Just to point out, the italic segments at certain points in chapters would be when a key cutscene would play. Similar to how the comic style ones would play out in the games. Any major plot moments will be done in this format.
Her heavy boots pounded the pavement as she ran, raven black hair flowing behind her. Behind her were boys taller, broader and stronger looking than her, a five pointed star logo stitched into their jackets. They were gaining on her, only to lose their target.
She'd leapt up onto a window ledge, grabbing onto a pipe and scaling the building, reaching the rooftop in minutes. Once up there, she looked down, watching the group of five walk off, shouting insults at her.
"Pathetic. Not even trying to keep chasing me," Miranda Simmons mumbled, her violet hue eyes glancing across the Residential district of Blackwater. Connections to the other three islands had been cut off, only the Black Stars and First Sons able to travel between islands.
"Hey Miranda," a male voice spoke, the cell phone on Miranda's belt automatically answering the call.
"What's up Michael?" Miranda replied, taking the phone from her belt and placing it in a shoulder strap made specifically to hold her cell phone during conversations.
"Heard you ticked off five Black Stars. What did you do?"
"Just entered their territory and they recognised me. Probably thought they'd get a reward for bringing me down."
"You beat them or escape?"
"Escaped to the rooftops. You at home?"
"Yeah. Parents are out for food, leaving me all to my lonesome," Michael sighed.
"I'd be there, but considering the bridge is still up, no-one's willing to lower it and I'm not going in the water," Miranda replied, already starting to run towards the edge of the roof.
"I understand. Talk to you later," Michael said, ending the call just as Miranda leapt towards the next building, continuing to run. While her urban exploration skills weren't fully developed, she had the raw courage that made her a quick learner. She knew how to climb, but nothing really advanced.
"No, keep away!" a male voice yelled, coming from an alleyway. Glancing down, Miranda watched as a man and woman were backed against a wall, members of the Black Stars wielding knives and any other crude melee weapon. Silently, she climbed down to a safe height to jump from, ready to strike.
With speed and precision, she fell, aiming her booted foot for one member's skull. Her attack hit home, alerting the other members to her presence as she back flipped, landing in a fighting stance as she faced the remaining three members.
"You made a big mistake little emo. You picked one nasty way to kill yourself," one man taunted, a sneer on his face.
"Really think so?" Miranda whispered, waiting for them to come closer. As one raised his arm to attack, she struck out with a kick, catching him in the chest, before dodging another attack, grabbing the attacker's arm and flipping him over her shoulder. The final attacker tried to strike, only to have his jaw broken as her boots collided with his face as she back flipped.
"You two okay?" she asked, starting to walk away. She glanced back as the man nodded, the two of them running away from the area while Miranda simply walked, her long black hair falling over her eyes as she walked.
"Guess I'd best get back home. Or I could always head for the bandstand, crash there for the night," Miranda mumbled to herself, walking in the direction of the park as night began to fall, the moon starting to rise in the sky.
Upon arriving at the park, she noticed a deathly silence. Even at night, people crowded in the park, mainly because they had nowhere else to go. Not that she didn't like the peace, but it was unsettling. She also noticed the lights were out, adding to her apprehension.
"Enjoying the night," a male voice mocked, a figure hidden in shadows walking into view. He looked thin, almost frail, yet he was taller than Miranda. On one side of his head, an orange glow burned where an eye should be.
"Who are you? What do you want?" she questioned, standing in a combat stance as he came closer.
"I'm just a shadow. And what I want? Just some fun," the figure chuckled, finally walking into light.
His skin was as white as snow, even paler than mine. His entire right arm looked like it was made of thousands of tiny knives, wicked metal fingers shining in the moonlight. Half his head was metal, his left eye nothing more than an orange glow. And his teeth, they were like daggers as he grinned at me, insanity staring right at me.
He ran at me, his knife-like fingers ready to plunge into my flesh. He moved fast, only barely missing as I got out of the way, kicking him in the gut in the process. Black goo flew out of his mouth, some of it hitting me in the face. While I tried to wipe it off, some ran over my right eye, burning my skin and leaving me a crescent scar.
In my moment of distraction, I felt searing pain shoot through me, the source being his bladed fingers piercing my chest, missing important organs. More of that black goo fell on my chest, as he laughed, revelling in my pain.
As he lifted his fingers out, still laughing, what felt like fire burned in my veins, making me scream in torment. But as he lifted his fingers, ready to stab me again, the pain stopped, the wounds on my chest healing quickly. He was just as surprised as I was, and tried to stab me again. Didn't know why, but I thrust my hand forward, missing his arm, only for a black tendril to shoot out of my hand, hitting him in the head and knocking him off me.
By the time I got to my feet, he'd vanished, leaving me with questions. Who was he? What was he? And what did I just do? Whatever I did, it may just help me survive in this city. Or get me killed. Only one way to find out, isn't there?