The Land of Flames

Following Revek out into the streets the smell of decay, layered over with the sharp tang of burnt metal, a hint of sulphur, and a faint undercurrent of something foul, rotting beneath the surface hit me in my face so hard that for a moment I had to stop.

"You alright?" Revek slurred as he stopped and swayed left to right yet didn't fall.

"Yes." I immediately replied and waved him off and straightened my back.

Revek stumbled ahead, swaying like he might fall over at any moment. His gait was uneven, but there was a peculiar rhythm to it, almost as if he’d memorized the cracks and uneven stones beneath his feet. Despite his drunkenness, he wasn’t tripping over anything. It made me wonder if he was as drunk as he seemed, or if he’d been in this state so often that his body just naturally compensated for it.

I followed Revek closely, my gaze drifting over his hunched form. His movements might have fooled anyone else into believing he was just another drunk wandering through the ruined streets. But something about him was off. I slowed my pace and let my Soul Sight slip into place, allowing me to see past the physical and glimpse the outermost layer of his soul.

At first, the world dimmed, the edges of reality becoming softer, less defined. Then, gradually, I could see it—the aura around him. It was muted, almost dull, like the dying embers of a once-bright flame. The colors swirling around him were a mix of deep gray and tarnished gold, frayed at the edges. But it was the feeling beneath the colors that gripped me: a heavy, persistent sense of guilt. It wasn’t the fresh, sharp pang of regret that accompanies a recent mistake. No, this was something older, worn down by time, yet still present—a guilt that had settled into him, accepted but never quite forgotten.

I frowned. What could weigh on someone so heavily that it became a part of their very being, yet they carried it with such ease? It was as though he’d come to terms with whatever it was long ago, but the burden had never truly left him.

I let my Soul Sight fade, the tangible world snapping back into focus.

Eventually we reached my destination. The rumoured home of the Ricmond family home. The moment my eyes landed it all doubts were cast aside as it was evidently a home of important people and the insignia was painted on the front door in all its glory.

"So, here we are, admire it all you like but I ain't going to stay here." Revek spoke in a drunken stupor.

I nodded and flicked him some credits to make sure that he didn't draw attention to us any more than he already had.

"Thank you for your help." I replied and walked closer to the house while making sure Revek was in my field of view.

I watched Revek stagger off, his uneven footsteps echoing faintly in the distance until the sound was swallowed by the oppressive silence of the ruined streets. He didn’t look back, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My eyes followed him until he disappeared around a corner. Only then did I turn my attention to the building before me.

The Ricmond family home.

It was a grand structure that stood out against the other buildings in this part of Logi.

I took a deep breath and surveyed the area, slipping into a familiar mindset. This wasn’t just any building; this was a stronghold hiding behind the guise of a deteriorating home. Every detail mattered.

The perimeter was my first focus. The high walls were made of a composite material that had weathered the planet’s harsh conditions over the years, showing no signs of significant wear. The surface had a faint shimmer, an indicator of an active energy shield embedded within the structure. While it wasn’t visible to the naked eye, I knew from experience that crossing the threshold without the right clearance would trigger a silent alarm.

The front entrance was the most obvious point of entry, and therefore, the most dangerous. I paused at a distance, studying the door. It was reinforced with what appeared to be a standard alloy, but a closer look revealed micro-circuitry woven into the material. There was a subtle glow near the edges, barely perceptible unless you knew what to look for. An active scanning grid. Anyone who approached without the proper identification would be met with an electrified shock powerful enough to incapacitate. The door was solid, designed to withstand force, and the electronic lock was no simple keypad but a bio-signature scanner that would reject any unauthorized attempt.

Moving along the side of the building, I kept to the shadows, careful not to trip any unseen motion sensors. The windows were more than just glass—they were layered with a transparent nano-weave that could withstand projectile impacts. Even the dirt and grime caked onto the surface wasn’t natural; it was a deliberate coating that masked the surveillance system embedded within, giving the illusion of neglect while monitoring anyone who got too close.

The side alley revealed a smaller, more discreet door. It lacked the overt security of the front entrance, but that only made it more suspicious. The handle had no visible lock, but an infrared scanner above the doorframe silently tracked my every movement. The door itself likely had pressure sensors, ready to alert the system if tampered with. However, there was a small blind spot in the alley—just enough space where someone could potentially bypass the sensors, but it would require precision timing and the right equipment.

