotten city like that, people didn't care about feelings; they'd be willing to use them against you. However, he didn't see this malice in Hagai; although pragmatic, she exuded honesty in her actions. Finley saw this easily, since espionage required assessing the people around her.

It was a relief to get her fears out of your mind and onto someone she could trust.

"Hagai..."

"If you love her, fight for it, and if she feels the same way, she'll be by your side no matter what. You deserve to be happy too, remember that."

Finley watched her walk back toward the zoomer a few feet away, absorbing her words . He'd never looked at it that way before; the fear of hearing Krew threaten Serena impacted Finley as he realized his emotions, blocking any alternative. What Hagai said was still a high risk, but when wouldn't it be? Serena was in danger every day; she herself spoke of what she experienced when she arrived here. The worry didn't disappear from his heart, but some hope also arose.

Maybe Hagai was right after all.

“Hagai,” he called, seeing her react. “Thank you.”

Keira smiled happily. “Say thank you by winning this race.”

"It can leave."

Keira felt her throat burn from the incessant shouting, but she didn't let that stop her from wildly celebrating Finley's victory in class two. With practice, his maneuvers improved, and blocking precision and cornering agility were key to the victory. Pride was the only word Hagai could think of as she watched Finley receive the trophy. It was impressive how he immediately turned to her and ran, pulling up to the track and handing her the award.

“What are you doing?” Keira asked.

“I need to take the picture for the newspaper,” complained the photographer, irritated by Finley’s delay, who crouched behind Keira and placed his head between her legs, lifting her up.

“Finley!”

“Raise the trophy, Hagai!” he exclaimed, holding tightly onto her thighs.

“You’re crazy!”

"Smile!"

It took a few seconds for the blush on Keira's cheeks to completely fade and for her to accept Finley's impulsive action. Aiming at the camera, she smiled broadly and raised her glass as high as she could, trying not to blink in the glare of the intense flash.

“Okay, now put me down,” she ordered.

Feeling the metallic ground beneath your feet was a relief, Finley's cheeky smile only added fuel to her irritation over what he did.

“Do you want to see the photo?” asked the photographer, still looking unfriendly.

The camera was extended, and Keira saw the result. Any anger dissipated with the beauty of the photo; the genuine smiles and happiness on their faces made the photo splendid. It would look beautiful framed in the garage.

“What do you think of this picture in a frame in the garage?” Finley asked.

“You read my mind,” she replied happily.

“Have the lovebirds broken up yet?”

“We’re not a couple,” Keira countered.

“It’s hard to win her over, but I’ll get there eventually.”

Rolling his eyes — he wasn't paid to see that — the man turned and walked away, leaving the two alone.

“You’re just hopeless.”

“If it depends on me, I will die testing your patience, not even your mute friend will change that.”

Surprise filled Keira's face at the mention of Jak.

“Torn told you?”

“He assigned me to look into your friend’s whereabouts, it’s a bit complicated, but I’m doing the best I can.”

“I got here a year ago. The chances of finding something then are higher,” Keira suggested.

"You might be right, I have some friends on guard duty; they might have seen or heard something," Finley said thoughtfully. "Don't worry, there isn't a person in this town I haven't found," Finley assured.

"Thanks."

"Don't worry, let's take this beauty to the shelf now. It'll look beautiful with the frame next to it. I can already imagine what the class one victory photo will look like..."

Keira listened to Finley's chatter in silence all the way to the garage, awed by the energetic, honest, and kind man who found a unique blend of Dax's burlesque personality and Jak's determined one. She finally had hope of finding her family with someone who truly cared.

“Your communicator is ringing.”

“What?” She looked at Finley, waking from her stupor. The transmitter’s ringing reached your ears. The name flashing on the screen prepared Hagai for what was to come. “Yes?”

“How was the race?” Hal asked.

