Chapter 13: The Heralds’ Arrival

The Harbor’s plaza lay still, drenched in golden light from the veins coursing beneath its cracked stone surface. Rain fell in erratic patterns, each droplet sizzling as it met the glowing patterns. The sound echoed like faint whispers, merging with the static hum that had seeped into every corner of the city. Coza stood motionless at the plaza’s edge, the sphere in his pocket vibrating faintly, as though responding to an unspoken command.

Edna watched the scene with narrowed eyes. Her weapon was drawn, but her focus wasn’t on the veins or the rain—it was on the horizon. Shadows flickered against the faint glow of the Harbor’s distant spires, moving too quickly and too deliberately to be mere citizens caught in the chaos. The enforcers, or perhaps something worse, were converging.

“They know you’re here,” Edna said, her voice cutting through the tense quiet. “You’ve stirred something, and it’s drawing everything to this place.”

Coza’s grip tightened on the sphere. “I didn’t mean to—”

“You think that matters?” Edna interrupted, her tone sharp. “Meaning doesn’t stop momentum. The question now is whether you can survive what comes next.”

Before Coza could respond, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. The veins pulsed violently, their glow intensifying until the plaza was bathed in blinding light. A crack split the air, and from the center of the plaza, a jagged column of golden energy erupted, reaching high into the storm-choked sky.

Coza stumbled back, shielding his eyes from the brilliance. The column roared like a living thing, its edges fracturing into tendrils of lightning that snaked outward, carving deep fissures into the surrounding streets. The energy hummed with power, and Coza felt it resonating within him, as though the sphere and the column were inextricably linked.

From the fissures, figures began to rise. Their forms were indistinct at first, mere silhouettes against the golden light. But as they emerged fully, Coza’s breath caught. They were humanoid, but not human. Their bodies were crafted of smooth, dark metal, their surfaces etched with the same glowing veins that ran through the city. Their movements were unnervingly fluid, their heads tilting unnaturally as they scanned the plaza.

“Heralds,” Edna muttered, her grip on her weapon tightening. “I thought they were just a myth.”

“What are they?” Coza asked, his voice trembling.

“Messengers,” Edna replied. “Or soldiers. Depends on who you ask.”

The Heralds moved as one, their glowing eyes locking onto Coza with unerring precision. Their silence was more terrifying than any roar, their presence carrying a weight that made the air thick and heavy.

Edna stepped in front of Coza, her stance defensive. “If they’ve come for the sphere, they won’t stop until they get it.”

Coza’s pulse quickened, the sphere in his pocket growing hotter with each passing second. “What do I do?”

Edna didn’t answer. Instead, she raised her weapon and fired. The shot hit one of the Heralds square in the chest, but the impact barely made it flinch. The creature turned its glowing gaze toward her, and with a single, fluid motion, it raised an arm. A pulse of golden energy erupted from its palm, arcing toward Edna like a bolt of lightning.

Edna dove aside, the energy striking the ground where she’d been standing and leaving a smoldering crater. “Run!” she shouted, her voice echoing above the chaos.

Coza didn’t hesitate this time. He sprinted toward the far side of the plaza, his boots skidding on the rain-slick stone. The Heralds moved in unison, their limbs elongating unnaturally as they pursued him. Golden energy crackled around them, carving deep scars into the ground with every step.

The veins beneath Coza’s feet pulsed violently, their glow growing erratic. He felt the sphere’s hum intensify, the energy coursing through it almost overwhelming. It was as though the artifact was feeding off the chaos, growing stronger with every heartbeat.

He darted into a narrow alley, the Heralds close behind. Their movements were impossibly fast, their forms bending and twisting to navigate the tight spaces. Coza glanced back, his chest heaving, and caught a glimpse of one reaching for him, its elongated fingers crackling with energy.

A sudden explosion of light blinded him, and a deafening crack split the air. Coza stumbled, tripping over debris as he fell to the ground. When his vision cleared, he saw Edna standing at the mouth of the alley, her weapon glowing faintly from the shot she’d fired. The Herald that had been closest to him lay crumpled, its form dissolving into golden mist.

“Move!” Edna barked, pulling Coza to his feet.

They ran together, the sound of the remaining Heralds’ pursuit echoing behind them. The streets blurred as they weaved through the labyrinthine alleys, the veins’ glow flickering wildly beneath their feet. Every corner they turned felt like a gamble, the shadows growing longer and more menacing with each step.

They emerged onto a wide street, its surface cracked and glowing with the veins’ erratic light. Ahead, the remnants of an old communications tower jutted into the sky, its skeletal frame shrouded in storm clouds. Lightning arced across its surface, illuminating the spires of the Harbor in brief, violent flashes.

Edna slowed, her eyes narrowing as she studied the tower. “We can lose them in there,” she said.

Coza followed her gaze, his chest tightening. The tower radiated an energy that felt disturbingly familiar, its glow eerily similar to the sphere’s. “Are you sure that’s safe?”

“Nothing is safe anymore,” Edna said flatly. “But it’s our best chance.”

Before Coza could protest, a loud roar echoed behind them. He turned to see the Heralds emerging from the alleys, their forms shimmering with golden light. The air crackled with energy as they advanced, their movements deliberate and unstoppable.

Edna grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the tower. “Keep moving.”

They reached the base of the structure, its rusted beams groaning in the wind. Edna climbed first, her movements swift and sure despite the slick metal. Coza followed, his hands trembling as he gripped the cold, wet rungs. The tower seemed to hum beneath his touch, a faint vibration that matched the sphere’s pulse.

As they climbed higher, the wind grew stronger, whipping rain against their faces. The Heralds reached the base, their elongated forms scaling the structure with unnatural grace. Coza glanced down, his stomach lurching at the sight of them closing the distance.

“Don’t look down!” Edna shouted, her voice barely audible over the storm.

They reached a platform halfway up the tower, its surface swaying precariously. Edna turned, raising her weapon as the first Herald pulled itself onto the platform. She fired, the shot striking it in the chest and sending it staggering back. Another leapt forward, its glowing eyes fixed on Coza.

Before it could strike, the sphere flared to life, its light blinding. The Herald recoiled, emitting a low, guttural sound that resonated through the tower. The veins running through the structure pulsed brighter, their light spreading like wildfire.

Edna shielded her eyes. “What’s it doing?”

Coza didn’t answer. The sphere’s glow intensified, its energy crackling like lightning. The Heralds froze, their forms flickering as though caught in some invisible force. The tower trembled, the storm above roaring in response.

And then, with a deafening crack, the light consumed everything.