I’d plotted my course based on logic rather than luck. Whoever had taken Iris didn’t have a Raycer. I’d seen no evidence of vehicles anywhere in the valley or beyond. No tracks, no power cell residue, no marks on the rocks. They’d moved on foot, which meant they could only travel so fast, even if they were swift and knew the terrain.
If someone wanted to get as far from the village as possible while carrying an unconscious captive, they’d need to choose the path of least resistance. The easiest terrain to traverse. Flat ground where available, gentle slopes where not, routes that avoided the worst of the rocky outcroppings and deep ravines that scarred this landscape.
I’d studied the topographical maps Anker had loaded into the Raycer’s system and identified the most likely path. A broad corridor of relatively smooth ground that wound between the mountains and stretched toward the distant horizon. It was the route I would have taken if I’d been in their position.
Now I just had to hope I was right.
The Raycer’s auto-navigation handled most of the steering, adjusting the course to avoid obstacles while maintaining the general direction I’d set. It allowed me to focus on the scanner, watching its display with an intensity that made my eyes ache.
Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
The power cell indicator caught my attention, and my stomach tightened. Halfway. The Raycer’s energy reserves had dropped to the midpoint, which meant I was approaching the limit of my range. If I kept going much longer, I wouldn’t have enough power to return to the village. I’d be stranded out here, alone, with no way to help Iris or anyone else.
The desperation that had been building all day surged higher, pressing against my chest like a physical weight. I couldn’t turn back. Couldn’t give up. But I also couldn’t ignore the mathematics of the situation. Every minute I traveled forward was a minute I’d need to travel back. At some point, very soon, I would have to make a choice.
Find her or save myself.
It wasn’t really a choice at all.
I pushed the Raycer faster, squeezing every bit of speed from its systems. The terrain blurred. The wind howled against the energy shield. My hands gripped the controls with white-knuckled intensity.
And then the scanner beeped.
I almost didn’t believe it at first. Almost thought it was a glitch, a false reading, my desperate mind playing tricks on me.But no. There it was, pulsing on the display. A small, bright dot that hadn’t been there a moment ago.
Iris.
Elation spiked through me, so intense it was almost painful. I wanted to shout, to laugh, to push the Raycer to its absolute limits and close the remaining distance in seconds. She was alive. She was out there. And I was going to find her.
I forced myself to slow down.
As much as I wanted to tear across the landscape at maximum speed, charging toward that pulsing dot like a missile toward its target, I knew it would be foolish. Whoever had taken Iris had chosen this location for a reason. They would be watching for pursuit. They would be prepared for rescue attempts. If I announced my arrival with the roar of a Raycer engine, I’d lose any advantage surprise might give me.
I eased off the accelerator, letting the vehicle slow to a quieter, less noticeable pace. The scanner showed the signal approximately two kilometers ahead, which meant I was close. Close enough that caution mattered more than speed.
The terrain began to change as I approached. The relatively flat ground gave way to something more complex, more structured. Formations rose from the earth ahead, shapes that seemed too regular to be natural. At first, I thought they might be rock formations, unusual geological features carved by the centuries of storms that had ravaged this planet.
Then I got closer, and I understood what I was seeing.
Ruins.
The remains of a city stretched before me, sprawling across the landscape in a jumble of collapsed walls and crumbling towers. Once, this place must have been magnificent. I could see the bones of great buildings, their foundations still visible beneath the rubble. Broad avenues and plazas that might have held thousands were still apparent despite the debris.
The storms had destroyed it. That much was obvious. Centuries of relentless wind and rain and lightning had torn this city apart, grinding its structures to dust, burying its history beneath layers of destruction. But enough remained to see what it had been. A place of significance. A place of power.
Iris was being held in there.
I guided the Raycer to a stop behind a large outcropping of rubble, positioning the vehicle where it would be hidden from casual observation. The engine’s purr faded to silence, and I sat for a moment, studying the ruins ahead.
Going in on the Raycer would be suicide. The vehicle was fast and powerful, but it was also loud. The moment I entered those ruins, everyone inside would know I was coming. I’d lose any chance of surprise, any opportunity to assess the situation before committing to action.
I would have to go on foot.
I climbed off the Raycer and took stock of my equipment. The pack on my back held supplies, water, the scanner that would guide me to Iris. At my hip, I’d strapped a blaster, the standard sidearm carried by most modern guards who ventured into dangerous territory. It was a reliable weapon, accurate at medium range, capable of stunning or killing, depending on the setting.
But the blaster wasn’t what I reached for.
Thezavathung across my back. Its familiar weight was a comfort I hadn’t realized I’d missed. I’d trained with this weapon since I was old enough to hold it, had spent countless hours perfecting my aim under my father’s watchful eye. During the war, it had saved my life more times than I could count.