"We won, the finals are in a week," Keira informed, seeing Finley look at her curiously. Her identity in Spargus was a closely guarded secret, and even though she liked Finley, couldn't reveal the ties to the wastelands. Any oversight in Haven would be her downfall.

"Then we'll have time to train the light echo, it's been two weeks. I'm waiting for you."

"But…" 

As usual, Keira couldn't reach an agreement with Hal, who hung up immediately. She sighed, seeing Finley staring at her, silently asking for an answer.

“We need to see the training days leading up to the match,” Keira commented, ignoring Finley’s proposal.

"I thought we'd train every day. It's the grand final."

“Shit”, Keira thought, knowing Finley had cornered her. Either way, she'd have to come up with an excuse for your disappearance. She placed the trophy on the shelf near her private room, where the Rift Rider now rested.

"I know, but I have other commitments right now. I hope this doesn't keep you from training; you know what you're supposed to do," Keira explained, turning to Finley. His gaze brimming with a curious desire to know what Keira was hiding.

“Finley…”

“I know, I know. There are things in your life that I don’t know, just like you don’t know about mine.”

"Exactly."

“Like Serena.”

Keira took the hint, but remained absorbed. "Like Serena," she agreed. Finley sighed, knowing the final straw had been struck.

“I’m going to celebrate, are you coming?”

"I'd rather leave you and Serena alone," Keira joked, causing Finley to laugh. "See you in three days."

“Not if I see you first.”

The Dune was positioned in the center of the garage. Hal was dressed for the desert heat, covered from head to toe, waiting for her.

“Congratulations on the win,” she said as soon as Racer got close enough.

"Thank you. Can I at least take a shower before we go?" Keira asked hesitantly, adjusting the strap of the backpack she was carrying with her projects. She barely had time to get ready to get to Spargus; her clothes were soaked with sweat, and it bothered her.

“You have ten minutes.”

She used one of Kleiver's jumpers — hopefully he wouldn't notice — to get home faster. She threw her backpack on the bed and went straight to the shower. Spargus's plumbing wasn't the best, but it might be with the sketches she'd been making lately from the collection of Haven's "provided" by Torn and Krew. Soon she'd be bold and introduce it to Damas, hoping he'd agree.

Opening the closet, Racer chose black denim shorts and a matching tank top she'd worn during training, already ripped in some spots. She donned black tights and short military boots for maximum protection in the desert. Racer picked up a wooden brush and ran it through her tangled strands in front of the mirror, noticing once again how long her hair was below the shoulders.

She constantly promised herself she'd keep the same haircut she'd had a year ago — Racer can't believe it's all happened — but in the end, she got lost in her current routine, immersed in the engines, training with Finley and Hal, and all she could remember at that moment was the state of her highlights. The blue stood out against the green that remained at the ends, and she needed to touch them up as soon as she cut them.

She left the brush in place, tying her hair into a simple ponytail; a few stray strands fell loose in her face, adding to her beauty. She went to the backpack, grabbed the small package she'd brought, and used the jumper again toward the hospital. She had just over five minutes before Hal's patience ran out. As soon as she entered the reception area, Anolia smiled at Racer, a woman a little older than Hal who was very friendly and warm.

“Good to see you here, Racer. Looking for Yelena?” she asked, pulling out a clipboard and making some notes.

“I just want a minute of her time.”

“Good luck, she's taking a nap from a 36-hour shift in room 130.”

Uncertainty lingered in Racer, as she imagined how irritable Yelena could be with lack of sleep, but it was something the blonde would actually appreciate. The thought moved her feet to room 130, a private room with only one bed, and Yelena was in it, snoring. Guilt crept back in for taking her friend out of the little break she had; she ran this hospital practically single-handedly, giving her all for every patient.

Racer walked silently to the bedside table, slowly setting down the package, tore a clean piece of paper from Yelena's clipboard, and, with a blue pen, scribbled a simple message. She only breathed again when left the room, hearing the dull click of the lock. She waved to Anolia and arrived at the garage a minute late.

