Odyssey Nexus

The Market Bustled with Life.

Lamps flickered, casting warm pools of light over the merchant stalls as the scent of roasted meat and spices thickened the air. Rhea and Stix wove through the crowd, laughing and flashing their wealth like they belonged.

Jalen, perched high above on a tiled rooftop, felt the familiar itch of trouble creeping up his spine. His glyphs pulsed softly under the moonlight as he whispered, "Come on, Hector. Show me your ugly mug."

Lucio's voice crackled in his earpiece. 'So far, no sign of him.'

Jalen's smirk faded. 'Yeah. That's what's making me nervous.'

As Jalen continued to watch the marketplace his eyes were fixated on Rhea and Stix, watching them like a parent would a child. His mind seemed blank only watching.. waiting.

"He watches them like a ghost watches the living. Not jealous, not bitter—just… remembering. And I get it. We both had someone once. A sister. A brother. A past life that still clings to us, no matter how much we try to bury it. Maybe that's why we're both here now—watching over two kids who remind us of ghosts."

'Jalen I need you to stay focused.'

'Shit my bad your right. Rhea, it's time the huge vendor is on his way up the street. You and Stix make sure you're at the front of the line'

Making their way through the crowd Rhea and Stix both responded 'You got it Jalen!'

'We won't let you down!'

As Stix and Rhea reached the front of the vendor's stall, their eyes gleamed at the display of exotic goods. The merchant, a burly man with a gold tooth and a booming laugh, handed them their purchase with a flourish.

Jalen smirked slightly, but the moment was short-lived.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement—a figure emerging from a shadowed alleyway across the street. A hooded man. The same hooded man he and Lucio had encountered before.

Jalen's grin disappeared.

'Lucio. The hooded guy same one that attacked me—he's here.

'Lucio's voice came through the earpiece, sharp and alert. 'Where?'

'Alleyway. He's walking toward the vendor. Toward them.'

Jalen's heart pounded as the hooded man strolled casually into the market, head tilting slightly as if scanning the crowd. As if searching.

Then—Jalen saw it. The flicker of recognition in the man's stance when his gaze landed on Stix and Rhea.

And he started moving faster.

Jalen didn't wait.

'Shit— Rhea! Stix! It's time for you two to go! MOVE AWAY NOW AND GET BACK TO THE BROTHEL!'

In an instant, he abandoned his rooftop perch, leaping down into the street below, shoving past stunned merchants and customers as he sprinted straight for the kids.

Because this wasn't just some bystander.

This man was hunting and just as Jalen suspected sending the kids in with all that money made them primary target number one.

'Jalen two guys six o'clock, four more three o'clock!'

Running through the crowd Jalen's arm began to glow blue as he summoned two pistols with silencers. Without stopping he threw them to Lucio. 

'I don't have time to stop so I'll leave the ones on the right to you.'

'Sounds good; I'll take care of them.'

Jalen's arm began to glow blue again, the glyphs appearing and binding to his fingers taking the form of iron-plated knuckler dusters. He then jumped into the air landing behind the two men delivering two clean blows to the back of the head.

'Two down now I just need to get to the kids. I have to go faster!' Taking off running Jalen suddenly felt himself picking up speed weaving through the merchants he reached them only to find Rhea on the ground and Stix being held by the collar.

"Don't make this harder on you or your sister I just wanna know where you got all this money. Was it your parents?" The hooded man said tightening his grip.

"My p-parents are dead," Stix snarled, struggling. "Now let me go, asshole!" Stix pulled out his knife, slashing at the man's hand, but it only earned a sharp grunt from the attacker.

"Ow... you little shit."

Jalen's glyphs flared a fiery red at the sight. His pulse quickened. Without a second thought, he rushed forward, but the hooded man vanished in a blur, forcing Jalen to smash into a merchant cart.

Gunshots rang out. The marketplace erupted into chaos. Jalen pushed himself up, his heart racing. He needed to get to them. He had to get there before—A low chuckle echoed behind him. The hooded man reappeared, faster than before, and the hunt was on.

