“Where is he, ma’am? I really don’t want to hurt you.” A man with cascading black hair looked towards an old woman lying by a broken shack. Her clothes were grimy, and she was more skin and bones than anything.

Cassius hated this part of the business. “Just tell me where he is—the kid with the last name, Quinn. He lived with a sister in this part of The Limbo. I asked multiple people, and they all got scared and told me to come here.”

Cassius dropped to his knees to be eye-level with the old woman. “So tell me, or it will be the end of your miserable life.”

“You’re not going to hurt me,” the old woman responded firmly. Cassius stood up, scratching his head in frustration.

“I won’t be telling you anything about the boy, or anything else for that matter, you bastard. How could you bully an old woman like me!” Cassius couldn’t help but feel ashamed, being lectured by the elderly.

Clutching her sides, the old woman began coughing vigorously. “Easy there, Granny. Old age is getting to you,” Cassius muttered, watching as the life seemed to drain from her eyes.

“Please, just tell me something?” Cassius couldn’t believe he was begging. He was a government enforcer. He’d gone through leaps of fire and pits of death to get to where he was. “Yet here I am, begging an old lady for information. God, if my boss saw me now…” Cassius shuddered at the thought.

“Look, I ain’t trying to hurt the kid. Well, not yet anyway. Besides, I’m from The Limbo too. You can trust me.”

The old woman laughed hysterically. “Even more reason not to trust you. A guy like you must have a river of blood on your hands.”

“Okay, lady, now you’re just making assumptions. C’mon, give me something.” Cassius put his hands together in a plea.

“Okay, I have two requests, and you must swear on your life to fulfill them.”

“Fine, Granny, just make sure these requests of yours are doable.”

“My first request is for you to help him. Make sure you do everything in your power to ensure nothing bad happens to him. I can already tell that sister of his has gotten him into trouble. I don’t care about the details, but keep the boy, Sabir Quinn, safe.”

Cassius met the old lady’s stare and retained in his memory the way her eyes cut through him and into the space behind him, like she was trying to see through flesh and bone and into his very soul.

Cassius’s eyes widened at the old lady’s insight, impressed by how she had figured out that Sabir’s sister was at the center of the trouble. “Do you know how hard of a request that is?” He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “Fine, you have a deal. Tell me where he is.”

“He went past The Threshold. Should be somewhere in The Commons right now. He goes to that Beacon school there,” the old lady spat out.

Cassius smiled, finally finding a breakthrough in his case. “Okay, nice. You’re the best, Granny. I’ll make sure he stays safe.” Just as he was about to leave, he turned back to the old lady.

“Wait.”

“What? I got what I came for. I’m gonna go get him.”

“You forgot I have a second request,” the old lady reminded Cassius.

“Oh right, I forgot. Well, what is it? Need some credits or something?” Cassius asked, reaching for his wallet.

“Kill me,” the old lady said with a tone of finality.

“What did you just say?” It’s not that Cassius couldn’t hear; he just couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“I’m dying. I have Lurmia.” The old lady lifted her rags to reveal hundreds of bloody, toothy worms spilling out of her sides.

Cassius grimaced. Such a painful way to live. Killing her would be an act of mercy, but why was he hesitating?

“Are you sure about this, Granny? Don’t you have anything left to do?” Cassius didn’t want to admit it, but he’d rather not kill an old lady who showed him such loyalty.

“No, my family is all dead, and there’s no one left to see. Stop being a baby and just do it. You’re a hunter; it will probably be less painful.” The old lady looked at Cassius with a smile.

Cassius sighed, turned his back to the lady, and walked a few paces away.

“Where are you going-” Her question cut short as Cassius raised his hand, his eyes transforming into a deep, black abyss that seemed to glow with an eerie light.

A shadow materialized from the darkness, slicing through the air with deadly precision. The old lady’s head fell from her shoulders in one clean motion, her smile lingering even in death.

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Cassius lowered his hand, the shadows dissipating as quickly as they had come. He stood there for a moment, feeling a strange mix of sorrow and relief.

“Rest in peace,” he murmured, before turning away and walking into the night, his heart heavier than before.

No one ever saw Mrs. Norris again in The Limbo.

As Cassius walked away, his mind wandered to the boy he had never met. Somewhere beyond The Limbo, Sabir Quinn was unaware of the danger closing in.

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Sabir, Max, and Samantha walked through the dimly lit streets of The Commons, their eyes scanning for any sign of the rift’s location. The buzz of distant chatter and the occasional siren filled the air, but their focus remained unbroken.

“Are you sure this is the right way?” Samantha asked, her voice tinged with anxiety.

“Yeah, trust me. The guilds would have put up some kind of marker or tape to keep people away,” Max replied confidently, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Suddenly, Sabir’s stomach growled loudly, breaking the silence. He felt a flush of embarrassment as Max and Samantha turned to look at him.

“Sorry, I haven’t eaten,” Sabir admitted, scratching the back of his head.

Max laughed. “Man, you need to take better care of yourself.”

Samantha, ever the prepared one, opened her bag and pulled out a couple of sandwiches. “Here, I made these earlier. They’re a bit mashed, but they’ll do the job.” She handed one to Sabir, the jam filling leaking slightly from the edges.