"You drive," Hal said, getting into the passenger seat. The ride was smooth; the Dune's attack system had improved over time, and with the turbo activated and the high suspension, Racer was able to dodge the looters well.

“How is Spargus?”

"The movement of some metal head nests seemed strange, we're looking into what could be causing it. Our defense system is still flawed, and the wall has been damaged. In fact, some vehicles need repairs. Kleiver is placing all the responsibility on you, since he doesn't understand what he's doing with them."

Racer laughed at the comment, understanding the inefficiency of humans with more advanced technology. She learned a lot from tinkering with buggie engines in Kras and decided to incorporate this mechanism into some vehicles still under development, such as the desert screamer. Kleiver still holds the position he held from his time in Spargus, but Racer knows it wouldn't be difficult to steal it.

“Anything else besides Kleiver condemning me as usual?”

“We lost three men to the storm, we were not expecting the storm and without support we were unable to save everyone,” lamented Hal.

This kind of occurrence wasn't new, but it still shook Racer's mind to go through a similar situation and survive. Many haven't had, and still don't have, the same luck as her in this desert. Each day that the walls were breached, a fight for life ensued. The conversation they were having as they passed through the abandoned city might have seemed ordinary, but it was just habit, and they were prepared for any unforeseen event, aware that death lurked in every grain of sand and stone in that place.

It took almost an hour to reach the base of the temple. Keira used her skills to accurately navigate the islets, while Hal made brief comments praising some points and suggesting improvements in others. The great pillars came into view of Racer, who braked the Dune and followed Hal through the corridors. Few monks were seen along the way, hiding in remote corners of the immense place, meditating.

“We saw a certain instability in your spirit that prevented you from absorbing echo,” Hal began, stopping in a random space in the temple, far from the ones Racer was already accustomed to.

“I don’t remember you saying that,” Racer commented, crossing his arms.

“I didn’t say, but being a plumber…”

"Sage."

"Plumber," Hal countered, irritated by Racer's joke. "It's obvious that our inner selves play a major role in the use of echoes, and vice versa. Your feelings about the situation at the time prevented you from receiving the luminous echo that represents balance."

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

"I'm not here to give you answers, Racer. I'm going to advise you, to guide you on the path to discovering what needs to be found. Now." She took a glowing crystal from inside her coat and handed it to Racer. "Redo the process."

She held the shiny object in her palm, closing the eyes and concentrating. First, she regulated her breathing, making it steady, steady, and calm, like a gentle breath. Then she emptied her mind of any lingering thoughts, clinging only to the feeling of joy Finley's victory had given her.

“Open your body and mind,” Hal said, his voice distant to Racer.

That's when she felt it.

A warm energy touched your fingertips, it was a strange, pleasant tingling, however, tension dared to possess her muscles as it finally reached the echo, but Racer fought her hardest to relax your nervousness.

“Breathe, Keira”, she thought, keeping the movement even.

The sensation grew stronger, coursing through her skin like an electric current, imbuing her veins with something completely new. This is what it feels like to touch Echo. Racer was amazed.

She masterfully managed to absorb the echo and perceive it within her body as an energy that was part of her. Finally, she opened her eyes and found Hal looking at her with a smile.

“You did it.”

Racer smiled, satisfied, her thoughts racing with the possibilities of that power and how it would help not only her but thousands of people.

“Time for the next step,” Hal said.

Racer was definitely ready.

Chapter Text

Keira was going to kill Finley.

She'd rip every silky hair out of that stupid head, and she wouldn't even bother to give him the jet board she'd made. No, worse, she'd tell Serena herself that Finley was in love with her, and she would do it in such an overdramatic way that it would make her friend Daxter proud. When she was done, it would make him so utterly embarrassed that he wouldn't be able to look her in the eye for days, but that didn't matter, because that's what he deserved for being late. Keira sighed for the sixth time at the stadium entrance, her nervousness growing with each check of her wristwatch.