"Well well... we meet again."

Jalen jumped up and swung around only to backhand the air. "Damnit!"

"You'll have to try a little harder than that if you want to hit me."

'Lucio where are you!? Do you have eyes on him?'

'Yeah I see him, I'll call out his location if he tries to use his disappearing act again.'

"So I guess it's fair to assume that you are Hector?" Jalen grunted.

Standing up he dusted himself off, his energy-flaring red began to swirl around him and the glyphs on his arm vibrated violently until he was changed into a slim-fitting attire allowing him to be more flexible and versatile.

"Alright let's get it going! Stix, Rhea get away from here now once I start fighting I can't be distracted." Standing up Stix picked up his older sister and disappeared into a nearby alleyway.

Jalen's fists were clenched his body tense. The glyphs on his arms glowed faintly with a soft blue, the regulator function humming in sync with his heartbeat. He could feel the pressure building, but he couldn't afford to push himself too far. "I don't wanna break the regulator just yet..."

Jalen and Hector started walking towards each other. Jalen's glare was reflective of his anger, and Hector flickered in and out of view grinning right back at him. 'Lucio be ready I'm going in.'

Lucio's voice crackled in Jalen's earpiece, sharp and steady. 'He's about to move, Jalen—left side!'

Jalen barely had time to react. In the next instant, Hector's figure lunged from the shadows, his fist a blur. But Jalen had already anticipated it. He ducked, narrowly avoiding the strike, and snapped a kick upward, but Hector was gone again—just a flicker in the air.

"Damn it, he's fast," Jalen muttered, his red glyphs flaring. Rage ignited within him, sharpening his focus. 'Lucio, where?'

'Three o'clock, Jalen! Keep moving!'

Lucio's call was precise. With every shift in Hector's position, Jalen could predict his next move just a second before it happened, Lucio's voice acting as his eyes in the places Hector wasn't.

Jalen grinned, feeling the rush of excitement push him forward. His glyphs shifted to green, and with a sudden burst of speed, he launched himself at Hector, weaving through the market stalls, his movements fluid and unpredictable.

'Jalen be-'

'I got it.'

Turning around Jalen met Hector's gaze his knife outstretched to cut him. But Jalen was ready. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a pair of razor-sharp blades that flickered into existence. He lunged with a flurry of strikes, his energy pulsing with anticipation.

"You're predictable," Jalen muttered, landing a blow across Hector's shoulder, sending the man stumbling back. "Keep up."

"You're good, Jalen. But you can't keep this up forever."

Jalen's eyes narrowed. "How do you know my name?"

As Hector prepared to make his next move, the air around them thickened, and suddenly, communication from Lucio was cut off. Static buzzed in Jalen's ear. 'Shit.'

'Where is he?' Jalen began to look around frantic he kept his guard up waiting. He slowed to catch his breath but Hector was ready. He flickered once again, this time much closer, and as Jalen came down with a brutal punch, Hector disappeared and reappeared behind him in the blink of an eye.

'Shit. This is gonna hurt ug-'

Before Jalen could react, Hector's fist collided with his side, the force of the blow knocking the wind out of him. The world spun as pain exploded in his ribs, the strike leaving a deep bruise where Hector's attack landed.'

Jalen! What happened!?'

'Argh Lucio? I thought our coms were cut?' 

'What? No on my side you ju- BUZZ'

Once again the air around him thickened and to Jalen's misfortune, he was sent flying into the air and slammed back down, the world around him seemingly resuming.

'Blinked out of existence but when you reappeared you were on the ground holding your side. What the hell is happening?!'

'Lucio, I think he's controlling time...'

'Don't be stupid there's no way he cou-'

'So this is how you were able to read my movements, but with your friend knocked out now it's purely a one-on-one.'

'Shit shit shit! What can I do?'

"Sorry Jalen but this time lets fight you and I no distractions, winner takes all the spoils this town has to offer!!"