The Burn Line wasn't marked on any map. Not officially.
It was a ghost route—half-myth, half-suicide mission—etched through Ashenfall's industrial corpse. Once the city's power artery, it now pulsed only with residual heat and fumes that peeled skin if you stayed too long. But for those desperate enough, it was the only way out unseen.
Kael and Mira stood at the edge of a rusted tunnel. Pipes groaned around them like dying whales. Heat shimmered in the air. Behind them, the echo of Enforcer boots still lingered.
"They'll expect us to head for the tunnels under the Slag District," Mira said, voice low and sharp. "But the Burn Line? Too dangerous. Too unpredictable."
Kael didn't hesitate. "Perfect."
They descended into the furnace.
The tunnel was narrow, lined with scorched steel and vents that hissed bursts of scalding air. Kael used his scarf as a makeshift filter, Mira pressing a damp cloth to her mouth. The data crystal burned against Kael's chest—whether from heat or weight, he couldn't tell.
"How long until we're out?" he asked, sweat blinding him.
"Too long," Mira muttered. "Keep your eyes open. The heat plays tricks."
But it wasn't heat that struck first.
A metallic clank echoed ahead.
Mira grabbed Kael's arm, pulling him behind a broken panel. Through a vent, they watched.
Three Enforcers. Moving slowly, methodically. Their black suits shimmered slightly, filtering the air. They weren't affected by the heat.
One of them stopped. Raised a scanner. The device hummed—and pointed directly toward them.
"Run," Mira hissed.
They bolted.
The tunnel twisted and dipped. Steam burst around them. Footsteps pounded behind. A stun blast scorched the wall to Kael's right, sending sparks into the darkness.
They slid into a maintenance shaft, Mira slamming a cover shut behind them. The tunnel narrowed—just wide enough to crawl.
As they moved, Kael whispered, "This data—what happens if we don't get it out?"
Mira didn't look back. "Then the truth dies with us."
A blast rocked the tunnel, and Kael's ears rang.
They dropped into a side chamber—a pump station long dead, filled with broken coolant tanks and scorched wiring. Kael wiped blood from his forehead.
"We can't keep running like this," he panted.
Mira turned, eyes hard. "You want to stop now? After what you saw?"
"No," Kael said, pushing up. "But I need to know something."
He held up the crystal. "This… it isn't just a key, is it?"
Mira hesitated.
Then: "No. It's a beacon. The moment you connected with the Core, it began transmitting. Not just to Enforcers—but to other Cores. Across the city. Maybe beyond."
Kael's heart stopped. "You mean… I woke them up?"
"You might've," she said. "Or just warned them someone survived."
Before Kael could speak, a voice echoed through the vents.
"You always knew how to run, Mira."
They froze.
The voice was cold. Familiar.
Kael turned slowly—just in time to see Ryn step from the shadows, flanked by an Enforcer drone.
His face was unreadable. But the glint in his eye was pure calculation.
"Hello, Kael."
Mira drew her blade, but Kael's hand shook.
"Ryn? What… what are you doing?"
Ryn gave a sad smile. "Surviving. You should try it sometime."