Suddenly, the lights in the apartment flickered and died. The only illumination came from the faint, violet glow emanating from the object's seams.
Outside, the air rippled. The street—Zorenthos Place—looked like a mirage. The sleek, silver-plated roofs of the neighboring units warped in the heat haze, melting like wax under a candle. But nobody else was outside to see it. The neighbors were sealed in their bunkers, or they had fled to the upper atmosphere stations days ago. They were the smart ones.
Vynthalith narrowed her eyes. She pulled a sensor wand from her belt and waved it toward the object. The wand immediately screamed a high-pitched alarm before melting into a puddle of slag in her hand. She dropped it, shaking off the molten metal.
"Not today." Vynthalith pulled a pair of heavy, insulated gauntlets from her pack. They were rated for plasma welding, but she doubted they’d hold up against this. She didn't have a choice. Kael was freezing up, his panic paralyzing him.
: Information regarding the Nova School of Business and Economics in Portugal.
stands as a testament to Vynthalith’s architectural gold age. Known among the locals as one of the 'hottest' spots in the city, this address is currently home to the Solaris Ember Lounge