Mariana
The city's streets were a chaotic tapestry of shadow and neon. Massive skyscrapers lean precariously, casting long, ominous shadows on the cracked and uneven cobblestone streets. Dimly lit alleys wound like serpents through the maze of buildings shrouded in an ever-present mist that seemed to creep from the very ground. The streets were deserted, save for the occasional glimpse of mysterious figures that slinked in and out of the shadows.
“Dad, you said it wasn’t so bad, but this….” Harold, my dad said to my Grandfather King Wolfram with a frown. Regardless, if he had lived the rest of his life in another world, my dad’s home had always been. It would remain here in the third world.
“That’s because it wasn't your son, but my guess is it’s like this now because of the cloud up there,” Wolfram said with a sign. He, too, was sporting a frown, but not towards the city we had just arrived in but at the cloud above it.
As the cloud loomed overhead, it pulsated with an eerie, otherworldly glow, casting strange, shifting shadows upon the shattered remains of skyscrapers and crumbling facades. Electric tendrils of lightning snaked through its core, illuminating its jagged edges with a malevolent, violet hue, a stark contrast to the lifeless, desaturated landscape below.
“It looks to be targeting specific places within the city, doesn't it?” Connie, my mom said, as she, too, kept her eyes on the cloud.
“Either way, we should stay alert from here on out, we’ve got eyes on us,” said Alexis as she moved forward. My eyebrows arched up in surprise as she seemingly found her way through the city. A lot of things were changing rapidly about my mate that concerned me, but in the same boat, I never asked. When we settled down in Grandpa Wolfram's kingdom, it would be something worth talking about. My mind was focused on the camp, but my heart felt that this was something else.
“Stop worrying so much Mari, our Lexia loves us,” Alohi spoke in my mind. She must have felt my conflict on the matter.
The atmosphere was thick with an unsettling stillness, broken only by the occasional creaking of dilapidated buildings and the distant, mournful wail of sirens that seemed to fade into oblivion. A pall of foreboding hung over the city, a sense that something dreadful was about to unfold.
The buildings themselves were a testament to a world gone awry. Towering monoliths of glass and steel had been corrupted by dark enchantments, their surfaces marred with grotesque, shifting patterns. Some buildings defied gravity, their upper floors suspended in mid-air by arcane forces, while others seemed to writhe and pulse with malevolent energy.
We followed behind Alexis quietly, aware of the eyes on us in the shadows. We met a friend of Wolfram's who provided transportation for us the rest of the way. It wasn’t safe to walk around in the city for too long. As I looked around, I understood why.
The city's inhabitants were a motley crew of mystics, outcasts, and those who had fallen victim to the city's sinister charm. They moved silently through the streets, their eyes haunted by secrets and despair. Tattered cloaks and hooded garments concealed their identities, and masks adorned many faces, hiding both their true selves and their emotions.
Homes were scarce and hidden away in the darkest corners of the city. These were not places of comfort but rather fortresses of survival, guarded by wards and enchantments to keep out the malevolent forces that lurked outside.
We met Grandpa’s first at a home just off the outskirts. He greeted us quickly and then ushered us inside. I was surprised again at the ease of my mate and the ease of a conversation between some people here as if she had known them for years. Lexi must have noticed my questioning stare, for she walked back toward me with a light smile, kissed me on the forehead, and whispered in my ear to assure me.
“You forget the Shadow League is my people. Don’t think too much. Whatever you want to know, we can talk after we get to the kingdom safely. For an old man, your grandpa has made a few enemies in his day,” Alexis explained as quickly as she could. I nodded in understanding, looking to find Wolfram frowning at Lexi.
“I heard that you brat! Humph, old my ass, I’ll show you later, how about it, huh?” he said with a scoff, but there was a sparkle in his eyes. He really liked Lexi a lot and I was intrigued and curious about how she and my grandpa met in the first place.
“Name the time and place, old man, and it's on.” she winked and gave him a smile.
“Our ride is here.” said my mother, ushering us along to the other side of the house to the back exit. In this twisted world, transportation was a surreal experience. Floating carriages glided soundlessly through the air, their windows shrouded in enchantments to protect passengers from prying eyes. Some chose to travel by means of shadowy portals that whisked them from one part of the city to another with a disorienting flash.
I was already warned against the use of shadow portals. With the twisted world it had become here, no one knew how that would trigger the curse lying dormant within me. In honesty, I felt fine, but who knew when things would change? After all, Grandpa had dropped a bombshell on me about the arranged marriage pact, but given I had a mate, a true soul wolf hybrid mate. The council should let it slide. But I couldn’t help feeling that Wolfram had left something deliberately out in this whole matter and things wouldn’t be so easy as he originally let on.