The race was about to begin, the zoomer was ready, and the crowd roared behind Keira, excited by Errol's appearance, but Finley didn't show a single sign of life. If he didn't show up that minute, he'd be disqualified, and Keira was on the verge of a meltdown at the prospect.

“I haven’t seen you like this since the first fight with Kleiver.” Keira turned in surprise to see Hal standing a few feet away.

“What are you doing here?”

"I heard the big championship is today. I couldn't miss it," she explained, taking a few steps. "What happened?"

“My racer hasn’t shown up yet, and he’ll be disqualified if he doesn’t show up right now,” Keira replied, her blood boiling as she spoke.

“Does he know about the championship?”

“Of course he does! ” Keira exclaimed, irritated by the question. “We’ve been training since I joined this team.”

“Do you trust him?”

"For sure!"

"Then he'll come," Hal said firmly. Her tone exudes such certainty that Keira can only accept it, not argue further. "You won't gain anything here. You need to be behind the scenes, keeping an eye on the Zoomer to avoid sabotage. Haven has its fair share of unsolved accidents."

Keira followed Hal down the hallway, unable to help but look back in the hope of seeing Finley running towards her with a thousand excuses about her delay, but that didn't happen. They had reached the edge of the bleachers.

“I'll look for a place, good luck.”

She waved to Hal before running to Zoomer, her heart still pounding in her chest with the fear that Finley would be disqualified or something bad would happen because of her lateness. Hal was right; Finley knows about the tournament and has always been committed to it; if he's late, there must be a reason. A smile spread across Keira's face as she spotted the vehicle with someone beside it, but as she got closer, that someone took shape, and it certainly wasn't Finley.

“Errol.”

Keira swallowed hard against the uneasy feeling that gripped her stomach, a bad feeling settling in her chest. Carefully, she continued walking until the man noticed her, flashing a smile that only intensified Keira's unease.

“Keira, you’re a sight for sore eyes before this match.”

“Errol, what are you doing here?” she asked cautiously.

“Just seeing you, any problem?”

“No, it’s just…”

“Attention, racers, last call!” the stadium loudspeaker announced, distracting Keira.

“Wish me luck, Keira,” he said, walking to the racetrack.

Keira moved as soon as Errol was far enough away, ready to check out the entire zoomer, the feeling still gnawing at her, making her dizzy. But just as she bent her knees, the vehicle moved, startling Keira, who looked up, finally seeing Finley push the zoomer onto the track.

“Sorry for the delay, Hagai, I swear I’ll make it up to you by winning the match.”

“Wait, Fin!”

But it was too late; he'd already wandered far enough away. Keira wanted to run to him, ask for just two minutes to check the bike, curse the organizers for complaining to her, yell in Finley's ear for protesting that he was already late, but still, check to see if Errol had done anything; two minutes was all she needed.

Yet Keira remained there, her legs pinned to the floor, her tongue heavy in her mouth, tasting as bitter as the tap water she'd drunk her first month in Haven. She felt helpless, doing nothing but praying to the precursors that nothing bad would happen.

Even though the race had started, Keira didn't move a step, her attention focused on the screen, which constantly narrated every overtake, turn, or shortcut taken. She let out a deep sigh when Finley completed the first lap, telling herself that there were only two more laps to go before they could celebrate. When Finley passed Errol on a turn during the second lap, Keira's spirits lifted, adrenaline surging through her as always.

The two men's battle caused a stir in the audience, with the commentator saying he hadn't seen such a good competitor in ages, and how he clashed with Errol at every turn. A smile already spread across Keira's face, happy for her friend and reconsidering giving her the Jetboard as a gift.

The final lap had begun, with Finley and Errol far behind the others, who seemed to be supporting actors in this clash between racers. Finley took the shortcut, suffering a slight imbalance from Errol, who lightly bumped the back of the Zoomer, but this didn't destabilize him, who remained in the lead. Keira glimpsed the eco barrel for the winner descending near the start, and the baron was seriously observing the race. With Finley winning the race, the Underground would have easy access to General Praxis's fortress, a golden opportunity that Keira could bet would cheer Torn up enough.

