Shadows murmur along the narrow alleyways, the labyrinthine routes steering us through a cascade of picturesque homes, each with a petite yard overflowing with wild foliage. The air swiftly chills as we move closer to our destination, and the distant clatter of footsteps reverberates in the hush. Turning a narrow corner, a sudden blur snags our attention—a Xerxes, squid-like in its form, barrels toward us with a frantic urgency. Its tentacles hum, grazing the cobblestones, but before it vanishes into the cloaking darkness, Aceon's hand flashes out, seizing one of its flailing limbs with a decisive grip.

"Let me go!" the Xerxes says.

"What's going on?" Aceon asks. "Where is everyone? Why are you running as if your life depends on it?"

"Because my life does depend on it! There has been a breach! In Sector One! Now lemme go!" It lets out a high-pitched whine and Aceon relinquishes its tentacle. The creature hurries away and shouts back, "Leave while you still can!"

"Well, that was odd." I say watching the Xerxes until it disappears around a corner. "What do you think he meant by there was a breach?" Caydon brushes past me and races in the direction the Xerxes came from. "Ace?"

"I'm not entirely sure. But I think we should continue back to the room and gather up our things. Come, Rayanna, let's go."

"No. I need to know what's happening. If it's because of me..."

"I highly doubt that."

"But still, I need to know." My heart hammers in my chest as I lunge forward, in the direction Caydon disappeared, my feet pounding against the asphalt in the same rhythm as my racing thoughts. The sound of Aceon's reluctant footsteps echo behind me, whilst he whispers phrases of frustration into the wind. The labyrinth of streets twist and turn, an enigma I navigate solely by instinct. Moments stretch like hours, each breath bringing me closer to the indistinct murmurs that weave through the air from somewhere to my right. Hope flickers within me, a fragile flame in the tempest. My path leads me to a gathering, eight to ten figures, their otherworldly forms clustering around a segment of the plexiglass dome. I skid to a halt at the periphery of their clandestine assembly, the air thick with curiosity and unease.

A wave of icy air envelops me, and goosebumps prick my skin. With a deep breath to steady my nerves, I inch closer to the nearest alien. "Excuse me, what's happening?" I ask.

The yellow, shapeless blob shifts toward me. "There's a breach in the wall. Something has infiltrated the city. The high council is deliberating on whether the city requires evacuation."

"What lives on the planet's surface?" A familiar voice asks.

I make my way to the front of the crowd to find Caydon squatting next to a hole in the plexiglass wall. The hole isn't very large, just big enough for a medium sized dog to squeeze through. "Caydon?" I call.

He turns to look at me, "Rayanna, what are you doing here? You should be back at the hotel room, awaiting evacuation orders."

He sure has gotten bossy. Why does he think he can control what I do? Who does he think I am? Some obedient servant? Instead of answering his question, I choose to ignore it. "What did that? Was it something getting in or something getting out?"

The voice that breaks the silence from behind Caydon is gruff and tinged with warning, resonating with the cold night. "You, sir," it declares, "ought to know better than anyone that it's too dark and too cold for any kind of exploration." The speaker, a rugged human male, steps closer, his breath visible in the frosty air. "Tenebris is treacherous. Officially, only a sparse collection of resilient plants dares break through the snow line."

"And unofficially?" Caydon's voice cuts through the chilling air.

A pause, then a somber reply, "Unofficially, there's something lurking out there. What it is or it looks like, no one seems to know. Whispers speak of shadows flitting through the darkness." The man gives a helpless shrug.

"Then, I think for the safety of everyone here, we should evacuate all nonessential citizens, and then do a grid-by-grid search for whatever it is, before making the necessary repairs."

The silence stretches endlessly until another, gruffer voice responds, "I agree. We might be a city that attracts less than reputable citizens, but it is still our duty to ensure their safety. Everyone to their posts. Spread the word." The crowd begins to disperse, but Caydon stays crouched by the hole.

"What are you doing?" I ask, peering over his shoulder.

"Considering all the possible ways this hole could have been created," he mutters.

"And what did you come up with?" Aceon inquires softly, his presence a steady shadow behind me.

"The dome's thickness rules out any forceful entry. Every detail of the hole feels deliberate, almost surgically precise," Caydon responds, his words heavy with uncovered truth.

I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself. "But why would anyone create such a thing?"

"Perhaps someone intended to allow something outside the dome to infiltrate the city," he speculates, his gaze fixed on the mysterious breach.

"And what exactly was out there?"

"That," he pauses, leaving the question to linger, "remains a mystery."

Aceon frowns, furrowing his brow. "Do you think that Xerxes we saw earlier did it? He was running away from here, and he acted like he knew it was dangerous."

"I doubt it. The hole would have let in a blast of frigid air. If he was the one, he wouldn't have made it far. The cold would have frozen his blood solid. That's probably why he was running away from here."

A shiver courses through me. "I know it's cold, but it can't be cold enough to kill someone instantly."

"For them, it is. They can't survive extreme temperature changes."

"Oh." I say, considering Caydon's words.

Aceon steps forward, his face set with determination. "Then we need to adhere to the evacuation order."

Caydon rises, agreement etched in his posture. "Yes, we should." He takes the lead back toward the place we are staying.

We are about twenty feet from the dome wall when a faint sound grabs my attention, causing me to halt. The noise, barely audible, prickles at my senses. What was that? I clutch Ace's arm as he pauses beside me. "Did you hear that, Ace?"