I continued my circuit of the building, cataloging the exits and scanning for any patterns in security patrols. The few visible guards blended into the environment, dressed in worn, everyday clothes. But their movements betrayed them. The way they moved—slow, calculated—showed they were more than just residents. They were monitoring everything, silently communicating through discreet earpieces.

Once I was confident I had a comprehensive understanding of the building's defenses, I took a final glance around to make sure Revek hadn’t returned. The alley was still empty, and the streets remained quiet. I was alone.

Now came the hard part—deciding how to breach this fortress without alerting the entire district.

Before I could finalize a plan, a sudden weight slammed into me from behind, knocking me off balance. I hit the ground hard, feeling the air rush out of my lungs as the world tilted.

"Of course," I muttered under my breath, pushing myself up on my elbows. "Why not?"

Deja vu washed over me as I caught sight of Revek sprawled on the ground next to me, groaning. He'd somehow managed to stumble right back into my life within minutes of staggering off. I should've known better. The guy had a knack for bad timing.

"Revek," I growled, dragging myself to my feet. "What the hell—"

Before I could finish my sentence, I was picked up by a sudden force and put against the wall.

The pressure against my chest intensified as a rough hand pinned me against the wall, and I gasped for air. A heavy, guttural laugh echoed in the alley, and I barely had time to process what was happening before I felt a cold blade press against my throat.

“Well, well,” a voice sneered, dripping with malice. “Look what we’ve caught sneakin’ around like a little rat.”

I looked to see that it was a bunch of Formorian thugs wearing tattered jackets like a bunch of boy band rejects.

The one holding me against the wall was built like a tank, his thick arms covered in scars. His breath reeked of stale alcohol, and his eyes gleamed with sadistic amusement. His companions, two others, circled around Revek, who was on his hands and knees, groaning. One of them kicked him in the ribs, eliciting a sharp yelp of pain.

“Didn’t think we’d find somethin’ interesting tonight, did ya?” the thug sneered at Revek. “What’re ya doin’ messin’ around with the Ricmonds, huh? You know better than to stick your nose where it don’t belong.”

"Just... just passin’ through.” I spoke in a low voice this was something I was used to by now.

“Bullshit,” the third Formorian spat, stepping closer. His voice was higher-pitched, almost whiny. "You don’t just ‘pass through’ a place like this, especially not with someone like them.” His eyes flicked to Revek, narrowing.

I kept my breath steady despite the cold blade against my throat, my mind racing through the possibilities. Magic wasn’t always the first option in a situation like this—using it could draw too much attention—but these Formorian thugs were asking for it. I quickly assessed the situation: three of them, all focused on either me or Revek, none expecting what was about to come.

The one holding me against the wall loosened his grip just slightly, probably thinking he had me under control. That was his first mistake.

With a subtle twist of my fingers, I let my energy flow outward, tendrils of power creeping along my skin, invisible to the naked eye. I didn’t need to make a grand gesture or say a word; this kind of magic was about precision, about control. I reached out with my mind, tapping into the force around me, into the ground beneath my feet and the air that hung thick in the alley.

A faint shimmer passed through my vision as I activated the spell. A massive of magical energy, aimed directly at the thug’s center of mass.

Bang!

The force of the spell hit him like a battering ram. His body was flung backward, crashing into the opposite wall with a sickening thud. He crumpled to the ground, his knife clattering to the pavement. His companions barely had time to react before I was already moving.

The one who’d been sneering at Revek turned just as I flicked my wrist in his direction. A ripple of energy shot through the air, catching him square in the chest. He was lifted off his feet and thrown into a pile of debris. He groaned, but I could tell I hadn’t done any lasting damage. Enough to hurt, not enough to kill.

The last thug, the high-pitched one, tried to draw a weapon, but I was faster. A small flicker of flame danced at my fingertips, and I sent it spinning towards him. It wasn’t a fireball—too flashy—but a concentrated burst of heat. It struck his hand, and he screamed, dropping the gun he’d been reaching for.

“Stay down,” I warned, my voice cold. He whimpered, clutching his hand, and dropped to his knees without protest.

I took a step back, surveying the damage. All three thugs were down, groaning in pain but still conscious. I didn’t enjoy this kind of work, but sometimes a little force was necessary.

Revek was slowly getting to his feet, clutching his ribs. He looked at me with a mixture of awe and confusion, like he hadn’t expected me to handle things so quickly.

