Ekko wandered through the quiet streets of Kalstead, his mind still tangled with the possibilities that had unfolded earlier. Was it her? Could it really have been Jinx? Every logical part of him said no, but the faintest whispers of doubt still lingered. He didn't know what to believe anymore.
He stopped by a small market in the town square, its stalls filled with fresh produce, vibrant flowers, and handmade goods. After a brief pause, he decided to pick up a small bundle of fresh herbs and a neatly wrapped loaf of crusty bread. It's the least I can do, he thought, remembering how kind Maya and her mother, Ava, had been.
With his modest gifts in hand, Ekko made his way back to their house. As he approached the cozy little cottage, he could see the warm light spilling out from the windows, casting a glow on the lush garden outside. The air carried the faint aroma of something delicious cooking, mixed with the earthiness of the flowers.
He knocked gently on the door, and it swung open moments later to reveal Maya, her hands covered in flour and a streak of red sauce across her cheek. She blinked at him in surprise before breaking into a grin. "Ekko! Back so soon?"
Ekko rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "I, uh, just wanted to bring you this," he said, holding up the bread and herbs. "You've been so kind, and I didn't want to impose…"
Maya glanced at his face, noticing the weariness in his expression. "Nonsense," she said, stepping aside to let him in. "You look like you could use a good meal. We're just finishing up dinner. Come on, you're staying."
Ekko hesitated, his instincts telling him to refuse. But the warmth in Maya's smile, combined with the inviting smells wafting from the kitchen, made it impossible to say no. He nodded and stepped inside.
The dinner table was already set by the time Ava emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. She greeted Ekko warmly, gesturing for him to sit. Within moments, steaming bowls of stew, fresh bread, and roasted vegetables were placed on the table. The cottage was filled with the comforting sounds of clinking dishes and soft conversation.
As they started eating, Maya turned to Ekko. "So," she began, her tone casual, "did you meet Powder? She's the mechanic I told you about."
Ekko nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, I met her," he replied after a pause. "But… it wasn't the person I thought it would be. A completely different Powder."
Maya frowned slightly, but Ava's gaze lingered on him, her sharp eyes seeming to notice his unease. "It's a small world," Ava said gently. "Sometimes names and faces overlap in the strangest ways."
The conversation shifted, and Ava began to tell Ekko about her connection to Benzo. "He came to Kalstead years ago," she said, her voice steady but tinged with nostalgia. "He was part of a hunting crew—big men with bigger weapons. They were tracking some kind of creature that had wandered into this area. Never said what it was exactly, but it was serious enough for them to need more hands."
Ekko leaned forward, listening intently as Ava continued to recount her memories of Benzo and his crew. The warmth of the room and the richness of the food had eased the tension in his shoulders, but his curiosity remained sharp.
"They never said what they were hunting," Ava said, her voice lowering as if she were confiding in him. "But whatever it was, it wasn't ordinary. Benzo and his team seemed... uneasy about it. Like they didn't fully understand what they were dealing with."
Ekko opened his mouth to ask another question, but a loud, resonant gong-like noise interrupted the conversation. The sound was deep and metallic, reverberating through the cottage like a low rumble of thunder. Ekko froze, his instincts immediately on alert.
"What was that?" he asked, his voice cutting through the sudden stillness.
Maya and Ava exchanged a quick glance. It was subtle but enough for Ekko to notice—there was no alarm in their expressions, only a calm understanding.
"It's nothing to worry about," Ava said quickly, standing and smoothing the front of her apron. Her tone was steady, but there was a hint of something unspoken in her voice.
Maya stood as well, brushing crumbs off her hands. "We hear it every now and then," she added, her voice casual but carefully measured. "Nothing to get worked up over."
Ekko frowned, his eyes narrowing as he studied them. "It doesn't sound like 'nothing,'" he said, standing up as well. His pulse was quickening, the instincts he'd honed in Zaun stirring to life.
