STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview

STARLIGHT UNBOUND

walking.

Corin, in contrast, stood stiff and silent —watchful, unyielding. A sentinel.

It was a beginning.

Not a perfect one, but a beginning nonetheless.

Lucien heard a voice behind him.

Soft. Familiar. Unexpected.

“Still playing with machines, I see.”

He froze.

The sounds of the street faded, swallowed by the sudden, sharp recognition of that voice.

He turned—.

Leona.

She stood a few steps away, a wry smile tugging at her lips.

She looked the same, and yet not.

Her hair was tied back in a messy bun, strands falling loose in a way that made her look older, tougher. Her clothes were practical but worn, and there was a look in her eyes that hadn ’t been there before.

Before he could say anything, she stepped forward and pulled him into a hug.

Warm. Anchoring.

He stood there, stiff with surprise.

Then, slowly, he returned the embrace, awkward but real.

“It’s good to see you, Lucien.”

She pulled back, hands still on his shoulders, her smile softer now, edged with something almost unreadable.

Lucien swallowed, nodding. “You too.”

She gave him a mocking once-over. “So, this is the rebellion?”

Her gaze flicked between the half-finished buildings, the scattered supplies, the ragtag organization barely holding everything together.

She smirked. “Gotta say, it’s a little messier than I imagined.”

Lucien let out a chuckle, glancing at the streets around them.

“Yeah, well… we’re working on it.”

Lucien ’s expression turned serious as he gestured around the sector.

“Have you heard from the others? Darius, Pascal?”

Leona’s smile faded, and she exhaled. “Darius is still in the central district, doing what he always does —cheerleading for AstroSYS.”

Lucien grimaced.

Not unexpected. But still, somehow, it stung.

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