As I glanced down at the unconscious thugs and the bruised, groaning form of Revek, something in me snapped. I’d had enough. Enough of this miserable planet, enough of these back-alley ambushes, and enough of all the waiting and careful planning. I didn’t come this far to be tripped up by some low-life thugs and a drunken guide.

"Fuck it," I muttered under my breath, brushing the dirt off my clothes.

Without a word I focused and the whole world wrapped as I appeared in the sky falling down.

The wind whipped around me as I free-fell toward the estate, the world beneath me shrinking and warping in dizzying patterns. It wasn't the first time I'd teleported myself mid-air, but the sensation was never pleasant.

As I neared the roof of the estate I immediately teleported again and slowed my descent just enough to land with a controlled roll across the composite tiles. I exhaled sharply, adrenaline still buzzing in my veins, but there was no time to linger on the rush of it.

The roof was flat, with several vent systems and maintenance hatches dotting the surface. It wasn't entirely unguarded, either. Two figures patrolled the perimeter, they wore some kind of body suit that generally looked like straight out of a comic book.

I immediately went behind a vent to make sure I wasn't in sight of any cameras or anything that would see me.

My objective was clear: find Goda Ricmond and extract the information I needed. But before I could get to Goda, I had to deal with the guards, and they wouldn’t go down as easily as the thugs in the alley.

With another short Teleportation, my head felt like it was being hit by a hammer, I was immediately behind both the guards on the roof putting my hands on their necks they barely had time to react before a small, concentrated shock traveled through them, enough to knock them unconscious without making a sound. They slumped to the ground, and I caught them before they could make any noise.

Two down.

I carefully laid the unconscious guards down, ensuring they were out of sight. The rooftop remained silent, save for the faint hum of the estate's internal systems.

My whole body was sweating like I had just jumped in a river.

Surveying the roof, I spotted a hatch that likely led to the interior. It was reinforced, but nothing compared to the defenses on the ground level. I knelt beside it, examining the locking mechanism. It was a standard electronic lock.

"Shit." I didn't really know how to hack stuff like this since I wasn't really that great with tech to be honest but I knew enough to recognise it.

I stared at the reinforced hatch, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down my temple. The lock's digital display blinked mockingly at me, as if it knew I wasn't going to crack it.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath again. I was good at a lot of things, but hacking wasn't one of them. Tech had never been my strong suit. Sure, I could work my way around simple systems, but this? This was way out of my league.

I glanced back at the unconscious guards, my mind racing. One of them was human, about my height and build. An idea started to form. It wasn’t ideal, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Alright," I whispered to myself, "Plan B it is."

Moving quickly, I dragged the guard into the shadow of a nearby vent, out of sight from any cameras or patrols. As I stripped off his suit, I tried not to think too much about how ridiculous this was going to look. The suit was tight, made of some advanced material that seemed to mold itself to the body. As I slipped into it, I cursed again under my breath.

It fit. Barely.

"Great," I grumbled, adjusting the suit so it didn’t constrict my movement too much. The helmet came next, and once I secured it, the internal HUD flickered to life, displaying a basic interface. I could see through the helmet’s visor, and a small, transparent display showed me vital signs, nearby security points, and a feed of the comms chatter between guards.

"Alright, maybe this isn't so bad," I muttered. With the suit on, I looked just like one of them, blending in with the patrols. Now, I just had to make it through the estate without raising any alarms.

I approached the hatch again, this time with the guard's keycard in hand. Swiping it through the lock, the mechanism clicked open. I took a deep breath and pulled the hatch open, peering down into the dimly lit interior of the estate. A ladder descended into a maintenance corridor, likely used by staff to move around unseen.

Quietly, I climbed down, closing the hatch behind me. The corridor was narrow, lined with pipes and cables running along the walls. It wasn’t as heavily secured as the rest of the building, but I still moved cautiously, my eyes scanning for any hidden cameras or tripwires.

The air was cooler inside, the oppressive heat from the planet’s surface replaced by a more controlled, sterile atmosphere. I could hear the faint hum of machinery, and somewhere in the distance, footsteps echoed through the halls.

I checked the map on the guard's HUD, orienting myself. Goda Ricmond’s quarters were on the upper levels, far from the maintenance areas, but the suit’s access should get me closer. If I could just get to the central lift…

I set off, my nerves on edge. Every step felt like it could be the one that gave me away, but there was no turning back now.

Yet before I could walk off a pair of hands grabbed me from behind and pulled me into the room. We