The Safehouse – A Deal with the Devil
The safehouse was a forgotten cavity beneath the city—cold, damp, lined with rust. A place where time had stopped caring.
The air smelled of mildew and old metal, the kind of scent that clung to you, refused to wash off.
Ash sat on a crate, legs crossed, hands lazily resting on her knee.
She didn’t just survive places like this – she made them feel lived in. She always did.
Grim, standing across from her, arms crossed, tried not to stare.
It was just a job. It was always just a job.
The map was spread out between them, its edges curled and worn from too many hands.
Ash’s gloved finger traced a distant land.
"A kingdom under a tyrant. Civil war. Revolutionaries fighting for democracy. Families caught in the mess." She shrugged, her tone light, like she was discussing the weather.
"We’re their friendly neighborhood suppliers—ammunition, rations, weapons. Simple work."
Grim said nothing.
Something about the way she spoke put him on edge. Too easy. Too casual.
"Why me?"
Ash’s smirk widened just slightly.
"Because for once, you’re not just dropping the package and walking away."
She let the words settle.
"This time, you’re staying to see what happens next."
Duskwatch Airstrip – A Sky Too Big to Belong to Him
The airstrip was little more than a stretch of cracked concrete, hidden in Duskwatch’s restricted zones.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The plane waiting for them was an old thing, patched together with metal sheets and prayers.
But Grim barely noticed.
His eyes were locked on the sky.
It was… huge.
Duskwatch had always been a prison of neon and smoke, choking the horizon with towering structures.
The real sky had always been a rumor. A myth. But here it was, stretching endlessly, free.
For the first time in his life, he felt small.
"Never seen a sky before?"
Ash’s voice cut through his thoughts. She had already walked past him, casual as ever, but there was something different in the way she said it.
Not mocking. Not amused.
Something softer.
Grim forced himself to look away, shaking it off, and climbed into the plane.
The Flight – The Adventure That Shouldn’t Be
Inside, the metal walls hummed with the low vibration of the engines.
The seats were stiff, cold against his back. Grim took a spot by the window, but his eyes were still drawn outside.
Duskwatch was shrinking.
From up here, it was nothing but a blot of dying lights drowning in its own filth.
But beyond it—there were mountains. Rivers. Open plains.
A world he had never seen.
For the first time in his life, something in him stirred.
He didn't realize he was smiling until Ash sat across from him, arms crossed, and muttered,
"You’re grinning."
Grim blinked.
He wasn’t. He—
He turned away, but Ash was still watching, still smirking—but it wasn’t her usual smirk. It was softer.
Like she saw something in him he hadn’t seen in himself yet.
Like she enjoyed this.
And that realization made something shift in his chest. A little too fast. A little too sharp.
Arrival – The Jump
The kingdom stretched below them now—rolling hills, ruined cities, war camps. The air inside the plane was tense.
"Alright, listen up."
Ash stood, stretching like this was just another lazy afternoon.
Her golden eyes flickered in the dim light as she slung on a parachute.
"We’re gonna have to jump."
Grim froze.
"...What?"
Ash didn’t answer. She just grinned—
And stepped right out.
No hesitation. No warning.
Grim stared. What.
The Escort beside him barely reacted. He adjusted the straps on his own parachute, turned to Grim, and gestured.
"Hold on."
Grim had exactly one second to process before the guy grabbed him and jumped.
The world threw itself away.
Wind roared past his ears. His stomach plummeted.
The ground was rushing up too fast.
Ash was already ahead of them, flipping lazily midair like she was born for this.
Grim was not built for this.
"I HATE THIS JOB."
Ash’s laugh rang through the sky.
End of Chapter 26