His eyes narrow, reflecting a seriousness that sends a shiver down my spine. "Yeah, I did."

"What was it? A growl? Has something breached the city? Is it dangerous?"

Ace glances around, his expression tense. "It's better not to ask too many questions, Rayanna. Let's keep moving before we find out, because I have a feeling we won't like the answer."

My attention shifts to a group of bushes to my left, huddled against the backdrop of a simple structure. The noise seems to have originated there. A thin gap among the dense foliage catches my eye. My heart thunders in my chest and my breath becomes labored as I catch sight of it—a flash of red. In the fraction of a second it takes me to blink, the red object vanishes, leaving me to question its reality. I jump as something touches my arm but relax when I find it's only Aceon.

"Come." He says, lightly tugging on my right arm. I allow him to lead me away. Caydon has stopped not far from us, and once he sees us moving again, he resumes the lead. Within minutes we are back to our room and gathering our stuff.

I groan, anger surging through me. "We just got here, and now we have to leave! We haven't even tracked down a single lead!" My fist slams into the wall, a terrible decision, sending a sharp pain through my hand and leaving a fist-sized hole as evidence of my frustration.

Caydon's voice breaks through my rage. "Woah. Calm down. No need to get so worked up."

"Calm down? Really?" I snap back. "My brother is lost out there, somewhere in this humongous universe! I may never see him again! We don't have the slightest clue where to go next, and you expect me to be calm? No! I refuse to calm down!" I strike the wall once more, causing pain to shoot up my arm like an electric shock. This time, my hand seizes up, refusing to uncurl, so I clutch it with my other hand.

"Let me see your hand." Aceon says, stepping forward. He gently grabs my injured hand and starts to gently massage it. Within minutes, the pain has dulled and the fist uncurls.

"Thanks, Ace." I say, my anger replaced with exhaustion.

"What did you do?" Caydon asks, curiously.

"A gentle massage to loosen the tightened muscles. I have had to do it many times. As it's a common injury for young Copaie warriors."

"Hm. Sounds like you, Copaie, have anger issues."

Aceon glares, tension rippling through his frame. "Says the man raised from birth to assassinate anyone his superiors deem a threat."

Caydon opens his mouth, a retort forming on his lips. "It's no different than—"

"Guys, let's calm down," I interject, stepping between them, my presence a barrier against their rising tempers. Their expressions soften slightly, though wariness lingers in their eyes. "I know I started this anger fest, but fighting each other won't solve anything. I'm sorry for yelling at you, Caydon. This turn of events just has me frustrated."

"It's fine." Caydon says, visibly calming. "I'm just happy to see you're just as normal as anyone else. I was beginning to wonder."

"What does that mean?" I ask. A flicker of expression dances between Aceon and Caydon, an unspoken message that I can't decipher. As I open my mouth to ask again, the lights abruptly cut out, plunging us into thick, impenetrable darkness. Panic rises in my chest. "What's happening?"

A hushed tone grazes my ear. "I don't know," Aceon murmurs.

The silence is gently shattered by a soft rustle, soon accompanied by a subtle glow that seeps into the room, casting a delicate light upon the bed. Caydon's face emerges from the shadows, his eyes flashing with determination. "Good thing I always come prepared," he says, his voice steady. He reaches into the darkness and retrieves a small bag, pressing it into my hands. My fingers explore the bag's contents, brushing against something cold and metallic. "Just give it a slight twist on the end," he instructs. Obeying his command, I twist the object, and another light fills the room. The pounding of my heart starts to calm down now that I have a way to vanquish the darkness. "Now grab your stuff and let's head for the shuttle station. I want to get out of here before the people hunting you down find you. It will be a little hard to protect you when I can't see what's coming for you."

Almex chatters in my ear, and I turn my head and give him a gentle pat. "What's the matter little guy? You don't like the dark either, do you?" In response he rubs his head on my neck. "It will be okay, just stick with us, we'll protect you."

"Are we ready to go now?" Caydon asks. "We don't want to miss the last shuttle off this planet."

"I just need to grab my bag..." I mutter, scanning the room with my light. Where did i put it? My thoughts were racing, fueled by the thrill of discovering a new planet. My eyes dart to the bed—surely, I tossed it there? My flashlight sweeps across the sheets, but the bag's nowhere to be seen.

"I have your bag," Aceon's steady and calm voice interrupts the search.

Relief washes over me. "Oh, I guess I'm ready then." I stride to the door and fling it open. The corridor buzzes with panicked voices, their anxiety palpable. Darkness always seems to flush out the fear in everyone.

"Wait." Caydon says, brushing past me. "Let me go first. A guard in the front and one in the back is best.

"I don't need a guard." I say, rolling my eyes.

Caydon swivels, his flashlight beam dancing at my feet, casting eerie shadows. "Do you not recall why I'm here in the first place? It's not to help you search for a missing brother. Your life teeters on the edge of danger. If you were to lead, you'd be an easy target."

A shiver runs down my spine. "Couldn't they ambush me in the middle too?"

"Perhaps," he concedes, his eyes narrowing. "But this way eases my mind. We are sticking to this."

Aceon's voice cuts through the darkness, dripping with judgment. "And since he's been to this planet, many times, it's best that he leads."

Caydon stares, a moment, then turns and says, "Come on let's get out of here."