Ava stepped toward the window, peering out into the night. The garden outside was bathed in silvery moonlight, still and quiet. She turned back to Ekko, her expression unreadable. "Why don't you sit back down and finish your meal?" she said, her tone kind but firm. "You've had a long day."
Ekko hesitated, his mind racing. The calmness in their responses only made him more suspicious. But before he could press the issue further, Maya gave him a nudge back toward the table.
"Come on," she said with a small smile, though her eyes held a hint of something guarded. "Let's not let dinner go cold."
Reluctantly, Ekko returned to his seat, though his mind was far from at ease. As they resumed their meal, his thoughts kept circling back to the sound of the gong and the fleeting look that had passed between Maya and Ava. Whatever it was, they weren't telling him the full story.
The gong sounded again, the low, metallic tone resonating through the room like a pulse. Ava and Maya remained seated, their movements deliberate and calm, but the tension in their bodies was impossible to miss. Ava's knuckles whitened slightly as she gripped her cup, and Maya's gaze flickered toward the door before quickly returning to the table.
Ekko shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Okay," he said, his voice cutting through the silence, "this is definitely not nothing."
Neither Ava nor Maya responded. The gong sounded once more, the sound deeper and more urgent than before. This time, Ekko saw the faintest flicker of worry cross Ava's face. She didn't move, but her posture stiffened, her calm facade cracking ever so slightly.
"Seriously, what's going on?" Ekko pressed, his eyes darting between the two women. The weight in the room was suffocating now, a shared tension that only grew as the seconds dragged on.
Before either could respond, a loud, insistent knock shattered the silence. The door shook slightly with each knock, and the sound sent a jolt through Ekko. Maya stood, her jaw tight, and moved toward the door. Ava gave her a quick glance but said nothing, staying seated as though trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy.
Maya opened the door, and standing on the threshold was a tall, broad-shouldered man with two massive guns strapped across his back. His uniform was dark and utilitarian, a blend of leather and metal plates that glinted faintly in the moonlight. Straps and holsters covered his chest and legs, holding an array of weapons—knives, pistols, and even a grenade or two. The insignia of a coiled serpent was stitched onto his shoulder, its green eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.
"Come outside," the man said, his voice deep and commanding.
Maya hesitated for only a moment before stepping back, her expression unreadable. She looked over her shoulder at Ava, who nodded solemnly. Without a word, Ava rose from her chair and followed her daughter to the door. Ekko stood too, unsure whether he should stay or go, but one look from Maya told him that this was not the time to argue.
The three of them stepped out into the cool night air. The street was eerily quiet, save for the faint sound of footsteps heading toward the town square. As they approached, Ekko saw dozens of people gathering under the pale glow of lanterns. At the center of the square stood a group of heavily armed individuals wearing the same uniform as the man who had knocked on Maya's door. They moved with precision, their weapons glinting in the flickering light. The mercenaries were a formidable presence, their faces stern and unreadable.
At the heart of the square, on her knees, was Powder—the mechanic Ekko had met earlier. Her hands were tied behind her back, and her head was bowed, her short blue hair catching the light. The way she knelt, her shoulders tense and her breathing heavy, made it clear that this was no ordinary confrontation. She looked like she was awaiting judgment—or execution.
Standing near Powder were two figures who were clearly the leaders of the gang. The man was tall and wiry, with sharp features and a piercing gaze. His long, black coat flared slightly in the breeze, and a thin scar ran diagonally across his left cheek. He carried himself with an air of cold confidence, one hand resting lazily on the hilt of a long, curved blade at his side.
The woman next to him was equally striking. Her hair was fiery red, pulled into a high ponytail, and her armor was sleeker, more fitted, but no less intimidating. Her piercing green eyes scanned the crowd, daring anyone to speak or move. She held a large, serrated rifle, its barrel glinting ominously as she rested it against her shoulder.
The tension in the square was palpable, the air thick with unease. Ekko's mind raced as he tried to piece together what was happening. Why is Powder here? And why does it feel like the entire town is holding its breath?
