Chronicles of Azure – Chapter 4: The Sky Burns
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Scene 1: Hunted
Skyhaven's underground tunnels were damp and dimly lit by flickering neon signs. Kael and Lyria dashed through the narrow passageways, the echoes of Celestial Enforcers still ringing above.
Kael glanced at Lyria, who had gone pale after her sudden outburst of power. "Hey, you okay?"
Lyria clutched her head, shaking. "I don't know… When they called me an 'anomaly,' it felt… familiar. Like they were right."
Kael frowned. "Don't let those Order bastards mess with your head. You're you, and that's what matters."
Before she could respond, an explosion shook the tunnels.
BOOM!
The impact threw them off balance as a section of the ceiling collapsed. Kael grabbed Lyria and rolled away just in time.
Through the smoke, a group of sky pirates dropped from above, led by a smirking woman with wild red hair.
Iris Velmont.
"Man, you two are a hot commodity." She spun a shock pistol in her hand. "A bounty this big? It'd be a crime not to cash in."
Kael groaned. "I hate this city."
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Scene 2: The Sky Pirate Gamble
Iris and her gang circled them, weapons drawn. "The Celestial Order put a fortune on you, sweetheart," she said, nodding at Lyria. "Now, be good and—"
Lyria's gravity pulse flickered. A small piece of debris floated near her, trembling with unstable energy.
Iris took a cautious step back. "Whoa, easy there. No need to mess with the laws of physics."
Kael smirked. "Yeah, see, that's the thing—Lyria doesn't like being bossed around."
Iris rolled her eyes. "Fine. We can do this the hard way."
She fired her shock pistol.
Kael yanked Lyria behind him, deflecting the shot with his Aether Blades. Sparks flew as he lunged forward, engaging Iris in close combat.
Iris, surprisingly fast, dodged and countered with a dagger swipe, nearly slicing his jacket.
Kael grinned. "Not bad."
Iris smirked. "You haven't seen bad yet."
BOOM!
From above, a massive airship emerged, its cannons locking onto the tunnels.
Kael's stomach dropped. "Oh, come on!"
The Black Talon, a feared pirate warship, had arrived. And standing at the edge of the deck, looking down at them, was its captain.
Grimmjaw.
The same sky pirate Kael had escaped from before.
"Kael Ardent," Grimmjaw's voice rumbled. "You stole from me."
Kael sighed. "Technically, I delivered it… to myself."
Grimmjaw grinned, showing razor-sharp teeth. "You won't be delivering anything once I'm done with you."
The Black Talon's cannons fired.
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Scene 3: Skyfall
The entire underground cavern trembled as explosions ripped through the tunnels.
Kael grabbed Lyria's hand. "Time to move!"
Iris cursed. "Damn it, Grimmjaw! We're all down here, you idiot!"
The floor beneath them cracked—and then collapsed.
Kael, Lyria, and Iris plunged into the abyss below, swallowed by darkness.
Above, Grimmjaw stood at the edge, watching with amusement.
"Let's see if they survive that."
To Be Continued…