The gasps from the crowd caught Keira's attention, and she turned back to the track in time to see Finley lose control of the zoomer near the finish line, crashing into the eco barrels.

Time stopped at that exact moment for her, and everything from then on seemed to happen in slow motion.

"Finley!" Keira screamed, unconsciously moving her legs toward her friend. Her right arm stretched forward, trying to reach him. She could see him under the barrels, his forehead bloodied from the impact. Tears stung the edges of her eyes, desperate, her legs screaming with the effort, her heart contracting sharply in terror.

“He’s still alive,” she thought, watching her friend meet her eyes, barely managing that damned smile.

“I can save him.”

“FINLEY!”

"Almost…"

The blow came suddenly. The blast of air from the explosion pushed Keira like a leaf, the collision of her body a dull thud compared to the roar. The world around her blurred, a jumble of orange, red, purple, and blue swirling in Keira's disoriented vision. Something hurt; she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She was numb. Her friend… Finley.

“Finley,” Keira whispered, trying to stand, but the agony in her left leg made her freeze. This time, red filled her eyes.

Blood.

On your leg.

“Keira, hey.” A voice whispered, far, far away. “Keira!”

“Finley,” Keira wailed tearfully. “Help him.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Keira didn't notice the screams of terror and despair from the audience at what had happened, or the look of sadness and pain on Hal's face, nor Errol; the pain in her leg drove her to the brink of unconsciousness before she came to.

Water. It was the first word that came to her as the dryness scratched her throat.

Keira wanted water, lots of it. It felt like she was trapped in the desert again, entangled in the desperation of never satisfying her need. She drew on all the saliva she had to moisten her mouth, but to no avail.

“Hey.”

The voice was enough to make her open her eyes, the blurry face looming over her like a welcome shadow in the harsh lamplight. Keira moved her mouth to ask for water, but only the letter "a" came out, which was enough for Hal, who grabbed the pitcher of water from the bedside table and filled the glass beside it. Carefully, she supported Keira's torso, bringing the water to her lips, which reacted to the cold liquid.

“Slowly,” she instructed, slowly raising the cup.

“W-Where… am I?” Keira asked.

“You’re in the hospital, Keira. You were hit during the explosion, don’t you remember?”

Everything became clear at that moment: the race, the accident, the explosion, Finley.

“Finley, he… had an accident,” Keira murmured, reconciling all the information. “Hit the barrels…”

Keira looked at Hal, her irises conveying a silent question. The fear of her teacher's answer was evident throughout her features. She knew Finley's situation was critical, yet she…

“He died, Keira.”

First came the shock. Then came the breathlessness, Keira's eyes burning, tears brimming, streaming down her face like a river in full flow. Finally, the scream, agonizing, despairing. Even lying down, Keira felt powerless, falling into an endless abyss. Arms wrapped around her shoulders, firm and dry, yet welcome. She rested her head on Hal's chest, hiding her pain.

“I’m sorry, Keira.”

She said nothing, her tears now contained. Her existence felt empty, a void that swallowed everything around it and transformed it into nothingness.

“You need to rest. I'll call the doctor to check on you. Can you stay alone?”

She waved, glancing at her hands in her lap, shame at her vulnerability rising.

“Don’t think too much about it, you have a serious leg injury that could make you never walk properly again.”

Hal's explanation awakened Keira to her tightly bandaged left leg, a metal device pressing into her flesh. Perhaps this was punishment for not doing enough for Finley.

“You’re lucky, Errol offers the best medical plan in Haven.”

The name alone was enough to make Hagai's blood boil.

“It was him, Hal. He killed Finley,” Keira accused, seriously.

“Then do what needs to be done,” Hal said, before leaving.

Oh, she would. She would have Errol in her hands and finish him off.