The city at midnight was a different world. Streetlights flickered like tired sentinels, their dim halos casting long shadows that seemed to breathe and shift with every passing breeze. Raven stood at the corner of a nearly deserted street, the black card heavy in his pocket. The word Echelon burned in his mind, a beacon calling him into the unknown.

His instinct stirred—a subtle but steady pulse, guiding him forward. Trust it. Always.

The address on the back of the card led him to an old building on the edge of downtown, nestled between two modern high-rises like a forgotten relic of another time. Its windows were dark, its brick exterior worn and cracked. A single light flickered above the entrance, barely illuminating the steel door beneath it.

Raven paused, scanning his surroundings. His instincts whispered again, calm yet insistent. Go inside.

He stepped forward, his footsteps soft against the pavement. The door creaked as he pushed it open, revealing a narrow staircase that descended into darkness.

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The air inside was thick with dust and something else—something electric, humming just beneath the surface of reality. Raven could feel it prickling at his skin, setting every nerve on edge.

Each step down felt heavier than the last, the shadows growing deeper, swallowing the light behind him. His pulse quickened, but his mind remained calm, steady. This was where he was meant to be. He knew it.

At the bottom of the staircase, a second door waited—sleek and black, with no handle or visible keyhole. For a moment, Raven hesitated. Then, as if responding to his presence, the door clicked and swung open silently.

The room beyond was vast and strangely bright, its walls lined with glowing panels that pulsed softly, like a living heartbeat. A circular table stood at the center, and around it, five figures waited, their faces obscured by shadows and the glow of the panels.

“Welcome, Raven Veyrin,” said the man at the head of the table, his voice deep and resonant. “We’ve been expecting you.”

Raven stepped inside, his gaze steady, his instincts coiled and ready.

“Who are you?” he asked, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

The man leaned forward, the light catching the edge of his face—a sharp jawline, eyes like twin pools of black fire. “We are Echelon,” he said, his lips curling into a smile. “And you, Raven, have just taken the first step toward your true purpose.”

The room seemed to hum with energy, the air vibrating with something unseen. Raven felt it in his bones, in the very core of his being. His instinct surged again, stronger than ever before.

This was where he was meant to be.

And whatever came next, he would be ready.