The rumbling that had shaken the chamber below still echoed in Nerith’s mind as he and Alya stepped out into the dimming light of Ashen City. The sun was sinking lower, its pale glow barely casting a shadow anymore. The streets of the Lower Wards, already hushed by the day’s unsettling events, now felt like they were holding their breath. People moved quickly, heads down, as if avoiding the flickering sun altogether.

Alya walked beside him, her steps brisk but silent. He could feel the tension radiating off her. She had always been the one with a plan, the one who knew what to do next. But now, there was doubt—he could see it in her eyes, sense it in her hesitation. The weight of what they had just discovered hung heavy between them, but neither of them spoke as they wove their way through the narrow streets.

They weren’t alone for long. At the corner of the street, near an old stone fountain that barely dripped water anymore, stood a figure Nerith didn’t recognize. A man, cloaked in gray, with a staff slung over his shoulder. His posture was casual, but there was something about the way he watched them approach that made Nerith wary.

“Friends of yours?” Nerith asked quietly as they slowed their pace.

Alya shook her head, her expression hardening. “No.”

The man straightened as they neared, a thin smile curling his lips. He was younger than Nerith had first thought—early twenties, maybe. His eyes, though, were sharp and alert, taking in both of them in a single sweep. “You must be Alya and Nerith,” he said, his voice smooth and confident.

Alya stiffened, her hand moving instinctively to the small blade she kept hidden at her belt. “Who’s asking?”

He raised a hand in mock surrender. “Easy now. I’m not here to fight. Name’s Kade. I work with—well, let’s just say I’m connected to some folks who don’t much care for the Solarium.”

Nerith exchanged a glance with Alya. “What do you want?” he asked, his voice edged with suspicion.

Kade’s smile didn’t falter. “To help you. Word’s been spreading fast through the city about the flickers. People are nervous, and not just in the Lower Wards. The Solarium might be keeping their secrets, but not everyone’s as blind as they think.”

Alya crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. “How do you know about us?”

Kade tilted his head, his gaze drifting briefly to the darkening sky. “Let’s just say some of us have been watching. You two aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed the sun’s failing. But we’ve been waiting for someone to do more than just notice.” His eyes flicked to Nerith. “We heard about what happened beneath the city. The tremor.”

Nerith felt a chill run down his spine. “How could you know about that? We just came from there.”

Kade’s smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression. “Like I said, we’ve been watching. And we’ve got people in places you wouldn’t expect. The Solarium’s grip on this city isn’t as tight as it used to be. There are cracks, and some of us have been living in those cracks for a long time.”

Alya’s posture relaxed slightly, though her eyes remained sharp. “You said you wanted to help. Why?”

Kade leaned on his staff, his gaze shifting between the two of them. “Because the flickers aren’t just a sign of the energy running out. They’re a sign that something much worse is coming. The city’s built on a lie, and that lie is about to come crashing down. If we don’t act soon, there won’t be a city left to save.”

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Nerith’s chest tightened. The weight of their discovery was still fresh in his mind—the revelation that the Solarium didn’t control the sun’s power at all, but had been siphoning energy from beneath the city. He had felt it, the tremor that had shaken the chamber, the flicker of something far older and more dangerous stirring in the depths.

Alya regarded Kade carefully. “And who exactly is ‘we’?”

Before Kade could answer, a second figure stepped out of the shadows behind him. She was tall, with striking silver hair tied back in a simple braid, her face calm but commanding. Her presence immediately shifted the energy of the conversation.

“I’m Lira,” she said, her voice low and measured. “And we don’t have time for introductions. The Solarium knows something is happening. They’ll be looking for you.”

Alya’s hand dropped from her blade, but her eyes remained wary. “What’s your connection to the Solarium?”

Lira gave a thin smile. “Used to be one of their scholars. That’s all you need to know for now.”

Nerith felt a jolt of surprise. The Solarium’s scholars were some of the most loyal citizens of Ashen City. For one of them to break away—and openly admit it—meant something deeper was at play. His mind raced as he considered what that could mean. If there were others like Lira, it meant the cracks in the Solarium’s control ran deeper than he’d thought.

“We don’t need your help,” Alya said, her tone even but firm. “We know what we’re doing.”

Lira took a step closer, her gaze piercing. “Do you? You’ve stirred something beneath this city, something the Solarium’s been keeping buried for centuries. If you think you can handle that on your own, you’re more foolish than I thought.”

Nerith saw Alya’s jaw tighten, but before she could respond, he stepped forward. “What do you know about the energy beneath the city?” he asked, his voice low but urgent. “We need answers. Real answers.”

Lira’s expression softened, just slightly. “The energy you found is old. Older than the Solarium, older than Ashen City itself. It’s been powering this city for generations, but it was never meant to be used the way the Solarium’s been using it. They’ve twisted it, bound it to their own purposes. But now, it’s running out. And when it’s gone, so is the city.”

Alya frowned, her arms crossed. “If it’s running out, why haven’t they found another way? Why are they still clinging to this?”

Lira exchanged a glance with Kade before answering. “Because they can’t. They don’t have the knowledge, and even if they did, it’s too late. The Solarium’s control is built on fear and power, and if they admit the truth, their entire system crumbles.”

Nerith’s mind spun. He had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed by someone who had been on the inside made it all the more real. “So what do we do?” he asked, his voice quiet.

Lira’s eyes darkened. “We don’t have long before the flickers become full collapses. You need to stabilize the energy you found. But it won’t be easy. The systems in place are fragile, and the magic binding them is ancient. You’ll need more than just courage.”

Kade shifted, his usual casual demeanor gone. “We’ve got a plan. But we’ll need your help. Both of you.”

Nerith looked at Alya, who was watching Lira intently, her expression unreadable. He could see the wheels turning in her mind, weighing the risks, the potential outcomes. Finally, she exhaled and nodded.

“Tell us what we need to do,” Alya said, her voice steady.

Kade smiled again, though this time it was more serious. “The energy source beneath the city is tied to a series of ancient conduits. The Solarium sealed off most of them centuries ago, but there are a few left. If we can open those conduits, we might be able to redirect the flow, stabilize it enough to buy us some time.”

Lira stepped forward. “But it won’t be easy. The Solarium will know the moment you try to tamper with the conduits. They’ll send everything they have to stop you.”

Alya’s eyes gleamed with determination. “Then we’d better be ready.”

As the group made their way through the winding streets toward the western edge of the city, Nerith couldn’t shake the feeling that they were heading toward something far bigger than they had anticipated. The weight of their decision pressed down on him, but alongside the fear was something else—a spark of hope.

For the first time, they weren’t alone.

And if they succeeded, they might just save Ashen City from the darkness creeping ever closer.

But even as they moved with purpose, the sun flickered again, weaker than before, casting long shadows across the city as the light began to fail.

The final collapse was coming.

And they had to be ready.