A Message from the Past

The hideout was a patchwork of salvaged scraps: rusted beams, cracked glass, and worn

tarpaulins stretched across a crumbled outpost deep in the wastes. It offered little in the way of

comfort but much in concealment, tucked within a labyrinth of jagged canyons that shielded it

from Skykeep’s patrols. For Rayn, it was home.

He dropped his satchel onto a battered table and sank into a makeshift chair fashioned from old

skyship parts. The note from the boy weighed heavy in his pocket. He pulled it out, unfolding it

under the dim light of a salvaged lantern.

The symbols stared back at him, their meaning obscured but tantalizingly familiar. He ran his

fingers over the faded ink, a long-dormant memory stirring at the edges of his mind. The script

was unmistakably Skykeep’s—an encryption style used by their elite intelligence units. He

hadn’t seen it in years, not since he’d been exiled.

With a sharp sigh, he rummaged through the satchel, retrieving a worn datapad. Its screen

flickered to life, casting a pale blue glow. Rayn keyed in a series of commands, the muscle

memory of his old life guiding his fingers. He paused, hesitating.

“This better be worth it,

” he muttered before entering the decryption sequence.

Lines of code danced across the screen before resolving into a coherent message. As Rayn

read, his jaw tightened.

Rayn,

If you’re reading this, you’re still alive. That’s more than I hoped for. Skykeep is

dying, but you already know that. What you don’t know is how far they’ll go to save

it. The ruling council has approved a project to drain life energy from the

surface—every living thing, human or otherwise. They’ll sacrifice the world below to

stabilize the Engines above.

There’s a way to stop them, but it’s dangerous. The Skykeep’s Secret isn’t just a

myth. It exists, hidden deep within the city. If you want to save what’s left of the

surface, you’ll have to find it.

I wish I could tell you more, but I’m being watched. Trust no one. Not even yourself.

—An old ally

The screen dimmed as the message ended. Rayn leaned back, his thoughts a storm of

emotions. Old ally. The words left a bitter taste in his mouth. There weren’t many people he

could call allies in Skykeep—fewer still he would have trusted with something like this.

He clenched his fists. The council’s plan was monstrous, but hardly surprising. They had always

viewed the surface as expendable, a mere resource to sustain their floating paradise. But to

strip it of life itself? Even for them, it was a step too far.

His eyes drifted to the last line of the note: The Skykeep’s Secret. A name spoken only in

whispers, even in the city’s shadowy corners. It was said to be a weapon, though no one knew

its exact nature or location.

Rayn exhaled slowly. He’d spent years trying to forget Skykeep, to bury his past and survive in

the wastes. Now, it seemed, the city was pulling him back.

As he stared at the message, memories clawed their way to the surface—memories of the day

he was cast out. The blinding light of the council chambers, the weight of their judgmental

gazes. The crime he’d been accused of wasn’t entirely his fault, but that didn’t matter. They’d

needed a scapegoat, and he’d been convenient.

He still remembered the moment the Engines opened beneath him, sending him plummeting to

the surface. The fall had broken his body, but the betrayal had broken something deeper. He’d

sworn he would never return.

And yet, here he was, considering the impossible.

Night had fallen by the time Rayn stepped outside. The temperature had plummeted, and a cold

wind howled through the canyons, carrying with it the faint scent of ozone. The stars above

were faint and distant, obscured by the smog that lingered even here.

Rayn climbed to the top of a jagged outcrop, his eyes fixed on the sky. In the distance, Skykeep

floated like a ghostly leviathan, its glowing underside casting a faint halo of light over the

horizon. From here, it looked serene, almost beautiful. But Rayn knew better. The city was a

machine, and its gears were oiled with blood.

He clenched his fists. He didn’t owe the surface anything—not after the way its people had

treated him when he first arrived. But he couldn’t ignore the truth in the message. If the council’s

plan succeeded, there would be no surface left to exile him to.

His gaze hardened. He would need help.

Back in the hideout, Rayn began assembling his gear. A compact blaster, a set of throwing

knives, and a grappling hook were the first to go into his pack. He also packed a rebreather and

a supply of nutrient rations, enough for a few days.

But it wasn’t just weapons he’d need. If he was going to infiltrate Skykeep, he’d require

transport—and for that, he needed someone with a ship. His mind drifted to Kara, a smuggler

with a reputation for getting in and out of the city undetected. Their history was…complicated, to

say the least. But she was his best chance.

The thought of facing her again filled him with unease. Kara had never forgiven him for what

happened years ago, and he doubted time had softened her feelings. Still, she had a ship, and

she hated Skykeep almost as much as he did.

“It’s not like I have a choice,

” he muttered, slinging the pack over his shoulder.

As he prepared to leave, a flicker of movement caught his eye. He spun, blaster drawn,

scanning the dark corners of the hideout.

“Show yourself,

” he growled.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, a shadow detached itself from the wall, stepping into

the dim light. It was a woman, her features obscured by a hood and mask. Her movements were

fluid, almost predatory.

“You’ve stirred up a hornet’s nest,

” she said, her voice low and tinged with amusement.

council won’t let you live long enough to act on that message.

”

“The

Rayn’s grip on the blaster tightened.

“Who are you?”

“A friend. Or an enemy. Depends on your choices.

”

Her cryptic words set his teeth on edge.

“What do you want?”

“T o warn you. Skykeep isn’t the only threat you face. The Shadow Order knows about the

Secret, and they’ll kill anyone who gets in their way. Including you.

”

Rayn’s stomach sank. The Shadow Order was a name he hadn’t heard in years, but he

remembered their reputation well. They were Skykeep’s enforcers, a clandestine organization

that operated in the city’s darkest corners. If they were involved, this mission had just become

far more dangerous.

“I don’t scare easily,

” he said, leveling his blaster at her.

you?”

“Now, why don’t you tell me who sent

The woman tilted her head, her expression unreadable.

“Someone who believes in you. For

”

now.

Before he could react, she threw something to the ground—a small device that erupted in a

burst of smoke. When it cleared, she was gone.

Rayn stood in the silence, his heart pounding. He glanced down at the datapad, the decoded

message still glowing faintly.

The stakes had just risen, and he had the sinking feeling they would only get higher.

“Guess I’d better find Kara,

” he muttered, heading into the wastes.

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