Elemental Eclipse

Chapter 1 - The Bandits' Scheme

He blinked, returning to the present as Rask's voice grew more urgent.

"We strike fast," Rask growled. "No mistakes."

Kezzez felt the weight of the moment settling upon him. The others began to shuffle, gathering their gear, muttering in low voices. He made to stand, but Rask's eyes caught his, hard and suspicious.

"You good, Kezzez?" Rask's tone was sharp, probing. Kezzez gave a nod, his face a mask of indifference. He knew better than to let anything slip.

"Good," Rask grunted. "You and Beria take the rear flank. Keep your eyes sharp."

It wasn't a suggestion. Kezzez glanced at Beria, who merely raised an eyebrow, as though unimpressed by the assignment. She picked up her pack with fluid grace, the torchlight catching the edge of her smirk, and without a word, strode toward the cave's mouth.

Kezzez followed, keeping his distance.

Outside, the wind was sharp, and the mountains loomed tall, jagged against the backdrop of stars. Kezzez breathed in the cool night air, clearing his head. Beria walked ahead, her movements quick and efficient, her outline blurred in the low light. A Synthcaster's gait—always poised, always calculated.

"You're quiet," Beria said suddenly, not turning to look at him. Her voice was calm, almost indifferent, but the edge in her tone wasn't lost on him.

Kezzez didn't reply at first. The truth was he didn't trust her. Or anyone in the crew for that matter. But he needed to play the part of a cooperative bandit, at least for now.

"I'm here to do the job," he said finally, his voice low.

Beria chuckled, a sound that was both mocking and cold. "So you say. But you've got eyes like someone who's seen more than just petty thievery." She finally glanced back at him, her gaze sharp, piercing through the thin veil of his persona. "You're hiding something."

Kezzez kept his face impassive. He'd heard this line of questioning before, from those who thought they were clever enough to catch him slipping. He'd been careful to reveal nothing — not his family, not his true motives. But Beria was different. She had power, the kind that came from years of training, from being born into the rarest of gifts. And it made her dangerous.

"I don't know what you think you see," Kezzez said, his voice even. "But we've all got secrets."

Beria's smirk deepened. "Maybe. But yours... yours are worth more."

She turned away, walking ahead without another word. Kezzez let her go, his thoughts swirling. How much did she know? And how much longer could he keep his facade intact?

Ahead, the mountains sloped downward into the valley where their target would soon pass. The wind carried the scent of iron and smoke—remnants of Fezandia's industry that drifted even this far into the wilds. As they descended, Kezzez's mind slipped back into calculation. He couldn't afford mistakes. Not tonight.

The descent from the cave's mouth felt both timeless and immediate, as though the mountainside had been a barrier between Kezzez and a world that pulsed with life and industry. The city of Fezandia lay sprawling below them, an intricate tapestry of steel and smoke unfurling beneath the shadowed peaks.

Even from this distance, the city was an imposing sight. Fezandia was a titan of industry, its skyline dominated by a forest of towering smokestacks that spewed plumes of black smoke into the night sky. The glow from countless fires and forges turned the sky into a smudged canvas of orange and grey, casting an eerie, flickering light over the landscape. The city's streets, interwoven with webs of iron and stone, were like veins carrying the lifeblood of its economy—machines, tech, and a ceaseless hum of activity that never truly quieted.