The tunnel spat Artemis out into the open air, her bare feet landing on a weathered cobblestone path. For a moment, she stood frozen, blinking against the dim light of dusk that bled through a layer of thick, ash-gray clouds. The air outside was no less oppressive than the lab—it carried the stench of soot, oil, and the faint tang of ozone.

Before her stretched a city unlike anything she could have imagined. Eidolon was a labyrinth of towering metal spires and precariously stacked buildings, their walls patched with mismatched sheets of iron and copper. Smoke billowed from countless chimneys, curling into the already-clouded sky, and neon signs buzzed faintly against the darkened skyline. The streets below teemed with life—humans, automatons, and hybrids like her moving in a chaotic dance that defied order.

The city pulsed with energy, an unrelenting rhythm that echoed the mechanical heartbeat thrumming within her chest.

Artemis adjusted the ragged, bloodstained fabric that clung to her body—a remnant of whatever procedure had turned her into this. Her hands tightened around the notebook she’d taken from the lab. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but standing still wasn’t an option.

The city was alive, and she was prey.

Artemis found herself in a sprawling marketplace, where stalls lined the streets in a disjointed sprawl. Vendors barked out prices for everything from mechanical limbs to alchemical concoctions. The smell of roasted meat mixed with the acrid tang of oil, creating a nauseating cocktail that filled her senses.

Her gaze darted nervously around the crowd. She had no currency, no allies, and no idea where to begin. The melody in her mind had grown faint, its haunting notes replaced by the cacophony of the city.

“Fresh upgrades! Top-tier hydraulics! Custom builds for half the price!”

“Cogs and gears! Get your cogs and gears!”

“Black market enhancers—no questions asked!”

Artemis pulled the notebook tighter against her chest, her unease growing. Every glance seemed to linger on her too long. Was it paranoia, or did they know she didn’t belong?

Her musings were cut short as a figure stumbled into her path. A young girl, no older than ten, with grease-streaked cheeks and wide, fearful eyes.

“Please!” the girl begged, clutching a bundle of wires and spare parts. “Help me!”

Artemis barely had time to react before a group of armed enforcers pushed through the crowd. Their polished brass armor gleamed in the light, and the insignia of The Consortium was emblazoned on their chests—a gear encircled by flames.

The lead enforcer pointed a baton toward the girl. “Stop right there, thief!”

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The child’s eyes locked onto Artemis’s, desperate and pleading. Without thinking, Artemis stepped forward, positioning herself between the enforcers and the girl.

“Move aside, citizen,” the enforcer barked. His voice was as cold and mechanical as the automaton she’d faced earlier. “This is Consortium business.”

Artemis’s mind raced. She had no weapons, no plan, and no idea how to fight off a squad of trained enforcers. But something in her refused to abandon the girl.

“She’s just a child,” Artemis said, her voice steadier than she felt.

The enforcer sneered. “She’s a thief. Stand down.”

The girl tugged at Artemis’s arm, whispering frantically. “Please, they’ll kill me!”

The enforcer raised his baton, and something inside Artemis snapped. She lunged forward, her mechanical fist connecting with his chestplate. The blow sent him staggering backward, his armor dented from the impact.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

“Resistance detected,” one of the other enforcers said, drawing a baton that crackled with electricity. “Engaging target.”

Artemis’s body moved on instinct. She ducked under the swing of the baton, her mechanical reflexes far faster than she anticipated. Her foot swept out, knocking the enforcer off balance, and she twisted, delivering a sharp blow to his ribs.

The remaining enforcers hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances. Artemis seized the opportunity, grabbing the girl’s hand and bolting into the maze of alleyways.

The narrow streets of Eidolon twisted and turned, their paths choked with debris and tangled wires. Artemis’s breath came in short gasps as she weaved through the labyrinth, the girl’s hand gripping hers tightly.

Behind them, the shouts of the enforcers echoed, growing fainter with each turn. But Artemis knew better than to slow down.

“Where are we going?” she asked between breaths.

“There’s a safe place,” the girl panted. “Keep running!”

They rounded a corner and slipped through a gap in a rusted fence, emerging into a hidden courtyard. The space was littered with discarded parts and half-built machines, but it was empty of people.

The girl released Artemis’s hand and collapsed against a wall, clutching her chest as she caught her breath. “Thank you,” she said after a moment, her voice trembling.

Artemis leaned against a nearby crate, her own exhaustion catching up with her. “Who are you?”

The girl hesitated. “I’m Rhea. I was… scavenging. For my family.” Her eyes dropped to the ground. “We don’t have much, and the Consortium doesn’t care if we starve.”

Artemis’s gaze softened. “What about you? Why’d you help me?” Rhea asked, looking up at her with a mix of gratitude and curiosity.

“I don’t know,” Artemis admitted. She looked down at her hands—the perfect, gleaming machinery that felt so out of place on her body. “I guess I know what it feels like to be hunted.”

Rhea’s eyes widened as she noticed the mechanical limbs for the first time. “You’re like… them,” she said, her voice tinged with fear.

“Not by choice,” Artemis replied, bitterness lacing her words. She opened the notebook, the word “Symphony” catching her eye again. “Do you know anything about this?”

Rhea shook her head. “No, but if you’re looking for answers… there’s someone who might be able to help.”

“Who?”

“Viola. She runs the undercity. If anyone knows about strange tech or secrets, it’s her.”

Artemis’s brow furrowed. “How do I find her?”

Rhea hesitated. “You don’t. She finds you. But if you stick with me, I can take you to the undercity. It’s safer than up here… most of the time.”

Artemis considered her options. She had no allies, no leads, and no idea how to navigate Eidolon. Trusting Rhea was a risk, but it was the only path forward.

“All right,” she said. “Lead the way.”

Rhea smiled faintly, her expression weary but hopeful. “Stick close. It’s easy to get lost down there.”

As they slipped into the shadows of the city, Artemis felt a flicker of something she hadn’t felt since waking in that lab: purpose. The Symphony awaited, and with it, the answers she desperately needed.