Augment: 2370

Chapter 7

The footsteps of the Firebrand mutates echoed through the alleyways like a pack of wild beasts on the hunt. Axel and Nyx sprinted side by side, weaving through the narrow streets of the Lower City. The glow of neon signs flickered above them, casting distorted shadows on the crumbling walls. The air was thick with the stench of pollution and decay, and every breath felt heavy in Axel’s chest.

The Kilronomia hummed within him, its influence spreading through his body with every passing second. The techno tattoos on his skin glowed faintly, still white but pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. The voice in his head was quiet for now, watching, waiting for the next moment to push Axel further into its grasp.

“We need to lose them,” Nyx hissed, her voice tight with frustration. She glanced over her shoulder, her violet eyes flicking between the mutates chasing them and the maze of alleys ahead.

“They’re too fast,” Axel replied, his own breathing steady but strained. His enhanced stamina was holding, but the relentless pursuit was taking its toll. The Firebrand mutates were fueled by Zoom, their bodies unnaturally strong and aggressive, making them nearly impossible to shake off.

Nyx scanned the area, her sharp mind working through options. They couldn’t keep running like this, not without a plan. Her eyes caught something—a barely noticeable hatch built into the side of a dilapidated building, covered in grime and old rust. It was small, almost hidden, but unmistakably an access point.

“Here,” Nyx said, skidding to a halt and pointing at the hatch. “Help me open it.”

Axel didn’t ask questions. He grabbed the edges of the hatch, the rusted metal biting into his hands. With a grunt, he pulled, the Kilronomia enhancing his strength enough to force the hatch open with a loud creak. Behind it, a dark passage stretched downwards, leading into what seemed like a mechanical abyss.

“What is this place?” Axel asked, peering into the darkness.

“The Under City,” Nyx answered, pulling a small flashlight from her belt and flicking it on. The light cut through the dark, revealing a metal staircase descending into the depths. “It’s where the robots work—menial labor, maintenance, keeping the infrastructure of the city running. No one goes down there. Not unless they want to disappear.”

Axel stared at the staircase, then back at the sound of the Firebrand mutates closing in. He didn’t need much convincing.

“Let’s go,” Nyx said, sliding down the ladder with ease, her footsteps barely making a sound.

Axel followed, moving quickly as the hatch slammed shut behind them. The moment they entered the Under City, the noise of the chase above faded, replaced by the steady hum of machinery and the occasional whir of robotic limbs moving in the distance.

The Under City was a place few dared to enter. It stretched below the Lower City like a forgotten tomb, where only robots and automated systems handled the dirty, unglamorous work needed to keep the mega-cities functioning. Entire fleets of maintenance droids roamed the dark, interconnected tunnels, performing routine tasks that no one above cared about.

Axel glanced around, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. The walls were lined with cables and conduits, the faint glow of diagnostic lights flickering from the machines embedded in the structure. The air was cooler down here, thick with the scent of oil and metal.

“This way,” Nyx said, leading him down the narrow path, her movements quick and precise. “We can lose them down here. Firebrand won’t follow us—Zoom or not, those mutates aren’t built for navigating these kinds of spaces.”

Axel followed her, his senses heightened as the Kilronomia subtly enhanced his awareness. The deeper they went into the Under City, the more alien it felt. The upper city was all sleek skyscrapers and neon, but down here, it was industrial and utilitarian, with no regard for human comfort. The only inhabitants were machines, programmed to serve without question.