“Thanks, Samantha,” Sabir said, accepting the sandwich gratefully. A sandwich like this was a delicacy for his unrefined taste buds. People would kill to grab a bite in The Limbo.

As he took his first bite, savoring the sweet and tangy flavor, Max looked at the sandwiches and then at Sabir. “You know, we could just go to the convenience store. They’ve got better stuff there.”

Sabir stared at Max, shocked. “Are you seriously turning your nose up at this? This is delicious!”

Samantha blushed, ducking her head slightly. “It’s just a bit of jam,” she murmured.

Max suddenly got an idea. “Wait here for a sec,” he said, and hastened towards the convenience store.

Sabir and Samantha exchanged puzzled glances, but waited. A few minutes later, Max returned with a glass of black liquid in his hand.

“Here, try this,” Max said, handing the glass to Sabir.

Sabir hesitated for a moment before taking a sip. His eyes widened in amazement. It was the greatest thing he had ever tasted. He looked at the label on the bottle. “Roller Cola,” he read out loud.

Samantha was astonished. “You’ve never had cola before?”

Sabir shook his head, taking another sip before trying to hand the glass back to Max. “This is incredible. Thanks, Max.”

Max waved him off. “Keep it. It’s all yours.”

“You sure, man?” Sabir asked, his voice tinged with gratitude.

Max nodded with a smile.

Overcome with appreciation, Sabir gave Max a quick, awkward hug. “Thanks, Max. I really mean it.”

Max laughed, clapping him on the back. “It’s just a drink, Sabir. No big deal.”

Sabir carefully put the bottle into his bag. “I can’t wait to let Mrs. Norris try it.”

“Mrs. Norris?” Samantha asked, curious.

Sabir’s expression softened. “Yeah, when I was all alone, she helped me. She gave me her son’s old clothes and even shared her Nutripulp stash with me.”

Max and Samantha exchanged a glance, realizing they were learning more about Sabir’s life. Mystery always surrounded Sabir. It was like he was smoke he was there and gone the next, leaving them curious about his past and the secrets he held close.

“Nutripulp, ew gross-” Bang! Just as Max was exclaiming his disgust for Nutripulp, They heard an explosion a few blocks away where they were standing. The group of three heard the screams of people as they began running past.

They looked towards the explosion, and they saw multiple enormous boulders levitating high in the air.

The boulders plummeted down to the ground causing a tremor to be felt at the soles of the trio’s feet.

Max’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the both of them. “Seems like the hunters haven’t left yet. C’mon let’s go check it out,” Max cried as he began running towards what now began to sound like a cacophony of bangs and explosions.

Leaving Sabir and Samantha scrambling, trying to stop Max from going. “Max stop, it’s dangerous!” Samantha called out, as she almost crashes into someone running away.

Max hesitated, glancing back at Sabir and Samantha with a mischievous grin. “Come on, where’s your sense of adventure?”

Reluctantly, Sabir and Samantha followed Max as he charged towards the chaotic scene. As they arrived at the block, they saw multiple small craters scattered around, evidence of recent explosions. Two groups of three individuals were engaged in a fierce battle, their movements swift and precise amidst the chaos. Each group seemed to possess unique abilities, using them to hurl projectiles and summon barriers in a dance of combat.

Two groups of four individuals clashed fiercely in the dimly lit street, their attire starkly contrasting. The first group, in urban camo gear, moved with militaristic precision. One member, a burly figure with a rugged visage, hurled boulders with startling accuracy, each impact sending shockwaves through the ground. Beside them, another crouched behind a makeshift barricade, swiftly conjuring protective barriers that shimmered with defensive energy. A third figure, holding a massive white cannon-like gun, was charging up a formidable ball of energy, crackling with destructive potential.

Sabir’s palms were slick with sweat.

His instincts screaming at him to pull Max back. To stop him from running headlong into danger. He knew better than to get involved in something like this. Growing up in The Limbo taught him that. Monsters were vicious and primal, and if you weren’t careful, you’d get torn apart in the crossfire. The ground trembled beneath him as a boulder slammed into the street, sending shards of debris flying into the air. Sabir flinched, his heart hammering in his chest. They were far too close. If they weren’t careful, they’d find themselves caught in the middle of the crossfire.

“You’ll regret messing with our job. Those corpses are ours,” the woman with the oversized cannon declared in a confident, feminine voice that cut through the chaos like a blade.

On the opposite side, the second group, clad in leather biker jackets and rugged attire, exuded a rebellious aura. A figure with a buzz cut and intense eyes manipulated the earth beneath their adversaries’ feet, causing the ground to shudder and split apart. Their allies, armed with sleek weapons and lightning reflexes, danced through the fray with lethal precision, dodging incoming projectiles and launching swift counterattacks.

The man with the shaved head retorted defiantly, “Do your worst. Those corpses belong to us now!”

Unfazed, the woman with the oversized weapon smirked in response, her gaze flickering with anticipation. “Suit yourself.”

Sabir, Max, and Samantha observed from a safe distance, their eyes wide with a mix of awe and growing concern. As the white cannon-like gun began to hum ominously, charging up with visible energy, Sabir’s voice trembled with unease. “Uh oh, we might be too close.”