Ava and Maya stopped at the edge of the square, their faces grim. Neither spoke, but it was clear that they knew more than they were letting on. Ekko glanced at them, but the questions in his throat refused to come out. Instead, he turned his attention back to the scene unfolding before him.
The man at the center of the square, the leader of the mercenary gang, stepped forward, his voice booming over the uneasy silence. "Listen up," he barked, his tone sharp and commanding. "This girl," he said, gesturing toward the kneeling mechanic, Powder, "thought she could mess with us. Thought she could play her little games and get away with it."
He paused, his piercing gaze scanning the crowd. "A week ago, she and her so-called friends set fire to one of our storage facilities. They thought it was a joke—thought it didn't matter because no one died." His lips curled into a sneer. "But that facility held weapons worth more than this entire town. Do you know what happens when people think they can mess with the guild?"
The crowd remained silent, too terrified to respond. The man resumed his pacing, his boots echoing against the cobblestones. "We don't care what you call yourselves. You can paint your hair blue, dress up like your so-called hero, play your little rebellion games. But there is one rule in Kalstead. You do not mess with the mercenary guild."
He stopped in front of Powder, looking down at her with cold disdain. "And the punishment for breaking that rule," he growled, "is death."
The woman at his side, his second-in-command, stepped forward. Her fiery red hair glinted in the lantern light as she raised her gun, pressing the barrel against the back of Powder's head. Powder flinched, her shoulders trembling, tears streaking her cheeks as she stared at the cobblestones beneath her knees. She was crying silently, her face hidden by the blue strands of her hair.
Ekko's hands curled into fists at his sides as he watched. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in shallow bursts. He wasn't sure why, but seeing her like this—defenseless and afraid—stirred something deep inside him. She looked so much like the Powder he had known as a child. He saw flashes of her in his mind: her nervous smile, her shaky hands, the way she used to look up at him for reassurance.
He glanced at the crowd, hoping someone would step in, but everyone stood frozen, their faces pale and their eyes fixed on the ground. No one was going to save her.
His gaze shifted, catching sight of a metal pipe lying a few steps away. Without thinking, he grabbed it, the cool steel grounding him for a moment. He pressed a button on his wristband, summoning his hoverboard, which zipped toward him with a soft hum.
As the woman began to pull the hammer back on her gun, Ekko launched forward on his board, moving with precision and speed. He swung the pipe toward the woman, aiming to knock her weapon away.
But she moved like lightning, dodging the blow with a fluid motion that left him momentarily off-balance. The leader stepped in before Ekko could recover, his arm lashing out and slamming into Ekko's chest, sending him tumbling off his hoverboard. The pipe clattered to the ground as Ekko hit the cobblestones hard.
He scrambled to his feet, but before he could regain his balance, he realized he was surrounded. A dozen mercenaries stepped forward, their weapons drawn and aimed at him. The clicks of loading guns filled the square, each sound a sharp reminder of how outnumbered he was.
The leader watched him with an expression of faint amusement, tilting his head as though studying an insect. "Now who must you be?" he asked mockingly. "Doesn't matter." He turned his back on Ekko with a dismissive wave. "End him."
The mercenaries raised their weapons, ready to fire, but before they could pull the triggers, something unexpected happened.
A grenade rolled into the center of the square, bouncing once before coming to a stop. Then another followed, and another. Ekko froze as he recognized them instantly—the monkey-head grenades, their faces etched with sinister grins and clapping cymbals.
The mercenaries hesitated, their eyes narrowing as they stared at the grenades. For a moment, the entire square was silent, everyone holding their breath.
Then, with a loud pop, the grenades exploded—not with shrapnel, but with bursts of colorful smoke. Pinks, blues, greens, and yellows erupted into the air, swirling together into a thick, chaotic haze that consumed the square. Visibility dropped to nothing, and shouts of confusion erupted from the mercenaries and the townsfolk alike.
Ekko coughed as the smoke filled his lungs, his mind racing. He could barely see a foot in front of him, but he knew one thing for certain: those grenades could only belong to one person.